One more Logan Temple story-Nephite Warriors

[kirtland r.m.]

Brother Roskelley was in his early teen's when first baptized, and the only member in his family. Several years later, he crossed the Atlantic to gather with the saints. A very interesting story follows.
Brother Samuel Roskelley, recorder of the Logan temple, relates that in early days the United States Marshals were making lots of trouble for the Mormons, and were conducting "polygamy raids" to pick up the men who had more than one wife.
Two deputy marshals arrived at the temple door one day to find it locked so they could not gain entrance. Brother Roskelley went out to talk to them. They were told that there were no records available to show them. Brother Roskelley told them good bye and locked the door. The lawmen knew that polygamous marriages were being performed and did not like being denied access to the records. They immediately wired for help, and the next day the head United States Marshal for Utah, and a whole posse of deputies arrived. This time they demanded, in the name of the United States Government, that the records be given to them. They were again told that no records were available. The marshal then said: "We know you are doing polygamous marriages and that these records are available. We know you have them, and we are going to have them. We will burn the temple down or even destroy it entirely but what you comply with our request." The Recorder told them goodbye and locked the door on them again.
Brother Roskelley was very worried and spent the next eight or ten hours in constant prayer, asking the Lord to help him preserve the records, that no harm should come to him or to the people concerned, and that the temple records should not fall into the hands of the United States Marshals. He went out under cover of darkness to visit families in the Seventh Ward area. He was up well before daybreak the next morning, dressed in his oldest clothes, put a corn cob pipe in his mouth, and axe on his shoulder as if he were going to the canyon to work, and walked up the middle of the road whistling a happy tune. As he walked towards the temple and crossed a bridge, two men stepped out to stop him. He immediately struck a match to light his pipe, which had nothing in it, said "Good Morning" and walked on past the men. Evidently they supposed he was not a Mormon polygamist, but just a woodcutter going to the canyon.
When Brother Roskelley reached the front door of the temple, there stood two giant men dressed in complete armor with head dress, breast plate, spears and full regalia. They gave him a friendly nod as he passed, unlocked the door and entered the temple. As he neared his office, there stood two more large men dressed in full armor And as he went to the record vaults on the third floor, he came to two other huge men, both dressed in full armor.
As soon as he was sure the records were safe, he asked who they were. They told him: "We are Nephite Warriors, and we are here in answer to your prayers." They told him not to worry, that they would not allow the temple to be injured or the records to be destroyed in any way.
When Brother Roskelley related the incident to President Taylor, he was told that they were, indeed, Nephite soldiers, and that this was no the first time they had been assigned to protect the temple and its people.
Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary

[Durzan]

Cool.

[bradfordjames8]

Exact source?

[Goonerboy]

Exact source?

Logan Temple: The First 100 Years: Nolan P. Olsen