The records differ slightly on the details but Walter M. Wolfe was born in either New York City, New York, or in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1859 to Aaron and Laura Wolfe. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1890 and later served three missions.
From 1892 to 1902 he taught at Brigham Young College in northern Utah until he was called to serve in the British Mission. Before leaving that October he was sealed to his parents in the Salt Lake Temple. In the British Isles, he served in London and as the associate editor of the Millennial Star. He served until July 1904 when he returned to Utah and took up a new position at Brigham Young Academy where he taught geology.
However, Walter’s life had some sad twists and turns. His wife, Caroline, died in 1898 after four years of marriage at the tender age of twenty-two and soon after his return from his third mission he became embroiled in controversy.1 He received some Church discipline for not paying tithing and breaking the Word of Wisdom. Some accounts describe him turning up to classes drunk.2 Ultimately, he appears to have lost his faith and grown discontent with polygamy and Utah politics. By 1906 he was cut off from the Church and was brought in as a witness in the Smoot trial.3 His character was again questioned in court as were his comments about ongoing plural marriages.4 He subsequently worked as a school teacher for thirty-one years. Walter remained estranged from the Church and died in Parkville, Missouri, in March 1932.
No matter what happened to Walter and the decisions he subsequently made, he was a capable associate editor and did much good on his mission. While a missionary he wrote a four-part history of the Church in the British Isles from 1837-1904, which does a good job of outlining the contours of the faith’s history. It is reproduced below in its entirety for your benefit:
The History
The providences of God invariably bring blessings from apparent evil to those who love Him; and what seems failure may be the stepping stone to triumphant success. The year 1837 opened with discouragement and persecution to the Church. In Kirtland, the home of the Prophet, there was dissention and apostasy. In Missouri, legalized mobs were beginning their career of outrage and devastation, and driving the Saints from the lands that they had improved, from the country in which they had hoped to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. At this time, when the heavens seemed as brass and the prayers of God's people remained unanswered, when the friends of the Prophet Joseph were failing him on this side and on that, and it looked, for the moment, as though the powers of hell would be victorious, the Lord, by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation, called Apostle Heber C. Kimball to open and preside over a mission in England—the first foreign mission of this dispensation. With him were associated Apostle Orson Hyde and Elders Willard Richards and Joseph Fielding. Subsequently these four were joined by three brethren from Canada, John Goodson, Isaac Russell and John Snyder, and the party sailed from New York, July 1st, 1837, reaching Liverpool on the 20th day of the same month.
Who could have imagined that these humble men, landing on a foreign shore in an absolutely penniless condition, strangers to people and to customs, would win thousands of honest hearts to the Gospel, to inaugurate a work that affects two hemispheres? From a merely human standpoint such results were impossible, but the prophet of God had foretold the glorious work that they would do, and it was accomplished every whit. England blazed with the light of truth. Scotland and northern Ireland felt its impulse, and its rays fell on Protestant Europe, on Asia, Africa, Australia and the islands of the sea, until to-day there is not a nation in the civilized world where the restored Gospel has not been proclaimed.
The labors of the first missionaries commenced at Preston, and ten days after Elder Kimball's arrival nine persons, the first-fruits of the harvest of tens of thousands, were baptized in the river Ribble. Not without terrible struggles were these initial results obtained. There were foes without and foes within. Satan seemed determined to overthrow the work of the Lord. To quote from President Kimball's journal:
"On Saturday evening I was appointed by the brethren to baptize a number the next morning in the river Ribble, which runs through the place. P>y this time the adversary of souls began to rage, and he felt a determination to destroy us before we had fully established the Gospel in the land; and the next morning I witnessed such a scene of satanic power and influence as I shall never forget while memory lasts. About daybreak Brother Russell, 'who slept in the second story of the house where we were entertained, came up to the room where Elder Hyde and I were sleeping and called upon us to arise and pray for him, for he was so afflicted with evil spirits that he could not live long unless he should obtain relief.
