Wandle Mace Autobiography

Wandle Mace, 1809-1890 Autobiography (1809-1846) Journal of Wandle Mace, typescript, HBLL

Autobiography of Wandle Mace

(As told to his wife, Rebecca E. Howell Mace)

[Wandle Mace, the subject of these short sketches, was the second son of John and Dinah Campbell Mace of New York; was born on the 19th day of February in the year 1809, in Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York, and is written as nearly as possible as told by himself. He says:]

Of my early days I shall say but little. My father was a farmer, and blacksmith at which trade he sometimes worked; my parents were both honest and industrious people and in my seventh year they moved to the city of New York.

My parents were not connected with any church but were Bible readers and believers in that good book and taught their children to observe its teachings. More especially was this so with my mother who took great care to teach them the New Testament, the contents of which she seemed to know thoroughly. We were sent to Sunday School and there our lessons were always in the New Testament, the lessons at first a verse then as we advanced several verses and finally whole chapters were committed to memory. My mother always assisted in these studies and before we started for Sabbath School heard our lessons recited that we might be perfect in them. The care my mother took to teach me in my childhood these lessons for Sabbath School has been of the greatest worth to me.

When I was old enough my father apprenticed me to a Mr. Flender, a wheelwright, and on the 11th day of September 9, 1822, I commenced my apprenticeship. Mr. Flender had a goodly number of apprentices, some of whose time was nearly expired and others not having served so long, so that there were boys whose ages varied from the oldest apprentice of 21 to me, the youngest not yet fourteen.

I was first put to work in the blacksmith shop and kept in that shop until I had learned that branch of the business thoroughly. I then learned to make wheels. When I had learned these branches of the business I was put to work at other parts or branches, until I had thoroughly learned to do every kind of work that was done in the shops which was all kinds of coach and carriage buildings.

When I was between 16 and 17 years old, I met with a severe accident. I was using the broadaxe and as I was stepping upon a block with the broadaxe in my hand, I struck my right knee against the point or corner of the axe which made a very deep cut but not a long one. I paid no attention to it for a day or two but it became so painful that I had to go to my parents' home where I was confined to bed for a period of five months. During this time a counsel of physicians was called to consult together and they decided that amputation above the knee was necessary. To this I would not consent and with the blessings of the Lord, my limb was saved and I soon was able to return to work.

My fellow apprentices, as well as myself, had to work very long days in summer, and in the short winter days we worked from daylight in the morning until nine o'clock at nights using candle light. Those were long and tedious years of toil, but youth is ever bright with hope and joyous anticipations as we looked forward each week for the Sabbath, when we could go home to see our parents our brothers, sisters and friends. After spending Sunday, we must return to Mr. Flender's about nine o'clock Sunday night to be ready for work on Monday morning.

During these years my father and mother gave me good advice and expressed their pleasure in that I observed it. My mother upon one occasion said to me, "I am proud to be able to say you have lived to be eighteen years old and there is not a stain upon your character." It gave her the greatest of pleasure to be able to say this of her boy. In June 1828, my mother died, and shortly after her death I bought out the remaining portion of the time of my apprenticeship, and went to work in another coach-building shop. On the 9th day of November, 1828, I married Miss Margaret Merklee. I continued work at coach-making until my brother John--who had served out his term of apprenticeship in the grocery and provision business--commenced in business for himself and persuaded me to join him in co-partnership. We opened two stores in New York City and done a thriving business. We were doing so well that we opened another store and placed a friend of my brother John in it. This store was in Patterson, New Jersey.

We soon found that we had spread our business out too far. Had we been satisfied with doing well in the city where we could attend to business ourselves, all would have been well with us but we were young and ambitious and had to learn by experience. About this time, 1830, a failure of banks and business houses took place, some of the largest business houses in New York failed, and we failed with the others. We could not meet our obligations because those indebted to us could not meet theirs. I felt keenly our situation.

Now I began to realize what adversity really meant. I felt ashamed to meet anyone. Some of those persons who had courted our society when we were flourishing in business, now that adversity had overtaken us, would pass us by without recognition. I began to learn the hollowness of so-called "society."

We now thought we would leave the city and try farming, so we bought a farm on Long Island and moved upon it early in the spring of 1831. We commenced our labors in earnest and during the summer I worked very hard. As summer merged into autumn I had the ague. I felt very much discouraged, yet I did not want to give up. However, after working the farm two years we sold out and returned to the city.

