CHAPTER X.
About this time an opinion was propagated among them, that they should never taste death, if they had sufficient faith. They were commanded to have little or no connexion with those who had not embraced their faith, and every thing must be done within themselves. Even the wine which they used at their communion, they were ordered to make from cider and other materials. All diseases and sickness among them were to be cured by the Elders, and by the use of herbs—denouncing the Physicians of the world, and their medicines, as enemies to the human race.
☞They had one or two root doctors among them, for whose benefit it is presumed the Lord made known his will, if at all. Notwithstanding, the prophet himself was the first one to break over the rules he had received from the Lord. Being much alarmed for the fate of his "elect lady," in an obstetrical case, he applied to the world, (after all the Mormon remedies had failed,) for an eminent physician. This gave dissatisfaction to some of his followers, but like every thing else, was easily smoothed over.
About the last of March, a young man about 20 years of age, by the name of Dota, became suddenly ill and died. He was duly commissioned, after their manner, to preach, was very active and zealous in the cause, and so fully did he believe in the divine mission and miraculous powers of Smith, that he had a firm expectation of living in the world a thousand years. This he made known to a near relation of his, about four weeks before his decease. Five days before he expired, he was suddenly attacked with an inflamation in the bowels. He was immediately removed
