Willard, it appears, had been praying to receive the mind and will of the Lord through his brethren, the Apostles, to direct him in his labors. His prayer being answered, he went forth with renewed energy, preaching and baptizing, laboring diligently and with success, until March, 1838, when he returned to Preston.
Heber continues: "The effect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ now began to be apparent, not only in the hearts of believers, but likewise in the hearts of those who rejected it. Our meeting in Preston being disturbed by the Methodist ministers, we got our hall licensed, and two gentlemen named Joseph Brown and Arthur Burrows, who were policemen, proffered their services to preserve the peace, and protect us from any further disturbance; which they continued to do as long as we stayed in that land. Many began to persecute us for preaching without a license from the authority of the nation. This idea of obtaining a license from the secular authority was somewhat novel to us; but after consulting our friends, amongst whom was Mr. John Richards' son, an attorney practising in Preston, we found it was according to the laws of England. Brothers Hyde and I therefore made application to the Quarter Sessions and obtained licenses, by the assistance of Mr. Richards; and for which service he refused compensation.
"The following is a copy of my license:
"'LANCASHIRE TO WIT. } This is to certify that at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, held by adjournment at Preston in and for said county, the eighteenth day of October, in the first year of the reign of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, Heber Chase Kimball came before the Justices present, and did then and there in open court, take the oaths appointed to be taken, instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy; and also the abjurgation oath; and subscribed his name thereto, pursuant to the several laws in that behalf made and provided.
"'E. GORST,
"'Deputy Clerk of the Peace in and
for said county.'
"Having now obeyed the requisitions of the law, we felt ourselves tolerably secure, knowing that our enemies could not lawfully harm us. I wrote to Brother Richards that I had taken the oath to be true to Her Majesty and see that the laws were executed, also the abjurgation oath provided for foreigners who were not naturalized, and obtained a license as a preacher of the Gospel; and recommended him to do the same at Bedford: but they made him take the oath of allegiance before they granted him his license to preach. After we had obtained our licenses, to our surprise we found there were only a few licensed preachers in Preston; and when they abused me I told them if they did not cease their abuse I would see the laws put in force according to the oaths I had taken; and this generally silenced them.
"Although we had many persecutors who would have rejoiced at our destruction, and who felt determined to overthrow the work of the Lord, yet there were many who were friendly, who would have stood by us under all circumstances, and would not have been afraid to hazard their lives in our behalf. The church in Preston now numbered two or three hundred souls, with more being added continually.
"November 14th, I wrote to Willard Richards, exhorting him to teach the first principles of the Gospel only; telling him that if the people would not receive them they would not receive anything else; the more simple he could be, the better it would be for his hearers, Brother Goodson having left about 20 Books of Mormon in his possession, I told him to sell all that he could, either to saint or sinner; to get him some clothes, and to make himself warm and comfortable."
The wisdom of the Apostle's counsel to give first the "milk of the word" to those who were infants in faith, reserving the "meat" for such as became strong, is self-evident. No vessel can contain beyond its capacity. Food, in kind and quantity, must ever keep pace with the growth, and be suited to the condition of the one to whom it is administered.
It is human nature to oppose that which is new. The pride of man revolts at the idea of admitting himself in error, and his preconceived notions to be false, or even defective. The flesh, naturally inert, dislikes change that brings toil and study, even for the soul's salvation. Self-interest pleads in various ways, in favor of the old, and against the new. Thus hoary tradition, antique error, sits warmed and comforted, a welcome guest, alike in palace and in hovel, while Truth, a pilgrim, hungry and cold, without stands shivering in the frosty air.