not a twentieth part of it was then nominally Christians. The real cause was, 'the love of many,' almost of all Christians, so-called, was 'waxed cold.' The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ, than the other heathens. The Son of man, when he came to examine his church, could hardly 'find faith upon earth.' This was the real cause, why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian church; because the Christians were turned heathens again, and had only a dead form left."-Wesley's Sermons, vol. 2, ser. 94.

Alexander Campbell wrote:

A. Campbell on ancient order.

"We want the old gospel back, and sustained by the ancient order of things: and this alone, by the blessing of the Divine Spirit, is all that we do want, or can expect, to reform and save the world. And if this gospel, as proclaimed and enforced on Pentecost, cannot do this, vain are the hopes, and disappointed must be the expectations, of the so-called Christian world."-Christian System, pp. 234, 235; (also St. Louis edition of 1890, p. 250.)

Joseph Smith, then, was not alone in seeing the necessity and in recognizing the possibility of a restoration of the gospel, sustained by the ancient order of things," the enjoyment of the Holy Spirit, together with its extraordinary gifts. History records the fact, as we have seen, that others held similar views on this subject. However, he did claim more than they, so far as realization is concerned, as in the instance of the healing of Mr. Knight, as recorded above. If in this claim he bore false witness, he should be condemned and the fraud exposed. His claim seems to be remarkably verified, however, by creditable witnesses not of his religious faith.

We give a few out of the many on record as examples of this testimony:

"Whatever we may say of the moral character of the author of Mormonism, it cannot be denied that Joseph Smith was a man of remarkable power-over others. Added to the stupendous claim of supernatural power, conferred by the direct gift of God, he exercised an almost mag

Hayden's testimony.

netic power-an irresistible fascination-over those with whom he came in contact. Ezra Booth, of Mantua, a Metho-' dist preacher of much more than ordinary culture, and with strong natural abilities, in company with his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and some other citizens of this place, visited Smith at his home in Kirtland, in 1831. Mrs. Johnson had' been afflicted for some time with a lame arm, and was not at the time of the visit able to lift her hand to her head. The party visited Smith partly out of curiosity, and partly to see for themselves what there might be in the new doctrine. During the interview, the conversation turned on the subject of supernatural gifts, such as were conferred in the days of the apostles. Some one said, 'Here is Mrs. Johnson with a lame arm; has God given any power to men now on earth to cure her?' A few moments later, when the conversation had turned in another direction, Smith rose, and walking across the room, taking Mrs. Johnson by the hand, said in the most solemn and impressive manner: 'Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole,' and immediately left the room.

"The company were awe stricken at the infinite presumption of the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden mental and moral shock-I know not how better to explain the well-attested fact-electrified the rheumatic arm- Mrs. Johnson at once lifted it up with ease, and on her return home the next day she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain."- Hayden's History of "The Western Reserve," pp. 249, 250.

Garfield's

"In the San Francisco Weekly Chronicle, November 23, 1882, in an article entitled Stalwarts Rebuked,' signed 'Gath,' he in treating of the late President Garstatement. field relates that the latter said to him, 'There is a corner in my character which makes everything of a supernatural or mystical sort very fascinating to me.' Gath further says: 'He then told me a number of tales, all original and peculiar. For instance, he related that in his district, at a place called Kirtland, Joseph Smith, the Mormon, had gathered his first congregation, and there was a person brought to Smith, apparently possessed of a devil, with

something that made the man froth, or bark. Smith, whom General Garfield described to be a fine man physically, with abundant magnetism, put the subject under his control, and finally raising his hands, shouted with a powerful voice, “I command that you come out of him!" And the General said that it was in testimony that the man behaved like one in his right mind after that.'"-Saints' Herald, vol. 35, p. 779.

