CHAPTER IV.

PROGRESS IN LEARNING TO SPEAK GERMAN--COMMUNICATION

FROM THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR--NOTIFIED TO

LEAVE ZURICH--GO TO SCHAFFHAUSEN--THE FALLS OF

THE RHINE--UNABLE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION TO REMAIN

IN THE CANTON--SEEK ANOTHER PLACE OF RETREAT--LODGE

WITH A FAMILY OF SAINTS--DIFFICULTY IN KEEPING

SECLUDED--CALLED TO GENEVA--RETURN TO ENGLAND.

The Saints in Zurich and vicinity were enjoying much of the Holy Spirit

and rejoicing greatly in the faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ;

they were beginning to comfort themselves with hopes that I might be

permitted, after all, to remain among them unmolested; and I was, under

the blessing of God, making such progress in conversation as encouraged

me in hopes of being still more useful, when at length I received the

following communication from the British ambassador:

"BERNE, JANUARY 11, 1855.

"Sir:--I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th

ult., and of your passport transmitted to me therein.

"The information conveyed in that letter, that you belonged to the

sect denominated 'Mormons,' and the indication it contained that you

were in the habit of preaching its doctrines, alike revolting and

opposed to civilization and religion, led me to anticipate the results

of my application to the Federal Council for explanation as to the

motive of your threatened expulsion from the canton of Zurich. But

having requested such an explanation at the hands of the authorities

here. I thought it right to allow the matter to take its course and

I therefore waited until I should receive from the Federal Council

a reply to the note I had written on the subject. This reply I only

received yesterday morning and I was fully prepared for the tenor of

its contents. These are in brief to the effect, that Mormonism has

lately been on the increase in the canton of Zurich, and its preaching

and ceremonial acts have given rise to disorders in one locality on

account of their immoral tendency, so that the police had deemed it

necessary to refuse to the two Mormon teachers permission to reside in

the canton; that you are one of these teachers, that you have hitherto

resided in the district without legal permission to do so, and that

it is the refusal to grant you such permission (which is required

by Zurich law for Swiss citizens as well as foreigners and may be

refused by the authorities to any one on just causes) of which you now

complain.

"It is further observed in the note of the Federal Council, that the

Government of Zurich, considering that Budge belongs to the sect of

the Mormons, and devotes himself to the propagation of their tenets,

that among these is found polygamy--a state of things incompatible

with the basis of social and family life in the above canton, and,

lastly, that the preaching of these individuals has occasioned

disorder, is of the opinion that the determination of the police of

Zurich is fully justified.

"The Federal Council itself approves of this determination on the

part of the Government of Zurich, and is of opinion that there are no

grounds for any longer delay being allowed, previous to your being

ordered to quit the canton. This decision was transmitted to Zurich by

last night's post.

"Coinciding as I do in the estimate formed of the pernicious doctrines

held and disseminated by you, according to your own admission in your

letter to me of the 20th of December, and considering that a Swiss

citizen acting in a similar manner would meet with precisely similar

treatment, I can see that I should not be authorized in interfering in

any way as the queen's representative here, to prevent the execution

of the order of the Zurich authorities--that you should leave the

canton immediately. If you will follow my recommendation you will

comply quietly with the order you have received, and in selecting

your destination, if you should still remain in Switzerland, you will

do well to recollect that other cantons have the same laws in this

respect as Zurich and that wherever you go it will be advisable for

you to refrain from preaching doctrines, which, whatever may be your

own belief, are abominated as in the highest degree blasphemous and

immoral, by the whole civilized world. I retain your passport in case

you should wish to have it signed by me, to render it valid for any

particular route you may decide on taking, and I will transmit it to

you on learning your intentions. I am, sir your obedient servant,

"G. V. R. GORDON,

"H. B. Majesty's Minister.

"To Mr. William Budge, Zurich."

The strong prejudice of the ambassador is very apparent in the opening

lines of his letter. The idea is conveyed, that he would not have

made any application at all on my behalf if he had known that I was

a "Mormon," that fact apart from the merits of the question at issue

would have been sufficient to cause him to neglect his duty as a

protector of his countrymen and their interests; but, having requested

such an explanation at the hands of the authorities, he "thought it

right to allow the matter to take its course." I thought as much when I

wrote my first letter, therefore made my protest urgent, and refrained

from introducing any religious consideration until he would commit

himself in an effort to do me justice.

The reply of the Federal Council as quoted, contained several

misrepresentations, but without them there would have been no showing

of necessity or consistency in expelling a stranger from a "free

republic." The disorders referred to were the acts of native mobocrats

without provocation, and there was no more immorality about the baptism

of believers into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than

the baptism of people into a Baptist community. It was not necessary to

refuse the two "Mormon teachers permission to reside in the canton," as

we had duly deposited our passports and met all requirements made upon

us by the authorities, and therefore did not ask for permission, which

we had long enjoyed.

In regard to polygamy, we did not teach it and had testified before the

authorities that we had no disposition or authority, even if we had

the power, to interfere with social life in the canton, by advising

the practice of our marriage views. It was true that "Mormonism"

was increasing and also the rage of the priests proportionately,

and as something had to be done to satisfy them, the rulers gave an

unrighteous decision, which was endorsed by a narrow-minded British

minister.

In a day or two after the ambassador's letter was received, I was

summoned before the police and received peremptory orders to leave the

canton in three days, or I would be arrested.

At last I was obliged to leave Zurich, and all our friends were full

of grief on account of the determination of the authorities to drive

us from the country. I had been pursuing my studies at all convenient

opportunities and was able now to teach the Saints with more freedom,

and since Elder Mayer's departure, the responsibility of the work in

this part of the mission had devolved upon me. The interest I felt in

the prosperity of the Saints was deep and abiding, and I sought the

help of the Lord to enable me to instruct them in those things which

were most necessary under the circumstances, feeling as we all did,

that I would probably soon leave them. I felt the importance of the

work being sustained in German Switzerland, so I determined to go no

further away than was absolutely necessary.

On January 16, 1855, I left Zurich for Schaffhausen, and arrived there

the next day, having walked part of the way. I had an introduction

from a sister to a family in this place on whom I called and by whom I

was kindly received, but it was necessary for me to obtain permission

to lodge with my friends; I therefore visited the police office and

explained that my passport was in the hands of the ambassador and would

reach me soon, and they concluded, "as an obligation," that I might

stay in town one night without it. On the second day of my arrival I

was summoned before the police and examined, and had to telegraph to

the ambassador, who replied that the passport was on the way, which for

the time prevented me, I suppose, from being locked up.

My passport arriving on the 20th, I went to the police office and

presented it, was closely questioned, and came to the conclusion

that there was not liberty enough to teach the truth in this place.

Schaffhausen is near the line between Switzerland and Germany, which

accounts for the unusual severity of its regulations. I was in hope of

doing some good, as the neighbors continued visiting my lodgings to

see and talk with the "Englishman," and smoke their pipes. In talking

we could hear, but it was with difficulty sometimes, when there were a

number present, to see each other through the smoke.

Near this city are the beautiful Rhine Falls which have a world-wide

reputation. I here introduce the following brief description of these

beautiful falls from a work lately published:

"The falls of the Rhine, near Schaffhausen are among the largest in

Europe. Though nothing in comparison with such falls as Niagara,

they are imposing and beautiful. Shortly after passing the pretty

town of Schaffhausen, the Rhine hastens, hurrying on for about three

miles narrowed between woody knolls and low rocks. By these rocks, in

the pass between Daschsen and Neuhausen, the river is divided into

three shoots, which dash down a depth of about seventy feet. The

spectacle of the falls is exceedingly fine on both banks, where every

accommodation is equally made for visitors to enjoy the scene.

"A fine view of the falls is obtained from the garden of the castle

of Laufen, on the left bank of the river. It is immediately opposite

the Schweizerhof, from which visitors can cross in a ferry-boat, fare

half a franc. The land belongs to a private family, but, by contract

with the canton of Zurich, strangers are permitted to visit the castle

and grounds; fee, one franc. A wooden balcony overhangs the rush

of waters. The actual fall here is about eighty feet. The water's

division into three shoots can be well seen. The largest body of water

falls during the months of June and July. Although this, one of the

finest falls in Europe, is not a Niagara, nevertheless the general

landscape is superior to that in the vicinity of Niagara falls. The

range of the Alps including Mont Blanc, distant 185 miles, can be seen

from this point and this alone would form a feature of the place."

After remaining several days in Schaffhausen without any apparent

results, I went to Weingarten and called on a Brother Bonnelli, of whom

I had heard, and was received by the family with great kindness. This

brother took my passport to the village authority, and was surprised

when that dignitary questioned him closely and declared that I was

a "Mormon." He was angry with Brother Bonnelli for entertaining me,

but eventually sent a permit allowing me to lodge at their house and

retained my passport.

