MORMONISM CARRIED TO GREAT BRITAIN—"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL"—THE REV. MR. FIELDING—FIRST BAPTISM IN ENGLAND—FIRST WOMAN BAPTIZED—STORY OF MISS JEANNETTA RICHARDS—FIRST BRANCH OF THE CHURCH IN FOREIGN LANDS ORGANIZED AT THE HOUSE OF ANN DAWSON—FIRST CHILD BORN INTO THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND—ROMANTIC SEQUEL—VILATE KIMBALL AGAIN.

The voice of prophesy was no longer hushed; the heavens were no longer sealed; the Almighty really spoke to these prophets and apostles of the latter days; their words were strangely, sometimes romantically, fulfilled; the genius of Mormonism was alike potent at home and abroad.

"Thou shalt go to Upper Canada, even to the city of Toronto, and there thou shalt find a people prepared for the fullness of the gospel, and they shall receive thee;" the prophet Heber had oracled over the head of a fellow laborer, "and from the things growing out of this mission shall the fullness of the gospel spread into England and cause a great work to be done in that land."

One part of this prophesy the reader has seen exactly fulfilled in the mission of Parley P. Pratt to Canada, enlivened with some very interesting episodes. It falls upon Heber himself—the father of the British mission—to fulfill, with the brethren who accompany him, the supreme part of the prophesy referring to Great Britain.

It will be remembered from the sketch of Vilate Kimball, that Mary Fielding gave to Heber five dollars to help him on his journey, and that she with her sister and her sister's husband, Elder R. B. Thompson, were on their way to Canada to engage in the second mission to that Province, while Heber, Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, and Joseph Fielding, with several other brethren from Canada, pursued their course to England.

It was July 1st, 1837, when these elders embarked on board the ship Garrick, bound for Liverpool, which they reached on the 20th of the same month.

On their arrival in that foreign land the three principal elders—Heber, Orson and Willard—had not as much as one farthing in their possession, yet were they destined to accomplish marvelous results ere their return to America.

Having remained two days in Liverpool, these elders were directed by the spirit to go to Preston, a flourishing English town in Lancashire, to plant the standard of their Church.

It generally came to pass that some singular incident occurred in all of the initial movements of these elders, opening their way before them, or omening their success. So now, the people of Preston were celebrating a grand national occasion. Queen Victoria, a few days previously (July 17th), had ascended the throne. A fitting event this to notice in a woman's book. The "Woman's Age" dawned, not only upon England, but, it would seem, upon all of the civilized world.

A general election was being held throughout the realm in consequence of the ascension of the Queen. The populace were parading the streets of Preston, bands were playing, and flags flying.

In the midst of this universal joy the elders alighted from the coach, and just at that moment a flag was unfurled over their heads, from the hotel, bearing this motto in gold letters: "Truth is mighty and will prevail!" It was as a prophesy to these elders, as if to welcome their coming, and they lifted up their voices and shouted, "Glory be to God, truth will prevail!" By the way, this flag proclaimed the rise of the temperance movement in England.

That night Heber and his compeers were entertained by the Rev. James Fielding, the brother of the sisters Fielding. Already was the other half of the prophesy uttered over the head of Parley being fulfilled—that the gospel should spread from Canada into England, "and cause a great work to be done in that land."

Previously to this the Rev. James Fielding had received letters from his brother Joseph, and his sisters, who had, as we have seen, embraced Mormonism in Canada; and these letters, burdened with the tidings of the advent of the prophet of America and the administration of angels in our own times, he read to his congregation. He also exhorted his flock to pray fervently that the Lord would send over to England his apostles, and solemnly adjured them to receive their message when they should come bearing their glad tidings. Thus in England, as in Canada, a people were "prepared" according to the prophesy.

On Sunday morning, the day after their arrival in Preston, the elders went to Vauxhall Chapel to hear the Rev. James Fielding preach. At the close of his discourse he gave out that in the afternoon and evening meetings ministers from America would preach in his chapel.

The news spread rapidly in the town, and in a few hours quite a sensation was abroad among the inhabitants, who flocked to the chapel at the appointed times, some out of curiosity, others from a genuine interest. Both in the afternoon and evening the chapel was crowded, and the apostles preached their opening sermons, Heber C. Kimball being the first of them who bore his testimony to "Mormonism" in foreign lands.

On the following Wednesday Vauxhall Chapel was again crowded, when Elder Orson Hyde preached, and Willard Richards bore testimony; and the Holy Ghost, we are told, powerfully accompanied the word on the occasion.

Only a few days had passed since the elders arrived on the shores of Great Britain, yet "a number believed and began to praise God and rejoice exceedingly."

