[Sidenote: Beginning of the Work in South Wales.] Elder William Henshaw having been directed by Elder Lorenzo Snow to go to South Wales, he commenced {282} preaching in the English language privately to several families in Pen y Darren, near Merthyr Tydvil, Glamorganshire. A number of the people believed his testimony, and this day he baptized William Rees Davis, his wife, and two of his sons, and commenced preaching publicly in Brother Davis's house, about one-third of the people only understanding the English language. [Sidenote: Wood-cutting Bee at the Prophet's Home.] _Monday, 20_.--About seventy of the brethren came together, according to previous notice, and drawed, sawed, chopped, split, moved, and piled up a large lot of wood in my yard. The day was spent by them with much pleasantry, good humor and feeling. A white oak log, measuring five feet four inches in diameter was cut through with a cross-cut saw, in four-and-a-half minutes, by Hyrum Dayton and Brother John Tidwell. This tree had been previously cut and hauled by my own hands and team. From nine to eleven this morning, I was reading in German; and from eleven to twelve, held mayor's court on assumpsit, Charles R. Dana, _v_. William B. Brink, which was adjourned ten days. Last night, Arthur Milliken had a number of books stolen, and found them this afternoon in Brother Hyrum's hayloft. Two boys, Thomas Morgan and Robert Taylor, were arrested on suspicion and brought before me for examination. After a brief investigation, the court adjourned until ten o'clock tomorrow morning. [Sidenote: The Prophet a Peace Maker.] While the court was in session, I saw two boys fighting in the street, near Mills' Tavern. I left the business of the court, ran over immediately, caught one of the boys (who had begun the fight with clubs,) and then the other; and, after giving them proper instruction, I gave the bystanders a lecture for not interfering in such cases, and told them to quell all disturbances in the street at the first onset. I returned to the {283} court, and told them that nobody was allowed to fight in Nauvoo but myself. In the evening, called at Brother Heber C. Kimball's. John Quincy Adams presented to the House of Representatives of the United States a petition signed by 51,863 citizens of Massachusetts, praying congress to pass such acts and propose such amendments to the Constitution as would separate the petitioners from all connection with the institution of slavery. [B]