Elder's Journal/1/1

Elder's Journal 1, Number 1

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Source document in online archive: Elder's Journal Vol. 1

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ELDER'S JOURNAL
OF THE CHURCH OF LATTER DAY SAINTS
Volume I. No. 1.]	KIRTLAND, OHIO, OCTOBER, 1837.	[Whole No. 1.

North Lat, 44. Long. 69, 10. Vinalhaven, Fox Islands, Monday, Sept. 18th, 1837,

To Joseph Smith Jr. and the Church Of Latter Day Saints in Kirtland greeting:

Dear Saints of God, whom we love of a truth for the truth' sake that dwelleth in you, and we pray God that it may abide with you forever: As we are called to stand upon the Islands of the sea, in defence of the truth and for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. We are under the necessity of making use of our pen, to give you an account of our labors in the ministry since we left Kirtland, as we cannot at present speak to you face to face. We left Kirtland May 31st, and took Steamboat at Fairport in company with Elder Milton Holmes, to go forth to labor in the vineyard as the Lord should direct.—After calling on the Saints in Jefferson Co. N. Y. we arrived at Sackett's Harbour and took Steamboat on the 6th of June for Upper Canada and on the 8th arived [arrived] at Brother Artemus Judd's. And on the 10th, had the happy privilege of setting in conference with John F. Page, James Blakeslee, and a number other elders, and a large congregation of Saints. And we were blessed with a very interesting time. After spending several days with them we took the parting hand with these beloved friends and proceeded on our journey for the East in company with elder John Goodson, and others bound for England. We took the parting hand with them at Schenectady, and arrived at the Caanan church in Connecticut, visited the church a few days. Here elder M. Holmes took his departure for Mass. and we went to Colebrook, visited different parts of the town and held eight meetings, from thence to Canton and held a meeting in the village hall in Collinsville. — As we commenced speaking several began to beat their drums at the doors which made much confusion. This is the only disturbance we have had since we left Kirtland. We next visited Avon, where we held four meetings and many came out to hear and manifested a spirit of inquiry. And elder Woodruff had the privilege of leading three of his kinfolk into the waters of baptism. And had not the Spirit called us away to perform a greater work, we should have had no difficulty in establishing a branch of the church in that place. A family where we tarried but one night, and taught them the things of the kingdom, believed our testimony, and after our departure, two of the household followed us 15 miles to receive baptism at our hands, but we were gone, and they truly believed it to be a day of warning and not of many words. We also visited Farmington and held one meeting In the Methodist meeting house, and preached to an attentive congregation who wished to hear more concerning the great work of God. We left Farmington on the 20 of July, for Mass. and after visiting the Bradford church, and after preaching several times with them, we proceeded on our journey to Saco, Maine, where we spent several days with the church and friends. But duty urging us forward to lift the warning voice to those that had not heard the sound of the gospel, we then went to the city of Portland. We there took the Steamer Bangor on the 19 of August, to speed us on our way to the Islands of the sea, they landed us at Owls head at the set- ting of the sun: But how to get conveyance to the Islands we knew not, we retired to a grove and offered up our thanks unto God for his mercies and asked him to open our way before us; we returned to the Inn and soon found some men that were going near the Islands that night, they said they would land us if we chose to take passage with them. We accordingly went on board, they hoisted sail and landed us on North Fox Island, Vinalhaven, at 2 o'clock Sunday morning, August 20th. It was with peculiar feelings and sensations that we began to walk forth upon one of the Islands of the sea which was wrapped in the sable shades of night, whose waters had never covered a soul for the remission of their sins after the order of the gospel, and which soil had never before been pressed by the foot steps of an elder of Israel. We were strangers, pilgrims, and almost penny less. But we had

