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Source: Church History Vol. 1 Chapter 17 Page: 469 (~1834)

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469 fine and pleasant. Soon after these men left us we discovered a small black cloud rising in the west, and not more than twenty minutes passed away before it began to rain and hail, but we had very little of the hail in our camp. All around us the hail was heavy; some of the hailstones, or rather lumps of ice, were as large as hen's eggs. The thunders rolled with awful majesty, and the red lightnings flashed through the horizon, making it so light that I could see to pick up a pin almost any time through the night; the earth quaked and trembled, and there being no cessation, it seemed as though the Almighty had issued forth his mandate of vengeance. The wind was so terrible that many of our tents were blown over and we were not able to hold them; but there being an old meetinghouse close at hand, many of us fled there to secure ourselves from the storm. Many trees were blown down, and others twisted and wrung like a withe. The mob came to the river, two miles from us, and the river had risen to that height that they were obliged to stop without crossing over. The hail fell so heavily upon them that it beat holes in their hats, and in some instances even broke the stocks off their guns. Their horses being frightened fled, leaving the riders on the ground, their powder was wet, and it was evident the Almighty fought in our defense. This night the river raised forty feet.

"In the morning I went to the river in company with Brother Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, and others, as we had it in contemplation to proceed that morning to Liberty, Clay County; but we could not continue our journey, as there was no way to cross the river. It was then overflowing its banks, and we have seen the river since and proved that it was full forty feet from the top of the banks to the bottom of the river. Previous to this rain falling, it was no more than ankle deep. Such a time never was known by us before; still, we felt calm all night and the Lord was with us. The water was ankle deep to us all night, so we could not sleep.

"At this place, W. W. Phelps, S. W. Denton, John Corrill, with many others from Liberty, joined us, from whom we

(page 469)

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