1842 06 15 Times and Seasons Letter From Elder George J. Adams
From the Times and Seasons 15 June 1842, pg 826
LETTER FROM ELDER GEORGE J. ADAMS.
- New York, April 21, 1842.
Beloved Brother in Christ--As I have just arrived from England, and have a few hours of leisure time, I thought a short history of my labors during the past season would not be altogether uninteresting to the readers of your valuable periodical.
By the advice and counsel of our highly esteemed brother, Elder O. Hyde, on the first of January, 1841, I commenced to set my house in order, to leave my native land and go to the nations of the earth to assist in declaring the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dark and benighted world. According to arrangements previously made, on the 13th of February, 1841, I left my friends and the companion of my early days, to assist in carrying to a land of strangers "glad tidings of great joy." I left in company with, and under the directions of the above named brother; we left in the packet ship United States, bound for Liverpool, where we arrived after a short passage of eighteen days; we were kindly received by Elder Taylor and the brethren in Liverpool; we stayed with them two days, and then, in company with brother Joseph Fielding, we proceeded on to Preston, the principal place of Elder Hyde's former labors. Nothing could exceed the joy that was manifested by the saints in once more beholding this our brother. Here we were soon joined by our beloved brother, H. C. Kimball; this made my joy completed for the then present time, as it was from this brother that I first heard the fullness of the gospel.
Early in November my passage was engaged in the ship Mersey, Capt. Rae, to set sail for New York by the 25th of Nov. but owing to contrary winds and stormy weather we did not sail until the 31st of December. We had 200 souls on board, and among them a clergyman of the Church of England; the first eight days we had fair wind and good weather, but after that time we had gale after gale for five weeks with head winds, which finally ended in a tempest that commenced on Sunday the 6th of February, 1842, and lasted with unabated fury for seven days, during which time we were driven back towards England seven hundred miles; our helm broken, our round house washed away, our main-mast sprung, our bulwarks stove in, and our provisions almost exhausted; so much that it was deemed advisable to return to England, I would be glad to give a full account of the circumstances that took place while we were at sea but that would occupy too large a space; suffice it to say that the Lord so ordered it, that I had a full opportunity to teach the fullness of the gospel to Captain, Clergyman, and all the passengers, and in the end they all looked to me for counsel and advice. It was made known to me in a night vision long before we returned that we could not reach New York at that time but would be compelled to return to Liverpool for some wise end and purpose, and although many expected to meet a watery grave, I told them if they returned to Liverpool not one of them should perish; but if they persisted in going to New York they would be wrecked and many lives would be lost. Finally, after the vessel had become almost disabled and the tempest still raging with unabated fury, the Captain concluded to take my counsel and turn the ship towards England. At this time we had only about ten day's provisions, allowing about one meal per day, and that chiefly oatmeal and water; some of the water that we were compelled to drink had dead putrid rats in it which gave some of the passengers pains in their bowels; but I can praise the Lord that from the time I left Liverpool until my return, which was nearly ten weeks, I had not one hour's pain or sickness. In just eleven days after we put the ship about we landed safe in Liverpool precisely as I had told them we should; we landed on the 25th of February,�
I remained in Liverpool about three weeks,and then by the counsel of elder P. P. Pratt, my passage was engaged for me on the packet ship Sheridan, to sail for New York the 16th of March. Previous to the sailing of the Sheridan I had the happiness to see some of the passengers of the Mersey embrace the truth by repending and being baptized, and some of them are now on their way to Nauvoo, by the ships Hanover and Dunbarton, under the directions of the saints; one of them, the Hanover, sailed on the 15th of March, and the other was to sail on the 17th. Elder Amons Fielding was on board the Hanover; the Sheridan sailed on the 16th with 400 souls on board, we had a passage of 31 days, landing in New York the 16th of April, I preached every Sabbath during our passage, and sometimes during the week, they treated me with kindness, and hundreds on board of the Sheridan listened with profound attention to the fulness of the gospel; many of them are believing and no doubt but they will embrace the works soon.
I need not tell you how I was received by my family and friends in New York, language cannot describe it; but suffice it to say they received me as one from the dead. A few words of reflection upon the whole and I must close.
With sentiments of high esteem,I subscribe myself your friend and brother in the new and everlasting covenant,
