Cheerfulness and satisfaction seemed to pervade every heart as they bid farewell to their native shores, and set sail for the land of promise.
Several interesting communications were received during the month of November, from various parts of the country, the purport of which was that the sick were healed, the lame walked, the old men dreamed dreams, the young men saw visions, and the Lord's servants and handmaidens spake in tongues and prophesied, while the Lord was showing wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath—blood, fire and vapor of smoke.
In the meantime, the wicked rage, and the people imagine a vain thing; the priests take counsel together against the Lord and against His hinted ones. The most artful falsehoods ever inspired by Satan continues to flood the country, both from the press and pulpit, and reiterated those who profess to be followers of Jesus. We went on a short mission to the Isle of Man of late, and after preaching to vast multitudes the plain truth of the scriptures, they would mock and make light of the Bible, and everything quoted from it.
The priests too were busy in church and chapel, in lying against and perverting the written Word, and thus inspiring the people with violence, hatred and every cruel work; yet we found the Saints rejoicing in the truth, and the honest in heart disposed to inquire into it.
We have just returned from a visit to Middlewich and Norwich. In the former place we had a very candid hearing in the magistrate's room, which was filled. In the latter place many hundreds of people assembled at our meeting house, among which were a large number of "Association Methodists" and other professors, with one Thompson at their head, who came possessed of the devil to make disturbance. These made all manner of noises, such as whooping, shouting, laughing, whistling, mocking, etc. They openly hissed and mocked the written word of Jesus and His apostles, and made such a noise as to finally break up the meeting; after which they began to rush among the people, and to bellow like bulls, and to run over, and knock down, and trample under foot all who came in their way. We narrowly escaped, but finally got out of their midst. Mr. Thompson then addressed them, justifying and applauding their conduct. The lights were at length extinguished, and the room cleared, but not until some persons were wounded, and some forms broken.
CHAPTER XL.
Notice for a General Conference:—Extract of a Letter from Elder Orson Hyde in Jerusalem:—Extracts from my Farewell Address.*.
[Footnote] *See Millenial Star, October, 1842.
The following appointment for a general conference for the British Isles appeared in the March number of the Star:
"The several conferences of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, are hereby informed that a general conference will be held in Manchester, to commence on Sunday, the 15th day of May next, and to continue for several days, or until all the business is completed.