Smith were furnished with the "fat of the land" by their disciples, many of whom were wealthy.

A Mormon temple was erected at Kirtland at an expense of about $50,000. In this building there was a sacred apartment, a kind of holy of holies, in which none but the priests were allowed to enter. An unsuccessful application was made to the Legislature for the charter of a bank. Upon a refusal, they established an unchartered institution, commenced their banking operations, issued their notes, and made extensive loans. The society now rapidly increased in wealth and numbers, of whom many were doubtless drawn thither by mercenary motives. But the bubble at last burst. The

bank being an unchartered institution, the debts due were not legally collectible. With the failure of this institution, the society rapidly declined, and Smith was obliged to leave the state to avoid the sheriff.

Most of the sect, with their leader, removed to Missouri, where many outrages were committed against them. The Mormons raised an armed force to "drive off the infidels," but were finally obliged to leave the state.

The last stand taken by the Mormons was at Nauvoo, Illinois, a beautiful location on the Mississippi river. Here they erected a splendid temple, 120 feet in length by 80 in width, around which they built their city, which at one time contained about 10,000 inhabitants. Being determined to have their own laws and regulations, the difficulties which attended their sojourn in other places followed them here, and there was constant collision between them and the surrounding inhabitants. By some process of law, Joseph Smith (the Prophet) and his brother Hyram were confined in the debtor's apartment in the jail at Carthage, in the vicinity of Nauvoo, and a guard of 8 or 10 men were stationed at the jail for their protection. While here, it appears that a mob of about 60 men, in disguise, broke through the guard, and firing into the prison, killed both Joseph Smith and his brother Hyram, June 27, 1844. Their difficulties still continued, and they determined to remove once more. At this time (1848) the Mormons have left Nauvoo, and are now on their way to California, where they expect to establish themselves in a permanent manner.

2 EMANCIPATION IN THE BRITISH WEST INDIES.

By the efforts of the friends of human freedom in Great Britain, an act was passed by Parliament by which eight hundred thousand slaves in the British Colonies were made free. The emancipation began August 1st, 1834, but was not completed till August 1st, 1838. Most of the Islands at first adopted a kind of apprenticeship

The capacious chapel in St. Johns was filled with the candi dates for liberty. Scarce had the clock sounded its last notes at midnight, on the 31st of July, 1838, when the lightning flashed vividly around, and a loud peal of thunder roared along the sky God's pillar of fire, and trump of jubilee !

for their slaves, thinking that gradual emancipation was better than that which was immediate. The latter method however, was found to be the best.

The following account of the ushering in of the memorable 1st of August, 1834, is from Messrs. Thome and Kimball's Emancipation in the West Indies :"

"The Wesleyans kept watch-night in all their chapels, on the night of the 31st of July. One of the Wesleyan missionaries gave us an account of the watch meeting at the chapel in St. Johns. The capacious house was filled with the candidates for liberty. All was animation and eagerness. A mighty chorus of voices swelled the song of expectation and joy, and as they united in prayer, the voice of the leader was drowned in the universal acclamation of thanksgiving, and praise, and blessing, and honor, and glory to God who had come down for their deliverance. In such exercises the evening was spent until the hour of twelve approached. The missionary then proposed, that when the clock on the cathedral should begin to strike, the whole congregation should fall upon their knees, and receive the boon of freedom in silence. Accordingly as the loud bell tolled its first notes, the crowded assembly prostrated themselves on their knees. All was silent, save the quivering, half stifled breath of the struggling spirit. The slow notes of the clock fell upon the multitude; peal on peal, peal on peal, rolled over the prostrate throng, in tones of angels' voices, thrilling among the desolate chords and and weary heart strings. Scarce had the clock sounded its last note, when the lightning flashed vividly around, and a loud peal of thunder roared along the sky; God's pillar of fire, and trump of jubilee! A moment of profoundest silence passed; then came the burst; they broke forth in prayer; they shouted, they sung, Glory Alleluia;' they clapped their hands, leaped up, fell down, clasped each other in their free arms, cried, laughed, and went to and fro, tossing upward their unfettered hands; but high above the whole there was a mighty sound which ever and anon swelled up; it was the uttering in negro, broken dialect, of gratitude to God.