On the 24th, while in the swamps, I had an attack of the rheumatism and could not travel fast. My companion, br. Brown, had got in a hurry, and wished to return to his family in Kirtland, and as I could not travel as fast as he wished, we parted. He left me sitting on a log in the mud and water; I was lame and un- able to walk, without food, and twelve miles from the nearest house on the road; he went out of sight in great haste. I then knelt down in the water and prayed to the Lord to heal me. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I was healed; the pain left me; I arose and went my way. Whenever I met with one or more families, I preached and bore testimony to them.

July 22—I was with Prest. Joseph Smith and his council and the Twelve: it was a day of God's power with the Prophet. He healed many who were sick nigh unto death, among whom were Elijah Fordham and Joseph B. Nobles; even the wicked rabble followed to see the sick healed. As Joseph was about to cross the river a man came to him and asked him if he would go about three miles and heal two of his small children, who were twins, about three months old, and were sick nigh unto death. He was a man of the world; he had never heard a sermon preached by a Latter- day Saint. Joseph said he could not go, but he would send a man. After hesitating a mo- ment, he turned to me and said, "You go with this man and heal his children"—at the same time giving me a red silk handkerchief, and said, "After you lay hands upon them, wipe their faces with it, and they shall be healed; and as long as you will keep that handkerchief it shall ever remain as a league between you and me." I went and did as I was command- ed, and the children were healed.

We baptized over eighteen hundred, including all of the United Brethren save one. We bap- tized over two hundred preachers of various denominations in that part of the vineyard. A synod of church ministers became so alarm- ed for their flocks in that part of the vineyard, they petitioned Parliament to adopt measures to stop our preaching. They received for an answer, that if they were as well acquainted with the Bible as their hunting grounds, and were as much interested in the welfare of the souls of men, as the chasing of the stags and foxes, they would not lose so many of their congregations.

Who can comprehend the joy, the glory, the happiness and consolation that an Elder of Israel feels in being an instrument in the hands of God of bringing his father, mother, sister, brother, or any of the posterity of Adam through the door that enters into life and salvation? No man can, unless he has experienced these things, and possesses the testimony of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of Almighty God. 3

We started about sunrise and crossed a thirty mile prairie, apparently as level as a house floor, without shrub or water. We arrived at timber about two o'clock in the afternoon. As we approached the timber a large black bear came out towards us. We were not afraid of him, for we were on the Lord's business, and had not mocked God's prophets as did the forty- two wicked children who said to Elisha "Go up thou bald head," for which they were torn by bears. When the bear got within eight rods of us he sat on his haunches and looked at us a moment, and then ran away; and we went on our way rejoicing. We had to travel in the night, which was cloudy and very dark, so we had great difficulty to keep the road. Soon a large drove of wolves gathered around, and followed us. They came very close, and at times it seemed as though they would eat us up. We had materials for striking alight, and at ten o'clock, not knowing where we were, and the wolves becoming so bold, we thought it wisdom to make a fire; so we stopped and gathered a lot of oak limbs that lay on the ground, and lit them, and as our fire began to burn the wolves left us.

I felt impressed by the Spirit of God to take a mission to the Fox Islands, situated east of the Maine shore, a country I knew nothing about. I made my feelings known to the Apostles, and they advised me to go. Feeling that it was my duty to go upon this mission, I did not tarry at home one year after having married a wife, as the law of Moses would have allowed. On the contrary, I started just one month and one day after that important event, leav- ing my wife with Sister Hale, with whom she expected to stay for a season.

I spent most of the following day in clearing out a pool of water, and preparing it for baptizing in, as I saw many to be baptized there. I afterwards baptized six hundred in that pool of water.

As I have received the good and the evil, the fruits of obedience and disobedience, I think I am justified in exhorting all my young friends to always obey the whisperings of the Spirit of God, and they will always be safe. The Spirit of God will rule over and guide all men who will permit it and seek for it, and this is especially necessary for young Elders who are laboring in the vineyard of the Lord. For the Lord knows where the righteous, honest and meek of the earth are, and will lead the Elders to them

I was but a Teacher, and it is not a Teacher's office to go abroad and preach. I dared not tell any of the authorities of the Church that I wanted to preach, lest they might think I was seeking for an office. I went into the woods where no one could see me, and I prayed to the Lord to open my way so that I could go and preach the gospel. While I was praying, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and told me my prayer was heard and that my request should be granted. I felt very happy, and got up and walked out of the woods into the traveled road, and there I met a High Priest who had lived in the same house with me some six months. He had not said a word to me about preaching the gospel; but now, as soon as I met him, he said, "the Lord has revealed to me that it is your privilege to be ordained, and to go and preach the gospel.”

I had rather hear brethren appear small th[an] large I had rather see a man hold his brother up than pull him down. Preach what will save men the same that converted you will convert them.