Persecution continued to plague the early saints in Missouri during late 1833. Church members were driven from their homes and forced across the Missouri River and into Clay County.
In February 1834, Parley P. Pratt and Lyman Wight left for Ohio to inform Joseph Smith of the situation and ask for assistance and guidance in regaining their lost property."I was at this time entirely destitute of proper clothing for the journey," wrote Pratt in his autobiography, "and I had neither horse, saddle, bridle, money nor provisions to take with me; or to leave with my wife, who lay sick and helpless most of the time. But, `to him that believeth all things are possible.' "
Somehow, Pratt and Wight rounded up the necessary equipment for their 1,000-plus mile trek. "We had not one cent of money in our pockets on starting," Pratt continued. "We traveled every day, whether through storm or sunshine, mud, rain or snow; except when our public duties called us to tarry. We arrived in Kirtland early in the spring, all safe and sound; we had lacked for nothing on the road."
In a meeting on Feb. 24, 1834, Pratt and Wight reported to the first high council of the Church, which had been organized only seven days earlier. Earlier that day the Prophet had received a revelation (Sec. 103) where the Lord issued a call to the young and middle-aged men of the Church to gather upon the land of Zion and "avenge me of mine enemies" (vs. 25). Joseph and others were commanded to try and enlist 500 men but to recruit no fewer than 100 men. As it turned out, some 204 men (and 11 women and 7 children) volunteered for the group that became known as "Zion's Camp."
The group, led by Joseph Smith, traveled to Missouri and arrived at Fishing River, Mo., on June 16, 1834. According to the Encyclopedic History of the Church, they found the Missourians "excited and prepared to oppose the camp. A terrific storm saved the brethren, but cholera broke out among them from which many suffered most severely, and 13 of the members of Zion's Camp died."
The Prophet received another revelation (Sec. 105) on the banks of the river, which stated it was expedient that the elders "should wait for a little season for the redemption of Zion." (vs. 9.)
Although the most obvious purpose of the camp (to reinstate the saints to their lands in Jackson County) was not realized, Zion's Camp was not a failure. "Zion's Camp was disbanded on June 24, 1834," said Elder Delbert L. Stapley of the Council of the Twelve in a speech at BYU in 1970. "It had furnished the know-how and experience which made possible the subsequent exodus of more than 20,000 men, women, and children from Nauvoo to the Rocky Mountains, and prepared leaders for the great exodus.
"It also provided a proving ground - some 1,000 miles of it - for the future Church leaders. This is evidenced by the fact that when the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was `searched out' . . . all chosen had been members of Zion's Camp. These men had demonstrated their willingness to sacrifice everything, even life itself, when commanded by the Lord. The First Quorum of the Seventy was likewise made up of the men who followed the Prophet to Missouri in Zion's Camp."
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the gospel doctrine course of study.
Information compiled by Kellene Ricks.
Sources: Church Educational System Doctrine and Covenants student manual; Doctrine and Covenants Compendium, by Sidney B. Sperry; Comprehensive History of the Church, By B.H. Roberts, Volume 1; and Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, By Andrew Jenson.
