, to leave me and go to his house, and she went with
his family to the winter quarters. That was the reason that I
turned her away and refused to take her back. She repented, and
wished to come back, but I would not receive her.

Similar influences were brought to bear on all of my family, but
without success. Such treatment was not calculated to bind me to
such a people, whose only aim appeared to be to deprive me of
every comfort and enjoyment that made life endurable. I was in
great trouble; in place of friends I had found enemies. There was
a struggle in my mind to decide what I should do. I looked upon
those of my family that remained true and shared my persecutions,
and knew that if I left the Church I could not keep or live with
them; that if I left I must part with all but my first wife and
her children, and to do so was worse than death. I did not know
what to do. I finally appeared before the High Council to meet my
accusers, who had formed a combination to destroy me. I had few
friends to defend me, and they were in a measure powerless. They
dared not speak their mind in my behalf.

Father Morley was true to the last, although he was becoming
unpopular on account of having so long supported me. Lieut. Gully
was another true friend of mine; he said he would never turn
against me until I had done something wrong, even if Brigham
should desire him to do so. This lost him his influence in the
Council.

The most willful and damnable lies were brought up against me.
Many things which had been said and done in moments of amusement
and jocularity were remembered, as though I had said and done
those things for wicked purposes. Everything that could be
discovered or invented to injure me was laid to my charge. All
who were against me had a full chance to talk.

Brother Johnson, who was there, but not as a member of the
Council, was called upon to fill a vacancy occasioned by the
absence of some member. He made a speech to the Council, and
showed where I had acted well; he then voted for my acquittal.
Brother Cummings, who had been a member of the Council when I was
first tried in the summer, and who then took my part, now thought
he would make himself popular with the people, so he volunteered
his evidence and bore false witness against me. This man's action
was wrong and uncharitable. I had been more than a brother to him
in the past; I had supplied his family with food when they would
have suffered but for the