The Refiner's Fire: Historical Highlights of Missouri

By Alvin R. Dyer

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the state of Missouri is not only a place of tragic history, but also one with a glorious future. Here, according to the revelations from the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith, many great events will transpire in the culmination of God's work in the latter-days of man's earth-life existence. To know of this area's history and to visit the places of prophetic historical renown in Jackson, Clay, Caldwell, and Daviess counties in Missouri is to experience a feeling and a sense of the nearness of these mighty events of the future. Maps contained in this volume will help identify the places of historic significance, for those who will visit these places. The numerous photographs, many in full color, will bring a new dimension of the area to those whose only visit may be through this book. All who read this volume will see woven through the historical accounts and the quotations from the revelations of the Lord the thread of divine continuity, and will gain a great sense of urgency about the work, and a desire to be part of the great sense of urgency about the work, and a desire to be part of the great future in the "center place of Zion."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barakaldo Books
• Release date: Nov 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839746369

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© Barakaldo Books 2020, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

The Refiner’s Fire

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF MISSOURI

By

ALVIN R. DYER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

AN APPRECIATION 5

FOREWORD 7

HISTORIC INDEPENDENCE 12

Independence First Visited by Lamanite Mission 12

Temple Site Dedicated by the Prophet 15

Temple Lands Obtained 15

Settlement and Trials 15

The Saints Leave Jackson County 17

The Question as to Jackson County Lands 18

Status of Temple Property 20

The Church of Christ Prepare Plans for the Temple 21

Has Zion Been Moved out of Her Place? 23

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 25

Note No. 1 — Garden of Eden Once Located in Jackson County 25

Note No. 2 — Nothing Will Stay the Work when the Lord Is Ready 25

Note No. 3 — A Plat of the City of Zion 26

Note No. 4 — An Incident at Independence and Fulfilment of a Prophecy 26

Note No. 5 — The Lord Made Known to Them at that Time that They Would Not Lose Their Lives 27

Note No. 6 — The Old Independence Courthouse 27

Note No. 7 — The Colesville Branch 28

LIBERTY 30

The True Significance of Liberty Prison 33

Contact with the Church 33

Keys of Holy Priesthood Bestowed upon All Apostles 36

The Binding of Revelation upon the People 36

The Constitution of the United States 37

Vain Imaginations of Men—the Greatness of God 38

Liberty Prison a Place of Spiritual Fragrance 38

The Appeal to God 39

Priesthood Denied the Oppressors 40

The Revelations 40

Present Status of the Liberty Jail Property 41

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 43

Note No. 1 — Attempt to Settle Jackson Land Problems 43

Note No. 2 — Highway Marker about the Prophet’s Jail Confinement 44

Note No. 3 — Arrival of the Prophet at Liberty Prison 44

Note No. 4 — Visit of Mary Fielding and Emma Smith at Liberty Prison 45

RICHMOND 47

The Mock Trial at Richmond 47

The Prophet and Others Sent to Liberty Prison 48

Three Witnesses Monument 49

The Three Witnesses Speak 49

Oliver Cowdery 51

Martin Harris 52

David Whitmer 52

Present Status of Richmond 53

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 54

Note No. 1 — William E. McLellin Attempts to Flog the Prophet Joseph Smith 54

Note No. 2 — The Incident of the Rebuking of the Guards at Richmond 54

Note No. 3 — Location of Jail Where the Prophet Rebuked the Guard 55

Note No. 4 — Alexander William Doniphan 56

CROOKED RIVER BATTLE 58

List of Casualties—Death of Patten and O’Banion 58

The Prophet’s Reflections on the Death of David W. Patten 59

Funeral of David W. Patten 59

Location of Crooked River 59

FAR WEST 61

New Counties Organized for the Saints 63

Caldwell and Daviess Counties 63

The Saints Move to Far West 64

Saints Flock into Far West 64

Arrival of Kirtland Camp at Far West 64

The Refiner’s Fire 65

New Leaders in Zion Rise 65

The Rising Storm against the Church—the Exterminating Order 66

General John B. Clark Commanded the Expedition against the Saints 67

The Testimony of Alvah Boggs Great-Grandson of Governor Boggs 67

The Prophet’s Comment on Governor Boggs 67

The Prophet and Others Taken Prisoners 68

False Brethren Led the Mob into the City 68

The Heroism and Courage of Heber C. Kimball Displayed 69

The Prophet and Companions Sentenced to Be Shot—Courage of General Doniphan Displayed 69

