MISSION IN GREAT BRITAIN, 1840.
Wilford's Arrival in England.--Missionary Work Begun.--Casting
Out a Devil.--Directed by the Spirit of the Lord to Another Field
of Labor.--Meets with the United Brethren.--Many Conversions to
the Gospel.--Ministers Hold a Convention To Ask Parliament for
Legislation against the Mormons.--First Publication of the Book of
Mormon and the Hymn Book in England.--The Millennial Star.--In the
British Metropolis.--Unable to Secure a Hall To Preach in, the Elders
Hold Street Meetings.--First Baptism in London.--Opposition from
Preachers.--Work of God Makes Marvelous Progress.
The voyage across the Atlantic ocean was made in twenty three days, and
Wilford Woodruff and his companions landed at Liverpool, England, on
the 11th day of January, 1840. After visiting George Cannon, father of
President George Q. Cannon, and family, they left Liverpool on January
13th, going to Preston, where a branch of the Church had been built up
in 1837, by Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, and Willard Richards.
The latter had remained in England, while Elders Kimball and Hyde had
returned to America. The meeting with Elder Richards was very pleasant.
On January 17th a council was held at his home to determine the future
actions of the elders.
"After consultation as to the best course for us to pursue," says Elder
Woodruff, "it was finally resolved that Elders John Taylor and Joseph
Fielding should go to Liverpool; Elder Woodruff, to Staffordshire
Potteries; Elder Theodore Turley, to Birmingham; Elder Richards,
wherever the spirit might direct him; and that Elder William Clayton
preside over the branch in Manchester. After various principles of
the Church had been expounded by the Apostles present, the council
adjourned. Elder Willard Richards had been called to be one of the
quorum of the Twelve Apostles, but had not yet received his ordination.
"On the day following I parted with Elders Taylor and Fielding, who
went to Liverpool, and with Elder Richards, who tarried in Preston.
Elder Turley and I went to Manchester; it was the first time I had
visited that city. There I met for the first time Elder William
Clayton. As soon as I was introduced to him, he informed me that one of
the sisters in that place was possessed of {115} a devil. He asked me
if I would not go and cast it out of her. He thought one of the Twelve
Apostles could do most anything in such a case. I went with him to the
house where the woman lay, in the hands of three men, in a terrible
rage. She was trying to tear her clothing from her. I also found quite
a number of Saints present, and some unbelievers, who had come to see
the devil cast out and a miracle wrought.
"Had I acted upon my own judgment I should have refrained from
administering to her in the company of those present; but as I was a
stranger there, and Brother Clayton presided over the branch, I joined
with him in administering to the woman. The unbelief of the wicked
who were present was so great that we could not cast the devil out
of her, and she raged worse than ever; I then ordered the room to be
cleared, and when the company, except the few attending her, had left
the house, we laid hands upon her head, and in the name of Jesus Christ
I commanded the devil to come out of her. The devil left, and she was
entirely healed and fell asleep.
"The next day being the Sabbath, the woman came before a large
congregation of people, and bore testimony to what the Lord had done
for her. We had a large assembly through the day and evening, to whom I
preached the gospel. On Monday morning, the devil, not being satisfied
with being cast out of the woman, entered into her little child, which
was but a few months old. I was called upon to visit the child, and
found it in great distress, writhing in its mother's arms. We laid
hands upon it and cast the devil out; the evil spirits thereafter had
no power over that household. This was done by the power of God, and
not of man. We laid hands upon twenty in Manchester who were sick, and
most of them were healed.
"On January 21st, I arrived in Burslem by coach, and for the first time
met Elder Alfred Cordon. This being my field of labor, I began my work
there. Elder Turley stopped in the Pottery district some eight days,
then went to Birmingham, his field of labor. On the 10th of February I
received a letter from Elder John Taylor, who was at Liverpool, saying
they had commenced there, and had baptized ten persons.
