180 years ago today - Oct 20, 1842

Apostle Orson Hyde writes to Apostle Orson Pratt that during a voyage from Beirut to Jaffa Hyde saw clearly in the sky "a very bright glittering sword. . .with a beautiful hilt, as plain and complete as any cut you ever saw. And, what is still more remarkable, an arm, with a perfect hand, stretched itself out and took hold of the hilt of the sword. The appearance really made my hair rise, and the flesh, as it were, to crawl on my bones. The Arabs made a wonderful outcry at the sight: 'O, Allah, Allah, Allah!' was their exclamation all over the vessel." In the letter Hyde explains, ""I mention this, because you know there is a commandment to me which says: 'Unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the sign of the coming of the Son of Man.'"