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قراءة كتاب Fragments of Experience Sixth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series
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Fragments of Experience Sixth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series
the commencement of the year 1839.
At that time I was living with the Saints in Far West, though I owned property, which I had been driven from, at the Three Forks of Grand River, distant from Far West about thirty miles.
As I wished to learn whether I could dispose of this property or not, I asked Father Joseph Smith and President Brigham Young for counsel about visiting Grand River for this purpose. They counselled me not to go; but to stay at home.
I had been driven from my property by the mob that came against the Saints, and as the Saints were obliged to leave the State I desired to go with them to Illinois. But I did not want to be burdensome to others. If I could sell my property on Grand River I would not be, so I concluded that there could not be much harm in my going to Grand River, and I set out.
How I succeeded the following extract from my journal will show.
December 31, 1838, being anxious to obtain means to make a team, that I might be able to go with the Saints, I this morning mounted the only horse I had left, and started for the Three Forks of Grand River.
I arrived at my farm on new year's day, and learned that a man by the name of George Washington O'Niel had it in his possession.
I passed on two miles further to a family by the name of Day, who had come in from the Eastern States a few weeks before I was driven away. This family had taken no part with the mob. I found the lady at home, and received from her a history of my property. She informed me that O'Niel and Culp, Missouri mobbers, had said that if ever I came to the place they would kill me; and that one Henderson and others would help them.
When on my farm I had sold store goods to a number of the citizens, who were to pay me for them at Christmas. She said she had heard many of them say that if I came there, they would pay me just as "Mormons" should be paid.
Just at this time O'Niel and Culp came into the house. They demanded of me my reasons for being there. I told them that I was attending to my business. They said I had no business there, and if I got away from there I would be smart.
I replied that I was white man, that it was time enough to be afraid when I saw danger, and that I should go when I pleased.
They told me that they would as soon kill me as a dog, and that there would be no more notice taken of my death than if a dog were killed. This I very well understood.
They then told me that they supposed I had come to get my property.
I informed them I had; to which they replied that there was no property for me.
After repeated threatenings I became convinced that it was in vain to think of obtaining anything, and started for my horse, which was hitched at the yard fence about five rods from the door.
They followed me. O'Niel picked up the end of a hoop pole which Mr. Day had left there, he having been hooping a barrel. With this pole he struck me a blow upon the head, which nearly brought me to the ground. I looked around for a club with which to defend myself, but there was none in sight. He continued striking me, and would doubtless have killed me, had it not been for a very thick woolen cap on my head.
Mrs. Day threw open the door and cried murder. I ran for the house to get something, if possible, to defend myself with; but before I reached the door, he struck me repeatedly, and gave me one blow over the eye, the scar of which I carry to this day.
As soon as I got into the house I clutched the fire shovel. At that moment Mrs. Day closed the door, so that I could not get out nor O'Niel in. He and Culp then passed the window, on which Mrs. Day supposed they had started for their guns, so I mounted my horse and rode for Far West as fast as I could.
My head and face soon commenced swelling. On my way home I washed myself, and resolved not to inform any one what had happened, as Father Smith and President Young had both told me not to go.
I reached home about eleven o'clock at night, and went to bed without making a light. In the morning I arose, and just as soon as I got out of bed, I fell upon the floor. My wife was alarmed and screamed. I told her what had happened; but told her to keep the matter from my family. Father Smith, however, soon heard of the occurrence, and came to see me. He hoped, he said, that the lesson would do me good, and that he was glad that I was not quite killed.
Had I obeyed the words "do not go, but stay at home," I should not have fallen into this trouble. May you who read this be wise, and in this particular, profit by my experience.
LORENZO DOW YOUNG'S NARRATIVE.
CHAPTER I.
MY MOTHER'S PROMISE—CHASED BY WOLVES—A REMARKABLE DREAM—THROWN FROM A HORSE—PROVIDENTIALLY SAVED—RELIGIOUS REVIVAL—PREACHERS TRY IN VAIN TO CONVERT ME—RIDICULED FOR NOT PLAYING AT CARDS—READ INFIDEL WORKS—THEIR EFFECT—A VISION.
I was born October 19th, 1807, in the town of Smyrna, Chenango County, New York.
My mother was afflicted many years with consumption. I remember her as a fervent, praying woman. She used, frequently, to call me to her bedside and counsel me to be a good man, that the Lord might bless my future life. On one occasion, she told me that if I would not neglect to pray to my Heavenly Father, He would send a guardian angel to protect me in the dangers to which I might be exposed.
She had so trained me to trust in God, that, even in my early youth, I seemed capable of grasping, in my faith, the prophetic promise she had made. It sank deep into my heart, and ever since has been an anchor of hope in the difficulties and dangers to which I have been exposed.
This pious, faithful, friend and mother, drooped and died on the 11th of June, 1814.
Soon after her death, my father broke up housekeeping, and I was sent about sixty miles to live with my brother-in-law, John P. Green, near Cayuga Bridge.
It was a marshy, malarious country, and I was taken very sick with fever and ague, with which I suffered severely. In the fall of 1815, we removed to Tyrone, Schuyler County. In the meantime, my father had taken up some land on which to make a home, about six miles from where Mr. Green lived. This country, at that time, was new, and there was nothing but a dense forest between Mr. Green's house and my father's. The wolves were very numerous in this forest. At one time, several of them chased me to Mr. Green's house, and I seemed to barely escape with my life.
During the winter of 1815-16, in company with my brothers, Joseph, Phinehas and Brigham, I worked for my father and assisted him to clear off some land.
In the autumn of 1816, when about nine years old, I had a peculiar dream. I thought I stood in an open, clear space of ground, and saw a plain, fine road, leading, at an angle of 45 degrees, into the air, as far as I could see. I heard a noise like a carriage in rapid motion, at what seemed the upper end of the road. In a moment it came in sight. It was drawn by a pair of beautiful, white horses. The carriage and harness appeared brilliant with gold. The horses traveled with the speed of the wind. It was made manifest to me that the Savior was in the carriage, and that it was driven by His servant. The carriage stopped near me, and the Savior inquired where my brother Brigham was. After informing Him, He further inquired about my other brothers, and our father. After I had answered His inquiries, He stated that He wanted us all, but He especially wanted my brother Brigham. The team then turned right about, and returned on the road it had come.
I awoke at once, and slept no more that night. I felt frightened, and supposed we were all going to die. I saw no other solution to the dream. It was a shadowing of our future which I was then in no condition to discern.
In the morning I told my father the dream, and my fears that we were going to die. He comforted me with the assurance that he did not think