Joseph, knowing that the guns were government property, sent a dispatch immediately to notify General Atchinson and Colonel Doniphan of Clay county, what had been done. They directed that the arms should be delivered over to them, they pledging their honor that they should not be used against our people.
The prophet's patriotism would not allow him to retain government property, although it had been obtained by our enemies for our destruction. If this was not a test of loyalty I fail to see an opportunity where a test could be given.
I will relate one incident which occurred during the exodus of the Saints from Missouri: On the 13th of February, 1839, about two o'clock in the afternoon, an object was seen flying diagonally across our road, apparently about two hundred yards in front of us. To me, at first sight, it had the appearance of a large prairie hawk. It assumed the form of a fish to Brother Stephen M. St. John, and it appeared differently to others during the less than one minute it was in sight. It was seen all over the state, and the people were considerably frightened, fearing that it was a forerunner of some terrible calamity, which would befall them for their "unjust and inhuman treatment of the Mormons." The result was that we were more kindly treated during the remainder of our exodus from the state.
CHAPTER IV.
A CASE OF PALSY HEALED—ITS EFFECT ON THE PEOPLE—MR. BRIDGES UNBELIEF—THE CASE OF WIDOW CADE—SHE IS PARTIALLY CURED BY FAITH—TEMPTS THE LORD AND DIES—I AM CALLED ON A MISSION TO EUROPE—TERRIBLE SEA-STORM—THE PRAYERS OF THE ELDERS ARE HEARD AND THE WINDS CEASE—WE ARRIVE SAFELY IN A BADLY SHATTERED SHIP.
While traveling and preaching in the state of Mississippi, in 1841 or 1842, I was invited to remain all night with a Mr. John Knight, who was prostrate with the palsy, and had been in that condition for several weeks. This man was an infidel although his family belonged to the Methodist church. Being called upon to pray, before going to bed, I remembered the afflicted head of the family. When the prayer was ended he said, that as I was praying for him, a warming influence such as he had never felt before, extended down his palsied side. After I had tarried over a few nights with him, he desired to receive the ordinance of the laying on of hands. I called in two other Elders, and we explained to him that should he be healed and then refuse to obey the gospel he would incur a great responsibility. He finally agreed that if he ever was so far relieved as to be able to get to the water he would be baptized. At this time he had lain upon what is termed a cricket, or tribet, for about six or eight weeks. His left side and limbs were powerless. When he desired to be turned over it was done by pulling a blanket, kept under him for that purpose. There lived in that vicinity a Methodist preacher by the name of Bridges. Like many of his class, he persecuted the Saints, never forgetting to demand a sign. In his public discourses he would say, "Let the Mormons heal old man Knight and we will all believe on them." But we did not propose to tempt the Lord by asking a sign to gratify the curiosity of a wicked man. We, however, anointed the palsied side, according to Mr. Knight's request, and laid our hands upon him, and when the palsey was rebuked he straightened the afflicted arm while our hands were yet upon him.
I now had to go out in my district and fill appointments which I had made; but when I returned at the end of two weeks, I learned that Mr. Knight had walked nearly half a mile and had been baptized. A goodly number of others had also been baptized, and we organized a branch of the Church with Samuel L. Gully (known as Lieutenant Gully, in the history of the Mormon Battalion), as presiding Elder. All apostatized shortly afterwards excepting Elder Gully and a few others who had believed and were anxious to get baptized before this remarkable case of healing occurred, thus proving the truth of the revelation which says, "Those who seek signs shall have signs, but not unto salvation." Even the man who received this manifestation of God's power went back to the beggarly elements of the world, although he still bore testimony to the fact that he was healed, but said he "did not know whether Joseph Smith was a true prophet or an imposter."
But what of Mr. Bridges? This wicked preacher, when reminded of his own sayings in regard to believing if shown a sign, answered that the old man had been "playing the possum" all the time, and that there had been nothing the matter with him. "Playing the possum," simply means pretending to be sick when one is well. The proverb is derived from an animal known as the "opossum." It is something larger than a common domestic cat, and when pursed by dogs or men will lie upon the ground and feign itself dead. Thus the preacher pretended to believe Mr. Knight feigned his illness to "palm off a Mormon deception," although he had been prostrated some time before he knew anything about the Latter-day Saints, or they of him.
During my travel, I often stopped with a widow woman by the name of Cade. She had two sons living with her, one a widower, the other a bachelor; all where friendly and had some little faith. This lady, whom I should judge was about seventy years of age, had a wen, or growing tumor, on her throat about the size of a hen's egg. On one of my calls she requested me to administer to her for the removal of this tumor. I complied with her request, and in half an hour afterwards the lump was half gone. I left her with the swelling still going down; but my story ends badly, for after I was gone, Satan tempted her sons to believe that the virtue was in the olive oil with which she was anointed. This view weakened her faith and the healing power departed from her. Her sons went to the store and purchased a bottle of oil, similar to that which I had anointed her with, but to no effect. The circumstance was related to a physician of the neighborhood, who told the family that what had happened to her was simply the natural effect of the oil in softening the tumor; that it could only be cured by being taken out with surgical instruments; that he could remove it without difficulty and prolong her life, but it would eventually prove fatal unless removed. She consented to have the doctor try his skill on her, and she died under the operation. There were not a few, even among outsiders, who attributed her death to tempting the Lord. That their conclusion was correct, I think none of my young readers will doubt. I always felt sorry for her, as she was a kind-hearted, good woman, but was deceived by the persuasion of others. Her sons always regretted what they had done, but never joined the Church.