I teach Sunday School.. How dangerous is that???

We have something that my class members call the "Duh factor." I invented it and it talks about the fact our church members were run out of the states and there was a little thing called the Constitution that promised freedom of religion. We lost many of our ancestors (men) to war. Fighting for the country who failed them. In my lesson today we learned about John Taylor who eventually became the third prophet and always showed remarkable courage. Here are two stories I gave in my lesson:

John Taylor Stops a Tar-and-Feathering Threat

Near Columbus, Ohio, a very large crowd of people had gathered to hear Elder John Taylor speak. Before the meeting began, Elder Taylor had been warned by Church members that some men had tar and feathers ready and had “boasted they would dress him [in the tar and feathers] if he undertook to preach” (Roberts, The Life of John Taylor, p. 53). Undaunted, Elder Taylor replied he had made up his mind to speak.

Elder Taylor began by reminding the crowd that he now stood “ ‘among men whose fathers fought for and obtained one of the greatest blessings ever conferred upon the human family—the right to think, to speak, to write … , and the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences—all sacred human rights … guaranteed by the American Constitution. …’ [Then Elder Taylor boldly proclaimed,] ‘I have been informed that you purpose to tar and feather me, for my religious opinions. Is this [what] you have inherited from your fathers? Is this the blessing they purchased with their dearest hearts’ blood—this your liberty? If so, you now have a victim.’ … Here he tore open his vest and said: ‘Gentlemen come on with your tar and feathers, your victim is ready. … Come on, gentlemen! Come on, I say, I am ready!’

“No one moved, no one spoke. [John Taylor] stood there drawn to his full height, calm but defiant—the master of the situation.

“After a pause of some moments he continued his remarks and preached with great boldness and power for some three hours. [After the meeting,] the brethren still insisted that … the intention of the crowd [had been to tar and feather him], but they had been awed into silence by the boldness of Elder Taylor” (Roberts, The Life of John Taylor, pp. 54–55).




John Taylor Strengthened Church Members during Times of Persecution

The following incident took place during some extremely critical years for the Latter-day Saints. In 1854 “a special call from President Young … directed [Elder Taylor] to go to New York City to organize and publish a newspaper whose purpose would be to present the doctrines and practices of the Church in such a way as to neutralize … anti-Mormon feeling that had been mounting for over a year. … Additional brethren [were] to organize and publish Latter-day Saint newspapers in other key cities— … Washington, D.C.; … St. Louis; … San Francisco” (Francis M. Gibbons, John Taylor: Mormon Philosopher, Prophet of God [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], p. 138). Elder Taylor took up his residence in New York City and remained there until 1857.

This period climaxed when the United States government in Washington, D.C., sent an army to Utah. The army was to put down what was thought to be a rebellion. In New York, Elder Taylor defended the Mormon people against some governmental powers who were trying to destroy them. He challenged the enemies of the Church “ ‘to prove that “Mormonism” is less moral, scriptural, philosophical; or that there is less patriotism in Utah than in any other part of the United States. We call for proof; bring on your reasons, gentlemen, if you have any; we shrink not from the investigation, and dare you to the encounter’ ” (B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, 4:63).

As a result of public sentiment and legislation against the Church and against plural marriage, many men in the Church were imprisoned. Many others went into hiding to prevent imprisonment. John Taylor was the senior Apostle following the death of Brigham Young in 1877 until he became President of the Church himself in 1880. He with his counselors, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, went into hiding in 1885, placing their trust in the Lord.

Here is a link to the lesson I taught today:
John Taylor -Defender of the Faith


Again I'm having trouble with the link feature, so you may have to copy and paste.