Kitabı oku: «Early Scenes in Church History», sayfa 6

CHAPTER VII

SCENE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF WM. J. SMITH – A STRANGE PROPHECY AND ITS WONDERFUL FULFILLMENT.

In February, 1856, Elder William J. Smith, who was on a mission in England, was appointed by the Presidency of the Church in that land to preside over the Warwickshire conference. Under his ministrations many were baptized into the Church in Coventry, which stirred up the clergy of that city against him to such an extent that they specially enjoined it upon their scripture readers to warn the people against going to hear the "Mormons."

Elder Smith determined to deliver a series of eight lectures on the first principles of the gospel, at Spurn End chapel, the regular meeting place of the Saints; and to secure attendance he placarded Coventry with large bills announcing his intention. This caused many to come and hear him.

On the Sunday morning announced for the sixth lecture Elder Smith was so sick that he was unable to arise from his bed. In this extremity he prayed earnestly to the Lord to heal him, so that he could fill his appointment. It was with much difficulty that he went to the morning's meeting, but being resolved to do his utmost, he addressed the Saints, and, the Spirit of God resting upon him, he was much strengthened and was enabled to fill his appointment in the afternoon.

The meeting was a very crowded one; all classes apparently were represented; scripture readers were present to take notes, while numbers, probably hundreds, were unable to obtain admission.

In the rear of the chapel ran the line of railway that connected Coventry with Nuneaton, and in that portion of its road it was built upon arches high above the ground. These were so near the chapel that whenever a train passed, it not only made a great noise, but perceptibly shook the building. Elder Smith's audience, though so large, was a very attentive one, but shortly after he had commenced speaking a train came thundering by, causing the minds of the people to be distracted from his teachings. Feeling annoyed at the interruption, the speaker suddenly stopped talking, paused for a few moments and then exclaimed, "Babylon! confusion! I cannot speak an hour without being interrupted by the railway," and then, stretching out his hand, he continued, "In the name of Jesus Christ, my Master, that railway arch shall fall to the ground." Elder Smith then continued his sermon. When he had done, he had mingled feelings; he could scarcely understand why he was prompted to utter such a prophecy; he felt that if he had left that out it would have been the best discourse he ever preached. But the words were uttered and could not be recalled; they had been heard by scores, many of whom were not friends of the Saints; still he felt impressed that what he had prophesied was by the Spirit of God, and that gave him peace.

His words were reported to nine clergymen, who made it their business to have competent judges examine the arches and discover if possible if there was any cause for a statement and prophecy such as his. These gentlemen declared the arches to be sound, that there were no better in England, and consequently Brother Smith was ridiculed and derided as a false prophet.

Shortly afterwards Elder Smith was called away from Coventry by the presidency of the mission, and appointed to succeed Elder Henry Lunt in the presidency of the Newcastle-on-Tyne pastorate. He left Warwickshire without seeing his prophecy fulfilled; but within a few weeks a heavy rain fell and undermined the arches, and nineteen out of twenty-one fell to the ground, leaving only two standing. Through this fall much damage was done to the contiguous residences and other property.

Brother Henry Russell, who now lives at Union, in Salt Lake County, was at that time a lamp-lighter in Coventry. He was engaged in lighting the street lamps when this destruction took place. He was just about to pass under one of the arches when it fell, and he probably would have been killed had he not been stopped by a policeman and detained until the danger was over.

Thus is the saying of the Lord corroborated, that what His servants declare by His Spirit He will fulfill.

REMARKABLE HEALINGS

MARTIN H. PECK'S TESTIMONY OF A NUMBER OF REMARKABLE CASES OF HEALING – A BROKEN ARM, A CRUSHED LEG, ETC., HEALED IMMEDIATELY.

Brother Martin H. Peck, of Salt Lake City, relates a series of cases of healing that occurred in his family and under his administration. He joined the Church in Vermont, in 1833, and about two years later, while on a visit to a place about nine miles from where he lived, he received word from his wife at home that their child was lying at the point of death and she desired him to come home immediately and bring an Elder with him. He was not more surprised at learning of his son's dangerous condition than of the faith in the ordinances of the gospel which his wife manifested, by wanting an Elder to lay hands on the child; for she had not then joined the Church or manifested much interest in the gospel. He was therefore almost as much pleased on his wife's account as he was pained on account of his child on receiving the news. Taking Elder James Snow with him, he hastened home, and found the little fellow lying helpless and in a very low condition in his mother's arms. Brother Peck only held the office of a Teacher at the time, so Elder Snow administered to the child alone, and while doing so the little fellow dozed off into a quiet slumber, and when he awoke he was as well as he ever had been.

