CHAPTER X.

CHOSEN TO GO AS ENVOY TO THE CAMP OF THE SAINTS--A SOLITARY

JOURNEY--SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS OF WOLVES--PROVIDENTIAL

DELIVERANCE--HAPPY SIGHT, A YOKE OF OXEN--TEARS OF JOY--MEET TWO OF MY

FRIENDS--SAFE RETURN TO THE CAMP OF THE SAINTS.

About the middle of February we had traveled to within ninety miles

of our brethren's winter quarters, and about sixty miles from where

the Poncas always did their trading with the Frenchmen who were in the

employ of Mr. Sarpee, the only licensed trader for the Indians in the

country west of the Missouri River.

These men were to meet the Indians about the 1st of March, and two

Indian runners had been sent to meet these traders with their goods,

and inform them where and when the Indians would be prepared for

business. Some of the chiefs were very anxious to have our brethren

purchase goods and trade with them at the same time, and, in order that

they might know the time and place, they requested me to go and inform

them. This I was quite willing to do, for I felt that I had done all I

could so far as my mission with them was concerned.

At sunrise the next morning, I started with a small piece of dried

buffalo meat, a small buffalo robe and my gun. The day was fine. I

took the Indian trail all the way, and most of the time kept near the

banks of the Running Water River. I traveled about thirty miles, and

about sunset concluded to look for a secluded place to sleep. About

half a mile from the trail I found a small ravine in which there was a

quantity of dry leaves under some large trees. After broiling a piece

of meat I ate my supper, and, thanking the Lord for His protecting care

over me, lay down upon the leaves and soon fell asleep. I did not wake

until day-break, when I left my comfortable bed of leaves, washed, and

partook of another small piece of meat. I called upon the Lord for

protection and strength for the day's journey, and left at sunrise with

a light heart and a determination to walk thirty miles before sleeping

again.

The day was fine but the roads were heavy on account of the melting

snow, which I found in large drifts.

About noon I was startled by hearing the howling of many wolves to

the right of me. I looked in that direction and saw, as I estimated,

thousands of them coming directly towards me, and only about a quarter

of a mile from me.

I felt very much alarmed, for they appeared as though they were coming

to devour me.

I first thought I would fire at them and frighten them, but feared if I

injured any of them they might become desperate and seek revenge.

I hurriedly asked the Lord to spare my life, and by this time they were

within forty yards of me. I then commenced to yell with all my might

and for dear life, for I feared that if they attacked me I should not

live a minute.

No sooner did I yell than they all stopped and looked at me, and I at

them. All fear of them had left me, and they and I continued to look at

each other.

After taking a good look at me, they divided, half passing to the right

and half to the left, all looking at me as they passed.

As soon as they had all left me I thanked my Heavenly Father for this

goodness towards me in preserving my life. This was the largest pack of

wolves I ever saw or heard of.

I soon passed on, but with very peculiar feelings, which I must leave

the reader to imagine, for it would be impossible for me to describe

them. Indeed, I think it would be somewhat difficult for a person to

imagine how I felt, unless he had been placed in similar circumstances,

where death, in a most horrid form, seemed imminent one minute, and the

danger past almost in the next.

A little before sunset that day, I felt as though I had walked my

thirty miles, or perhaps more, and that I had better look out quarters

for the night, that I might rest well, and get an early start in the

morning, as I hoped to reach the camp of the Saints the next day.

While walking up a small ravine, searching for a secluded place to

sleep, I was greatly surprised at seeing a yoke of cattle grazing on

the hill near by. I could scarcely believe my eyes, when I soon found

them to be not only tame oxen, but actually belonging to my brethren.

This was such an unexpected pleasure, that, foolish as it may appear,

I cried for joy. I believed that the owners of the cattle were not far

off, so I climbed a hill, and saw, at a short distance, a wagon and the

smoke from a camp fire.

I looked no further for a sleeping place, but started for the wagon.

I had not gone far before I met two brethren, named respectively,

Mathews and Foutze. They were somewhat startled at seeing me, and,

after the first exclamation of surprise, Brother Mathews said, "Why,

Brother S----, is it you? You are like one raised from the dead; for

we were informed by the Indians that you were killed before last

Christmas."

Both brethren shook me heartily by the hands, and thanked the Lord that

I was alive.

Their supper was ready; and here I ate bread for the first time for

eighteen weeks. I ate but little else, and soon found that I had taken

too much, and I suffered a great deal of pain during the night as a

consequence.

After this meal I ate but little bread at a time, until I could digest

it without pain.

The next evening we reached the camp or winter quarters of the Saints.

The news of my arrival was soon known, and before I could get out of

the wagon I was met by a number of old traveling companions, all of

whom gave me a hearty welcome, and such a shaking of the hands as I

never had before or since.

A number of my brethren invited me to their houses, but I preferred

to go to a log house kept for Indians, until I had thoroughly washed

myself and changed my clothes.

At this time I was free from all sores, except a small patch upon my

right side.

Thus ended my Indian mission, which (although at times I suffered much)

was to me a very interesting part of my life.

Through my experience upon that mission, I became better acquainted

with the dealings of the Lord with His servants when alone. I know

assuredly that He will hear and answer our prayers, at all times, and

under all circumstances, if we do and ask aright.

Before I close, let me say to those who have read this reminiscence,

never allow your faith to fail you, but trust in the Lord and continue

to pray to Him, and He will answer you. If He should not at first,

pray again, and again, and exercise faith, and I do know you will be

answered and blessed of the Lord.

ANECDOTES OF ELDER GRANT.

BY T. B. LEWIS.

CHAPTER I.

REPUTATION AS A READY SPEAKER--PUTTING HIM TO THE TEST--SERMON FROM A

BLANK TEXT--ENTHUSIASM AT THE CLOSE OF IT--A COLLECTION PROPOSED--THE

MINISTER OBJECTS TO PASSING THE HAT--THEY COMPEL HIM TO--HANDSOME

COLLECTION--DISCUSSION WITH A GREAT BAPTIST PREACHER--PREACHER

NONPLUSSED BY ELDER GRANT'S REPARTEE.

When on a mission to the State of Virginia, a few years since, it

fell to my lot to labor in that portion of the State which had been

visited some twenty-five or thirty years previous by the late President

Jedediah M. Grant.

From what I could learn of him then, he certainly was a most remarkable

man. He seemed to live fresh in the memories of all classes; and

they never grew tired of relating to me many reminiscences connected

with his fruitful labors in their midst; and I never became weary of

listening to these most interesting narrations. His career there, as

elsewhere, was marked with abundant evidences in proof of his claim

to be "a servant of God, with a divine commission." Through the power

of God existing with him, and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he

was not only prepared to propagate the principles of the gospel, as

restored, but also to meet the powerful enemies of the truth that

arrayed themselves against him and the Church, as they were wont to do

in the early history of the work.

Thinking the young Latter-day Saints would be interested in a narration

of some of these events, I will give them as they were given me, as

near as I can recall them after a lapse of ten years.

In the early part of President Grant's ministry in that country, he

gained quite a reputation as a ready speaker, frequently responding to

invitations to preach from such subjects or texts as might be selected

at the time of commencing his sermon, by those inviting him.

In time it became a matter of wonder with many as to how and when he

prepared his wonderful sermons. In reply to their queries he informed

them that he _never_ prepared his sermons as other ministers did. He

said, "Of course, I read and store my mind with a knowledge of gospel

truths, but I never study up a sermon."

Well, they did not believe he told the truth, for, as they thought,

it was impossible for a man to preach such sermons without careful

preparation. So, in order to prove it, a number of persons decided to

put him to the test, and asked him if he would preach at a certain time

and place, and from a text selected by them. They proposed to give him

the text on his arrival at the place of meeting, thus giving him no

time to prepare.

To gratify them he consented.

The place selected was Jeffersonville, the seat of Tazewell County, at

that time the home of the late John B. Floyd (who subsequently became

secretary of war), and many other prominent men.

The room chosen was in the court house. At the hour appointed the house

was packed to its utmost capacity.

Mr. Floyd and a number of lawyers and ministers were present, and

occupied front seats.

Elder Grant came in, walked to the stand and opened the meeting as

usual. At the close of the second hymn, a clerk, appointed for the

occasion, stepped forward and handed a paper (the text) to Elder Grant.

Brother Grant unfolded the paper and found it to be blank. Without any

mark of surprise, he held the paper up before the audience, and said:

"My friends, I am here to-day according to agreement, to preach from

such a text as these gentlemen might select for me. I have it here in

my hand. I don't wish you to become offended at me, for I am under

promise to preach from the text selected; and if any one is to blame,

you must blame those who selected it. I knew nothing of what text they

would choose, but of all texts this is my favorite one.

"You see the paper is blank" (at the same time holding it up to view).

"You sectarians down there believe that out of nothing God created all

things, and now you wish me to create a sermon from nothing, for this

paper is blank.

"Now, you sectarians believe in a God that has neither body, parts nor

passions. Such a God I conceive to be a perfect blank, just as you find

my text is.

"You believe in a church without prophets, apostles, evangelists, etc.

Such a church would be a perfect blank, as compared with the church of

Christ, and this agrees with my text.

"You have located your heaven beyond the bounds of time and space. It

exists nowhere, and consequently your heaven is blank, like unto my

text."

Thus he went on until he had torn to pieces all the tenets of faith

professed by his hearers; and then he proclaimed the principles of the

gospel in great power.

He wound up by asking, "Have I stuck to the text, and does that satisfy

you?"

As soon as he sat down, Mr. Floyd jumped up and said: "Mr. Grant,

if you are not a lawyer, you ought to be one." Then, turning to

the people, he added: "Gentlemen, you have listened to a wonderful

discourse, and with amazement. Now, take a look at Mr. Grant's clothes.

Look at his coat! his elbows are almost out; and his knees are almost

through his pants. Let us take up a collection."

As he sat down, another eminent lawyer, Joseph Stras, Esq., still

living in Jeffersonville, arose and said:

"I am good for one sleeve in a coat and one leg in a pair of pants, for

Mr. Grant."

The presiding elder of the M. E. church, South, was requested to pass

the hat around, but replied that he would not take up a collection for

a "Mormon" preacher.

"Yes you will!" said Mr. Floyd.

"Pass it around!" said Mr. Stras, and the cry was taken up and repeated

by the audience, until, for the sake of peace, the minister had to

yield. He accordingly marched around with a hat in his hand, receiving

contributions, which resulted in a collection sufficient to purchase

a fine suit of clothes, a horse, saddle and bridle for Brother Grant,

and not one contributor a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, though some joined subsequently. And this from a

sermon produced from a blank text.

At another time, Elder Grant was challenged by a very eminent Baptist

preacher, named Baldwin, to a discussion.

Brother Grant consented.

The place chosen was the fine, large church of his proud and imperious

antagonist.

Mr. Baldwin was described to me, as a man who was overbearing in his

manner--a regular brow-beater.

When the time came for the discussion, the house was densely crowded.