"We immediately arose and laid hands upon him and prayed that the Lord would have mercy on His servant and rebuke the devil. While thus engaged I was struck with great force by some invisible power and fell senseless to the floor as if I had been shot, and the first thing that I recollected was that I was supported by Brothers Hyde and Russell, who were beseeching the throne of grace on my behalf. They laid me on a bed, but my agony was so great that I could not endure, and was obliged to get out, and fell on my knees and began to pray. I then sat on the bed and could distinctly see the evil spirits, who foamed and gnashed their teeth upon us. We gazed upon them about an hour and a half, and I shall never forget the horror and malignity depicted on the countenances of the foul spirits, and any attempt to paint the scene which then presented itself, or portray the malice and enmity depicted in their countenances, would be vain. I perspired exceedingly, and my clothes were as wet as if I had been taken out of the river. I felt exquisite pain, and was in the greatest distress for some time. However, I learned by it the power of the adversary, his enmity against the servants of God, and got some understanding of the invisible world. The Lord delivered us from the wrath of our spiritual enemies and blessed us exceedingly that day, and I had the pleasure (notwithstanding my weakness of body from the shock I had experienced) of baptizing nine individuals and hailing them brethren in the kingdom of God.”
On the following day appointments were made that were to spread the Gospel to various parts of the kingdom. Elders Richards and Goodson went into Bedfordshire, not far from London, and to-day some of the older Saints living in that vicinity remember the visit of these missionaries and talk about the influence that it had—such an influence that, when the time for gathering came a little later, many of the hamlets were almost depopulated in the desire of the Saints to reach Zion. Elders Russell and Snyder traveled northward, laboring in Cumberland, near the borders of Scotland. On the second Sunday after the arrival of the Elders in Preston more than forty persons were confirmed members of the Church. In the rural villages of Lancashire the work spread with marvelous rapidity, and three hundred Saints attended the first conference of the Church, held at Preston, less than six months after the time when President Kimball landed on English soil. At this conference the Word of Wisdom was first publicly preached in this country. A general conference was held April 8th, 1838, at which eight hundred Saints were present.
Early the next year President Kimball returned home, leaving Elder Joseph Fielding in charge of the mission. Although he did not know it at the time, he was to fulfill a divine command, aid in the accomplishment of a remarkable prophecy, and return to England and advance the cause with even greater power than he had enjoyed on this first mission.
In order to fully understand the wonderful progress of the Gospel in England during the early forties, it will be necessary to consider some of the events that were transpiring in the history of the Church at home, during the dark hours of trial and persecution. Being in doubt when the Apostles, the traveling High Council, were to commence the missionary labors for which they had been specially designated, the Prophet Joseph asked the Lord what His will was concerning the Twelve, and the Lord answered in a revelation, given July 8th, 1838, in which He says: "Let them take leave of my Saints in the city Far West, on the 26th day of April next, on the building spot of my house, saith the Lord. Let my servant John Taylor and also my servant John E. Page, and also my servant Wilford Woodruff, and also my servant Willard Richards, be appointed to fill the places of those who have fallen, and be officially notified of the appointment."
One remarkable feature of this revelation is that it fixes a definite place and time for the commencement of the mission. When the revelation was given all was peace in Far West, Missouri, the city where most of the Latter-day Saints dwelt; but before the time came for its fulfillment, the Saints of God had been driven out of the State of Missouri into the State of Illinois, under the edict of Governor Boggs; and the Missourians had sworn that, if all the other revelations of Joseph Smith were fulfilled, this should not be. It stated the day and place where the Twelve Apostles should take leave of the Saints, to go on their missions across the great waters, and the mobocrats of Missouri had declared that they would see that it should not be fulfilled.
On the morning of April 26th, 1839, notwithstanding the threats of the enemy that the revelation was not to be fulfilled, and notwithstanding the fact that ten thousand of the Saints had been driven out of the State by the edict of the governor, and that the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum, with other leading men, were in chains and in prison, Apostle Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, John E. Page and John Taylor met on the temple grounds in Far West; the chief corner stone of the temple was laid and Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith were ordained apostles and members of the quorum of the Twelve, in the places of those who had fallen, as they had been called by revelation. Here they parted from the eighteen Saints who had gathered to bid them God speed, and started for their various fields of labor. There can be no doubt that the obedience of these men, at the peril of their lives, brought upon them the special blessings of the Almighty and gave to them the spiritual strength and power which they ever afterward possessed.5
On January 11, 1840, Apostles John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff landed in Liverpool, being followed, on April 6th, by Apostles Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt and George A. Smith. Three days later all the members of the quorum of the Twelve met in council at Preston. With them was Elder Willard Richards. What a gathering was that! What inspiring thoughts and recollections are aroused by the mere mention of these names! The great pioneer-statesman, the man upon whom Joseph's prophetic power was to fall, the brilliant writer, the profound philosopher, the logical debater, the great baptizer of this dispensation were all there, two of them ere many years to be eye witnesses to the martyrdom of the Prophet and the Patriarch of Latter days. At this council Brigham Young was sustained as president of the Twelve Apostles, and Willard Richards was ordained and received a member of the quorum, in accordance to the revelation of July 8, 1838. It was resolved that a periodical should be published and be called the "Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star," and Parley P. Pratt was appointed its editor. A hymn book was also to be published, Elders Young, Parley P. Pratt and Taylor being the committee to select the hymns. It was also decided to publish an edition of the Book of Mormon. From this meeting the Apostles went to their various fields of labor to commence the greatest missionary work the world has ever seen.
Elder Pratt found conditions for publication more favorable in Manchester than in Preston, and in the latter part of April, mission headquarters were moved to 47 Oxford street, Manchester, where the first number of the Star was issued in May, 1840, sixty-four years ago last May.
On July 6th, at a conference held in Manchester, Elder Fielding and his counselors were released from the presidency of the mission, and Elder Brigham Young took administrative control. On August 18th, 1840, Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith reached London to open up the work in that great city. Two days later they wrote to the Millennial Star as follows: "We are well and in good spirits, and are going to see the people in different parts, and see what we can do in this small world; for London looks like a small world. Give us your prayers." The first baptism in London was on August 31st, at the Public baths, the person, "Father Corner." After beginning the work in London, Elder Woodruff returned to Herefordshire and Staffordshire where, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he had accomplished a work that seemed miraculous, even in that day of wonderful outpourings and manifestations.
Elder Woodruff's own account of his labors states that on March 1st, 1840, the Lord made it manifest to him that he was to leave Hanley, Staffordshire, where he baptized many people, and travel southward. The reason for the change he could not see, but he obeyed the promptings of the Spirit and went into Herefordshire, where the divine monitor directed him to the home of a farmer, Mr. John Benbow, of Castle Frome, Ledbury. He was kindly received and informed that there were in the vicinity over six hundred men and women who had broken off from the Wesleyan Methodists, and taken the name of United Brethren. They had forty-five preachers among them.
These people were searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were continually calling upon the Lord to open up the way before them, and send them light and knowledge that they might find the true way and be saved. This showed clearly why he had been directed by the Lord to visit Herefordshire. A page from his journal tells the story:
"I arose on the morning of the 5th, took breakfast and told Mr. Benbow that I would like to commence my Master's business, by preaching the Gospel to the people. He had a large hall in his mansion which was licensed for preaching, and he sent word through the neighborhood that an American missionary would preach at his house that evening. As the time drew nigh many of the neighbors came in, and I preached my first Gospel sermon in the house. I also preached on the following evening at the same place, and baptized six persons, including Mr. John Benbow and his wife, and four preachers of the United Brethren. I spent most of the following day in clearing out a pool of water, and preparing it for baptizing in, as I saw many to be baptized here. I afterwards baptized six hundred in that pool.
"On Sunday, the 8th, I preached at Frome's Hill in the morning, at Standley Hill in the afternoon, and at John Benbow's in the evening. The parish church was attended during the day by only fifteen persons, while I had a large congregation, estimated to number a thousand. When I arose in the evening to speak, a man entered the door and informed me that he was a constable, and had been sent by the rector of the parish with a warrant to arrest me.
"I asked him, 'For what crime?'
"He said, 'For preaching to the people.'
"I told him that I, as well as the rector, had a licence for preaching the Gospel to the people, and that if he would take a chair I would wait on him after meeting. He took a chair and sat beside me. I preached the first principles of the everlasting Gospel for an hour and a quarter. The power of God rested upon me, the Spirit filled the house, and the people were convinced. At the close of the meeting I opened the door for baptism, and seven offered themselves. Even the constable arose and said: 'Mr. Woodruff, I would like to be baptized.'
"The constable went to the rector and told him if he wanted Mr. Woodruff taken up for preaching the Gospel, he must go himself and serve the writ, for he had heard him preach the only true sermon he had ever listened to in his life. The rector did not know what to make of it, so he sent two clerks of the Church of England as spies to attend our meeting, and find out what we did preach. They were both pricked in their hearts, received the word of the Lord gladly and were baptized.
