Page:The Rocky Mountain Saints.djvu/92

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58
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAINTS.

keeping their enemies far from them, "the Lord," when enjoining vengeance, diplomatically adds "but first let my army become very great." In the meantime the Mormons are to sue for peace. This is a very practical endorsement of the First Napoleon's opinion that Providence was always on the side of the best generalship and the strongest battalions.

Such very wholesome counsel was of course properly appreciated. The "warriors" were instructed to disperse among the settlements or to return to their homes, and Joseph as directed, was also to conclude some arrangement by which the Saints who were still able to stay in Jackson county could enjoy peace; but the throwing down of towers, scattering the watchmen, and restoring the people to their inheritances, were apparently no more to be thought of. A "High Council" was organized in Clay county, and Joseph left for Kirtland on the 9th of July.

Thus ended this extraordinary but brief campaign of two months and two days—a period fraught with good instruction to those who could take it.

Brigham Young annually invites the remnant of "Zion's Camp" to meet him in Salt Lake City—generally at the close of the October Conference—and they have a pleasant reunion in the Social Hall, where they with their families enjoy themselves in the dance together. The chief bishop of the Church entertains them at dinner and supper. Usually during the evening they are "addressed;" they sing their songs of days gone by, and one or two of the very aged brethren will try a "jig" or "hornpipe," to show the others "how well they hold out." It is a very harmless kind of mutual admiration. They all feel honoured in having been members of Zion's Camp, and probably would think it very daring for any one even to suggest a failure of that memorable campaign. Brigham never omits at this gathering to tell how much he was compensated for his marching experience by the teachings he listened to from the Prophet's lips. He seems to feel that something is needed just there, and he furnishes the supply. The leader says that he was "compensated"; the "remnant" then must feel that they also were compensated; and in two or three generations from this time their descendants will doubtless read