Loudly the prophet went on--"Knowing well that there is nothing in me,
who was wicked and graceless to a very high degree, and wanting in
knowledge, but was yet chosen, upon this sinful earth and in these last
days, when wickedness and hypocrisy is abounding, to open to all who
would be saved a new church which is such as that which the angel hath
revealed to me a church should be, and all them which shall receive my
word and shall be baptized of me or of Mr. Oliver Cowdery, whom the
angel Maroni, descending in a cloud of light, has ordained with me to
the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of
angels and of the gospel of repentance and of baptism by immersion for
the remission of sins. And this shall never again be taken from the
earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
the new Jerusalem."

The loud voice carried with it an impression of strong personal feeling;
the effect on the bystanders was such as the words alone were wholly
inadequate to produce. Cowdery, who during the speech had frequently
groaned and responded, after the Methodist fashion, now shouted and
clapped his hands towards the heavens, whereupon Lucy Smith fell into a
convulsive state between laughter and tears, and the men standing beside
her dropped upon their knees. Emma Smith remained standing; upon her
face was a rapt triumphant expression. She put her arm round Susannah
protectingly, and Susannah did not repulse the familiar action.

Joseph Smith now in the same voice called upon his father to be
baptized. He addressed him formally as "Joseph Smith senior." The old
man had, as it seemed, a great fear of the water. It took both priests
of the new sect together to lift and immerse him. There was more
splashing than was seemly. The baptism of a farmer named Martin Harris,
which followed, was more decorous.