Soon afterwards Brother Peck himself was taken extremely ill, and to all appearances seemed about to die. He even lost his sight and was in the greatest agony, but Elder John Badger was called in and rebuked the disease and blessed him, and he was healed immediately. On describing his symptoms afterwards to a friend who was an experienced physician, he was assured that his was an extreme case, and it was doubtful if medical skill could have saved him.

Near the same time his son Joseph was troubled with a couple of swellings on the glands of his neck which threatened to choke him. After various remedies had been tried without avail a physician was consulted, who declared the boy could not live long if they continued to grow, and recommended that a surgical operation be performed to remove them, although even that, he admitted, would be very dangerous. Brother Peck concluded not to act upon his advice, and he sent for some Elders instead and had them anoint and lay hands upon him. The result was that in a few days the swellings had entirely disappeared.

From Vermont Brother Peck removed to Ohio, and while there a great deal of sickness prevailed and many deaths occurred in his neighborhood. The doctors seemed to be entirely baffled in their efforts to cope with the disease. Among others stricken down was Brother Peck's son, William. He lay unconscious all day with his eyes turned back in his head, and apparently in a dying condition. A number of neighbors called in to see him and urged Brother Peck to send for a doctor. He told them, however, that he could not have much confidence in doctors' skill after seeing the children which they attended die off, as they had done, like rotten sheep. He preferred to have nothing to do with them. Nor did he feel like administering to the boy while unbelievers were in the house. His wife happened to be away from home, and he felt confident that when she returned their united faith would result in obtaining a blessing from the Almighty. Some of the neighbors in their solicitude stayed with the boy all day, and doubtless thought Brother Peck an unfeeling wretch, as he would not send for a doctor. On the return of Sister Peck she, too, refused to have a physician, and so the neighbors left in disgust. As soon as they had done so the parents called mightily upon the Lord to spare their child's life and Brother Peck rebuked the disease, and he was healed instantly.

But a few days had elapsed when their son Joseph was taken suddenly very sick, and a neighbor hastened to Brother Peck's shop to inform him if something were not done immediately for his relief he would be dead. He also offered his services to wait upon him. Brother Peck thanked him for his kindness but declined accepting the offer. On reaching his home and seeing the condition of the child, which was truly alarming, he and his wife referred the case to the Lord, with the same result as in the previous case.

A rather curious case was that of a young lady who lived in Brother Peck's family who was afflicted with a most distressing cough, from which she could get no relief. It seemed as if she would almost choke with it. On being administered to by the Elders she was relieved immediately, and never coughed again for two weeks, when, on getting in a passion, the cough returned.

There was a doctor by the name of Harvey Tate living neighbor to Brother Peck in Ohio, who became somewhat interested in the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints, and for the purpose of learning more concerning them made a visit to his house. While he was there Brother Peck's son James was brought home with a broken arm, caused by his falling from a tree. The fracture was about three inches above the wrist joint, and so complete that his arm formed a right angle at the place where it was broken. The doctor set and bandaged it, and the boy was put in bed. The pain was so great, however, that he could scarcely endure it, and after the doctor had gone he begged his father to "bless" him, saying he knew that would cure him.

Brother Peck accordingly administered to him and the pain immediately ceased. He slept well during the night and on getting up the next morning played about with his fellows as if nothing had ever been the matter with his arm, not even having it in a sling. The next day he was sent to the doctor to show him his arm, and when he entered his house, the doctor noticed, to his surprise, that the boy took hold of a chair with his lame hand and lifted it forward to sit down upon. Taking the little fellow by the hand, he then asked him if he felt any pain in his arm or hand, and the boy answered frankly that he did not. The doctor bent his fingers and saw that he had free use of them, then examined his hand and wrist and saw that there was no sign of swelling, and declared that it was the power of God which had healed the broken limb, for nothing else could have done it in so short a time. This incident probably influenced Dr. Tate in favor of the Latter-day Saints, as he soon afterwards joined the Church. He was baptized by Elder John E. Page, and ordained an Elder, and for some time was quite a faithful and efficient member, but he subsequently lost the faith. He had abundant evidence, however, while he remained in the Church that the power of God was with the Saints, as he saw it manifested on several occasions so plainly that he could not deny it. But he may have been like some others of whom it has been said that they joined the Church through seeing a miracle performed and apostatized because they could not see one every day.

