1830.
FIGHTING THE EVIL ONE--THE MOB BLINDED--PRESIDENT ALONE TO RECEIVE
REVELATION FOR THE CHURCH--FIRST MISSIONARY MOVEMENT--WORKING IN THE
WEST.
When Joseph first visited the hill Cumorah the Lord let him look upon
the kingdom of heaven and upon the kingdom of hell. He saw the powers
of each, and the methods and influences that each used. This vision was
of great value to him throughout life. The contrast made him desire
with all his heart to reach heaven and kept him on the alert at all
times to escape hell. What was also very important, it gave him a
complete knowledge of the practices and weapons of Satan, the enemy of
truth.
All this he beheld in vision, but through the following years in real
life he saw these powers of evil at work, and he had to fight against
them. Thanks to the knowledge given him, to his faithfulness and to
the help of the Lord, he came off victor in every engagement. He had
met Satan in the thieves and murderers that tried to steal the plates,
in the lying ministers that sought to blacken his character, in the
violent devil that nearly destroyed Newel Knight and in the mobs that
only recently attempted to capture and kill him.
It was now necessary for him to meet another attack of the evil one,
and it gave him more grief than any up to this time. While working with
John Whitmer at Harmony, probably during the latter part of July, 1830,
Joseph received a letter from Oliver, who was at Fayette, commanding
him in the name of the Lord to erase part of a revelation he had
received.
Joseph saw that Satan was now in the flock and that Oliver had been
deceived by him. He wrote asking by what authority Oliver commanded him
to change the words that God had spoken. He soon visited Fayette and
found that the Whitmer family had joined with Oliver. He reasoned with
them and one after another they came to see their error and repented
sincerely.
After returning to Harmony the Prophet was visited by Newel Knight and
his wife. A little meeting was arranged, and Joseph started to buy wine
for the sacrament, but an angel appeared and told him not to use wine
for this purpose unless made by themselves. Since that time throughout
the Church wine has never been used except when new and home-made. At
the meeting Emma and Newel's wife were confirmed, and though only five
members were present they had an enjoyable time, for the Spirit of the
Lord was there.
Near the end of August, Joseph with his brother Hyrum, David and John
Whitmer, went to Colesville to confirm the others whom Oliver had
baptized. It was a dangerous thing to do, so they prayed that the eyes
of evil men might be blinded and that they might fulfill their purpose.
Near Newel's house they met many of their enemies working on the road.
They looked closely at the brethren but failed to recognize them.
A good meeting was held that night; the confirmations were attended
to and the sacrament was administered. Next morning Joseph and his
companions went home. Soon after they left, an angry mob surrounded
the house and spent the rest of the day in wicked threats against the
Saints.
The spirit of persecution had been growing in Harmony through the
diligent efforts of a Methodist minister who would not mind his own
business. Through his lies Isaac Hale was at length prejudiced and
refused to protect Joseph any longer. Soon after the Prophet returned
from Colesville the last time, Newel Knight came with his wagon and
moved him to Fayette on the invitation of the Whitmers.
Here was another trial. Hiram Page, brother-in-law of David Whitmer,
had been receiving revelations through a peculiar stone. They were
directed to the Church, though they were contrary to the Gospel as
explained both in the Bible and in the revelations given through
Joseph. Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmer family were again deceived.
Joseph was grieved. At Colesville the hearts of strange men were
filled with hate, at Harmony his friends and relatives had turned
against him, and now at Fayette his brethren were rejecting him and
the Lord. He went quietly to work and induced Oliver to pray with him.
An answer came in a revelation of very great importance. The Lord told
Oliver that Joseph Smith, Jr., was the only man that should receive
revelations for the Church, until another should be appointed in his
stead. Every faithful man may be directed by the Lord and be taught by
the Holy Spirit, but the president alone has the authority to command
the Church in the name of the Lord.
A conference was held September 1, 1830, and Joseph, of course,
presided. He was very careful and wise and he at length convinced Hiram
Page and the others that the revelations were from the devil. They were
rejected by all, and again they repented for lack of faith. The Lord
forgave them, for His Spirit rested with power upon the conference and
brought harmony and love and greater faith. At this time the glorious
principle of the gathering was revealed, and that Zion should be built
up in the land bordering the Lamanites.
Parley P. Pratt who had recently been baptized in Seneca lake by Oliver
Cowdery came again to Fayette after carrying the Gospel to his kindred
in eastern New York. He himself had received it in a very strange way.
In the beginning of the year 1830, he prayed that he might understand
the scriptures. He had always loved them and studied them diligently,
but after the Lord in answer to his prayer enlightened his mind, he
saw how ignorant the world was of their true meaning. He felt called
to preach the truths, and after selling his house in the backwoods
of Ohio where he lived, and settling his affairs he set out with his
wife depending entirely on the care of the Lord. In his wanderings he
was directed by the Spirit to those who had heard the Gospel and he
hastened to Fayette where he was baptized.
About a month after the conference the Lord revealed through Joseph
that Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson should go on a mission with
Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer, Jr., to preach the Gospel to the
Lamanites. This was the first time that men bearing the holy Priesthood
went forth to preach the word since the time of the Apostles of Jesus.
Tens of thousands have now been bearers of the same glad message.
They set out preaching where they had a chance and distributing Books
of Mormon to many honest souls. They visited the Cattarugus Indians,
near Buffalo, New York, and then made their way to Kirtland, Ohio. Here
they met Sidney Rigdon, who less than two years before had baptized
Elder Pratt into the Reformed Baptist church. They gave him a Book
of Mormon. He read it and believed and immediately sacrificed his
profitable employment as minister to join the Church.
Others came forward in great numbers and were baptized. Worthy men
among the converts were given the Priesthood, and among these were
Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight and Frederick G. Williams. The last named
went with the brethren on their mission to the West.
After spending two or three weeks at Kirtland they journeyed on,
passing through, as they went, many hardships and strange adventures.
They preached to the Wyandots, a tribe of Indians living in Ohio, and
to many white people, and at length reached Independence, Jackson
county, a small town on the western border of Missouri. They passed
on into what is now the State of Kansas and preached to the Delaware
Indians until expelled by government agents. Then they took up their
labors in and about Jackson county, little knowing at the time that
here should be the center stake of Zion and the holy city.