"The first thirty days after my arrival in Herefordshire, I had baptized forty-five preachers and one hundred and sixty members of the United Brethren, who put into my hands one church and forty-five houses, which were licensed according to law to preach in. This opened a wide field of labor, and enabled me to bring into the Church, through the blessing of God, over eighteen hundred souls during eight months, including all of the sixteen hundred United Brethren except one person; also including some two hundred preachers of various denominations."
On October 6th, 1840, a general conference was held at Carpenter's Hall, Manchester, it being then three years and three months since the Gospel was first preached in England. The statistics presented to the conference showed that there were in Great Britain 42 missionaries (including six of the Twelve). The local priesthood was composed of 81 Elders, 222 Priests, 74 Teachers, and 26 Deacons. There were also 3,626 lay members, making a total of 4,071 souls, being more than double the number reported at the last general conference.
This shows the power of the Gospel when presented by men so thoroughly consecrated to its service as were the inspired Elders who were in charge of the British mission. The first five volumes of the Millennial Star are replete with the miracles that were performed under the hands of the Apostles, of the testimonies that were borne and of the wonderful daily additions to the Church of such as should be saved.
The London conference was organized on February 14th, 1841, with four branches (Ipswich, Bedford, Woolwich and London). As Apostle Kimball and Smith were about to return home, Elder Lorenzo Snow was placed in charge of the new conference, where his son Elder Milton W. Snow at present presides. The next conference to be organized was that at Birmingham, with 107 members.
On the 6th of April, 1841, the Apostles met as a quorum at Manchester, for the transaction of business prior to their departure for America. The members of the quorum present were Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and Willard Richards. Orson Hyde had lately arrived from America on his way to Jerusalem, where he had been sent to open the mission to the Jews. At this meeting the following thirteen conferences were set in order and a president appointed for each: Manchester, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Edinburgh, Clitheroe, London, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Glasgow, Gadfield Elm, Frome's Hill, Preston and Brampton. The Apostles issued their first general epistle to the Saints in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man. Their business having been transacted, and the affairs of the Church throughout the entire mission being in good condition, they all, save Orson Hyde, who was bound for Palestine, and Parley P. Pratt, who was left to preside over the mission, prepared to return to America.
Prior to the return of the Twelve, more than eight hundred Saints had gathered to Zion, and now the work of emigration was to assume yet greater proportions and come directly under the control of the authorities. Notwithstanding the cares incidental to the publishing of the Church works, which occupied a great portion of his time, Elder Pratt found opportunity in connection with Amos Fielding, to arrange for the regular transportation of the Saints to America, ships being chartered at stated intervals to sail from Liverpool to New Orleans, the route thence being up the Mississippi river to Illinois. Fielding and Pratt's first vessel, the Tyrian, carried 204 emigrants and was nine weeks in making the voyage. It being a difficult matter to conduct the emigration office in one city and the publishing house in another, mission headquarters were transferred from Manchester to 30 Chapel Street, Liverpool, March 15th, 1842. The semi-annual conference, in May following, showed that there were on the Church records in Great Britain 8,255 souls not including almost 2,000 persons who had emigrated prior to this time.
Elder Pratt returned to America in October of the same year and was succeeded as president of the mission by Thomas Ward, who had been associate editor of the Star for a few months previous. Lorenzo Snow and Hiram Clark were appointed his counselors. It took Elder Pratt eleven weeks of constant travel to reach Chester, Illinois, where he was detained for three weeks longer waiting for ice to break up that he might pursue his journey to Nauvoo. This will give some idea of the length of the journey before the advent of ocean steamers. In January, 1843, Elder Lorenzo Snow left England for Nauvoo with a company of two hundred and fifty Saints, this being about the average number that sailed in any one vessel.
