Numerous instances have occurred in the experience of the Saints in this age, and especially of the missionaries, of their lives being preserved through their heeding the warnings of the Spirit. Bishop Chauncey W. West, of Ogden, who was sent on a mission to Asia in 1852 relates some instances of this kind in a sketch of his life published in Tullidge's Histories. The field of labor to which he was assigned was Siam, but after laboring for some time in India and trying in vain to secure passage to Siam, he and Elder Dewey took passage as sailors to China. After a very trying voyage of four months they landed at Wampoo in China, near the city of Canton. Finding it still impractical to make their way to Siam, they determined if possible to get back to San Francisco. Among others to whom they applied for passage was Captain Deble, of the American Vessel "Hiega." They agreed upon the terms of their passage, and took their luggage on board on the 11th of May, 1854. Some difficulty was experienced in getting out to sea, after which fair winds soon wafted them to Hong Kong, where they arrived on the evening of the 14th. There they remained until the 23rd. Just before the time fixed for their departure Elder West had a dream in which he saw the vessel upon which they had engaged passage wrecked upon a reef, with hundreds of Chinamen clinging to her hull, while many more were in the water. The dream was repeated several times during the night, and made such an impression upon his mind that he determined to leave the ship. The Elders accordingly effected a settlement for their passage that far, and were rowed to the shore in a small boat. After spending some time at Canton and Hong Kong, being entertained at the latter place at the home of a Mr. Young, with whom they had become acquainted, Elder Dewey was taken very sick with chills and fever. Elder West waited upon him with great solicitude and he soon began to recover. One day Elder West felt impressed to remove his friend from the house to a vessel called the "Cressy," upon which he was trying to arrange for their passage to California. He was in such haste to act upon his impression that their trunks were left in the house to be sent for later.
It had been raining very hard for several days, and soon after they left the house a large rock on the mountain side, loosened by the storm, came rolling down at a terrific speed, striking and demolishing the house they had just vacated. The inmates fled, in terror from the house, but not in time for all to escape injury, as one man was killed and several others more or less hurt. The lives of the Elders were doubtless saved by their acting promptly on the warning of the spirit, for had they remained where they were a few minutes longer they would have been crushed. Elder West also subsequently met the captain of the "Hiega," who insisted upon knowing why the two Elders had abandoned the ship after engaging their passage. Elder West told him it was because of a dream he had of the vessel being wrecked. The captain then asked why he did not tell him of the dream. Elder West replied that he did not believe the captain would have had any faith in the warning that the dream conveyed to him, but would probably have denounced him as a fool for believing in it. The captain admitted that he was probably right in his conclusion.
The Elders soon found another chance of engaging passage to California, and arrived safely in San Francisco on the 7th of September, 1854.
[CHAPTER II.]
ELDER JAMES LAWSON INSPIRED TO QUIT A STEAMBOAT ON WHICH HE WAS A PASSENGER—JUMPED ON A FLATBOAT—A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE STEAMBOAT SANK, AND MOST OF THE PASSENGERS WERE DROWNED.
Elder James Lawson, a well known resident of the 16th Ward of this city until a few years since, narrowly escaped drowning in the Mississippi river by acting promptly upon the warning of the Spirit under the following circumstances.
Having migrated from Scotland, his native land, to New Orleans in the year 1843, he obtained employment there as a ship builder and machinist until the spring of 1844, when he determined to continue his journey to Nauvoo, the destination he originally had in view. He secured cabin passage on a steamboat, but had not proceeded more than about fifty miles when he was suddenly awakened by a violent quiver of the boat caused by its hull striking a snag of some kind in the river. Not knowing the cause of the sensation, but, acting on the impulse of the moment, he sprang out of bed, hastily dressed, and, rushing on deck, jumped from the deck railing to the deck of a flatboat that was being towed alongside the steamboat. A few moments later the steamboat sank, carrying with it to a watery grave nearly all the passengers. Elder Lawson and a few other passengers who were fortunate enough to follow his example by jumping upon the flatboat saved themselves by cutting loose from the steamer and drifting with the stream until morning, when, as the flatboat neared the shore the men seized some overhanging limbs of trees and effected a landing. He leisurely made his way back to New Orleans, obtained employment and remained there until the fall of the year, when he again boarded a steamboat for Nauvoo, and in due time safely landed there.
[CHAPTER III.]
COMFORTING ASSURANCE EXPERIENCED BY A. O. SMOOT DURING A STORM AT SEA—HIS NARROW ESCAPE FROM BEING A VICTIM OF THE SALUDA DISASTER—HIS ACCOUNT OF THE EXPLOSION.
The blowing up of the steamboat "Saluda" has often been mentioned as the only really serious catastrophe, resulting in loss of life to a company of migrating Saints in this age on a voyage. It is certainly very remarkable, in view of the many thousands of Saints in hundreds of vessels of all kinds that have crossed oceans and traversed rivers that so few have lost their lives upon the water. It is a very strong proof that the protecting power of the Almighty has been over them, for there have been numerous narrow escapes from disasters at sea. Indeed it has been so apparent that a special providence has been over the Saints that others as well as the Saints have been impressed by the fact. The remark has been made upon many occasions by ship owners and sea captains that a company of "Mormons," as passengers, was the best insurance they could have upon a vessel, as it was felt that nothing serious could happen to the craft while they were on board of it. A good many instances are on record of Latter-day Saint Missionaries being solicited to accept free passage on vessels for the protection it was felt their presence would afford. Doubtless one of the evidences that tends to convince sea captains that "Mormon" missionaries or emigrants are the subjects of divine favor and protection is the feeling of confidence and trust they usually exhibit when beset by danger, and when others quake with fear. The assurance of divine care that comes through the Holy Spirit is quite as potent in influencing their actions as is the warning of danger from the same source. The late President A. O. Smoot gives an instance of this in connection with his account of the "Saluda" horror. From the latter it will be seen that the Saints might have been saved from participating in that had the spirit's warning to him been heeded.