In the afternoon, held a Church meeting. Almon W. Babbitt was appointed, by the vote of the people, the presiding elder of that place.
In the evening meeting twenty-seven children were blessed, nineteen of whom I blessed myself, with great fervency. Virtue went out of me, and my strength left me, when I gave up the meeting to the brethren.
Mercury was three degrees below zero, at sunrise in Nauvoo.
Mr. Ivins arrived at Nauvoo, and stated that Orrin Porter Rockwell came with him from New Jersey to St. Louis, when Rockwell was arrested by advertisement on the 4th of March, and put in St. Louis jail.
Elder Hyde went to Quincy to preach.
Newspapers report that iron filings and sulphur have fallen in the form of a snow storm in five counties in Missouri.
The Prophet's Explanation of "Virtue Went Out of Me."
Tuesday, 14.—Elder Jedediah M. Grant enquired of me the cause of my turning pale and losing strength last night while blessing children. I told him that I saw that Lucifer would exert his influence to destroy the children that I was blessing, and I strove with all the faith and spirit that I had to seal upon them a blessing that would secure their lives upon the earth; and so much virtue went out of me into the children, that I became weak, from which I have not yet recovered; and I referred to the case of the woman touching the hem of the garment of Jesus. (Luke, 8th chapter). The virtue here referred to is the spirit of life; and a man who exercises great faith in administering to the sick, blessing little children, or confirming, is liable to become weakened.
Elder Brigham Young and myself returned from Ramus, and after a severely cold ride in a heavy snowstorm, arrived in Nauvoo about four p. m.
Mr. Wilson, the assessor for the county of Hancock, assessed a number of lots to Dr. Willard Richards, which he had previously assessed to me as trustee in trust, in order no doubt, to collect taxes twice, for the benefit of his own pocket, or to make trouble to the "Mormons;" about which the following letter was written: