| Show EVIDENCES OF AMANDA grant county west virginia february 1 1887 ed editor for deseret news not only do the elders of the church of jesus christ have scriptural evidence as proof of the divine mission of the prophet joseph smith sinith while laboring in the ministry but the actions of i many of the people whom they meet go to prove it especially it if one take th the sayings of our savior to his bis jewl jewish sh A apostles astles as evidences of the divinity of their mission and calling as arlt written en by themselves matthew tells us that thy the savior encourages them by saying blessed are ye when men shall hall recile e il you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely lor for my sake rejoice and be exceeding iglai for great is your re reward wardin in heaven forso for so persecuted they tho the prophets which were before you we can hardly conclude f from rom the above quotation that the savior referred to mere back biting or slanderous misrepresentations but bat that he meant a general persecution from the then sectarian world which was proven to the apostles apo atlea not long af after ter the words were spoken again re he emphatically said then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted ediana and shall kill you yon and ye shall be hated bated of all nations tor for my names sake who were abe ones that brought hatred upon the ancient saints I 1 answer it was those sanctimonious pharisees Pharis ees Sadu cees and priests who wore long robes and disfigured their faces sitting bitting in the synagogues ai and d divi divining D ing f for or money are not noi the apostles and saints of ef the latter days the ones whose names are cast out as evil do the ministers ot of the present resent a age e see these facts or are ohp they as bi blind 1 as 48 that council of sa Sadu d uc cees ee ey w who h 0 were trying peter an and d john tor for preaching ching christ and him crucified wherein there was one who was instantaneously prompted that they might be persecuting the servants of god thus causing him to say refrain from these men and let them alone tot for if this council or work be of men it will come to naught but it if it he be of god ye cannot overthrow it I 1 not long since my companion and I 1 gave out a meeting a week ahead to be held in a school house bouse where we had previously held meetings and on OB in inquiring 1 airing of the trustees were told to hold b old meeting whenever wo we desired but lo 10 during the week stories flew few as on the wings of the wind that one of the t trustees rus t ees was going to indict all who entered that school house and the second was not going to open it because c I 1 had bad sent a man to hell cross lota for not belie believing as I 1 didi did the third was go going ing to open the door if we I 1 wanted to preach if he had bad to mash it in and the poor school teacher was shivering and shaking not knowing what to do with the key on frid friday my I 1 tight night when meeting time arrived we were at the place and time appointed so were the trustees that were going to close the door and they had just left as we were coming down the hill t they h ay had bad tacked a notice on the d door aati stating t guthat that the house bouse would not ot b be 60 opened ve ed lor for anything but school the windows were fastened down and aad the door was locked soon a small group ga gathered therel aud and we held our meeting in a fence corner nevor near by on this occasion although in the middle of january the sun sent forth its rays as on a summer day and not cot a cloud was to be seen but ten minutes after the close of our meeting the descended in torrents thus causing some who w were ere at the meeting an unpleasant walk home we afterwards learned that the trustees seated themselves near b ba in the woods in or der t to witness the proceedings which ws we were pleased to loarn knowing full well some future day we will wili meet each other to judged be for that days labor then those who so maliciously closed their doors on the servants of god will be called into account and asked the rear sons lor for their closing on another occasion ioD while young in the ministry after my companion and I 1 I 1 had been ref refused ased lodging seven or eight times recalled we called on a wealthy gentleman who treated us with the greatest cordiality and asked us a number of questions concerning our native land and our religion etc next morning we were prompted to ta bold meeting in the neighborhood and for foe the purpose of gaining permission ibus thus to do 0 1 I started an sear chot the trustees V after ter a long and tedious wal hafk k I 1 obtained permission of two the third not being at home the first expressed a great desire to hear 1 us and promised faithfully to be on hand to open the school house bouse at the time appointed but desired us to see the third trustee oa the mot morrow row as he would the ibe home then so with a light heart I 1 walked back to my companion whom I 1 metat the friends with whom we had bad remained the night before to my great astonishment the news was afloat to the effect that we would be mobbed outtie oat the next day as there was waa already amob organized for the specia purpose r pose baton but on the morrow we were foi following lowin the dictates of the holy spirit which led led us to lo the house of the trustee who was so desirous of hearing us preach the afternoon before nef ore As we were nearing the house I 1 r remarked to elder bider W s there Is surely some thins thing up here just look at that woman who had bad lost just been hanging out clothes and was getting out ox oi our sight affe was the wife of the trustee and not long after we were convinced that she had a tongue that she could use as I 1 used the old whip while driving a team to montana years ago to commence with she said well I 1 learn that you are out here preaching Aching pr that a man must have a dozen wives I 1 have no BO use for such men and it if I 1 was sure cure of this I 1 woula would not be too good to cut your throat from ear to ear I 1 told her she should not judge a matter before hearing it that I 1 did dia not preach anything sut due what we wa were able to prove from the bible she was soon pacified so much so that she asked us in and while conversing with her on the gospel the third t trustee stee came by by this time she abe curious enough to hear us preach to hall bail him in the road and plead tor for us A few moments later the husband came in who had bad been down around the store the first sight of him told us that he be was tilled with mountain meadow massacre stories which fact was too plain ere half an houi houe had bad passed he wils was foaming at the mouth while he be tried to give his reasons for closing the school house against us his wife urged him to let us preach once anyhow to which he answered indeed I 1 fear rhy my neighbors but by the consent of the other trustee swe held several meetings in the school house bouse notwithstanding the threats ot of violence from the mob that was coming to be led by a methodist class teacher the first trustees wife was at our first meeting buther but her little cup was filled so lull full I 1 that she ne needed eded no more As we were wan wandering derin through the roads after af ter the tae last mentioned experience my y mind ran something like the ilie follow ing why all this excitement so much noi noise seso so much tumult we are but men etc the still small voice which never forsakes one in the hour of solemn contemplation on the truth of heaven said these are evidences of the divine mission ot of joseph smith again not once only have I 1 witnessed 1 atie tact fact that when seated in the family circle study studying bog over the gron duess of my high and holy calling and about to break forth in an explanation of the same me part of the family would depart depa rt to another part paa of toe tae house ho e or oft to a neighbors where they would remain till after the 6 cormons mormons Mor mons little speech wits was ended and many th the V time after such speeches were ended and the family all seated again they would join me in talking about their pigs chickens etc and join in ne hymn why such actions just because there are two many evidences to substantiate the fact that joseph smith was a true prophet of god a command from their own book that they hold out an and d kiss and call most holy As it if was in the days of noah so shall it be before the second comming mining co of the son of man your brother in the gospel WILLIAM P CAMP |
