,a ,,string ,,of ,,pearls1 ,,second ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series4 ,designed for the ,instruction and ,encouragement of ,young ,latter-day ,saints4 ,,second ,,edition4 ,,juvenile ,,instructor ,,office1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 #ahhb4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 ,the first book of this1 the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series--,my ,first ,mission--which was published some months since1 has been so well received by the public that we are encouraged to continue the publication of works of a similar character4 ,we herewith give ,a ,,string ,,of ,,pearls to our readers1 feeling assured that they will find the contents of this little work of inestimable value4 ,probably no people in the world possess so rich and varied an experience as do the ,latter-day ,saints1 and especially the ,elders who have labored in the ministry in various lands4 ,contributions from them1 giving a relation of their personal experience1 are most profitable to young people to peruse4 ,the present age is one of doubt and unbelief4 ,faith in ,god1 in ,his willingness to hear and answer prayer1 and in the gifts of the gospel1 has almost vanished from the earth4 ,as a people we have this to contend with4 ,our children1 not having had experience themselves1 have to be carefully watched1 lest they1 too1 should partake of the leaven of unbelief4 ,we feel that it is a duty that we owe to them to place within their reach the evidences that their fathers and their mothers have received of the existence of ,god1 of ,his willingness to hear and answer prayer1 and to bestow ,his gifts upon those who seek for them in the right way4 ,god has wrought as marvelously in behalf of the ,latter-day ,saints as ,he did in former days in behalf of ,his people4 ,we hope that this little volume will prove of great value to those who read it1 by inspiring them with faith1 and furnishing them a foundation upon which to build and obtain knowledge from the ,lord4 ,we also indulge in the hope that its publication may stir up others--of whom there are so many hundreds1 and perhaps thousands1 in our ,church who have had valuable experience--to take the time and trouble necessary to commit incidents of this character to paper1 that they may not die with themselves1 but that they may live to speak hope and consolation unto1 and to inspire confidence in1 those who shall come after them4 ,with an earnest hope1 therefore1 that the contents of this little volume may prove a help to those who may read it1 by inspiring them with faith in the ,almighty and ,his promises1 we modestly publish it1 and give it the expressive title which it bears4 ,g4 ,q4 ,c4 ,october1 #ahhj4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,edition4 ,in publishing this1 the second edition of the ,,string ,,of ,,pearls1 it is only necessary to add that the first edition of #e1jjj copies is exhausted1 and we are induced by the continued demand for the book to re-issue it4 ,it is very gratifying to notice the taste which has been developed during the past few years1 among the youth of our community1 for such reading matter as the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series contains4 ,we hope to see a continued growth in this direction1 and that our brethren and sisters of experience will be prompted by it to write for publication such sketches from their lives as will point a moral and convey a lesson to the minds of future generations who may peruse the same4 ,we see no reason why the six volumes of the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series already published1 as well as those which may follow1 should not be regarded in the future as standard works of the ,church1 and used for home reading or ,sunday school class books when their authors and those of whose history they treat shall have passed to another sphere of action4 ,june1 #ahhb4 ,,the ,,publisher4 ,,contents4 ,,among ,,the ,,poncas4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,start for the ,mountains--,experience as a ,cobbler--,indian ,mission ,abandoned--,caching ,property--,ponca ,indians--,a ,prophecy and its ,fulfillment4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,going with the ,poncas--,buffalo ,meat--,camped for the ,winter--,council with the ,indians--,a ,war ,dance--,selected to go with the ,poncas on a ,winter's ,hunt4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,grand ,peace ,smoke--,table ,etiquette--,no ,dish ,washing--,white ,friends ,discouraged4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,last two ,brethren leave me--,home-sick--,tonsorial ,experience--,whadee-,shipper1 a ,new ,name for me--,kindness of the ,indians4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,a ,buffalo ,hunt--,a ,thrilling ,sight--,conversation with the ,indians--,scurvy--,answer to ,prayer4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,strength in ,time of ,need--,afflicted like ,job1 with ,boils--,scraping with a ,potsherd ,pleasant--,my ,prayer ,room--,dressing ,buffalo ,robes--,dining on ,cottonwood ,bark--,indian ,self-,denial4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,police ,regulations--,a ,moral ,people--,marriage ,customs--,invitation to a ,feast--,skunk ,meat at ,midnight--,indians ,cheated by ,white ,traders4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,symptoms of ,death--,no ,hopes of ,living--,ponca ,manner of ,burying the ,dead--,dread of ,having my ,body ,mangled by the ,wolves--,decide to ,bargain with the ,indians to ,cut up my ,body and ,take it to my ,friends--,happy ,assurance that ,i should ,live1 etc4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,visit from the ,brules--,feast on ,dog ,meat--,seat of ,honor on the ,pillow--,return ,journey--,opening ,caches--,shooting ,fish--,curious ,manner of ,cooking ,fish4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,chosen to go as an ,envoy to the ,camp of the ,saints--,a ,solitary ,journey--,surrounded by ,thousands of ,wolves--,providential ,deliverance--,happy ,sight1 a ,yoke of ,oxen--,tears of ,joy--,meet two of my ,friends--,safe ,return to the ,camp of the ,saints4 ,,anecdotes ,,of ,,elder ,,grant4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,reputation as a ,ready ,speaker--,putting him to the ,test--,sermon from a ,blank ,text--,enthusiasm at the ,close of it--,a ,collection ,proposed--,the ,minister ,objects to ,passing the ,hat--,they ,compel him to--,handsome ,collection--,discussion with a ,great ,baptist ,preacher--,preacher ,nonplussed by ,elder ,grant's ,repartee4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,curious ,coincidence--,impression upon ,miss ,floyd--,her ,acknowledgment--,challenged by ,mr4 ,ruby--,meeting by ,chance--,elder ,grant's ,estimate of ,mr4 ,ruby--,the ,preacher ,cowed4 ,,war ,,hill4 ,elder ,j4 ,m4 ,grant ,challenged to ,debate--,boone's ,hill ,chosen as the ,place--,his ,antagonist gets ,six ,ministers to ,help him--,demoralized ,ministers send for ,another to ,assist them--,inglorious ,defeat of the ,eight--,one of them ,absent-,minded--,change of ,name to ,war ,hill4 ,,sign-,,seeking4 ,persecuting the ,missionaries--,a ,discussion--,not ,content with ,bible ,proof-2--,a ,sign ,demanded--,no ,signs ,promised the ,unbelievers--,warned to ,repent1 or ,endure the ,curse of ,god--,the ,result4 ,,missionary ,,incidents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,busy ,mission--,a ,rich ,harvest of ,souls--,judgments upon our ,opponents4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,visit to a ,baptist ,meeting--,abuse of the ,various ,churches1 ,especially the ,mormons--,boasted ,bible-name and ,religion--,return to the ,text--,hard-,shell ,wail--,reply to ,false ,assertions--,their ,bible-name ,disproved--,the ,true ,scripture ,name ,pointed out4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,ministers ,appoint a ,meeting to ,expose ,mormonism--,we ,appoint one for the ,same ,purpose1 and the ,same ,day--,ministers ,fail to ,appear--,others ,preach ,instead--,we ,follow--,a ,baptist ,attempts to ,reply--,his ,contradictory ,statement--,fellow-,preacher's ,chagrin--,the ,preacher's ,concession4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,my ,first ,sermon--,remarkable ,instance of ,help from the ,almighty4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,my ,second ,sermon1 which was not a ,sermon--,confidence in ,commencing--,subsequent ,chagrin--,the ,lesson ,i ,learned4 ,,journey ,,across ,,the ,,plains4 ,surrounded by ,indians--,prepare for an ,attack--,sign of ,peace--,a ,letter--,pipe of ,peace--,three of us ,accompany the ,indians to their ,camp--,chagrin at the ,repulse--,road ,swept ,clear of ,snow--,missouri ,river ,frozen over--,we ,cross on the ,ice1 which ,breaks as the ,last ,wagon ,leaves it4 ,,story ,,of ,a ,,hat4 ,elder ,phillips in ,need of a ,hat--,brother ,hobbs told in a ,dream to ,provide one for him--,his ,trouble at not being able to do so--,the ,hat ,provided in an ,unexpected ,manner4 ,a ,,prophecy ,,and ,,its ,,fulfillment4 ,elder ,taylor's labors in ,liverpool--,visit to ,mc,gaffey's ,house--,a ,prophecy ,concerning ,mr4 ,tait--,visit to ,ireland--,mc,gaffey gets ,drunk--,the ,prophecy ,fulfilled4 ,,guided ,,by ,,providence4 ,elder ,lisonbee's ,mission--,urged by the ,spirit to ,travel on--,finds a ,listener--,invited to ,preach--,a ,protest against it--,success--,his ,great ,work--,his ,death4 ,,fulfillment ,,of ,,promise4 ,the ,lord's ,promises ,sure--,an ,elder in want of a ,pair of ,shoes--,he ,prays for them--,the ,prayer ,answered--,case of ,healing4 ,,you ,,shall ,,not ,,be ,,confounded4 ,sent out to ,preach when a ,boy--,first ,experience in ,preaching--,questioned by an ,infidel--,answer given by the ,lord4 ,,an ,,effective ,,plea4 ,arrested on a ,novel ,charge--,elder ,parrish's ,defense--,elder ,patten's ,indignation--,consternation ,produced by his ,speech4 ,a ,,life ,,sketch4 ,lack of ,education--,early ,marriage--,resisting ,temptation--,grain ,increased by the ,power of ,god--,answers to ,prayer--,large ,family--,result of ,early ,marriage4 ,,cases ,,of ,,miraculous ,,healing4 ,great ,assembly of ,indians--,baptizing them--,the ,sick ,instantly ,healed--,curious ,actions of ,indians ,affected with ,evil ,spirits--,the ,old ,chief's ,faith--,child ,cured of ,fever--,the ,dead ,revived4 ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer4 ,early ,experience in ,calling upon the ,lord--,prayers ,answered--,faith ,developed--,a ,pocket-,book ,lost--,found in answer to ,prayer4 ,,joseph ,,smith',s ,,first ,,prayer4 ,,among ,,the ,,poncas4 ,by ,w4 ,c4 ,s4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,start ,,for ,,the ,,mountains--,,experience ,,as ,a ,,cobbler--,,indian ,,mission ,,abandoned--,,caching ,,property--,,ponca ,,indians--,a ,,prophecy ,,and ,,its ,,fulfillment4 ,a few days after the organization of the ,mormon ,battalion1 and when it had left ,council ,bluffs for ,fort ,leavenworth1 it was decided in the council of the authorities of the ,church that ,brother ,george ,miller 7,bishop7 should raise a company and endeavor to cross the ,rocky ,mountains that fall4 ,at this time ,i was traveling and living with the family of ,bishop ,miller4 ,i had been suffering with fever and ague for two months previous1 but a few days before we arrived at ,council ,bluffs the fever left me1 when my legs commenced to swell and finally broke out into sores1 some of which were over an inch deep4 ,i had five on my right and four on my left leg4 ,these caused me much pain2 but the ,lord blessed me with ,his ,spirit1 and ,i did not feel in the least discouraged4 ,i had brought some shoemaker's tools along1 so that ,i could mend my shoes when they needed it4 ,i had them in use every time we stopped1 mending shoes for the camp4 ,i soon learned to be a pretty good cobbler1 especially in patching up the sisters' shoes4 ,some four of ,bishop ,miller's teamsters left to join the ,battalion4 ,brother ,henry ,g4 ,boyle was the one who drove the team ,i traveled in1 but now ,i had to be teamster4 ,we left with sufficient breadstuff to last a year1 consisting of flour1 corn meal1 etc41 but no meat1 as we hoped to find plenty of game on our journey4 ,in this we were disappointed1 as we were without meat for several weeks1 with the exception of fish when we could catch them4 ,when about twenty miles east of the ,pawnee village and mission we met several white men1 who had been in charge of the mission1 under the superintendence of an ,indian agent appointed by the government4 ,these men had been employed at building houses1 fencing in land1 sowing grain1 etc41 and endeavoring to teach the ,indians to do likewise2 but the ,indians for some cause had become exasperated and had killed two of the white men1 one of whom was a blacksmith4 ,as soon as this party learned of our numbers and intentions they wished to return to the mission and cache some government property1 such1 as iron1 steel1 blacksmith tools1 farming implements1 etc41 which they left in a hurry when fleeing from the ,indians4 ,on arriving at the mission and village1 we found that all the ,indians had left1 fearing1 ,i presume1 that they would be punished if they were caught by the government troops4 ,the brethren helped these men to cache all the property1 which they did by digging a large hole in the ground1 in a dry place1 putting the goods into it1 covering them with the soil taken out of the hole1 and building a large fire over the place1 that the ashes might cover up all traces of the digging4 ,one of the men of this party joined the ,church1 and emigrated to the valley with us4 ,we found several fields of grain ready for harvesting1 with potatoes1 turnips and sweet corn1 as well as a large quantity of wheat1 barley and oats already threshed and housed4 ,this was all handed over to our camp4 ,we remained here a couple of days1 when we received a letter from ,president ,b4 ,young's camp1 advising us to winter on ,grand ,island1 which was well timbered1 and where there was good feed also ,this island was a few miles west of us1 on the ,platte ,river4 ,the letter also stated that a company had left ,president ,young's camp1 who would winter with us and give us sufficient strength to guard against an attack from ,indians4 ,the day following eight ,ponca chiefs came to our camp1 stating that they had come from their nation to make peace with the ,pawnees1 and appeared much disappointed when they learned they had left1 in consequence of their trouble with the men who had charge of the mission4 ,these ,ponca ,indians who came to our camp were large1 fine-looking men4 ,bishop ,miller asked them to stay with us a few days1 which they did1 and appeared much pleased4 ,they soon learned where we expected to winter1 and were very anxious to have us all go to their village and stay4 ,they represented that they had a good country1 well timbered1 and plenty of good pasture and shelter for our cattle4 ,the next day the company sent to join us1 consisting of thirty men with their families1 arrived4 ,as soon as they had rested1 a meeting was called1 to know what should be done--winter on ,grand ,island1 without the consent of the ,pawnee ,indians1 who owned the land and timber there1 or go with the ,ponca chiefs1 where we would be welcomed by the whole nation4 ,the council decided to go with the ,poncas1 and the next day we fitted up our wagons for the journey4 ,the next thing was to load up with as much grain and potatoes as we could get into our wagons1 for these were the first we had been able to obtain since leaving ,nauvoo in the spring4 ,after we got every corner in our wagons filled with eatables we left a great many bushels of grain and vegetables upon the land to waste1 literally fulfilling a prophecy uttered by ,bishop ,miller1 a few days before we started4 ,when speaking to the camp1 he said he hoped all who were going in that company were true ,latter-day ,saints1 full of faith and good works1 and added3 ,all of you who have been with us have seen the power of ,god manifested in behalf of the traveling camps of ,israel1 in protecting our leaders from our enemies1 and providing food for the ,saints1 who number thousands4 ,some may say1 ',we were then traveling through a country where we found an occasional farm1 from the owner of which we could purchase what we required2 but to-day we have left all these1 and have nothing but a wilderness before us1 without farms1 houses or grain4' ,let me say1 as ,i have before said1 you shall be blessed in the future as you have been in the past4 ,what1 with food8 ,yes2 ,i tell you yes6 ,i promise you all1 this day1 in the name of the ,lord1 that you shall see the time while upon this journey1 that you shall have more grain than you can load in your wagons1 and leave many bushels behind you to waste upon the ground4 ,this1 my readers1 was fulfilling prophecy to the very letter4 ,how often ,i have seen the sayings of our leaders fulfilled in like manner since ,i started upon this journey6 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,going ,,with ,,the ,,poncas--,,buffalo ,,meat--,,camped ,,for ,,the ,,winter--,,council ,,with ,,the ,,indians--,a ,,war ,,dance--,,selected ,,to ,,go ,,with ,,the ,,poncas ,,on ,a ,,winter',s ,,hunt4 ,brother ,james ,emmett1 one of our party1 understood a little of the ,sioux language1 and one of the ,ponca chiefs could converse in this language4 ,brother ,emmett was asked to find out how far the ,poncas lived from the camp4 ,the chief told him three sleeps1 or1 as he understood it1 three days' travel for our cattle3 but we afterwards learned that the chief meant three days' and nights' travel with horses 7one hundred and fifty miles74 ,the country over which we traveled the first three days was very rough for our wagons4 ,the name of the chief of the ,poncas was ,ta-nugar-number1 which means1 two buffalo bulls4 ,he was thus named because he once killed two bulls1 while they were running through the village4 ,on the fourth day this chief came to us1 saying he and the party had killed three buffaloes4 ,brother ,miller ordered the camp to stop near a small stream close by1 and send for the dead animals1 that we might have buffalo meat for dinner4 ,this was the first time we had had meat for ten weeks4 ,a team was sent1 and the meat soon arrived1 and was distributed through the camp4 ,it was a novel scene1 ,i assure you1 to see us each with a stick and a piece of meat stuck on the end of it1 toasting1 or broiling it1 before the fire4 ,this was the first buffalo meat we had ever eaten1 and we all thought it the sweetest and best meat we ever tasted4 ,we remained here until two o'clock1 p4 m41 the next day1 when but little remained of the buffaloes1 except the bones4 ,several more were killed before we reached the village4 ,the meat of some was dried1 but all the prime pieces were eaten4 ,on the eleventh day we camped within two miles of their village1 and three miles from where we located for the winter4 ,no sooner had we unyoked our cattle than we were visited by nearly all the nation1 old and young4 ,all wanted to see us4 ,many of them had never seen an ox before1 and but few had seen many white men4 ,a council of the chiefs and braves1 or warriors1 was called1 to meet with our brethren4 ,the chief told his people that he had invited us to stay on their land during the winter4 ,that we wanted timber for building houses and for fuel1 and pasture for our cattle4 ,he said they had plenty of both--more than they or we needed--and he wanted his braves to say that we could have it4 ,in return1 he told them we would build them houses1 plow and plant some land for their squaws1 and give them some flour4 ,he then asked for an expression of their feelings4 ,several of the old men spoke1 and all said we were welcome to come and get what we wanted4 ,the ,poncas numbered about two thousand souls4 ,after the meeting dismissed some thirty of the braves1 or soldiers1 favored us with a war dance4 ,the musical instrument used for this was used at all the dances ,i ever saw while with them4 ,it was like a tambourine1 and about the same size4 ,this is beaten as you would beat a drum4 ,the braves formed in a circle1 and at every beat of the instrument 7and there were perhaps seventy strokes to the minute7 they would jump up1 at the same time bending forward in a half-stooping position1 and passing around as they jumped1 yelling and hallooing in a most frightful manner4 ,all they lacked at this dance to make it a perfect war dance1 were the scalps of some whom they had killed in battle4 ,this drumming1 yelling and jumping continued for about fifteen minutes1 when all the ,indians left the camp for their own village4 ,we were about one mile from the ,missouri ,river1 and near the mouth of ,swift or ,running-,water ,river1 and where the ,indians raise a little corn4 ,the next day the whole village turned out to visit us4 ,they wanted us to trade with them by giving them flour1 sugar1 coffee1 etc41 for moccasins1 buckskins1 etc4 ,a great many exchanges were made1 to the satisfaction of both parties4 ,the ,indians1 however1 had by far the best of the bargains1 as we found out the next morning1 for many of us were minus an ax1 a kettle1 pan1 cup1 knife or something that was used daily about our camp2 and all these things we learned had been taken by our ,indian visitors4 ,as soon as this was known to the chiefs1 they ordered all who had these articles to return them to our camp4 ,a few tin cups1 saucepans1 milk pans and such things were brought back1 but not a tithe of what were taken4 ,after this but few were allowed to visit us4 ,the chief appointed two ,indians to be at our camp every day1 to keep the others away1 or keep them from stealing4 ,in about three weeks a number of houses were ready for the ,saints to occupy1 and about two-thirds of our people were housed for the winter4 ,while this was being done ,i had been kept busy1 shoe-mending2 and very often ,i would be called upon to mend an ,indian's bridle or his bullet pouch1 which ,i did cheerfully1 and to their satisfaction4 ,about the first of ,october the ,ponca chief came to ,brother ,miller1 and informed him that they were about to start for their winter hunting ground1 to hunt buffalo1 elk and deer1 to get robes and meat1 and wished to have a few of our young men accompany them4 ,he mentioned me1 stating that ,i was good and kind to his people1 mending bullet pouches1 etc41 for them4 ,that same evening1 after several of our young men had proposed to go with the ,indians on their hunt1 ,bishop ,miller said1 calling me