From his prison in Missouri, Joseph had advised his brethren to buy land in
the state of Illinois and Iowa. Towards these states, therefore, the Saints
had fled, leaving merciless, blood-stained Missouri to the judgment of God.

Twenty years afterwards when the great war broke out between the North and
the South, Missouri was one of the fiercest battle grounds, and its people
suffered terribly for the misery and bloodshed they had brought upon the
Saints.

The people of Illinois received the homeless Saints kindly, and sold them
land upon which to live. At a small place called Commerce, situated on the
east bank of the Mississippi river, Joseph bought land, and there he
decided to locate the headquarters of the Church. The place was beautifully
situated in a bend of the river. Here a city was laid out and called
Nauvoo, meaning beauty and rest, and Joseph invited the Saints to settle
and build up the place. It was no small task to gather the scattered Saints
into one body again, but early in the summer of 1839 a number of houses
were erected in the new city.

[Illustration: THE NAUVOO HOUSE.]

Now came another trouble. Commerce was not a healthful place, but the
Saints were promised that that would be changed; however, it was not long
before a great many of the Saints became sick. Nearly every house was
afflicted, and Joseph himself also took the fever. On the morning of July
22nd, Joseph arose from his bed and commenced administering to the sick. He
began with those in his own house, then went to some camping in his yard.
The Prophet commanded the sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to