LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 257 



" My brethren ! " he exclaimed in a loud voice, 

 " this day is a happy one to me, to us all, who venerate 

 the great and only faith. The truth of our great and 

 blessed doctrine will now be proved before the thousands 

 I see around me. You have asked me to prove by a 

 miracle that the power of the prophets of old has been 

 given to me. I say unto you, not only to me, but to 

 all who have faith. I have faith, and can perform 

 miracles that faith empowers me to walk across the 

 broad surface of that mighty river without wetting the 

 soles of my unworthy feet ; but if ye are to see this 

 miracle performed, it is necessary that ye have faith 

 also, not only in yourselves, but in me. Have ye this 

 faith in yourselves 1 " 



" We have, we have ! " roared the crowd. 



"Have ye the faith in me, that ye believe I can 

 perform this miracle ? " 



" We have, we have ! " roared the crowd. 



" Then," said Joe Smith, coolly walking away, " with 

 such faith do ye know well that I could, but it boots 

 not that I should, do it ; therefore, my brethren, doubt 

 no more " and Joe put on his boots and disappeared. 



Being again compelled to emigrate, the Mormons 

 proceeded into the state of Illinois, where, in a beautiful 

 situation, they founded the new Jerusalem, which, it 

 had been declared by the prophet Mormon, should 

 rise out of the wilderness of the west, and where the 

 chosen people should be collected under one church, 

 and governed by the elders after a " spiritual fashion." 



The city of Nauvoo soon became a large and impos- 

 B 



