,,fragments ,,of ,,experience1 ,,sixth ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series4 ,designed for the ,instruction and ,encouragement of ,young ,latter-day ,saints4 ,,juvenile ,,instructor ,,office1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 #ahhb4 ,,preface4 ,in issuing this1 the ,sixth ,book of the ,,faith-,,promoting ,,series1 we trust that it will meet with the same kind reception that its predecessors have4 ,perhaps no books that have ever been published in our ,church have become so popular in so short a time as the volumes of this ,series which have already been issued4 ,they have tended towards supplying a want which has long been felt in our community1 and we feel assured that they have done a great amount of good4 ,young minds1 as a rule1 are not attracted by those publications which treat specially upon doctrine4 ,they are usually too profound for young people to grasp and fully comprehend the ideas that are contained in them4 ,to the person with fully matured mind and well-developed reasoning faculties they may appear ever so simple1 and even fascinating1 but to most young people they are uninteresting1 to some positively distasteful4 ,and yet there is scarcely a child but can be taught principle in the form of narrative1 wherein the application is made for him in scenes from real life1 and appreciate it4 ,there is no more sure way of instilling into the mind of a child faith in ,god and in the work which ,he has established upon the earth than by illustrating it with incidents from actual experience4 ,the lesson1 too1 is likely to be all the more effective in the persons whose lives are held up for examples are those with whom the child is acquainted and in whom he has confidence4 ,the lives of many of the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints abound in incidents which1 if written and published1 would tend to inspire those who might read them with faith in ,god and a spirit of emulation4 ,we hope a more general interest may soon be felt throughout our ,church in writing up such incidents4 ,that the host of children now growing up in the valleys of the mountains appreciate and are ready to profit by their perusal there can be no doubt4 ,the ,,fragments ,,of ,,experience herein contained are collected at random1 but many valuable lessons may be drawn from the incidents narrated1 and we trust that the seed which they may sow in the hearts of those who peruse them will be productive of a rich yield of fruit in the kingdom of our ,father4 ,,the ,,publisher4 ,,contents4 ,,help ,,prom ,,the ,,lord4 ,mission to ,illinois when a ,boy--,attempt of a ,deacon to ,put me to ,shame--,open my ,bible to the ,passage ,required--,prove our ,position ,correct from the ,scriptures--,befriended by an ,infidel--,preachers ,assault on the ,frogs--,the ,frog ,replies4 ,,early ,,experience ,,of ,a ,,latter-,,day ,,saint4 ,hear the ,gospel by ,chance--,compunction at ,speaking ,lightly of the ,prophet--,join the ,church--,a ,new ,suit of ,clothes--,opposed by ,relatives--,my ,old ,friend1 the ,bible--,a ,dream--,required to ,renounce ,mormonism or ,leave the ,house--,my ,relatives ,refuse to ,speak to me--,they ,pawn my ,clothes--,i ,recover ,them--,violence ,used--,my ,clothes ,torn--,my ,mother's ,death--,my ,brothers ,quarrel1 and call upon me to ,settle their ,difficulties--,my ,brother ,sick--,healed in ,answer to my ,prayer4 ,,disobedience ,,to ,,counsel4 ,driven from my ,property by the ,mob--,desire to ,return and ,recover some of it--,counseled by the ,church ,authorities not to ,go--,persist in ,going--,visit a ,friendly ,family--,amiable ,intention of my ,debtors--,meet two of ,them ,they ,threaten my ,life--,despair of ,getting ,anything and ,try to ,start ,home--,beaten over the ,head with a ,pole--,barely ,escape with my ,life--,ashamed to have my ,friends ,know ,it--,the ,lesson ,i ,learned4 ,,lorenzo ,,dow ,,young',s ,,narrative4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,my ,mother's ,promise--,chased by ,wolves--,a ,remarkable ,dream--,thrown from a ,horse--,providentially ,saved--,religious ,revival--,preachers ,try in vain to ,convert me--,ridiculed for not ,playing at ,cards--,read ,infidel ,works--,their ,effect--,a ,vision4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,marriage--,a ,vision of ,other ,worlds--,my ,reluctance at ,returning to a ,mortal ,existence--,a ,promise with ,conditions--,i ,exhort ,others to ,faithfulness4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,i ,take to ,preaching--,make ,many ,converts--,refuse to ,baptize ,them--,they are ,baptized by a ,campbellite ,preacher--,urged to ,join the ,campbellites--,refuse1 and the ,devil ,tempts me--,i ,grieve the ,spirit1 but ,regain it ,through ,fasting and ,prayer--,hear the ,gospel--,visit from ,elder ,gifford--,he is ,threatened with ,tar and ,feathers--,my ,brother and ,i ,defend ,him4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,converted--,start for ,missouri--,called to ,preach ,mormonism without being ,baptized--,join the ,church--,voyage to ,pittsburg--,preach the ,gospel and ,establish a ,branch--,experience as a ,trunk-maker--,mission to ,new ,york--,speak in ,tongues--,effects of ,preaching ,counteracted by ,lies--,second ,voyage ,down the ,ohio--,providential ,delay4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,removal to ,kirtland--,work upon the ,temple--,a ,lesson-- ,sickness--,pronounced ,incurable by ,doctors--,healed in ,answer to ,prayer--,cured of ,lameness--,removal to ,missouri--,commencement of ,hostilities--,surrounded by a ,mob--,face ,death--,rescued4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,warned to ,leave the ,country or ,renounce ,mormonism--,wife and ,children ,threatened--,a ,boy's ,pluck--,forced to ,flee for our ,lives--,property ,confiscated--,battle of ,crooked ,river--,providentially ,saved--,far ,west ,besieged--,escape to ,iowa--,pursued--,providential ,snow ,storm4 ,,an ,,instance ,,of ,,divine ,,interposition4 ,visit to ,scotland--,meet ,old ,friends--,return to ,liverpool--,about to go by ,steamer to ,bristol--,a ,voice ,warns me not to ,go--,turn ,back--,short of ,money--,means ,providentially ,provided--,journey to ,portsmouth--,sequel to the ,warning--,the ,steamer ,wrecked4 ,,my ,,last ,,mission ,,to ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,elders ,called ,home from the ,sandwich ,islands--,native ,elders ,left to ,preside--,gibson's ,arrival in ,salt ,lake--,joins the ,church--,asks for a ,mission to the ,sandwich ,islands--,his ,deep-laid ,scheme--,leading ,astray the ,hawaiian ,saints--,five ,elders ,sent to ,investigate--,arrival at the ,sandwich ,islands--,attempt to go ,ashore in a ,boat--,capsized in the ,surf--,elder ,lorenzo ,snow ,lost--,after a ,long ,search1 ,found ,under the ,boat--,efforts to ,resuscitate ,him--,restored to ,life ,one ,hour ,after ,being ,drowned4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,journey to ,lanai--,meet ,mr4 ,gibson--,reverence of ,natives for ,him--,his ,speech and ,assumption--,elder ,joseph ,f4 ,smith's ,reply--,elder ,snow's ,prophecy--,mr4 ,gibson ,cut ,off the ,church--,elder ,snow's ,prophecy ,fulfilled--,advised to ,select a ,new ,gathering ,place--,a ,vision--,suitable ,place ,pointed ,out4 ,a ,,prophecy ,,fulfilled4 ,called on a ,mission to the ,sandwich ,islands--,journey by the ,southern ,route--,a ,prophecy--,fear ,after ,uttering ,it--,residence in ,honolulu--,political and ,religious ,conflict--,the ,kingdom in ,jeopardy--,dissatisfaction ,among the ,people--,letter to the ,king ,favorably ,considered--,a ,dream--,a ,prince sent by the ,king to ,ask ,counsel of ,latter-day ,saint ,elders--,advice ,accepted1 and the ,kingdom ,saved--,the ,dream and ,prophecy ,fulfilled ,together4 ,,special ,,providences4 ,circumstances under which the ,early ,temples were ,built--,how the ,workmen were ,encouraged--,arrival of ,brother ,l---- in ,nauvoo--,his ,willingness to ,work without ,pay--,his ,extreme ,want--,appeals to ,god for ,help--,money ,miraculously ,provided--,prayer for ,food ,answered--,providential ,finding of a ,pair of ,shoes on the ,plains--,a ,crippled ,shoulder ,restored while ,defending the ,character of ,joseph ,smith4 ,,incidents ,,on ,,the ,,plains4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,army ,sent to ,utah--,missionaries ,called ,home--,large ,number ,assembled at ,florence--,dangers of ,trip--,council to ,decide ,upon ,course of ,action--,fortunate ,fog--,providential ,storm4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,apostates ,met--,the ,chaplain ,separates ,from the ,company to ,meet some ,apostates--,an ,adventurous ,trip--,discharged ,government ,teamsters ,indignant at ,mormons--,plot to ,steal the ,chaplain's ,horse--,advice to the ,apostates to ,look to ,their ,own ,safety--,mr4 ,stout's ,compassion for the ,hatchet-faced ,missourian--,how ,his ,confidence was ,rewarded--,meet ,captain ,hatch--,news of ,buchanan's ,amnesty ,proclamation--,evade the ,army and ,reach the ,valley in ,safety4 ,,help ,,from ,,the ,,lord ,by ,c4 ,,mission ,,in ,,illinois ,,when ,a ,,boy--,,attempt ,,of ,a ,,deacon ,,to ,,put ,,me ,,to ,,shame--,,open ,,my ,,bible ,,to ,,the ,,passage ,,required--,,prove ,,our ,,position ,,correct ,,from ,,the ,,scriptures--,,befriended ,,by ,,an ,,infidel--,,preacher',s ,,assault ,,on ,,the ,,frogs--,,the ,,frog ,,replies4 ,in the year #ahde1 ,i was appointed on a mission from ,nauvoo1 to labor about ,cass ,county1 ,illinois1 in company with ,theodore ,curtis4 ,after traveling together we concluded to separate1 and ,i continued alone1 preaching wherever an opportunity presented itself4 ,one evening ,i was approaching a little town called ,virginia1 foot-sore and weary1 having been frequently denied food4 ,i retired1 as was my wont particularly when so impressed1 for prayer1 and for ,god to soften the hearts of those ,i might meet1 to give me shelter1 food and rest1 and finally to open up my way4 ,towards evening ,i found a number of persons congregated at the country store4 ,i saluted them with ,good-evening1 and inquired the opportunity of getting a chance to preach in that place4 ,i carried the badge of a ,mormon preacher in my hand1 namely1 a small round valise1 containing a shirt1 change of socks1 ,bible and hymn book4 ,i was soon assured by one or two that there was no earthly show for a ,mormon preacher to be heard in that place4 ,i replied1 ,i would like to preach in that nice1 newly-finished meeting-house just opposite4 ,a man spoke up quite authoritatively1 and said that no ,mormon should preach in that house1 which had just been dedicated--,i think for ,presbyterian worship4 ,they termed this man the deacon4 ,this produced considerable talk1 for many of the crowd were of what is termed the liberal or infidel persuasion1 so much so that the deacon was overwhelmed by argument1 shame and reproach1 for refusing a boy like me a chance to preach4 ,to cover his shame and to nonplus me1 he remarked1 ,i have heard say that your preachers are pretty apt with the scriptures1 and can produce almost any doctrine you like from the ,bible4 ,i replied that the men were1 but that ,i was but a boy2 yet ,i thought ,i knew a little of the scriptures4 ,he remarked ,your people believe in laying hands on the sick2 don't you8 ,i answered that we did1 and because ,christ had said in ,his remarkable commission to ,his apostles1 that this was one of the signs following1 quoting ,mark xvi1 #ae-ah4 ,i also quoted ,james v41 #ad4 ,yes1 yes2 says he1 that is all very good1 but that says only once1 and your ,elders sometimes lay hands twice in succession on the same person4 ,whoever heard of ,jesus or the apostles doing anything like that8 ,he then cited an instance where1 as he said1 ,joseph ,smith had done this in administering to a sick woman4 ,the good-natured excitement was intense4 ,the deacon thought ,i was overwhelmed1 and proposed that if ,i could prove a similar transaction from the scriptures1 ,i might preach in that house that very night4 ,eagerness now seized the men1 and the deacon chuckled over his presumed victory1 and boasted of his acquaintance with the ,blessed ,word4 ,i unbuckled my valise1 drew forth my little ,bible1 and opened it intuitively to this passage in ,mark viii41 #bb-be3 ,and he cometh to ,bethsaida2 and they bring a blind man unto him1 and besought him to touch him4 ,and he took the blind man by the hand1 99 99 99 and put his hands upon him1 and asked him if he saw aught4 ,and he looked up1 and said1 ,i see men as trees1 walking4 ,after that he put his hands again upon his eyes1 and made him look up3 and he was restored1 and saw every man clearly4 ,the reading of this scripture2 the sudden finding of it1 for ,i was led to it as clearly as a man leads his horse to the water2 its aptness and conclusiveness1 accompanied by the jeers of the infidel portion of the crowd1 mortified the deacon--he was discomfited4 ,i remarked that ,i would1 according to the deacon's terms1 preach in the church that evening1 provided some one would find candles4 ,the candles were instantly offered1 and accordingly1 ,i preached with power and the demonstration of the ,spirit4 ,after the close of the services1 ,i found a resting place with one of the most avowed infidels of the neighborhood1 who had listened to the talk between the deacon and myself1 and who particularly enjoyed the good man's discomfiture4 ,by his persuasion ,i staid some time in the neighborhood1 occupying occasionally the school-house4 ,he even proffered me some land to build me a house if ,i would stay1 preach and teach school2 but my mind was bent on returning to ,nauvoo4 ,but one evening1 when ,i had been preaching my intended farewell sermon in the closely-packed school-house1 and just at its close1 a person arose and said that1 ,god willing1 he would deliver a discourse there the next ,sunday1 and expose the ,mormon delusion1 giving his announcement all the force and emphasis possible4 ,my friends gathered at my place of stopping1 and1 joining with my host1 prevailed upon me to stay4 ,the word was given out that ,i had gone to ,nauvoo4 ,at the time appointed a great crowd had convened--time1 early candle-light4 ,i arrived late1 purposely4 ,my friend and ,i took seats near the door4 ,the preacher1 after preliminaries1 opened the ,bible1 and1 for his text1 read the #acth and #adth verses of the #afth chapter of ,revelations4 ,after dilating upon the swampy nature of the soil contiguous to ,nauvoo1 styling it a good place for frogs1 and facetiously comparing it to the mouth of the dragon1 he came down heavily on the false prophet1 the miracles1 etc4 ,it was a most scathing rebuke on ,mormonism4 ,his final peroration was on the habits of the frogs1 which1 while no footsteps were heard1 croaked and croaked1 but at the first sound of an approaching footstep1 dodged their heads beneath the water4 ,so1 said he1 at the same time rising to the sublime hight of his oratory1 where1 oh where is the frog that croaked here a day or two ago8 ,gone to that slough of iniquity1 ,nauvoo1 the seat of the dragon and the false prophet4 ,why has he fled8 ,because he heard the footsteps of your true shepherd4 ,after much interlarding1 he dismissed by prayer4 ,i immediately arose and said that the frog was there yet1 and would croak once more1 naming the time4 ,shouts from the audience named that same evening as the time1 and the reverend preacher1 amid jeers1 cheers and cries of1 ,give the boy a chance6 made for the one door4 ,my friend was alive to the emergency1 and ,i1 nothing loth1 opened a fusilade from ,i4 ,timothy1 #dth chapter1 while the preacher was hemmed in by the crowd1 and my friend with his back to the door4 ,after an exhaustive testimony of the work1 we all departed1 some pleased1 some chagrined4 ,in both of the instances here narrated1 the opening of the ,bible to the apt and confirmatory passages1 were then to my mind clearly the answer to prayer1 for if ever previously read they had escaped my memory4 ,how much good ,i did on that mission1 ,i cannot guess4 ,one thing ,i do know1 as a general rule not many are truly converted by the clamor of crowds1 or the frenzy of debates4 ,my object in giving these two instances is to incite my young brethren to a study of the scriptures1 the necessity of earnest secret prayer1 and confidence in the promise that at the hour and time ,god will help them1 and bring them off victoriously4 ,great care must be taken to give ,god the glory in your after prayer1 for no flesh can glory in his sight4 ,enconiums should produce humility1 lest we be puffed up1 and1 in an after time1 display our complete nothingness4 ,,early ,,experience ,,of ,a ,,latter-,,day ,,saint4 ,,hear ,,the ,,gospel ,,by ,,chance--,,compunction ,,at ,,speaking ,,lightly ,,of ,,the ,,prophet--,,join ,,the ,,church--,a ,,new ,,suit ,,of ,,clothes--,,opposed ,,by ,,relatives--,,my ,,old ,,friend1 ,,the ,,bible--,a ,,dream--,,required ,,to ,,renounce ,,mormonism ,,or ,,leave ,,the ,,house--,,my ,,relatives ,,refuse ,,to ,,speak ,,to ,,me--,,they ,,pawn ,,my ,,clothes--,i ,,recover ,,them--,,violence ,,used--,,my ,,clothes ,,torn--,,my ,,mother',s ,,death--,,my ,,brothers ,,quarrel ,,and ,,call ,,upon ,,me ,,to ,,settle ,,their ,,difficulties--,,my ,,brother ,,sick--,,healed ,,in ,,answer ,,to ,,my ,,prayer4 ,the substance of the following little sketch was told to the writer by the subject of it1 who is an ,elder in the ,church1 and lives in ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,his name is ,robert ,p--k4 ,we give it in words as near his own as we can remember4 ,i was born and reared in the city of ,glasgow1 ,scotland4 ,i passed my boyhood without thinking much on religious matters1 till ,i was about eighteen years of age4 ,at this period of my life ,i was walking along what is called the ,green1 a kind of public park1 when my attention was attracted by some men discussing publicly the principles of religion4 ,one of them was a ,baptist1 and ,i could see that he had the best of the argument1 baptism by immersion being a ,bible doctrine4 ,this was on ,sunday evening4 ,after listening to the discussion for some time1 ,i was attracted to a place where another man was preaching4 ,this one proved to be an ,elder of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,i was so struck with the principles he advanced1 that ,i drank down greedily every word he spoke1 and on hearing him tell where the meeting-house of the ,latter-day ,saints was situated1 ,i went there4 ,i was1 however1 too bashful to go inside1 but ,i walked back and forth around the building1 listening and catching whatever words ,i could4 ,i was out later than usual that night1 and when ,i got home ,i was questioned as to the cause of my absence1 by my mother 7my father had been dead many years7 and brothers4 ,i said ,i had been to hear the ,mormons4 ,who are the ,mormons8 ,why1 the followers of ,joe ,smith1 said ,i4 ,but ,i had no sooner said this than a sharp pang shot through me1 and ,i felt condemned for speaking thus irreverently of the prophet4 ,i did it because ,i thought it would excuse me in the eyes of my relatives4 ,i knew ,i had done wrong1 for1 young as ,i was1 ,i felt deeply impressed with the idea that ,joseph ,smith was a prophet of ,god4 ,as it was1 ,i was severely reprimanded for staying out so late4 ,shortly after this ,i went to meeting and heard ,elder ,john ,taylor speak on the setting up of the kingdom of ,god in the latter days1 which did a great deal towards convincing me that the ,lord had revealed the gospel in this age4 ,after attending meeting for some time1 ,i was finally baptized into the ,church1 and was filled with joy because ,i knew that ,i was indeed a member of the true ,church of ,christ4 ,knowing that if my mother and four brothers discovered that ,i had joined the ,church ,i would have no peace at home1 ,i kept the matter secret from them4 ,i was but an apprentice and only earning the small sum of three shillings a week 7equal to seventy-five cents7 and was1 therefore1 somewhat dependent on my relatives4 ,i was about to get my wages raised a shilling a week1 and my eldest brother1 ,hugh1 proposed that he should get me a suit of clothes1 and ,i pay this shilling a week until the suit was paid for1 so that ,i might go to church with the rest of the family4 ,i was glad to exchange1 on ,sundays1 my old1 patched1 shabby working suit for some respectable clothing1 and it was agreed to4 ,on the following ,sunday morning ,i went to meeting as usual1 and was complimented by the ,president of the ,branch on my improved personal appearance4 ,when ,i got home in the evening the first question asked of me was1 ,where have you been8 ,i have been to meeting4 ,what meeting8 ,i have been to hear the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,at this there was a perfect storm about my ears4 ,i went and got the old family ,bible1 and laid down the law and the testimony4 ,in answer to all they would say1 ,i quoted and read from the ,bible4 ,i explained the principles of the gospel of ,jesus1 and the strongest argument any of them used was in each picking up his hat and walking out4 ,on the following day 7,monday7 ,i felt somewhat timid about going home in the evening1 for ,i had dreamed on the ,sunday night that my brothers were plotting to turn me out of the house4 ,however1 home ,i went1 and just as ,i approached the door ,i heard their voices in conversation1 and they were saying they would ask me which ,i would choose1 to leave ,mormonism or the house2 and ,john1 who was always more rabid and unkind than the rest1 said he would not even let me eat my supper until ,i had decided what ,i should do4 ,i walked boldly in1 sat down1 and commenced eating supper4 ,they sat silent for a short time1 when finally ,hugh put the question to me as to whether ,i would renounce ,mormonism1 for if ,i did not ,i would have to leave the house4 ,i again brought down my old friend1 the family ,bible1 and said3 ,hugh1 if you will prove to me from that sacred book that ,i am wrong in adhering to ',mormonism1' or rather the gospel of ,christ1 ,i will renounce it2 and if ,i show you that you are wrong in adhering to ,church of ,scotland1 then you should leave that4 ,i then talked upon the scriptures and the principles of the gospel1 and they could bring forward no reasonable objections to what ,i advanced4 ,hugh rose to his feet and said3 ,if father had been alive he would have kicked you out of the house4 ,i answered3 ,father is now rejoicing because of my having embraced the gospel of ,jesus4 ,at this rejoinder the anger of my brothers increased2 and ,hugh used his old argument of picking up his hat and walking out4 ,i was induced to make this remark in relation to my father1 because on the previous ,sunday ,i had heard the doctrine of baptism and salvation for the dead preached by ,elder ,john ,lyon4 ,while listening to him ,i was so filled with joy and gratitude at the prospect of doing something towards the salvation of my father1 who had died without a knowledge of the gospel1 that the tears chased each other down my face like rain4 ,it was the first time ,i had heard the principles by which the grand chain which shall link the great human family together will be formed4 ,seeing that threats and abuse availed nothing1 making no impression