The Lincoln Myth(90)

“And who will head this?”

“The prophet, of course. That man is, and will remain, our leader on this earth. Soon that will be Elder Rowan.”

He reached for his briefcase and found a sheaf of papers.

“All of this was foretold long ago. In 1879, by the third prophet, John Taylor. Listen to what he said. The day is not far distant when this nation will be shaken from centre to circumference. And now, you may write it down, any of you, and I will prophesy it in the name of God. And then will be fulfilled that prediction to be found in one of the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those who will not take up their sword to fight against their neighbor will flee to Zion for safety. And they will come, saying, we do not know anything of the principles of your religion, but we perceive that you are an honest community, you administer justice and righteousness, and we want to live with you and receive the protection of your law. But as for your religion we will talk about that some other time. Will we protect such people? Yes, all honorable men. When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations. This is part of the program, and as long as we do what is right and fear God, he will help us and stand by us under all circumstances.

“I didn’t make this up. Taylor said it, in public. Now Elder Rowan will fulfill this prophecy.” He paused. “But not without our help. We’re headed at this moment to find the last piece of the puzzle to make it all happen.”

He told her about Lincoln’s watch and what may await inside.

“It’s a long shot,” she said.

He nodded. “One we have to take. If it proves false, we’ll try another tack.”

“I can get it for you,” she said.

“You?”

“Certainly not you. What would Elder Rowan say if a respected member of the First Quorum of the Seventy is caught trying to steal a historic artifact? I have no connection to him or the church. I can make it happen. And I won’t get caught.”

He loved her confidence. His mother had been a gentle, kind, quiet woman concerned only with her family. Cassiopeia was so different. There was an intense energy about her he found irresistible. She would make a fitting start to his burgeoning new family. With all of the changes coming, he’d decided to practice plural marriage, since he doubted the angel, Joseph Smith himself, would expect anything less. But with Cassiopeia’s reawakening he would now have a faithful partner, a true believer, to ensure that their extended family would be forever together in heaven.

“Think of it,” he said. “We will finally have a land that is ours. The nation of Deseret, as Prophet Brigham intended. We will be free to make our own laws and live in our own way. It will be a good, fruitful place, one where people will flock to live among us and all will be right.”



CASSIOPEIA COULD HARDLY BELIEVE WHAT SHE WAS HEARING, but the simple force of Josepe’s words was proof enough that this was real. Apparently, though, neither Josepe nor this Senator Rowan had considered the international ramifications from the dissolution of the United States. And how would Washington respond to a secession? Threats? For sure. Force? That would have to be carefully thought through. Most likely, the response would come in court.

“You realize that the federal government will try and stop Utah,” she said.

“Certainly. But what we seek will ensure that legal battle will be lost by them. And how could it not? The American Founding Fathers’ own words on the subject would be decisive. A document, signed by them all, that says secession is allowed. That would carry the same weight as the Constitution itself.”

“Except that it apparently wasn’t ratified by the states.”

“But it is their written intent, and that cannot be ignored. We have teams of lawyers who have studied this from every angle. They are convinced this will succeed. The U.S. Supreme Court itself disallowed secession long ago, but that entire opinion was predicated on there being nothing contrary in American jurisprudence. Yet actually, there is. Something directly contrary. Americans place great faith in what their founders intended. Their constitutional precedents are all based on that intent.”

What he said was true.

Stare decisis.

To stand by that which is decided.

“It will prove impossible for the courts to ignore reality. Then look at what President Abraham Lincoln did. Instead of telling the nation that states had a choice as to whether they wanted to be part of the union  , he hid the evidence of that away and fought a war to prove the contrary. How do you suppose that will be viewed?”