Umpires were chosen, and everything was ready to proceed, when Brother

Grant arose and said, "Mr. Baldwin, I would like to ask you a question

before we proceed any further."

"Certainly so," said Baldwin.

"Who stands at the head of your church in South-West Virginia?"

Mr. Baldwin very quickly and austerely replied, "I do, sir; I do."

"All right," said Brother Grant; "I wished to know that I had a worthy

foe."

Mr. Baldwin looked a little confused for a moment, and then said:

"Mr. Grant, I would like to ask you who stands at the head of _your_

Church in South-West Virginia?"

Brother Grant arose and with bowed head replied, "Jesus Christ, sir."

The shock was electrical. This inspired answer completely disarmed the

proud foe, and the humble servant of God again came off victor.

CHAPTER II.

CURIOUS COINCIDENCE--IMPRESSION UPON MISS FLOYD--HER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT--CHALLENGED BY MR. RUBY--MEETING BY CHANCE--ELDER

GRANT'S ESTIMATE OF MR. RUBY--THE PREACHER COWED.

It was the good fortune of Elder Grant to be the first to open the door

of salvation to the people of South-Western Virginia, upon whom he made

an impression that time does not seem to remove. This impression was

the result of his honesty and truthfulness, and his readiness to meet

the foes of truth, added to his peculiar clearness, force and power

in preaching the divine principles of the gospel. He was an earnest

worker. Through his earnestness, sincerity and practical common sense,

he was often thrown into the society of men and women of the highest

culture and intelligence that the State contained.

In this connection a rather singular coincidence is related.

About the time of his first appearance in Burke's Garden Tazewell

County, Virginia, he held his meetings, generally, at the residence of

Colonel Peter Litz, a man of considerable wealth and influence at that

time.

At one of these meetings, I think about the second, a very large

concourse of people had assembled, and it was decided, on account of

the size of the congregation, to hold the meeting in the orchard, there

being a beautiful blue grass lawn beneath the trees.

It was the Sabbath day. That morning, a Miss Floyd, sister of the late

John B. Floyd, who lived a few miles distant, was reading the Bible,

and accidentally turned to the passage, "Prove all things; hold fast

that which is good."

She arose immediately, ordered her carriage, and said: "Inspired by

that injunction, I will go and hear what that 'Mormon' has to say."

When she arrived at the place of meeting, she gave orders for her

carriage to be driven around to a position where she could remain

seated in it, and still be able to hear the remarks of the speaker.

The moment her carriage stopped, Elder Grant arose and announced his

text: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," from which he

preached a most powerful sermon.

Colonel Litz told me he never heard anything so clearly set forth as

the principles of the gospel were on that day. The evidence adduced as

to the divine authenticity of the doctrines preached by the Saints was

overwhelming, and the testimony borne was most powerful.

At the close of the meeting, Miss Floyd alighted, walked up and

introduced herself to Elder Grant, and invited him home with her.

Miss Floyd was a lady of rare qualities of mind, and had taken

advantage of every opportunity for intellectual advancement. Her

information was vast, and of a solid nature. She was the best

genealogist in the country, and was thoroughly posted in religious

matters.

She was so deeply impressed by the sermon, that she made the remark to

the Elder after the close of it:

"Mr. Grant, I am a Catholic; and if Catholicism is not true,

'Mormonism' is. I am fully persuaded that 'Mormonism' is next to

Catholicism."

She was ever afterwards a true friend to Brother Grant.

That and other discourses of the same kind did a powerful work, and

laid a foundation upon which Elders are building up branches of the

Church in that region to-day.

Elder Grant had not the advantage of a collegiate education, and

naturally had a dread of meeting with men who were highly educated. He

often expressed this feeling to others. But when he came in contact

with men of that type, they seemed to be mere pigmies in comparison

with him, when discussing the principles of the true gospel.

One very amusing incident was told me, which shows the peculiar way

Brother Grant had of testing the material with which he had to deal.

The Lutheran church in Burke's Garden had a minister, the Rev. Ruby,

who was a very fine scholar in the Latin and Greek languages, and was

considered a thorough theologian.

A certain man in the place, who was very fond of fun and debate, urged

the Rev. Ruby to challenge Elder Grant to meet him in discussion on

religion, stating to him that Elder Grant was uneducated and ignorant,

and by so doing he would expunge the "delusion" from the community and

do a great good.

Thus urged, the challenge was given and accepted.

The two, Rev. Ruby and Elder Grant, had never met, nor even seen each

other.

A few days before the time appointed for the discussion, the two

parties chanced to meet at a public gathering of some kind, and the

waggish instigator of the discussion was there also. The latter stepped

up to Elder Grant and said:

"Mr. Grant, allow me to introduce you to the Rev. Mr. Ruby, the

Lutheran preacher."

Brother Grant stepped back and gave the reverend gentleman a thorough

inspection, and then said:

"Did I understand you to say _preacher?_"

"Yes, sir.'

"Well, well! if I was secreted in the bushes along the side of the

road for the purpose of waylaying a preacher, and Mr. Ruby should pass

along, I wouldn't even snap a cap at him."

The reverend gentleman was completely thunderstruck. He had no more use

for Elder Grant, and remarked: "If that is the kind of a man he is, I

don't want to have anything more to do with him."

It was enough; there was no discussion. Thus, Brother Grant disarmed

his foe, and marched on triumphantly to victory, scattering the seeds

of eternal truth, which have taken root in the hearts of many and

sprung up, and in their turn produced fruit.

It can be truly said of Elder J. M. Grant that he has left "footprints

on the sands of time," for I saw them and took courage.

May the sons of this noble man emulate the glorious traits of a father

who was so honored of heaven.

WAR HILL.

BY J. MORGAN.

ELDER J. M. GRANT CHALLENGED TO DEBATE--BOONE'S HILL CHOSEN AS THE

PLACE--HIS ANTAGONIST GETS SIX MINISTERS TO HELP HIM--DEMORALIZED

MINISTERS SEND FOR ANOTHER TO ASSIST THEM--INGLORIOUS DEFEAT OF THE

EIGHT--ONE OF THEM ABSENT-MINDED--CHANGE OF NAME TO "WAR HILL."

Traveling through the State of North Carolina, I met with many

reminiscences of President Jedediah M. Grant, who performed a mission

there many years ago, making a vivid impression on the minds of the

people, and converting quite a few to the truth.

An old gentleman, who is not a member of the Church, but who was a

warm friend and ardent admirer of Elder Grant, relates a graphic

and interesting account of a debate that the latter held with some

ministers, in what is now Surry County.

Upon the advent of the "Mormon" preacher into that particular locality,

a minister of one of the denominations challenged him to debate, which

challenge was promptly accepted, and the necessary preparations were

immediately made. A chairman and judge were selected, rules adopted

to govern the discussion, and the well-known locality of Boone's Hill

was chosen as the place to hold the debate. It was the birthplace

and former home of Colonel Daniel Boone, the first white settler of

Kentucky, and the building located there was known far and near as

Boone's Hill Church.

After the preliminaries had been arranged, the minister appeared to

have become a little nervous, and requested the privilege of bringing

in a friend to assist him.

Elder Grant's reply was, "Yes, as many as you wish."

The result was that when the day came, he found seven sectarian

preachers pitted against him.

He claimed and obtained the privilege of replying to each speaker

consecutively.

The church proved much too small to accommodate the people; so a

platform was erected at the rear of the building, and the people seated

themselves under the shade of the trees.

The discussion opened, and the polemical battle waxed hot, and

hotter, as hour after hour of debate went by. The Elder followed them

whithersoever they saw proper to lead, and, with Bible quotations

and historical facts, he struck blows so rapid and strong that his

opponents became demoralized on the second day, and posted a runner

on horseback off eighty miles, to bring to their assistance a noted

divine. By a rapid journey, this theological Hercules soon reached the

appointed place, and by his presence revived the drooping spirits of

his friends.

But the Elder, after four days of continuous debate, only seemed to

have got fairly into a condition to talk well, and doubly astonished

the priests and people by the hurricane of thought, truth and logic

that came rushing through his lips with such force as to sweep away

their arguments and sophistry, holding spell-bound the audience, while

he contrasted the man-made system of modern theology with the grand and

glorious truths of God's revealed religion. He portrayed the sublimity

of holy writ in its forecast of the glorious work of the latter days;

the restoration of the gospel; the visitation of angels; the believer

blessed with the gifts and signs following; the building up of the

kingdom of God; the redemption of the human family and of the earth;

until, at last, turning to the crowd of ministers who had been opposing

him, he called upon them to turn from their erroneous doctrines and

aid him in the promulgation of the true gospel, that must "be preached

in all the world for a witness." He promised that if they would do so

they should reap eternal life. Raising his hands towards heaven, he

declared that he had spoken the truth to the people, that his hands

were washed clean of their blood, and that his testimony was recorded

in the archives of heaven, to be brought forth on the great day of

God's judgment; and said, "you ministers, and you people, will meet it

there that day."

At the close of this remarkable scene the men who had been opposing him

began hurriedly leaving the platform. So excited were they in their

movements, that the leading one of them left his Bible, cane and hat

behind him.

Noticing these articles left behind, Elder Grant called and requested

some one to carry them to the absent-minded owner, and one of the

bystanders did so.

Elder Grant then dismissed the congregation, and from that day to this,

Boone's Hill has been called _War Hill_, in memory of the religious

battle fought there.

SIGN-SEEKING.

BY J. H. VAN NATTA.

PERSECUTING THE MISSIONARIES--A DISCUSSION--NOT CONTENT WITH BIBLE

PROOFS--A SIGN DEMANDED--NO SIGNS PROMISED TO UNBELIEVERS--WARNED TO

REPENT, OR ENDURE THE CURSE OF GOD--THE RESULT.

In the year 1841, three Elders--James M. Adams, James M. Emmett and

Hiram Page--were traveling in Erie Country, Pennsylvania, preaching

the gospel. The opposing power, which is always ready to contest the

ground with the Elders, inch by inch, manifested itself there in a most

violent manner. As usual, this opposition came from those who professed

to be Christians. A Baptist minister and his sons disfigured Elder

Emmett's pony by clipping off its hair, daubing tar on it, etc., and

the Elders were also threatened, though the threats were not put into

execution.

The Elders were finally challenged to debate with a number of

preachers, on the subject of the gospel.

The challenge was accepted on condition that the preachers would

confine their arguments to Bible proofs, which they agreed to do.

The discussion accordingly opened by Elder Adams preaching a discourse

on the first principles of the gospel. He spoke in such a plain,

pointed and forcible manner, that the opponents to the truth were

disconcerted. When their turn to speak arrived, they laid aside the

volume of inspiration which they had agreed to take as their guide, and

commenced reading from Howe's "Mormonism Unveiled," a book written by

one D. P. Hurlbut. This book contained the most glaring falsehoods and

inconsistent ideas that wicked men could invent.

The umpires informed the preachers that they must not deviate from

their written contract, but confine themselves to Bible proofs, as they

had agreed to do. If the "Mormon" doctrine was false, it must be proved

so from the Bible.

