Engaged in Such a Cause

My ancestor Dan Jones spent the last night of Joseph Smith’s life in Carthage Jail with him.  As the story goes, Joseph whispered to Dan Jones, “Are you afraid to die?”  He replied, “Has that time come, think you? Engaged in such a cause I do not think that death would have many terrors.”  Joseph then proceeded to prophesy to Dan Jones that he would yet live to see Wales and fulfill a mission there, a prophecy that was indeed fulfilled (see here).  What impresses me about this is the courage with which both of these men faced the prospect of being killed for their faith.  Joseph had said a few days earlier as he went to Carthage, “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer’s morning.”  Both he and Dan Jones had no fear of death even though it seemed imminent.  As I read the scriptures I see that this was a hallmark of so many of the great prophetic figures—they were not afraid to give their lives for the Lord. 

                The New Testament apostles were one group in the scriptures that did not fear to suffer and die for the name of Jesus.  For example, in the gospel account when the apostles learned that Jesus was about to return to Judea—where he had been threatened with death—Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16).  He was completely willing to follow the Savior even if it meant being killed.  As another example, we read that when Paul was at Lystra, there were Jews from Antioch and Iconium who “persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”  But Paul was not dead (or perhaps he was raised from the dead by Barnabus) and they continued on to Derbe.  But what shows how fearless Paul was is the fact that “they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:19-22).  Not only did he go back to the cities where the people had tried to kill him, but he went back only a short time later—he had no fear of being killed for the cause of truth.  Peter and John likewise spared no effort to preach even if that put them at risk of being killed by the Jews.  They were imprisoned by the Jews at Jerusalem, and when they were let go the apostles were commanded “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.”  But that did not scare them, and they responded, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” and they immediately continued preaching.  They could have easily been killed—this was the same group that had killed the Savior—and they were “beaten” at the command of the Sanhedrin, but this did not stop them.  They had no fear of death or injury that could result from preaching the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18, 20; 5:40).    

                The Book of Mormon likewise contains many figures who loved God more than their own lives and feared not death.  After Nephi and his brothers narrowly escaped death from the hand of Laban, he did not hesitate to return to the city of Jerusalem at the peril of his own life to follow the command of the angel.  Abinadi boldly testified against King Noah and when threatened with death he was not intimidated in the least: “I will not recall the words which I have spoken….   I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you” (Mosiah 17:9-10).  The sons of Mosiah had no fear of going into the land of their enemies to preach the gospel, even though the Nephites warned them that the Lamanites were a people who “delight in the shedding of blood” (Alma 26:24).  Alma did not hesitate to go back into the city of Ammonihah after they had “reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city” (Alma 8:13).  Surely he knew that returning meant risking his own life, but he followed the direction of the angel “speedily” and ultimately spent many days in prison and was nearly killed.  But he clearly took no thought for his own life; he did not fear death.  All of these and many others in the scriptures showed their great faith and trust in the Lord by putting His will above their very own lives, and we revere and honor them for that.  As the Savior said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  To be willing to do that for the greatest Friend we have is surely an indication of our true conversion and devotion to the Lord (see D&C 93:45).