In Clay County I enjoyed some rest from persecution, and had two children born to me, Emma and Philo, Jun. I was there when Zion's camp came up. I met them on Fishing river. There the power of the Lord was manifested by His sending a thunder storm, which raised Fishing river ten feet higher than it was ever known to rise before. I saw the cloud coming up in the west when I was ten miles from Fishing river in the middle of the afternoon. As it moved on eastwardly it increased in size and in blackness, and when it got over the camp it stopped, and in the night the rain and hail poured down in torrents, and the lightning flashed from the cloud continuously for three hours.
Just before night, two men came into camp and asked where Mr. Smith was. Joseph said, "I am the man." They then advised him to disband his camp, "for," said they, "the mob are gathering, and there won't be one of you left to-morrow morning!"
Joseph smiled, and said: "I guess not." Seeing that Joseph did not believe what they came to tell him, they went off vexed.
We learned afterwards that the hail was so heavy on the mob, that they were forced to seek shelter, and the leader of them swore he would never go against the "Mormons" again.
Zion's camp was disbanded on Fishing river. The leading men of Liberty being desirous for peace, called a meeting and invited our leading men to meet with them, which they did. They told our committee that if they could have peace, we should have a County to ourselves, and if we had not money enough to buy out the old settlers of Caldwell County they would lend us money to buy them out.
This settled our difficulties at that time.
In the meantime a conference was held in Liberty, Clay County, at which I was ordained a Teacher under the hands of David Whitmer.
We then commenced settling Caldwell County, to which I removed, built a house, entered seven hundred and twenty acres of land and bought a lot in town. I also entered land for many of the brethren, and for this purpose had to go the distance of eighty miles, where the land office was located.
On my return home, when I got to Liberty, midway between Lexington and Far West, I concluded I would travel from there home by night, as it was very warm during the day. The road led through a strip of timber for four miles, and after that across a prairie for twenty miles.
When I had traveled about two-thirds of the way across the prairie, riding on horseback, I heard the cooing of the prairie hens. I looked northward and saw, apparently with my natural vision, a beautiful city, the streets of which ran north and south. I also knew there were streets running east and west, but could not trace them with my eye for the buildings. The walks on each side of the streets were as white as marble, and the trees on the outer side of the marble walks had the appearance of locust trees in autumn. This city was in view for about one hour-and-a-half, as near as I could judge, as I traveled along. When I began to descend towards the Crooked river the timber through which I passed hid the city from my view. Every block in this mighty city had sixteen spires, four on each corner, each block being built in the form of a hollow square, within which I seemed to know that the gardens of the inhabitants were situated. The corner buildings on which the spires rested were larger and higher than the others, and the several blocks were uniformly alike. The beauty and grandeur of the scene I cannot describe. While viewing the city the buildings appeared to be transparent. I could not discern the inmates, but I appeared to understand that they could discern whatever passed outside.