upon me1 my mother and brothers took another course3 they would not speak to me4 ,although ,i lived in the same house and ate at the same table with them1 they uttered not a word to me1 and would not answer me when ,i spoke to them4 ,even my mother's heart seemed entirely hardened towards me1 and it often cut me keenly when she would meet me on the street and pass without speaking4 ,notwithstanding all this ,i rejoiced in the gospel exceedingly1 feeling that the cause of ,god was more dear to me than my nearest relatives4 ,on the next ,sunday ,i went to the drawer where my best suit was usually kept1 and discovered that it was gone4 ,they had not even left me a clean shirt4 ,nothing daunted1 however1 ,i buttoned up my shabby1 old1 every-day coat1 and marched off to meeting1 feeling that ,i could worship ,god just as fervently and acceptably in an old suit as in a new one4 ,instead of handing over my wages to my mother as ,i usually did1 ,i kept them every week1 and announced at home my intention of doing so until my clothes were returned to me1 thinking this would induce them to give them up4 ,however1 ,i happened to come home one day at an unusual time1 and in turning over some articles to get something ,i wanted1 ,i came upon a ticket which at once explained where my clothes had gone4 ,they had been pawned4 ,that this term may be understood1 it may be well to say that they were deposited in a place where money is loaned on goods1 and when the money is returned1 with an additional sum as interest1 the goods are delivered back to the owner4 ,i took this ticket1 and with my wages which ,i had saved1 and a little money which ,i had borrowed1 ,i went to the pawnbroker's and got my clothes1 and left them1 for safe keeping1 at the house of a brother in the ,church4 ,i dressed up on the following ,sunday and presented myself at home at dinner time1 when my brothers manifested no small astonishment and a little shame on seeing that ,i had discovered their trick4 ,i had forgotten to say that on several occasions after ,i had dressed for meeting1 my brothers would attempt to stop me from going1 by main force1 and several times in their efforts to keep me in1 had torn the breast out of my shirt1 but ,i invariably succeeded in getting out1 and when my shirt was torn ,i would button up my coat and go to meeting4 ,matters went on in this way for over two years1 during which time ,i had been frequently told to leave the house and never enter it again4 ,i paid no attention to this4 ,on being told to go on one occasion1 however1 ,i said the next time ,i was ordered off ,i would go4 ,not long afterwards my mother told me to leave the house forever1 and ,i announced my intention of doing so on the ,sunday following4 ,when ,saturday came ,i proceeded to tie up my clothes in a bundle4 ,no sooner did they see me doing this than they seized my clothing1 and tore up my shirts and several other articles4 ,on former occasions when ,i had been thus abused1 it was my custom to resist1 but this time this disposition had departed2 my heart was full2 ,i pitied them for their blindness1 and ,i felt like weeping tears of sorrow4 ,i made my way out of the house as best ,i could1 with my wardrobe reduced to a single pair of pants1 besides the clothes ,i wore at the time4 ,as ,i was leaving ,i told them that the course they had taken towards me would bring them no good4 ,my mind was filled with grief and ,i slept none that night4 ,six weeks after this my mother burst a blood vessel1 from the effect of which she never recovered1 being ill from that time till her death1 which occurred a year afterwards4 ,this broke up the family4 ,hugh married1 and my three other brothers1 ,john1 ,george and ,william went to live with him4 ,some time afterwards ,john came to me and told me they had quarrelled1 and he wished me to go and settle matters between the brothers1 which ,i did1 and the result was that ,john lived apart from the others4 ,william1 who was the most peaceable and amiable of my brothers1 was taken very ill1 and one evening ,i was impressed to go and see him4 ,i found all the members of the family gathered around him1 as he was not expected to live through the night4 ,after everybody had left the room but myself1 he said to me1 ,robert1 do you believe ,i shall die to-night8 ,i said3 ,no1 ,i do not4 ,i ask you because the others are hypocrites1 for when ,i ask whether they think ,i will die1 they say1 ',no1 you will live1' and then ,i hear them in the adjoining room arranging how they will dress me when ,i am dead4 ,he fell asleep1 and ,i laid hands upon him and administered to him in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and when he awoke he was much better1 and he lived for four months after this4 ,this is a little of my first experience as a ,latter-day ,saint4 ,nearly every true disciple of ,jesus has passed through circumstances that are instructive1 although trying at the time they occur1 and sometimes the relating of such things has a good effect1 however simple the narrative may be4 ,,disobedience ,,to ,,counsel4 ,,by ,,anson ,,call4 ,,driven ,,from ,,my ,,property ,,by ,,the ,,mob--,,desire ,,to ,,return ,,and ,,recover ,,some ,,of ,,it--,,counseled ,,by ,,the ,,church ,,authorities ,,not ,,to ,,go--,,persist ,,in ,,going--,,visit ,a ,,friendly ,,family--,,amiable ,,intention ,,of ,,my ,,debtors--,,meet ,,two ,,of ,,them--,,they ,,threaten ,,my ,,life--,,despair ,,of ,,getting ,,anything ,,and ,,try ,,to ,,start ,,home--,,beaten ,,over ,,the ,,head ,,with ,a ,,pole--,,barely ,,escape ,,with ,,my ,,life--,,ashamed ,,to ,,have ,,my ,,friends ,,know ,,it--,,the ,,lesson ,i ,,learned4 ,to some persons it may appear strange that the ,elders of the ,church in their addresses to the ,saints1 should so frequently dwell upon the necessity of constant obedience to counsel4 ,but although this may seem strange1 still the experience of both the ,elders and the ,saints goes to prove that to obey is better than sacrifice1 and to hearken than the fat of rams4 ,the ,bible1 the ,book of ,mormon and the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants contain many instances of the blessings that have attended obedience1 and the serious consequences that have followed disobedience4 ,i will not1 however1 refer to any one of these divine books2 but will give my readers an instance of the consequence of disobedience which occurred to me in my early experience in the ,church1 in the commencement of the year #ahci4 ,at that time ,i was living with the ,saints in ,far ,west1 though ,i owned property1 which ,i had been driven from1 at the ,three ,forks of ,grand ,river1 distant from ,far ,west about thirty miles4 ,as ,i wished to learn whether ,i could dispose of this property or not1 ,i asked ,father ,joseph ,smith and ,president ,brigham ,young for counsel about visiting ,grand ,river for this purpose4 ,they counselled me not to go2 but to stay at home4 ,i had been driven from my property by the mob that came against the ,saints1 and as the ,saints were obliged to leave the ,state ,i desired to go with them to ,illinois4 ,but ,i did not want to be burdensome to others4 ,if ,i could sell my property on ,grand ,river ,i would not be1 so ,i concluded that there could not be much harm in my going to ,grand ,river1 and ,i set out4 ,how ,i succeeded the following extract from my journal will show4 ,december #ca1 #ahch1 being anxious to obtain means to make a team1 that ,i might be able to go with the ,saints1 ,i this morning mounted the only horse ,i had left1 and started for the ,three ,forks of ,grand ,river4 ,i arrived at my farm on new year's day1 and learned that a man by the name of ,george ,washington ,o',niel had it in his possession4 ,i passed on two miles further to a family by the name of ,day1 who had come in from the ,eastern ,states a few weeks before ,i was driven away4 ,this family had taken no part with the mob4 ,i found the lady at home1 and received from her a history of my property4 ,she informed me that ,o',niel and ,culp1 ,missouri mobbers1 had said that if ever ,i came to the place they would kill me2 and that one ,henderson and others would help them4 ,when on my farm ,i had sold store goods to a number of the citizens1 who were to pay me for them at ,christmas4 ,she said she had heard many of them say that if ,i came there1 they would pay me just as ,mormons should be paid4 ,just at this time ,o',niel and ,culp came into the house4 ,they demanded of me my reasons for being there4 ,i told them that ,i was attending to my business4 ,they said ,i had no business there1 and if ,i got away from there ,i would be smart4 ,i replied that ,i was white man1 that it was time enough to be afraid when ,i saw danger1 and that ,i should go when ,i pleased4 ,they told me that they would as soon kill me as a dog1 and that there would be no more notice taken of my death than if a dog were killed4 ,this ,i very well understood4 ,they then told me that they supposed ,i had come to get my property4 ,i informed them ,i had2 to which they replied that there was no property for me4 ,after repeated threatenings ,i became convinced that it was in vain to think of obtaining anything1 and started for my horse1 which was hitched at the yard fence about five rods from the door4 ,they followed me4 ,o',niel picked up the end of a hoop pole which ,mr4 ,day had left there1 he having been hooping a barrel4 ,with this pole he struck me a blow upon the head1 which nearly brought me to the ground4 ,i looked around for a club with which to defend myself1 but there was none in sight4 ,he continued striking me1 and would doubtless have killed me1 had it not been for a very thick woolen cap on my head4 ,mrs4 ,day threw open the door and cried murder4 ,i ran for the house to get something1 if possible1 to defend myself with2 but before ,i reached the door1 he struck me repeatedly1 and gave me one blow over the eye1 the scar of which ,i carry to this day4 ,as soon as ,i got into the house ,i clutched the fire shovel4 ,at that moment ,mrs4 ,day closed the door1 so that ,i could not get out nor ,o',niel in4 ,he and ,culp then passed the window1 on which ,mrs4 ,day supposed they had started for their guns1 so ,i mounted my horse and rode for ,far ,west as fast as ,i could4 ,my head and face soon commenced swelling4 ,on my way home ,i washed myself1 and resolved not to inform any one what had happened1 as ,father ,smith and ,president ,young had both told me not to go4 ,i reached home about eleven o'clock at night1 and went to bed without making a light4 ,in the morning ,i arose1 and just as soon as ,i got out of bed1 ,i fell upon the floor4 ,my wife was alarmed and screamed4 ,i told her what had happened2 but told her to keep the matter from my family4 ,father ,smith1 however1 soon heard of the occurrence1 and came to see me4 ,he hoped1 he said1 that the lesson would do me good1 and that he was glad that ,i was not quite killed4 ,had ,i obeyed the words do not go1 but stay at home1 ,i should not have fallen into this trouble4 ,may you who read this be wise1 and in this particular1 profit by my experience4 ,,lorenzo ,,dow ,,young',s ,,narrative4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,my ,,mother',s ,,promise--,,chased ,,by ,,wolves--,a ,,remarkable ,,dream--,,thrown ,,from ,a ,,horse--,,providentially ,,saved--,,religious ,,revival--,,preachers ,,try ,,in ,,vain ,,to ,,convert ,,me--,,ridiculed ,,for ,,not ,,playing ,,at ,,cards--,,read ,,infidel ,,works--,,their ,,effect--,a ,,vision4 ,i was born ,october #aith1 #ahjg1 in the town of ,smyrna1 ,chenango ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,my mother was afflicted many years with consumption4 ,i remember her as a fervent1 praying woman4 ,she used1 frequently1 to call me to her bedside and counsel me to be a good man1 that the ,lord might bless my future life4 ,on one occasion1 she told me that if ,i would not neglect to pray to my ,heavenly ,father1 ,he would send a guardian angel to protect me in the dangers to which ,i might be exposed4 ,she had so trained me to trust in ,god1 that1 even in my early youth1 ,i seemed capable of grasping1 in my faith1 the prophetic promise she had made4 ,it sank deep into my heart1 and ever since has been an anchor of hope in the difficulties and dangers to which ,i have been exposed4 ,this pious1 faithful1 friend and mother1 drooped and died on the #aath of ,june1 #ahad4 ,soon after her death1 my father broke up housekeeping1 and ,i was sent about sixty miles to live with my brother-in-law1 ,john ,p4 ,green1 near ,cayuga ,bridge4 ,it was a marshy1 malarious country1 and ,i was taken very sick with fever and ague1 with which ,i suffered severely4 ,in the fall of #ahae1 we removed to ,tyrone1 ,schuyler ,county4 ,in the meantime1 my father had taken up some land on which to make a home1 about six miles from where ,mr4 ,green lived4 ,this country1 at that time1 was new1 and there was nothing but a dense forest between ,mr4 ,green's house and my father's4 ,the wolves were very numerous in this forest4 ,at one time1 several of them chased me to ,mr4 ,green's house1 and ,i seemed to barely escape with my life4 ,during the winter of #ahae-af1 in company with my brothers1 ,joseph1 ,phinehas and ,brigham1 ,i worked for my father and assisted him to clear off some land4 ,in the autumn of #ahaf1 when about nine years old1 ,i had a peculiar dream4 ,i thought ,i stood in an open1 clear space of ground1 and saw a plain1 fine road1 leading1 at an angle of #de degrees1 into the air1 as far as ,i could see4 ,i heard a noise like a carriage in rapid motion1 at what seemed the upper end of the road4 ,in a moment it came in sight4 ,it was drawn by a pair of beautiful1 white horses4 ,the carriage and harness appeared brilliant with gold4 ,the horses traveled with the speed of the wind4 ,it was made manifest to me that the ,savior was in the carriage1 and that it was driven by ,his servant4 ,the carriage stopped near me1 and the ,savior inquired where my brother ,brigham was4 ,after informing ,him1 ,he further inquired about my other brothers1 and our father4 ,after ,i had answered ,his inquiries1 ,he stated that ,he wanted us all1 but ,he especially wanted my brother ,brigham4 ,the team then turned right about1 and returned on the road it had come4 ,i awoke at once1 and slept no more that night4 ,i felt frightened1 and supposed we were all going to die4 ,i saw no other solution to the dream4 ,it was a shadowing of our future which ,i was then in no condition to discern4 ,in the morning ,i told my father the dream1 and my fears that we were going to die4 ,he comforted me with the assurance that he did not think my interpretation was correct4 ,in the winter of #ahag-ah1 ,i went to live with my brother-in-law1 ,james ,little1 in the town of ,aurelius1 ,cayuga ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,i remained there about five years1 learning the business of a gardener and fruit raiser4 ,in the summer of my twelfth year1 ,i was placed upon a race horse by ,mr4 ,little1 and sent on an errand4 ,the animal was too spirited for a boy of my age to safely ride4 ,it became frightened and unmanageable4 ,it turned so rapidly around that ,i was thrown out of the saddle4 ,as ,i fell my bare foot slipped through the iron stirrup1 where ,i hung with my head just touching the ground4 ,with my left hand1 ,i still grasped the bridle rein1 on that side1 firmly4 ,the horse endeavored to kick me1 but1 fortunately1 did not succeed on account of my being too close to him4 ,my hold on the bridle rein prevented the animal from running away and caused him to whirl around almost in a circle4 ,in danger we often think with great rapidity4 ,i comprehended my situation in a moment1 and1 at first1 could see no way of escape from having my brains dashed out4 ,but1 as ,i hung1 ,i was suddenly impressed to get hold of the stirrup with my right hand1 and make an effort to raise myself up1 so as to get my foot loose from it4 ,by a great effort ,i succeeded in drawing myself up1 and slipping the stirrup over my foot4 ,i then let go all hold and fell to the ground4 ,the horse went at full speed for home and his stable4 ,i got up and was not much hurt4 ,the promise my mother made me flashed into my mind1 and ,i felt thankful to the ,lord that ,i had been preserved from serious harm by a kind providence4 ,in the winter of #ahai-bj1 ,i left ,aurelius and went about twenty miles to ,hector1 ,schuyler ,county4 ,a ,methodist revival occurred in that town1 and religious excitement ran so high that it became fashionable to make a profession of religion4 ,so far as ,i knew1 every young person in the neighborhood but myself professed to receive a saving change of heart before the close of the revival4 ,as was usual during such periods of religious excitement1 meetings were held nightly4 ,in these meetings it was the custom to request those who were seeking religion1 to come forward to some seat reserved for the purpose1 to be prayed for4 ,i was somewhat affected by the intense religious feeling4 ,one evening1 ,i attended a meeting presided over by ,elder ,gilmore1 the leading minister4 ,two or three other preachers were also present4 ,the usual invitation was given for penitents to come forward to the anxious seat4 ,some time was spent in prayer1 when all who had come forward1 except myself1 professed to have a change of heart4 ,the meeting was closed1 and ,elder ,gilmore proposed that those who were willing to do so1 should retire to a private house with me1 and continue in prayer till ,i was converted4 ,as proposed1 we retired to a neighboring house1 where the praying continued until two o'clock in the morning4 ,elder ,gilmore then asked me if ,i had not received a change of heart4 ,i replied that ,i had not realized any change4 ,after so much fruitless labor1 they were evidently disposed to give me up as a reprobate4 ,elder ,gilmore told me that ,i had sinned away the day of grace1 and my damnation was sure4 ,he asserted that he would never offer another prayer for me4 ,although religious in my nature1 even at that early age1 sectarian religion seemed empty and void4 ,the following morning1 ,i left the scene of this religious excitement in ,hector and returned to ,cayuga ,county1 about three miles from ,auburn4 ,there ,i went to work for ,mr4 ,monroe1 to learn the trade of a blacksmith4 ,he carried on considerable business1 and employed a number of young men and apprentices4 ,one evening1 ,mr4 ,monroe and the workmen gathered around the center table1 in the sitting room1 to while away the evening in a game of cards4 ,mr4 ,monroe invited me to participate4 ,my father had counseled me never to play a game of cards4 ,not1 said he1 that there is any particular harm in playing a game of cards1 but card-playing has a tendency to lead those who follow it into other vices4 ,i determined1 at the time1 to keep his counsel should it cost me my situation4 ,mr4 ,monroe did not appear disposed to receive any apology for not accepting his invitation4 ,i arose1 took a ,bible that was near me1 and read during the evening while the remainder of the company played cards4 ,the most of ,mr4 ,monroe's workmen were inclined to infidelity1 and the course ,i took that evening1 afterwards brought upon me much annoyance and ridicule4 ,although infidel in principle1 ,mr4 ,monroe was kind to those around him1 and manifested that kindness to me as well as others4 ,he placed in my hands several infidel books4 ,among them1 ,i recollect the writings of ,voltaire and ,thomas ,payne4 ,my experience at this time1 taught me that skeptical works cannot be read without leaving their impression on the mind4 ,a continuation of reading them must1 eventually1 lead to confirmed infidelity4 ,the teachings of my pious parents had given me considerable faith in ,god1 and ,i enjoyed some of ,his ,spirit4 ,it has since been evident to me1 that the reading of those infidel books stirred up an antagonism in me between the ,spirit of truth and the spirit of skepticism4 ,the struggle between them1 in my bosom1 continued about a year1 and was a source of great affliction to me4 ,the ,lord1 through ,his ,spirit1 was trying to save me from error and darkness4 ,i would advise all my young friends1 and especially those who have had the testimony of the ,spirit of truth1 to never1 by any act of theirs1 invite the spirit of infidelity into their hearts1 lest they fall away into darkness1 and go down to death4 ,i remained with ,mr4 ,monroe nearly two years4 ,i injured myself lifting a log1 and it was evident that ,i could not again work at the blacksmith business for some time4 ,for this reason ,i left ,mr4 ,monroe1 and went to visit ,mr4 ,j4 ,p4 ,green1 who lived in ,watertown1 about one hundred miles from ,auburn1 in ,jefferson ,county4 ,for sometime my health continued poor4 ,one day ,i lay on a bed to rest where ,i could see the family in their ordinary occupations4 ,all at once ,i heard the most beautiful music4 ,i soon discovered from whence it came4 ,standing side by side1 on the foot board of the beadstead on which ,i lay1 were two beautiful1 seraph-like beings1 about the size of children seven or eight years old4 ,they were dressed in white1 and appeared surpassingly pure and heavenly4 ,i felt certain that ,i was fully awake1 and these juvenile personages were realistic to me4 ,with their disappearance the music ceased4 ,i turned and asked two of my sisters1 who were in the room1 if they had not heard the music4 ,i was much surprised to learn that they had heard nothing4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,marriage--,a ,,vision ,,of ,,other ,,worlds--,,my ,,reluctance ,,at ,,returning ,,to ,a ,,mortal ,,existence--,a ,,promise ,,with ,,conditions--,i ,,exhort ,,others ,,to ,,faithfulness4 ,while at ,watertown1 ,i married1 and afterwards removed to ,mendon1 ,monroe ,county4 ,at this place ,i had a remarkable dream or vision4 ,i fancied that ,i died4 ,in a moment ,i was out of the body1 and fully conscious that ,i had made the change4 ,at once1 a heavenly messenger1 or guide1 was by me4 ,i thought and acted as naturally as ,i had done in the body1 and all my sensations seemed as complete without as with it4 ,the personage with me was dressed in the purest white4 ,for a short time ,i remained in the room where my body lay4 ,my sister ,fanny 7who was living with me when ,i had this dream7 and my wife were weeping bitterly over my death4 ,i sympathized with them deeply in their sorrow1 and desired to comfort them4 ,i realized that ,i was under the control of the man who was by me4 ,i begged of him the privilege of speaking to them1 but he said he could not grant it4 ,my guide1 for so ,i will call him1 said ,now let us go4 ,space seemed annihilated4 ,apparently we went up1 and almost instantly were in another world4 ,it was of such magnitude that ,i formed no conception of its size4 ,it was filled with innumerable hosts of beings1 who seemed as naturally human as those among whom ,i had lived4 ,with some ,i had been acquainted in the world ,i had just left4 ,my guide informed me that those ,i saw had not yet arrived at their final abiding place4 ,all kinds of people seemed mixed up promiscuously1 as they are in this world4 ,their surroundings and manner indicated that they were in a state of expectation1 and awaiting some event of considerable moment to them4 ,as we went on from this place1 my guide said1 ,i will now show you the condition of the damned4 ,pointing with his hand1 he said1 ,look6 ,i looked down a distance which appeared incomprehensible to me4 ,i gazed on a vast region filled with multitudes of beings4 ,i could see everything with the most minute distinctness4 ,the multitude of people ,i saw were miserable in the extreme4 ,these1 said my guide1 are they who have rejected the means of salvation1 that were placed within their reach1 and have brought upon themselves the condemnation you behold4 ,the expression of the countenances of these sufferers was clear and distinct4 ,they indicated extreme remorse1 sorrow and dejection4 ,they appeared conscious that none but themselves were to blame for their forlorn condition4 ,this scene affected me much1 and ,i could not refrain from weeping4 ,again my guide said1 ,now let us go4 ,in a moment we were at the gate of a beautiful city4 ,a porter opened it and we passed in4 ,the city was grand and beautiful beyond anything that ,i can describe4 ,it was clothed in the purest light1 brilliant but not glaring or unpleasant4 ,the people1 men and women1 in their employments and surroundings1 seemed contented and happy4 ,i knew those ,i met without being told who they were4 ,jesus and the ancient apostles were there4 ,i saw and spoke with the apostle ,paul4 ,my guide would not permit me to pause much by the way1 but rather hurried me on through this place to another still higher but connected with it4 ,it was still more beautiful and glorious than anything ,i had before seen4 ,to me its extent and magnificence were incomprehensible4 ,my guide pointed to a mansion which excelled everything else in perfection and beauty4 ,it was clothed with fire and intense light4 ,it appeared a fountain of light1 throwing brilliant scintillations of glory all around it1 and ,i could conceive of no limit to which these emanations extended4 ,said my guide1 ,that is where ,god resides4 ,he permitted me to enter this glorious city but a short distance4 ,without speaking1 he motioned that we would retrace our steps4 ,we were soon in the adjoining city4 ,there ,i met my mother1 and a sister who died when six or seven years old4 ,these ,i knew at sight without an introduction4 ,after mingling with the pure and happy beings of this place a short time1 my guide said again1 ,let us go4 ,we were soon through the gate by which we had entered the city4 ,my guide then said1 ,now we will return4 ,i could distinctly see the world from which we had first come4 ,it appeared to be a vast distance below us4 ,to me1 it looked cloudy1 dreary and dark4 ,i was filled with sad disappointment1 ,i might say horror1 at the idea of returning there4 ,i supposed ,i had come to stay in that heavenly place1 which ,i had so long desired to see2 up to this time1 the thought had not occurred to me that ,i would be required to return4 ,i plead with my guide to let me remain4 ,he replied that ,i was permitted to only visit these heavenly cities1 for ,i had not filled my mission in yonder world2 therefore ,i must return and take my body4 ,if ,i was faithful to the grace of ,god which would be imparted to me1 if ,i would bear a faithful testimony to the inhabitants of the earth of a sacrificed and risen ,savior1 and ,his atonement for man1 in a little time ,i should be permitted to return and remain4 ,these words gave me comfort and inspired my bosom with the principle of faith4 ,to me1 these things were real4 ,i felt that a great mission had been given me1 and ,i accepted it in my heart4 ,the responsibility of that mission has rested on me from that time until now4 ,we returned to my house4 ,there ,i found my body1 and it appeared to me dressed for burial4 ,it was with great reluctance that ,i took possession of it to resume the ordinary avocations of life1 and endeavor to fill the important mission ,i had received4 ,i awoke and found myself in my bed4 ,i lay and meditated the remainder of the night on what had been shown me4 ,call it a dream1 or vision1 or what ,i may1 what ,i saw was as real to every sense of my being as anything ,i have passed through4 ,the memory of it is clear and distinct with me to-day1 after the lapse of fifty years with its many changes4 ,from that time1 although belonging to no church1 the ,spirit was with me to testify to the sufferings and atonement of the ,savior4 ,as ,i had opportunity1 ,i continually exhorted the people1 in public and private1 to exercise faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to repent of their sins and live a life of righteousness and good works4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,i ,,take ,,to ,,preaching--,,make ,,many ,,converts--,,refuse ,,to ,,baptize ,,them--,,they ,,are ,,baptized ,,by ,a ,,campbellite ,,preacher--,,urged ,,to ,,join ,,the ,,campbellites--,,refuse1 ,,and ,,the ,,devil ,,tempts ,,me--,i ,,grieve ,,the ,,spirit1 ,,but ,,regain ,,it ,,through ,,fasting ,,and ,,prayer--,,hear ,,the ,,gospel--,,visit ,,from ,,elder ,,gifford--,,he ,,is ,,threatened ,,with ,,tar ,,and ,,feathers--,,my ,,brother ,,and ,i ,,defend ,,him4 ,in the fall of #ahbh1 ,i returned to ,hector1 ,schuyler ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,quite a number of people lived there of the ,campbellite faith4 ',squire ,chase1 a prominent man in the neighborhood1 who had been a preacher of the sect1 said that they were cold in religion and had not held any meetings for several months4 ,i had been there but a few days1 when ,i went with him about two miles to a ,methodist meeting4 ,this occurred in the month of ,november4 ,up to this time ,i had joined no church1 although ,i had professed religion1 attended meetings1 and preached when ,i had an opportunity4 ,on my return1 ,i remarked to ,mr4 ,chase1 ,why cannot we have meetings in our neighborhood as well as to go so far to them8 ,he replied1 ,we are all dead there2 we would have meetings but ,i do not feel like preaching4 ,but if you will do the preaching1 ,i will appoint a meeting4 ,he did so4 ,the first two meetings but few attended4 ,the third meeting the house was crowded4 ,finally1 meetings were held nearly every night in the week1 and were well attended4 ,a reformation started among the people1 and there were quite a number of religious converts4 ,campbellite principles had long prevailed in the neighborhood4 ,the converts desired baptism1 as that was a prominent principle in the ,campbellite faith4 ,mr4 ,chase urged me to perform the ordinance4 ,i excused myself by telling him that ,i had never joined any religious denomination1 and did not feel authorized to administer it4 ,i finally utterly refused to do so4 ,he then sent forty or fifty miles for ,elder ,brown1 a regular ,campbellite preacher4 ,he came and baptized about sixty converts and organized a branch of the ,campbellite church out of the fruits of my labors4 ,he quite exhausted his persuasive powers to induce me to join the ,campbellite church1 to take a circuit and go to preaching4 ,i told him ,i would not preach his doctrines4 ,if ,i preached at all1 ,i should preach the whole ,bible as ,i understood it4 ,he said ,i could do so1 for he did not think ,i would preach anything wrong4 ,a spirit worked with me to do all the good ,i could1 but not to join any religious denomination4 ,it prevailed within me against all temptation this time4 ,perhaps the guardian angel1 promised by my mother1 watched over my spiritual as well as temporal welfare4 ,i think1 at the time of this reformation1 ,i had as much of the ,spirit of the ,lord with me as ,i could well enjoy in my ignorance of the gospel in its purity4 ,i was full of the testimony of the truth as ,i understood it4 ,this reformation in ,hector1 was a means of temptation to me4 ,i had preached and labored with my might to lead the people to the truth1 and ,elder ,brown had stepped in and reaped the results of my labors4 ,because ,i would not join the ,campbellite church and preach for them1 ,i was entirely thrown aside4 ,the adversary would reason with me thus3 ,what is the use of all your preaching8 ,it does not amount to anything to you4 ,you had better attend to your own business and let such nonsense alone4 ,i listened to these suggestions until ,i had grieved the ,spirit of the ,lord which ,i had enjoyed4 ,i no longer had the ,spirit to pray or to exhort the people to lives of righteousness4 ,i was in this condition for several months4 ,in all this lethargy and darkness1 ,i knew there was such a thing as joy in the ,spirit of ,god--that in the testimony of ,jesus there was light and peace4 ,i knew ,i had accepted a mission to bear this testimony while ,i should remain on the earth4 ,knowing these things1 ,i became1 in time1 alarmed at my condition1 ,i feared that the ,lord had forsaken me4 ,i humbled myself before ,him in fasting and prayer4 ,i promised ,him that if ,he would return ,his good ,spirit1 ,i would never again reject its suggestions4 ,matters continued thus with me for several weeks4 ,in one of my seasons of prayer and supplication1 ,i sensibly felt that ,i was again visited by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,i was encouraged to resume my labors in exhorting the people whenever an opportunity was presented4 ,i went from home on the ,sabbath and held meetings in different places4 ,i was employed in this way when ,i first saw the ,book of ,mormon1 and when the gospel was preached to me4 ,this1 and other experiences1 have convinced me that when we question the ,holy ,spirit it is likely to be grieved1 and leave us to ourselves4 ,then will our darkness be greater than if we had never enjoyed its influences4 ,perhaps this incident in my life may suggest wisdom to others4 ,in ,november1 #ahbi1 ,i removed to a place called ,hector ,hill4 ,in ,february1 #ahca1 my father1 my brothers ,joseph and ,brigham1 and ,heber ,c4 ,kimball came to my house4 ,they brought with them the ,book of ,mormon4 ,they were on their way to visit some ,saints in ,pennsylvania4 ,through fear of being deceived1 ,i was quite cautious in religious matters4 ,i read and compared the ,book of ,mormon with the ,bible1 and fasted and prayed that ,i might come to a knowledge of the truth4 ,the ,spirit seemed to say1 ,this is the way2 walk ye in it4 ,this was all the testimony ,i could get at the time2 it was not altogether satisfactory4 ,the following ,may1 ,elder ,levi ,gifford came into the neighborhood1 and desired to preach4 ,my brother1 ,john1 belonged to the ,methodist church1 and had charge of their meeting house which was in the neighborhood4 ,i obtained from him permission for ,elder ,gifford to preach in it4 ,the appointment was circulated for a meeting the same evening4 ,this was on ,saturday evening1 and the circuit preacher of that district was to hold a meeting there on ,sunday4 ,elder ,midbury1 the circuit preacher1 attended the meeting4 ,the house was crowded4 ,as soon as ,elder ,gifford had concluded his discourse1 ,elder ,midbury arose to his feet and said3 ,brethren1 sisters and friends3 ,i have been a preacher of the gospel for twenty-two years2 ,i do not know that ,i have been the means of converting a sinner1 or reclaiming a poor backslider2 but this ,i do know1 that the doctrine the stranger has preached to us to-night is a deception1 that ,joe ,smith is a false prophet1 and that the ,book of ,mormon is from hell4 ,after talking awhile in this strain1 he concluded4 ,i immediately arose to my feet and asked the privilege of speaking1 which was granted4 ,i said that ,elder ,midbury1 in his remarks1 entirely ignored the possibility of more revelation1 and acknowledged that he had been a preacher of the gospel for twenty-two years1 without knowing that he had been the means of converting a sinner1 or of reclaiming a poor backslider4 ,but still he claimed to know that the doctrine he had just heard was false1 that ,joseph ,smith was an impostor1 and that the ,book of ,mormon was from hell4 ,now1 how is it possible1 ,i asked1 for him to know these things unless he has received a revelation8 ,when ,i sat down a strong man1 by the name of ,thompson1 who was well known in the neighborhood as a beligerent character1 stepped up to ,elder ,gifford and demanded the proofs of the authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,elder ,gifford replied1 ,i have said all ,i care about saying to-night4 ,then said ,mr4 ,thompson1 we will take the privilege of clothing you with a coat of tar and feathers1 and riding you out of town on a rail4 ,in the meantime1 four or five others of like character came to the front4 ,acting under the impulse of the moment--true to the instincts of my nature to protect the weak against the strong1 ,i stepped between ,elder ,gifford and ,mr4 ,thompson4 ,looking the latter in the eye1 ,i said1 ,mr4 ,thompson1 you cannot lay your hand on this stranger to harm a hair of his head1 without you do it over my dead body4 ,he replied by mere threats of violence1 which brought my brother ,john to his feet4 ,with a voice and manner1 that carried with it a power greater than ,i had ever seen manifested in him before1 and1 ,i might say1 since1 he commanded ,mr4 ,thompson and party to take their seats4 ,he continued1 ,gentlemen1 if you offer to lay a hand on ,mr4 ,gifford1 you shall pass through my hands1 after which ,i think you will not want any more to-night4 ,mr4 ,thompson and party quieted down and then took their seats4 ,since then the ,elders have passed through so many similar experiences1 that they have ceased to be a novelty4 ,that there should be such a powerful antagonism of spirits manifesting themselves in muscle1 in a ,christian church1 indicated a new era in religious influences4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,converted--,,start ,,for ,,missouri--,,called ,,to ,,preach ,,mormonism ,,without ,,being ,,baptized--,,join ,,the ,,church--,,voyage ,,to ,,pittsburg--,,preach ,,the ,,gospel ,,and ,,establish ,a ,,branch--,,experience ,,as ,a ,,trunkmaker--,,mission ,,to ,,new ,,york--,,speak ,,in ,,tongues ,,effects ,,of ,,preaching ,,counteracted ,,by ,,lies--,,second ,,voyage ,,down ,,the ,,ohio--,,providential ,,delay4 ,in the spring of #ahca there was a two-days meeting of the ,saints1 about six miles from where ,i lived1 in the ,state of ,pennsylvania4 ,i attended it1 and became fully convinced of the divine origin of the latter-day work4 ,in the summer of #ahca1 ,i settled up my business and started for the latter-day ,zion1 in the ,state of ,missouri4 ,on my way out of the ,state of ,new ,york1 ,i visited ,elder ,j4 ,p4 ,green1 in the town of ,avon4 ,as ,i arrived there on ,saturday1 he said1 ,brother ,lorenzo1 ,i am very glad you have come4 ,i have an appointment to preach at #aj o'clock1 eight miles from here1 but ,i am very unwell and not able to fill it4 ,i want you to do it for me4 ,i rather ridiculed the idea1 saying1 ,you want me to preach as a ,mormon ,elder1 when ,i have not even joined the ,church8 ,he still desired me to go1 and said1 it will be all right4 ,e4 ,m4 ,green1 the son of ,j4 ,p4 ,green1 accompanied me1 with a revelation on the organization of the ,church1 which his father directed him to read to the congregation4 ,arriving at the place appointed1 ,i found the house full1 and a ,baptist preacher in the stand4 ,i introduced myself to the minister2 he invited the congregation to sing1 and ,i prayed1 and ,e4 ,m4 ,green read the revelation4 ,i arose and commenced to speak4 ,the good ,spirit was with me1 and ,i had much freedom4 ,i talked about one hour and a quarter4 ,at the close ,i gave any one the privilege of speaking who wished to4 ,the ,baptist minister arose and bore his testimony1 that what they had heard was true ,bible doctrine1 and could not be questioned4 ,after meeting1 several persons gathered around me and wished to be baptized4 ,knowing that ,i had not received authority to administer the ordinance1 ,i put them off1 telling them that when ,elder ,green came to fill the next appointment that had been made for him1 he would baptize them4 ,among those who requested baptism1 at that time1 were the brothers ,joseph and ,chandler ,holbrook1 and ,mary ,ann ,angell1 now the relict of ,president ,brigham ,young4 ,on the following morning ,i told ,elder ,green that1 inasmuch as ,i had believed in the gospel for some time1 and had preached as a ,mormon ,elder1 ,i thought it was time that ,i was baptized4 ,he administered the ordinance1 and ordained me an ,elder4 ,i then went on my way rejoicing4 ,in due time ,i reached ,olean ,point1 on the ,alleghany river1 one of the streams that form the head waters of the ,ohio4 ,several families had gathered there with the view of descending the river in boats4 ,among them were my brother ,phineas and his family4 ,the company built two boats1 and started down the ,alleghany river1 in the month of ,november4 ,the river was low and falling4 ,it was my lot1 with others1 nearly every morning to get into the water and work the boats off the sand bars upon which we anchored at night4 ,the water was always cold1 and at times the ice was half an inch thick4 ,i had the whooping cough1 and this work was very severe on me4 ,we journeyed in this way for three weeks1 to ,pittsburg1 at the head of the ,ohio river4 ,three days before arriving there my wife was taken sick1 and did not feel that she could travel any farther4 ,brother ,phineas and ,i concluded to stop awhile in ,pittsburg4 ,we were destitute of money1 having only fifty cents left between us4 ,soon after tying up our boat1 a report got noised about that we were a party of ,mormons1 on our way to ,zion4 ,some of the ideas of the ,saints in regard to gathering1 although often stated erroneously1 had obtained quite an extensive circulation in the country4 ,many of the people came to see us1 and at first1 stared as though beholding some great curiosity4 ,my brother ,phineas and ,i hired one room and moved into it4 ,we retained one boat and the remainder of the company went on in the other4 ,the way we traveled would now be thought a novel and hard way for the ,saints to gather in these days of railroads4 ,fifty years have made many changes1 ,the world is progressing4 ,some respectable-looking men inquired if there were any ,mormon preachers in the company4 ,we informed them that we were ,elders4 ,they expressed a wish that we would hold a meeting4 ,we soon learned that ,mr4 ,wm4 ,harris1 of whom we had rented our room1 had somewhere met one of our ,elders1 learned something of the gospel1 and had been baptized4 ,up to that time he had made no open profession of having joined the ,saints4 ,there was a large room in the same house we had moved into4 ,this ,brother ,harris offered us for holding meetings in4 ,the first evening quite a goodly number gathered into it1 and my brother ,phineas and ,i talked to them4 ,before closing1 we gave the privilege for any one to speak who wished to4 ,an elderly lady arose and said she had been seeking for the truth many years1 and that she had read the ,bible through from ,genesis to ,revelations fourteen times1 with a prayerful heart1 that she might come to a knowledge of the truth4 ,she testified that what she had just heard was the first gospel discourse she had ever heard in her life4 ,almost in the words of the eunuch to ,phillip1 she said3 ,here is water1 what hinders me from being baptized8 ,the house stood on the bank of the ,alleghany river4 ,the night was dark1 and we thought it dangerous to try to baptize her4 ,she called to our minds the case of the jailor1 who was baptized in the self-same hour in which he believed4 ,we obtained a lantern and went to the bank of the river1 the people following us4 ,we found the bank steep and the water somewhat deep2 but my brother1 ,phineas held on to me while ,i baptized the woman4 ,we continued to hold meetings and baptize until over thirty persons had united with the ,church4 ,we had authority to preach1 baptize and confirm1 but we had no knowledge of the organization of the ,church1 and knew not how to organize a branch4 ,in the following winter1 of #ahca-cb1 ,elder ,sidney ,rigdon passed through ,pittsburg1 and gave us instructions concerning the organization of the ,church4 ,we then organized a branch1 and continued our meetings4 ,after events have passed1 we often see in them a providence leading to important results4 ,we left our homes in the ,state of ,new ,york for ,missouri1 the only objective point in which we felt any interest4 ,a seeming chance of sickness induced us to stop for a season in ,pittsburg4 ,there we found a people ready to receive the truth4 ,we preached the gospel1 and built up a branch of the ,church4 ,we were evidently led there for the accomplishment of this important work4 ,as will be seen1 we subsequently went to ,kirtland1 instead of going on west4 ,but before going to ,kirtland1 there was yet another place where we were to preach the gospel4 ,as before stated1 on our arrival in ,pittsburg our finances were low4 ,brother ,phineas soon obtained labor4 ,i was not so successful1 ,i walked the streets of the town day after day1 in search of a job1 willing to accept of anything ,i could possibly do4 ,finally ,i met a man who gave me some encouragement4 ,said he1 ,are you a mechanic8 ,i felt constrained to answer yes1 although ,i could not really lay much claim to the profession4 ,well1 said he1 ,i want twelve dozen steamboat trunks made4 ,i replied1 ,i am your man1 but ,i am traveling4 ,i have stopped here on account of sickness in my family1 and have no tools with me1 and no place to work4 ,he assured me that he had shop1 tools and everything necessary to work with4 ,we went at once to his shop4 ,i really did not know what a steamboat trunk was4 ,i told him that ,i was from the ,eastern ,states1 where probably they worked different to what they did in that country1 and ,i should feel much obliged if he would lay out a trunk for me1 that ,i might make no mistake4 ,he picked up a wide board1 laid it on a bench1 and with square and compass soon laid out a trunk4 ,there1 said he1 that is the way ,i do it2 but if it don't suit you1 do it as you have a mind to1 and he walked out of the shop4 ,food and comforts for my family were at stake4 ,i knelt down and asked the ,lord to enable me to do the work in an acceptable manner1 and ,i arose and went to work with a light heart4 ,i got the bodies of several trunks together that day4 ,towards evening my employer came in1 examined my work carefully1 and said1 ,that is good enough4 ,if you will do them all as well as that1 it will do4 ,i put together the twelve dozen trunks1 covered and finished them off to my employer's satisfaction1 and he paid me the money4 ,for that kindly providence ,i felt thankful4 ,from that time ,i found labor and soon made my family quite comfortable4 ,in the spring of #ahcb1 it was thought best that ,i should go on a mission to the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,i spent the summer in preaching the gospel4 ,i had joy in my labors1 being instrumental in bringing many into the ,church4 ,i visited the town of ,hector1 where1 by my preaching1 as before stated1 a ,campbellite church had been organized4 ,i preached in the same house that ,i had occupied on the previous occasion4 ,soon after ,i commenced to talk1 such a spirit of darkness and opposition prevailed in the house1 that for the