CHAPTER XLIII.
OPENING OF THE YEAR 1841 IN LONDON—ENCOURAGING SUCCESS OF THE ELDERS—HEBER C. KIMBALL BLESSES THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND—THE WOOLWICH BRANCH ORGANIZED—ORGANIZATION OF THE LONDON CONFERENCE—THE PROSPECT OF WAR BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES HASTENS THE RETURN OF THE APOSTLES TO AMERICA.
The new year opened auspiciously for the work of God in the great city of London. On the first of January, the Church there numbered twenty-one souls, and ere another day had dawned two more were added unto the fold of Christ.
As usual the converts were mostly of the poor and lowly classes, willing indeed to share their last crust with the Lord's servants, who had sacrificed so much to bring the Gospel to their doors, but unable, in their extreme poverty, to render much assistance in a pecuniary way. Everything was dear in London. While exercising the most rigid economy the Elders found it impossible to subsist upon much less than a pound per week, individually. They had hired lodgings at No 40, Ironmonger Row, near Father Corner's, and were keeping up a regular meeting house,—the Academy in Goswell Road. Never before were they so straitened financially.
But conversions and baptisms were becoming more frequent, and the clouds of discouragement which had so long hung over them, were beginning to clear away.
Apostle Woodruff baptized the daughter of the Reverend James Albion, who had been so friendly to the Elders, and soon afterwards Heber C. Kimball baptized the minister himself.
Heber visited Woolwich, where he preached once and converted four persons, who immediately offered themselves for baptism. They wandered up and down the Thames until 9 o'clock at night, seeking for a suitable place to administer the ordinance, but were unsuccessful owing to the mud and ice on the banks of the river. Next day Heber brought his converts to London and baptized them at the public baths in Tabernacle Square. Dr. William Copeland was also baptized that day.
Concerning this time, Heber writes:
"The waters have begun to be troubled, and I pray that they may continue until the Lord gathers out His people from this city. I can say I never felt a greater desire for a place than I have for London; it is the metropolis of the world and the depot of wickedness. All manner of debauchery that can be thought of is practiced here.
"But the ice is broken in London, and the Gospel has got such a hold that the devil can not root it out."