I again went into a coach-making establishment and after I had worked at this place a short time, a Mr. Kidder came to the shop in search of me. He had heard of my skill as a mechanic and wanted my assistance to get up a machine for sweeping the streets of New York City. My employer, hearing this, ordered him out of the shop and to his surprise or disgust, I went with him.

I then engaged with Mr. Kidder to make a working model of a street-sweeping machine which he had planned, to be sent to the patent office at Washington. Also a machine to sweep the streets, and when I had completed it, I took some men with me for assistance to try it upon the streets. This we done late one night when the streets were deserted. The sweeping machine worked like a charm it proved a perfect success. It swept the street quite clean and gathered up the dirt and carried it off. This was the first street-sweeping machine ever made and used in New York City.

This trial was made on the night of 8th of November, 1833, when the stars fell. Mr. Kidder was a sickly man, a consumptive, and did not dare on account of his health, to expose himself to the night air, and he regretted very much that he missed such a beautiful sight. As near as I can describe its appearance it was as a snowstorm appears when the snowflakes are large, but not very close together and falling slowly, but instead of being flakes of snow was stars. Thousands of bright meteors also shot through space in every direction and some would burst making a loud report, having long trains of light. Arriving home I called the attention of my wife to it, and together we watched them until daylight obscured them from our vision.

CHAPTER 2

I had for some time been connected with the New School Presbyterian Church. As before stated, my mother had assisted me in committing to memory the greater part of the New Testament while attending Sunday School, and as I became more conversant with the doctrines on discipline of Presbyterianism and compared them with the teachings of the Savior and his apostles, I saw that there was not even a semblance. There were no signs following the believer, as recorded in the 16th chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, verses 17 and 18, as should be the case. There was no authority to confer these blessings, there were no apostles, no prophets having the word of the Lord as anciently. Why did not these blessings exist in the church now.

The answer from the so-called "ministers" of Jesus Christ was, "They were no longer needed. They were needed to establish the church but after it was established they were needed no more." This kind of reasoning did not appear to me to be consistent. If "God was the same yesterday, today, and forever, without variableness neither shadow of turning," he would not institute such choice blessings to establish his church and as soon as that church was established, withdraw them.

I was pondering over these things for some time when one day one of the elders was visiting me and seeing my two children inquired if they had been christened. I answered, "No." He said, "I am surprised that you, a member of the Presbyterian Church should not have your children christened." I replied that I could see nothing in the scriptures that taught the christening of children. I wished to take the scriptures for my guide and rule of faith and practice. He labored long and earnestly to show me the necessity of attending to that ordinance of the church. He could not convince me of its necessity as he had no evidence to offer from the Bible.

I was then summoned before a session of elders, Dr. Lansing presiding. They expressed surprise at the course I was taking, as a member of the church who did not conform to all its teachings, and they questioned me about what I did believe. I answered all their questions by quoting a scripture bearing on the question. I told them I believed in the principles taught by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments," and this is what I desired to do. They said we could not keep the commandments of God; it was impossible. I contended that God, being a just God, would not give laws and commandments to his children which they could not keep. I was very much in earnest when contending for the doctrines taught in the New Testament by the Savior and his apostles, but to no purpose. They labored hard to convince me that I was wrong, and I finally said, "Dr, Lansing, I want to be a Christian; tell me, how much sin a man may commit and still be a Christian?"

He sat for some time with bowed head. He seemed very thoughtful and sorrowful, and very much concerned for my salvation. Then he answered, "Brother Mace, you have thought deeper than I supposed." I had always thought Dr. Lansing to be a good devout man, a Christian in every deed. I had great respect for him but I could not agree with him upon these principles.

I withdrew from their communion table, but usually attended the public Sunday services, but upon one occasion when I was absent they excommunicated me from the church. It seems they waited for a time when I might be absent, and when I could offer no defense for my conducts. This is the way I saw it, and do consider it.

I now withdrew from them entirely. There were many others like myself, searching the scriptures and praying for light, and we met together for mutual edification at the house of Mr. James La Touretts and Mr. William Greens, a hardware merchant. And other places to search the scriptures, for these, like myself, had withdrawn from sectarianism and had come into the liberty as we called it.

My friends said I ought to preach, being so well acquainted with the scriptures, and as we had taken the scriptures for our rule of faith and practice, I ought not to neglect so great a calling. I thought so, too, and I selected the most neglected portions of the city for my labors. One day in the week, Sunday, I devoted to this work. I fasted and prayed, and went from house to house preaching the gospel as I understood it. I sought out the poor and destitute, the ignorant and degraded. Those who have lived in large cities will understand what I mean, the tenement house where many families reside, every room is occupied from the cellar kitchen to the garret with the poorest people.

