Addison Everett — Recollections of the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood

Addison Everett recorded his recollections of statements made by Joseph Smith in 1844 regarding the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood. According to Everett, Joseph Smith described an event occurring between Harmony, Pennsylvania, and Colesville, New York, in 1829, where he and Oliver Cowdery were miraculously delivered from arrest and legal proceedings, leading to the restoration of the higher priesthood.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Meridian Magazine, Did the Melchizedek Priesthood Restoration take Place This Weekend in History?):

Joseph went on to state that ‘at Coalville [Colesville] he and Oliver were under arrest on charge of Deceiving the people and in court he stated that the first miracle done was to create this earth. About that time his attorney told the court that he wanted to see Mr. Smith alone a few moments. When alone Mr. Smith said to his attorney, I am going to leave this place. The attorney said, If you do you will forfeit your bonds. Mr. Smith said, I am going to leave this place. The attorney then said, If you are determined to go I will not stop you. Mr. Smith then walked out of the court room and went to the woods. He had not been there long before Oliver came to him and said, I am going to leave this place. Mr. Smith said, I am going to leave this place. They both started for the woods and traveled until they came to a stream of water. They crossed the stream and went into a thicket of brush and sat down. They had not been there long before Peter, James and John came to them and ordained them to the Melchizedek Priesthood and conferred upon them the keys of the kingdom of God and the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times.