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175 years ago
The Prophet Joseph Smith, while living in Hiram, Ohio, was dragged from his house, beaten and tarred and feathered by a mob on the night of March 24, 1832, according to his own "History of the Church" (pp. 261-264).
Joseph and Emma lacked rest because the John Murdock twin babies they had taken in were ill. Finally after falling asleep that night, Joseph wrote, he was "soon awakened by (Emma) screaming murder." Mobbers broke into the house and carried him away.
He wrote, "I saw Elder (Sidney) Rigdon stretched out on the ground, whither they had dragged him by his heels. I supposed he was dead." He also felt the mob was intent on killing him.
But instead, they beat and scratched him, and covered his body with tar and feathers. He resisted their attempts to fill his mouth with tar, and also kept his teeth clenched so they couldn't force him to drink acid, the vial breaking against his teeth.
The next morning was Sunday and, despite the ordeal, he attended the scheduled worship service. He wrote, "With my flesh all scarified and defaced, I preached to the congregation as usual, and in the afternoon of the same day baptized three individuals."
Elder Rigdon was delirious for several days, but recovered from his injuries inflicted by the mob.
However, during the mobbing, one of the 11-month-old twins "contracted a severe cold, continued to grow worse until Friday, and then died."