"I labored in the Staffordshire Potteries, in Burslem, Hanley, {116}
Stoke, Lane End, and several other villages, from the 22nd of January
until the 2nd of March, preaching every night in the week and two or
three times on the Sabbath. I baptized, confirmed and blessed many,
and we had a good field open for labor. Many were believing, and it
appeared as thought we had a door open to bring into the Church many in
that part of the vineyard.
"March 1st, 1840, was my birthday; I was thirty-three years of age. It
being Sunday, I preached twice during the day to a large assembly in
the city hall, in the town of Hanley, and administered the Sacrament
to the Saints. In the evening I again met with a large assembly of the
Saints and strangers, and while singing the first hymn the spirit of
the Lord rested upon me and the voice of God said to me, 'This is the
last meeting that you will hold with this people for many days.' I was
astonished at this, as I had many appointments out in that district.
When I arose to speak to the people, I told them that it was the last
meeting I should hold with them for many days. They were as much
astonished as I was. At the close of the meeting four persons came
forward for baptism; we went down into the water and baptized them.
"In the morning I went in secret before the Lord, and asked Him what
was His will concerning me. The answer I received was that I should
go to the south; for the Lord had a great work for me to perform
there, as many souls were waiting for His word. On the 3rd of March,
1840, in fulfillment of the directions given me, I took coach and
rode to Wolverhampton, twenty-six miles, spending the night there. On
the morning of the 4th I again took coach, and rode through Dudley,
Stourbridge, Stourport, and Worcester, then walked a number of miles
to Mr. John Benbow's, Hill Farm, Castle Frome, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
This was a farming country in the south of England, a region where no
elder of the Latter-day Saints had visited.
"I found Mr. Benbow to be a wealthy farmer, cultivating three hundred
acres of land, occupying a good mansion, and having plenty of means.
His wife, Jane, had no children. I presented myself to him as a
missionary from America, an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, who had been sent to him by the commandment of God
as a messenger of salvation, to preach the gospel of life to him and
his household and the inhabitants {117} of the land. He and his wife
received me with glad hearts and thanksgiving. It was in the evening
when I arrived, having traveled forty-eight miles by coach and on foot
during the day, but after receiving refreshments we sat down together,
and conversed until two o'clock in the morning. Mr. Benbow and his wife
rejoiced greatly at the glad tidings which I brought them.
"I also rejoiced greatly at the news Mr. Benbow gave me, that there
was a company of men and women--over six hundred in number--who had
broken off from the Wesleyan Methodists, and taken the name of United
Brethren. They had forty-five preachers among them, and for religious
services had chapels and many houses that were licensed according
to the law of the land. This body of United Brethren were searching
for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were
calling upon the Lord continually to open the way before them and
send them light and knowledge, that they might know the true way to
be saved. When I heard these things I could clearly see why the Lord
had commanded me, while in the town of Hanley, to leave that place
of labor and go to the south; for in Herefordshire there was a great
harvest-field for gathering many saints into the Kingdom of God. After
offering my prayers and thanksgiving to God, I retired to my bed with
joy, and slept well until the rising of the sun.
"I arose on the morning of the 5th, took breakfast, and told Mr.
Benbow I would like to commence my Master's business by preaching the
gospel to the people. He had in his mansion a large hall which was
licensed for preaching, and he sent word through the neighborhood that
an American missionary would preach at his house that evening. As
the time drew nigh, many of the neighbors came in, and I preached my
first gospel sermon in the house. I also preached at the same place on
the following evening, and baptized six persons, including Mr. John
Benbow, his wife, and four preachers of the United Brethren. I spent
most of the following day in clearing out a pool of water and preparing
it for baptizing, as I saw that many would receive that ordinance. I
afterwards baptized six hundred persons in that pool of water.
"On Sunday, the 8th, I preached at Frome's Hill in the morning, at
Standley Hill in the afternoon, and at John Benbow's, Hill {118} Farm,
in the evening. The parish church that stood in the neighborhood of
Brother Benbow's, presided over by the rector of the parish, was
attended during the day by only fifteen persons, while I had a large
congregation, estimated to number a thousand, attend my meetings
through the day and evening.
