A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
In the month of April, 1830, Joseph Smith was visiting at the house
of a Mr. Joseph Knight, at Colesville, Broome County, New York. This
gentleman had rendered the prophet some timely assistance while
translating the Book of Mormon, and he was anxious that Mr. Knight and
his family should receive the truth. While in Mr. Knight's neighborhood
the prophet held a number of meetings. Among those who attended
regularly was Newel Knight, son of Joseph Knight. He and the prophet
had many serious conversations on the subject of man's salvation. In
the meetings held the people prayed much, and in one of the aforesaid
conversations with the prophet, Newel Knight promised that he would
pray publicly. When the time came, however, his heart failed him, and
he refused, saying that he would wait until he got into the woods by
himself. The next morning when he attempted to pray in the woods, he
was over-whelmed with a sense of having neglected his duty the evening
before, in not praying in the presence of others. He began to feel
uneasy and continued to grow worse both in body and mind, until upon
reaching home his appearance was such as to alarm his wife. He sent
for the prophet, who, when he came found Newel in a sad condition and
suffering greatly. His visage and limbs were distorted and twisted in
every shape imaginable. At last he was caught up off the floor and
tossed about most fearfully. The neighbors hearing of his condition
came running in. After he had suffered for a time the prophet succeeded
in getting him by the hand, when Newel immediately spoke to him, saying
he knew he was possessed of the devil, and that the prophet had power
to cast him out. "If you know I can, it shall be, done," replied the
prophet; and then almost unconsciously he rebuked Satan and commanded
him to depart from the man. Immediately Newel's contortions stopped,
and he spoke out and said he saw the devil leave him and vanish from
sight.
"This was the first miracle which was done in this church, or by any
member of it," writes the prophet; "and it was done not by man, nor by
the power of man, but it was done by God and by the power of Godliness;
therefore let the honor and praise, the dominion and the glory, be
ascribed to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen."
The following account of a miraculous healing is to be found in Hayden'
History of the Disciples (Campbellites); and is the statement of
witnesses hostile to the prophet and the work in which he was engaged:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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