ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD—INVITED TO PREACH—I MAKE UP A SERMON ON MY WAY—SERMON APPARENTLY A FAILURE TO ME—MY HEARERS SATISFIED WITH IT—ABUSED BY A BAPTIST MINISTER—HE DESIRES A SIGN—A SIGN PROMISED AND FULFILLED—BLESSINGS RECEIVED IN THE KIRTLAND TEMPLE—WORDS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH—THEIR FULFILLMENT—AN INCIDENT IN MISSOURI—LITERAL FULFILLMENT OF A PREDICTION UTTERED BY JOSEPH SMITH—HIS PATRIOTISM—STRANGE PHENOMENON—ITS EFFECT.

On the 4th day of August, 1834, I was ordained to the lesser Priesthood under the hands of Lorenzo Wells, who at the time presided over the branch. Within less than a month, I was invited to bring an Elder with me and preach in Mercer Co., Pa. I sent an appointment, but, being unable to get an Elder to accompany me, I resolved to go alone. The distance was about fifty miles.

On the way I preached in my mind the greatest sermon I ever had preached, and perhaps greater than I have ever been able to preach since. This sermon, of course, I intended to preach when I reached my destination. The arguments would be irresistible. When I arrived, I sang, opened the meeting by prayer, sang again, and read my text, but the sermon—alas, it was gone, and I would have given everything I possessed to have been back home. This was the first gospel sermon ever preached in the neighborhood, for although my made-up sermon was gone, I made an effort to teach the people the way of life. I read a great many passages of scripture on the first principles of the gospel, making brief comments on each as I could think of but little to say. After occupying perhaps three quarters of an hour, and, as I supposed disgusting every one, I brought the meeting to a close with a faint hope, and a very faint one, too, that I would be invited to speak again. In that case I would plead with the Lord to forgive me for making up a sermon beforehand and help my future efforts, and the people would not be so much disappointed, after all, if I could have an opportunity to redeem myself.

No sooner was the meeting closed than the people gathered around me and requested me to preach at their houses, and, I believe, four out of the remaining evenings of the week were engaged in much less time than it has taken me to write it.

While walking towards the residence of my friend I saw a thicket of underbrush not far from our path. To it I retired and poured out my soul to the Lord to forgive me my folly and aid me in the future.

While seated at the dinner table, my friend remarked:

"Well, Daniel, you had nearly all the big men of the county, from the county seat, to hear you, and what do you think they said about your preaching?"

I was ashamed to answer that I expected they would set it down as a fruitless effort to deceive the people, and felt badly hurt that he should ask me such a question in company. I, however, put on as bold a front as I could, and simply answered that I did not know.

In this case I learned that man's thoughts were not always as the Lord's thoughts, for the rule is, that when the Elder satisfies his own feelings, the hearers are pleased and edified; yet, in this case, the rule was reversed. My friend and former neighbor informed me that the learned judge and lawyers inquired of him where I had graduated, adding that they never heard a man quote so much scripture to prove his doctrines and apply it so well. In fine, it was the greatest sermon they ever heard.

Now, my young friends, it was not I that had preached a great sermon. I am sure it was not; for to this day I look upon it as one of my weakest efforts at preaching. It being only my fourth trial, I think you will come to a similar conclusion. The fact was, when I read to them the holy scriptures the Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, although they knew it not, and opened their eyes to see and understand the truth. This is what is meant by the scripture, "How shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall he preach except he be sent?" The Lord sends His servants to preach the gospel, and a portion of His Spirit rests upon those who hear, and they are "born again" to "see the kingdom of God," preparatory to being "born of water and of the Spirit," to enter into it. The first birth is being converted from error to truth, being able to see clearly that it is truth. The second is the immersion in water for remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Before leaving the neighborhood a learned Baptist minister by the name of Peters, arose at the close of a meeting held in a private house and abused me in a shameful manner, frothing at the mouth. I replied briefly to all that was worth answering, and he was confounded. He subsequently came to my lodgings, and we sat and conversed on the principles of the gospel until after midnight.

