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Show 336 Early Western Travels [ VoL 26 moments Joe Smith was with them, and their faith was confirmed. [ 86] " Again was a baptism appointed - again was the angel announced - a larger congregation assembled - and yet again did the angel appear. At that moment two powerful men sprang from a thicket, rushed upon the angelic visitant, and, amid mingling exclamations of horror and execrations of piety from the spectators, tore away his long white wings, his hair and robe, and plunged him into the stream! By some unaccountable metamorphosis, the angel emerged from the river honest Joe Smith, priest of Mormon, finder of the golden plates, etc., etc., and the magi of the enchantment were revealed in the persons of two brawny pukes." Since then, $ e story concludes, not an angel has been seen all about Mount Zion! The miracle of walking upon water was afterward essayed, but failed by the removal, by some impious wags, of the benches prepared for the occasion. It is truly astonishing to what lengths superstition has run in some sections of this same Illinois. Not long since, a knowing farmer in the county of Macon conceived himself ordained of heaven a promulgator to the world of a system of " New Light," so styled, upon " a plan entirely new." No sooner did the idea strike his fancy, than, leaving the plough in the middle of the furrow, away sallies he to the nearest village, and admonishes every one, everywhere, forthwith to be baptized by his heaven- appointed hands, and become a regenerate man on the spot. Many believed - was there ever faith too preposterous to obtain proselytes? the doctrine, in popular phrase, " took mightily;" and, it must be confessed, the whole world, men, women, and children, were [ 87] in a fair way for regeneration. Unfortunately for that desirable consummation, at this crisis certain simple- hearted people thereabouts, by some freak of fancy or other, took it into |