A Military Courtmartial without Representation 71

General Clark’s Arrival at Far West 71

General Clark’s Address to the Saints at Far West 71

A Welfare Plan Proposed 73

Treatment of the Saints at Far West Did Not Go Unnoticed by Honest Men, Who in Unbiased Manner Sought Redress 74

Spiritual Growth of the Church at Far West 74

Temple Site at Far West 75

Present Status of Far West 76

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 76

Note No. 1 — Prophecy concerning the Apostles’ Departure for the Isles across the Sea 76

Note No. 2 — Significance of Southeast Cornerstone 78

Note No. 3 — Significance Indicated of Various Cornerstones of the Temples 79

Note No. 4 — Loss of Church Records 80

Note No. 5 — The Prophet Joseph’s Pre-Existent Identity Known to Him but He Could Not Tell the Brethren 81

Note No. 6 — Birthplace of Joseph F. Smith—Sixth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 81

Note No. 7 — What Has Become of Far West? 81

Note No. 8 — Location of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Home 82

Note No. 9 — The Exterminating Order Issued by Governor Boggs 82

Note No. 10 — The Testimony of Alvah D. Boggs, Great-grandson of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs 83

Note No. 11 — Boggs—Clark—Lucas, Enemies of the Saints 84

HAUN’S MILL 85

Joseph Young’s Narrative of the Massacre at Haun’s Mill 85

Ashby’s Report of Haun’s Mill Massacre 88

Location of Haun’s Mill 89

Monumental Marker of Haun’s Mill 90

Concluding Comment 90

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 90

Note No. 1 — Reflections of the Haun’s Mill Incident 90

Note No. 2 — What Became of the Mill 91

Note No. 3 — The Fate of Those Who Led the Forces against the Saints at Haun’s Mill 91

Note No. 4 — Mormon Farmers Always Looked Ahead 92

Note No. 5 — Obedience to the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Counsel Could Have Prevented the Haun’s Mill Massacre 92

SAINTS MOVE NORTH TO DAVIESS COUNTY 93

ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN 93

Stake of Zion Organized at Adam-ondi-Ahman 94

City Laid out to the North and West of Tower Hill 97

Arrival of Kirtland Camp at Adam-ondi-Ahman 97

The Saints Suffer at Adam-ondi-Ahman 97

The Saints Leave Adam-ondi-Ahman, the Beginning of a General Exodus out of the State 98

Casualties of the Mobbing 99

Legislative Relief for the Saints 100

The Trial of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Others in Daviess County and Their Ultimate Escape to Quincy, Illinois 100

Judge Morin Favors the Prophet’s Escape 101

The Escape—Reason for Taking Advantage of It 101

Adam-ondi-Ahman after Departure of Saints 102

Present Status of Adam-ondi-Ahman 102

Legal Description of Church Property Here 103

Adam-ondi-Ahman the Place of the Future 104

Concerning the great council at Adam-ondi-Ahman, 106

The World Will Not Know of This Gathering 106

The Scriptures Reveal Four Major Appearances of Christ in Connection with and before the Establishment of the Millennium First Appearance 107

Second Appearance 107

Third Appearance 107

Fourth and General Appearance 107

Legal Description of Adam-ondi-Ahman 108

NOTES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST 108

Note No. 1 — The Altar of Adam-ondi-Ahman 108

Note No. 3 — Indian Mound Discovered 109

Note No. 4 — Legend of Pots of Gold 109

Note No. 5 — Joseph Smith’s Ability as a Wrestler 110

Note No. 6 — The Pattonsburg Dam 110

Note No. 7 — The Old "Mormon Well" 110

Note No. 8 — Historical Highway Sign 111

Note No. 9 — Sale of Jackson County Lands 111

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 112

AN APPRECIATION

Acknowledgment is made to my wife and missionary companion, May Jackson Dyer, but for whose zeal and love of the gospel and for the history of our people in Missouri, this little volume might not have been prepared for publication.