After the old preachers had tried in vain to produce any scripture

proofs, or logic either, to sustain their false views, and the

powerless form of religion which they held to, they were reinforced

by a young Free-will Baptist preacher, named Solon Hill. It was soon

evident that he could offer nothing in the way of argument, for he soon

drifted into the same strain of slander and vituperation in which the

others of his party had sought to indulge Finally, however, he hit upon

a plan which he seemed to think would enable him to come off victor.

Turning to Elder Adams, he said, "If you are a servant of God, as you

boldly say you are, I demand a sign of you, to convince me that you are

genuine."

Elder Adams told him that he had taken a dangerous stand; that signs

followed believers, but did not go before them; that signs came by

faith, not faith by signs. He informed him who the first sign-seeker

was--Satan, whose children had always been faithful in following his

example. He testified that the truths of heaven had been plainly laid

before them, that the Spirit had given unmistakable evidence of its

truth, and that unless he repented of his sins, rendered obedience to

the gospel and lived up to its requirements, the curse of God would

rest upon him.

The meeting was dismissed without the preachers being able to disprove

any of the truths advanced by the Elders; the people were left to

reflect at leisure upon what they had listened to, and the preacher,

Hill, to accept the consequence of disobeying the servant of God.

* * * * * * *

After a lapse of sixteen years from the time of the events just

narrated, I happened to be in the same part of Pennsylvania upon a

mission.

Calling one day at a house to water my horse, I saw one of the most

deformed and repulsive looking beings I ever beheld.

On arriving at my destination, I informed my brethren of the hideous

sight I had met with, when I was told that the being I had seen was

what was left of the man who had demanded a sign from a servant of God.

In 1878, Elder Butler, of Ogden, was on a mission to the same place,

and I wrote to him for information concerning Hill. His reply was, "He

is still alive, and an object of charity."

There are two ways of knowing the truths of the gospel. One is to

obey and live up to them. The antediluvians took the other way and

were overwhelmed; and the man who wanted a sign also took it, and, as

a consequence, had to drag out a long and most miserable existence,

manifesting by his appearance to every beholder, that the curse of the

Almighty was certainly resting upon him.

MISSIONARY INCIDENTS.

By H. G. B.

CHAPTER I.

A BUSY MISSION--A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS--JUDGMENTS UPON OUR OPPONENTS.

I am writing from a place (Mount Airy, Surry County, N. C.) that I

visited as a missionary first in 1868. Then I labored in company with

Howard K. Coray, in this and Stokes Counties, N. C., and in some three

or four Counties of Va., for two years and three months, during which

time we baptized nearly three hundred souls, one hundred and sixty of

whom accompanied us home to Utah. It is of some of the incidents of

this mission that I wish to write.

I remember very well, that after laboring some months in Virginia, and

baptizing some thirty persons, we left Burke's Garden, Va., the 20th of

January, 1868, reaching this point after three days' travel. We were

absent from Burke's Garden just two months to a day, and during that

time we held fifty-four public meetings, baptized thirty persons, and

organized them into a branch of the Church. In addition to our public

meetings, we visited from place to place among the people, constantly

teaching, both day and night, often till after midnight.

It was generally understood where we were to visit, each day and night,

for a week ahead, and at each of these places, crowds of the neighbors

would assemble, coming from their homes, guided through the darkness of

the night by their pitch-pine torch-lights.

When, on these occasions, we met with the people, we had to do a vast

amount of teaching and singing (Elder Coray being an excellent singer),

and answer hundreds of questions. What one could not think of another

would. And thus we had to teach and explain and answer the demands made

upon us day after day, and night after night, until our instructions in

this manner covered hundreds of discourses, and until we were so nearly

worn out, that we had sometimes to retire to the woods and hide, to get

a little respite from our too-constant labor.

We indeed literally sowed the seed in tears and in peril, in the midst

of opposition and bitter persecution. But the Lord fully magnified His

name, His cause, and His servants, in all that we had to do and to bear.

The new Methodist church in this place, which was denied us to preach

in, was, two days afterwards, struck by lightning, and so nearly

demolished that, I am told, it was never repaired. A man, who was a

class leader, who abused his sister for going to our meetings, and

shamefully lied about Elder Coray and myself, and said all manner of

evil, falsely, against the Latter-day Saints and the gospel, was found

by his wife, the next morning, dead by her side; and because his body

did not get cold like ordinary corpses, he was not buried for nearly a

week after his death.

Two wealthy and prominent men, who used their influence and the power

of their wealth and position-to retard the work of the Lord here, met

with sudden and unexpected deaths.

Many other incidents of like nature might be mentioned that occurred

here during our stay. So many of them, in fact, occurred, that great

fear came upon the people.

While we labored in poverty, in all humility, contrite in spirit,

reaching out in our weakness after the honest-in-heart, many souls

were added to the Church. The poor had the gospel preached to them,

the Lord giving us a harvest of sheaves. The people hung upon our

words as the words of life; every expression and every movement was

narrowly watched. They read their Bibles as they had never read them

before; "They that erred in spirit came to understanding, and they that

murmured learned doctrine;" and they rejoiced in the Holy One of Israel.

How faithful then ought we messengers of the gospel to be, in the trust

that is reposed in us, to carry this glad message to our poor, fallen

brethren and sisters in humanity!

In conclusion, I wish to offer a little advice to the boys and young

men who may read this: Be very diligent in storing your minds with

all useful knowledge--with all the truths of the new and everlasting

gospel. Live pure lives in the sight of heaven, and the angels that

constantly watch every act of your lives. Be truthful, honest, sober,

virtuous and faithful in all things. The Almighty wants you, with your

innocence and purity and strength, to redeem the nations that sit in

darkness. And you may yet stand before rulers, kings, emperors, and the

great of all nations of the earth, when they will tremble and quail

before you, because of the power of God that will rest upon you.

CHAPTER II.

VISIT TO A BAPTIST MEETING--ABUSE OF THE VARIOUS CHURCHES, ESPECIALLY

THE "MORMONS"--BOASTED BIBLE-NAME AND RELIGION--RETURN TO THE TEXT--THE

"HARD-SHELL" WAIL--REPLY TO THE FALSE ASSERTIONS--THEIR "BIBLE-NAME"

DISPROVED--THE TRUE SCRIPTURE NAME POINTED OUT.

While Brother H. K. Coray and I were laboring as missionaries in North

Carolina, we attended a Baptist meeting, rather on his account than

mine, as he had never been to such a meeting.

It was on Saturday, and the meeting was held in a bowery in the edge of

a wood, in Stokes County.

Shortly after our arrival, the meeting was opened in the usual way,

by the minister, the Rev. Mr. Mourning, the leading preacher of that

denomination. He arose and read his text from the Song of Solomon,

8th chapter and 8th verse: "We have a little sister, and she hath no

breasts," etc., after which, the preacher launched out in a discourse

made up from abuse and slander of other denominations.

First he commenced a tirade against the Methodists, by saying:

"There is the Methodist church; I do not read in the Bible of the

Methodist church; therefore, that church cannot be the true church.

Neither do I read of the Presbyterian church; it is, therefore, not

God's church. Nor do I read anything in the good book about the

Lutheran church; nor does the scriptures say anything about the

Campbellite church, nor the Catholic church, nor the Quaker church."

Thus he went on, mentioning all the leading sects of the present day,

saying none of these could possibly be the true church, because the

Bible was silent as to their names.

He seemed to take some pains to save the "Mormons" till the last, so

as to be thoroughly warmed up, that he might be the better able to do

justice to their case.

After awhile, getting all the steam on--mustering all his force,

he opened his battery upon the "Mormon" Church, saying the "Mormon"

Church was not mentioned anywhere in the scriptures, nor the "Mormon"

religion; neither the "Mormon Bible," nor "Joe" Smith, nor Brigham

Young, not even the word "Mormon" was mentioned there.

He finished up his abuse of the "Mormons" by saying they were the most

dangerous, and altogether the worst of the whole bad lot.

"But," said he, referring to the Baptist church, "ours is the Primitive

Baptist church--a Bible name. Ours is a Bible church, a Bible

religion," etc.

"Sometimes," he added, "we are called 'Iron Jackets,' sometimes, 'Hard

Shells,' but these are nicknames. Our true Bible name is 'Primitive

Baptists.'"

By this time he had been talking an hour, and had not once referred

to the text. But having apparently satisfied himself and a few of his

hearers in abusing other denominations in general, and the "Mormons" in

particular, he suddenly assumed the old "Hard Shell" wail, or preaching

tune, and drawled out:

"But my dear friends and breethring-ah, we have a little sister-ah,

and she hath no breasts-ah. I am very much afraid, my dear friends and

breethring-ah, that in that great day when we shall be spoken for-ah,

that some of us will be brought into that awful presence-ah, and there

find we have no breasts-ah. And oh, my dear friends and breethring-ah,

will not this be an awful condition to be found in-ah?"

Honestly, this is no exaggeration! Thus he held forth for an hour

longer, expressing no two sentences without the phrase, "my dear

friends and breethring-ah," being sandwiched in between.

I am very sorry I cannot give my readers the music, for it would be a

rich treat.

As he was about to close the meeting, I asked for permission to speak

for a few minutes.

"Not," said he, "till we dismiss our meeting; then if the people wish

to hear you I have no objection."

When he had dismissed his meeting, all the congregation sat down again,

thus giving me to understand they wished me to talk to them.

I commenced by stating to the audience that I wished to correct some

mistakes made by Mr. Mourning, relative to the name of the Church to

which I belonged. We were called the "Mormon" Church, which was a

nickname given us by our enemies, the true and legal name being, the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; also that there could be

no other appropriate name for Christ's church. Churches that are not

His, should always be called by some other name than His, illustrating

to them that the church of Christ was never called by any man's name.

Christ's church in the days of Noah was not called Noah's church.

Neither was His church called the church of Abraham in his day, nor the

church of Moses when Moses lived. Nor was it ever called the church of

John the Baptist in the day that he was upon the earth. I closed by

saying that I never in the Bible had read anything about a "Primitive

Baptist church."

In the absence of anything better to say, he asked me if I did not like

John the Baptist.

I answered "Yes," and that he was called the Baptist because he had

baptized the people in all Judea and Jerusalem, and the region round

about Jordan, as Mr. Cloud (referring to a man that sat near me) had

made shoes for all the people near where he lived, and on that account

was called a shoemaker, but it did not follow that those for whom he

had made the shoes were also called shoemakers.

I requested him, if there was any evidence in the scriptures to

establish the Bible name of his church, to open his Bible and read it

to the people.

This he could not do, for the simple reason that there was no such

evidence in the Bible. Nor do I believe that this great Baptist

minister ever knew, till I brought this fact to his notice, that there

was no evidence in the scriptures to establish a "Baptist" church.

And the members of his church seemed to be disappointed and utterly

astonished that he was unable to produce the proofs asked for.

To prove that ours was a scriptural name, I referred to, and quoted

Matt. xvi. 18; Col. i. 18; Acts xx. 28; I. Cor. xiv. 33, and other

passages.

