On the 13th of March he left Liverpool, on the steamer Commodore, for Scotland, whither he went to attend a conference in Glasgow. He was accompanied by his counselors Hedlock and Ward, also by Elder Banks. They reached the mouth of the Clyde River at six o'clock in the morning. The highlands were covered with snow and a severe storm was raging in Glasgow. On the way they passed the famous rock known in Scottish history as Dumbarton on which was then stationed a regiment of soldiers to protect the river Clyde. He also mentions Bell's monument erected in memory of John Bell who was the first to run a steamer up the river Clyde to Glasgow.
On the evening of their arrival, a council was held with the officers of the Church in that city. Two days later a conference was held in Felon's Hall. There, fifteen branches of the Church were represented containing a total membership of 1,065 persons. There were present also thirty-five elders, fifty-one priests, thirty-seven teachers, and twenty-four deacons. Then, as now, Scotland was the home of a large number of the blood of Israel.
While here, he paid visits to Cots Bridge, Whifflett, and Sterling. He also visited manufacturing establishments and historical places. He found special interest in those places that were so full of the memories of Bruce and of Wallace and of John Knox. The company later went to Edinburgh where they visited the Saints and the chief historical places about that city. The conference there consisted of eleven branches with the membership of 409 souls. He was particularly interested in the high cliff known as Arthur's Seat. It was there that Elder Orson Pratt who first brought the gospel to Edinburgh was wont to go that he might engage himself in meditation and prayer. This elevation affords a most excellent view of the city and its surroundings.
Leaving Edinburgh the company returned to Liverpool where a conference was held on the 30th of March, 1845. At this conference there were present four high priests, eighteen elders, thirteen priests, and eight teachers. It consisted of twelve branches with a membership of 676 souls.
Liverpool was then, as it has ever since been, the headquarters of the Church in Great Britain. Preparations were made at the Liverpool conference for the general conference of the British Mission to be held April 6th in Manchester. The meetings there convened in Science Hall. It was the largest conference up to that time ever held in the British Mission. This mission at that time contained many of the finest characters ever known in the Church. The men who embraced the gospel, as a whole, in those days were strong characters whose endurance and whose will power peculiarly fitted them for the pioneer work they were soon to undertake in the development of this inter-mountain region.
Upon his return to Liverpool, Elder Woodruff sent the following epitaph to Elder E. F. Sheets to be placed upon the tombstone of Elder Lorenzo D. Barnes: "In memory of Lorenzo D. Barnes, who died on the 20th of December, 1842, aged thirty years. He was a native of the United States, an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a member of the high priests' quorum and also Zion's Camp in A. D. 1834, and the first gospel messenger from Nauvoo who has found a grave in a foreign land.
"Sleep on, Lorenzo, but ere long from this
The conquered tomb shall yield her captured prey.
Then with thy Quorum shalt thou reign in bliss
As king and priest for an Eternal Day."
The latter part of April he paid a visit to Newton where he examined the great vitriol works which are among the largest in the world. He also went through the great engine factory at that place where a number of the brethren were working. They were men well qualified to carry on the work in all its branches. He relates the circumstances of a peculiar tradition of a church in the vicinity of the city: "From the Newton Engine Factory I walked several miles through very pleasant scenery consisting of green fields, hedges, trees, and gardens. I visited a church on the side of which was the figure of a pig in stone, and a stone was hung around its neck. According to tradition the materials for this church were drawn to another place quite a distance from where the church now stands. The pig came along and took a stone in his mouth and carried it, squealing as he went. The pig finally dropped the stone on the spot where the church now stands. The circumstance the people regarded as an omen and erected their church on its present site."
In the beginning of May he visited the churches in Preston and Blackburn and then walked with Brother Speakman to Whaley where he visited the old Abbey, the largest he had ever seen. It covered several acres of ground and was then almost in total ruin. It was built as early as one thousand A. D.
The following day they visited the Jesuit College at Stoneyhurst. On Sunday May 11th they attended the Clithero conference. Of this conference the following is taken from his journal: "Elder Speakman was called to preside in the afternoon, the Sacrament was administered and the power of God rested so abundantly upon the congregation that many were moved to tears." (This is the conference of which Brother Kimball speaks in his journal.) "I was so overwhelmed by the spirit of God and the simplicity of the people that I could scarcely speak. They were like little children, as pure-minded and innocent as angels. Many of them bore their testimony to the work of God."