Shoot, and Be Damned

Reading:   Numbers 30

An enormous verse is found in chapter thirty.  Not enormous in the sense of size but enormous in the sense of magnitude in meaning.

NUMBERS 30:2

2    If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. 

Integrity, my friends, that is what we are talking about!  A topic that I could address in voluminous lengths with stories, examples, scriptures and references and yet, for today, I will rely solely on the given verse and one accompanying example from James E. Faust, Integrity the Mother of Many Virtues, April General Conference 1982...

Being true to oneself at times requires extraordinary strength and courage. For instance, in the early days of the Church it was very unpopular, even dangerous, to uphold Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. Lyman Wight was one of those imprisoned by the leaders of a mob in 1839. 

General Wilson advised Brother Wight, “We do not wish to hurt you nor kill you,” and then following an oath said, “but we have one thing against you, and that is, you are too friendly to Joe Smith, … Wight, you know all about his character.” 

Brother Wight said, “I do, sir.” 

“Will you swear all you know concerning him?” said Wilson. 

Brother Wight then told Wilson he “believed … Joseph Smith to be the most philanthropic man he ever saw, and possessed of the most pure … principles—a friend to mankind, a maker of peace.” 

Wilson then observed, “Wight, I fear your life is in danger, for there is no end to the prejudice against Joe Smith.” 

“Kill and be damned, sir,” was Brother Wight’s answer. 

Returning later that night, Wilson told Lyman Wight: “I regret to tell you your die is cast; your doom is fixed; you are sentenced to be shot tomorrow morning on the public square in Far West, at eight o’clock.” 

Brother Wight answered, “Shoot, and be damned.” 

The decree of execution of the prisoners was revoked the next morning. (See History of the Church, 3:446–47.)

Brother Wight was a man of integrity.  Death on the line, "Kill and be damned, sir!"  I can picture his stonelike expression and ramrod stature as he spoke those words without the hint of a quiver in his voice.  I am sure there was fear in his heart and an immense sadness that he would be leaving his loved ones; but there was a greater fear of losing his very soul and denying that which he knew to be true.  

That is the weight of integrity - fearing a crack in your very being if you allowed the slightest slip in that which your word has bound you too.  "He shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." If you cannot, with a surety, agree to terms set before you - do not agree to the terms!  Above all, never, ever, ever, deny that which the spirit has testified to you.  Stand tall, as Brother Wight, look your captor in the eye (even Satan) and say, "Shoot and be damned."

~Kipling