When I concluded my remarks, a large number of the assemblage gathered

about me, that is, the portion that were not Baptists, manifesting

towards me in various ways their good feelings. They were like their

prototypes, the Pharisees and Sadducees of old.

When the Savior overthrew some pet dogma of the Pharisees, as He often

did, the Sadducees would gather about Him, feeling very much elated;

and when He, in like manner, demolished some tenet of the Sadducees, as

very often happened, then the Pharisees rejoiced. But in the end all

the parties united against the Savior.

So it is in these days. The only thing in which the sects of this

day are united, is in their opposition to and persecution of the

Saints--the true followers of Christ.

CHAPTER III.

MINISTERS APPOINT A MEETING TO EXPOSE "MORMONISM"--WE APPOINT ONE FOR

THE SAME PURPOSE, AND THE SAMEDAY--MINISTERS FAIL TO APPEAR--OTHERS

PREACH INSTEAD--WE FOLLOW--A BAPTIST ATTEMPTS TO REPLY--HIS

CONTRADICTORY STATEMENT--FELLOW-PREACHER'S CHAGRIN--THE PREACHER'S

CONCESSION.

In Surry Co., N. C., in 1868, Elder H. K. Coray and I had made out our

appointments ahead for the first, second, fourth and fifth Sundays in

August, but failed to get out an appointment for the third Sunday,

although we had made every effort to do so.

On the morning of the first Sunday, Esquire William Hill came to us and

reported that some Methodist ministers had given out an appointment

for the bowery, at Cross Roads, at eleven o'clock a. m., on the third

Sunday of that month, for the purpose of "exposing 'Mormonism.'"

The squire seemed very anxious for us to make an appointment for the

same day and place, at two p. m., which, after due deliberation, we

did, referring to the other meeting and its purpose, and then stating

that we would, at our meeting, continue the exposition of "Mormonism."

The news of these appointments soon spread far and wide, as connected

therewith was also the idea of a discussion.

Arriving at the place a little before eleven o'clock a. m., we found

the people had filled up the bowery, and the woods also seemed to be

alive with them.

But those ministers, after hearing that we would reply to their slander

in the afternoon, failed to put in an appearance.

However, four others, two Methodists and two Missionary Baptists,

attended the meeting.

Discourses were delivered by two of these divines, one of each

denomination, neither of whom alluded to our people, or doctrines; but

each, at the close of his sermon, gave liberty to any other minister to

reply to any doctrines that had been advanced.

No one replying, their meeting closed at half-past one o'clock, at

which time we announced that there would be a recess for thirty

minutes, when our meeting would commence.

The intermission afforded them time for all to take dinner, as nearly

all had brought lunch from their homes.

During the forenoon meeting, crowds of people were strolling through

the adjacent woods, among the carriages, wagons and horses, and

crowding about the well. But when our meeting commenced, all gathered

in and about the bowery, into a vast and compact assemblage.

The contrast was apparent to all, and especially was it gratifying to

us.

The Rev. Mr. Cordell, a Baptist, took his seat upon the stand with us.

The Rev. Mr. Gray, a Methodist, sat in front and near the stand tilting

himself back in his chair, with both thumbs inserted in the arm holes

of his vest, looking as if he thought St. Paul's overcoat too small to

make a vest pattern for him. The two others sat near Mr. Gray.

Our meeting opened. The discourse was upon the first principles of the

gospel--faith, repentance, baptism, the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, the

gifts and blessings enjoyed by the members, and the organization of the

Church with Apostles, Prophets, etc.

Quotations from the Bible, in abundance, were brought forward to fully

prove these points of doctrine.

The preachers and many of the people seemed to be very much astonished

that it was such an easy matter to establish these doctrines by the

scriptures. Especially did the Rev. Mr. Gray forget all his assumed

dignity, and, leaning forward in his chair, looked as amazed as he

could be, evidently realizing that he, for the first time in his life,

was listening to the gospel.

At the close of the discourse, liberty was extended to any person

present to make remarks upon the doctrines we had set forth.

The Rev. Mr. Cordell arose, and said, "I have belonged to the

Missionary Baptist church for thirty years, and have been a minister

of that church for twenty-five years of that time, and I have just

listened to a discourse, setting forth the doctrines I have always,

during that time, believed in and preached. Yet, I will not believe

except Mr. Boyle will work a miracle, and, even then, I will not go to

Utah."

Now this great preacher (for as such was he esteemed by the people

who knew him), when he arose to his feet, was white as a ghost, and

trembled from head to foot, really not knowing what he was saying.

I must confess that I was surprised at what he said, and so were

nine-tenths of those present.

I could see the people all through the audience exchanging glances

of astonishment, and many were really chagrined, and some actually

laughing at the absurdity of what he was saying.

All knew what he said was false, when he asserted that he had always

believed in and preached what he had just heard.

When he sat down, I called the attention of the people to the

inconsistency of calling for a miracle, to make him believe what he

professed to have believed and preached for twenty-five years. As to

whether he had really made a truthful statement, I said I would leave

them to decide, as they were all acquainted with his reverence and I

was not. I also referred to the idea he seemed to entertain, that some

one wished him to go to Utah. I was sure I had not invited him to go to

Utah, neither did I believe any of my friends had.

His brother preacher remarked, next day, to Squire Hill, that he would

not have had "Brother Cordell" so disgrace himself for five hundred

dollars out of his own pocket.

The result of the meeting was good. The report of it went far and wide,

and helped us to a great extent in our subsequent labors. A great many

were soon afterwards baptized in that section, among them 'Squire Hill

and five or six of his family.

We afterwards looked upon it as providential that we did not get out an

appointment sooner for the third Sunday in August, 1868.

Apropos to this incident, I may mention that when I was in North

Carolina, recently, I was informed by a number of persons that Mr.

Cordell often asserts that the Latter-day Saints can prove all their

doctrines by the scriptures, and that he never speaks evil of them.

CHAPTER IV.

MY FIRST SERMON--REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF HELP FROM THE ALMIGHTY.

Never shall I forget the first time I was called upon to make an effort

to preach the gospel. It was in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, in the

month of June, 1844.

I had been ordained an Elder and set apart to take a mission to

Virginia, in company with Elder Sebert C. Shelton.

My extreme youth prevented me from realizing the responsibilities of a

mission. Being a beardless boy, it never occurred to me that I would be

called upon to preach. Up to that time I never had been upon my feet to

say a word in public.

At a meeting which had been advertised for two weeks, at the Methodist

camp meeting ground, in a grove, in the County before mentioned, were

gathered an assemblage of six or seven hundred men, women and children,

priests, doctors and lawyers, the largest meeting I had ever witnessed

up to that time.

I came to this meeting from one part of the County, and Elder Shelton

was expected to come from another quarter. But the time to commence

meeting had arrived, and Elder Shelton had not.

The audience was impatient. A party of three or four of the leading

citizens waited upon me, to know if I would not address the meeting.

There never had been a "Mormon" meeting in that County before, and they

could not afford to be disappointed.

I was sitting near the center of the meeting (not realizing that the

stand was my place) when these men made the inquiry.

If a battery of artillery had been discharged in our midst, I do not

think it would have so startled me, as did this request.

For the first time I began to realize that it was my duty to try to

advocate the religion I professed.

Just as I was going to answer that I would make an effort, Elder

Shelton walked upon the stand, and this seemed to lift a mountain from

my shoulders.

Brother Shelton looked wearied and sick, but opened the meeting with

singing and prayer, and sang again before he discovered me in the

audience. Then he immediately called upon me to come to the stand and

preach, as he was too sick and feeble to attempt it.

To say I was scared, would scarcely convey a proper idea of my

condition. I was in a tremor from head to feet, and shook like a leaf

in a storm, scarcely knowing what I did.

I took up Elder Shelton's Bible which lay upon the front board, and

without any premeditation, I opened at the third chapter of John, and

read the fifth verse.

By the time I had finished reading, all my trembling had left me, and

I felt as calm and collected as the quiet that succeeds the storm. The

subjects of the first principles of the gospel were opened to me like

print, only plainer and more powerful.

Faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins and the laying on

of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, came to me in succession

and in their order. And those priests, doctors, lawyers and people did

not appear to me more formidable than so many butterflies.

No miracle ever performed by the power of God, could have had a more

convincing effect upon me, than did the help that came to me through

the power of the Holy Ghost on that occasion. And I am fully convinced

in my own mind that never since have I preached a more effective

discourse, nor one accompanied by more of the power of God.

CHAPTER V.

MY SECOND SERMON, WHICH WAS NOT A SERMON--CONFIDENCE IN

COMMENCING--SUBSEQUENT CHAGRIN--THE LESSON I LEARNED.

After delivering my first sermon or discourse I indulged in some very

extravagant reflections and ideas relative to my great success.

I thought it easy enough for a "Mormon" to be a preacher. I considered

it no wonder that Brother Jedediah M. Grant was such a splendid

speaker. I never afterwards expected to have any trouble so far as

preaching the gospel was concerned.

It never occurred to me that there was any chance for a failure. As the

power and inspiration enabling me to preach came from God, it was, I

thought, simply impossible for there to be any failure.

However, in this I was never more disappointed, as I will show:

In a few days after I preached my first sermon, and in the same

neighborhood, we held another meeting, when Brother Shelton called on

me again to preach. And when, in obedience to the call, I arose to my

feet, it was with all the confidence and assurance possible. But to my

surprise and chagrin, I could scarcely utter a word.

I was spiritually, mentally, and almost physically blind, and the power

of darkness seemed to have complete control over me.

After struggling with this power for a few minutes, I sat down in

confusion and shame, not having been able to speak one connected

sentence.

Immediately, something seemed to say to me, "Now you have learned two

important lessons: what you can do when the Lord helps you, and what

you cannot do, without His help."

No doubt some of my young friends are ready to ask, "Why did you fail?"

It may have been that I was not sufficiently humble, and perhaps had

not given God the glory to that extent that I should.

The best reason, however, I think, was that the Lord designed to teach

me a valuable lesson, which I am proud to say I have never forgotten;

and to this day, when I arise to preach the gospel, I say: "O! my

Father, help me on this occasion by Thy Holy Spirit."

JOURNEY ACROSS THE PLAINS.

BY PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR.

SURROUNDED BY INDIANS--PREPARE FOR AN ATTACK--SIGN OF PEACE--A

LETTER--PIPE OF PEACE--THREE OF US ACCOMPANY THE INDIANS TO THEIR

CAMP--CHAGRIN AT THE REPULSE--ROAD SWEPT CLEAR OF SNOW--MISSOURI RIVER

FROZEN OVER--WE CROSS ON THE ICE, WHICH BREAKS AS THE LAST WAGON LEAVES

IT.

In the latter part of October, 1849, a number of missionaries started

from Salt Lake Valley to go to the States, among whom were several of

the Twelve, who were going to introduce the gospel to foreign lands.

