THE QUORUM OF THE APOSTLES GO ON MISSION TO ENGLAND--THEIR LANDING IN
GREAT BRITAIN--THEY HOLD A CONFERENCE--A HOLIDAY FESTIVAL--MOTHER MOON
AND FAMILY--SUMMARY OF A YEAR'S LABORS--CROWNING PERIOD OF THE BRITISH
MISSION.
Scarcely had the saints made their exodus from Missouri--while many of
them were still domiciled in tents on the banks of the Mississippi, and
Nauvoo could only boast of a few rude houses to prophesy the glory of
a "second Zion"--ere nine of the quorum of the apostles were abroad,
working their missionary wonders in foreign lands. From that period
to the present (1877), the history of the Latter-day Church, with its
emigrations, has quite one-half belonged to the European mission, which
has given to America one hundred thousand emigrants.
Early in the year 1840 (January 11th), apostles Wilford Woodruff
and John Taylor, with Elder Theodore Turley, landed on the shores
of England. They chose their several fields of labor and soon were
actively engaged in the ministry.
On the 19th of March of the same year Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball,
George A. Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, and Reuben Hedlock
sailed from New York on board the _Patrick Henry_. A number of the
saints came down to the wharf to bid them farewell. When the elders got
into the small-boat to go out to the ship, the saints on shore sang
"The Gallant Ship is Under Way," etc., in which song the elders joined
until their voices were separated by the distance.
Liverpool was reached by these apostles on the 6th of April. It was the
anniversary of the organization of the Church, just ten years before.
The next day they found Elder Taylor and John Moon, with about thirty
saints who had just received the work in that place, and on the day
following they went to Preston by railroad.
In Preston, the cradle of the British mission, the apostles were met
by a multitude of saints, who rejoiced exceedingly at the event of the
arrival of the twelve in that land.
Willard Richards immediately hastened to Preston and gave an account
of the churches in the British isles, over which he had been presiding
during the interval from the return of Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde
to America. The president of the twelve at once commenced to grapple
with the work in foreign lands, convened a conference, and wrote to
Wilford Woodruff to attend.
It was on the 14th of April, 1840, that the first council of the twelve
apostles, in a foreign land, was held at Preston. There were present
Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P Pratt, Orson Pratt, John
Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and George A. Smith. These proceeded to
ordain Willard Richards to their quorum, and then Brigham Young was
chosen, by a unanimous vote, the standing president of the twelve.
Then followed, during the next two days, "A General Conference of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," held in the Temperance
Hall at Preston, with Heber C. Kimball presiding, and William Clayton
clerk. There were represented at this time, one thousand six hundred
and seventy-one members, thirty-four elders, fifty-two priests,
thirty-eight teachers, and eight deacons.
The conference over, the apostles kept the old Christian holiday of
Good Friday, to regale their spirits after their long journey, which
had so quickly followed the many vicissitudes of persecution in their
native land, and before separating again on their arduous mission.
The place chosen to spend their holiday was the village of Penwortham,
two miles from Preston. That day Mother Moon made a feast for the
apostles at her house. From her treasury of "fat things" she brought
forth a bottle of wine which she had kept for forty years. This the
elders blessed and then partook of it. That bottle of wine is spoken
of to this day. The family of Mother Moon has also a history. Here is
their page, from Heber's journal of his first mission abroad:
"Having an appointment to preach in the village of Wrightington, while
on the way I stopped at the house of Brother Francis Moon, when I was
informed that the family of Matthias Moon had sent a request by him for
me to visit them, that they might have the privilege of conversing with
me on the subject of the gospel. Accordingly Brother Amos Fielding and
I paid them a visit that evening. We were very kindly received by the
family, and had considerable conversation on the subject of my mission
to England, and the great work of the Lord in the last days. They
listened with attention to my statements, but at the same time they
appeared to be prejudiced against them. We remained in conversation
until a late hour, and then returned home. On our way Brother Fielding
observed that he thought our visit had been in vain, as the family
seemed to have considerable prejudice. I answered, be not faithless but
believing; we shall yet see great effects from this visit, for I know
that some of the family have received the testimony, and will shortly
manifest the same; at which remark he seemed surprised.
