Gems for the Young Folks

I anointed her head with oil, and prayed the Lord on her behalf, and, being obliged, left immediately to attend to my hay.

The next time I saw her was the following Sunday, when I met her at the meeting. She pulled off her cap, and showed me her head. It was entirely healed, and the flesh was as sound as ever.

She said that within half an hour after my administering to her, she felt all the pain, which had previously been intense, and, to use her expression, "like a thousand gimlets boring into her brain," leave her entirely, and the wound healed up rapidly.

The Saints that I gathered at Portland, and that met at my house, were richly blessed with the various gifts of the Spirit – tongues, interpretations, prophecy, etc. I will relate an instance or two.

One Sunday morning, while opening the meeting with prayer, the gift of tongues came upon me, but thinking of Paul's words, that it is sometimes wisdom not to speak in tongues unless one is present who can interpret, and forgetting that a sister possessing the gift of interpretation was present, I quenched the Spirit, and it left me.

Immediately after, another brother spoke in tongues, the interpretation of which was, that "the Lord knew we were anxious to learn of the affairs of our brethren in Missouri, and that if we would humble ourselves before Him, and ask, He would reveal unto us the desires of our hearts."

Missouri was some thousand miles from Portland. We accordingly bowed again in supplication before the Lord, and, after rising from our knees and re-seating ourselves, the same brother broke out singing in tongues in a low, mournful strain.

But judge our feelings when the interpretation was given, and was found to be some thirteen or fourteen verses of poetry, descriptive of affairs in Missouri, and the murder of our brethren there, telling us that just at that time —

  "Our brethren lay bleeding on the ground,  With their wives and children weeping around."

We had so often proved the truth of similar communications, that we felt as assured of the truth of this shocking news as though our eyes actually beheld the horrid sight. Our hearts were filled with sorrow.

In a fortnight afterwards we received a letter from John P. Greene, a faithful Elder of the Church in Missouri, who was, at the time he managed to write, secreted in the woods. The letter detailed and confirmed all the events previously revealed in tongues, proving that on the very day we had been informed of the transactions occurring a thousand miles off, the bleeding corpses of our brethren lay stretched on the ground after the slaughter. It was either at or about this time, that the massacre at Haun's Mill took place.

When Elders Orson Hyde and Heber C. Kimball visited England on the first mission to that country, and while we were yet ignorant of their success, it was revealed in tongues at this same branch, that just at the time we had the gift, those Elders were standing with a large multitude around some waters, attending to the ordinance of baptism. Information afterwards received from England confirmed this statement in all its parts.

Such things as these, oft repeated, confirmed our faith, and, I ask, is it wonderful, possessing such evidences that the Lord was with the Church, as those mentioned in the previous narrations, that neither reproach, drivings, burnings, robbings, nor even murderings, should be able to quench our love for the truth which had gained us such blessings?

There was not a branch in the whole of the Church that did not possess abundance of such testimonies. Here, in these and the following statements, is the testimony of one individual only. But could I crowd into this little work all that I have witnessed of the kind, and then add to it the collected testimonies of the thousands in America alone, leaving out Europe altogether, it would present a flood of testimony of a mightier and more conclusive kind than has been given to authenticate any truth ever submitted to the world.

One of the fourteen persons converted at Portland was a young man named Jesse W. Crosby, and, as it may prove interesting to many of the Saints, I will relate something that particularly affected him, occurring in his history.

He had been engaged with his brother and brother-in-law, in felling trees in a wood. The trees grew very close together, and one which they cut down had, in falling, struck another, and broken off one of its limbs, which hung suspended by the other branches.

It is a very common thing in forest country, to see dry, detached limbs hanging in this way for months, and sometimes years, without falling. This one was about ten or eleven feet long, and as thick as a man's thigh, and very high up the tree.

Not apprehending danger, Jesse was working without his hat, just under this branch. Suddenly, a movement, caused by the wind, shook the tree, and the loose branch fell from a hight of at least sixty feet, striking him on the crown of his head, crushing him to the earth. The violence of the blow broke in a portion of his skull, forming a hollow about as large as the palm of a man's hand. His neck and shoulders were also much injured. Altogether, a more deplorable object I never saw in my life.

