PROLONGED ILLNESS—ATTEND TO MY DUTIES WITH DIFFICULTY—LETTER TELLING OF THE BATTLE OF BULL'S RUN—WITNESS AN EXECUTION BY HANGING—VISIT FROM GEORGE Q. CANNON, JOSEPH F. SMITH AND OTHERS—DEATH OF THE PRINCE CONSORT—GO TO BIRMINGHAM—CONFERENCE OF THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE BRITISH MISSION—LARGE MEETING IN ODD FELLOWS' HALL, BIRMINGHAM—AGAIN AT NOTTINGHAM—VISIT LIVERPOOL—CONSULT A PHYSICIAN, BUT GET LITTLE RELIEF—SEE THE LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL RACES—DEPRAVITY AMONG POORER CLASSES IN LIVERPOOL—AGAIN AT NOTTINGHAM—RELEASED TO RETURN HOME—BID THE PEOPLE FAREWELL—DISPLAY OF THEIR AFFECTION FOR ME—REPORT OF MY LABORS PUBLISHED IN THE MILLENNIAL STAR—ON BOARD SHIP—PLACED IN CHARGE OF THE COMPANY—SAIL FOR AMERICA—DRIVEN BY HEADWINDS ALONG THE COASTS OF THE ISLE OF MAN, WALES, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND—SEVERE SEASICKNESS—GET TO SEA—SLOW VOYAGE—DEATHS AND BURIALS AT SEA—LAND AT NEW YORK—GUEST OF HON. W. H. HOOPER—JOURNEY TO FLORENCE, NEBRASKA—CAPTAIN AND GUIDE OF INDEPENDENT COMPANY—REACH SALT LAKE CITY—REPORT TO PRESIDENT YOUNG—AGAIN AT HOME.
DURING the remainder of the year 1861 I was in very poor health, often having to stay in my room all day, and when I was able to get about, many times it was with great difficulty, as I was quite lame in my hips and shoulder. I tried various applications and simple remedies, but to little purpose. I moved around as best I could, however, and by determined efforts I was able to attend to my duties, visiting the Saints, and preaching the Gospel wherever opportunity offered, whether at indoor or outdoor meetings. Sometimes, when I was able to get to the meetings of the Saints, I was too ill to stand up and preach, but toward the latter part of the year my health improved a little.
The civil war in America was on, having begun after I left; and on August 5th I received a letter telling of the battle of Bull's Run, near Manassas Junction, which was fought July 21, 1861, and in which the union forces were defeated. On the 16th of August I went to the Derbyshire jail yard in Derby, and there saw a young man named George Smith executed by hanging. He had murdered his father. From thirty-five to forty thousand people witnessed the execution.
On the 1st of September Apostle George Q. Cannon was in Nottingham, attending conference, and we had large meetings and an excellent time. On October 1st Elder Joseph F. Smith and other missionaries came from Sheffield on a visit, and remained several days, spending the time among the Saints. At Nottingham we had a tea party in the Arboretum, at which about two hundred persons were present. I was visiting the Saints at Pinxton on December 14th, the day that Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, died at Windsor Castle.
I started for Birmingham on the 31st of December to attend a conference of those in the British Mission who held the Holy Priesthood. This conference began on Wednesday, January 1, 1862, and was largely attended. We had a most enjoyable time in making reports of our experiences and in receiving instruction and testifying of the blessings of the Gospel. The meetings began at 10 a.m. and lasted till 2 p.m., then at 4 p.m. and lasted till 7 p.m. They continued through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the presidency of the European Mission, Apostles A. M. Lyman, Charles C. Rich and George Q. Cannon, being in attendance and directing the meetings. On Sunday, the 5th, we met with the Saints in Odd Fellows' Hall, the congregation numbering about fifteen hundred persons; an excellent feeling prevailed. Next day the Priesthood meetings were concluded, and on Tuesday I left Birmingham for Derby, in my own missionary district. On the 27th of January I was in Nottingham, and baptized and confirmed Elizabeth Hardy.
My health again became quite bad, but I performed my duties, preaching, baptizing, visiting and conversing with the people on the subject of the Gospel, and attending to the business in my pastorate, until March 5th, when I took the train for Liverpool. There I consulted Apostles A. M. Lyman and G. Q. Cannon, and on the 7th Elder Cannon introduced me to Dr. Smith, who pronounced my ailment neuralgia, and prescribed turkish baths and the magnetic-electric machine. I remained in Liverpool till the 22nd, occasionally visiting, in company with some of the Elders, places of interest such as the new park and the botanical gardens. On March 11th we saw the Liverpool races at Aintree, a suburb. There were two plate races and the grand national steeple chase. At one hurdle a horse fell on his rider and the latter was picked up for dead, but he recovered; three other riders were unhorsed. About twenty thousand people were in attendance at these races. It was while in Liverpool, on March 18th, as I was walking through the northwest part of the town in company with Elder George J. Taylor, that I saw hundreds of people in the most degraded state in which I ever beheld human beings.
My health having improved a little, I returned to Nottingham on the 22nd, Apostle G. Q. Cannon's wife and child accompanying me. Mrs. Cannon had been very ill, and had been advised to go to Nottingham in the hope of the change benefiting her health. On reaching Nottingham, I there resumed my missionary labors. My health again began to fail, and early in April I received notice of my release to return home. On the 7th of April Sister Cannon went to Liverpool in company with her husband. I settled business of the conference and went to different branches and bade the Saints good-bye. They exhibited their affection for me by many words and acts of kindness. On April 13th I preached my farewell sermon in Nottingham, and it was with mingled feelings of sorrow and joy that I bade the Saints farewell—sorrow to leave them, and joy to see the display of love toward me by both members of the Church and numbers of people who were not members. On Monday, April 14th, I went to Liverpool. The next day I wrote the following, which was published in the Millennial Star:
"Liverpool, April 15, 1862.
"President Cannon:
"DEAR BROTHER:—I take pleasure in writing to you a brief report of my labors in the ministry of the Nottingham District. On the 7th of August, 1860, I was appointed by the presidency here, namely: A. M. Lyman and C. C. Rich, to labor as a traveling Elder in the aforementioned district, where I continued my labors in company with Elder Joseph C. Rich and under the pastoral charge of Elder David John, until January 1st, 1861. I then received an appointment to the presidency of the Nottingham District, composed of the Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Lincolnshire conferences, where I continued my labors until the 14th instant, when I arrived in Liverpool, having received your letter of release, with the privilege of returning to our mountain home in Utah.
"I can truly............