I TAKE TO PREACHING--MAKE MANY CONVERTS--REFUSE TO BAPTIZE
THEM--THEY ARE BAPTIZED BY A CAMPBELLITE PREACHER--URGED TO JOIN THE
CAMPBELLITES--REFUSE, AND THE DEVIL TEMPTS ME--I GRIEVE THE SPIRIT,
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 HIM.
In the fall of 1828, I returned to Hector, Schuyler County, New York.
Quite a number of people lived there of the Campbellite faith. 'Squire
Chase, a prominent man in the neighborhood, who had been a preacher of
the sect, said that they were cold in religion and had not held any
meetings for several months. I had been there but a few days, when I
went with him about two miles to a Methodist meeting. This occurred in
the month of November.
Up to this time I had joined no church, although I had professed
religion, attended meetings, and preached when I had an opportunity.
On my return, I remarked to Mr. Chase, "Why cannot we have meetings in
our neighborhood as well as to go so far to them?"
He replied, "We are all dead there; we would have meetings but I do not
feel like preaching. But if you will do the preaching, I will appoint a
meeting."
He did so. The first two meetings but few attended. The third meeting
the house was crowded. Finally, meetings were held nearly every night
in the week, and were well attended. A reformation started among
the people, and there were quite a number of religious converts.
Campbellite principles had long prevailed in the neighborhood. The
converts desired baptism, as that was a prominent principle in the
Campbellite faith. Mr. Chase urged me to perform the ordinance. I
excused myself by telling him that I had never joined any religious
denomination, and did not feel authorized to administer it. I finally
utterly refused to do so. He then sent forty or fifty miles for Elder
Brown, a regular Campbellite preacher.
He came and baptized about sixty converts and organized a branch of the
Campbellite church out of the fruits of my labors. He quite exhausted
his persuasive powers to induce me to join the Campbellite church, to
take a circuit and go to preaching.
I told him I would not preach his doctrines. If I preached at all, I
should preach the whole Bible as I understood it.
He said I could do so, for he did not think I would preach anything
wrong.
A spirit worked with me to do all the good I could, but not to join any
religious denomination. It prevailed within me against all temptation
this time. Perhaps the guardian angel, promised by my mother, watched
over my spiritual as well as temporal welfare.
I think, at the time of this reformation, 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 purity. I was full of the testimony of the truth as I understood
it.
This reformation in Hector, was a means of temptation to me. I had
preached and labored with my might to lead the people to the truth, and
Elder Brown had stepped in and reaped the results of my labors. Because
I would not join the Campbellite church and preach for them, I was
entirely thrown aside. The adversary would reason with me thus: "What
is the use of all your preaching? It does not amount to anything to
you. You had better attend to your own business and let such nonsense
alone."
I listened to these suggestions until I had grieved the Spirit of the
Lord which I had enjoyed. I no longer had the Spirit to pray or to
exhort the people to lives of righteousness. I was in this condition
for several months.
In all this lethargy and darkness, I knew there was such a thing as joy
in the Spirit of God--that in the testimony of Jesus there was light
and peace. I knew I had accepted a mission to bear this testimony while
I should remain on the earth.
Knowing these things, I became, in time, alarmed at my condition, I
feared that the Lord had forsaken me. I humbled myself before Him in
fasting and prayer. I promised Him that if He would return His good
Spirit, I would never again reject its suggestions.
Matters continued thus with me for several weeks. In one of my seasons
of prayer and supplication, I sensibly felt that I was again visited
by the Holy Spirit. I was encouraged to resume my labors in exhorting
the people whenever an opportunity was presented. I went from home on
the Sabbath and held meetings in different places. I was employed in
this way when I first saw the Book of Mormon, and when the gospel was
preached to me.
This, and other experiences, have convinced me that when we question
the Holy Spirit it is likely to be grieved, and leave us to ourselves.
Then will our darkness be greater than if we had never enjoyed its
influences. Perhaps this incident in my life may suggest wisdom to
others.
In November, 1829, I removed to a place called Hector Hill. In
February, 1831, my father, my brothers Joseph and Brigham, and Heber C.
Kimball came to my house. They brought with them the Book of Mormon.
They were on their way to visit some Saints in Pennsylvania. Through
fear of being deceived, I was quite cautious in religious matters. I
read and compared the Book of Mormon with the Bible, and fasted and
prayed that I might come to a knowledge of the truth. The Spirit seemed
to say, "This is the way; walk ye in it." This was all the testimony I
could get at the time; it was not altogether satisfactory.
The following May, Elder Levi Gifford came into the neighborhood, and
desired to preach. My brother, John, belonged to the Methodist church,
and had charge of their meeting house which was in the neighborhood.
I obtained from him permission for Elder Gifford to preach in it. The
appointment was circulated for a meeting the same evening.
This was on Saturday evening, and the circuit preacher of that district
was to hold a meeting there on Sunday. Elder Midbury, the circuit
preacher, attended the meeting. The house was crowded. As soon as Elder
Gifford had concluded his discourse, Elder Midbury arose to his feet
and said: "Brethren, sisters and friends: I have been a preacher of the
gospel for twenty-two years; I do not know that I have been the means
of converting a sinner, or reclaiming a poor backslider; but this I do
know, that the doctrine the stranger has preached to us to-night is
a deception, that Joe Smith is a false prophet, and that the Book of
Mormon is from hell."
After talking awhile in this strain, he concluded. I immediately arose
to my feet and asked the privilege of speaking, which was granted.
I said that Elder Midbury, in his remarks, entirely ignored the
possibility of more revelation, and acknowledged that he had been a
preacher of the gospel for twenty-two years, without knowing that he
had been the means of converting a sinner, or of reclaiming a poor
backslider. But still he claimed to know that the doctrine he had just
heard was false, that Joseph Smith was an impostor, and that the Book
of Mormon was from hell. "Now, how is it possible," I asked, "for him
to know these things unless he has received a revelation?"
When I sat down a strong man, by the name of Thompson, who was well
known in the neighborhood as a beligerent character, stepped up to
Elder Gifford and demanded the proofs of the authenticity of the Book
of Mormon.
Elder Gifford replied, "I have said all I care about saying to-night."
Then said Mr. Thompson, "we will take the privilege of clothing you
with a coat of tar and feathers, and riding you out of town on a rail."
In the meantime, four or five others of like character came to the
front.
Acting under the impulse of the moment--true to the instincts of my
nature to protect the weak against the strong, I stepped between Elder
Gifford and Mr. Thompson. Looking the latter in the eye, I said, "Mr.
Thompson, you cannot lay your hand on this stranger to harm a hair of
his head, without you do it over my dead body."
He replied by mere threats of violence, which brought my brother John
to his feet.
With a voice and manner, that carried with it a power greater than I
had ever seen manifested in him before, and, I might say, since, he
commanded Mr. Thompson and party to take their seats. He continued,
"Gentlemen, if you offer to lay a hand on Mr. Gifford, you shall pass
through my hands, after which I think you will not want any more
to-night." Mr. Thompson and party quieted down and then took their
seats.
Since then the Elders have passed through so many similar experiences,
that they have ceased to be a novelty. That there should be such a
powerful antagonism of spirits manifesting themselves in muscle, in a
Christian church, indicated a new era in religious influences.