first and only time in my life1 ,i was entirely bound4 ,i stood speechless4 ,the congregation looked at me as if wondering what could be the matter4 ,a sensation such as ,i had never felt before came over me4 ,my tongue seemed numb or paralyzed4 ,in a short time ,i commenced to speak in an unknown tongue4 ,i probably spoke about fifteen minutes4 ,soon after ceasing to talk1 the interpretation came clear and distinct to my mind4 ,i at once gave it to the congregation4 ,i had no further difficulty4 ,i talked about an hour4 ,my old friend1 ,squire ,chase1 arose and testified that what he had heard was the truth1 and that the power of ,god had been made manifest4 ,he and several others shed tears4 ,their hearts were softened by the influence of the good ,spirit4 ,i had some prior engagements to meet at a considerable distance from ,hector4 ,these would keep me away about two weeks4 ,i regretted the necessity of going away1 and left an appointment for another meeting on my return4 ,i indulged in the hope of establishing a branch of the ,church there4 ,while ,i was absent1 the ,elder ,brown1 who had organized a ,campbellite ,church from converts made by my preaching1 heard that ,i was preaching ,mormonism4 ,he came there1 held meetings and visited from house to house4 ,he repeated to the people all the extravagant stories and falsehoods about the ,prophet ,joseph and the ,book of ,mormon1 which were so extensively circulated in those early times4 ,when ,i returned1 ,i found the minds of the people filled with prejudice and bitterness4 ,the ,spirit manifested to me that more preaching to them would be in vain1 and ,i went away sorrowing4 ,i have not heard since that any of that people have ever joined the ,church4 ,i went to ,avon1 ,genesee ,county1 to see my father1 ,john ,young4 ,he desired to go west and see the ,prophet4 ,his wife1 my stepmother1 preferred to remain with her children4 ,he had previously sold out his property in the town of ,mendon for several hundred dollars1 and had used it to supply the wants of the ,elders4 ,he had served as a soldier during three campaigns of the revolutionary war4 ,about this time1 he received a pension from the government4 ,this furnished him the means of accompanying me to ,pittsburg4 ,on arriving there1 my brother ,phineas and ,i bought a family boat1 in which we went twenty-five miles down the ,ohio ,river4 ,my wife was again so sick that we felt compelled to stop at ,beardstown4 ,the people came to see us1 and soon learned that we were ,mormons4 ,they expressed a wish that we would preach to them4 ,the following day being ,sunday1 we consented to do so if they would furnish a house4 ,mr4 ,isaac ,hill1 since ,bishop for several years of the #bnd ,ward of ,salt ,lake ,city1 was then a citizen of that place4 ,through his kindly offices the school house was opened for us4 ,after the first meeting1 the people desired more4 ,in a few days we baptized five persons1 among them ,mr4 ,hill and ,peter ,shirts4 ,the latter is well known to many of the people of ,utah4 ,in a short time1 my brother ,phineas went to ,kirtland with our father4 ,the ,saints desired that ,i should remain at ,beardstown1 and ,i concluded to spend the winter there4 ,some of my friends1 thinking that ,i might get work easier at ,west ,union1 five miles from ,beardstown1 ,i removed then4 ,there1 although my way at first seemed hedged up1 ,i succeeded in making my family comfortable through the winter4 ,again we had been providentially directed to where there were a few ready to receive the truth4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,removal ,,to ,,kirtland--,,work ,,upon ,,the ,,temple--,a ,,lesson--,,sickness--,,pronounced ,,incurable ,,by ,,doctors--,,healed ,,in ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer--,,cured ,,of ,,lameness--,,removal ,,to ,,missouri--,,commencement ,,of ,,hostilities--,,surrounded ,,by ,a ,,mob--,,face ,,death--,,rescued4 ,in ,march1 #ahcc1 ,i removed to ,kirtland4 ,the ,kirtland ,temple committee was appointed ,june #fth1 #ahcc4 ,about that time1 ,i took with my team ,brothers ,hyrum and ,joseph ,smith1 ,reynolds ,cahoon and my brother ,brigham1 to look at a stone quarry1 and see if the rock was suitable for the walls of the temple4 ,it was decided that it would do1 and a part of a load was put on the wagon4 ,we all returned to town1 and the rock was unloaded on the temple ground4 ,as near as ,i recollect1 this was the first rock hauled for that building4 ,from that time ,i worked with the brethren1 as occasion required1 until the temple was completed4 ,on the #agth of ,february1 #ahcd1 those holding the ,priesthood were called together to organize a ,high ,council4 ,i was one of the number4 ,on that occasion ,i committed a great error4 ,that it may be a lesson for others1 is my reason for relating it here4 ,the ,prophet requested me to take a seat with other brethren who had been selected for this ,council4 ,instead of doing as requested1 ,i arose and plead my inability to fill so responsible a position1 manifesting1 ,i think1 considerable earnestness in the matter4 ,the ,prophet then said that he really desired that ,i should take the place4 ,still excusing myself1 he appointed another to fill it4 ,i think this was the reason the ,prophet never again called me to fill any important position in the ,priesthood during his life4 ,i have since learned to go where ,i am called1 and not set up my judgment against that of those who are called to lead in this kingdom4 ,when the temple was enclosed1 in a meeting of the brethren1 called to consult about its completion1 the ,prophet desired that a hard finish be put on its outside walls4 ,none of the masons who had worked on the building knew how to do it4 ,looking around on the brethren1 his eyes rested upon me2 he said1 ,brother ,lorenzo4 ,i want you to take hold and get this finish on the walls4 ,will you do it8 ,yes2 ,i replied2 ,i will try4 ,the following day1 with horse and buggy ,i went to ,cleveland1 twenty-two miles1 determined1 if possible1 to find a man who understood the business of putting a hard finish on the walls4 ,i had been there but a short time1 inquiring after such a man1 when ,i met a young man who said he understood the business1 had just completed a job1 and wanted another4 ,i employed him at once1 put him and his tools into the buggy1 and returned to ,kirtland4 ,we soon had the materials and fixtures on hand to make the mortar4 ,in a short time the finish was being put upon the walls4 ,i made a suitable tool and1 before the mortar was dry1 ,i marked off the walls into blocks in imitation of regular stone work4 ,when the finish was on ,i commenced penciling4 ,it was then the last of ,november1 and the weather daily grew colder4 ,a ,brother ,stillman assisted me a day or two1 but said that he could not stand the cold1 and quit the work4 ,i continued1 day after day1 determined1 if possible1 to complete the job4 ,when ,i got badly chilled ,i went into my house1 warmed myself and returned again to the work4 ,i completed the task in the fore part of ,december1 but was sick the last two days4 ,i had caught a bad cold1 had a very severe cough1 and1 in a few days was confined to my bed4 ,my disease was pronounced to be the quick consumption4 ,i sank rapidly for six or seven weeks4 ,for two weeks ,i was unable to talk4 ,dr4 ,williams1 one of the brethren1 came to see me1 and1 considering my case a bad one1 came the next day and brought with him ,dr4 ,seely1 an old practicing physician1 and another doctor whose name ,i have forgotten4 ,they passed me through an examination4 ,dr4 ,seely asserted that ,i had not as much lungs left as would fill a tea saucer4 ,he appeared a somewhat rough1 irreligious man4 ,probably1 with what he considered a good-natured fling at our belief in miracles1 he said to my father1 as he left the house3 ,mr4 ,young1 unless the ,lord makes your son a new pair of lungs1 there is no hope for him6 ,at this time ,i was so low and nervous that ,i could scarcely bear any noise in the room4 ,the next morning after the visit of the doctors1 my father came to the door of the room to see how ,i was4 ,i recollect his gazing earnestly at me with tears in his eyes4 ,as ,i afterwards learned1 he went from there to the ,prophet ,joseph1 and said to him3 ,my son ,lorenzo is dying2 can there not be something done for him8 ,the ,prophet studied a little while1 and replied1 ,yes6 ,of necessity1 ,i must go away to fill an appointment1 which ,i cannot put off4 ,but you go and get my brother ,hyrum1 and1 with him1 get together twelve or fifteen good faithful brethren2 go to the house of ,brother ,lorenzo1 and all join in prayer4 ,one be mouth and the others repeat after him in unison4 ,after prayer1 divide into quorums of three4 ,let the first quorum who administer1 anoint ,brother ,young with oil2 then lay hands on him1 one being mouth and the other two repeating in unison after him4 ,when all the quorums have1 in succession1 laid their hands on ,brother ,young and prayed for him1 begin again with the first quorum1 by anointing with oil as before1 continuing the administration in this way until you receive a testimony that he will be restored4 ,my father came with the brethren1 and these instructions were strictly followed4 ,the administrations were continued until it came the turn of the first quorum the third time4 ,brother ,hyrum ,smith led4 ,the ,spirit rested mightily upon him4 ,he was full of blessing and prophecy4 ,among other things1 he said that ,i should live to go with the ,saints into the bosom of the ,rocky ,mountains1 to build up a place there1 and that my cellar should overflow with wine and fatness4 ,at that time1 ,i had not heard about the ,saints going to the ,rocky ,mountains2 possibly ,brother ,smith had4 ,after he had finished he seemed surprised at some things he had said1 and wondered at the manifestations of the ,spirit4 ,i coughed no more after that administration1 and rapidly recovered4 ,i had been pronounced by the best physicians in the country past all human aid1 and ,i am a living witness of the power of ,god manifested in my behalf through the administration of the ,elders4 ,i continued to live in ,kirtland1 labored for the support of my family and went on missions until ,september1 #ahcg4 ,at that time there was considerable persecution1 and many ,saints left for ,missouri4 ,in company with ,brother ,isaac ,decker and family1 ,i started for that place4 ,on account of sickness in my family1 ,i laid by at ,dublin1 ,indiana4 ,i remained there until ,january1 #ahch4 ,i went to ,cincinnati4 ,while absent1 my brother ,brigham1 and ,brothers ,joseph and ,samuel ,smith1 with their families1 came along on their way to ,missouri4 ,they were accompanied by ,brother ,daniel ,holman and ,brother ,miles4 ,i returned to ,dublin1 and1 in ,february1 we continued our journey together4 ,on the way1 in jumping from a wagon1 ,i fell and split my knee pan on a sharp stone4 ,the injury was both painful and dangerous4 ,riding over rough roads in a loaded wagon was very painful to me4 ,at ,terre ,haute1 ,indiana1 my leg was examined by a surgeon4 ,he said even if ,i got well1 my leg would always be stiff4 ,however1 my faith was that ,i should again have the use of it4 ,it was still over four hundred miles to our destination4 ,i suffered much1 but got the use of my leg the following summer4 ,i attribute this result to the blessing of the ,lord through the administration of the ,elders4 ,on our way1 we crossed the ,mississippi river at ,quincy1 ,illinois1 on the ice4 ,we were the last to cross in that way that season4 ,when near the west side1 on account of the weakness of the ice1 we took the horses from the wagons and laid down planks to run the latter to the shore4 ,in ,march1 ,brother ,isaac ,decker and ,i arrived in ,davis ,county1 ,missouri4 ,i purchased a quarter section of land and went to work to make me a home4 ,brother ,decker rented a farm4 ,the remainder of the company went on to ,far ,west1 twenty-two miles farther4 ,we labored diligently at our business during the summer1 usually having meetings on the ,sabbath4 ,matters remained quiet until election day1 ,august #fth1 #ahch1 when the ,missourians determined that the ,mormons should not vote4 ,on the other hand1 the brethren asserted their rights1 and a fight took place at ,gallatin1 as related in ,church history4 ,i did not feel like attending election1 and did not go4 ,this was the beginning of our troubles in ,davis ,county4 ,i lived eighteen miles from ,adam ,ondi-,ahman4 ,about this time1 ,i left my family on my place and went there and stood guard some two weeks4 ,brother ,decker accompanied me4 ,after completing our term of military service1 ,brother ,decker and ,i started for home4 ,we had but one horse1 and we alternately rode and walked4 ,as we passed through the town of ,gallatin1 about eight miles from home1 it was my turn to walk1 and ,brother ,decker was ahead of me on the horse4 ,there was a company of ,missourians stationed about twenty rods from the road1 near a whisky saloon4 ,as ,i was passing nearly opposite them1 a party of men stepped in front of me and the leader ordered me to stop4 ,he was armed with a sword4 ,there were twenty-two of the party1 mostly armed with rifles4 ,nothing was said to ,brother ,decker1 although he halted and sat on his horse a short distance off and watched the proceedings4 ,the captain of the party asked me where ,i had been1 where ,i was going1 and if ,i was a ,mormon1 with many other questions which ,i answered truthfully4 ,after answering one of his questions1 with a profane epithet he called me a liar4 ,after this1 ,i kept my mouth closed and answered no more of his questions4 ,he was about half drunk1 as were probably some of his men4 ,he became much irritated at my silence1 and used very profane and abusive language4 ,said he3 ,you have probably been robbing and burning in this section1 and ought to be killed4 ,anyhow1 ,i will make you open your mouth4 ,he then ordered his men to form in a half circle a little distance from me1 evidently to concentrate their fire4 ,he then ordered them to ,make ready6 ,aim6 ,every rifle was drawn on me4 ,i prayed in my heart1 and felt considerable assurance that they would not be permitted to kill me4 ,my life trembled in the balance awaiting the leader's order to fire1 or recover arms4 ,the latter order came4 ,he then said excitedly3 ,now will you talk8 ,but ,i remained silent4 ,this performance was repeated4 ,he became filled with wrath1 and commanded his men1 the third time1 ,make ready6 ,aim6 ,it looked surely as though my time had come4 ,at this moment1 a man in military garb1 and armed with a sword1 came running from the camp near the grocery4 ,when near enough to to be heard1 he cried out1 ,hold on6 ,the men dropped their pieces1 and there was respite for me again4 ,as he approached he demanded1 ,what are you doing8 ,the officer who had been abusing me1 replied with a profane epithet1 ,i am going to kill this ,mormon6 ,the other officer ordered him to take his men to the camp4 ,as he did not move readily1 his superior drew his sword1 stepped in front of him1 and declared with an oath1 if he did not move at once he would take his head from his shoulders4 ,his tone and manner indicated that he meant business1 and the captain moved off with his men at once4 ,the officer who released me1 declared that the other was drunk and did not know what he was doing4 ,he asked me many questions similar to what the other had done1 but in a gentlemanly manner1 and ,i answered them frankly and truly4 ,his heart was softened towards me4 ,he bade me go on my way1 and added1 ,mr4 ,young if you are ever in trouble in this war1 and can do so1 send for me1 and you shall not be hurt1 unless it is over my dead body4 ,i made a memorandum of his name1 military title1 etc41 but regret to say that in my many moves since have lost it4 ,again was the prophetic promise of my mother fulfilled1 and my life lengthened out for some wise purpose4 ,brother ,decker and ,i went on home4 ,he immediately removed to ,far ,west1 ,caldwell ,county4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,warned ,,to ,,leave ,,the ,,country ,,or ,,renounce ,,mormonism--,,wife ,,and ,,children ,,threatened--,a ,,boy',s ,,pluck--,,forced ,,to ,,flee ,,for ,,our ,,lives--,,property ,,confiscated--,,battle ,,of ,,crooked ,,river--,,providentially ,,saved--,,far ,,west ,,besieged--,,escape ,,to ,,iowa--,,pursued--,,providential ,,snow ,,storm4 ,in a day or two after my return home1 ,mr4 ,richard ,welding1 of whom ,i had bought my farm1 came to me1 accompanied by three or four others4 ,he gave me warning to leave the country at once4 ,i asked him why ,i must leave1 saying3 ,have ,i not bought my land1 and paid you for it8 ,have ,i not attended to my own business8 ,he replied3 ,mr4 ,young1 we do not want you to leave4 ,you are a good neighbor and citizen1 and if you will only be man enough to renounce ,joe ,smith and your religion1 we want you to remain with us1 and ,i will protect you in your rights4 ,the ,mormons must all leave the country1 and if you do not renounce them1 you must go too4 ,i paid no attention to this warning4 ,three or four days after this occurrence1 four men rode up in front of my house1 when ,i happened to be away1 called ,sister ,young to the door1 and again gave warning that we had better leave4 ,by her side stood our little boy1 ,joseph ,w4 ,one of the men1 using an oath1 ordered him to go into the house or he would blow his brains out4 ,the boy stepped back1 without his mother noticing what he was doing1 took my rifle1 which was standing in the room1 and1 before he had attracted her attention1 was leveling it on the threatener4 ,she quietly told him not to fire1 as they would certainly be killed if he did4 ,he obeyed1 but manifested considerable beligerency for one of his age4 ,about five days after this warning1 early in the morning1 ,i looked up the road towards ,gallatin1 and saw a man on horseback coming towards my house at full speed4 ,as he rode up he inquired3 ,is your name ,young8 ,i answered that it was4 ,he continued3 ,i have rode from ,gallatin to inform you that1 in two or three hours1 there will be a company of forty men here1 who assert that if they find you here1 they will fasten you and your family in your house and burn it down4 ,for ,god's sake1 if you value your own life and the lives of your wife and children1 do not be here an hour from now4 ,i have come to give you this warning as a friend4 ,should it be found out that ,i have done so1 ,i might lose my own life6 ,i thanked him for his kindness1 and he rode off rapidly towards ,gallatin4 ,i told ,sister ,young to prepare to leave at once1 then attached my team to a light spring wagon1 put a bed1 a few cooking utensils1 a trunk of clothing1 and some food for the day into it4 ,i got my wife1 my four children1 ,william1 ,harriet1 ,joseph and ,john into the wagon1 fastened up the house and started for ,far ,west4 ,i expected to return and get my goods4 ,the next day ,i obtained some teams and started for my goods4 ,i found the road strongly guarded1 and the ,missourians threatened to kill me if ,i went on4 ,i never obtained goods1 cows nor anything that ,i had left on my place4 ,this left my family very destitute1 in common with others of the ,saints who had been treated in like manner4 ,i had previously driven a fine yoke of oxen and a new milch cow to ,far ,west1 thinking ,i might possibly want to remove there2 but ,clark's army drove my oxen into camp and butchered them for beef4 ,i was promised pay for them1 but1 of course1 never received anything but the promise4 ,this was in ,october1 #ahch4 ,i remained in ,far ,west doing whatever was necessary for the protection of the ,saints4 ,i was on guard much of the time4 ,major ,seymour ,brunson directed ,brother ,a4 ,p4 ,rockwood1 and myself to take our horses and go out two miles north of ,far ,west and patrol the country every night4 ,if we saw a man1 or company of men coming towards ,far ,west1 we were ordered to hail them and demand the countersign4 ,if necessary1 to make this demand the second time1 when1 if not given1 we were to fire on them4 ,when we arrived on the ground where we were to perform our duties1 ,brother ,rockwood and ,i separated1 taking different directions4 ,it was a moonlight night4 ,i was on the edge of a prairie with my eye along the road1 when ,i discovered a company of mounted men coming over a swell of the prairie4 ,i retired into the timber and took a station behind the trunk of a large tree1 under the shadow of its branches1 and twenty or thirty yards from the road4 ,as the company came opposite to me1 ,i demanded the countersign twice1 as ,i had been ordered to do4 ,as they paid no attention to me1 ,i made ready to fire1 intending to shoot the leader1 when a strong and sudden impression came over me to hail again4 ,i did so1 and ordered them to halt4 ,this time the leader recognized my voice1 and turning towards me1 asked3 ,is that you1 ,brother ,lorenzo8 ,i also recognized the man as ,brother ,lyman ,wight1 and1 as ,i answered in the affirmative1 rode up to his side4 ,we were glad to meet each other1 and ,i was very thankful that ,i had not obeyed orders4 ,he was on his way from ,diamond to ,far ,west1 with a company of men to assist the ,saints there4 ,soon after this occurrence1 ,i returned to ,far ,west4 ,i told ,sister ,young that ,i hoped to get one good night's sleep4 ,for three weeks ,i had not had my clothes off to lay down1 and ,i felt much worn4 ,perhaps ,i had slept two hours1 when ,i was awakened by the bass drum sounding an alarm on the public square4 ,i was soon out to see what was the matter4 ,there were five men on the square1 of whom ,i inquired the cause of the alarm4 ,they informed me that two of the brethren had been taken prisoners by the mob on ,crooked ,river1 tried by a court martial that day1 and condemned to be shot the coming morning at eight o'clock4 ,a company of men was wanted to go and rescue them4 ,preparations were soon made1 and in a short time1 about #dj mounted men1 under the command of ,david ,w4 ,patten1 were ready to start4 ,we kept the road to a ford on ,crooked ,river1 twenty miles distant1 where we expected to find the mob4 ,just as the day was breaking we dismounted1 about a mile from the ford1 tied our horses1 and left ,brother ,isaac ,decker to watch them4 ,we marched down the road some distance1 when we heard the crack of a rifle4 ,brother ,obanion1 who was one step in advance of me fell4 ,i assisted brother ,john ,p4 ,green1 who was the captain of the platoon ,i belonged to1 to carry him to the side of the road4 ,we asked the ,lord to preserve his life1 laid him down1 ran on and took our places again4 ,the man who shot ,brother ,obanion was a picket guard of the mob1 who was secreted in ambush by the roadside4 ,captain ,patten was ahead of the company4 ,as we neared the river the firing was somewhat lively4 ,captain ,patten turned to the left of the road1 with a part of the command2 ,captain ,green and others turned to the right4 ,we were ordered to charge1 which we did1 to the bank of the river1 when the enemy broke and fled4 ,i snapped my gun twice at a man in a white blanket coat4 ,while engaged in repriming my gun1 he got out of range4 ,a tall1 powerful1 ,missourian sprang from