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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 39 Page: 765

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765 On January 1, 1840, he for the first time met Joseph Smith the Seer, while the prophet was on his mission to Washington City and the east to seek redress for the wrongs suffered by the Saints in Missouri. He heard the prophet relate his early experiences, visions, being visited by angels, etc. He relates that Joseph Smith while on this visit preached at a place called Cook's Mills, and "with much power, warning the inhabitants of the nation against shedding the blood of the Saints, and the consequence to themselves and the entire nation, unless they desisted," saying that "'they should see blood and much sorrow.'"

At the instance of the prophet, Elder Ells went to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he arrived about April 1, 1840. In June of the same year he was chosen by Joseph Smith to conduct a discussion at Quincy, Illinois, with the Rev. Dr. Nelson, president of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Quincy. 1 Of this debate Elder Ells wrote as follows: "The challenge being accepted, to my surprise I was designated to respond. Some forty or fifty persons went down. As the idea had gone abroad that Dr. Nelson had challenged the Prophet, there were many present-clergymen of all denominations, and Governor of the State (Carlin). I do not remember the words of the propositions we agreed upon. . . . The Doctor became confused, and his friends advised him to desist. He remarked that his opponent had treated him courteously, and stepped down. The Seer got upon the stand and challenged any of the clergymen present to continue the discussion, but none responded. The Spirit of God through the weak had silenced the worldly wise."

The following relation of events connected with the assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, written by Elder Ells, will be instructive:-

"At the time the prophet delivered himself up to State authorities then at Carthage, I went out with the party, an I was present with the party when Captain Dunn with his cavalry troop came with a requisition from the Governor to

1 This was Dr. David Nelson, the author of the well-known work entitled, "The Cause and Cure of Infidelity."

(page 765)

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