I traveled westward about 100 miles to the Mississippi river, where
I took passage on a steamer to Nauvoo. I landed in the night. In the
morning, I asked a young man where the Prophet lived. He pointed out
the way to the residence of Joseph Smith, Jr., and said, "If you are
going to see the Prophet, do not take any money with you. If you do, he
will get it."
I asked the youth if he was a "Mormon." He replied that he was, and
that his father was a High Priest. I thought it strange that he should
talk as he did.
As I passed along one of the streets of the town, I saw a tall,
noble-looking man talking with another. An impression came over me
that he was the person I was looking for. Inquiring of a bystander, I
learned that my impression was correct.
One of the company asked the Prophet for some money he had loaned him.
He replied that he would try and get it during the day. I offered him
the money, but he said: "Keep your money. I will not borrow until I try
to get what is owing me. If you have just come in and wish to pay your
tithing, you can pay it to Brother Hyrum; he sees to that."
I soon learned to discriminate between the different kinds of people
who had gathered to Nauvoo. Some were living the lives of Saints;
others were full of deceit and were stumbling-blocks in the way of
those who were striving to do right.
The following winter I chopped wood on an island in the Mississippi
River, twenty miles above Nauvoo.
The Prophet Joseph had told the people that the time had come which was
spoken of by the Prophet Malachi, when the hearts of the fathers must
turn to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers;
the Saints must seek for the spirit of this great latter-day work, and
that they must pray for it until they received it.
I had made a practice for several days, of retiring to a private place
early each morning, to pray for this Spirit and blessing, when an
influence came over me that made manifest to me my nothingness before
the Lord. This so affected me for a time, that I was almost led to wish
that I had never been born. When thus humbled, it was shown to me how
a man could obtain salvation, and what he might attain to. With this I
felt satisfied. What was then shown me has been of great worth to me
since. I then comprehended that the most implicit obedience to the will
of God was necessary in order to attain to eternal life.
In February, 1844, Joseph Smith, the Prophet, published an address
to the people of the United States, on the Powers and Policy of the
General Government, and offered himself as a candidate for the office
of President of the United States.
The same year, at the April Conference, Elders were called and sent
forth, two by two, into each State of the Union, with the "Address to
the People of the United States," in pamphlet form, for distribution,
and to preach the gospel. I was sent with Brother John Myers, to the
State of Maryland.
We took passage on the steamer _Osprey_, in company with seven of the
quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and seventy-one of the Seventies. My
companion and I went to Pittsburg, Penn., and from there we traveled
on foot with our valises, without purse of scrip, through the State of
Pennsylvania.
We were often hungry and weary, and, in some instances, were accused of
being beggars and deceivers. This, coupled with my natural independence
of character, seemed humiliating, and made our travels anything but
agreeable.
We journeyed through Derrytown, Hagerstown, Sharpsburg and Antietam,
and preached in the States of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. We
visited some places where branches of the Church had been previously
organized.
The way appeared to be opening up for a good work to be done in that
country, when, about the 4th of July, news reached me that the Prophet,
about whom I had preached so much, had been shot by a mob when confined
in jail. I did not believe the report until I offered to preach to
those who were gathered around me in the small town of Mechanicsburg.
They manifested a spirit of exultation, and a feeling of deep gloom
passed over me. I felt more like weeping than preaching.
I concluded to hunt up my companion, from whom I was then separated.
For this purpose I started for Hagerstown, where I hoped to find him,
or learn of his whereabouts.
I had traveled about a mile when I came to a cross road, and the Spirit
whispered to me, "Stop here, and Brother Myers will soon be along." I
remained on the spot about ten minutes, when I saw him coming, with his
hat in one hand and his valise in the other. He did not believe that
the Prophet was killed.
We journeyed together to Lightersburg. After meeting and passing many
people, the Spirit indicated to us that a man on the opposite side of
the street was an Elder in Israel. It proved to be a Latter-day Saint
Elder, who had reliable information of the murder of the Prophet Joseph
and the Patriarch Hyrum Smith. He also informed us that the Elders who
were abroad were all called home.
On the 15th of July, 1844, when taking leave of a small branch of the
Church in Lightersburg, one of the sisters offered me some money that
she had earned in the harvest field. I took one dollar, and told her
that I could get home with that.
After starting, I began to reflect on my situation. I must travel
on the river steamers from Pittsburg to Nauvoo, via Cincinnati and
St. Louis, and I had only two dollars in my pocket. I had been often
surprised, when traveling on foot at the pains people would take to
invite me to ride or to step into a grocery and take a lunch, and I had
considerable faith that the Lord would soften the heart of some one to
assist me, when I was in need.
When I arrived in Pittsburg, I had one dollar left. There were two
steamers at the landing about to start for St. Louis. They offered to
take passengers very cheap. I told the captain of one of them, that I
would give all the money I had for a passage to St. Louis. He took my
money and gave me a ticket, but appeared rather cross.
I was soon on my way down the river, but still a long way from home,
and without money or anything to eat. I began to feel the want of food.
Nothing special occurred with me until evening, when the lamps were lit
in the passengers' cabin. I was then asked by a young married lady, if
I was not a "Mormon" Elder. I replied that I was; and she told me that
her little child was dying with the scarlet fever, and she wished me to
lay hands on it and heal it.
I replied that I could administer to it, and I presumed that the Lord
would heal it. I asked her if she believed in such things. She said
that she did, and that she belonged to the Church, but her husband did
not. I was puzzled in my mind to know what to do, for the boat was
crowded with passengers, and all unbelievers excepting the mother of
the sick child and myself. It seemed like a special providence that,
just then, the lamp in the cabin should fall from its hangings, and
leave us all in the dark.
Before another lamp could be lit, I had administered to the child, and
rebuked the fever in the name of the Lord Jesus, unobserved by those
around. The Lord blessed the administration, and the child was healed.
The mother called her husband, and said to him, "Little Mary is healed;
not do not say anything against 'Mormonism.'" The man looked at his
child, and said to me, "I am not a believer in any kind of religion,
but I am on my way to Iowa, opposite to Nauvoo, where I presume you are
going. You are welcome to board with me all the way, and if you want
any money I will let you have it."
I arrived in Nauvoo on the 5th of August, 1844.