While these momentous events were in progress, Joseph and his wife were called to mourn. In July, 1828, a son was born to their house, but the babe died after a brief time, leaving its mother at the door of dissolution. The needs of the little household now required that the Prophet should give a time to toil; and he went forth to labor humbly and uncomplainingly.
While he was thus engaged, in the month of February, 1829, he received a comforting revelation from the Almighty:
Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men: * * * * *
For behold the field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul.
Joseph's desire to atone for his loss of the first manuscript impelled him to constant exertion. After his manual toil was ended each day, he contritely devoted his hours to the work of translation; and his young wife aided him by writing at his dictation. In this way some progress was made. But Emma was bowed with bodily suffering and with sorrow for her babe; and often the holy task languished, causing Joseph to pray earnestly to God for a writer who could give his whole time to the work.
CHAPTER IX.
OLIVER COWDERY IS SENT OF HEAVEN TO AID THE PROPHET—THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD IS BROUGHT TO EARTH BY CHRIST'S FORERUNNER—FIRST BAPTISMS OF THIS DISPENSATION.
Almost a year had passed from the day upon which Martin Harris began his service as a scribe for Joseph, when once more an earthly messenger of help appeared to the Prophet.
It was at the hour of sunset on the Sabbath day, April 5th, 1829, when Oliver Cowdery came to the Prophet's door—in Harmony, Susquehanna County, state of Pennsylvania. This young man, Oliver Cowdery, a school teacher, had been carried in the autumn of the year 1828, in fulfillment of an engagement, to the town of Manchester, New York. Hearing there of the angelic visitations to the unlearned farm-lad, Joseph Smith, he was led to a deep and prayerful investigation of the subject. A powerful conviction that Joseph had been ministered to by heavenly beings, as he had testified, was wrought upon Oliver's mind, and he asked the Lord for direct guidance. His prayer was answered, and the Lord made plain to him that his would be the privilege and the duty to aid the young Prophet as a scribe or secretary. Situated as Oliver Cowdery was, he needed inspiration from the Almighty to enable him to decide to accept such a mission; for around and within the little village of Manchester at that dark hour surged the spirits of hatred, cruelty, falsehood and even murder, and no man from any selfish wish, would have cared to ally himself in acts or sympathetic words with the cause and the man condemned by all the power of the pulpit. As soon as he could gain honorable release from his school duties, Oliver journeyed to Pennsylvania and presented himself to Joseph as one who had a wish to serve God and aid His chosen servant.
This was the first conversion by the testimony of the Spirit of one who had not seen the Prophet. The Church speaks for itself of the hundreds of thousands of honest souls who have had the testimony of the Holy Ghost since that hour.
Joseph accepted Oliver as the embodied answer to his prayer for help; and on Tuesday, the 7th day of April, 1829—two days after they had first beheld each other in the flesh—the Prophet began dictating to Oliver in continuance of the work of translation. While they labored the revelations of God came to them in guidance of their daily work, in support of their hopes and in the enlargement of their understandings concerning the principles of salvation.