The history of the Herefordshire mission is before the world and before the Church, and I wish in a few words to refer to that mission, for it was there that I became acquainted with Brother Pitt. Brother Taylor and I were the first two of the Quo- rum of the Twelve who arrived in England in 1840. Brother Taylor went to Liverpool, and I went to the Staffordshire potteries. I labored there with Brother Alfred Cordon, who is now in the spirit world. We were preaching almost every night, and we baptized some near- ly every meeting. It was a very good mission. Some eighty miles from there, in Herefordshir, there were people who had never seen a Latter-day Saint, and never heard the gospel. Some six hundred of them had bro- ken off from the Wesleyan Metho- dists, and called themselves the "United Brethren." They were under the presidency of Elder Thos. Kington. They were searching for light and truth. As a body they had called upon the Lord, and had advanced just as far as they could with what light they had. They prayed to the Lord that he would open the way before them, that they might advance in the things of his Kingdom. While in this position I went one evening to fill an appointment in the Town Hall, at the town of Hanley. There was a very large congregation, and I had appointments out for two or three weeks in that town and adjacent villages. As I went to take my seat the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said to me, "This is the last meeting you will hold with this people for many days." I was surprised, because I did not know, of course what the Lord wanted me to do. I told the assembly when I rose, "This is the last meeting I shall hold with you for many days." They asked me after meeting where I was going. I told them I did not know. I went before the Lord in my closet and asked him where he wished me to go, and all the answer I could get was to go to the South. I got into a stage and rode eighty miles south, as I was led by the Spirit of the Lord. The first man's house I went into was John Benbow's. He lives now down here at Cotton- wood. I had some conversation with Brother Benbow and I told him that the Lord had sent me to that place. But without wishing to dwell on this subject particularly I will say that I learned that they weresix hundred people there, under Elder Kington, called United Brethren, and that they had been praying to the Lord for guidance in the way of life and salvation. Then I knew why the Lord had sent me to that place—he had sent, them what they had been praying for. I commenced preaching the gos- pel to them, and I also commenced baptizing, Elder Pitt being among the first who was baptized by me into this church and kingdom. The first thirty days after I arrived there I had baptized forty-five preachers, which flung nearly fifty preaching places, licensed by law, into my hands; and out of the six hundred belonging to Elder King- ton's body all were baptized but one in seven months' labor. I brought eighteen hundred into the church in that mission, and I will say that the power of God rested upon me and upon the people. There was a spirit to convince and a people whose hearts were open and ready to receive the gospel. And as Jesus said in reference to John, that all Judea and Jerusalem went out to John's baptism I felt as if all Herefordshire was coming to be baptized. The third meeting that I held at Brother Benbow's the rector of the place sent a constable to take me up. I was just about to begin when he entered. I said to him, "Take a chair until after meet- ind and I will attend to you." He sat down and when I got through he came forward and I baptized him with others. He went back and told the rector, "If you want to take up that man you must go yourself, I have heard him preach the first gospel sermon I ever heard in the world." Almost every man that came to meeting was baptized.

We were holding a meeting at Elder Kington's house one evening, when these things were taking place. The house had very heavy shutters on the win- dows of the first storey. We had these shutters closed, and I rose to preach. The rector came at the head of about fifty men armed with rocks about the size of a man's fist, or larger than that. They surround- ed the house, and for about half an hour the house was battered with rocks like a hail storm, the whole of the windows of the second storey being stove in and the glass all bro- ken. I told Brother Pitt that I would go and see these men. He said, "No, I will go, you will be in- jured if you go." He went out into the midst of this mob, of about fifty, I should judge, I do not know the num- ber. He took their names, and the rector was the leader. They stoned Brother Pitt back to the house, but as we had finished meeting they left. We had to clear the house of broken glass and rocks before we could retire to bed.

In Adam all died, but in Christ all are made alive. Christ was the first fruits of the resur- rection.