HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
(From the
autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, pg. 128)
“The work
soon spread into the country and enlarged its operations in all that
region. Many were gathered into the
Church and were filled with faith, love and the Holy Spirit and the Lord
confirmed the Word with signs following.
My first visit to the country was done nine miles from Toronto, among a
settlement of farmers, by one of whom I had sent an appointment beforehand.
John Taylor
accompanied me. This was before he was baptized. We rode on horseback. We called at a Mr. Joseph Fielding’s, an acquaintance
and friend of Mr. Taylor’s. This man had
two sisters, young ladies, who seeing us coming ran from their house to one of
the neighboring houses, lest they should give welcome, or give countenance to ‘Mormonism.’
Mr. Fielding
stayed and as we entered the house he said he was sorry we had come, he had
opposed our holding meeting in the neighborhood. So great was the prejudice that the Methodist
meeting house was closed against us and the minister refused on Sunday, to give
out the appointment sent by the farmer.
‘Ah!’ said
I, ‘why do they oppose Mormonism?’ I don’t
know,’ said he, ‘but the name has such a contemptible sound and another thing,
we do not want a new revelation or a new religion contrary to the Bible.’ ‘Oh!’ said I, ‘if that is all we shall soon
remove your prejudices. Come, call home
your sisters and let’s have some supper.
Did you say the appointment was not given out?’
‘I said,
sir, it was not given out in the meeting house, nor by the minister; but the
farmer by whom you sent it agreed to have it at his house.’ ‘Come then, send for your sisters, we will
take supper with you and all go over to the meeting together.
If you and
your sisters will agree to this, I will agree to preach the old Bible Gospel
and leave out all new revelations that are opposed to it.’ The honest man consented. The young ladies came home; got us a good
supper and we all went to meeting. The
house was crowded; I preached and the people wished for more...
There was
living, within a short day’s journey of Toronto, in a certain neighborhood
where I ministered every two weeks (for the circuit of my labors had now so
much enlarged that I had to travel continually from branch to branch) a man
named Lamphere, who was noted for being the most irreligious man in all the country.
The family was hardly ever known to attend a religious meeting; they would work
on the Sabbath and swear, curse and so on.
This man and
his family were so wrought upon by the power of truth that he opened his house
for stated meetings, which I held there regularly every two weeks. He and the family always entertained me with
every kindness and every demonstration of hospitality in their power.
The people
of the neighborhood always turned out to hear and seemed to receive the Word
with faith and joy, but as yet none of them had been baptized or joined the
Church of the Saints. All noticed the
change in the Lamphere family and all rejoiced and even marveled at so sudden a
reformation in a family so gospel hardened, as they called it, though in truth
none of them had ever heard the gospel in its power and fulness till my visits
commenced there.
Now there
was also living in that area, a young man and his wife, named Whitney. He was a blacksmith by trade and where I held
my semi monthly meetings. His wife was
taken down very suddenly about that time with a strange affliction. She would be prostrated by some power
invisible to those about her and was in an agony indescribable. She would be drawn and twisted in every limb
and joint and would almost be pulled out of joint.
Sometimes,
when thrown onto the bed and while four or five men were endeavoring to hold
her, she would be so drawn out of shape, as to only touch the bed with her
heels and the back of her head. She
would be bruised, cramped and pinched, while she would groan, scream and froth
at the mouth. She often cried out that
she could see two devils in human form, who were operating upon her and that
she could hear them talk.
And yet as
the bystanders could not see them, but only see the effects, they did not know
what to think or how to understand.
…All this
time she had to be watched both day and night and sometimes four or five at a
time, insomuch that the neighbors were weary and worn out from watching. Mr. Whitney sent for me two or three times,
but this I neglected to do owing to the extreme pressures upon me in so large a
circuit of meetings…
(At length
she came to me) I ceased to preach, and stepping to her in the presence of the
whole meeting, I laid my hands upon her and said, ‘Sister, be of good cheer,
thy sins are forgiven, thy faith hath made thee whole and in the name of Jesus
Christ, I rebuke the devils and unclean spirits and command them to trouble
thee no more.’
She returned
home well, went about her housekeeping and remained well from that time forth.”