by name1 ,i would like you to go with them if you had not those fearful sores on your legs4 ,the chiefs and some braves have taken quite a liking to you1 and ,i feel1 ,brother ,s--1 as though you would do much good by going among them on this journey1 but ,i dare not ask you to go with such legs4 ,a peculiar feeling came over me while he was speaking1 and ,i was led to say1 ,brother ,miller1 if you say ,i can accomplish good by going with those ,indians1 ,i will go4 ,i have no fears about my legs or myself2 if anything should occur1 that ,i should never return1 ,i have no relatives in camp to mourn my loss4 ,this weak1 deformed body of mine can be better spared than those who are able bodied1 all of whom are needed for the protection of the camp4 ,he there and then appointed me to go1 and blessed me in the name of the ,lord4 ,he said that ,i should do much good1 and have exceeding faith in the ,god of ,israel1 who would guide and direct me in a marvellous manner4 ,the next day we started4 ,our company consisted of ,brother ,john ,kay1 who was going to do a little trading with and gunsmithing for the ,indians1 ,frederick ,bainbridge1 his teamster1 four young brethren and myself1 with the ,ponca nation which numbered two thousand souls1 with all their lodges1 camp kettles1 etc4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,grand ,,peace ,,smoke--,,table ,,etiquette--,,no ,,dish-,,washing--,,white ,,friends ,,discouraged4 ,two hours before the ,indians left for their winter hunting ground a few of the chiefs came to ,bishop ,miller to smoke the pipe of peace with him and our camp4 ,this pipe of peace had been smoked with us many times before2 and1 as it may be a question how this is done1 ,i will explain it to my young readers4 ,when there is a sufficient number to form a circle1 they always do so4 ,the chief who invites the party fills his large pipe with tobacco 7more than one pipe is used when the company is large74 ,as soon as it is filled1 the chief holds the bowl of the pipe upwards1 and says a few words appropriate to the occasion1 calling always upon the ,great ,spirit1 whom they call ,wurconda4 ,these speeches were always made at feasts of importance1 or councils1 and at every big smoke1 or when they send off a war party1 and when a party goes to make peace with another nation4 ,i was at a meeting once where a number of chiefs were in council1 and were about to send off a peace party1 consisting of four young braves and a chief1 all of whom were present during the ceremony4 ,the pipe was filled1 and the head chief held the bowl upwards1 made a short speech and passed it to the next chief1 who said a few words and handed it to the next4 ,after all had received it and spoken1 the chief1 who presided lit the pipe1 and all smoked4 ,a small1 dried bladder was produced after this by the chief4 ,this was passed around with the same ceremony as the pipe was4 ,some very fine grass was next handed around in the same manner4 ,after this the marrow from a large bone of the buffalo and a piece of plug tobacco were each served in the same manner as the other articles4 ,the pipe1 tobacco1 grass and marrow were then placed in the bladder and tied up4 ,when this was done the young chief who had charge of the party was asked to step into the circle of chiefs4 ,the bladder and its contents were then held up by the presiding chief1 who made a few remarks and handed it to the young man1 and he handed it to each chief in turn4 ,after some remarks by the head chief the party started upon their important mission4 ,during this ceremony no one spoke but those in council4 ,it was as quiet as any religious meeting ,i ever attended4 ,each speech was like a prayer1 and was delivered in a very solemn manner4 ,after this peaceable smoke the ,indians shook hands with their white friends and jumped into their saddles and left4 ,it was a novel scene to us1 and ,i am sure it would be to my young readers1 to see this ,indian nation on the move4 ,in advance could be seen the chiefs and some of their braves on horseback4 ,next came the squaws1 leading horses packed with their lodges and camp-equipage4 ,next came the old men and old women1 with their lodges packed and drawn by dogs with poles strapped on their backs4 ,with these were young men and maidens1 all on foot4 ,those who had babies strapped them upon a board1 and carried them as the ,utah ,indians do4 ,all the young men and boys had bows and arrows2 and when traveling they had a good time1 testing their skill by shooting rabbits and small birds4 ,when in camp a great deal of their time was spent in shooting at a mark4 ,the first day we traveled about eight miles4 ,we had been invited to stay in one of the chief's lodges1 he having three of them and three wives4 ,at sunset the chief invited us to supper1 which consisted of dried buffalo meat1 boiled1 and put into one large1 wooden bowl with the liquor it was boiled in4 ,one large horn spoon was provided with which to eat1 and the meat was cut up into small pieces4 ,the chief took a spoonful of meat and liquor1 then handed the spoon to the one next to him1 who did likewise1 and so the spoon was passed around until all had used it1 and partaken of as much food as they wanted4 ,the meat was as tough as leather and about as palatable1 and was truly the hardest and toughest meat ,i ever ate4 ,we slept in the tent that night1 and rested well4 ,my legs pained me some1 but ,i felt that the ,lord was with us4 ,brother ,john ,kay had a little flour with him1 and on the following morning1 he invited us to breakfast on cakes fried in fat1 which we ate with a relish4 ,about nine o'clock1 a4 m41 one of the chiefs went through the village1 telling the people that they were going to a certain place that day1 and that they could prepare for the journey as soon as they pleased4 ,the women commenced immediately to pack up their things1 and take down their lodges1 while the men started for their horses4 ,the women among the ,indians have most of the work to do4 ,they put up and pull down the lodges1 get the wood1 cook1 make and mend their clothes1 and dress all the robes and skins1 for their own use and for the market4 ,the men hunt1 look after their horses1 fight1 if necessary1 smoke1 eat and sleep4 ,we traveled on in this way1 eating the same kind of meat1 only broiled at times for a change 7which was far preferable7 instead of being boiled4 ,you may ask if the meat and the dish or bowl we ate from were clean4 ,i thought not1 for the meat1 the bowl and kettle were carried in dirty1 greasy sacks4 ,in fact1 all the eatables and cooking utensils were in these sacks1 packed upon the backs of horses1 when traveling1 and when in camp1 thrown around a dirty and dusty lodge4 ,i scarcely ever saw a piece of meat1 a kettle or a bowl washed by them while ,i was with them4 ,at first we partook of our meals with but little relish1 but after a week's travel1 we found our appetites improved4 ,up to this time we traveled near the ,running ,water ,river1 without seeing any buffalo1 or game of any kind4 ,here our young brethren became perfectly discouraged1 not finding game nor immediate prospects for any1 and they concluded to leave4 ,we were then about fifty miles from our camp4 ,i was asked to accompany them1 but declined1 feeling that ,i had not accomplished my mission4 ,this far we had crossed a number of small1 clear streams1 from three to seven feet wide1 and often three feet deep4 ,in crossing these ,i found the water gave relief to my sore and painful legs1 and1 as often as ,i could1 ,i bathed the sores and found relief4 ,three of the sores had entirely healed1 and for this ,i thanked the ,lord4 ,we parted here with our young brethren1 wishing them a pleasant journey1 while we marched on and camped again near the same stream4 ,soon after we had partaken of our evening meal1 two ,indians came riding into camp1 bringing good news1 that buffaloes were a few miles west of us4 ,this filled the ,indians with joy1 so much so that bonfires were built outside the lodges to give light1 so that the young folks could dance1 and the old men might smoke and talk over things of the past4 ,it was a very interesting sight to me1 to see some eight or ten circles of young men and women1 dancing in the same way1 and to the same music1 that ,i have described before1 as a war dance4 ,and let me here say that women join the men in a real1 genuine war dance1 7when they have a scalp of some unfortunate ,indian who has crossed their path17 and seem to enjoy it quite as well as the men2 for they jump as high1 and as often1 and do a great deal of horrible yelling4 ,with this dancing by the young folks1 and the smoking by the old men1 7women never smoke7 and the multitude looking at the dancers1 it was a happy time for all4 ,after enjoying these pleasures about three hours the whole company1 except the guard1 retired to their lodges1 many1 no doubt1 to dream of the good time coming--of killing buffaloes and eating fresh meat4 ,at day-break a chief notified the camp to prepare to move4 ,no sooner was the word given1 than the people commenced to pack up1 and take down lodges1 and in one hour we were again on the move4 ,at the time the chief gave the word for the ,indians to prepare to move1 another chief was giving orders to those who had hunting horses to prepare and leave for the slaughter4 ,by the time we reached a small stream about five miles ahead1 we found these hunters with ten fine buffaloes ready for the two thousand hungry souls4 ,lodges were soon up1 fires lighted1 and the whole camp busy cooking and eating fresh meat4 ,i had an invitation1 with my brethren1 to cat roast or broiled buffallo1 which ,i accepted and enjoyed it very much4 ,i believe ,i ate two pounds of solid meat before ,i slept that night1 without feeling the least inconvenience4 ,we had no bread nor potatoes with it1 which1 of course1 makes a great difference4 ,the camp was up early the next morning and moved on about four miles1 without breakfast1 when we stopped1 hoping our hunters1 who were ahead of us1 would find more game4 ,at sunset1 four ,indians brought in two fat deer1 and soon others came1 bringing two buffaloes4 ,shortly after the deer arrived1 we were invited to dine on deer meat1 which we found very good4 ,at first ,i found it rather strange to eat so much meat and no bread with it2 but ,i soon got used to it4 ,i had been ten weeks living on bread without meat1 and if any one had asked me at the time which ,i would prefer of the two1 if ,i could have but one1 ,i should have chosen bread2 but after ,i had lived on meat a few weeks1 ,i would have said1 give me meat1 rather than bread alone4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,last ,,two ,,brethren ,,leave ,,me--,,home-,,sick--,,tonsorial ,,experience--,,whadee-,,shipper1 ,a ,,new ,,name ,,for ,,me--,,kindness ,,of ,,the ,,indians4 ,the part of the country we were traveling in was so rough and hilly that it was impossible to travel with a wagon1 so ,brothers ,kay and ,bainbridge concluded to leave1 which they did that morning4 ,i have not forgotten the time when we parted1 and ,i saw them for the last time passing over the top of a high hill1 each swinging his hat as a token of good by and good wishes4 ,how different our positions6 ,they were going to their families and friends1 while ,i was to remain with a few ,indians1 or wild men of the desert4 ,i must confess that for awhile ,i felt a little homesick4 ,i started for a deep ravine near by1 out of sight of the village1 where ,i knelt down and prayed to the ,lord for strength and an increase of faith1 that ,i might accomplish the work before me with cheerfulness of heart4 ,after this ,i felt better1 and went to the chief's lodge and got out my journal to write4 ,no one else was in the lodge at the time1 but just as ,i was about to commence writing1 a couple of young squaws entered the lodge and sat down beside me4 ,the eldest asked me1 as ,i understood1 for my comb1 and ,i took it from my pocket and offered it to her1 thinking they wished to comb their hair2 but1 to my surprise1 she leaned her head towards me1 asking and making signs for me to comb and braid her hair1 as our white women did theirs4 ,at first ,i concluded something evil was intended1 and they were sent to prove me2 but ,i soon changed my mind1 and believed them innocent of any wrong4 ,i was somewhat confused1 ,i assure you1 in making the attempt to dress a lady's hair1 and blushed considerably when ,i commenced1 which they observed1 and both laughed4 ,as soon as ,i had finished one side ,i handed my comb over to her companion1 for her to do the other side1 which she did1 and much better than ,i had done4 ,when this was done1 lady ,no4 #a combed and braided the hair of lady ,no4 #b1 very nicely4 ,she then returned the comb to me4 ,this was the first and last hair-dressing ,i was called upon to perform while with them4 ,the next day many of the young women had their hair arranged in the same style4 ,i remained in the same lodge and with the same chief as when ,i started with them4 ,this same evening several ,indians came to his lodge1 and1 after talking awhile1 sent for an old ,frenchman who had been with them a number of years1 and could speak some ,english4 ,they told him they were pleased that ,i was going to remain with them4 ,it was good1 and ,i was a sargey morie tongar1 #a which is hardy ,american1 and they would give me the name of their fire steel 7one they use with a flint1 to strike fire with1 which they call whadee shipper74 ,this was my ,indian name from that time4 ,this was soon known by the ,indians in the village1 for the next day all who met me called me by my new name4 ,i continued to pass through every stream we came to1 and after awhile ,i found myself almost free from sores4 ,for this ,i felt truly thankful and much encouraged4 ,one day two ,indians came to the village who had been visiting their sister1 who was married in the ,sioux nation4 ,these men informed the chief that a band of the ,yankton ,sioux were short of meat and robes and had but little game on their land1 and had been driving off buffalo from the ,poncas' lands1 which was the cause of not finding buffalo sooner than we did4 ,we took early starts in the morning1 traveling sometimes until two or three o'clock in the afternoon without food4 ,all ,indians that ,i saw on this trip preferred traveling before breaking their fast1 and after awhile ,i concluded it was better than starting off after eating a hearty meal4 ,this was the beginning of ,november2 the nights were frosty but the days were very pleasant4 ,we were now in a bleak and cold country1 with but little grass or timber4 ,by this time my legs were quite healed1 for which ,i gave thanks to the ,lord4 ,five weeks had passed since ,i left our camp to accompany the ,indians1 and thus far ,i had enjoyed myself4 ,the ,indians were very kind to me1 and all were anxious that ,i should learn their language4 ,while traveling1 the young men would walk with me1 show me the cut off1 or nearest way to a certain point we would have to pass1 and every day ,i would learn a new word or two4 ,i started with one pair of old shoes1 which lasted me but two weeks1 when one of the chiefs presented me with a new pair of buckskin moccasins4 ,for this kind act ,i blessed him in the name of the ,lord4 ,i found them very easy to my feet1 and could walk much better with them than with shoes4 ,after a time1 though1 they began to show signs of wear1 and one day when walking with the son of a chief1 he looked at my feet and saw my toe sticking through my moccasin4 ,he immediately said1 pashee 7which means no good17 pulled off his own moccasins and handed them to me1 telling me to put them on1 which ,i did1 and he put on mine4 ,his were new1 but he appeared quite pleased that he had them to give to me4 ,footnotes #a4--,morie-tongar1 is the name they give to all ,americans4 ,morie is knife1 and ,tongar is large knife4 ,the first ,americans they ever saw all had swords1 which they called large knives2 hence their name4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,a ,,buffalo ,,hunt--,a ,,thrilling ,,sight--,,conversations ,,with ,,the ,,indians--,,scurvy--,,answer ,,to ,,prayer4 ,at this time we had an abundance of buffalo1 deer and elk meat1 killing from five to forty buffaloes in one day1 and as ,i have witnessed several of these buffalo hunts1 ,i will tell my young readers how the ,indians proceed in hunting and killing them4 ,in the first place1 there is a chief or president over every company starting out to hunt1 so that good order may be kept2 otherwise the buffaloes would be frightened away1 and perhaps only one or two of a large herd be killed4 ,the chief in charge1 when first in sight1 calculating the number there are1 and the distance from them1 gives his orders1 telling who must follow next to him1 and who next1 and so on until about twenty of those who have good horses are chosen to follow him4 ,after these1 all who have horses follow if they choose to do so4 ,sometimes it is better to keep at a distance from the buffaloes1 until the chief and his chosen men scatter the band1 when those behind follow the buffaloes and soon kill them4 ,the chief and party start off1 walking their horses1 and on the lee side of the buffaloes1 until they are seen by the game1 which sometimes does not occur until they ride within a few rods of them4 ,as soon as the buffaloes see these horsemen they run from them4 ,the chief1 riding in among them1 first picks out the best and fattest animal he can find1 and kills it4 ,then follow the others1 each doing likewise4 ,by this time the herd is scattered4 ,these men load their guns again and follow them1 killing as many as they can4 ,in a short time as many as fifty ,indians are after them on horses1 and the buffaloes scatter all over the country4 ,they can be seen in twos1 threes1 or in larger numbers1 with ,indians trying to catch up with them4 ,those having the best horses kill the most buffaloes4 ,if the hunt is near a village1 which is often the case1 the old men and women go out and skin the animals killed1 and help themselves to as much meat as they can pack4 ,the robe belongs to the party who killed the animal4 ,at one hunt there were about #djj buffaloes1 the largest number ,i ever saw together while with the ,indians4 ,this was the best and most exciting hunt ,i ever saw1 and ,i know of no scene that ,i ever witnessed1 either before or since1 that was so exciting and interesting to me4 ,i saw a sham fight in #ahch1 when #bj1jjj ,british troops were engaged for three hours1 and were viewed by ,queen ,victoria1 the ,duke of ,wellington1 ,lord ,hill1 ,marshal ,soult1 and other notables4 ,the troops were well drilled1 equipped in splendid style1 rode fine horses1 and when moving in masses from one place to another with their glittering accoutrements1 breastplates1 helmets1 etc41 they presented a grand appearance2 yet it was not to be compared for real interest to the spectacle presented by this buffalo hunt4 ,each ,indian had nothing but a blanket or robe around his loins1 and carried only a bow and a quiver of arrows 7but few having guns7 for his weapons4 ,to see those ,indians galloping at full speed1 with their hair flying in the wind1 after the black1 wild animals1 in a wild and desert country1 with only nature for their instructor1 was to me the most thrilling and soul-stirring sight ,i ever beheld in my life1 and one ,i shall never forget4 ,old as ,i am 7#fb years71 ,i would go farther to see another such a hunt1 than ,i would to see a sham fight1 such as the one mentioned4 ,fifty buffaloes were killed in this hunt1 and after it was over we remained in camp for three weeks1 to give the women a chance to dry the meat and dress the robes1 as we had no means of carrying them in their green state4 ,by this time ,i had learned considerable of their language and was able to converse tolerably well with them2 and1 when sitting in the evening with some of the chiefs1 they would ask me to talk to them about our people1 wishing to know where we were going1 and why we were going so far from our white brethren1 etc4 ,an old ,frenchman interpreted for us as ,i talked1 he knowing that ,i could understand enough of their language to detect it if he did not translate my words correctly4 ,i gave them a brief history of the ,church1 the principles taught by the ,prophet ,joseph1 his and his brother ,hyrum's death1 and also of the ,book of ,mormon 7having one with me1 which ,i showed them74 ,i also told them where their forefathers came from1 where they first landed1 and how they1 like us1 had been scattered and driven from the rising almost to the setting sun4 ,these conversations were many1 and always very interesting to them4 ,i may here mention that1 when ,i left the nation1 the chief with whom ,i stayed asked me for the ,book of ,mormon1 and told me he would keep it as long as he lived1 and his son would keep it after him2 for he wanted to have the book that could give the history of their fathers always with them4 ,i handed it to him1 and he thanked me1 kissing the book1 and saying it would be good medicine for his people1 for he should feel as though his fathers were with them when he had the book4 ,eating1 as ,i had1 so much fresh meat without vegetables or bread1 and having but little exercise1 ,i did not feel as well as ,i had done1 and found a kind of scurvy breaking out on my right side4 ,i had seen something of the kind on some of the ,indians1 but nothing so bad as mine4 ,all ,i could do was to apply buffalo fat to the parts affected4 ,the time came when we had got our robes dressed and meat sufficiently dried to cache1 so that we could leave the next morning4 ,my leg was swollen1 and ,i feared if it continued it might get so bad that ,i could not walk4 ,i prayed at night that the ,lord would cause the swelling to go down1 and give me sufficient strength that ,i might be able to walk the next day4 ,the next morning the swelling was gone1 and ,i was able to walk nine miles4 ,here we killed more buffaloes1 and stayed a few days to dry meat1 which we did by cutting it about an inch thick1 and putting it upon sticks above the fire in the lodges4 ,we next moved on to the upper forks of ,running ,water ,river1 and very near to the extent of the ,poncas' hunting ground4 ,beyond theirs were lands belonging to the ,brules1 a tribe of the ,sioux4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,strength ,,in ,,time ,,of ,,need--,,afflicted ,,like ,,job1 ,,with ,,boils--,,scraping ,,with ,a ,,potsherd ,,pleasant--,,my ,,prayer ,,room--,,dressing ,,buffalo ,,robes--,,dining ,,on ,,cottonwood ,,bark--,,indian ,,self-,,denial4 ,i suffered much pain at times with the sores that covered my right side1 from my face all the way down to my ankle2 but1 strange to say1 the swelling on my knee1 which would increase after each day's travel1 so that ,i could scarcely walk across the lodge1 would go down when we had occasion to travel1 so that ,i could walk from one camping place to the next4 ,some of my readers may think ,i imagined this to be the case1 but it was no imagination of mine1 for this continued for several weeks just as ,i have stated4 ,after remaining a few days in camp1 ,i was one mass of boils1 from the size of a pea to that of a small marble1 and so close together that they touched each other4 ,at times ,i suffered a great deal of pain1 and at other times ,i suffered with itching1 which was terrible4 ,this was when the sores were partially healed1 and the surface had become hard1 and while in this state ,i often1 on a fine day1 would go where ,i could not be seen1 get on the sunny side of a hill1 strip off my clothes1 and1 with a flat stick1 scrape my sores4 ,i had read of ,job scraping his boils with a potsherd1 and pitied him1 but if he took as much comfort as ,i did in scraping mine1 he had no need of pity2 for to me it was a great pleasure to get rid of the itching1 and the scraping tended to relieve me in this respect4 ,the boils1 however1 would only remain healed about a week1 when they would begin to swell for a few days1 giving much pain1 and then break out again1 which caused me to feel faint and weak4 ,notwithstanding this affliction ,i felt blessed of the ,lord1 and was not discouraged4 ,a short distance from the village there was a large patch of plum bush1 about two acres in area1 with deer tracks through it1 and a large space clear of brush in the center4 ,this ,i chose for my prayer room during my stay there4 ,i asked the ,lord to bless and sanctify it for this purpose1 which ,i feel assured ,he did4 ,i went there three times a day for prayer1 and ,i felt many times1 when praying1 that the ,lord was there4 ,this was about the last of ,november2 the weather was very cold1 and there was some snow on the ground4 ,it was a busy time for the women1 who were all engaged in drying meat1 and dressing robes and skins for sale4 ,we had killed up to date1 #a1ejj buffaloes1 besides other game4 ,it takes from two to three days to dress a robe4 ,in the first place1 they scrape it on the flesh side until it becomes thin1 then they soak some of the buffalo's brains in warm water1 and put this liquor on the flesh side until it will not retain any more4 ,the brain of an animal is sufficient to dress its skin or robe1 and sometimes more than sufficient4 ,after the robe or skin has become well soaked through with the brain liquor1 it is stretched tight upon sticks1 with the skin side to the sun1 if the weather be fine1 and if cloudy1 a fire is made to dry it4 ,while the drying process is going on1 the party dressing it rubs it on the flesh side with a piece of sandstone about the size of a brick4 ,this is continued until it is perfectly dry and soft4 ,all robes and skins are dressed in this manner except small skins1 which are rubbed with the hands4 ,on a fine day1 ,i have seen as many as #gj squaws at work at one time1 dressing robes4 ,these robes and skins are their harvest1 as much so as a good crop of grain is to the farmer1 as they sell all they do not need to traders1 who are licensed to purchase from the ,indians by the government4 ,a good robe was worth about two dollars in cloth1 ammunition1 coffee1 sugar1 salt1 etc4 ,sometimes the ,indians would give three or four robes1 or even more for a blanket1 which was thought to be much better to wear around them than a buffalo robe4 ,the ,indians who could afford to wear a blanket1 considered themselves much better dressed than their fellows4 ,the lodges were all made of buffalo skins2 it took from five to eighteen skins1 according to the size1 to make one lodge4 ,these were all made by the squaws4 ,during our lengthy stay at the place last mentioned1 the weather was very cold and stormy1 and the feed for our horses was very poor2 but there was considerable cottonwood timber growing on the banks of the river1 and a good many of the young trees were cut1 and the under bark used to feed the horses4 ,they were very fond of it1 and ,i was informed by the ,indians that this bark1 during the winter months or before the buds burst in spring1 was nearly as good for them as corn4 ,i may here mention that ,i remember testing the value of this bark as food1 myself1 during our return journey4 ,we had no meat for three days1 except one deer1 which was killed when we were a few miles from our meat caches4 ,we had hoped to find game on our journey1 but finding none1 we were compelled to go without4 ,the third day ,i felt very faint1 and it struck me that if the under bark of the cottonwood tree would feed horses and they could live on it1 that it might also serve to stay my hunger4 ,i got some young branches1 and scraped off a lot of the bark1 cutting it fine4 ,i then asked the ,lord to bless and sanctify it to my use4 ,i took a mouthful1 and1 after chewing it for some time1 swallowed the juice4 ,i was about to swallow the bark1 also1 when it was suggested to me not to do so1 that if ,i did it would clog my system1 but that the juice would not4 ,i therefore merely chewed the bark1 and swallowed a few mouthfuls of the juice1 from which ,i found relief4 ,for this1 and the suggestion not to swallow the bark1 ,i thanked my ,heavenly ,father4 ,when the deer was killed upon this journey1 it was cut up into small pieces1 and distributed to as many as it would supply4 ,soon after this1 ,i was invited to eat at the lodge of a young chief and his wife4 ,as soon as ,i reached the lodge1 a piece of this deer was handed to me1 about the size of one's hand4 ,this was broiled1 and intended for me alone4 ,i knew they both had been without meat as long as ,i had1 and ,i did not think they had partaken of bark juice as ,i had1 just before4 ,i therefore cut a small piece off for myself1 and asked them to eat the remainder4 ,the chief said3 ,no6 ,indian eat once in three days--good6 ,if not1 can buckle up his belt tighter 7which he did72 but white man1 or morie tonger1 needs to eat three times a day4 ,neither he nor his wife would take it1 so ,i ate it4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,police ,,regulations--,a ,,moral ,,people--,,marriage ,,customs--,,invitation ,,to ,a ,,feast--,,skunk ,,meat ,,at ,,mid-,,night--,,indians ,,cheated ,,by ,,white ,,traders4 ,the lodges1 during our stay on the ,upper ,forks of the ,running ,water ,river1 were made comfortably warm by banking up dry sod three feet high around them4 ,inside of the lodges1 the floor1 to within about three feet of the fire1 all around1 was covered with half-dressed robes1 at times four deep1 which made it good to sleep upon4 ,we had the best of order in our village4 ,four ,indians were appointed every day to act as police4 ,these had their faces blackened when on duty4 ,fresh ones were appointed daily to guard and see that everything was orderly in the village4 ,i had been informed while in the ,states that all ,indians were very licentious and degraded in their character and habits4 ,it may possibly be the case with some tribes1 but from the first day ,i traveled with the ,poncas up to the last1 which was six months1 ,i never saw anything that would cause a lady to blush1 either in the actions of a male or female4 ,if there had been anything of the kind ,i would have seen it1 for ,i was at all their feasts of dancing and eating1 and attended three of their weddings4 ,if a young ,indian wants to marry1 and finds a squaw who is inclined to receive his addresses1 he goes to the father of the young woman and learns from him the worth of the lady4 ,he also finds out whether he would be acceptable to him as a son-in-law4 ,if the match is agreeable to the parent1 he will perhaps ask three horses as the price of her1 sometimes more1 sometimes less4 ,the price depends somewhat on the smartness of the girl4 ,if she can braid well1 and dress robes and skins first rate1 and is well qualified for the labors required of her1 she is worth more horses than one who is not so smart4 ,when the price is settled and the amount paid1 the next thing for the young ,indian to do is to prepare a home for his bride4 ,he either hires part of a lodge1 purchases one or furnishes the skins for his intended bride to make one4 ,when this is done he goes out and hunts game1 brings what he kills to the lodge of her father1 and hands it over to the young woman1 who cooks some and gives it to him to eat4 ,she also makes him a present either of a robe1 pair of leggings or a pair of moccasins4 ,thus he proves on his part that he is willing to hunt and provide for her2 and she1 on the other hand1 shows her willingness to cook and make what clothing he wishes4 ,this is all that is needed to become husband and wife4 ,it often happens that a young ,indian1 when wanting to marry1 is poor1 and does not own any horses4 ,in such a case he promises to help his father-in-law to hunt until he gets a horse1 or horses4 ,sometimes there are a number of young ,indians wanting to marry1 but cannot do so for want of horses to pay for the young ladies4 ,when such is the case1 they occasionally lay their plans 7unknown to their chiefs7 for a raid on the horses of other tribes or nations1 to steal what they need for the purchase of their wives4 ,this occurred once while ,i was with them4 ,eight young ,indians were gone twenty-three days1 and returned without any1 finding the horses were too well guarded4 ,at times1 when the ,indians have had horses stolen by marauding parties from other nations1 the chiefs call a council of the braves1 and choose a number to go to the aggressors as a war party1 and get back their horses that have been stolen1 or steal some better ones from them4 ,this party are all fighting men1 and often have to fight before they return1 whether they get any horses or not4 ,the war parties of the different tribes are continually active2 and each tribe has to be on the watch1 to prevent its horses being stolen while in herds near its villages4 ,all foreign war parties are looked upon as enemies1 and whenever the ,indians see them they shoot them and bring their scalps to camp1 for the young folks to dance around at their evening entertainments4 ,sending out these war parties was often the cause of the different nations going to war1 and it is the same to this day4 ,when traveling1 we would often see a foot track in the sand1 or an arrow or moccasin by the way4 ,as soon as an ,indian saw any of these he knew by what tribe they had been left4 ,when ,i asked them how they knew this1 they informed me that each nation made shoes1 or moccasins1 differing somewhat in shape from those of other nations4 ,they also had different colored arrows1 so that those of each nation could be easily identified by any one acquainted with the various peculiarities4 ,the various ,indian nations are distinguished by the colors of their arrows in the same way that civilized nations are by the colors of their flags4 ,when a chief prepares a feast for some of his friends1 an ,indian is sent around to inform the party invited4 ,this is sometimes done before the food is prepared1 so that they may have a smoke and a talk first4 ,the ,indian who goes to invite the guests does not go into their lodges to do so1 but calls out their names1 and tells what they will have to eat1 as he passes their lodges4 ,these are the words they would use if they were inviting me3 ,ah-how ,whadee-shipper1 moningahow munga war-rattah ,wayger-sippeys teah6 which means3 ,oh ,s----6 ,walk off6 ,skunk food at the chief's lodge6 ,they think skunk meat very fine food4 ,i have been called up at midnight to go to a skunk feast4 ,when dressed and cooked properly the meat is good2 if not cooked properly it is very strong1 so much so that one can taste it the next day after eating it4 ,i ate quite a variety of food while with them1 consisting of fish of various kinds1 buffalo1 elk1 deer1 antelope1 beaver1 otter1 dog1 wolf1 skunk1 turkey1 duck1 crow and pigeon4 ,it was near ,christmas1 and ,i had been two months alone with this nation4 ,during this time ,i had suffered much pain of body1 but in spirit ,i had felt well1 and never felt the least discouraged1 or even sorry ,i had left the camp of the ,saints4 ,i had learned considerable of their language1 and had become acquainted with their customs and manners of life1 all of which ,i knew would be useful to me1 and to the camps of ,israel1 when traveling through the ,indian nations1 if ,i lived4 ,i had looked upon these ,indians of the desert as the enemies of the white men1 and believed they would rob and kill them whenever found4 ,how different my feelings are towards them to-day6 ,no nation or people could have treated me with more kindness4 ,i lived in the best house1 or lodge1 in the village4 ,i had the best seat 7a good pillow7 at their councils4 ,i had the best food the nation afforded to eat1 and was treated by the chiefs1 soldiers1 braves and people1 both old and young1 as though ,i was their king4 ,i always found they wished to be friendly with the white men if they would treat them aright2 but the ,indians had been deceived by them in trade and treaty1 and for this they had rebelled at times4 ,the old chiefs always taught their young men to be good1 and be at peace if others wished peace1 and only fight when others were determined to fight with them4 ,they informed me1 ,i am sorry to say1 that white men had often been sent to trade with them for their robes and skins1 and had cheated them by giving less and poorer goods for their things than they had promised2 thus getting their robes for little or nothing1 and telling them that they would send them horses1 and then never doing it4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,symptoms ,,of ,,death--,,no ,,hopes ,,of ,,living--,,ponca ,,manner ,,of ,,burying ,,the ,,dead--,,dread ,,of ,,having ,,my ,,body ,,mangled ,,by ,,the ,,wolves--,,decide ,,to ,,bargain ,,with ,,the ,,indians ,,to ,,cut ,,up ,,my ,,body ,,and ,,take ,,it ,,to ,,my ,,friends--,,happy ,,assurance ,,that ,i ,,should ,,live1 ,,etc4 ,on ,christmas day my knee and right side were badly swollen4 ,i had been suffering much pain for two days1 and ,i feared if it continued the disease would strike inwardly1 and that if so1 ,i could not live4 ,at noon my knee was nearly as large as my head2 but it did not hurt me to walk slowly1 and ,i concluded that ,i would go and pray1 believing it would be the last time ,i would be able to do so1 for my faith about living had left me1 and ,i felt that ,i could not live twenty-four hours longer4 ,i had always felt very indifferent about what might become of my body after death1 but now ,i felt quite the reverse4 ,the ,ponca ,indians bury their dead in a shallow hole1 packing a mound of sward over the body4 ,the ground was so deeply frozen that if ,i died and the ,indians tried to give me a decent burial1 they could not possibly dig up much sod to put over me1 not enough to protect me from the wolves1 which were very numerous around the camp4 ,the idea of my body being pulled limb from limb1 and scattered all over the country1 caused me to feel very sad1 for you must know ,i felt sure ,i should die1 and that too in a few hours4 ,it was a most horrible feeling1 for ,i could almost fancy ,i saw my body being pulled to pieces and my bones picked clean of flesh and sinew1 and scattered all over the country4 ,while these horrible thoughts were passing through my mind ,i was steadily nearing my prayer room1 where1 on arriving1 ,i knelt down and prayed as ,i never had before4 ,in presenting myself to the ,lord1 ,i stated my feelings as ,i have described them1 asking ,him to spare my life if it was ,his will1 for ,i was anxious to see the ,saints again2 but if not1 ,i said1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy will be done6 ,i asked ,him to protect my body1 when buried1 from the wolves1 that it might not be scattered to the four winds4 ,i said1 spare it1 oh1 my ,father1 and let it rest in peace1 until it is ,thy will to visit some of my brethren with dream or with vision1 that they may know of my death1 and the location of this poor feeble body4 ,much more was said by me1 for the ,spirit of ,god was upon me4 ,after this1 and while walking to the village and thinking of what had passed2 it was suggested to me that ,i need not be buried there at all4 ,i had got a good double barrelled gun1 and a good suit of clothes at the camp of the ,saints4 ,all ,i need do was to tell the chief that ,i was sick1 and expected to die1 and when dead ,i wanted him to cut into quarters my body1 pack it1 and send it to my chief 7,bishop ,miller71 that ,i might be buried with the ,saints2 and for doing this1 ,i would give him all ,i possessed4 ,no sooner had this thought suggested itself to me1 than ,i felt it was an answer to my prayer1 and ,i there and then praised the ,lord for ,his goodness and kindness towards me4 ,as soon as ,i reached the lodge1 ,i got out my journal to write in it1 as ,i supposed1 for the last time 7for ,i was suffering much pain inwardly1 and gradually becoming weaker71 and also to write a note to ,brother ,miller1 authorizing him to give up my clothes1 etc41 to the party who presented my body to him4 ,i got out my book1 tore out a leaf to write this note1 dipped my pen 7a crow's quill7 in the ink1 when ,i felt impressed to speak as follows3 ,thus saith the ,lord unto you1 my servant2 thy prayers have been heard and accepted of me1 and from this hour thou shalt commence to recover1 for thou shalt live and not die2 thou shalt return in due time to the camps of ,israel2 thou shalt be gathered to the place ,i have appointed for the gathering of my people2 thou shalt be blessed with a home and habitation with my ,saints2 and thou shalt travel much and again see thy sister in the flesh4 ,much more was at the same time manifested to me by the ,spirit4 ,i had no sooner received this than ,i closed the book1 believing all the ,spirit had said4 ,i assure all who may read this1 that this day's experience was worth more to me than any amount of this world's goods that ,i could possibly possess4 ,i surely rejoiced that day in the ,god of my salvation as ,i had not known how to do before4 ,it is true ,i had received many testimonies1 with promises that ,i should live1 and had in different ways been convinced of the existence of a ,god1 and the truth of the gospel as taught by ,joseph ,smith1 the prophet1 but this day's testimony was under different circumstances and feelings4 ,i had given up all thoughts of living2 ,i had no fear of dying2 my only trouble was about my body being removed and torn to pieces after burial4 ,but here1 when doing my last work1 as ,i then believed 7writing a note and the last record in my journal71 the ,spirit of the ,lord rested upon me1 and ,i received the glad tidings that ,i should live and not die4 ,i was assured that ,i should again see my friends and brethren in the ,church1 that ,i should visit my sister who was 7as is now7 in ,england2 that ,i should travel much1 and have a home and habitation with the ,saints1 etc4 ,this1 to me1 was a greater testimony than anything ,i had ever before received4 ,all of this has been fulfilled to the letter4 ,i have lived2 ,i have seen my sister three times since then2 ,i have traveled much 7for many years past from six to twenty thousand miles in a year71 and ,i have a home and a habitation4 ,how little the outside world know of these things1 or of the faith of the ,latter-day ,saints6 ,it is these testimonies that give strength and faith to us when away from our friends on missions4 ,had ,i not been with those ,indians as ,i was1 alone and sorely afflicted1 ,i might never have had this testimony4 ,it is so with all who are faithful and who go upon missions4 ,they may meet with trouble and be persecuted1 but the ,lord will pour out ,his ,spirit upon them to such a degree1 that they will rejoice in their afflictions1 and be glad afterwards that they have passed through such trials4 ,the ,lord has thus blessed thousands who have been sent upon missions1 and ,he will so bless many thousands more1 and even more abundantly as our works and faith increase4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,visit ,,from ,,the ,,brules--,,feast ,,on ,,dog ,,meat--,,seat ,,of ,,honor ,,on ,,the ,,pillow--,,return ,,journey--,,opening ,,caches--,,shooting ,,fish--,,curious ,,manner ,,of ,,cooking ,,fish4 ,soon after ,christmas we had a visit from a party of ,brules4 ,the chief of this nation was a fine-looking man1 about sixty years of age4 ,he has died since then4 ,his name was ,wah-bah-hooter1 or long-mane 7long hair74 ,only a small portion of the nation came1 the others being on a buffalo hunt4 ,their hunting ground adjoins that of the ,poncas on the south1 and continues as far as old ,laramie ,fort1 which the ,saints used to pass when traveling to ,salt ,lake ,valley4 ,some nine of the chiefs accompanied this ,sioux chief and his band4 ,this visit was for business as well as for pleasure1 and considerable trading was done on both sides in robes1 skins1 blankets1 horses1 and tobacco4 ,while some were attending to business1 others were visiting and feasting1 and many of the young men and women were dancing4 ,here ,i took my first meal of dog1 this being the first great feast of the season 7harvest feast1 if you please74 ,all the visiting chiefs were invited as well as the ruling chiefs of the ,poncas1 twenty-two in number4 ,the old ,frenchman came to me that morning and informed me of the grand dog feast in contemplation4 ,i told him ,i could not eat dog meat1 and should go off from the village until all was over4 ,he advised me not to do that1 as it would be sure to make the chiefs angry at me1 for ,i would soon be invited4 ,he also informed me that the dogs they cook and eat are not the common ones4 ,this edible dog is fed and raised especially for the table4 ,it is a kind of poodle4 ,i had often seen the squaws carrying little curly pups in bags at their backs1 and had also seen them being fed on boiled meat and broth4 ,these1 ,i now learned were being raised for the grand feasts4 ,about noon1 a chief passed around the village inviting the guests1 telling us the feast consisted of shanoodah warratta 7dog food74 ,i found on entering the lodge all the visiting chiefs present1 all of whom were seated on each side of the ,ponca chief4 ,on his