under the bank of the river1 and1 with a heavy sword in hand1 rushed towards one of the brethren1 crying out1 ,run1 you devils1 or die6 ,the man he was making for was also armed with a sword1 but was small and poorly calculated to withstand the heavy blows of the ,missourian4 ,he1 however1 succeeded in defend-himself until ,i ran to his aid1 and leveled my gun within two feet of his enemy1 but it missed fire4 ,the ,missourian turned on me4 ,with nothing but the muzzle end of my rifle to parry his rapid blows1 my situation was perilous4 ,the man whom ,i had relieved1 for some reason1 did not come to the rescue4 ,i succeeded in parrying the blows of my enemy until he backed me to the bank of the river4 ,i could back no farther without going off the perpendicular bank1 eight or ten feet above the water4 ,in a moment ,i realized that my chances were very desperate4 ,at this juncture the ,missourian raised his sword1 apparently throwing all his strength and energy into the act1 as if intending to crush me with one desperate blow4 ,as his arm extended ,i saw a hand pass down the back of his head and between his shoulders4 ,there was no other person visible1 and ,i have always believed that ,i saw the hand of the angel of the ,lord interposed for my deliverance4 ,the arm of my enemy was paralyzed1 and ,i had time to extricate myself from the perilous situation ,i was in4 ,as soon as ,i had time to think1 ,i felt that the inspiration of my mother's promise had been again verified4 ,the appearance of the hand1 to me1 was real4 ,i do not see how ,i could have been saved in the way ,i was1 without a providential interference4 ,as soon as ,i was out of danger1 my attention was drawn to brother ,david ,w4 ,patten1 who lay on the ground a short distance from me1 mortally wounded4 ,we hitched a pair of horses to a wagon1 put brother ,patten and six other wounded men into it1 and started for ,far ,west4 ,a few miles from the battle ground we met the ,prophet ,joseph1 with a carriage and a company of horsemen4 ,the wounded were taken to their homes1 and such care given them as circumstances would allow4 ,soon after our return to ,far ,west1 ,general ,clark's army arrived before that city4 ,in the evening after ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith and others had been taken prisoners1 ,hyrum ,smith had the privilege of coming into ,far ,west to see his family4 ,from the spirit of ,general ,clark and his army1 he believed that1 if they succeeded in taking the brethren who were in the ,crooked ,river battle1 they would be tried by a court martial and shot4 ,he and ,brother ,brigham1 and myself met on the public square4 ,after counseling over the matter1 it was decided that ,i1 and others in the same situation1 should start that night into the wilderness north1 for the ,des ,moines ,river1 in ,iowa ,territory4 ,my brother1 ,phineas1 being a good woodsman1 was selected to pilot us4 ,the ,saints in ,far ,west had been so plundered by their enemies1 that they had but little surplus to eat or wear4 ,i had on a very thin pair of pants4 ,my wife took a sheet from the bed1 and1 with the assistance of some of the neighbors1 hastily made me a pair of drawers4 ,these ,i afterwards gave to my brother ,phineas1 as he seemed to suffer more with the cold than ,i did4 ,our bedding was as scanty as our clothing4 ,we left ,far ,west that night1 and took no food with us4 ,we arrived about sunrise in the morning1 at ,adam-,ondi-,ahman1 twenty-two miles from ,far ,west4 ,we needed some breakfast1 and stopped in a clump of hazel brush1 and sent one of the party to the house of ,brother ,gardiner ,snow1 to tell him our situation4 ,he said he had not much to eat1 but would do the best he could4 ,he brought us a very good supply of stewed ,missouri pumpkin and milk4 ,our keen appetites made this seem a very good breakfast4 ,there we obtained fifty pounds of chopped corn4 ,with this meagre supply of food we continued on our journey4 ,from the first1 it was evident that we must be very saving of our food supply4 ,we rationed on eight ounces of this meal1 per man1 each day4 ,it was mixed with water1 without any salt1 baked in a cake before the fire1 and carefully divided out4 ,the second day1 as night was approaching1 we struck the edge of a prairie1 which was about four miles across4 ,as our horses were weary1 we stopped a short time to rest1 when one ,irvine ,hodge overtook us4 ,he informed us that ,general ,clark1 having learned of our departure1 had sent a troop of sixty cavalrymen in pursuit2 that they were only a few miles behind1 and on our trail4 ,their orders were to bring us dead or alive4 ,we had thought of camping on the spot1 but concluded to cross the prairie at once4 ,this we accomplished1 and camped in the timber4 ,in the night1 snow commenced falling4 ,it appeared to come down in sheets instead of flakes4 ,in the morning it was about a foot and a half deep4 ,some of the company1 at first1 regretted this1 but others saw and felt that the hand of the ,lord was in it4 ,my brother1 ,phineas1 at once declared that it was the means of our deliverance4 ,we started on and the wind began to blow4 ,our tracks were completely covered soon after they were made4 ,we afterwards learned that our pursuers camped on the opposite side of the prairie from us1 where we had rested4 ,in the morning they tried to find our trail1 but finding it impossible to do so1 gave up pursuit4 ,thus we were saved from our enemies by a friendly interposition of the elements in our behalf4 ,we were fifteen days on our journey from ,far ,west to the ,des ,moines ,river4 ,the last three days we were without food4 ,after the snow fell1 our horses had to subsist on what they could find above it4 ,the brush had soon made my thin pants unavailable for covering my legs in the neighborhood of the knees4 ,the fragments were tied up with small hickory withes4 ,when we arrived near a house1 on the ,des ,moines1 ,i remained in the woods while one of my companions went to the house and obtained a pair of pants1 that ,i might be presentable4 ,on this trip it seemed as though both men and animals had a wonderful power of enduring cold1 hunger and fatigue4 ,i am constrained1 after more than forty years have passed away1 to acknowledge a special providence in our deliverance4 ,i have drawn on my memory for the facts of this narrative1 and think that they are correct2 but there may be some errors in dates1 and in the succession of events4 ,,an ,,instance ,,of ,,divine ,,interposition4 ,,by ,,elder ,,william ,,budge4 ,,visit ,,to ,,scotland--,,meet ,,old ,,friends--,,return ,,to ,,liverpool--,,about ,,to ,,go ,,by ,,steamer ,,to ,,bristol--,a ,,voice ,,warns ,,me ,,not ,,to ,,go--,,turn ,,back--,,short ,,of ,,money--,,means ,,providentially ,,provided--,,journey ,,to ,,portsmouth--,,sequel ,,to ,,the ,,warning--,,the ,,steamer ,,wrecked4 ,i had been laboring in the ,southampton ,conference1 ,england1 as a missionary for about two years1 when ,i obtained permission to visit my relatives in ,scotland4 ,it was in the latter part of the summer of #ahec4 ,accompanied by an ,elder named ,armstrong1 who was going to ,liverpool1 ,i embarked at ,portsmouth1 on the steamship ,duke of ,cornwall1 bound for that port1 on the morning of the #hth of ,august4 ,shortly after starting1 we passed the ,british fleet1 lying off ,spithead1 preparing for a grand review1 to take place on the following ,thursday1 which ,queen ,victoria was expected to attend4 ,the scene was both novel and interesting1 as we passed near the assembled and decorated ships4 ,passing the ,isle of ,wight1 of which we had a good view1 we called at ,plymouth1 ,falmouth1 and ,penzance1 before reaching ,liverpool1 passing also the celebrated ,eddystone ,lighthouse4 ,we reached ,liverpool at two p4 m41 on the #ajth1 and ,i sailed for ,glasgow within two hours afterwards4 ,on board the ,scotch steamer1 ,i was pleased to find an old acquaintance1 named ,george ,turnbull1 who was at that time a clerk in the ,church office at ,liverpool1 and on his way1 like myself1 to visit his home and friends4 ,brother ,turnbull and ,i heard the gospel about the same time1 in the same city1 7,glasgow7 and became members of the same branch of the ,church2 he being baptized first4 ,this young man was a scholar1 and possessed of much natural ability1 and for some time1 was a good ,saint1 but he would not run the race2 he eventually fell into transgression1 denied the faith1 and was lost4 ,there were also on board the vessel1 ,elder ,fullmer1 pastor of the ,liverpool ,conference1 and wife1 and ,elder ,john ,o4 ,angus1 ,president of the ,shropshire ,conference4 ,i was well acquainted with the latter2 he was a faithful missionary1 and a quiet1 humble1 and inoffensive man4 ,he labored for a long time in the ,st4 ,george ,temple1 and died some time ago4 ,such company was very agreeable1 but the night was somewhat stormy1 and we did not reach ,glasgow until two p4 m4 next day4 ,during this trip1 ,i visited my relatives in ,glasgow1 ,lanark1 and elsewhere1 and also the ,saints in a district of the conference where ,i had formerly labored4 ,i felt truly grateful to the ,lord for all ,his goodness unto me1 in preserving me while struggling hard in several new fields of labor to which ,i had been allotted1 since ,i first left home and beg an my labors as a missionary4 ,on the first day of ,september1 taking leave of my friends1 ,i embarked on a steam vessel for ,liverpool4 ,elder ,john ,o4 ,angus was also a passenger1 and ,i1 therefore1 had good company during a very stormy passage4 ,arriving at ,liverpool1 we called at the ,church office1 ,wilton ,street1 and lodged at the house of ,elder ,a4 ,f4 ,macdonald1 president of the conference4 ,i intended to go by sea from ,liverpool to ,bristol1 and by land to ,salisbury1 on my way back to ,portsmouth1 as ,i had not means enough to go through by railroad conveyance4 ,i had explained this to ,brother ,angus1 and on the morning after our arrival in ,liverpool1 ,i bade him good by1 and walked down to the docks1 carrying my carpet sack and a number of books1 which ,i had brought with me from home4 ,this was on the third day of ,september1 #ahec4 ,a number of people were waiting to go on board the same steam vessel ,i intended to take4 ,the steamer at the time was taking in freight at the opposite side of the dock1 and would call for us1 so we were informed1 in a short time4 ,while standing looking at the vessel1 a voice1 loud and distinct1 said3 ,do not go on board4 ,i was startled1 and looked around1 but there was no one near4 ,although ,i turned hastily1 ,i did not really expect to see any one who might have spoken4 ,it was1 ,i felt1 a revelation2 ,i was impressed with the divine force1 and ,i lifted my satchel preparatory to leaving1 but suddenly ,i thought of my want of means1 and began to wonder whether ,i had not been deceived by my imagination4 ,i put down my satchel again1 just as the ship was nearing that part of the dock where the passengers were waiting4 ,my condition tempted me4 ,i was in doubt for a moment4 ,i began to reason2 but faith triumphed4 ,i felt sure that it was a warning1 and1 lifting my baggage1 left the dock for the ,lime ,street ,station1 as the people who had been waiting passed into the steamer4 ,once decided1 there was no further trouble1 and ,i began to consider how ,i could reach ,portsmouth4 ,when ,i entered the station1 ,i had concluded to take the first third-class train to ,birmingham4 ,at that time1 ,i had no acquaintances there1 and wished to hurry on1 trusting that the way would be opened up as my necessities required2 such having been the case many times before4 ,the ,lord had prepared the way in times past1 and ,i had faith that ,he would help me then sufficiently4 ,i was one of those young and very inexperienced ,elders1 sent into the missionary field literally without purse or scrip4 ,elder ,george ,b4 ,wallace1 at that time one of the presidency of the ,church in ,europe1 sent me with several others into ,cumberland ,county1 in the ,north of ,england1 where there were no ,saints until we were instrumental in the hands of the ,lord in bringing some to a knowledge of the truth4 ,it was a hard country1 and we had a rough experience4 ,in less than three months1 three ,elders out of five returned home2 but ,elder ,thomas ,wallace1 now of ,weber ,county1 and ,i remained until the ,lord called us somewhere else4 ,i have been in many new fields of labor since1 without money and without friends until the ,lord raised them up1 but never among a people so ignorant1 and unimpressionable as the people we could obtain access to in the ,north of ,england4 ,in comparison1 my prospects1 as ,i walked into the ,lime ,street ,station1 were not at all discouraging1 but as ,i entered1 there stood ,brother ,angus1 who was waiting for a train to take him to ,shrewsbury4 ,he was surprised to see me1 and ,i was a little abashed1 as ,i felt somewhat delicate about giving him an explanation4 ,although satisfied myself1 ,i had some misgivings about satisfying him4 ,i told him1 however1 what had happened1 and1 to my relief1 he said1 putting his hand on my shoulder1 ,you have done just right1 and you will see the hand of ,god in this4 ,a third-class train1 ,i learned1 would not leave until next morning1 so ,i lodged with ,brother ,turnbull1 who had returned to ,liverpool4 ,the next day ,i went to ,birmingham1 and there learned that a cheap excursion train would leave for ,bristol at five p4 m4 ,bristol--going by land--was not directly on my way1 but the fare being low1 and going from there to ,warminster and ,salisbury1 ,i was likely to reach ,portsmouth sooner than any other way4 ,in the cars1 ,i made the acquaintance of a lady and gentleman also going to ,bristol1 to visit some relatives they had in that town4 ,after an interesting conversation they invited me to take lunch with them1 which was very acceptable1 and on our arrival at ,bristol1 they pressed me to accompany them to their friend's house1 where ,i remained all night1 being warmly received and well treated4 ,i had not quite a dollar in my possession1 and ,i acknowledge the hand of the ,lord in thus opening up the way for me4 ,on reaching ,warminster next day at six p4 m41 ,i had only twelve cents left1 and a heavy carpet sack1 which ,i took to a carrier who made occasional trips with freight to ,salisbury1 and ,i started at once to walk to the latter place1 distant twenty-two miles4 ,it was evening and the weather pleasant1 and the distance nothing unusual for a missionary1 but ,i made a mistake by starting out too fast1 perspired1 got tired1 and was obliged to take lodging at a small way-side inn1 which cost me eight cents4 ,i slept without supper and resumed my journey without breakfast the next morning1 but thanking the ,lord for good health and spirits4 ,on reaching ,salisbury1 where ,i was a perfect stranger1 ,i walked into the town with the intention of inquiring for ,latter-day ,saints1 a few of whom ,i understood lived there4 ,my first inquiry was of a little boy1 who quickly answered ,yes1 my mother is one1 and at once offered to conduct me to his home1 which we soon reached1 and to which ,i was warmly welcomed4 ,on passing through the streets1 ,i saw1 posted upon the walls1 announcements of an excursion trip to ,southampton and ,portsmouth1 fare two shillings and six pence1 or sixty-two cents in our money4 ,reflecting upon the means of obtaining such a sum without being obliged to write and wait for it1 we reached the house of my guide's mother4 ,from the boy's statement that his mother was a ,mormon1 ,i got the impression that his father1 if he had one1 was not1 which ,i found to be correct4 ,his father was not very friendly1 but his mother was a very earnest ,saint1 and a very thoughtful and kind one1 as while ,i sat taking some refreshments which she had hastily prepared1 she brought and gave me a piece of money1 the exact amount necessary to procure my ticket to ,portsmouth4 ,i again thanked the ,lord1 and explained to my kind sister what her gift would enable me to do4 ,the boy had in the meantime1 by her instructions1 brought my carpet sack1 and ,i was ready to continue my journey4 ,i reached ,portsmouth on the #gth day of ,september1 and while there on the #ith1 ,i read in the newspaper of the total wreck of the steam vessel1 on which ,i was about to sail from ,liverpool1 when ,i was warned by the ,lord not to go on board the ship4 ,,my ,,last ,,mission ,,to ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands4 ,,by ,,wm4 ,w4 ,,cluff4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,elders ,,called ,,home ,,from ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands--,,native ,,elder ,,left ,,to ,,preside--,,gibson',s ,,arrival ,,in ,,salt ,,lake--,,joins ,,the ,,church--,,asks ,,for ,a ,,mission ,,to ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands--,,his ,,deep-,,laid ,,scheme--,,leading ,,astray ,,the ,,hawaiian ,,saints--,,five ,,elders ,,sent ,,to ,,investigate--,,arrival ,,at ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands--,,attempt ,,to ,,go ,,ashore ,,in ,a ,,boat--,,capsized ,,in ,,the ,,surf--,,elder ,,lorenzo ,,snow ,,lost--,,after ,a ,,long ,,search1 ,,found ,,under ,,the ,,boat--,,efforts ,,to ,,resuscitate ,,him--,,restored ,,to ,,life ,,one ,,hour ,,after ,,being ,,drowned4 ,in the summer and autumn of #aheg1 a ,united ,states army was marching towards ,utah1 evidently with hostile intentions towards its people4 ,it was thought wisdom1 by the authorities of the ,church1 to concentrate the strength of the ,saints for any emergency1 by calling home the ,elders that were on foreign missions4 ,when the last of the ,elders from ,utah left the ,sandwich ,islands1 on the #ast of ,may1 #aheh1 the care of the ,saints on each of the islands was entrusted to a native ,elder4 ,kailihune was appointed to preside over the gathering place on ,lanai4 ,he was among the first fruits of the labors of the ,elders1 and for a long time had been very efficient and faithful4 ,during our difficulties with the government ,walter ,m4 ,gibson1 an adventurer1 came to ,utah4 ,his ostensible object was to induce ,president ,young1 and the general ,church authorities1 to remove our people en masse1 to the ,east ,india ,islands4 ,he painted1 in glowing colors1 the splendid facilities and opportunities those islands offered for immigration and colonization1 by an enterprising and industrious people like the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,in his ignorance1 he supposed that the object of the founder and leaders of the ,church was to found a powerful and independent nation4 ,the object of these schemes was1 evidently1 his own personal aggrandizement4 ,it had1 no doubt1 been a favorite project of his1 for years1 to found a government somewhere on the islands of the ,pacific ,ocean4 ,failing in his scheme for the removal of the ,church1 some other plan must be devised for the accomplishment of his cherished purpose4 ,he professed to become a convert to our faith1 and was baptized into the ,church4 ,he then requested to be sent on a mission to the ,polynesian ,islands4 ,he desired a roving commission from the ,presidency of the ,church1 authorizing him to travel and preach1 on any or all of the islands1 in the ,pacific ,ocean4 ,before leaving ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,mr4 ,gibson made it a specialty to converse with the ,elders who had lately returned from the ,sandwich ,islands4 ,he sought to be well informed on the general condition of the islands1 the customs1 traditions1 and general character of the natives1 and1 especially did he seek to be well informed as to the numbers1 organization1 location1 and general condition of the native ,saints4 ,his object1 in this1 developed afterwards4 ,when he left ,utah he went directly to the ,sandwich ,islands4 ,he soon found some of the ,saints1 and represented to them1 that he had been sent by ,president ,young1 not only to take charge of the mission on those islands1 but to preside over all the churches that might be raised up on any of the ,pacific islands1 and1 in that capacity1 that he was equal to1 and entirely independent of ,president ,young4 ,the native ,saints had been left about two years to themselves4 ,they were naturally simple and credulous1 and it was easy to impose upon them4 ,as soon as ,mr4 ,gibson acquired some knowledge of the native language1 he commenced traveling among the branches of the ,church1 and grafted on to the gospel1 many of the old traditions and superstitions of the ,hawaiians4 ,he reorganized the ,church1 or1 more properly speaking1 reconstructed it in accordance with his own notions1 throughout the islands4 ,he was one of those characters1 of whom the apostle ,peter warned the ,saints in his day1 and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you4 ,he ordained twelve apostles1 and charged them one hundred and fifty dollars each for initiating them into the office1 and charged ,high ,priests1 ,seventies1 etc1 proportionately1 according to the presumed importance of the offices4 ,by this and other impositions1 he succeeded in raising sufficient means for the purchase of one half of the island of ,lanai4 ,some years before the ,elders had leased the same tract of land1 of ,halelea1 a native chief1 for a temporary gathering place for the ,saints4 ,mr4 ,gibson represented to the ,saints that he was securing the land for them1 but that it would have to be deeded to him for them4 ,for the accomplishment of his purpose1 concentration and organization were necessary4 ,he continued to gather the ,saints to ,lanai4 ,there he organized all the males1 old and young1 into companions1 and daily drilled them in the art of war4 ,he informed them that1 as soon as they were properly disciplined1 it was his intention to build or purchase a vessel1 equip it1 and sail for one of the ,south ,sea ,islands4 ,he would seek a favorable opportunity1 conquer the natives1 leave some of his disciplined men in charge of the conquered territory1 and fill up his depleted ranks with raw recruits4 ,in this way1 he designed to conquer one island after another1 until he organized a large fleet1 and subjugated all the ,polynesian ,islands4 ,thus he hoped to realize his wildest dreams by organizing1 as he expressed it1 ,one great grand empire1 that would be able to take its place among the leading nations of the earth4 ,his every act from the time of his arrival in ,utah1 had been designed for his own aggrandizement4 ,he had learned nothing of the spirit and power of the gospel4 ,the ,lord is establishing ,his kingdom1 and he was fighting against it4 ,if he has not already done so1 he will yet realize the truth of the saying of the ,savior1 in his teachings1 when1 on his earthly mission1 he likened the ,kingdom of ,god to a stone1 and said1 ,and whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken3 but on whomsoever it may fall1 it will grind him to powder4 ,notwithstanding the ,saints had been gradually led astray by ,mr4 ,gibson1 they felt that his teachings and practices were not the same as those of the ,elders who had labored among them before his coming4 ,fearing they might be deceived1 some eight of the native ,elders wrote to brethren in ,utah who had labored for many years among them4 ,they stated some of the facts