JOYFUL MEETING WITH JOSEPH—FIRST CONFERENCE IN ILLINOIS—FIRST VISIT TO COMMERCE—MY IMPRESSION CONCERNING THE NEW GATHERING PLACE—MY RECOMMEND—STRUGGLE WITH EVIL SPIRITS—JOSEPH SMITH'S EXPERIENCE WITH EVIL SPIRITS—P. P. PRATT'S ESCAPE FROM PRISON—BUILDING HOUSES—PROSTRATED WITH SICKNESS—REMARKABLE MANIFESTATION OF THE GIFT OF HEALING.

On the 3rd of May, 1839, in company with Elders Brigham Young, O. Pratt, John Taylor, W. Woodruff and George A. Smith, I rode four miles to Mr. Cleaveland's, to visit Joseph and Hyrum, who were as glad to see us as we were to see them once more enjoying their liberty. I spent the day with them and it was one of the greatest days of rejoicing in my life to once more have the privilege of conversing with the Prophet in freedom.

The next day I attended a general conference of the Church near Quincy, at which the Saints from all the regions round about assembled. It was a time which will long be remembered by the Saints, being the first conference held after their expulsion.

The cases of Brothers William Smith and Orson Hyde were brought up. I had previously informed Brother Hyrum Smith of Orson Hyde's feelings of repentance, and desire to return to the Church. Hyrum partook of the spirit, and when Joseph presented the name of Orson Hyde before the Church, Hyrum and I plead for him according to the spirit that was in us. Joseph then remarked, "If my brother Hyrum and Heber C. Kimball will defend Orson Hyde, I will withdraw my motion."

The conference granted them the privilege of appearing personally before the next conference of the Church, to give an account of their conduct, but required that in the meantime they both be suspended from executing the functions of their office.

The conference sanctioned the proceeding of the Twelve on the temple block at Far West, on the 26th of April, and also the intended mission of the Twelve to Europe.

The conference continued for three days, and a most agreeable time was enjoyed. Elder Rigdon was appointed delegate to go to Washington and lay the grievances of the Saints before the general government, and it was also resolved that a number of Elders should accompany the Twelve on their mission to Europe.

On Sunday, the 12th of May, I went up to Commerce, in company with some of the Twelve, in a wagon.

On the 25th I crossed the river with several of my brethren and spent the day in council with Joseph and others. While crossing the Mississippi, I was standing by the railing of the boat, looking at the beautiful site of Nauvoo, and remarked, "It is a very pretty place, but not a long abiding place for the Saints."

These remarks reached the ears of Elder Rigdon and family, and caused them to feel somewhat sad, as they were well situated in a nice stone house. When we met in council, in the house of Joseph Smith, Elder Rigdon said he had some feelings toward Elder Kimball, and added, "I should suppose that Elder Kimball had passed through sufferings and privations and mobbings and drivings enough to learn to prophesy good concerning Israel."

I saw that I was likely to receive quite a chastisement from Elder Rigdon, and knowing his peculiar temperament, I arose and said, "President Rigdon, I'll prophesy good concerning you all the time if you can get it!"

On hearing that, Joseph had a hearty laugh with the brethren, and Elder Rigdon yielded the point.

I here insert a recommend from the Presidency:

"To the Saints Scattered Abroad, to the Nations of Europe and to the World:

"Be it known unto you that Heber C. Kimball is fully authorized to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and his testimony can be relied on. He is a man of unexceptionable character, and received his authority and Priesthood from under the hands of the presiding authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who were called by actual revelation from God. Therefore, God will bless him, and bear record by His power, thereby confirming his word and ministry. Thus testifieth your humble servants,

"SIDNEY RIGDON,

"HYRUM SMITH,

"JOSEPH SMITH, JR.

"QUINCY, ILL., June 3, 1839."