Elder Erastus Snow was appointed to Denmark, Lorenzo Snow to Italy,

myself, in company with John Pack and Curtis E. Bolton, to France, and

Franklin D. Richards to England. We were accompanied to the States by

Elder Jedediah M. Grant, Bishops Edward Hunter, A. O. Smooth, Edwin

D. Woolley, Joseph Heywood and a number of other Elders and brethren.

Several merchants also accompanied the expedition.

While journeying, we had a variety of singular adventures, and

experienced some remarkable interpositions of providence during the

trip, some of which I will relate.

When we arrived at a point some distance west of Laramie, as we turned

out our horses, at noon, suddenly a large body of Indians, amounting in

number to a hundred or a hundred and fifty, appeared in sight.

They were evidently on the lookout for a body of Crows, a hostile tribe

of Indians, who had hovered around us for some time on our journey.

As they first came in sight they swept along with all the abandon of

the red man, and their appearance was really very imposing. They were

perhaps a mile from us when we first saw them.

I was very much interested in their appearance, as they came dashing

down upon us on their fiery steeds, in warlike costume.

The manes and tails of their horses were painted various colors; and

the Indians themselves, painted and arrayed in their richest and gayest

styles, prepared for war, presented a magnificent aspect.

But our personal safety soon led us to other reflections.

While a part of the company immediately gathered up the horses, another

part attended to our firearms; and before the Indians reached us, we

had formed a line for defense, with our guns and pistols all prepared

for anything that might transpire.

The Indians rode to within about two rods of us, and then made a halt;

and as we had our guns leveled at them, they immediately assumed a

hostile attitude. Some of them having flint-lock guns, commenced

pecking their flints and making ready for firing, and others wet their

finger ends and placed their arrows in their bows, preparatory to an

encounter.

While thus engaged on both sides, waiting for anything that might

transpire, a fat, jolly-looking Indian came lumbering up on horseback,

not having been able to keep pace with his more youthful companions. He

held up both hands, and, as I understood this was a sign of peace, and

that he evidently desired to avoid any collision, I went out to meet

him. He then produced a paper, which stated that these Indians were

peaceable and friendly. It was signed by a Major Sanderson, who was

then commanding at Fort Laramie.

Although their attitude did not bespeak the most pacific intentions,

we, of course, received the statement with as good a grace as possible.

While waiting, several Indians attempted to pass us on the flank. When

he saw this, Brother Grant, who had assumed command of the company for

the time being, ordered a number of men to level their guns at them,

which caused them to remain.

As we could not talk with them nor they to us, and as no interpreters

were present, we had to judge by signs as best we could.

They pointed out to us several sentinels placed on the tops of

mountains in different directions, and intimated by signs that they

wanted these men to go to them, so we permitted them to pass.

The chief then touched his mouth or tongue, and we supposed that they

desired something to eat. I made a motion for the chief to move his

men back, which he did. They sat down and we furnished them with beef,

crackers, tobacco, etc.; but we found that they were not hungry, and

that they were anxious to talk with us.

We smoked the pipe of peace with them, and then harnessed our horses

and prepared to start, when they formed a line on each side of us; each

of our men, as a precautionary measure, taking his gun in his hand as

he drove his team.

The chief expressed a desire to have some of us go to his camp, which,

he informed us by signs, was not far off. Lorenzo Snow, Bishop Hunter

and I accompanied him, and our train moved on its course.

The camp, which was about three miles from our own encampment, we

found to be very large. The Indians were very well-formed, athletic

men, and good specimens of their race. There were a great many

respectable-looking lodges, and I should suppose about three thousand

horses grazing about.

When we met them the chief seemed somewhat chagrined, and we thought

that the repulse of his men by us was the cause.

There was a Frenchman at the camp, who acted as interpreter during our

interview. In our conversation the chief asked us why we had assumed a

warlike attitude towards his people.

We told him that we were not acquainted with them, and thought it best

to be prepared. We did not know but that they were some of the Crows,

who had been hovering around us.

They were anxious to know about the Crows, having heard that they

were going to steal some horses from them. After a short and pleasant

interview, we left and joined our camp.

That night we put out a strong guard around our horses, and the same

night the Crows stole a good many horses from these Indians, as well

as the horses of some trappers who were in the immediate vicinity; but

ours were not molested.

On reaching Fort Laramie we were very courteously received and kindly

treated by Major Sanderson.

As it was late in the fall, the snow began to descend and the whole

country was covered to about twelve inches in depth.

Immediately after we crossed the south fork of the Platte River we met

with a very remarkable circumstance which we were led to look upon as

a providential occurrence and the interposition of the Almighty in our

behalf. Along the road that we traveled all the way from there to Fort

Kearney, the snow had been blown from the road the entire distance, as

if swept by a broom, leaving a clear track for us to travel upon.

It was very difficult to find nutritious food for our animals, the

grass having been killed by the frost, and before we reached the

Missouri River many of them failed and a number died.

The very last day before we arrived, we encountered a very severe snow

storm, which made it extremely difficult for the animals to move, and

many of them gave out. After much difficulty we arrived at an old

deserted fort, on the Missouri River, parties bringing in the wearied

animals as best they could.

Although an old deserted log house, with large openings between the

logs, and without windows and doors, was the only shelter afforded us,

I am not aware of any time in my life when I experienced a greater

sense of providential interposition and relief than I did with that

temporary refuge from the storm.

We stayed there the next day and found a family, in the immediate

vicinity who cooked and provided for us. We found that the ice was

running very strong in the Missouri River, and that it was impossible

to ferry across.

The succeeding was one of the most severely cold nights I ever

experienced, and in the morning some of our party went down to the

river and found that the floating ice had lodged and formed a bridge

across.

A company was selected to see if it was safe, and they returned and

stated that they thought the ice, though very thin, would bear us.

We immediately made preparations to cross the river, and, although it

was very rough, we took our wagons over without much difficulty; but

found that towards the last it began to be shaky and uncertain.

Mr. Kinkead, a merchant, who was along, having a lot of gold dust in

his possession, was afraid his team would sink before he got over, and

he carried it over on his shoulders, leaving his man to bring the team

over as best he might.

After using all the energy we could to get our teams over, the last one

had only just crossed the river when the ice gave way and floated down

the stream, thus exhibiting another remarkable manifestation of the

providence of God towards His Elders who were going forth on missions

to proclaim the gospel of salvation to the nations of the earth.

Many people would be apt to look upon these things as natural

occurrences; I ascribe them to the power of that Being who says the

hairs of our heads are numbered, and that a sparrow cannot fall to the

ground without our Father's notice.

STORY OF A HAT.

ELDER PHILLIPS IN NEED OF A HAT--BROTHER HOBBS TOLD IN A DREAM TO

PROVIDE ONE FOR HIM--HIS TROUBLE AT NOT BEING ABLE TO DO SO--THE HAT

PROVIDED IN AN UNEXPECTED MANNER.

The following incident in the life of Elder Thomas Phillips, of Scipio,

shows how mindful the Lord is of His servants, even in what may be

deemed small things. We will give it in Brother Phillips' own words.

"I have witnessed the providences of the Lord in various ways, while

traveling without purse or scrip, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ,

and have realized that to such, when faithful, the Lord has manifested

His loving kindness, and that His watchful care over them is sensible

to their understanding.

"One item, although it may appear small, is of particular interest to

me. It is as follows:

"I was traveling in the towns and villages in a part of the County of

Surrey, England, preaching the gospel as revealed from the heavens

through the ministry of holy beings. Under these circumstances, food

and raiment were sometimes hard to obtain; consequently, at one time I

had a hat that was very much the worse for wear.

"In a village called Hersham, in that county, lived a brother by the

name of William Hobbs, whose house at I sometimes visited, and received

food and lodgings.

"One night Brother Hobbs dreamed that a personage came to him and told

him that Brother Phillips would be at his house on a certain day,

naming the time, which I think was four or five days from the time he

dreamed. He was further told that he must get a new hat for Brother

Phillips; for the one he wore was very shabby.

"This dream was very much impressed on the mind of Brother Hobbs, and

troubled him sorely, for it found him without money and some miles from

any town where he could buy a hat.

"Brother Hobbs was the overseer of a small number of men, whose work

was to keep some miles of railroad in repair for the safety of the

trains.

"When the day came that I was to be at his house in the evening, he

went to his work very low-spirited, not having obtained the hat. While

at work on the track, a long train of cars came along, and when passing

the place where Brother Hobbs and his hands were at work, a hat,

suitable for the finest gentleman in the land, flew out of one of the

windows.

"Brother Hobbs shouted, 'That's the hat for Brother Phillips! Thank

God!'

"When Brother Hobbs came home in the evening, I was there, it being the

time specified in the dream.

"He walked up to me and said:

"'Brother Phillips, I was to give you a hat, and here it is.'

"To our surprise, it fitted me well.

"As a matter of course I was anxious to know who was so thoughtful for

an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and, in

answer to my questions, Brother Hobbs told me the dream.

"Then I knew, and still know, that the providences of our Heavenly

Father were, and are, working in favor of the servants and Saints of

the Most High."

A PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT.

ELDER TAYLOR'S LABORS IN LIVERPOOL--VISIT TO M'GAFFEY'S HOUSE--A

PROPHECY CONCERNING MR. TAIT--VISIT TO IRELAND--M'GAFFEY GETS

DRUNK--THE PROPHECY FULFILLED.

When the Twelve Apostles, under the presidency of President Brigham

Young, went to England, it fell to the lot of Elder John Taylor (now

President Taylor) to go to Liverpool to labor. At that town he was the

means, in the hands of the Lord, of raising up a branch of the Church.

Among others who were baptized was a man by the name of McGaffey, an

Irishman. Sometime after his baptism he invited Elder Taylor to make

a visit to his house, which he did. He met there a man by the name of

Tait, also an Irishman, whose home was in Ireland, but who had come to

Liverpool on some business or a visit.

The conversation was kept up till a late hour in the evening, the

principal topic, of course, being the gospel.

When Elder Taylor arose to depart, Brother McGaffey accompanied him

to the door, with a light, to show him the way out. While standing

there making the parting remarks, and taking leave of each other,

Elder Taylor felt suddenly led to predict to Brother McGaffey that his

friend, Mr. Tait, would be the first man baptized into the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ireland.

He had no sooner made this prophecy than he became startled at what he

had said, for at that time there were no Elders in Ireland, and none

had been there, and, so far as Elder Taylor knew at the time, none were

likely to go there. Yet the Spirit of the Lord inspired the prophecy,

and the Lord prepared the way by which it would be fulfilled. It was a

prediction which a man could not fulfill, without God had inspired it

and arranged circumstances to bring it to pass.

Time rolled on, and Brother McGaffey desired to make a visit to his old

place of residence in Ireland, and he was anxious that Elder Taylor

should accompany him. He had received the gospel himself, and whatever

his own weaknesses might be, he valued it then, and wanted his kindred

and acquaintances in Ireland to have it also.

So it was arranged they should go together, and they repaired to a town

called Newry.

In that country, and there are others very like it in this respect,

when friends have been long separated, there are some who think

that the best way to manifest good feeling and joy, at the reunion,

is to drink whisky together, and they think these meetings hardly

satisfactory unless they can get drunk.

