| 495 two or three days in that vicinity, preaching the gospel, I returned by the way of Brother Fielding's with whom I again tarried for the night.
The next morning I commenced my journey; intending to go direct to Preston, but when I got opposite the road leading to Mr. Moons, I was forcibly pressed upon by the spirit of the Lord, to call and see them again. The impression being so strong, I could not resist, I therefore directed my steps to the house, not knowing what it meant.
On my arrival at the house, I knocked at the door, and Mrs. Moon from within exclaimed; "Come in! come in! you are welcome here! I and the lasses, (meaning her daughters) have just been calling on the Lord, and praying that he would send you this way." She then informed me of her state of mind since I was there before, and said, she at first rejected my testimony, and endeavored to think lightly on the things I had advanced, but on trying to pray, she said "that the heavens seemed to be like brass over her head, and it was like iron under her feet," she did not know what was the matter, "certainly the man has not 'bewitched me,' and upon inquiry she "found it was the same with the lasses." They then began to reflect on the things I had told them, and thinking it possible that I had told them the truth, they resolved to lay the case before the Lord, and beseech him to give them a testimony concerning the things I had testified of. She then observed, that as soon as thy did so, light broke in upon their minds, they were convinced that I was a messenger of salvation, and that it was the work of the Lord, and they had resolved to obey the gospel, which they did, and that evening I baptized father and mother and four of their daughters. Shortly after I visited them again and baptized the remainder of the family, consisting of thirteen souls, the youngest of whom was above twenty years of age. They received the gospel as little children, and rejoiced exceedingly in its blessings. The sons were very good musicians, and the daughters excellent singers, and when they united their instruments and their voices in the songs of Zion. the effect was truly transporting.
Before I left England, there were about thirty of that family and connexions [connections], baptized, six of whom were ordained to be fellow labors with us in the vineyard, and I left them rejoicing in the truths, they had embraced."
Times and Seasons.
City of Nauvoo,
Monday Aug. 2 1841.
War! War!! and Rumors of War!!!
Never since the rise of this church, have such interest and intense anxiety been manifested in the public mind, particularly on the sea-board. The falsehoods that have been circulated respecting us, being arrayed in the garb of truth, and having been published from the sacred desk by the reverend clergy with all the weight of sanctity which their long faces are calculated to inspire, and having found their way into the popular newspapers of the day, and circulated to the four winds, render it impossible for us to correct the public mind on the subject.
From the newspapers we have seen-the letters we have received-and the testimony of gentlemen who have just returned from the east, we are assured that rumor, with her thousand tongues, is at work, expectation is on the tiptoe, curiosity is on the stretch, all eyes are turned to the Far West, and all are anxious to hear the last accounts from the seat of war. The subject of the Sub-Treasury and a National Bank, for a while cease to be the prevailing topics of conversation. The minds of thousands are all ready prepared to hear of the sacking of cities-the march and counter-marching of armies-the burning of towns and vilages [villages]-the flight of citizens-the rising of the Indians-the commotion in Illinois-the distress in Iowa, the consternation and flight of the Missourians, the exploits of mighty chieftains, &c. &c. We dont know but that ero this, our friend Bennett of the New York Herald has established an express line from this city to New York to give the latest news of the proceedings of the Mormons to his immence [immense] number of subscribers, and herald forth to the world the monstrous proceedings of Jo Smith and the Mormons.
There being such a taste for the marvelous, we are almost dispirited to give an account of things in this vicinity as they really are. Truth being too dry a morsel for the corrupt taste of the present generation, it requires no inconsiderable degree of moral courage and resolution to meet the sneers and ridicule consequent on giving correct information. In this age-
"On eagles wings immortal scandals fly"
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