There was not much ground for Smith to hope to make converts in the neighbourhood where this fabrication was got up. In addition to his own family, Harris, Cowdery, Whitmer, and those whom they could personally influence, a few converts were obtained in the neighbouring towns, by the marvellous pretensions which the prophet set up. These, however, were either mere adventurers, or the firm believers in ghosts and hobgoblins. Soon after the Book of Mormon was issued from the press, a person by the name of Parley P. Pratt, passed through Palmyra, and hearing of the "golden Bible," sought an interview with the prophet, and immediately became a convert. This individual resided in Lorrain co., Ohio, and was very intimate with Sidney Rigdon. Rigdon was professedly a Campbellite Baptist preacher. He resided in the county of Geauga, and but a few miles from Kirtland, which afterwards became the head-quarters of the Mormons. About the time that Pratt visited the prophet, and gave in his adhesion to the Mormons, an expedition was fitted out for the Western Country, under the command of Cowdery, to convert the Lamanites, as the western Indians were called by them. The persons sent on this mission were Cowdery, Pratt, Peterson, and Whitmer. Under the guidance of Pratt, they reached the residence of Rigdon in Mentor, Ohio, the last of October, 1830.--Rigdon at first received them apparently with suspicion, and objected to the Mormon scheme, and the authority of the prophet, but in the course of two days, his objections gave way, and he avowed his conversion to the Mormon faith. He very soon started off in order to have a personal interview with the prophet. Smith of course was prepared to receive him, and declared there had just been made to him a revelation from the Lord in relation to this new convert. This pretended heavenly communication uses such language as the following--"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto my servant Sidney, I have looked upon thee and thy works; I have heard thy prayers, and prepared thee for a greater work--thou art blessed for thou shall do great things. Behold thou wast sent forth even as John to prepare the way before me, and Elijah which should come, and thou knewest it not--thou didst baptize by water unto repentance, but they received not the Holy Ghost; but now I give unto you a commandment, that thou shalt baptize by water, and fire of the Holy Ghost, by laying on of hands, even as the Apostles of old." There is great reason to believe that this meeting of Smith and Rigdon was preconcerted--and that the pretended mission to the Indians was devised to form a plausible pretext for Rigdon, to come out openly in favour of the Mormons--and thus to conceal more effectually the hand which he might previously have had in concocting this scheme of imposture.