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EDITED BY John C. Parish
| Volume III |
January 1922 |
No. 1 |
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Copyright 1922 by the State Historical Society of Iowa
(Transcribed by Debbie Clough Gerischer)
VOL. VIII ISSUED IN JULY
1927 NO. 7
(Transcribed by Debbie Clough Gerischer)
A Minor Prophet in Iowa
In 1839, Joseph Smith and his Mormon followers, casting about
for a spot where they might live free from the violence that has been their lot,
came upon the deserted village of Commerce in Illinois. There they decided to
establish the seat of their faith. In April, 1840, the name of the village was
changed to Nauvoo, a word alleged to be of Hebraic origin which was interpreted
to mean "a beautiful place".
For some time this Mormon settlement was unmolested and the
community flourished. By 1842, the town had perhaps ten thousand inhabitants,
and three years later had become the largest city in Illinois. It was a
restless, fluxive population, however, with new faces and families coming up the
river to replace the flow of disappointed members who dropped away.
Peace and success were short-lived and by 1846, Joseph Smith and
his brother Hyrum were dead - lynched by a mob at Carthage, Illinois. There was
schism within the church and threatening hatred from without. Again the
Mormons, under their new leader, Brigham Young, were casting about for a haven
of safety.
Abandoning their homes and hard-earned possessions, two or three
thousand of these Mormons crossed into Iowa early in the spring of 1846 and made
their way across the southern part of the State. Probably twelve thousand more
followed the trail-makers during the course of the summer. Travelling the
spring and summer through, they gathered at last, weary and sore, at a camp in
Pottawattamie County where they wintered, while Brigham Young dreamed of a
kingdom in the desert and planned the steps of the great overland trek that was
to carry them across the plains to the vastnesses of their new home.
At this time there seems to have been some thought of a
permanent settlement in western Iowa. Evidence of this is seen in a letter
written in 1848 by one of the Mormon leaders to some of his brethern in Europe,
encouraging emigration to America. "A great extensive, and rich tract of
country has also been, by the providence of God, put in the possession of the
Saints in the western borders of Iowa", he wrote. On account of the Mormon
settlement the legislature of Iowa organized Pottawattamie County, but the
colony was not permanent and by 1853 most of the emigrants from Nauvoo had
passed on to Utah.
Though the main body of the Mormons moved westward to the land
of promise, little groups broke away from the caravans here and there and
remained to mark the trail. Scattered through Iowa along the lines of march are
evidences of the passing of the Mormons and incidents long forgotten amy be
found in local histories and official records. Such an incident revolves around
the strange case of Charles B. Thompson, who appears to have been one of the
number that for one reason or another broke away from the main group of the
faithful.
In the year 1853, a Mormon leader, Charles B. Thompson by name,
came to Iowa and settled on Soldier Creek in what is now Monona County. A
little later he was followed by about fifty Mormon families. Good land was
preempted by this group, and in 1854 Thompson laid out a town about fifteen
miles southeast of Onawa. This town was called Preparation, in view of the fact
that it was to be but a brief biding place in which his followers were to so
school and discipline themselves as to be fit partakers in that larger life that
was to be the lot of these Latter Day Saints when their earthly careers were
done.
In the same year a county government was organized and officers
chosen to transact the business of the county. Thompson was content to be the
county judge while Hugh Lytle was made the treasurer and recorder. Andrew Hall
as clerk and J. F. Lane as sheriff completed the list. The first business was
transacted at Preparation. In the fall of 1854, however, the county seat was
definitely located at Ashton.
In a short time the newcomers became very active. Thompson
started two papers; one, a weekly called The Messenger, and the other, a
monthly called Zion's Herald. They were both published at Preparation.
He also assumed the whole responsibility of organizing and directing the life
of his followers in their new homes. This was three years before the Mormon
Land Company laid out the town of Onawa.