"The testimony of Mr. Garfield is surprising only in the fact that it came from him. That Joseph Smith did, by the power of God, cast out devils, is a matter well authenticated and thoroughly believed in by the saints, though stoutly denied by his enemies, and imputed by Mr. Garfield to magnetism. Magnetism is one thing, and the Holy Spirit is another and very different thing. Joseph Smith wrought by the latter, which is the highest and greatest of all powers." (Saints' Herald. Editorial comment.)

We have selected these two out of many hundreds because of the prominence of the persons. Mr. A. S. Hayden was a prominent minister and author in the "Christian Church." Of the lamented President James A. Garfield, we need say nothing. The facts are clearly stated and, in one case at least, said to be well attested. True, both Mr. Garfield and Mr. Hayden seek to attribute these results to the effect of magnetism, but this is rather a hasty way of disposing of a "well attested fact." Similar Bible facts could be disposed of in a similar way, but Christians would not be satisfied, they would demand a closer investigation. Why not give these well-attested facts a fuller consideration?

Spiritual blessings promised.

Joseph Smith not only claimed to receive the power of God, as in the case of Mr. Knight, given above, but as early as December, 1830, the promise was given through him that all who believed should receive blessings wrought by the power of God. He states:— "And it shall come to pass, that there shall be a great work in the land, even among the Gentiles, for their folly and their abominations shall be made manifest, in the eyes of all people; for I am God, and mine arm is not shortened, and I will show miracles, signs and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name. And whoso shall ask it in my.

name, in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk: and the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men; but without faith shall not anything be shown forth except desolations upon Babylon, the same which has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation."-Doctrine and Covenants 34: 3.

These promises have been so generally fulfilled and these blessings so universally enjoyed that wherever the reader may find a representative of the work a witness will be found; and so we refer you to them wherever found for further evidence on this great and important subject.

CHAPTER 7.

1830.

PERSECUTIONS TRIALS BEFORE THE COURTS STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY REED - PERSECUTION NO NEW THING CHRIST,

-

PROPHETS, AND APOSTLES PERSECUTED GIBBON ON PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS MODERN PERSECUTION A. CAMPBELL AND JOHN WESLEY PERSECUTED - PERSECUTION A MISTAKEN POLICY EMMA SMITH, HER OFFICE AND CALLING MADE KNOWN JOSEPH COPIES REVELATIONS RECEIVES LETTER FROM O. COWDERY - JOSEPH'S ATTITUDE IN A PECULIAR TRIAL -INSTRUCTION ON THE SACRAMENT - JOSEPH'S WIFE'S FAMILY TURNED AGAINST THEM - ENEMIES ON THE ALERT - HIRAM PAGE DECEIVED BY A SEER STONE - MISSION TO THE WEST REVELATION TO EMMA SMITH, ITS PECULIAR SIGNIFICANCE JOHN TAYLOR'S TRIBUTE TO HER CHARACTER JOSEPH'S WORDS OF PRAISE FOR HIS WIFE - EMMA SMITH'S WORTHINESS - INCIDENTS OF HER LIFE - CONFERENCE - HIRAM PAGE MATTER ADJUSTED OTHERS APPOINTED TO GO WEST.

In this chapter we give quite fully the account written by Joseph Smith of some of his early persecutions, including the first two efforts made by his enemies to convict him of crime before the courts. We present

Persecutions.

this in detail because so much has been said about fraud and Trials before immorality that we wish the reader to know, so far as possible, the facts concerning him, as brought out on trial. He writes:

the courts.

"Amongst the many present at this meeting was one Emily Coburn, sister to the wife of Newel Knight. The Rev. Mr. Shearer, a divine of the Presbyterian faith, who had considered himself her pastor, came to understand that she was likely to believe our doctrine, and had, a short time previous to this our meeting, come to labor with her; but having spent some time with her without being able to persuade her against us, he endeavored to have her leave her sister's house, and go with him to her father's, who lived at a distance of at least ten miles off. For this purpose he had recourse to stratagem: he told her that one of her brothers