The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 8. The Missionaries Prepare to Leave New York

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1 The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 8 The Missionaries Prepare to Leave New York Joseph Fielding recorded an event which occurred during is waiting period: It was asked, Is ere any hard oughts of each oer among us, etc. All was silence at first, till I said at I had someing on my Mind; it was at I ought e Lord did not intend Bro. Russell should go to England. All appeared struck. I told em why I ought so. As to myself, I had plenty of evidence....he had not been faiful in his temporal concerns to his Family. He was next Neighbor to me for 2 or 3 years in Canada, and I knew his conduct, and I knew at e Blessing of God was not upon him in is respect. There was little Order, economy or diligence about him. He did not guide his affairs wi Discretion, as e Psalmist says a good Man will.... The missionaries worked to resolve Joseph s concerns so at e group could travel to England in peace, alough Joseph did not forget speaking up and referred to is occasion later. 1 Heber C. Kimball recorded in his journal at Elijah Fordham had expressed a desire to accompany em, but ey felt it greater wisdom to leave him to build up e Church in New York. Broer Fordham gave em ten dollars, and anoer unnamed individual gave em sixty dollars. 2 Joseph told his sister Mary at while in New York City, e missionaries had been busy preparing Orson Hyde s pamphlet A Prophetic Warning, which had been written e previous year for e missionary work in Canada. They had taken it to a printer wi some minor changes and renamed it A Timely Warning to e People of England. Joseph en took e pamphlets to e post office for distribution to e priests in e city. Heber C. Kimball wrote, We also distributed many to e citizens, and at e same time conversed wi em on e subject of e Gospel. 3 The pamphlet, impressive even today in its content, briefly reviewed e prophecy of e angel at e time of Christ s ascension into heaven recorded in Acts, This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner... The pamphlet described e destruction of Jerusalem by e Romans and e trials of e The missionaries printed copies of a pamphlet written by Orson Hyde to take wi em to England. Jews. It stated e prophesies concerning e great apostasy and called upon e world to repent and to Pray, erefore, at God may send unto you some servant of his, who is auorized from on high, to administer to you e ordinances of e gospel. 4 Regarding is pamphlet, Joseph wrote, One expected it will make a stir among em. There are honest men here

2 Joseph en confessed to Mary at he had forgotten eir broer James s address, but he supposed we can find it out by a Directory. Pray e Lord to direct us in all ings. You may write to us as soon as you can directing to Bro. J s. Joseph en mentioned at he had forgotten to take a few ings wi him, such as his shaving box. He en described e weaer, which had been rainy. He also told her e price of flour and butter, which cost less in New York an in Kirtland. A postscript on e envelope, which was postmarked e 29, said, We go aboard is afternoon. Mary Fielding Writes to Her Sister Mercy Thompson After receiving Joseph s letters, Mary wrote eir sister Mercy in Canada. Reassuring Mercy about e money which she had for eir broer, she wrote, Joseph says I must send e money when e next Elders go... which will probably be in e fall. Informing Mercy of e ship on which Joseph sailed from New York, she en expressed concern for eir broer James. Poor Broer James will soon have to receive or reject em. Our prayer to God must be unceasing at he may become as a little child at he may enter into e Kingdom. Mary also told Mercy of wonderful meetings in late June and early July, implying at e apostates had ceased eir attacks on e Church. President Rigdon had spoken in e temple about e latter days and quoted Daniel, e kingdom which was set up should never be destroyed nor be left to oer people. Mary described seeing Joseph Smi, Senior, sitting in his place in e upper stand next to his 5 broers John and Asahel. Below em sat Joseph, Hyrum, William and Don Carlos. While I looked at em all my heart was drawn out in earnest prayer to our Heavenly Faer in eir behalf and also for e prophetess eir aged moer whose eyes are frequently baed in tears when she looks at, or speaks of em. Mary told of a recent meeting held on Thursday, July 6 : Joseph Fielding wrote his sister Mary in Kirtland several letters while he awaited passage to England. The hearts of e people were melted and e spirit and power of God rested down upon us in a remarkable manner....it has been said by many who have lived in Kirtland a great while at such a time of love and refreshing has never been known.... Alough e house of e Lord was more an half filled during is time ere were few dry faces. The breren as well as e sisters were all melted down and we wept and praised God -120-