right was a large feather pillow or cushion1 the chief1 ,war-bah-hoota sitting upon one end of it4 ,as soon as ,i entered1 and was introduced to him and the other chiefs1 he and they shook me by the hand1 saying1 ,ah how cuggee8 which is1 ,how do you do1 friend8 ,i was then invited to sit on the other half of the cushion4 ,the pipe of peace was next in order1 while our dog dinner was being cooked in a large kettle before us4 ,i well remember my feelings while this was going on1 and glad indeed would ,i have been if ,i could have fasted instead of feasting4 ,our smoke ended1 the kettle was removed from the fire and the contents 7four dogs7 were put into the same large bowl ,i first ate out of4 ,the chief1 our host1 carved them1 giving each a piece1 and after a long grace had been said1 the eating commenced4 ,i had pictured to myself the eating of dog a great many times1 but never expected to engage in the actual practice2 but here ,i was with two nations of people who were dog-eaters1 at a dog feast1 and1 to see them eat1 one would certainly think they were dogged hungry4 ,the chief had cut me a piece off the hind quarter1 that being a choice part4 ,i placed a piece of it in my mouth1 expecting it would be very strong2 but in this ,i was agreeably disappointed1 for ,i found the flavor very much like that of a small roast pig1 and1 as ,i was hungry1 ,i ate most of what was offered to me4 ,after this1 another smoke and a talk occurred1 when ,i was asked a number of questions about our people's history1 travels and religion1 all of which ,i answered as ,i had done when questioned by the ,poncas4 ,the ,brules seemed to listen attentively1 and appeared pleased with my answers1 and invited me to visit them some time4 ,both parties appeared to have a good time1 and after the trading was done the ,brules left for their hunting grounds1 while we packed up and started back for the camps of the ,saints1 about two hundred miles distant4 ,it was now the middle of ,january1 #ahdg4 ,the disease with which ,i was troubled had almost left me1 though ,i still had some sores upon my right side1 about the size of the palm of one's hand4 ,we continued to travel1 stopping occasionally by the way to open our caches1 and get out the meat and half-dressed robes we had deposited as we passed up4 ,both robes and meat we found in excellent condition1 being free from mold of any kind4 ,these balls of meat1 as they are called1 were large1 weighing from seventy to one hundred pounds each1 and consisted of layers about three-fourths of an inch thick1 which had been dried over the fire or in the sun4 ,the prime pieces1 when broiled or raw1 are very good eating2 the coarse pieces are pounded fine on a rock prepared for the purpose1 and eaten with the marrow taken from the bones of buffalo and elk4 ,this marrow1 with the dry pounded meat1 is very palatable4 ,from the middle of the month the weather was fine and dry1 and very good for hunting and the dressing of robes and small skins1 although game of all kinds was scarce4 ,when traveling near the river1 the young braves1 who were very expert with the bow and arrow1 could frequently be seen shooting fish4 ,i have often seen them standing in the water1 shooting the fish as they passed by them1 and have known one ,indian 7the best shot in camp7 to kill from four to seventeen good-sized fish in two hours4 ,this was to me very interesting sport4 ,the ,indians' method of cooking fish is very different to ours4 ,after making a good wood fire and getting a quantity of hot ashes1 they wrap the fish in clean1 wet grass1 put it under the hot ashes1 add more wood to the fire1 and so let it remain until the fish is cooked1 which takes from one to two hours1 according to size4 ,this may appear a very strange way of cooking to my readers1 but it proved to me a very good one1 and the fish is much sweeter1 ,i think1 than when fried in lard or butter according to our custom4 ,digressing from my narrative1 ,i may remark that ,i remember when in camp in ,echo ,canyon1 one of the brethren brought a beef's head to our mess1 and when asked by the cook what he was going to do with it1 said1 ,cook it for breakfast in the morning4 ,we supposed he would boil or fry the meat1 but when asked a short time before breakfast how he proposed cooking the joint1 that we might test his skill in the culinary art1 he told us it would be roasted and ready when the cook was ready to serve breakfast4 ,he was as good as his word1 for as soon as the cook removed the fried meat1 biscuits1 etc41 from the fire1 our friend took a fire shovel1 scraped the ashes from the fire1 and lifted the head1 well wrapped and well cooked1 from under the ashes4 ,he had been ox guard during a part of the night1 and had placed it there at midnight4 ,it was better cooked and sweeter than any ,i had ever eaten before4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,chosen ,,to ,,go ,,as ,,envoy ,,to ,,the ,,camp ,,of ,,the ,,saints--,a ,,solitary ,,journey--,,surrounded ,,by ,,thousands ,,of ,,wolves--,,providential ,,deliverance--,,happy ,,sight1 ,a ,,yoke ,,of ,,oxen--,,tears ,,of ,,joy--,,meet ,,two ,,of ,,my ,,friends--,,safe ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,camp ,,of ,,the ,,saints4 ,about the middle of ,february we had traveled to within ninety miles of our brethren's winter quarters1 and about sixty miles from where the ,poncas always did their trading with the ,frenchmen who were in the employ of ,mr4 ,sarpee1 the only licensed trader for the ,indians in the country west of the ,missouri ,river4 ,these men were to meet the ,indians about the #ast of ,march1 and two ,indian runners had been sent to meet these traders with their goods1 and inform them where and when the ,indians would be prepared for business4 ,some of the chiefs were very anxious to have our brethren purchase goods and trade with them at the same time1 and1 in order that they might know the time and place1 they requested me to go and inform them4 ,this ,i was quite willing to do1 for ,i felt that ,i had done all ,i could so far as my mission with them was concerned4 ,at sunrise the next morning1 ,i started with a small piece of dried buffalo meat1 a small buffalo robe and my gun4 ,the day was fine4 ,i took the ,indian trail all the way1 and most of the time kept near the banks of the ,running ,water ,river4 ,i traveled about thirty miles1 and about sunset concluded to look for a secluded place to sleep4 ,about half a mile from the trail ,i found a small ravine in which there was a quantity of dry leaves under some large trees4 ,after broiling a piece of meat ,i ate my supper1 and1 thanking the ,lord for ,his protecting care over me1 lay down upon the leaves and soon fell asleep4 ,i did not wake until day-break1 when ,i left my comfortable bed of leaves1 washed1 and partook of another small piece of meat4 ,i called upon the ,lord for protection and strength for the day's journey1 and left at sunrise with a light heart and a determination to walk thirty miles before sleeping again4 ,the day was fine but the roads were heavy on account of the melting snow1 which ,i found in large drifts4 ,about noon ,i was startled by hearing the howling of many wolves to the right of me4 ,i looked in that direction and saw1 as ,i estimated1 thousands of them coming directly towards me1 and only about a quarter of a mile from me4 ,i felt very much alarmed1 for they appeared as though they were coming to devour me4 ,i first thought ,i would fire at them and frighten them1 but feared if ,i injured any of them they might become desperate and seek revenge4 ,i hurriedly asked the ,lord to spare my life1 and by this time they were within forty yards of me4 ,i then commenced to yell with all my might and for dear life1 for ,i feared that if they attacked me ,i should not live a minute4 ,no sooner did ,i yell than they all stopped and looked at me1 and ,i at them4 ,all fear of them had left me1 and they and ,i continued to look at each other4 ,after taking a good look at me1 they divided1 half passing to the right and half to the left1 all looking at me as they passed4 ,as soon as they had all left me ,i thanked my ,heavenly ,father for this goodness towards me in preserving my life4 ,this was the largest pack of wolves ,i ever saw or heard of4 ,i soon passed on1 but with very peculiar feelings1 which ,i must leave the reader to imagine1 for it would be impossible for me to describe them4 ,indeed1 ,i think it would be somewhat difficult for a person to imagine how ,i felt1 unless he had been placed in similar circumstances1 where death1 in a most horrid form1 seemed imminent one minute1 and the danger past almost in the next4 ,a little before sunset that day1 ,i felt as though ,i had walked my thirty miles1 or perhaps more1 and that ,i had better look out quarters for the night1 that ,i might rest well1 and get an early start in the morning1 as ,i hoped to reach the camp of the ,saints the next day4 ,while walking up a small ravine1 searching for a secluded place to sleep1 ,i was greatly surprised at seeing a yoke of cattle grazing on the hill near by4 ,i could scarcely believe my eyes1 when ,i soon found them to be not only tame oxen1 but actually belonging to my brethren4 ,this was such an unexpected pleasure1 that1 foolish as it may appear1 ,i cried for joy4 ,i believed that the owners of the cattle were not far off1 so ,i climbed a hill1 and saw1 at a short distance1 a wagon and the smoke from a camp fire4 ,i looked no further for a sleeping place1 but started for the wagon4 ,i had not gone far before ,i met two brethren1 named respectively1 ,mathews and ,foutze4 ,they were somewhat startled at seeing me1 and1 after the first exclamation of surprise1 ,brother ,mathews said1 ,why1 ,brother ,s----1 is it you8 ,you are like one raised from the dead2 for we were informed by the ,indians that you were killed before last ,christmas4 ,both brethren shook me heartily by the hands1 and thanked the ,lord that ,i was alive4 ,their supper was ready2 and here ,i ate bread for the first time for eighteen weeks4 ,i ate but little else1 and soon found that ,i had taken too much1 and ,i suffered a great deal of pain during the night as a consequence4 ,after this meal ,i ate but little bread at a time1 until ,i could digest it without pain4 ,the next evening we reached the camp or winter quarters of the ,saints4 ,the news of my arrival was soon known1 and before ,i could get out of the wagon ,i was met by a number of old traveling companions1 all of whom gave me a hearty welcome1 and such a shaking of the hands as ,i never had before or since4 ,a number of my brethren invited me to their houses1 but ,i preferred to go to a log house kept for ,indians1 until ,i had thoroughly washed myself and changed my clothes4 ,at this time ,i was free from all sores1 except a small patch upon my right side4 ,thus ended my ,indian mission1 which 7although at times ,i suffered much7 was to me a very interesting part of my life4 ,through my experience upon that mission1 ,i became better acquainted with the dealings of the ,lord with ,his servants when alone4 ,i know assuredly that ,he will hear and answer our prayers1 at all times1 and under all circumstances1 if we do and ask aright4 ,before ,i close1 let me say to those who have read this reminiscence1 never allow your faith to fail you1 but trust in the ,lord and continue to pray to ,him1 and ,he will answer you4 ,if ,he should not at first1 pray again1 and again1 and exercise faith1 and ,i do know you will be answered and blessed of the ,lord4 ,,anecdotes ,,of ,,elder ,,grant4 ,,by ,t4 ,b4 ,,lewis4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,reputation ,,as ,a ,,ready ,,speaker--,,putting ,,him ,,to ,,the ,,test--,,sermon ,,from ,a ,,blank ,,text--,,enthusiasm ,,at ,,the ,,close ,,of ,,it--,a ,,collection ,,proposed--,,the ,,minister ,,objects ,,to ,,passing ,,the ,,hat--,,they ,,compel ,,him ,,to--,,handsome ,,collection--,,discussion ,,with ,a ,,great ,,baptist ,,preacher--,,preacher ,,nonplussed ,,by ,,elder ,,grant',s ,,repartee4 ,when on a mission to the ,state of ,virginia1 a few years since1 it fell to my lot to labor in that portion of the ,state which had been visited some twenty-five or thirty years previous by the late ,president ,jedediah ,m4 ,grant4 ,from what ,i could learn of him then1 he certainly was a most remarkable man4 ,he seemed to live fresh in the memories of all classes2 and they never grew tired of relating to me many reminiscences connected with his fruitful labors in their midst2 and ,i never became weary of listening to these most interesting narrations4 ,his career there1 as elsewhere1 was marked with abundant evidences in proof of his claim to be a servant of ,god1 with a divine commission4 ,through the power of ,god existing with him1 and the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 he was not only prepared to propagate the principles of the gospel1 as restored1 but also to meet the powerful enemies of the truth that arrayed themselves against him and the ,church1 as they were wont to do in the early history of the work4 ,thinking the young ,latter-day ,saints would be interested in a narration of some of these events1 ,i will give them as they were given me1 as near as ,i can recall them after a lapse of ten years4 ,in the early part of ,president ,grant's ministry in that country1 he gained quite a reputation as a ready speaker1 frequently responding to invitations to preach from such subjects or texts as might be selected at the time of commencing his sermon1 by those inviting him4 ,in time it became a matter of wonder with many as to how and when he prepared his wonderful sermons4 ,in reply to their queries he informed them that he never prepared his sermons as other ministers did4 ,he said1 ,of course1 ,i read and store my mind with a knowledge of gospel truths1 but ,i never study up a sermon4 ,well1 they did not believe he told the truth1 for1 as they thought1 it was impossible for a man to preach such sermons without careful preparation4 ,so1 in order to prove it1 a number of persons decided to put him to the test1 and asked him if he would preach at a certain time and place1 and from a text selected by them4 ,they proposed to give him the text on his arrival at the place of meeting1 thus giving him no time to prepare4 ,to gratify them he consented4 ,the place selected was ,jeffersonville1 the seat of ,tazewell ,county1 at that time the home of the late ,john ,b4 ,floyd 7who subsequently became secretary of war71 and many other prominent men4 ,the room chosen was in the court house4 ,at the hour appointed the house was packed to its utmost capacity4 ,mr4 ,floyd and a number of lawyers and ministers were present1 and occupied front seats4 ,elder ,grant came in1 walked to the stand and opened the meeting as usual4 ,at the close of the second hymn1 a clerk1 appointed for the occasion1 stepped forward and handed a paper 7the text7 to ,elder ,grant4 ,brother ,grant unfolded the paper and found it to be blank4 ,without any mark of surprise1 he held the paper up before the audience1 and said3 ,my friends1 ,i am here to-day according to agreement1 to preach from such a text as these gentlemen might select for me4 ,i have it here in my hand4 ,i don't wish you to become offended at me1 for ,i am under promise to preach from the text selected2 and if any one is to blame1 you must blame those who selected it4 ,i knew nothing of what text they would choose1 but of all texts this is my favorite one4 ,you see the paper is blank 7at the same time holding it up to view74 ,you sectarians down there believe that out of nothing ,god created all things1 and now you wish me to create a sermon from nothing1 for this paper is blank4 ,now1 you sectarians believe in a ,god that has neither body1 parts nor passions4 ,such a ,god ,i conceive to be a perfect blank1 just as you find my text is4 ,you believe in a church without prophets1 apostles1 evangelists1 etc4 ,such a church would be a perfect blank1 as compared with the church of ,christ1 and this agrees with my text4 ,you have located your heaven beyond the bounds of time and space4 ,it exists nowhere1 and consequently your heaven is blank1 like unto my text4 ,thus he went on until he had torn to pieces all the tenets of faith professed by his hearers2 and then he proclaimed the principles of the gospel in great power4 ,he wound up by asking1 ,have ,i stuck to the text1 and does that satisfy you8 ,as soon as he sat down1 ,mr4 ,floyd jumped up and said3 ,mr4 ,grant1 if you are not a lawyer1 you ought to be one4 ,then1 turning to the people1 he added3 ,gentlemen1 you have listened to a wonderful discourse1 and with amazement4 ,now1 take a look at ,mr4 ,grant's clothes4 ,look at his coat6 his elbows are almost out2 and his knees are almost through his pants4 ,let us take up a collection4 ,as he sat down1 another eminent lawyer1 ,joseph ,stras1 ,esq41 still living in ,jeffersonville1 arose and said3 ,i am good for one sleeve in a coat and one leg in a pair of pants1 for ,mr4 ,grant4 ,the presiding elder of the ,m4 ,e4 church1 ,south1 was requested to pass the hat around1 but replied that he would not take up a collection for a ,mormon preacher4 ,yes you will6 said ,mr4 ,floyd4 ,pass it around6 said ,mr4 ,stras1 and the cry was taken up and repeated by the audience1 until1 for the sake of peace1 the minister had to yield4 ,he accordingly marched around with a hat in his hand1 receiving contributions1 which resulted in a collection sufficient to purchase a fine suit of clothes1 a horse1 saddle and bridle for ,brother ,grant1 and not one contributor a member of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 though some joined subsequently4 ,and this from a sermon produced from a blank text4 ,at another time1 ,elder ,grant was challenged by a very eminent ,baptist preacher1 named ,baldwin1 to a discussion4 ,brother ,grant consented4 ,the place chosen was the fine1 large church of his proud and imperious antagonist4 ,mr4 ,baldwin was described to me1 as a man who was overbearing in his manner--a regular brow-beater4 ,when the time came for the discussion1 the house was densely crowded4 ,umpires were chosen1 and everything was ready to proceed1 when ,brother ,grant arose and said1 ,mr4 ,baldwin1 ,i would like to ask you a question before we proceed any further4 ,certainly so1 said ,baldwin4 ,who stands at the head of your church in ,south-,west ,virginia8 ,mr4 ,baldwin very quickly and austerely replied1 ,i do1 sir2 ,i do4 ,all right1 said ,brother ,grant2 ,i wished to know that ,i had a worthy foe4 ,mr4 ,baldwin looked a little confused for a moment1 and then said3 ,mr4 ,grant1 ,i would like to ask you who stands at the head of your ,church in ,south-,west ,virginia8 ,brother ,grant arose and with bowed head replied1 ,jesus ,christ1 sir4 ,the shock was electrical4 ,this inspired answer completely disarmed the proud foe1 and the humble servant of ,god again came off victor4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,curious ,,coincidence--,,impression ,,upon ,,miss ,,floyd--,,her ,,acknowledgement--,,challenged ,,by ,,mr4 ,,ruby--,,meeting ,,by ,,chance--,,elder ,,grant',s ,,estimate ,,of ,,mr4 ,,ruby--,,the ,,preacher ,,cowed4 ,it was the good fortune of ,elder ,grant to be the first to open the door of salvation to the people of ,south-,western ,virginia1 upon whom he made an impression that time does not seem to remove4 ,this impression was the result of his honesty and truthfulness1 and his readiness to meet the foes of truth1 added to his peculiar clearness1 force and power in preaching the divine principles of the gospel4 ,he was an earnest worker4 ,through his earnestness1 sincerity and practical common sense1 he was often thrown into the society of men and women of the highest culture and intelligence that the ,state contained4 ,in this connection a rather singular coincidence is related4 ,about the time of his first appearance in ,burke's ,garden ,tazewell ,county1 ,virginia1 he held his meetings1 generally1 at the residence of ,colonel ,peter ,litz1 a man of considerable wealth and influence at that time4 ,at one of these meetings1 ,i think about the second1 a very large concourse of people had assembled1 and it was decided1 on account of the size of the congregation1 to hold the meeting in the orchard1 there being a beautiful blue grass lawn beneath the trees4 ,it was the ,sabbath day4 ,that morning1 a ,miss ,floyd1 sister of the late ,john ,b4 ,floyd1 who lived a few miles distant1 was reading the ,bible1 and accidentally turned to the passage1 ,prove all things2 hold fast that which is good4 ,she arose immediately1 ordered her carriage1 and said3 ,inspired by that injunction1 ,i will go and hear what that ',mormon' has to say4 ,when she arrived at the place of meeting1 she gave orders for her carriage to be driven around to a position where she could remain seated in it1 and still be able to hear the remarks of the speaker4 ,the moment her carriage stopped1 ,elder ,grant arose and announced his text3 ,prove all things2 hold fast that which is good1 from which he preached a most powerful sermon4 ,colonel ,litz told me he never heard anything so clearly set forth as the principles of the gospel were on that day4 ,the evidence adduced as to the divine authenticity of the doctrines preached by the ,saints was overwhelming1 and the testimony borne was most powerful4 ,at the close of the meeting1 ,miss ,floyd alighted1 walked up and introduced herself to ,elder ,grant1 and invited him home with her4 ,miss ,floyd was a lady of rare qualities of mind1 and had taken advantage of every opportunity for intellectual advancement4 ,her information was vast1 and of a solid nature4 ,she was the best genealogist in the country1 and was thoroughly posted in religious matters4 ,she was so deeply impressed by the sermon1 that she made the remark to the ,elder after the close of it3 ,mr4 ,grant1 ,i am a ,catholic2 and if ,catholicism is not true1 ',mormonism' is4 ,i am fully persuaded that ',mormonism' is next to ,catholicism4 ,she was ever afterwards a true friend to ,brother ,grant4 ,that and other discourses of the same kind did a powerful work1 and laid a foundation upon which ,elders are building up branches of the ,church in that region to-day4 ,elder ,grant had not the advantage of a collegiate education1 and naturally had a dread of meeting with men who were highly educated4 ,he often expressed this feeling to others4 ,but when he came in contact with men of that type1 they seemed to be mere pigmies in comparison with him1 when discussing the principles of the true gospel4 ,one very amusing