Morning Star (40 page)

“Mighty dry reading you'll find here.”

“What do you have? That book is thick enough to look interesting.”

“It's charts and horoscopes. Joseph and I have been studying the stars. We spend quite a bit of time searching the heavens for a sign. There's much of ancient knowledge to be learned in this manner.”

“That sounds interesting; astronomy?”

“No, astrology. Remember, I showed the book to you some time ago. This is the divination of the influences of stars on human endeavors. By studying out their positions and consulting these charts, we can get an idea of what's going to happen in the future. We also begin to comprehend the outcome of these forces on the people around us.” He paused, studied her, then said, “You look like you're pretty interested in the science. Seeing it's you, if you want to come with me, I'll let you have a look through the telescope.”

Cautiously, remembering her mission, she asked, “Where is it?”

“Just down the street. Joseph has it all set up on top of Mansion House.”

“Why, I think I would like that.”

Outside dusk had given way to darkness. Clayton took her arm, saying, “Look at those stars. This will be a good night to view them. Now, watch your step. We don't keep a light in Mansion House. No sense advertising our business. Just hang on to my coattail and I'll get us across the hall and into the secret staircase.”

“Oh,” Jenny murmured. “I'd heard Joseph had built in a hidden staircase—but why?”

“To escape his enemies. It leads to the roof. More'n once he's gone up these stairs in a hurry and dropped down through the trees.”

The door creaked, and the dark figure holding the telescope straightened. Jenny stepped out onto the rooftop. By moonlight she saw him blink. “Hello Joseph. Clayton has been telling me about the studies and volunteered to bring me along to see the telescope.”

“Jenny!” Surprise and excitement in his voice assured Jenny of her welcome. She approached the table and he said, “Come here. I'll point out the stars we'll study tonight and then Clayton can tell you the significance behind their positions. Would you like us to do your horoscope?”

Without answering, Jenny took her place and stared into the telescope. “Oh, my! Even the moon is fascinating. What planet is this?”

Jenny took her eyes away from the telescope and turned. Clayton was bending over the charts, shading a candle from the breeze. “Windy up here. Come here, I'll show you this chart. What's your birth date?”

“Clayton, I've read enough to know astrology and horoscopes are related to witchcraft. I don't want my horoscope plotted.”

She turned to Joseph. “You've come down hard on the Saints for even having a taint of the craft around, the charms and the witching rods—why are you seeking signs in the stars?”

He was chuckling, “Jenny, my dear, how righteous you are! But we need all the help we can get; besides, the study of stars is interesting. I'm fascinated by the movement of the earth forces. I intend to discover the mysteries of the universe.”

“I remember, from reading the
Book of Abraham
, how the stars were explained. That Kolob is the one close to God, and governing the others.” She hesitated and then said, “Tell me, Joseph, about something that's worried me for some time. In the
Book of Abraham
it says the gods organized the world, meaning more than one god and yet in the Book of Moses, He says,
I created
—just one God. Why the difference?”

“Come here and look at the shooting stars and quit worrying about something that's beyond a woman.”

She continued, “Moses, the sixth chapter, refers to Adam, Man of Holiness, and then goes on to call Jesus Christ his only begotten. Joseph, I'm confused. The Bible doesn't call God Adam.”

Impatiently he turned, “Jenny, I refuse to quarrel with a woman. I've told you the Bible hasn't been correctly translated. You've no right to question the very writings of God.” Facing Clayton, he added, “Why don't you go back to the office and get some books for our sister to read. Take your time.”

“Clayton,” Jenny said, carefully watching Joseph, “if you leave, I'll scream my head off. Out here in the open air, the sound will carry quite a ways. Just stay here; there's not one thing Joseph and I will be discussing that isn't fit for your ears.” Clayton shifted uneasily and Jenny added, “I mean it, and I shall begin right now.”

