--- title: History of the Prophet Joseph by His Mother description: 1902 edition of Lucy Mack Smith's memoir about her son Joseph Smith. authors: - Smith, Lucy editors: - Smith, George A. - Smith, Elias collections: - history tags: - history - biography published: "1902" publisher: Improvement Era Office edition: As revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith (Salt Lake City, 1902) language: en type: book reference: 'Lucy Smith, *History of the Prophet Joseph by His Mother*, rev. George A. Smith and Elias Smith (Salt Lake City, UT: Improvement Era Office, 1902), chap. 6, "Daniel Mack—He Rescues Three Men from a Watery Grave," 29-30.' source: url: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/45619/pg45619-images.html identifier: gutenberg-45619 transcription: "Project Gutenberg eBook #45619 (Mormon Texts Project proofreading of the 1902 edition). The Gutenberg header, license and transcriber notes are not included, and no text from later editions is present." start_page: 29 end_page: 30 curator_note: Revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith. rights: status: public-domain basis: 1902 US publication (Salt Lake City, Improvement Era Office; text of the 1853 original as revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45619 publication_year: 1902 note: "Verified: the text is the 1902 Improvement Era Office edition; it contains no introduction, notes or other matter from later editions (for example the 1945 Preston Nibley edition)." --- # Chapter VI. Daniel Mack—He Rescues Three Men from a Watery Grave Daniel comes next in order. He was rather worldly-minded, yet he was not vicious; and if he had any peculiar trait of character, it was this—he possessed a very daring and philanthropic spirit, which led him to reach forth his hand to the assistance of those whose lives were exposed to danger, even to the hazard of his own life. For instance: he in company with several others, was once standing on the bank of Miller's river, in the town of Montague, when one of the number proposed taking a swim. Daniel objected, saying it was a dangerous place to swim in, yet they were determined, and three went in; but, going out into the stream rather too far they were overpowered by the current, and a kind of eddy which they fell into, and they sank immediately. At this, Daniel said, "Now, gentlemen, these men are drowning; who will assist them at the risk of his life?" No one answered. At this, he sprang into the water, and, diving to the bottom, found one of them fastened to some small roots. Daniel took hold of him, and tore up the roots to which he was clinging, and brought him out, and then told the by-standers to get a barrel, for the purpose of rolling him on it, in order to make him disgorge the water which he had taken. He then went in again, and found the other two in the same situation as the first, and saved them in like manner. After rolling them a short time on the barrel, he took them to a house, and gave them every possible attention, until they had so far recovered as to be able to speak. As soon as they could talk, one of them fixing his eyes upon Daniel, said, "Mr. Mack, we have reason to look upon you as our savior, for you have delivered us from a watery tomb; and I would that I could always live near you. We are now assured that you have not only wisdom to counsel, but when men have spurned your advice, you still have that greatness of soul which leads you to risk your own life to save your fellow man. No, I will never leave you as long as I live, for I wish to convince you that I ever remember you, and that I will never slight your counsel again." In this they were all agreed, and they carried out the same in their future lives