concerning ,mr4 ,gibson's course1 and asked for advice4 ,this communication was translated and submitted to ,president ,young4 ,the ,first ,presidency decided that ,apostles ,e4 ,t4 ,benson and ,lorenzo ,snow should visit the islands1 and that ,elders ,joseph4 ,f4 ,smith1 ,alma ,l4 ,smith1 and myself1 who had previously been on missions to the islands and understood the native language1 should accompany them4 ,we arrived at ,honolulu1 the capital of the islands1 about the #bgth of ,march1 #ahfd4 ,on the #bith we sailed for ,lahaina1 on the schooner1 ,nettie ,merrill1 ,captain ,fisher1 for the island of ,maui1 a distance of about ninety miles from ,honolulu4 ,on the morning of the #cast of ,march1 we came to anchor about one mile from the mouth of the little harbor of ,lahaina4 ,apostles ,ezra ,t4 ,benson1 ,lorenzo ,snow1 ,brother ,alma ,l4 ,smith1 and myself1 got into the small boat to go ashore4 ,brother ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 as he afterwards stated1 had some misgivings about going in that boat1 but the manifestation was not sufficiently strong to indicate any general accident4 ,he preferred to remain on board the vessel1 until the boat returned4 ,the boat started for the shore4 ,it contained some barrels and boxes1 the captain1 a white man1 two or three native passengers1 and the boat's crew1 who were also natives4 ,the entrance to the harbor is a very narrow passage between coral reefs1 and when the sea is rough it is very dangerous1 on account of the breakers4 ,where the vessel lay the sea was not rough1 but only presented the appearance of heavy swells rolling to the shore4 ,as we approached the reef it was evident to me1 that the surf was running higher than we anticipated4 ,i called the captain's attention to the fact4 ,we were running quartering across the waves1 and ,i suggested that we change our course so as to run at right angles with them4 ,he replied1 that he did not think there was any danger1 and our course was not changed4 ,we went but little farther1 when a heavy swell struck the boat and carried us before it about fifty yards4 ,when the swell passed it left us in a trough between two huge waves4 ,it was too late to retrieve our error1 and we must run our chances4 ,when the second swell struck the boat1 it raised the stern so high that the steersman's oar was out of the water1 and he lost control of the boat4 ,it rode on the swell a short distance1 and swung around just as the wave began to break up4 ,we were almost instantly capsized1 into the dashing1 foaming sea4 ,i felt no concern for myself about drowning1 for while on my former mission ,i had learned to swim and sport in the surf of those shores4 ,the last ,i remembered of ,brother ,snow1 as the boat was going over ,i saw him seize the upper edge of it with both hands4 ,fearing that the upper edge of the boat1 or the barrels1 might hit and injure me as the boat was going over1 ,i plunged head foremost into the water4 ,after swimming a short distance1 ,i came to the surface without being strangled or injured4 ,the boat was bottom upwards1 and barrels1 hats1 and umbrellas were floating in every direction4 ,i swam to the boat and as there was nothing to cling to on the bottom1 ,i reached under and seized the edge of it4 ,about the same time1 brother ,benson came up near me1 and readily got hold of the boat4 ,the natives soon appeared1 and swam about quite unconcerned for their own safety4 ,brother ,alma ,l4 ,smith came up on the opposite side of the boat from brother ,benson and myself4 ,he was considerably strangled1 but succeeded in securing a hold on the boat4 ,a short time afterwards the captain was discovered1 about fifty yards from us4 ,two of his sailors swam to his assistance1 and1 one on each side1 succeeded in keeping him on the surface1 although life was apparently extinct4 ,nothing yet had been seen of ,brother ,snow1 although the natives had been swimming and diving in every direction in search of him4 ,we were only about one fourth of a mile from the shore4 ,the people1 as soon as they discovered our circumstances1 manned a life boat and hurried to the rescue4 ,we were taken into the boat1 when the crew wanted to row for the shore1 and pick up the captain on the way4 ,we told them that one of our friends was yet missing1 and we did not want to leave1 as long as there was any possibility of a chance to render him assistance4 ,we discovered that a second boat had left the shore1 and could reach the captain as soon as the one we were in4 ,seeing this1 the crew of the boat we were in1 consented to remain and assist us4 ,the captain was taken ashore1 and1 by working over him for some time1 was brought to life4 ,the life of ,captain ,fisher would not1 probably1 have been much endangered1 except for a sack of four or five hundred dollars in silver which he held in his hand4 ,this he clung to with great tenacity4 ,when the boat capsized the weight of it took him at once to the bottom4 ,the natives dove and brought him up1 still clinging to the sack4 ,when his vitality was restored1 the first thing he inquired about was the money2 intimating to the natives1 with peculiar emphasis1 that it would not have been healthy for them to have lost it4 ,brother ,snow had not yet been discovered1 and the anxiety was intense4 ,the natives were1 evidently1 doing all in their power4 ,finally1 one of them1 in edging himself around the capsized boat1 must have felt ,brother ,snow with his feet and pulled him1 at least partly1 from under it1 as the first ,i saw of ,brother ,snow was his hair floating upon the water as the native was dragging him through the water around one end of the capsized boat4 ,as soon as we got him into our boat1 we told the boatmen to pull for the shore with all possible speed4 ,his body was stiff1 and life was evidently extinct4 ,brother ,alma ,l4 ,smith and myself were sitting side by side4 ,we laid ,brother ,snow across our laps1 and1 on the way to shore1 we quietly administered to him and asked the ,lord to spare his life1 that he might return to his family and home4 ,on reaching the shore1 we carried him a little way1 to some large empty barrels that were lying on the sandy beach4 ,we laid him1 face downwards1 on one of these1 and rolled him back and forth until we succeeded in getting the water that he had swallowed out of him4 ,during this time1 a number of persons came down from the town2 among them was ,mr4 ,e4 ,p4 ,adams1 a merchant4 ,all were willing to do what they could4 ,we washed ,brother ,snow's face with camphor1 furnished by ,mr4 ,adams4 ,we did not only what was customary in such cases1 but also what the spirit seemed to whisper to us4 ,after working over him for some time1 without any indications of returning life1 the bystanders said that nothing more could be done for him4 ,but we did not feel like giving him up1 and still prayed and worked over him1 with an assurance that the ,lord would hear and answer our prayers4 ,finally we were impressed to place our mouth over his and make an effort to inflate his lungs1 alternately blowing in and drawing out the air1 imitating1 as far as possible1 the natural process of breathing4 ,this we persevered in until we succeeded in inflating his lungs4 ,after a little1 there were very faint indications of returning vitality4 ,a slight wink of the eye1 which1 until then1 had been open and deathlike1 and a very faint rattle in the throat1 were the first symptoms of returning life4 ,these grew more and more distinct1 until consciousness was fully restored4 ,when this result was reached1 it must have been fully an hour after the capsizing of the boat4 ,a ,portuguese man1 living in ,lahaina1 who1 from the first1 rendered us much assistance1 invited us to take ,brother ,snow to his house4 ,there being no ,saints in the place1 we gladly accepted his kind offer4 ,every possible attention was given to ,brother ,snow's comfort4 ,persons in danger and excitement1 often see things a little differently4 ,the following is ,apostle ,snow's account of the capsizing of the boat3 ,as we were moving along within some half a mile from the point where we expected to land1 my attention was suddenly arrested by ,captain ,fisher calling to the oarsmen1 in a voice which denoted some alarm1 ',hurry up6 hurry up6' ,i quickly discovered the cause of alarm4 ,a short distance behind us1 ,i saw an immense surf1 thirty or forty feet high rushing towards us swifter than a race horse4 ,we had scarcely a moment for reflection before the huge mass was upon us4 ,in an instant our boat1 with its contents1 as though it were only a feather1 was hurled into the briny water1 and we were under this rolling1 seething1 mountain wave4 ,this was certainly unexpected4 ,it took me by surprise4 ,i think1 however1 that ,i soon comprehended the situation3 that we were in the midst of the turbulent waters1 a quarter of a mile from the shore1 without much probability of receiving human aid4 ,i felt confident1 however1 that there would be some way of escape2 that the ,lord would provide the means1 for it was not possible that my life and mission were thus to terminate4 ,this reliance on the ,lord banished fear1 and inspired me with hope up to the last moment of consciousness4 ,having been somewhat subject to fainting spells1 ,i believe that after a few moments in the water1 ,i must have fainted1 as ,i did not suffer the pain common in the experience of drowning persons4 ,i had been in the water only a few moments1 until ,i lost consciousness4 ,the first ,i knew afterwards1 ,i was on shore receiving the kind and tender attentions of my brethren4 ,the first recollection ,i have of returning consciousness1 was seeing a very small light1 the smallest maginable4 ,this soon disappeared1 and ,i was again in total darkness4 ,again it appeared1 much larger than before1 then sank away and left me1 as before1 in forgetfulness4 ,thus it continued to come and go1 until1 finally1 ,i recognized1 as ,i thought1 persons whispering1 and soon after ,i asked in a feeble whisper1 ',what is the matter8' ,i immediately recognized the voice of ,elder ,cluff1 as he replied1 ',you have been drowned2 the boat upset in the surf4' ,quick as lightning1 the scene of our disaster flashed upon my mind4 ,i immediately asked1 ',are you brethren all safe8' ,the emotion that was awakened in my bosom by the answer of ,elder ,cluff1 will remain as long as life continues3 ',brother ,snow1 we are all safe4' ,i rapidly recovered1 and very soon was able to walk and accompany the brethren to our lodgings4 ,as soon as ,brother ,snow was out of danger1 it occurred to me that ,i had better return to the vessel4 ,as ,i reached the deck1 by the rope ladder over its side1 ,i saw1 at a glance1 that ,brother ,smith was under great anxiety of mind4 ,we were both under an intensity of feeling1 which men usually experience only a few times in their lives4 ,brother ,smith had been informed by a native that the captain and an elderly white man were drowned4 ,the latter1 he supposed to be ,brother ,benson1 hence his great anxiety4 ,my own nervous system was strung up to an extreme tension by the events of the past two hours4 ,when ,i told ,brother ,smith that all were safe1 the sudden revulsion of feeling almost overcame him4 ,we rejoiced together that through a merciful ,providence1 and the faith that had been bestowed upon us1 we were all alive4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,journey ,,to ,,lanai--,,meet ,,mr4 ,,gibson--,,reverence ,,of ,,natives ,,for ,,him--,,his ,,speech ,,and ,,assumption--,,elder ,,joseph ,f4 ,,smith',s ,,reply--,,elder ,,snow',s ,,prophecy--,,mr4 ,,gibson ,,cut ,,off ,,the ,,church--,,elder ,,snow',s ,,prophecy ,,fulfilled--,,advised ,,to ,,select ,a ,,new ,,gathering ,,place--,a ,,vision--,,suitable ,,place ,,pointed ,,out4 ,,on the #bnd of ,april1 ,brother ,snow had so far recovered his strength1 that it was thought best to pursue our journey4 ,we hired some natives to take us in an open boat across the channel1 sixteen miles1 to ,lanai4 ,we arrived at the landing place1 three miles from the village1 just at dark4 ,we sent a messenger to ,mr4 ,gibson1 with the request that he would send down some saddle horses for us to ride up in the morning4 ,early the following morning1 ,april #crd1 the horses were ready for us4 ,an hour's ride over a rough1 rocky road brought us to the settlement4 ,our reception by ,mr4 ,gibson1 and most of the native ,saints1 was cool and very formal4 ,many improvements had been made since our last visit1 that were praiseworthy1 and reflected great credit on ,mr4 ,gibson4 ,after breakfast1 ,apostles ,benson and ,snow engaged in conversation with ,mr4 ,gibson on the affairs of the mission4 ,that day and the following1 were principally spent in laboring with ,mr4 ,gibson and the native ,elders1 to get them1 if possible1 to see the condition they were in4 ,during this time1 ,brothers ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 ,alma ,l4 ,smith and myself1 took a ride around the valley accompanied by ,mr4 ,gibson's daughter1 as our guide4 ,about one-half of a mile from ,mr4 ,gibson's residence1 was a large rock1 the top several feet above the ground4 ,mr4 ,gibson had a chamber cut into this rock1 in which he had deposited a ,book of ,mormon1 and other things1 and called it the corner stone of a great temple1 which would be erected there4 ,a frame work of poles had been constructed1 in a circular form around this rock1 and this was covered with brush4 ,mr4 ,gibson1 by appealing to the pagan superstitions of the natives1 made them believe that this spot was sacred1 and if any person touched it1 he would be struck dead4 ,so much faith had the daughter of ,mr4 ,gibson in the teachings of her father1 that she related1 apparently in good faith1 the circumstance of a hen flying upon the boothe1 and immediately falling down dead4 ,notwithstanding the protest of ,miss ,gibson1 that it was very dangerous to do so1 we went inside of the brush structure1 and examined the rock and came out unharmed4 ,we were further informed that ,mr4 ,gibson had succeeded in surrounding his own person and residence with such a halo of sacredness in the minds of the natives1 that they always entered his house on their hands and knees4 ,this was repeated on other occasions4 ,it was the old customary way1 in which the natives had been in the habit of paying respect to their kings1 and the custom had been revived by ,mr4 ,gibson1 in order to increase his personal prestige4 ,we had previously learned that the ,saints would assemble in conference on the #fth of ,april4 ,at ten o'clock1 a4 m41 they had assembled in the meeting house4 ,we all started to go in1 when ,mr4 ,gibson made some excuse for returning to his house4 ,we went and took our seats on the stand4 ,the house was well filled4 ,in a few minutes ,mr4 ,gibson made his appearance4 ,as soon as he entered the door1 the entire congregation instantly arose to their feet1 and remained standing until he was seated on the stand4 ,the execution of this act of reverence evinced long and careful training4 ,mr4 ,gibson had1 doubtless1 delayed his entrance1 to make a fitting opportunity for this exhibition4 ,he entirely ignored the presence of the ,apostles1 and1 after the people were seated1 arose and gave out the opening hymn4 ,this act gave evidence1 at once1 that he had no proper idea of the organization and authority of the ,priesthood4 ,seeing this1 ,president ,benson called on me to pray4 ,without giving any time for consultation1 as soon as the second hymn was sung1 ,mr4 ,gibson arose to his feet and commenced to address the congregation1 in substance as follows3 ,my dear red-skinned brethren1 sisters and friends1 ,i presume you are all wondering1 and anxious to know why these strangers have come so suddenly among us1 without giving us any notice of their coming4 ,i will assure you of one thing1 my red-skinned friends1 when ,i find out1 ,i will be sure to let you know1 for ,i am your father1 and will protect you in your rights4 ,these strangers may say they are your friends1 but let me remind you how1 when they lived here1 years ago1 they lived upon your very scanty substance4 ,did they make any such improvements as you see ,i have made8 ,did ,i not come here and find you without a father1 poor1 and discouraged8 ,did ,i not gather you together here1 and make all these improvements that you to-day enjoy8 ,now1 you1 my red-skinned friends1 must decide who your friend and father is2 whether it is these strangers1 or ,i1 who have done so much for you4 ,when he took his seat1 ,president ,benson requested ,brother ,joseph ,f4 ,smith to talk1 rather intimating that it was desirable to speak on general principles1 and that he need not feel bound to notice all that ,mr4 ,gibson had said4 ,it seemed impossible for any man to speak with greater power and demonstration of the ,spirit4 ,he referred the ,saints to the labors of ,brother ,george ,q4 ,cannon1 and the first ,elders who brought them the gospel4 ,he reminded them of facts with which the older ,saints were well acquainted--the great disadvantage the ,elders labored under1 and the privations they suffered in first preaching the gospel on the islands4 ,how they slept in their then miserable huts1 and lived as they lived2 how they traveled on foot1 in storms1 and in bad weather1 from village to village1 and from house to house1 exposing health and life2 how they went destitute of clothing1 and what they had been in the habit of considering the necessaries of life1 to bring them the blessings of the gospel1 without money and without price4 ,he asked by what right ,mr4 ,gibson called himself the father of the people1 and the ,elders who faithfully labored to establish them in the gospel strangers4 ,the spirit and power that accompanied ,brother ,smith's remarks astonished the ,saints and opened their eyes4 ,they began to see how they had been imposed upon4 ,every word he spoke found a response in their hearts1 as was plainly manifest by their eager looks and animated countenances4 ,there was another meeting in the afternoon1 in which ,apostles ,benson and ,snow addressed the ,saints4 ,their remarks were interpreted by ,elder ,joseph ,f4 ,smith4 ,on the #gth1 there was a meeting in the forenoon4 ,a ,priesthood meeting was appointed for the evening1 and the conference adjourned sine die4 ,the meeting of the ,priesthood in the evening was well attended1 as it was understood that ,mr4 ,gibson's course would be investigated4 ,the complaints that were made by the native ,elders1 in the communication that led to our present mission1 were read1 and ,mr4 ,gibson was called on to make answer to the charges4 ,in addition to nearly a repetition of his harangue at the meeting on the day previous1 his reply consisted of a bombastic display of some letters of appointment1 and recommendations from ,president ,young1 to which he attached large seals1 bedecked with a variety of colored ribbons1 to give them an air of importance1 and official significance1 in the eyes of the unsophisticated natives4 ,these papers he held up before the people1 and1 pointing to them said1 with great emphasis1 ,here is my authority1 which ,i received direct from ,president ,brigham ,young4 ,i don't hold myself accountable to these men6 meaning the ,apostles and those who came with them4 ,had there been no other proof of the wrong course of ,mr4 ,gibson1 that remark was sufficient to satisfy the brethren what their plain duty was1 and they acted promptly in the matter4 ,apostle ,e4 ,t4 ,benson followed ,mr4 ,gibson4 ,he reviewed ,mr4 ,gibson's past course1 and showed that1 in making merchandise of the offices of the ,priesthood1 introducing the former pagan superstitions of the people1 for the purpose of obtaining power1 and his idea of establishing a temporal and independent kingdom on the ,pacific isles1 were all in antagonism to the plan laid down in the gospel for the redemption of man4 ,the spirit manifested by ,mr4 ,gibson proved that he was ignorant of the powers of the ,priesthood1 or that he ignored them for purely selfish motives4 ,what they had seen and heard since their arrival1 proved that the complaints made by the native ,elders1 in their letters to ,utah1 were correct1 as far as they went1 but the half had not been told4 ,brother ,benson's remarks were interpreted1 after which1 it was motioned that ,mr4 ,gibson's course be disapproved4 ,when this was put to a vote1 all but one of the native ,elders voted against the motion4 ,this showed that ,mr4 ,gibson still retained a strong hold on the minds of the ,saints4 ,notwithstanding this show of strong opposition1 ,brother ,snow arose1 and in his remarks prophesied that ,mr4 ,gibson would see the time that not one of the ,saints would remain with him4 ,brother ,joseph ,f4 ,smith remarked1 that1 among the scores of ,elders who had labored on the islands1 none had been so utterly wanting in the spirit and power of the gospel as to charge the ,saints anything for conferring on them the blessings of the ,priesthood1 until ,walter ,m4 ,gibson came1 and had the presumption to claim that he had a right to ordain apostles and high priests1 for a price--for money4 ,the ,apostles informed ,mr4 ,gibson and the ,saints that1 when they left the islands for home1 ,elder ,joseph ,f4 ,smith would be left in charge of the mission4 ,that all those who wished to be considered in good standing in the ,church should leave ,lanai and return to their homes on the other islands1 where the branches would be reorganized and set in order by the brethren who would be left for that purpose4 ,the next day we returned to ,lahaina1 where we held a council and cut ,mr4 ,gibson off from the ,church4 ,we returned to ,honolulu1 and1 about eight days after1 ,apostles ,snow and ,benson took passage on the bark ,onward1 for ,san ,francisco4 ,brother ,snow's prophecy was literally fulfilled4 ,the ,saints all left ,mr4 ,gibson and returned to their former homes1 as they had been counseled to do4 ,the last one to leave him was ,kailihune1 the ,elder who had been left to preside over the place of gathering on ,lanai4 ,he finally rejoined the ,church4 ,all the plans of ,mr4 ,gibson were completely frustrated4 ,he is a prominent example of the nothingness of man1 when he attempts to battle against the kingdom of ,god4 ,when the ,elders were called home1 in #aheh1 there had not been time to do much in gathering the ,saints4 ,as ,mr4 ,gibson had succeeded in obtaining a personal title to the land leased for that purpose1 on the island of ,lanai1 brothers ,benson and ,snow advised the ,elders who remained1 to notice in their travels what appeared to them the best places for this purpose1 that1 when the time came for it1 a good selection might be made4 ,on the island of ,oahu1 and near the sea shore1 lived a white man by the name of ,doharty4 ,he did not belong to the ,church1 but was friendly to the ,saints1 and the ,elders frequently shared his hospitality4 ,between his house and the sea beach was a piece of ground1 where grew a very dense thicket of a large shrub of a peculiar growth4 ,through this were paths made by the people and their domestic animals4 ,into this thicket the ,elders when there were in the habit of daily retiring to pray4 ,one day when ,i was walking along one of these paths1 ,i saw ,president ,young approach me4 ,said he ,this is