for light and knowledge. I attended a methodist camp meeting in Farmington Ct. with many of my relatives &
friends and had an interesting time. I now searched the bibles & prayed earnestly to know what duties I should
perform in order to be saved & I called upon the Lord & prayed unto the Lord to guide me in all things both
temporal & spiritual & the Lord did manifest many things unto me & heard and answered my prayers
yet I felt that I needed a teacher & leader in the things of God I had a Desire to attend to the ordinances
of the gospel yet I did not feel disposed to Join any religious sect or church that I was acquainted
with because I could not see the organization with any sect on earth that was manifest in the days of the prophets
& Christ and the Apostles. yet I could see that Baptism by immersion was a commandment of God &
I had a Desire to be baptized and not understanding any thing about the Priesthood or the Authority
to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel I applyed to a Baptist minister to Baptize me I told him
at the same time that I did not wish to Join his church & gave him my reasons that I did not consider the
organization according to the pattern of the Apostolic Church Mr George Phippen was the name of the
Baptist Minister at first refused to Baptize me saying that it was against there rules to Baptize any one
except he joined there church, but after conversing with him several times upon the subject he said
he would baptize me. So upon the , on Saturday Mr Phippen Preached a discourse in
Farmington upon the subject of Baptism & then went to Farmington River accompanied by a large congregation
and Baptized myself & my Brother Asahel and we went our way rejoiceing thinking we had done
the will of God. this is the ownly Gospel ordinance I attempted to attend to untill I joined the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hands was not laid upon me for the Holy Ghost for it was not practiced
but I had peace of mind because I acted up to the best light I had at the time.
I did not remain with Mr Collins quite one year he wished to remove his Mill as he wished the water privilege
for other purposes so I settelled up my business with him & Engaged to tend the Flowuring mill to Mr Richard
B. Cowles of New Hartford Ct. when I settled with Mr Collins he gave me a strong invitation to come and
labour for him should I wish a place & proffered to give me any recommends I should ask. I parted with
him and his Clerk John Barlow and with all my acquaintances in that place with the Best of Feelings and I felt
that I was leaving a place whare I had spent many a pleasing & happy hour, after spending a few days in
visiting my Friends I went to New Hartford & commenced business for Mr Cowles on the
I spent one year with Mr Cowles During my stay there I attended meetings with the various denominations of the place I also held
meetings with the young people I found several persons with whom my spirit was congenial with my feelings among whom
was two men by the name of Lyman & Buel there feelings & views were in a measure similar to my own
we visited each other much & prayed together often & spent many a good hour together in prayer & conversing
upon the things of God. there were several protracted meetings in the Town while I was there I freequently
attended & several ministers asked me to Join their churches I would ask them if they had the faith that was
once delivered to the saints, if they laid hands upon the sick & had dreams Revelations & visions as did the Ancient
Saints & if they had Prophets and Apostles they would say no these are not needed now they are done away so
I could not believe as they did so I did not Join any church but I gave myself constantly to Prayer reading
the Bible, & meditation and I called upon the Lord Earnestly to lead and guide me I spent many hours in the
woods among the Rocks & in the mill at midnight calling upon the Lord to teach me what to do I finally made
the following prayer & petition unto the Lord with a determination to ask untill I obtained an answer "O Lord
are the priest & People who profess they name and who appear zealous in thy cause by holding many meetings
& call upon they name with a loud voice & who labour hard to make many proseliytes are they they people are
they & their works excepted at thine hand. if so O Lord why am I separated from them in spirit
for light and knowledge. I attended a methodist camp meeting in Farmington Ct. with many of my relatives &
friends and had an interesting time. I now searched the bible & prayed earnestly to know what duties I should
perform in order to be saved & I called upon the Lord & prayed unto the Lord to guide me in all things both
temporal & spiritual & the Lord did manifest many things unto me & heard and answered my prayers
yet I felt that I needed a teacher & leader in the things of God I had a Desire to attend to the ordinances
of the gospel yet I did not feel disposed to Join any religious sect or church that I was acquainted
with because I could not see the organization with any sect on earth that was manifest in the days of the prophets
& Christ and the Apostles. yet I could see that Baptism by immersion was a commandment of God &
I had a Desire to be baptized and not understanding any thing about the Priesthood or the Authority
to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel I applyed to a Baptist minister to Baptize me I told him
at the same time that I did not wish to Join his church & gave him my reasons that I did not consider the
organization according to the pattern of the Apostolic Church Mr George Phippen was the name of the
Baptist Minister at first refused to Baptize me saying that it was against there rules to Baptize any one
except he joined there church, but after conversing with him several times upon the subject he said
he would baptize me. So upon the , on Saturday Mr Phippen Preached a discourse in
Farmington upon the subject of Baptism & then went to Farmington River accompanied by a large congregation
and Baptized myself & my Brother Asahel and we went our way rejoiceing thinking we had done
the will of God. this is the ownly Gospel ordinance I attempted to attend to untill I joined the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hands was not laid upon me for the Holy Ghost for it was not practiced
but I had peace of mind because I acted up to the best light I had at the time.
I did not remain with Mr Collins quite one year he wished to remove his Mill as he wished the water privilege
for other purposes so I settelled up my business with him & Engaged to tend the Flouring mill to Mr Richard
B. Cowles of New Hartford Ct. when I settled with Mr Collins he gave me a strong invitation to come and
labour for him should I wish a place & proffered to give me any recommends I should ask. I parted with
him and his Clerk John Barlow and with all my acquaintances in that place with the Best of Feelings and I felt
that I was leaving a place whare I had spent many a pleasing & happy hour, after spending a few days in
visiting my Friends I went to New Hartford & commenced business for Mr Cowles on the
I spent one year with Mr Cowles During my stay there I attended meetings with the various denominations of the place I also held
meetings with the young people I found several persons with whom my spirit was congenial with my feelings among whom
was two men by the name of Lyman & Buel there feelings & views were in a measure similar to my own
we visited each other much & prayed together often & spent many a good hour together in prayer & conversing
upon the things of God. there were several protracted meetings in the Town while I was there I freequently
attended & several ministers asked me to Join their churches I would ask them if they had the faith that was
once delivered to the saints, if they laid hands upon the sick & had dreams Revelations & visions as did the Ancient
Saints & if they had Prophets and Apostles they would say no these are not needed now they are done away so
I could not believe as they did so I did not Join any church but I gave myself constantly to Prayer reading
the Bible, & meditation and I called upon the Lord Earnestly to lead and guide me I spent many hours in the
woods among the Rocks & in the mill at midnight calling upon the Lord to teach me what to do I finally made
the following prayer & petition unto the Lord with a determination to ask untill I obtained an answer "O Lord
are the priest & People who profess thy name and who appear zealous in thy cause by holding many meetings
& call upon thy name with a loud voice & who labour hard to make many proselytes are they thy people are
they & their works excepted at thine hand. if so O Lord why am I separated from them in spirit