Clayton sat down, and Jenny stepped closer to Joseph. “I've been wanting to talk to you for some time. Joseph, I've been listening to some of the women—both the things they've said and the hints they've dropped. I don't think what's going on in Nauvoo is of the Lord, simply because if it were these women wouldn't be so desperately unhappy.

“Sally told me before she killed herself that she couldn't handle the guilt of deceiving her husband by allowing you to love her. There are many other women just as desperate.

“Joseph, you've preyed on our fear of God and a deep desire to be holy; but more than that, I am aware of the strange attraction you hold for women, because I've felt it myself.

“Once away from you, I've suffered guilt and wondered why I was so attracted. Joseph, it might be just you—but I don't think so.

“You know I had a talisman. Until I made up my mind to get rid of it, I felt an almost irresistible attraction in your presence. Joseph, you know I was involved in the craft for years. But what you don't know is how it corrupted my life, twisting me with fear. I tried to escape that fear by being a good Mormon, but that didn't help.

“I soon discovered you and your church held me with bonds of fear. You've taught it is wrong to question and that we must give total submission to you and the church. You used the spiritual wife doctrine as a whip. And I know I wasn't the only one. I'm certain you've used the same whip on other women, and with more success.”

Jenny stopped to take a deep breath. “Joseph, I've come to ask you some questions. Because you see, I still don't know the heart of you. Can you honestly say you are called of God? If the welfare of your church and your people are of the utmost importance to you, if you really love us, will you please get rid of the talisman?”

For a moment he stared at her in astonishment. “I am certain,” she said, “that it is the link of Satan in your life, destroying us all with a doctrine that is from the evil one.” His face was beginning to soften into a grin.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the talisman and held it up, balancing it on his fingertips.

For a moment Jenny teetered on her toes, tempted to snatch it and fling it over the rooftop and into the inky night. Then she relaxed. The decision must come from him.

He kissed the medal and slipped it back into his pocket. “No, my dear. I can't live without the protection of the talisman.” Even in the darkness she could see the change on his face. His eyes were shadowed; the lines on his face and the timber of his voice spelled fear.

Slowly and thoughtfully, he spoke as if he had forgotten her presence. “At times it seems I've collected more enemies than friends during my life. I fear they'll never be satisfied until they have my blood. Could it be my days are numbered? No, it shall not be. The Lord has work for me to do. He'll not call me home before my time.”

He stirred, and the old arrogant grin returned. “Meanwhile, my dear, I intend to make the most of my time.” He reached for her.

Jenny sidestepped. “I still have lungs,” she warned. “Joseph, that isn't all I have to say. You told me to read my Bible as well as the
Book of Mormon
and the rest of the writings. I did. It wasn't long until I found the Bible holding my complete attention.

“Joseph, it was God speaking to me! I heard the love, I saw Jesus living, loving, teaching repentance, begging people just to reach out and accept the gift of himself. I wanted to be friends with that Man and I discovered that touching Him was touching God.

“Joseph, I found it was utter arrogance to think I could earn my way to heaven. God says He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He doesn't want our sacrifices. He wants our love.”

Jenny stopped. She could see her words were wasted. “The talisman?”

“I intend to keep it. I need all the protection and help it has to offer.”

****

When Jenny reached Higbee's store the meeting was over. She stood blinking in the lamplight while Mark dumped the warm, sleepy child into her arms.

Chapter 40

“Young man, if you don't hold still I'll never get you dressed, and your father will take you to Sabbath service wearing only a diaper.” Jenny paused to kiss John Mark's upturned face. “There.” She set him on the floor.

Mark was chuckling. “Remember last year? He was only a mite. Can hardly believe a year could do that to a baby.”

Jenny straightened Mark's collar and said, “It's time to be thinking about another. She frowned at his expression. “You don't like the idea?”

“I think if we're wanting to hear the sermons, we'd better get going.”

“Church conference,” Jenny murmured. “Joseph won't lose his opportunity to state what's on his mind. Today the crowd will be the largest in months. Has Willian Law told you who the spies were at Higbee's?”

