Morning Star by Marian Wells Page A

taking place. I’m here to ask your intervention.”
    Mark replied bitterly, “What makes you think I have any more influence with Joseph Smith than you?”
    The man sighed, “I’d hoped.” When he spoke again his voice was thoughtful. “He threatened to excommunicate any man who bought land without consulting him. I don’t like some of his financial ventures, such as publishing his revised Bible. I honestly feel he’s misusing the money he has collected to build the temple and the Nauvoo House.”
    Mark’s shoulders straightened. “Law,” he said sharply, “that’s a serious charge.”
    â€œI know. Right now I wouldn’t make it in court, but there’re indications he’s invested the funds in real estate and then sold at a profit.”
    â€œIs that all that’s bothering you?” Mark asked.
    â€œNo. I’m deeply disturbed because of the workers on the temple site. They’re living on parched corn. There’s no income for the work, and they’re practically starving.”
    Andy added, “These are the men who bought land on the Iowa side and then lost everything when the deeds proved to be fraudulent.”
    â€œFoster and I are fighting to get the materials to erect houses before winter. Now Joseph is saying the Nauvoo House must be built, that our salvation depends upon this happening.” For a time, William sat with his head bowed to his chest. When he finally sighed and straightened, he looked around the room and muttered, “I tried to remonstrate with him about some other things. I can’t tell you all, but I was sorely tried when he informed me in a lighthearted manner that if the results were as I feared, we could both go to hell, and that hell is by no means the bad place it’s been pictured. To the contrary, Joseph thought it was a pretty agreeable place.”
    Jenny felt the shock of the statement, but Mark’s eyes holding hers made her shiver even more. The question in their depths could not be avoided: he was challenging her commitment to Joseph. She turned away from them all with a tired sigh, but even then she knew the questions couldn’t be avoided any longer.
    That Monday when Mark guided his mare out to the main road, he had put William Law’s conversation behind him. As he faced the sunshine cresting the rolling hills of Nauvoo, he thought of the blank page of the week stretching out before him. He knew of the items that needed to be placed on the page, he also knew of the problems that were pressing him, demanding their rightful place. His lips twisted in a rueful smile as he thought of the Prophet. With his usual pleasant smile, he would sweep Mark’s page clean and dump another load upon it.
    When Mark reached the office, Joseph was there. He was sitting behind his desk, and Mark immediately recognized that this was the day for confrontation. Joseph’s suit for bankruptcy had been pushed aside for the last time.
    After the polite words had passed between them, Mark took a deep breath and said, “The answer is no . Morally, for you to declare bankruptcy is wrong. If you insist on this line of action, you’ll need to find another attorney to represent you.”
    Joseph’s level gaze was unwavering. Mark was conscious of all the implications of his decision. What about Jenny’s spiritual groping? Would her wavering spirit be crushed by leaving Nauvoo with her questions still unanswered?
    Even as Mark realized he must push the hard questions at Joseph, he was aware of the risk he was taking. Excommunication . “Joseph, I feel I must warn you that there’s a great risk to be taken in following this course of declaring bankruptcy. Are you prepared to subject your personal life to legal scrutiny?”
    Joseph leaned back and grinned. “I see you’ve been listening to gossip.”
    â€œIs it gossip? I thought it common knowledge that