On the 18 of July, Joseph visited his Ann again during her visit in Preston and took her a Millennial Star. He wrote:

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1 The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 17 Joseph Begins Making Plans to Proselyte in Bedfordshire Alough hundreds of emigrants had left England for Nor America by July, 1840, Joseph and Hannah were not among em. Joseph had spent almost ree years in England and had not yet seen his broer Thomas. Perhaps he felt it important to preach e gospel to him before leaving his homeland for e last time. It appears is was a topic of conversation wi Joseph s sister Ann while she was in Preston. On e 18 of July, Joseph visited his Ann again during her visit in Preston and took her a Millennial Star. He wrote: Had some talk in a comfortable Spirit. She is afraid I should go to Bedford in her Absence lest I should hurt eir cause, but is very kind.... She asked me of some points of Discipline, and I explained many ings to her. She said our System was good, and she believed I and Broers Kimball and Taylor were good men. My broer questions everying and disputes at every Point.... I left her wi a Voice of Warning till I see her in Bedford....It does not seem likely at she or my Broer James will come into e Kingdom unless it be rough tribulation. 1 The following day was e Sabba. Joseph wrote about e success of eir long day: Elder Kimball preached in a Room which e Church has taken, and as e day was very wet... we were glad to get into a House of some kind. It is not a good one. The people crowded in and it was very hot. 3 were ordained & 4 confirmed & 2 baptized. But it was a day of humility... I preached in e Eve & felt well and good was done, so at I had to go and baptize 2 men late in e Eve, so it was toward 12 o clock before I had done. 2 Joseph Fielding Heads Sou for Bedford st On July 21 Joseph sent his luggage ahead on a coach and left Preston at noon wi Theodore Turley, intending to walk twenty miles to Bolton. Preaching to oer travelers as ey walked, ey arrived at night about nine and stayed wi William and Mary Ann Greenhalgh. The next morning Sister Greenhalgh paid eir train fare to Manchester, twelve miles farer. At e headquarters of e mission, Joseph wrote: [They found] e Breren well. Elder P. P. P. gone to New York to fetch his Wife; Elder B. Young editing e Star. 3 By is time Joseph would have known at e Greenhalgh families were among ose planning to emigrate to e United States. In e next mon Mary Ann, her husband William, and his broer Nehemiah would each travel separately to receive a patriarchal blessing under e hands of e British patriarch, Peter Melling. 4 In her blessing, Patriarch Melling told Mary Ann at she was of e blood of Ephraim, and at -277-

2 she would inherit e promise, even at goodly land at flowe wi milk and honey.... He continued, Fear not, Sister, for e Lord shall make a way for ree and shall cause all ings to work togeer for y good. 5 The next day Joseph preached in Stockport: [To] an attentive congregation. I bore my testimony to em in plainness and wi Liberty. The Church ere is doing well; ey are increasing daily. Many have e Gift of Tongues. They want to be watched over. 6 The previous mon Joseph had toured a coal mine and found it very interesting. A small railroad operated completely underground in e mine, moving e coal from its source to e opening of e mine. Horses were kept at e bottom of e mine and were for all intents and purposes blind but got along well. Young boys and men of all ages worked ere, and Joseph seemed quite impressed wi e work and described it in great detail. However, while in Stockport he toured a factory and had noing good to say: I was much affected to see e Slavery at is ere endured, e Dust, e bad Smell of oil, etc., e deafening Noise, and e confinement. Wi a constant aim of e Masters to sink eir Wages or fine em for any and every trifling defect... We felt a great desire to see em delivered out of such captivity & Bondage. 7 The following day Joseph and Broer Turley rode a coach irteen miles to Macclesfield. They were clearly on a schedule, and members in advance of eir arrival had arranged for em to preach. Joseph wrote: [That night we] spoke to a good congregation, very attentive. Almost e first ing we saw when we left e coach was a Lad wi a Board lifted up wi a Timely Warning on one Side and a Notice of 2 Men to preach in e Eve, etc. I spoke of e Covenant being broken and renewed. 8 Joseph spent e next few days preaching in e Potteries while Broer Turley traveled a short 9 distance to work wi members ere. On Sunday evening Joseph bore a plain and faiful Testimony to a goodly number; very attentive. I felt at I had done my Duty is day. He and Broer Turley en traveled by coach to West Bromwich, riding forty miles togeer. We had a pleasant Ride, he wrote. Joseph was often very frank about people he worked wi. In West Bromwich Joseph got to know John Needham, who Joseph described as a faiful young Man who came into e Church in Preston. Broer Needham would later emigrate to e United States, bringing wi him many family members and becoming a great streng to e Church in Winter Quarters. He ultimately settled in Logan Joseph Fielding, in e company of Theodore Turley, preached as ey traveled to Bedford in July, 1840.