McGaffey had a good many neighbors and friends, and he had, or thought

he had, to drink with them. The consequence was he got drunk, not once,

but several times.

Probably the first time he got drunk he was so ashamed of his conduct,

he a man professing to be a Latter-day Saint, that he got drunk the

next time to hide his shame. There are people, of whom we have heard,

who take just such a foolish, ridiculous course as this.

But whatever his motives were, he got intoxicated, and the people of

the town knew it.

This would have been bad enough under any circumstances; but worse

when it was known that he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints, for, drunk as he was, he had taken pains to let

everybody whom he met know what Church he belonged to.

This is a habit that many drunken people have. He not only told them

what he was, but you may be sure he did not fail to tell them that he

was accompanied by one of the Twelve Apostles, and he boasted about

him, how eloquent he was and what a knowledge of the scriptures he had,

and told many other things of a similar character.

This, you will readily understand, was scarcely the way that Elder

Taylor wanted the gospel introduced for the first time to a people or a

nation, and, we doubt not, he was terribly mortified at the ridiculous

conduct of his companion. But he was there, and he had to make the best

of it.

They succeeded in obtaining, what in that country is called the

"Sessions House," which we would call the "Court House," to hold

meetings in, in which he preached and gave out another appointment for

the next evening.

The people, knowing probably of McGaffey's conduct, were very uneasy

and restless, and kept going out and coming in, so much so that Elder

Taylor told them that he did not feel like talking to them. He had

plenty of appointments to fill, and abundant opportunities of speaking

to people who would be glad to listen to him, he said, and as they

seemed so indifferent about paying attention, he would not speak at

that time. He added, however, that if there were any there who wished

to ask questions, or to converse with him, they would find him at a

certain place, mentioning to them the number of the house and the name

of the street where he stopped.

After this, they went out into the country, and held meeting in a large

barn.

This was well attended by the people and good order prevailed.

Among others who were present, were a number of young men who were

being educated at a college in that vicinity, who had many inquiries to

make about the principles of the gospel.

In taking the route back to where they could get a conveyance to carry

them into Lisburn, they had some little distance to walk, and Elder

Taylor had his valise with him, which he had to carry.

On the road they passed near the farm of the Mr. Tait, whom Elder

Taylor had met at McGaffey's in Liverpool. Brother McGaffey thereupon

proposed to Elder Taylor that they call upon him.

They found him at home, and when they arose to pursue their journey, he

accompanied them, and insisted upon carrying the valise.

The conversation, we may naturally suppose, was upon the gospel and its

principles.

They had not gone very far when they came to a "loch," the name which

is given to a lake in that country. Upon nearing this, Mr. Tait spoke

out to Elder Taylor, in the language of the eunuch to Philip (_ Acts

viii._, 36): "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

Elder Taylor replied: "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou

mayest."

Mr. Tait answered: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and

I believe also the principles which you teach."

And right there, Elder Taylor baptized him, and confirmed him a member

of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and ordained him a

Priest.

Thus did the Lord bring about the fulfillment of the prediction which

he had inspired His servant to make, and Mr. Tait was the first man

baptized in Ireland, in this dispensation, by the authority of the holy

Priesthood.

GUIDED BY PROVIDENCE.

By JOHN MORGAN.

ELDER LISONBEE'S MISSION--URGED BY THE SPIRIT TO TRAVEL ON--FINDS A

LISTENER--INVITED TO PREACH--A PROTEST AGAINST IT--SUCCESS--HIS GREAT

WORK--HIS DEATH.

Among the Elders selected to go upon missions in the fall of 1875, was

James T. Lisonbee. He was assigned to the Southern States, and went

to the State of Mississippi. There he met a few relatives, whom he

visited, and sought an opportunity to preach the gospel to the people,

but found no opening.

After a brief visit, he packed his books and clothing into a valise

and started afoot across the country northward, intending to go to

Tennessee and join Brother D. P. Rainey, whom he found, after a long

and weary journey, almost bedfast with chills and fever.

After spending only a day and night with him, Elder Lisonbee started

for the mountains of Northern Alabama, seemingly urged on by a spirit

that would not let him rest.

He had no idea where he was going, or what he would find. Day by day

he walked on, footsore and weary, without money and in a land of

strangers. He often had to travel till a late hour in the night, before

obtaining a place to sleep or a little supper.

He met rebuffs and then kindness; was sometimes well-cared for, and

again hungry; and was often refused food and shelter.

He did not feel to stop by the wayside to preach, but pushed steadily

ahead. He crossed the Tennessee River, climbed Sand Mountain, and one

night found shelter with a man who sat up and talked till a late hour

with him on the principles of the gospel.

When morning came Elder Lisonbee was putting his books back into his

valise, preparatory to another start, when his host suggested that he

stop and preach to them, which was readily assented to, on condition

that a place could be obtained and anyone would provide for him during

his stay.

Both of these things the man said he would attend to, and for the first

time in several weeks he lay by for a rest.

A log church was secured, the people notified, and on Sunday a goodly

crowd gathered to hear the new, strange doctrine that was to be

preached.

Close attention was paid, and after the meeting, when he was again

packing his books, preparatory to continuing his journey, one of his

audience asked him to dinner, and suggested that some of the people

might want to talk with him on the Bible.

Accompanying his newly-found friend home, which, by the way, took

him in the direction he wanted to go, he found quite a few gathered

together to hear something new. A lengthy and interesting fireside talk

was held during the afternoon, and he was urged to hold another meeting.

An appointment was made for Tuesday night, at a private residence,

where the room was filled, and still another appointment was made.

A general desire began to be evinced to learn what the Latter-day

Saints taught.

The ministers became alarmed, and besought the people not to hear

him, and a mass meeting of the law-abiding (?) citizens was called to

protest against the Elder being allowed to teach any longer.

He continued, however, to hold his meetings. Friends sprang up on every

side. He soon found some who desired baptism, and eventually succeeded

in baptizing about thirty people, who immediately made preparations

to emigrate. They disposed of their property, combined their means

together and thereby helped the poor, and the Elder had the privilege

of leading out, by the same road he traveled coming up the mountain, a

goodly company, numbering some sixty or seventy souls.

These people eventually located in San Luis Valley, Colorado, and are

becoming good and prosperous Latter-day Saints. They will doubtless

recognize, in this little sketch, a history of the manner in which the

gospel came to them.

It will also serve to call to mind many incidents connected with the

wise, prudent and unselfish labors of Elder Lisonbee, who was called

upon to pass beyond the vail while on his return from his mission.

While upon that mission he performed a work that will add to his glory

while eternities shall endure, and set an example to young Elders every

way worthy of imitation.

FULFILLMENT OF PROMISE.

By M. F. COWLEY.

THE LORD'S PROMISES SURE--AN ELDER IN WANT OF A PAIR OF SHOES--HE PRAYS

FOR THEM--THE PRAYER ANSWERED--CASE OF HEALING.

The people of the world generally have no faith in the promises made

to the Saints, on condition of their obedience to God's commandments,

and when they witness the fulfillment of those promises they prefer to

attribute it to some other than the real cause. The Latter-day Saints,

however, like saints of former days, have been placed in positions to

test the truth of these promises, and know that they are indebted to

the Almighty, and to no one else, for their fulfillment. Especially is

this the case with the Elders who go upon missions to the nations of

the earth and faithfully discharge their duties.

Those who have learned the ways of the sectarian churches know that

their ministers are supported by salaries, given them for preaching;

that is, they "preach for hire and divine for money," in fulfillment

of Micah's prediction. But the Lord has, in our time, agreeable to the

ancient pattern, called men to "go into all the world and preach the

gospel to every creature," "without money and without price."

"Freely ye have received; freely give!" is the injunction, with a

promise that if they respond to the call and put their trust in God, He

will provide for their wants by raising up friends unto them, who will

aid them in their travels and give them food and shelter.

Hundreds of Elders could testify that they have realized the

fulfillment of these promises while traveling among the nations of the

earth without "purse and scrip."

When in want they have petitioned the Lord by the humble prayer of

faith to aid them in the hour of need, and He has never forsaken them.

A young Elder in one of the Southern States, not long since, when his

boots were the worse for wear and his toes in danger of protruding,

asked the Lord, in a very plain and simple style, to provide him with a

pair of shoes.

A day or two later, at the close of a meeting, a gentleman came to the

Elder and asked him to accept of some money which would aid him in

obtaining a pair of shoes.

The following day a shoemaker, who had made the acquaintance of the

Elder, happened by where he was stopping, and having discovered that

the Elder needed some shoes, told him that he had just made a pair

for himself, but through some mistake they would not fit him, as they

were too small, and asked the Elder if he would not accept them as a

present. He did so with gratitude, and found them to be as good a fit

as if they had been made for himself.

Thus he received a literal answer to his prayer and more too. Yet

neither of these people had he asked for money or for shoes.

This is one example among numberless instances of a similar nature that

have occurred in the experience of scores of Elders.

By such means, also, the Elders learn who are their friends, and will

give a favorable account of such people before the Lord, and they will

receive at His hands a just reward.

The people, also, who befriend the servants of God, have been

remarkably blessed, not only temporally, but in many instances have

been raised from beds of sickness by the power of God.

An instance may be cited which occurred not long since in one of the

Southern States.

A lady, whose husband and herself had treated the Elders with kindness,

was taken quite sick, and the affliction soon proved to be very serious

indeed. Three physicians were called to attend her, which they did for

several weeks, with little or no prospect of her recovery. Finally they

gave her up.

The Elders having returned to that neighborhood from a tour in another

County, this lady sent for them to come to administer to her the

ordinance of the gospel for the healing of the sick. She had heard

them allude to such an ordinance in their preaching, and found that

what they taught agreed with the pattern given in the New Testament.

They laid their hands upon her, at her earnest request, and after

repeating the ordinance several times, with prayer and supplication,

she arose from her bed of sickness to which she had been confined for

ten months. She requested baptism, and soon after rode a horse to a

stream of water, and was baptized and confirmed by the servants of God.

Numbers of astonished witnesses were present and she was looked upon

as a living miracle. She and her husband, with others, soon afterwards

gathered with the Saints in Southern Colorado.

Another instance of healing was in the case of a little girl who had

been seized with fits, in which her limbs were drawn up and caused to

quiver, and her eyes turned back as if she were dying. The Elders,

being present, administered to her, and, through the ordinance of the

gospel and the prayer of faith, she was healed by the power of God.

Scores of similar manifestations occur in the travels of the Elders

abroad in answer to the humble prayer of faith. Such instances, and the

remarkable way in which God preserves and provides for His messengers

who are sent to proclaim the everlasting gospel to the nations, confirm

the faith and increase evidence to the testimony of the Elders of

Israel, and when studied with honest and prayerful hearts by the youth

of Zion, tend to promote faith in their minds and prepare them to

assist in building up the kingdom of God upon the earth.

Many who are now young and inexperienced will probably soon be called

to bear the gospel message to the nations, and they should prepare

themselves for the noble work.