The Rev. Mr. Fielding, however, saw now the consequence of all this. He was in danger of losing his entire flock. Many were resolving to be baptized into the Church of Latter-day Saints. A continuation of this result for a few weeks signified the entire dissolution of his own church. He was in consternation at the prospect. Trembling, it is said, as if suddenly stricken with the palsy, he presented himself before the elders on the morning appointed for the baptism of a number of his former disciples, and forbade the baptism. Of course this was in vain. He had met the inevitable.

On Sunday, July 30th, just one month from the time the elders embarked at New York, the eventful scene occurred in Preston, of the baptism in the River Ribble of the nine first converts to Mormonism in foreign lands. They were

George D. Watt, Ann Elizabeth Walmesley,

Thomas Walmesley, George Wate,

Miles Hodgen, Mary Ann Brown,

Henry Billsburg, —— Miller,

Ann Dawson.

A public ceremony of baptism in the open air was such a novel event in England at that time, when religious innovations were so rare, that seven or eight thousand persons assembled on the banks of the river to witness the scene. It is said that this was the first time baptism by immersion was ever thus administered in England, though at a later period several sects of Baptists arose who immersed openly in the rivers and for the remission of sins. Such scenes were picturesque, and some of the "new lights" seem to have delighted in them for their religious sensation, just as the Methodists did in their camp meetings.

The first woman whose name is recorded in the list of the baptized of the Mormon Church in England is Sister Ann Elizabeth Walmesley; and her case presents the first miracle of the Church in foreign lands. Here is the incident as related by Heber C. Kimball:

"I had visited Thomas Walmesley, whose wife was sick of the consumption, and had been so for several years. She was reduced to skin and bone—a mere skeleton—and was given up by the doctors to die. I preached the gospel to her, and promised her in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that if she would believe, repent and be baptized, she should be healed of her sickness. She was carried to the water, and after her baptism began to mend, and at her confirmation she was blessed and her disease rebuked, when she immediately recovered, and in less than one week after, she was attending to her household duties."

This incident will be the more interesting to the reader from the fact that to-day (forty years after the miracle) Sister Walmesley is living at Bloomington, Bear Lake Valley, Oneida county, Idaho.

Next came quite an evangelical episode, introducing, with a touch of romance, Miss Jennetta Richards.

This young lady was the daughter of a minister, of the independent order, who resided at Walkerfold, about fifteen miles from Preston. She was not only personally interesting and intelligent, but, from the influence she possessed over her father and his congregation, coupled with the fact that the most classical of the apostles "fell in love" with her, she appears to have been a maiden of considerable character. She was a proper person to be the heroine of the British mission, and her conversion was very important in its results, as will be seen in the following incidents, related by Heber:

It was several days after the public baptism in Preston. "Miss Jennetta Richards," says the apostle, "came to the house of Thomas Walmesley, with whom she was acquainted. Calling in to see them at the time she was there, I was introduced to her, and we immediately entered into conversation on the subject of the gospel. I found her very intelligent. She seemed very desirous to hear the things I had to teach and to understand the doctrines of the gospel. I informed her of my appointment to preach that evening, and invited her to attend. She did so; and likewise the evening following. After attending these two services she was fully convinced of the truth.

"Friday morning, 4th, she sent for me, desiring to be baptized, which request I cheerfully complied with, in the River Ribble, and confirmed her at the water side, Elder Hyde assisting. This was the first confirmation in England. The following day she started for home, and wept as she was about to leave us. I said to her, 'Sister, be of good cheer, for the Lord will soften the heart of thy father, that I will yet have the privilege of preaching in his chapel, and it shall result in a great opening to preach the gospel in that region.' I exhorted her to pray and be humble. She requested me to pray for her, and gave me some encouragement to expect that her father would open his chapel for me to preach in. I then hastened to my brethren, told them of the circumstances and the result of my visit with the young lady, and called upon them to unite with me in prayer that the Lord would soften the heart of her father, that he might be induced to open his chapel for us to preach in."

On the third Sabbath after the arrival of the elders in England, they met at the house of Sister Ann Dawson, when twenty-seven members were confirmed and the first branch of the Church was organized in foreign lands. In the forepart of the ensuing week Heber received a letter from Miss Jennetta Richards, and an invitation from her father to come to Walkerfold and preach in his chapel. The invitation was accepted, and Heber met with great success in laying the gospel before the congregation of Mr. Richards; so successful was he indeed that the reverend gentleman was forced to shut his chapel doors in order to prevent a complete stampede of his flock.