On one occasion he and Elder Peck were called upon to go a distance of ten miles to see a sister in the Church who was thought to be dying. They traveled with all possible speed, and on arriving at the place found the woman in a very critical condition. The doctor, although used to scenes of sickness, allowed Brother Peck to take the lead in directing what should be done for the relief of the patient, and he proposed to anoint and lay hands upon her. They accordingly did so, and she was healed immediately, and arose and prepared supper for them. While returning home the doctor remarked jocularly, that the experience of that evening presented a new phase in his medical practice. He had never taken that course before to cure patients, nor was he in the habit of going that distance to visit them without charging for it.

While journeying to Missouri with the "Kirtland Camp," Brother Peck's son, Edwin, had his leg accidentally run over by a heavily loaded wagon, on a very hard road. When he was picked up the limb appeared to be flattened as if almost crushed to a pulp, and the flesh was laid open. Brother Peck had seen the power of God manifested in so many instances then, and he had such confidence in the Almighty hearing and answering his prayers, that he never thought of summoning a surgeon, but immediately administered to the boy and then placed him in the wagon. In an hour afterwards he examined his leg and found that it was entirely well, the only sign of the injury left being a slight scar which had the dry and scaly appearance of an old sore, long since healed up. The place was not even discolored. There were numbers of witnesses to this miracle, many of whom are living to-day.

PHILO DIBBLE'S NARRATIVE

CHAPTER I

HIS EARLY LIFE – CONVERSION – CURIOUS SIGNS – JOSEPH REMOVES TO KIRTLAND – WONDERFUL MANIFESTATIONS – A MIRACULOUS CASE OF HEALING – SIDNEY RIGDON IN DARKNESS – JOSEPH PREDICTS THAT THE EVIL ONE WILL HANDLE HIM, AND THE PREDICTION IS FULFILLED.

I am the second son of Orotor and Bulah Dibble, and was born June 6th, 1806, at Peru, Pittsfield County, Massachusetts. When I was quite young my father removed to the town of Granby, where he died when I was ten years old, leaving my mother with nine children. My elder brother, Philander, and I were taken by one Captain Apollos Phelps, living at Suffield, Connecticut, to raise until we were twenty-one years old, he having no children of his own. Morally speaking, he was a good man, and taught us good principles, and treated us as though we were his own sons.

I remained with him four or five months after I became of age, when I resolved to travel. I then visited Boston, Massachusetts, and its harbor, and saw the ship Java, that was fitted out with six hundred soldiers to protect the merchants against the pirates. I also visited several islands and many of the surrounding towns and then returned to Suffield, where I became acquainted with Miss Celia Kent, daughter of Benajah Kent, of Suffield, and married her; the Rev. Calvin Phileo performing the ceremony. I was then twenty-three years of age.

My wife having some property in Ohio, we sold our possessions in Connecticut and removed to that part. While crossing Lake Erie from Buffalo to Fairport we encountered a terrible storm, and our destruction seemed imminent, but through an overruling Providence we were saved and landed safely. We passed through Chardon, Ohio, and located three miles west of that city, at a place called King Street, which was within five miles of Kirtland. I there purchased a farm and entered into the business of buying and selling wild lands.

One morning I was standing at my gate when two men drove up in a two-horse wagon, and asked me to get in and go home with them, about quarter of a mile distant. On the way, one asked me if I had heard the news, and informed me that four men had come to Kirtland with a golden Bible and one of them had seen an angel. They laughed and ridiculed the idea, but I did not feel inclined to make light of such a subject. I made no reply, but thought that if angels had administered to the children of men again I was glad of it; I was afraid, however, it was not true. On my return home I told my wife what I had heard.

The next day I was intending to go fifty miles south to the town of Suffield, Ohio, to pay some taxes, but my wife thinking that one or two days would not make much difference about that, proposed that we should hunt up those strange men in Kirtland.

The next morning I took my wife, another man and his wife, and started for Kirtland. When we arrived there, the men we were seeking had gone to the town of Mayfield, but were to return to Kirtland the next day. The following morning I hitched up my carriage and again drove to Kirtland, one of my neighbors accompanying us with his team and family. On arriving there, we were introduced to Oliver Cowdery, Ziba Peterson, Peter Whitmer, Jr., and Parley P. Pratt. I remained with them all day, and became convinced that they were sincere in their professions. I asked Oliver what repentance consisted of, and he replied, "Forsaking sin and yielding obedience to the gospel!"