Like others of his spirit, he was desirous of having a sign. I finally told him I would give him a sign, which was that, if he did not speedily repent and be baptized for the remission of his sins, the judgments of God would overtake him. He left me with a downcast look. He doubtless expected that I would hunt up some sick person and heal him. About three weeks afterward my friend came to our place on a visit and informed me that my prediction was literally fulfilled. The learned Mr. Peters, who boasted of being proficient in three dead languages, had been thrown from a horse, and crippled for life. The last I heard of him he was a helpless, imbecile pauper.

I had the inestimable blessing of receiving my endowments in the temple at Kirtland, being anointed a priest after the order of Aaron. It would be impossible for me to describe all the blessings bestowed upon the different quorums of the priesthood. Some saw angels, others saw the horses and chariots of Israel. Some spoke in tongues and others predicted many of the great calamities that are now befalling the nations, such as pestilence, war, famine, tornadoes, etc.

All felt that they had a foretaste of heaven. In fact, there were several weeks in which we were not tempted of the devil; and we wondered whether the millennium had commenced. At or near the close of the endowments, the Prophet Joseph addressed us. Among other things he said: "Brethren, for some time Satan has not had power to tempt you. Some have thought that there would be no more temptation. But the opposite will come; and unless you draw near to the Lord you will be overcome and apostatize."

A few months later, four of the Apostles were cut off from the Church for apostasy, and the standing of one or two others was very doubtful. Numbers from other quorums also fell away and were cut off.

Brief descriptions of the Missouri persecutions have been published at different times. If a detailed account of the mobbings the Saints endured while in Missouri were to be published it would make a large volume.

I will mention one prophecy among the many predictions of the Prophet Joseph Smith that was literally fulfilled.

During the persecutions in the fall of 1838, one of the brethren happened to be a stranger in Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, a distance of some thirty or forty miles from Far West, in Caldwell county, where the Saints dwelt. About sundown he saw men loading guns into a carriage, and learned that they were to be taken that night to the mob in Daviess county, to fight the "Mormons." He feigned to be traveling in the opposite direction, and took a circuitous route to Far West, but did not arrive there until about eight o'clock the next morning. He related what he had seen of the actions of the mob, and a call was immediately made for ten volunteers to accompany Captain Allred, of the militia, to intercept and take the arms. To do this we had about twenty miles to ride across a trackless prairie, to reach the road leading from Richmond to Daviess county, where the mob was quartered. The man with the guns had a good, smooth road, free from rocks or obstructions of any kind, and, to all human appearance, might have reached his destination before we obtained the news of his having the arms.

When all were mounted, the Prophet Joseph said to Brother Allred, "I want you to ride as fast as your horses can carry you," (pointing the direction, that he might not reach the road in rear of the carriage) "and you will get those arms." These last words inspired faith in the little band, and even the horses did not seem to become weary.

When we neared the road, we cast our eyes towards Richmond, and at a distance of about half a mile we discovered a black-covered carriage standing in the road, without any team attached to it. On nearing it, we saw that it was empty. We examined and found that one of the axles was newly broken in two. Here was the carriage described, but where were the guns? We soon discovered a trial in the high grass where something heavy had been dragged from near the carriage. We followed this trial a short distance and found a wooden box, containing seventy-four United States yaugers. While consulting how to get them to the town, we looked in the direction of the mob and discovered two men coming, about as fast as they could drive, in a lumber wagon. When they discovered us, supposing us to be mobs, they swung their hats and shouted "hurrah!" two or three times, and our little troop responded in the same way.

They got very near before they discovered their mistake. Brother Allred directed the teamster to drive along side of the box. He then told the two men to get out and put it into the wagon, and then follow him. We returned the way we came, and reached our destination about sundown, when, after the guns were taken from the wagon, the men and team were released. The prediction of the prophet was fulfilled, and the long-range guns, which were the best then known, designed for our destruction, were in our hands.

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.