"The next morning I continued my journey to Wrightington and Hunter's
Hill. After spending two or three days in that vicinity, preaching, I
baptized seven of the family of Benson, and others, and organized a
branch.
"I returned by the way of Brother Fielding's, with whom I again tarried
for the night. The next morning I started for Preston, but when I got
opposite the lane leading to Mr. Moon's, I was forcibly led by the
spirit of the Lord to call and see them again. I therefore directed
my steps to the house. On my arrival I knocked at the door. Mrs. Moon
exclaimed: 'Come in! come in! You are welcome here! I and the lasses
(meaning her daughters) have just been calling on the Lord, and praying
that he would send you this way.' She then informed me of her state of
mind since I was there, and said she at first rejected my testimony,
and endeavored to think lightly on the things I had advanced, but on
trying to pray, the heavens seemed like brass over her head, and it
was like iron under her feet. She did not know what was the matter,
saying, 'Certainly the man has not bewitched me, has he?' And upon
inquiring she found it was the same with the lasses. They then began
to reflect on the things I told them, and thinking it possible that
I had told them the truth, they resolved to lay the case before the
Lord, and beseech him to give them a testimony concerning the things I
had testified of. She then observed that as soon as they did so light
broke in upon their minds; they were convinced that I was a messenger
of salvation; that it was the work of the Lord, and they had resolved
to obey the gospel. That evening I baptized Mr. Moon and his wife, and
four of his daughters. * * * I visited Mr. Moon again, and baptized the
remainder of his family, consisting of thirteen souls, the youngest of
whom was over twenty years of age. They received the gospel as little
children, and rejoiced exceedingly in its blessings. The sons were very
good musicians and the daughters excellent singers. When they united
their instruments and voices in the songs of Zion the effect was truly
transporting. Before I left England there were about thirty of that
family and connections baptized, five of whom--Hugh, John, Francis,
William and Thomas Moon--were ordained to be fellow-laborers with us
in the vineyard, and I left them rejoicing in the truths they had
embraced."
After their short rest in Preston, refreshed and inspired by the
communion of so many of their quorum, these apostles rose like giants
to their work. Brigham Young and Willard Richards went with Wilford
Woodruff into Herefordshire, where Brigham obtained money to publish
the Book of Mormon; Heber C. Kimball visited the disciples whom he had
brought into the Church during his first mission; Orson Pratt went
into Scotland, George A. Smith went into Staffordshire, John Taylor
continued his labors at Liverpool, where he raised up a conference, and
Parley P. Pratt repaired to Manchester to publish the _Millennial Star_.
A year passed. Here is the summary of its history, from Brigham Young's
journal:
"It was with a heart full of thanksgiving and gratitude to God, my
Heavenly Father, that I reflected upon his dealings with me and my
brethren of the twelve during the past year of my life, which was spent
in England. It truly seems a miracle to look upon the contrast between
our landing and departing from Liverpool. We landed in the spring of
1840, as strangers in a strange land, and penniless, but through the
mercy of God we have gained many friends, established churches in
almost every noted town and city of Great Britain, baptized between
seven and eight thousand souls, printed five thousand Books of Mormon,
three thousand hymn-books, two thousand five hundred volumes of the
_Millennial Star_, and fifty thousand tracts; emigrated to Zion one
thousand souls, establishing a permanent shipping agency, which will
be a great blessing to the saints, and have left sown in the hearts of
many thousands the seed of eternal life, which shall bring forth fruit
to the honor and glory of God; and yet we have lacked nothing to eat,
drink or wear; in all these things I acknowledge the hand of God."
But even this was eclipsed by the results of the next ten years.
Besides the thousands who had emigrated, the British mission, at the
culmination of this third period, numbered nearly forty thousand souls.
The _Millennial Star_ reached a weekly circulation of twenty-two
thousand; and there were half a million of Orson Pratt's tracts in
circulation throughout the land. This crowning period was during the
presidencies of Orson Spencer, Orson Pratt, and Franklin and Samuel
Richards.
Too vast this missionary work abroad, and too crowded its events, for
us to follow the historic details; but we shall, however, frequently
hereafter meet representative women from Europe, and read in their
sketches many episodes of the saints in foreign lands.