Joseph Bates NOBLE

                   JOSEPH NOBLE HEALED BY JOSEPH SMITHLDS-Gems Stories from Church HistoryJoseph Bates Noble was one of the first members who settled in the Commerce area of western Illinois, which would later become Nauvoo. He recorded that he was called on a mission to settle in the area, along with a few other families. Some of the group crossed the Mississippi River to Montrose, Iowa to take advantage of some cabins that had been used as barracks for soldiers.It was a difficult time for the Saints there. Brother Noble later recorded:"Our exposure during the previous winter caused a great deal of sickness. I and some of my family were attacked with bilious fever. I think I can safely say that one-half of the families of the whole people had more or less sickness, and many died. Two of my children were buried; and I was nigh unto death. So low was I that my wife asked me, in tears, if I was dying."What followed was one of the most remarkable instances of healing recorded in Church History. On July 22, 1839, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, and others, visited the sick Saints in their homes and healed many of them. (See CH Story 33 for Wilford Woodruff's account of the healing.)Elijah Fordham was one of the first to be healed - the family was already preparing his burial clothes when Joseph arrived. He was commanded in the name of Jesus Christ to arise and walk - according to Joseph Noble, "He immediately jumped from his dying bed, kicked off the drafts from his feet, and came into my house, following the brethren, and shouting, leaping, and praising God with all his might."The Noble home was the next to be visited:"President Smith, while leading the way to my bed, made this remark: 'Brother Noble, you have been too long with me to lie here.' As soon as I saw him the tears of joy burst from my eyes. In a moment he was by my bedside, and took me by the hand. Without waiting for the other brethren to get to my bed, he commanded me, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and walk. I arose, and while putting on my clothes I fainted. When I regained consciousness I was on the bed, and Joseph was standing close to me."As soon as my eyes met his he said, 'Wherefore didst thou doubt?' and again commanded me to arise."While he was speaking I felt the healing virtue flowing through every part of my system. I immediately arose and walked, rejoicing and praising the Lord with all my heart, for His blessing rested upon me, by which I was made whole."Joseph gave directions to Sister Noble on how to strengthen and help her husband, then moved on to other homes. Brother Noble's account ends with this summary:"Joseph, at this time, rebuked the Elders for administering the form without the power. Said he, 'Let the Elders either obtain the power of God to heal the sick, or let them cease to administer the form without the power.'
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Journal of Joseph B. Noble: Autobiographical sketch. Went to work at age fourteen. School during the winters. Became a miller. Assisted father's family. Converted to Mormonism by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, 1832. To Kirtland to meet Joseph Smith ("He was about going to work in the hay field he invited me to go with him."). He went to Missouri as a member of Zion's Camp in 1834. Returned to Kirtland, where surplus money was divided. Returned to family in New York. Marriage to Mary Beman, a school teacher, 11 September 1834. Returned to Kirtland to live. Selected as one of the Seventy. Did mill work. Studied Hebrew with Joshua Seixas, "so I could read and translate tolerably well." Joseph came to Utah on October 2, 1847 with the Jedediah M. Grant Company. 2. He was a member of the first Quorum of Seventy. 3. Joseph served a mission to New York. 4. He was a bishop`s counselor. 5. Joseph performed the first plural marriage in the LDS Church. He attended the Elder's School in Kirtland, Ohio. He was chosen a member of the first Quorum of Seventy. He witnessed glorious manifestations of the power of God in the Kirtland Temple. He went to Missouri where he passed through the persecutions of the saints. He located in Commerce (Nauvoo), where he was miraculously healed from a severe attack of sickness through the administrations of the Prophet Joseph. He was ordained a High Priest and appointed to act as Bishop of the Nauvoo 5th Ward. He acted as one of the Prophet's body guards and also acted as a Bishop in Winter Quarters. He came west in 1846 and followed the Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1847. He acted as first counselor to Bishop Edward Hunter of the Salt Lake City 13th Ward. He moved to Bountiful, Utah in 1862. He acted as a member of the Davis Stake High Council