"I HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY"—AMUSING CONVERSATION—VOYAGE TO ENGLAND—APPOINTED TO PREACH IN LIVERPOOL—PEOPLE PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL—BEGINS WORK—BAPTISMS.

When Elder Taylor arrived in New York, Elder Woodruff had been there some time, and was all impatience to embark for England, but as yet the former had no means with which to pay for his ocean passage. Although supplied with all the means necessary on his journey thus far, after paying his cab-fare to the house of Brother Pratt he had but one cent left. Still he was the last man on earth to plead poverty, and in answer to inquiries of some of the brethren as to his financial circumstances, he replied that he had plenty of money.

This was reported to Brother Pratt, who the next day approached Elder Taylor on the subject:

Elder Pratt: "Brother Taylor, I hear you have plenty of money?"

Elder Taylor: "Yes, Brother Pratt, that's true."

Elder Pratt: "Well, I am about to publish my 'Voice of Warning' and 'Millennial Poems,' I am very much in need of money, and if you could furnish me two or three hundred dollars I should be very much obliged."

Elder Taylor: "Well, Brother Parley, you are welcome to anything I have, if it will be of service to you."

Elder Pratt: "I never saw the time when means would be more acceptable."

Elder Taylor: "Then you are welcome to all I have."

And putting his hand into his pocket Elder Taylor gave him his copper cent. A laugh followed.

"But I thought you gave it out that you had plenty of money," said Parley.

"Yes, and so I have," replied Elder Taylor. "I am well clothed, you furnish me plenty to eat and drink and good lodging; with all these things and a penny over, as I owe nothing, is not that plenty?"

That evening at a council meeting Elder Pratt proposed that the brethren assist Elder Taylor with means to pay his passage to England as Brother Woodruff was prepared and desired to go. To this Elder Taylor objected and told the brethren if they had anything to give to let Parley have it, as he had a family to support and needed means for publishing. At the close of the meeting Elder Woodruff expressed his regret at the course taken by Elder Taylor, as he had been waiting for him, and at last had engaged his passage.

Elder Taylor: "Well, Brother Woodruff, if you think it best for me to go, I will accompany you."

Elder Woodruff: "But where will you get the money?"

Elder Taylor: "Oh, there will be no difficulty about that. Go and take a passage for me on your vessel, and I will furnish you the means."

A Brother Theodore Turley, hearing the above conversation, and thinking that Elder Taylor had resources unknown to himself or Brother Woodruff, said: "I wish I could go with you, I would do your cooking and wait on you."

The passage to be secured was in the steerage—these missionaries were not going on flowery beds of ease—hence the necessity of such service as Brother Turley proposed rendering. In answer to this appeal, Elder Taylor told Brother Woodruff to take a passage for Brother Turley also.

At the time of making these arrangements Elder Taylor had no money, but the Spirit had whispered him that means would be forthcoming, and when had that still, small voice failed him! In that he trusted, and he did not trust in vain. Although he did not ask for a penny of anyone, from various persons in voluntary donations he received money enough to meet his engagements for the passage of himself and Brother Turley, but no more.

Elder Taylor and his two companions embarked on the 10th of December, 1839, and after a very prosperous voyage arrived in Liverpool, January 11th, 1840. Two days later they went to Preston, Lancashire.

In 1837, Apostles Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde and several other Elders had opened the door of the gospel in England, and raised up several branches of the Church, the principal one being in Preston. Elder Willard Richards had been left in charge of the mission in England, after the return of Elder Kimball in the spring of 1838; and Elder Joseph Fielding, an old Canadian friend of Elder Taylor's,—at whose instance he had written an account of the restoration of the gospel to England some years before—presided over the branch at Preston.

A council of the priesthood within reach was held at Preston, at which it was decided that Elder Taylor should labor in Liverpool, with Elder Fielding to assist him. After receiving this assignment the brethren at once repaired to Liverpool and began their labors.

A few words here relative to the opening of this English mission. In England, as in Canada, the servants of God found a people looking for and prepared to receive the gospel. They believed the major part of those things which the Elders of Israel had come into their midst to proclaim, as the company of gentlemen did with whom Elder Taylor was associated in Toronto. The people were in that peculiar frame of mind that made them realize that great changes in systems were about to take place. The Spirit of God was moving upon the righteous, and when they heard the gospel they were ready to receive it.

Among those so situated was a Mr. Matthews, a brother-in-law to Elder Joseph Fielding, and formerly a Church of England minister; but he had resigned his position because he saw how far that church had departed from the gospel of the New Testament; and how destitute it was of the gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost; and because it was not making any preparations for the coming and reign of Christ on earth. He had heard the gospel preached by Elders Richards and Goodson, in Bedfordshire; he testified of its truth to his congregation; and went so far as to appoint a time when he would be baptized with a number of his followers. For some cause he failed to put in an appearance at the appointed time, his mind became darkened and he opposed the Elders, but adopted their principles and began preaching them on his own account. In this way he raised up a number of congregations, one of which was located in Liverpool.