3 togeer....broer Hyrum Smi's prediction at from at hour e Lord would begin to bless his people has been verily fulfilled, I believe as do many oers at angels were present wi us. A bright light shone across e house and rested upon some of e congregation. What I felt at day seemed to outweigh all e affliction and distress of mind I have suffered since I came here. 6 Mary mentioned to Mercy at Vilate Kimball and Marinda Hyde had written letters to eir husbands in care of James Fielding in Preston. For e next year James s home in Preston would be e address ose in Kirtland would use to reach e missionaries. At is time Mary Russell also directed a letter to: Mr. Isaac Russell c/o Rev. James Fielding Oxford St. #15 Preston, Lancashire, Old England 7 In early July, Thomas Marsh, president of e Quorum of e Twelve Apostles, and David Patton, a senior apostle, arrived in Kirtland, having just traveled from Missouri. Mary Fielding met em and wrote, Elder Marsh is a most excellent man. He seems to be a man of great fai. He says he believes e difficulties between e presidency and e twelve will very shortly be settled, and en we can expect better days an ever. They had Elder Pratt wi em, whom ey had encountered on eir way to Kirtland. 8 Parley P. Pratt Repents of His Errors Of is time, Elder Pratt wrote about jarrings and discords in e Church in Kirtland. He said:...many fell away and became enemies and apostates....by such spirits I was also accused, misrepresented and abused. And at one time, I also was overcome by e same spirit in a great measure, and it seemed as if e very powers of darkness which war against e Saints were let loose upon me. Elder Pratt went on to say: [The] Lord knew my fai, my zeal, my integrity of purpose, and he gave me e victory. I went to broer Joseph in tears, and, wi a broken heart and contrite spirit, confessed wherein I had erred in spirit, murmured, or done or said amiss. He frankly forgave me, prayed for me and blessed me. Thus, by experience, I learned more fully to discern and to contrast e two spirits, and to resist e one and cleave to e oer. 9 Alough still in Canada at is time, John Taylor later wrote at Elder Pratt, soon made all right wi e Prophet Joseph, and was restored to full fellowship. 10 In July of 1837 Elder Pratt left Kirtland for New York in full fellowship of e Church. Upon arriving, he wrote his well-known Voice of Warning, which was used by missionaries for decades, and he preached and worked ere wi Elijah Fordham until e following spring

4 st LDS Missionaries Depart for England on July 1, 1837 Joseph Smi s scribe wrote of e departure of e British missionaries: They went on board e Garrick on e 29, and left e dock; on e 30, lay at anchor in East River; and at 7:30 a.m., on e first of July, were towed out of harbor by a steamer, hoisted sail, and were out of sight of land at 4:30 p.m. 12 Elder Kimball wrote: Our passage was very agreeable, and e winds for e most part very favorable. On e banks of Newfoundland we saw several large fish nearly as long as our vessel, called by some, whales....we were kindly treated while on board, bo by e officers and crew; and eir conduct was indeed praisewory; had we been eir own relatives, ey could not have behaved more kind, or have treated us better. Thus e Lord answered our prayers in is respect, for which I desire to praise his holy name. 13 Joseph Fielding wrote about eir departure in his journal: We humbled ourselves before e Lord togeer, got more into one Spirit, and were far better prepared to enter upon our long journey. We paid our fares, got in our stuff and set st sail on e 1 of July in e large packet ship, Garrick, in company wi e ship Sou America. Between e two ere were considerable bets made as to which should reach Liverpool first. We started wi a steady fair wind, e weaer very warm. 14 Joseph continued: After we had sailed, 2 or 3 days, e weaer became cold, and we were obliged to put on our cloaks, but e wind continued fair and good so at we got on our way pretty rapidly. During e night and sometimes during e day we lost e oer ship, but saw her from time to time all e way....bro. Kimball rebuked e fever in a little child which was in a very low way. It soon got quite well. This was not known to any but e parents. Bro. Hyde preached once on board, spoke of e promise to Abraham and his seed, etc., but ere appeared no desire to hear or understand. We would often lay in our bers & converse. Bro. Hyde dreamed at he was reaping wi oers in a large field of wheat which was remarkably fine and good. 15 Two weeks into eir voyage Elder Hyde preached a Sunday sermon on board. The cabin passengers listened wi attention and were particularly affected during prayer. 16 Joseph Fielding recorded a dream he had about his broer James: The seven missionaries sailed to England on e packet ship Garrick, arriving in 18 days.

5 As I was almost constantly praying to e Lord to prepare my Breren to receive our message, especially my Bro. James to whom I expected to go first, I dreamed of him, but all appeared gloomy and uncomfortable. I could not remember all, but shall mention one. It seemed at he was driving an old cart, I know not wheer he had a horse or oxen. He was going from an old yard or place of some kind. The cart seemed to have no body but a sort of sticks or poles, loaded wi old rubbish, not properly straw or manure, but just such as I when a farmer would have rown on e land and set fire to, as I have done in America. As Bro. James was walking on by e side of it, e fore end of e cart pitched into e ground, e hinder part standing erect. It appeared as ough I was tossed off 17 from e load to a distance of 8 or 10 rods. I was someing surprised, but found myself light on a corner of a field of young wheat. The land was in fine condition, and my feet sunk into e mould. I was upright and not e least hurt. I looked off to e old cart and saw it standing on one end as above. Bro. James appeared very shabby and uncomfortable. I did not at all ink of applying is to him at at time, but hoped better ings. 18 Joseph wrote of eir arrival: Our passage was pretty free from storms and sickness, and was expeditious. We arrived at Liverpool on e 19 in a little more an 18 days, not ten minutes before e Sou America, on Wednesday. 19 Heber C. Kimball wrote: Liverpool When we first sighted Liverpool I went to e side of e vessel and poured out my soul in praise and anksgiving to God for e prosperous voyage and for all e mercies which He had vouchsafed to me, and while us engaged, and contemplating e scene presented to my view, e Spirit of e Lord rested down upon me in a powerful manner, and my soul was filled wi love and gratitude. I felt humble, while I covenanted to dedicate myself to God, and to love and serve Him wi all my heart. When we were wiin six or seven feet of e pier, I leaped on shore... and for e first time in my life I stood on British ground, among strangers, whose manners and customs were different from my own. My feelings at at time were peculiar, particularly when I realized e importance and extent of my mission e work to which I had been appointed and in which I was shortly to be engaged. However, I put my trust in God, believing at He would assist me in publishing e tru, give me utterance, and be a present help in time of need. 20 The Liverpool docks would have felt familiar to Joseph, who, wi his sister Mercy had emigrated from is port five years earlier. The Liverpool port was one of e busiest and most advanced in e world, wi its interconnecting docks protecting ships from bo high and low tides. Traffic from Europe brought trade goods, but ose ships also returned to ports roughout e world -123-

6 wi valuable commodities, a factor in England s growing position in e world. These two photos show Albert Dock in e Mersey Harbor, which was completed in Top photo courtesy Geneil Harris, whose husband Blaine is a descendant of Mary Fielding. Right photo from Kei Foulger, a descendant of Joseph Fielding. This 19 century drawing shows at some of e harbor structures in existence today were buildings Joseph Fielding would have seen. The Romans Used e Liverpool Harbor Ruins found at Wilderspool indicate a significant Roman settlement forty miles from e harbor. Almost two millennia earlier, e Romans used is area to supply eir armies. Ruins at Wilderspool, far enough inland at e tides have no affect on e dep of e River Mersey, are all at remain of a large Roman industrial settlement. Inland mines produced iron which was smelted and smied ere, along wi copper and bronze. The Romans also made glass and pottery. These items, essential to e level of e civilization e Romans brought to e island, were transported nor to supply e armies at Hadrian s Wall and even farer nor at Antonine s Wall. These two walls protected e Romans and e conquered Celts from e invading norern tribes, e Scots and Picts. 21 However, while e succeeding Saxons used e Roman roads, e advanced Roman industry could not be maintained by e technologically-disadvantaged successors. Until e 1700s, Liverpool was little more an a backwater port. Most of e country s trade shipped out of London via e Thames Roman emperors Hadrian and Antonine directed e building of two barrier walls in 122 A.D. and 142.A.D.

7 Queen Anne and King George I At e turn of e eighteen century, and wi e last Caolic king, James II, dead, his Protestant daughter Anne ruled England from 1702 to As e religious wars subsided and Parliament gained firm control of e government, peace once again proved beneficial for prosperity. After Anne s dea, fifty-six Caolic relatives were bypassed in order for e British crown to be given to her ird cousin, George I, a German Protestant, whose great-grandfaer had been James I. While George was e absolute monarch in his native electorate of Hanover, one of e German states of e last vestiges of e Holy Roman Empire, he governed England rough Parliament. Hanover was a fraction of e size of England, but George believed at wi English support, he would rise from a member of royalty in Europe to one of e continent s principal masters, perhaps equal or greater in power an e Hapsburg Emperor and king of all e German states, Charles VI. 22 George I and subsequently his son George II were e kings to whom e British colonists in America proclaimed allegiance. Direct descendants of ese two men still reign in England today, wi Queen Elizabe II being a great-great-granddaughter of George III, e king who lost e American colonies during e Revolutionary War. The Industrial Age Queen Anne was e daughter of King James II. King George I of Hanover ruled England from 1714 to This British government, ruled by a German king but led by a Puritan Parliament, preceded e Industrial Age. Coal had been used for centuries for cooking and heating, but before 1700 e coal was procured from surface mines or small shaft mines where miners were lowered wi a winch. As e steam engine improved, additional energy from coal was required, and mines became more sophisticated. Better power, combined wi improvements in mechanical inventions, including ose which replaced hand looms and spinning wheels, brought about critical changes and improvements in technology. In less an a decade, manufacturing moved from home production to industrial centers. Goods which for centuries had been locally produced for trade wiin villages soon became abundant enough for export. The textile industry in particular was greatly impacted by increased machinery and power. Manchester became a large manufacturing hub in Lancashire and a center for displaced home workers. Its fabric was transported irty miles to e Liverpool port. Textile manufacturing was not e only industry affected. Salt from mines in Norwich and cheese from farms in Cheshire became high-value shipments out of Liverpool. By 1715, e Liverpool dock was exporting more goods an any oer port in England except London

8 Surprisingly, e textile industry played a significant role in e slave trade. Half e fabric from e looms in Manchester was loaded onto ships in e Liverpool port and exchanged in West Africa for slaves. By 1760, forty ousand slaves a year were being transported by British ships. 24 At e turn of e nineteen century, George Cannon was a quintessential captain involved in is murky business, loading textiles at e Liverpool port and bartering em for William Wilberforce, a member of e British Parliament until 1825, worked to ban slavery. slaves on West Africa s Gold Coast. In exchange for eir live cargo in e Americas, ship captains returned to e Liverpool port wi sugar, coffee, tobacco and oer goods, fueling is highly-profitable 25 triangle of trade. By 1833, rough e efforts of William Wilberforce and many oer reformers, trading slaves was banned roughout most of e British Empire. The ancient Roman roads had been e main arteries into Liverpool and Preston for well over a ousand years, but by e eighteen century ese roads had deteriorated so badly at traveling by horseback or by foot were almost e only options. The Industrial Age brought e energy necessary to increase production of goods in England and Europe, in part fueling e slave trade in e Americas. John Wesley, who rode his horse extensively roughout England in his missionary labors in e mid-eighteen century, complained about e roads, a stumbling-block in e country s oerwise growing economy. 26 The Romans built 2000 miles of roads in England to move eir military troops. Many Roman roads are still in place. As peat bogs were drained, wi e peat itself becoming a valuable source of exportable fuel, agricultural yields greatly expanded. Cattle and sheep production increased, and farms spread to e new soil, sending produce, wool, cotton and linen to European ports from Liverpool but also on canals rough e Pennine mountains to The Pennines Chain is often called e backbone of England. 27 e east coast, e Nor Sea and on to Europe. During e mid-1700s, Liverpool rivaled e London port. By 1780, publicly funded turnpikes were being constructed roughout Lancashire and Yorkshire, and in 1830 ese routes could handle e increased traffic and wagon-loads of goods which were carried from e interior to Liverpool