incident was told me1 which shows the peculiar way ,brother ,grant had of testing the material with which he had to deal4 ,the ,lutheran church in ,burke's ,garden had a minister1 the ,rev4 ,ruby1 who was a very fine scholar in the ,latin and ,greek languages1 and was considered a thorough theologian4 ,a certain man in the place1 who was very fond of fun and debate1 urged the ,rev4 ,ruby to challenge ,elder ,grant to meet him in discussion on religion1 stating to him that ,elder ,grant was uneducated and ignorant1 and by so doing he would expunge the delusion from the community and do a great good4 ,thus urged1 the challenge was given and accepted4 ,the two1 ,rev4 ,ruby and ,elder ,grant1 had never met1 nor even seen each other4 ,a few days before the time appointed for the discussion1 the two parties chanced to meet at a public gathering of some kind1 and the waggish instigator of the discussion was there also4 ,the latter stepped up to ,elder ,grant and said3 ,mr4 ,grant1 allow me to introduce you to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ruby1 the ,lutheran preacher4 ,brother ,grant stepped back and gave the reverend gentleman a thorough inspection1 and then said3 ,did ,i understand you to say preacher8 ,yes1 sir4' ,well1 well6 if ,i was secreted in the bushes along the side of the road for the purpose of waylaying a preacher1 and ,mr4 ,ruby should pass along1 ,i wouldn't even snap a cap at him4 ,the reverend gentleman was completely thunderstruck4 ,he had no more use for ,elder ,grant1 and remarked3 ,if that is the kind of a man he is1 ,i don't want to have anything more to do with him4 ,it was enough2 there was no discussion4 ,thus1 ,brother ,grant disarmed his foe1 and marched on triumphantly to victory1 scattering the seeds of eternal truth1 which have taken root in the hearts of many and sprung up1 and in their turn produced fruit4 ,it can be truly said of ,elder ,j4 ,m4 ,grant that he has left footprints on the sands of time1 for ,i saw them and took courage4 ,may the sons of this noble man emulate the glorious traits of a father who was so honored of heaven4 ,,war ,,hill4 ,,by ,j4 ,,morgan4 ,,elder ,j4 ,m4 ,,grant ,,challenged ,,to ,,debate--,,boone',s ,,hill ,,chosen ,,as ,,the ,,place--,,his ,,antagonist ,,gets ,,six ,,ministers ,,to ,,help ,,him--,,demoralized ,,ministers ,,send ,,for ,,another ,,to ,,assist ,,them--,,inglorious ,,defeat ,,of ,,the ,,eight--,,one ,,of ,,them ,,absent-,,minded--,,change ,,of ,,name ,,to ,,war ,,hill4 ,traveling through the ,state of ,north ,carolina1 ,i met with many reminiscences of ,president ,jedediah ,m4 ,grant1 who performed a mission there many years ago1 making a vivid impression on the minds of the people1 and converting quite a few to the truth4 ,an old gentleman1 who is not a member of the ,church1 but who was a warm friend and ardent admirer of ,elder ,grant1 relates a graphic and interesting account of a debate that the latter held with some ministers1 in what is now ,surry ,county4 ,upon the advent of the ,mormon preacher into that particular locality1 a minister of one of the denominations challenged him to debate1 which challenge was promptly accepted1 and the necessary preparations were immediately made4 ,a chairman and judge were selected1 rules adopted to govern the discussion1 and the well-known locality of ,boone's ,hill was chosen as the place to hold the debate4 ,it was the birthplace and former home of ,colonel ,daniel ,boone1 the first white settler of ,kentucky1 and the building located there was known far and near as ,boone's ,hill ,church4 ,after the preliminaries had been arranged1 the minister appeared to have become a little nervous1 and requested the privilege of bringing in a friend to assist him4 ,elder ,grant's reply was1 ,yes1 as many as you wish4 ,the result was that when the day came1 he found seven sectarian preachers pitted against him4 ,he claimed and obtained the privilege of replying to each speaker consecutively4 ,the church proved much too small to accommodate the people2 so a platform was erected at the rear of the building1 and the people seated themselves under the shade of the trees4 ,the discussion opened1 and the polemical battle waxed hot1 and hotter1 as hour after hour of debate went by4 ,the ,elder followed them whithersoever they saw proper to lead1 and1 with ,bible quotations and historical facts1 he struck blows so rapid and strong that his opponents became demoralized on the second day1 and posted a runner on horseback off eighty miles1 to bring to their assistance a noted divine4 ,by a rapid journey1 this theological ,hercules soon reached the appointed place1 and by his presence revived the drooping spirits of his friends4 ,but the ,elder1 after four days of continuous debate1 only seemed to have got fairly into a condition to talk well1 and doubly astonished the priests and people by the hurricane of thought1 truth and logic that came rushing through his lips with such force as to sweep away their arguments and sophistry1 holding spell-bound the audience1 while he contrasted the man-made system of modern theology with the grand and glorious truths of ,god's revealed religion4 ,he portrayed the sublimity of holy writ in its forecast of the glorious work of the latter days2 the restoration of the gospel2 the visitation of angels2 the believer blessed with the gifts and signs following2 the building up of the kingdom of ,god2 the redemption of the human family and of the earth2 until1 at last1 turning to the crowd of ministers who had been opposing him1 he called upon them to turn from their erroneous doctrines and aid him in the promulgation of the true gospel1 that must be preached in all the world for a witness4 ,he promised that if they would do so they should reap eternal life4 ,raising his hands towards heaven1 he declared that he had spoken the truth to the people1 that his hands were washed clean of their blood1 and that his testimony was recorded in the archives of heaven1 to be brought forth on the great day of ,god's judgment2 and said1 you ministers1 and you people1 will meet it there that day4 ,at the close of this remarkable scene the men who had been opposing him began hurriedly leaving the platform4 ,so excited were they in their movements1 that the leading one of them left his ,bible1 cane and hat behind him4 ,noticing these articles left behind1 ,elder ,grant called and requested some one to carry them to the absent-minded owner1 and one of the bystanders did so4 ,elder ,grant then dismissed the congregation1 and from that day to this1 ,boone's ,hill has been called ,war ,hill1 in memory of the religious battle fought there4 ,,sign-,,seeking4 ,,by ,j4 ,h4 ,,van ,,natta4 ,,persecuting ,,the ,,missionaries--,a ,,discussion--,,not ,,content ,,with ,,bible ,,proofs--,a ,,sign ,,demanded--,,no ,,signs ,,promised ,,to ,,unbelievers--,,warned ,,to ,,repent1 ,,or ,,endure ,,the ,,curse ,,of ,,god--,,the ,,result4 ,in the year #ahda1 three ,elders--,james ,m4 ,adams1 ,james ,m4 ,emmett and ,hiram ,page--were traveling in ,erie ,country1 ,pennsylvania1 preaching the gospel4 ,the opposing power1 which is always ready to contest the ground with the ,elders1 inch by inch1 manifested itself there in a most violent manner4 ,as usual1 this opposition came from those who professed to be ,christians4 ,a ,baptist minister and his sons disfigured ,elder ,emmett's pony by clipping off its hair1 daubing tar on it1 etc41 and the ,elders were also threatened1 though the threats were not put into execution4 ,the ,elders were finally challenged to debate with a number of preachers1 on the subject of the gospel4 ,the challenge was accepted on condition that the preachers would confine their arguments to ,bible proofs1 which they agreed to do4 ,the discussion accordingly opened by ,elder ,adams preaching a discourse on the first principles of the gospel4 ,he spoke in such a plain1 pointed and forcible manner1 that the opponents to the truth were disconcerted4 ,when their turn to speak arrived1 they laid aside the volume of inspiration which they had agreed to take as their guide1 and commenced reading from ,howe's ,mormonism ,unveiled1 a book written by one ,d4 ,p4 ,hurlbut4 ,this book contained the most glaring falsehoods and inconsistent ideas that wicked men could invent4 ,the umpires informed the preachers that they must not deviate from their written contract1 but confine themselves to ,bible proofs1 as they had agreed to do4 ,if the ,mormon doctrine was false1 it must be proved so from the ,bible4 ,after the old preachers had tried in vain to produce any scripture proofs1 or logic either1 to sustain their false views1 and the powerless form of religion which they held to1 they were reinforced by a young ,free-will ,baptist preacher1 named ,solon ,hill4 ,it was soon evident that he could offer nothing in the way of argument1 for he soon drifted into the same strain of slander and vituperation in which the others of his party had sought to indulge ,finally1 however1 he hit upon a plan which he seemed to think would enable him to come off victor4 ,turning to ,elder ,adams1 he said1 ,if you are a servant of ,god1 as you boldly say you are1 ,i demand a sign of you1 to convince me that you are genuine4 ,elder ,adams told him that he had taken a dangerous stand2 that signs followed believers1 but did not go before them2 that signs came by faith1 not faith by signs4 ,he informed him who the first sign-seeker was--,satan1 whose children had always been faithful in following his example4 ,he testified that the truths of heaven had been plainly laid before them1 that the ,spirit had given unmistakable evidence of its truth1 and that unless he repented of his sins1 rendered obedience to the gospel and lived up to its requirements1 the curse of ,god would rest upon him4 ,the meeting was dismissed without the preachers being able to disprove any of the truths advanced by the ,elders2 the people were left to reflect at leisure upon what they had listened to1 and the preacher1 ,hill1 to accept the consequence of disobeying the servant of ,god4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,after a lapse of sixteen years from the time of the events just narrated1 ,i happened to be in the same part of ,pennsylvania upon a mission4 ,calling one day at a house to water my horse1 ,i saw one of the most deformed and repulsive looking beings ,i ever beheld4 ,on arriving at my destination1 ,i informed my brethren of the hideous sight ,i had met with1 when ,i was told that the being ,i had seen was what was left of the man who had demanded a sign from a servant of ,god4 ,in #ahgh1 ,elder ,butler1 of ,ogden1 was on a mission to the same place1 and ,i wrote to him for information concerning ,hill4 ,his reply was1 ,he is still alive1 and an object of charity4 ,there are two ways of knowing the truths of the gospel4 ,one is to obey and live up to them4 ,the antediluvians took the other way and were overwhelmed2 and the man who wanted a sign also took it1 and1 as a consequence1 had to drag out a long and most miserable existence1 manifesting by his appearance to every beholder1 that the curse of the ,almighty was certainly resting upon him4 ,,missionary ,,incidents4 ,by ,h4 ,g4 ,b4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,busy ,,mission--,a ,,rich ,,harvest ,,of ,,souls--,,judgments ,,upon ,,our ,,opponents4 ,i am writing from a place 7,mount ,airy1 ,surry ,county1 ,n4 ,c47 that ,i visited as a missionary first in #ahfh4 ,then ,i labored in company with ,howard ,k4 ,coray1 in this and ,stokes ,counties1 ,n4 ,c41 and in some three or four ,counties of ,va41 for two years and three months1 during which time we baptized nearly three hundred souls1 one hundred and sixty of whom accompanied us home to ,utah4 ,it is of some of the incidents of this mission that ,i wish to write4 ,i remember very well1 that after laboring some months in ,virginia1 and baptizing some thirty persons1 we left ,burke's ,garden1 ,va41 the #bjth of ,january1 #ahfh1 reaching this point after three days' travel4 ,we were absent from ,burke's ,garden just two months to a day1 and during that time we held fifty-four public meetings1 baptized thirty persons1 and organized them into a branch of the ,church4 ,in addition to our public meetings1 we visited from place to place among the people1 constantly teaching1 both day and night1 often till after midnight4 ,it was generally understood where we were to visit1 each day and night1 for a week ahead1 and at each of these places1 crowds of the neighbors would assemble1 coming from their homes1 guided through the darkness of the night by their pitch-pine torch-lights4 ,when1 on these occasions1 we met with the people1 we had to do a vast amount of teaching and singing 7,elder ,coray being an excellent singer71 and answer hundreds of questions4 ,what one could not think of another would4 ,and thus we had to teach and explain and answer the demands made upon us day after day1 and night after night1 until our instructions in this manner covered hundreds of discourses1 and until we were so nearly worn out1 that we had sometimes to retire to the woods and hide1 to get a little respite from our too-constant labor4 ,we indeed literally sowed the seed in tears and in peril1 in the midst of opposition and bitter persecution4 ,but the ,lord fully magnified ,his name1 ,his cause1 and ,his servants1 in all that we had to do and to bear4 ,the new ,methodist church in this place1 which was denied us to preach in1 was1 two days afterwards1 struck by lightning1 and so nearly demolished that1 ,i am told1 it was never repaired4 ,a man1 who was a class leader1 who abused his sister for going to our meetings1 and shamefully lied about ,elder ,coray and myself1 and said all manner of evil1 falsely1 against the ,latter-day ,saints and the gospel1 was found by his wife1 the next morning1 dead by her side2 and because his body did not get cold like ordinary corpses1 he was not buried for nearly a week after his death4 ,two wealthy and prominent men1 who used their influence and the power of their wealth and position-to retard the work of the ,lord here1 met with sudden and unexpected deaths4 ,many other incidents of like nature might be mentioned that occurred here during our stay4 ,so many of them1 in fact1 occurred1 that great fear came upon the people4 ,while we labored in poverty1 in all humility1 contrite in spirit1 reaching out in our weakness after the honest-in-heart1 many souls were added to the ,church4 ,the poor had the gospel preached to them1 the ,lord giving us a harvest of sheaves4 ,the people hung upon our words as the words of life2 every expression and every movement was narrowly watched4 ,they read their ,bibles as they had never read them before2 ,they that erred in spirit came to understanding1 and they that murmured learned doctrine2 and they rejoiced in the ,holy ,one of ,israel4 ,how faithful then ought we messengers of the gospel to be1 in the trust that is reposed in us1 to carry this glad message to our poor1 fallen brethren and sisters in humanity6 ,in conclusion1 ,i wish to offer a little advice to the boys and young men who may read this3 ,be very diligent in storing your minds with all useful knowledge--with all the truths of the new and everlasting gospel4 ,live pure lives in the sight of heaven1 and the angels that constantly watch every act of your lives4 ,be truthful1 honest1 sober1 virtuous and faithful in all things4 ,the ,almighty wants you1 with your innocence and purity and strength1 to redeem the nations that sit in darkness4 ,and you may yet stand before rulers1 kings1 emperors1 and the great of all nations of the earth1 when they will tremble and quail before you1 because of the power of ,god that will rest upon you4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,visit ,,to ,a ,,baptist ,,meeting--,,abuse ,,of ,,the ,,various ,,churches1 ,,especially ,,the ,,mormons--,,boasted ,,bible-,,name ,,and ,,religion--,,return ,,to ,,the ,,text--,,the ,,hard-,,shell ,,wail--,,reply ,,to ,,the ,,false ,,assertions--,,their ,,bible-,,name ,,disproved--,,the ,,true ,,scripture ,,name ,,pointed ,,out4 ,while ,brother ,h4 ,k4 ,coray and ,i were laboring as missionaries in ,north ,carolina1 we attended a ,baptist meeting1 rather on his account than mine1 as he had never been to such a meeting4 ,it was on ,saturday1 and the meeting was held in a bowery in the edge of a wood1 in ,stokes ,county4 ,shortly after our arrival1 the meeting was opened in the usual way1 by the minister1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mourning1 the leading preacher of that denomination4 ,he arose and read his text from the ,song of ,solomon1 #hth chapter and #hth verse3 ,we have a little sister1 and she hath no breasts1 etc41 after which1 the preacher launched out in a discourse made up from abuse and slander of other denominations4 ,first he commenced a tirade against the ,methodists1 by saying3 ,there is the ,methodist church2 ,i do not read in the ,bible of the ,methodist church2 therefore1 that church cannot be the true church4 ,neither do ,i read of the ,presbyterian church2 it is1 therefore1 not ,god's church4 ,nor do ,i read anything in the good book about the ,lutheran church2 nor does the scriptures say anything about the ,campbellite church1 nor the ,catholic church1 nor the ,quaker church4 ,thus he went on1 mentioning all the leading sects of the present day1 saying none of these could possibly be the true church1 because the ,bible was silent as to their names4 ,he seemed to take some pains to save the ,mormons till the last1 so as to be thoroughly warmed up1 that he might be the better able to do justice to their case4 ,after awhile1 getting all the steam on--mustering all his force1 he opened his battery upon the ,mormon ,church1 saying the ,mormon ,church was not mentioned anywhere in the scriptures1 nor the ,mormon religion2 neither the ,mormon ,bible1 nor ,joe ,smith1 nor ,brigham ,young1 not even the word ,mormon was mentioned there4 ,he finished up his abuse of the ,mormons by saying they were the most dangerous1 and altogether the worst of the whole bad lot4 ,but1 said he1 referring to the ,baptist church1 ours is the ,primitive ,baptist church--a ,bible name4 ,ours is a ,bible church1 a ,bible religion1 etc4 ,sometimes1 he added1 we are called ',iron ,jackets1' sometimes1 ',hard ,shells1' but these are nicknames4 ,our true ,bible name is ',primitive ,baptists4' ,by this time he had been talking an hour1 and had not once referred to the text4 ,but having apparently satisfied himself and a few of his hearers in abusing other denominations in general1 and the ,mormons in particular1 he suddenly assumed the old ,hard ,shell wail1 or preaching tune1 and drawled out3 ,but my dear friends and breethring-ah1 we have a little sister-ah1 and she hath no breasts-ah4 ,i am very much afraid1 my dear friends and breethring-ah1 that in that great day when we shall be spoken for-ah1 that some of us will be brought into that awful presence-ah1 and there find we have no breasts-ah4 ,and oh1 my dear friends and breethring-ah1 will not this be an awful condition to be found in-ah8 ,honestly1 this is no exaggeration6 ,thus he held forth for an hour longer1 expressing no two sentences without the phrase1 my dear friends and breethring-ah1 being sandwiched in between4 ,i am very sorry ,i cannot give my readers the music1 for it would be a rich treat4 ,as he was about to close the meeting1 ,i asked for permission to speak for a few minutes4 ,not1 said he1 till we dismiss our meeting2 then if the people wish to hear you ,i have no objection4 ,when he had dismissed his meeting1 all the congregation sat down again1 thus giving me to understand they wished me to talk to them4 ,i commenced by stating to the audience that ,i wished to correct some mistakes made by ,mr4 ,mourning1 relative to the name of the ,church to which ,i belonged4 ,we were called the ,mormon ,church1 which was a nickname given us by our enemies1 the true and legal name being1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints2 also that there could be no other appropriate name for ,christ's church4 ,churches that are not ,his1 should always be called by some other name than ,his1 illustrating to them that the church of ,christ was never called by any man's name4 ,christ's church in the days of ,noah was not called ,noah's church4 ,neither was ,his church called the church of ,abraham in his day1 nor the church of ,moses when ,moses lived4 ,nor was it ever called the church of ,john the ,baptist in the day that he was upon the earth4 ,i closed by saying that ,i never in the ,bible had read anything about a ,primitive ,baptist church4 ,in the absence of anything better to say1 he asked me if ,i did not like ,john the ,baptist4 ,i answered ,yes1 and that he was called the ,baptist because he had baptized the people in all ,judea and ,jerusalem1 and the region round about ,jordan1 as ,mr4 ,cloud 7referring to a man that sat near me7 had made shoes for all the people near where he lived1 and on that account was called a shoemaker1 but it did not follow that those for whom he had made the shoes were also called shoemakers4 ,i requested him1 if there was any evidence in the scriptures to establish the ,bible name of his church1 to open his ,bible and read it to the people4 ,this he could not do1 for the simple reason that there was no such evidence in the ,bible4 ,nor do ,i believe that this great ,baptist minister ever knew1 till ,i brought this fact to his notice1 that there was no evidence in the scriptures to establish a ,baptist church4 ,and the members of his church seemed to be disappointed and utterly astonished that he was unable to produce the proofs asked for4 ,to prove that ours was a scriptural name1 ,i referred to1 and quoted ,matt4 xvi4 #ah2 ,col4 i4 #ah2 ,acts xx4 #bh2 ,i4 ,cor4 xiv4 #cc1 and other passages4 ,when ,i concluded my remarks1 a large number of the assemblage gathered about me1 that is1 the portion that were not ,baptists1 manifesting towards me in various ways their good feelings4 ,they were like their prototypes1 the ,pharisees and ,sadducees of old4 ,when the ,savior overthrew some pet dogma of the ,pharisees1 as ,he often did1 the ,sadducees would gather about ,him1 feeling very much elated2 and when ,he1 in like manner1 demolished some tenet of the ,sadducees1 as very often happened1 then the ,pharisees rejoiced4 ,but in the end all the parties united against the ,savior4 ,so it is in these days4 ,the only thing in which the sects of this day are united1 is in their opposition to and persecution of the ,saints--the true