Joseph Bates Noble Protected from Poisoning Threat in Buffalo

While traveling from Kirtland with Brigham Young and Edmund Bosley, Joseph Bates Noble and his companions stopped in Buffalo. There, they were confronted by a man who claimed to be curious about their faith but who had actually come with evil intentions. The man invited Brother Young and Noble into an upper room at a public house, ostensibly for a conversation. During the discussion about the gospel, Joseph Bates Noble detected something was wrong: 'I discovered that there was no light in him. I spoke to Brother Young and told him, "This man does not see the situation of the world."' The man then revealed his malicious intent—he had prepared poison and demanded that Brigham Young drink it as a test of faith, declaring 'If it did not kill you, I will believe your testimony.' When the elders refused and discerned his evil design, the man became enraged. He threatened them with a mob if they did not leave the city immediately. However, through divine protection and the spiritual discernment granted to these servants of God, they were preserved from harm. Though the man attempted to intimidate them with mob action, 'for some cause he was not able to bring a mob upon us.' Noble recorded: 'We had a pleasant time, and a good visit altogether,' indicating that despite the threat, the Lord protected them and they were able to complete their journey safely.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

We went to Fairport, 12 miles, and there went on aboard the steamboat to Buffalo. We had a pleasant voyage dots the lake, arrived in Buffalo. We were at a public house and he invited us into an upper room, Brother Young and myself alone. He asked Brother Young many questions. Brother Young explained to him the coming forth of this work–how the Lord had sent his angels to communicate his will unto his servant, Joseph Smith. I’ll not see sinners going the downward road to perdition.” He then told Brother Young he wanted he should take a quantity of poison that he had prepared for that purpose, saying, “If it did not kill you, I will believe your testimony.” He was mad when he saw he could not accomplish the thing which he had undertaken, and threatened us with a mob