I am Ryan McKnight. I'm Kara Santa Maria. I am Christopher Smith. Hi, I'm Andrew Torres.

This is Naked Mormonism. The Serial Mormon History podcast. The Mormon Theocracy on the Mississippi was

tossed into the throes of chaos by recent events.

Governor Thomas Ford attempting to enforce the law of the land had been very clear in his

letter to Joseph Smith and his personal communication with John Taylor, who relayed the message

to the prophet.

If Joe and Hiram didn't agree to be arrested on the morning of June 23rd, he'd order out the

militia to occupy Navu until they could be found. The previous night, Joe, Hiram's sidekick

a bit of Smith, white out Willard Richards, and good old pistol pack and Porter Rockwell committed

to their fateful crossing of the Mississippi under the cover of night, where

they planned on camping for a few days until horses and provisions could be prepared for their

journey to the Great Salt Lake to build the new Zion away from all law enforcement.

The Mormons would follow close behind and begin their mass migration to the

northern corner of Mexico that following summer. By running away from the Mormons at this

crucial juncture in Joe's life, he abandoned them when they needed him the most. Yeah, his life

was in danger, but cowardice is most often revealed when the consequences are dire like this.

Joe sent a message to each and every one of the 15 to 20,000 Mormons living in Navu and Illinois

at large that night that he valued his own life more than he valued theirs.

No true leader worthy of adulation would abandon his people in the

throes of a coming war like this. Further, without leadership, what would the Navu Legion do when

Ford's Illinois militia attempted to enter the city and occupy it to find Joseph Smith? Would the

Legion see this as aggression and answer with

...