Transcript

Transcript for Missionary reports, 1831-1900, MS 6104, Church History Library

Great Salt Lake City U.T. Dec 28th 1858 Bro,: G.A. Smith, Dear Sir, from a request of yours & a feeling of pleasure which it ever affords me in such instances. I seat my self to give you a short account of my mission to Europe, In July 1857 I received a notice notifying me to hold myself in rediness to start at an early date on a Mission to Europe, Shortly after in connexion with others my name was called from the stand in the tabernacle. so accordingly the day of starting & the mode of traviling being arranged; on the 23rd of April I started in company with some seventy odd men with hand carts to cross the plains there being three men to a cart. Daniel Mackintosh & William Maylette were my companions we traveled very agreeably together each one baring his portion of the burden & assisting each other in every way needed; with the exception of wriding across one crossing of sweetwatter with some brethren going to the devils gate I made the trip on foot from G.S.L. City to Florence, where we arrived June 10th, & I without a blistered foot or a days sickness on the road, & weighing 4 llbs more than when I left home; from florence to St. Louis via steam boat in company about 12 Elders & from there to N.Y. with 17 Elders after stoping ashort time with Saints, a company of 20 set sail for Liverpool on board the Sailor Dreadnought; where we landed Aug. 4th after a voig of 28 days of very hard fair on the 6th we received our appointment mine in the Manchester Confrence Paster Miles. Romney & President James Bunting after laboring with Elder James Browning some two weeks, he was removed to another destrict, & I was appointed to take charge of & to labor in that; the Ashton destrict. Consisting of 12 branches numbering 383 members; my time was occupied of my week nights except Saturday nights in meetings & jeneraly three meeting on Sunday when my health would admit of it we had considerable opposition to meet but it is nothing more than the barers of light & truth may. expect in all parts off the earth. I Babtized only two but there was quite a number Baptized in the branches during my stay on the 15 Oct I learned from my president that the American Elders were called home in the latter part of my stay my Meeting houses were tolerable wel filed I distributed a considerable many tracks, in January I recived a notice from the Office informing me that I was to sail shortly for America acordingly I repaired to Liverpool in company with Elders J Browning & M Littlewood & on 21 Jan 24 Elders set sail for New York. where we landed March 10th 1858 after a voig of 48 days. Considerable head winds, one sailor lost in reefing the gil sheat lost his holt. from N.Y. in company with Elders J L Smith & B H Young to Burlington where we found teames prepared by Elder Snider & Greene Bro. S W Richard wished me to take charge of & drive home a team for Bro P Horon, I stapled one month to wait for the old gentleman & the next company & June 1st we started from Florence in company 27. & arrived in GSL Valey July 12 all in good health I found my family returning to their exiled homes I cannot fail to acknowledge the blessing of the Lord uppon me ever since I left my home in the Mountains & feel to thank & praise him for the same & for sparing my life to return as ever your humble servant Wm J Harris Dec 28th 1858 Wm Harris account of his mission in England