"YOU SHALL NOT BE CONFOUNDED."

BY BEFF.

SENT OUT TO PREACH WHEN A BOY--FIRST EXPERIENCE IN

PREACHING--QUESTIONED BY AN INFIDEL--ANSWER GIVEN BY THE LORD.

One of the most astonishing attestations of the promise which the Lord

makes to His servants, that they "shall not be confounded," that I have

ever heard, was related to me by an experienced missionary, in whom I

place great confidence, and for whose character I have great respect.

The incident and attendant circumstances, as nearly as I can

recollect, were as follows, and I am sure I give the same in a manner

substantially as related to me:

Brother A--first heard the gospel when a youth, in his native

country--England. He was soon convinced of its truth, was baptized at

the age of eighteen, and immediately after his baptism was ordained

an Elder, and sent forth to preach the gospel. He was an unlettered,

unsophisticated, bashful youth, one of the last, it would have been

thought, to be selected to preach the gospel.

He started forth and arrived at a strange village, where, at a late

hour, and after some interesting adventures, he was taken in by a

kind-hearted man and his wife, who made him very comfortable.

On the next day he conversed with them upon the gospel.

They thought it remarkable to see such a boy as he was, out as a

missionary of a new religion, became interested, and asked him to hold

a meeting in their house.

He had never preached in public, but he said he would do the best

he could. The appointment was spread, and the house was full at the

appointed hour. The young Elder astonished himself at the ease with

which he preached a long discourse on the first principles of the

gospel.

Among those who had come to meeting was a hardened infidel, who was a

very cunning reasoner, and who had made it a practice for many years

to argue against the divinity of the scriptures. Nothing pleased him

more than to draw some minister into a debate, and then to present some

of his "unanswerable" arguments against the Bible. He had vanquished

every minister in the village, and every itinerant preacher who had

held meetings there for years, whom he could succeed in drawing into a

debate.

When the young missionary had ceased preaching, some of the audience

commenced to ask him questions. Presently the infidel, evidently

thinking to easily vanquish so weak an adversary, commenced with his

usual routine of questions, and at length asked:

"So you believe the flood actually drowned all the animals in the world

except those in the ark?"

"Yes, sir," answered the Elder.

"We know that, not very long after the flood, many kinds of animals

were found in various parts of the world at a great distance from

where the ark landed, and even upon islands of the sea, far from the

mainland, and under such circumstances as would render the theory of

transportation by human means an absurdity. Now, how did those animals

come to exist in the different and distant islands and continents?"

This question was the infidel's "trump card." At the right juncture in

his debates he always asked it, and had never yet met with a minister,

or any other Bible believer, who could satisfactorily answer it.

The young missionary felt his utter inability to answer this question.

In trying to frame a reply, he sat gazing abstractedly at the ceiling

of the room. The audience who remained knew that this was the great

argument of the infidel, and did not, for a moment, suppose that the

boyish preacher could meet it.

Suddenly there appeared before the young missionary's eyes, as if

it were suspended in the air, a scroll. On the scroll appeared, in

brilliant golden letters, these words: "In the days of Peleg the

earth was divided." (_Gen. x._, 25). Instantly an explanation of the

infidel's problem burst upon his mind.

He calmly and deliberately proceeded to explain that, prior to the days

of Peleg, this whole earth was one vast continent, inhabited in its

various portions, with different kinds of animals; that in the days of

Peleg this vast continent was broken up into smaller divisions of land,

islands, etc., and that, in this manner, the animals upon its surface

accompanied the land in its divisions.

The infidel was confounded, the multitude astonished, and the young,

illiterate missionary triumphant. Several remembered the passage of

scripture, and none could gainsay the missionary's explanation. The

latter, however, had no knowledge of any such a passage in the Bible,

as he had read but very little of it, and, had the answer not come to

him by revelation, he would have been confounded.

The scroll was so plainly visible to him that it seemed as though

others could see it, but they did not.

AN EFFECTIVE PLEA.

ARRESTED ON A NOVEL CHARGE--ELDER PARRISH'S DEFENSE--ELDER PATTEN'S

INDIGNATION--CONSTERNATION PRODUCED BY HIS SPEECH.

In the early history of the Church, Apostle David W. Patten and Elder

Warren Parrish were traveling, in the State of Tennessee, preaching the

gospel and organizing branches of the Church.

In one locality, where considerable interest had been manifested and

the usual opposition met with, the latter culminated in the arrest

of the two missionaries upon the charge of being prophets, which was

preferred by some of the people, when they were actually carried before

a committing magistrate to be tried on the accusation.

The court was called, a jury summoned, and a great crowd of people

gathered to see the result of so remarkable a trial.

Elder Parrish was somewhat of a lawyer, in addition to being a good

public speaker, and begged the privilege of pleading his own case and

that of his fellow-prisoner, which the court readily granted, and,

after some preliminary work, the trial opened.

Witnesses were examined as to the teaching of the two Elders, much

contradictory evidence was given in and a great amount of wrangling

indulged in by the prosecuting attorney in trying to make a case

against the prisoners.

After the prosecution had made up its case and the attorney had

concluded his speech, Brother Parrish replied in quite a lengthy

_sermon_ on the first principle of the gospel, and then taking up the

legal bearings of the case, he claimed immunity from prosecution on the

ground of constitutional right to free speech.

During his speech it was quite evident that he had changed the popular

feeling very much, and that many of the audience were in sympathy with

the Elders.

Apostle Patten seems not to have relished the entire proceedings,

doubtless looking upon it as equal to or worse than a farce, and

considering that it was a disgrace to the courts of a free country.

As the defense closed and rested the case, he arose to his feet, and

with a look of indignation on his face, turned full upon judge and

jury; he raised aloft an immense walking stick, and in a voice of

almost superhuman force, he exclaimed:

"If the Lord Almighty will turn this stick into a sword, I will cut

heads off faster than He ever rained quails on Israel in times of old."

The judge dodged from his chair, the jury tumbled off the jury bench,

the nearest bystanders sought safety by increasing the distance between

themselves and the indignant Elder, and general consternation prevailed

in the midst of the panicstricken crowd.

Turning to Elder Parrish, Brother Patten said, "Follow me," and both

of the Elders walked out of the court room, mounted their horses and

quietly rode away, not a word being said or a hand raised to stop their

progress.

A LIFE SKETCH, CONTAINING A FEW MORAL LESSONS.

By W. B.

LACK OF EDUCATION--EARLY MARRIAGE--RESISTING TEMPTATION--GRAIN

INCREASED BY THE POWER OF GOD--ANSWER TO PRAYER--LARGE FAMILY, RESULT

OF EARLY MARRIAGE.

Thinking some incidents from my experience might be of interest to the

young Latter-day Saints, I submit them for their perusal.

I was born in the year 1835, was reared in the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints, and shared in its persecutions. At the age of

thirteen, in 1848, I drove a team from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake

Valley without any accident worth mentioning. The team consisted of

five cows and one ox, making three yoke of cattle.

After we arrived and got fairly settled, my parents died, and left me

without an education, as was the case with many more young folks who

were driven with the Saints, and on this account deprived of schooling.

In this condition, I concluded to make a home for myself.

Before I was seventeen, it being the counsel to marry young, I went to

President Young, as I was well acquainted with him, and told him what I

thought of doing.

He advised me to get married.

I took his counsel, got married and lived with my wife's folks for a

short time, as they requested.

Now, my young readers, we had not the value of fifty dollars, all

told. I imagine, too, you think this was rather young for such and

undertaking.

It was then, and is now the counsel to marry young--of course, at

a proper age--and I bear my testimony to the good effect of early

marriages.

My vocation was that of a farmer. The drawbacks we had in consequence

of crickets, grasshoppers, drouth, alkali, etc., can be better imagined

than described. A few circumstances will suffice to show how my wife

and I were blessed by the Lord.

In the spring of 1855, seed wheat and bread-stuff were very scarce. I

had none; but a neighbor of mine owed me a few bushels of wheat, and

I went to collect it. He was absent from home, but his wife, being

acquainted with me, sent me to the granary alone to help myself.

When I had put up all the wheat that was due me except the last half

bushel, and while in the act of filling that, the temptation came

to me to steal some of my neighbor's wheat. He had plenty and I had

none, except the little I was then getting. I might take it without

being detected, and he would never miss it. The thought had scarcely

got through my mind when I knew it was from the evil one; and, as a

punishment to myself for entertaining the temptation, I emptied part of

the half bushel that was then in my hand back into my neighbor's bin,

and did not take all that was my just due.

I took my wheat home. It was not as much as I wished to sow, but I was

satisfied, and thankful for it. I placed it in a room adjoining the one

I lived in, got my ground ready, and, as fast as I required it, I took

wheat from my small store to sow it with.

I sowed all the ground I wished to, and sowed it thickly, as I wanted a

good crop at harvest time. I afterwards noticed that I still had some

sacks with wheat in left. I saw that they were my sacks, and it must be

my wheat. I called my wife's attention to the matter, and then it was

that the Spirit of the Lord rested upon us and convinced us that it had

been increased by Him for our good.

I got the remaining wheat ground, and we had flour to last us till

harvest, for which we gave God the glory; and I bear testimony that

my wheat at that time was increased by the power of the same God that

increased the widow's oil in ancient times.

In those days, most people that had teams had to depend upon the range

for food for them. This was the case with me, and it often took me till

ten or twelve o'clock in the day to find my team. When I found it I

would return, tired out, and go to work. On one occasion I could not

find my team. I knelt down and asked the Lord to direct me where to

find it. After arising, contrary to my former intention, I went home. I

found my horses tied up. They had come up themselves.

These things taught me to rely upon the Lord, and to ask Him when I

needed help.

On another occasion I lost my team. I was satisfied it had been stolen.

I was in Salt Lake City a short time after the occurrence, and was

speaking to my uncle about my team being lost. He advised me to go to

an old lady close by, and she would tell me where it was by means of

cards. I told him I would do without the cards.

When I returned home my wife and I knelt down and prayed that the

person who took my team might be prevented from taking it out of the

country, and that we might get it again.

The team was taken in the summer, and in the fall of the same year a

man came to me, in my field, and asked me if I knew of any person that

had lost such and such animals, describing my horses. I told him they

belonged to me. He then directed me where I should go to find them.

I thanked him for his information, and asked him how he happened to

come to me, as we were strangers to each other, and my horses were not

branded.

He said he did not know, only that he felt impressed to ask me.

Early next morning I started after my horses. That night I found them

in charge of a man who told me that a person came to him in the summer

time and desired to stop with him over night. The fellow had a band of

horses which his host believed he had stolen. In the morning, as they

were both looking at the horses, he said to the man who brought them

there, "Here are two stray horses; I will take charge of these and get

them to the owner." He accordingly left my two horses and took the rest

of the band with him.

You can see, my young readers, how literally our prayers were answered.

We recovered our horses in good condition, and thanked the Lord.

These, with many other blessings, served to keep us humble and faithful

to our covenants.