I commenced at the cellar kitchen and would visit every family from the cellar kitchen to the garret. I talked to them of the Savior; of His mission to the poor, of His suffering and death upon the cross that He might save the children of men, that He died for our sins, just for the unjust that he might bring them to God. I taught them that God, the Father who had sent his well-beloved Son to die upon the cross, was no respecter of persons and that we were all His children, etc.

In these visits I found some of the most degraded creatures huddled together in rags and filth. I began to talk to such, and they would at first jeer at me and curse, but by perseverance I would gain their attention. Even among such degraded persons I have seen them melted to tears. Again others, perhaps in a cellar or up in a garret, as the case may be, although very poor with scarcely clothing to cover them, and everything betokening the direst poverty were scrupulously clean and honest. Such persons would listen with close attention and thank me for coming. Upon leaving they would shake my hand warmly and where I found them so very destitute I would leave a piece of money in their hand, remembering the Savior's teachings, "When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."

Thus I continued in these labors for over two years, fasting and praying and visiting the poor, starting out in the morning and returning home in the evening faint and weary from fasting and talking, and I have reason to believe that I accomplished some good. I have been met by strangers upon the street and they have shaken my hand with much warmth and told me they lived at such and such a place, naming the street and how much good my visits had done them, how much my words had encouraged and helped them at a time when all hope had fled, and how they had striven to do better and now had joined some church and were very happy and thanked God that they had met Brother Mace.

About this time I had begun to think very seriously of the saying of the Apostle Paul, "A dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me and woe is me if I preach not the Gospel." Paul had been called to preach the gospel; a dispensation of the gospel had been committed to him, but not to me. Like many others I had read this saying of the apostle and applied to myself that which did not belong to me. Paul was a chosen vessel to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. But what was I? I had run myself; God never sent me, neither had it come into His mind. Thus I reasoned, and when I was fully satisfied in my mind upon this point I laid aside my preaching. My friends chided me; the Methodists said I was a backslider. The Presbyterians said I never had any religion or, I would have remained with them. Others said they thought if any man had religion it was Brother Mace. None of them understood my reasons for what they termed my strange conduct or they would have tried to reason me out of it.

During all this time I was diligent in business, fervent in prayer, and serving the Lord to the best of my ability. I would not read a newspaper, nor a periodical of any kind, no, nothing but the Bible and that I studied whenever I had any leisure moments. I saw nothing among all the sects that professed Christianity that in any way resembled the church established by the Savior. There were no prophets, no apostles, pastors, and evangelists, teachers, among them,--for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ. All these officers seemed a necessity anciently, why were they not needed now?

I still met with those who like myself were searching the scriptures. At one of these meetings I met Mr. Samuel Beeman, a stranger in our midst, who had just arrived in the city seeking employment. He had been a minister of the gospel in one of the Christian churches, but like myself had become convinced that he held no authority from God and he withdrew from the ministry and was outside of any church. I invited him home with me. He had already written and published a work entitled, "The Kingdom of God," in which he had plainly set forth the doctrines or principles from the New Testament as to what constituted the Church of Christ. He had shown the necessity for such officers as prophets, apostles, etc., with all the gifts and blessings enjoyed in the days when the Savior and his apostles were upon the earth when the Church was fully organized.

I enjoyed his society very much and we spent much time at night searching the scriptures and conversing thereon. He termed it cracking nuts!--and attending to our businesses in the day. He was intelligent and well-educated and gave me an insight into Hebrew and Greek, so that I could more fully understand the scriptures. At length he found employment, sent for his family and then moved away. Before leaving he made me a present of a crudence concordance to the Bible and a Bible with marginal notes--the best I ever saw--for a student of the scripture. He said I would find these two books together almost as good as understanding Hebrew. This was in November, 1836.

CHAPTER 3

We must now return to November, 1833, when I was working for Mr. Kidder. However, soon after this date I completed my work for him to his entire satisfaction, and was then employed by Mr. John Stephenson to superintend his work shop. At this time it was the largest shop in New York City for this kind of work, which consisted of mail coaches, omnibuses, all kinds of carriages, railroad cars, etc., manufactured by machinery.

At the time he engaged me to superintend his establishment he complained of his wheelmaking. He said they were getting into disrepute and wanted me to improve them. This I did by inventing a machine for boring and mortising hubs which was a perfect success. It made a nice, smooth mortise, as smooth and clean on the inside as it was on the outside. This machine would put 14 mortises in a hub in one minute and fifty seconds, true and nice. Mr. Stephenson said he would get a patent for it, as so far as he knew, it was the first machine made of the kind. I suppose he did.

