Oliver Cowdery's Rebaptism at Council Bluffs

In late 1848, Oliver Cowdery, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Maria, traveled from Wisconsin to the Latter-day Saints' encampment at Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Iowa, with the assistance of his brother-in-law, Phineas Young. On the afternoon of October 21, 1848, they arrived during a local Church conference. Upon spotting Oliver in the congregation of nearly 2,000 Saints, Apostle Orson Hyde, who was conducting the meeting, stepped down from the stand to embrace him and personally escorted him to the platform. Elder Hyde invited Cowdery to address the congregation. Cowdery identified himself and spoke of his past role in the Church, stating, 'Friends and Brethren, my name is Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of this church I stood identified with her, and one in her councils.' He then bore a powerful testimony as one of the Three Witnesses: 'I wrote with my own pen the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph, as he translated it by the gift and power of God. I beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was transcribed. That book is true.' He further testified of the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods by holy angels. On November 5, he met with the Pottawattamie High Council in the log tabernacle, expressing his desire to return, saying, 'I wish to come humbly and be one in your midst... I wish to become a member of the church again. I wish to come in at the door. I know the door.' Consequently, he was officially rebaptized by Elder Orson Hyde in Mosquito Creek on November 12, 1848.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Testimonies of Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, Scripture Central):

At a special Conference at Council Bluffs, Iowa, held on the 21st of October, in the year 1848, brother Oliver Cowdery, one of the three important witnesses to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and who had been absent from the Church, through disaffection, for a number of years, and had been engaged in the practice of law, was present and made the remarks here annexed, Brother Orson Hyde presided at the said Conference. Brother Reuben Miller, now Bishop of Mill Creek Ward, was also present at the time and noted what he said, and has furnished us what he believes to be a verbatim report of his remarks, which we take pleasure in laying before our readers:— Friends and Brethren: My name is Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of this Church I stood identified with her, and one in her councils. True it is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance; not because I was better than the rest of mankind was I called; but, to fulfill the purposes of God, he called me to a high and holy calling. I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by that book, holy interpreters. I beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was transcribed. I also saw with my eyes and handled with my hands the holy interpreters. That book is true. Sidney Rigdon did not write it. Mr. Spaulding did not write it. I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet. It contains the everlasting gospel, and came forth to the children of men in fulfillment of the revelations of John, where he says he saw an angel come with the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. It is the gospel of the Son of God, and is the only plan of salvation for the children of men. I was also present with Joseph when the holy priesthood was restored by the administration of angels. I was also called through me, by the prayer of faith, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the early part of November following, as brother Miller relates, brother Hyde called a High Council in the Tabernacle to consider the case of brother Cowdery. Brother Cowdery appeared before the Council and said: 'I wish to come humbly and be one in your midst. I seek no station. I only wish to be identified with you. I am out of the Church. I am not a member of the Church, but I wish to become a member of the Church again. I wish to come in at the door. I know the door. I have not come here to seek to officiate in any office or calling in the Church. I only wish to be a member and have part and lot with this people.' The Council voted unanimously to receive him. He was baptized by Elder Orson Hyde in Mosquito Creek on the 12th of November, 1848.