Before leaving, Dr. Knight and some others gave us some money to assist us on our mission. While there I also received a letter from my wife, giving an account of her sickness since I left, also that of our children, William and Helen. I wrote her a comforting letter in reply, praying the Lord to bless her and the little ones.
On the 26th, Brother Babbitt took us in his buggy twelve miles, to the house of Brother Scott, whose family was very glad to see us, and we tarried with them through the night, after which Brother Scott sent his little son, John, to convey us to Bellville, fifteen miles, several miles of the journey in a rain storm, which obliged us to put up at an inn for the remainder of the day and night. Brother Brigham was very sick, and had to go to bed. I sat up to wait upon him, and spent the evening with the landlord and his lady, preaching to them. They received our testimony, and were very kind to us.
The following morning the landlord arose very early, and talked to the citizens about the travelers who had stayed with him the night previous, and what he had heard us say concerning the gospel. The neighbors flocked in; made many enquiries and were very anxious that we should tarry and preach in the place.
Our host said several times he hoped the stage would not come, that we might stay and preach, as the people were very much excited on account of a great discussion which had recently occurred between two popular preachers.
The stage, however, came along about ten o'clock, and we started on our way towards Kirtland, leaving the landlord in tears.
The money given to us in Pleasant Garden added to the five dollars we had left when the brethren parted from us on the 18th, amounted to thirteen dollars and fifty cents. When we got into the stage we did not expect to ride many miles. We rode, however, as far as Indianapolis, paid our passage, and found we had sufficient means to carry us to Richmond, Indiana. When we arrived in Richmond, we found we had means to take us to Dayton, to which place we proceeded and tarried over night, waiting for another line of stages. We expected to stop here and preach until we got means to pursue our journey. Brother Brigham, however, went to his trunk to get money to pay the bill and found we had sufficient to pay our passage to Columbus, to which place we took passage in the stage and tarried over night. When he paid the next bill, he found he had sufficient means to pay our passage to Worcester, and accordingly we took passage for that place. When we arrived there, Brother Brigham went to his trunk again to get money to pay, and found sufficient to pay our passage to Cleveland.
While on our way to Cleveland, and within about twenty miles of that place we passed a little town called Strongsville. Brother Brigham had a strong impression to stop at a tavern when we first came into that town; but as the stage did not stop there we went on.
We arrived at Cleveland about eleven o'clock at night, took lodgings and remained till next morning.
On the morning of November 3rd, it being Sunday, we went to the Episcopalian church, and while returning to the hotel, we met my father-in-law, and learned that Elders Smith, Turley and Hedlock had just arrived in Cleveland. Father Murray was as much astonished to see me alive as though he had seen one risen from the dead. I don't think I ever saw a man feel better than he did when I met him in the street.
We walked with him a short distance and met the brethren, whose health was good compared with what it had been, and who were in fine spirits. We learned that they had stayed over night at the tavern in Strongsville, where Brother Brigham had such a strong impression to stop the night previous. They had picked up Elder John Taylor at Dayton, where he was left at a tavern very sick with the ague a few days before, by Father Coltrin, who proceeded to Kirtland.