Diary, 1844-45
By George Benjamin Wallace
July 21, 1844. Preached in New Bedford, for the first
time. Sent by the Twelve to preside over
that branch. Found it in a low
condition. But few of the Saints
attended meeting at all. Held a church
meeting on Monday evening and returned Tuesday to my family, in Boston.
July 27, 1844. Saturday. Went to Lowell to
attend Conference. Stopped 'til Sunday
night and then returned to Boston.
August 4, 1844. Sunday. Preached in New Bedford. Returned on Monday to Boston.
August 11, 1844. Sunday. Was in Boston at Suffolk Hall. Preached in the evening to a full house. Good attention.
August 17, 1844. Saturday. Elder Adams and myself came to New Bedford.
August 18, 1844. Sunday. In the forenoon, preached in their usual
place of worship. Afternoon, we preached
on the steps of the Town Hall to thousands, because the Selectmen would not
open the hall and let us hold the meeting in that (place), but had opened it to
others. In the evening held our meeting
in the Universalists Meeting House. House
was crowded full. preached on the
Restitution of all Things.
August 24, 1844. Saturday. Elder Adams has
preached four evenings this week in
Mechanics Hall.
August 25, 1844. Sunday. Elder Adams preached all
day in our usual place of worship. Baptized
two.
August 26, 1844. Monday. Adams and Lyne returned
and I remained and held a Church meeting. Taught the Church their duty to each other and to their God, and not to
slander each other nor the servants of God; and to hold each other up by their
faith and prayers; and if they heard anything taught that they did not
understand, not to come out and condemn it, but to wait and keep their mouth
closed and 'twoud be made known to them if it was true or false. It had a good effect as I learned afterwards.
August 27, 1844. Returned to Boston. Found my wife
ill – swollen face.
September 3, 1844. Tuesday. Moved to New
Bedford. Had good luck in moving.
September 8. Sunday. Preached in the usual place of worship.
September 15, 1844. Sunday. Preached in the usual place of worship.
September 18, 1844. Wednesday. Elders Smith and Adams
arrived in town. Elder Smith preached in
the evening in Liberty Hall to six or seven hundred people.
September 19, 1844. Thursday. Elder Adams preached in
Liberty Hall on the Downfall of Babylon.
September 22, 1844. Sunday. Elders Adams and Smith
preached in Mormon Hall to a full house. In the evening I baptized Brother Soles. On the following Wednesday (Sep. 25) I went to Boston to attend a
discussion between Elder Adams and Origin Batchelder. I was chosen Chairman. Returned on Saturday (Sep. 28) to New
Bedford.
The next
Tuesday, went to Boston as a witness on the trial of Elder John Hardy, for
slandering Elders Adams and Brannon. Proved guilty in both cases. Wednesday
returned to New Bedford.
Thursday
evening. Prayer meeting. After it closed I baptized Sister Riggitt and
Adam Tripp.
October 18, 1844. Discussion between Elder Adams and Origin Batchelder, after which the
Church was called together and Elder William Hutchings was disfellowshipped.
The same
evening I was ordained, under the hands of Elder Adams, a High Priest in the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints.
October 19, 1844. In the evening I continued the discussion with Batchelder.
October 20, 1844. Preached in the forenoon from the Third Chapter of Acts on the Time of
Restitution of All Things, spoken of by all the Prophets since the world
began. Afternoon – Testimony and
Sacrament meeting. In the evening,
continued the discussion on the subject, Endless Punishment, and the
Restitutions of All Mankind to Happiness.
October 23, 1844. Held a Prayer Meeting in the Mormon
Hall.
October 27, 1844. Sunday. Elder Blake preached for me in the forenoon
on the Gathering of the House of Israel. Afternoon – Testimony meeting as usual. Evening – preaching by myself from the Second and Third Chapters of
Genesis, after which I baptized Joseph Howland, confirmed and ordained him on
the spot, for he was going to sea the next day a whaling.