While I was working at this place a great fire broke out in the lower part of the city that consumed thirty acres of buildings. Five hundred and twenty-nine houses and property valued at 18,000,000 dollars was laid in ashes. This occurred on the 16th day of December, 1835.

I left Mr. Stephenson's employ for the purpose of perfecting a plan I had conceived, or had in my mind of a machine for making post and rail fence. I rented a shop and went to work to perfect my plans, and made a working model which I exhibited at the fair in October, 1836, and was awarded a diploma by the American Institute for a post mortising and rail sharpening machine [a model]. This model I sent to the city of Washington, D.C. by my brother, John Mace, and received a patent for the same. He was detained some time awaiting the patent papers and before he received them a fire broke out and burned the patent office and post office. My patent papers which had been made out, ready to deliver, were burned and my brother had to return without them. But another set was made and sent to me. By a kind providence my little model was saved, the only one it was said of all the curiosities that had been in the patent office. It happened to be saved in this way: Some one about the patent office was operating the little model and broke some little piece about it, and it had been taken to a workshop to be repaired, and while it was at the shop the fire broke out, and thus my little model was saved. This fire took place in December 1836. I then made a machine for working up the timber and making fence.

In September, 1837, I exhibited at the Mechanic's Fair held in Niblo's Garden, and was awarded a diploma by the Mechanic's Institute of New York for a post mortising and rail sharpening machine, good for saving labor. George Bruce President.

I sold patent rights to a large amount and with this means I was enabled to settle all the obligations of my brother, John and myself which were incurred from failure in business, when we found ourselves several thousand dollars worse than nothing. Now we were again free from all such obligations. I also bought a piece of land in Illinois, about four miles away from Quincy, from a Mr. Begaudus, a resident of that place, for which I paid $3,200. I was very particular about the deed. I would not receive one made out in New York, but it must come direct from Quincy. I received the deed from Quincy all right, but alas! alas! It proved to be forged.

I now disposed of this business to my brother, John, and turned my attention to making portable mills. I bought the patent right with all the "title, interest, etc.," in what was called a conical grinder, with improvements in threshing machine and horse power, for which I paid $1,500 in company with Mr. William Shay. We done a good business. I was engaged in this business when Elder Parley P. Pratt cane along preaching the gospel.

About this time Mrs. Dexter, a friend of my parents, came from Troy upon a visit with her friends in the city. On one of her visits to my house she made me acquainted with the situation of her youngest daughter, which was extremely miserable. This daughter was married to a profligate fellow who had communicated to her a loathsome disease. He had administered to her calomel and powerful acids, which had produced a terrible state of salivation, and she was fearful that he designed to destroy her life. Mrs. Dexter craved protection for her daughter with her infant. I gave them an upper room in my house where they would be safe from him for the present. Although I was greatly prospered in business I did not neglect the opportunity of meeting with my associates to search the scriptures, and sometimes I visited the meetings held by the Methodists as prayer meetings. On one occasion of this kind they took for their subject a saying of Paul, "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints." Several persons present spoke upon the subject, very earnest and full of zeal. They clapped their hands, etc. and seemed to think they had exhausted the subject. They then invited me to speak.

I spoke upon the same subject--viz, "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints." I endeavored to show how far short we came of having that faith. When that `faith' was delivered to the Saints, they were told to "Heal the sick, cast out devils, open the eyes of the blind, and to raise the dead," and "as freely as you have received, freely give." I asked, "Have we that faith?" Surely not. Can we heal the sick, cast out devils, open the eyes of the blind or raise the dead? Have we any of the gifts of the spirit? If we had, we could do all these things as did the apostles. These gifts are the result of the faith that was delivered to the Saints. I spoke at some length in this strain and sat down.

As soon as I had taken my seat several were on their feet in a moment to confront me and denounce those Bible truths I had presented to them. They declared they were not needed in this age and it was ridiculous for any person to entertain such views. Confusion reigned and the meeting closed.

I had noticed a stranger in the meeting, a portly looking man, sitting by Mr. Elijah Fordham, with whom I was acquainted, as we frequently met each other at the meetings held at the house of Mr. La Tourett. At the close of the meeting Mr. Fordham came forward and very warmly pressed my hand and congratulated me upon the remarks I had made. He then introduced me to the stranger, who seemed very much interested in the meetings, as Mr. Pratt from Ohio.

