Prompted by the silent whisperings of the Spirit, sustained by a simple yet abiding faith, those pioneer Saints trusted in God.
Thomas S. Monson
Re-enactment of the Nauvoo Exodus
It was 176 years ago this past Friday, February 4, that the Saints began their forced exodus out of Nauvoo. On Saturday, we commemorated that exodus with our own reenactment of it. Words simply cannot adequately express how we stand in awe of the faith and the courage those early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had as they left behind their homes, their businesses and their beautiful temple that they worked so hard and sacrificed so much to build. As they left across the Mississippi River they no doubt looked back at their beautiful temple that stood on the hill knowing they would never see it again as they headed west beyond the borders of the United State seeking peace and protection to practice their faith, which neither the State or Federal government provided them.
I cannot image the agony the Saints must have felt as they looked back at the beautiful Nauvoo temple for the last time. A temple that they had worked so hard and sacrificed so much for five years to build.
Re-enactment of the Nauvoo Exodus
All of the Illinois Historic Site missionaries along with our hundreds of guests gathered at 10:00 AM in front of the Cultural Hall where I acted as the master of ceremonies for the day and we heard prepared comments from Sister Dalton, co-leader of the mission and wife of our mission president.
The procession marched down Main Street to Parley Street and then down Parley to the banks of the frozen Mississippi River where the early saints crossed as they left Nauvoo. The parade was lead by a re-enactment of the Nauvoo Legion followed by individuals carry flags from various countries followed by the horse drawn wagons.
When we first gathered the temperature was at -4ยบ and it only got colder the closer was got to the mighty frozen Mississippi River. As a side note, our cadence drummer for the Nauvoo Legion, a student from nearby Warsaw High School, said this was his third and by fare coldest year to play in the re-enactment.
We received the following email from a member that lives near Iowa City, which is about two hours away;
“Several families from my ward in Cedar Falls participated in the Exodus yesterday, and today's testimony meeting featured many who talked about their experience.
“The children were the most anxious to share their thoughts. From the 3-year-old who talked about how she was "super cold" and crying but still glad she got to "go be a pioneer," to the teenaged boy who said, "I only walked a mile and I couldn't feel my toes," to the little girl who solemnly described her feelings at seeing all the names of the dead inscribed in the memorial, to the young man who expressed his gratitude for the chance to feel what it was like in 1846--all of them had been deeply touched by their experience. Most of them had listened well to (the Dalton’s) comments, echoing the idea that they all had warm clothes and safe places to go to after the short event but the pioneers had no such assurance or benefit.
“I doubt these lessons would have been as keenly felt if we had enjoyed balmier weather. Our ward has been well-represented at the Exodus over the past few years, but this was the first testimony meeting where children have been the ones sincerely testifying to what they learned and how they felt. It brought a lovely spirit to the meeting.”
As the Master of Ceremonies, Chris and I led the wagon train riding in the mission’s beautiful surrey. We froze and no doubt would have been much warmer had we walked. Nevertheless, it really was a powerful and meaningful experience for us as it gave us a much greater appreciation and respect for what those early Saints went through many of whom walked across the frozen Mississippi. Neither of us had ever been so cold before!
Sister and Elder Rees the teamsters of our surrey - they are awesome!
Elvira & Emer
Many participating in the reenactment wore the names of our ancestors who lived here in Nauvoo at the time. Chris wore the name of Elvira Teeples while I wore the name of Emer Harris, who is Martin Harris’ older brother.
Elvira is Chris’ third cousin five times removed. Elvira departed Nauvoo at age 30 on July 10, 1849, arriving in the Great Salt Lake Valley 110 days later on October 29, 1849.
Emer is Steve’s third cousin six times removed through his dad’s line. He was born in 1781 and was 71 years old when he left Nauvoo. He died at the age of 88 in Logan, Utah Territory.
Emer is mentioned in Saints, Volume 1, page 522: “That spring, a church member named Emer Harris informed Joseph that the conspirators had invited him and his nineteen-year-old son, Denison, to attend their meetings. “‘rother Harris,’ Joseph said, ‘I would advise you not to attend those meetings, nor pay any attention to them.’ But he told Emer that he wanted Denison to attend the meetings and learn what he could about the conspirators.”
The Frozen Mississippi
The re-enactment activities concluded on the banks of the frozen Mississippi River, which featured a flag raising ceremony by Boy Scout Troop 56, comments by Illinois Historic Sites Leader, President Dalton and the Nauvoo Missionary Choir singing Faith in Every Footstep.
Neither Beast Nor Human
We are so grateful for our alert and skilled teamsters! During the program at the end of Parley Street one of our teenage oxen, by the name of Ike, manage to flip himself over the tongue of the cart he was pulling and landing flat on his back with his legs straight up in the air at the foot for his yoked companion, Porter forcing him to face plant in a drift of snow. Fortunately, Elder and Sister Heward were close by and saw what was going on. The Heward’s, along with several other missionaries, rushed to the scene cut the ropes to avoid choking Ike and then they struggled a bit to get this 2,000 pound ox back on his feet.
Sister and Elder Heward after the re-enactment with Ike and Power.
Pleased to report, neither beast nor human was injured in the event!
Oxen and the 1846 Exodus
Before we forget about Ike and Porter, we want to point out that the oxen were the most popular beast of burden for several reasons:
- Oxen were cheaper than horses;
- Oxen could pull a heavier load than horses;
- Oxen would eat just about anything along the trail as compared to horses; and,
- Oxen were slower than horses and, therefore, easier to keep up with when walking.
No doubt none of those early Saints fleeing Nauvoo for their lives in 1846, had a clue where they were actually going. All they knew was they were forced to leave their homes and beautiful Nauvoo and headed west beyond the borders of the United States where they hoped to find safety and peace. I wonder if they understood just how hard it was going to be.
What they did know was, it was going to be hard and that there was a possibility they or someone they loved would not finish the journey.
It is difficult to identify an exact number of individuals who rode in their wagons or walked the nearly 1,300 miles from Nauvoo to Utah because not all the company rosters were turned in to the Church. However, it is estimated that nearly 60,000 pioneers traveled across the plains to Utah from 1846 to 1868 with nearly 5,000 dying along the way.
George Q. Cannon, who served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow and who experienced the exodus first hand probably described it best when he said:
“Those of us who can remember when we were compelled to abandon Nauvoo, when the winter was so inclement, know how dark and gloomy the circumstances of the Saints were, with the mob surrounding our outer settlements and threatening to destroy us. … The word was to cross the Mississippi and to launch out into an unknown wilderness—to go where, no one knew. Who knew anything of the terrors of the journey thither, or of the dangers that might have to be met and contended with? … [We moved] out with faith that was undisturbed by [these] unknown terrors. It was by faith that this was accomplished.”
George Q. Cannon
Lesson for Our Day
"With the complex issues facing our families and our friends, our citizens, our state, our neighbors, our nation, the world, may we remember pioneers of an earlier day who persevered against injustice, misunderstanding, some intolerance, occasional bigotry, occasional racism, against differences of custom and traditions and faith, who labored against all of that to carve out for us, their descendants, the wonderful day and the marvelous miraculous time in which we live. We owe the same pioneering, persevering legacy to our children and our children's children.”
Jeffrey R. Holland
God be with you till we meet again ...
