| 506 "This continued seeking brought continued assurances that God had not forgotten Israel, but would in due time perpetuate his work in righteousness.
"That knowledge was not obtained by consultation with those who held affinity with Brigham Young, James Colin, Brewster, Gladden Bishop, J. J. Strang, or any others who had once known or loved the truth; but was the convincing testimony with which God promised to ratify the truth.
"We were baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Joseph Smith, in 1843, confirmed by A. W. Babbitt and another, at a meeting of the church, held in front of the Temple at Nauvoo. This baptism we believe to have been valid, and a legal act of admission to the church or body of Christ.
"The gospel under the preaching of which we were born of water and the Spirit, was the same as that taught at the time we were born of the flesh, in 1832, hence we are frank to say that we were a native born subject of the kingdom.
"This gospel under the influences of which we received the love of the truth, had no polygamic principle in it; hence we have never learned to accept the latter as sacred, while the former has ever been dear.
"In Liberty jail the promise and blessing of a life of usefulness to the cause of truth was pronounced upon our head by lips tainted by dungeon damps, and by the Spirit confirmed through attesting witnesses.
"This blessing has by some been called an ordination, from the usual predilection to confound names and terms.
"The blessing which marked Moses as the deliverer from Egyptian bondage was not that which Jethro pronounced upon his head.
"Subsequent to our baptism in 1843, upon two occasions was the same blessing confirmed by Joseph Smith, once in the council room in the brick store on the banks of the Mississippi, of which we have not a doubt there are witnesses who would confirm the present testimony; once, in the last interview Joseph Smith held with his family before he left Nauvoo to his death. A public attestation of
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