Elder Taylor and his companion diligently searched these people out and presented the gospel message to them. Some gladly received the word, and others rejected it with great bitterness. Against some of this latter class the brethren washed their feet as a witness against them.^[1] The manner in which they complied with this ordinance appointed unto them is described by Elder Taylor as follows:

"We washed our feet and then knelt before the Lord and bore testimony of it, saying: 'O Lord, our Heavenly Father, we Thy servants have borne testimony to the truth of those things which Thou hast revealed to Mr. S—, and he has rejected our testimony. O, Father, Thou knowest we have no hard feelings toward the man; if Thou canst forgive him and lead him to the truth, do so, we pray Thee. O, Father, we do this that we may fulfill Thy word, and bear testimony before Thee according to Thy commandment; and now, O, Lord, we leave him in Thy hands, praying Thee to guide us into all truth, in the name of Jesus. Amen.'"

When the Sabbath came they attended services at a chapel in Hope Street, where Mr. Matthews usually held forth. He was absent on this occasion, but a young man, whom Elder Taylor describes as very devout, preached. He lamented the state of the church, its pride, its vanity, its lack of spiritual power; prayed for the blessings of the Holy Ghost to be again made manifest, and for the coming of Christ's kingdom.

Such an opening as this was not neglected by Elder Taylor. At the close of the meeting he arose and requested the privilege of speaking. He was told, however, that he had better repair to the vestry and there a hearing would be accorded him. He accepted the proposition. Some sixteen or twenty class-leaders and elders were present who seemed anxious to learn what sect the brethren were of. Setting aside that matter, Elder Taylor thus addressed them:

"Gentlemen, friends and brethren; I have listened with deep interest to the things that I have heard this morning. I have observed with peculiar emotions the deep anxiety, the fervent prayer and the strong solicitude manifested by you in relation to obtaining the Holy Ghost. I have been pleased with the correct views you entertain in regard to the situation of the world. We believe in those things as you do. We hear that you believe in baptism and the laying on of hands, so also do we. Brethren and friends, we are the humble followers of Jesus Christ and are from America. I lately arrived in this place, and have come five thousand miles without purse or scrip, and I testify to you, my brethren, that the Lord has revealed Himself from heaven and put us in possession of these things you are so anxiously looking for and praying that you may receive." ("Glory be to God," was shouted by many present, and great emotion manifested.)

"That thing has taken place which is spoken of by John in the Revelations, where he says: 'I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come.' Brethren, we the servants of God are come to this place to warn the inhabitants of their approaching danger, and to call upon them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

"I feel an anxious desire to deliver this testimony. I feel the word of the Lord like fire in my bones and am desirous to have an opportunity of proclaiming to you those blessings that you are looking for, that you may rejoice with us in those glorious things which God has revealed for the salvation of the world in the last days."

This speech filled many with exceeding great rejoicing, some even wept for joy, while others were equally filled with zealous rage. The class so affected demanded to know if they were not Mormons. "No," replied Elder Taylor, "we belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, called by our enemies the 'Mormon Church.'"

When this was known some said they had heard an unfavorable opinion of that people. Others said that their pastor, Mr. Matthews, had declared the thing was from hell, etc.; and in answer to the application for the chapel to preach in, an unfavorable reply was made.

In the afternoon Elder Taylor and companion attended a meeting of the non-communion Baptists. The brethren made themselves known to the leader of the meeting and asked for the use of the house, telling him he might make collections and keep the money for his society if he would grant them the privilege of speaking. He excused himself on the grounds that the Baptist society was so rigid that they would refuse to hear; but he treated them very kindly.

In the evening they again attended service at Mr. Matthews' chapel. "There are many who will become Saints among them," predicted Elder Taylor, "but they, like others, are sadly under the influence of priests." That night after meeting one of the preachers of the society, of the name of William Mitchell, came to Elder Taylor and invited him to his home, and during the next week opened his house for him to hold meetings in. And notwithstanding all the efforts on the part of Mr. Matthews' preachers and class-leaders to prevent their members from going, the house was filled. At the first meeting Mr. Mitchell and his wife expressed their determination to receive the message, and others soon followed. A hall in Preston Street was taken, capable of seating about three hundred, and the first night it was well filled.

Elder Taylor's text was from Jude:

"It was needful for me to * * * exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was delivered to the Saints."

He referred to the laudable efforts of such reformers as Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Wesley, Whitfield and others who had tried to bring about the ancient order of things, but by reference to the gospel as contained in the New Testament, showed that they had failed to accomplish it. This was followed up by an account of how the gospel had been restored to the earth in the present age by the ministration of angels and the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He showed them how what they had been praying for was now accomplished, and exhorted them to receive it.

The effect of his discourse was overwhelming. Exclamations of praise and thanksgiving were heard in various parts of the house, while the weeping of others testified to the emotion they could not otherwise express. Ten offered themselves for baptism at the close of the meeting, and many others expressed a friendly disposition.

Meantime the news had reached Mr. Matthews that his sheepfold had been invaded by the "Mormons," and he wrote back a letter warning his flock against "Mormonism," but to no purpose. The ten were baptized, among them Mr. Mitchell, and a great many who attended to witness the ceremony of baptism expressed a desire to obey the message the next time a day was appointed for baptisms. Thus the work was begun in Liverpool.

Footnotes

1. "He that receiveth you not, go away from him alone by yourselves, and cleanse your feet even with water, pure water, whether in heat or in cold, and bear testimony of it unto your Father which is in heaven, and return not again to that man." See Doc. and Cov. Sec. 84 and Sec. 61.