Part 28 (1/2)

The first baptism in London took place on Monday the 31st of August, the day following the events related in the last chapter. It was ”Father Corner” who offered himself as a convert to the Elders, and it was Heber C. Kimball who baptized him. The ceremony was performed at the Public Baths, after which the new member was confirmed under the hands of the three Apostles at his own house.

Thus was laid the foundation of the London Conference.

Leaving Elder Woodruff for several days, Heber and George A. went to Deptford, for the purpose of establis.h.i.+ng a branch there. While they were gone, Brother Woodruff made the second convert--a woman. He also obtained from the directors of a Methodist chapel permission to preach in a school-house at Bowl Court, Sh.o.r.editch.

Sunday morning, September 6th, the Apostles filled the appointment made by Elder Woodruff, who preached first, followed by Elders Kimball and Smith. These were the first gospel sermons delivered by the Elders in a meeting house in London, though they had each addressed an audience briefly, at Temperance Hall, on the subject of temperance.

In the afternoon they preached again out of doors in Tabernacle square; and in the evening returned to preach in the Methodist school house. When they arrived, however, they discovered that a plan had been formed by several preachers of that denomination for one of their own number to occupy the evening, fearing lest some should receive the testimony of these ”dangerous men” from America. Already had the Methodists of London taken the alarm.

Discovering this ministerial intrigue against them the three Apostles went their way, but that evening they found four persons who received their testimony and offered themselves for baptism.

On the Monday following, Heber and George A. visited the celebrated Robert Aitken. He received them courteously, and acknowledged that their doctrines were scriptural, but said he was fearful of deception.

At this period he was in a very disturbed state of mind concerning Mormonism, for the mission which the Apostles brought from America seemed so much like a surprise-fulfillment to him of the glowing sermons of his own ministry. Probably Mormonism troubled Robert Aitken more than it did any other man in England, and it is not a little singular that soon afterwards he returned to the Orthodox Established Church from which he had dissented, and became again one of its ministers.

On the evening of the day they visited the Rev. Mr. Aitken the Elders opened their course of sermons in Temperance Hall, St. George's Road, but they had no audience worthy the occasion. About thirty only were said to be present; but Apostle Woodruff preached to them for over an hour, and then Heber followed. At the close they paid ”seven and sixpence” for the hall for the evening--a large sum from the pockets of these Evangelists at that time, yet they trusted in the Lord for future results.

Thus having made an opening in London, Wilford Woodruff returned a while to superintend his former field of labor; but Heber C. Kimball and George A. Smith remained to hold the situation.

On the 19th of September Heber was stricken down with cholera. The attack was so severe that it seemed as if he could not live till morning. He rallied, however, and by the blessing of G.o.d was raised up to continue his labors. The next morning, being the Sabbath, he went into the water and baptized four persons.

Meanwhile the work in other parts had been making rapid headway. After much labor it had at length been firmly established in Scotland, under the presidency of Orson Pratt; and had been carried into Ireland and the Isle of Man by Apostle John Taylor. Several of the native Elders had also penetrated Wales. President Brigham Young, in the absence of Parley P. Pratt, who had gone to America to bring his family to England, had been busy publis.h.i.+ng the _Millennial Star_, the hymn book and Book of Mormon, in which labors he was a.s.sisted by Willard Richards. The emigration of the Saints to America had also commenced.

Thus was the good work rolling on.

On the 6th of October, 1840, was held the second general conference at Manchester. There were present of the Twelve, Brigham Young, Heber C.

Kimball, Willard Richards, Orson Pratt, George A. Smith, and Wilford Woodruff. Orson Pratt presided.

It was found that twenty-seven conferences had been organized at this period, besides many branches not then incorporated. The representation showed an increase since the last general conference of one thousand one hundred and thirteen members; twenty-five Elders; ninety-six Priests; fifteen Teachers, and thirteen Deacons. Several places of special interest may be noted as represented: London, by Heber C. Kimball; members, eleven, Priests, two; Birmingham, four members; Glasgow, by Elder Mulliner, one hundred and ninety-three members, eight Elders, seven Priests, five teachers and three Deacons; Edinburgh, by Orson Pratt, forty-three members and two Priests; Manchester, by Brigham Young, members, three hundred and sixty-four; Elders, four; Priests, twenty-seven; Teachers, six; and one Deacon; Wilford Woodruff's Conferences, members, one thousand and seven; Elders, nineteen; Priests, seventy-eight; Teachers, fifteen, and one Deacon. Altogether three thousand, six hundred and twenty-six members of the Church were represented, more than double the number reported at the Conference six months before.

After this Conference Elders Woodruff and Smith returned to London, while Heber remained for a time with President Young in Manchester, waiting to accompany him to the metropolis; the latter having resolved to visit London and a.s.sist his co-laborers in the arduous work of building up that important conference.

The two Apostles set out upon their journey on the 25th of November, 1840. On their way they stopped at the Potteries in Staffords.h.i.+re, where they met Elder George A. Smith, who was paying a visit to his former field of labor, having left Brother Woodruff in London. They also went to Birmingham, where Elder Lorenzo Snow was then laboring.

On the 30th they took train for London, and arrived there the same evening.

They found Brother Woodruff ”well and in good spirits,” but with a tale to tell of his experience since he saw them last, ”whose lightest word” was well calculated to ”harrow up the soul.”

It will be remembered that Heber C. Kimball and his confreres, who opened the British Mission in 1837, had a terrible encounter with evil spirits on the day of the first baptisms in Preston. A similar ordeal had been experienced by Apostle Woodruff on the night of the first Sabbath after his return from Manchester.

Himself and Elder Smith had held a sacrament meeting that day at Father Corner's, with a few Saints who had gathered there, during which ”the Spirit bore testimony that there would be a great work done in London.”

Satan, it seems, was also aware of this fact, and it displeased him mightily.

That night, while lying in his bed, meditating upon the mission in that city and determining to warn its inhabitants, and ”overcome the powers of darkness,” a personage appeared to the Apostle Wilford whom he took to be the ”Prince of darkness.” ”He made war with me,” says the Apostle, ”and attempted to take my life. As he was about to overcome me I prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ for help. I then had power over him, and he left me, though much wounded.

Afterwards three persons, dressed in white, came to me and administered to me, when I was immediately healed and delivered of all my troubles.”

Such, in brief, was the thrilling tale told by Apostle Woodruff to his fellow servants in Christ, on their arrival in the British capital.

The next evening, December 1st, President Young preached his first sermon in London at Barnett's Academy, 57 King's Square, Goswell Road.

Heber C. Kimball followed him. The President remained about ten days in London, and then returned to Manchester.

In a letter to his wife, written about this time, Heber gives somewhat of a detailed account of the President's visit to the metropolis, and other events that were happening in different parts of the mission: