I refer to this incident to encourage the young Elders who read this little book to not feel discouraged because they do not baptize as many as some others. I hope they will not feel that they are not being useful on that account. I baptized none personally while on that mission of about three and a half years, and yet, although I suffered much affliction and persecution, I look back upon it as one of the happiest times of my life.
NEWEL KNIGHT'S JOURNAL.
CHAPTER I.
MY BIRTH AND PARENTAGE—MY FATHER'S BUSINESS—HE EMPLOYS JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.—CHARACTER OF THIS YOUTH—I START IN BUSINESS FOR MYSELF—MY HEALTH COMPELS ME TO CHANGE OCCUPATION—JOSEPH SMITH, JUN., A CONSTANT VISITOR AT MY HOUSE—HE RELATES HIS EXPERIENCE—HIS STATEMENTS LEAVE NO ROOM FOR DOUBT IN ME—HE IS BITTERLY PERSECUTED.
I was born September 13th, 1800, in Marlborough, Windham county, Vermont. My father's name was Joseph and my mother's maiden name was Polly Peck.
My father moved into the state of New York, when I was nine years of age, and settled on the Susquehanna river, near the bend in Chenango county, town of Bainbridge, and stayed there two years. He then moved down the river six miles into Broome county, town of Colesville, and there remained nineteen years.
My father owned a farm, a grist-mill and carding machine. He was not rich, yet he possessed enough of this world's goods to secure to himself and family, not only the necessaries, but also the comforts of life.
His family, consisting of my mother, three sons and four daughters, he raised in a genteel and respectable manner, and gave his children a good common school education.