I Had No Foundation Left

Description

Jonathan Calkins Wright was born November 28, 1808, in Rome, New York. At about the age of thirty, while living near the Mississippi River in Illinois, Jonathan determined he wanted to make something of his life and prepared himself to become a minister.

About the year 1840, Jonathan’s brother-in-law came visiting and asked for the privilege of preaching in Jonathan’s Church. It was bad enough that the man had neither education nor training to preach, but worse yet, he was a Mormon! Still, as the family record says. He was “nevertheless, broad-minded enough that he finally said to Corry, ‘All right, you can come.’”

At the appointed hour, Jonathan seated himself by the door to listen. Lyman Corry, got up, offered a prayer, and began to preach. Jonathan afterwards said, “He hadn’t spoken more than fifteen minutes when my props were knocked clear from under me. I had no foundation left, none whatever to stand on. Of course, I didn’t tell Lyman that.”

Lyman gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked him to read it. Jonathan began to read, all that day and even into the night. ”Finally, he said to his wife, ‘Rebecca, I must see this man, Joseph Smith. “I wish you would, she replied for if you don’t you will go crazy.”

As soon as he was able, he mounted his horse and started for Nauvoo, Illinois, eighty miles away. On the journey he stopped often to rest his horse. Each time, he would strip off the saddle and let the horse graze and drink, while he studied the Book of Mormon. Then it happened that he read something in the Book of Mormon that did not agree with. He shut the book then and there and declared, “I will not go another step. I am going right back home. I don’t believe the story.”

He put the book away and went to get his horse. According to his son’s account,

His horse was standing off a little way, and as he approached the animal, it started for him with its mouth wide open in a most vicious manner and seemed determined to fight him. It whirled and kicked at him, then broke loose and away it went. Father said that he knew in a minute that the devil had taken possession of his horse. He started after him, making slow progress afoot. He hadn’t gone far when he met some men. They stopped him and asked if it was his horse they had just seen. “He is sure full of the devil,” they said. “We caught him and tied him in a corner of the fence in a lane, but he is in an awful condition.” Father thanked the men for their assistance and hurried on. As he neared the horse, it came toward him again as close as the rope with which it was tied would permit, its mouth stretched wide and its eyes bulging. Ordinarily, it was as gentle a horse as anyone would wish to own. Father said, “Right then and there I promised the Lord, regardless of what happened, I would go and see Joseph Smith, if He would take the devil out of my horse.” When he made that promise, the horse dropped its head and father went up to it and it opened its mouth and received the bit and bridle just as quietly and docile as could be. Father mounted it and rode away without further happening until he reached Nauvoo.

When reached the city he asked for the Prophet Joseph, he was told that Joseph was out of town. The man speaking to him said, “But I am his brother. What can I do for you? My name is Hyrum Smith.”

Hyrum invited him home and together they enjoyed an evening meal. The record says, “After they had a bite to eat, they commenced to discuss religion, and they were still talking at the break of day.”

Jonathan Calkins Wright was converted and baptized that day in the Mississippi River by Hyrum Smith who also confirmed him and ordained him an elder. Jonathan returned home, collected his family and went west with the Saints. He lies in Brigham City Utah where he served in the stake presidency with Lorenzo Snow.

Sources: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/MLN6-RKG