Description
The Camp Gave Up To Die
There was that moment near Red Buttes Camp in Wyoming when the situation of the Martin Handcart Company became critical. The winter storms had come and the camp was low on food. Captain Martin called the people together and informed them that they had only enough food for one more day, did they want it all now, or divide it out into three days rations. The Company agreed to divide it. Louisa Mellor Clark was there and she describes that moment.
“Despite our desperate situation we sang the handcart songs. One was, ‘If we should die before our journey’s through, Happy day! All is well!’ The camp gave up to die, if need be, and scarcely a dry eye was left to see the dying.”
The Company moved on. Then, somewhere along the trail, Louisa’s mother finally gave up and declared that she could go no further. Lousia said, “she bade my father goodbye and kissed each one of the children Godspeed. Then my mother sat down on a boulder and wept.”
The Company was forced to move on but Louisa would not leave her mother. Once the handcarts had moved on, Louisa said she went a short distance away and “prayed with faith that God would help us, that he would protect us from devouring wolves, and asked that He would let us reach camp.”
At the conclusion of her prayer, Louisa stood up and started walking back to her mother. As she walked, she saw a pie sitting in the road. She picked it up and gave it to her mother. They ate the pie and after some time felt strong enough to start walking. With thanks to God for His blessings, they walked on and soon met Louisa’s father coming out to meet them. “What a joyful meeting that was!” she said.
It would not be the last time that she felt like giving up but each time, she would remember how wonderful the Lord had been to spare her so many times and offered a prayer of gratitude instead. So she went on her way rejoicing while walking the blood-stained path of snow.”
Sometime later, on November 30, 1856, the Martin Company came into the Salt Lake Valley. Louisa describes that moment,
“Brother Wheelock and Brother Goddard were in the crowd to meet us when we arrived. They asked for James Mellor. When they saw him they were stunned! A man of 38 years of age with hair as white as the driven snow! Indeed, the trials and tribulations, the hardships and the deprivations they had suffered from England to Salt Lake Valley had taken its toll. They took him in their arms and wept! They also greeted my mother, to whom they had promised life and that she would live to see Zion. We were received by the saints, some with tears in their eyes and some with joy. We were a pitiful sight to see, and for weeks this company was not allowed to eat much nor to see themselves in a mirror. President Young met us, and when he saw us he was so melted down with grief at sight of our condition he had to go home sick, but he blessed us first.”
The pioneer trail was hard. It was a difficult journey even in the best of circumstances. That trail was a blessing from God that defined us as a people. We are who we are because they were who they were and proved it!
