Vinson Knight (1804-1842)

Nauvoo Home of Vinson Knight

Joseph [Smith] first came to Nauvoo, then Commerce, a Mr. [Hugh] White, living there, proffered to sell him his farm for $2,500, $500 of the amount to be paid down, and the balance one year from that time. Joseph and the brethren were talking about this offer when some of them said, "We can't buy it, for we lack the money." Joseph took out his purse, and, emptying out its contents, offered a half dollar to one of the brethren, which he declined accepting, but Joseph urged him to take it, and then gave each of the other brethren a similar amount, which left him with out any. Addressing the brethren, he then said, "Now you all have money, and I have none, but the time will come when I will have money and you will have none!" He then said to Bishop [Vinson] Knight, "You go back and buy the farm!"

Brother Knight went to White, but learned from him that he had raised the price $100, and returned to Joseph without closing the bargain. Joseph again sent him with instructions to purchase, but Brother Knight, finding that White had raised the price still another $100, again returned without purchasing. For the third time Joseph commanded him to go and buy the farm, and charged him not to come back till he had done so.

When Bishop Knight got back to White, he had raised another $100 on the place, making the whole amount $2,800. However, the bargain was closed and the obligations drawn up, but how the money was going to be raised neither Brother Knight nor the other brethren could see. The next morning Joseph and several of the brethren went down to Mr. White's to sign the agreement and make the first payment of the land. A table was brought out with the papers upon it, and Joseph signed them, moved back from the table and sat with his head down, as if in thought for a moment. Just then a man drove up in a carriage and asked if Mr. Smith was there. Joseph hearing it, got up and went to the door. The man said, "Good morning, Mr. Smith, I am on a speculation today. I want to buy some land, and thought I would come and see you." Joseph then pointed around where his land lay but the man said: "I can't go with you today to see the land. Do you want any money this morning?"

Joseph replied he would like some, and when the stranger asked "How much?" he told him $500.

The man walked into the house with Joseph, emptied a small sack of gold on the table, and counted out that amount. He then handed to Joseph another $300 saying: "Mr. Smith, I make you a present of this!"

After this transpired, Joseph laughed at the brethren and said, "You trusted in money; but I trusted in God. Now I have money; and you have none."

(Reported by Philo Dibble, in "Philo Dibble Autobiography [1806-c. 1843]," as found in "Early Scenes in Church History," Four Faith Promoting Classics, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968], pp. 74-96).