Description

Newell Knight’s Possession

Later in the month of April, Joseph Smith visited Joseph Knight, Sr., in Colesville. The Knights were willing to reason with Joseph on religious matters and were quick to defend him against enemies. While in the Colesville area, Joseph held several meetings that were attended by many friends. Joseph related that “many began to pray fervently to Almighty God, that He would give them wisdom to understand the truth.”

One of the people who regularly attended the meetings was Newel Knight, a close friend of the Prophet. Newel Knight was afraid to pray vocally, but he finally accepted the persuasive challenge of the Prophet to do so in the next meeting. When the moment arrived, Newel declined, promising that he would pray later in private. The next morning he went into the woods where he tried to pray, but he failed because he felt guilty for refusing to pray publicly. He began to feel uneasy and to grow ill, and he returned home, where his wife was alarmed by his appearance. Newel asked her to send for Joseph. When the Prophet arrived, Newel was “suffering very much in his mind, and his body acted upon in a very strange manner; his visage and limbs distorted and twisted in every shape and appearance possible to imagine; and finally he was caught up off the floor of the apartment [room], and tossed about most Fearfully.”

Neighbors and relatives gathered to witness the frightful scene. Joseph finally caught hold of Newel’s hand. Newel said he knew he was possessed of the devil and he also knew that Joseph had the power to cast him out. Acting on Newel’s faith as well as his own, Joseph commanded the devil to depart in the name of Jesus Christ. Newel immediately declared that he saw the devil leave him and vanish. This was regarded as the first miracle performed in the Church. Joseph affirmed that “it was done not by man, nor by the power of man, but it was done by God, and by the power of godliness.” Newel Knight’s facial expressions returned to normal, and the distortions of his body ceased.

The Spirit of the Lord came over Newel so that the visions of eternity were opened to him. In his weakened condition he was placed on his bed, but he said he felt himself “attracted upward, and remained for some time enwrapt in contemplation, insomuch that I knew not what was going on in the room.” In this state his body was elevated until he felt the ceiling beams pressing against his shoulder and head.

Many of the people who saw these events were convinced of the power of God and later joined the Church. Joseph soon returned to Fayette. A few weeks later, Newel Knight came to Fayette and was baptized by David Whitmer.

(Church History in the Fulness of Times, p.69-70)