Jacob Hamblin: A Narrative of His Personal Experience as a Frontiersman, Missionary to the Indians and Explorer, Disclosing Interpositions of Providence, Severe Privations, Perilous Situations and Remarkable Escapes: Fifth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsHamblin, Jacob
History
Jacob Hamblin: A Narrative of His Personal Experience as a Frontiersman, Missionary to the Indians and Explorer, Disclosing Interpositions of Providence, Severe Privations, Perilous Situations and Remarkable Escapes: Fifth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Hamblin, Jacob
Frontier and pioneer life -- Utah; Hamblin, Jacob, 1819-1886; Indians of North America -- Utah; Latter Day Saint churches -- Utah
I replied that I could administer to it, and I presumed that the Lord
would heal it. I asked her if she believed in such things. She said
that she did, and that she belonged to the Church, but her husband did
not. I was puzzled in my mind to know what to do, for the boat was
crowded with passengers, and all unbelievers excepting the mother of
the sick child and myself. It seemed like a special providence that,
just then, the lamp in the cabin should fall from its hangings, and
leave us all in the dark.
Before another lamp could be lit, I had administered to the child, and
rebuked the fever in the name of the Lord Jesus, unobserved by those
around. The Lord blessed the administration, and the child was healed.
The mother called her husband, and said to him, "Little Mary is healed;
not do not say anything against 'Mormonism.'" The man looked at his
child, and said to me, "I am not a believer in any kind of religion,
but I am on my way to Iowa, opposite to Nauvoo, where I presume you are
going. You are welcome to board with me all the way, and if you want
any money I will let you have it."
I arrived in Nauvoo on the 5th of August, 1844.
CHAPTER III
At Nauvoo I found Sidney Rigdon busy among the Saints, trying to
establish his claim to the presidency of the Church. He was first
Counselor to the Prophet Joseph at the time of the latter's death. The
Church was fourteen years old, and he claimed that it was its privilege
and duty to appoint a guardian; and he wished the people to sanction
his guardianship.
I was much dissatisfied with the course he was taking, and as I could
not sustain him, I felt to leave Nauvoo for a season. I went into the
country, where I had left my wife and two children with my sister
Melissa. When I met my sister, she threw her arms around my neck and
thanked the Lord that I had returned. She had seen an account of a man
being drowned in the Ohio River, and, from the description, thought
that it might have been me.
On the 8th of August, 1844, I attended a general meeting of the Saints.
Elder Rigdon was there, urging his claims to the presidency of the
Church. His voice did not sound like the voice of the true shepherd.
When he was about to call a vote of the congregation to sustain him
as President of the Church, Elders Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt and
Heber C. Kimball stepped into the stand.
Brigham Young remarked to the congregation: "I will manage this voting
for Elder Rigdon. He does not preside here. This child" (meaning
himself) "will manage this flock for a season." The voice and gestures
of the man were those of the Prophet Joseph.
The people, with few exceptions, visibly saw that the mantle of the
Prophet Joseph Smith had fallen upon Brigham Young. To some it seemed
as though Joseph again stood before them.
I arose to my feet and said to a man sitting by me, "That is the voice
of the true shepherd--the chief of the Apostles."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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