By instruction of the Twelve, Elder Reuben Hedlock succeeded to the presidency of the mission in October, 1843, having for his counselors Elders Hiram Clark and Thomas Ward. President Hedlock immediately commenced preparations for a general conference to be held in Liverpool, April 6th, 1844, at the same time that a general conference of the Saints would be held at Nauvoo. At this conference the local Priesthood was found to be composed of 10 High Priests, 313 Elders, 519 Priests, 276 Teachers and 126 Deacons. These, with 7,797 lay members, made a total of 9,041 souls. When we consider that, from all available statistics, about 6,700 Saints had emigrated since the founding of the mission, the enormous growth of the Church up to this memorable year will be realized.6
Man's utmost efforts cannot retard the work of the Lord. When the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered in Carthage jail, June 27th, 1844, all the mob, all the sectarian ministers, all who hated the cause of truth and would hinder the spread of the Gospel, and they were as a thousand to one, exclaimed, "The false prophet is fallen. Mormonism is at an end." But the events that immediately followed gave their statements the lie. The leadership of the Church, according to revelation, devolved upon the Twelve until the new Presidency was chosen, and the Lord clearly indicated whom He had selected to take up the work where the martyred prophet had laid it down. A few men, prompted by personal ambition, fell and passed out of the history of the Latter-day Saints, but the people remained firm in the faith; trials and persecution but strengthened them, and there were daily added to the Church many faithful souls.
The news of the tragedy in Illinois was received with bitter sorrow by the Saints in England, but the work was not impeded, nor did the people lose heart. Their enemies, especially the preachers, railed at them, but there was no apostacy; the number of baptisms did not decrease, nor was the zeal in gathering lessened. As soon as Brigham Young succeeded to the presidency of the Church, and all the quorums were fully organized, Apostle Wilford Woodruff was commissioned to take charge of the work in England, where he arrived in January, 1845. The great event of this year was the publishing of of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, at the Liverpool office June 16th, 1846. At home the Saints were looking westward toward the Rocky mountains, their future dwelling place, as had been prophesied by Hyrum Smith as early as December, 1833—a prophecy that when uttered seemed altogether impossible of accomplishment. President Woodruff was summoned to take his part in the mighty exodus, so he issued a call for a special conference to be held December 15th, 1845, and advised that emigrations of the Saints should be discontinued until the Church should find a permanent abiding place. At this conference the membership of the Church in England was shown to be as follows: High Priests, 8; Elders, 392; Priests, 580; Teachers, 311; Deacons, 187; lay members, 10,956; grand total, 12,434.
Elder Woodruff was succeeded by Elder Reuben Hedlock as president; and now follows a sad page in the mission's history. Soon after the departure of Apostle Woodruff an agitation was set on foot to found what was called "The British and American Joint Stock Company." The ostensible purposes for which this company was organized were to engage in commercial enterprises with a view to enriching the Church, emigrating the poor Saints to America, shipping machinery and founding manufactures in the new gathering place in the wilderness, and to operate in building up the kingdom of God generally. Announcing these as the objects to be accomplished, it was not difficult to induce the Saints to take stock in the concern, and hundreds of pounds were subscribed and paid to Hedlock and his coadjutors. Much of this money was squandered instead of being used for the purposes for which the company had been established.
Upon hearing these reports Apostles Orson Hyde, John Taylor and Parley P. Pratt were sent to England to correct these abuses. Hedlock would not meet the Elders from America, but fled to London. He was at once excommunicated. Elder Hyde took charge of the Star and of the Liverpool office, while Elders Pratt and Taylor visited the various conferences and branches of the Church.
Trying times were those, and it is a wonder that the Church in England stood the test so well. Many became impatient at the counsel to refrain from gathering and, knowing that the main body of the Church was heading westward across the desert, took vessel around Cape Horn or via the isthmus to the Pacific coast, where many of their descendants are to be found to-day. The drafting into the United States' service of the "Mormon Batallion" made it imperative that most of the able-bodied missionaries return home. For a few months proselyting was almost at a standstill, and no general conference was held during Elder Spencer's administration; but in February, 1848, the joyful news was published that a permanent resting place for the Saints had been reached in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, and that the time was ripe for the Lord's people to gather. The Saints were of this opinion also, and, for a short time, emigrations averaged 600 per month.
With Elder Orson Pratt, who took charge of the work in August, 1848, new missionaries came into the field. At this time the Church numbered 17,902 souls, which number was increased in less than three years to more than 27,990, and this in the face of an unprecedented emigration, for in November, 1848, was confirmed the report that gold had been discovered in Alta California. Those who were unable to gather to Zion were certainly willing to assist their struggling brethren, for in February, 1849, $4,500 of the tithing money was sent to aid the Saints in Deseret.