Mr. Pratt expressed his pleasure at my remarks in the meeting and said he would like a further conversation with me. I told him I was always ready for conversation upon such topics. He inquired if tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock would be convenient. I said "Yes," and gave him my address and he visited me next day at the time appointed. My wife prepared tea, after which we entered into conversation upon the doctrines taught in the New Testament. He spoke of repentance and of the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins by one holding authority, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. This kind of talk suited me exactly, but where could that authority be found? In the course of our conversation he learned from me this that I was waiting and watching for the gifts of the gospel as they once existed. I would no more connect myself with any denomination unless that denomination had with them apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.

Said he "Brother Mace,"--he called me Brother Mace from the first--"Do you know that you are a singular man." I replied, "No, I believe in the scriptures and in the doctrines recorded in the New Testament, but why do you say singular?" He said, "I said singular to find a man in this great city of learning and ignorance, of riches and poverty, a city of churches also, to find a man waiting for apostles and prophets and the gifts of the spirit as enjoyed anciently.

"Suppose that you should hear that away in the west somewhere there was such an organization, with apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, such as you are waiting for." Then he began telling me about a young man in New York who had been visited by an angel. He gave me the young man's history and I was very much interested in the recital. He told me about a book that had come forth through the instrumentality of this young man. He told me of a church already organized with prophets, apostles, and all the offices appertaining to the Church of Christ, with all the gifts of the spirit enjoyed by the Saints anciently.

We had conversed upon these subjects until midnight but he had not yet told me the name of the young man neither the title of the book. About midnight he mentioned the name of Joseph Smith the translator of the Book of Mormon.

At the mention of this name a curious feeling crept over me. I had heard some reports of this Joseph Smith, not at all to his credit, and that he was an imposter, etc. But did not the Jews call Jesus a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners? The only question in my mind now were these: Did the church which Mr. Pratt had been telling me of really hold their authority from Jesus Christ as did the apostles of old? And did signs follow the believers?

Mr. Pratt, when taking his leave of me that night, said to me, "Brother Mace, if you are honest, and I believe you are, the Lord will make known to you that we hold this authority." He bade me farewell with this promise. I now awaited the fulfillment of this promise, that the Lord would make known to me that these things were true. I saw no more of Mr. Pratt for about one month and then it was I went for him to come to my house and administer in my family by the very authority I so much questioned.

CHAPTER 4

One Sunday evening on returning from a religious meeting I found one of our children very sick, a little boy about a year old, and through the night he grew worse. Monday morning the family physician was called in and he pronounced the sickness inflammation of the brain. He used all his skill to arrest the disease in vain; the child grew worse. He told us if water settled on the brain there was no hope. He told us that the indications would be if this was the case. We watched him closely and every symptom he pointed us to appeared to the smallest minute. The child would be thrown into spasms; it would writhe and twist until it was enough to rend the hearts of all who watched its sufferings. The doctor gave him black drops--a concentrated tincture of laudanum--He at first gave one drop, increasing the quantity just sufficient to quiet him. He said had it been given to the child when in health one drop would destroy his life.

We watched the little sufferer as he still grew worse until Wednesday, when my sister Jane, who was present, remarked it was very singular that the child should be kept so long in such terrible suffering. My wife suggested it would be a good time to try Mr. Pratt's religion. I remarked, "If you wish I will go and bring him." The fact was, I very was anxious to do so but did not suggest it for fear of raising opposition.

As it was raining I took my umbrella and immediately started for Mr. Pratt. I had taken the precaution to learn his place of residence, being extremely anxious to call upon him. Mr. Pratt himself answered my knock on the door. I told my errand and he put on his hat and cloak, stepped out under my umbrella and accompanied me home. As we entered the room where the child lay it seemed to cause much confusion. In the room present were my wife, my sister Jane, and Mrs. Dexter. Mr. Pratt wished me to call the house to order. When order was restored he offered a prayer which was in conformity with the doctrines of Jesus Christ as taught in the New Testament, that God was the same God that he was anciently, and that the prayer of faith would save the sick, etc.

When we arose from prayer he said, "Brother Mace, you hold more authority in your family than any other man can, and I want you to lay your hands on this child with me." I did so. He then administered with all confidence in the authority he held and rebuked the disease in the name of Jesus Christ, and said the child should begin to mend in that very hour. My wife asked him if she should give the child any more of the black drops and he replied, "If you have perfect confidence in the administration I would rather you would not, but if you have not perfect confidence you can decrease the quantity gradually." She decreased the drops gradually. [Written in the margin was: Parley told me in Florence in 1856 that this was the only time he had asked a man not a member of the church to lay hands on the sick.]