To Elder Adam S. Bennion, the last of the General Authorities to visit and tour the Central States Mission while we presided there, and which, unfortunately was the last mission he visited before his passing, is due a debt of gratitude for the interest he took in the material that had been prepared for The Refiner’s Fire, and for the encouragement and help he gave toward its publication.

—THE AUTHOR

FOREWORD

You will enjoy a visit to beautiful Missouri, where will be found many places of historic significance to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others.

Much of the crucial history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the pre-Nauvoo period, took place in Jackson, Clay, Caldwell, and Daviess counties. The movement through the state of Missouri, under pressure of a religious people, displaying great faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a willingness to follow the Prophet Joseph Smith, in the face of many hardships brought on by persecution, provides a saga unparalleled in American frontier history. Expelled from Jackson County, some thought they had found a place of welcome in nearby Clay, but this was not to be, for their enemies from Jackson County fanned the flames of oppression in this county, which was to lead to expulsion here also.

Two new counties were created for them by the Missouri State Legislature, under the sponsorship of Alexander W. Doniphan. In these, Caldwell and Daviess, it was thought by many, both in and out of the Church that the problem of settlement for the Mormons had been answered. But angry and opposing forces kept rising, denying them any permanent abode in any part of Missouri, which at that time was not friendly to the Latter-day Saints. Under extreme persecution, the Saints were forced to leave the state, to settle beyond its boundaries in Nauvoo, Illinois. This became a thriving city, the largest in that state, at that time.

But time and place seemed to matter not to the oppression of the Saints in these perilous days. After a few short years of intermittent peace and persecution, with Joseph Smith their prophet, and his brother Hyrum martyred, they were once again forced to abandon all, and submit to an exodus to the valley of the Great Salt Lake amidst the distant Rocky Mountains then outside of the confines of the United States. This exodus was accomplished with great hardship and suffering, but with true courage, born of dedicated purpose, they became a mighty people under the leadership of Brigham Young and other prophets of God who have succeeded him.

Today, Missouri and her people are friendly; branches and wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints flourish in her many cities. In the city of Jefferson, from whence came the ill-famed exterminating order, there now stands a dedicated chapel to the Lord, completed in 1956. A stake of Zion has been set up in the Jackson County area, further indicating the progress of the Church in this the designated future center place of Zion. A stake has also been organized in St. Louis making two in historic Missouri at the present time.

Chapels, with their towers, grace the skies of Missouri in ever-increasing numbers, bidding welcome to all who will answer the call of the message of the restoration, which is proclaimed unto the people daily by our many missionaries who are finding the people of Missouri friendly and receptive to our message.

Some few high lights of Church history from the many printed historical records of our people is offered here. If, for some reason or other, the readers find sufficient interest to continue their study of these more comprehensive volumes, then, at least one of the objectives of this book will have been accomplished. To the youth of the Church, it is hoped, this little volume will be of particular interest, kindling within them a desire to become familiar with our early Church history, that there will be kept alive in their hearts a burning appreciation for those few who did so much for all of us.

To every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Missouri stands as a place of the future. Here, according to the revealed word of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith, many events will occur in the culmination of God’s work in the latter days. The great priest-hood meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman, when the Ancient of Days, Adam, shall counsel once again with his patriarch and prophet descendants, preparatory to the submittal of all things to the Christ; the building of the temples and the City of Zion in the center place, of which there shall be no other place appointed, are events looked for with great expectancy by every Latter-day Saint.

One cannot stay long, in and about Jackson, Clay,