Might I point out, Mike, that Joseph, Hyrum, and John Taylor all got shot on a day that they took off their garments for it being too hot out; Willard Richards, on the other hand, “through the providence of God, escaped, without even a hole in his robe” (D&C 135:2). I’d be careful if I were you – especially if there happens to be an angry mob in your town of late! [/i]

Good point. Also, can you imagine what the garments back then were like on a hot humid day? We don’t really have as much of an excuse considering how much less there is to garments today and what materials are available.

“‘Strains Which Will Not Soon Be Allowed to Die’: ‘The Stranger’ and Carthage Jail,” BYU Studies 23/4 (1983): 389. This article tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the song “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.”

I don’t know whether this will work, but I’ll try to link to the Lee Library online collection:

http://tinyurl.com/3ux4e

I remember when Mike was researching that article; we were at the University of Illinois together at that time.

The article presents an early shape note version of the song as published in The Sacred Harp. I actually sang that version in Church once as a solo on a Sunday close to June 27th. That is the only solo I’ve ever sung in Church; I like to sing, but I have more of a choir voice. I was pretty nervous doing the solo, but I really like this version. It is the source for the later, more flowery version we sing, but this one is simpler and quite beautiful.

(History of the Church, Vol. 6, page 616)

I can still remember as a child hearing the tour version of the story where the stain on the floor is pointed out. So it was cool to read some new insight on the matter. It has been years since I’ve been to Nauvoo and I’m hoping my wife and I can do a tour of the eastern Church sites someday soon.

Here’s a random trivia fact that I’ve heard but never verified. I had a mission companion who told me Joseph Smith and others were not only singing hymns before they were killed. According to him, they had also ordered a couple of bottles of wine to the room where they were being held. Has anyone else heard that story? Any truth to it?

Might I point out, Mike, that Joseph, Hyrum, and John Taylor all got shot on a day that they took off their garments for it being too hot out; Willard Richards, on the other hand, “through the providence of God, escaped, without even a hole in his robe” (D&C 135:2). I’d be careful if I were you — especially if there happens to be an angry mob in your town of late!

I have to admit that I was disappointed GBH decided to put the upright Moroni statue on the temple, instead of the horizontal weather vane. But still, the temple is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve only been through it twice, once during the open house and once during a session. I’m hoping to get down there for a long weekend sometime this summer to go again.

Oh, and if anyone goes, be sure to go to the buffet at the Nauvoo Hotel; it’s terrific!

It was a fascinating place to visit, more so last time we went, and saw the Temple risen from the empty lot we had walked through and around many times. And the bookstore, to my surprise and delight, had a better selection than did the Deseret Book in downtown SLC.

Kevin Christensen
Pittsburgh, PA