"This season one of our neighbors from Nauvoo came for help in sickness, and informed us that there were not well ones enough to take care of the sick. I sent my daughter and sister there to help take care of the sick. I promised them that I would come to conference and see them. Accordingly, when the time came, I took my carriage and went up. I went first to the place where my daughter was, and found the house shut up with window curtains drawn. I knocked at the door and a faint voice answered. I went in and found a large family and every person laying prostrate. My daughter was the last one that came down. She had been down about one week. Having the whole family to nurse night and day, she could not endure it. When I entered the house she heard my voice, sprang up from the bed and said, "Father, you have come. I want to go home." I told her to get ready and I would go and look for my sister. I went where she was and found her and the family in the same situation. I put a bed into the carriage and went home the same day and nursed them three months before I could heal them.
It was thought that my daughter would die, but I did not give her up. I called to the bed one day to see her close her eyes in death. I was seeing her apparently breathing her last. At that instant the Spirit of God came upon me. I said, "Mariah, do you want to live to raise a family, keep the commanments of God and do all you can to build up Zion?" She opened her eyes and said she did. I said to her, "Then you will live." That hour she sat up in bed and immediately got well, as did also my sister.
(Mariah Pulsipher married William Burgess, Jr. and that is how we tie into the Burgess family. Mariah and William are our direct line ancestors. Their grandson is James William Burgess who was married to Dina Elizabeth Crow.)
I would like to tell another little incident that happened. There was a man with a family come into the church, who lived about fifteen miles from me, who had a brother-in-law that was possessed with the devil, and was chained in a tight room. Numbers had been there to administer to him, but to no effect. I went there to preach in the after part of the day. The man got loose and was breaking down the ceiling. They had been in the habit of getting a very strong man to help on such occasions, and were about to send for him in a hurry. I desired them to let me see him before they did. They were afraid he would come out and kill some of them. With much persuasion I got them to unlock the door of his room. All the rough language and profane swearing, and threatening anyone who came in sight I had never heard before. They said he was dangerous to encounter with, but I entreated him to let me open the door. I had full confidence that I could handle him, with the help that God would give me. I was satisfied that they did not understand my intention. I looked through the crack of the door. When he caught my eye he bawled out, "Old Pulsipher, I know you of old." At that instant I burst the door open. He stood with a sharp stick in his hand drawn back ready to stab me. Although he was a stout man and full of violent passion, I closed in with him so quick that he did not know what was up till he lay on his back, and I holding him while they bound him again. The family seemed a little surprised.
Before I left the next morning, the man, whose name was Samuel Newcomb, wished me to come and stay with him one year. He would give me large wages for he said that I could handle the sick man with ease, and he could leave his family and home with more safety. He was a man of considerable business to gather up to Kirtland with the church. He said he would if he could sell his farm. He wanted $1,6ll for all. We arranged for him to go the next spring, and I took the whole care of the wild man.
I recollect at one time upon the matter of his feeding, he flew into a rage all at once and broke loose. I was at work in the barn and a messenger came running for me, and said the man was killing his mother. I rushed into the room, took him by the shoulders, shook him and said, "Sam, what are you about?" He in a moment left his raging, dropped his head and became docile till he was bound again.
Later on we counselled with old Father Smith (Joseph Smith, Sr.) and he advised us to get seven elders of good report and fast and pray till he was delivered. We consulted the family, who had not kept the word of wisdom, but they agreed to do it. We therefore took the man, loosened his hands, administered to him in a room by ourselves, and I do not remember of him having a raving spell after that for six months. Then the devil entered him again. We were called for the second time. The family had promised to keep the covenants, but we found they had returned to the old practice of breaking the word of wisdom. We therefore sent a message to Father Smith, and he said if whey would not keep the covenants we might go about our business and let them all go to hell together."
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