C (36:09)
David W. Patton. When he's younger he's one of those searcher people that's looking for a church that can be in its purity, something that reminds him about the New Testament Church of Christ. He had a brother that wrote him a letter, indicated that he had just learned about the restoration and about a new church. David was so interested that he is reported to have gone 300 miles to Indiana to meet with his brother. He's convinced at that point about the Book Mormon, the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and is baptized. He's ordained an elder as early as June of 1832 and returned to his home which at that time was in Michigan. At this point he becomes one of those, what you call a member missionary. He's Going around, he's preaching the gospel everywhere. He said he saw while on this type of mission. He saw that the deaf were made to hear, the blind could see, the lame were made whole. Fevers, palsies, crooked and withered limbs. In fact, all manner of diseases common to the country were healed. What he called by his use of the power of God. You'd say, john, you were some missionary. Wouldn't you have liked to have him as a companion? He'd say, you're up. I see somebody sick. Anyway, he moves from Michigan to Kirtland. Joseph asked him to go on to Clay County. He said, I received a blessing from Joseph before he moved on to Clay County. And in the blessing, he said the reason he was asked to go to Missouri at that time. He said, oh, may God grant it. A blessing for Zion as a kind angel from heaven. How'd you like that said about you? David's call to be an apostle like all the others in February. Notice it's February 14th. I always think it's Valentine's Day. Whether my husband remembers flowers, candies, all the above. I always say, it's a good day. We got the quorum of the 12, but all right. David comes in, he's an apostle. He receives a blessing that he is to be like one of old who bore testimony of Jesus. Well, he serves a mission to the eastern states. He then serves a mission in the southern states. He's actually arrested while on a mission in the southern states, in Tennessee, because his companion promised that anybody that accepted baptism would receive the Holy Ghost. And they were held under a $2,000 bond for saying such a thing. At the trial that is held for this missionary, this great missionary, David Patton, he delivers a speech about 20 minutes, which is said he held them spellbound. He told them of their wickedness and abominations that they were guilty of, and if they did not repent, they'd be in big trouble. He said that the judge was worried that maybe he had a weapon on him. And he says, my only weapon has given me the truth of God. But following the trial, he returns from the mission to Tennessee to Kirtland. He tells the prophet Joseph that he wishes he could die a martyr's death. Joseph replied, he said, when a man of your faith asks the Lord for anything, he generally grants it. So we need to all be careful if we get better and better, but we're probably safe. But then it says, On October 24, when news reached David that a mob had taken Latter Day Saint prisoners. They'd taken three Men there in Missouri. He said he determined he would rescue them with about 75 men. He volunteered to join him in an attempt to rescue them that day, a biographer writes, with the watchword God and liberty on his lips, David, ordering a charge, ran forward. The mob fled in confusion before the rush that followed. But as David led the pursuit down the riverbank, which was the crooked River, a mobber who had taken refuge behind a tree turned and shot him in the abdomen. David was carried from the battle site to a home of Stephen Winchester. In that home, he said, I have finished my course. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me. He also said, brethren, you have held me by your faith, but do give me up. Stop having so much faith that I can live. He goes, give me up. Let me go, I beseech you. And then David died in the evening of October 25, 1838, at age 38. I like what Joseph Smith wrote of this great man. He said, brother David W. Patton was a very worthy man, beloved of all good men who knew him. He was one of the 12 apostles and died as he lived, he a man of God and strong in the faith of a glorious resurrection in a world where mobs will have no power or place. At his funeral, the prophet Joseph pointed to his lifeless body and said, there lies a man that has done just as he said he would. He has laid down his life for his friends. That's David W. Patton. Yoonpress. Yeah, I am.