9 By e time Joseph Fielding returned to England as a missionary, flint from France was being imported to Liverpool and hauled overland seventy miles sou to The Potteries, an industrial area encompassing several towns which used water from e River Penk to power eir mills, us allowing pottery from Staffordshire to be included in is trade. 29 Joseph wrote a few paragraphs about his short stay in Liverpool: The area known as The Potteries was 70 miles soueast of Liverpool. We took lodging at Widow Norman s in Union Street where we stayed until Saturday. We did not ink of beginning our work in at place, but as I had a broer in Preston, it was concluded at we should proceed ier, 31 miles. On e next Saturday, erefore, we left Liverpool for Preston, where we arrived after a very pleasant ride half past 3 P.M. It was in Preston at James Fielding had established a successful congregation at Vauxhall Chapel. The site of James Fielding s home at 15 Oxford Street, and e site of e Vauxhall Chapel are shown on is modern map. James Fielding s chapel was between Albert Street and Vauxhall Road, where e map shows a Baptist Chapel. Map and information courtesy of Peter Fagg of Obelisk tours. The chapel was a favorite site for LDS missionaries serving in Preston. It was torn down about A 19 century drawing of Vauxhall Chapel shows its quaint appeal

10 Preston For millennia, Preston, on e nor side of e River Ribble, and Walton-le-Dale, on e sou, were crossing places for nor and sou travelers. Preston is an ancient word meaning settlement of e priests, indicating at in early times is was e location of a chapel or monastery, perhaps even a major center for e much earlier Druids. A later local tradition is at St. Patrick was shipwrecked off e coast in is area, perhaps irty miles nor at Morecambe Bay. The Saxons built chapels in is area during e nin century, but none early enough to exist at e time of St. Patrick s arrival. 30 St. Patrick, an early Christian missionary to England During e Roman era, e Preston area was known as e Country of e Brigantes, e Celtic tribes who lived in norern England. The Roman senator Tacitus wrote at e Brigantes were e largest of any Celtic tribe in Britain. Heysham, 30 miles nor of Preston, is e traditional location of St. Patrick s landing. The Saxons build a chapel in honor of St. Patrick in Heysham. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote of e Celts. Julius Caesar, writing a century before Tacitus, described e Druids living in a class of dignity among e Celts, settling eir disputes and enacting punishments. Caesar was not unfamiliar wi e Celts and eir Druid leaders, as e Romans had broken out from under e bondage of e Gauls, cousins to e Celts, across souern Europe ree hundred years earlier. At e time of e Roman invasion of e British Isles, e Celts were described as a ferocious people who disfigured emselves by... tattooing. They processed blue dye from seaweed to color eir skin, and ey wore animal pelts. 31 Julius Caesar made his first visit to e British Isles in 55 BC. The Celtic tribe Brigantes lived in e area between e River Mersey and e Scotland border. The Brigantes inhabited e area between e Scottish border on e nor and along e Mersey River, 32 which flows into Liverpool, on e sou. For a century e Celts resisted e Roman advance, but ultimately ey succumbed not only to e superior -128-