I visited and conversed with Saints and strangers for several days

in Weingarten when quite unexpectedly I was summoned before the

_Stadthalter,_ where I received my passport and a notice to leave

the canton of Thurgau in two days. The _Stadthalter's_ instructions

contained no reason therefore, but he informed me it was because I

was a "Mormon." It was the settled policy of the cantons to drive

the Elders out of the country, and the decision of the federal

government as given in my case, when expelled from Zurich, sustained

them. The papers published every movement made by the authorities,

and all strangers being obliged to deposit their passports at the

nearest office that they might be permitted to stay where they desired

to settle or lodge for the time, it was impossible to remain long

undiscovered. To lodge in any house without the legal permit, providing

the family were willing, subjected them to fine or imprisonment, and

this was not desirable. I fully considered the circumstances and

probabilities in the spirit of prayer and supplication to my Heavenly

Father that He might guide and preserve me in my efforts to remain in

Switzerland until His servants were satisfied with the efforts made

to sustain the Church and warn the people. It was true that President

Tyler had left the responsibility with me as to what I ought to do,

but I was not yet quite satisfied, and finally determined to return

to a small village on the Lake of Zurich, where a faithful family of

Saints resided and where I might live unknown for a season, except to

the family, in whom I had great confidence. How to get there was the

question to be solved. On receiving my passport, when asked where I was

going as was usual, I replied to St. Gall, such being my intention at

the time, and the endorsement was made accordingly, but on reflection

it was almost certain that my intention would be known in St. Gall

before I could get there myself. To go to Kussnacht (the village on the

lake), which was almost in an opposite direction to St. Gall, would

probably be fatal to my liberty if my passport should be examined.

My first movement from Weingarten towards my place of refuge would

also bring me into the canton of Zurich, from which I had been twice

expelled; but if I could spend one night on the journey safely, I had

strong hopes of making the trip without detection.

On the afternoon of the 14th of February I left Brother Bonnelli's

house with regret, as we were doing good and the prospect was

encouraging. It rained all day and was very muddy under foot. I

therefore concluded to remain for the night at a small town named Elgg.

It was evening. I walked into a respectable looking hotel and arranged

for supper and lodging. The people were obliging, but to save trouble

I concluded not to use any more German than a few words, such as any

traveler is supposed to pick up in a few days. After drying my clothes

a little, as they were wet through with rain, I sat down to supper. Men

were coming and going during the evening as is usual in such places on

the continent of Europe. They come to chat with their neighbors, read

the papers, smoke and drink beer. I noticed a man sitting at the table

opposite me. He had been there some time, although we had not spoken

to each other. The man at length said to the waiter--of course in

German--"You have a stranger here."

"Yes," the waiter replied, "an Englishman, but he cannot speak German."

That was satisfactory to me as I went on with my supper, but directly

after, the man looking over to me, said (in German), "You are an

Englishman, I believe?"

"Ein Englaender," I replied, wishing to break off the conversation,

when, to my astonishment, he addressed me in pretty good English. After

asking several questions which led to an agreeable conversation, he

informed me that he was the chief authority of the village, and then

requested to look at my passport, which I at once handed him, but as I

at the moment complimented him on the ease and fluency with which he

spoke English (which seemed to gratify him), he probably did not notice

that, according to the last endorsement which was written upon the

document, I should have been on my way to St. Gall. My friend returned

the passport good-naturedly, signifying his approval and stating that

my staying at the hotel for the night was all right.

I was up early the next morning and had breakfast, but it rained so

heavily that I was detained an hour or two at the inn. On this day's

journey I passed through Winterthur and reached Zurich, as I intended,

just as it became dark, and passed through to Kussnacht, distance

during the day twenty-seven miles, but the walking was heavy as the

roads were bad, and the snow was in many places over eighteen inches

deep. The kind reception which I met with from Brother and Sister

Elleker and family filled me with gratitude to God and to them, and I

had need of their attention as I was completely worn out. I remained

with this most excellent family until the eighth day of March, in the

strictest seclusion, except when visited by a brother occasionally,

from Zurich. The family were silk-ribbon weavers and had necessarily

occasional callers. My apartment was up-stairs, but it was lonesome,

and as there were no arrangements for warming the rooms, I went below

to the sitting room as often as I could with safety. In doing this

I had some narrow escapes from being seen, as to return to my room

it was necessary to pass through a passage-way in view of the front

door. It is a very difficult thing for a person to keep hid in a

country like this, for a stranger is readily observed, and had the

neighbors' suspicions been once awakened, my hours of liberty would

have been few, and my protectors brought into serious trouble. As is

common in many houses in Switzerland, Brother Elleker's sitting room

was warmed by an oven projecting out from the wall, the mouth of the

furnace being in another apartment. The projection was probably not

less than five by four feet, and in height reached from the floor to

within eighteen inches or two feet of the ceiling. This is covered

on the sides and end with enameled pottery ware. The heat from the

inside makes this oven a very desirable place to lean against in cold

weather. In addition to other uses the people dry chicory on the top

of the oven, which is flat, before grinding it to use instead of

coffee. At Brother Elleker's, one side of the oven was near the wall

of the house, leaving room for a number of narrow steps leading to the

top. These steps were a favorite resting-place for me, as by going up

a step or two I could not be seen, unless a visitor came well round

into the room; if one did or was likely to do so, I got on top of the

oven where I was entirely hid, as a curtain covered the space between

the top of the oven and the ceiling. A neighbor woman came in one day

whose movements were suspicious and I got on the top, but it happened

that the top was entirely covered with small pieces of chicory,

quite dry and, of course, very hard. There being no time to consider

comfort, I was quickly, hands and knees, on the ragged edges of the

dried root, and, to my consternation, from under the curtain I saw the

woman deliberately plant herself against the side of the oven. You may

imagine my condition, as the heat was oppressive and the chicory to my

feelings got every moment harder. Sister Elleker did her best to get

rid of her neighbor, without telling her to go, and when she succeeded

I came down the steps without the least approach to hilarity in my

disposition.

Shortly after arriving at Brother Elleker's I was in communication

with a few of the leading brethren in Zurich, and one at a time would

occasionally come and see me, the distance being only five or six

miles, and I availed myself of every opportunity to instruct them in

their duties. I also kept President Tyler acquainted occasionally with

my whereabouts and condition.

On March 8th I received a telegram from President Tyler, desiring

me to come to him at Geneva, which I at once prepared to do. I had

become somewhat uneasy, as the visits of the brethren, although made

with great caution, were being noticed by the neighbors, and I was

satisfied I could not at present forward the cause to any great extent,

not enough to justify the constant risk to myself and others. I and

other Elders had been in all the Protestant German cantons, but two or

three which we were not warranted in visiting, as they were strongly

prejudiced and only in name removed from the bigotry and bitterness of

Catholicism, and we had been expelled from, or prohibited from teaching

in all we had visited; and during the last three months I had been

summoned before the police authorities in different places no less than

thirteen times.

I bade my kind friends an affectionate farewell and blessed them for

their kindness and consideration which they had manifested towards me,

and in a few days was united with my brethren in Geneva again.

Brother Tyler had written to President F. D. Richards, at Liverpool,

in regard to my future labors, as there was no opening then in

Switzerland, suggesting that there might be an opportunity to open

up the work in Germany, but the result of the correspondence was the

decision that I should return to England for the present.

I remained in Geneva until the 20th of April, 1855, (expecting to take

a small party of Italian Saints from Lyons to Liverpool, on their way

to the valleys of Utah, but circumstances prevented their coming), when

I left for England by way of Dijon and Paris, where I duly arrived

after an absence of seven months.

With regard to the feelings of the Swiss nation, within the last thirty

years the policy of the government and the sentiment of the people have

undergone a great change in favor of liberty. In 1876, Elder J. U.

Stucki, then president of the Swiss and German Missions, was summoned

before a district judge for certain expressions relating to polygamy,

in a pamphlet which he had published, and he was fined fifty francs

and an order was made for the confiscation of the book. Elder Stucki

appealed to the supreme court of the canton (Berne) which confirmed the

decision of the lower court; but the decision of the judges not being

unanimous, Brother Stucki, encouraged, carried the case before the

supreme court of the nation which reversed the two former rulings--a

result which led to much inquiry by strangers and renewed prosperity

for the Church.

I visited Switzerland again in 1879, visiting Schaffhausen, Wienfelden,

Zurich, Berne and many other places, attending public meetings without

using a passport at all, although I had one with me.

Within the last few weeks, in answer to an application for the

repression of "Mormonism" in Berne Oberland (the district from which

Elder Secrist was expelled in 1854) the authorities declared in effect,

that the Latter-day Saints had as much right to preach their doctrines

as any other religious denomination had to expound theirs.

THE FAITH OF THE ZUNIS.

BY LLEWELLYN HARRIS.

TRADITIONS OF THE ZUNIS--THREE CHILDREN HEALED--ADMINISTER

TO 406 INDIANS WHO WERE ATTACKED WITH

THE SMALL-POX, MOST OF WHOM RECOVER--OPPOSED BY

A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND OTHERS--FATE OF MY

OPPOSERS.

I arrived at the Zuni village on the 20th of January, 1878, on my way

to the Mexican settlements, to preach the gospel.

Circumstances caused me to stay at Zuni eight days, thus giving me an

opportunity to become acquainted with their traditions, customs and

history.

They say that, before the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, the Zuni

Indians lived in Mexico. Some of them still claim to be the descendants

of Montezuma. At the time of the conquest they fled to Arizona, and

settled there. They were at one time a very powerful tribe, as the

ruins all over that part of the country testify. They have always been

considered a very industrious people. The fact that they have at one

time been in a state of civilization far in advance of what they are at

present, is established beyond a doubt. Before the Catholic religion

was introduced among them, they worshiped the sun. At present they are

nearly all Catholics. A few of them have been baptized into our Church

by Brothers Ammon M. Tenney and R. H. Smith, and nearly all the tribe

say they are going to be baptized.

They have a great many words in the language like the Welsh, and with

the same meaning.

