| 424 mission laid upon me till Bro. Jason Briggs arrived. I felt glad to find one faithful good man, that Bro. Revel baptized, and I informed him that he was wanted for the ministry, to travel in Bro. Revel's place, in Sheffield, Chesterfield, Blaby, Birmingham, Nottingham, and all places which should open to him, and when I should be in London to commune with me on all matters till the arrival of other authority, when all would submit to that authority. This Brother consented to do so, as soon as he could settle things at home. This has been done and he is now in the field laboring, I believe, faithfully. I remained in Sheffield two weeks. The president is a good man, and he with other of the brethren are doing their best to roll on the work.
"After leaving Sheffield I passed through Lincolnshire, visited many of the Brighamites previously forewarned of my coming to England, by the authorities, and directed not to allow us to come into their houses, nor to feed or lodge us in any way. Several of these saints told them, 'they should not take that counsel,' they would hear what we had to say when we (Bro. Derry, as report goes, was coming with me) came. We; that is, Elder Charles Derry and myself, were once good men; they had been blessed under our ministry in years past, and if we had altered, they could soon detect the same. Many of the old standards left last spring; those who remain were making ready, but have turned their course. I have been in London six weeks. Every opposition that can be set in motion is now tried. I can stand almost anything, but to hear the scandalous, scurrilous falsehood in circulation against the family and wife of the martyred prophet is more than I can bear; I never have endured such a trial of patience in all my life as at this time. I have endured temptations of such a character, that had I yielded would have driven these liars out of London.
"This week, in Birmingham, they are going to baptize from ten to twenty, of the old stock, and the last day of this month they will open a room in the center of Birmingham; I expect a good work will be done there. I have written to Bro. Pointon to pay strict attention to Birmingham, and round about, for a season, till the work has got a good hold.
(page 424) |