3 The Britannia Arrives in New York City wi LDS Immigrants In e meantime, e Britannia docked in New York City after a rough, six week voyage. John Moon wrote a letter to e Saints in England and sent it wi a returning ship. He described e beauty of Long Island from his view of Britannia s deck, and en mentioned at all e passengers were quarantined for ree days upon eir arrival in e United States. However, during is period, he alone seemed to have obtained permission to leave e ship on a Sunday morning. He wrote: It was wi much trouble I found e Saints. I was at e meeting in e afternoon. I told em who I was and from when I came and whier I was going. Their hearts were filled wi joy and eir eyes wi tears. They received us wi all e care possible [e next day]. Broer Moon mentioned at he had asked after oer members who had sailed earlier, including Broer Benbow, but ey have not seen him. Broer Moon s group left New York and headed west, alough ey didn t arrive in Illinois for quite some time. 10 Joseph Fielding Arrives in Bedford at e End of July, 1840 Joseph Fielding arrived in Bedford at e end of July. He had left e large manufacturing areas of Lancashire and was now amidst a tremendous farming area in e center of England wi vast fields ripe wi eir harvests. Joseph wrote: Found e Saints at Broer James Lavender s, looking for me or Bro. Richards. I attended e Prayer Meeting wi em in e Eve. The Times here are better an in e Nor; e Harvest is just begun. All 11 ings look pleasant. James Lavender was one of many in his family who had embraced e gospel and who would later emigrate to Utah. The morning after he arrived in Bedford, Joseph wrote Hannah, whom he had left in Preston wi Rachel. 12 On e first day of August Joseph went to e priory in e center of Bedford where his sister Ann 13 lived. He wrote: They were absent. I looked into e house, particularly I went into e Room where my rd Beloved Faer died, on e 3 of March, Here he had been nursed wi all care and tenderness in his last days by his Daughter, Ann Matews. He died in peace. I have often felt ankful at he and my Moer died even before e Message of e Covenant, Leaving Theodore Turley in Birmingham, Joseph Fielding traveled by coach and train to Bedford, arriving on July 29 after a week of traveling.

4 being renewed, came to is Land, for my Broers & Sisters did not receive e Message, I fear ey would also have rejected it rough eir Influence.... I hope soon to behold him again in a better Condition. 14 Joseph preached in a few homes over e next few days. When his sister Ann returned, she invited Joseph to stay wi em in e priory. They had several good gospel conversations: She is of a far better Spirit an my Broer James. I do not hold one principle but she consents to. She says our System is good, and she believes we are good Men, but yet 15 perhaps Joseph Smi may be a Deceiver, perhaps e Beast like a Lamb. Joseph used her questions to form twelve specific issues which he en put in a letter to President Young in Manchester. He felt ey would be good questions for all e members to see answered in e Millennial Star. It appears at Joseph was free to borrow books from e Matew s library, because over e course of e next mon Joseph mentioned reading e Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius from e ird and four centuries. He wrote: Here I see e sad Effects of departing from e Tru. What Affliction and what Deas, and what Torments were inflicted on e early Christians....It is evident at e light began to fall as e Apostles were cut off, so at instead of Instruction and Revelation from God, ey began to write Commentaries on e Writings of e Apostles, and soon e Church became divided for wants of e pure Light.... I see how necessary it was at God should make a new Covenant wi us. 16 On Friday night, August 7, Joseph was invited to speak at a home where he had preached earlier in e week. His sister Ann and her husband Timoy attended. Joseph wrote: As I often heard talk of Conversion, I told em what it was according to e Gospel, etc. I made it plain to em, at ey might be converted many ways, from Meodism to Calvinism, etc., as we might convert a Table into a Stool. But e gospel Plan was, at we must be born again, of Water first and en of e Spirit, by which we are translated out of e Kingdom of Satan into e Kingdom of God s dear Son, so at instead of being e Children of e Devil, we become e Children of God. The Subject appeared very plain. I find at even Mr. Matews, alough he has been professing to baptise for e Remission of Sin, yet he does not understand e Subject, but still talked of People being converted wiout Baptism. I see plainly at no one can fully understand e Gospel 17 unless he come into it in a lawful way. On e following Sunday, Joseph preached ree times, baptizing one person. He wrote: Had liberty in speaking... Spoke of e happy state of e Ear in e Millennium, of e nature of Ordinances, etc., and of e Fai once delivered to e Saints. The People are beginning to ink more about it. The Saints are much encouraged; ey look like new People since I came to Bedford

