II.
His procedure in administering to the sick—Testimony as to his success—Visits the Prophet—Missionary labors—Casts out a "devil"—His family baptized—Mrs. Strong healed—Called to Jackson County.
Those who have had a like experience, will know with what joy the new convert returned to his friends in the wilderness. All business was laid aside. With his companion, David traveled through all the country round about preaching the Gospel and healing the sick.
Immediately upon taking up his labors in Michigan, in calling at the house of a stranger to ask for dinner, David found in the family a very sick child, and while discussing the restoration of the Gospel with the parents, was asked to administer to the little one. Finding the mother had faith, he did so, and it was at once healed.
In administering the healing ordinance David had a method of procedure peculiarly his own. On reaching the beside, he would first teach the principles of the Gospel and bear his testimony to their truth, when he usually made a promise that the invalid should be healed if he would agree to accept baptism. President Abraham O. Smoot, of Utah Stake, once said he never knew an instance in which David's petition for the sick was not answered, and this was also the testimony of President Wilford Woodruff.
At the close of one of his meetings in Michigan, where he had no doubt spoken of the gift of healing, two children sick of fever and ague were brought to the meeting-house to be healed. David had started off, but was called back and upon learning from the parents of their faith, acceded to their request, and the children were healed instantly.
Until the latter part of September David and his companion labored in Southeastern Michigan, baptizing sixteen persons in a branch of the Maumee River during that time. Late in the summer they took up a journey to Kirtland, preaching by the way.
Perhaps the first person they met at Kirtland was Elder Joseph C. Kingsbury, for they inquired of him at Newel K. Whitney's store the way to the home of the Prophet Joseph. It was early in October; the Prophet was on a mission east, and while waiting his return, David spent the next two or three weeks on the Prophet's farm, helping to dig potatoes and harvest corn.
Soon after the return of the Prophet Joseph Smith, David W. Patten was sent into Pennsylvania on his second mission, traveling sometimes with John Murdock as a companion, and at other times with Reynolds Cahoon.
The Prophet, in sending out these early missionaries, had no particular field of labor in mind for any of them. They were sent to warn all men, but their message was specially to the honest in heart, and these they had no way of finding except by the inspiration of the Lord. Just at this time a large number of Elders had been sent east from Kirtland in response to the revelation of September 22, 1832, from which we quote as follows: