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More notes from an unpublished manuscript of mine, this time illustrative of the kindness of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
One day, Joseph saw the elderly Joseph Knight, Sr., who had helped him a great deal during the translation of the Book of Mormon, hobbling along the street with considerable difficulty.
The Prophet approached him, and, putting his arm around him, pressed Father Knight’s fingers onto the top of his cane and said, “Brother Knight, you need this cane more than I do.” The Prophet then told him to keep it as long as he needed it, and then to pass it on to descendants with the first name Joseph. The cane has been passed down through several descendants until the present day.[1]
Mary F. Adams remembered that, during the time Joseph was serving as mayor of the city of Nauvoo,
a colored man called Anthony was arrested for selling liquor on Sunday, contrary to law. He pleaded that the reason he had done so was that he might raise the money to purchase the freedom of a dear child held as a slave in a southern state. He had been able to purchase the liberty of himself and wife and now wished to bring his little child to their new home. Joseph said,
“I am sorry, Anthony, but the law must be observed, and we will have to impose a fine.”
The next day Brother Joseph presented Anthony with a fine horse, directing him to sell it, and use the money obtained for the purchase of the child.[2]
[1] McConkie, Remembering Joseph, 56. [1997, p. 167]
[2] McConkie, Remembering Joseph, 54-55. [1906; see also Walker, 1943, pp. 8-9, for a similar account of this incident]
HalOctober 5, 2018
Another of my favorite stories of the Prophet's kindness is from the life of Margarette Burgess. "Margarette and her older brother, Wallace, set out for school. It had been raining, and the ground was slippery and muddy, especially along the street by the Prophet Joseph’s Red Brick Store. As the two children hurried along their way, they got stuck in the mud. Although they tried to get out by wrapping their arms beneath their legs to lift their feet, it was no use. “Oh, what shall we do?” cried Margarette. She remembered seeing wagons stuck in the mud, and sometimes they were left until the ground became drier. Margarette feared that she and her brother would have to stay where they were until the ground dried up and they could walk out on their own. Wallace let out a loud wail. Seeing her brother’s fear, Margarette joined him with cries of her own. But looking up, she saw the loving friend of children, the Prophet Joseph, walking toward them. He lifted them out of the mud, wiped off their dirty shoes, and used his clean handkerchief to wipe the tears from their faces. He smiled and spoke with such cheery words that they were soon happily on their way to school."