5 Joseph Fielding Visits His Broer Thomas After a week in Bedford, Joseph, having e records kept by e earlier missionaries, visited e members in e surrounding areas, often walking ten or twenty miles each day to reach em. He wrote: Left Bedford to go to Peter s Green, 23 Miles. [Along e way, I] walked to Silsoe, 9 miles... [At Peter s Green] I found five Members. Stayed wi em e next Day, and spoke to a few in e Eve. 4 of e 5 seem to be faiful.... [Two days later I] left is Place and walked 27 Miles to Whaddon, rough Hitchen, Baldock, etc., hoping to ride a part of e Road, but was disappointed. I called at Bassingbourn where Elder Richards baptised several Persons when he was in at Part about 3 years ago. I found one faiful....i wonder how Elder Richards got so far about? Bedford, Peters Green and Bassingborn are about 23 or 24 miles apart from is Place. 19 On e 14 of August, Joseph finally saw his broer Thomas again. He wrote: The road at e location of John Fielding s farm in Graveley is still named Fielding s Place. It is one mile from Papwor, where Thomas Fielding lived. I walked 13 Miles to Papwor to my Broer Thomas, whom I had not seen for more an 8 years. I washed my Feet, got Dinner, etc., and walked up to 20 Graveley to see my Broer John s Family. Joseph knew well e short route, as he had worked on John s farm for several years. As Joseph traveled during is week, he found it difficult to preach because everyone was engaged in e harvest. He wrote, Took a Walk rough e Corn Fields and felt to long to be farming again; noing looks so desirable to me. Joseph was not above helping, and he assisted some in eir harvests. 21 Upon reaching e home of John s widow Ann, he found hundreds of acres being harvested. He wrote: The World and Satan would have tried me or tempted me when I saw e Prosperity of e Farmers, and being so very fond of e Busyness myself, it brought to my Mind e flattering Prospect I had in America, etc., but all ese ings have no effect on my Mind because I believe e Word of God. 22 On Sunday he attended e Anglican Church wi Thomas. Joseph wrote: It was no food for me, only to shew me e State of Darkness in which e People are Joseph Fielding walked to distant towns to find members Willard Richards had baptized.

