| 94 CHAPTER 7.
1830.
IN this chapter we give quite fully the account written by Joseph Smith of some of his early persecutions, including the first two efforts made by his enemies to convict him of crime before the courts. We present this in detail because so much has been said about fraud and immorality that we wish the reader to know, so far as possible, the facts concerning him, as brought out on trial. He writes:-
"Amongst the many present at this meeting was one Emily Coburn, sister to the wife of Newel Knight. The Rev. Mr. Shearer, a divine of the Presbyterian faith, who had considered himself her pastor, came to understand that she was likely to believe our doctrine, and had, a short time previous to this our meeting, come to labor with her; but having spent some time with her without being able to persuade her against us, he endeavored to have her leave her sister's house, and go with him to her father's, who lived at a distance of at least ten miles off. For this purpose he had recourse to stratagem: he told her that one of her brothers
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