Their tradition says that over three hundred years before the conquest

of Mexico by the Spaniards, some white men landed in Mexico and told

the Indians that they had come from the regions beyond the sea to the

east. They say that from these white men came the ancient kings of

Mexico, from whom Montezuma descended.

These white men were known to the Indians of Mexico by the name of

_Cambaraga;_ and are still remembered so in the traditions of the

Zuni Indians. In time those white people became mixed with Indians, by

marriage, until scarcely a relic of them remained. A few traditions of

the Mexican Indians and a few Welsh words among the Zunis, Navajos, and

Moquises are all that can be found of that people now.

I have the history of the ancient Britons, which speaks of Prince

Madoc, who was the son of Owen Guynedd, king of Wales, having sailed

from Wales, in the year 1160, with three ships. He returned in the year

1163, saying he had found a beautiful country, across the western sea.

He left Wales again in the year 1164 with fifteen ships and three

thousand men. He was never again heard of.

The circumstances of the healing of the Indians who were affected with

the small pox, which occurred during my stay among the Zunis, are as

follows:

I put up with a Zuni Indian known as Captain Lochee, who had three

children sick with the small-pox. After I had been asleep two or

three hours, I was awakened by the cries of the family and some of

the neighbors who had come in. I arose and inquired the cause of the

crying, and was informed by Captain Lochee that his daughter, a child

of about twelve years of age, was dying. I saw she was gasping for

breath. I felt like administering to her then, but the Spirit of the

Lord prompted me to wait a little longer. I waited until she had done

gasping and did not appear to breathe. The Spirit of the Lord moved

upon me very strongly to administer to her, which I did; she revived

and slept well the remainder of the night. I also administered to the

other two who were sick in the same house that night. All was quiet the

remainder of the night, and all seemed much better in the morning. The

news of this spread through the town, and the next day I was called to

visit about twenty-five families, all of whom had one or more sick with

the small-pox. They also wished me to administer to the sick, which

I did. I was called upon to visit from ten to twenty families a day

for four days after my arrival, and administered to their sick. The

power of the Lord was made manifest to such a degree that nearly all I

administered to recovered. The disease was spreading so rapidly that I

was unable to visit all the houses. One morning about eight o'clock one

of the Zuni women came for me to go and visit the sick; she took me to

a house which had a large room in it, about twenty by forty feet. When

I entered the room I found they had gathered the sick from all parts of

the village, till they had completely filled the house. The stench that

arose and the horrible sight that met my eyes is beyond description.

They had a Spaniard there, who understood the Zuni language, for an

interpreter, who told me they wanted me to administer to all those who

were sick in the room. I being the only Elder in the village, it seemed

to be a great task to administer to so many, but I called on the Lord

to strengthen me. I commenced, and as fast as I administered to them

they were removed, but other sick ones were continually being brought

in. It was late in the afternoon before I could perceive that they

began to diminish in numbers. When I had administered to the last one

and went out, the sun had set and it was getting dark. The Spaniard who

had stayed there all day asked me if I knew how many I had prayed for.

I told him that I did not keep count; he said he had, and that it was

406. The next morning my arms were so sore that I could hardly move

them.

There was a Presbyterian minister in the village, who became jealous

of the influence I was gaining with the Indians. He persuaded two

Spaniards, one Navajo Indian, one albino Zuni, and one of the Zuni

medicine men to circulate lies and frighten the Zunis, telling them

that those who were healed were healed by the power of the devil.

I felt weak from the effects of administering so much, and, on the

second day after administering to the 406, I started for the settlement

in Savoia valley. The next day after arriving in Savoia I was taken

down with a severe fever, which lasted about a week. I stopped with

the family of Brother John Hunt, who treated me very kindly. It was

about three weeks before I was able to resume my journey to the Mexican

settlements on the Rio Grande. I spent about four months preaching

to the Mexican people in New Mexico. When I arrived at Savoia on my

return, I was informed by the brethren that the minister who opposed me

at Zuni had passed there and was nearly dead with the consumption. When

I arrived at Zuni I was told by some of the most reliable Zunis that

all to whom I had administered recovered, excepting five or six that

the minister gave medicine to, and four or five that the medicine man

had tried to cure by magic. The medicine man that opposed me had died

during my absence, and the Navajo who opposed me, on returning home,

was killed by his people to keep the small-pox from spreading among

them.

This is a true statement of the manner in which the power of God was

made manifest among the Zunis, and also the judgments of God which

followed some of those who opposed it. It seemed that I was, by the

providence of God, cast among them; and I felt that I was one of the

weakest of my brethren, and to ask the Lord to strengthen me if it

was His will to make His power manifest through me. If the Lord had

not strengthened me I could not have borne up under what I passed

through at Zuni. (Brother Ammon M. Tenney, who questioned the Indians

themselves in regard to this miraculous event, says they testify as a

body to the truthfulness of the narrative.--_Ed._ )

SKETCH OF A WELL-SPENT LIFE.

BY HARRISON BURGESS.

CHAPTER I.

MY BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD--EMBRACE THE GOSPEL--A VISION--GATHER

WITH THE SAINTS AT KIRTLAND--ZION'S CAMP--MANIFESTATIONS

IN THE TEMPLE--THE SAINTS DRIVEN

FROM MISSOURI--THE PROPHET AND PATRIARCH MARTYRED--OUR

JOURNEY WESTWARD--SENT ON A MISSION.

I was born September 3, 1814, in the town of Putnam, Washington Co.,

State of New York. I lived with my parents until upwards of fourteen

years of age, and, being the eldest of my father's family, I was kept

constantly at work and had but little opportunity of acquiring an

education. My father made no profession of religion, but led a moral

and virtuous life. My childhood was not marked with any crime, although

I paid but little or no attention to religion until the seventeenth

year of my age. In July, 1832, when I first heard the fullness of

the gospel proclaimed by Elder Simeon Carter, I was convinced that

the scriptures were true and that the Book of Mormon was a divine

revelation from heaven. I was baptized and spent the following Winter

in going to school, working for my board and in meeting with the

Saints. In the Spring of 1833, I started in company with Brother John

S. Carter to the State of Vermont, where we labored about two months

and then returned to New York State.

On the third Sabbath in May while speaking to a congregation I declared

that I knew that the Book of Mormon and the work of God were true. The

next day while laboring in the field something seemed to whisper to

me, "Do you know the Book of Mormon is true?" My mind became perplexed

and darkened, and I was so tormented in spirit that I left my work

and retired into the woods. The misery and distress that I there

experienced cannot be described. The tempter all the while seemed to

say, "Do you know the Book of Mormon is true?" I remained in this

situation about two hours. Finally I resolved to know, by exercising

faith similar to that which the brother of Jared possessed, whether I

had proclaimed the truth or not, and commenced praying to the God of

heaven for a testimony of these things. Suddenly a glorious personage

clothed in white stood before me and exhibited to my view the plates

from which the Book of Mormon was taken.

In September, 1834, I started with my father's family for Kirtland,

Ohio, as it was necessary for him to stay to transact some business.

On my journey I accidentally met with the Prophet Joseph Smith, in

Springfield, Pennsylvania; I there saw him for the first time, and

heard him preach. I arrived in Kirtland and tarried there through

the Winter, during which time Brother Joseph received a revelation

calling for the strength of the Lord's house to go to Jackson Co.,

Missouri, for the redemption of Zion. I was one among the rest that

volunteered to go and fulfill this commandment. I started in March,

1834, in company with Joseph Smith and others. We had a long and

tedious journey, and arrived in Missouri on the last of June. While

the camp tarried there Brother Joseph received the word of the Lord

by revelation, relative to the camp, informing us that we were not to

fight at that time; that Zion could not be redeemed then; and that he

had required us to come thus far, as a trial of our faith; that He had

accepted of our offering, etc. Some individuals of the camp felt to

murmur at this decree, and wanted to fight the enemies of God. Brother

Joseph said the Lord would send a scourge upon us in consequence of

this unrighteous feeling. The cholera was upon us in a few hours after

this prediction, and some eighteen of our brethren fell victims to

its grasp. Among the number that I attended upon and helped to bury

was Brother John S. Carter. My feelings on this occasion can never be

described. At length I was violently seized with it myself, but through

faith in God and the kind assistance of Brother Zera H. Cole, I was

rescued from the grasp of death.

When the camp broke up I received an honorable discharge from Lyman

Wight, our commander-in-chief. After this I started for home in company

with Heber C. Kimball and several others, arriving at Kirtland, Ohio,

about the last of July. I found my friends well and the Saints were

exerting themselves to the utmost in their poverty to build the Temple

which was so far completed that I received my endowments therein in the

Spring of 1835. The Lord blessed His people abundantly in that Temple

with the Spirit of prophecy, the ministering of angels, visions, etc. I

will here relate a vision which was shown to me. It was near the close

of the endowments. I was in a meeting for instruction in the upper part

of the Temple, with about a hundred of the High Priests, Seventies

and Elders. The Saints felt to shout "Hosanna!" and the Spirit of God

rested upon me in mighty power and I beheld the room lighted up with a

peculiar light such as I had never seen before. It was soft and clear

and the room looked to me as though it had neither roof nor floor to

the building and I beheld the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Roger

Orton enveloped in the light: Joseph exclaimed aloud, "I behold the

Savior, the Son of God." Hyrum said, "I behold the angels of heaven."

Brother Orton exclaimed, "I behold the chariots of Israel." All who

were in the room felt the power of God to that degree that many

prophesied, and the power of God was made manifest, the remembrance of

which will remain with me while I live upon the earth.