October 28, 1844. Monday. Sister Megin returned
from Boston. She stated that Elder John
Hardy and Elder William Hutchings and others were cut off the Church for
slandering Elders Adams and Smith; and that Hardy was about to write a book
against the Church. The same day I wrote
a letter to the Prophet's Office and one more to Elder Bickford, in Boston,
concerning things that he said when i was in Boston.
Oct. 29. A
meeting of the Elders at my house and it was agreed by the Elders that they
would take turns and hold meetings Tuesday and Thursday evenings every week.
Nov. 3. Sunday
morning. I preached on the Book of
Mormon. Afternoon – Testimony and
Sacrament Meeting; and I made some remarks from the Twelfth Chapter of
Isaiah. Evening – I preached on the
principles of the Gospel and had a good hearing.
Nov. 4. Monday. Elder Blake filled teeth
for me.
Nov. 5. Tuesday evening. Elder Corey
backed out and did not preach.
Nov. 8. Friday. I wrote an appeal to the
Latter-day-Saints in New Bedford and vicinity, which was published in the
“Register” of Saturday, which made the Whigs very mad because I urged the
Saints to vote for Polk. In the evening
baptized two.
Nov. 10. Sunday. Brother George preached
in the forenoon; myself in the evening, from the Book of Mormon.
Nov. 11. Monday. Town meeting.
Nov. 12. Tuesday. A piece appeared in the
“Bulletin” against us – very insulting, which I answered through the columns
of the “Register.” Evening – Brother Daxter, preached for the
first time.
Nov. 14. Thursday evening. Brother S.
Thomas preached for the first time.
Nov. 18. Tuesday evening. Church
meeting. I gave the Church instructions
on the order of the Priesthood and the order of the Church in general, after
which I, with my Brethren, ordained four to the office of Elders.
Nov. 16. Sunday. Meetings as usual in
Mormon Hall.
Nov. 20. Thursday evening. Elder Peterson
preached.
Nov. 24. Sunday morning. Brother Blake
preached on the Book of Mormon. Afternoon – Elder Woodruff preached; and I baptized three, namely:
Charles Wilson, Heram (?) and ? Cartee (undecipherable). Evening – Elder W preached.
Nov. 26. Tuesday evening. Elder Rickerson
preached. This day Elder Woodruff and
family left my house for New York to start from there to Europe.
Dec. 1, 1844. Sunday. Meetings as usual.
Dec. 3. C.
Boyers preached on the Resurrection. Tuesday.
Dec. 5. Thursday. Elder Buttler's turn
came, and he backed out. We had a prayer
meeting.
Dec. 8. Sunday. I preached. Test: Amos, 3rd Chapter, 7th
Verse. Continued the same subject.
Dec. 10. Tuesday evening. Church
meeting. Two members excommunicated for
denying the faith by staying away from meetings and immoral conduct.
Dec. 11. Sailed
from New Bedford on the “Caravan” for New York. Capt. D. W. Sisson. Wind –
north-east. Strong wind. Made harbor in Stenindon (?) Wednesday night.
Dec. 12. Thursday. Headwind beat to
New London.
Dec. 13. Friday. Headwind. Anchored in the Sounds near Black Rock.
Dec. 14. Saturday. Headwind. Anchored near the Fort. East River.
Dec. 15. Sunday. Headwind. Reached New York in afternoon.
Dec. 22. Sunday. Sailed from New
York. Reached New Bedford Wednesday
morning. Wife and children well.
Dec. 26. Thursday evening. Brother
Standish preached a very interesting discourse.
Dec. 29. Sunday. Forenoon and afternoon
was devoted to prayer and exhortation. Evening – I preached on The Gathering.
Dec. 31. Tuesday evening. Held a Church
meeting. E. S. Davis was charged by
myself of slandering the Church. Collectively
and individually charge was clearly proven and he was cut off and given over to
the buffetings of the Devil. Also raised
money to pay the rent of the Hall.