6 living. I had now been at my Broer s 2 or 3 Days and he would not so much as look at or hear my testimony. If I asked him if he would read my Books, e Voice of Warning in Particular, he said, No, he might as well read Pain s Books, an Infidel of e Last Century. He had never asked me to pray or even bless e Food. 23 Joseph did mention at Thomas s wife Hannah had questions which I had to answer. She said she would wish to do anying at God required of her, and was very kind. However, e distance between Thomas and Joseph over religion became so great at Joseph chose not to stay any longer. I could not be comfortable to stay wi him, and went to Graveley. Joseph later returned to Papwor to see Thomas again, but was treated so poorly at he could not bear to hear him, and left him. However, he was not received as a bearer of e tru in his broer John s home, eier. Joseph wrote: Here...I should have been more welcomely received, but for e Prejudice entered by my Bro. John, so at his Wife was fearful of doing contrary to his desires. On e following Sunday Joseph listened to a Meodist minister preach at e home where he was staying. The man spoke about who stood next in line to e British rone. Joseph made myself as friendly as I could to get e good feeling of e People, expecting to have a Chance to 24 preach to em soon. Joseph en found a ride to St. Neots wi an old friend. He wrote: I called on several... old acquaintances, but an evil Report of me had got before me, and some of em looked shy. One said he should keep in e old Ship; it had taken many safely rough and he expected it would him. 25 Three Apostles Visit London as Missionaries At is same time, mid-august of 1840, George A. Smi, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff arrived in London to follow up on efforts by earlier LDS missionaries. Elder Woodruff described e city and e many attractions ey saw, such as large museums and beautiful caedrals, but, similar to Joseph Fielding, he also described e difficulties of preaching. Unable to procure a hall where ey could preach, Wilford wrote, We are now determined in e name of God to go into e Streets & lift up our voices & warn e people. Even at proved difficult. They attempted to preach at e Smifield Market, less an two miles from e Tower of London where non-conformist martyrs, such as John Rogers in 1555, had been burned at e stake. They were stopped by e police and told street preaching was not allowed

7 Elders Smi, Kimball and Woodruff preached in Tabernacle Square, 3 miles from e Tower of London where early dissenting ministers were executed. An interested man guided em a short distance to Tabernacle Square where George Whitefield was known for preaching in e open air. There ey encountered members of Aitken s society who hindered eir efforts, alough ey were able to 26 preach in a few homes and several were baptized. One who heard em preach in Tabernacle Square was an American woman, Susanna Mehetable Rogers Sangiovanni, e wife of an Italian diplomat. As it so happened, Elder Kimball had a letter for Susanna from her faer, David Rogers, who had joined e Church in New York rough e efforts of Parley P. Pratt. Elder Pratt was at at time in e United States preparing to return to England wi his family, and Susanna had only recently moved from Liverpool to London. Elder Kimball held e letter from her faer, possibly having carried it for mons, filling is duty for Elder Pratt, and he gave it to her. Only en did Susanna learn at her parents and siblings had joined e LDS Church and were now living in Montrose, Iowa, across e river from Nauvoo. 27 Over e next few mons Elders Woodruff and Kimball visited e Sangiovanni home several times. Elder Woodruff wrote of one occasion where ey enjoyed a meal in Susanna s home: The dinner was composed of Italian Macaroni, beef, plum puddings, nut cakes, porter, wine, oranges and etc. We spent quite a pleasant evening in conversing wi Mrs. Susanna M. Sangiovanni concerning e Gospel and e Kingdom of God. She received our testimony and desires to be baptized wi all her heart. She conversed much about her faer s family and friends in America. We spoke of our wives and our children which we had long been separated from. 28 Beneditto Sangiovanni became opposed to his wife s fellowship wi e missionaries. However, on Sunday, February 8, 1841, Susanna slipped away from e house wi her son and met wi e elders, where she was baptized in a public ba ree miles from her home. When Elder Kimball returned to e United States e following April, he carried a letter from Susanna to her faer. 29 Joseph Fielding Visits e Meodist Chapel in St. Neots He Attended as a Young Man While in St. Neots, Joseph reminisced. He visited e Meodist chapel to which his family had walked four miles each week until he left for Canada. He wrote of James and Thomas bo leaving e Meodist Church, James to preach his own doctrine and Thomas to become an Anglican in order to teach school. He wrote at his broer John, now deceased, was e only sibling who had remained a Meodist. He and his siblings, he pondered: -283-