Mark shook his head. “Could come out in the sermon. Are you ready to leave?”

When they reached Nauvoo, Jenny stated, “It's fortunate the weather's clear and warm today. Look at the size of the crowd.”

Mark's voice was only a rumble and she leaned close to listen. “It's a good time for strangers to mingle in with the Saints to get a feel of things.” He gave her a quick look and explained, “There's enough to whet the curiosity of any number of people.”

“Politics?”

He nodded. “There're thoughts floating around. John D. Lee's been calling Joseph the salvation of the nation. The newspapers are rumbling about it, at least those who are seriously considering Joseph's talk about running for president. They're dropping phrases like ‘the monstrous union of church and state' under Joseph.”

“Is that good?”

“Terrible—unless you want someone telling you which church to belong to.” Mark found a spot under the trees, helped Jenny out of the buggy, and picked up John Mark.

Joseph and the elders marched to the pulpit. After a brief reference to Elder King Follett, who had been killed in an accident the week before, Joseph began his sermon. “There are few in the world who understand God. In order to help you along the way, we must go back to creation. We see the great Elohim sitting yonder as He did at the creation. Some call me a false prophet. I will prove them wrong by helping them know about God. If I can bring you to a knowledge of God, persecution against me should stop.

“For now, I will go to the beginning. God himself was once as we are now. He is an exalted man, seated on His throne in the heavenlies. In addition, God the Father dwelt on earth, just as His Son Jesus did. As the Father had power to lay down His life, so also did the Son. As He had the power to take up life again, so did the Son. I tell you, my brethren, you have got to learn to be gods yourself.

“The Father worked for His kingdom with fear and trembling; we must do likewise. Jesus treads in the footsteps of His Father, inheriting what God the Father did before Him. We shall all do likewise.”

Joseph paused before adding, “I've been reading the Bible in Hebrew, Latin, Greek, and German. I find the German nearest to the translation the Lord gave to me. Now, I want you to hear me. It doesn't say God created the spirit of man. It expressly says He put Adam's spirit into man.

“The mind or intelligence of man is coequal with God himself. God never had the power to create man's spirit. That would be like God creating himself. Remember, intelligence is eternal.” As Joseph paused, his brooding eyes swept the people listening with upturned faces. “Some of you will reject this word. If I were a false teacher no man would seek my life. If a man thinks he is authorized to take away my life, let me say by the same token we are justified in taking away the life of every false teacher.

“Knowledge saves a man. In the greater world to which the spirits go, a man can be exalted only by knowledge. I address you apostates; when a man turns against the work, he seeks to kill me. I warn you, such persons cannot be saved.”

As Jenny and Mark turned to join the crowd making its way out of the temple grove, Jenny said, “Mark, there's Tom!” She waved frantically, and they pressed toward each other through the tide of people. Jenny embraced Tom, saying, “You shall come home with us! We didn't even know you were back.”

They had nearly finished dinner when Mark asked, “Tom, what's the Texas situation?”

“Pretty hopeful, if Joseph's serious about pulling up stakes. I can't believe it, though. There's been too much invested here.”

“Might be necessary,” Mark added, reaching for more chicken.

Tom squinted up at him. “That bad, huh?”

“Yes, he's worried. Nearly every time he speaks it comes out that he's worried by the opposition. I think he reads every newspaper in the country.”

Mark saw Tom's quick look and said, “Yes, he's confided in me, but I don't think the Saints for the most part know how deeply concerned he is.”

Jenny glanced at Mark and Tom said, “What's going on?”

“As close as you are to Joseph, I expected you to know.”

“Don't forget I've been out of town for over a month.”

Jenny interrupted. “Let's talk of something else. Tom, I've finally come to the point where I had to reject Joseph's church.”

“That comes as a shock right now. Any good reason?”

“I've been reading the Bible and I've come to see either I go Jesus Christ's way or Joseph's. I can't have both, because they are completely opposite each other.”