CHAPTER XIII.
MEETING WITH JAMES TOWNSEND—DECIDE TO GO TO BANGOR—A LONG JOURNEY THROUGH THE DEEP SNOW—CURIOUS PHENOMENON—REFUSED LODGING AT EIGHT HOUSES—ENTERTAINED BY MR. TEPPLEY—CURIOUS COINCIDENCE—MR. TEPPLEY'S DESPONDENCY—ARRIVAL AT BANGOR—RETURN TO THE ISLANDS—ADVENTURE WITH THE TIDE.
On the 15th of February I again crossed to the North Island, and after remaining there seven days visiting, we returned to Camden. Here I met Brother James Townsend, who had just arrived from Scarboro.
I ordained Brother Townsend to the office of an Elder, and we concluded to take a journey to Bangor, and offer the gospel to the inhabitants of that city.
We undertook the journey on foot in the dead of winter, when the snow was very deep, and the first day broke the road for seven miles to Scarsmont. The day following, it being Sunday, we held two meetings, preached the gospel to the people, and were kindly entertained.
On the evening of the next day we wallowed through snowdrifts for a mile, to meet an appointment to preach in a school-house, and I got one of my ears frozen on the way; but notwithstanding the severity of the weather, we had quite a large and attentive audience. We also spent the next two days with the people there and held meetings.
On the evening of the 21st of February, as we came out of the school-house, a light appeared in the north-eastern horizon, and spread to the west and soon rolled over our heads. It had the appearance of fire, blood and smoke, and at times resembled contending armies. The heavens were illuminated for the space of half an hour. It seemed at times as though the veil was about to rend in twain and the elements were contending with each other.
We looked upon it as one of the signs in the heavens predicted by the prophets of old, as to appear in the last days. We were wading through deep snowdrifts most of the time while witnessing this remarkable scene.
The following day we walked fifteen miles through deep snow to Belfast, and, after being refused lodging for the night by eight families, we were kindly entertained by Mr. Thomas Teppley.