Transcript

A short abridgement of Erastus Snows Journal I was baptised into the church of Latter day saints on the 3 day of Feby A.D. 1833 in the town of Charleston state of Vt. I was ordained Teacher under the hand of J.F. Boynton on the 28 of June 1833 in St. Johnsbury Vt. and after acting in that capacity till the following Nov. when I was ordained a Priest I preached from time to time as occasion presented in the church in St. Johnsbury and in the adjoining country intill I was ordained an elder under the hand of Luke Johnson in August 1835 at the time the twelve went east all together to attend the several conferences they had appointed It became necessary for me being under age and my father not a member of the church to remain at work upon a farm with him but by his permission sometimes alone and sometimes with other elder elders I took short missions from a week to a month preaching in various parts of Vt. and N.H. states. In the town of Lyman Newhampshire I built up a small church in the summer of 1835 and on the 8th of Nov the day before I was 17 years old my father set me at liberty and I started in Co with elder H. Aldrich and came to Kirtland I attended the school here through the winter was ordained among the 2 seventy was here at the first solemn assembly. On the 16 of April 1836 I left this place alone with but 5 cents I journeyed east untill I entered the state of Pa. I traveled in that state and preached in the Counties of Crawford Venango Mercer Butler Beaver Armstrong and Indiana. I returned to Kirtland on the 21 of Dec having been absent 8 months and 14 days preached 220 times traveled 1600 miles from place to place - baptised 50 persons and ordained one Priest and 2 teachers in the the 3 different branches which I built up one in Venango Co one in Armstrong Co. and the other in Indiana Co. In Jany 1837 I took a short mission with Elder Wm Bosley. We went about 100 miles east to the Venango branch. We also visited the branch in Andover Ohio. We returned the same month - I attended the Lattin school in Kirtland 3 months - On the ninth of May 1837 I left in Company with Elder Wm Bosley to visit those eastern branches - We visited the Madison O. branch and baptised one We preached several times in the Andover O. branch and baptised 4. We then entered Pa and visited the saints in Venango Co in Butler Co. in Beaver Co in Armstrong Co and in Indiana Co preaching by the way and comforting the saints. We found them generally abounding in the work of the Lord and we made additions to all the branches. In Indiana Co we added 16 to the church and on the 2 of June we ordained an elder and Priest and elder Bosley took the elder and started with him into the southern counties of Pa. I wrote to the Quorum of High Priests for one of them to come and watch over these churches for saints in those branches numbered between 80 and 90 my request was granted and elder A. Brown was sent I left Indiana Co the forepart of July and journeyed southeast as far as Washington Co MD. I spent about 4 months in that Co and in the counties of Franklin and Bedford Pa I built up one small branch in MD – the first ever built up in the state - I also baptised several in Franklin Co and also in Bedford Co - By the council and assistance of elders Bosley and Wakefield I ordained an elder in the church in Washing ton Co and one in Bedford Co on the 16 of Oct I left M.D. and returned to Kirtland visiting the churches and preaching by the way I arrived in Kirtland Dec 5th haveing traveled since I left in the spring about 1600 miles and baptised 93 and witnessed the baptism of several others and preached about 150 times - The 2 of Jany. 1838 I left Kirtland to return to M.D. through Ohio and Pa and to supply the churches with books of Mormon covenants and Hymn books. I returned here again the 3 of June during this mission I made additions to most all the branches that I visited and preached in a great many places where there had been no preaching from this church before. I traveled sometimes alone and and sometimes in company with elders S. James, B. Winchester, A. Brown and others. I attended 3 Conferences, one in Milton O on the 5th Jany, one in Bedford Co. Pa. on the 13 of April and the other in Indiana Co. Pa on the 29 of May. The Spirit of God was in our conferences the churches set in order and the necessary officers ordained. During my several missions in Ohio Pa and MD. I have met with considerable opposition and held several debates with sectarian Priests. Acts of violence have been often threatened towards me and sometimes committed such as besmearing with rotten eggs, etc., etc. But truth always prevails and has put my opposers to shame and the cause of Christ has prospered and the violence done to my person and the falsehoods circulated concerning me and the cause in which I was engaged have and will resound to the Praise and glory of God. Erastus Snow, Kirtland June 22, 1838 Bishop N.K. Whitney