William Stuart Brighton’s Missionary Journal

Excerpts

 

17 Apr 1881 Sunday

In the morning I took a walk down to Kirkfieldbank.  Then I came back to Lanark where we had meeting at 1:30 o’clock.  I talked to the Saints.  There were two in attendance that did not belong to the Church.  After meeting I went out to take a walk in company with Sister Emiline Campbell and Lullie Carru around by the Cartland Crags where Sir William Wallace had figured conspicuously in his day.  They took me right to his cave, which is called Wallace’s Cave till the present time.  Then they took me to an old bridge that was built by the Romans, which is called the old Roman bridge till this day.  I then went down to Sister Anderson’s and spent a short time.  Then returned to Lanark where I stayed all night again with Sister Ellen Campbell and family.

 

18 Apr 1881 Monday

In the morning I in company with Sister Emaline Campbell started down the Clyde to see Brother and Sister Crosbie,  where I spent some time very agreeably.  In the evening I went down to see the Old Man Crosbie, where I spent the time very pleasantly for a short time.  I stayed all night with Brother and Sister James Crosbie.

 

19 April 1881 Tuesday

I spent all day with the Crosbies talking about old times in the Church and about the principles of the gospel and Utah or what we call Zion.  In the evening I started for Kirkfieldbank.  Old Brother Crosbie came along with me for a short distance.  He showed me a tree, an old ark where it is or was said that Sir William Wallace once hanged 13 Englishmen all at one time.  (It is a great steady old tree with a great many branches.  It stands in the center of a field on the banks of the Clyde about two miles from Lanark.)  I stayed a little time in Kirkfieldbank.  While I was there, Brother Miller came in.  I then went to Lanark where I stayed all night at Sister Campbell’s, also Brother Miller.  Very cold still.

 

I spoke to them on Christ’s saying to Nicodemus about being born again.  I also bore a faithful testimony.  The people all were very attentive till I told them that the Lord had revealed his will to Joseph Smith and others.  Then they commenced to leave.  So I told them it did not matter whether people received or rejected our testimony.  It was nevertheless true.  I went to the place appointed and I sang a hymn alone — O My Father, Thou That Dwellest — then I offered prayer.  Then I spoke to the people for over one hour and 1/4 on the first principles of the gospel and how a faithful testimony to the truth of the Latter-day Work.  Then afterwards I went to Harthill to visit a family called Law,  but I found them not so favorable as they had been when I had visited them before, so I did not stay very long.  Then returned to Benhawen where I stayed all night with Brother and Sister Hood, who were very kind to me.

 

Then I returned to Glasgow to see all the Saints that were to start from Glasgow to Liverpool.  I spent a little time in the Conference House.  I went to the railroad station soon after 8 o’clock.  When I arrived there was a great crowd of the Saints gathered around to see the Saints start.  There was some crying, some laughing and some saying, “O, I wish you could put me in your box or coat pocket or just anyway so as to take us away from this country.”  What a love manifested to each other I cannot describe.

 

I feel very well after a good night’s rest.  I was out looking around how pleasant it is to see the sheep and little lambs all around on the moor, feeding on the young grass and tender heather. I went to Crofthead to see some of my father’s relatives.  I only saw just one of them who received me with such coldness that I was glad to get out of the house.  I then called upon one family of Saints by the name of Hood, who were pleased to see me.  I then called upon an old man by the name of Johnston, who spoke hard things about our people, also his wife.  They would not listen to anything I would say to them, either about our country or people.

 

I was taken by Sister James Crosbie to a man’s house by the name of Ervin, where she thought I might get holding a meeting, but could not because he was a saved man and would not allow an unsaved man to hold a meeting in his house.  After eating supper with Malcolms, I then went back to Ervins to have a friendly chat about the gospel of Christ where I was for over two and a half hours with him and others about the gospel as taught by Jesus and Peter and Paul.  They would not have it that the gospel was as Peter taught on the day of Pentecost, but that it was as it was laid down in the tenth chapter of Acts and last verses.  I tried to reason with them, but no reason was in them.  When I was coming away, then they wanted me to work a miracle for them.  But this I would not do if they would not believe me.  So I took off my hat and bore my testimony to them and told them that I knew that God had restored his gospel to the earth again.  Then I left them.

 

In the forepart of the day I wrote a letter to my wife and sons.   I left Glasgow at 4:45 P.M. with the train for Motherwell.  Soon after I arrived, I went on the street where I opened a meeting among the people.  Just before I commenced to speak, there was a band of music playing.  As soon as they stopped playing, I commenced and offered a prayer, then I commenced to speak on the first principles of the gospel.  I spoke for about one hour when a policeman came and stopped me from speaking.  I spoke with great freedom and force and the people stood as if they had been riveted to the ground.  They were so attentive to what I had to say to them.  The name of the policeman was Ross.  There was a great crowd around me.  I told the people that the next time I came to Motherwell to speak on the street that I would let them know by some means and that I would select a place where the police could not interfere with me.  I then had a chat with some of the people of the place.  Some have agreed to get baptized soon.

 

19 June 1881 Sunday

I went to meeting at Hazelbank.  While on the way I gave away about 40 tracts.  We had a splendid meeting.  There was a good turnout of the Saints.  There were in all about nine or ten present.  A few bore testimony after the sacrament was administered, and I spoke on the duties of Saints and the blessings and promises through faithfulness.  Had no meeting in the evening.  Stayed all night in the same place.  Brother Condie and I were asked to bless a bottle of oil which we did.  Then we administered to Sister Marion Hendy, who was afflicted with a headache.  Brother Condie anointed her and I prayed and before our hands were off her head, she said that the pain was entirely gone.  She was a young member of the Church

 

9 Sept 1881 Friday

As soon as I got washed, old man Rannie commenced about religion.  We kept up the conversation for about four hours.  He had to admire that the Latter-day Saints knew or could talk about things that they the world know nothing about.  I left Airdire and went back to Brother Hendry at Carnbroe where I stayed all night.