In organizing and directing the life of his community,
Thompson's methods were unique if not altogether successful. "The word of the
Lord" came to him from time to time in the midst of his labors, and in
compliance with divine counsel he set up "Schools of Faith" and "Schools of
Work" in the community, which he called "Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion". To be
eligible for admission into the schools, it was revealed to him, the neophyte
must enter into certain covenants. For example: "In consideration of the
instruction received in teh school of Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion, I now give,
bequeath and consecrate, and promise to pay to Charles B. Thompson, chief
steward of the House of Jehovah, and chief teacher of the Order of Elias the
Prophet, in Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion, for the service thereof, the
value of one-tenth of my real and personal estate, including cash on hand and
money due, and one-tenth of the increase of the remainder forever; also
one-tenth of my time and services. And I solemnly covenant never to require any
remuneration for the same, other than the instruction received."
But that was not all. Father Ephraim, as he called himself, had
almost complete control over his disciples. His wish was law, for was he not
the "chief steward of the Lord, and the first-born of the kingdom in these last
days". They rendered obedience to him cheerfully, confidingly, in "body, mind,
and estate". So there was no murmur or protest when in a short time Thompson
required gift oblations and sacrifices as well as tithings. On the fifteenth
day of April, the twenty-ninth day of August, and the twenty-seventh day of
December in each year the faithful were to make their gift oblations. Every
three years came the "Fast of Tithings" at which time tithings were required.
Then, with the passing of every seven years, came the "Fast of Sacrifices" when
sacrifices had to be made.
At all times Father Ephraim was in direct communication with the
forces of the Spirit World and these requirements and commands were transmitted
to him in special revelations. That he had no choice in the matter is shown in
the record of the following revelation which came to him. "And now behold, I
appoint unto you my servant, Charles B. Thompson, whom I have made chief steward
of my house; for behold, I have prized him as I did Abraham of old, and he has
kept my covenant. And behold, he is the first-born of my kingdom in these last
days; therefore have I made him chief steward of my house, and have qualified
and appointed him to receive, hold, manage and direct, all of the sacred
treasures of my house, the oblations, gifts, tithings, and sacrifices of my
people."
In 1854 the voice was heard again and this time the law of
sacrifices was revealed. In consequence the members of the society were
required to sacrifice all their earthly possessions to Thompson, for the use of
Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion. "To enrich the treasury of the Lord", the members
of the society, at the command of Thompson, bound themselves and their children
"to labor faithfully for and under the direction of Charles B. Thompson for two
years". In consideration of this he agreed to furnish board, lodging, and
clothing.
The law of sacrifices as revealed to him was specific and
phrased in precise legal terms. It required that his followers execute to him
bills of sale of all their personal property and deeds of all their real
property. But they did not murmur, for they were giving, paying, and
sacrificing to the Lord, for was not this "the word of the Lord, by the voice of
Banemey, coming unto Charles B. Thompson, chief steward of the Lord's House",
requiring of them that they do these things.
But the Gentiles in the adjoining counties were not of the same
mind. Some of them, it seems, were prone to entertain the notion that Thompson
was not in truth the "chief steward of the Lord's House". To remove all such
dark doubtings and especially to dispel rumors that he was oppressing and
maltreating his people, Thompson issued in 1855 "An Appeal" to his people. This
was in the nature of a reply to "our enemies" in which he described fully the
history and nature of the society called "Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion".
It was during this same year that Thompson incorporated what he
called the "House of Ephraim" for which shares of stock were issued representing
the property of the corporation. It was not strange that most of these shares
were assigned to Thompson. but the domination of the chief steward was nearing
an end. The seeds of doubt that had been sown were flourishing and the harvest
of revolt would soon be ripe. The year was not finished before some men began
suit against the prophet to recover their property. He was compelled to
compromise, and from then until 1866, when the State Supreme Court finally
disposed of his claims altogether, Thompson was in constant difficulty.