the place to gather the native ,saints to4 ,he seemed to fully comprehend the surroundings1 and in that easy1 familiar way1 so characteristic of him1 indicated the advantages afforded for a settlement4 ,no matter what my bodily condition might have been at that time1 the apparent meeting was in the open air and the broad light of day4 ,it was as real to me as any fact of my life4 ,i saw the facilities of the place as he represented them1 and ever afterwards1 that appeared to me the best place on the islands for the gathering of the ,saints4 ,we remained on the islands about six months before other ,elders arrived from ,utah1 and we were released to return home4 ,when we arrived in ,san ,francisco1 we met ,elders ,f4 ,a4 ,hammond1 and ,george ,nebeker1 on their way to the ,sandwich ,islands4 ,they had instructions to visit1 and carefully examine all the islands1 and make the best possible location that could be made available1 to establish a place for the gathering of the ,saints4 ,i was afterwards informed1 that they faithfully carried out their instructions1 and at last decided that the place to which ,i have referred on the island of ,oahu1 was the best for the purpose4 ,it was purchased1 and many of the ,saints are now gathered there4 ,they have an extensive sugar plantation1 where labor is provided for them1 and every possible facility is afforded for their advancement4 ,a ,,prophecy ,,fulfilled4 ,,an ,,incident ,,of ,,missionary ,,experience4 ,,by ,b4 ,f4 ,,johnson4 ,,called ,,on ,a ,,mission ,,to ,,the ,,sandwich ,,islands--,,journey ,,by ,,the ,,southern ,,route--,a ,,prophecy--,,fear ,,after ,,uttering ,,it--,,residence ,,in ,,honolulu--,,political ,,and ,,religious ,,conflict--,,the ,,kingdom ,,in ,,jeopardy--,,dissatisfaction ,,among ,,the ,,people--,,letter ,,to ,,the ,,king ,,favorably ,,considered--,a ,,dream--,a ,,prince ,,sent ,,by ,,the ,,king ,,to ,,ask ,,counsel ,,of ,,latter-,,day ,,saint ,,elders--,,advice ,,accepted1 ,,and ,,the ,,kingdom ,,saved--,,the ,,dream ,,and ,,prophecy ,,fulfiled ,,together4 ,with eight other ,elders ,i was called by the ,general ,october ,conference of #aheb1 on a mission to the ,sandwich ,islands4 ,we went by what was then known as the ,southern route to ,california1 in order to sail from ,san ,francisco4 ,in passing through the southern settlements of ,utah1 we were everywhere treated with kindness and respect4 ,we were often invited to preach where we stopped for the night1 or to spend the ,sabbath4 ,we were in company with many other ,elders who were called to go on missions to ,china1 ,australia1 ,hindostan1 ,ceylon1 and other places4 ,we all1 alike1 took part in the meetings1 and shared the hospitality of the ,saints4 ,at ,parowan we had an unusually good time1 in a meeting of the ,saints4 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord rested greatly upon both hearers and speakers4 ,i was the last ,elder called upon to speak1 and only a few minutes were left for me to occupy4 ,being full of the good feeling and spirit of the meeting1 ,i commenced1 not only to bear my testimony to the truth1 but to prophesy of the future of some of the sons of ,zion who were then going forth as her ministers4 ,i predicted that1 through faithfulness1 the wisdom of heaven would increase with us2 that while the wicked became weaker1 the ,elders of ,israel would grow wiser2 that the nations of the earth would begin to look towards ,zion for counselors and statesmen1 and that1 if the ,elders now going forth to the ends of the earth were true to their calling1 they would not all fill their missions until some of them would be called upon to give counsel to some of the rulers of the lands to which they were sent4 ,after closing my prophecy and remarks1 and ,i had time to ponder on what ,i had said1 ,i began to doubt the possibility of my predictions being fulfilled1 and began to be troubled in mind4 ,for a time ,i could not divest myself of the feeling1 that my prediction was ill-timed and not by the spirit of the gospel4 ,i would sometimes query if the brethren did not regard me as a false prophet1 or1 at least1 as an enthusiast4 ,when we arrived on the ,sandwich ,islands1 we found the work of the ,lord progressing4 ,the ,elders who had been laboring there were greatly rejoiced to see us4 ,after a general mission conference1 most of the brethren left ,honolulu for their fields of labor on the different islands4 ,i was left at this capital city1 in charge of the foreign interests of the mission1 to preside over a small branch of ,saints1 which had been gathered from the foreign residents on the islands1 and to preach to the people as ,i might find opportunity4 ,i also assisted ,elders ,lewis and ,cannon1 in raising funds for publishing the ,book of ,mormon in the native language4 ,owing to the conflicting interests of political and religious parties in the ,hawaiian kingdom1 it was in a weak condition4 ,the various missionary interests had nearly changed into political ones4 ,dr4 ,judd1 one of the missionaries sent out by the ,american ,board of ,foreign ,missions1 had long been the king's prime minister4 ,another missionary1 by the name of ,armstrong1 was ,minister of ,public ,instruction1 and other ,americans filled the offices of ,minister of ,foreign ,relations1 ,chief ,justice1 ,attorney ,general1 etc4 ,this missionary-political power began to cause great jealousy1 especially in the case of ,dr4 ,judd4 ,through his political advantages he had acquired much wealth1 and1 apparently by its use1 raised himself up to be a power behind the throne1 greater than the throne itself4 ,king ,kamehameha ,,iii41 like ,george the ,,iii41 of ,england1 had not reached a high standard of virtue1 or political economy4 ,it was said that1 for money borrowed of ,dr4 ,judd1 he had given a mortgage on the royal palace4 ,as he had no children of his own he had adopted as next in succession1 two sons of his sister1 who were princes of the realm4 ,about this time two projects were deeply agitating the public mind4 ,one was the annexation of the islands to the ,united ,states1 the other1 a ,british protectorate over them4 ,neither of these projects suited the interests of the young princes1 or pleased the majority of the people4 ,there appeared to be but one thing upon which nearly all the natives could agree1 that was opposition to ,dr4 ,judd as the king's prime minister4 ,he was1 of course1 sustained by some of his fellow missionaries1 but appeared to be detested by the majority of those around him4 ,petition after petition was sent to the king1 asking for1 and even demanding1 his removal4 ,the court house and other large halls were crowded with indignation meetings1 to protest against his being retained in office4 ,it seemed1 at times1 as though the people would break out in tumult and insurrection1 yet the king made no move to give them satisfaction1 and1 for many days1 no answer was given to their petitions4 ,all this time ,i had been a careful observer1 and had attended their meetings4 ,i had previously written a lengthy letter to the king1 explaining the gospel as now revealed and the object of our mission to the islands4 ,this letter he had caused to be published in the government journal1 both in the ,english and ,hawaiian languages4 ,such was the impression the reading of it made on his mind1 that he sent1 through the ,minister of ,foreign ,relations1 to say that he would give us an audience at his earliest convenience4 ,up to the time of which ,i am writing1 he had not found the convenient opportunity4 ,in the midst of this political commotion1 ,i1 one night1 dreamed that ,i stood upon an eminence near a large mountain4 ,i saw below me upon the bank of a small1 but rapid stream1 a large and rudely constructed frame building1 apparently designed for machinery4 ,it was not yet fully enclosed4 ,as ,i looked1 ,i saw a dense smoke arise from the building1 and heard the cry of fire from a large number of people4 ,it seemed that the wind blew strong from the mountain towards the building4 ,the people came up on the opposite side of the building1 to put out the fire1 and they were blinded by the smoke which blew in their faces4 ,i thought how foolish they were1 to thus stay on the opposite side from the wind1 to be blinded with the smoke4 ,looking1 ,i saw a bucket with a rope attached on a flume through which the water ran4 ,i quickly took it up1 drew it full of water1 looked for the center of the fire1 dashed it in1 and1 all at once1 the flame was extinguished4 ,i thought a multitude of people came crowding into the building1 wondering by whom the fire had been extinguished4 ,although ,i was with them1 they appeared to comprehend nothing of my agency in the matter4 ,i thought they were almost wild with joy1 that the building1 although somewhat charred and damaged1 had been saved4 ,they calculated that the damage the building had sustained was about fifty thousand dollars4 ,i awoke in the morning1 strangely impressed with the dream4 ,i related it to ,brother ,nathan ,tanner1 who was then with me4 ,i told him ,i thought we should see its interpretation4 ,that morning1 ,brother ,tanner called on one of the native ,saints1 who was living with ,halalea1 one of the highest native chiefs4 ,he was a special friend of1 and a counselor to1 the king1 and the man who carried him my letter4 ,he told ,brother ,tanner that the king had appointed him to come with ,prince ,rehoreho1 to meet us that night at our rooms1 lay before us the king's great political trouble1 and get our counsel4 ,it came plainly to me1 then1 that therein would be the fulfillment of my dream4 ,about ten o'clock the same evening1 they called on us4 ,they said the king was greatly exercised in his mind over the troubled condition of his government1 and that he was not decided as to what was best to do4 ,he said that he could not trust to the counsel of his ministers1 nor to the advice of the ministers of other nations then at his court1 for all had some point to gain4 ,dr4 ,judd1 in his past troubles1 had been his adviser1 and1 in times of need1 had supplied him with money4 ,it pained him1 then1 to turn out of office one who had so long been his friend1 and1 upon this subject1 he wished us to give him our wisest counsel4 ,while ,halalea and the prince were delivering their message1 ,i was continually praying in my heart that the ,lord would give us wisdom to say such things as would do honor to ,his cause1 for ,i felt very small for such an important occasion4 ,after they delivered the king's message in full1 ,i arose and told them that we were not sent to meddle with governments1 nor to teach political science1 but to preach the gospel of ,christ as now revealed4 ,but1 inasmuch as the king was our friend1 and desired counsel of us1 we would give him such as the ,lord would put in our hearts4 ,i told them the ,bible said1 that when the wicked rule the people mourn2 that if ,dr4 ,judd was really a good man and a true friend to the king1 as the king had believed him to be1 he would not now allow the king to be in such great trouble on his account1 but1 like a true friend1 would resign his office for the sake of peace between the king and his subjects4 ,the fact that he was disposed to hold on to his office1 at the expense of peace to the king's realm1 showed1 conclusively1 that he was influenced by other motives than the peace and welfare of the kingdom4 ,we feel1 said ,i1 that the present great political trouble and mourning is owing to ,dr4 ,judd not being a good man1 but wickedly holding a grasp upon the government office against the wishes of the people1 for which there is no necessity1 as the king has many true subjects of more than equal ability1 any one of whom he could appoint as ,dr4 ,judd's successor4 ,when ,i ceased speaking1 the king's messengers clasped my hands and said3 ,the things you have told us we had not thought of1 and they are true4 ,the king will be glad when we tell him what you have said1 for we can see it plainly1 now4 ,we will assure you that1 at ten o'clock to-morrow1 you will hear the king's herald proclaiming through the streets of the city that ,dr4 ,judd is removed from office4 ,they left us with the warmest feelings of gratitude and friendship4 ,the next morning at ten o'clock1 the heralds were heard proclaiming the dismissal of ,dr4 ,judd4 ,the news created wonder and astonishment among the people1 and they hurried together with public demonstrations of joy4 ,they greatly marveled and queried by what agency1 or through whose influence this long delayed1 though most desirable object had been attained4 ,as ,i had dreamed1 so ,i saw the people greatly rejoicing1 and1 although ,i was daily among them1 they had no thought that a ,latter-day ,saint could have had any agency in so important a matter4 ,at night the city was brilliantly illuminated4 ,there were few windows in it that did not have1 at least1 one candle to each pane of glass4 ,in a settlement with ,dr4 ,judd1 as ,i had dreamed1 the government found that it had lost fifty thousand dollars4 ,thus my prophecy and my dream were fulfilled together1 and peace returned to the people4 ,joy came to our hearts that the ,lord1 through the inspiration of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 had made us1 ,his humble ,elders1 the means of giving saving counsel to princes4 ,,special ,,providences4 ,,circumstances ,,under ,,which ,,the ,,early ,,temples ,,were ,,built--,,how ,,the ,,workmen ,,were ,,encouraged--,,arrival ,,of ,,brother ,l--,,in ,,nauvoo--,,his ,,willingness ,,to ,,work ,,without ,,pay--,,his ,,extreme ,,want--,,appeals ,,to ,,god ,,for ,,help--,,money ,,miraculously ,,provided--,,prayer ,,for ,,food ,,answered--,,providential ,,finding ,,of ,a ,,pair ,,of ,,shoes ,,on ,,the ,,plains--,a ,,crippled ,,shoulder ,,restored ,,while ,,defending ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,if a record had been kept of all the facts connected with the building of the ,kirtland and ,nauvoo ,temples1 it would tell a curious story of poverty1 self-denial1 dependence upon ,god and wants providentially supplied4 ,no doubt such a record has been kept1 but not here on earth4 ,we have not access to it4 ,but many1 very many of those who had the privilege of aiding in the work of building those temples have gone to meet that record4 ,some doubtless will meet it with satisfaction1 with joy untold2 others with remorse and self-reproach4 ,could the ,saints of the present day peruse that record1 it would put many of them to the blush to think they had done so little in aid of such works4 ,they would see that1 though they have enjoyed peace and plenty1 they have done almost nothing towards the temples in our day1 compared with what the poor ,saints did in building those earlier houses of ,god4 ,the ,kirtland ,temple was built when the ,saints were few in number and in great poverty1 and though comparatively small in size1 the erection of such a building by the tithes and voluntary donations of those who were faithful1 was a very great undertaking4 ,that it was finished in so short a time was remarkable1 and this fact speaks volumes for the devotion of the ,saints of that early day4 ,when the ,nauvoo ,temple was commenced1 the ,saints had increased considerably in numbers1 but were1 as a rule1 even poorer than in the days of ,kirtland4 ,they had been persecuted by their enemies1 driven from their homes and plundered of their property4 ,finding a temporary rest in a bend of the ,mississippi river1 a locality noted for its insalubrity1 they had struggled in the midst of malarial sickness and severe privations to establish new homes1 and had only just begun to gather a few comforts around them when they were required by revelation from the ,lord to build a temple to ,his name4 ,upon that temple1 many of the ,saints labored month after month1 with an energy and interest that only religious zeal can impart4 ,they had learned something of the use and importance of temples1 before that building was commenced1 but as the work advanced more light was given them from time to time4 ,the ,prophet of ,god would visit the workmen and instruct and encourage them in their labors personally1 frequently pronouncing blessings upon their heads for their diligence and faithfulness1 and when persecution became so strong that he was obliged to hide from his enemies1 he sent the written word to stimulate them in their labors1 and explained the doctrine of baptism for the dead1 then newly revealed4 ,while living thus in seclusion1 he wrote to the ,saints in ,nauvoo1 on the #ast of ,september1 #ahdb3 ,and again1 verily thus saith the ,lord1 let the work of my temple1 and all the works which ,i have appointed unto you1 be continued on and not cease2 and let your diligence1 and your perseverance1 and patience1 and your works be redoubled1 and you shall in nowise lose your reward1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,and if they persecute you1 so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you4 ,for all this there is a reward in heaven4 ,again1 on the #fth of the same month1 he wrote additional words of encouragement1 unfolding still farther that glorious saving principle as it had been revealed to him1 and roused the workmen to action by this stirring appeal3 ,brethren1 shall we not go on in so great a cause8 ,go forward and not backward4 ,courage1 brethren2 and on1 on to the victory6 ,let your hearts rejoice1 and be exceeding glad4 ,let the earth break forth into singing4 ,let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the ,king ,immanuel1 who hath ordained before the world was1 that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison2 for the prisoners shall go free4 ,being thus encouraged1 and knowing that the time allowed for building the house was limited1 the men worked with a will and determination that made success certain4 ,though they had to stand guard at night to prevent their enemies from surprising the city during the darkness and slaying its defenseless inhabitants1 they did not cease their exertions during the daytime to erect the house of ,god4 ,though they went on short rations till some of them actually fainted beside their work1 from sheer hunger and exhaustion1 still they persevered4 ,though the mechanics employed upon the temple had tempting offers of abundant work and ready pay if they would go outside of ,nauvoo and labor1 many of them preferred to remain and work without pecuniary reward in rearing that sacred structure4 ,the case of one of those workmen will serve to illustrate the self-sacrificing disposition manifested by many of those who labored upon that building1 as well as the way their simple wants were sometimes supplied by the ,almighty4 ,brother ,l--arrived in ,nauvoo from ,england1 his native country1 in ,march1 #ahdd4 ,he was an excellent mechanic1 had held good situations and been in good circumstances in the old country1 and his skill as a workman was such as to command ready employment and high wages in any of the large cities of ,america1 had such been his object4 ,but he had embraced the gospel and received a testimony of its truth1 and afterwards the spirit of gathering with the ,saints1 which enabled him to brook the taunts and ridicule heaped upon him by friends and relatives for his unpopular faith1 and resist the pleading of aged parents1 who were loath to part with him4 ,his faith and zeal were such that he had left friends and property and all that he had formerly held dear1 and come to ,america that he might be with the chosen people of ,god and assist in building up ,zion4 ,he was ambitious to labor upon the temple1 and applied for work immediately upon his arrival in ,nauvoo4 ,when informed that there was plenty of work but nothing to pay with1 he replied that pay was no consideration4 ,he took hold with a determination1 and worked with all the energy with which the young1 strong and enthusiastic nature was capable from that time until the work upon the temple ceased1 upwards of two years1 and during that time only received in cash for his services the small amount of fifty cents4 ,many a time he felt the pangs of hunger1 and went to his work fasting rather than join with his family in eating the last ration of food in their possession1 but the ,lord sustained him by ,his ,spirit1 gave him joy in his labors and provided a way for more food to be obtained to sustain the lives of himself and family4 ,he and his young wife had a habit of appealing to the ,almighty in prayer when in an extremity1 and they invariably found comfort in so doing1 and generally had their prayers answered4 ,upon one occasion1 their infant child was dangerously sick1 and they felt the want of twenty-five cents to procure some medicine with4 ,where to get it they did not know1 and so1 as usual1 they prayed to the ,lord to open their way to obtain it4 ,they felt an assurance on arising from their knees that their prayer would be answered1 but they knew not how4 ,soon afterwards the husband happened to feel some hard substance in the waistband of his pants1 and called his wife's attention to it1 wondering what it could be4 ,the pants were almost new4 ,they had been made to order for him only a short time before4 ,there was no hole in the band1 and it seemed that1 whatever it was1 it must have been inserted between the pieces of cloth when the pants were being made1 and yet he thought it strange that he had not discovered it before4 ,to solve the mystery1 a few stitches were cut1 and the waistband opened1 when1 lo6 there were two new ten cent pieces and one five cent piece--just the amount of money they required to buy medicine with4 ,lest the money might have been lost by the tailor who made the pants1 a very poor man who lived neighbor to them1 he took it to him and asked him1 but that impecunious individual said he knew it could not be his1 for he had never had a cent of money in his possession for months4 ,they accepted it as a gift from the ,lord1 bought the medicine their child needed and he was soon well4 ,when the work on the temple was nearing completion1 the food supply for the family became entirely exhausted1 and there seemed no prospect of obtaining any more without quitting the work on the temple and going elsewhere for employment4 ,that1 of course1 ,brother ,l--was averse to doing1 and in this1 as in other cases of extremity1 he and his wife retired to their bedroom to lay the matter before the ,lord4 ,they had scarcely finished their prayer when a knock was heard at the door4 ,on opening it1 they found a man there who said he desired a particular job of work done1 which he did not feel like entrusting to anyone else but ,brother ,l--4 ,however1 he was in no particular hurry for it1 it need not be done till the work on the temple was completed1 but he wanted to arrange and pay for it then1 as he was going on a foreign mission4 ,but1 said he1 ,i have nothing to pay you for it but wheat2 can you use that8 ,it was the very thing the family stood most in need of2 it was gratefully accepted and regarded as a direct answer to their prayer1 and within a short time the wheat was ground and a good supply of flour returned from it4 ,when the ,saints were preparing to leave ,nauvoo1 wagons for the journey were in great demand1 and every person among them who had ever worked at wagon-making1 and very many also who never had1 