1840 11 15 Times and Seasons Letter from Geo. J. Adams
From the Times and Seasons 15 November 1840, pg 220-221
Letter from Geo J. Adams
- New York, October 7th, 1840.
Brother,
- Robinson & Smith.
Highly esteemed brethren in Christ, I now, agreeable to a promise made by me to Br. James Blakeslee, (one of the seventy) write to you, informing you and the brethren at the west, that he has this day sailed for England, in company with Br. Burnham, one of the seventy, and Br. Richards, High Priest. These 3 have started this day to fill their mission in England; the day was clear, their health good, both as to body and mind--they expected a number of their brethren to have went with them according to appointment, but as they did not come, they concluded to go without them.
Brother Blakeslee wished me to state, that he arrived here on the 20th day of Sept. according to agreement; and fromthat, to this present time, he has preached in this city 19 times; and I assure you, he will long be remembered by the church, and friends here; he is a man of faith, a man of God, and a man that gives full proof of his ministry. May the Lord bless him, and his brethren, and prosper them on their mission. Brother Turley, and Clayton, have just arrived from England, and are now on their way to the west; with about 200 others.
Oct. 24th. Dear Brethren, I have just returned from Philadelphia, from a conference held there. Brother O. Hyde was there and presided. Br J. E. Page had not yet arrived from Ohio, but was expected every day, we had a good time at the conference, every thing went on well, the brethren there are united, they love one another, and pray for one another; the church there is in a prosperous condition, and tghe whole region around about Philadelphia, presents an immense field of labor, and the laborers are very few. I pray therefore, that the Lord of the harvest will send forth more faithful laborers into his vineyard. Elder O. Hyde has been turning the world upside down in Cream Ridge, new ferry, and baptized (I believe,) about 30.--There was a number baptized on Monday morning after conference.
We expect Elders Hyde and Page in New York soon, on their way to Jerusalem; while they remain with us, we expect to hold a conference.
I cannot close this letter without giving you a short account of the history of my past life. I am about 30 years of age, have been 13 years a Methodist, heard the first sermon by a Latter Day Saint in February, 1840, by Elder H. C. Kimball, and believed the gospel as soon as I heard it, and have never doubted it since. I was baptized eight days after I heard the first sermon, and called to be an elder in eight days after I was baptized, called by the spirit of prophesy, by Elder Kimball, and ordained by Elder P. P. Pratt just previous to the time they sailed for England. Since that time I have tried to preach from 3 to 5 times each week, and worked with my own hands to support my family besides, and I have held 3 public discussions with the great men of this generation, one with the very celebrated Oragen Batchelor; which lasted 12 nights. doctor Benj. E. Ducher was chairman; it was held in the city of Brooklyn. The chairman took three hours to sum up the testimony, and gave the decision in favor of the fullness of the gospel, on every point, the bible being the guide of evidence.
His closing remarks were these: "I have never seen such a grand combination of arguments to prove any system of religion, as has been brought forward to prove the Latter-Day Saints, and I dare not say I disbelieve it, and if it is true, let us hang the BANER OUT to the WORLD." This was the language of a man who had never been to our meetings before in his life; he is a highly respected and wealthy gentleman of New York.
Immediately after the above debate I organized the Branch in Brooklyn, and baptized a number, the branch in Brooklyn now number 19, 1 Priest 1 Teacher, and one deacon, and a number believing, ready to be baptized. The other two discussions were with two Methodist priests: one in New Jersey, and one in this city; but they both had to yield before the power of eternal truth. Shortly after I was ordained, the Methodist tried me for heresy, and when I appeared before them they would not hear me there, and then I appealed to the people, and had over 500 Methodist to hear me make my defence: they thought I was the greatest heretic they ever heard of, hundreds of them have attended our meetings ever since. I expect to baptize a number of them next Sabbath morning.
The work here goes on well, we have two large preaching places well attended--one on the north side, and one on the east side of the city: the one on the east side is the one I hired to make my defence before my Methodist brethren, and I have continued preaching to hundreds of them ever since, which has been about one month.
- Yours in haste.
