Then she explained all her hopes and plans to him. How they could raise five hundred and fifty pounds, and then they could surely get to America with that tidy sum. "And you know, too, you promised years ago to take me to America."
"And reach there," objected William, "with a big family of little children, and not a shilling to buy 'em bread with. Nice plan, that!"
In vain she argued and plead. William was not to be moved. No one could blame him for not being guided by his wife's advice. Albeit she was a prudent, far-seeing, wise little woman, whose advice had always been proved to be of the best; still the man leads the woman, not woman the man.
But when Brothers Eldredge and Graham counseled him to return with them, it was quite a different matter. They were over him in the Priesthood and had a right to his obedience, even as he exacted obedience from his wife and family. However he still refused, simply saying, "I don't see how I can go just now, Brother Eldredge!"
And so the time passed on, and the Elders left Australia without the Chittendens. The Davis family, who were baptized at the same time as was William and his wife, accompanied the Elders, and part of the same family are now residing in Minersville, Utah.
Here then was the grand mistake of William's life. He did not see it then, nor for years after, but the time came when he wished in the agony of his soul that he had gone to Utah when told to do so, even if he had reached there without one penny to buy a crust of bread on his arrival! Their girls were all with them and unmarried and they could have brought their family unbroken to Utah. But instead of that twenty-three years after they came with the merest remnant of their once large family, leaving almost all their loved ones behind them, and married to enemies of this work.
Is not this a grand lesson for our young Elders? How easy it is to fancy that our own wisdom, especially about our private affairs, is better than any one's else! But when the voice of God speaks through His servants and says, "Do thou so!" woe to the man who turns from that and works out his own will in direct opposition. Let this sink deep into your hearts, my young readers, and remember always, God knoweth best!
CHAPTER IV.
Although William was annoyed at the step his wife had taken, he concluded to let matters go as they were. However, much to Mary's chagrin, he took a farm close by, and tried to make another start. Nothing seemed to go right.
On the 24th of July, 1850, Mary gave birth to another daughter, to whom they gave the name of Rachel. The next year another company of Elders came down from Utah under the leadership of Brother Stewart. These also made their stopping place, while in that part of the country, at the home of the Chittendens. But if the Elders met with little success during their former mission, this time seemed a complete failure. No one could be found to give them a moment's hearing. One Brother Doudle came up near Camden, and used every endeavor to gain a foot-hold. Instead of kindness he met with cruelty; and in place of bread they threw him a stone. For two days he traveled and could find neither a place to sit down, a crust to eat nor a thing to drink.