away, stripped as Elder Pratt was, came up and said, "As Brother Parley has given you a purse, I have a dollar I will give you to put in it." Then mutually blessing each other, they said farewell. Elders Taylor and Woodruff were the first of their quorum to start on their mission.
At Macomb they found Brother Zebedee Coltrin, who proposed taking them as far as Cleveland, Ohio, in his wagon, a proposition they gladly accepted. At this place a Brother Miller, whom Elder Taylor baptized while there, gave them a horse, and another a saddle and bridle. At Springfield a broker sold his horse for him, and with the proceeds he published a pamphlet on the persecutions of the Saints in Missouri. The edition was 2,000. A portion of these pamphlets were left in the hands of Elder Coltrin to dispose of, the proceeds to be given to Sisters Taylor and Woodruff.
Elder Taylor's strong constitution and iron will had carried him through the Missouri troubles and the trying scenes of poverty and sickness which prevailed that summer about Nauvoo; but as he traveled eastward his health began failing him. Approaching Indianapolis he was taken with violent vomiting and afterwards fainted by the wagon in the road. It was with some difficulty that his companions resuscitated him and conveyed him to the house of Brother Horace S. Eldredge, where he received the kindest treatment. Notwithstanding there were rest and attention for him at the home of Brother Eldredge until he should be restored, weak as he was, he continued his journey next morning. He would travel all day and frequently preach at night, though scarcely able to stand upon his feet.
At Germantown, in Indiana, his strength again failed him; and seeing no prospect of immediate recovery, he advised Brothers Woodruff and Coltrin to proceed on their journey without him. This they reluctantly did.
The name of the proprietor of the hotel in Germantown where he stopped was Jacob Waltz; both from himself and his wife Elder Taylor received the kindest attention.
After a severe illness of two weeks, during which time he was reduced to a mere skeleton, he began to recover; and with returning health came the old burning desire to preach the gospel; and before he was fairly able to stand he obtained the court house adjacent to his hotel and began holding meetings, though he had to sit part of the time while delivering his discourses.
One thing that much surprised those who listened to him was that, although he was a long distance from his home and friends, and had been prostrate with sickness among strangers, and on expenses, he never alluded to these things or begged for assistance. What a contrast between this servant of God and the sectarian priests of the day! Had one of their number been similarly situated, what a tale of woe would have been told of his heroic suffering for the gospel's sake, and what pathetic appeals would have been made to the generous who, loved the Lord, for assistance! But this Apostle of Jesus Christ bore all patiently, more anxious to deliver the message he bore than secure his own comfort. At last a gentleman waited upon him, and asking to be excused for the liberty he was about to take, referred to the above matters in the following manner:
"Mr. Taylor, you do not act as most preachers do; you have said nothing about your circumstances or money, yet you have been here some time sick; your doctor's, hotel and other bills must be heavy. Some friends and myself have talked these matters over and would like to assist you, though we do not wish to give any offense."
In replying to this Elder Taylor thanked the gentleman, and said:
"I preach without purse or scrip, leaving the Lord to manage those matters you speak of in His own way; and as you have been prompted by the Lord and your own generous impulses, I shall thankfully receive whatever assistance you are disposed to render me."
The gentleman then presented him a small sum of money, which, with what he had, was sufficient to settle all his bills and enable him to pursue his journey.
Commenting upon the above incident, Elder Taylor says: "I would rather put my trust in the Lord than in any of the kings of the earth."
Bidding farewell to his kind host and other friends in Germantown, he started for Dayton, Ohio. The first day out he reached the town of Richmond, at 5 o'clock, and two hours later he was lecturing to a large audience on the "Mormon Difficulties in Missouri," and the next day was on his way to Dayton.
Here he remained a few days preaching the gospel, and then had a serious relapse which confined him to the house of a friend, a Brother Brown, for two weeks. As he was recovering from his illness and preparing to leave Dayton, he was agreeably surprised to learn of the arrival of his fellow Apostle, George A. Smith, and others. Elder Smith was on his way to England also, and as there was room in his wagon, he invited Elder Taylor to ride with him—a proposition that was gladly accepted.
Together they traveled to Kirtland where they met Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. Here Elder Taylor was again stricken down by sickness; but through the blessings of God he recovered sufficiently to accompany his brethren on their way to New York. They arrived in that city in due time, and were cordially welcomed to the house of Parley P. Pratt, whom Elder Taylor had left in Nauvoo a few months before, putting up a log house; but who was now presiding over a large branch of the Church in the metropolis of the United States.
I have been particular to relate the details of this trying journey from Nauvoo to New York, that the readers of this work may have a knowledge of the difficulties encountered by Elder Taylor, in his efforts to comply with the requirement of God to preach the gospel in his native land. Truly he went forth weeping, but bearing precious seed; and we shall see, anon, how he returned rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Footnotes
1. The meaning of this word or phrase is not known, further than it is a name by which a prominent point on Grand River, Daviess County, Mo., formerly known as Spring Hill, but which the Lord named Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said He, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. (See Daniel 7: 9—14. Doctrine and Covenants, Section 116.) When discovered by the brethren, an old stone altar was there, which has since been thrown down. It was the place where Adam called his posterity together three years before his death and blessed them; so that holy memories as well as fond anticipations are associated with the place. W. W. Phelps is the author of the hymn.
CHAPTER VIII.
"I HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY"—AMUSING CONVERSATION—VOYAGE TO ENGLAND—APPOINTED TO PREACH IN LIVERPOOL—PEOPLE PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL—BEGINS WORK—BAPTISMS.
When Elder Taylor arrived in New York, Elder Woodruff had been there some time, and was all impatience to embark for England, but as yet the former had no means with which to pay for his ocean passage. Although supplied with all the means necessary on his journey thus far, after paying his cab-fare to the house of Brother Pratt he had but one cent left. Still he was the last man on earth to plead poverty, and in answer to inquiries of some of the brethren as to his financial circumstances, he replied that he had plenty of money.
This was reported to Brother Pratt, who the next day approached Elder Taylor on the subject:
Elder Pratt: "Brother Taylor, I hear you have plenty of money?"
Elder Taylor: "Yes, Brother Pratt, that's true."
Elder Pratt: "Well, I am about to publish my 'Voice of Warning' and 'Millennial Poems,'