Before stated I had given Mrs. Dexter an upper room in my house where she could take care of her sick and suffering daughter. She was present during this administration and remarked, "If this child can be healed my daughter can also." My sister Jane, who was also present, ran upstairs to the sick woman and told her there was a man downstairs who put himself in the place of Jesus Christ, that he laid his hands on the little child and rebuked the disease in the name of Jesus Christ and commanded it to depart. The Spirit, and the manner of my sister in giving this information to the sick woman, alarmed her. Upon entering her room Mrs. Dexter found her daughter laboring under great excitement. She was a sensible Bible-reading woman and she explained to her daughter all that had taken place in the room where the sick child lay. This soothed and calmed her as she listened to the words of her mother.

The next morning I went to my shop to work. About ten o'clock my wife sent a messenger to me saying the child was well and playful. I went home and found this was even so. Oh, what joy swelled our hearts as we gazed upon the child so miraculously healed. We had truly found that this man, Parley P. Pratt, did indeed hold the authority to rebuke the disease in the name of Jesus Christ and we gave God thanks.

From the time our little boy, Charles, began to recover, Mrs. Dexter's daughter grew worse and her babe also. The doctor said it was impossible for either to recover. All that night and the next day, Thursday, she still grew worse, and Thursday night it seemed impossible to keep life in her until morning. Next morning Friday Mrs. Dexter sent for Elder Pratt, who brought with him Mr. Elijah Fordham, also an elder. Together they sang a hymn to soft pleasant music as follows: [The text included the hymn, "Now Let us Rejoice."] . . .

After singing, Elder Pratt offered a prayer and then explained the principles of the gospel as he had done on the previous occasion. The sick woman listened attentively and at her request Elders Pratt and Fordham administered to her and also her babe, and they began to mend from that hour. She had not partaken of food for several days, but a short time after the elders left the house she asked her mother for a cold potato and some vinegar. She sat up in the bed and ate half of the potato and lied down again. In a short time she called for the remainder of the potato and ate it. The vinegar did not distress her as formerly; her babe and herself improved rapidly and she was soon able to move about the room. She had been so badly salivated, that if the door stood ajar or if she ate anything sour, her mouth became filled with lumps, and water would run from her mouth, causing her the greatest distress. Consequently, she was very cautious moving about her room, and to the top of the stairs and back, and finding no bad effect follow, she ventured downstairs to our sitting room. She found the changes from one room to another, the doors being ajar, etc., did not hurt her any more.

Elder Pratt was holding meetings about a quarter of a mile distant, and she accompanied her mother to meeting. As she stepped outside the dorm, my sister Jane was passed on the way to her Baptist meeting and chided the young lady for venturing out on such a blustery day. But she went to the meeting and returned rejoicing. She found herself well, no bad effect followed her venture, and she said she found herself stronger at every step. She was healed every whit.

Truly there was great rejoicing in my house, No. 13 Bedford Street. We had witnessed the power of God made manifest and knew for a surety that He had again given authority to man on the earth to administer in the name of Jesus Christ, and could say as was said by one of old, no man can do these miracles except God be with him.

In a short time after these miracles were performed, Elder Pratt appointed a day for baptizing in the East River, about two miles from my home. It was a very wet disagreeable day with snow and rain. The sidewalks were shoe deep with snow and mud, but this did not prevent the young woman from going. She said her feet were wet from the time she started from home until she returned yet she took no cold. There were six persons baptized at that time by Elder Elijah Fordham. They were: my wife, Margaret Mace; Mrs. Dexter and daughter; Theodore Curtis and wife; and Miss Ann Shaffer, who was afterward married to Elder Fordham. I stood upon a block of ice and witnessed the baptisms.

All retired to the house of Brother Cox, who lived nearby, where those who had been baptized changed their clothing and we then returned home. All wondered why I was not then baptized. My reasons for this was that I wanted to see them act on their own volition, not because I set them the example. A few days after this I was baptized in the same place by Elder Parley P. Pratt. I do not remember the month but these things took place in the winter of 1837-1838.

In April, Elder Parley P. Pratt left the city with a small company of Saints for Missouri. His brother, Elder Orson Pratt, having arrived from the west, took charge of the mission. Very soon after his arrival he ordained me to the office of an elder and while his hands was upon my head, he broke out in tongues--I had never heard a manifestation of the gift of tongues before--After the tongues he said, "You are of the seed of Joseph and of the tribe of Ephraim." He also said, "No man shall lift his voice against the work you bear forth but he shall be confounded and put to shame." He placed me to preside over the branch while he traveled and preached, and organized the other branches of the Church. While in the city, himself and wife and little child made their home at my house.