Under the administration of Elder Franklin D. Richards, January 1st, 1851, to May, 1852, when all the Apostles were called home, the Channel Islands were separated from the British mission and given to the French mission, the Pearl of Great Price was published and the Perpetual Emigration fund was instituted. In April, 1852, the Millennial Star was changed from a semi-monthly to a weekly publication. It had more than 23,000 subscribers. This time, too, was the high water mark of membership in the British mission, there being 32,340 on the books when Elder Samuel W. Richards took charge. The arrival of the first company, which was sent out by the Perpetual Emigration fund, in Salt Lake valley, Friday, September 3, 1852, was made a great time of rejoicing. Bands of citizens and the Presidency of the Church went some distance up the canon to meet the thirty-one wagons that came in charge of A. O. Smoot, afterwards president of Utah stake.
Although open-air preaching had always been a means of spreading the Gospel, the summer of 1854 marked a campaign of street meetings throughout the larger cities of the mission, and on January 8 of the same year Apostle Franklin D. Richards resumed his former position as head of affairs, and on April 1st, 1855, moved his office to the premises now known as 42 Islington, where headquarters remained for nearly half a century.
In 1850 the first handcart companies were organized, and emigration received a great stimulus. In August of this year Elder Richards was released, and Apostle Orson Pratt again became president of the European mission, having for his counselors Elders Ezra T. Benson and James T. Little. During Apostle Richards' time great stress was placed upon the work of the Pastors, one of whom was given the general charge of several conferences. His duty was to travel from branch to branch throughout his district encouraging and strengthening the Saints and counseling the conference presidents. That was at a time when the conferences were geographically much smaller than at present, although numerically much stronger.
Even the events of 1857, in which Elder Parley P. Pratt was murdered and Utah was threatened with a hostile invasion, did not dampen the ardor of the Saints in emigrating. Elder Samuel W. Richards was returned to the presidency of the mission for five months from November 1857, being followed by Elder Asa Calkin. General mission conferences had been discontinued for some years, and in their place special annual councils were held, when the affairs of the mission were discussed by all the mission presidents, the Pastors, conference presidents and teachers, and the Elders of the British mission.
This was very necessary, as, to quote from the Star of May 12, 1860, "Zion was passing under a cloud, no sermons were given, public works were suspended, great movements for general improvement and growth of the Territory had to wait for a more favorable season ; emigration was cut off, nobody had time or chance to write letters, and the post office was not unlike a lottery box." But better times were in store for Zion. The people of the United States were soon to be engaged in an internecine struggle, during which the work of the Lord was to enjoy a season of refreshing, although the facilities for emigration would be greatly impeded.
On May 19, 1860, Elders N. V. Jones and Jacob Gates assumed control of the affairs of the mission, to be succeeded in August of the same year by Apostles Amasa Lyman and Charles C. Rich, the former taking charge of the Liverpool office and the latter superintending the field and the mission. In this year, also, we find the names of Elders Francis M. Lyman, George Teasdale and Charles W. Penrose on the mission records, the former, just arrived, laboring in London, Elder Teasdale going into the field for some time as president of a district comprising the Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee conferences, and Elder Penrose holding the same position in the Birmingham, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire conferences. On January 1, 1861, Apostle George Q. Cannon took charge of the publishing and emigration affairs of the mission, leaving Elders Lyman and Rich to attend to the spiritual welfare of the thousands of Saints under their charge.7
In April, 1861, the Liverpool office purchased a press and several fonts of type, and from this time printed its own publications, instead of hiring this work done as had formerly been the case. The first works to issue from the new plant were the Millennial Star, of April 20th, 1861, and the Journal of Discourses for the preceding year.
Any sketch of the mission would be incomplete without brief mention of those who have presided over it for the last forty years. In 1861, we find Elder Joseph F. Smith actively engaged in the work of the ministry on his second mission, his first having been to the Sandwich Islands. He was released in the autumn of 1863 and returned home, only for a few weeks, however, for he was soon sent to the Islands to straighten out the Gibson difficulty. In the summer of 1862 Presidents Lyman and Rich were released, and Elder George Q. Cannon was in charge until September 1, 1864, when he was succeeded by Daniel H. Wells and Brigham Young, Jr. This was a noteworthy period in the mission in bringing into prominence the second generation of missionaries—the sons of the men who had labored with such glorious results in the early "forties." Elder Wells returned in the summer of 1865, and Brigham Young, Jr., became the head of the work, with Orson Pratt as editor of the Star.
The first company of emigrants to cross the ocean by steam power sailed from Liverpool June 21, 1867, on the steamer Manhattan, In the same month Elder Franklin D. Richards took charge for the third time. Elder C. W. Penrose was released from the presidency of the London conference to edit the Millennial Star, and heads the list of Star editors who have since become famous in the Church as authors and journalists. Among others may be mentioned Henry W. Naisbitt, John Nicholson, George Reynolds, B. H. Roberts and Orson F. Whitney. In the autumn of 1868 Albert Carrington succeeded Elder Richards, and George Teasdale took the management of the Star. This year and the one following were of great importance to the Saints. The completion of the trans-continental railways brought Utah into direct touch with the outside world, and, in 1868, three thousand Saints emigrated. In rapid succession came Horace S. Eldredge, Albert Carrington, L. J. Herrick, Joseph F. Smith. On May 28, 1877, Elder Carrington completed his third mission and Joseph F. Smith commenced his third term as president of the European mission. This memorable year for the Church witnessed the completion of the St. George Temple, the organization of the Stakes of Zion and the death of President Brigham Young.
Elder William Budge took charge of affairs in July, 1878, and during his administration there was a determined effort on the part of the United States authorities to suppress "Mormonism." In August, 1869, Wm. M. Evarts, Secretary of State, issued a circular for the purpose of enlisting the aid of the governments of Great Britain, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, in hindering the progress of "Mormonism" by discouraging the emigration to Utah of its converts. The document created quite an international breeze for a short time and many appeared to think that the work would really be impeded. The Saints were undisturbed, however, and the tide of emigration flowed as uninterruptedly as though Mr. Evarts and his circular had never existed. The Saints should ever revere the memory of England's "grand old man" for the position which he took upon this occasion. He plainly told those who sought his co-operation in their nefarious scheme, that proscription might do in the United States, that boasted land of freedom, but that every Englishman who obeyed the laws was free to travel—to go and come—where he pleased the world over.
In 1880 Elder Budge was succeeded by Albert Carrington, Charles W. Stayner having charge ad interim. In this year the First Presidency was reorganized, and Francis M. Lyman and John Henry Smith were added to the Quorum of the Twelve. Apostle Smith assumed control November 27, 1882, this being his second mission to England. He had labored in the Birmingham conference in 1874-5. Following Elder Smith, until the time of the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, April 1893, the presidents of the mission were Daniel H. Wells, George Teasdale and Brigham Young. From June 19, 1893, until July 23, 1890, Elder Anthon H. Lund was president of the mission, and he was succeeded by Rulon S. Wells, of the First Council of Seventies. Elder Wells' counselors were Joseph W. McMurrin and Edwin F. Parry. Elder Platte D. Lyman, with James L. McMurrin and Henry W. Naisbitt as counselors, presided from December 8, 1898, to June 1, 1901, when Apostle Francis M. Lyman took charge of affairs. This was Elder Lyman's third mission to England. His first has been already mentioned. On his second mission (1874-5), he presided over the London Conference. On January 1st, of the present year Elder Heber J. Grant, of the Quorum of the Twelve, succeeded Elder Lyman. Elder Grant had been released but a few weeks from the presidency of the Japan mission when he was called to this field. One of his first official acts has been the purchase for the Trustee in Trust and with his approval of the beautiful property, No. 10 Holly Road, Fairfield, Liverpool, for mission headquarters. For purely business purposes the situation of old 42 Islington cannot be surpassed, but the district has become decidedly "slummy " in the last fifty years, and for residence and office purposes the new home is much more suited to both the needs and dignity of the Church. The house, which is large and commodious, is situated in large grounds (75 x 219 feet) some distance back from the street, giving it an air of privacy and comfort that will be greatly appreciated by all who have the good fortune to dwell in it.
Two others of the Twelve have also had experience in the British mission, although not called upon to preside over its affairs. Elder Reed Smoot, after laboring in the field, was called to the Liverpool office, and Elder Hyrum M. Smith traveled first in the Leeds conference and afterwards presided over the Newcastle conference. Of the Presiding Bishopric Wm. B Preston has served as president of the Newcastle and Durham conferences and as book-keeper in the Liverpool office, and Robert T. Burton was once president of the London conference. In addition to the members of the First Council of Seventies who have already been mentioned, Dr. Seymour B. Young has filled two missions to this country.