He was carried home by his friends, most of whom were members of the Church, and his father, who was not a member, procured a doctor, who pronounced Jesse's case desperate, unless, on removing the broken part of the skull, it should be found that the skin of the brain was still entire, when, by using a silver plate over the exposed portion, a chance might still exist of his life.

The doctor proceeded to cut Jesse's head for that purpose, but was stopped by his mother, who strongly objected to this experiment, and sent for me to administer to him.

I was then eight miles off, and at the time of my arrival he had not spoken, nor scarcely indicated any signs of life. Going into the room where he lay, I found it filled with the neighbors, who were mostly enemies of the Church. Sneers and jeers of "Here comes the Mormon, we'll soon see whether he can heal now," saluted my ears on all sides.

From a sign which I had received while on my way, I knew Jesse would recover, and being reminded, on account of the reason given in the previous remarks, that such people should not be privileged to behold a manifestation of the power of God, I, like Peter of old, cleared the house of all but Jesse's relatives, and administered to him in the name of the Lord. Jesse then recovered sufficiently to speak, after which he fell into a peaceful sleep, and, before morning, was altogether better.

In less than four days from the time of receiving this terrible accident, from which there seemed no human probability that he could recover, or, if he did, only to survive the loss of reason, he was again at work in the woods hauling timber, the wound being entirely healed up.

Since then, he, as an Elder of this Church, has been on missions to various parts of the world, including England, and has also fulfilled a mission to Nova Scotia. The above case of healing occurred in the winter.

Another very remarkable case of prophecy and healing came under my observation the following spring. A revelation was given by the Spirit, in tongues, to the effect that one of our number would be poisoned by the enemies of the Church, and be brought nigh unto death, but that if she was faithful and sent for the Elders of the Church, she should be restored.

This warning was repeated twice at intervals of about a month. On the last occasion, in addition, it was stated that the person giving the interpretation would be the sufferer. This terrible idea so affected her that she was completely overcome.

After recovering she proceeded home, and the weather being warm she drank of some sweetened water, which she had prepared in the morning for use, and had left in an exposed situation. When she had drank a second time she felt her mouth burn. She immediately declared she was poisoned, and commenced reaching violently until she became blind.

Her husband, after procuring a person to stay with her, went for one of the Elders, but as he had to go some six miles before he returned with myself, she was to all appearance dead, and had not been perceived to breathe for an hour.

Upon arriving at the house, I asked the Lord to cause her to breathe if she was to recover. Upon looking at her closely I perceived that she gave two distinct gasps, such as are usually given when the breath is leaving the body. Had I not seen this, I should have concluded that she was dead, for the women who were watching with her said, directly we entered, that she was dead, and had been so for an hour.

I then administered to her in the name of Jesus, and prayed the Lord to preserve her life till my son-in-law returned with some oil he had gone to procure. As soon as I had done this she was able to speak sufficiently, in a whisper, to ask for some water, but, so great was her weakness, that she fell on her face when raised to receive the water.

The oil arriving, we administered some to her internally, in the name of the Lord, when she arose without any assistance, saying, "I am healed! I am well! but I am blind!" I then anointed her eyes, telling her that she should see the light of day. Her sight immediately returned, and the next day, she, with her husband, was on her way to Illinois.

The cause of her going there so suddenly was that it had been given in tongues, directly after her recovery, that unless her husband departed at once from that place, both of them would be poisoned. With what had just occurred before their eyes, they needed no second warning this time. This was the same woman that was healed of the cancer.

The signs spoken of include the casting out of devils. This recalls to my remembrance something of the kind which occurred at the Pomphret branch, previous to which I had had but very little experience as to what may be termed the physical power of the devil.

I was then far from the body of the Church, consequently, what I learned, I had to find out by experience, having no one to tell me.