followers of ,christ4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,ministers ,,appoint ,a ,,meeting ,,to ,,expose ,,mormonism--,,we ,,appoint ,,one ,,for ,,the ,,same ,,purpose1 ,,and ,,the ,,sameday--,,ministers ,,fail ,,to ,,appear--,,others ,,preach ,,instead--,,we ,,follow--,a ,,baptist ,,attempts ,,to ,,reply--,,his ,,contradictory ,,statement--,,fellow-,,preacher',s ,,chagrin--,,the ,,preacher',s ,,concession4 ,in ,surry ,co41 ,n4 ,c41 in #ahfh1 ,elder ,h4 ,k4 ,coray and ,i had made out our appointments ahead for the first1 second1 fourth and fifth ,sundays in ,august1 but failed to get out an appointment for the third ,sunday1 although we had made every effort to do so4 ,on the morning of the first ,sunday1 ,esquire ,william ,hill came to us and reported that some ,methodist ministers had given out an appointment for the bowery1 at ,cross ,roads1 at eleven o'clock a4 m41 on the third ,sunday of that month1 for the purpose of exposing ',mormonism4' ,the squire seemed very anxious for us to make an appointment for the same day and place1 at two p4 m41 which1 after due deliberation1 we did1 referring to the other meeting and its purpose1 and then stating that we would1 at our meeting1 continue the exposition of ,mormonism4 ,the news of these appointments soon spread far and wide1 as connected therewith was also the idea of a discussion4 ,arriving at the place a little before eleven o'clock a4 m41 we found the people had filled up the bowery1 and the woods also seemed to be alive with them4 ,but those ministers1 after hearing that we would reply to their slander in the afternoon1 failed to put in an appearance4 ,however1 four others1 two ,methodists and two ,missionary ,baptists1 attended the meeting4 ,discourses were delivered by two of these divines1 one of each denomination1 neither of whom alluded to our people1 or doctrines2 but each1 at the close of his sermon1 gave liberty to any other minister to reply to any doctrines that had been advanced4 ,no one replying1 their meeting closed at half-past one o'clock1 at which time we announced that there would be a recess for thirty minutes1 when our meeting would commence4 ,the intermission afforded them time for all to take dinner1 as nearly all had brought lunch from their homes4 ,during the forenoon meeting1 crowds of people were strolling through the adjacent woods1 among the carriages1 wagons and horses1 and crowding about the well4 ,but when our meeting commenced1 all gathered in and about the bowery1 into a vast and compact assemblage4 ,the contrast was apparent to all1 and especially was it gratifying to us4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cordell1 a ,baptist1 took his seat upon the stand with us4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gray1 a ,methodist1 sat in front and near the stand tilting himself back in his chair1 with both thumbs inserted in the arm holes of his vest1 looking as if he thought ,st4 ,paul's overcoat too small to make a vest pattern for him4 ,the two others sat near ,mr4 ,gray4 ,our meeting opened4 ,the discourse was upon the first principles of the gospel--faith1 repentance1 baptism1 the bestowal of the ,holy ,ghost1 the gifts and blessings enjoyed by the members1 and the organization of the ,church with ,apostles1 ,prophets1 etc4 ,quotations from the ,bible1 in abundance1 were brought forward to fully prove these points of doctrine4 ,the preachers and many of the people seemed to be very much astonished that it was such an easy matter to establish these doctrines by the scriptures4 ,especially did the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gray forget all his assumed dignity1 and1 leaning forward in his chair1 looked as amazed as he could be1 evidently realizing that he1 for the first time in his life1 was listening to the gospel4 ,at the close of the discourse1 liberty was extended to any person present to make remarks upon the doctrines we had set forth4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cordell arose1 and said1 ,i have belonged to the ,missionary ,baptist church for thirty years1 and have been a minister of that church for twenty-five years of that time1 and ,i have just listened to a discourse1 setting forth the doctrines ,i have always1 during that time1 believed in and preached4 ,yet1 ,i will not believe except ,mr4 ,boyle will work a miracle1 and1 even then1 ,i will not go to ,utah4 ,now this great preacher 7for as such was he esteemed by the people who knew him71 when he arose to his feet1 was white as a ghost1 and trembled from head to foot1 really not knowing what he was saying4 ,i must confess that ,i was surprised at what he said1 and so were nine-tenths of those present4 ,i could see the people all through the audience exchanging glances of astonishment1 and many were really chagrined1 and some actually laughing at the absurdity of what he was saying4 ,all knew what he said was false1 when he asserted that he had always believed in and preached what he had just heard4 ,when he sat down1 ,i called the attention of the people to the inconsistency of calling for a miracle1 to make him believe what he professed to have believed and preached for twenty-five years4 ,as to whether he had really made a truthful statement1 ,i said ,i would leave them to decide1 as they were all acquainted with his reverence and ,i was not4 ,i also referred to the idea he seemed to entertain1 that some one wished him to go to ,utah4 ,i was sure ,i had not invited him to go to ,utah1 neither did ,i believe any of my friends had4 ,his brother preacher remarked1 next day1 to ,squire ,hill1 that he would not have had ,brother ,cordell so disgrace himself for five hundred dollars out of his own pocket4 ,the result of the meeting was good4 ,the report of it went far and wide1 and helped us to a great extent in our subsequent labors4 ,a great many were soon afterwards baptized in that section1 among them ',squire ,hill and five or six of his family4 ,we afterwards looked upon it as providential that we did not get out an appointment sooner for the third ,sunday in ,august1 #ahfh4 ,apropos to this incident1 ,i may mention that when ,i was in ,north ,carolina1 recently1 ,i was informed by a number of persons that ,mr4 ,cordell often asserts that the ,latter-day ,saints can prove all their doctrines by the scriptures1 and that he never speaks evil of them4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,my ,,first ,,sermon--,,remarkable ,,instance ,,of ,,help ,,from ,,the ,,almighty4 ,never shall ,i forget the first time ,i was called upon to make an effort to preach the gospel4 ,it was in ,pittsylvania ,county1 ,virginia1 in the month of ,june1 #ahdd4 ,i had been ordained an ,elder and set apart to take a mission to ,virginia1 in company with ,elder ,sebert ,c4 ,shelton4 ,my extreme youth prevented me from realizing the responsibilities of a mission4 ,being a beardless boy1 it never occurred to me that ,i would be called upon to preach4 ,up to that time ,i never had been upon my feet to say a word in public4 ,at a meeting which had been advertised for two weeks1 at the ,methodist camp meeting ground1 in a grove1 in the ,county before mentioned1 were gathered an assemblage of six or seven hundred men1 women and children1 priests1 doctors and lawyers1 the largest meeting ,i had ever witnessed up to that time4 ,i came to this meeting from one part of the ,county1 and ,elder ,shelton was expected to come from another quarter4 ,but the time to commence meeting had arrived1 and ,elder ,shelton had not4 ,the audience was impatient4 ,a party of three or four of the leading citizens waited upon me1 to know if ,i would not address the meeting4 ,there never had been a ,mormon meeting in that ,county before1 and they could not afford to be disappointed4 ,i was sitting near the center of the meeting 7not realizing that the stand was my place7 when these men made the inquiry4 ,if a battery of artillery had been discharged in our midst1 ,i do not think it would have so startled me1 as did this request4 ,for the first time ,i began to realize that it was my duty to try to advocate the religion ,i professed4 ,just as ,i was going to answer that ,i would make an effort1 ,elder ,shelton walked upon the stand1 and this seemed to lift a mountain from my shoulders4 ,brother ,shelton looked wearied and sick1 but opened the meeting with singing and prayer1 and sang again before he discovered me in the audience4 ,then he immediately called upon me to come to the stand and preach1 as he was too sick and feeble to attempt it4 ,to say ,i was scared1 would scarcely convey a proper idea of my condition4 ,i was in a tremor from head to feet1 and shook like a leaf in a storm1 scarcely knowing what ,i did4 ,i took up ,elder ,shelton's ,bible which lay upon the front board1 and without any premeditation1 ,i opened at the third chapter of ,john1 and read the fifth verse4 ,by the time ,i had finished reading1 all my trembling had left me1 and ,i felt as calm and collected as the quiet that succeeds the storm4 ,the subjects of the first principles of the gospel were opened to me like print1 only plainer and more powerful4 ,faith1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost1 came to me in succession and in their order4 ,and those priests1 doctors1 lawyers and people did not appear to me more formidable than so many butterflies4 ,no miracle ever performed by the power of ,god1 could have had a more convincing effect upon me1 than did the help that came to me through the power of the ,holy ,ghost on that occasion4 ,and ,i am fully convinced in my own mind that never since have ,i preached a more effective discourse1 nor one accompanied by more of the power of ,god4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,my ,,second ,,sermon1 ,,which ,,was ,,not ,a ,,sermon--,,confidence ,,in ,,commencing--,,subsequent ,,chagrin--,,the ,,lesson ,i ,,learned4 ,after delivering my first sermon or discourse ,i indulged in some very extravagant reflections and ideas relative to my great success4 ,i thought it easy enough for a ,mormon to be a preacher4 ,i considered it no wonder that ,brother ,jedediah ,m4 ,grant was such a splendid speaker4 ,i never afterwards expected to have any trouble so far as preaching the gospel was concerned4 ,it never occurred to me that there was any chance for a failure4 ,as the power and inspiration enabling me to preach came from ,god1 it was1 ,i thought1 simply impossible for there to be any failure4 ,however1 in this ,i was never more disappointed1 as ,i will show3 ,in a few days after ,i preached my first sermon1 and in the same neighborhood1 we held another meeting1 when ,brother ,shelton called on me again to preach4 ,and when1 in obedience to the call1 ,i arose to my feet1 it was with all the confidence and assurance possible4 ,but to my surprise and chagrin1 ,i could scarcely utter a word4 ,i was spiritually1 mentally1 and almost physically blind1 and the power of darkness seemed to have complete control over me4 ,after struggling with this power for a few minutes1 ,i sat down in confusion and shame1 not having been able to speak one connected sentence4 ,immediately1 something seemed to say to me1 ,now you have learned two important lessons3 what you can do when the ,lord helps you1 and what you cannot do1 without ,his help4 ,no doubt some of my young friends are ready to ask1 ,why did you fail8 ,it may have been that ,i was not sufficiently humble1 and perhaps had not given ,god the glory to that extent that ,i should4 ,the best reason1 however1 ,i think1 was that the ,lord designed to teach me a valuable lesson1 which ,i am proud to say ,i have never forgotten2 and to this day1 when ,i arise to preach the gospel1 ,i say3 ,o6 my ,father1 help me on this occasion by ,thy ,holy ,spirit4 ,,journey ,,across ,,the ,,plains4 ,,by ,,president ,,john ,,taylor4 ,,surrounded ,,by ,,indians--,,prepare ,,for ,,an ,,attack--,,sign ,,of ,,peace--,a ,,letter--,,pipe ,,of ,,peace--,,three ,,of ,,us ,,accompany ,,the ,,indians ,,to ,,their ,,camp--,,chagrin ,,at ,,the ,,repulse--,,road ,,swept ,,clear ,,of ,,snow--,,missouri ,,river ,,frozen ,,over--,,we ,,cross ,,on ,,the ,,ice1 ,,which ,,breaks ,,as ,,the ,,last ,,wagon ,,leaves ,,it4 ,in the latter part of ,october1 #ahdi1 a number of missionaries started from ,salt ,lake ,valley to go to the ,states1 among whom were several of the ,twelve1 who were going to introduce the gospel to foreign lands4 ,elder ,erastus ,snow was appointed to ,denmark1 ,lorenzo ,snow to ,italy1 myself1 in company with ,john ,pack and ,curtis ,e4 ,bolton1 to ,france1 and ,franklin ,d4 ,richards to ,england4 ,we were accompanied to the ,states by ,elder ,jedediah ,m4 ,grant1 ,bishops ,edward ,hunter1 ,a4 ,o4 ,smooth1 ,edwin ,d4 ,woolley1 ,joseph ,heywood and a number of other ,elders and brethren4 ,several merchants also accompanied the expedition4 ,while journeying1 we had a variety of singular adventures1 and experienced some remarkable interpositions of providence during the trip1 some of which ,i will relate4 ,when we arrived at a point some distance west of ,laramie1 as we turned out our horses1 at noon1 suddenly a large body of ,indians1 amounting in number to a hundred or a hundred and fifty1 appeared in sight4 ,they were evidently on the lookout for a body of ,crows1 a hostile tribe of ,indians1 who had hovered around us for some time on our journey4 ,as they first came in sight they swept along with all the abandon of the red man1 and their appearance was really very imposing4 ,they were perhaps a mile from us when we first saw them4 ,i was very much interested in their appearance1 as they came dashing down upon us on their fiery steeds1 in warlike costume4 ,the manes and tails of their horses were painted various colors2 and the ,indians themselves1 painted and arrayed in their richest and gayest styles1 prepared for war1 presented a magnificent aspect4 ,but our personal safety soon led us to other reflections4 ,while a part of the company immediately gathered up the horses1 another part attended to our firearms2 and before the ,indians reached us1 we had formed a line for defense1 with our guns and pistols all prepared for anything that might transpire4 ,the ,indians rode to within about two rods of us1 and then made a halt2 and as we had our guns leveled at them1 they immediately assumed a hostile attitude4 ,some of them having flint-lock guns1 commenced pecking their flints and making ready for firing1 and others wet their finger ends and placed their arrows in their bows1 preparatory to an encounter4 ,while thus engaged on both sides1 waiting for anything that might transpire1 a fat1 jolly-looking ,indian came lumbering up on horseback1 not having been able to keep pace with his more youthful companions4 ,he held up both hands1 and1 as ,i understood this was a sign of peace1 and that he evidently desired to avoid any collision1 ,i went out to meet him4 ,he then produced a paper1 which stated that these ,indians were peaceable and friendly4 ,it was signed by a ,major ,sanderson1 who was then commanding at ,fort ,laramie4 ,although their attitude did not bespeak the most pacific intentions1 we1 of course1 received the statement with as good a grace as possible4 ,while waiting1 several ,indians attempted to pass us on the flank4 ,when he saw this1 ,brother ,grant1 who had assumed command of the company for the time being1 ordered a number of men to level their guns at them1 which caused them to remain4 ,as we could not talk with them nor they to us1 and as no interpreters were present1 we had to judge by signs as best we could4 ,they pointed out to us several sentinels placed on the tops of mountains in different directions1 and intimated by signs that they wanted these men to go to them1 so we permitted them to pass4 ,the chief then touched his mouth or tongue1 and we supposed that they desired something to eat4 ,i made a motion for the chief to move his men back1 which he did4 ,they sat down and we furnished them with beef1 crackers1 tobacco1 etc42 but we found that they were not hungry1 and that they were anxious to talk with us4 ,we smoked the pipe of peace with them1 and then harnessed our horses and prepared to start1 when they formed a line on each side of us2 each of our men1 as a precautionary measure1 taking his gun in his hand as he drove his team4 ,the chief expressed a desire to have some of us go to his camp1 which1 he informed us by signs1 was not far off4 ,lorenzo ,snow1 ,bishop ,hunter and ,i accompanied him1 and our train moved on its course4 ,the camp1 which was about three miles from our own encampment1 we found to be very large4 ,the ,indians were very well-formed1 athletic men1 and good specimens of their race4 ,there were a great many respectable-looking lodges1 and ,i should suppose about three thousand horses grazing about4 ,when we met them the chief seemed somewhat chagrined1 and we thought that the repulse of his men by us was the cause4 ,there was a ,frenchman at the camp1 who acted as interpreter during our interview4 ,in our conversation the chief asked us why we had assumed a warlike attitude towards his people4 ,we told him that we were not acquainted with them1 and thought it best to be prepared4 ,we did not know but that they were some of the ,crows1 who had been hovering around us4 ,they were anxious to know about the ,crows1 having heard that they were going to steal some horses from them4 ,after a short and pleasant interview1 we left and joined our camp4 ,that night we put out a strong guard around our horses1 and the same night the ,crows stole a good many horses from these ,indians1 as well as the horses of some trappers who were in the immediate vicinity2 but ours were not molested4 ,on reaching ,fort ,laramie we were very courteously received and kindly treated by ,major ,sanderson4 ,as it was late in the fall1 the snow began to descend and the whole country was covered to about twelve inches in depth4 ,immediately after we crossed the south fork of the ,platte ,river we met with a very remarkable circumstance which we were led to look upon as a providential occurrence and the interposition of the ,almighty in our behalf4 ,along the road that we traveled all the way from there to ,fort ,kearney1 the snow had been blown from the road the entire distance1 as if swept by a broom1 leaving a clear track for us to travel upon4 ,it was very difficult to find nutritious food for our animals1 the grass having been killed by the frost1 and before we reached the ,missouri ,river many of them failed and a number died4 ,the very last day before we arrived1 we encountered a very severe snow storm1 which made it extremely difficult for the animals to move1 and many of them gave out4 ,after much difficulty we arrived at an old deserted fort1 on the ,missouri ,river1 parties bringing in the wearied animals as best they could4 ,although an old deserted log house1 with large openings between the logs1 and without windows and doors1 was the only shelter afforded us1 ,i am not aware of any time in my life when ,i experienced a greater sense of providential interposition and relief than ,i did with that temporary refuge from the storm4 ,we stayed there the next day and found a family1 in the immediate vicinity who cooked and provided for us4 ,we found that the ice was running very strong in the ,missouri ,river1 and that it was impossible to ferry across4 ,the succeeding was one of the most severely cold nights ,i ever experienced1 and in the morning some of our party went down to the river and found that the floating ice had lodged and formed a bridge across4 ,a company was selected to see if it was safe1 and they returned and stated that they thought the ice1 though very thin1 would bear us4 ,we immediately made preparations to cross the river1 and1 although it was very rough1 we took our wagons over without much difficulty2 but found that towards the last it began to be shaky and uncertain4 ,mr4 ,kinkead1 a merchant1 who was along1 having a lot of gold dust in his possession1 was afraid his team would sink before he got over1 and he carried it over on his shoulders1 leaving his man to bring the team over as best he might4 ,after using all the energy we could to get our teams over1 the last one had only just crossed the river when the ice gave way and floated down the stream1 thus exhibiting another remarkable manifestation of the providence of ,god towards ,his ,elders who were going forth on missions to proclaim the gospel of salvation to the nations of the earth4 ,many people would be apt to look upon these things as natural occurrences2 ,i ascribe them to the power of that ,being who says the hairs of our heads are numbered1 and that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our ,father's notice4 ,,story ,,of ,a ,,hat4 ,,elder ,,phillips ,,in ,,need ,,of ,a ,,hat--,,brother ,,hobbs ,,told ,,in ,a ,,dream ,,to ,,provide ,,one ,,for ,,him--,,his ,,trouble ,,at ,,not ,,being ,,able ,,to ,,do ,,so--,,the ,,hat ,,provided ,,in ,,an ,,unexpected ,,manner4 ,the following incident in the life of ,elder ,thomas ,phillips1 of ,scipio1 shows how mindful the ,lord is of ,his servants1 even in what may be deemed small things4 ,we will give it in ,brother ,phillips' own words4 ,i have witnessed the providences of the ,lord in various ways1 while traveling without purse or scrip1 preaching the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and have realized that to such1 when faithful1 the ,lord has manifested ,his loving kindness1 and that ,his watchful care over them is sensible to their understanding4 ,one item1 although it may appear small1 is of particular interest to me4 ,it is as follows3 ,i was traveling in the towns and villages in a part of the ,county of ,surrey1 ,england1 preaching the gospel as revealed from the heavens through the ministry of holy beings4 ,under these circumstances1 food and raiment were sometimes hard to obtain2 consequently1 at one time ,i had a hat that was very much the worse for wear4 ,in a village called ,hersham1 in that county1 lived a brother by the name of ,william ,hobbs1 whose house at ,i sometimes visited1 and received food and lodgings4 ,one night ,brother ,hobbs dreamed that a personage came to him and told him that ,brother ,phillips would be at his house on a certain day1 naming the time1 which ,i think was four or five days from the time he dreamed4 ,he was further told that he must get a new hat for ,brother ,phillips2 for the one he wore was very shabby4 ,this dream was very much impressed on the mind of ,brother ,hobbs1 and troubled him sorely1 for it found him without money and some miles from