History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Religion
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
Amongst the many present at this meeting, was one Emily Coburn, sister
to the wife of Newel Knight. The Rev. Mr. Shearer, a divine of the
Presbyterian faith, who had considered himself her pastor, came to
understand that she was likely to believe our doctrine, and had, a
short time previous to this meeting, come to labor with her. But having
spent some time with her without being able to persuade her against
us, he endeavored to have her leave her sister's house and go with him
to her father's, who lived at a distance. For this purpose, he had
recourse to stratagem; he told her that one of her brothers was waiting
at a certain place desirous to have her go with him. He succeeded thus
in getting her a little distance from the house, when seeing that her
brother was not in waiting for her, she refused to go any further with
him; upon which he took hold of her by the arm to force her along. But
her sister was soon with them, and as the two women were too many for
him to cope with, he was forced to sneak off without accomplishing his
errand, after all his labor and ingenuity. Nothing daunted, however,
he went to her father, representing to him some thing or other, which
induced the old gentleman to give him a power of attorney, which,
as soon as our meeting was over, on the above-named Sunday evening,
he immediately served upon her, and carried her off to her father's
residence by open violence against her will. All his labor was in
vain, however, for the said Emily Coburn in a short time afterwards,
was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
[Sidenote: Baptisms.]
Early on Monday morning we were on the alert, and before our enemies
were aware of our proceedings, we had repaired the dam, and the
following thirteen {88} persons baptized, by Oliver Cowdery, viz., Emma
Smith, Hezekiah Peck and wife, Joseph Knight, Sen., and wife, William
Stringham and wife, Joseph Knight, Jun., Aaron Culver and wife, Levi
Hale, Polly Knight, and Julia Stringham.
[Sidenote: Mobbings.]
Before the baptizing was entirely finished, the mob began again to
collect, and shortly after we had retired, they amounted to about
fifty men. They surrounded the house of Mr. Knight--whither we had
retired--raging with anger, and apparently determined to commit
violence upon us. Some asked us questions, others threatened us, so
that we thought it wisdom to leave and go to the house of Newel Knight.
There also they followed us, and it was only by the exercise of great
prudence on our part, and reliance in our heavenly Father, that they
were kept from laying violent hands upon us; and so long as they chose
to stay, we were obliged to answer them various unprofitable questions,
and bear with insults and threatenings without number.
[Sidenote: The Prophet Arrested.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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