Missouri Trial of Joseph Smith and others, Nov. 12, 1838
Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 7:47 pm
Here is a site that has the records of Joseph Smith's trial in Missouri Nov. 12, 1838. Included is testimony by W.W.Phelps, Thomas Marsh, Sampson Avard, John Corrill, and others concerning the Mormon War of 1838. The testimony includes pretty reliable confirmation that the Mormons burned homes and stole property, as well as the Gentiles. http://www.olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1838Sent.htm
Joseph is known to have recorded the existence of the Danites in his journal, an entry that was later crossed out: “we have a company of Danites in these times, to put to rights physically that which is not righ[t], and to clense the Church of verry great evils which hath hitherto existed among us, inasmuch as they cannot be put to rights by teachings & persuaysons, This company or a part of them exhibited on the fourth day of July. They come up to consecrate, by companies of tens, commanded by their Captain over ten” (The Joseph Smith Papers: Journals Volume 1, p. 293).
Danites who maintained lifelong loyalty to the LDS Church later wrote of what they did to defenseless “gentiles” during this “Mormon War” in Missouri. For example, twenty-year-old Benjamin F. Johnson participated in a raid that Danite captain Cornelius P. Lott led against an isolated settlement:
My sympathies were drawn toward the women and children, but I would in no degree let them deter me from duty. So while others were pillaging for something to carry away, I was doing my best to protect, as far as possible, the lives and comfort of the [non-Mormon] families who were dependent on getting away on horseback. . . . While others were doing the burning and plunder, my mission was of mercy so far as duty would permit. But of course I made enemies at home [among fellow Mormons], and became more known by those who were our avowed enemies. Before noon we had set all [houses and barns] on fire and left upon a circuitous route towards home.
https://sunstonemagazine.com/the-cultur ... ii/#_edn11
Of course most Church members remain ignorant of this because it's always been classified as anti-Mormon lies.
Joseph is known to have recorded the existence of the Danites in his journal, an entry that was later crossed out: “we have a company of Danites in these times, to put to rights physically that which is not righ[t], and to clense the Church of verry great evils which hath hitherto existed among us, inasmuch as they cannot be put to rights by teachings & persuaysons, This company or a part of them exhibited on the fourth day of July. They come up to consecrate, by companies of tens, commanded by their Captain over ten” (The Joseph Smith Papers: Journals Volume 1, p. 293).
Danites who maintained lifelong loyalty to the LDS Church later wrote of what they did to defenseless “gentiles” during this “Mormon War” in Missouri. For example, twenty-year-old Benjamin F. Johnson participated in a raid that Danite captain Cornelius P. Lott led against an isolated settlement:
My sympathies were drawn toward the women and children, but I would in no degree let them deter me from duty. So while others were pillaging for something to carry away, I was doing my best to protect, as far as possible, the lives and comfort of the [non-Mormon] families who were dependent on getting away on horseback. . . . While others were doing the burning and plunder, my mission was of mercy so far as duty would permit. But of course I made enemies at home [among fellow Mormons], and became more known by those who were our avowed enemies. Before noon we had set all [houses and barns] on fire and left upon a circuitous route towards home.
https://sunstonemagazine.com/the-cultur ... ii/#_edn11
Of course most Church members remain ignorant of this because it's always been classified as anti-Mormon lies.