The Landing.
While the passengers were going on board a steamer Elders Kimball, Hyde, Richards, and Goodson jumped into a small boat and were rowed toward shore. When within leaping distance Elder Kimball sprang from the boat as if impelled by some superior power and alighted on the steps of the dock, followed instantly by Elders Hyde and Richards, all three of whom had not one farthing on earth at their command, while Elder Woodson, having a heavy purse of silver in his hand, waited until the vessel touched shore.
"Truth will Prevail"; Kindness of Rev. James Fielding.
On the brethren went to Preston, about thirty miles from Liverpool, and as they alighted from the coach a large flag was unfurled nearly over their heads, with this inscription, in letters of gold, "Truth will Prevail," it being election day for members of Parliament. King William the Fourth had recently died and Queen Victoria was about to organize her cabinet. Taking lodgings in Wilford street, some of the Elders had an interview that evening with the Rev. James Fielding, brother of Joseph Fielding, who had a chapel in that place, where all the seven brethren went to hear him preach on Sunday, 23rd. After his sermon in the morning Mr. Fielding gave notice to his congregation that there were present some ministers from America, and they would occupy his pulpit in the afternoon. This unexpected offer was unsolicited but joyfully received, and in the afternoon President Kimball gave a brief relation of the history of the Church from the commencement, followed by Elder Hyde, who bore testimony to the same; thus was the key turned and the door of salvation opened to the inhabitants of England. At the close of the meeting Mr. Fielding offered his pulpit for the evening, when Elder Goodson preached and Brother Fielding bore testimony.
The same day that the Gospel was first preached in England I received the following
Revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, July, 23rd, 1837. The word of the Lord unto Thomas B. Marsh, concerning the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb.[[1]]
1. Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Thomas, I have heard thy prayers, and thine alms have come up as a memorial before me, in behalf of those thy brethren who were chosen to bear testimony of my name, and to send it abroad among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, and ordained through the instrumentality of my servants.
2. Verily I say unto you, there have been some few things in thine heart and with thee with which I, the Lord, was not well pleased;
3. Nevertheless, inasmuch as thou hast abased thyself thou shalt be exalted, therefore all thy sins are forgiven thee.
4. Let thy heart be of good cheer before my face, and thou shalt bear record of my name, not only unto the Gentiles but also unto the Jews; and thou shalt send forth my word unto the ends of the earth.
5. Contend thou therefore morning by morning, and day after day let thy warning voice go forth, and when the night cometh, let not the inhabitants of the earth slumber because of thy speech.
6. Let thy habitation be known in Zion, and remove not thy house for I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do, in publishing my name among the children of men;
7. Therefore gird up thy loins for the work. Let thy feet be shod, also, for thou art chosen, and thy path lieth among the mountains, and among many nations;
8. And by thy word many high ones shall be brought low, and by thy word many low ones shall be exalted.
9. Thy voice shall be a rebuke unto the transgressor, and at thy rebuke let the tongue of the slanderer cease its perverseness.
10. Be thou humble, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.
11. I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren. Be not partial toward them in love above many others; but let thy love be for them as for thyself, and let thy love abound unto all men, and unto all who love my name.
12. And pray for thy brethren of the Twelve. Admonish them sharply for my name's sake, and let them be admonished for all their sins, and be ye faithful before me unto my name.
13. And after their temptations and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted and I will heal them.
14. Now, I say unto you, and what I say unto you I say unto all the Twelve, Arise and gird up your loins, take up your cross, follow me, and feed my sheep.
15. Exalt not yourselves; rebel not against my servant Joseph, for verily I say unto you, I am with him, and my hand shall be over him; and the keys which I have given unto him, and also to youward, shall not be taken from him till I come.
16. Verily I say unto you my servant Thomas, thou art the man whom I have chosen to hold the keys of my kingdom (as pertaining to the Twelve) abroad among all nations,
17. That thou mayest be my servant to unlock the door of the kingdom in all places where my servant Joseph, and my servant Sidney, and my servant Hyrum cannot come;
18. For on them have I laid the burden of all the churches for a little season;
19. Wherefore whithersoever they shall send you, go ye, and I will be with you; and in whatsoever place ye shall proclaim my name, an effectual door shall be opened unto you that they may receive my word;
20. Whosoever receiveth my word receiveth me, and whosoever receiveth me receiveth those (the First Presidency) whom I have sent, whom I have made counselors for my name's sake unto you.
21. And again, I say unto you, that whomsoever ye shall send in my name, by the voice of your brethren the Twelve, duly recommended and authorized by you, shall have power to open the door of my kingdom unto any nation, whithersoever ye shall send them,
22. Inasmuch as they shall humble themselves before me, and abide in my word, and harken to the voice of my Spirit.
23. Verily, verily I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face.
24. Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation, and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
25. And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord.
26. First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name, and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.
27. Therefore see to it that you trouble not yourselves concerning the affairs of my Church in this place, saith the Lord;
28. But purify your hearts before me, and then go ye into all the world, and preach my Gospel unto every creature who has not received it,
29. And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not and is not baptized, shall be damned.
30. For unto you (the Twelve) and those (the First Presidency) who are appointed with you, to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this Priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fullness of times.
31. Which power you hold in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;
32. For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation which ye have received have come down from the fathers, and last of all being sent down from heaven unto you.
33. Verily I say unto you, behold, how great is your calling. Cleanse your hearts and your garments, lest the blood of this generation be required at your hands.
34. Be faithful until I come, for I come quickly, and my reward is with me to recompense every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.
Baptism of Albert P. Rockwood.
Albert P. Rockwood,[[2]] of Holliston, Massachusetts, having heard of the Saints, through Elders Young and Richards, came to Kirtland to investigate, and was baptized on the 25th of July, by President Brigham Young.
Progress of the British Mission.
Wednesday, 26.—Elder Hyde preached in the evening in Mr. Fielding's chapel, and Elder Richards bore testimony. Much feeling was manifested by the congregation, and many were convinced of the truth; but Mr. Fielding, fearing for the loss of his society, more than the displeasure of heaven, closed his doors against the brethren from that time, and opposed the work with all his power. Invitations were given to the Elders to preach in private houses in different parts of Preston, which opportunities were improved daily, after the close of the factories.