The case was that of a sister who was possessed, and whom I, with two other Elders, was called upon to visit. Directly we entered her room, she called out, "Take your shoes from off your feet; this is holy ground, the Prophet Elijah is here."

I saw the spirit by which she was influenced, so I walked up to her and said, "I am a servant of the Lord, I obey no command of the devil."

She became uproarious directly, for all who had gone in previously had complied with her directions. As soon as we attempted to rebuke the evil spirit in the name of the Lord, she arose up from the bed on her feet, without apparently bending a joint in her body, as stiff as a rod of iron.

From this we saw the power with which we had to contend; and, failing at first to eject the spirit, we bowed ourselves in prayer before the Lord, and asked him to assist us.

The evil spirit then came out full of fury, and, as he passed by one of the brethren, seized him by both arms and gripped them violently. Passing towards me, something, which by the feel appeared like a man's hand, grasped me by both sides of the face, and attempted to pull me sideways to the ground, but the hold appearing to slip, I recovered my balance immediately.

My face was sore for some days after this. The other brother that was seized was lame for a week afterwards.

As soon as this was done, the sister partly recovered, so much so that she obeyed everything I chose to tell her to do, whereas, before, she was perfectly ungovernable.

Still she seemed to be surrounded by some evil influence. This puzzled us, for we knew the spirit was cast out, but we learned the cause afterwards. Just then it was revealed to us that if we went to sleep the devil would enter one of the brethren.

My nephew, Melvin Brown, neglected the warning, and composed himself to sleep in an arm chair, while we were still watching with the sister. Directly he did so the devil entered into him, and he became black in the face, and nearly suffocated.

He awoke immediately, and motioned for us to lay hands on him, for he could not speak. We did so, and the evil spirit then left him, and he recovered at once.

About a week afterwards the same spirit re-entered the sister, and this time fully confessed his character. In answer to our enquiries, he said his name was "Legion." This explained how it was that the woman, after we had cast out an evil spirit, was under an evil influence, for there must have been many spirits.

He also reviled our priesthood, but he had to submit to it at last, saying to us, "O! you have the priesthood have you? Well, then, cast me out, command me to come out," trying to shake our faith, and thus incapacitate us to rebuke him successfully.

Failing in this, he tried another method by entering me. I felt seized by a strange influence, and to every question put to the woman I knew the answer she was going to give, for I was possessed by a similar spirit. This broke the chain of our union and strength, consequently I requested the Elders to rebuke the evil spirit from me, after which, at our united rebuke, he left the woman.

Previous to this the sister had been a very faithful Saint, and she ever afterwards was, but she had given the devil ground by encouraging a spirit contrary to the order of the Church, taking upon herself to rebuke the Elders, and he claimed his right by virtue of her transgression.

No doubt one object of the Lord in permitting him to exercise his physical power was to give me experience of such facts, without which I never could have known; but I, like many others who may read this record, might have argued my ignorance of such things as a proof that they did not exist, except in imagination.

CHAPTER III

REMOVAL TO NAUVOO – SICKNESS – MIRACULOUSLY HEALED – ACQUIRE CONSIDERABLE PROPERTY – ACQUAINTANCE WITH JOSEPH SMITH – MISSIONS TO ALBANY, AND THE EASTERN STATES; ALSO, WITH ELDER J. W. CROSBY, TO NOVA SCOTIA – PREACH IN JEFFERSON CO., N. Y., AND ORGANIZE SIX BRANCHES OF THE CHURCH – TRAVEL TO NEW BRUNSWICK – INVITED TO PREACH – BAPTISMS – PERSECUTION – THE AUTHOR WAYLAID BY A MOB, BEATEN, AND LEFT FOR DEAD – ATTACK ON THE HOUSE WHERE HE AND ELDER CROSBY WERE IN BED – THE MOB DISPERSED BY MRS. SHELTON – THEY RETURN AND RE-ATTACK THE HOUSE – ARE DISPERSED BY MR. SHELTON – TWO BRANCHES ORGANIZED.