His zero hour came in 1858 when he refused to divide the
property or settle with the members of the society. Thereupon his people turned
against him in such great anger that he was compelled to flee precipitantly from
the settlement. In the words of a county chronicler, "the fellow was hunted
with great pertinacity by his victims, but he escaped with his life and lived
long enough to realize absolute destitution."
At the time of his embarrassment, Thompson conveyed to one, Guy
C. Barnum, who was "an assistant steward in teh Lord's House", a large portion
of the lands belonging to the society of the Presbytery of Zion. His wife and
his brother, Daniel S. Thompson, also received part of the land, which amounted
to nearly three thousand acres. These lands, obtained and conveyed in a
fraudulent manner, were the subject of long litigation that terminated finally
in 1866.
During all this time the land, though fraudulently obtained and
fraudulently conveyed by Thompson, was actually in the continuous possession of
the disciples and this disposition was made permanent by the decision of the
Supreme Court of Iowa which declared that the land held in trust by Thompson and
conveyed by him to his wife, brother, and Barnum should be divided among the
disciples equitably, if that were their wish.
"Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion" near Preparation soon became only
a memory. Its founder and leader, who had remained discreetly absent from his
settlement since his precipitous departure in 1858, was left to his own devices.
His "voice" still followed him and he attempted to found other churches, but
with no success. Thus passed from the scene one of the "minor prophets" of
early Iowa.
By F. R. Aumann
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COMMENT BY THE EDITOR
MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE
When Justice John F. Dillon, writing the opinion of the Supreme
Court of Iowa, expressed the view that Charles B. Thompson's method of acquiring
property "illustrates the extent of credulity which forms so curious a phase in
certain portions of the race", he touched upon a very human trait. He might
have mentioned other examples; but, being a jurist, he proceeded to consider the
facts of the case before the court instead of dwelling upon the metaphysical
implications of the situation. The financial transactions involved were "almost
as marvelous as the pretended revelation of Thompson would have been if true."
Yet Thompson's Mormon Presbytery of Zion was no unusual
phenomenon. The world has always been full of adroit schemers seeking personal
gain by posing as public benefactors. With a winning personality, supreme
self-confidence, and a plausible motive, almost any one can secure a following.
Johns Adams used to say that a leader is one who on account of birth, wealth,
drunkenness, or any other distinguishing characteristic is able to win other
votes than his own. P. T. Barnum founded his whole career on the fact that
people are susceptible to humbug; and citizens of Chicago reelect William Hale
Thompson because his appeal is vivid, though as a showman he appears to be a
clown.
Vendors of patent medicine, nature fakirs, and salesmen of stock
in the broad blue sky are no less numerous or successful than religious
impostors who take advantage of the universality of religious faith. No doubt
certain transcendentalists will accept F. Milton Willis's assertions that
Emerson was the reincarnation of Epictetus; that Cicero reappeared as Gladstone
and Virgil as Tennyson; that Alfred the Great reigned again as Queen Victoria;
and that Hypatia of Alexandria now flourishes in the form of Mrs. Annie Besant.
Who can prove that he is mistaken? Even a few men of science were misled by
the rather obvious hoax of the Cardiff Giant. And there are people who firmly
believe that the moon has something to do with the potato crop, who hope to
avoid misfortune by carrying a rabbit's foot, and who still assert that the
earth is flat.
People are inherently credulous: belief is more natural than
doubt. We are inclined to invert the Golden Rule and assume that others will do
unto us what we would have them do. Men are expected to be honest. The
anonymous expression, "they say", implies acceptance of some vagrant rumor,
while published writing carries so much conviction that readers must be
continually cautioned to believe only part of what they see in print.
Perhaps one reason for human gullibility lies in the equally
innate thirst for knowledge. Grandmother's exclamation, "I want to know!" or
"Do tell!", while indicating a disposition to believe, was doubtless originally
prompted by the very urgent and natural impulse to learn. This insatiable quest
for information connotes a tendency to construe the news as truth. Skepticism
is an attitude of mind that requires cultivation.
J. E. B.
(John Ely Briggs) |
