'Twan't Joe Smith, wur it?"

"No; but one as great as he--one who has inherited his spirit; and who
is now the head of all the Saints."

"That feller at thur head? You 'stonish me, Josh Stebbins."

"Ah! well you may be astonished. That man has astonished me, Hickman
Holt. He has turned me from evil ways, and led me to fear the Lord."
The squatter looked incredulous, but remained silent. "Yes--that same
man who was here with me in your humble cabin, is now Chief Priest of
the Mormon Church! He has laid his hands on this poor head, and
constituted me one of his humble Apostles. Yes, one of the _Twelve_,
intrusted with spreading the true faith of the Saints over all the
world."

"Hooraw for you, Josh Stebbins! You'll be jest the man for that sort o'
thing; ye've got the larnin' for it, hain't you?"

"No doubt, Brother Holt, with the help of the Lord, my humble
acquirements will be useful; for though _He_ only can open for us poor
sinners the kingdom of grace, he suffers such weak instruments, as
myself, to point out the narrow path that leads to it. Just as with the
Philistines of old, the hearts of the Gentiles are hardened like
flint-stones, and refuse to receive the true faith. Unlike the
followers of Mohammed, _we_ propagate not by the sword, but by the
influence of ratiocination."

"What?"

"Ratiocination."

"What mout that be?"

"Reason--reason."

"Oh! common sense you mean, I s'pose?"

"Exactly so--reasoning that produces conviction; and, I flatter myself,
that, being gifted with some little sense and skill, my efforts may be
crowned with success."

"Wal, Josh, 'ithout talkin' o' common sense, ye've good grist o'
lawyers' sense--that I know; an' so, I suppose, ye've tuk it into your
head to make beginnin' on me. Aint that why ye've come over this
mornin'?"

"What?"

"To make a Mormon o' me."

Up to this time the conversation had been carried on in a somewhat stiff
and irrelevant manner; this more especially on the side of the squatter,
who--notwithstanding his endeavours to assume an air of easy
nonchalance--was evidently labouring under suspicion and constraint.
From the fact of Stebbins having sent a message to forewarn him, of this
visit, he knew that the schoolmaster had some business with him of more
than usual importance; and it was a view to ascertain the nature of this
business, and relieve himself from suspense, that the interrogatory was
put. He would have been right glad