igate the
principles of Mormonism, as the most of them were Catholics.

In all my travels I was agent for our paper, the Nauvoo Neighbor,
and collected means, tithings, and donations for the building of
the Temple. I returned home by steamboat.

Through the winter Joseph selected forty men for a city guard,
from the old tried Danite veterans of the cause. I was the
seventh man chosen. These men were to be the life guard of the
Prophet and Patriarch and of the twelve apostles. My station as a
guard was at the Prophet's mansion. After his death my post was
changed to the residence of Brigham, he being the acknowledged
successor of the Prophet. From the time I was appointed until we
started across the plains, when at home I stood guard every
night; and much of the time in the open air, one-half of the
night at a time, in rain, hail, snow, wind, and cold.

CHAPTER XI - HOT FOR LEE IN TENNESSEE

During the winter of 1841 a letter was sent I the Prophet from
the leading men and members of the branch church on Stone River,
Tennessee, and Creple Creek, Rutherford County, Tennessee,
desiring him to send me back to labor in that country, as it was
a wide field for preaching. They stated that I had so ingratiated
myself among the people that no other man could command the same
influence and respect among them.

This was enough. In the latter part of February I took leave of
my family and entered upon my mission. To refuse to comply with
the call of the Prophet is a bad omen. One so doing is looked
upon with distrust, renders himself unpopular, and is considered
a man not to be depended upon.

At the time I started the river was blocked with ice. I traveled
on foot, without purse or scrip, like the apostles of old,
carrying out the motto of the Church, the bee of the desert,
"Leave the hive empty-handed and return laden." In this way I, as
well as many other elders, brought in money - thousands of
dollars yearly - to the Church; and I might say hundreds of
thousands, as the people among whom I traveled were mostly
wealthy, and when they received the love of the truth their
purses as well as their hearts were opened, and they would pour
out their treasures into the lap of the bishop. All were taught
that a liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by his liberality
shall he live, and that he that soweth liberally shall reap
bountifully.

As I passed along my way I strengthened the brethren of the
various branches, rem