"When I approached the stand (on the occasion when Sidney Rigdon was striving for the guardianship of the Church), President Young was speaking. It was the voice of Joseph Smith—not that of Brigham Young. His very person was changed. The mantle was truly given to another. There was no doubting this in the minds of that vast assembly. All witnessed the transfiguration, and even to-day thousands bear testimony thereof. I closed my eyes. I could have exclaimed, I know that is Joseph Smith's voice! Yet I knew he had gone. But the same spirit was with the people; the comforter remained.
"The building of the temple was hurried on. The saints did not slacken their energies. They had a work to do in that temple for their dead, and blessings to obtain for themselves. They had learned from the prophet Joseph the meaning of Paul's words, 'Why then are ye baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?'
"Passing on to the exodus. My family were informed that we were to leave with the first company. So on the 9th of February, 1846, on a clear cold day, we left our home at Nauvoo. All that we possessed was now in our wagon. Many of our things remained in the house, unsold, for most of our neighbors were, like ourselves, on the wing.
"Arrived at Sugar Creek, we there first saw who were the brave, the good, the self-sacrificing. Here we had now openly the first examples of noble-minded, virtuous women, bravely commencing to live in the newly-revealed order of celestial marriage.
"'Women; this is my husband's wife!'
"Here, at length, we could give this introduction, without fear of reproach, or violation of man-made laws, seeing we were bound for the refuge of the Rocky Mountains, where no Gentile society existed, to ask of Israel, 'What doest thou?'
"President Young arrived on Sugar Creek, and at once commenced to organize the camp. George A. Smith was the captain of our company of fifty.
"I will pass over the tedious journey to the Chariton river, in the face of the fierce winds of departing winter, and amid rains that fairly inundated the land. By day we literally waded through mud and water, and at night camped in anything but pleasant places.
"On the bank of the Chariton an incident occurred ever eventful in the life of woman. I had been told in the temple that I should acknowledge God even in a miracle in my deliverance in woman's hour of trouble, which hour had now come. We had traveled one morning about five miles, when I called for a halt in our inarch. There was but one person with me—Mother Lyman, the aunt of George A. Smith; and there on the bank of the Chariton I was delivered of a fine son. On the morning of the 23d, Mother Lyman gave me a cup of coffee and a biscuit. What a luxury for special remembrance! Occasionally the wagon had to be stopped, that I might take breath. Thus I journeyed on. But I did not mind the hardship of my situation, for my life had been preserved, and my babe seemed so beautiful.
"We reached Mount Pisgah in May. I was now with my father, who had been appointed to preside over this temporary settlement of the saints. But an unlooked for event soon came. One evening Parley P. Pratt arrived, bringing the word from headquarters that the Mormon battalion must be raised in compliance with the requisition of the government upon our people. And what did this news personally amount to, to me? That I had only my father to look after me now; for I had parted from my husband; my eldest brother, Dimick Huntington, with his family, had gone into the battalion, and every man who could be spared was also enlisted. It was impossible for me to go on to winter quarters, so I tarried at Mount Pisgah with my father.