| 137 secrete ourselves in our wagons sometimes, to elude the grasp of our pursuers, who continued their race more than two hundred miles from Kirtland, armed with pistols, etc., seeking our lives. They frequently crossed our track; twice they were in the houses where we stopped; once we tarried all night in the same house with them, with only a partition between us and them, and heard their oaths and imprecations and threats concerning us, if they could catch us; and late in the evening they came in our room and examined us, but decided we were not the men. At other times we passed them in the streets, and gazed upon them, and they on us; but they knew us not. One Lyons was one of our pursuers.
"I parted with Brother Rigdon at Dublin, and traveling different routes we met at Terre Haute, where, after resting we separated again, and I pursued my journey, crossing the Mississippi River at Quincy, Illinois. . . .
"When I had arrived within one hundred and twenty miles of Far West the brethren met me with the teams and money to help me forward; and when eight miles from the city we were met by an escort; viz., Thomas B. Marsh and others, who received us with open arms; and on the 13th of March I with my family and some others put up at Brother Barnards' for the night. Here we were met by an escort of the brethren from the town, who came to make us welcome to their little Zion.
"On the 14th as we were about entering Far West, many of the brethren came out to meet us, who also with open arms welcomed us to their bosoms. We were immediately received under the hospitable roof of Brother George W. Harris, who treated us with all possible kindness; and we refreshed ourselves with much satisfaction after our long and tedious journey, the brethren bringing in such things as we had need of for our comfort and convenience.
"After being here two or three days my brother Samuel arrived with his family.
"Shortly after his arrival, while walking with him and certain other brethren, the following sentiments occurred to my mind:-
"Motto of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
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