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I Never in This Life Shall Look Upon His Like Again

I think that I’m pretty safe in saying, “I will never get to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith in this life,” but I feel in many respects as though I know him and would recognize him if that opportunity ever came. That in large measure, thanks to such diary accounts and witnesses who knew him such as this one. It is a very tender and instructive account out of the diary of Curtis Bolton.

September 4, 1842, Curtis Edwin Bolton received word that John Leech, a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had come into the area of Little Falls, New Jersey and was going to preach. Curtis, being much prejudiced, he said, against the Latter-day Saints, went to meeting “to oppose him and drive him from the place.” But instead of running the missionary out of town, Curtis listened and was soon convinced of the truthfulness of the Restoration. He then records, “I and my wife, Rebecca, were shortly after baptized.” In April of 1844, Curtis E. Bolton traveled up the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, leaving his family behind in New Jersey. While there he lived with the Prophet Joseph about five weeks and became very well acquainted with the man. Curtis records the following,

Received an ordination as a High Priest under the hands of Hyrum Smith, as also a patriarchal blessing. He ordained me on the 16th of May 1844 in the street near the fence north of Joseph’s first residence in Nauvoo.

Right on that corner, just to the north, probably by the cemetery there, Curtis Bolton was ordained and received his patriarchal blessing, right there in the open street. He then says,

I received a certificate from Willard Richards, who at this time lived in the aforementioned house/ A few minutes after my ordination I went on board the steamboat “Maid of Iowa” on my return home. The last I saw of Joseph Smith he was standing with his youngest boy in his arms at the brow of the hill on the west side of the Nauvoo House in the middle of the street. No one was near him. He was the most beautifully formed man and was laughing pleasantly to the brethren on board the steamboat who were leaving to go preaching. I never in this life shall look upon his like again.

Source: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=e251d241-3587-422b-8da8-e971a28a71f8&crate=0&index=4

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJ1-R32