Mar. 17th. At morning prayer, I was again called to officiate. I read Matthew 11. In parting, after much Gospel talk, he said: "You are in a noble work, winning souls to Christ. When you pass this way again, say, "This is home'." He owns 4,500 acres, 900 sheep and other stock. With God's blessing, we pass on.
A few passing conversations, and we come to the copper mines, where we spent two hours. Then four miles and we are at Lake George in the mountain tops. It is 10 by 35 miles with no outlet - nice mountain scenery in different directions. We are entertained by Mr. J. R. Kenney and had a pleasant conversation on history, including Utah and the Mormons. Slept on a feather bed.
At breakfast, he engaged in further inquiry about Brigham's people. We defend polygamy from the Bible and then explain the first principles. By invitation, we dine, then pass on by some nice scenery. We ask accommodations and are refused by Osburn, worth 130,000 acres well pastured. Some miles farther we are favored by a poor herder, but Oh! the fleas! I scarcely slept and there are hundreds of perforations in my back. We accept such from the poor and give thanks for their kindness.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Thursday, March 16, 1876
Mar. 16th, 1876. Nine months from home. I was married twenty years ago today. I wrote to President Groo. We packed our valises with underclothes, books and tracts; had prayer with the Chittenden family and administered to Brother Chittenden for his illness.
AUSTRALIAN BUSH ON FOOT
Then we started on a trip of several days in the Australian Bush on foot. After a walk of ten miles and a drink of the best spring water I have tasted in this country, at 2:00 P.M. we called at the house of Mr. Robert A. Nielson and were invited in. Water and milk were offered and I took freely of the latter. He asked us our business. I replied, "We are Latter-day Saint Missionaries." He said he thought we were ministers, had lunch served and engaged us in conversation. He is Wesleyan and had read his Bible by rote eight times. He had his wife and daughter come in and listen and, at 4:00 P.M., when we proposed to move on, we were invited to stay over night, which we gladly accepted. At prayers, I was called to the big chair with the big Bible before me. I read John 3 and prayed for the dissemination of truth, for all that labor in his cause and for the building up of God's Kingdom, etc. He responded with groans and amens. I must be serious but it was as good as theatre. He asked me to discuss with his Catholic shepherd, which I did, to his satisfaction, using Daniel 2 and Nahum 2, etc.
Tuesday, March 14, 1876
Mar. 14th. More Gospel conversations. We consecrated oil. We prayed for and administered to Sister Griffith. I had a letter from J.T. Smith giving the effort of the United Order and another effort in Arizona under the command of Lot Smith.
Sunday, March 12, 1876
Mar. 12th. I joined with the Chittenden family, going to the Church of England chapel. The Minister read Genesis 32, which is favorable to our polygamy, especially verses 22 to 30. Jacob took his two wives and two women servants and eleven sons and passed over the ford Jabbok. He told of his wrestling with the Lord and the Lord blessing him there. Then he took Luke 18:2 for a text and gave a talk that Latter-day Saints could find no fault with.
Friday, March 10, 1876
Mar. 10th. Had a Gospel talk one and a half hours with Mr. Harrison and three apprentices listening. After defending polygamy as scriptural and moral, I took up the principles as taught by the Savior and his disciples and predicted by Daniel, second chapter.
Wednesday, March 8, 1876
Mar. 8th. I received letters and papers from Job Welling. He is now in Geelong. He has faced Mrs. Stenhouse in her lecture and told her to her face that what she said was false. He wrote twelve pages.
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