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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 39 Page: 762

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762 While at Nauvoo he was ordained to the office of elder, under the hands of Willard Richards and others. He relates that he was directed by Joseph Smith to go into the missionary field, and to choose his field. He chose to go to Canada, and went back to the place of his birth and began his ministerial labor there. He baptized several in that neighborhood, including his brother Benjamin. Ordained one Erie Wells a priest, and left him in charge. Then he moved on to other fields.

He and U. C. H. Nickerson finally became associates in labor, and they were laboring together at Port Rowen when the news of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith reached them.

They took counsel together, and Elder Shippy says: "We then agreed to tell the saints and elders when they interrogated us on who the leader of the church would be, that our advice was for every officer of the church to stand right where he was when Joseph was slain, and let every one build on the foundation already laid," etc. With this understanding they continued preaching, until the December following, when he returned to his home in Indiana. In his absence from home a branch had been raised up within about forty or fifty miles, by Elder F. D. Richards. Here Elder Shippy began laboring, finding the branch almost broken up by removals to Nauvoo. In connection with an Elder Samuel Pratt, Elder Shippy soon revived the work and reorganized it under the name of "Hog Creek branch." Elder Shippy was its president, E. J. Whitney priest, and Elder Pratt acting teacher. To this branch he removed his wife; and soon after had the pleasure of baptizing her, according to a promise made him by Joseph Smith while at Nauvoo.

In this vicinity he labored until the spring of 1847, when he, in company with E. J. Whitney and wife, went by team to Voree, Wisconsin, to investigate the claims of J. J. Strang. They arrived there about ten days before the opening of the General Conference on April. 6, 1847. At this conference he united with Strang, on his original baptism, and was ordained a seventy, and appointed with U. C. H. Nickerson

(page 762)

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