 

20 Sept 1881 Tuesday

We left Motherwell in the forenoon for to go to Blantyre.  On the way we met five ministers on the way.  Brother Irvine got some tracts from me and went over to them and asked them as gentlemen if they would take a tract.  They all refused to take them and they all commenced to laugh at us.  They kept laughing at us as long as we could hear them.  How high minded are those men that call themselves the servants of that meek and lowly Jesus, that are going about having a form of godliness, but deny the power.  We called upon a young man by the name of Brown, then went on to Blantyre and spent a short time with him, then went to Hamilton, where we held a meeting on the street where I and Brother Irvine both spoke to the people.  We had  a good meeting.  Great attention was paid to what we said.  We went back to Blantyre and we stayed all night with the Robison family.

 

When I returned to Sister McLeary’s, I received a letter from my son, William, telling me he was going to get married on Thursday the 12 inst. to Clara Boam, stating that all was well at home.  Stayed all night in the house of Brother John McLeary.  (She had immigrated from Scotland and William Stuart had helped send her to America.)

 

5 Mar 1882 Sunday

Went from Blantyre to Motherwell and had meeting with some of the Saints.  Some of them were not at the meeting.  After the sacrament was over, I spoke to them on their duties as Saints.  After meeting I found out that Brother and Sister Thomas Gray had called their little child after my wife, Catherine Brighton Gray, out of respect to me, because I had baptized them into the Church.  At night I returned to Blantyre and stayed with the Robertson family.

 

I waited till 4:15 before I opened my meeting.  I then opened with singing.  I then offered prayer and commenced to speak to them on the saying of Christ to Peter when he said, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you, but the Father which is in Heaven.”  Therefore I will build my Church upon this rock, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it and etc.  I spoke to them for one hour and a half and had a good time.  Had a good turnout for a small place.

 

13 Mar 1882 Monday

I wrote the letter in answer to Samuel Gray’s letter to his niece, Nelly.  In the morning about 9 A.M. while at breakfast, William Reynolds came to see me.  After breakfast he asked me to go out with him to take a walk when he told me that he could not go to work in the morning till he came to see me.  He said he had asked the Lord to let him know if he was to speak to me, or if I would speak to him, and he told me that he was told to speak to me.  So he had come to me to tell me of it.  I said to him if that was the case, who could refuse water, that he should be baptized, so he said he would be baptized tomorrow night when I came to the meeting at Hillhead. 

 

After the meeting was over, I went along with Brother John Hendrie to the Calder Dam and baptized Archilbald Neal and William Reynolds.  After the baptism was over and all of us dressed, Brother John Hendrie and I laid our hands on the head of A. Neal and confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then William Reynolds, I being mouthpiece in both cases.  I must say it was a night that I will long remember, for there was such a Heavenly Influence around us and with us at the water side.  Brother John Hendrie and I then returned to Cambrae where I stayed with him all night.

 

10 Apr 1882 Monday

In Glasgow all day and in the evening.  Started from Glasgow for Liverpool with the 9:15 train.  Traveled all night.  Got to Liverpool at 6:10 on the day of the 11th.  Was in Liverpool all day.  In the evening went on board the S. S. Nevada for to start for home in America.

 

12 Apr 1882 Wednesday

On board the ship all day.  Started from Liverpool at 5:49 P.M.  All feeling well and happy to think that we were starting for Zion after supper which was at 7 P.M.  There was a meeting called of the Saints and Brother John Donaldson was appointed President of the company with all the returning missionaries to assist him in counseling the Saints and looking after them

 

13 Apr 1882 Thursday

Was so sick that I was not out of bed all day.

 

14 Apr 1882 Friday

Still sick and was not able to be out.

 

15 Apr 1882 Saturday

Was out a little but felt very sick.

 

16 Apr 1882 Sunday

Was up all day.  Felt a little better.  Attended what was called Divine Service on board.  The Saints seemed to enjoy themselves in singing among themselves.  They had a meeting, but I did not attend it as I could not do so.

 

17 Apr 1882 Monday

Was feeling a great deal better than I had been.  Was again able to commence to take something to eat.

 

18 Apr 1882 Tuesday

Very cold, and the sea very rough.  I was about all day.

 

19 Apr 1882 Wednesday

Had a pleasant night and a wetter morning, although very cold.  Just before breakfast it was announced that there were icebergs in sight, which I saw very plain, 2 of them.  Then again before dinner I saw 4 more.  The first 2 were said to be 15 or 20 miles off, but the 4 that were all seen at once were close by.  As I was a writing this it was announced by the doctor that there were more ice in view, which I went to see.  After seeing it, I saw that it was the largest of them all.  The weather was very cold and the sea very rough.

 

20 Apr 1882 Thursday

In the morning there was a great body of ice just a short distance from the ship as far back as the eye could see.  They said that they had sailed along side of it for over 10 miles.  We saw a number of great bodies of ice.  We saw several small ships.  Cold day, but the sea smoothed and all feeling well.  I was at meeting in the morning.  I offered prayer.  Also in the evening I was at meeting again and spoke a short time to the people to cheer them up on their way to Zion.  Very cold but a smooth sea and all feeling well.

 

28 Apr 1882 Friday

Traveled all day and in the evening arrived in Council Bluffs at 7:00 P.M. and was glad to join the emigrants and the returning missionaries.  All told I was there perhaps 1 1/2 hours and then left Council Bluffs all feeling gay as we go marching home.