The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
History
The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches; Taylor, John, 1808-1887
In the afternoon Elder Taylor and companion attended a meeting of the
non-communion Baptists. The brethren made themselves known to the
leader of the meeting and asked for the use of the house, telling him
he might make collections and keep the money for his society if he
would grant them the privilege of speaking. He excused himself on the
grounds that the Baptist society was so rigid that they would refuse to
hear; but he treated them very kindly.
In the evening they again attended service at Mr. Matthews' chapel.
"There are many who will become Saints among them," predicted Elder
Taylor, "but they, like others, are sadly under the influence of
priests." That night after meeting one of the preachers of the society,
of the name of William Mitchell, came to Elder Taylor and invited him
to his home, and during the next week opened his house for him to hold
meetings in. And notwithstanding all the efforts on the part of Mr.
Matthews' preachers and class-leaders to prevent their members from
going, the house was filled. At the first meeting Mr. Mitchell and his
wife expressed their determination to receive the message, and others
soon followed. A hall in Preston Street was taken, capable of seating
about three hundred, and the first night it was well filled.
Elder Taylor's text was from Jude:
"It was needful for me to * * * exhort you, that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was delivered to the Saints."
He referred to the laudable efforts of such reformers as Luther,
Melancthon, Calvin, Wesley, Whitfield and others who had tried to bring
about the ancient order of things, but by reference to the gospel
as contained in the New Testament, showed that they had failed to
accomplish it. This was followed up by an account of how the gospel
had been restored to the earth in the present age by the ministration
of angels and the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He
showed them how what they had been praying for was now accomplished,
and exhorted them to receive it.
The effect of his discourse was overwhelming. Exclamations of praise
and thanksgiving were heard in various parts of the house, while the
weeping of others testified to the emotion they could not otherwise
express. Ten offered themselves for baptism at the close of the
meeting, and many others expressed a friendly disposition.
Meantime the news had reached Mr. Matthews that his sheepfold had
been invaded by the "Mormons," and he wrote back a letter warning his
flock against "Mormonism," but to no purpose. The ten were baptized,
among them Mr. Mitchell, and a great many who attended to witness the
ceremony of baptism expressed a desire to obey the message the next
time a day was appointed for baptisms. Thus the work was begun in
Liverpool.
Footnotes
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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