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In late April 1839, days after reuniting with the Saints,Joseph rode north to inspect land that church leaderswanted to buy in and around Commerce, a town fiftymiles from Quincy. For the first time in more than sixmonths, the prophet was traveling without armed guardsor the threat of violence looming over him. He was finally among friends, in a state where people welcomedthe Saints and seemed to respect their beliefs.While in jail, Joseph had written to a man who wasselling land around Commerce, expressing interest insettling the church there. "If there is not anyone whofeels a particular interest in making the purchase," Josephhad told him, "we will purchase it of you."1After the fall of Far West, however, many Saintsquestioned the wisdom of gathering to a single area.
Edward Partridge wondered if the best way to avoidconflict and provide for the poor was to gather in smallcommunities scattered throughout the country.2 ButJoseph knew the Lord had not revoked His commandment for the Saints to gather.Arriving in Commerce, he saw a marshy floodplainthat rose gently to a wooded bluff overlooking a widebend in the Mississippi River. A few homes dotted thearea. Across the river in Iowa Territory, near a towncalled Montrose, stood some abandoned army barrackson more land available for purchase.Joseph believed the Saints could build thrivingstakes of Zion in this area. The land was not the choicest he had ever seen, but the Mississippi River was navigable all the way to the ocean, making Commerce agood place for gathering the Saints from abroad andestablishing commercial enterprises. The area was alsosparsely settled.Still, gathering the Saints there would be risky. If thechurch grew, as Joseph hoped it would, their neighborsmight become alarmed and turn against them, as peoplehad in Missouri.Joseph prayed. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?""Build up a city," the Lord replied, "and call mySaints to this place."3That spring, Wilford and Phebe Woodruff movedinto the barracks in Montrose. Among their new neighbors were Brigham and Mary Ann Young andOrson and Sarah Pratt. After they settled their families,the three apostles planned to leave on their mission forBritain with the rest of the quorum.4Thousands of Saints soon moved to the new gathering place, pitching tents or living in wagons as they wentto work building homes, acquiring food and clothes, andclearing farmland on both sides of the river.5As the new settlement grew, the Twelve met often with Joseph, who preached with new vigor as heprepared them for their mission.6 The prophet taughtthat God did not reveal anything to him that He wouldnot also make known to the Twelve. "Even the leastSaint may know all things as fast as he is able to,"Joseph declared.7He instructed them in the first principles of the gospel, the Resurrection and the Judgment, and the buildingof Zion. Remembering the betrayal of former apostles,he also urged them to be faithful. "See to it that youdo not betray heaven," he said, "that you do not betrayJesus Christ, that you do not betray your brethren, andthat you do not betray the revelations of God."8Around this time, Orson Hyde expressed a desireto return to the Quorum of the Twelve, ashamed that hehad denounced Joseph in Missouri and abandoned theSaints. Fearing Orson would betray them again when thenext difficulty came along, Sidney Rigdon was reluctantto restore his apostleship. Joseph, however, welcomedhim back and restored his place among the Twelve.9 In July, Parley Pratt escaped from prison in Missouri andwas also reunited with the apostles.10By then swarms of mosquitos had risen from themarshlands to feast on the new settlers, and many Saintscame down with deadly malarial fevers and bone-rattlingchills. Most of the Twelve were soon too sick to leavefor Britain.11On the morning of Monday, July 22, Wilford heardJoseph's voice outside his home: "Brother Woodruff,follow me."Wilford stepped outside and saw Joseph standingwith a group of men. All morning they had been moving from house to house, tent to tent, taking the sickby the hand and healing them. After blessing the Saintsin Commerce, they had taken a ferry across the river toheal the Saints in Montrose.12Wilford walked with them across the village squareto the home of his friend Elijah Fordham. Elijah's eyeswere sunken and his skin ashen. His wife, Anna, wasweeping as she prepared his burial clothes.13Joseph approached Elijah and took his hand."Brother Fordham," he asked, "have you not faith tobe healed?""I am afraid it is too late," he said."Do you not believe that Jesus is the Christ?""I do, Brother Joseph.""Elijah," the prophet declared, "I command you, inthe name of Jesus of Nazareth, to arise and be madewhole."
