RLDS Church History Search

Chapter Context

RLDS History Context Results


Source: Times and Seasons Vol. 6 Chapter 20 Page: 1085

Read Previous Page / Next Page
1085 London, or Paris. O ye hypocrites of the nineteenth century, who does not know the Chistian [Christian] nations make a holiday of Sunday?-All may fall to the ground, put their hands upon their mouths and cry, unclean! unclean!

COMMUNICATIONS.

Nauvoo, Jan. 5th 1846.

BR. TAYLOR,

Having been requested by many brethren to give some account of my late mission in the Pacific, and being willing to gratify them and others, I send you an abridgment of my journal duriug [during] my mission, which if you deem worthy of publication, is at your disposal.

Truly yours,

NOAH ROGERS.

Being set apart with Brs. Addison Pratt, B. Grouard and Br. K. Hanks, to go the Islands of the South sea, we accordingly took leave of our families, and on the first day of June 1843, left Nauvoo for Pittsburgh, where we arrived on the 12th. Br. Pratt, left us at Evansville for Pleasant Garden, Indiana; Br. Grouard, left the same day for Philadelphia. Br. Hanks and myself, tarried in Pittsburgh until the 14th, when we left for Philadelphia, where we arrived on the 23d. in the evening. Here we found Br Grouard, we stayed in the city until the 29th, when it was agreed, that Brs Grouard and Hanks should go on, and that I should await the arrival of Br. Pratt; during which time I visited a branch at Downingtown, also Goshen, where I attended a Conference with Brs Sheets and Moore, who organized a branch. From thence I visited Centreville Del, on the 4th of July where I tarried until the 6th, with Sister Moseley. I then visited Wilmington, stayed one day, then returned to Philadelphia; and on Sunday 9th, by request of Br Grant preached near the Navy yard and baptized four. In the afternoon attended meeting with Br Grant.

Monday 10th, went to Burlington, New Jersey, and on the 15th was joined by Br Pratt at Mount Holly; the same day we visited Shreesville and returned to Burlington, on the 17th went to New York; and the 21st arrived at New Bedford, Mass. where we found Br Grouard, Br Pratt and myself visited Boston on the 22nd, from thence Br Pratt went to New Hampshire; I followed on the 26th, visited many places in N. H., Conn., Mass., and New York; then returned to Boston, where I found the Twelve; here also I met Brs. Pratt, Grouard, and Hanks. By counsel of Br Young, Br. Pratt went to N. Bedford, to procure a passage, which he did for $100 each, in the ship Timolen, Capt, Plasket. The brethren in Salem and Boston contributed liberally, as did also the brethren in New Bedford, particularly Br. Lewis, who with as liberality becoming a saint, gave us $300. After paying our passage we had 80 dollars left for contingent expenses. All things being ready on the 9th October, we embarked for the Pacific Ocean. There were on board eight passengers besides ourselves; Dr. Winslow and family, and Mr. Lincoln and wife. Br Hanks was quite feeble when we embarked. Br Grouard and myself were sea sick, particularly in the Gulf stream, a pleasing sensation which Brs Pratt and Hanks escaped, although the sea was very rugged. Br Hanks continued to fail until the 3d of November, when he departed this life without a struggle. The evening before his death, he had a vision concerning spirits in prison: an account of which has been written by Br Pratt. The Captain and officers were not willing to keep the body until we could make the Cape Verde Islands, consequently we were obliged to bury our brother in the deep blue seas.

"Amid the wonders of the deep,

We made our brother's grave!

Sweet and unbroken is his sleep;

Lulled by the raring wave."

The loss of Bro. Hanks was severely felt by us all, for he was truly a good man, and a worthy brother. One the 9th November we arrived at St. Nicholas one of the Cape Verde islands. Several of us went on shore, procured donkeys, and rode to Bravo, a village six miles in the interior. The inhabitants of these islands are mostly black, and speak the Portuguese language; their religion the Catholic. The streets are from four to eight feet wide, and the houses are one story high, made of roand [round] stones and clay mortar. The soil is sterile and unproductive. These islands are of volcanic origin, and the island of Fogo has a volcano, which may sometimes be seen in a state of eruption. After leaving these islands we steered for Tristan D' Acunha, and on the 10th December crossed the equator, and continued our way with a fine breezo [breeze] until the 3rd of January, 1844 we made the above named islands, situated in Lat. 37o S. and Long. 20o W. On the 4th we encountered a severe gale which lasted twenty-four hours in consequence of which we were unable to beat up to the island; but I learn that the island contains fifty inhabitants, descendants of one Glass, who was searjant [sergeant] in the English army, from which government he draws a pension, and id Governor of the island.-There are three islands in the group, one only inhabited. They also are of volcanic origin. On the 10th left these islands; and the 25th

(page 1085)

Read Previous Page / Next Page