Sent out to Preach when a Boy--First Experience in Preaching--Questioned by an Infidel--Answer given by the Lord. AN EFFECTIVE PLEA. Arrested on a Novel Charge--Elder Parrish's Defense--Elder Patten's Indignation--Consternation Produced by his Speech. A LIFE SKETCH. Lack of Education--Early Marriage--Resisting Temptation--Grain Increased by the Power of God--Answers to Prayer--Large Family--Result of Early Marriage. CASES OF MIRACULOUS HEALING. Great Assembly of Indians--Baptizing them--The Sick Instantly Healed--Curious Actions of Indians Affected with Evil Spirits--The Old Chief's Faith--Child Cured of Fever--The Dead Revived. ANSWER TO PRAYER. Early Experience in Calling upon the Lord--Prayers Answered--Faith Developed--A Pocket-Book Lost--Found in answer to Prayer. JOSEPH SMITH'S FIRST PRAYER. AMONG THE PONCAS. By W. C. S. CHAPTER I. START FOR THE MOUNTAINS--EXPERIENCE AS A COBBLER--INDIAN MISSION ABANDONED--CACHING PROPERTY--PONCA INDIANS--A PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT. A few days after the organization of the "Mormon" Battalion, and when it had left Council Bluffs for Fort Leavenworth, it was decided in the council of the authorities of the Church that Brother George Miller (Bishop) should raise a company and endeavor to cross the Rocky Mountains that fall. At this time I was traveling and living with the family of Bishop Miller. I had been suffering with fever and ague for two months previous, but a few days before we arrived at Council Bluffs the fever left me, when my legs commenced to swell and finally broke out into sores, some of which were over an inch deep. I had five on my right and four on my left leg. These caused me much pain; but the Lord blessed me with His Spirit, and I did not feel in the least discouraged. I had brought some shoemaker's tools along, so that I could mend my shoes when they needed it. I had them in use every time we stopped, mending shoes for the camp. I soon learned to be a pretty good cobbler, especially in patching up the sisters' shoes. Some four of Bishop Miller's teamsters left to join the Battalion. Brother Henry G. Boyle was the one who drove the team I traveled in, but now I had to be teamster. We left with sufficient breadstuff to last a year, consisting of flour, corn meal, etc., but no meat, as we hoped to find plenty of game on our journey. In this we were disappointed, as we were without meat for several weeks, with the exception of fish when we could catch them. When about twenty miles east of the Pawnee village and mission we met several white men, who had been in charge of the mission, under the superintendence of an Indian agent appointed by the government. These men had been employed at building houses, fencing in land, sowing grain, etc., and endeavoring to teach the Indians to do likewise; but the Indians for some cause had become exasperated and had killed two of the white men, one of whom was a blacksmith.