set to work making them4 ,good timber was tolerably plentiful1 but iron cost cash1 and that was a scarce article4 ,all sorts of nonedescript vehicles were hastily improvised1 many of them so rude in their construction as to put the veriest bungler of a wheelwright to the blush for their appearance4 ,yet under the blessing of ,god they did good service4 ,some of them1 for the want of iron1 were made almost entirely of wood4 ,in some extreme cases they were even made without the usual iron tires1 strips of rawhide being nailed on the felloes as a substitute4 ,one1 at least1 of the wagons made in this fashion stood the trip across the plains1 and was used for several years after its arrival in ,salt ,lake ,valley4 ,brother ,l--had been fortunate enough to get the wood work of a wagon made1 but how to procure the iron was a question which greatly perplexed him4 ,however1 he knew that he was engaged in the ,lord's service1 and he felt that he had a claim upon ,his mercy and blessings4 ,accordingly1 he and his wife made their want a subject of earnest prayer1 and then went on about their duties1 trusting in the ,lord to answer their petition4 ,soon afterwards ,brother ,l--had occasion to go out on the prairie in search of his cow1 which had strayed off1 and during his absence encountered a drenching shower1 so that when he returned home he found it necessary to change his clothing4 ,he hung his wet clothes before a fire in the open fireplace to dry1 and as he did so a bright gold sovereign1 a ten and a five cent piece dropped to the floor1 apparently from his pocket4 ,he knew1 however1 that he had no money previously1 and he could account for its presence there only by its having been sent by the ,lord4 ,it was the exact amount required to purchase the iron for his wagon1 and it was soon obtained and the wagon finished4 ,with such manifestations as these of ,god's goodness1 he was encouraged to continue in his labors upon the temple of ,god1 and when it was so far completed that the holy ordinances for which it was designed could be performed in it1 he felt repaid in the blessings which he therein received for all his efforts towards its construction4 ,a rather remarkable case of special providence occurred when ,brother ,l--was crossing the plains1 coming to ,salt ,lake ,valley4 ,his shoes gave out1 and his feet became very sore from having to walk so much while driving his ox-team1 etc4 ,early one morning1 when he1 in company with another brother1 were out hunting for their cattle1 he exclaimed to his companion as he limped and hobbled over the rocky ground1 ,oh6 ,i do wish the ,lord would send me a pair of shoes6 ,he had not walked many rods after expressing this wish when he saw something lying a short distance ahead of him1 and called the attention of his companion to it1 who remarked that it must be the bell and strap lost off one of the oxen1 but to the inexpressible joy of ,brother ,l--1 he found1 on approaching the object1 that it was a new pair of shoes1 which had evidently never been worn1 and which he found1 on trying them on1 to fit him as well as if they had been made for him4 ,he thanked the ,lord for them1 for he felt that it was through ,his merciful providence that they had been left there1 and went on his way rejoicing4 ,the shoes did him good service4 ,while alluding to ,brother ,l--1 another incident may be related from his experience to illustrate the manner in which the ,almighty sustains and blesses those who are valiant in defending ,his cause and the character of ,his anointed servants4 ,at an early period in the settlement of ,salt ,lake ,valley1 ,brother ,l--had a severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism and bilious fever1 from which he suffered a long time1 and which drew his shoulder out of place and left him in a very helpless condition4 ,he was in that fix for about six months--able to walk about1 but unable to make any use whatever of one arm4 ,he could not even dress himself4 ,surgeons examined his shoulder1 and assured him that it was out of joint1 and urged him to have it set4 ,he1 however1 declined accepting their advice1 as he had faith that the ,lord would make him whole in answer to his prayer4 ,living neighbor to him in ,salt ,lake ,city1 and holding an office to which he had been appointed by the vote of the members of the ,ward1 was a man by the name of ,gallup1 who was a rank apostate at heart1 although he had a standing in the ,church4 ,in conversation with ,brother ,l--one day1 this man ,gallup advocated the doctrines of a certain man named ,cladden ,bishop1 who had once belonged to the ,church but who had apostatized and attempted to start a church of his own4 ,brother ,l--became so disgusted with his false reasoning and bitter1 malignant spirit that he went to the ,bishop of the ,ward and made complaint about such a man as ,gallup being allowed to hold an office in the ,ward or even a membership in the ,church4 ,the result was1 a ,priesthood meeting was called and ,mr4 ,gallup was cited to appear and state his views upon the subject of religion4 ,in the course of his speech he declared3 ,joseph ,smith was a wicked and adulterous man2 he ate and drank with the drunkard1 his lot was cast with the hypocrite and unbeliever1 and he has gone to hell4 ,this was too much for ,brother ,l--to stand1 even in his crippled condition4 ,he could not tamely submit to hear the character of a man assailed whom he loved dearer than his life4 ,jumping to his feet and springing over the benches that stood between him and ,mr4 ,gallup1 he made for him with the intention of administering summary vengeance4 ,several persons immediately interposed to prevent him from inflicting any bodily injury upon ,gallup1 and it was noticed that he made use of his crippled arm1 and when the excitement subsided he discovered himself that his shoulder had assumed its natural position and that he was as well as he ever had been4 ,gallup1 of course1 was cut off from the ,church1 and thought himself fortunate1 no doubt1 in escaping a castigation1 and ,brother ,l--went home rejoicing1 and entered his house swinging his arm which had been so long useless and shouting for joy1 while his wife wept tears of gratitude for the goodness of ,god in bringing about his restoration to health and soundness4 ,,incidents ,,on ,,the ,,plains4 ,,by ,a4 ,m4 ,c4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,army ,,sent ,,to ,,utah--,,missionaries ,,called ,,home--,,large ,,number ,,assemble ,,at ,,florence--,,dangers ,,of ,,the ,,trip--,,council ,,to ,,decide ,,upon ,,course ,,of ,,action--,,fortunate ,,fog--,,providential ,,storm4 ,,in #aheg1 ,james ,buchanan1 who was then ,president of the ,united ,states1 sent an army to this ,territory1 for the purpose1 it was said1 of punishing the ,mormons for breaking the laws and doing violence to the ,judges who had been sent here4 ,this was the excuse given for the army being sent2 but the people of the ,territory had not violated the laws nor done any injury to any of the officers of the ,government2 they were then1 as they ever have been1 peaceable and law abiding4 ,the real object for sending the troops here1 was to crush out what the world called ,mormonism4 ,the principal men who urged the sending of troops here1 were traitors in their hearts against the ,government1 and they hoped by taking these steps to divert the attention of the country from their own wicked schemes2 and also to get the army of the ,united ,states out of the way by having it sent to this distant region4 ,by accomplishing this1 they thought they could operate to advantage in bringing about their own designs4 ,the army was kept out at ,fort ,bridger all that winter and many of the officers and soldiers were very angry because they could not come into our cities and enjoy themselves at our expense4 ,when it was found that the army was marching here1 and there was likely to be trouble1 the ,elders in ,europe and in the ,united ,states were re-called2 but feelings ran so high in the ,united ,states against our people that it was somewhat dangerous for a man to travel and be known as a ,mormon4 ,on the plains there were men on the watch for every one bearing the name of ,latter-day ,saint4 ,it was under these circumstances that the ,elders assembled at the frontiers to return home4 ,one hundred and ten of them crossed the ,missouri river in the beginning of ,may1 #aheh1 at the point formerly known as ,winter ,quarters2 at present it is called ,florence4 ,they were anxious to get home1 some of them having been absent a year and others for three or four years4 ,there were1 in reality1 two companies2 one composed of ,elders returning from the ,united ,states and ,canada1 ,elder ,david ,brinton being their captain1 and the ,elders returning from ,europe1 who had ,elder ,john ,w4 ,berry as their captain4 ,it was deemed advisable1 however1 in view of the troubled and uncertain state of affairs1 for both companies to travel together4 ,the writer was in the company of ,elders returning from the ,united ,states1 where he had been on a mission for upwards of three years4 ,we had heard of several of our brethren being taken by the army and held under threats1 and we knew not what our fate would be were the soldiers to get us in their power2 for they accused every ,latter-day ,saint of treachery to the ,government while they themselves were in reality the traitors as the subsequent careers of many of them fully proved4 ,many thought that1 as the roads were all blocked1 and carefully watched by the troops1 when we came in the vicinity of the army we would be under the necessity of burning or abandoning our wagons and everything that we could not pack on our animals4 ,among the brethren was a man whose name was ,pope2 he had a wife and two or three small children4 ,they were very anxious to accompany us1 and1 although the perils we were about to encounter were of a serious nature1 they could not be induced by anything that could be said to them to remain behind4 ,a council of the ,elders was held upon their case1 and it was agreed to permit ,brother ,pope to accompany us1 as well as four brethren who proposed walking the entire distance to the ,valley4 ,it was a time that required faith to be exercised1 for the affairs of the ,saints were in a critical condition4 ,we knew1 however1 that ,god had delivered us when we had relied upon ,him1 and we united with great zeal in imploring ,his blessing1 that ,he might overrule everything in such a manner that we could return in safety to the society of our families and friends4 ,after leaving ,winter ,quarters we traveled on without interruption until we drew near to ,fort ,kearny4 ,our road was on the north side of the ,platte1 and ,fort ,kearney was on the south side4 ,there were troops at the ,fort and they were on the alert to prevent companies of men or any kind of aid passing over the road to help the ,mormons in ,utah2 for they pretended to look upon our people as public enemies4 ,it was our custom at such times to hold a council1 and take into consideration the best course to pursue4 ,the ,elders all came together and we prayed to the ,lord1 and asked ,him to bestow upon us ,his ,holy ,spirit and to lead and guide us in our operations4 ,when we unitedly decided in council upon pursuing a certain course we always felt that that was the mind and will of the ,lord unto us4 ,it was decided at this council that we should avoid attracting the attention of the people of the ,fort by passing it in the night4 ,unfortunately1 as it seemed at the time1 it rained heavily that evening and we were only able to travel until a little past midnight4 ,by that time ourselves and our animals were so thoroughly fatigued and the night was so dark that we were compelled to stop and tie up for the night4 ,our reflections were not very pleasant1 because we felt sure that when morning dawned upon us we would be in full sight of the fort1 and undoubtedly would receive a visit from the officers and troops4 ,we awoke with the dawn of day1 and instead of being able to see the fort1 or its occupants being able to see us1 we found our camp enveloped in a fog1 the mist being so dense that it was with difficulty we could see each other4 ,we traveled on in the fog until afternoon1 by which time we were out of sight of the fort4 ,after leaving this point we had plenty of game1 buffalo1 antelope1 etc41 and we were able to obtain an abundance of fresh meat1 which made this part of the journey exceedingly pleasant2 for though in an ,indian country1 we had not the fear of the wild and savage red men that we had of those of our own color1 who professed to be the loyal citizens of our government4 ,as we approached the junction of the ,north and ,south ,platte1 a herd of mules passed us4 ,they were being driven in the direction of ,fort ,laramie and were traveling at a much faster gait than we were going4 ,the men who were driving them saw us1 and we fully expected they would carry the intelligence to the fort of our being close by4 ,it was known that ,mormon ,elders were returning to the ,valley1 and the military were prepared to stop them1 or to otherwise interfere with them4 ,when within half a day's travel of ,fort ,laramie1 another council was called to take into consideration the best course to pursue4 ,we settled the matter by determining to rest on ,sunday1 rise early the following morning and pass the fort in daylight1 as we felt satisfied the troops were informed of our approach by the men who had just passed us4 ,monday was a beautiful day2 we traveled on without interruption until we came in sight of the fort1 which was about one o'clock1 when one of the severest hailstorms any of us had ever seen broke upon us4 ,the hail fell so rapidly that our animals could scarcely travel on account of their feet balling up with it4 ,our train had been seen from the fort and parties had started to meet us2 but when the storm broke upon them1 they were compelled to retreat to their quarters4 ,the storm was too severe for them to remain out in it4 ,i learned afterwards that when the storm ceased a company of men had been sent from ,fort ,laramie to overtake us4 ,they followed us as far as the ,north ,platte bridge1 and not being able to reach us at this point1 they deemed it best to return again to the fort4 ,we were not aware of this at the time2 but having traveled leisurely from ,kearny to ,laramie1 our animals were in much better condition than when we started2 and fearing that the people at ,laramie might make some attempt to stop us1 we made forced drives until we reached ,independence ,rock on the ,sweetwater4 ,thus the ,lord again delivered us from the hands of our enemies in a most providential manner2 for had it not been for this hailstorm it is altogether likely we would have been stopped4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,apostates ,,met--,,the ,,chaplain ,,separates ,,from ,,the ,,company ,,to ,,meet ,,some ,,apostates--,,an ,,adventurous ,,trip--,,dischacharged ,,government ,,teamsters ,,indignant ,,at ,,mormons--,,plot ,,to ,,steal ,,the ,,chaplain',s ,,horse--,,advice ,,to ,,the ,,apostates ,,to ,,look ,,to ,,their ,,own ,,safety--,,mr4 ,,stout',s ,,compassion ,,for ,,the ,,hatchet-,,faced ,,missourian--,,how ,,his ,,confidence ,,was ,,rewarded--,,meet ,,captain ,,hatch--,,news ,,of ,,buchanan',s ,,amnesty ,,proclamation--,,evade ,,the ,,army1 ,,and ,,reach ,,the ,,valley ,,safely4 ,at the ,three ,crossings of the ,sweetwater we met a company of apostates1 who were in full retreat from the ,valley1 unwilling to trust ,god's providence to screen them from the wrath of our enemies1 and anxious to get back to the ,states4 ,the night following we encamped at the eastern end of what is known as the ,seminole cut-off4 ,the company intended to travel on this cut-off in the morning4 ,that evening the chaplain of our company1 a young ,elder who had a fondness for adventure1 proposed that he should travel on the old route1 for the purpose of meeting a man for whom he had transacted some business in the ,states1 and who1 he was informed1 was returning in a company of apostates4 ,captains ,berry and ,brinton thought he ought not to attempt to go by that route alone2 at this1 one of the other ,elders volunteered to accompany him4 ,but when morning came the latter had changed his mind2 for it had stormed during the night1 snow had fallen and it still snowed very hard1 and he thought the weather too disagreeable for so lonely a trip4 ,mr4 ,chaplain1 however1 in opposition to all remonstrances1 was resolved to go1 and he started out alone1 on horseback1 taking with him some blankets and a few crackers4 ,it was the eleventh day of ,june--a strange time1 you would think1 for snow to fall1 yet it continued to descend until the middle of the afternoon1 and was so deep that when he came to a place on the ,sweetwater1 called the ,rocky ,ridge1 he was obliged to dismount and lead his pony4 ,it was a lonely trip which he took1 and through a wild1 desolate country2 it was with considerable pleasure1 therefore1 that he came in sight of the camp which he sought just as the sun was going down4 ,it was encamped on what is known as ,quaking-,aspen ,creek4 ,the man whom he expected to meet was not in the company2 but he found others whom he had known1 persons who did not love the gospel sufficiently to endure the trials promised to the ,saints2 but were desirous to return to that ,babylon from which they had been gathered4 ,when the chaplain rejoined his companions1 the ,elders1 he related the incidents of this trip and ,i was permitted to take the following account from his journal3 ,i had just staked my animal to feed upon the brush in the neighborhood of the camp1 when a company of discharged ,government teamsters passed by on their way east1 under the guidance of ,george ,merrick4 ,on account of the hardships they had endured the previous winter1 they were very indignant at everybody called ,mormon4 ,they had calculated on enjoying themselves at our people's expense in the ,valley2 but instead of that1 they had been kept out in the mountains all winter1 and they were disappointed4 ,an hour later one ,ephraim ,thornton1 a young man who1 when a boy1 in ,nauvoo1 had been a schoolmate of mine1 but who was now an apostate1 took me aside and informed me of a plan which had been arranged to rob me of my horse4 ,a discharged ,government teamster had sworn to take it1 or die in the attempt4 ,i thanked ,mr4 ,thornton for the information2 but ,i advised him to have the camp look to their own affairs1 and ,i would conduct mine1 adding that ,i did not fear that teamster's threats1 as 'barking dogs seldom bite4' ,there was one ,mr4 ,stout in this company1 with whom ,i conversed4 ,he was bound for the ,states1 and was accompanied by his wife4 ,he told me that he had been successful in raising stock in ,cedar ,valley1 and had sold them for the gold to the army he had just passed at ,fort ,bridger4 ,he pointed out to me a young hatchet-faced ,missourian1 with long hair and snake-like appearance1 whom he represented as a ,government teamster1 a poor fellow for whom he felt compassion and whom he was carrying to his home4 ,it was vain for me to advise him not to trust ,mr4 ,hatchet-face too far4 ,he had confidence in him2 ,i had none2 ,i would not have trusted him out of my sight4 ,my views in relation to him received speedy confirmation2 for while standing with my back to the fire looking in the direction of my pony1 ,i heard ,mr4 ,stout swear very hard at his wife for leaving the wagon4 ,his sack of gold1 amounting to #a4ejj had disappeared4 ,an investigation revealed the fact that not only was the gold missing1 but crackers1 blankets1 several watches and other things1 besides a race mare belonging to one ,joseph ,greenwood1 were all gone1 and with them the poor fellow1 the ,missourian1 for whom ,mr4 ,stout had felt so much compassion6 ,it afterwards transpired that he had been making his arrangements for flight for several days4 ,my advice to ,mr4 ,thornton for the camp to look to their own affairs was very timely1 as this transaction proved4 ,that my horse might not be stolen ,i made my bed upon the snow1 holding the bridle in my hand1 and my pistols ready for use in my belt4 ,but ,i was undisturbed4 ,i arose in the morning and left the camp and its misery to continue my journey towards the home of our people4 ,as ,i left the last crossing of the ,sweetwater and was ascending the ,south ,pass1 ,i met a company of our brethren1 under ,captain ,abram ,hatch1 going to the ,north ,platte on business4 ,it was fortunate that ,i took this route1 for they had word for our company which1 had ,i not met them1 we would not have received4 ,upon learning where the ,elders were1 they turned and accompanied me4 ,we found the company on the cut-off1 five miles from its junction with the old road4 ,our chaplain seemed happy at rejoining us1 and from his wearied looks and blistered face1 we judged he would not soon go again in search of apostates4 ,but1 as he said in his journal1 it was fortunate that he had taken that route4 ,the providence of the ,lord was in it1 and it was overruled for our good by his meeting ,captain ,hatch and companions4 ,they brought us ,president ,buchanan's amnesty proclamation1 which was read1 also the intelligence of our people's move ,south3 also instructions from ,president ,young to the effect that unless otherwise instructed1 we were to take the ,sublet cut-off to the north until we struck ,bear river1 and then travel on the trail which would lead us to the head of ,echo ,canyon4 ,from ,captain ,hatch1 also1 we learned that it was the intention of ,col4 ,albert ,sidney ,johnson1 the commander of the army1 to leave ,fort ,bridger the following ,monday for the ,valley4 ,but little remains to be said of our journey home after parting with ,captain ,abram ,hatch and companions4 ,we had reached the ,big ,bend on the ,sandy1 when we found that we had passed the ,sublet cut-off and were where the ,kinney cut-off led north4 ,it was decided in council to travel on that route4 ,we soon struck ,green river1 and as if ,providence had arranged affairs for us1 we found a fine ferry boat tied at the river side1 upon which we crossed4 ,we continued to travel by this route from this point to ,bear river1 which we crossed in our wagon boxes1 there being no boat1 and swam our horses4 ,bear river not being very wide1 we had no difficulty in crossing by this means4 ,we came into ,echo canyon twelve miles west of ,yellow ,creek4 ,from mountaineers whom some of the ,elders met1 and who were going east with supplies to meet the army1 we learned that ,johnson and the army were encamped that night on ,yellow ,creek4 ,they also informed the brethren that a company of two hundred and fifty sappers and miners were ahead of us1 repairing the road and removing obstructions before the advance of the army4 ,we overtook this company next morning4 ,had they suspected that we had not been seen by the main army1 they would very likely have stopped us4 ,but they had no idea that we had come by any other route1 and therefore after asking us how far back the command was1 the order was given1 ,clear the road1 boys1 and let them pass4 ,from this point we traveled on until we reached ,salt ,lake ,city without meeting any incident worthy of note4