Page:The Rocky Mountain Saints.djvu/67

Rh Whitmers, and Joseph and Oliver laid their hands upon the others, that they might receive the "gift of the Holy Ghost." "Thus," says Orson Pratt, "was the Church of Christ once more restored to the earth, holding the keys of authority and power to bind, to loose, and to seal on the earth and in heaven, according to the commandments of God, and the revelations of Jesus Christ." More than this could not easily be claimed.

On the Sunday succeeding the organization, Oliver Cowdery preached the first public discourse on "this dispensation" and the principles of "the Gospel as revealed to Joseph" and from that day the "testimony" of the Mormon elders has been carried to every civilized nation.

For a time, conversions were but slowly made, but the "gifts" began to manifest themselves, and the few Saints "rejoiced with exceeding great joy;" the wicked raged, the devil attacked "the Kingdom," and a "miracle" was performed.

Notwithstanding so much of interest has to be but briefly stated, it seems necessary to give in detail the relation of this first miracle in the Latter-Day kingdom, and the more so from the fact of its similarity to the manifestations of modern Spiritualism. Joseph relates, in his autobiography, that a young man named Newell Knight was greatly exercised on "the work" that he had announced to him, and attempted to pray in the woods for some enlightenment. He became unwell mentally and physically, and caused some alarm to his wife. Joseph was sent for, and thus reports what took place:—

"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 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 the neighbours 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 very great earnestness required of me that I should cast the devil out of him, saying that he knew that 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 Newell spoke out and said that he saw the devil leave