It is often remarked that, in the British mission, this is a time of gleaning —that the fruitage is scarcely worth the labor expended to obtain it. Such statements show a great misconception of the true condition of affairs. While baptisms are not by the hundreds, as was once the rule, and while cases of miraculous healings, manifestations and visions are not heralded to the world as they were half a century ago, nevertheless the work is going steadily onward, and the prayer of faith is as effectual now as ever it has been since the Gospel was restored to earth. Apparently all who are of the blood of Israel will be gathered out of a town or shire, and for years the Elders may tract and preach, with only opposition and scorn for their reward; when, suddenly, a new generation will come to the front, many of whom receive the teachings which their parents rejected, and there is a rich ingathering of souls. Not infrequently one pair of Elders will canvas a field faithfully, with no apparent success, while those who follow, with much less effort, will baptize many converts. With such conditions it is indeed true that "Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase."
The Staffordshire potteries district, where President Woodruff met with such phenomenal success in spreading the truth, has just been reopened, and many fallow fields are being resown with the Gospel message for the first time in thirty or forty years. It is not a rare instance for Elders, in traveling through villages that were famous in the Church history of more than half a a century ago, to meet old people who were baptized in those early days and who, during upwards of fifty years of isolation and persecution, never in all that time seeing missionary or fellow Saint, have yet kept undimmed in their souls the testimony of a restored Gospel and of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Sometimes such old people hear that the Elders have come within a few miles of their homes and send for them, and, when they see once more the faces of the servants of the Lord, their cheeks are wet with tears of joy, and they exclaim, with Simeon of old: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."
Owing to the constant emigration, the status of the various branches of the mission is constantly changing. Emigration is uniformly discouraged and the Elders are instructed not to preach the principle of gathering, but when the Gospel takes possession of a man, he seems moved upon to get to Zion as soon as possible. As a rule it is those of the strongest faith, the keepers of the Word of Wisdom, the honest tithe-payers who gather with the body of the Church, and the Church, throughout the British Isles, is materially crippled by their loss. If the ratio of emigration for the remainder of this year is proportioned to that of the first four months, the number of those leaving this country during 1904 will far exceed the number baptized into the Church for the same period. The Alberta colonies are at present receiving a fair share of attention from Latter-day Saints who are thinking of making homes for themselves in the new world.
At the present time there are in the British mission thirteen conferences and sixty-five branches. There are 224 Elders engaged in the traveling ministry, and the local Priesthood consists of 582 persons. The total number of souls, in the Church, December 31, 1903, was 4,883. This number seems small when compared with the numbers that were reported when President Franklin D. Richards first had charge of the work in this land, and yet it should be remembered that from the mills of Lancashire, the potteries of Staffordshire, the collieries of Wales, the shops of London, the moors of Scotland and the hop gardens of Kent have gone, by tens of thousands, men and women who are to-day pillars of strength in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as a considerable portion of the bone and sinew of the youngest of the American commonwealths.8
Benjamin Hemminger, ‘Forgotten Quest: The Brigham Young Academy Scientific Exploration Expedition,’ Insight, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1998), pp. 20-29.
‘He is Down and Out,’ The Journal [Logan], 18 January 1906, p. 1.
Will Testify in Smoot Case,’ Salt Lake Tribune, 31 January 1906, p. 1.
‘Professor Wolfe takes the stand against Smoot,’ The Salt Lake Herald, 8 February 1906, p. 1.
Walter M. Wolfe, ‘History of the British Mission,’ The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, Vol. 66, No. 28 (1904), pp. 433-436.
Walter M. Wolfe, ‘History of the British Mission,’ The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, Vol. 66, No. 29 (1904), pp. 449-453.
Walter M. Wolfe, ‘History of the British Mission,’ The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, Vol. 66, No. 30 (1904), pp. 465-468.
Walter M. Wolfe, ‘History of the British Mission,’ The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, Vol. 66, No. 31 (1904), pp. 481-484.
What a fine moustache! And what a fine read.
A couple of dates need correcting:
"This was very necessary, as, to quote from the Star of May 12, 18G0, "Zion was passing under a cloud, no sermons were given, public works were …"
Plus.. the next paragraph:
"On May 19, 1800, Elders N. V. Jones and Jacob Gates assumed control of the affairs of the mission, to be succeeded in A….”
And at the end of that same paragraph a spelling mistake with Elder Rich's name;`
"leaving Elders Lyman and Piich (Rich) to attend to the spiritual welfare of the thousands of Saints under their charge."