Joseph Smith's Dream of William Law and Dr. Foster

On June 13, 1844, just two weeks before his martyrdom, Joseph Smith addressed a meeting of the Saints in Nauvoo and related a prophetic dream he had experienced a short time earlier. In the dream, Joseph found himself riding in a carriage accompanied by a guardian angel. As they passed the Nauvoo Temple, they observed two large snakes that were locked together in such a tight struggle that neither possessed the power to move or harm anyone. The angel identified these snakes as Dr. Robert D. Foster and Chauncey L. Higbee, explaining that although they were his enemies and desired his destruction, their fixation on one another rendered them powerless to hurt him. As the carriage reached the edge of the city and transitioned onto the prairie, Joseph’s angelic guide departed. Immediately, he was confronted by William and Wilson Law, who seized him, bound him, and threw him into a deep pit. While trapped, Joseph witnessed the two men meeting grim ends. He saw Wilson Law at a distance, attacked by ferocious wild beasts, crying out, 'Oh brother Joseph, come and save me.' Joseph replied that he could not help, as they had put him in the pit. Turning his attention elsewhere, he saw William Law with an outstretched tongue, blue in the face, suffering as a large snake coiled around his body and gripped his arm above the elbow, forcing green poison from his mouth. William cried out in agony for rescue, but Joseph again explained his inability to assist because he had been tied and cast into the pit by them. Shortly thereafter, his guide returned, inquired what Joseph was doing in the pit, and upon hearing that his enemies had bound him, took him by the hand, drew him out, and set him free. The two then went away rejoicing.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I dreamed that I was riding in a carriage, and that I had a guide with me. We passed the Temple, and I saw two large snakes locked together in such a tight struggle that neither had power to move or harm any one. My guide said, 'Those snakes are Dr. Foster and Chauncey L. Higbee; they are your enemies, and desire to destroy you, but you see they are so locked together that they have no power to hurt you.' We passed on to the edge of the city, and came to the prairie, where my guide left me. I was then met by William and Wilson Law, who seized me, bound me, and threw me into a deep pit. I looked out of the pit and saw Wilson Law at a little distance attacked by ferocious wild beasts and heard him cry out 'Oh brother Joseph, come and save me'. I replied 'I cannot for you have put me into this deep pit'. On looking out another way I saw William Law with outstretched tongue, blue in the face; and the green poison forced out of his mouth caused by the coiling of a large snake round his body; it had also grabbed him by the arm a little above the elbow ready to devour him. He cried out in the intensity of his agony 'Oh brother Joseph, brother Joseph come and save me or I die'. I also replied to him 'I cannot William— I would willingly, but you have tied me and put me in this pit and I am powerless to help you or to liberate myself'. In a short time after my guide came and said aloud 'Joseph, Joseph! what are you doing there?' I replied 'my enemies fell upon me, bound me, and threw me in'. He then took me by the hand, drew me out of the pit, set me free, and we went away rejoicing.