1841 07 15 Times and Seasons Letter from J. Blakeslee

From the Times and Seasons 15 July 1841, pg 483-485

Letter from J. Blakeslee

Rome, N. Y. June 11, 1841.

Dear Brethren in the New Covenant,--Having an hour or two's leisure this morning, and feeling it my duty to inform my brethren, the presidents of my quorum; and also the saints where I am, and what I am doing, and also, what I have been doing since I last wrote; i will, therefore, give you a short history of my labors since last fall; and if you should think the same worthy a place in the columns of your very valuable paper you are at liberty to insert it. The first of last September, Elder James Burnham, one of the seventy, called on me at Hamilton, Madison county, N. Y., and informed me that, I was requested in company with some ten or more of our quorum, to meet at the City of New York, on the 20th of the same month, and go to England; and asked me if I could go, I told him if it was the will of God, I could and would go; and notwithstanding I had not the first senine in my pocket towards defraying the expenses of so great a mission, and my family, which consisted of my wife and five children to leave behind, who at the time had not where to lay their heads, and unprovided for food and rainment, yet through the goodness and bounty of our heavenly Father, in his kindness to me, on the 20th of September, 1840, a 5 o'clock, in the morning, I found myself on the wharf at the City of New-York (having visited in the twenty previous days) several branches of the the Churches of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, residing in the counties of Otsego, Oneida and Lewis; and removed my family some fifty-five or sixty miles in the time, and provided for them, and for myself, for my mission. I must now return to New-york. I attended the Saints meeting in Spring street, in the morning, and was invited, (it being Sunday,) to speak to the people in the afternoon, and evening, which I did, as the Lord gave ability, and then, told the people of that place, that if they desired to see me at their respective residences, I should feel happy to wait on them, if they would send their address to me, &c. In a few days I received an invitation from a popular physician of the City to wait on him; which I did, in company with Br. Burnham, at his residence. The doctor, asked many questions which were answered to his satisfaction, and before I returned from England he obeyed the gospel, with many others in the city. I tarried in, and about the city until the 7th of October, preaching almost daily, in Spring street, and the Military Hall, in the Bowry, and other places, in different parts of the city, which were well attended, and the people gave good heed to the word, while the Saints were refreshed in spirit, and blessed. I must say, I was never more cordially, received, and I pray God. in the name of Jesus Christ, to reward them. I have reason to believe that there was much good seed, sown, in that place while I was there. On the 7th of October, in company with elders James Burnham and Levi Richards, I went on board the ship George Washington, capt. Buras, and that day went to sea, and after a rough passage of 25 days, found ourselves in the port of Liverpool, England. …

Portion omitted that doesn't refer to New York City.

On the 4th day of March, I sailed from Liverpool, for New-York, on board the ship Oswego, of Boston. Capt. David Wood, a christian and a gentleman, with about 280 passengers, and I had not been on board long before it was surmised that I was a minister, and I was invited to speak to the people, which I did having and invitation by the Captain so to do. The people many of them were well pleased and wished me to continue to preach during the voyage, which I did as the Lord gave ability. 3 Priests of the Methodist order were on board, and preached several times, and began to feel quite uneasy, finally challenged me to debate with them, I told them I was not fond of controversy, and declined; but they gave notice to the passengers after we arrived near Sandyhook), that they was going to up set what I had preached, and show that it was unscriptural, &c. Acordingly at 7 in the evening the people came together in the second cabin, when a chairman was chosen, and one of the priests arose and talked one hour, in endeavoring to show the people that the gospel as I had preached it to them was not true; I then told the people I did not know what to say as my principles had not been attacked in any shape whatever, but as they insisted upon my speaking I did so for an hour, reviewing my lectures by scripture. The preacher then spake a half hour, and I a half hour, and then 15 minutes a piece, until 11 o'clock, at which time, I asked him why he had not quoted one scripture if no more (to support his assertions if he could), instead of quoting mens comment; to which he replied, there were so many texts of scripture to prove his doctrine, that he could not quote all of them, in one night, so he thought he would not quote any, you may guess whether the people laughed him to scorn or not. It was then moved and seconded, that Mr. Blakeslee, had sustained his doctrine in every particular; and the motion was about to be put, but I objected to it, and told the passengers I thought it would be best to leave it with them, for I did not feel as though I had obtained a victory, as they all must see that I had been (as it were), playing alone, so there I left the poor priests. On the 16th day of April, I landed in New-York, where the Saints were glad to see me and I was glad to see them, and at which place I found elder G. W. Harris, and was requested by him to assist him in his mission. I tarried in New-York, preaching as usual, until May 6th, I took leave for home, and overtook elder Harris in Rome, and have continued with him ever since, until the night before last. We have been blessed abundantly, in obtaining funds for the Temple, and Nauvoo House. Mr. Harris is a man of God depend upon it.

J. Blakeslee.