Now, the result of our early marriage is this: my family numbers

twenty-four. I am the father of nineteen children, four of whom are

married, and I have seven grand-children, and my present age is

forty-four. I have filled many positions of trust, and I think to the

entire satisfaction of my superiors. I am now a Bishop in Zion, and I

think I have the faith and prayers and confidence of the Saints over

whom I have the honor to preside.

I mention this to show what can be done by being faithful and observing

the counsel of those whose right it is to guide and direct.

CASES OF MIRACULOUS HEALING.

BY G. W. HILL.

GREAT ASSEMBLY OF INDIANS--BAPTIZING THEM--THE SICK INSTANTLY

HEALED--CURIOUS ACTIONS OF INDIANS AFFECTED WITH EVIL SPIRITS--THE OLD

CHIEF'S FAITH--CHILD CURED OF FEVER--THE DEAD REVIVED.

I have witnessed a great deal more of the power of God in my

administration with the Indians then I ever experienced with any other

people. In quite a number of cases I have seen Indians who were sick

healed instantly, when the ordinance for the healing of the sick was

performed in their behalf by the Elders.

I remember several cases of healing that occurred on August 1st, 1875.

A large party of Indians had come in from Wind River, to see what our

Indians were doing, as they had heard that I was working with them,

trying to teach them the principles of the gospel, as also how to live

as the more civilized man does, by cultivating the earth.

They were very anxious to find out whether an Indian would be allowed

to settle down and cultivate the earth as other people do. They also

wished to ascertain what our religious views were that we were teaching

to those Indians, as they were interested with them, because they not

only belonged to the same nation, but were related to each other as

well.

On the date mentioned I was holding a meeting with them. Our bowery

was filled to overflowing. There were from four to five hundred

Sho-sho-nees from Wind River, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred

Bannocks from the far north, and our local Indians; in all probably

about one thousand present.

During our services, Elder Lorenzo Snow, Sister Eliza R. Snow, and

quite a number of the authorities from Brigham City came to pay us

a visit, and were surprised to see us engaged preaching to so large

an audience. They came into the bowery, and all took their seats as

quietly as they could except Sister E. R. Snow, who continued to stand

up, that she might have a better opportunity of seeing the effect the

preaching had on the congregation.

Brother Lorenzo Snow spoke to us a short time; the rest preferred to

look on. I expect they thought it was a queer spectacle to see a man

trying to preach to a congregation such as I had. But a more attentive

congregation I never saw, nor one that paid more respect to the speaker.

After the meeting was dismissed, the cases of healing to which I

referred took place.

The Indians hurried me to the water, as there were so many that wanted

to be baptized. I did not stop to visit with the brethren and sisters

who came to see us, but went immediately to the river.

I baptized over three hundred before I came out of the water.

Among the number were several who were sick. Some had been sick for a

long time, and all, without an exception, on being baptized for their

health, were healed.

There was one man who had been sick a long time. He had been so bad

that he was unable to walk a step for four or five months. It took

three men to carry him into the water to be baptized. I baptized him

for his health and for the remission of his sins, when he walked out of

the river with one man walking on each side of him to steady him, and

he got well immediately.

There were in this company of Indians, some eight or nine persons that

were possessed of the evil one, or something of that kind. The first of

these was a large, strong woman.

Now an Indian is no more afraid of water than a duck is; but when I

raised this woman out of the water, she wilted and dropped on my arm,

as lifeless, to all appearance, as if she had been dead a week.

The old chief was standing on the bank of the river, preaching to the

Indians all the while I was baptizing. When he saw this, he shouted

"one!" the second chief also shouted "one."

I did not know what this meant, but the old chief, noticing my

embarrassment, said, "Do not be in a hurry, father, she will soon be

all right."

In about a minute her breath returned to her, and she walked out of the

river all right.

As I said before, I baptized eight or nine of such cases that day, the

old chief keeping count all the time.

He told me that they had been practicing their witchcraft and working

with their black art so much, that he did not expect anything else of

them; but it caused me to reflect a great deal.

Some of those that were operated upon in this way were men, and when

I would raise them out of the water they would hang upon my arm

breathless, and as limber as a half-filled sack of wheat.

The old chief took sick about a week after he was baptized, and

called for baptism for his health. I baptized him, and he got well

immediately. The power of God was made manifest in his case to such an

extent, and made so much impression upon him, that, on being taken sick

last summer, he started to come a distance of between two and three

hundred miles on horseback to be baptized for his health.

Now, if he had never been healed himself, nor seen anybody else healed,

he would never have started that distance on horseback to have that

ordinance performed.

The Lamanites are very much like other people; some of them have great

faith, and will be healed of any sickness, no matter how severe the

attack, while others will not seem to be benefitted in the least.

I have frequently administered to them when they were burning up, as it

were, with mountain fever, and before I would get my hands off their

heads, their faces would be covered with large drops of sweat, and the

fever would be entirely gone.

I remember one case of this kind among many others that took place on

Salmon River, in the fall of 1855.

A band of Indians came in from their hunt, with a little girl, very

sick of mountain fever. Their relatives told them that we practiced the

ordinance of laying on hands for the healing of the sick.

When the father came after me, I told him that we did not make a

practice of administering to those who did not belong to the Church;

and if we went and administered to the child, and it recovered, I

should expect him to be baptized. He said it was a bargain.

Accordingly I took David Moore, of Ogden, and B. F. Cummings, Sen.,

with me, and we anointed the child and laid our hands upon her. When we

took our hands off her head, her face was literally covered with large

drops of sweat; the fever was gone, and the child got well immediately.

On the Sunday following, I baptized fifty-six, her father being the

first in the water.

Lest I should weary your patience, I will relate but one more instance.

On August 11, 1875, the soldiers had, through the instigation of the

people of Corinne, come up to Corinne, to drive the Indians from the

farm where they made their first start, in the spring of that year, to

cultivate the earth and settle themselves.

When the officers and I had got through with our talk, and were getting

ready to return, an Indian by the name of Tattoosh, came for me to go

and administer to his child, telling me to hurry or it would be dead.

I took some Indians with me and went. When I got to his place, I found

the child's mother sitting out in the sun, trying to warm it in that

way. The child seemed to be dying; its flesh was cold and clammy, and a

death sweat was upon it.

We anointed it, and while administering to it I seemed to see the child

at different stages until it was grown. I blessed it, accordingly, to

live, and told its mother it would get well.

The child seemed to remain in the same condition until the next day

about three o'clock.

The major had come up and changed the orders of the previous evening,

which were for me to tell the Indians to go on with their harvesting,

as he would not disturb them. Now the orders were if the Indians had

not broken camp by 12 o'clock the next day, and started for some

reservation, he should use force and drive them to one.

As I was going to the camp to get the Indians to leave, I met

Tat-toosh, who told me that the child was dead. I said, "No, I cannot

believe it!" He repeated that it was, and that its mother and friends

were crying about it.

I had no time to go and see it, as I had to hurry to the camp. They had

no opportunity to bury the child there, consequently, they wrapped it

up in its blankets, and packed it upon a horse, intending to carry it

until they could find time to bury it.

It took some three hours to get the camp on the move, and after

carrying the child in that way some ten miles, they discovered that it

was alive. This was on Thursday, and on the Sunday following I saw its

father in Cache Valley. He said he never saw a child get well so fast

in his life; and it is now quite fat and hearty.

ANSWER TO PRAYER.

EARLY EXPERIENCE IN CALLING UPON THE LORD--PRAYERS ANSWERED--FAITH

DEVELOPED--A POCKET-BOOK LOST--FOUND IN ANSWER TO PRAYER.

In proof of the fact that the Lord hears and answers "the prayer of

faith," the writer has had abundant evidence.

Not only has he known the sick to be healed in almost numberless

instances, when anointed and prayed for by the Elders of the Church,

but he has had his own prayers answered in regard to other things very

many times.

These answers have sometimes come, too, in such a signal manner as to

leave no room for supposing that they were the result of chance.

From childhood he was taught by his parents to have faith in the Lord,

and to appeal to him for help when in trouble. In doing so he ever

experienced such relief and comfort, that it seemed the most natural

thing for him to do when in need of help.

When a small boy, as was the case with most other boys who grew up in

these valleys years ago, he was occasionally required to herd cows.

Sometimes his cows would wander off and get lost, and he would be

filled with dread at thoughts of going home without them. At such

times, if he could get off alone, where no other person could see him,

he always liked to kneel in humble prayer and ask the Lord to prompt

him to go in the right direction to find the missing animals.

In looking back now at those early experiences, he cannot recall to

mind a single instance in which he failed to have his prayers answered.

Thus in his early years an acquaintance with the Lord was cultivated,

and he grew to regard Him as his best friend--a friend whom he could

appeal to, without anyone else knowing it, with perfect confidence

of having his requests granted. This was a great comfort to him, for

he was a very bashful boy, and could not have asked favors of others

with so much freedom as he did of the Lord. Indeed, he never dared,

when a boy, to let anyone know how he prayed to the Lord when beset by

trouble, and how his prayers were answered. He would even shrink from

saying anything about it now, were it not that he hopes an account of

his experience may tend to inspire some others with faith in the Lord.

On one occasion when riding on the range on the west side of the Jordan

river he lost a pocket book, containing a considerable amount of money

and valuable papers, from his pocket.

When he discovered his loss he had traveled perhaps about twenty

miles, and had no idea where he had lost it. Much of the distance he

had traversed was over the rough prairie where there were no roads and

where sage and rabbit brush grew in abundance.

Any person acquainted with the condition of that region of country when

in its wild state, can understand how fruitless a search for so small

an article as a pocket book would be likely to prove on the Jordan

range. One might almost as well hunt for a needle in a haystack.

However, with many anxious forebodings, caused principally by the fact

that much that the pocket book contained was not his own, and that he

could not replace it, if lost, he mounted a fresh horse and started

upon his search.

He made his way as nearly as he could judge, without any track to

guide him, over the same route he had first traveled till he got some

distance out on the range. There, when far out of sight of human eyes,

he knelt and called upon the Lord in earnest prayer. He asked with all

the faith that he could command, that he might be led to the place

where the lost treasure had fallen.

Mounting his horse again, with a hopeful feeling, he allowed the animal

to choose his own course, when, imagine his joy, after going a short

distance, to see the pocket book lying directly in front of his horse.

With a light heart and full of gratitude to the Almighty, he returned

home, feeling that a more direct answer to his prayer could scarcely

have been given him.

JOSEPH SMITH'S FIRST PRAYER.

BY G. M.

Humbly kneeling, sweet appealing--

'Twas the boy's first uttered prayer--

When the power of sin, assailing,

Filled his soul with deep despair;

But, undaunted still, he trusted

In his Heavenly Father's care.

Suddenly a light descended,

Brighter far than noonday sun,

And a shining glorious pillar

O'er him fell, around him shone;

While appeared two heavenly beings,

God the Father and the Son.

"Joseph, this is my beloved!

Hear Him!" Oh! how sweet the word!

Joseph's humble prayer was answered,

And he listened to the Lord.

Oh! what rapture filled his bosom,

For he saw the living God.