This evangelical success is crowned with an interesting incident between Jennetta and Elder Willard Richards. Willard, who had been on a mission to Bedford early in January, 1838, visited his brethren at Preston; and then, he says:

"I took a tour through the branches, and preached. While walking in Thornly I plucked a snowdrop, far through the hedge, and carried it to James Mercer's and hung it up in his kitchen. Soon after Jennetta Richards came into the room, and I walked with her and Alice Parker to Ribchester, and attended meeting with Brothers Kimball and Hyde, at Brother Clark's.

"While walking with these sisters, I remarked, 'Richards is a good name; I never want to change it; do you, Jennetta?' 'No; I do not,' was her reply, 'and I think I never will.'"

The following note in his diary of the same year, furnishes the sequel:

"September 24, 1839, I married Jennetta Richards, daughter of the Rev. John Richards, independent minister at Walkerfold, Chaidgley, Lancashire. Most truly do I praise my Heavenly Father for his great kindness in providing me a partner according to his promise. I receive her from the Lord, and hold her at his disposal. I pray that he may bless us forever. Amen!"

Passing from Sister Jennetta Richards, we now introduce the first child born in the British mission. It is a female child. She is also the first infant blessed in England; and the incidents of her birth and blessing are both pretty and novel, especially when coupled with the sequel of her womanhood. Heber thus tells the initial part of her story:

"She was the daughter of James and Nancy Smithies, formerly Nancy Knowles. After she was born her parents wanted to take her to the church to be sprinkled, or christened, as they call it. I used every kind of persuasion to convince them of their folly—it being contrary to the Scriptures and the will of God; the parents wept bitterly, and it seemed as though I could not prevail on them to omit it. I wanted to know of them why they were so tenacious. The answer was, 'If she dies she cannot have a burial in the churchyard.' I said to them, 'Brother and Sister Smithies, I say unto you in the name of Israel's God, she shall not die on this land, for she shall live until she becomes a mother in Israel, and I say it in the name of Jesus Christ, and by virtue of the holy priesthood vested in me.' That silenced them, and when she was two weeks old they presented the child to me; I took it in my arms and blessed it, that it should live to become a mother in Israel. She was the first child blessed in that country, and the first born unto them."

The child lived, and fulfilled the prophesy that she should become a "mother in Israel." Her birth was destined to glorify Heber's own kingdom, for she, twenty years afterwards, became his last wife, and is now the mother of four of his children.

The gospel spread rapidly during the first mission of the elders in England. In eight months two thousand were baptized, and the "signs followed the believers." We shall meet some of the British converts hereafter, and read the testimonies of the sisters concerning the great spiritual work of Mormonism in their native land.

Heber, and Orson Hyde, returned to America, leaving the British mission in charge of Joseph Fielding, with Willard Richards and William Clayton as councilors. Here the apostolic thread connects with the wife and family of Heber, who have been left to the care of Providence and the brotherly and sisterly love of the saints during this immortal mission to Great Britain. His daughter Helen, in her journal, says:

"In the absence of my father the Lord was true to his promise. My father's prayer, that he had made upon the heads of his wife and little ones whom he had left poor and destitute, was answered. Kind friends came forward to cheer and comfort them, and administer to their wants.

"Soon after my father's return to Kirtland he commenced making preparations to move his family to Missouri, where Brother Joseph Smith and a majority of the church authorities and nearly all of the members had gone. About the first of July he commenced the journey with his family, accompanied by Brother Orson Hyde and others, and arrived in Far West on the 25th of July, when he had a happy meeting with Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney, and others of the twelve, and numbers of his friends and brethren, some of whom were affected to tears when they took him by the hand. During our journey from Kirtland, the weather being very warm, we suffered very much, and were much reduced by sickness. Father continued quite feeble for a considerable length of time. Joseph requested him to preach to the saints, saying, 'It will revive their spirits and do them good if you will give them a history of your mission;' which he did, although he was scarcely able to stand. It cheered their hearts and many of the elders were stirred up to diligence.

"Soon after our arrival Bishop Partridge gave father a lot, and also sufficient timber to build a house. While it was being erected we lived in a place eight by eleven feet and four feet high at the eaves, which had been built for a cow. The brethren were remarkably kind, and contributed to our necessities. Brother Charles Hubbard made my father a present of forty acres of land; another brother gave him a cow. But about the last of August, after he had labored hard and nearly finished his house, he was obliged to abandon it to the mob, who again commenced to persecute the saints."

The history of those persecutions, and the exodus of the saints, is already sufficiently told. Suffice it to say that Sister Vilate nobly bore her part in those trying scenes, while Heber, with Brigham and the rest of the twelve, kept their covenant—never to rest a moment until the last faithful saint was delivered from that State, and the feet of the whole people planted firmly, in peace and safety, in a new gathering place.