11 Roman forces, but also to eir luxuries and civilization to e point at ey shed eir animal hides for togas. The ruling Druids were killed and eir religion suppressed, 33 acts e Romans felt necessary to quell e rebellious. Tacitus, writing toward e end of e first century, described e insidious approach of his faer-in-law Julius Agricola, e general who finally subdued e Brigantes: Agricola personally inspected his soldiers, praised e forward, stirred up e sloful, and marked out e stations himself. He explored e estuaries and woods, and kept e enemy in continual alarm by sudden incursions. When he had completely over-awed e people, he stayed his operations in order to exhibit to em e blessings of peace. By ese means many cities, which till en had been free, submitted and gave hostages, and were surrounded by posts and fortified places. These were selected wi so much skill and judgment at no newlyexplored part of Britain was ever before so peaceable. The following Julius Agricola. winter was spent in e execution of e wisest designs. To pacify men rejoicing in warfare, and to incline em by idleness to pleasure, he exhorted em privately, and assisted em publicly, to erect temples, courts of justice, and habitations. By praising e forward and chastising e sloful, he diffused a spirit of emulation which operated like a sense of duty. He instructed e sons of eir chiefs in e liberal arts; and professed to prefer e genius of e Britons to e attainments of e Gauls. Thus, ose who lately disdained e Roman language began to cultivate its beauties. Our dress became e fashion, and e toga was frequently seen. By degrees ey yielded to e charms of vice, e porch, bas, and elegant banquets; and at was called humanity by e simple-minded natives which in tru was but a link in e chain of slavery. 34 Celtic ruins and artifacts abound in Preston, as do Roman relics, sending a quiet message rough time at neier civilization was ultimately superior. Known as e Cuerdale hoard, is cache of gold and silver was discovered in The Vikings invaded Preston in e 10 century, leaving a large hoard of gold and silver buried across e River Ribble from Preston. The cache, discovered only ree years after e LDS missionaries arrival in Preston, included eight ousand items. Coins from e reigns of Anglo-Saxon kings were mixed among Byzantine, Italian, Scandinavian and even Islamic mints and were possibly from Viking raids and trades spanning decades. Included in is booty were silver rings, brooches and hacked fragments, and e hoard appears to have been sorted into portions but buried and abandoned before it could be distributed. 35 Just as e Romans before em, e Vikings used e River Ribble to control e passage used by travelers crossing from e Nor Sea on e east rough e Pennine mountain range to e west. Guarding e Preston area protected e access point on e Irish Sea which was wiin easy reach to e Isle of Man and Ireland

12 The Romans built a fort at Ribchester, twelve miles east of Preston where eir roads from Chester, York and Carlisle met. Ruins of eir bas, still impressive, can be seen today. The fort housed a calvary unit manned by Imperial troops from Europe, wi remnants of accouterments for horses uncovered in e nineteen century. The remains of two temples and oer ruins show at e site was active and bustling up to e time of e Roman departure. The fort protected e western side of e Pennines from incursions from e east and nor. A riving Roman military outpost was built at Ribchester, which left impressive ruins. Ten miles downriver was anoer Roman fort, is one at Walton-le-Dale, which is very close to Preston. This was e site of a large contemporary industrial center on e sou side of e River Ribble. The second-century Greek astrologer and maematician Ptolemy lived here for a short period. Remains show at e surrounding community spread nor across e River Ribble to where Preston is now. While Roman industry was not maintained after eir departure, e communities remained. William e Conqueror s great survey of 1086 named bo Walton and Preston, indicating eir prominence. 37 James II, e son of Charles I, was e last Caolic king of England. King Charles I refused to submit to a constitutional monarchy and Oliver Cromwell, one of e signers of eas a result was beheaded dea warrant for King Charles I, was a military leader in e defeat of royalist forces. Six hundred years later, e great Puritan defender Oliver Cromwell defeated Royalist supporters from Scotland at Preston, which led to e beheading of Charles I in Charles s son, James II, was e last Caolic king of England. In e succeeding two centuries, campaigns and public voting for representation in Parliament -130-

13 became commonplace, and e LDS missionaries arrived in Preston during e preparations for an election. Two mons earlier, William IV, grandson of George III, had died, opening e door for his eighteen-year-old niece Victoria to begin her reign. Victoria began her 63-year-reign in 1837, upon e dea of her uncle. Before ascending to e British rone, William IV served his faer George III in e American War of Independence. Chapter 8 Endnotes Pages : 1.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 37, dated in June 1839 after e apostasy of Isaac Russell was made known. 2.Journal of Heber C. Kimball, page Life of Heber C. Kimball, Whitney, page The pamphlet is available online at July 1837 Letter, Mary Fielding to Mercy Fielding Thompson. Mary only wrote at Joseph Smi Senior sat wi two of his broers in e upper stand, and at below em were four of his sons. I have assumed at e two broers of e prophet s faer were John and Asahel. At is time five sons of Joseph and Lucy Smi were alive. I have assumed at Samuel was e one not seated on e stand. 6.8 July 1837 Letter from Mary Fielding to Mercy Fielding Thompson, LDS Church History Library, MS 2779, ird letter of Mary Fielding Smi to Mercy F. Thompson Collection. 7.8 July 1837 Mary Fielding to Mercy Fielding Thompson. Mary only mentioned at e letters were being written. I have assumed ey were sent in care of James Fielding, as ere was no oer address to use. Mary Russell s letter of 17 July 1837, dated from Kirtland, confirms is supposition. Her letter is part of e Isaac Russell Collection at BYU Special Collections, MSS July 1837 Letter from Mary Fielding to Mercy Fielding Thompson. They met Elder Pratt 300 miles on his way ier and brought him back wi em. 9.Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, page

