David Cluff - Divine Leading to Kirtland and Meeting the Prophet Joseph Smith

David Cluff, father of Harvey Harris Cluff, lived in New Hampshire where considerable excitement prevailed in religious sects throughout the eastern states concerning the 'New Bible' brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith called the Book of Mormon. David had become deeply interested in accounts published by explorers about the antiques of America, showing that a civilized people once inhabited the continent. The Book of Mormon appeared to offer him the information he was seeking after. Harvey Harris Cluff wrote: 'Father was led to go to Kirtland, Ohio, where the prophet was and see and talk with him. He seemed to have a great desire to hear from the prophets direct a statement of the wonderful visions, and condescensions of heavenly beings. During his journey from new Hampshire he chanced to meet Martin Harris, a convert to the new faith on a canal boat from whom he gained much information which only intensified his anxiety to see the prophet.' This was a miraculous confluence of events—David was divinely led to Kirtland where he met the Prophet Joseph Smith, an experience that Cluff described as 'the greatest epoch in the life of David Cluff. His whole soul was illuminated and he partook of the fruit of the tree of life.'

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Autobiography of Harvey Harris Cluff (1836-1916), Typescript, HBLL):

Father was led to go to Kirtland, Ohio, where the prophet was and see and talk with him. He seemed to have a great desire to hear from the prophets direct a statement of the wonderful visions, and condescensions of heavenly beings. During his journey from New Hampshire he chanced to meet Martin Harris, a convert to the new faith on a canal boat from whom he gained much information which only intensified his anxiety to see the prophet. This was the greatest epoch in the life of David Cluff. His whole soul was illuminated and he partook of the fruit of the tree of life.