That evening he preached at Brother Isaac Morley's, and bore his testimony to the administration of an angel at noonday. He then dwelt upon the subjects of repentance and baptism and the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, and promised that all who embraced these principles with honesty of heart should receive a testimony. He also requested all who wished to be baptized to make it manifest by arising. Five persons, among whom were William Cahoon and myself, arose. I then made preparations for baptism by borrowing a suit of clothes. My wife thought I was too hasty, and said if I would wait awhile perhaps she would go along with me. She was a Baptist by persuasion. I paid no heed to her, but went forthwith and was baptized by Parley P. Pratt. This was on the 16th of October, 1830. When I came out of the water, I knew that I had been born of water and of the spirit, for my mind was illuminated with the Holy Ghost.

I spent that evening at Dr. F. G. Williams'. While in bed that night I felt what appeared to be a hand upon my left shoulder and a sensation like fibers of fire immediately enveloped my body. It passed from my right shoulder across my breast to my left shoulder, it then struck me on my collar bone and went to the pit of my stomach, after which it left me. I was enveloped in a heavenly influence, and could not sleep for joy.

The next morning I started home a happy man. All my neighbors were anxious to know the result of my visit to Kirtland, and I was visited by two Campbellite preachers, named respectively Scott and Williams, one of whom remarked, "Mr. Dibble, I understand you have joined the 'Mormons.' What reason have you to believe they have the truth?"

I told them, "The scriptures point to such a work, which should come forth."

He then asked me where I found it. I took the Bible and opened it where it speaks of truth springing out of the earth, and righteousness looking down from above. He read it and handed it to the other preacher. They made no comments.

I bore my testimony to them of what I had received, and Mr. Scott said, "I don't doubt, Mr. Dibble, that you have received all you say, because you are honest, but they are impostors."

I then asked Mr. Scott if he believed the Lord would bless the labors of a false prophet, to which they did not stop to reply but left, and told the people it was no use talking to me.

One of my neighbors came to me and said, "We have sent a man down to York State to find out the truth of this work, and he is a man who will not lie. If he returns and says it is false, will you believe him?"

I told him I would believe the truth, and asked him if that man (whose name was Edward Partridge) should come back and say it was false if he would believe him.

He replied, "Yes; for he is a man who would not lie for his right arm!"

I then added, "If he says it is true, will you then believe him?" to which he reluctantly replied that he would.

Shortly after this, however, when Brother Partridge wrote back and said that he had been baptized, and was then preaching the gospel, this man shunned me, and for a long time afterwards gave me no chance to talk with him. But when we met, I asked him what he thought of Brother Partridge, and he replied that he was honest, but had been deceived.

The four missionaries who had visited Kirtland proceeded on westward to the borders of the Lamanites, in Jackson County, Missouri, on the mission to which they had been called by revelation through Joseph the Prophet, leaving the few converts they had made to themselves. Meetings were held occasionally by the members of the Church in Kirtland, all of which I attended. All manner of spirits were there made manifest, and no one to detect them. Many persons were operated upon in a very strange manner, and I was impressed that the spirits which inspired them were from the evil one.

At a meeting held one evening at Brother Whitney's, the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God filled the house and rested upon all the congregation to overflowing, little children not excepted. Prophesying and singing the songs of Zion were indulged in until morning. Brother Whitney, who had not then yielded obedience to the gospel, was convinced of the truth, and shortly after was baptized.

I will here observe that about the time of which I write, there were many signs and wonders seen in the heavens above and in the earth beneath in the region of Kirtland, both by Saints and strangers. A pillar of light was seen every evening for more than a month hovering over the place where we did our baptizing. One evening also, as Brother William Blakesley and I were returning home from meeting, we observed that it was unusually light, even for moonlight; but, on reflection, we found the moon was not to be seen that night. Although it was cloudy, it was as light as noonday, and we could seemingly see a tree farther that night than we could in the day time.

Soon after this Joseph with his father's family came to Kirtland, and said the Lord had sent him there, and he or the devil would have to leave.

This was the first time I had beheld Joseph. After he arrived the false spirits which had been operating through the members of the Church ceased for awhile.

I held myself in readiness to assist the Smith family with my means or my personal services as they might require, as they were financially poor. They were living on a farm owned by F. G. Williams, in Kirtland, upon which there was a debt of four hundred dollars due, which had to be paid within a stated time or the farm would revert to its former owner.

Joseph Coe, who was required to raise this amount to save the farm, said he could not do so, for his wife held the money and she did not belong to the Church. Being present with Joseph when the subject came up, I said to him, "I can raise the money!" and he replied that if I would, I should be blessed.

I explained to him how I would have to raise the money. I owned twelve hundred acres of land lying twenty miles south of Elyria, which was worth three dollars per acre. In order to raise the money then I would have to sell a portion of it for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, and I accordingly did so and paid Joseph the four hundred dollars.

When Joseph came to Kirtland his fame spread far and wide. There was a woman living in the town of Hiram, forty miles from Kirtland, who had a crooked arm, which she had not been able to use for a long period. She persuaded her husband, whose name was Johnson, to take her to Kirtland to get her arm healed.

I saw them as they passed my house on their way. She went to Joseph and requested him to heal her. Joseph asked her if she believed the Lord was able to make him an instrument in healing her arm. She said she believed the Lord was able to heal her arm.

Joseph put her off till the next morning, when he met her at Brother Whitney's house. There were eight persons present, one a Methodist preacher, and one a doctor. Joseph took her by the hand, prayed in silence a moment, pronounced her arm whole, in the name of Jesus Christ, and turned and left the room.

The preacher asked her if her arm was whole, and she straightened it out and replied: "It is as good as the other." The question was then asked if it would remain whole. Joseph hearing this, answered and said: "It is as good as the other, and as liable to accident as the other."

The doctor who witnessed this miracle came to my house the next morning and related the circumstance to me. He attempted to account for it by his false philosophy, saying that Joseph took her by the hand, and seemed to be in prayer, and pronounced her arm whole in the name of Jesus Christ, which excited her and started perspiration, and that relaxed the cords of her arm.

I subsequently rented my farm and devoted all my time to the interest of the Church, holding myself in readiness to take Joseph wherever he wished to go.

On invitation of Father Johnson, of Hiram, Joseph removed his family to his home, to translate the New Testament. This was in the year 1831.

At this time Sidney Rigdon was left to preside at Kirtland and frequently preached to us. Upon one occasion he said the keys of the kingdom were taken from us. On hearing this, many of his hearers wept, and when some one undertook to dismiss the meeting by prayer he said praying would do them no good, and the meeting broke up in confusion.

Brother Hyrum came to my house the next morning and told me all about it, and said it was false, and that the keys of the kingdom were still with us. He wanted my carriage and horses to go to the town of Hiram and bring Joseph. The word went abroad among the people immediately that Sidney was going to expose "Mormonism."

Joseph came up to Kirtland a few days afterwards and held a meeting in a large barn. Nearly all the inhabitants of Kirtland turned out to hear him. The barn was filled with people, and others, unable to get inside, stood around the door as far as they could hear.

Joseph arose in our midst and spoke in mighty power, saying: "I can contend with wicked men and devils – yes with angels. No power can pluck those keys from me, except the power that gave them to me; that was Peter; James and John. But for what Sidney has done, the devil shall handle him as one man handles another."

Thomas B. Marsh's wife went from the meeting and told Sidney what Joseph had said, and he replied: "Is it possible that I have been so deceived? But if Joseph says so, it is so."

About three weeks after this, Sidney was lying on his bed alone. An unseen power lifted him from his bed, thew him across the room, and tossed him from one side of the room to the other. The noise being heard in the adjoining room, his family went in to see what was the matter, and found him going from one side of the room to the other, from the effects of which Sidney was laid up for five or six weeks. Thus was Joseph's prediction in regard to him verified.

When Joseph was ready to go back to Hyrum, I took him in my carriage. Soon afterwards I had occasion to visit Hyrum again. On my way there I was persuaded to stop at the Hulet settlement and attend a meeting. When I arrived at Father Johnson's the next morning, Joseph and Sidney had just finished washing up from being tared and feathered the night before. Joseph said to Sidney: "We can now go on our mission to Jackson County" (alluding to a commandment given them while they were translating, but which they concluded not to attend to until they had finished that work). I felt to regret very much that I had not been with them the evening before, but it was perhaps providential that I was not. On a subsequent visit to Hiram, I arrived at Father Johnson's just as Joseph and Sidney were coming out of the vision alluded to in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, in which mention is made of the three glories. Joseph wore black clothes, but at this time seemed to be dressed in an element of glorious white, and his face shone as if it were transparent, but I did not see the same glory attending Sidney. Joseph appeared as strong as a lion, but Sidney seemed as weak as water, and Joseph, noticing his condition smiled and said, "Brother Sidney is not as used to it as I am."