Fragments of Experience: Sixth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints — John Shaqi
Fragments of Experience: Sixth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsVarious
Religion
Fragments of Experience: Sixth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Various
Latter Day Saints -- History; Young, Lorenzo Dow, 1807-1895
There was a large room in the same house we had moved into. This
Brother Harris offered us for holding meetings in. The first evening
quite a goodly number gathered into it, and my brother Phineas and I
talked to them. Before closing, we gave the privilege for any one to
speak who wished to.
An elderly lady arose and said she had been seeking for the truth
many years, and that she had read the Bible through from Genesis to
Revelations fourteen times, with a prayerful heart, that she might come
to a knowledge of the truth. She testified that what she had just heard
was the first gospel discourse she had ever heard in her life. Almost
in the words of the eunuch to Phillip, she said: "Here is water, what
hinders me from being baptized?"
The house stood on the bank of the Alleghany river. The night was dark,
and we thought it dangerous to try to baptize her.
She called to our minds the case of the jailor, who was baptized in the
self-same hour in which he believed.
We obtained a lantern and went to the bank of the river, the people
following us. We found the bank steep and the water somewhat deep; but
my brother, Phineas held on to me while I baptized the woman.
We continued to hold meetings and baptize until over thirty persons had
united with the Church.
We had authority to preach, baptize and confirm, but we had no
knowledge of the organization of the Church, and knew not how to
organize a branch. In the following winter, of 1831-32, Elder Sidney
Rigdon passed through Pittsburg, and gave us instructions concerning
the organization of the Church. We then organized a branch, and
continued our meetings.
After events have passed, we often see in them a providence leading
to important results. We left our homes in the State of New York for
Missouri, the only objective point in which we felt any interest.
A seeming chance of sickness induced us to stop for a season in
Pittsburg. There we found a people ready to receive the truth. We
preached the gospel, and built up a branch of the Church. We were
evidently led there for the accomplishment of this important work.
As will be seen, we subsequently went to Kirtland, instead of going on
west. But before going to Kirtland, there was yet another place where
we were to preach the gospel.
As before stated, on our arrival in Pittsburg our finances were low.
Brother Phineas soon obtained labor. I was not so successful, I walked
the streets of the town day after day, in search of a job, willing to
accept of anything I could possibly do. Finally I met a man who gave me
some encouragement. Said he, "Are you a mechanic?"
I felt constrained to answer "yes," although I could not really lay
much claim to the profession.
"Well, said he, I want twelve dozen steamboat trunks made."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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