power to any man on earth to cure her?" It was a crisis for the Prophet. Then followed the marvelous. Smith never quailed, nor showed the slightest weakness in this situation. He moved backwards a few steps, he fixed his eyes upon those of the affected woman and into them he gazed intently and steadily. Then he stepped forward to her side, held her palsied hand in his, and in a commanding and solemn tone, said: "Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole." Then he turned abruptly and in silence, left the room. Mrs. Johnson moved her arm and found it full of life and subject to her control. Until the day of her death, fifteen years afterward, she had the same use of it as she had of her left arm.

In a sermon, preached at Hiram, August 3, 1870, President B. A. Hinsdale of Hiram college narrated this occurrence and referred to it as follows: "The company were awe-stricken at the infinite presumption of the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden mental and moral shock-I know not how better to explain the well attested fact-electrified the rheumatic arm. Mrs. Johnson at once lifted it up with ease and on her return next day, she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain."

The miracle of the Prophet spread among the faithful, and scenes of religious enthusiasm rivalling those of Oriental devotees followed the great event. Of course, it was wholly ascribed to supernatural power. We can obtain a view of the psychological condition of this period from a book written by Eber D. Howe and published in 1834, entitled "Mormonism Unveiled."

Mr. Howe founded the Painesville Telegraph in 1822, and when the Mormons made their appearance in 1830, he chronicled all their movements in a faithful manner. He finally published his observations in the book mentioned. It created at the time an intense sensation and resulted in a feeling of wrath on the part of the Mormons.

We find in the strange manifestations of this time simply what has appeared among other religious enthusiasts in every other age and land. Speaking of this phase of life at Kirtland, Howe says: "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 the floor, where they would lay 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 meeting, which was 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, going 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 bap

tising. Many would have fits of speaking all the different Indian dialects, which none could understand. Again, at the dead of night, the young men might be seen running over the fields and hills in pursuit, as they said, of the balls of fire, lights, etc., which they saw moving through the atmosphere. Three of them pretended to have received permission to preach, from the skies. One of the young men referred to freely acknowledged, some months afterwards, that he knew not what he did for two or three weeks."

The widespread religious emotionalism manifested on these occasions by the laity, under which each individual claimed the "gift of tongues," and the "power of miracles and divine inspiration," alarmed the Prophet. The local press also, which was altogether in charge of unbelievers, was exploiting the strange doings and was heaping ridicule upon these demonstrations. He saw that it was bringing Mormonism into disrepute, that it was an invasion of his sacred powers and prerogatives and that it tended to spiritual individualism, if not religious chaos. Therefore, there came a revelation to the Prophet that no one should have communication with the Most High except Joseph Smith, Jr. This ended the wonderful evidences of supernatural influence among the plain people of Zion.

One of the dreams of the Prophet was that the new religion should exhibit material and temporal prosperity as well as spiritual and religious dominion. The accumulation of property, therefore, became a decided part in the program of the Church. Early in 1833 it was decided by the presidency to purchase all the land at Kirtland that they could pay for; and in addi

tion, erect for the glory of the Church, a grand temple that should be a lasting monument to Zion. This was determined upon after Joseph Smith, Jr., received a revelation May 6, 1833. The fund for the construction of the Temple was to be provided from tithes, and one-seventh of the time of each Mormon was to be contributed in labor. Notwithstanding that the membership was poor, they zealously and earnestly assumed this burden. They were as anxious as Smith that the dreams of the Church should materialize in a Temple to the Lord.

Smith himself assumed the position of foreman, and he saw that every man in Zion did his share; that rich and poor, old and young, all contributed with their own hands the labor due. The women worked also and spun, wove and sewed cloth into garments for those who labored. The master builder was Joseph Bump, and at the end of every day, he was handed a special written revelation from the Prophet, outlining his duties for the day following.

Heber C. Kimball in his journal published in the Times and Seasons (Vol. 6, pp. 867,868), an official organ of the church, gives an inside picture of the industry and sacrifice exercised in the construction of the Temple. Therein he states: "At this time the brethren were laboring night and day building the house of the Lord. Our women were engaged in spinning and knitting in order to clothe those who were laboring at the building, and the Lord only knows the scenes of poverty, tribulation, and distress which we passed through in order to accomplish this thing. My wife toiled all summer in lending her aid towards its accom