Jan. 2. 1845. Thursday evening. Brother Loring
Thomas preached – his first appearance in public.
Jan. 5. Sunday. Preaching as usual.
January 12, 1845. Sunday. I went up to Long Plains
in Fairhaven and preached twice and appointed a meeting for next Wednesday
evening. I had my place (in New
Bedford), filled by Elder Nickals in the forenoon; in the afternoon by Elder
Blake; evening by Eld. Rogers.
Jan. 16. Thursday evening. married Clark
D. Fisher to Miss Lois Manchester, at the house of Gilbert Manchester.
Jan. 19. I
preached in the morning. At noon married
David Cudworth to Susan M. Clark. Afternoon, Brother Nickals preached. In the evening I preached. Text:
Religion.
Jan. 23. Thursday evening. Church
meeting. Sister Hannah Davis requested
to be dismissed from the Church, stating that she was obliged to on account of
her husband, as she could not live with him unless she did. Also stated that she knew it was the Church
of Christ. I asked her if any one had
taught her the spiritual wife doctrine, or any principles but truth and
righteousness. She declared no one ever
had. Her request was granted.
A DREAM
I dreamed
that some few of the members of the Church had conspired against me and they
laid their snare so that I was caught, and it was concerning spiritual wife
doctrine. I dreamed when I was apprised
of it I scattered it to the four winds of heaven and all that were concerned in
it were lost save one. I dreamed that
after I had scattered them, that a halo of glory encircled me and (those) that
were with me. And many added to the
Church, such as should be saved.
Jan. 25, 1845. Sunday. I preached morning and
evening. Brother Nickals in the
afternoon.
Feb. 2. Sunday. Elder E. T. Benson preached all day and evening.
Feb. 6. Saturday evening. he taught them
the Word of Wisdom. Most of the Saints
voted to keep it.
Feb. 11. Tuesday morning. Elders Benson
and Dickson left for Newport, R. I.
Feb. 13, 1845. Thursday evening. Held a Prayer
meeting.
March 5, 1845. I laid before the Saints the necessity of
gathering to Nauvoo immediately to help build the House of the Lord and to
prepare for their endowments, stating to them that I had been called to go up
to Nauvoo, by Elder Benson, and should go leaving my wife and children 'til
I can return; stating to them that I had one dollar to assist me in getting
there; stating to the Saints that if they thought it was the will of God that
they should help me to (obtain) money to go with, (and for) them to come
forward and do so; and they immediately raised money to take me to Nauvoo, and
I blessed them in the name of the Lord. I ordained Brother Rogers to preside over them and he was received by an
unanimous vote; after which I received a vote of thanks for my past services
and a letter of recommendation by an unanimous vote. (This was done at a Church Meeting.)
March 7, 1845. Friday. Left New Bedford with
family for Boston to start from there on the 11th, in company with
others.
March 10, 1845. Monday. Saw my wife, and children
aboard the cars for New Hampshire. I bid
them farewell. Oh, may the Angel of the
Lord protect them.
April 8, 1845. Tuesday morning. Arrived in
Nauvoo after four weeks dissable journey,
with good health, in company with about forty Saints. The yearly Conference was then in session.
Nauvoo, May 24, 1845. Saturday morning – 6 o'clock. The Apostles, Bishops, Elders and Saints of
God of the last days gathered on and around the Temple to witness the last
Corner-stone placed in its place on the Southeast Corner of the Temple by our
President, or the President of the whole Church. A band of music was on the
Temple and played two tunes, after which the stone was laid in its place. Then they prayed to God to protect and
deliver us from the hands of our enemies and that we might be permitted to
finish the Temple and get our endowments. Then the whole multitude shouted “Hosannah, Amen” 'til the heavens as it
were said “Amen”. Then the multitude
dispersed to hallow the day.
