the prophet's brother samuel baptized by oliver—renewed danger to the work—help from fayette—miraculous interposition to aid david whitmer—hyrum smith and others believe and are baptized.
while thus busily engaged, samuel h. smith, a brother of joseph, came down from manchester to harmony. joseph proclaimed to him the truth, so far as it had been revealed; presented to his view the translation of the book of mormon, so far as it had been completed; and then besought him to gain by prayer to almighty god, a knowledge for himself concerning the divine origin of that which he had heard and seen. samuel, a man of integrity and singleness and fixity of purpose, was not easily convinced. finally, however, he consented to ask for light from heaven. for this purpose he retired to the woods and humbled himself in supplication before the lord. a convincing answer came to his prayer, and he hastened to joseph with his tidings of joy. at the request of the prophet, oliver cowdery administered to samuel in the ordinance of baptism for the remission of his sins, and later he was confirmed. the same signs followed in this case; and samuel was filled with the spirit of prophecy and praise. he uttered many sublime truths of which his mind up to that moment had never conceived. desiring that his kindred might be made partakers of his joy, he journeyed quickly back to manchester to give to the family the news of joseph's extended calling. hyrum smith came to harmony immediately afterward to inquire of joseph concerning these wondrous things. the young prophet declared to his elder brother that an angel from heaven had restored to earth the power to baptize for the remission of human sin; and that himself and oliver had been made the recipients of this authority.
hyrum smith was a noble man, filled with earnest desire for truth and holiness. he asked joseph to obtain further light, and at his request the prophet solicited a direct revelation from the lord, on hyrum's behalf. the desire was answered in a revelation given to hyrum, through the prophet. in that revelation, these words occur:
hyrum, my son, seek the kingdom of god, and all things shall be added according to that which is just. build upon my rock, which is my gospel. deny not the spirit of revelation nor the spirit of prophecy; for woe unto him that denieth these things.
hyrum believed and awaited the proper hour for baptism.
while the light of truth was thus breaking upon the world, all the powers of hell allied themselves against it, with the determination that it should be extinguished. mobs increased in strength and hatred. added to this constant menace, joseph once more found himself almost destitute of means. he would soon have been compelled to relinquish the glorious work of translation to engage again in manual toil for the sustenance of his family and to provide maintenance for himself and oliver, had not providence again raised up a friend to come to his aid.
in this eventful month of may, 1829, a man named joseph knight appeared at harmony and sought out the prophet. mr. knight had heard of joseph's work and desired to contribute out of his means to the progress of the cause. he brought food and such other comforts as would enable the prophet to continue his work of translation without being interrupted. not only upon this occasion, but more than once subsequently, joseph knight journeyed from his home in broome county, new york, a distance of thirty miles, to bring supplies to the prophet's house.
also in this month of may, joseph received a revelation from god instructing him that the manuscript lost by martin harris had fallen into the hands of wicked men, who had made alterations with intent to bring shame and confusion upon joseph, and distrust upon the word of the lord; that the portion which was thus lost and changed was only a translation of an abridgment of certain records; and that, instead of translating once more this part of the work, joseph should translate the record of the original plates from which the abridgment had been made—thus giving a more complete presentation of that portion of the history and thus preventing the wicked from bringing forth their forgery and casting discredit upon the prophet by its means.
but the persecution did not cease, and the mobs seemed to be gathering their forces with some definite determination. at the opening of the month of june, 1829, immediate danger threatened the prophet and his charge. but at this time a young man, calling himself david whitmer, presented himself at the residence of joseph and announced that he came with a message from his father, peter whitmer, of fayette, seneca county, new york. the message was an invitation from the elder whitmer to joseph, requesting him to remove with his work and his assistant to fayette and there enjoy the hospitality of the whitmers and the protection which they would be able to afford him, until his labor could be completed.
the young man david also related to joseph a marvelous interposition which had enabled him to deliver his message so early. when david first felt an impression that he ought to journey to harmony in search of joseph, he questioned the wisdom of such a course; because his farm-work was in such a condition that much loss must ensue, he feared, if he departed at a time apparently so inopportune. he was pondering his doubts upon the subject, when he was instructed by the whispering of the spirit that his duty required him to go down to harmony as soon as his field labor should reach a certain state. he toiled during the ensuing day to harrow in the wheat of a large field; and at night he found that he had done more in a few hours than he could usually accomplish in two or three days. the next morning he went out to spread plaster, according to the custom of that region, upon another field. when he reached the spot where he had formerly deposited large heaps of the plaster, he found that it had been carried upon the field and spread just as he would have laid it by his own hand. he marveled much. his sister dwelt near the place and he asked her who had done the work. she answered him that three strangers had appeared at the field the day previous and had scattered the plaster with wonderful skill and speed. she and her children had viewed with amazement the progress made by the men; but she had said nothing to them as they were strangers, and she presumed that david had employed them to help him through his rush of work.
both peter whitmer and his son regarded these events as miraculous interpositions to aid david to hasten down into pennsylvania. the young man therefore departed with his horses and wagon the next morning and journeyed to harmony, a distance, as traveled, of one hundred and fifty miles, in two days.
this aid came providentially; and joseph, after receiving instruction in answer to prayer, accepted the invitation. when the prophet was prepared to depart from harmony, he asked the lord to direct the manner in which the plates should be carried to fayette. he was told in response that the angel would receive the treasures; and after the arrival of joseph at the home of peter whitmer in fayette, would again deliver them into his hands. thus relieved, joseph went serenely forth; and in a few days he was safe in fayette. in the garden adjoining the whitmer residence, the prophet was visited by the angel and once more was placed in possession of the record.
the family of peter whitmer, and some other persons in the neighborhood, were very earnest inquirers after truth. the supernatural instruction and aid which david had received to go down into pennsylvania and offer his father's house as a refuge to joseph, amazed all who heard of the occurrence. therefore joseph found many people at fayette anxious to receive him. peter whitmer and all the members of his household accorded to joseph and also to oliver every help and comfort within their bestowal; and thus, without further anxiety as to their maintenance or safety, they were enabled to progress with the translation of the sacred history.
while they were not laboring upon this work, they were praying and teaching among the people. thus the prophet and his assistant oliver wrought much good. several honest, god-fearing souls became convinced that joseph smith was entrusted with a divine mission. and in this month of june, 1829, three persons were baptized in seneca lake, after the pattern and under the authority received from john, the forerunner of our savior. hyrum smith and david whitmer received this ordinance under the hand of the prophet himself, and john whitmer, a brother of david, was baptized by oliver cowdery.
the work of translation went on rapidly. when oliver's hand would grow weary after some hours of writing, either john or david whitmer would take his place and continue at the prophet's dictation.