This was the first branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be organized in New York City. It was composed of persons like myself, all young in the Church and they are very backward or diffident in speaking in public, consequently most of the labor of preaching the gospel fell upon me. We held meeting three times on Sunday and one meeting during the week. My time was fully occupied. I attended to my mechanical labor as usual as well as preaching the gospel, on the sabbath three times, and also during the week. I found no time for rest and began to feel the necessity of a change. Brother M. Sirrine proposed that I go on a visit with him to the home of his parents in the Catskill Mountains and I accepted his invitation and started upon a short mission.

We took passage on a steamer as far as Mattewan, a small town opposite the town of Fishkill, which is on the west side of the Hudson River. We proceeded at once to the house of Mr. Sirrine, a short distance from Mattewan, up in the mountains. Arriving there in the middle of the afternoon, Brother M. Sirrine introduced me to his parents who received me very cordially. His mother, Mrs. Sirrine, was a very peculiar woman. When any of her family were absent, and without any communication from them, she was always apprised of their return by some means unknown to them. She would make preparations to receive them just as any mother would do when hearing directly from them. So she had prepared for our coming.

When the welcomes and greetings were over, Mrs. Sirrine took her son aside and inquired of him if his friend was a preacher. He answered, "Yes, he is from the city of New York, here on a short mission." She was somewhat surprised at his answer although she had expected her son in the company of a preacher. My appearance disappointed her, it did not meet her ideal of a preacher. We stayed with them that night and preached to them the gospel. They accepted the principles we taught as the truth of the Bible. The following morning we walked down to Mattewan to see some friends of Brother M. Sirrine who worked in a factory at that place. When it became known that I was a Mormon, all crowded around to look at me as though there was some peculiarity about a "Mormon" that was not about any other person. Some wanted to see the Mormon Bible, the golden Bible, etc.

I handed them my pocket Bible--a new book, gilt-edged. They took it and looked it all through carefully, then handed it back to me, remarking they could see no difference in it than their own Bible. We visited a man who had been afflicted with rheumatism for four years, being unable to do any kind of work during that time. He heard the gospel and believed, and was administered to in the name of Jesus Christ and was fully restored to health.

We held meeting at Fishkill. The Methodists, hearing of our appointment, gave notice that they would hold meeting at the same hour, with the expectation that it would prevent the Mormons having any hearers or breaking our meeting up, if we were fortunate enough to obtain any hearers. Exactly the opposite took place. The Methodist meeting was deserted and the people flocked to our meeting. The house was filled; the doors and windows crowded to hear what these Mormons had to say. We discoursed upon the first principles of the gospel and of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. This was a favorite subject with me.

In the course of my remarks I bore testimony to the restoration of the gospel, with all the gifts and blessings as they were enjoyed in the days of the Savior and His apostles. I bore testimony to great things the Lord was doing. I told of the many wonderful and marvelous works that had been done in the city of New York under the hands of Parley P. Pratt, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I referred more especially to the three miracles which were performed in my house. A young woman who was in the congregation, with a babe in her arms, arose to her feet and testified that these things were true; that she was the person spoken of and that she and her babe had been healed by the laying on of hands by Elder P. P. Pratt. She held her babe up to the gaze of this large congregation, showing that it had grown to be a plump and healthy child. Mrs. Dexter and daughter had removed from my house a short time after the recovery to health of her daughter and her babe, and I had lost sight of them. I was much pleased to see them and to hear their testimony at this time.

Crossed the river. We returned to Mattewan, and to the house of him who was healed of rheumatism. I was seated upon a sofa and this man sat down by my side, he seemed somewhat uneasy, I saw by his manner something unusual had taken place, finally he said, "Brother Mace do you think the Lord notice small things?" I replied, "Not a sparrow falls to the ground without his notice." He seemed rather surprised at my reply, and sat for some time apparently in deep thought. He then told me that while we were absent he had been from home, a distance of five or six miles, attending a trial of some person, he had been called there as a witness. His road lay through the woods, and on his return through the woods, he had had a very singular experience.

He said as he walked along the road meditating upon the promises made to believers as recorded in the gospel according to St. Mark viz. 16 and 17 verses: "These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Also a saying of the Savior, recorded in St. Luke 17:6 "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree by ye plucked up by the root, and be planted in the sea and it should obey you."

