--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Orton, Joseph collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 1 published: 1899-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Orton, Joseph, "Acts of Special Providence in Missionary Experience: The Spirit of Prophecy; An Elder’s Influence," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 1 (November 1899): 32–33.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera31unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera31unse start_page: 32 end_page: 33 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera31unse publication_year: 1899 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Acts of Special Providence in Missionary Experience: The Spirit of Prophecy; An Elder’s Influence SPIRIT OF PROPHECY— AN ELDER'S INFLUENCE. BY ELDER JOSEPH ORTON. In England, in my very childhood, on reading the New Testa- ment in the hearing of an old gentleman, who could have had no knowl- edge of the restoration of the Gospel in this dispensation, he said, "My lad, you will live to see apostles and prophets on the earth and the gifts and blessings of the Gospel as anciently enjoyed." The aged man was remembered in my early temple labors. In Feb., 1886, having embarked on the S. S. Wisconsin, Guion Line, for a mission to England, on recovery from sea-sickness, I issued works of the Church and pamphlets, bearing on the "Mormon" question, among the ship's passengers. Soon afterwards a gentle- man, politely accosting me, asked, "Are you a 'Mormon' Elder?" I answered "Yes." Continuing he said: "Sir, I must tell you that ACTS OF SPECIAL PROVIDENCE. 33 from the time of our leaving New York harbor until I learned that a 'Mormon' Elder was aboard, I feared this vessel would not reach her destination, and I would see my family no more. Now my fear is gone, all doubts have fled." Being the only member of the Church on board, I silently tendered thanks to our Father for the wonderful influence one solitary Elder may possess. St. George, Utah.