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.

Joseph Smith, Hiram Smith, Willard Richards, John Taylor, and some of their closest friends

are now in Carthage jail. They spent the night of June 25th to 26th, supplicating with the Lord

until late in the evening. There they, quote, made Carthage prison into the gate of heaven

for a while, end quote. After which the men all, quote, made Carthage prison into the gate of heaven for a while, end quote. After which the men all,

quote, laid promiscuously on the floor where they slept, end quote. The morning of June 26th,

these men all awoke, you know, tangled up in each other with the town of Carthage hustling and bustling about.

The militia forces were over 1,300 men in the city by this point, many of whom came from

local towns who had a particular affinity for hating the Mormons. You know, having dealt with

the criminal empire of Navu for the past five years,

maybe that hatred was a little bit justified.

This means that some of the highest ranking leaders of Mormonism,

including the prophet and patriarch, Joe and Hiram,

they were locked into jail in hostile territory,

incarcerated for the purposes of their own protection.

The only insurance these incarcerated men had that vigilante justice wouldn't be served was Governor Ford.

Ford's presence during this rising conflict had kept the region from spiraling into civil war so effectively.

...