| 603 There is a branch numbering nearly thirty in this place apparently in a prosperous condition. I came here to endeavour [endeavor] to encourage and strengthen themt [them] knowing that considerable time had elapsed, since any traveling elders called on them. Since my arrival a series of letters have been shown me, from Mr. -- post master of -- in this state, to his brother of this place, and from his brother, and his letters, I have learned some incidents connected with the history of this man, of late, which I think cannot fail of interesting the readers of the Times and Seasons. In communicating them to you I have suppressed names, first because I have taken this liberty without his knowledge; and secondly because of the situation of his business and property; which lies in various parts of the Union, and is estimated at about two hundred and fifty-thousand; which he says, shall with all possible despatch [dispatch], be devoted to the upbuilding of Zion. He has been quite a popular man, and the author of several works devoted to the cause of Universalism. He knew nothing of this work bnt [but] by report, until some time during the past summer, when two of his brothers, tradesmen of Boston, became acquainted with, and believers in it. Through their communications and the books they sent him, he learned something about it, but strenuously opposed it. One of his brothers immediately closed his business and went to Nauvoo, where he embraced the gospel and commenced writing letters to his unbelieving brother, which caused him six weeks or two months ago, to turn his mind seriously to reading the books and investigating the subject. The result was an entire revolution in his mind. He called together his neighbors, and night after night taught the work to them, until some of his father's family and others began to believe, and the Devil began to rage, and his emissaries broke in all the windows, and his business called him to Charleston S. C. Up to this time he had seen no elders, and had no opportunity of obeying the gospel himself. He started for Charleston Sept. 17th. His letter of the 20th written from New York says, "I arrived in N. Y. on Friday and spent some time in hunting up Mormons. I went to Br. Adams, where I was received with great kindness. On Sunday I was baptized, and after being taken into the church by the laying on of hands. Oh the blessings that rested upon me!-The next morning I had the gift of tongues.
I was ordained an elder, and am now going to spend my days in preaching the gospel," Suffice it to say that he purchased many of the various kinds of our books, that he found in New York and Philadelphia and left Philadelphia on hh [the] 23d on board a steamer. His letter tf [of] the 29th written at Charleston, says in oescibing [describing] his journey. "Meantime the dubject [subject] of religion was introduced by some one on board: I was as ready as any one to talk about it. When we commenced I was not a little surprised, to find on board three Methodist ministers who had been north to some public meeting, and an Orlhodox [Orthodox] and his delegate who had been to Philadelphia to attend an ordination. They soon found out that I was a Mormon and attacked me. It reminded me of a piece I saw in the paper last week, 'they were barking up the wrong sapling.' We continued our conversation some hours. One of the ministers feared the truth so much that he went up on the quarter deck and sat in the wind; but his mind so troubled him that he came down and sat on the cabin stairs. A guilty conscience still harrassed [harassed] him, until he came down exclaiming 'no peace for the wicked,' and asked me to pray with him. This I was ready to do, and when we arose he said he was ready to renounce Orthodoxy and be baptized. I then took the Methodist ministers and explained their discipline to them. They began to think the God without body or parts, was not like Christ who was the image of his father. They finally said they were ready to be baptized. The captain also said he believed it with all his heart. When we reached Charleston we stopped at captain Hall's, and next day the Methodist ministers, the Ortoodox [Orthodox] and his delegate, and captain Hall and his family consisting of a wife, an aged father, one son and two daughters were all baptized. After the baptism I had the gift of prophecy and ordained the ministers to the office of elders, and gave them some books and they left the work of men, took up the work of God and went on their way rejoicing. They belong in different parts of Carolina. Capt. Hall says he will
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