A new year dawned upon the church in Kirtland in all the bitterness of the spirit of apostate Mobocracy; which continued to rage and grow hotter and hotter until Elder [Sidney] Rigdon and myself were obliged to flee from its dealy influence as did the apostles and prophets of old, and as Jesus Said “when they persecute you in one city flee to another:” and on the evening of the 12th of Jan <​12. Joseph & Sidney left Kirtland for Far West.​> <​about 10 o’clock​> we left Kirtland, on horseback, to escape Mob violence which was about to burst upon us under the color of Legal process to cover their hellish designs, and save themselves from the just jud[g]ment of the Law.