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In the evening I again met with a large assembly of the Saints and strangers, and while singing the first hymn the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and the voice of God said to me. "This is the last meeting that you will hold with people for many days."
I was astonished at this, as I had many appointments out in that district.
when I arose to speak to the people, I told them that it was the last meeting I should hold with them for many days. They were as much astonished as I was.
At the close of the meeting four persons came forward for baptism, and we went down into the water and baptized them.
In the morning I went in secret before the Lord, and asked Him what His will was concerning me.
The answer I got was, that I should go to the south, for the Lord had great work for me to perform there, as many souls were waiting for the word of the Lord.
On the 3rd of March, 1840, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord to me, I took coach and road to Wolverhampton, twenty-six miles, and spent the night there.
On the morning of the 4th I again took coach, and rode through Dudley, Stourbridge, Stourport and Worcester, and then walked a number of miles to Mr. John Benbo's, Hill Farm, Castle Frome, Ledbury, Herefodshire. This was a farming country in the south of England, a region where no Elder of the Latter-Day Saints had visited.
I found Mr. Benbow to be a wealthy farmer, cultivating three hundred acres of land, occupying good mansion, and having plenty of means. His wife, Jane, had no children.
I presented myself to him as a missionary from America, an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who had been sent to him by the gospel of life unto him and his household, and the inhabitants of the land.
Mr. Benbow and his wife received me with glad hearts and thanksgiving. It was in the evening when I arrived, having traveled forty-eight miles by coach and on foot during the day, but after receiving refreshments we sat down together, and conversed until two o'clock in the morning.
Mr. Benbow and his wife rejoiced greatly at the glad tidings which I brought unto them of the fullness of the everlasting gospel, which God had revealed through the mouth of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, in these last days.
I rejoiced greatly at the news that Mr. Benbow gave me, that there was a company of men and women-over six hundred in number-who had broken off from the Wesleyan Methodists, and taken the name of United Brethren. They had forty-five preachers among them, and had chapels and many houses that were licensed according to the land for preaching in.
This body of United brethren were searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were continually calling upon the Lord to open the way before them, and send them light and knowledge that they might know the true way to be saved.
When I heard these things I could clearly see why the Lord had commanded me, while in the town of Hanley, to leave that place of labor and go to the south, for in Hereford shire there was a great harvest-field for gathering many Saints into the kingdom of God.
I retired to my bed with joy after offering my prayers and thanksgiving to God, and slept sweetly until the rising of the sun.
I arose on the morning of the 5th, took breakfast, and told Mr. Benbow I would like to commence my Master's business, by preaching the gospel to the people.
He had a large hall in his mansion which was licensed for preaching, and he sent word through the neighborhood that an American missionary would preach at his house that evening.
As the time drew nigh many of the neighbors came in, and I preached my first gospel sermon in the house. I also preached on the following evening at the same place, and baptized six persons, including Mr. John Benbow and his wife, and four preachers of the United Brethren.
I spent most of the following day in cleaning out a pool of water, and preparing it for baptizing in, as I saw many to be baptized there. I afterwards baptized six hundred in that pool of the water. . .
The whole history of this Herefordshire mission shows the importance of listening to the still small voice of the Spirit of God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost.
The Lord had a people there prepared for the gospel. They were praying for the light and truth, and the Lord sent me to them, and I declared the gospel of life and salvation unto them, and some eighteen hundreds souls received it, and many of them have also been called officiate in the bishopric, and have done much good in Zion, but in all these things we should ever acknowledge the hand of God, and give Him the honor, praise and glory, for ever and ever.
***The End***
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