Martin Harris's vision of his father

After arriving in Salt Lake City on August 30, 1870, Martin Harris resided temporarily with his grandniece, Irinda Crandall McEwan, and was frequently attended by his friend and guide, Elder Edward Stevenson. During this time, Martin was visited by hundreds of people, including Church leaders, eager to hear his testimony. While Martin remained steadfast in his witness of the Book of Mormon, he initially expressed hesitation regarding the necessity of re-baptism. However, through personal prayer and reflection, he received a powerful manifestation of the Spirit. As recorded by Edward Stevenson, Martin described a vision in which he saw his deceased father, Nathan Harris, positioned at the foot of a ladder and striving to reach upward. In the vision, Martin went down to his father, took him by the hand, and helped him up. Martin understood this to be a divine sign not only that he should be re-baptized for himself, but that he was also required to perform proxy baptisms for his deceased ancestors. Following this spiritual confirmation, Martin Harris was baptized on September 17, 1870.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Edward Stevenson, 'The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. No. II,' The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 48, No. 23 (7 June 1886): 367.):

Martin, soon after his arrival in Salt Lake City, came to my house and said the spirit of the Lord had made it manifest to him, not only for himself personally, but also that he should be baptized for his dead, for he had seen his father seeking his aid. He saw his father at the foot of a ladder, striving to get up to him, and he went down to him taking him by the hand and helped him up. This was a great satisfaction to him, and he was baptized for his father and others of his dead relatives.