Transcript

Bridge st. Wincanton Somerset England
January 26 : 57

Dear President

I beg to excuse my boldness for troubling you, for I know that you have got plenty to do without my business = but I believe when you will read the contents of this few broken lines that you will for give me = I am a Member and an Elder more than 9 years in the church over which you preside = I and my wife and our family have and are serving the Lord god of Israel according to the Councils which we have received by them that was and are over us in the south Conference England –

In the month of May 56 we was counciled by our President [illegible] and our Pastor that we shall send our son Aaron 15 years old to the valley and we have fulfiled yours and theirs Council what you gave “that if parents are not able to go out themselves = that they shall send out some of their family” so I Pound things and I took the Lad and I went with him to Liverpool. and I have paid £ 9 – for his fare of the hand carts and I placed him on the ship Horizon: in the care of Elder John Toone who was on a Mission in this Countery from the valley: and here I enclose his own hand writting = and the 15th of this month I have received a letter from my son which copy I enclose here: word by word what he wrote with his own hand= Dear President when you will stand up in assembly of the saints = please to enquire = wether any Elders or saints that have been in any part of the south Conference England. wether they know Brother Barnet giles the Converted jew with his wife and family = Let they tell what they know about us = I should like to know what you think about a concern as that = though I have never seen your person but I believe that you are a Prophet of Israels god. and your wisdom is the wisdom of the gods = Let it be that the Lad may have been unruly or stuborn: as young and old persons are in generall: But humenity will and ought to prick concience to serve a human being like that = If the Lad would not walk: and I know that he could not walk = “for I have seen his Dieing state in a dream”– the Elders and saints should have waighed him on a scale and as they have charged 12½ Dollers per hundered waight for a tranprsfery [sic] from Iowa City to the valley = they should have sent me in a bill of 20 or 24 dollers per 100 what the poor boy waighed. and I would have paid it to help them an to make a goldn calf or even a Bullock = and if I would have not paid

We are Members of a church that intend to enlighten the world and profess to gather in Israel to crown them with everlasting salvation = and I have sustained the church in our part in whatever it has been required of me. and do till this very day = Men and god knows it = oh to Rob a lad from his Raitions = and from his tent = and also of his life = and when the Lord has provided a gentile to save his life= they the Elders have Robd him from his clouthes = you can imegin in what a state we are in = we know the work is true” and we want to serve the Lord. and the Brethren. and they that do know us = do know that we have done our duty of which we thank god for it = but Dear Brother how can we trust our lives in hands as such = life is precious = you know that – we beg you in the name of Jehova pray for us to our god to strengthen us from falling away = I tell you we are on the brink of it: we are ashaimed for saints and sinners. for we have born a faithful testimony to the work and we dont know what to do = May god Bless you and all yours is the Desire of your humble servant and Brother in christ Jesus –

Barnet Giles

please to take the Boys clouthes &c from John Toon. and give it to any poor person you think proper = and also a Letter which I have Directed for my son to the Ho. Elder orson Hyde – please to take into your care

B. G.