During the Winter of 1836, I attended a high school together with

Brothers Joseph and Hyrum and most of the leading men of the Church;

it was a fine opportunity for obtaining knowledge. The evenings were

mostly spent in meetings for instructions on the principles of our

faith and religion. It was then and there that the lectures in the

first part of the book of Doctrine and Covenants were given. During

this Winter and Spring the members of Zion's Camp were called together

to receive an especial blessing, according to a promise which had been

made in the before-mentioned revelation. Out of this number most of

the Twelve were selected, and also the first Seventy, of which latter

I was one. We had a meeting every Saturday to bless and ordain such as

had been called. I was blessed and ordained under the hands of Joseph

Smith, Jun., Joseph Smith, Sen., and Sidney Rigdon.

I started, on the 18th of April, on a mission to New York and Vermont,

and returned home September 20th; and again, in the Winter of '37, I

took a short mission to Ohio in company with Lucius N. Scovil. It was

while upon this mission that we heard of the persecution that had been

raised against the Church in which the printing office was burned and

that the Church were leaving for Far West, Missouri. We returned home

immediately, and I made preparations and started west with my family

on the 26th of March, in company with several other families among

whom was Brother Hyrum Smith. We had an exceedingly hard journey in

consequence of a great deal of rain and mud. We arrived at Far West the

27th of May, 1837. The next day I went to Davies county with Joseph

and Hyrum Smith and some others to look out a new location. I remained

there nine days and helped survey the site for a city. As a reward

for rendering this assistance at that time Brother Joseph selected me

a very fine city lot. I removed my family to Davies county, and in

a short time my wife was taken ill with the chills and fever, which

rendered her nearly helpless for about six months, during which time

the terrible tragedies of persecution were enacted in Missouri. My

brother-in-law, Daniel Carter, and some of his family were sick and

on my hands to provide for. Thus surrounded by affliction, I, with my

brethren, was compelled to remove my sick family to Caldwell county. We

tarried there till the next March, and were then obliged to leave the

State. In addition to removing my own family I made two or three trips

with my team to assist in removing the destitute.

I settled in Pike Co., Illinois. The people there were very kind and

humane. I preached during the year of my residence in that county about

one hundred times and baptized about thirty individuals. I removed to

Nauvoo in April, 1840, where I remained during the Summer, and in the

Fall took a mission to the east, in company with Daniel Carter. We

took our families along, and by request of Hyrum Smith moved into his

large and commodious house in Kirtland, to which was attached a most

beautiful orchard. We then proceeded farther east on our mission, as

we were authorized to visit the branches of the Church, and gather

up means for the Nauvoo Temple. I was gone about two years, when I

returned to Nauvoo.

In June, 1844, the storm of persecution arose against the leaders of

the Church, which terminated in the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum

Smith. During this scene I had the command of one of the companies of

the Nauvoo Legion, and was on duty about three weeks. I saw Joseph's

and Hyrum's dead bodies and was called upon to act as one of the guards

at the burial.

At the organization of the Seventies I was appointed one of the

presidents over the second quorum, was ordained to that office under

the hands of Elder Orson Pratt. During the Winter, Spring and Summer I

assisted in ordaining several hundred of the Seventies and organizing

them into quorums. In the Fall of 1845 the mob spirit revived and after

due reflection and counsel the Church as a body concluded to leave

the States and seek a home in the wilderness. Every possible exertion

was then made to hasten the completion of the Temple, that the Saints

might therein receive their anticipated blessings and endowments before

their departure. The Temple was finally dedicated and the giving of

endowments was commenced. It was in this house of God that my wife

Sophia was sealed to me first and afterwards Amanda M. Hammond was

given me by President B. Young.

After receiving our blessings in the Temple, myself and family made all

preparations for our wilderness journey, and crossed the Mississippi

River on the last day of May, 1846. We had a prosperous journey,

overtook the camp at Council Bluffs, crossed the Missouri River in

July, and in concert with the spirit of the camp, made preparations for

Winter Quarters.

My wife Sophia was sick most of the ensuing Winter, but through the

mercy of God her life was spared. Her disease was the scurvy of which

quite a number died. At the organization of the camp I was appointed

a captain of fifty in Brother Kimball's division, but in consequence

of sickness in my family I could not obtain the necessary outfit to

go on in the Spring company. During the year 1847 I labored very hard

to obtain the means necessary for my expected trip to the valleys of

Utah and my arrangements were nearly completed to go in the Spring of

'48, when a call came for me to go on a mission to England. I felt as

ever to respond to the call, but the idea of leaving my family, to

make their way to Utah without my company or assistance, was not very

pleasant. My family, however, chose to undertake the enterprise rather

than to have me fail to fulfill my mission. I accordingly turned my

whole attention to prepare everything in my power as comfortable and

convenient as I could for my family's expedition and resolved to see

them across the Elkhorn River myself. My team consisted of a good,

strong wagon, two yoke of first-rate oxen and a yoke of cows; I got a

boy to drive the team.

We left Winter Quarters on the 20th of May, 1848, had a good journey to

the river and crossed over it in safety. The people who were going to

perform the journey had been gathering there for some time and forming

an encampment, awaiting the arrival of the others who were to go. The

two large camps would have covered some acres. One was formed in a

square with a hollow in the center, the other in an oblong. Here the

camps were organized for traveling with captains of hundreds, fifties

and tens, with good instructions from Brother Brigham and others as to

their every-day duties. A number of the Twelve and many of the friends

and relatives of the camp had come over to visit their friends and see

them start. The business having all been accomplished, the visitors and

myself left for Nauvoo, on the morning of the third of June. While we

were waiting for the boat to take us across the river Brother Kimball

came and took me by the hand, blessed me, and prophesied many good

things on my head; said I should perform a good mission and return with

much honor to Zion. He then blessed my wives and said they should both

be blessed and prospered in my absence and that we should all live to

meet again. These predictions were fulfilled.

I was from the 3rd of June to the 27th of July getting to New York.

At St. Louis I met Joseph Clemens, who was also going to England, and

we agreed to travel together. We took the _Highland Mary_ on the Ohio

River. While on this boat we were attacked by a gang of thieves and

robbers, who intended to kill and throw us into the river, but through

the mercy of God they did not kill us, though my head was severely

injured by their blows. We could get no protection from the officers of

the boat, but had to hire a state room and shut ourselves up. The boat

was burned on her return trip.

CHAPTER II.

ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--APPOINTED TO THE GLASGOW CONFERENCE--MY

EXPERIENCE THERE--RELEASED--START

HOME--A STORM AT SEA--CASE OF MIRACULOUS HEALING--ARRIVAL

IN THE VALLEY.

On the 21st of September I arrived in England, and was appointed by

Apostle Orson Pratt, who presided over the mission, to travel among all

the conferences of the mission with authority to transact any business

with both officers and members as the Holy Spirit might dictate. In

this way I labored about a year, in which time I was greatly blessed,

and always endeavored, by the help of the Lord, to comfort and

strengthen the Saints and to build them up in all the principles of our

holy religion.

About the 1st of July, 1849, the presidency of the Glasgow conference

was vacated and President Pratt appointed me to preside there. It was

the largest conference but one in the British Isles. After going there

I held a number of council meetings, and then traveled and preached

from one branch to another. I did not meet with much violent opposition

in my labors. There was not, as a general thing, so much cruelty

manifested towards the Elders, as there had been in some parts of

America. I will name one incident, however, which took place with me,

while I was preaching and building up the Church in my district. At one

time I gave out a notice that I would preach in a certain large town.

The people said I should not preach in that place and if I attempted

to do so, they would tar and feather me and give me a free ride out

of their town on a rail. I was apprised of the threats they had made,

and the brethren begged me not to go to fill the appointment; but I

told them I had never failed to perform my duty in this respect yet,

and I had faith that the Lord would help me through this difficulty.

I therefore went, trusting in the Lord, and preached to the people in

great plainness. They had all their preparations made, and intended to

put their threats into execution as soon as the meeting closed. When

I had finished they put out all the lights but one, which, I suppose,

they had saved for their own use. As they began to leave the house I

reached up and extinguished the other light, which left us all in the

dark, so they could not tell one from another, and I passed out in the

crowd and walked away in peace.

I was released from my mission in January, 1850. By the request of

President Pratt I left Liverpool about two weeks sooner than I had

intended, as he wished me to sail on a certain boat and take charge of

a large box containing money and goods which were to be sent to the

Presidency of the Church in Salt Lake.

Having been released to return home, I set sail from England with a

company of Saints on the 10th of January, 1850. Jeter Clinton was

appointed president of the company and I was appointed one of his

counselors.

We sailed along quite comfortably until the twenty-sixth of the month

when a terrible storm arose. About two o'clock in the afternoon the

sea began to swell and show its power, and the vessel lay first on one

side and then on the other. Water came in upon us on both sides of our

ship. We lost our sails and yard-arms, and the chains in the rigging of

the ship broke. In the evening, when everything looked most dismal, our

president called together his counselors and all joined in prayer to

the Lord to cause the winds to cease. Scarcely had the brethren ceased

their supplications when there was a calm, so sudden in fact that the

captain and the officers of the ship were greatly surprised, and they

came and inquired of us how it was that we felt so happy and gay amid

the great danger through which we had just passed. They could not

realize that the Lord removed all fear from the hearts of his faithful

Saints when they were endeavoring to do their duty.

