In a sermon on Sunday, 4 May, Young stated, “I dreamt I saw the mob going to my house.” Young interpreted the dream as a conditional promise, which he interpreted for the Saints as follows: “As the Lord lives, if you are united, you will never be driven— & if we go, we go of ourselves.” (Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 4 May 1845.)

Historian’s Office. General Church Minutes, 1839–1877. CHL

The term “Old Police” refers to the police force organized by JS as mayor in December 1843, which had continued to operate despite the repeal of the Nauvoo charter. Following the April 1845 incorporation of the Town of Nauvoo, the Old Police were reinstated as the official police force of the municipality. The day before this meeting, Hosea Stout, the chief of the Old Police, met with Charles C. Rich to establish “a picket guard on all the roads leading from Nauvoo to keep our enemies from passing to and from Nauvoo.” Just prior to this meeting of the council, members of the Quorum of the Twelve met with the Old Police at the Masonic hall “to call the officers to gether to enter in to m[e]asurers against the mob.” (Nauvoo City Council Draft Minutes, 29 Dec. 1843; Stout, Journal, 16 Apr. and 5–6 May 1845; Kimball, Journal, 6 May 1845; George A. Smith, Autobiography, 6 May 1845, 66.)

Stout, Hosea. Journal, Oct. 1844–May 1845. CHL. MS 1910.

Kimball, Heber C. Journals, 1837–1848. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL.

Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.

According to Hosea Stout, a group of officers of the Nauvoo Legion met on 7 May 1845 “to regulate matters in case we should be attacted [attacked] by our enemies.” (Stout, Journal, 7 May 1845.)

Stout, Hosea. Journal, Oct. 1844–May 1845. CHL. MS 1910.