



Produced by Holly Astle, Mormon Texts Project Intern
(http://mormontextsproject.org/)







HELPFUL VISIONS.

THE FOURTEENTH BOOK OF THE FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES.


Intended for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day
Saints.


JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE,

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

1887.



COMBINED FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES,

Nos. 1-5, $1.35,

Nos. 6-10, $1.25.



CONTENTS.

A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

CHAPTER I.

Remarkable Spiritual Manifestations--Thrilling Experience of Elder
David P. Kimball, as Narrated by himself.

CHAPTER II.

Account of Patten Kimball and Others, Regarding the Search for and
Finding of his Father.

BRIANT S. STEVENS.

CHAPTER I.

Briant Stringham Stevens Becomes a Missionary to His Associates and
Brings Four Boys to Belief and Baptism--A Good Child who Passed Amidst
the Daily Temptations of Life Unscathed.

CHAPTER II.

Accidents to Briant--He is Ordained to the Priesthood--Patient
Endurance of His Sufferings--He is Blessed to be an Elder and then
Slumbers in Death.

CHAPTER III.

A "Helpful Vision" to Briant's Stricken Father--the Comforter Brings
the Peace which Passes All Understanding--The Funeral of the Little
Missionary--His Work Lives after Him.

FINDING COMFORT.

CHAPTER I.

Called to Australasia--The Modern Imitators of Job's Friends--Our
"Special Instruction" is to "Build up the Kingdom of God in those
Lands"--A Disappointment ends in a Blessing--Promises by an Apostle
which were Literally Fulfilled--We Reach Sydney, I am Separated From my
Companion.

CHAPTER II.

Labor which Brought Little Compensation--A Mysterious Call to
New Zealand--Attacked by an Evil Spirit--The Visitation Thrice
Repeated--Meeting the Brother of a Friend--On Board the _Wakatipu_
Bound for New Zealand.

CHAPTER III.

An Irreverent Company of Passengers--Sickness and a Horror of Life
Fall Upon Me--A "Helpful Vision"--"Only be True"--Invoking the
Name of Christ--A Jolly Singer and a Jolly Song--Landing at Port
Littleton--Strange Recognition of Brother Nordstrand--His Dream
Concerning Me.

CHAPTER IV.

Reason for my Sudden Call to Leave Sydney--The Little Old Lady of the
_Wakatipu_--She had Waited a Generation to Renew her Covenants--Another
"Helpful Vision"--A Mysterious Half-Sovereign--Saved from Death in a
Swift River.

CHAPTER V.

Some Old Members of the Church--The Spirit Prompts Promises to Them
which are Literally Fulfilled--Help from a Catholic Who is Suddenly
Converted and Who as Suddenly Apostatizes--A Spontaneous Prophecy--The
Journey Home--A Careful Observer--Safe in Zion.

TRAITORS.

Solemn Warnings--A Traitor can Never be Anything but
Despicable--Examples of the Past.



PREFACE.

The very encouraging reports we are constantly receiving from various
parts of the country concerning the vast amount of good accomplished by
these small publications, induces us to issue the fourteenth book, with
the sincere hope that it may not be less interesting or instructive
than those which have preceded it.

The Visions here recorded will again prove that truth is stranger than
fiction, and we trust that a perusal of these manifestations will lead
our young people to seek for the guidance of the Lord in all things,
and make Him their constant friend. The article on traitors is very
appropriate reading matter for the present season, and will, it is
hoped, cause everyone to look upon the men of this class with the
contempt they so justly merit, and sustain everyone in shunning as they
would poison, any traitorous act.

Our great desire is that this little book may assist in the education
and elevation of the young people and others who may peruse it.

THE PUBLISHERS.



A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

BY O. F. WHITNEY.



CHAPTER I.

REMARKABLE SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS--THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF ELDER
DAVID P. KIMBALL, AS NARRATED BY HIMSELF.

The following narrative of the experience of the late David Patten
Kimball, who was lost on the Salt River desert, Arizona, in the latter
part of November, 1881, is taken by permission from a letter written
by him to his sister, Helen Mar Whitney, of this city, on the 8th of
January, 1882. Brother Kimball was then a resident of Jonesville,
or Lehi, three miles from Mesa, where the letter