Oct. 17, 1845. Nauvoo. I left Nauvoo in company
with John Sanders, crossed the Mississippi River to Montrose and went from there
to Hukirk (?).
Oct. 18, 1845. Friday. Took cabin passage on
board to Divernon (?) for St. Louis. Paid $3.00. William Smith also
was on board, he being direct from Galberry (?). He revealed to me his plans of
operation.
October 19, 1845. We arrived in St. Louis Sunday night. Remained there Monday and Tuesday 'til 12 o'clock.
Oct. 23. Thursday. Took deck passage on
board “The Swift” at $1.10 to Cincinnati, Ohio. On Tuesday fell in company with Saints from the east, from Salem,
Boston, Lowell, Mass., and Peterboro, N. H., on their (way) to Nauvoo.
Left
William Smith at St. Louis. He was
stopping there to hold a Conference, then going east.
Oct. 27. Sunday morning. Good boat and
pleasant trip.
Sunday
morning took passage on board the “Putnam” for Pittsburgh at $1.50 (deck). Started from that port at 10 o'clock the same
day.
[Several pages in this Journal following the above and
foregoing material are left blank, followed by a few notations in George Benjamin
Wallace's handwriting.]
“Says Political Economy” to be bought in Boston. Cost $2.50.”
“Freeman Nickerson wants 100 pb. of sugar and one box of Gafs
(?)”
Phillip Wallace was born at Deerfield, N. H., May 3,
1792. Rachel Babb, wife of Phillip
Wallace was born at Epsom, N. H., Oct. 21, 1794.
Birth of
their children:
Joseph Vensay Wallace, b. May 3, 1819 (or 1817). Alonzo Wallace, b. Dec. 20, 1821. Gilman Page Wallace, b. Sep. 14, 1827.
Caroline Wallace, b. Apr. 12, 1824 (Clirenda) Page Wallace,
b. Nov. 22, 1829. A son – (not named)
born May 16, 1834 (which died). All of
the children born in Deerfield, N. H.
Died in Concord, N. H., March 15, (1845). Miss Sarah E. Wallace, youngest daughter of
John Wallace, a native of Epsom, N. H., aged 19. Disease – consumption.
An honest sister has gone to rest,
Do ever God with his image blest,
A friend of man, a friend of truth,
A friend of age, a guide of youth,
Few hearts like hers, with virtue warmed,
Few heads with knowledge so informed,
If there is another world, she lives in bliss,
If there is none, she made the best of this. [This is attributed to Robert Burns and is
a common gravestone epitaph]
Nickols King, carpenter on the (print?). Caswell, Bro. Crowell – [sheet
torn]
Prescott – No. 4 E, Charlestown, - Mrs. Hovey. Br. Leonard Hardy, of East Bratford,
Mass. Br. Bisbee, No. 63 Grinnal
St.
George Herriman, of Georgetown, Mass., probably once
a Mormon. Sr. Hylee, boards at
the Zebra House. Sr. Savery Clarck
Charles Rogers, corner of Mill & Foster St. Br. John Duckworth, Fallriver, Mass.
William Wade, Boston, Mass. Nelson Pane, Northbridge, Mass. Br. Shaw and B. Cracking. (Br. Charles M. Cracken. Four members besides himself living in
Northbridge. English brother.) John Harbird (?) at the corner of
Allen and Bartlett, Charlestown – the left hand of Allen St. A. Nickerson, lives in Cabridgeport,
on Columbia St., 3 houses from Main St., on the right hand side.
Br. Simmonds, No. 28 Vernon St. Sister Annis, No. 48 Chestnut
St. Sister Liddy Hartford,
Dover, N. H. Br. Silas Barnes,
No. 5 Oxford Place, leads out of Harrison's Ave., near Essex St. Mr. Chandler, lives No. 36 Hudson
St., Peanerfort, (manufacturer ?)
Mrs. Davenport, boards on the corner of Fremont and
Warren St. over the grocery entrance on Warren St.
Finis..
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