Description
Now, I Dare You To Get Past Me
Has it ever happened to you that in doing the right thing—that which the Lord required of you, cost you the love and affection of those you most loved? Few things are more painful and trying. This is a story about just such an event.
November 1856, Devils Gate, Wyoming. More than 900 Latter-day Saint emigrants were stranded on the high plains of Wyoming more than 300 miles from civilization. Snow was deep and still coming. Temperatures dropped as low as minus 11 degrees.
People were dying daily from starvation and exposure. The situation was dire and desperate. A small rescue party had located the scattered companies of emigrants and gathered them together at a place called Martin’s Cove.
The rescuers held a council. Should they attempt to winter where they were or try to get on to Salt Lake City. George D. Grant turned to one of the young men in his company, Joseph A. Young, son of Brigham Young, and asked “What would your father do now if he were here?”
Joseph’s answer was sure. “If my father was here, he would take all the books and heavy material and cache them in order to save the lives of the people.”
Accordingly, the decision was made to empty all the wagons of the Hunt and Hodgett’s companies of their freight, load them up with the helpless emigrants and push on to Salt Lake City as soon as the weather broke.
From November 6-8, 1856, all the goods of those wagons were unloaded and stored in the abandoned buildings of Fort Seminoe. Nineteen men, led by Daniel Webster Jones, were appointed to remain behind and guard those goods. When the emigrant wagons departed on November 9, they were crowded to the bows with pioneers who could no longer walk.
Even though the hardest months of winter yet lay ahead, Dan Jones and his fellows were only given 20 days worth of rations. When their food ran out, they were reduced to eating anything, including rawhide, to stay alive. What they endured beggars description.
In May 1857, a group of apostates descended on the Fort and demanded the goods. To those who could show valid receipts, Dan Jones released the claimed goods, but when the apostates demanded all of it, Dan would not let it go. The apostates took cover and it appeared that a shootout was inevitable. Dan stood his ground, saying to them:
“We have been here all winter eating poor beef and rawhide to take care of these goods. We have had but little fun and would just as soon have some now as not; in fact, would like a little row [fight]. If you think you can take the fort, just try it. But I don’t think you can take me to commence with; and the first one that offers any violence to me is a dead man. Now I dare you to get past me towards the fort.”
The cowardly apostates backed down and went on their way. Dan Jones was willing to fight and die to honor his trust and protect goods, not an item of which belonged to him. And all that, after suffering a Wyoming winter for the sake of someone else’s property.
He returned home in the early summer of 1857. Some of those whose property he had defended accused him of stealing it. His house was even searched for the goods. A formal complaint was filed against him with President Brigham Young. Dan was deeply hurt by the slander and accusations and considered leaving the territory, but when he was summoned to a hearing on the matter in President Young’s office, he went, trusting that the Lord’s prophet would discern the truth.
The President asked Dan to present an accounting of all his expenditures at Fort Seminoe. With remarkable precision and detail, he did so. When he finished, the President asked his accusers to respond. No one spoke. President Young then stood and rebuked the false accusers, his tone and towering demeanor rising as he spoke.
The meeting was dismissed and President Young wrote a letter to the Bishops across the territory.
It read:
“Beloved Brethren,
Inasmuch as there are some persons disposed to find fault with the management of Brother Daniel W. Jones while at Devils Gate, we feel desirous to express ourselves perfectly satisfied with his labors while there, and with the care that he has taken of the property entrusted to him. He has our confidence, and we say, God bless him for what he has done. The men who find fault with the labors of Brother Jones the past winter, we wish their names sent to this office, and when the Lord presents an opportunity we will try them and see if they will do any better.”
It appears nothing more was said on the matter.
It is my witness and conviction that Jesus is full of grace and truth, among other things. That means cruelty and lies have no place with Him. There will come a day when He will make sure that every lie is revealed and the truth is spoken from the housetops for all to hear.
Source:
Andrew Olsen, The Price We Paid, (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2006) p. 369-380.
