| 332 Hueneme, telling of this, and sent it to Bro. Livingston. He is known in both of these counties, is connected with some wealthy families, so it has made quite a stir, of course. They say, "O, that is nothing, his voice would have come anyway," etc. As for us, we rejoiced; for it was God confirming the word spoken, and so, this far at least, acknowledging our office and ministry-thank God for this.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 28, pp. 124, 125.
This is confirmed by the following letter published in the Santa Barbara Weekly Press, for April 30, 1881:
NEWBURY PARK, Ventura County, California, April 21.
Friend Paddock: On the 6th of March last, Reverend Mr. Burton, of Los Angeles County, preached at our schoolhouse, and so impressed me as a man of faith, that I went to the house where he stayed, after service (he stayed at the adobe, a half mile south of my house) and asked him to pray for me, that my voice and health and strength might be restored. You know I have not been able to speak aloud for more than four years. There were a number of persons present. He placed his hands on my head and prayed that God would give to me speech, health and strength. The next day my voice was stronger than it had been for years. On Tuesday I spoke aloud, but with some effort, and could use my voice but little. Each day my voice increased in strength and volume till the following Monday, when it came out full and strong, as all my neighbors and many others know-for I was closely watched, to see if any answer would come to the prayer. All I can say is, I fully believe that my voice was restored by divine power, and in direct answer to prayer.
Yours truly,
H. W. MILLS.
On March 5,1881, Elders William H. and Edmund L. Kelley visited the vicinity where the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated were found, and while there interviewed some of the old neighbors of the Smith family. Of these events Elder W. H. Kelley wrote a lengthy account which was published in the Saints' Herald for June 1, 1881. The following are extracts from this account:
On March 5 last, the opportunity was afforded me to gratify the wish to visit this place, which I improved. At about nine o'clock in the forenoon, in company with my brother, E. L. Kelley, whom I met on his return from Connecticut, where he had been on business, I left Palmyra, a town of about four thousand inhabitants, on the New York Central Railroad and went due south on the old Canandaigua Road, towards the little town of Manchester, six miles distant. We had not gone far, when our attention was directed to a hill in the distance, lying along and to the left of the roadside, which seemed to rise to a height considerably above any of
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