History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

78
THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
ber afterward increasing to a thousand, were here
gathered into the fold. 5
After adding to their number one Frederic G. Williams,
the missionaries continued on their way, arriving
first at Sandusky, where they gave instructions to the
Indians in regard to their forefathers, as they had
done at Buffalo, and thence proceeded to Cincinnati
and St Louis. In passing by his old forest home,
Pratt was arrested on some trivial charge, but made
his escape. The winter was very severe, and it was
some time before they could continue their journey.
At length they set out again, wading in snow kneedeep,
carrying their few effects on their backs, and
having to eat corn bread and frozen raw pork; and
after travelling in all fifteen hundred miles, most of the
way on foot, preaching to tens of thousands by the
way, and organizing hundreds into churches, they
reached Independence, Missouri, in the early part of
1831. There Whitmer and Peterson went to work
as tailors, while Pratt and Cowdery passed over the
5 Speaking of the doings at Kirtland after the departure of the Lamanite
mission, Mr Howe says: 'Scenes of the most wild, frantic, and horrible fanaticism
ensued. They pretended that the power of miracles was about to be
given to all those who embraced the new faith, and commenced communicating
the holy spirit by laying their hands upon the heads of the converts,
which operation at first produced an instantaneous prostration of body and
mind. Many would fall upon the floor, where they would lie for a long
time apparently lifeless. They thus continued these enthusiastic exhibitions
for several weeks. The fits usually came on during or after their prayer
meetings, which were held nearly every evening. The young men and women
were more particularly subject to this delirium. They would exhibit
all the apish actions imaginable, making the most ridiculous grimaces, creeping
upon their hands and feet, rolling upon the frozen ground, go through with
all the Indian modes of warfare, such as knocking down, scalping, ripping
open and tearing out the bowels. At other times they would run through
the fields, get upon stumps, preach to imaginary congregations, enter the
water and perform all the ceremony of baptizing, etc. Many would have fits
of speaking all the different Indian dialects, which none could understand.
Again, at the dead hour of night the young men might be seen running over
the iields and hills in pursuit, as they said, of the balls of fire, light, etc.,
which they saw moving through the atmosphere. .
.On the arrival of Smith
in Kirtland he appeared astonished at the wild enthusiasm and scalping performances
of his proselytes there. He told them that he had inquired of the
Lord concerning the matter, and had been informed that it was all the work
of the devil, as heretofore related. The disturbance therefore ceased.' Mor^
monism Unveiled, 104, 116.