I was confirmed on the 18^th and ordained on the 20^th by O. Cowdry; my ordintion
was a little novel we traveled into the woods a bout falf [half] a mile and placed
ourselves behind a large oak tree after a most solemn prayer he intended
to ordain me ^a^ priest but ordained me an elder he after wards told me
he done it in conformity to a vocal voice but in all these matters I confess
my knowlede was very limited indeed, there was but four elders in the whole
branch namely Sidney, Rigdon; John, Murdock; Levi, Hancock; and myself;
Isaac Morley a priest, the four brethren first spoken of together with F. G.
Willams left the same day I was ordaineed for the west Elder Rigdon for
the state of N Y, Elder Murdock for Orange, Elder ^Hancock^ for his place of abode
about 30 miles off; thus you will see I was left alone with the whole
church on my hands and the first Elders I saw after this ware from the
state of N Y. In all this I give you but a afew instances out of hundreds
I next come to the commencement of my preaching and labors in the church
On the 21^st I made an appointment to preach and filled the same with
out any serious difficulty and on the 22^nd I was called upon to baptize
three persons namely Ira, Smith; Louisa, Smith; and Benjamin, Crandle;
thus performing all the rites and ceremonies of the church with but little
further embarrassment, fully believing that I was authorized of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, to administer in all the ordinances of init^i^ation
into the church of Jesus Christ, my travels being limited to the borders
of Penn, Sandusky river, and the intermediate counties make^ing^ a distance of
two hundred miles. ^baptized 373, organised 8 churches, ordained 50 elders, many priests, teacchers, & deacons^ On the 4^th of June 1831, a conference was held at
Kirtland ^Ohia^ represented by all the above mamed branches; Joseph Smih our
modern Prophet presided; and here I again saw the visible manifestations
of the power of God as plain as could have been on the day of pentecost,
and here for the first time I saw the Melchisidec priesthood introduced
into the church of Jesus Christ as anciently; whereunto I was ordained
under the hands of Joseph Smith, and I then ordainded Joseph and
Sidney and sixteen others such as he chose unto the same priesthood.
The spirit of God was made manifest to the heeling of the sick, cast^ing^ out
devils, speaking in unknown tongues, discerning of spirits, and prophesying

I was confirmed on the 18th and ordained on the 20th by O. Cowdry; my ordintion was a little novel we traveled into the woods a bout half a mile and placed ourselves behind a large oak tree after a most solemn prayer he intended to ordain me a priest but ordained me an elder he after wards told me he done it in conformity to a vocal voice but in all these matters I confess my knowlede was very limited indeed, there was but four elders in the whole branch namely Sidney, Rigdon; John, Murdock; Levi, Hancock; and myself; Isaac Morley a priest, the four brethren first spoken of together with F. G. Willams left the same day I was ordaineed for the west Elder Rigdon for the state of N Y, Elder Murdock for Orange, Elder Hancock for his place of abode about 30 miles off; thus you will see I was left alone with the whole church on my hands and the first Elders I saw after this ware from the state of N Y. In all this I give you but afew instances out of hundreds I next come to the commencement of my preaching and labors in the church On the 21st I made an appointment to preach and filled the same with out any serious difficulty and on the 22nd I was called upon to baptize three persons namely Ira, Smith; Louisa, Smith; and Benjamin, Crandle; thus performing all the rites and ceremonies of the church with but little further embarrassment, fully believing that I was authorized of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to administer in all the ordinances of initiation into the church of Jesus Christ, my travels being limited to the borders of Penn, Sandusky river, and the intermediate counties makeing a distance of two hundred miles. baptized 373, organised 8 churches, ordained 50 elders, many priests, teacchers, & deacons On the 4th of June 1831, a conference was held at Kirtland Ohia represented by all the above mamed branches; Joseph Smih our modern Prophet presided; and here I again saw the visible manifestations of the power of God as plain as could have been on the day of pentecost, and here for the first time I saw the Melchisidec priesthood introduced into the church of Jesus Christ as anciently; whereunto I was ordained under the hands of Joseph Smith, and I then ordainded Joseph and Sidney and sixteen others such as he chose unto the same priesthood. The spirit of God was made manifest to the heeling of the sick, casting out devils, speaking in unknown tongues, discerning of spirits, and prophesying