Illinois. Here they built Nauvoo, the "Holy City," "the beautiful
habitation for man." The Mormon historian says: "The surrounding
lands were purchased by the saints, and a town laid out, which was
named 'Nauvoo' from the Hebrew, which signifies fair, very beautiful,
and it actually fills the definition of the words, for nature
has not formed a parallel anywhere on the banks of the Mississippi."

The sacred city, as it was called, soon contained a population
of fifteen thousand souls, gathered from all quarters of the globe.
Here were built the home of the prophet, the hall of the seventies,
a concert hall, and other public institutions. Chief among
these buildings was the Temple, described by the same historian as
"glistening in white limestone upon the hilltops, a shrine in
the wilderness whereat all the nations of the earth may worship,
whereat all the people may inquire of God and receive His holy
oracles."

This temple, erected at a cost of nearly a million dollars, was at
a later day visited by Governor Reynolds, and is thus described by
him:

"I was in the Mormon temple at Nauvoo. It was a large and splendid
edifice, built in the Egyptian style of architecture; and its
grandeur and magnificence truly astonished me. It was erected
on the top of the Mississippi bluff, which has a prospect which
reached as far as the eye could extend over the country and up and
down the river. The most singular appendage of this splendid
edifice was the font in which the immersion of the saints was
practised. It was composed of marble."

At the time of the Mormon emigration to Illinois, in 1839, the Whig
and Democratic parties in the State were in a heated struggle
for supremacy. The respective party leaders at once realized that
the new importation of voters might be the controlling political
factor in the State. To conciliate the Mormons and gain their
support soon became the aim of the politicians. This fact is
the keynote to the statement of Governor Ford:

"A city charter drawn up to suit the Mormons was presented to
the Legislature. No one opposed it, but both parties were active in
getting it through. This charter, and others passed in the same
manner, incorporated Nauvoo, provided for the election of a mayor,
four aldermen, and nine councillors, and gave them power to pass
all ordinances necessary for the benefit of the city which were
not repugnant to the Constitution. This seemed to give them power