Knowing your continued anxiety and interest over these nations, I take a few minutes before retiring to rest, to say how we have been and how we are.
Since I wrote you, I paid a visit to Signor Reta, the translator—he was happy to see me—inquired after your health, and sent his compliments. I expect a visit from him in a day or two. I hope to make a more intimate acquaintance with him. I have had a violent cold, which confined me to bed two days. After being restored, Sister Stenhouse was taken badly, much the same as myself, but much worse. We are now, thank the Lord, better. In the midst of all, we have done our best.
Elder Roulet brought an intelligent man to see us, who was connected with the Church where the lecture was delivered against us. We had several interesting conversations with him; at length, on Friday night last, I baptized him. Yesterday we held our Sunday meeting, at which he was confirmed. We prayed, read, talked and felt well. To-night he brought his daughter to have some conversation. She has gone home to reflect.
To-day I have received a very interesting letter from the brother I baptized at Lausanne. He says his wife wants to be baptized, and several others feel interested in history of the Church, by reading our publications. I feel as if the Lord had commenced to work among the people. I get on with the language pretty well. I hope when you pass through, we will be thrilled with your own voice in this language.
Accept our united love.
As ever yours, very affectionately,
T. B. H. Stenhouse.
Now to Lorenzo's journal: In the autumn of 1851, I visited some of the Welsh conferences, having received a very kind invitation from Elder William Phillips, who then presided over that section. The visit afforded me inexpressible satisfaction—the Saints in their national characteristic, warmhearted friendship, kindness and hospitality, extended to me the warmest welcome; and also gave proof of the sincerity of their feelings of liberality by prompt, gratuitous assistance towards the interests of the great missionary work under my supervision.
During my stay in Wales, I attended a number of very interesting meetings. On the evening of the fourth of November, I addressed a very large assembly, convened in a hall in Tredegar, in Monmouthshire. In the course of the meeting, Elder J. S. Davies arose, unanticipated by me, and read a poem composed by him, in which he alluded to my visit in Wales as an Apostle, as a very remarkable and wonderful event. I gave him full credit for his good motive and generous feelings, but at the same time felt not a little annoyed that he should have chosen such an unseasonable occasion—in the presence of a large congregation, nine-tenths of which were Gentiles, to read an article of that character.
At the close of the meeting, President Phillips and myself were conducted to a hotel, where, after supper, we were shown to lodgings in an upper room. As we passed into the bedchamber, while closing the door, I noticed that, owing to some defect in the lock, it could not be fastened. We soon retired to rest, then about 11 o'clock; thinking ourselves safe from harm, we slept soundly, until probably about 2 o'clock a.m., I was suddenly awakened by a savage looking fellow standing close to my bedside, ordering me and my companion to leave our bed forthwith or suffer the consequences; at the same time using the most blasphemous language, and uttering the most hideous oaths imaginable, while fiendishly striking his huge fists in close proximity to my face. Two of his comrades, stout, fierce looking fellows, were standing by, evidently prepared for an encounter. Brother Phillips was soundly sleeping, and it was with some difficulty that I awakened him sufficiently to comprehend our situation. Of course, we could do but little towards defending ourselves against a trio of ruffians, desperately bent on mischief; and as we afterwards learned, had been hired to mob us, and that the landlord was secretly conniving with the actors in the hellish raid.