The doctrine of the gathering had been taught the Saints, at Pomphret, and, in common with the others, I felt a great desire to gather up and live with the body of the Church. With this idea I endeavored to dispose of my farm, but failure in my efforts to do this was the only thing that saved me from a share in the Missouri persecutions.

The winter previous to the poisoning case I sold my farm, and the time for me to vacate expired just before this took place.

For several months I was preparing to remove, getting teams, wagons, etc. When the time arrived, with my wife and children, and part of the branch, including the woman who had been poisoned and her husband, I started to find the Church, thinking it was still in Missouri, though we had heard that it had been mobbed and broken up.

We journeyed until we came to Springfield, about a hundred miles from Nauvoo, where we met with some brethren who had been driven out of Missouri, and who told us that the Church was collecting in Nauvoo, then called Commerce. We turned our course in that direction, and arrived there in June, the weather being very warm at the time.

We found brothers Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon there, with a few others. The rest were coming in daily, in a most distressed condition. Many of them were sick, and they had no house to enter when they arrived. The nature of the climate, combined with the hardships they had endured, soon made those ill who were not so previously.

Numbers of the sick and dying had to lie on the ground, with only a blanket over them. No springs or wells were handy, and the Mississippi water was unfit to drink, so that many had to go miles for water to give to the afflicted. Sometimes one would go on horseback with a jug, and fetch a little for the sick, and take it round to them. It was frequently declared that the persecutions in Missouri were small matters compared to the miseries endured at this period in Nauvoo.

My family, with myself, were also taken sick, and I laid so for two or three weeks. I was so far gone that I was quite senseless, and all thought I was dying. Doubtless I should have died, but one day Joseph Smith was passing by my door (for I had managed to procure a house) and was called in, and, as I was afterwards informed, laid his hands upon me, and commanded me to arise and walk, in the name of the Lord. The first thing I knew was that I found myself walking on the floor, perfectly well, and within ten minutes afterwards I was out of the house visiting my daughter, whom I had not seen for nearly a month. I felt so full of joy and happiness, that I was greatly surprised that every one else was not as full of praise as myself.

This was the second time that I had been healed instantly by the power of God, through His servants.

Attempts had been made to build a city on the site of Nauvoo, previous to the entrance of the Saints, but all the inhabitants, with the exception of three or four families, had died, and the Saints used the deserted houses as far as they would go.

It was a common saying among the inhabitants of the surrounding country that, if the "Mormons" could live here, they could live anywhere. It truly was a most unhealthy spot, filled with ponds and stagnant water, left by the overflowing of the Mississippi river, afflicting all the neighborhood with fever and ague.

From this condition I saw the city become, through the industry of the Saints, a healthy and prosperous place, being drained of these swamps, etc.

I lived there until I had accumulated considerable property. During this time, about seven years, I had frequent opportunities of continuing my acquaintance with Joseph Smith, seeing him nearly every day.

From my actual knowledge, I can testify to the purity and uprightness of his life, and I know that he was a man of God. I had every opportunity to acquire this information, for, when escaping from his enemies, he has lived sometimes for a week at a time at my residence.

During this period several missions were appointed me, one to the north of Albany, where I succeeded in baptizing a goodly number; another to the Eastern States.

About a year previous to the death of Joseph, with Jesse W. Crosby, who had friends in that part, I was assigned a mission to Nova Scotia.

Our route lay through Chicago, a distance of two hundred miles, which we walked. We then, by steamer, passed down the northern lakes to Buffalo, a journey of at least a thousand miles, and again took steamer on Lake Ontario, about four hundred miles further, and arrived at Sackett's Harbor.

As we were destitute of means to prosecute our journey further, and, as I had some relatives living at hand, we concluded to stop and preach awhile, until we could procure means to go on, but the weather coming on very cold, the rivers froze over, and we were compelled to spend the winter in this place.

This brought me into the region of country where I had lived for ten years when a young man. The first place we commenced at was in the town of Lime, Jefferson Co., New York.