On March 8, 1850, we arrived safely at New Orleans. We felt truly

thankful that the Lord had preserved us from the dangers of the deep

and brought us to the shores of America.

From the time of my arrival at New Orleans till the 1st of June, when I

started west, I spent my time between that city and Council Bluffs, in

preparing for my journey across the plains. I traveled with the camp in

Captain Aaron Johnson's company.

There were a few cases of cholera in the camp as we journeyed along.

I always assisted in nursing and administering to the sick. Many were

healed by the laying on of hands. One case of miraculous healing

I will mention: A Sister McGaw was taken with cholera in its most

dreadful form. I administered to her in the morning and she seemed

to be healed, but after a short time the suffering returned and was

worse, if possible, than before. She said if Brother Burgess could lay

hands on her again she would live, if not, she must die. I was at the

time a mile behind the train, assisting some of the brethren through

a bad place in the road; but the woman seemed so sure of her recovery

if I could administer to her again, that they sent a horseman after me

in all haste, who was to take charge of my team while I was gone. I

rode to the camp as fast as possible and found her in extreme agony.

She was so cramped that her head and heels nearly touched each other.

As I entered her wagon I felt the power of God resting down upon me

mightily. I laid my hands upon her head "in the name of Jesus Christ"

and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood commanded the destroyer to

leave her and the wagon instantly and trouble her no more. It did so

forthwith, but as it retreated I heard it hiss like an adder. The woman

was healed from that moment and went on her way rejoicing. Through the

mercy of God I reached the valley in safety and found my family alive

and well, as Brother Kimball had predicted when he gave me his parting

blessing on the banks of the Elkhorn River.

After returning to the valley I was called upon to perform various

duties all of which I endeavored to execute with faithfulness and

diligence. In the Fall of 1862, I moved to the southern part of Utah,

in compliance with a request of the Church authorities, to assist

in the settlement of that part of the country. I located in Pine

Valley where I erected a saw mill, and this, together with my farming

operations, provided me with the necessaries of life.

[It was here that Brother Burgess departed this life on the 10th of

February, 1883, after a long life of usefulness in which he ever sought

to faithfully perform every duty placed upon him, thereby laying up

treasures in eternity which he can henceforth enjoy.]

THE LORD'S BLESSINGS.

BY AMASA POTTER.

CHAPTER I.

CALLED TO AUSTRALIA--MY IGNORANCE--PRES. H. C. KIMBALL'S

PROPHECY CONCERNING ME--ARRIVE IN SYDNEY--ADVENTURE

WITH A DOG--GO TO CAMDEN WITH A

FELLOW-MISSIONARY--SOUGHT FOR BY A DRUNKEN MOB--GOD

BLINDS THEIR EYES AND WE ESCAPE--AT PICTON

WE PREACH IN THE COURT-HOUSE--THE WRITING ON

THE WALL--OUR SUCCESS.

In the Spring of 1856, in the days of my youth, I was called by the

First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to

go on a mission to Australia, to preach the gospel. I was young and

inexperienced, and had but very little education. I had been to school

but six months in my life, although I had been raised in the Church

from infancy, and had been taught by my mother that God had spoken from

the heavens in these last days and had sent a holy angel to reveal the

gospel that had been lost from the earth. These things I understood;

but the scriptures I never had read, from the fact that I could not

read. Under these circumstances I went to President Heber C. Kimball

and asked permission to stay at home one year, and I would go to school

and learn to read and write, and then I would go. But he said that he

had called me to a mission and he wanted me to go now. I received my

endowments, and President Kimball blessed me and prophesied many great

things which should happen to me in the next three years and a half;

for he said that I would be gone that time, and should learn to read

and write by my close application and the help of the Holy Spirit. I

bade farewell to my aged mother and started, in company with some other

Elders, for Australia.

We arrived in Carson Valley, where Judge Drummond was holding a court

at the time. President Orson Hyde was probate judge in that valley,

and had held a court a short time before we arrived. He had decided a

case of law between Col. Reese and another in the case of a mill. A.

P. Chessley, one of our missionaries, filed a demurrer against Brother

Hyde's decision, and the case was tried by Judge Drummond. Col. Reese

lost the mill. Brother Hyde told Chessley that he had better not go

on his mission, if he did, he should never see home again; for he had

sinned, with his eyes open, to get gain. Brother Hyde told us all that

if we went with that man we should share with him the displeasure of

God.

We arrived at San Francisco and there was a ship about to sail for

Australia. Half of the Elders said that they would go on that ship with

Chessley, and the remainder of us concluded to wait for another vessel.

They started, and, in about thirty days afterwards, a clipper bark was

advertised to sail and we embarked in that ship. In thirty-six days

we arrived at Sydney, Australia, having sailed about 10,000 miles and

had a pleasant voyage. The other brethren had not been heard of. One

hundred and fifteen days passed and they arrived at Melbourne. They had

almost starved to death, and had sold nearly all of their clothing to

the natives for fruit, chickens and pigs, etc., to live on. Thus was

Brother Hyde's prediction to them fulfilled.

I was now in Sydney, a large, beautiful city, containing 175,000

inhabitants. I concluded that I would travel through the city a day or

two and get something of importance to write home. I was traveling my

first day on a back street, and I saw some birds with fine plumage,

and several monkeys, performing on some wires that were stretched in

a yard near a mill. Not understanding the customs of that country, I

stepped through the gate to see the birds and monkeys. Just then a man

let loose a large dog and gave a whistle. I looked around and saw the

dog coming towards me at full speed. I sprang for the gate and got hold

of it; at the same time the dog got hold of my back, and a struggle

ensued. I finally extricated myself from the dog, but he had torn my

coat off and left me only the sleeves and the collar. I then concluded

that I had got something to write home, and I would not travel any

further in that city.

We found the opposition to the gospel very great in this place, so I

started, in company with another young Elder, to go to the interior of

the island to commence our labors preaching the gospel. When we came

to a city called Camden, forty miles from Sydney, we concluded to try

to get a place to preach in. We were refused all public houses that

we asked for. Finally we tried to get the privilege of stopping at a

public house, or tavern, all night. We told the landlord that we were

missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and

we were traveling without purse or scrip, according to the pattern

that Jesus had left on record in the Bible. The landlord asked us if

we were "Mormons." We said that we were called that name by the world.

After talking some time with him he ordered us out of the house, and

told some drunken Irishmen to run us out of the town and he would give

them a gallon of rum each. It was now after dark, and we went down one

of the streets and called at a large boot and shoe shop. The owner

said that he would keep us and we were having a good discussion on the

principles of the gospel when a rough voice called to the master of the

place, and said,

"Are you going to keep them d----d Mormons here all night?"

We looked towards the door and saw there a mob of drunken men, armed

with native war clubs, spears and the boomerang. The boomerang is a

weapon with which the natives formerly fought.

I said to my companion, "We must get out of here."

He replied, "How shall we do it without getting hurt?"

I told him that God had not sent us here to be killed in this manner,

and if we would now trust wholly in the Lord, He would deliver us.

I had no more than said these words when the owner of the house caught

the same spirit as the mob and said to us, "Get out of my house, or

I will kill you," and, at the same time, struck at my partner with a

hammer, but missed him as he sprang to one side.

The mob said, "Drive them out and we will use them up in a hurry."

I picked up my carpet-bag and umbrella and went to the door with a

prayerful heart to God that he would protect us, and I walked out

between many of them. It appeared that they did not see me or they did

not notice me. The mob was arranged on both sides of the door, with

their weapons drawn ready to strike at the first sight of us; and as

my partner came out the leader of the band called the attention of his

men to give some instructions how to deal with us, and thus he slipped

past them unseen. I took him by the arm and we started down the street.

In the darkness of the night they could not see us. About this time

the owner of the house came to the door and they asked him where the

"Mormons" were. He replied that they had gone out just that minute.

They said they knew better; "for," said they, "they have not passed us,

and you had better bring them out, or we will knock your house down."

At that they broke into the house and, not finding us, they took the

master and journeymen out and beat them almost to death.

In this deliverance we see the prediction of President Heber C. Kimball

fulfilled; for he said that I should be brought into many close places,

and it would seem that death stared me in the face; but, if I would

be faithful to my mission, the angels of God would deliver me in all

trials, and I should return in safety to the Church and to my home.

In all of my travels on that island for two years and a half, I found

that when there was a good work to be done in a city, we met with the

greatest opposition; for in this same place, where we received such

cruel treatment, we afterwards preached, and baptized, and organized a

branch of the Church with many members.

We next went to a city called Picton, and, by this time, the Lord had

made us bold to declare His gospel, for such light had burst upon our

minds as we had never thought of before; and by this time I had learned

to read and write, and had learned arithmetic very well. We applied

for the court-house and obtained it from the judge of the district. We

appointed a meeting for Friday evening, and we then put up some cards

stating the time of meeting. At the time appointed the people assembled

and filled the house. For two days my companion had been marking

passages in the Bible, and on this occasion he was intending to deliver

a fine discourse. The meeting was opened and he arose, took his text

and commenced with great importance. He had not spoken more than five

minutes when he got to the end of his sermon, for he could not say more

than "Amen." Then I was introduced to the congregation as Elder Potter,

with the remark that I would continue the subject of the gospel. I

arose with fear and trembling; for it was the first time in my life

that I had stood in a pulpit. Before me was a large Bible and prayer

book. I must say that my mind was confused; but I took a text from the

Bible that lay open before me. It was from the Prophet Amos:

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto

His servants the prophets."

After reading it I spoke a few more words and became dumb that I could

not speak. I stood there without speaking about two minutes, when

the words of President Heber C. Kimball came to me: He said that the

time would come when I should be at a loss to know what to say to the

people, "and, at that time," he said, "if you will commence to declare

the divine mission of Joseph Smith in this our day, and the divine

authenticity of the Book of Mormon, the Lord will loosen your tongue

and you shall say the very things that are needful to be said to the

people." When this came to my mind I commenced declaring these things

to the congregation. I had spoken but a few minutes, when I thought I

saw several lines of large letters printed on the walls of the house,

and I commenced to read them and spoke about one hour. When the letters

faded from my sight I then stopped speaking. I could not tell all that

I had said; but my companion told me it was an excellent discourse.

When meeting was dismissed the judge came to us and said if we wanted

the court-house again we could have it; so we gave notice that we would

preach at that place on Sunday evening next. The next day we went

through the city and talked with many of the people, and when Sunday

evening came we lighted the chandeliers in the house, went up into the

pulpit and sat and read the scriptures. The time arrived for the people

to gather, but not a soul came. We waited half an hour, sung a hymn and

dedicated the house for meeting. We still waited; but, as no one came,

we locked up the house and went to our lodgings.

CHAPTER II.

MALIGNED BY SECTARIAN PRIESTS--INVITATION TO PREACH

AT A DISTANT TOWN--MEANS PROVIDED BY A MYSTERIOUS

PERSONAGE--BRANCH OF THE CHURCH ORGANIZED--APPLY

TO THE AUTHORITIES OF THE COLONY FOR,

AND RECEIVE, LICENSE AND PROTECTION AS MINISTERS

OF THE GOSPEL--ARRESTED--MY COMPANION'S DEFENSE--HONORABLY

RELEASED--GO TO WINDSOR--UNABLE

TO OBTAIN LODGINGS--DIRECTED BY A STRANGER--KINDLY

TREATED--AN ATTEMPT TO POISON ME--MY

COMPANION SHOT AT BY A RUFFIAN.

The morning after the meeting alluded to in the last chapter we learned

that the priests and parsons of the different denominations had met

and decided to unite in preventing their people from coming to hear us

preach, for they said that we were dangerous men, and we were of the

class of false prophets of whom Jesus spoke, who should come in the

last days to deceive the people. We had labored a few weeks in this

city and had baptized a few into the Church, when we received a letter

from Emue Plains, stating that the people would like to see and hear a

"Mormon" Elder. Emue Plains was a distance of sixty miles from where we

were, and when we started it had been raining about a week, and a great

portion of the country was flooded with water. We had a large river to

cross on the way, and we were informed that the bridge had been carried

off and there was a ferry established across the river which charged

five shillings each passenger. We did not have any money with which to

pay this charge, and my companion was anxious to know what we should do

for money to pay the ferriage with. We were then about three miles from

the ferry, and were passing through timber. I told him that we would go

into the woods and pray to God to open the heart of some one to give

it to us. We did so, and we had traveled but a short distance through

a lane between two fields, when we looked ahead of us a little way and

saw an old man coming across the field. He came into the road ahead of

us, and as he came to meet us he had a smile on his countenance. He

reached out his hand to me, as if to shake hands, and left a crown, or

five shilling piece, in my hand and went to my companion and did the

same; but spoke not a word. I cannot describe the feeling that we had

when the man took hold of our hands; we felt our hearts burn within

us, and it did not seem that we had power to ask him his name or where

he was from, as we usually did when a person gave us any article of

clothing or money. He was a man about six feet high, well proportioned,

and wore a suit of light gray clothes and a broad-brimmed hat, and his

hair and beard were about eighteen inches long and as white as snow.

We passed on and came to the ferry, and the money that we had was just

enough to pay our ferriage.

We came to Emue Plains, labored and preached one month, baptized

twenty-one persons and organized a branch of the Church. So you see

that our Heavenly Father opened up our way to preach the gospel. We

returned to Sidney and met in council with the American Elders. We

came to the conclusion that we would like to have more influence with

the people. We went before the parliament of New South Wales colony

and applied to get our names registered as ministers of the gospel, in

common with ministers of other denominations in that country. We spent

two days answering the questions of the governor and of the members

of parliament, and they decided that the doctrine that we taught was

a scriptural doctrine, and therefore we should be protected in our

rights as ministers of the gospel. They then furnished us with blank

books and forms to solemnize marriages and register births and deaths

in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Having procured

our licenses we were encouraged with the idea that we could now do

more good among the people. By this time a large amount of books had

arrived from the Liverpool office, England, and we started again for

the interior of the country, taking with us books and tracts.

Gamberriar was a mining town containing twenty thousand inhabitants.

To this place we repaired. We commenced traveling through the city,

talking to the people and selling our books and tracts; but, to begin

with, could not get any place to preach in. Early one morning, before

we started out on our labors for the day, an officer with six men came

with a writ to take us before the judge of that district, to answer

to five different complaints. We were charged with being guilty of

treason against the government, with being horse thieves, with selling

goods without a license, with preaching a blasphemous doctrine and with

trying to cause a rebellion. The court was in session; we were brought

before the judge and the trial came on. The charges were read and we

were asked, "Are you guilty, or not guilty?" We answered, "Not guilty."

The words of Jesus came to our minds:

"But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall

speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall

speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father

which speaketh in you."

Our accusers were two merchants, two lawyers and one doctor. They

commenced giving in their evidence one by one, and after the judge had

heard it all he asked us if we had any defense to make, or if we wanted

a lawyer. We told him we did not want a lawyer, but we had a defense to

make; and as my companion was my senior in age, he arose to make our

defense before the court. He commenced on the treaty between England

and America. He had spoken but a few minutes when the Holy Spirit

rested upon him in such a way as I had never seen before. His face

was very white and he spoke with great power and authority. The judge

looked amazed. The house and yard were full of men who were all silent

for one hour. When he was through we presented our passports from the

city of Washington, our recommendation from the First Presidency of the

Church and our licenses from the parliament of New South Wales colony.

The judge then arose and said,

"Gentlemen, my decision in this case is that you, the accusers, who

have brought these men before this court under the pretense of grave

charges, have not proved anything against them. To the prisoners I say,

you are honorably acquitted. You are strangers to us; but I believe you

are gentlemen of honor, or our government would not have given you the

document that you bear with you. Go your way in peace, and we are bound

to protect you from the ruthless hands of degraded men. I am sorry that

we have put you to so much trouble; but go in peace."

After court adjourned I heard the people say that if we did not leave

the town we would find ourselves in a deep hole some night, so we

concluded to leave; but not before we had sold one hundred volumes of

our books. We left a testimony with them that they will never forget.

Leaving Gamberriar we traveled through the gold mine one week and sold

our books and tracts to the miners and preached to them the gospel, and

then came to a city called Windsor situated on the Penreth River. As we

had been traveling several days in the rain, and had been wet through

every day, we were desirous of getting a place to stay in the suburbs

of this city and recruit ourselves and clean up before commencing our

labors in the ministry. We tried twelve times to stay all night, but

were refused very abruptly each time. We found that a parson of the

church of England had gone before us, and had warned the people that

the "Mormon" Elders were coming, and they must shut their doors against

them. It was now nine o'clock at night, and was raining very hard. We

walked up Main street in this city, and were so wet, tired and hungry

that we could but just walk. We had traveled twenty-four miles that

day with but very little food to eat, and our boots were worn out and

our feet scalded with the water and blistered very badly. In those

circumstances my companion said to me, with tears in his eyes,

"Is it possible that the Lord has forsaken us, and will suffer us to

die in the streets of this city?"

I said to him, "Brother John Said," for that was his name, "this is a

trial of our faith, and after the bitter then comes the sweet."

While we were thus conversing, I looked ahead some distance and saw

a confectioner's shop with the door open. I said to my companion "we

will try to stay there." As we drew near to the place we saw a man come

out of the shop and walk into the middle of the street. He came down

the street towards us. He and I met first, as I was in advance of my

companion, and he said: "Good evening, friends. I have been waiting for

you some time. What has made you so late?" As I answered his questions

I drew close to him, and looked him in the face to see if I could

recognize him; but I could not.

He asked: "Where are you going to stay to-night."

I said: "We do not know."

He then put his hand into his pocket and gave me some money, and went

to my companion and did the same; and then said:

"Boys, do you see that large four-story house on the corner?"

We replied that we did.

"Well," said he, "you go there and tell the landlord that you have been

sent there to occupy the green room to-night, and he will conduct you

to it, and give you all the accommodations that he can afford."

After saying this the stranger left us, and passed on out of our sight,

in the dark. We then proceeded to the house, and found all things as

the stranger had represented. The landlord conducted us to the green

room, it was in the fourth story of the house, and while going up the

long stairs my companion said to me, "Stop;" I stopped and he said in

a low voice, "I fear that this is a plan laid to destroy us." I told

him not to fear, for we had suffered enough, and the Lord was about

to bless us. Arriving at the room we found it a beautiful place, but

we were not fit tenants for such a fine room, as our clothing was wet

through and muddy. We found everything as the stranger who met us in

the street had told us. There was dry clothing for us to put on, and

a good bed to sleep in, and the landlord sent us up a warm supper. We

then looked at the money that the man gave us in the street and found

it to be English money of the denominations ranging from a crown down

to the smallest coin in silver, and what seemed strange to us was that

both of us had the same amount and pieces just alike; the man seemed

to have a pocket nearly full of money, and it was dark when he gave

it to us. After supper we went to bed and had a good night's rest

and pleasant dreams. The next morning we got up and partook of the

hospitalities of the house and asked the landlord our bill. He answered

that "there was no charge," so we went on our way rejoicing.

We spent a few days in this city, and preached and sold our books and

had a good time with the people. I baptized one man and his family; the

man had been a Methodist preacher, and I ordained him an Elder, and

he commenced preaching the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints. While

traveling in this city I called at a public house to distribute our

books. I found two American men there, and when they heard me say I

was an American, they asked me if I was a "Mormon" preacher. I said,

"Yes, sir." "Well," said one of them, "you must have something to drink

with me as you are a fellow-countryman of mine." I told him that I did

not drink spirituous liquors of any kind, but he insisted that I must

take some wine with him. So he went into another room, as he said, to

get some wine out of the cellar. I was showing my books to several in

the room when he returned with the glasses of wine and presented one

of them to me and requested me to drink with him. I could see by the

man's countenance that he had done something wrong, so I told him that

I should not drink the wine in the glass that he offered me, but if he

would change glasses and give me the one that he was going to drink, I

would drink it if he would drink the one he offered me. He then flew

into a rage, for he knew that I had detected his design to try to

poison me. I had overheard him say, while he was gone after the wine,

that "the Mormon priests say that poison will not hurt them, but I will

soon show you that I will make one of them ache." He also said that

he was one of the party that shot Joseph Smith at Carthage jail. He

took one of my books and said that I should not have it again if I did

not drink the wine that he gave me. I stepped to the door and saw two

policemen passing and called to them. They came to my assistance, and

I told them my story. They hunted for the man, to take him, but he was

not to be found. The next day my companion went to a farm house a few

miles from the city to distribute some tracts and books and found one

of those Americans there. When he left the house this stranger followed

him with his Minnie rifle, and remarked that he had a killing contract

to kill all of the "Mormon" Elders that he could find, and when he had

said those words he drew his rifle to his face, and said "here goes for

the first one!" and fired, the bullet passing within a few inches of my

comrade's head. This vile murderer was so close to him that he did not

take close sight on his gun. When he found that he had not hit him, he

commenced loading his piece again, but by the time he had got his gun

loaded my partner was nearly a quarter of a mile distant. The ruffian

gave chase and when he came within about one hundred yards he took a

rest on a stump and fired. But the bullet whistled near by and missed

again. The assassin then gave up the chase and went back.

CHAPTER III.

A CHAT WITH A CATHOLIC--CHASED BY DOGS--AN IRISHMAN'S

DESIGN TO MURDER ME--REMARKABLE ESCAPE--ADVENTURE

WITH A WILD BULL--"HAS HE GOT YOU?"--MY

RELEASE FROM MY MISSION--INCIDENTS OF THE

HOME JOURNEY--A PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT--A

VISIT TO A SICK LADY--CONCLUSION.

My companion was called to Sidney on business, and I being left to

travel alone for a few weeks, started on a tour through the country

to sell our books. While traveling I met with an adventure at a large

tavern called the Half-way House, kept by a Roman Catholic. This house

was situated half way between Penrith and Bathurst cities. When I

called at this house the landlord was away from home, but his wife was

there and I showed her my books, some of which she purchased; and as

dinner was nearly ready I was invited to stay and get dinner. While

I was having a good discussion on the scriptures, the master of the

house came home, and brought with him a Catholic priest. The woman

showed the priest the books that she had bought, and he gave her a

severe reprimand for taking them, and then turned to me and said that

I was an infernal heretic and ought to be burned at the stake and

killed. The master of the house partook of the same murderous spirit,

and remarked that he would set his dogs on me and tear me to pieces;

while he was whipping his wife, I stepped out and started. This was

in a very heavy timbered country, and I did not follow the road, for

I knew that he would follow me, and if he found me that he would do

something desperate if he could. I had been traveling about half an

hour when I heard the sound of the large hounds and bull dogs on my

track. A thousand thoughts passed through my mind in a short time,

and I imagined that perhaps I should never see my aged mother again;

but then the thought came to me that President Heber C. Kimball had

prophesied on my head that I should live to fill my mission and return

again to the bosom of the Church. I then tried to climb up a tree, but

the bark was so smooth that I could not climb it, and by this time the

dogs had come in sight and I could hear a man's voice urging them on.

While in this situation I called on the Lord for help, and my prayer

was heard; for as the dogs came near me a large kangaroo crossed my

track in full speed, and the dogs, seeing it, turned square about and

went after the animal and did not see me at all. I then turned and went

to the road, but my troubles were not yet ended. The dogs had gone out

of hearing, but the man had discovered that the dogs were after the

animal and tried to call them back, but could not; so he came into the

road to hunt for me. I heard a rough voice calling after me, and I

looked back in the road and saw an Irishman coming on a run carrying a

large club in his hand. He swore bitterly, and said as he had caught

me now he would use me up with that club. I could see that he was

possessed of a spirit to kill, so I walked up to him and offered him

my hand, with the remark that I wanted to talk with him a short time

before he carried his threat into execution. I said, "Sir, I am an

American, and I have come here thousands of miles to do you and others

good," and then, to draw his attention, I told him that there were many

Irish people in America and some of them were very wealthy, and they

built our railroads, and made the best soldiers, and more than that,

when the famine was raging in Ireland the Americans sent several ship

loads of flour and bread stuff to them, and did not charge them one

cent for them. By this time he dropped his club and we walked along

together until we came on the hill within sight of the city Paramatta.

He stopped and we talked a short time, and he confessed to me that he

intended when he came up to me, to have killed me with the club, but he

was glad now that he did not strike me with it. He shook hands with me

and started back home. Little did he think that it was an overruling

Providence that stayed his hand that he was not permitted to strike

with the club. Here I joined my companion again and we started on a

tour through the country.

The island of Australia abounds in many parts with wild cattle. As we

were traveling one day through the woods on an old road not much used,

all at once we heard a thundering sound behind us, and my partner who

was about one rod behind me cried, "Look out for wild cattle!" There

was some fallen timber near by, and I ran, got up on a tree top and

then looked back to see where my companion was. I saw that he was in

danger and I ran to his assistance, but before I could reach him a

wild bull had caught him and thrown him on his horns; but he had no

sooner struck the ground than he sprang to his feet again. The bull

came the second time and my companion caught him by the horns, and was

thrown again, this time alighting in a tree top, where the animal did

not attempt to follow him, but turned around at me as I was belaboring

him with a club. When I saw that he had turned on me, I felt my first

fear of being hurt. There was a tree about three rods distant from

me, I thought if I could get to it I could save myself by dodging the

bull, so I started to run to the tree, the bull close after me with his

head down, ready to hook on the first touch of his horns. Quite faint

I succeeded in reaching the tree and whirled myself around it. The

bull threw up his head and snorted and passed on. About this time my

companion rose up out of the tree-top, where the bull had thrown him,

and called to me, "Has he got you?" I answered, "No, sir, it takes a

smarter bull than that to catch me on a fair race." I then went to see

if my partner was hurt, and found that all the bruise or hurt that he

had received was in the palms of his hands, caused by taking hold of

the bull's horns to save himself.

On the 15th day of July, 1858, we received a letter from President

Brigham Young, stating that we were all of us released from our mission

and called home to help protect the homes of the Saints. We therefore

settled our business in Sidney, made a short visit to the country

branches of the Church, appointed local Elders as presidents over them,

bade them all farewell and returned again to Sidney. In a few days

we all went on board a fine ship. The names of the American Elders

besides myself that were returning were, A. J. Stewart, G. S. Clark,

S. R. Chappin and J. H. Said. The night before the ship was to start

nearly all the sailors took a boat and deserted, leaving the captain

with only four seamen on board. When morning came the captain went on

shore and succeeded in capturing and bringing back in irons three of

the runaways. He then went among the passengers to see if he could hire

hands to man the ship. I agreed to work for him as steward and had the

direction of all the store of provision on board. This proved to be a

great blessing to the Saints who were with us, as many of them were

sick on the trip and I could administer to their wants.

Previous to starting the captain loaded the ship with eleven hundred

tons of New Castle coal, and this great weight caused the ship to draw

twenty-four feet of water. As our captain was not much acquainted with

the South Pacific seas, he concluded to sail south of the Society

Islands.

The first ten days of our voyage passed in peace and safety. Nothing

happened to us or our good ship only that some of us were very

sea-sick, but that soon left us. We had now traveled fifteen hundred

miles and were passing the coast of New Zealand when a terrific storm

came upon us from the north. During the whole night we drifted towards

the land and next morning we could plainly see it. The wind was blowing

a gale and the captain ordered the ship to be tacked many times, but

it seemed that every tack brought us nearer the shore. The water could

be seen flying upon the rocks a distance of many feet. The anchor was

lowered, but it was useless as the ground could not be reached. The

next order was to throw overboard the loading. All hands therefore went

to work and we had soon emptied a hundred tons of our cargo into the

sea. This made the ship ride the waves more safely.

About this time the first mate asked us if we would not pray to God

that the winds might be stayed or changed to another course. We told

him that we had done our praying before starting from shore and now

in times of peril we should watch and work. We did, however, ask our

Father in heaven to change the winds and they immediately changed from

the north to the south and just in time to save our good ship from

striking that terrible rock called the King's Head, which towers four

thousand feet above the sea. By evening we were out of sight of land

and sailing along nicely towards our destination.

I shall never forget the day when we struck the trade-winds. On that

day the captain ordered me to get all on board a fresh chicken dinner,

the first cabin at eleven, the second at twelve and the steerage at one

o'clock. I worked accordingly and while carrying a large china platter

full of fresh chickens on my head the man at the wheel let the ship

swing into the track of the waves and a large wave struck the ship on

the broad side, broke in about eight feet of the bulwarks and covered

the deck with about two feet of water. I was thrown to the deck;

platter was smashed and the chickens were taken into the sea; but worse

than all, I was dashed from side to side and almost drowned; I came

near being washed overboard into the sea, the galley was filled with

water and the fire was extinguished, so we did not get any fresh dinner

that day.

After arriving in San Francisco, the captain went on shore and was

offered an advanced price for his load; he asked our counsel and we

told him to retain his load for one week; he did so and then sold for

six thousand dollars more than he had been previously offered. He made

us a nice present in cash which helped us on our way home.

Brother Chappin was impressed to tell the captain that his ship never

would cross the ocean again, but would sink to the bottom of the sea

and that he should barely escape with his life. One month later the

captain freighted his ship with a valuable cargo bound for Melbourne,

Australia, but in passing out of the heads at San Francisco without

a tug-boat his ship was driven on the sands and in three hours after

was a total wreck. Had it not been that a steamer was passing out of

the bay at the time and went to the rescue all on board would have

been lost, but as it was they were saved. The captain was the owner of

the ship and as it was not insured he lost all his fortune in a few

dreadful hours; he returned home to Boston, Mass., a poor man. Thus the

prophecy of one of the servants of God to him was fulfilled.

Five of us Elders went to Sacramento and then went to other places to

get employment in order to procure means for our journey home. I worked

a short time at cutting wood, and while at that business I had the

following dream: A messenger came to me and said, "You may cease this

labor and work in the ministry. You are wanted at one Mr. Green's now."

I had been to that man's place and had preached to him and his family.

The daughter believed and wanted to be baptized, but could not be at

that time.

The next morning while I was settling with the man for whom I had

worked, a messenger came on horse-back with the news that this young

Miss Green was not expected to live an hour. She had a putrid sore

throat and had been asking for me all night. I had a few miles to go

before reaching the house and on my way I purchased a bottle of sweet

oil and went on a hill in the woods and there consecrated it for the

anointing of the sick. About eleven o'clock I arrived at the house and

found it full of strangers, most of whom were Irish Catholics. When it

was announced that I had come the young lady aroused from her stupor

which all pronounced as death. She reached out her hand to me and in

a whisper said, "Thank God I have seen you before I die." She tried

to speak further, but could not. I then told all in the house to sit

down. They did so, and I then knelt by the side of the bed and asked

the Lord to spare her a short time. I then anointed her with oil to her

burial. At this she sat up in bed and said, "Give me some water." After

drinking a little water she conversed on the gospel for half an hour,

to the amazement of all in the house. She said she had hoped to live

to gather with the Saints, but now she was going home to her God. I

had taught these people the principle of baptism for the dead, and her

last words were, "Remember me in the day that you are baptized for the

dead;" thus saying she sank down again and her noble spirit fled to the

paradise of God.

The next day I filled my valise with books and started for the mines,

stopping frequently by the way to talk to the people. I experienced

much opposition from the people and was about to return without doing

much good when I was impressed to go in another direction. I came to a

small settlement where I traveled a few days and sold some books. One

family by the name of Millgate made me welcome at their house. I stayed

there one week and the last night I stayed with them I took the family

at midnight and baptized them in a reservoir near at hand. The time

had now arrived for us to start home, and having purchased a spring

wagon and a pair of horses three of us started for home. Three and a

half years had now past since I received my blessing under the hands of

President H. C. Kimball and all that had been predicted was fulfilled

when I arrived home in safety.

RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE.

BY T. E. DANIELS.

HOW OUR MISSIONARIES ARE SUSPECTED--CHILDREN LOST--SUPPOSED

CASE OF KIDNAPPING--MYSELF AND COMPANION

ARE ACCUSED--THE DEAD BODIES ARE FOUND--DISOBEDIENCE

BRINGS ITS OWN REWARD.

In the winter of 1869-70, while I was on a mission to the Eastern

States, the incidents which I am about to relate occurred. They will

serve to show the strong prejudice and superstitious dread with which

many people regard the Latter-day Saints, or, as they are commonly

called, "Mormons."

In company with Brother Fairbanks, with whom I was traveling, I visited

some of his relatives and stayed a while in the State of New Jersey.

From here we took a trip into the northern part of New York State,

where we remained some time, and then returned to New Jersey. During

our absence the following incident occurred:

Near what is called Pompton Plains, New Jersey, a family, consisting

of parents and three children, lived near the edge of a patch of

timber land. One evening in the latter part of December, the two elder

children, aged respectively nine and five years, went to a hickory

tree about half a mile from the house to gather nuts, contrary to the

bidding of their mother, who had charged them strictly not to go.

Before the mother had time to go after them, night came on, and, to

make matters worse, it commenced raining. She called loudly for them,

but no answer was received from the little truants. The night grew

pitchy dark and the mother's anxiety increased. What was she to do?

Her husband not yet returned from his work, no houses near or help at

hand and she alone with her young babe, not daring to leave it to go

and search the missing ones. As she waited and looked in vain for their

return her anxiety became almost unbearable and she started out with

her child in her arms, but the rain drove her back. Soon afterwards

her husband returned, and the hurried story of his children's absence

needed no repeating to rouse him to action. He started immediately

in search of them. He went to the hickory tree, but no children were

there. He called aloud, but was answered only by the wind whistling

through the trees. After satisfying himself that they were not in that

vicinity he returned home, fondly hoping that the little ones had, by

this time, reached there. But in this he was disappointed. The wind had

now set in pretty strongly and the air was keen with frost.

What to do now was the question, for it was certain the children were

lost, and, being thinly clad, if they were not soon found they must

certainly perish. The father ran to the nearest neighbors, a distance

of half a mile, and gave the alarm. As soon as possible a company of

fifteen or twenty men and boys were collected to assist in the search.

But, by this time, it was nearly midnight, and no tidings had been

heard of the little wanderers.

Their arrangements for searching were hurriedly made. They divided into

squads and went in different directions, calling loudly as they went

and searching every place where they could imagine the children would

have strayed, and thus the search was continued all night till the men

were almost tired out and frozen. Morning dawned upon that desolate

cottage--a cold and cheerless morning to its inmates, for no relief

had yet come to the anxious parents. Another call was made upon the

people to continue looking for them, and they turned out and scoured

the country, but in vain, for not a sign of the missing children could

be found. Thus the second night passed. As the news of the loss spread

through the district additional interest and anxiety were awakened,

and the sympathetic neighbors turned out in force to aid the bereaved

parents in seeking the lost ones. As the time passed the hope of

finding them alive died out, but the efforts did not cease. About four

miles from the house there were large iron works that employed about

three hundred men, and on the third day these workmen turned out

_en masse_ and increased, by their number, the force

engaged in the search. They organized and examined, as they

thought, every foot of land in the vicinity, but with the same

discouraging result.

A number of Spiritualists resided in the neighborhood, also some

"fortune-tellers;" and they were applied to to divine, if possible,

where the children were. They pretended to do so, but their stories

conflicted fearfully and all conjectures failed. It was finally

suggested that they had been kidnapped. A couple of "Mormon" Elders, it

was said, had been in that vicinity and they were suspected of having

spirited them away and sent them to Salt Lake. This was only one among

a great many reports circulated against the Latter-day Saints, all of

which gained ready credence. A reward of three hundred dollars was

offered for the recovery of the children; and a great many, stimulated

by a desire to gain the reward, spent days in searching them.

Thus matters went on for about three weeks, towards the last the search

being prosecuted at intervals only; when one Sunday two or three

neighbors decided upon going over the ground once more, with a faint

hope of finding them. About three quarters of a mile from the house

they noticed a number of crows flying around in the air and hopping

upon the tree tops, a short distance from them. Though they paid little

attention to the crows at first, when they approached nearer to them

they noticed, by the peculiar actions of the birds, that there was some

unusual attraction for them in the vicinity. Near by was a high ledge

of rocks, under which they saw some of the crows fly. They made their

way under this ledge to where the crows seemed to be busy, when, to

their horror, they discovered the remains of the missing little ones,

but so disfigured as hardly to be recognizable. They had wandered

there to find shelter, and there perished. The elder of the two had

manifested a noble disposition in the hour of their extremity, for it

appeared that he had taken off his little coat and tenderly covered

it over his little sister to protect her from the cold. Much of their

flesh had been eaten off by the crows when found, but their remains

were carefully taken to their sorrowful, heart-broken parents.

The next day there was a funeral at the Methodist church, near by,

attended by the old and young of the entire neighborhood, assembled to

see conveyed to their last resting-place the bodies of the children

whose loss they all felt so keenly. No language can describe the

feelings of those bereaved parents. Their sorrow was too deep for words

to express.

We visited the place a short time afterwards, saw the cliff under which

the children died, and learned how the final recovery of their bodies

had relieved us of the imputation of having kidnapped them.

There is a lesson which every child may learn from this sad narrative:

the necessity of obedience to parents. In obedience only is their

safety. Though those grief-stricken parents forgave, in their hearts,

the little act of disobedience which robbed them of their loved ones,

it was none the less true that had they been obedient, as they ought,

to their mother, they would not thus have met their fate.