As the Saints gathered in 1838 in Caldwell County Missouri, that had been set aside for them, and further north in Daviess County, the future looked promising. The Prophet himself said there was no persecution through the month of May and the same seemed to be true for the following month, up until the 4th of July. Rigdon’s infamous speech on that day in Far West turned the tide however - against the Latter-day Saints. A citizen of Liberty later said “Until July 4th, we heard no threats being made against them in any quarters.” On that unfortunate day however, Rigdon, perhaps still suffering mental effects from a mob beating six years earlier in Hiram, Ohio, challenged the Missourians who had persecuted them - “It shall be between us and them a war of extermination.” The mobs couldn’t resist.
Hill, Marvin S., pp. 78-79
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