My father replied that if the Lord had given him such a revelation it would be so, for He could not lie. He, however, was rather incredulous, notwithstanding he had been advocating the doctrine of miracles for some time. It happened, not long afterwards, that while my grand-father was lying in his bed at the dawn of day, thinking quietly of the blessings of God to him, his shoulder slipped into place with a snap that he thought might have been heard for a distance of one or two rods. Previous to this he carried his arm in a sling most of the time and could not raise his hand to his head, but from that time it was as limber as the other and had its full strength. This was a testimony that could not be impeached. Outside of the family, however, it was looked upon as a mere accident; but the previous revelation to my grand-father convinced the family that it was done by the power of God. This was in 1827, and in 1829 my grand-father died.
After my grand-father was taken with his last illness, he told my parents that an angel appeared to him clothed in white, and told him he would not recover, for his sickness was unto death. Ten days later he died. To save ridicule, however, this vision was kept secret and only told me afterwards by my mother. The true church of Christ was not then on the earth (February, 1829), nor had such an occurrence been heard of by us at the time. Although the Father and the Son had appeared to Joseph Smith some years previously, we had not heard of the vision. The vision of my grand-father seemed so strange that my parents hardly knew whether to attribute it to imagination or a reality, as they could not question his sincerity, he having always been strictly reliable. I have never doubted, however, his having had the vision.
He walked half a mile to bid my parents good by, although in poor health. On parting, my grand-father wept like a child, and said, "This is the last time I shall over visit you while I live."
My father continued his researches of the scriptures, and found that everything he read confirmed his views. He never allowed a traveling minister to leave the neighborhood without an argument if he could avoid it, and his arguments were in no instance refuted.
In the Spring of 1832, Elders Samuel H. Smith and Orson Hyde, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, came to our neighborhood and held a few meetings. Elder Smith read the 29th chapter of Isaiah at the first meeting and delineated the circumstances of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, of which he said he was a witness. He knew his brother Joseph had the plates, for the prophet had shown them to him, and he had handled them and seen the engravings thereon. His speech was more like a narrative than a sermon. Elder Hyde made a few closing remarks and appointed another meeting. At the close of the first meeting my father, as his custom was, sprung his usual question about the spiritual gifts and was quite surprised to hear Elder Smith say, "That is our doctrine, and we have those gifts in our Church."
This meeting was held in the house of Mr. Joseph Hartshorn, one of our neighbors. At the close of the meeting I picked up the Book of Mormon, which they had left lying on the table, and began to read the preface in relation to Martin Harris losing 116 pages of the original manuscript. When I had read as far as a quotation from a revelation, now found in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, my brother, William, took the book out of my hands and closed it, remarking that good people said it carried with it a spirit of witchcraft, which caused those who read it to be bewitched and join the "Mormon" church. I was then over fifteen years of age and my brother, who was next older than myself, was in his eighteenth year. He was wild and sometimes profane, especially when angry, and I was quite taken by surprise to hear him quote what "good people said," as previously I had never heard him speak of them, except in derision. The last words I read where so riveted upon my mind that I sometimes feared there was some truth in the remark about the book being bewitching. The words were, "I will show unto them" (the wicked who had designed to change the manuscript in case Joseph re-translated it) "that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil."
Before leaving the place the Elders baptized three persons. My father soon became a bitter enemy. I believed every word of the first discourse referred to previously, but dared not make my belief known because of my youth and the bitterness of my father. He admitted that the "Mormon" doctrines were true, but claimed that the members of that church had adopted them to cover up a fraud. All classes of people joined in the cry, "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing," etc, telling ridiculous stories about "Old Joe Smith walking on the water," pretended miracles, angels being caught, etc. The stories were about the same as those which the Elders now have to refute.
CHAPTER II.
MY COVENANT WITH THE LORD—MY SISTER DESIRES BAPTISM—MY BROTHERS' THREAT—VISIT OF HYRUM SMITH—MY SISTER BAPTIZED—I BREAK MY COVENANT—MY FATHER'S DREAM—MY BAPTISM—EXHORTATION TO THE YOUNG—SPIRITUAL GIFTS RECEIVED—MEETING DISTURBED BY MOBS—AFTER TALKING TO THEM THEY BECOME QUIET AND LEAVE THE PLACE—SOME OF THE MOB JOIN THE CHURCH—THE LEADER OF THE MOB DIES SUDDENLY—MOBBINGS CEASE.