On his page listing some of the fulfilled prophecies of Joseph Smith, Jeff Lindsay, under the heading "Condemned to Execution, Joseph Prophesies of Deliverance," wrote the following:
In
the fall of 1838, mobs from Missouri rampaged the LDS settlement of Far West
and several LDS leaders, including Joseph Smith, were captured, brutally torn
from their families. Falsely accused of murder and other crimes, they were
condemned to be shot in the presence of their families and the Saints. A
militia officers, General Doniphan, opposed the planned murder of the prisoners
to be murdered and declared he would not allow his men to witness it. The other
officers were then afraid to take responsibility for the execution, but sought
instead to take them to Independence, Jackson County, to have them executed for
the alleged crimes under less risky circumstances. As the journey began, the
prospects for the captives looked grim. B.H. Roberts reports (New Witnesses
for God , Vol.1, p.295):
Amidst the proud boasts of
their captors, who brutally told their heart-broken families and the Saints
that they had seen the last of their Prophet, a start was made with the
prisoners for Independence, Jackson County. The prospects of the betrayed men were
most desperate. They were in the hands of a reckless mob whose hatred of them
was intense. There was little respect at the time for law in the state. In the
language of General Clark (Commander-in-Chief of the mob-militia of the state,
then assembled at Far West) addressed to the Saints, their fate seemed fixed,
their die cast, their doom sealed.
The start for Independence
was made on the 2nd of November; the following morning, after spending a most
wretched night, encamped on the banks of Crooked River, Joseph Smith spoke to
his fellow-prisoners in low but cheerful and confident tones, and uttered this
prophecy:
"Be of good cheer,
brethren, the word of the Lord came to me last night that our lives should be
given us, and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our
lives should be taken."
"Of this prophecy,"
says Elder Parley P. Pratt, "I testify in the name of the Lord, and though
spoken in secret, its public fulfillment and the miraculous escape of each of
us is too notorious to need my testimony."
Though his death had been
ordered and seemed certain, now that he had fallen into the hands of his
enemies, Joseph's prophecy was fulfilled. Praise to the name of General
Alexander W. Doniphan, who refused to carry out the execution order. Read more
about this incident on my page about Missouri and the 1838 "Mormon War".
The source for Joseph’s prophecy
is the 1888 Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, edited by his son:
As we arose and commenced our march
on the morning of the 3d of November, Joseph Smith spoke to me and the other
prisoners, in a low, but cheerful and confidential tone; said he: "Be of
good cheer, brethren; the word of the Lord came to me last night that our lives
should be given us, and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not
one of our lives should be taken." Of this prophecy I testify in the name
of the Lord, and, though spoken in secret, its public fulfilment and the
miraculous escape of each one of us is too notorious to need my testimony. (The
Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt; One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels,
With Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous writings, ed.
Parley P. Pratt [Chicago: Law, King and Law, 1888], 210)
Previously, Pratt wrote the following:
No
pen need undertake to describe our feelings during that terrible night, while
there confined—not knowing the fate of our wives and children, or of our fellow
Saints, and seeing no way for our lives to be saved except by the miraculous
power of God. But, notwithstanding all earthly hopes were gone, still we felt a
calmness indescribable. A secret whispering to our inmost soul seemed to say:
"Peace, my sons, be of good cheer, your work is not yet done; therefore I
will restrain your enemies, that they shall not have power to take your
lives." (ibid., 205-6)
Doniphan’s actions were noted in a
November 29, 1839 petition to the US Congress by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon,
and Elias Higbee:
before
they massacreed the rest. Night closed upon both parties
without any collision. On the next day towards evening the mormons were
officially informed that the Governor of the State had
sent this imme[n]se force against them to Massecre them or to drive
them from the State. As soon as the Mormons learned that this
order had the sanction of the Governor of the State, they
determined to make no further resistance to
submit themselves as well as they could to <the>
authorities of the State, however tyrannical and unjust soever the
exercise of that authority might be.
The
commanders of the Missouri Militia before Far West sent
a messinger into the Town requesting an interview in their camp
with five of the principal Citizens among the Mormons, pledging their
faith for their safe return on their following <morning at 8
oclock>
Thus
invited as they supposed <was> to propose <day> <morning
at 8 oclock> and receive terms of peace and the under
the pledge of a safe conduct Lyman Wight, George W. Robinson Joseph Smith
jr Parley [P.] Pratt and Sidney Rigdon went to<wards> the
Camp of the Militia Instead of being They had no sooner <before we arr before
we> arrived at the Camp them <they> were surrounded <by
the whole army and> by the orders of Genl. Lucas <put
under guard and marchd to the camp as prisoners of war> and
were soon told that they were prisoners of war. A Court
Martial was held that night whi and they
without being heard and in the abscence of all proof condemned to be
shot next morning. The execution of this bloody order
was prevented by the manly protest of Genl Donophan.
He denounced the act as cold blooded murder and threatened to wthidraw
his Brigade— This noble stance taken by General Donophon prevented
the murder of the Prisoners. (Petition
to United States Congress, circa 29 November 1839, Draft, pp. 26-27)
Further Reading:
Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies