THE ELDERS SAIL FOR HOME--A STORM AT SEA--HOW HEBER FOUND FAVOR WITH
THE STEWARD--ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK--THE "GARRICK" AGAIN VICTORIOUS--
JOURNEY TO KIRTLAND--ON TO FAR WEST--HAPPY MEETING WITH JOSEPH AND THE
BRETHREN.
Homeward bound!
Sheathed the sword and furled the banner.
The battle won, the fortress stormed and taken.
For a little season, rest and change, ere again the trumpet sounds,
and the warrior is resummoned to the fray.
It was indeed a campaign of victory from which the Elders were
returning. The laurel wreath was theirs, bravely and fairly earned.
Yet not for worldly honors and applause had they been striving. These,
to the true servant of Christ, are ever the last consideration. The
praise of man they neither expected nor desired. Their reward was with
them, a reward never wrongly bestowed; the approval of a good
conscience and the favor of their Maker; meed only of worthy motives,
and of duty well performed.
Again on board the _Garrick_, upon the bosom of the heaving main.
It was on the 20th of April, 1838, that the Elders embarked for home.
"Soon after we left Liverpool," says Heber, "a great storm came on,
with a head wind, which continued without cessation for several days,
and did considerable damage to the vessel; the bowsprit was broken
twice, by the force of the wind, with only the jib sail set; the boom
likewise came down with great force, near where the captain was
standing, but he fortunately escaped; several other parts of the
rigging were much torn and injured. During the continuance of the
storm, Brothers Hyde and Russell were very sick. After this we had
more favorable weather.
"When we had been on the water two weeks, I asked permission of the
captain for one of us to preach, which request was cheerfully complied
with, and the second cabin was prepared for the occasion. Brother
Russell preached, after which Brother Hyde made some observations;
they were listened to with great attention, and the congregation
appeared very much satisfied.
"The Lord gave us favor in the eyes of the captain and passengers, who
treated us with respect and kindness. One reason for obtaining this
universal favor of the ship's company was, the steward of the ship had
charge of a fine Durham cow, which was larger than the medium size of
our oxen; the cow became sick and the steward was very sorry, because
she was their only dependence to supply the cabin passengers with
milk. I went and looked at the cow and discovered that she could not
raise her cud. I told the steward to cut for me a half dozen slices of
fat pork, as large as my hand, which he did; and I gave them to the
cow, when she soon got well. From that time forth the steward sent us
turtle soup, wine, and every luxury the ship afforded, and made us
many presents.
"May 12th, we came in sight of New York, and in the evening secured a
landing, after a passage of twenty-two and a half days."
It will be remembered that the _Garrick_, on its first voyage, bearing
these Elders to England, won a wager of ten thousand dollars, arriving
at Liverpool a few lengths ahead of the packet ship _South America_,
both vessels having left New York at the same time, and keeping in
sight of each other during the whole of the way. Another victory was
now scored by the _Garrick_ in arriving at the port of New York.
Was it because these Mormon Apostles were again on board, returning
themselves from a great spiritual contest, in which God had given them
the victory? Judge, reader, for yourself. Here is the Apostle Heber's
record of the event:
"There was a wager made at Liverpool whether the _New England_ or the
_Garrick_ would arrive in port first. When we passed Sandy Hook the
_New England_ was four or five miles ahead of us; some of our officers
remarked she would go in before us, but I told them she would not, as
I had said at Liverpool we would go in first. At this time neither of
the ships were sailing more than three knots an hour, when suddenly
the wind left the sails of the _New England_, and a fair wind struck
our sails, and we ran in one hour ahead of her."
Continuing, the prophet Heber says:
"We landed and went into the city of New York with several of the
passengers, who purchased some refreshments, and after we returned,
bade us partake with them, and we all rejoiced together; we then bowed
before the Lord and offered up the gratitude of our hearts for all His
mercies, in prospering us on our mission, and bringing us safely
across the mighty deep, to behold once more the land of our nativity,
and the prospect of soon embracing our families and friends.
"Sunday, 13th, we went in search of Brother Fordham, whom we found
after some trouble. He was glad to see us, and immediately took us to
the house of Brother Wandel Mace, where we were glad to see our
beloved brother Orson Pratt, who was then laboring in that city, and
who, with his brother Parley P. Pratt, had been instrumental in
bringing many into the kingdom there. And now I had the pleasure of
witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy I delivered to Brother
Fordham when I started for England.
"We accompanied Brother Orson Pratt to the house where the Saints
assembled to worship. We found about eighty persons assembled, all of
whom had recently joined the Church. After singing and prayer, I was
requested to give an account of our mission to England, which I did.
In the evening Elders' Russell and Hyde preached; afterwards some came
forward and offered themselves as candidates for baptism. The short
time we were in New York was spent very agreeably with the Saints.
"On the 14th we bade adieu to the brethren, and continued our journey
by steamboat, railroad and canal, and arrived at Kirtland May 22nd,
having been absent eleven months and nine days.
"I found my family in good health, and as comfortably situated as I
could expect; our joy was mutual. The Saints likewise welcomed us
home, for which I felt thankful to my heavenly Father.
"But my journey was not yet ended; for soon after my arrival in
Kirtland I commenced making preparations to move my family to the
State of Missouri, where Brother Joseph and the greater part of the
authorities of the Church, and almost all the members who had any
faith in Mormonism, had already removed. The cause of their removal to
the west was the persecutions to which they were subject in Kirtland.
The brethren who yet resided there, although very kind and
affectionate, were weak in the faith, in consequence of trials and
temptations. This caused us to grieve exceedingly, and we resolved to
cheer them up as much as we possibly could. We preached in the house
of the Lord a few times, recounted our travels and the great success
that had attended our labors; also the marvelous work which the Lord
had commenced in England. They began to take courage, their confidence
increased, their faith was strengthened, and they again realized the
blessings of Jehovah.
"About the 1st of July I commenced my journey with my family,
accompanied by Elders Orson Hyde, Erastus Snow and Winslow Farr, two
brothers by the name of Badger, and the widow Beeman, with their
families, numbering about forty souls. We took wagons to Wellsville,
on the Ohio River, about a hundred and thirty miles; then took
steamboat to St. Louis, also thence to Richmond on Missouri River.
Elder Hyde stayed at Richmond several days. We there procured wagons
and went to Far West, where we arrived in safety on the twenty-fifth
of July, and had a happy meeting with Joseph, Hyrum and Sidney, some
of the Twelve, and numbers of our friends and brethren, some of whom
were so glad to see us, that tears started in their eyes when we took
them by the hand.
"During our journey from Kirtland to Missouri, the weather was
extremely warm, in consequence of which I suffered very much, my body
being weakened by sickness, and I continued very feeble for a
considerable length of time.
"Sunday, July 20th, I met Joseph, Sidney and Hyrum on the public
square, as they started for Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Joseph requested me to
preach to the Saints and give them a history of my mission, saying,
'It will revive their spirits and do them good,' which I did, although
I was scarcely able to stand. I related many things respecting my
mission and travels, which were gladly received by them, whose hearts
were cheered by the recital, while many of the Elders were stirred up
to diligence, and expressed a great desire to accompany me when I
should return to England."