I wrote to P. P. Pratt, giving him the particulars of our conference at Far West on the 26th of April, and the resolution that the Twelve should have their shackles taken off, that they might go forth into the world to preach the gospel, and that the Bishops were to provide for our families, etc. I also added, "The Presidency feel well towards you. They say you must come out of that place, and so I say; for I do not feel as though I can go to England until I take you by the hand. When this takes place my joy will be full. Be of good cheer, brother; a few days now, and you shall see the salvation of God; and I shall see you in other lands, publishing peace to the captives. My determination is to be a man of God, and to try to save souls from their sins, let others do as they may. I will try to keep my eye on the mark, that is, Christ, the Son of the living God, His grace assisting me. The Twelve have all left Quincy. Orson is about twenty-five miles from here. Whatever you do, do quickly!"

Joseph advised those of the Twelve whose families were not at Commerce to remove them immediately to the new gathering place. I accordingly went to Quincy and removed my family up to a place belonging to Brother Bozier, about one mile from Commerce, where I pulled down an old stable and laid up the logs at the back end of the Bozier house, putting a few shakes on to cover it; but it had no floor or chinking. In this condition I moved my family into it. Whenever it rained the water stood nearly ankle deep on the ground in the house. There were some half-a-dozen families in the Bozier house.

The 25th, 26th and 27th of June I spent in council with the Presidency and Twelve, and received much valuable instruction from the Prophet. At this conference Orson Hyde appeared, made a humble confession, and was restored to the Priesthood.

One night I was awakened out of my sleep by my wife making a noise as though she was nearly choking to death. I inquired the cause, and she replied that she had dreamed that a personage came and seized her by the throat and was choking her. I immediately lit a candle and saw that her eyes were sunken and her nose pinched in as though she was in the last stage of the cholera. I laid hands upon her and rebuked the evil spirit in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the holy Priesthood commanded it to depart. In a moment afterwards I heard some half a dozen children in different parts of the Bozier house crying as if in great distress. The cattle also began to bellow, the horses neighed, the dogs barked, the hogs squealed, the hens cackled and roosters crowed, and everything around seemed in great commotion. In a few minutes afterwards I was sent for to lay hands upon Sister Patten, the widow of David W. Patten, who was living in the room adjoining mine, and who was seized in a similar manner to my wife.

My wife continued quite feeble for several days from the shock.

One day while visiting Joseph, he took me for a walk by the river side, when he requested me to relate the occurrence at Brother Bozier's. After I had done so, I also told him the vision of evil spirits in England, on the opening of the gospel to that people. After I had done this, I asked him what all these things meant, and whether or not there was anything wrong in me. He said:

"No, Brother Heber; at that time, when you were in England, you were nigh unto the Lord, there was only a veil between you and Him, but you could not see Him. When I heard of it, it gave me great joy; for I then knew that the work of God had taken root in that land. It was this that caused the devil to make a struggle to kill you."

Joseph then said the nearer a person approached to the Lord, the greater power would be manifest by the devil to prevent the accomplishment of the purposes of God.

He also gave me a relation of many contests that he had had with Satan, and his power that had been manifested from time to time since the commencement of bringing forth the Book of Mormon.

I will relate one circumstance that took place in Far West, in a house which Joseph had purchased, which had been formerly occupied as a public house by some wicked people. A short time after he had moved into it, one of the children was taken very sick. He laid his hands upon the child, when it got better. As soon as he went outside, the child was taken sick again. He again laid his hands upon it, so that it again recovered. This transpired several times, and Joseph inquired of the Lord what it all meant, when he had an open vision, and saw the devil in person, who contended with Joseph face to face for some time. He said it was his house, it belonged to him, and Joseph had no right there. Then Joseph rebuked Satan in the name of the Lord, and he departed and troubled the child no more.

On the 2nd of July, I went with Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney and others over the river to Montrose, after which we rode four miles and looked at the site for the town of Zarahemla. We dined at Brother Woodruff's. After dinner we all went to President Brigham Young's, where Brothers Woodruff and George A. Smith were blessed as two of the Twelve Apostles. Brother Hyrum Smith gave the Twelve some good advice on the nature of their mission—to practice prudence and humility in their preaching, and to strictly hold on to the authority of the Priesthood. Brother Joseph taught many glorious things and important principles to benefit and bless them on their mission; advising them to observe charity, wisdom and a fellow feeling for each other under all circumstances. He also unfolded the keys of knowledge, to detect Satan, and preserve us in the favor of God.

