| 530 shall clap their palms in joy at thy presence.
Eleven have been added to the church in this city since Conference: others are following their example. Though we have man difficulties to encounter in rolling "the stone" in this city of London, in consequence of the powerful influence Satan has obtained over the people, yet I am not discouraged but trust that the Most High will grant us much prosperity. I strongly desire that you will especially remember me always in your petitions to the God of our fathers.
Most affectionately, I still remain thro' the grace of God,
Your brother in the covenant,
Lorenzo Snow.
Shemokin Township, Northumber-}
land co. Pa. Jane [June] 17th, 1841}
To the Editors of the Times and Season.
Dear Brethren,
After a lapse of many months, I feel happy for the opportunity that is afforded me through the agency of the quill, to communicate a few ideas to you, inasmuch as I have been laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, most of the time since I left Nauvoo, and perhaps my friends, are not aware of where I am, likewise I see a call in your paper, for the elders abroad to give that information; besides I esteem it quite a privelege [privilege] to me, to hear from the elders who are in the veneyard [vineyard], which I do, by an attentive perusal of your paper; and I would recommend that the elders in general become subscribers, and when situated in one neighborhood for any length of time, that they might get the news from the Corner Stone of Zion, which will be a continual source of intelligence to the saints.
I feel heartily to congratulate you on your prosperity in the city of Nauvoo, and I expect to set out for that place before long, as I beleive [believe] it to be the will of the Lord that I shall return soon, and asisst [assist] in the erection of his house; for I consider it a matter of the greatest importance, that we build it soon, that we may have the blessing of God to rest upon us, and beleive [believe] that my labor will be as acceptable of the Lord, at this time, in that, as in the vineyard: and if the saints will be united in this thing, the building may soon and easily be reared, to the great benefit of the church, and to the glory and honor of God.
I will now give you a limited sketch of my travels and labors since I left Nauvoo last October. After leaving your place with my family, I moved to Ohio, but with some difficulty owing to low water, but on ariving [arriving] their found our friends all well, and we almost worn out with the journey, as our health was not good when we left; in Ohio I was taken down with the ague, and could not proceed for some weeks, but as soon as I recovered a little I proceded [proceeded] to this county in company with Elder Housewort [Houseworth], (leaving my family in Ohio,) with a view of preaching to his people, as they live in this county. Through much affliction I arrived here; my health having improved on the way, we commenced to preach once, and sometimes twice a day, in the towns, and villages of this and the adjoining counties, as well as in many of the country places, the people giving great heed, so that we had large congregations, and many believed the gospel.
Yet we found it here as in all other places, that there were some who would resist the truth. Shortly after we had commenced our labors I was furiously attacked by two of the priests of the neighborhood, of the Baptist persuasion, who, after I had spoken, rose up by turns and thought to put down the doctrine: one of them as sanctimonious as a Pharisee, and the other as full of the Devil as the High Priest Ananias; but I soon informed them that if I was to withstand them both, I should have half the time. Their object was to get a sign, (and that appears to be the design of this generation,) which they manifested very soon, and proposed arsenic, insisting that I should take a dose to prove my mission, and also spoke for the congregation, saying they would require it at my hands.
I reasoned with them a short time upon the subject of signs, but finding that they were destitute of the knowledge of reason, I soon informed them who they were, and who their father was, and brought a sufficent [sufficient] portion of scripture testimony, to show the congregation the inconsistency of their position, so that they had to withdraw, to their own disgrace, while some of the audience were heard to say, "them fellows barked up the wrong sapling, when they attacked that little Mormon." This was the first
(page 530) |