LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
After holding several meetings in the town of ,
and visiting my half sister, , who was teach-
ing school there, I proceeded to , the place of my birth.
There I visited many of my former neighbors and relatives,
and the grave of my mother, , who died June
11th, 1808, when twenty-six years of age. The following verse
was upon her tombstone:
“A pleasing form, a generous heart,
A good companion, just without art;
Just in her dealings, faithful to her friend,
Beloved through life, lamented in the end."
At the close of the day I walked six miles to ,
where my father, , was living, and I had the
happy privilege of once more meeting with him and my , whom I had not seen for seven years. They greeted
me with great kindness, and it was a happy meeting.
After visiting with my father a day or two, I returned to
Avon, where most of my relatives lived, and held meetings
with them, and on the 12th of June, 1837, I baptized my
uncle, , his wife , and his son ,
and we rejoiced together, for this was in fulfillment of a dream
I had in 1818, when I was eleven years of age.
On the 15th of July I had an appointment to preach at the
house of my uncle, . While there I had the
happy privilege of meeting with my wife, , who had come from to meet me and accompany
me to her home in , Maine.
Those who had assembled to hear me preach were relatives
neighbors and former friends. After meeting, we returned to
Farmington to my father's home, where I spent the night
with my father, step-mother, sister and wife. Elder
was also with us.
On the 19th of July, Elder Hale left us to go to his friends
in , Mass., and on the same evening I held a
meeting in the Methodist meeting-house in the town of Farm-
ington. I had a large congregation of citizens, with whom I
had been acquainted from my youth. My parents, wife and
sister attended the meeting. The congregation seemed satis-
fied with the doctrines I taught, and they requested me to