Here we procured a school-house. Two ministers, who usually occupied the room, greatly opposed us at the close of our preaching, and endeavored to set the people against us, but they displayed such a weak, mean spirit, that their congregation left them. One minister, who had a regular salary with a small farm, for his preaching, had them taken from him, and many of his followers became members of the Church.

We confined our labors chiefly to Jefferson Co., where we found a few scattered members, and managed to raise up some six branches, consisting of about two hundred members. These were abundantly blessed with the gifts of tongues, prophecy, healings, etc., and the branches became very strong in the faith.

While we were here, I felt very anxious to know of the position of affairs at head quarters, and besought the Lord to enlighten me on the subject. He did so, revealing unto me, through the gift of tongues, the interpretation of which was given to myself, many things concerning the Church, the temple ordinances at Nauvoo, and several other things, that I found, on my return to that place, to be strictly true.

Just at this time the spring was coming on, and the St. Lawrence river began to clear from ice, so that we were able to continue our journey to Nova Scotia.

Previous to our departure we had a farewell meeting with the Saints. It was a delightful meeting, and they rejoiced much, for the Spirit of the Lord was greatly poured out. During the meeting, a little boy stood up and spoke in tongues, the tears rolling down his face all the time. The interpretation stated that, after leaving that place, I should go to another, where I should be mobbed and left for dead, and that the blood should run down from my head on my clothes and on the ground.

I took this for a timely warning, and thought that, by prudence, I might escape. Accordingly, by great caution, I kept clear of much that I might have suffered.

We passed down the St. Lawrence river, and, after preaching a few times at Montreal, passed on to Quebec, where we distributed a few books, but the priests would not allow us to preach.

At this place we wished to take the steamboat to Nova Scotia, but our means were inadequate, and the captain refused to lower the fare. Again we were frustrated in our purpose to proceed on our mission.

This was our position when, one day, as Elder Crosby and I were walking about Quebec, wondering what we should do to accomplish our purpose, we came in contact with a gentleman who told us a plan by which we might fulfill our mission – going on a sailing vessel to the mouth of the river Delieu, then by land to the head waters of St. Johns river, New Brunswick; then to buy a canoe, and paddle down that river to the mouth, where we could, for a small sum, take ship any day for Nova Scotia.

This advice we concluded to act upon, but before we left Quebec, as our journey seemed to be diverted from its original purpose, I prayed the Lord to show us, in vision, those people among whom he wished us to stop and confine our efforts, for our mission to Nova Scotia had been assigned to us at the request of Brother Crosby, whose friends lived in that part, and was more to comply with his desire than from any prior intention the Presidency had with regard to the place.

Descending St. John's river in the canoe, we overtook a man on a raft, who asked us several questions, and finally we told him that we were preachers of the gospel.

After hearing this he invited us to stop at his house, about twenty miles farther down the river, and preach there on the Sunday. This we did. We had a large congregation, and found a fine opening for the spread of the truth.

At the close of the meeting, at which I preached and Elder Crosby bore testimony, we were invited to dine with a family residing there.

The wife of our host told us that, about two or three months before, the minister that had preached in that part of the country had left, and they were without any religious instructor, when she prayed the Lord to send some faithful person to supply his place.

Thus engaged, she was shown in a vision two men, the elder of whom was preaching, but the other delivered an exhortation of a different kind. The doctrine, she said, was new to her, but it seemed true.

She also recollected distinctly the clothes and appearance of these men, and, to her great surprise and pleasure, recognized them in the persons of Elder Crosby and myself, directly we entered the room. Of course our hearts were cheered at hearing this, and we felt assured that the Lord was working in the vineyard with His servants.

We commenced to baptize soon afterwards, and the Spirit of the Lord was mightily poured out, in proportion to which the powers of darkness began to manifest themselves through the unbelievers.

But that which enraged our opponents most was the baptism of some of the greatest men in the place. All manner of lies began to circulate about our conduct and intentions. Among other things, it was stated that we were in the habit of interrupting public meetings, and many such statements were privately forwarded to the governor of New Brunswick by the religious ministers and others of our enemies.