| 494 against the Latter Day Saints; it being the first thing of the kind that the enemy of all righteousness had found means to export from America and circulate in England; but since which he has found servants in abundance to assist in this nefarious merchandise of his heart's delight.
"The church at this time was in its infancy and needed much instruction, which necessarily occupied the attention of the presiding elders to a great extent; and as there were few laborers in the field, the spread of the work was not very rapid for some time.
"Sister Alice Hodgin died at Preston on the second of September, 1838, and it was such a wonderful thing for a Latter Day Saint to die in England that Elder Richards was arraigned before the Mayor's Court at Preston, on the third of October, charged with 'killing and slaying' the said Alice with a 'black stick,' etc., but was discharged without being permitted to make his defense, as soon as it was discovered that the iniquity of his accusers was about to be made manifest.
"October 19, 1838, Elder Clayton gave himself wholly to the work and soon after commenced preaching and baptizing in Manchester; and from thence the work spread into Stockport and other places in the neighborhood, through the labors of Elders Clayton, Fielding, John Moon, and David Wilding. A small church had previously sprung up in Bolton, through the labors of Elder D. Wilding, and was continued by Elder Amos Fielding.
"In the summer of 1839 Elders Clayton, Richards, and J. Moon labored in Burslem, with some success, and a small church was planted in Burnley by Elder Thomas Richardson, besides many who were added in the older branches, through the instrumentality of the local elders and priests, who were generally very faithful.
"December 8, 1839, Elders Hiram Clark, Alexander Wright, and Samuel Mulliner arrived in Preston from America; and on the 25th Brothers Wright and Mulliner started for Scotland, and soon commenced preaching and baptizing in Paisley and vicinity.
"January 13, 1840, Elders Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor,
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