I was at this time in my fifteenth year.  My father's family was proselyted to the Prespbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely--my mohter, Lucy; my brothers, Hyrum, Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.      During this time of great excitement, my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit.  In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.      My mind at times was greately excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant.  The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and the methodists, and used all the powers of either reason or sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error.  On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.      In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself, What is to be done?  Who of all these parites are right; or, are they all wrong together?  If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?      While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."      Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.  It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart.  I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never iknow; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.     At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkeness and confusion , or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God.  I at length came to the determination to "ask of God" concluding that if He gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.     So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retird to the woods to make the attempt.  it was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty.  it was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.     After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.  I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influecne over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak.  Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I  were doomed to sudden destruction.    But exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into desparir and abandon myself to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.   It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.  One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other--This is my beloved Son, hear him!     My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join.  No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right--and which I should join.     I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me: they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."     He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did He say unto me which I cannot write at this time.  When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. ( If anyone is interested in learning more about this great man please email me and I will give you more information and where you can find it. )  The Son is in the exact image of His Father The Testimonies of The Three Book of Mormon Witnesses      Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of  the people of Jared who came from the tower of which hasth been spoken; and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true.  And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man.  And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from haven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings theeon, and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true; and it is marvellous in our eyes, nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, t obe obedient unto the commanments of God, we bear testimony of these things.  And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens.  And the honour be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one god.  Amen. "Testimony of John Taylor" If it were not for the religion I profess, which gives me to know something about the matter, by revelation for myself, I would not have anything to do with relgion at all. I would worship God the best way I knew how, and act justly and honorably with my neighbor; which I believe thousands of that class of men called infidels do at the present day.  But I never would submit to be gulled with the nonsense that exists in the world, under the name of religion.     We believe in the restoration of all things.  We believe that God has spoken from the heavens.  If I did not believe He had, I would not be here.  If I did not believe that angels have appeared, that the heavens have been opened.  We believe in eternal principles, in an eternal Gospel, and eternal Priesthood, in eternal communcations and associations.  Everything associated with the Gospel that we believe in is eternal.  If it were not so, I would want nothing to do with it.  I do not want to make a profession, and worship a God because this one, that one, or the other one does it, and I not know whether I am right, and those whom I imitate not know, any more than myself, whether they are right or wrong.   I profess to know for myself, and if I did not know for myself.  I would have nothing to do with it. Acting upon this principle, I associated myself with the Latter-day Saints. I preach that doctrine which I verily believe with my whole soul.  I believe in its principles, because there is something intelligent about it.  For instance--if I am an eternal being, I want something that is calculated to satisfy the capacious desires of the eternal mind. If I am a being that came into the world yesterday, and will leave it again tomorrow, I might as well have one religion as another, or none at all; let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. If I am an eternal being, I want to know something about that eternity with which am associated     If there is a God, I want a religion that supplies some means of certain and tangible communication with Him.  If there is a heaven, I want to know what sort of a place it is. if there are angels, I want to know their nature, and their occupation,and  of what they are composed.  If I am an eternal being, I want to know what I am to do when I get through with time...