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come on the Lords business, we believed him faithful that had promised, and we felt willing to trust in his name, we soon came to a house, where we were received and we retired to rest. We arose in the morning made ourselves known as servants of the Lord, we inquired if there was any religion or priests on the Island; we were informed that there was a Baptist priest, a small church and a meeting house at the center of the Island. The town of Vinalhaven includes both North and South Fox Islands: Pop. 1800. The inhabitants are generally wealthy, intelligent, industrious, generous and hospitable to strangers. North Island is 9 miles long, and 2 wide, pop. 800. South Island is 10 miles long, and 5 wide, pop. 1000 &c. As it was Sabbath morning there was to be preaching in the meeting house, we concluded to attend considering it a proper place to introduce the gospel. When we arived [arrived] at the place, meeting had commenced, the deacon came to the door and we informed him that we were servants of the Lord, that we had a message for the people and wished to be heard, the deacon informed the priest that we were preachers of the gospel. He invited us into the stand and gave out an appointment for us at 5 o'clock P.M. After the priest had closed his discourse he invited us to his house during the intermission. We presented him the book of Mormon, he appeared friendly and said he should like to read it. We met according to appointment and preached to them the first principles of the gospel. We then gave out appointments for the four following evenings to be held at several school houses on the Island. The people came out in great numbers and heard with attention and manifested much anxiety, and in fourteen days we held nineteen meetings. The Baptist priest became alarmed seeing that his craft was in danger; and fearing that if he held his peace all Fox Islands would believe on our words, accordingly he strove to use his influence against us, but without effect as you may judge on learning the fact that on Sunday the 27th while we met with a congregation, he had not so much as one to meet with him at his usual place of worship, for the excitement was so great that the members of his church and deacon, were attending our meetings and inviting us to visit them, and inquiring into these things. The Lord clothed us with his Spirit and we were enabled to stand up and boldly declare those things that are commanded us.—And the sound thereof soon reached the neighboring Islands and some of the inhabitants soon hoisted their sails to convey them over the waters to hear the tidings for themselves. On Sunday the 3rd of Sept. we preached to a large congregation assembled together from these Islands, at the close of our meeting we opened a door for baptism, and a respectable sea captain and his wife offered themselves as candidates, we then assembled where there was much water and after offering up our prayers unto God, we then lead them down into the sea and baptized them and we returned rejoicing. On Monday following we visited the South Island to set before them the truths of the everlasting gospel. We held five meetings, the people came out by hundreds, to hear and filled the schoolhouses to overflowing.

Notwithstanding the anxiety of the people to hear more upon this important subject, yet we were under the necessity of returning to the North Island, to attend an appointment on Sunday, accordingly we met and preached to the people and opened a door for baptism and another sea Captain and a young lady came forward and we repaired to the sea shore and baptized them, and on Tuesday following, we administered the ordinance of baptism unto three others.

A Methodist priest on the South Island fearing whereunto these things would grow, came over to the Island where we were baptizing and made friends with the Baptist priest (tike Herod and Pilate) and called a meeting, we attended. The Methodist priest arose and commenced warm hostilities against the book of Mormon, and our principles; we took minutes of his discourse that we might be correct in answering him. As he could not bring proof from the word of God against our principles, and in order to make an impression upon the minds of his hearers against the work; he took the book of Mormon in his hand, and with an out stretched arm declared that he feared none of the judgments of God that would come upon him for rejecting that book as the word of God. When

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he closed his meeting we arose and rectified some of his wide mistakes in his presence before the congregation, and informed the people if they would meet next Sabbath at the meeting house we would answer every objection that had been presented against the book of Mormon and our principles during the meeting. And last Sabbath we met a congregation of several hundred at the meeting house, assembled together from the different Islands, and we arose in their midst, and redeemed our pledge by answering every objection that had been brought against the book of Mormon, or our principles.—After meeting we repaired to the water and again administered the ordinance of baptism. The Baptist priest is no less busy than his Methodist brother, for while one is in the pulpit declaring to the people, that the principles of the book of Mormon are saping [sapping] the very foundation of our churches and holy religion; the other is gone over to the main land calling upon his Baptist brethren, saying come over and help us lest we fall. But cursed is man that trusteth in man or maketh flesh his arm saith the Lord God. O ye priests of Baal your cry is in vain, the God of Israel has set his hand the second time to recover his people. The stone has began to roll, and will soon become a mountain and fill the whole earth[.] The Lord is calling his church out of the wilderness, with her gifts and graces and restoring her judges as at the first. God hath chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise, and with them he will rend your kingdoms, that the wisdom ol[of] your wise men may perish, and the understanding of your prudent men may be hid. The cry of the Saints is ascending into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth for Ephraim.—The horns of Joseph arc beginning [beginning] to push the people together. The apostles of the Lamb of God are bearing the keys of his kingdom on the shores of Europe. Yea and the mighty Captain of the ships at sea, are receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ; and enjoying its power, and the call of many from distant Islands, has already entered our ears; O come and preach to us, we have sent a book of Mormon over the billows of the great deep, to teach those that are at sea. And the word and work are propelled by the arm of JEHOVAH And the weapon that is formed against Zion shall soon be broken. And he that raises his puny arm against it, is fighting against God and shall soon mourn because of his loss. We say these things are true as God liveth, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and vengeance will be speedily executed upon an evil work in these last days, therefore, O Babylon thy fall is sure.

Although we have not baptized but few on these Islands, yet there is hundreds believing and many are almost ready to enter into the kingdom, the calls are numerous from the neighboring Islands, and also from the mainland, for us to come and preach unto them, and tell them words whereby they may be saved from the pending judgments that await the world. There are fifteen or twenty neighboring Islands that are inhabited, some of them contain a population of several thousand. And while the fields are white, we view the harvest great in this country; and the laborers few. And while we are faithfully laboring day and night for the salvation of his people; we ask an interest in your prayers, O ye Saints of the most high God. O ye elders of Israel will ye not go forth into the vineyard and help wind up the scene of this generation which sits in darkness and in the shadow of death. O ye ministers of our God, if we altogether hold our peace at this time, shall we not suffer loss when the Lord raises up deliverance unto Israel. But for Zion's sake let us not hold our peace, and for Jerusalem's sake let us not rest until the light thereof go forth as brightness and salvation as a lamp that burneth.

That we all may keep the patience and faith of the Saints and see that no man take our crown, is the prayer of your brethren in the Lord Jesus.

WILLFORD WOODRUFF,

JOHNATHAN H. HALE.

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Our readers will notice that the following from elder Kimball, was intended for a private letter to his wife, consequently it was not expected by him to be placed before the public; but as Elder Kimball is like ourselves, a man that delights in plainess [plainness], and is not skilled in the art of daubing with untempered morter [mortar]; we have taken the liberty to give it publicity almost entire,

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that the saints may have the long desired information, that the standard of truth is hoisted on the Eastern continent, and hundreds are already enlisting under the blood stained banner of Immanuel, even him who once trod in the same path that our beloved brethren who are laboring in England are now pursuing, i.e. "and the poor have the gospel preached to them."—Mat. 11:5. We feel thankful in very deed that God is no respecter of persons.— Ed. Preston, Lancashire, Eng. Sept. 2 1837 My dear Companion, I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you, to let you know I am in the land of the living, I am a pilgrim on the earth, and a stranger in a strange land far from my home, and among those that seek my life because I preach the truth and those things that will save their lives in the day of tribulation. On the 18 of July we landed in Liverpool in the forenoon. I had peculiar feelings when we landed, the Spirit of God burned in my breast; and at the same time I felt to covenant before God, to live a new life, and to pray that the Lord would help me to do the same. We remained there three days, resting our bodies: on Saturday the 22 we took coach for Preston, the distance 31 miles, we arrived there at four in the afternoon.

After we had unloaded our things, Br. Fielding had gone to see his brother, and Br. Goodson had gone to get lodgings; all at once I looked up, there was a large Flag before me, with large gilded letters written thereon, “TRUTH WILL PREVAIL" we said Amen, so let it be Lord; the same evening, one of the clergy desired an interview with us. Elders Hyde and Goodson, and myself went to see him, conversed with him and one Mr. Watson until about ten in the evening, when we retired to our Lodging, the next morning we agreed to go and hear him preach, we did so; after he got through, he gave out an appointment for one of us at three in the afternoon. It fell to my lot to preach first; I apake upon the first principles of the gospel, and what the Lord was doing in these last days, it caused the people to stare at me; after I got through, Br. Hyde bore testimony and many received our testimony, for they date their conviction back to that time. The Rev. Mr. ---- gave out another appointment, at half past seven, Br. Goodson preached, and Br. Fielding bore testimony after him, and it came with power, he then gave another appointment for Wednesday evening, Br. Hyde preached, and there seemed to be many that rejoiced, that the Lord had sent his servants to preach to them. The Rev. Mr. ---- closed his doors against us, and found fault with us because we held forth the order of baptism, said we agreed we would not hold forth these things, this was not so. for we did not ask him for his house, but we prayed that the Lord would open his heart to let us preach in it and so he did, and we gave God the glory. After this there were private doors opened for us to preach; we had two or three meetings every night, and many began to bear testimony of the truth of the things which we declared, and desired to be baptized. Eight days after we arrived at Preston, nine presented themselves for baptism, and I was appointed to baptise, on sunday morning, and Br. Russel was appointed to preach in the market place at half past two in the afternoon; this, was concluded upon on Saturday evening, and we retired to bed as usual.—A singular circumstance occurred before morning, which I will quote from Br. Hydes journal, as he wrote it down, he commences as follows, "Elder Russel was much troubled with evil spirits and came into the room where Eider Kimball and myself were sleeping, and desired us to lay our hands on him, and rebuke the evil spirit: I arose upon the bed, and Br. Kimball got upon the floor and I sat upon the bed; we laid our hands on him, and brother Kimball rebuked and prayed for him but just before he had finished his prayer, his voice faltered, and his mouth was shut, and he began to tremble and real [reel] to and fro, and fell on the floor like a dead man, and uttered a deep groan, I immediately seized him by the shoulder, and lifted him up, being; satisfied that the devils were exceding angry because we attempted to cast them out of Br. Russel, and they made a powerful attempt upon Elder Kimball as if to dispatch him at once, they struck him senseless and he fell to the floor; Br. Russel and myself then laid

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our hands on Elder Kimball, and rebuked the evil spirits, in the name of Jesus Christ; and immediately he recovered his strength in part, so as to get up; the sweat began to roll from him most powerfully, and he was almost as wet as if he had been taken out of the water, we could very sensibly hear the evil spirits rage and foam out their shame. Br. Kimball was quite weak for a day or two after: it seems that the devils are determined to destroy us, and prevent the truth from being declared in England. The devil was mad because I was a going to baptize, and he wanted to destroy me, that I should not do those things the Lord sent me to do. We had a great struggle to deliver ourselves from his hands; when they left Br. Russel they pitched upon me, and when they left me they fell upon Br. Hyde; for we could hear them gnash their teeth upon us.—Eight days after we got here, we held a counsel: Br. Goodson and Br. Richards, went to Bedford: elders Russel and Snider, went North, about one hundred miles: elder Hyde, and priest Fielding stayed at Preston, it is a large place; there is betwixt fifty and sixty thousand inhabitants; and the most poor people that I ever saw. There are 55 now baptized, and it is as much as they can do to live, there is not more than one or two that could lodge us over night if they should try; and in fact there are some that have not a bed to sleep on themselves; and this is the situation of most of the people in this place, and it is so in the country; we cannot travel the streets without meeting beggars half naked, this gives me feelings that I do not like. We have to live quite short, but the brethren are very kind to us, they are willing to divide with us the last they have, they are quite ignorant, many of them cannot read a word and it needs great care to teach them the gospel so that they can understand; the people here are bound down under priestcraft in a manner I never saw before: they have to pay tithes to the priests of every tenth they raise; so that they cannot lay up one cent; they are in the same situation the children of Israel were in Egypt: they have their taskmasters over them to bind them down; it will be as great a miracle to deliver this people, as it was the children of Israel. There are a great many believing in Preston; we are baptising almost every day. The Rev. Mr. ____ is like to lose all his members, and the priests are mad, but the} are afraid of us, and durst not come near us. You stated in your letter that some of the twelve were coming to England next spring, and you say they are calculating to bring their wifes with them; this I have no objections to, but if they come they had better bring money to support themselves; I think they had better take up with Br. Joseph's advice, and leave their wifes at home, for if they bring them here, they will repent the day they do it, I do not wish to bring my wife to this place to suffer, if they could see the misery that I do they would not think of such a thing, the Savior says, "he that is not willing to leave father and mother, and wife and children, brothers and sisters, houses and lands for my sake and the gospel, are not worthy of me.” We have had our own hired house, since we have been here, and bought our own provisions; we do not eat but one meal at home, for the brethren invite us to eat dinner and supper with them. You stated that our brethren thought of appointing a conference in England next spring, but we know not what will happen before that time; we know not how long we shall be here; if we come home next summer, we shall come before they can get here. The Lord says "take no thought for the morrow" and this is the way I feel at present, I commit myself into his hands, that, I may always be ready to go at his command; 1 desire to be content with whatever situation I am placed in. The 2nd week after I came here, a minister's daughter came in where I was, and I commenced preaching to her the words of life, she seemed to listen with great attention to me; I told her I was going to preach in the evening, she said she would come and hear me, she did so, and the next night she came again, and the next morning she sent for me to come and baptize her; accordingly I went and baptized her; this was on friday morning, and on Saturday she started for home: she wanted me to come to her father’s house, for she thought her father would open his chapel for me to preach in; I told her if there was a door open, I would come. She appeared very intelligent,

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and I have since learned, that she was a person of great influence in the place where she lives, which is called Walkerford, about fifteen miles from Preston. I saw her into the coach, and she desired that I would pray for her, and her father, that his heart might be softened, that he might not find fault with her. I bade her farewell, went home at my lodging and found Br. Hyde, and Fielding, and told them what I had done; and that I wanted to call on the Lord, and ask him to soften her fathers heart, that he might open his chapel for me to preach &c. Then we bowed before the Lord, and we were agreed in asking for these things, the next week, I received a letter from her father, requesting me to come to his house on Saturday as he had given out for me to preach three times on the next Sabbath, I accordingly went, he received me very kindly; I preached in his chapel seven times, stayed there nine or ten days; and preached thirteen times, and the Lord was with me, and I baptized eight; and almost every one that came to hear, believed. The Rev. Mr. R. has preached here 33 years, he is a Presbyterian. It caused me to marvel to see how the Lord is able to turn the hearts of the people: Mr. R. did not receive my testimony, but the Lord softened his heart, that he might gather out his saints. I never was treated better any where than by them, while I was there, the Lord warned me in a vision to go back to Preston for I was wanted there, the Lord is with me, and warns me of almost every thing before hand. Walkerford is but two miles from the Catholic college the most of the people here are Catholics. they have threatened my life, but this does not scare me, for the Lord is with me, and you know that perfect love casts out all fear, I feel firm in the Lord, I never enjoyed myself better than I do now, and it is so with brother Hyde and all the brethren. * * * * Brothers, Goodson and Richards, went to Bedford, and Mr. Matthews received their testimony and exhorted his people to do the same, and set a time to go forward and be baptized; and when the time come [came], he was missing and did not come. He had turned against the work; and been baptized by some of their Ministers; and is now preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sins; and calling on his members to be baptized. He has written a letter to the Rev. Mr. ---- at Preston, and says that the best of his people have left him. The last we heard from the brethren there, they had baptized twelve. Br. Russel and Snider that went North, we have not had the particulars from. We have preached in the streets the most of the time, until our lungs are injured much, we have large congregations to hear, and the houses are very small in this place. We have had the Cock-pit to preach in, two Sundays once a day, and next Sunday we have the privilege of preaching in it twice: it will hold six or seven hundred people. Sept. 6, I am now going down to Walkerford to visit that little branch.—There is a great and affectual door opened there, I had many calls in different places, and so it is here in Preston, more than we can attend to; and they are calling for us in the country: Br. Hyde and myself went out ten miles last week, and preached twice we had as many as could hear us.—They had a shock of an earthquake here a few years ago, but they say it was nothing compared to this, the people find much fault, and threaten us much, because we get their best members; we tell them all we want is the wheat. I cannot tell you much on one sheet of paper, but I shall write again in about three weeks from the date of this, you must forgive me my dear Vilate, that I have been so negligent about writing to you, but I will not do so again. I felt much gratified with the news you wrote in your kind letter; I had many sorrowful hours thinking of the things in Kirtland: it has been my prayer ever since I left, that a reconciliation should take place. I feel contented about you I know the Lord will take care of you, and preserve you till I come home; and feed you, and clothe you, and the children. And he will take care of me; give me your prayers, and you shall have mine: be faithful my dear companion, our labours will soon be over, when we shall meet to part no more forever. I am glad you have sister Fielding with you, I hope she will stay with you till I come home. Tell William and Hellen and Heber to be good children, and pray for me, my