Concluded Volume 2

I just finished reading the second volume of B.H. Roberts' "Comprehensive History of the Church." This volume ends with the first group of saints departing Nauvoo in February 1846. In 1,100 pages the two volumes (1 and 2) cover Joseph Smith, Jr. ancestry through the beginning of the saints migration. While I recognized many of the stories throughout the history, I have learned many things that I never knew before. More importantly to me, however, I have a greater understanding of the things through which the saints had to pass, the circumstances under which the doctrines of the church were received and taught, and the character of the leaders and the members in the early days of the church.

This history has opened my eyes to the degree and volume of persecution those early saints endured. Just for example, I had no idea that within just over a year of the martyrdom, many of the saints' homes were torched by mobs. Because of direction given by Brigham Young, the saints offered no resistance. The mob would knock on their door and tell them they were going to burn the house. The saints would collect their personal items they intended to keep and then watch as their homes were burned. Because of the exposure incident to sleeping out doors, some family members died from the loss of their homes. At least 25 and possibly up to 175 families lost their homes in this manner. I just can't imagine living under those circumstances.

What made all of the persecution worse was that the government in Illinois did nothing to stop the it (not to mention in Missouri where the government largely supported it). As I've read all these things I'm just amazed that the saints stayed as faithful as they did. I hope that I can endure all the trials in my life as well as they did theirs.

I'm looking forward to reading the next volume. I know a lot of the pioneer stories, but I'm looking forward to the context to put them all in. I don't know much about the churches early years in the Salt Lake Valley. I know a little about the federal government's persecution of the church but not much, so I'm also excited to get the details on that.

I just wanted to share that with you all and to suggest, if you've got time and some extra money, that you pick up this history and read it for yourself.