8 ...are now all of different opinions. I and my two Sisters in America are of one Fai, and we are e only ones in e Family at are, and we were about e last to leave our old Sect. It is remarkable at hundreds of Strangers receive my testimony and none of my Friends do; ey all say ey love me and believe me sincere. Joseph en made a uncomplimentary observation about e leaders of e congregation of which many of ese listeners belonged: While I was in e Chapel at St. Neots, my Heart ached so at I could scarcely sit upright. Several of e main Pillars are as fat as a stalled Ox, and ey do not seem to hear, but sleep. I see plainly at coldness is come upon e different Sects. It is high time for God to plead his own Cause, for ey have made void his Law. They have almost a new Chapel at St. Neots, and an organ in it. This is my Bro. John s doing, and ey surely need someing to keep em awake. Sunday night, on 27 of August, after ree weeks in e Bedford area, Joseph preached in a barn made available by a friend. As I had lived here several years wi my Broer, I was well known. It was made public at I should preach and near 200 came. [The barn] was filled wi attentive Hearers. I spoke of e Rest at remains, or e certainty of Christ reigning on Ear and e Blessed State of e World at at time. It appears at e People received it; ey said ey could not do oerwise, as it was all Scriptures, and ey have a Desire at I should stay here awhile. 30 Joseph Fielding Visits e Home of His Bir On September 7, 1840, Joseph knocked on e door of e home where he was born. Went over to Honeydon, my Native Place, where I was treated kindly by Mr. & Mrs. Brightman, who live in our old House. I looked over e old Fields where I spent e Days of my You, wi peculiar feelings. I saw how one Generation passe away & anoer come. Some of my Friends say ey wish I had stayed ere. The Farm is improved, ough e House is not, but e Place as a Gift now would be not temptation.... I feel willing to be a Stranger. I bowed down before e Lord in a hollow in e Field and renewed my vows wi him to be his forever. Left an appointment to preach in e old House on Wednesday of e next Week. Late in e summer of 1840, Joseph Fielding walked rough e areas he knew well before emigrating in After leaving e family home, he walked two miles to Colmwor. There he walked in e graveyard of St. Denys

9 Based on information from e 1841 census, e Fielding home was on Honeydon Road, 2 miles from St. Denys. Joseph visited his faer s grave in Joseph would have crossed is Bedford bridge over e River Ouse upon his return. Joseph wrote: The Priest of e Parish has for his own Pleasure enclosed a Portion of e Church yard wi a Quick, or Thorn Fence, and planted it wi Shrubs and Flowers, and my Faer & Moer and Sister Sarah are just in e enclosure. Their grave Stones look well furnished by my Broer John, at least Shadrach Brightman was enumerated in e old Fielding home in e Eaton Socon Parish. He was age 35, wi a wife, 3 children, and two servants. rd e 2 former. Moer died October 15, 1828, aged 61 and Faer, March 3, 1836, in e 77 year of his Age. They died in Peace, but neier of em ever heard of e fullness of e Gospel. And as my Friends reject it, I am glad ey died before it came, lest ey should have been influenced by em to reject it also. I returned to Bedford on e 8 and preached again in e Market Place wi Liberty and great Plainness on e first Principles of e Gospel, giving out to be ere on e next Friday Eve