On Sunday, the 7th of July, I was present at a large meeting of the Saints in the open air to listen to the farewell addresses of the Twelve. Many were present who did not belong to the Church. After the meeting was dismissed three persons went forward and were baptized and confirmed.

On the 10th of July, Elder P. P. Pratt returned from his imprisonment in Missouri. When I heard that he was in Quincy I went there and assisted him and his brother Orson up to Commerce. His escape caused much rejoicing among the Saints.

In a few days afterwards he and I purchased from Hyrum Kimball five acres each of woodland, situated one mile from the river, and went to work to cut each a set of logs to build a house 14 by 16 feet, which we cut in one day. We then invited some of the old citizens, such as Brother Bozier, 'Squire Wells, Louis Robinson and others, to come and assist us to put them up, as our people were mostly prostrate with sickness. I got a man to assist me to hew puncheons for the floor, and to make some shakes, that is, strips of timber similar to barrel staves, with which to cover the roof. I also drew the rock and built a chimney, and just got it built to the ridge of the house, when I was stricken down with the chills and fever. My wife was also laid prostrate with the same.

A great amount of sickness prevailed among the inhabitants of Commerce, in consequence of the sufferings and hardships to which they had been subjected in being driven from Missouri; so that the time of those who were able to be about was generally spent in administering to the sick. Some had faith and were healed; to those who had not faith we administered mild herbs and nursed them as well as possible under the circumstances; but many died.

On the morning of the 22nd, the Prophet Joseph Smith arose from his bed of sickness, when the power of God rested upon him, and he went forth administering to the sick. He commenced with the sick in his own house, then visited those who were tenting in his door-yard, commanding the sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise from their beds and be made whole, and they were healed according to his words. He then went from house to house and from tent to tent, on the bank of the river, healing the sick by the power of Israel's God as he went among them. He did not miss a single house, wagon or tent, and continued this work up to the "Upper Stone House," where he crossed the river, accompanied by P. P. Pratt, O. Pratt, John Taylor, John E. Page and myself, and walked into the cabin of Brother Brigham Young, who was lying very sick, and commanded him in the name of the Lord Jesus to arise and be made whole. He arose, healed of his sickness, and accompanied Joseph and his brethren of the Twelve. They went into the house of Brother Elijah Fordham, who was insensible and considered by his family and friends to be dying. Joseph stepped to his bedside, looked him in the eye for a minute without speaking, then took him by the hand and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to arise from his bed and walk. Brother Fordham instantly leaped out of his bed, threw off all his poultices and bandages, dressed himself, called for a bowl of bread and milk, which he ate, and then followed us into the street.

We then went into the house of Joseph B. Noble, who was also very sick, and he was healed in the same manner.

Joseph spoke with the voice and power of God.

When he had healed all the sick by the power given unto him, he went down to the ferry boat, when a stranger rode up almost breathless and said he had heard that "Jo" Smith was raising the dead and healing all the sick, and his wife begged of him to ride up and get Mr. Smith to go down and heal his twin children, who were about five months old. Joseph replied, "I cannot go, but will send some one." In a few minutes he said to Elder Woodruff, who lived in Montrose, "You go and heal those children. Take this pocket handkerchief, and when you administer to them, wipe their faces with it, and they shall recover." Brother Woodruff did as he was commanded, and the children were healed.

The mob leaders when they saw men, whom they thought were dying, arise from their beds and pray for others, stood paralyzed with fear, yet those same men would have killed Joseph and his brethren if they had had an opportunity.

Joseph recrossed the river and returned to his own house, and I went to my home, rejoicing in the mercies and goodness of God.

This was a day never to be forgotten by the Saints, nor by the wicked, for they saw the power of God manifest in the flesh.