Pratt, Orson

• 1 June 1844 � "just arived from Washington" and was to address the NYC congregation on Sunday, June 2nd.

From: Orson Pratt Journals

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February 2nd, 1832. On this day, by the counsel of the Prophet, I was ordained a high priest under the hands of Sidney Rigdon.

February 3rd. Elder L. [Lyman] E. Johnson and myself started on our eastern mission, traveling, as usual, on foot, without purse or scrip, and carrying our change of clothing in our hands. We traveled in an easterly direction through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York City, to Hurlgate, on Long Island, preached thirty times in towns and villages on the way, where they previously had never heard the gospel. In the town of Blakesley, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, we baptized four, and ordained one of them, namely, Asbury Secor, a priest. At Hurlgate, near the last of March, I baptized and confirmed my oldest brother, Anson Pratt. From this place we traveled north, visited Canaan, Columbia County, New York; saw my parents. We then traveled northeast through the southern part of Vermont into New Hampshire, proceeded up the eastern shore of the Connecticut River to Bath, preaching wherever we were led by the Spirit; while journeying from Long Island to Bath held five meetings.

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[Early in the spring (of 1838) I took my family and went to the city of New York, and was appointed to preside over a large branch of the Church in that city. I preached diligently among them some six or seven months; baptized many. In the meantime I again visited Henderson, left my wife at her father's, and returned to New York; (MS 27:88)]

[In May of 1838 Elder Heber C. Kimball returned from England and in his journal records the following:

We landed and went into the city of New York with several of the passengers, who purchased some refreshments, and after we returned, bade us partake with them, and we all rejoiced together; we then bowed before the Lord and offered up the gratitude of our hearts for all his mercies, in prospering us on our mission, and bringing us safely across the mighty deep, to behold once more the land of our nativity, and the prospect of soon embracing our families and friends.

Sunday, (May) 13th, we went in search of Brother Fordham, whom we found after some trouble. He was glad to see us, and immediately took us to the house of Brother Wandel Mace, where we were glad to see our beloved Brother Orson Pratt, who was then laboring in that city, and who, with his brother Parley P. Pratt, had been instrumental in bringing many into the kingdom there. And now I had the pleasure of witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy I delivered to Brother Fordham when I started for England.

We accompanied Brother Orson Pratt to the house where the Saints assembled to worship. We found about eighty persons assembled, all of whom had recently joined the Church. After singing and prayer, I was requested to give an account of our mission to England, which I did. In the evening Elders Russell and Hyde preached, afterwards some came forward and offered themselves as candidates for baptism. The short time we were in New York was spent very agreeably with the Saints.