10 The following day Joseph went on to Kempston, A Broer went wi me, possibly Joseph Saville, who was baptized two years earlier on e day e Reverend Matews did not show up for his scheduled baptism. Broer Saville and his wife Rhoda were from Kemspton, just a mile from Bedford s market. Joseph wrote: I preached to em in e open Air on e Ordinances being changed, etc., wi a great plainness. A goodly Number stood to hear, and some seemed to believe. I told em 31 where we had our Preaching in Bedford, so at if any wished to hear more, ey might. Today, e LDS Bedford Ward meetinghouse is in Kempston. Chapter 17 Endnotes Pages : 1.Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page The patriarchal blessing index provided bir dates for William and Nehemiah. Even wi ese dates in hand, I was unable to locate a bir family for e ree Greenhalgh men, alough I believe ey are broers. I was surprised at e ree family members who received patriarchal blessings did so separately. Mary Ann appears to have traveled to Peter Melling s home in Longton on August 14. Nehemiah received his blessing in Penworam five days later. William Greenhalgh received his blessing in Preston on August 24. It appears at neier Robert, his wife Elizabe, nor Nehemiah s wife Margaret received eir blessings. 5.Mary Ann s patriarchal blessing includes e names of her parents, Dinah Walker and Robert Peak. Her bir date is given as 1 Oct The patriarch wrote her bir place as Deane, but it has been transcribed as Orage. A direct descendant of Mary Ann, Peggy Ryskamp, shared her copy of Mary Ann s blessing wi me. Copies of Nehemiah s and William s blessings are only available to direct descendants. 6.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 84. nd 7.Joseph Fielding Diary, pages 78, 84. Joseph and Elder Kimball visited e coal pit on June 22. One of our Breren was employed as a Collier and invited us to go to see it, so we went togeer, about mile out of town. 8.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 84. Joseph visited Shadrach Brightman, who lived in Joseph s former home and was enumerated ere on e 1841 census. Shadrach was shown as being in Honeydon, wi oer locations in e district as Tye Farm, Coxfield, Goodwick and Bush Mead. 9.Joseph wrote Laneend. In context, I know is is close. I can find a reference to an old story, where a Lane End House is named in Bursley. This is e area, but I cannot locate it on a Google map. 10.John Moon s letter, written 22 July 1840, can be found many places online, but I read it at Mormon Immigration Index at is link:

11 11.Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph specifically wrote in his journal at he went into e Room where my Beloved Faer died. In 1836, John Fielding was living wi Timoy and Ann Richards in Bedford, where Reverend Matews was e minister of his own church, The Primitive Episcopal Church. In 1841, e Matews family was enumerated in e St. Paul district of Bedford in e center of town, where ey had lived for nine years. 14.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 85. Because I have already used a quote from is memory of Joseph s earlier in e biography, I left it out of is paragraph. However, it was at is time at Joseph wrote, The last time I saw him, he said if he should die while I was in America, he would, if e Lord would permit, visit me in e Spirit. He may have done so, but not so as for me to see him, but I hope soon to behold him again in a better Condition. 15.Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, pages I found Joseph s words here very interesting. One of e issues my husband and I dealt wi during our mission to West Africa in was at missionaries would baptize people who lived too far away to attend meetings. The philosophy of e Church today, fortunately written in a directive so we could use it, was to grow from centers of streng. Many problems arose, especially in West Africa, when missionaries tried to baptize people, often wonderful people, who could not get to church. This was not an isolated problem for us, and Joseph s words struck a chord wi me. 20.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 87. Joseph spelled Graveley as Gravely, but I have quietly altered his and oer s spelling of is word so as to not cause confusion, just as I have done wi Honidon/Honeydon. It does not appear to be a town per se, but is about a mile or so from Papwor. I was delighted to find a lane named Fielding s Place, obviously marking e location of John s farm. From Google Ear, e structures look to be more recent an e early 19 century. 21.Joseph Fielding Diary, pages Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, pages Waiting for e World s End: The Diaries of Wilford Woodruff, pages History of e Church, Volume IV, pages I referred to Tabernacle Square in an earlier part of is biography as I briefly reviewed George Whitefield. 27.In Search of Living Water, page In Search of Living Water, pages In Search of Living Water, page

12 30.Joseph Fielding Diary, page 88. The date is August 23, There was quite a bit of information packed into one paragraph. I will put e first part of e paragraph here. At Mr. Day s, Wintringham, Sunday, went to e Meodist Chapel at St. Neots, e Place in which my Faer & Family used to worship God, to which we walked 4 Miles every Sabba for many years, often in bad Weaer, up to e time I went to America. This was our Place of Worship, but soon after my Broer James left Busyness to go to Preston as a Preacher, but not in at Society, and one or two of my Sisters wi him, one of whom came to America to me (Sis. Mary). My Faer went to live wi my Sis. Ann Matews. My Broer Thomas soon after went to live at Papwor under Mr. Spurling, a Priest of e Church of England, so at was no longer among e Meodists, and none of my Family were among em but Bro. John, and ey are now all of different opinions. I have incorporated each detail into different parts of is biography. 31.Joseph Fielding Diary, page