During her husband's absence, Emma Smith lived with Reynolds Cahoon, Father Smith, and Dr. F. G. Williams, occasionally spending a short time with us.
On the twenty-fourth of April, Joseph arrived at Independence. He made haste to attend to the business that lay before him, and on the sixth of May following, he, with Brothers Whitney and Rigdon, left Independence for Kirtland. When they arrived at New Albany, Brother Whitney had the misfortune to get his leg broken. This detained Joseph, who remained, in order to take care of him, four weeks at Mr. Porter's public house in Greenville. While they were at this place, Joseph had poison administered to him in his food, which operated very violently upon his system, but he soon recovered, and the next morning they pursued their journey again, and arrived in Kirtland some time in the month of June. When Joseph got home, he immediately procured a house for his wife; and, after making his family comfortable, he went on a mission to the east, leaving his family in the care of Hyrum. Shortly after he left, Joseph Smith the third was born.
After Joseph returned from his mission to the east, he established a school for the elders, and called them all home from the different parts of the country where they had been laboring. This was called the School of the Prophets; and was kept in an upper room of the house in which Joseph resided.
At this time my sons were all called home, and shortly after they arrived, Joseph took all the male portion of our family into the before-named school room, and administered to them the ordinance of washing of feet; after which the Spirit fell upon them, and they spake in tongues, and prophesied. The brethren gathered together to witness the manifestations of the power of God. At that time I was on the farm a short distance from the place where the meeting was held, and my children being anxious that I should enjoy the meeting, sent a messenger in great haste for me. I went without delay, and shared with the rest, the most glorious outpouring of the Spirit of God, that had ever before taken place in the Church. We felt that we had gained a decided victory over the adversary, and,
We could not believe,
That we ever should grieve,
Or ever should sorrow again.
But, alas! our joy was soon mingled with woe. It was but a few months, before a messenger arrived from Missouri, with tidings of the difficulty in Jackson county; that Brothers Partridge and Allen had been tarred and feathered, and put into prison; that some had been killed and others shot; and among the latter, was Brother Dibble, who had been dangerously wounded.
Upon hearing this, Joseph was overwhelmed with grief. He burst into tears and sobbed aloud, "Oh my brethren! my brethren;" he exclaimed, "would that I had been with you, to have shared your fate. Oh my God, what shall I do in such a trial as this!"
After his grief had a little subsided, he called a council, and it was resolved, that the brethren from the surrounding country, as well as those in Kirtland, should go immediately to Missouri, and take with them money and clothing to relieve the brethren in their distress.[A]
[Footnote A: A revelation was received (see Doctrine and Covenants, section 101), requiring the brethren from Kirtland and other places in the state, to proceed to Missouri and relieve the persecuted Saints, and importune the civil authorities in their behalf. (See also Doctrine and Covenants, section 103).]