any town where he could buy a hat4 ,brother ,hobbs was the overseer of a small number of men1 whose work was to keep some miles of railroad in repair for the safety of the trains4 ,when the day came that ,i was to be at his house in the evening1 he went to his work very low-spirited1 not having obtained the hat4 ,while at work on the track1 a long train of cars came along1 and when passing the place where ,brother ,hobbs and his hands were at work1 a hat1 suitable for the finest gentleman in the land1 flew out of one of the windows4 ,brother ,hobbs shouted1 ',that's the hat for ,brother ,phillips6 ,thank ,god6' ,when ,brother ,hobbs came home in the evening1 ,i was there1 it being the time specified in the dream4 ,he walked up to me and said3 ',brother ,phillips1 ,i was to give you a hat1 and here it is4' ,to our surprise1 it fitted me well4 ,as a matter of course ,i was anxious to know who was so thoughtful for an ,elder of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints2 and1 in answer to my questions1 ,brother ,hobbs told me the dream4 ,then ,i knew1 and still know1 that the providences of our ,heavenly ,father were1 and are1 working in favor of the servants and ,saints of the ,most ,high4 ,a ,,prophecy ,,and ,,its ,,fulfillment4 ,,elder ,,taylor',s ,,labors ,,in ,,liverpool--,,visit ,,to ,m',,gaffey',s ,,house--,a ,,prophecy ,,concerning ,,mr4 ,,tait--,,visit ,,to ,,ireland--,m',,gaffey ,,gets ,,drunk--,,the ,,prophecy ,,fulfilled4 ,when the ,twelve ,apostles1 under the presidency of ,president ,brigham ,young1 went to ,england1 it fell to the lot of ,elder ,john ,taylor 7now ,president ,taylor7 to go to ,liverpool to labor4 ,at that town he was the means1 in the hands of the ,lord1 of raising up a branch of the ,church4 ,among others who were baptized was a man by the name of ,mc,gaffey1 an ,irishman4 ,sometime after his baptism he invited ,elder ,taylor to make a visit to his house1 which he did4 ,he met there a man by the name of ,tait1 also an ,irishman1 whose home was in ,ireland1 but who had come to ,liverpool on some business or a visit4 ,the conversation was kept up till a late hour in the evening1 the principal topic1 of course1 being the gospel4 ,when ,elder ,taylor arose to depart1 ,brother ,mc,gaffey accompanied him to the door1 with a light1 to show him the way out4 ,while standing there making the parting remarks1 and taking leave of each other1 ,elder ,taylor felt suddenly led to predict to ,brother ,mc,gaffey that his friend1 ,mr4 ,tait1 would be the first man baptized into the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints in ,ireland4 ,he had no sooner made this prophecy than he became startled at what he had said1 for at that time there were no ,elders in ,ireland1 and none had been there1 and1 so far as ,elder ,taylor knew at the time1 none were likely to go there4 ,yet the ,spirit of the ,lord inspired the prophecy1 and the ,lord prepared the way by which it would be fulfilled4 ,it was a prediction which a man could not fulfill1 without ,god had inspired it and arranged circumstances to bring it to pass4 ,time rolled on1 and ,brother ,mc,gaffey desired to make a visit to his old place of residence in ,ireland1 and he was anxious that ,elder ,taylor should accompany him4 ,he had received the gospel himself1 and whatever his own weaknesses might be1 he valued it then1 and wanted his kindred and acquaintances in ,ireland to have it also4 ,so it was arranged they should go together1 and they repaired to a town called ,newry4 ,in that country1 and there are others very like it in this respect1 when friends have been long separated1 there are some who think that the best way to manifest good feeling and joy1 at the reunion1 is to drink whisky together1 and they think these meetings hardly satisfactory unless they can get drunk4 ,mc,gaffey had a good many neighbors and friends1 and he had1 or thought he had1 to drink with them4 ,the consequence was he got drunk1 not once1 but several times4 ,probably the first time he got drunk he was so ashamed of his conduct1 he a man professing to be a ,latter-day ,saint1 that he got drunk the next time to hide his shame4 ,there are people1 of whom we have heard1 who take just such a foolish1 ridiculous course as this4 ,but whatever his motives were1 he got intoxicated1 and the people of the town knew it4 ,this would have been bad enough under any circumstances2 but worse when it was known that he was a member of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 for1 drunk as he was1 he had taken pains to let everybody whom he met know what ,church he belonged to4 ,this is a habit that many drunken people have4 ,he not only told them what he was1 but you may be sure he did not fail to tell them that he was accompanied by one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 and he boasted about him1 how eloquent he was and what a knowledge of the scriptures he had1 and told many other things of a similar character4 ,this1 you will readily understand1 was scarcely the way that ,elder ,taylor wanted the gospel introduced for the first time to a people or a nation1 and1 we doubt not1 he was terribly mortified at the ridiculous conduct of his companion4 ,but he was there1 and he had to make the best of it4 ,they succeeded in obtaining1 what in that country is called the ,sessions ,house1 which we would call the ,court ,house1 to hold meetings in1 in which he preached and gave out another appointment for the next evening4 ,the people1 knowing probably of ,mc,gaffey's conduct1 were very uneasy and restless1 and kept going out and coming in1 so much so that ,elder ,taylor told them that he did not feel like talking to them4 ,he had plenty of appointments to fill1 and abundant opportunities of speaking to people who would be glad to listen to him1 he said1 and as they seemed so indifferent about paying attention1 he would not speak at that time4 ,he added1 however1 that if there were any there who wished to ask questions1 or to converse with him1 they would find him at a certain place1 mentioning to them the number of the house and the name of the street where he stopped4 ,after this1 they went out into the country1 and held meeting in a large barn4 ,this was well attended by the people and good order prevailed4 ,among others who were present1 were a number of young men who were being educated at a college in that vicinity1 who had many inquiries to make about the principles of the gospel4 ,in taking the route back to where they could get a conveyance to carry them into ,lisburn1 they had some little distance to walk1 and ,elder ,taylor had his valise with him1 which he had to carry4 ,on the road they passed near the farm of the ,mr4 ,tait1 whom ,elder ,taylor had met at ,mc,gaffey's in ,liverpool4 ,brother ,mc,gaffey thereupon proposed to ,elder ,taylor that they call upon him4 ,they found him at home1 and when they arose to pursue their journey1 he accompanied them1 and insisted upon carrying the valise4 ,the conversation1 we may naturally suppose1 was upon the gospel and its principles4 ,they had not gone very far when they came to a loch1 the name which is given to a lake in that country4 ,upon nearing this1 ,mr4 ,tait spoke out to ,elder ,taylor1 in the language of the eunuch to ,philip 7 ,acts viii41 #cf73 ,see1 here is water2 what doth hinder me to be baptized8 ,elder ,taylor replied3 ,if thou believest with all thine heart1 thou mayest4 ,mr4 ,tait answered3 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 and ,i believe also the principles which you teach4 ,and right there1 ,elder ,taylor baptized him1 and confirmed him a member of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and ordained him a ,priest4 ,thus did the ,lord bring about the fulfillment of the prediction which he had inspired ,his servant to make1 and ,mr4 ,tait was the first man baptized in ,ireland1 in this dispensation1 by the authority of the holy ,priesthood4 ,,guided ,,by ,,providence4 ,by ,,john ,,morgan4 ,,elder ,,lisonbee',s ,,mission--,,urged ,,by ,,the ,,spirit ,,to ,,travel ,,on--,,finds ,a ,,listener--,,invited ,,to ,,preach--,a ,,protest ,,against ,,it--,,success--,,his ,,great ,,work--,,his ,,death4 ,among the ,elders selected to go upon missions in the fall of #ahge1 was ,james ,t4 ,lisonbee4 ,he was assigned to the ,southern ,states1 and went to the ,state of ,mississippi4 ,there he met a few relatives1 whom he visited1 and sought an opportunity to preach the gospel to the people1 but found no opening4 ,after a brief visit1 he packed his books and clothing into a valise and started afoot across the country northward1 intending to go to ,tennessee and join ,brother ,d4 ,p4 ,rainey1 whom he found1 after a long and weary journey1 almost bedfast with chills and fever4 ,after spending only a day and night with him1 ,elder ,lisonbee started for the mountains of ,northern ,alabama1 seemingly urged on by a spirit that would not let him rest4 ,he had no idea where he was going1 or what he would find4 ,day by day he walked on1 footsore and weary1 without money and in a land of strangers4 ,he often had to travel till a late hour in the night1 before obtaining a place to sleep or a little supper4 ,he met rebuffs and then kindness2 was sometimes well-cared for1 and again hungry2 and was often refused food and shelter4 ,he did not feel to stop by the wayside to preach1 but pushed steadily ahead4 ,he crossed the ,tennessee ,river1 climbed ,sand ,mountain1 and one night found shelter with a man who sat up and talked till a late hour with him on the principles of the gospel4 ,when morning came ,elder ,lisonbee was putting his books back into his valise1 preparatory to another start1 when his host suggested that he stop and preach to them1 which was readily assented to1 on condition that a place could be obtained and anyone would provide for him during his stay4 ,both of these things the man said he would attend to1 and for the first time in several weeks he lay by for a rest4 ,a log church was secured1 the people notified1 and on ,sunday a goodly crowd gathered to hear the new1 strange doctrine that was to be preached4 ,close attention was paid1 and after the meeting1 when he was again packing his books1 preparatory to continuing his journey1 one of his audience asked him to dinner1 and suggested that some of the people might want to talk with him on the ,bible4 ,accompanying his newly-found friend home1 which1 by the way1 took him in the direction he wanted to go1 he found quite a few gathered together to hear something new4 ,a lengthy and interesting fireside talk was held during the afternoon1 and he was urged to hold another meeting4 ,an appointment was made for ,tuesday night1 at a private residence1 where the room was filled1 and still another appointment was made4 ,a general desire began to be evinced to learn what the ,latter-day ,saints taught4 ,the ministers became alarmed1 and besought the people not to hear him1 and a mass meeting of the law-abiding 787 citizens was called to protest against the ,elder being allowed to teach any longer4 ,he continued1 however1 to hold his meetings4 ,friends sprang up on every side4 ,he soon found some who desired baptism1 and eventually succeeded in baptizing about thirty people1 who immediately made preparations to emigrate4 ,they disposed of their property1 combined their means together and thereby helped the poor1 and the ,elder had the privilege of leading out1 by the same road he traveled coming up the mountain1 a goodly company1 numbering some sixty or seventy souls4 ,these people eventually located in ,san ,luis ,valley1 ,colorado1 and are becoming good and prosperous ,latter-day ,saints4 ,they will doubtless recognize1 in this little sketch1 a history of the manner in which the gospel came to them4 ,it will also serve to call to mind many incidents connected with the wise1 prudent and unselfish labors of ,elder ,lisonbee1 who was called upon to pass beyond the vail while on his return from his mission4 ,while upon that mission he performed a work that will add to his glory while eternities shall endure1 and set an example to young ,elders every way worthy of imitation4 ,,fulfillment ,,of ,,promise4 ,by ,m4 ,f4 ,,cowley4 ,,the ,,lord',s ,,promises ,,sure--,,an ,,elder ,,in ,,want ,,of ,a ,,pair ,,of ,,shoes--,,he ,,prays ,,for ,,them--,,the ,,prayer ,,answered--,,case ,,of ,,healing4 ,the people of the world generally have no faith in the promises made to the ,saints1 on condition of their obedience to ,god's commandments1 and when they witness the fulfillment of those promises they prefer to attribute it to some other than the real cause4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints1 however1 like saints of former days1 have been placed in positions to test the truth of these promises1 and know that they are indebted to the ,almighty1 and to no one else1 for their fulfillment4 ,especially is this the case with the ,elders who go upon missions to the nations of the earth and faithfully discharge their duties4 ,those who have learned the ways of the sectarian churches know that their ministers are supported by salaries1 given them for preaching2 that is1 they preach for hire and divine for money1 in fulfillment of ,micah's prediction4 ,but the ,lord has1 in our time1 agreeable to the ancient pattern1 called men to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature1 without money and without price4 ,freely ye have received2 freely give6 is the injunction1 with a promise that if they respond to the call and put their trust in ,god1 ,he will provide for their wants by raising up friends unto them1 who will aid them in their travels and give them food and shelter4 ,hundreds of ,elders could testify that they have realized the fulfillment of these promises while traveling among the nations of the earth without purse and scrip4 ,when in want they have petitioned the ,lord by the humble prayer of faith to aid them in the hour of need1 and ,he has never forsaken them4 ,a young ,elder in one of the ,southern ,states1 not long since1 when his boots were the worse for wear and his toes in danger of protruding1 asked the ,lord1 in a very plain and simple style1 to provide him with a pair of shoes4 ,a day or two later1 at the close of a meeting1 a gentleman came to the ,elder and asked him to accept of some money which would aid him in obtaining a pair of shoes4 ,the following day a shoemaker1 who had made the acquaintance of the ,elder1 happened by where he was stopping1 and having discovered that the ,elder needed some shoes1 told him that he had just made a pair for himself1 but through some mistake they would not fit him1 as they were too small1 and asked the ,elder if he would not accept them as a present4 ,he did so with gratitude1 and found them to be as good a fit as if they had been made for himself4 ,thus he received a literal answer to his prayer and more too4 ,yet neither of these people had he asked for money or for shoes4 ,this is one example among numberless instances of a similar nature that have occurred in the experience of scores of ,elders4 ,by such means1 also1 the ,elders learn who are their friends1 and will give a favorable account of such people before the ,lord1 and they will receive at ,his hands a just reward4 ,the people1 also1 who befriend the servants of ,god1 have been remarkably blessed1 not only temporally1 but in many instances have been raised from beds of sickness by the power of ,god4 ,an instance may be cited which occurred not long since in one of the ,southern ,states4 ,a lady1 whose husband and herself had treated the ,elders with kindness1 was taken quite sick1 and the affliction soon proved to be very serious indeed4 ,three physicians were called to attend her1 which they did for several weeks1 with little or no prospect of her recovery4 ,finally they gave her up4 ,the ,elders having returned to that neighborhood from a tour in another ,county1 this lady sent for them to come to administer to her the ordinance of the gospel for the healing of the sick4 ,she had heard them allude to such an ordinance in their preaching1 and found that what they taught agreed with the pattern given in the ,new ,testament4 ,they laid their hands upon her1 at her earnest request1 and after repeating the ordinance several times1 with prayer and supplication1 she arose from her bed of sickness to which she had been confined for ten months4 ,she requested baptism1 and soon after rode a horse to a stream of water1 and was baptized and confirmed by the servants of ,god4 ,numbers of astonished witnesses were present and she was looked upon as a living miracle4 ,she and her husband1 with others1 soon afterwards gathered with the ,saints in ,southern ,colorado4 ,another instance of healing was in the case of a little girl who had been seized with fits1 in which her limbs were drawn up and caused to quiver1 and her eyes turned back as if she were dying4 ,the ,elders1 being present1 administered to her1 and1 through the ordinance of the gospel and the prayer of faith1 she was healed by the power of ,god4 ,scores of similar manifestations occur in the travels of the ,elders abroad in answer to the humble prayer of faith4 ,such instances1 and the remarkable way in which ,god preserves and provides for ,his messengers who are sent to proclaim the everlasting gospel to the nations1 confirm the faith and increase evidence to the testimony of the ,elders of ,israel1 and when studied with honest and prayerful hearts by the youth of ,zion1 tend to promote faith in their minds and prepare them to assist in building up the kingdom of ,god upon the earth4 ,many who are now young and inexperienced will probably soon be called to bear the gospel message to the nations1 and they should prepare themselves for the noble work4 ,,you ,,shall ,,not ,,be ,,confounded4 ,,by ,,beff4 ,,sent ,,out ,,to ,,preach ,,when ,a ,,boy--,,first ,,experience ,,in ,,preaching--,,questioned ,,by ,,an ,,infidel--,,answer ,,given ,,by ,,the ,,lord4 ,one of the most astonishing attestations of the promise which the ,lord makes to ,his servants1 that they shall not be confounded1 that ,i have ever heard1 was related to me by an experienced missionary1 in whom ,i place great confidence1 and for whose character ,i have great respect4 ,the incident and attendant circumstances1 as nearly as ,i can recollect1 were as follows1 and ,i am sure ,i give the same in a manner substantially as related to me3 ,brother ,a--first heard the gospel when a youth1 in his native country--,england4 ,he was soon convinced of its truth1 was baptized at the age of eighteen1 and immediately after his baptism was ordained an ,elder1 and sent forth to preach the gospel4 ,he was an unlettered1 unsophisticated1 bashful youth1 one of the last1 it would have been thought1 to be selected to preach the gospel4 ,he started forth and arrived at a strange village1 where1 at a late hour1 and after some interesting adventures1 he was taken in by a kind-hearted man and his wife1 who made him very comfortable4 ,on the next day he conversed with them upon the gospel4 ,they thought it remarkable to see such a boy as he was1 out as a missionary of a new religion1 became interested1 and asked him to hold a meeting in their house4 ,he had never preached in public1 but he said he would do the best he could4 ,the appointment was spread1 and the house was full at the appointed hour4 ,the young ,elder astonished himself at the ease with which he preached a long discourse on the first principles of the gospel4 ,among those who had come to meeting was a hardened infidel1 who was a very cunning reasoner1 and who had made it a practice for many years to argue against the divinity of the scriptures4 ,nothing pleased him more than to draw some minister into a debate1 and then to present some of his unanswerable arguments against the ,bible4 ,he had vanquished every minister in the village1 and every itinerant preacher who had held meetings there for years1 whom he could succeed in drawing into a debate4 ,when the young missionary had ceased preaching1 some of the audience commenced to ask him questions4 ,presently the infidel1 evidently thinking to easily vanquish so weak an adversary1 commenced with his usual routine of questions1 and at length asked3 ,so you believe the flood actually drowned all the animals in the world except those in the ark8 ,yes1 sir1 answered the ,elder4 ,we know that1 not very long after the flood1 many kinds of animals were found in various parts of the world at a great distance from where the ark landed1 and even upon islands of the sea1 far from the mainland1 and under such circumstances as would render the theory of transportation by human means an absurdity4 ,now1 how did those animals come to exist in the different and distant islands and continents8 ,this question was the infidel's trump card4 ,at the right juncture in his debates he always asked it1 and had never yet met with a minister1 or any other ,bible believer1 who could satisfactorily answer it4 ,the young missionary felt his utter inability to answer this question4 ,in trying to frame a reply1 he sat gazing abstractedly at the ceiling of the room4 ,the audience who remained knew that this was the great argument of the infidel1 and did not1 for a moment1 suppose that the boyish preacher could meet it4 ,suddenly there appeared before the young missionary's eyes1 as if it were suspended in the air1 a scroll4 ,on the scroll appeared1 in brilliant golden letters1 these words3 ,in the days of ,peleg the earth was divided4 7,gen4 x41 #be74 ,instantly an explanation of the infidel's problem burst upon his mind4 ,he calmly and deliberately proceeded to explain that1 prior to the days of ,peleg1 this whole earth was one vast continent1 inhabited in its various portions1 with different kinds of animals2 that in the days of ,peleg this vast continent was broken up into smaller divisions of land1 islands1 etc41 and that1 in this manner1 the animals upon its surface accompanied the land in its divisions4 ,the infidel was confounded1 the multitude astonished1 and the young1 illiterate missionary triumphant4 ,several remembered the passage of scripture1 and none could gainsay the missionary's explanation4 ,the latter1 however1 had no knowledge of any such a passage in the ,bible1 as he had read but very little of it1 and1 had the answer not come to him by revelation1 he would have been confounded4 ,the scroll was so plainly visible to him that it seemed as though others could see it1 but they did not4 ,,an ,,effective ,,plea4 ,,arrested ,,on ,a ,,novel ,,charge--,,elder ,,parrish',s ,,defense--,,elder ,,patten',s ,,indignation--,,consternation ,,produced ,,by ,,his ,,speech4 ,in the early history of the ,church1 ,apostle ,david ,w4 ,patten and ,elder ,warren ,parrish were traveling1 in the ,state of ,tennessee1 preaching the gospel and organizing branches of the ,church4 ,in one locality1 where considerable interest had been manifested and the usual opposition met with1 the latter culminated in the arrest of the two missionaries upon the charge of being prophets1 which was preferred by some of the people1 when they were actually carried before a committing magistrate to be tried on the accusation4 ,the court was called1 a jury summoned1 and a great crowd of people gathered to see the result of so remarkable a trial4 ,elder ,parrish was somewhat of a lawyer1 in addition to being a good public speaker1 and begged the privilege of pleading his own case and that of his fellow-prisoner1 which the court readily granted1 and1 after some preliminary work1 the trial opened4 ,witnesses were examined as to the teaching of the two ,elders1 much contradictory evidence was given in and a great amount of wrangling indulged in by the prosecuting attorney in trying to make a case against the prisoners4 ,after the prosecution had made up its case and the attorney had concluded his speech1 ,brother ,parrish replied in quite a lengthy sermon on the first principle of the gospel1 and then taking up the legal bearings of the case1 he claimed immunity from prosecution on the ground of constitutional right to free speech4 ,during his speech it was quite evident that he had changed the popular feeling very much1 and that many of the audience were in sympathy with the ,elders4 ,apostle ,patten seems not to have relished the entire proceedings1 doubtless looking upon it as equal to or worse than a farce1 and considering that it was a disgrace to the courts of a free country4 ,as the defense closed and rested the case1 he arose to his feet1 and with a look of indignation on his face1 turned full upon judge and jury2 he raised aloft an immense walking stick1 and in a voice of almost superhuman force1 he exclaimed3 ,if the ,lord ,almighty will turn this stick into a sword1 ,i will cut heads off faster than ,he ever rained quails on ,israel in times of old4 ,the judge dodged from his chair1 the jury tumbled off the jury bench1 the nearest bystanders sought safety by increasing the distance between themselves and the indignant ,elder1 and general consternation prevailed in the midst of the panicstricken crowd4 ,turning to ,elder ,parrish1 ,brother ,patten said1 ,follow me1 and both of the ,elders walked out of the court room1 mounted their horses and quietly rode away1 not a word being said or a hand raised to stop their progress4 ,a ,,life ,,sketch1 ,,containing ,a ,,few ,,moral ,,lessons4 ,by ,w4 ,b4 ,,lack ,,of ,,education--,,early ,,marriage--,,resisting ,,temptation--,,grain ,,increased ,,by ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,god--,,answer ,,to ,,prayer--,,large ,,family1 ,,result ,,of ,,early ,,marriage4 ,thinking some incidents from my experience might be of interest to the young ,latter-day ,saints1 ,i submit them for their perusal4 ,i was born in the year #ahce1 was reared in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 and shared in its persecutions4 ,at the age of thirteen1 in #ahdh1 ,i drove a team from ,winter ,quarters to ,salt ,lake ,valley without any accident worth mentioning4 ,the team consisted of five cows and one ox1 making three yoke of cattle4 ,after we arrived and got fairly settled1 my parents died1 and left me without an education1 as was the case with many more young folks who were driven with the ,saints1 and on this account deprived of schooling4 ,in this condition1 ,i concluded to make a home for myself4 ,before ,i was seventeen1 it being the counsel to marry young1 ,i went to ,president ,young1 as ,i was well acquainted with him1 and told him what ,i thought of doing4 ,he advised me to get married4 ,i took his counsel1 got married and lived with my wife's folks for a short time1 as they requested4 ,now1 my young readers1 we had not the value of fifty dollars1 all told4 ,i imagine1 too1 you think this was rather young for such and undertaking4 ,it was then1 and is now the counsel to marry young--of course1 at a proper age--and ,i bear my testimony to the good effect of early marriages4 ,my vocation was that of a farmer4 ,the drawbacks we had in consequence of crickets1 grasshoppers1 drouth1 alkali1 etc41 can be better imagined than described4 ,a few circumstances will suffice to show how my wife and ,i were blessed by the ,lord4 ,in the spring of #ahee1 seed wheat and bread-stuff were very scarce4 ,i had none2 but a neighbor of mine owed me a few bushels of wheat1 and ,i went to collect it4 ,he was absent from home1 but his wife1 being acquainted with me1 sent me to the granary alone to help myself4 ,when ,i had put up all the wheat that was due me except the last half bushel1 and while in the act of filling that1 the temptation came to me to steal some of my neighbor's wheat4 ,he had plenty and ,i had none1 except the little ,i was then getting4 ,i might take it without being detected1 and he would never miss it4 ,the thought had scarcely got through my mind when ,i knew it was from the evil one2 and1 as a punishment to myself for entertaining the temptation1 ,i emptied part of the half bushel that was then in my hand back into my neighbor's bin1 and did not take all that was my just due4 ,i took my wheat home4 ,it was not as much as ,i wished to sow1 but ,i was satisfied1 and thankful for it4 ,i placed it in a room adjoining the one ,i lived in1 got my ground ready1 and1 as fast as ,i required it1 ,i took wheat from my small store to sow it with4 ,i sowed all the ground ,i wished to1 and sowed it thickly1 as ,i wanted a good crop at harvest time4 ,i afterwards noticed that ,i still had some sacks with wheat in left4 ,i saw that they were my sacks1 and it must be my wheat4 ,i called my wife's attention to the matter1 and then it was that the ,spirit of the ,lord rested upon us and convinced us that it had been increased by ,him for our good4 ,i got the remaining wheat ground1 and we had flour to last us till harvest1 for which we gave ,god the glory2 and ,i bear testimony that my wheat at that time was increased by the power of the same ,god that increased the widow's oil in ancient times4 ,in those days1 most people that had teams had to depend upon the range for food for them4 ,this was the case with me1 and it often took me till ten or twelve o'clock in the day to find my team4 ,when ,i found it ,i would return1 tired out1 and go to work4 ,on one occasion ,i could not find my team4 ,i knelt down and asked the ,lord to direct me where to find it4 ,after arising1 contrary to my former intention1 ,i went home4 ,i found my horses tied up4 ,they had come up themselves4 ,these things taught me to rely upon the ,lord1 and to ask ,him when ,i needed help4 ,on another occasion ,i lost my team4 ,i was satisfied it had been stolen4 ,i was in ,salt ,lake ,city a short time after the occurrence1 and was speaking to my uncle about my team being lost4 ,he advised me to go to an old lady close by1 and she would tell me where it was by means of cards4 ,i told him ,i would do without the cards4 ,when ,i returned home my wife and ,i knelt down and prayed that the person who took my team might be prevented from taking it out of the country1 and that we might get it again4 ,the team was taken in the summer1 and in the fall of the same year a man came to me1 in my field1 and asked me if ,i knew of any person that had lost such and such animals1 describing my horses4 ,i told him they belonged to me4 ,he then directed me where ,i should go to find them4 ,i thanked him for his information1 and asked him how he happened to come to me1 as we were strangers to each other1 and my horses were not branded4 ,he said he did not know1 only that he felt impressed to ask me4 ,early next morning ,i started after my horses4 ,that night ,i found them in charge of a man who told me that a person came to him in the summer time and desired to stop with him over night4 ,the fellow had a band of horses which his host believed he had stolen4 ,in the morning1 as they were both looking at the horses1 he said to the man who brought them there1 ,here are two stray horses2 ,i will take charge of these and get them to the owner4 ,he accordingly left my two horses and took the rest of the band with him4 ,you can see1 my young readers1 how literally our prayers were answered4 ,we recovered our horses in good condition1 and thanked the ,lord4 ,these1 with many other blessings1 served to keep us humble and faithful to our covenants4 ,now1 the result of our early marriage is this3 my family numbers twenty-four4 ,i am the father of nineteen children1 four of whom are married1 and ,i have seven grand-children1 and my present age is forty-four4 ,i have filled many positions of trust1 and ,i think to the entire satisfaction of my superiors4 ,i am now a ,bishop in ,zion1 and ,i think ,i have the faith and prayers and confidence of the ,saints over whom ,i have the honor to preside4 ,i mention this to show what can be done by being faithful and observing the counsel of those whose right it is to guide and direct4 ,,cases ,,of ,,miraculous ,,healing4 ,,by ,g4 ,w4 ,,hill4 ,,great ,,assembly ,,of ,,indians--,,baptizing ,,them--,,the ,,sick ,,instantly ,,healed--,,curious ,,actions ,,of ,,indians ,,affected ,,with ,,evil ,,spirits--,,the ,,old ,,chief',s ,,faith--,,child ,,cured ,,of ,,fever--,,the ,,dead ,,revived4 ,i have witnessed a great deal more of the power of ,god in my administration with the ,indians then ,i ever experienced with any other people4 ,in quite a number of cases ,i have seen ,indians who were sick healed instantly1 when the ordinance for the healing of the sick was performed in their behalf by the ,elders4 ,i remember several cases of healing that occurred on ,august #ast1 #ahge4 ,a large party of ,indians had come in from ,wind ,river1 to see what our ,indians were doing1 as they had heard that ,i was working with them1 trying to teach them the principles of the gospel1 as also how to live as the more civilized man does1 by cultivating the earth4 ,they were very anxious to find out whether an ,indian would be allowed to settle down and cultivate the earth as other people do4 ,they also wished to ascertain what our religious views were that we were teaching to those ,indians1 as they were interested with them1 because they not only belonged to the same nation1 but were related to each other as well4 ,on the date mentioned ,i was holding a meeting with them4 ,our bowery was filled to overflowing4 ,there were from four to five hundred ,sho-sho-nees from ,wind ,river1 from one hundred and fifty to two hundred ,bannocks from the far north1 and our local ,indians2 in all probably about one thousand present4 ,during our services1 ,elder ,lorenzo ,snow1 ,sister ,eliza ,r4 ,snow1 and quite a number of the authorities from ,brigham ,city came to pay us a visit1 and were surprised to see us engaged preaching to so large an audience4 ,they came into the bowery1 and all took their seats as quietly as they could except ,sister ,e4 ,r4 ,snow1 who continued to stand up1 that she might have a better opportunity of seeing the effect the preaching had on the congregation4 ,brother ,lorenzo ,snow spoke to us a short time2 the rest preferred to look on4 ,i expect they thought it was a queer spectacle to see a man trying to preach to a congregation such as ,i had4 ,but a more attentive congregation ,i never saw1 nor one that paid more respect to the speaker4 ,after the meeting was dismissed1 the cases of healing to which ,i referred took place4 ,the ,indians hurried me to the water1 as there were so many that wanted to be baptized4 ,i did not stop to visit with the brethren and sisters who came to see us1 but went immediately to the river4 ,i baptized over three hundred before ,i came out of the water4 ,among the number were several who were sick4 ,some had been sick for a long time1 and all1 without an exception1 on being baptized for their health1 were healed4 ,there was one man who had been sick a long time4 ,he had been so bad that he was unable to walk a step for four or five months4 ,it took three men to carry him into the water to be baptized4 ,i baptized him for his health and for the remission of his sins1 when he walked out of the river with one man walking on each side of him to steady him1 and he got well immediately4 ,there were in this company of ,indians1 some eight or nine persons that were possessed of the evil one1 or something of that kind4 ,the first of these was a large1 strong woman4 ,now an ,indian is no more afraid of water than a duck is2 but when ,i raised this woman out of the water1 she wilted and dropped on my arm1 as lifeless1 to all appearance1 as if she had been dead a week4 ,the old chief was standing on the bank of the river1 preaching to the ,indians all the while ,i was baptizing4 ,when he saw this1 he shouted one6 the second chief also shouted one4 ,i did not know what this meant1 but the old chief1 noticing my embarrassment1 said1 ,do not be in a hurry1 father1 she will soon be all right4 ,in about a minute her breath returned to her1 and she walked out of the river all right4 ,as ,i said before1 ,i baptized eight or nine of such cases that day1 the old chief keeping count all the time4 ,he told me that they had been practicing their witchcraft and working with their black art so much1 that he did not expect anything else of them2 but it caused me to reflect a great deal4 ,some of those that were operated upon in this way were men1 and when ,i would raise them out of the water they would hang upon my arm breathless1 and as limber as a half-filled sack of wheat4 ,the old chief took sick about a week after he was baptized1 and called for baptism for his health4 ,i baptized him1 and he got well immediately4 ,the power of ,god was made manifest in his case to such an extent1 and made so much impression upon him1 that1 on being taken sick last summer1 he started to come a distance of between two and three hundred miles on horseback to be baptized for his health4 ,now1 if he had never been healed himself1 nor seen anybody else healed1 he would never have started that distance on horseback to have that ordinance performed4 ,the ,lamanites are very much like other people2 some of them have great faith1 and will be healed of any sickness1 no matter how severe the attack1 while others will not seem to be benefitted in the least4 ,i have frequently administered to them when they were burning up1 as it were1 with mountain fever1 and before ,i would get my hands off their heads1 their faces would be covered with large drops of sweat1 and the fever would be entirely gone4 ,i remember one case of this kind among many others that took place on ,salmon ,river1 in the fall of #ahee4 ,a band of ,indians came in from their hunt1 with a little girl1 very sick of mountain fever4 ,their relatives told them that we practiced the ordinance of laying on hands for the healing of the sick4 ,when the father came after me1 ,i told him that we did not make a practice of administering to those who did not belong to the ,church2 and if we went and administered to the child1 and it recovered1 ,i should expect him to be baptized4 ,he said it was a bargain4 ,accordingly ,i took ,david ,moore1 of ,ogden1 and ,b4 ,f4 ,cummings1 ,sen41 with me1 and we anointed the child and laid our hands upon her4 ,when we took our hands off her head1 her face was literally covered with large drops of sweat2 the fever was gone1 and the child got well immediately4 ,on the ,sunday following1 ,i baptized fifty-six1 her father being the first in the water4 ,lest ,i should weary your patience1 ,i will relate but one more instance4 ,on ,august #aa1 #ahge1 the soldiers had1 through the instigation of the people of ,corinne1 come up to ,corinne1 to drive the ,indians from the farm where they made their first start1 in the spring of that year1 to cultivate the earth and settle themselves4 ,when the officers and ,i had got through with our talk1 and were getting ready to return1 an ,indian by the name of ,tattoosh1 came for me to go and administer to his child1 telling me to hurry or it would be dead4 ,i took some ,indians with me and went4 ,when ,i got to his place1 ,i found the child's mother sitting out in the sun1 trying to warm it in that way4 ,the child seemed to be dying2 its flesh was cold and clammy1 and a death sweat was upon it4 ,we anointed it1 and while administering to it ,i seemed to see the child at different stages until it was grown4 ,i blessed it1 accordingly1 to live1 and told its mother it would get well4 ,the child seemed to remain in the same condition until the next day about three o'clock4 ,the major had come up and changed the orders of the previous evening1 which were for me to tell the ,indians to go on with their harvesting1 as he would not disturb them4 ,now the orders were if the ,indians had not broken camp by #ab o'clock the next day1 and started for some reservation1 he should use force and drive them to one4 ,as ,i was going to the camp to get the ,indians to leave1 ,i met ,tat-toosh1 who told me that the child was dead4 ,i said1 ,no1 ,i cannot believe it6 ,he repeated that it was1 and that its mother and friends were crying about it4 ,i had no time to go and see it1 as ,i had to hurry to the camp4 ,they had no opportunity to bury the child there1 consequently1 they wrapped it up in its blankets1 and packed it upon a horse1 intending to carry it until they could find time to bury it4 ,it took some three hours to get the camp on the move1 and after carrying the child in that way some ten miles1 they discovered that it was alive4 ,this was on ,thursday1 and on the ,sunday following ,i saw its father in ,cache ,valley4 ,he said he never saw a child get well so fast in his life2 and it is now quite fat and hearty4 ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer4 ,,early ,,experience ,,in ,,calling ,,upon ,,the ,,lord--,,prayers ,,answered--,,faith ,,developed--,a ,,pocket-,,book ,,lost--,,found ,,in ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer4 ,in proof of the fact that the ,lord hears and answers the prayer of faith1 the writer has had abundant evidence4 ,not only has he known the sick to be healed in almost numberless instances1 when anointed and prayed for by the ,elders of the ,church1 but he has had his own prayers answered in regard to other things very many times4 ,these answers have sometimes come1 too1 in such a signal manner as to leave no room for supposing that they were the result of chance4 ,from childhood he was taught by his parents to have faith in the ,lord1 and to appeal to him for help when in trouble4 ,in doing so he ever experienced such relief and comfort1 that it seemed the most natural thing for him to do when in need of help4 ,when a small boy1 as was the case with most other boys who grew up in these valleys years ago1 he was occasionally required to herd cows4 ,sometimes his cows would wander off and get lost1 and he would be filled with dread at thoughts of going home without them4 ,at such times1 if he could get off alone1 where no other person could see him1 he always liked to kneel in humble prayer and ask the ,lord to prompt him to go in the right direction to find the missing animals4 ,in looking back now at those early experiences1 he cannot recall to mind a single instance in which he failed to have his prayers answered4 ,thus in his early years an acquaintance with the ,lord was cultivated1 and he grew to regard ,him as his best friend--a friend whom he could appeal to1 without anyone else knowing it1 with perfect confidence of having his requests granted4 ,this was a great comfort to him1 for he was a very bashful boy1 and could not have asked favors of others with so much freedom as he did of the ,lord4 ,indeed1 he never dared1 when a boy1 to let anyone know how he prayed to the ,lord when beset by trouble1 and how his prayers were answered4 ,he would even shrink from saying anything about it now1 were it not that he hopes an account of his experience may tend to inspire some others with faith in the ,lord4 ,on one occasion when riding on the range on the west side of the ,jordan river he lost a pocket book1 containing a considerable amount of money and valuable papers1 from his pocket4 ,when he discovered his loss he had traveled perhaps about twenty miles1 and had no idea where he had lost it4 ,much of the distance he had traversed was over the rough prairie where there were no roads and where sage and rabbit brush grew in abundance4 ,any person acquainted with the condition of that region of country when in its wild state1 can understand how fruitless a search for so small an article as a pocket book would be likely to prove on the ,jordan range4 ,one might almost as well hunt for a needle in a haystack4 ,however1 with many anxious forebodings1 caused principally by the fact that much that the pocket book contained was not his own1 and that he could not replace it1 if lost1 he mounted a fresh horse and started upon his search4 ,he made his way as nearly as he could judge1 without any track to guide him1 over the same route he had first traveled till he got some distance out on the range4 ,there1 when far out of sight of human eyes1 he knelt and called upon the ,lord in earnest prayer4 ,he asked with all the faith that he could command1 that he might be led to the place where the lost treasure had fallen4 ,mounting his horse again1 with a hopeful feeling1 he allowed the animal to choose his own course1 when1 imagine his joy1 after going a short distance1 to see the pocket book lying directly in front of his horse4 ,with a light heart and full of gratitude to the ,almighty1 he returned home1 feeling that a more direct answer to his prayer could scarcely have been given him4 ,,joseph ,,smith',s ,,first ,,prayer4 ,,by ,g4 ,m4 ,humbly kneeling1 sweet appealing-- ',twas the boy's first uttered prayer-- ,when the power of sin1 assailing1 ,filled his soul with deep despair2 ,but1 undaunted still1 he trusted ,in his ,heavenly ,father's care4 ,suddenly a light descended1 ,brighter far than noonday sun1 ,and a shining glorious pillar ,o'er him fell1 around him shone2 ,while appeared two heavenly beings1 ,god the ,father and the ,son4 ,joseph1 this is my beloved6 ,hear ,him6 ,oh6 how sweet the word6 ,joseph's humble prayer was answered1 ,and he listened to the ,lord4 ,oh6 what rapture filled his bosom1 ,for he saw the living ,god4