David W. Patten: Apostle and Martyr

by Linda Shelley Whiting

David W. Patten was one of the most influential and dearly-loved leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its formative years of 1832 -1838. His spirituality and personality propelled him to leadership positions, and he participated in many major events,
• Marching in Zion’s Camp
• Being called as one of the Twelve Apostles
• Speaking in tongues during the dedication of the Kirtland Temple
• Valiantly standing by Joseph Smith during the dark days of apostasy in 1837-38. On October 25, 1838, he commanded the Mormon Militia against anti-Mormon forces at the Battle of Crooked River. Patten was mortally wounded during the battle, but his legacy of faith lives on.

Genres: Religion

220 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kristopher Swinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The research is somewhat meticulous, if not the writing. (Why can't Cedar Fort edit? Page 83 contains multiple groaners.) I'm really just raving about the subject matter. This marvelous, marvelous man earned the admiration of all the great early Church leaders, which is why it's sad to see him so largely forgotten nowadays, when Heber C. Kimball thought he should "be had in remembrance by the Church of Jesus Christ from generation to generation" (xi-xii, 188). (Wouldn't you like to know what covenant Kimball made with Patten on his death bed? Or what was the nature of the only disagreement that ever occurred between him and the Prophet Joseph, resulting in the Prophet soundly besting him in physical contest?) President Lorenzo Snow certainly commended the study of his life (xii, 187; see 67).

Regardless of the labor put into reconstructing Patten's life, this is still a rather incomplete picture. We gather that he was ruggedly independent at an early age, that he was moved in profoundly spiritual predictions of the Kingdom (3), and then he burst onto the scene with multiple missions and an unmatched gift for healing. (I observed, when seeing the movie The War, that those most suited for soldierly duties are those who also know how to give life.)

His undaunted courage in every situation often scared away enemies (40, 84, 148, 150). Perhaps many have heard the most famous tale:

At the end of the trial, Warren Parrish was allowed to say a few words, but the Benton County crowd adamantly refused to let David speak.

To the amazement of all, Patten rose to speak anyway.

Parrish's hair stood up on the back of his head, for he knew he was going to die for what his companion was about to do.

Feeling the injustice of the court, and being filled with the power of God, he (David) rose to his feet and delivered a speech of about twenty minutes, holding them spell-bound while he told them of their wickedness and the abominations that they were guilty of, also of the curse of God that awaited them if they did not repent, for taking up two harmless inoffensive men for preaching the gospel of Christ.

When he finished, one of the judges said, "You must be armed with secret weapons, or you would not talk in this fearless manner to an armed court."

David replied, "I have weapons that you know not of, and they are given me of God, for He gives me all the power I have." (92-93)

A man this unafraid to confront evil can only be preserved on the earth by God's power. Truly, as President Woodruff wrote: "He was valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ while he lived upon the earth. He was a man of great faith and the power of God was with him. He was brave to a fault even too brave to be preserved. He apparently had no fear of man about him" (188). I can't resist appending a different Patton's remark: "It has been my unfortunate observation that whenever a man gets the Medal of Honor or even the Distinguished Service Cross, he usually attempts to outdo himself and gets killed, whereas, in order to produce a virile race, such men should be kept alive" (George S. Patton, Jr., War As I Knew It [New York: Bantam Books, 1980], 232). (David Patten has no descendants.)

"His seeming indifference to his own safety while charging into armed camps to rescue captured victims earned him the nickname of 'Captain Fearnot' among his people" (144), and it made him a marked and despised man among the Missourian mob. His time was bound to come, for we read the famous account of Joseph's sorrow when told that Patten requested of the Lord to die a martyr, for Joseph told him that a man of his faith usually got what he requested. At the funeral service, the Prophet indicated, "There lies a man that has done just as he said he would. He has laid down his life for his friends" (165). The mission that lay behind the Battle of Crooked River was successful: all three hostages were rescued, in spite of one's being used as a human shield by the Missourians (162).

Far from being anticlimactic, the character sketch of his widow is rewarding as an additional annal of courage. She was already accustomed to making sacrifices in life (169), and she remained calm when surrounded by his enemies after his death (170-171). The wife of another Mormon combatant--who remained paralyzed for the rest of his life--also demonstrated this kind of extraordinary grit, before the battle, that I adore: "I got his overcoat and put his pistols in the pockets, then got his sword and belted it on him. He bid me good night and got on his horse and I took his gun from the rack and handed it to him and said, 'don't get shot in the back.'" (157, which is to say, face your foe!).

I am unspeakably inspired to read of Elder Patten leading the charge down a slope in plain view, clothed in white. Though mortally wounded through the bowels, he still called out "God and Liberty" to sustain the charge. His final words of firmness in the faith speak well for the endorsement the Lord subsequently gave his memory in revelation.

[Trevor Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book about David W. Patten who was one of the original 12 apostles to Joseph Smith. Patten lived a life faithful to Joseph Smith and died a martyr in their faith. The only unfortunate thing is that his childhood is not mentioned in this book.

[Lynette ~ Talia's Tomes ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my full review here: https://escapingrealitybookreviews.wo...

I don't really know how I can properly express my love for this book. Ten years of research and eighteen months of writing culminate into what many consider the single best biography of David W. Patten that has ever been written. Easy to read, Sister Whiting wrote with incredible power and authority, and I never had to worry about being bored while reading this story. David W. Patten is truly an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that he was called of God, and that his work continues to this day.
David W. Patten is my hero.

I'm 17, and I recommend this book more highly than I can possibly explain.