Scraps of Biography: Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints — John Shaqi
Scraps of Biography: Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsVarious
Religion
Scraps of Biography: Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Various
Latter Day Saints -- Biography
"During this month of April I went on a visit to Mr. Joseph Knight,
of Colesville, Broome Co., N. Y., with whom and his family I had been
previously acquainted, and of whose name I have made mention as having
been so kind and thoughtful towards us, while translating the Book of
Mormon. Mr. Knight and his family were Universalists, but were willing
to reason with me upon my religious views, and were as usual friendly
and hospitable. We held several meetings in the neighborhood, we had
many friends, and some enemies. Our meetings were well attended,
and many began to pray vocally to Almighty God, that He would give
them wisdom to understand the truth. Among those who attended our
meetings regularly, was Newel Knight, son of Joseph Knight. He and
I had many serious conversations on the important subject of man's
eternal salvation; we had got into the habit of praying much at our
meetings and Newel had said he would try and take up his cross,
and pray vocally during meeting; but when we again met together he
rather excused himself. I tried to prevail upon him, making use of
the figure, supposing that he should get into a mudhole, would he not
try to help himself out? and that we were willing now to help him out
of the mudhole, he replied that provided he had got into a mudhole
through carelessness, he would rather wait and get out himself than
have others help him, and so he would wait until he should get into
the woods by himself, and there he would pray. Accordingly he deferred
praying until the next morning, when he retired into the woods; where
(according to his own account afterwards) he made several attempts to
pray, but could scarcely do so, feeling that he had not done his duty,
but that he should have prayed in the presence of others. He began to
feel uneasy, and continued to feel worse both in mind and body, until
upon reaching his own house, his appearance was such as to alarm his
wife very much. He requested her to go and bring me to him. I went,
and found him suffering very much in his mind, and his body acted upon
in a very strange manner. His visage and limbs were distorted and
twisted in every shape and appearance possible to imagine; and finally
he was caught up off the floor of the apartment and tossed about most
fearfully. His situation was soon made known to his neighbors and
relatives, and in a short time as many as eight or nine grown persons
had got together to witness the scene. After he had thus suffered for
a time, I succeeded in getting hold of him by the hand, when almost
immediately he spoke to me, and with great earnestness requested of me,
that I should cast the devil out of him, saying that he knew he was in
him, and that he also knew that I could cast him out. I replied, if
you know that I can, it shall be done, and then almost unconsciously
I rebuked the devil; and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to
depart from him; when immediately Newel spoke out and said that he
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