do, realizing within themselves that
if they received this testimony they
would be dishonored in the eyes of
the world. They fear becoming a
hiss and a by-word among the children
of men in this generation. Hence the
majority of them have rejected it.

Many celebrated men have investi-
gated this subject, and far more of
them have had fears that it was true
than that it was false. I visited folks
in Long Island in 1837; I talked
with one minister named Newton, in
fact I stayed with him some twelve
days and preached the Gospel to him.
He attended meetings, and finally
became so that he could neither eat,
drink, nor sleep, he was so troubled
about the Gospel; but instead of em-
bracing it, sent after a minister who
lived on the south side of the island,
for the purpose of having me put
down or silenced. I persevered and
soon baptized most of the members of
Mr. Newton's church. Mr. Douglass,
a Methodist minister of the south side
of the island came, stayed a short
time and then returned. I followed
him home and succeeded in baptizing
most of his church; and instead of
these men getting any honor by
opposing me they were both brought
into disgrace. They lost their religion,
their church and members, and were
really disgraced. When I was there
last, one of them was in the Peni-
tentiary for one of the worst crimes
that a man can be guilty of, except
murder, and the other was travelling
the streets peddling small articles for
his bread. The chastening hand of
the Lord will always follow those
that oppose the truth of Heaven as
revealed through the Prophet of God.
This is in accordance with the experi-
ence of all our Elders. The Holy
Ghost has been with them to back up
their words, and I can say for all that,
we have not done a thing but it has
been backed up by the power of the
Almighty, so far as we have labored
for the upbuilding of the kingdom of
God.

In regard to holding office in the
Priesthood, I can truly say that I
never asked any man for any office in
this Church, and I believe I never
asked the Lord but once, and my
asking the Lord came about in this
way. I went up to Missouri in Zion's
camp; I saw the Prophet every day,
and I knew he was a Prophet of God.
About this time I had a great anxiety
to preach the Gospel; this desire
increased upon me, and I finally
resolved to ask the Lord to open my
way, so I went down into a hickory
grove and prayed, during which I
asked him to give me the privilege to
preach the Gospel. I prayed fervently
to the Almighty to give me the privi-
lege of preaching the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, and when I got through praying
I started for the place from whence I
came, and I had not walked more
than about forty rods before I met a
High Priest, and the first thing he
said to me was, "It is the will of the
Lord that you go and preach the
Gospel." I told him I was ready
and willing to do anything the Lord
required of me; I was therefore
ordained a Priest and sent to labor
in Arkansas.

I will now name a circumstance
which I have never named in public
before. I went into Arkansas, travel-
led a hundred miles out of my way
to see a man that had embraced the
Gospel some time before I went there.
He was full of wrath and indignation
when I went in; he railed against
Joseph Smith, Bishop Partridge and
Father Morley. The Lord showed
me the night before that I had
enemies in that town. I talked over
my feelings with the brother who
accompanied me, and he wanted to
leave the town, but I said no, I would
not go away, for I wanted to see what
the Lord wanted of me. All the
people were mad with rage, and we

JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES

do, realizing within themselves that if they received this testimony they would be dishonored in the eyes of the world. They fear becoming a hiss and a by-word among the children of men in this generation. Hence the majority of them have rejected it.

Many celebrated men have investigated this subject, and far more of them have had fears that it was true than that it was false. I visited folks in Long Island in 1837; I talked with one minister named Newton, in fact I stayed with him some twleve days and preached the Gospel to him. He attended meetings, and finally became so that he could neither eat, drink, nor sleep, he was so troubled about the Gospel; but instead of embracing it, sent after a minister who lived on the south side of the island, for the purpose of having me put down or silenced. I persevered and soon baptized most of the members of Mr. Newton's church. Mr. Douglass, a Methodist minister of the south side of the island came, stayed a short time and then returned. I followed him home and succeeded in baptizing most of his church; and instead of these men getting any honor by opposing me they were both brought into disgrace. They lost their religion, their church and members, and were really disgraced. When I was there last, one of them was in a Penitentiary for one of the worst crimes that a man can be guilty of, except murder, and the other was travelling the streets peddling small articles for his bread. The chastening hand of the Lord will always follow those that oppose the truth of Heaven as revealed through the Prophet of God. This is in accordance with the experience of all our Elders. The Holy Ghost has been with them to back up their words, and I can say for all that, we have not done a thing but it has been backed up by the power of the Almighty, so far as we have labored for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God.

In regard to holding office in the Priesthood, I can truly say that I never asked any man for any office in this Church, and I believe I never asked the Lord but once, and my asking the Lord came about in this way. I went up to Missouri in Zion's camp; I saw the Prophet every day, and I knew he was a Prophet of God. About this time I had a great anxiety to preach the Gospel; this desire increased upon me, and I finally resolved to ask the Lord to open my way, so I went down into a hickory grove and prayed, during which I asked him to give me the privilege to preach the Gospel. I prayed fervently to the Almighty to give me the privilege of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and when I got through praying I started for the place from whence I came, and I had not walked more than about forty rods before I met a High Priest, and the first thing he said to me was, "It is the will of the Lord that you go and preach the Gospel." I told him I was ready and willing to do anything the Lord required of me; I was therefore ordained a Priest and sent to labor in Arkansas.

I will now name a circumstance which I have never named in public before. I went into Arkansas, travelled a hundred miles out of my way to see a man that had embraced the Gospel some time before I went there. He was full of wrath and indignation when I went in; he railed against Joseph Smith, Bishop Partridge and Father Morley. The Lord showed me the night before that I had enemies in that town. I talked over my feelings with the brother who accompanied me, and he wanted to leave the town, but I said no, I would not go away, for I wanted to see what the Lord wanted of me. All the people were mad with rage, and we