A conference was held in the County of Whitby, in a large barn owned by Edward Lawrence, which was numerously attended. The spirit of God was present, the hearts of the Saints were made to rejoice, and many who were out of the Church believed.
Another conference was held in Scarboro with similar results. At the latter conference Doctor Avard was present, and the Prophet reproved him severely for coming to that place with fictitious papers. He also censured Elder Taylor for yielding up his office on so flimsy a pretext; but palliated it on account of his youth and inexperience. He gave him a strict charge never again, on any account, to give up any office or calling unless he received orders from a legitimate source that could be relied upon; otherwise he would be held responsible for any evil that might accrue from it. The apostate party at Kirtland had appointed Doctor Avard to supercede Elder Taylor. They remembered the fearless speech the latter had made in Kirtland, in the early spring, and doubtless thought it to their interest to have a man presiding in Canada who was less staunch in his friendship for the Prophet than he.[[1]]
Before the Prophet and his companions left Canada, they ordained Elder Taylor a High Priest, on the 21st of August, 1837, and reappointed him to preside over the Churches.
The work spread rapidly on every hand in Canada. The Lord labored with His servants, confirming their words by signs following the believers. The sick were healed; and many possessed the spirit of prophecy. Among the latter was a boy living in Toronto, who, shortly after his baptism, prophesied that the people of Canada would soon have war, and that armed men would arrive in the city of Toronto on a steamer, and stack their arms on the wharf.
As at that time their was no prospect whatever of war, many of the enemies of the Church laughed at what they called the impertinence of the young prophet. The prophecy however was fulfilled.
At that time Canada was divided into two Provinces, Upper and Lower Canada. A governor was appointed by the English crown, for each province, and to assist him in his duties there was also appointed an executive council. In addition to these executive officers there was a legislative council, appointed by the crown, and an assembly, the members of which were elected by the people. This latter body formed the lower branch of the provincial legislature, and the former the higher.
For years the people had petitioned the British government for the abolishment of the executive council, and demanded that the legislative council be made elective. The British Parliament refused these alterations in the Canadian constitution, whereupon one Mackenzie, the leader of a party that had urged complete separation from the British government, considered the times ripe for a revolution, and suddenly assembled five hundred men at Montgomery's tavern, four miles from Toronto, with a view of attacking that town. The loyalists as suddenly assembled to defend the town, and a few days later defeated the rebels in an open engagement. Mackenzie escaped to Buffalo, in the United States, and there succeeded in kindling a great enthusiasm for the cause of his party; and in a short time returned to Canada and mustered into service over a thousand men.
He took up a position on Navy Island, situated in the Niagara Channel. Fortifications were commenced which were defended by thirteen cannon, and for a time the insurgents baffled all attempts of the government to dislodge them. The uprising, however, was finally suppressed.
It was during this rebellion that all the terms of the young prophet's predictions were fulfilled. War broke out as he had said it would; and during the time it existed, troops entered Toronto harbor, were disembarked and stacked their arms on the wharf. Elder Taylor and his wife witnessed the arrival of the ships, the landing of the troops, and saw them stack their arms on the wharf.
Speaking of prophecy, it may be well to state here that the remarkable prophecy of Heber C. Kimball on the head of Parley P. Pratt was literally fulfilled. He found a people in Canada prepared to receive the gospel; they assisted him to sufficient means to relieve him from his temporal embarrassments: his wife, contrary to all natural prospects, bore him a son, though she died at his birth; and from Canada the work of the Lord spread into England in the following manner: