BY J. NICHOLSON.
APPOINTED TO TAKE CHARGE OF A COMPANY OF EMIGRANTS—LEAVE LONDON FOR AMERICA—SURROUNDED BY A THICK FOG—THE CAPTAIN UNABLE TO TAKE OBSERVATIONS—THE FOG LIFTS—SAVED FROM BEING DASHED UPON THE ROCKS—THANK GOD FOR OUR DELIVERANCE.
The Elders of the Church often speak of the care shown by the Lord in preserving His Saints from harm. He has delivered them miraculously from accidents and death many times.
I will tell of a case in which God exersised His power in behalf of a company of His people.
The young people who may read this perhaps all know that hundreds and thousands of Saints gather to this country, from far off nations, every year. Many ship loads of them have crossed the Atlantic Ocean—a voyage of nearly 3,000 miles. On the sea, many accidents occur whereby people lose their lives by drowning, through the sinking of ships in storms. But nothing of this kind has ever taken place with a ship load of Saints. The reason for this is, that God has promised to protect His elect who should gather from the four quarters of the earth in these latter days.
In the year 1866; Elder Brigham Young, Jr., who was then President of what is called the European Mission of the Church, appointed the writer of this article to take charge of a company of about five hundred Saints from Great Britain to the banks of the Missouri River, in this country, on their way to Salt Lake City. The Saints did not cross the sea in fast-sailing steamships in those days. They traveled over the waters in slow-going sailing ships, depending for speed on favorable winds. At that time six weeks, was considered the average length of time for a voyage from England to New York.
We left the port of London on the 23rd of May, 1866, a very fine company of people, not a few of whom, I am pleased to say, are good, honorable members of the Church, in Utah, to-day. I have in my mind especially now some of the boys who were with us. I have seen them grow up to manhood, and they are still faithful.
When the shipAmerican Congress, on which we sailed, was near the shores of Newfoundland a thick fog prevailed for several days, which prevented Captain Woodward from taking an observation, being unable to see the sun. He therefore could not tell exactly where we were.
About this time the captain and Brother John Rider, who now lives in Kanab, and who was one of my counselors in the presidency of the company, were conversing on the part of the ship called the quarter deck. I was standing some distance away from them. Brother Rider happened to turn his face in the direction in which the ship was sailing. At that moment the fog lifted up from the surface of the sea, as if a vail or scroll had been raised. He saw clearly between the fog and the water for some distance ahead.
Suddenly he exclaimed, pointing forward, "Captain, what is that?"
Captain Woodward, who was tall, powerful and active, made no answer. It was no time for orders. He sprang to the wheelhouse with the agility of a tiger, and knocked the man at the helm "heels over head," sending him sprawling upon the deck. At the same instant he grasped the wheel, turning it with the most surprising rapidity. Although his movements were so quick, he did not lose his presence of mind a moment. He was busy with his voice as well as his hands, for while he acted as I have described, he shouted, in clear, loud, piercing tones, the several orders directing all hands to "'bout ship." The sailors sprang to their posts. There were active limbs and busy hands among the rigging. The good shipAmerican Congress, swayed slowly around, and the moment of peril was past.
Had this action been delayed a few moments the vessel would have been among the breakers, upon the rocks, dashed to pieces and probably not a soul of the nearly five hundred on board would have escaped a watery grave.
The rocks and breakers ahead, on the line of the vessel's course, were what Brother Rider saw when the fog lifted. The captain asked us, as a special favor, not to say a word to the people about the danger with which the ship had been threatened. He being commander of the vessel, we considered it right to respect his desire; besides, we thought his suggestion wise, as a knowledge of what had occurred would doubtless have caused an uneasy feeling among the passengers. The company were, therefore, not aware of the great danger they had escaped.
Elder Rider and myself thanked God for His goodness in so manifestly exercising His power in behalf of His Saints. The Lord fulfilled the promises made to us by His servants at the time we left England for the land of Zion.
BY H.G.B.
IMPRESSED BY THE SPIRIT NOT TO GO ON A STEAMER, AFTER ARRANGING FOR MY PASSAGE—RUSH ASHORE BEFORE THE BOAT STARTS—BOAT SNAGGED AND SUNK IN THE MISSISSIPPI—WARNED BY THE SPIRIT NOT TO MEET AN APPOINTMENT—URGED BY MY FRIENDS, I START—AVERSION TO GOING SO STRONG, I GALLOP BACK—FRIENDS UNABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR MY FEARS—ROBBERY AT THE HOUSE WHERE I WAS TO HAVE GONE—SAVED FROM SUSPICION BY OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT.
There are no people on the earth, that we are acquainted with, that exercise so much faith in God our Heavenly Father as do the Latter-day Saints. No other people seek for His protecting care as they do. Nor are there any people to whom His protection is oftener extended or made manifest more visibly than unto this people.
Especially has this been the case with hundreds of our Elders, when traveling and preaching the gospel. A few of these instances of divine protection in my own experience I wish to relate.
While on my way to Nauvoo, Illinois, in the month of June, 1845, going down the Ohio River, the steamer I was aboard of ran aground on the "Flint Island Bar," just above Evansville, Indiana.
I remained on the boat for thirty-six hours; when, the water in the river being very low, and getting lower every day, and, seeing no prospect of our getting past this bar, I concluded to go ashore and work a few days, as I understood laborers were in demand in Evansville. The captain of the steamer aground, accordingly, refunded me a just proportion of the passage money I had paid him.
I procured work for one week, at the end of which time the river began to rise. Being very anxious to pursue my journey, I went aboard the first boat that landed at Evansville, which I learned was going as far up the Mississippi River as Galena. I made arrangements with the clerk for passage to Nauvoo, but did not pay him at the time, as he said the boat would not leave for two hours.
I was never more desirous of pursuing my journey than I was on this occasion, yet soon after going aboard a feeling of aversion to going on that steamer took possession of me. Instead of a sensation of joy, an undefinable dread, or foreboding of coming evil was exercising an influence over me, that increased in its power every moment, until I could resist no longer, and, snatching up my trunk, I fled with it to shore, just as the deck hands stopped to haul in the gangway, and the boat moved off.
I put my trunk down on the bank of the river, and sat down on it, too weak to stand on my feet longer.
This was a new experience to me, then. What did it mean? One thing was certain, I felt as if I had just escaped from some great calamity to a place of safety.
Two days after this I took passage on another steamer for St. Louis, where in due time I arrived in safety. As I walked ashore I met a newsboy crying his morning paper, and among the items of news it contained the most prominent was an account of the ill-fated steamer that I had made my escape from at Evansville, on the Ohio River. I purchased the paper, and found the boat had been snagged in the Mississippi River, below St. Louis, in the night, and sank, with a loss of nearly all that were on board.
The mysterious feeling that impelled me to leave that boat was cleared up to my satisfaction. There remained not the shadow of a doubt that Providence had interposed between me and the great danger.
The thanks, gratitude, and joy that filled my whole being on this occasion, I will not try to describe.
On another occasion, when on a mission in the State of California, in the year 1857, it became necessary for me to make a visit from the north end to the south end of San Francisco Bay.
There were two ways open to me to make this trip. One was to take the steamer and go by water from Petaluma to San Jose, the place I wished to visit. The other was by land, on horseback, around the east side of the bay, by way of Vallejo and Benicia.
I had stayed over Monday night at the house of a Mr. H—, who was preparing to move south with his family, and who prevailed on me to accompany him around by land. He offered to feed both myself and horse as far south as I desired to go, thus relieving me of any expense.
Mr. H—— had taken great pains to tell me of a Mr. O——, who was very favorably inclined to our people and doctrines. He thought that I ought, by all means, to visit him, and that I could do so on the coming Friday evening, and join him (Mr. H—) on Saturday morning at Vallejo, on the proposed trip.
This all appeared right enough to me, as Mr. O—— lived nearly in a direct line from Petaluma (the place I would start from on Friday) and Vallejo.
Mr. O—— had often invited me to make him a visit, and I therefore promised Mr. H—— that I would accept of his kind offer, and meet him at Vallejo as proposed.
On the Friday following, I took dinner at A. J. Mayfield's, near Petaluma. Soon afterwards I caught and saddled my horse, when I began to feel opposed to going to Mr. O——'s.
I remarked to Mr. Mayfield that I was tempted to give up my visit, at which he and wife (who were both great friends of ours) began to insist that I must not fail to visit Mr. O—— and family, as they were very anxious for me to do so. His acquaintance and friendship, they said, would be a great advantage to me, as he was a man of wealth and great influence.
Having nothing to offer as an excuse for not going, I mounted my horse and rode away.
The distance was about four miles; and, as I proceeded, the same mysterious influence was brought to bear upon me that had saved my life on the other occasion, just related.
This aversion grew and increased upon me until I came in sight of Mr. O——'s house, which was located in a beautiful vale, some half a mile away. From this point I could proceed no farther, or, to say the least, it seemed madness to do so.
So powerfully was I impressed that some impending evil awaited me if I went farther, that I turned my horse about and started back on a gallop, which I did not break until I arrived at Mr. Mayfield's again, feeling all the time as if I was fleeing from some great calamity.
The explanation I gave this family did not seem to satisfy them. I could see they thought me a little inclined to lunacy. However, next morning all was made plain enough.
Having given up my trip around the bay, I went, in company with Mr. Mayfield, to Petaluma, to take steamer and make my way by water.
We had been in town but a few minutes when we met with Mr. O—, who had come in to get out a warrant and an officer to arrest Mr. H—, whom I was to have met that same morning at Vallejo.
Mr. O—— had been robbed the night before of eight thousand dollars in gold, and he charged H—— with being the guilty party, which afterwards was proved to be true.
If I had not been prevented by a kind Providence, I would doubtless have been arrested at Benicia with him, as an accomplice.
The reader can easily perceive the dilemma this would have placed me in. And no doubt Mr. H—— and his family would have done all in their power to fasten the guilt upon me, in order to save themselves.
As soon as Mr. Mayfield and I were alone, he exclaimed, "O, I know now why you could not visit Mr. O—— last evening."
That family no longer regarded me as being superstitious.
As in the other case, I considered this a wonderful escape from a terrible snare, and was full of gratitude, giving thanks to Almighty God for the same.
Since then I have given more heed to the still small voice of the Spirit, and, consequently, have escaped many snares and evils that I might otherwise have fallen into.
Many other incidents I might relate of a similar nature. And there are thousands of our people that could testify to a great many marvelous deliverances, many of them more wonderful than those I have given in this sketch. Therefore, I advise the youth of Zion to seek always for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and for our Heavenly Father's kind and protecting care to be extended over them.
By H. G. B.
CHALLENGED TO DEBATE BY DR. WALTHOLL—HIS DISCOMFITURE AND DEFEAT—DR. SCOTT ATTEMPTS TO RETRIEVE THE CAMPBELLITE CAUSE, AND OFFERS ANOTHER CHALLENGE—RESORTS TO THE WHISKY BOTTLE—ELDER HAMILTON SCORES HIM FOR IT.
Charles and Robert Hamilton were brothers, born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, where, also, they both obeyed the gospel at an early period of the Church's history.
I never had the pleasure of an acquaintance with Charles, but always understood that he was one of the most able and faithful men in the Church in those early times.
Both of these brethren died previous to our exodus from Nauvoo.
Now, it is of some of the incidents that transpired while Elder Robert Hamilton and I traveled together as missionaries in the State of Virginia, in the years 1844 and 1845, that I wish to write.
While preaching at Newcastle, the present County seat of Craig Co., Virginia, we were challenged by the Rev. Dr. Waltholl, of the Campbellite church, to meet him in discussion.
We accepted the challenge. The large church in Newcastle belonging to the Campbellites, was offered for the purpose of holding the debate in. The subjects and terms were agreed upon, the moderators chosen, and the time to commence and continue the discussion to, was arranged, all of which the public was duly notified of.
During the time the debate lasted the large church was filled to overflowing, good order prevailed, and the strictest attention was given.
Elder Hamilton was the speaker on our side. He was a fluent and powerful talker, enjoying much of the Spirit of the Lord, and as the great truths of the gospel flowed from his lips the audience seemed utterly entranced and carried away with the newness, plainness and force of his arguments, "for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
The great Campbellite champion, the Rev. Waltholl, who was both preacher and lawyer by profession, was so utterly overwhelmed and filled with confusion and terror from the first, that he never recovered from the shock during the time the debate lasted. So much was this the case with him that he could only occupy a small portion of the time allotted to him, and, on the second day, at his own request, the discussion was brought to a close, although by his own proposition at first, it was to have lasted three days.
The reason he assigned for this was, that he was entirely unprepared to meet Elder Hamilton's arguments and evidence on the subjects under discussion, which were the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, the organization of the Church, with apostles, prophets, etc., and the gifts, blessings and power of the Holy Ghost.
Not one of the hundreds that attended that discussion ever pretended that the Campbellites did not meet with a great and decisive defeat on that occasion.
The news of their disaster spread rapidly and widely throughout the land, and came to the ears of another of their great divines, by the name of Dr. Scott (doctor of divinity, not of medicine).
This man flattered himself that he was able to retrieve his cause from the terrible defeat that it had suffered at the hands of Elder Hamilton, at Newcastle. He, therefore, challenged Brother Hamilton to debate with him upon the same subjects, and with the same terms as at first, but in another church and at another place.
This challenge was also accepted by Brother Hamilton, and the discussion was held, but it proved more disastrous to the Campbellite cause than the first had done.
Dr. Scott failed so completely on every point, and so disgraced himself as well as the cause, that he never afterward attempted to preach.
While the power, gifts and blessings of the Holy Ghost were being discussed, Elder Hamilton contending for its inspiration, its gifts and blessings as formerly enjoyed by the Saints, and the doctor arguing against these gifts, and denying such inspiration in any manner or form, I occupied a seat in the stand. While watching and listening to the proceedings, I caught the doctor imbibing freely from a bottle of whisky, which he replaced in his saddle-bags when the operation of drinking was over.
I had detected the smell of whisky the day previous, while seated near the doctor, but never suspected it was from his breath. I could never have thought a preacher guilty of so flagrant an outrage. But so it was; I had caught him in the very act, and so informed Elder Hamilton.
Such a scathing as that preacher received from Brother Hamilton I never witnessed. Said he:
"He denies the inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost; but there is an inspiration that hedoes believe in, and that is the spirit of the whisky bottle, which he now carries in his saddle-bags, and from which he has often sought and obtainedhis kind of inspirationsince the beginning of this discussion."
This exposure and his muddled condition rendered Dr. Scott unfit to continue the debate longer. Prior to this time he had been considered a respectable, pious and able preacher. However, that defeat and consequent exposure destroyed his influence from that time forward.
As a rule, public discussions do not result in much good, but these were exceptions, and in and around this place we soon had the names of forty persons who were applicants for baptism.
I have traveled and labored in company with many of our most worthy Elders, but never with one more faithful, contrite in spirit and child-like, and yet more determined, valiant and undeviating in defense of the truth, and in every duty devolving upon him, than was Elder Robert Hamilton; and I have written this little sketch as a feeble tribute to his memory and his sterling worth.
During the eight or ten months we traveled together, our union and love for each other resembled very much that which existed between David and Jonathan.
By H. G. B.
ELDERS TO GO OUT TWO AND TWO—YOUNG MISSIONARIES INCLINED TO SHIRK—ELDER MOSES THATCHER—HIS DIFFIDENCE—THE WAY HE WAS BROKEN IN—HIS SUCCESS—ELDER M'ALISTER—HIS BACKWARDNESS IN SPEAKING—FORCED INTO IT—HIS TESTIMONY—ELDER CORAY'S EXPERIENCE—PROMISES OF THE LORD PROVED TRUE.
We are informed in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 42, verse 6, that the Elders are to travel "two and two," and in sec. 84, verse 106 (latest edition) that the strong in spirit are to take with them the weak. That is, as I understand it, those that are experienced are to take with them the inexperienced.
Thus has it always transpired in my missionary labors.
The first mission I ever was called upon to perform was to the State of Virginia, in 1844. During that mission I traveled successively with Elders Sebert C. Shelton, Chapman Duncan and Robert Hamilton.
These Elders had more experience than I had, consequently, it was very natural for me to depend upon them to do the preaching, allowing the burden of our labors to rest upon their shoulders. But if they had humored me, and allowed me to shirk my legitimate share of the work, I am satisfied that I would have failed to succeed on that mission.
They, however, took great pains to see that I should not neglect my share in all the labors. They put me forward, and not unfrequently managed to leave me to fill appointments alone, and sometimes to travel alone for a week or two at a time. This left me to depend upon God and His Spirit entirely, and I can truly testify that this course was very valuable to me. I was often very much surprised and encouraged at the assistance afforded me through the Spirit on these occasions.
Since that first mission I have been sent on many others, and have traveled with seventeen other Elders at different times, most of whom were without experience. Among these were several more or less like I had been—backward, and inclined to shirk the responsibility of preaching.
I have had to resort to some pretty sharp management in breaking them in. A few of these instances I will relate.
When Elder Moses Thatcher was only between fifteen and sixteen years of age, he traveled with me as a missionary in California.
He was naturally inclined to modesty and diffidence, and said to me one day that he would black our boots, curry and saddle our horses, and do all that was to be done except the preaching, if I would do that part of the work and excuse him.
Naturally I entertained a great amount of sympathy for him, on account of his extreme youth, also because I remembered my own shortcomings when out on my first mission, during which time nothing ever so frightened me as the thoughts of being called upon to arise and try to preach. I therefore favored him until I thought it unwise and an injury to him to indulge him farther.
Having been invited to visit and preach in a new locality, I asked Elder T. to take some tracts and visit the place, and see the trustees of the school house. If the liberty to preach in the house was granted, then he was to proceed to notify the neighborhood of the meeting, distributing the pamphlets as he went. I also told him if anything happened to prevent my being there he was to fill the appointment.
At this he trembled, and with a face white with fear he begged me not to fail to be there, until I nearly repented of my intention.
He succeeded in obtaining the use of the house, and in notifying the people he came upon a quilting party of women and girls, who readily promised to be at the meeting, provided he (Elder T.) would preach.
He replied that his colleague would most likely do the preaching. But it turned out otherwise, and Elder T. was left to his fate; but he filled his appointment like a man.
Judging from the report that spread from that meeting, Elder T. preached as good a discourse then as at any time since, and probably with greater satisfaction to himself.
From that time forward he never failed to do his part in our labors, and I have no doubt that he looks back upon that achievement as one of the greatest of a very eventful and useful life.
Elder J. D. H. McAllister traveled with me in Arkansas, and for the first two months of our labors, when called upon to talk, would not occupy above five minutes, and often not half that time. It would then occur to him that the audience would rather hear some one else than him, after which he would not possess courage to try to talk longer, and would take his seat.
He would often say that he could not account for his being called on a mission. "What can I do? I do not even know that this latter-day work is true. My father has often borne testimony that he knew this work to be true. He is a good man and I believe his testimony; but I do not know it to be true for myself."
However, an opportunity occurred that dispelled all these doubts, and planted in the place thereof, facts and certainties.
I had taken a severe cold, and was so hoarse that I could not talk. A meeting was to be held, and at that meeting some one would have to preach.
The only alternative was for him to attend and do the preaching. To do this he had to travel five or six miles across the "slashes," face a large congregation composed almost entirely of strangers, and do all the preaching, and that, too, alone.
I never, while in that country, heard the last of the praises heaped upon him by the people for the "best sermon" they had ever listened to. He had no difficulty in testifying to the divinity of the great latter-day work. The Holy Spirit rested upon him, and he could not keep back this testimony, which was as new to him as it was to those that heard him.
That day's work is no doubt remembered by him with the greatest pleasure of any event of his life, and will prove as profitable as any in his future career.
Elder H. K. Coray was the most bashful of all the young Elders I ever traveled with, and it was more than a year before he overcame this fault. I had almost despaired of his ever making a success as a missionary. But I am proud to say he did finally succeed, and during the last year of our labors together, through the blessings of the Holy Spirit, he became an able speaker, and our hearers listened to him in rapt attention.
He has often said that the experience he gained during that mission was worth more to him than all the wealth of the world.
I could refer to the experiences of many other Elders who have traveled with me, which were, in many instances, similar to those that I have related. Some of them have been so far discouraged that they would weep like a child; others would beg of me to release them and let them return home, who at brighter moments would charge me not to permit such a thing, as they did not wish to disgrace themselves or their parents.
I can think of nothing that would so blight a young Elder's future usefulness and destiny as a failure to make a success of his mission, or any work that the priesthood may have set him apart to do. And I feel it my duty in this connection to bear my testimony to the truth contained in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, that has never failed to be verified in my experience, and in that of all other Elders whose labors have come within my observation. These promises are as follows:
"Any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all things shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint: and an hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst." (sec. 84, verse 80).
"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say, but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (verse 85).
I have written the above incidents of missionary life and made these quotations in connection with them for the encouragement of young Elders now on missions, and the thousands of boys and young men that may, and will yet have to take missions to the many nations of the earth.
By C.
START UPON A MISSION, PENNILESS—AID FROM THE CAPTAIN AND PASSENGERS ON THE STEAMBOAT—ARRIVE AT NEW ORLEANS—FAIL IN TRYING TO FIND FREE PASSAGE TO ENGLAND—DISCOURAGEMENT—PRAYER—REBUKE AND ANSWER—APPLY FOR PASSAGE ON THE "BERLIN"—KIND RECEPTION FROM CAPTAIN BAKER—BARGAIN FOR PASSAGE—ONE HALF TO BE PAID IN DISCUSSING RELIGION WITH AN EPISCOPALIAN MINISTER.
In the year 1846, at a council of the Twelve Apostles held in the temple at Nauvoo, I was appointed to go on a mission to England.
After seeing my wife and our one child provided for, as to travel and board in the great exodus then being inaugurated for the unknown somewhere for the Saints to seek, I left Nauvoo, poor and penniless, for St. Louis, Missouri.
After procuring some pecuniary help, I took passage for New Orleans on board the steamerBrunswick, Captain Moore commanding.
From some of the passengers I received substantial evidences of answer to prayer for means to prosecute my journey. In my labors in preaching the word I was wonderfully blessed, the captain kindly remitting one-half of the cabin passage money.
Arriving at New Orleans a stranger, and knowing no Saints if there were any in that city, I secured lodgings and board at $1.00 per day. It now became a new and peculiar duty and strain on my faith and pocket to seek a passage in some sailing vessel, bound for Liverpool.
I had some $45.00 in my pocket, the gifts of dear friends in St. Louis, on board the steamerBrunswick, and from one person particularly in answer to a masonic shake of the hand, unintentionally given.
I endeavored to find passage on the no purse or scrip principle, and was in every instance unsuccessful. I attributed these repulses to meanness or the non-appreciation of the character of a missionary, such as I proclaimed myself, and to the national character of the captains of the several vessels to whom I applied, for, being English myself, to this class I had purposely made my applications.
Meeting with several rebuffs, I was fast drifting on the road to discouragement.
On the Thursday succeeding my arrival I stood on the levee, and in fervent prayer I asked God to open the way for me to fill this mission—to soften the heart of the next captain I applied to, so that he might take me to Liverpool, free. I requested this as an evidence to me of God's favor; and if refused, I would take it as an evidence that I should return, overtake the Saints going west, and, with my family, find a new home.
While thus meditating and praying, it seemed as if some one came up to me and asked me how much money I had.
I instinctively replied, "About $40.00."
Then came the query: What did I want with that but to pay my way? Why ask for a Divine interposition on the heart or purse of any one while I had money in my pocket?
I felt the rebuke, yet I thought of my shabby clothes, my going home to see a proud-feeling mother, my desire by my personal appearance to cast no discredit on the cause I had espoused. These and many similar reflections passed hurriedly through my mind.
My invisible monitor did not leave me, but, waking me from the reverie, he again plied me with similar interrogations and rebukes, and told me to apply to the ship then in direct sight.
I looked up and saw the words: "For Liverpool."
I walked down to the pile of cotton from which the mate and some stevedores were loading the good shipBerlin.
I asked the mate what was the chance to obtain passage on board his ship for Liverpool.
In the most cherry voice he replied: "First rate! But here comes Captain Baker; talk with him."
I approached him. He offered his hand. I told him my business, my wishes and aims. He invited me on board, and, it being noon, to dinner.
After dinner he remarked: "Now to business! You say you are a 'Mormon' missionary. You wish to go to England! And how do you wish to go?"
I replied that I had but little money, and would be obliged to content myself with a steerage passage.
To this he strenuously objected, remarking that I knew not the life of a steerage passenger.
He asked me how much money I had, remarking that his cabin fare was $80.00.
I put my hand in my pocket and drew out my entire stock of cash, $40.00. "There captain," I remarked, "is all I have, which is just half the price of a cabin passage."
He remarked, "I will take this in part payment!"
"But," I asked, "how shall I, howcanI pay you the difference?"
He replied, "I have heard much of the preachers of the 'Mormon' faith being experts in the scriptures. We shall take on board on Sunday evening an Episcopalian minister, and when we get out to sea and all things in trim, I shall expect you and the minister to give me and my wife some Bible contests."
"Now," said I to the captain, "having given you all my money, how can I pay my board bill till you sail?"
"Why," he replied, "how can you board but board the shipBerlin! Here," (calling to one of the men) "go with this boy and help him with any luggage he may have, and put it in the cabin."
Soon I was duly installed. You may readily imagine my feelings of gratitude to God and the monitor on the levee.
In due time we sailed, after receiving the reverend gent, who was a tall, portly person, wearing the garb and look of his church.
THE VOYAGE—DISCUSSION—MINISTER'S DISCOMFITURE—ARRIVE IN LIVERPOOL—KINDNESS OF CAPTAIN BAKER—LEARN OF HIS DEATH AND MY DUTY—MY SHABBY APPEARANCE—FIRST SERMON—MONEY PUT INTO MY HAND—VISIT HOME—UNKINDNESS OF RELATIVES—MORE HELP FROM STRANGERS.
When fairly out at sea, and as evening set in, the captain would order lights and request the minister to bring out his large Bible, and "you, little one, bring out your little Bible."
Neither of us was loth, and the theological set-to would commence.
Captain Baker would exclaim with a hearty oath, that the little one had the best of it, and then the big one would get wrathy, and close his book with a bang and declare the contest off. But Mrs. Baker would interpose and soften his ire, and again we would return "to the law and the testimony."
But, alas! at one of these theological "bouts," the theme being water baptism, sprinkling and circumcision, the new birth, etc., I was so marvelously assisted in delineating the new birth—water baptism, that he closed his big book with a clang, and declared that he would never argue with me any more.
The captain, jumping up, swore with an oath that the "little one" had the best of it, and Mrs. Baker smiled her approval.
I pass over the general features of the voyage.
Arriving in the river Mersey early in the morning, and the tide not serving, the prospect was to remain on board till the tide changed.
The captain hailed a boat to go on shore, and bid me go with him. At first I declined, knowing I had no means, but by persuasion I consented.
He asked me where I was going to, and if I knew any one.
I told him "Stanley Buildings," and I knew no one only as my credentials named certain persons, such as Messrs. Ward, Hedlock and Wilson.
He accompanied me to Stanley Buildings, but finding no one there, it being too early for office hours, he invited me to breakfast.
After breakfast, he took me to the office of theMillennial Star, requesting me before leaving, to come down to the dock at a certain hour, which he named, as the ship would then be in her berth.
At the appointed time I was there.
My little trunk was examined and passed. I was in the act of throwing it over my shoulder when the captain seized it, hailed a cab, threw the trunk to the driver, and literally pushed me inside the cab.
I then said: "Captain, this is pushing things to an extreme. I have no money, I gave you all I had. I owe you $40.00 balance of my passage money. How can I pay this fare and you?"
"With this half sovereign pay your fare. As to the balance of the passage money, pay that by preaching the gospel as you know it, and as your little book (a small pocket Bible) teaches it. Do all the good you can, and when you pray, as I know you do, for I have heard you on board the ship, pray for Sam Baker. God bless you; and when you get through and want to go back home, and I am in port, come to me and I will take you back free."
Then giving the door of the cab a slam, he said: "Take this boy to Stanley Buildings!"
I never saw Captain Baker again. I learned that in a subsequent voyage he was lost at sea, in a terrific storm.
On the receipt of the news, as sensibly as you can hear a penny drop into an empty contribution box, so sensibly did my monitor of the levee tell me of my duty—to be baptized for Captain Baker.
Baptism for the dead was then a new principle in this age, and one but recently revealed through the Prophet Joseph; I therefore hailed with joy unspeakable this, another direct manifestation of the presence of God with me, the divine inspiration of Joseph Smith, and the truth of this work.
My arrival at Liverpool was in the midst of the dazzling sumptuousness of the Joint Stock Company. Feastings, dress and the appointments of well-paid attaches were the order of the day.
My appearance as to dress was not becoming.
I saw in fancy my presiding officers there, myself, my intended visit home, penniless. Yet had not God marvelously wrought for me? Why should I despair?
Placards announced my coming—the first from the temple at Nauvoo.
Sunday found me in the pulpit, with a vast host assembled.
How shall I, in adequate words, portray even now the grandeur of language, ideas, the sublimity of the opening vision of mind, as I dilated on "Ye must be born again?" How enwrapped, how enlightened I was by the Spirit! How scripture, unthought of, unknown or unappreciated before, marched in single file before my mind! How, after nearly two hours, I sank to my seat exhausted, and thought of my clothes and my mother's chagrin if I saw her in that plight.
After the benediction, I descended to mingle with the people.
Many strangers to the hall and the Saints came trooping to me, eager to press my hand, leaving therein weighty metallic evidences of their appreciation of a God-helped "Mormon" missionary.
I now had more money than when on the levee at New Orleans.
How vividly I recall, even now, my gratitude, as on bended knees at my lodgings I thanked God for His wonderful interpositions in my behalf, and what joy I felt as I counted the metallic evidences of trust and answer to prayer.
As soon as I could I visited home, from which I had been exiled for my faith. They scanned me well, and one member of the family, referring to our mode of traveling—without purse or scrip, wanted to know if I had come home to sponge on them.
I replied "No!" and, putting my hand into my pocket, drew forth a sovereign. Pushing that towards them, I remarked, "That will pay my board bill while I stay. Our Elders do not sponge!"
I was proud that I had good clothes and money.
At the Sunday dinner the same acrimonious feelings were again exhibited.
I arose from the table, sorrowed that years of absence had not softened their hearts towards me and the cause dearest to my heart, remarking that "This evening I will preach in the Theobald Road room, at 6-30."
My brothers came to hear me, and here again God opened the sacred volume, showed me new beauties, gave me impassioned language to expound the scriptures, afforded me power to enchain the audience, and again to see strangers rush to give me money.
My brothers laughed the laugh of unbelief, while strangers and Saints thanked God for the words heard, and gave me more money.
I hope this brief and hurried but truthful narrative may inspire some young Saint, missionary or otherwise, to be honest and trust in God when out without purse or scrip.
By G. Q. C.
DIFFERENCE IN PERSONS ABOUT SPEAKING IN PUBLIC—THE LORD WILLING TO HELP HIS SERVANTS TO OVERCOME TIMIDITY—EARLY EXPERIENCE IN PREACHING—A FEELING OF FEAR AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD NOT CONGENIAL—TIMIDITY CONQUERED.
It is most interesting to listen at meetings to the different testimonies which the Latter-day Saints bear concerning the work of God. The experience of no two persons is exactly the same, and yet all are true. One is impressed with an evidence of the truth in one way and another in another way.
So also it is with the experience of the Elders; the experience of each varies according to the constitution and temperament, the bent of mind and the circumstances which surround each one.
We have met with a few men in our life who never seemed to know what it was to be timid in standing up before an audience. They always seemed to be perfectly self-possessed, and did not suffer in the least from fear; while we have known others who felt that it was impossible for them to stand on their feet and address an audience.
Some Elders in starting out, quickly conquer their feelings of timidity. They soon get into the habit of thinking and talking upon their feet. They seem to care nothing about the congregation, while others require a long time to get accustomed to speaking to audiences, and are easily embarrassed.
We firmly believe that the Lord will help every man to overcome this timidity when sent upon a mission to preach the gospel. If he does not conquer the feeling of fear, it is because he allows it to master him, and does not use that faith which he should to shake it off.
The writer started out as a missionary when he felt that he was but a comparative youth. He was exceedingly timid, and had a mortal dread of standing up before a congregation. He sometimes thought that no one could have suffered from this feeling as he did.
But there was one thing that he made up his mind to do—to never shrink from the discharge of his duty. If he should be called upon to pray, to bear testimony or to speak, he was resolved that he would do his best, and put his trust in the Lord to help him out.
With the exception of a few meetings, his first experience as a missionary was in preaching in a strange language to a foreign people. This was doubtless more embarrassing than it would have been to speak to the people in his mother tongue, because there was his awkwardness in the use of the language in addition to the ordinary feelings of timidity to contend with.
He well remembers the feelings that he had prior to the first meeting. If he could have run away, and done so honorably, he would have done it, but this would have been disgraceful.
He did the best he could, and suffered considerably from embarrassment; and though he baptized some nineteen souls in the ensuing five weeks, yet he suffered at each meeting from the same feelings of dread.
Something occurred on the sixth Sunday to arouse him and make him somewhat angry. The conduct of some preachers and opponents of the gospel was very hateful, and in attending meeting that day he enjoyed greater liberty than he had at any time previously. A fearless spirit took possession of him, and the Spirit was able to speak through him as it had not done before.
The feeling of fear when it rests upon a man, drives away the Spirit of God. The two spirits cannot exist in the same bosom. One must have the mastery. If the Spirit of God has the mastery, it drives away all fear, and enables a man to speak under its influence with power. If the spirit of fear has the mastery, the Spirit of God is checked, and the man is not able to tell the people the will and counsel of the Lord.
After six weeks' preaching in this locality, the writer visited another place, where the people were very anxious to hear. He succeeded in getting a large meeting-house to preach in, and when he arose to give out the hymns and to pray, the sound of his own voice in the building frightened him.
The congregation was a larger one than he had ever addressed before; but he prayed earnestly to the Lord for help. He knew that no power but God's could assist him and enable him to declare the truth.
After reading a portion of the scriptures, he commenced speaking, and continued to address the people for upwards of an hour. He was completely carried away by the Spirit, and fear was banished. Tears coursed down the cheeks of the congregation, and many felt the power of God to so great an extent that they came forward and offered themselves for baptism.
A great work was done in that place and the vicinity, and from that time to the present—about thirty years—the writer has never suffered from fear as he did previous to that day.
It is true that many men never can arise before a congregation without feeling some degree of embarrassment and trepidation. The writer is one of these; but that fear which paralyzes the mind, that impairs the memory and produces a feeling of dread and utter forgetfulness of everything that one knows, he has never experienced from that time.
We relate this instance in our experience to show how differently Elders are affected. Some can speak without any difficulty or fear after the first time they get on their feet. It takes others, as in our own case, a longer time to overcome this feeling, probably arising from the fact that some have by nature more of that man-fearing spirit. Others, again, may require a still longer time; but what we wish to impress upon our young readers, and upon all who read these pages, is that they should not be discouraged because the first time they get on their feet, or the second or third, they do not speak with that freedom they desire.
When the Spirit of God takes possession of a man, and he will yield to its influence, it will take away all fear, and enable him to tell the truth in great plainness; and if he will persevere, nothing doubting, we dare promise every Elder that he will be able to overcome his feelings of fear and embarrassment, and be filled with holy boldness to declare the gospel unto the people in whose midst he is appointed to labor.