While in Victor, I had several calls to go to Pike. After being much wrought upon, I consented to go. William Murray and wife accompanied me. We got to the house of my old friend, Adolphus Huit, the first day of February. I never saw a person more pleased than his wife was to see me; she said that she had been calling on the Lord that He would send me there.
On Sunday morning we went to the Christian chapel. After the meeting was through, an appointment was given out for me to preach on Monday evening. The church leaders said they were willing that I should preach, because the people were in such a cold state that I could not have any effect upon them.
When the time came, I went and found the house crowded. My text was from the 2nd Epistle of John, 9th, 10th and 11th verses. When I was almost through, two of the ministers came into the pulpit. I gave them permission to speak, when one Baptist arose and found fault with me because I had preached from the Bible.
When he had sat down, I answered him, and then three others followed his example, and I answered each in turn. They were confounded, and the discussion tended to open the eyes of the people.
I afterwards baptized Mrs. Huit, and many others believed. I only preached once and then returned to Victor.
On the 10th, I started for New York, and reached Albany on the 12th. Mr. Wheeler, my brother-in-law, stayed with me all night at the hotel and paid my bill. He thought me unwise to go any farther, but the next day I took coach for New York.
I went up on the east side of the river, crossed the Catskill Mountains, and took three days to get to Jersey City, traveling part of the way by sleigh. When I arrived at Jersey City, I had not one penny left, and could not cross the river without paying twenty-five cents. I informed the person in charge of the boat that I was out of money, and a gentleman who overheard me gave me twenty-five cents. I crossed the river into New York at nine o'clock at night, went to the Western Hotel and pawned my trunk to pay for lodging. I had only eaten one meal a day while traveling to New York, for want of money to buy more, but I did not suffer from hunger.
The next morning, I went in search of some of the Saints, and soon found Brothers Parley P. and Orson Pratt and Brigham Young, who were glad to see me. I went to meeting with them and found one hundred and fifty Saints assembled. It was a great pleasure to meet with them. They were very kind to me, and soon provided me with money to redeem my trunk.
I found a letter in New York from my wife, which had lain in the office for a long time, and I was thankful to hear that she and our children were better.
Soon after I arrived in New York, Orson Pratt and I were called upon to visit a sick woman, who was unable to turn herself in bed without assistance. We anointed her with oil in the name of the Lord, and she was made whole. She did not belong to the Church, nor did her husband, but in two days afterwards she and her husband were baptized, and fourteen others.