"When I arose to speak at Brother Benbow's house, a man entered the
door and informed me that he was a constable, and had been sent by the
rector of the parish with a warrant to arrest me. I asked him, 'For
what crime?' He said, 'For preaching to the people.' I told him that
I, as well as the rector, had a license for preaching the gospel to
the people, and that if he would take a chair I would wait upon him
after meeting. He took my chair and sat beside me. For an hour and a
quarter I preached the first principles of the everlasting gospel.
The power of God rested upon me, the spirit filled the house, and the
people were convinced. At the close of the meeting I opened the door
for baptism, and seven offered themselves. Among the number were four
preachers and the constable. The latter arose and said, 'Mr. Woodruff,
I would like to be baptized.' I told him I would like to baptize him. I
went down into the pool and baptized the seven. We then came together.
I confirmed thirteen, administered the Sacrament, and we all rejoiced
together.
"The constable went to the rector and told him that if he wanted Mr.
Woodruff taken for preaching the gospel, he must go himself and serve
the writ; for he had heard him preach the only true gospel sermon he
had ever listened to in his life. The rector did not know what to make
of it, so he sent two clerks of the Church of England as spies, to
attend our meeting, and find out what we did preach. They both were
pricked in their hearts, received the word of the Lord gladly, and
were baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. The rector became alarmed, and did not venture to
send anybody else.
"The ministers and rectors of the south of England called a convention
and sent a petition to the Archbishop of Canterbury, to request
Parliament to pass a law prohibiting the Mormons from preaching in the
British dominions. In this petition the rectors stated that one Mormon
missionary had baptized fifteen hundred {119} persons, mostly members
of the English Church, during the past seven months. But the Archbishop
and council, knowing well that the laws of England afforded toleration
to all religions under the British flag, sent word to the petitioners
that if they had the worth of souls at heart as much as they valued
ground where hares, foxes, and hounds ran, they would not lose so many
of their flock.
"I continued to preach and baptize daily. On the 21st day of March I
baptized Elder Thomas Kington. He was superintendent of both preachers
and members of the United Brethren. The first thirty days after my
arrival in Herefordshire, I had baptized forty-five preachers and one
hundred and sixty members of the United Brethren, who put into my hands
one chapel and forty-five houses, which were licensed according to
law to preach in. This opened a wide field for labor, and enabled me
to bring into the Church, through the blessings of God, over eighteen
hundred souls during eight months, including all of the six hundred
United Brethren except one person. In this number there were also some
two hundred preachers of various denominations. This field of labor
embraced Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire, and formed
the conferences of Garway, Gadfield Elm, and Frome's Hill. During this
time I was visited by President Young and Dr. Richards."
On the 14th of April, 1840, Elder Woodruff records the ordination of
Willard Richards to the apostleship. Two days later the Twelve, in
council, voted to publish a Church periodical in Great Britain. Elder
Woodruff proposed that it be called the Millennial Star, and it was so
named.
"Brother John Benbow furnished us with £300 to print the first edition
of the Book of Mormon that was published in England," wrote Elder
Woodruff; "and on the 20th of May, 1840, Brigham Young, Willard
Richards, and I held a council on top of Malvern Hill, and there
decided that Brigham Young should go direct to Manchester and publish
three thousand copies of the Book of Mormon and the Hymn Book.
"The power of God rested upon us and upon the mission," said Elder
Woodruff, in our field of labor in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and
Gloucestershire. "The sick were healed, devils were cast out, and the
lame made to walk. One case I will {120} mention: Mary Pitt, who died
later in Nauvoo, sister of William Pitt, who died years after in Salt
Lake City, had not walked upon her feet for eleven years. We carried
her into the water, and I baptized her. On the evening of the 18th of
May, 1840, at Brother Kington's house in Dymock, Elders Brigham Young,
Willard Richards, and I laid hands upon her head and confirmed her.
Brigham Young being mouth, rebuked her lameness in the name of the
Lord, and commanded her to arise and walk. The lameness left her, and
she never afterwards used a staff or crutch. She walked through the
town of Dymock next day, and created a stir among the people thereby;
but the wicked did not feel to give God the glory.
"The whole history of this Herefordshire mission shows the importance
of listening to the still small voice of the spirit of God, and the
revelations of the Holy Ghost. The people were praying for light and
truth, and the Lord sent me to them. I declared the gospel of life and
salvation, some eighteen hundred souls received it, and many of them
have been gathered to Zion in these mountains. Many of them have also
been called to officiate in the bishopric, and have done much good in
Zion. In all these things we should ever acknowledge the hand of God,
and give Him the honor, praise, and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
"On the 11th of August, 1840, I took the parting hand of the Saints
in Herefordshire, and started on a mission to London, in company with
Apostles Heber C. Kimball and George A. Smith. We rode from Leigh to
Cheltenham, where we tarried for the night, and in the morning took
coach and rode forty miles through a most delightful country, which
everywhere wore the golden hue of plentiful harvest. We passed through
Oxfordshire, in sight of Stowe, the family residence of the Duke of
Buckingham, and at Farmington station took train for London, where we
arrived at 4 p. m. We changed conveyances and went to the center of the
city by omnibus, walked across London Bridge into the Borough, and
called upon Mrs. Allgood, the sister of Elder Theodore Turley's wife.
She treated us with kindness, gave us refreshments, and then directed
us to a public house, the King's Arms, King Street, Borough. There we
tarried for the night.
"We were now in England's great metropolis, to sound therein {121} the
first proclamation of the latter-day work. Heber C. Kimball, George A.
Smith, and myself were the first three elders in London to preach the
gospel and establish the Church of Latter-day Saints. We took a walk
into the city, passed London Bridge twice, and returned and spent the
night at King's Arms. On the following day we called upon the Rev. J.
E. Smith, Lincoln's Inn Fields, also visited John Pye, 16 Curiosity
Street, Chancery Lane. He was a strong believer in the prophecies of
Joanna Southcott, and was one of the society. We then returned and
had a view of St. Paul's Cathedral, the largest in the world except
St. Peter's at Rome. We crossed London Bridge, took tea at 19 King
Street, then went to Union Chapel, Waterloo Road, and heard a comical
sermon delivered by an Aitkenite preacher. I spent the night at 58 King
Street, at Mrs. Loftus.'
"The next day, August 21st, was the most interesting sight-seeing
day in my life. I started in company with Elders Heber C. Kimball
and George A. Smith for a walk over the city of London. We crossed
London Bridge, passed through King William Street and several other
streets, and visited Covent Garden; then through St. Martin Street and
Court, Leicester Square, Sidney Alley, Coventry Street, Picadilly,
Glass House Street, and through most of Regent Street--one of the most
splendid streets in the world. We passed through Langham Place and All
Souls' Church--which has a spire naked from its base to the top--then
through Oxford Street, and returned by way of St. Paul's, ending our
sight-seeing of the day by visiting the noted monument erected in
commemoration of the great fire in London in 1666, and built under the
direction of that famous architect, Sir Christopher Wren. We entered a
door at its base, paid sixpence on entering, and ascended three hundred
and forty-five black marble steps, which brought us up two hundred
feet into the air, and about one hundred feet higher than the highest
houses. We stepped on the outside of the pillar, which is surrounded
by an iron railing, and there was presented to our view on every hand
the wonderful scenery of the greatest city in the world, a city that
boasted of a history covering nearly two thousand years. At our feet,
as it were, lay a historical panorama, stretching out to our view in
all directions.
{122} "We were located so as to overlook nearly every part of the city.
East of us lay the ancient Tower of London; east of us also lay the
Mint; north the Mansion House of the Lord Mayor of London; northwest,
St. Paul's Church; west, Westminster Abbey and the House of Parliament;
south lies the river Thames, with five of the large bridges across
in full view, and one not seen from the monument, making six. These
six bridges are fine sights in themselves. They are the architectural
monuments of the Thames, and our view of them from our high pinnacle,
with their crowds of moving and everchanging human masses, and cabs,
omnibuses, carriages, drays, etc., which dash along, presented to us a
picturesque sight. In addition to all this, within our view was London
Borough, on the south of the river, and all around us hundreds of
churches, chapels and spires, standing in the midst of one universal
mass of buildings, covering six square miles of ground. While viewing
this prospect on a clear day, we conversed with a Prussian traveler,
a citizen of Berlin, who had traveled much over Europe and Asia and
other parts of the world, and he declared that there was not, to his
knowledge, another spot on the face of the earth that presented to view
such a grand scene as that before us.
"August 23rd we went to Zion's chapel and heard the celebrated Rev.
Robert Aitken preach two sermons. He delivered a powerful warning
to the Gentiles, and presented some of the most sublime truths I
ever heard from a sectarian priest; but he was building without
the foundation. On the 24th we removed our lodgings to Mr. Robert
Merryfield's, No. 15 Gloucester Row, Grange Road, where we obtained a
room for all three of us.
"On the 25th of August we attended a meeting of the Temperance Society,
at their hall, which we secured for the 7th of the next month. Brother
Smith made a short speech. On the following day we started out in quest
of places in which we might preach. Brother Kimball went to one part
of the city and Brother Smith and myself to another. We called upon
two Baptist ministers and asked one for his chapel. In the evening we
attended a Methodist meeting in Long Lane.
"Next day we again went to the Temperance Hall, in St. George's Road,
near the Elephant and Castle, and by the request {123} of the committee
I addressed the meeting upon the subject of temperance. I was followed
by George A. Smith. We gave out an appointment to preach the gospel at
that place September 7th.
"The day after, we all started to go through the city of London to see
if we could find a man with the spirit of God; and after wandering
through the city, not knowing whither we went, we came upon a man whom
we stopped, and to whom we spoke. Brother Kimball asked him if he was a
preacher. He said he was. He seemed to have a good spirit, and informed
us that he had been in America, and had come to London for the purpose
of going to South Australia, but had just buried one child and another
lay at the point of death. Brother Kimball told him his child should
live. He gave us some information where we could preach. On the same
day we called upon him and found his child better, but he was not at
home. We then went and heard a Calvinist preach, and he gave us an
invitation to call and see him. Next day we again went over the city to
see if we could find any of the children of God. We found one man and
his household who received our testimony, and he opened his doors for
us to preach. We appointed a meeting at his house for Sunday evening.
His name was Corner, and he lived at 52 Ironmonger Row, St. Luke's
Parish, near the church.
"We had spent twelve days in going to and fro through London, trying to
find a people willing to receive our testimony; but finding the doors
shut against us, we determined to go into the streets and lift up our
voices in the name of God. Accordingly, Elders Kimball, Smith, and
myself started on Sunday morning, August 30, walked three miles, and
stopped in Tabernacle Square, Old Street, where we found an Aitkenite
preaching to the people. He was followed by a Presbyterian. Just as
the latter was about to begin, Elder Kimball informed him that there
was a preacher from America present who would like to speak when he
got through. The preacher then informed the people that there was an
American minister present, and proposed that he should speak first.
Elder George A. Smith got into the chair and spoke about twenty
minutes; then the Presbyterian spoke. George A. had informed the people
that there were two other American preachers present who would like to
address them, and, when the Presbyterian closed, {124} Elder Kimball
asked him if there would be any objection to our preaching there at
3 o'clock. He answered, 'No, not at all. To what denomination do you
belong?' 'To the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,' was the
reply. 'Oh, I have heard of them,' he said; 'they are a bad people;
they have done much hurt; they divide churches; we don't want to hear
you.' He then mounted the chair again and said to the people: 'I have
just heard that the last man who spoke belongs to the Latter-day
Saints,' and he began to rail against us. Elder Kimball asked him to
let him step into the chair to give out an appointment for a 3 o'clock
meeting, but he would not. Brother Kimball then raised his voice and
informed the people that some American preachers would speak there at 3
o'clock.
"At the appointed time we were at the place. The conduct of the
preacher and the excitement upon the subject brought a large
congregation to hear us. I opened the meeting by singing and prayer,
and spoke about twenty minutes, from Gal. i:8 and 9, and was followed
by Elder Kimball, for about the same length of time. The people gave
good attention and seemed to be much interested in what they heard.
"After meeting, Mr. Corner invited us home; but soon after we arrived
at his house Elder Kimball felt impressed to return to the place where
we had preached. When he got there he found a large company talking
about the things which they had heard, and they wished him to speak
to them again. He did so, and addressed them at considerable length,
and afterwards several invited him home to their houses. While he was
away, a man who had been a preacher came to Mr. Corner's; I gave him a
brief account of the great work of God in the last days, and he and the
others who were listening received the things which I spoke unto them.
Mr. Corner offered himself for baptism; he was the first man in London
to do so. We appointed the next evening as the time to administer the
ordinance of baptism to him. After supping with him, we returned home.
I was weary and ill during the night, but felt thankful unto the Lord
for the privilege of preaching to the inhabitants of that great city,
and of having gained one soul as a seal to our ministry.
"On the 31st of August we reaped the first fruits of our {125} labors,
and laid the first living stone of the Church of Jesus Christ in
England's great metropolis. We walked into the city and called upon Mr.
Corner, who went forward with us to the public baths, and received the
initiatory ordinance of the gospel. Returning to the house of Brother
Corner, Elders Kimball, Smith, and myself laid our hands upon his head
and confirmed him a member of the Church. We returned to our homes that
night, thankful to God for His goodness in blessing our labors even
thus much.
"On the 2nd of September I was quite ill. I had not been well for
several days, but now I was obliged to keep in my room. Elders Kimball
and Smith went into the city to visit the people, and found some who
hearkened favorably to them. By this time we had learned that London
was the hardest place for a mission that we had ever undertaken; but we
did not feel discouraged in the least, and were determined in the name
of the Lord to set up the standard of Christ's Kingdom in that city.
The following day I was still confined to my room most of the time, but
on the next, Elders Kimball and Smith went to Debtford, and I took a
walk into the city, called upon Brother Corner, and found him in good
spirits. I also called upon Mr. Panther, 17 Warf, City Road, Basin, who
was a director of a Methodist chapel; I asked him for the chapel to
preach in. He said he had a schoolhouse which would hold two hundred
persons, and I might have that on Sunday, so I gave out an appointment
at Bowl Court, 137 Shoreditch. I conversed with several others who
received my testimony, and one woman said she would be baptized.
"Next day I wrote to Elder Browett of my Herefordshire field of labor,
walked to Brother Corner's and visited several other friends. Two
offered themselves for baptism. I visited St. Paul's, then returned
home. Elders Kimball and Smith had just returned from a visit to
the Rev. Robert Aitken. He received them kindly, acknowledged their
doctrine to be true, but was afraid of deception. His mind was in a
disturbed condition. In the evening we held a meeting in the Temperance
Hall; but we had almost the bare walls to preach to, there being only
about thirty present. I preached to those for about an hour, and Elder
Kimball followed me. After paying seven shillings and sixpence for the
use of the hall, we returned to our lodgings.
{126} "On September 9th I paid my bills, called upon friends in company
with Brothers Kimball and Smith, and on the day following I parted from
the brethren and friends in London to return to Herefordshire. We had
spent twenty-three days in the great Babylon of modern times, and had
found it harder to establish the Church there than in any other place
we had ever been. We had baptized one man, and ordained him a priest;
six others had given in their names to be baptized on the following
Sunday; and at this time there was some little prospect of the Rev.
Robert Aitken receiving the work. I therefore left London, feeling that
our mission and labors had not been altogether in vain.
"I was rejoiced on my return to the churches to find that in
Herefordshire the work was rapidly progressing. In some cases it was
even reaching the nobility, and a lady of title had become convinced,
through our ministry, of the work of God. Lady Roberts was of the
nobility of England, and a lady of wealth; she had withdrawn form the
Church of England and had traveled much in search of truth, looking
for the fulfillment of the prophets. She became acquainted with the
fulness of the gospel through a female servant in the employ of
Squire Dowdswell, and began to investigate the subject. The spirit
of God rested upon her and convinced her of the truth of the work.
She obtained the four published numbers of the Millennial Star, and,
fearing that she would not be able to obtain them for herself, copied
the whole of them with her pen. She also read the Book of Mormon and
copied a part of that, and became perfectly convinced of the truth of
the work of which she read; she said she would go a thousand miles if
necessary to see some of the Twelve and be baptized under their hands.
Hearing that I was in London, she was about to take a journey there to
see me and the other brethren, and be baptized. She had two brothers
who were ministers of the Church of England.
"On the 21st of September, 1840, we held the Frome's Hill conference,
at which were represented 24 churches with 754 members, 14 elders,
51 priests, 9 teachers, and 1 deacon. The Bran Green and Frome's
Hill conferences were now composed of 40 churches, 1007 members, 19
elders, 78 priests, 15 teachers, and 1 deacon. These two conferences,
with their forty branch churches {127} and over a thousand organized
members, under the direction of one hundred and thirteen ordained
officers, had been raised up within six and one-half months. Surely the
work of God had been marvelous--unparalleled perhaps in the history of
any new religious movement.
"I meditated upon these things, and in my journal of September 21st,
1840, I wrote thus: 'This has been a busy day with me. After standing
upon my feet from morning till evening. I am called to shake hands with
hundreds of Saints who have glad hearts and cheerful countenances. It
is with no ordinary feelings that I mediate upon the cheering fact
that a thousand souls have been baptized into the new and everlasting
covenant in about half a year, in one field which God has enabled me to
open. I pray Him to accept the gratitude of my heart for His mercies
and blessings unto me in this thing, and to enable me to stand with
these Saints and all the righteous in His celestial kingdom.' This
day I stood upon my feet eight hours in conference, conversed much
of the time in suggesting, speaking, etc.; ordained about thirty,
confirmed some, healed many who were sick, shook hands with about four
hundred Saints, walked two miles, and ended with about four hours
chimney-corner preaching. I then lay down to rest, and dreamed of
catching fish.
"The church ministers in this region were stirred up very much at
this time, because of the success of the work of God in the midst of
the people, and every exertion was made by them to stay its progress.
They were finding that the Lord was delivering their flocks out of
their hands and giving them unto the shepherds of the Church of the
Saints. They were alarmed, and were holding conventions and meetings to
contrive plans and adopt means to overthrow the latter-day work of God,
which they understood not, and believed not, yet feared its power. And
well indeed they might; for in some instances they did not have more
than ten or fifteen at their churches on the Sabbath, while around them
on every hand they had seen forty branches of two organized conferences
of the Church of Latter-day Saints spring up in about six months,
with over a thousand members and between one and two hundred offices
ordained to scatter the seed of the gospel everywhere in this prolific
field.
{128} "On the 25th of September I again took leave of the Saints in my
Herefordshire field of labor, to attend the Staffordshire conference
which was held at Hanley. The day after the conference I baptized
one, and preached at Tunstell; and on the next evening I preached at
Burslem to a crowded house. The power of God rested upon me, and great
solemnity pervaded the congregation. The spirit of God was moving the
people, and they felt that the Lord was doing a work in their midst."
{129}