nning
brook. After the preaching many demanded to be baptized. I went
down into the water and baptized twenty-eight persons, among whom
were two well educated young men. One was a nephew of Gov.
Carlin, of Illinois; the other was Brother McCullough, now a
bishop at Alpine City, Utah.

Elder Samuel B. Frost had been laboring in DeKalb County, east
Tennessee, where he baptized about thirty converts. As he was on
his return to Nauvoo, I asked him to tarry with me a few days,
and assist me, as Brother Young had returned home. Those of the
people who had been under the power of the spirit of darkness had
become alarmed, and dared not trust themselves away from us. We
fasted and prayed three days and three nights, pleading with the
Father, in the name of the Son, to give us power over those evil
spirits.

And here I will say that up to the time of my witnessing what I
have narrated I was skeptical on the subject of our power over
evil spirits. I had heard of such manifestations, but had never
seen them with my own eyes. My experience here impressed me with
the fact that we could attain such power, and showed me the stern
necessity of living near to God; for man, in and of himself, is
nothing but a tool for the tempter to work with.

As I said, the people dared not trust themselves away from us.
Once we were in a large room at Mark Young's house. I was sitting
by a desk writing in my diary. Adolphus Young, the chairman of
the delegation which had waited on me and requested me to remain
with them and set them right, was walking to and fro across the
room. As he came near me I noticed that his countenance changed,
and as he turned he cast a fearful glance at me. I kept my eyes
upon him as he walked away from me. When near the center of the
room he wilted down and exclaimed:

"O God, have mercy on me!"

Without a word spoken, Elder Frost and I sprang to him. Laying my
hands upon him I commanded the evil spirits, by virtue of the
holy Priesthood, and in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of
him.

As I spoke these words I felt as if a thousand darts had
penetrated my mouth, throat, and breast. My blood ran cold in my
veins; my pulse stopped beating; in a word, I was terror-
stricken. I saw a legion of evil spirits in the vision of my
mind. And what was still more, they had fastened their fangs in
me. I was about to give up the contest, when another influence
came to my relief, and said to my spirit:

"Why yield to t