Transcript

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

20 Dec. 1878. John McCarthy to Orson Pratt. Report of Mission. Smithfield Cache County, Utah, Dec - the 20th 1878, Elder Orson Pratt- Dear Brother: I have been was Sent by President Brigham Young on a mission to Europe on May the 8th 1877 with Joseph F. Smith, I landed in qQueenstown Ireland on the 27th of May. I visited the Priests and bishops, generals of the army, printing offices, with Some of the Lords of Ireland, I traveled 400 miles over the land, but was not received by any, I visited Lord Powerscourt and Lord Monk, but they are bound up at present in their own pride. I Started for Liverpool England on the 14th of June from Belfast Ireland, reached Liverpool on the 15th Stoped with Joseph F. Smith at 42 Islington until the 18th, and then Started on foot for London, to visit places where there was no person baptised, into the church. I gave my testimony to the heads of each Corporated town, also [to] Bishops and Priests, Editors and Judges, I have sufferd much hunger and want in England and Ireland, for I did not visit the Saints, I reached London on the 8th of July, I did not know a Soul in the great London [there] and I had not a cent of mony. By chance I Seen one of Joseph F. Smith’s bills anouncing a meeting that night in The Whitechappel branch. I found out the place and went to meeting; Saw Josep F. Smith. He was glad to See me [and] introduced me to the Saints and told them to be kind to me. Nothing remarkable transpired until the 20th. Brother Joseph F Smith told me he was impressed to Send me to the Island of Jersey. He told me the people would receive me, I Started with Brother Paxman, the President of the London Conference, from Southamton; reached St. Heliers Jersey on the 21st, 2 o clock P.M. called on Some brethren that obeyed the gospel when President John Taylor was on The Channel Islands, also in France, Bro. Paxman and I called a meeting at No 1 ttford Road. They were told that I was Sent to the Island by Joseph F. Smith, but they were poor and could not assist me, Bro. Paxman left me the next-day and returned to London, On the 28th, Called on His Excelency, the governor of Jersey, Sir William R. S. Norcott, I Sent in by the Ventinier my papers as an American Citi= =zen, with the Statement that the bearer of that document would like to have an interview with him, I was admitted into his parlor, I handed him a copy of the Book of Mormon, and told him the truth it contained was revealed from heaven, We conversed for Sometime on the laws of the Gospel, and He then introduced me to his family, and the gene= =ral of Fort. He gave me an invitation to call on him the next day week, His friendship gained for me the friendship and protection of the Senteniers and Ventiniers of the Island, A Sentinier is an officer that governs in the City, a ventinier is an officer that governs in the country, I Spooke on the law of the Gospel twice in the week, on the Lacollett, to the heads of the goverment. [J. McCarthy] Gen. Hammisley, Lord Broom’s nephew, Said after one of the meetings, that Joseph Smith and his goverment of Latter-day Saints had given more light to mankind than any other people now living, I thought that a great testimony for a man out of the Church, I had the goverment on my Side and that kep a check on the minesters and the drunken rabble, There are 140,000 inhabitants on the Islands, and 70,000 Speak French, this forced me to Study at night the French language. No Elder Should travel without his United States papers, I visited Granvill in France on the 27th of October, my friends paid my hotell fare, 12 franks per day. They gave me permision to put the “Book of Mormon” and “Voice of warning” in that was translated into the [F]french language into the library, and now they pay 12 Sues per week to read our books, I was ca[l]led home October the 19th 1878; reached Salt Lake City on the 6th of November [, 1878] Your Brother in the Gospel, John McCarthy.