Precious Memories: Sixteenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Religion
Precious Memories: Sixteenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Briggs, Thomas, 1832-1917; Farrell, George L.; Latter Day Saints -- Missionary experiences
A bed of water cress about six feet wide grew at the bottom of the
Clark garden, and Elder Farrell walked down there to gather some water
cress for supper. While doing so he heard the sound of running water
the opposite side of the garden wall, where there was an orchard. He
stepped across the water cress bed and looked over the wall and there
saw a stream of water about four feet wide (doubtless swollen by the
recent shower,) and just about twenty feet down stream two posts
stood--one in either bank. He called Mr. Clark to come down and notice
the stream, and asked him if he could find three boards, a foot wide,
to drop in the stream above the posts, to form a dam, thus making the
stream deep enough to baptize in, and so secluded that no one would
notice them or suspect what was going on.
It was also suggested that Mr. Clark arrange a safe bridge across the
water cress bed, which he immediately complied with, by taking the
kitchen door off its hinges and laying it down there to be walked over,
and also made steps to descend into the water.
Along towards evening Elder Farrell set out to walk to Mr. Baker's, who
was always on hand to lend him a pair of pants and high topped rubber
boots to wear when he was baptizing. He had not proceeded far when
someone approached him behind, and clutched him by the arm. Turning
around he faced Mr. Baker, who inquired if he was going to his house.
Elder Farrell replied that he was, for the purpose of getting his
uniform to wear in baptizing. Surprised, he next inquired who was to be
baptized, and was told that it was Annie and Lilla Clark.
"Well, bless me," Mr. Baker exclaimed, "it was only on Sunday last that
Bishop Maughan asked if he could baptize the girls, and was told by the
father that if they talked baptism to him they could not live in his
house."
Elder Farrell explained that Mr. Clark had not only given his consent,
but had prepared a place in which to baptize them.
"Well," said Mr. Baker, "that is wonderful! I can't stand it any
longer. Mr. Farrell, will you baptize me too?"
Elder Farrell replied that he would be pleased to do so.
On reaching the Baker home Mrs. Baker was asked to get the "uniform,"
as Elder Farrell was going to do some baptizing.
She inquired who was going to be baptized and her husband replied: "The
Clark girls and Charlie Baker."
The good woman raised her hands in ecstacy, and exclaimed: "Well, the
Lord be praised!"
Just then Mr. Baker's apprentice, a young man about seventeen years
of age, came running in from the next room, and eagerly asked: "Elder
Farrell, will you please baptize me?"
Elder Farrell inquired if his parents were willing, and he replied
that he dare not tell them anything about it. He was advised to
go straightway to them and tell them frankly that he wanted to be
baptized: that Elder Farrell was going to do some baptizing that
evening, and that he thought it would make a better boy of him if they
would only consent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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