While he still meditated upon these saying, he saw a bird, a very swift moving bird called in that part of the country a "highpole," it was perched up on the limb of a tree just low enough to reach, he said a thought came into his mind, why not command that highpole to stand still and go and take it down and before he realized what he was doing the command has passed from him, and the bird stood still, and he walked up to it and took it down off the limb and brought it home with him. He showed me the bird. I then saw how my answer surprised him, as he was aware I knew nothing of what he had done.

I found much pleasure in visiting the people and teaching them the way that leads to salvation. We had a good, profitable visit; we preached the gospel to many, and returned to the city feeling well satisfied with our labors among the people who listened attentively to the message of glad tidings which we bear to them.

Upon our return we found all well. I continued my labors until September. I then disposed of my business and made preparations to gather with the Saints in Missouri. Elder Lucien R. Foster succeeded me in the presidency over the New York branch.

On the eleventh day of September, 1838, I bid adieu to the city where I had spent my youth, and to relations and friends, that I might gather with the Saints and assist in building up Zion. My family consisted of five persons: my wife, three children, John, Emily and Charles, and myself. We had lost two children, Edgar and William, who were buried in New York City. I took with me in my wagon, Brother David W. Rogers and family consisting of seven persons, viz. David W. Rogers' wife and five children. I had three good horses, a wide-track wagon with projecting sides, and good covers. I shipped my goods by water to Richmond, Missouri. Elder Orson Pratt, president of the mission, accompanied us across the river and travelled some distance with us. When we reached the top of a hill, and onto the highroad, he bade us farewell, saying, "Brother Mace, now the road is before you, God bless you," and he returned to the city. We travelled across New Jersey, over a rough, mountainous country, and crossed the Delaware River at Eastown, Pennsylvania. I stopped at this place and put a brake on my wagon as my horses had become badly galled in travelling over the rough roads without a brake.

We then drove through Eastown in a southwest direction to reach the national road. We crossed a creek called Conakagig. Here there was a toll gate at the foot of one of the Allegheny Mountains. We ascended this mountain over the several spurs until we reached the summit and down on the other side over a splendid macadamized road. The last spur brought us to the town of Wheeling, West Virginia, on the Ohio River. We crossed over the river and passed through Zanesville and Columbus, in the state of Ohio. From there we travelled to Indianapolis in Indiana, then crossed the river into Illinois and camped on the edge of the Grand Prairie.

Early the following morning we started across the Grand Prairie, until now I had not seen a prairie of any great extent, at noon we could see nothing but sky and land covered with rich grass. We travelled all day before we reached the edge of any timber, and here we camped at a small settlement. At this place we heard that there was some difficulty in Missouri and that the Mormons were being driven from that state of Missouri, this was the first news we had of these troubles. The next day we travelled through Springfield and on to Quincy. On the bank of the Mississippi River, it was the coldest night we had experienced on the long journey. We arrived here on the 11th day of November, 1838, just two months from the time we left the city of New York.

-- Snip -- Snip -- On the seventh day of June, 1839, we were called to mourn the loss of our little son, Charles, who died very suddenly of croup, aged 3 years and 2 months. He it was who was so miraculously healed of brain fever, by the power of God, under the hands of Apostle Parley P. Pratt, in the city of New York. He was a remarkable child, intelligent beyond his years. He was a very bright engaging child, and beloved by all who became acquainted with him. The father of the prophet said to me, Brother Mace you should not have let that child die.

We at once moved into the Fort at Montrose. My wife had said, she never could live in a loghouse, (as we were travelling through the country) but here we were in just such a one and very glad of it too, and we thanked God for shelter. On the 24th of September, 1839, our infant daughter, Zuriah, died.

We had many things we had thought to be indispensable to our comfort which we had brought from New York, but which now seemed very much out of place such a home and surroundings. Such things as fine carpets, and ornaments for the house, and some very fine furniture, were all sold to help the poor. My wife had already disposed of her jewelry, silk dresses and many other articles of clothing, and had sent the proceeds to buy corn to feed the poor Saints who had lost their all in Missouri.

If any had been so fortunate as to save a coffee mill in their flight, and could obtain corn, they were in a situation to be able to make bread; some less fortunate pounded the corn into meal.

Seeing these difficulties, and having brought a very large coffee mill with me--that I once used in my store--I endeavored to assist them by applying it to use. I made a large fly wheel and attached a belt. With this mill a ten year old boy could grind a bushel of corn in an hour. This was a great help.

Description

Accessed from the Book of Abraham Project pages, http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/WMace.html