CITY AND TEMPLE OF NAUVOO. 197 



" Far West." Here difficulties soon beset them, and in 

 August 1838 became so serious that the military were 

 called in ; and the Mormons were finally driven, unjustly, 

 harshly, and oppressively, by force of arms, from the 

 State of Missouri, and sought protection in the State of 

 Illinois, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. They 

 were well received in this State, and after wandering 

 for some time — while their leader, Joe Smith, was in 

 jail — they bought a beautiful tract of land in Hancock 

 County, and, in the spring of 1840, began to build the 

 city and temple of Nauvoo. The legislature of Illinois 

 at first passed an act giving great, and, probably, 

 injudicious privileges to this city, which, in 1844, was 

 already the largest in the State, and contained a popula- 

 tion of about twenty thousand souls. The temple, too, 

 was of great size and magnificence — being 128 feet long 

 and 77 feet high, and stood on an elevated situation, 

 from which it was visible to a distance of 25 or SO miles. 

 In the interior was an immense baptismal font, in 

 imitation of the brazen sea of Solomon — " a stone 

 reservoir, resting upon the backs of twelve oxen, also 

 cut out of stone, and as large as life." 



But persecution followed them to Illinois, provoked in 

 some degree, no doubt, by their own behaviour, 

 especially in making and carrying into effect city 

 ordinances, which were contrary to the laws of the 

 State. The people of the adjoining townships rose in 

 arms, and were joined by numbers of the old enemies of 

 the Mormons from Missouri. The militia were called 

 out ; and, to prevent further evils, Joe Smith and one of 

 his brothers, with several other influential Saints, on an 

 assurance of safety and protection from the governor of 

 the State, were induced to surrender themselves for trial 

 in respect of the charges brought against them, and were 

 conducted to prison. Here they were inconsiderately 

 left by the Governor, on the following day, under a 



