Brigham Young believed that God would command his
people to avenge the blood of prophets before the world’s end, though he did
not know exactly how or when. HE told apostle Wilford Woodruff in 1856 that “were
we now Commanded to go & avenge the Blood of the prophets,” the Saints
would not “know what to do.” Fortunately, Young confused to Woodruff, “there is
one thing that is a consolation to me.[.] And that is I am satisfied that the
Lord will not require it of this people until they become sanctifyed & are
led by the spirit of God so as not to shed inocent Blood.” (Woodruff, Apr. 15,
1856) (Richard E. Turley Jr., and Barbara Jones Brown, Vengeance is Mine: The
Mountain Meadows Massacre and its Aftermath [Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2023], 9)
The full entry for Wilford Woodruff’s
journal for April
15, 1856, reads as follows:
15th
I met with President B. Young at his office with G. A. Smith & T. Bullock
red Church History to him I am about getting inniciated into my office as
assistant Historian
while
reading the revelation upon the patriarchal marriage & while reading that
paragraph relating to sthe sheding of inno-cent Blood President Young
remarked that that was a vary nisce point to distinguish between
innocent Blood & that which is not innocent. were we now commanded to go
& avenge the Blood of the prophets whare it wood ^reach^ infants from the
cradle to the third & forth generation would they know what to do in such a
case they would not. But their is one thing that is a consolation to me And
that is I am satisfied that the Lord will not require it of this people untill
they become sanctifyed & are led by the spirit of God so as not to shed
inocent Blood. Again what does the saying mean that sayes all shall be damned
that does not keep this Law unto whom it is revealed does it mean that they
shall take more wives than one. I think it includes the whole law with its
covenants. I think that many that come into this world will be damned or
disorgan-ized. And I think this is the Death that is refered to that the Broad road
leads to, while few will enter throug the straight gate into the fulness of
Eternal life for their are many who will not keep the law of life [FIGURE]
President Young Had Brother Cannon take a Daguerreotype likeness of the temple
draft for Truman O Angel to take with him to England. The likeness was taken in
miniature of the Temple drawn by the Architet Truman O Angel & it was an
excellent likeness the first time trying. Brother Cannon was paid $6 for his labor.
President B. Young then wrote the following words to be put upon one of the
stones of the Temple
Holiness
to the Lord
The Temple
of our God
Built by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
commenced
on the 6th day of April A.D. 1853
Further Reading:
B. H. Roberts' Foundation (Mormonr) Q&A and Primary Sources on Blood Atonement and Capital Punishment
