| 87 "All this was witnessed by many, to their great astonishment and satisfaction, when they saw the devil thus cast out; and the power of God and his Holy Spirit thus made manifest. So soon as consciousness returned, his bodily weakness was such that we were obliged to lay him upon his bed and wait upon him for some time. As may be expected, such a scene as this contributed much to make believers of those who witnessed it, and finally, the greater part of them became members of the church.
"Soon after this occurrence I returned to Fayette, Seneca County. The Book of Mormon ('The stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim') had now been published for some time, and as the ancient prophet had predicted of it, 'It was accounted as a strange thing.' No small stir was created by its appearance; great opposition and much persecution followed the believers of its authenticity; but it had now come to pass that truth had sprung out of the earth, and righteousness had looked down from heaven; so we feared not our opponents, knowing that we had both truth and righteousness on our side; that we had both the Father and the Son, because we had the doctrines of Christ, and abided in them; and therefore we continued to preach, and to give information to all who were willing to hear.
"During the last week in May, the above-mentioned Newel Knight came to visit us, at Fayette, and was baptized by David Whitmer.
"On the first day of June, 1830, we held our first conference as an organized church. Our numbers were about thirty, besides whom many assembled with us, who were either believers, or anxious to learn.
"Having opened by singing and prayer, we partook together of the emblems of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We then proceeded to confirm several who had lately been baptized, after which we called out and ordained several to the various offices of the priesthood. Much exhortation and instruction was given, and the Holy Ghost was poured out upon us in a miraculous manner:-many of our number prophesied, whilst others had the heavens opened to their view, and were so overcome that we had to lay them on
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