14 10.Life of John Taylor, page Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pages History of e Church, Volume II, page 495. Joseph had earlier stated at The breren remained in eir lodgings [in e Fordham warehouse] fasting, praying and counciling for e success of e mission, and had a joyful time. In e afternoon two sectarian priests came in to talk and find fault, but ey were soon confounded and left. On e 28 e breren deposited one of Orson Hyde s Timely Warnings, in e New York post office, for each of e sectarian priests in e city, amounting to some hundreds. 13.Journal of Heber C. Kimball, page Joseph Fielding began his diary on August 8, 1837, after he had arrived in England. The first eight pages of e typed transcription cover his conversion and travel to England. This incident was covered more oroughly in his letters to Mary Fielding in June, but he wrote is short paragraph in his journal on page 5: On e irteen of June Elder Heber C. Kimball and Elder Orson Hyde, two of e Twelve, Elder Willard Richards and myself having been set apart by e Presidency for at purpose, left Kirtland for New York, ere to meet Elder John Goodson, Elder Isaac Russell and Broer John Snyder, en a Priest, and ence to start for England. We came to N. Y. On nd e 22, found our Breren, and expected to sail on e 24, but e ship was too full to take us, and we were st obliged to wait until e 1 of July. We found it was for our good at we had to wait. We were kindly accommodated by Elder Elijah Fordham. 15.Joseph Fielding Diary, page History of e Church, Volume II, page 498. Joseph Smi s scribe inserted e daily progress of e ship into his log wi notes which surely came from letters once e missionaries arrived in England. For example, e ship passed e banks of Newfoundland on July 7, and on July 20, e Garrick weighed anchor in e River Mersey. While e cable chains were still rattling as e ship settled, e merchant ship Sou America...[under a $10,000 bet], came alongside, having kept in sight daily during e voyage but never getting ahead. 17.A rod was a common surveyor s tool and would have been very familiar to Joseph as a farmer staking out new properties. It was five and a half yards in height, so a distance of eight or ten rods would have been quite a distance, 160 feet, perhaps. 18.Joseph Fielding Diary, pages 5-6. The first entry was dated from Preston, August 8, 1837 and covered many pages, including ese two. 19.Joseph Fielding Diary, page Journal of Heber C. Kimball, pages Cheshire Historic Towns Survey, Warrington, Archaeological Strategy, Cheshire City Council: 2003, page 2. Also, e Origins of Lancaster, by Denise Kenyon, Manchester University Press: 1991, page Peter e Great, His Life and World, by Robert K. Massie, 1980, page Lancashire, Cheshire and e Isle of Man, by T. W. Freeman, H. B. Rodgers and R. H. Kinvig: 1968, page The Abolition Project, found online at abolition.e2bn.org/slavery_45.html. 25.My husband and I served an LDS mission in West Africa during One of e most disturbing ings I learned was at slavery was a part of e African culture long before e Europeans arrived. The Africans captured and sold neighboring tribe members, ose who might be in debt to em, or even family members wi whom ey might have disagreed. Arriving Europeans found is slave business already underway. They did not -132-

15 create it, alough surely ey increased e demand significantly. However, e Europeans were not tramping rough e African jungles capturing slaves. The Africans captured e slaves and took em to ports along e coasts where ey were sold. An excellent resource on is topic can be found in John Reader s excellent book Africa, The Biography of e Continent, Vintage: Lancashire, Cheshire and e Isle of Man, page Lancashire, Cheshire and e Isle of Man page Lancashire, Cheshire and e Isle of Man, page Lancashire, Cheshire and e Isle of Man, page Origins of Lancaster, page History of e Borough of Preston and Its Environs, in e County of Lancaster, by Charles Hardwick, Preston: 1857, page History of e Borough of Preston, page History of e Borough of Preston, page History of e Borough of Preston, page History of e Borough of Preston, pages History of e Borough of Preston, page Origins of Lancaster, by Denise Kenyon, Manchester University Press: 1991, page