| Joseph Fielding dreads
the thought of raiding his family's flocks in England, but is thoroughly
converted to Mormonism. James welcomes Joseph and his companions, and offers
them his pulpit. The people believe, but James can't. He opposes the missionaries
but it is too late. The family splits. Joseph sends Elders Richards and
Goodson to his brother-in-law, Rev. Timothy Matthews, in Bedford. Timothy
offers them his pulpit and the people believe. To keep his congregation,
Timothy gets baptized by someone else so he can offer a new baptism. |
| Paragraphing and periods
added. |
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Preston
October 2 1837 |
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Mary Fielding
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My dear Sisters |
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Mary
and Mercy Rachel Fielding, Kirtland |
| Prays
for James incessantly |
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… After it was
determined to sail to Liverpool my thoughts were turned to Bro James &
I pray'd allmost incessantly that the Lord would prepare him to receive
our message. |
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Arrives
in Preston
James ill |
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On our coming to Preston
on Saturday I enquired and found him. he was very much surprised to see
me he was in very ill health at the time. Martha was much pleased as they
all were, but how did I feel on thinking of the message I had to [give]
them, which if they did not receive, would cut us asunder. |
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Martha: Joseph's younger sister, Martha Fielding Watson (1803–1872). |
| James'
new chapel |
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I saw Bro James had got
his new Chapel pretty forward, the [Landpur?] chased and the walls up and
all going on fair, and in a great degree by the help of his Friends and
his Church. |
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| James'
predicament |
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you may easily [-] of
his Situation. if he received it and his people did not how would he be.
He must come down from his Pulpit and assume no Authority. but what he should
receive from this Church. Those who had aided in building would think it
hard to be disappointed and it seemed as though all must stand. still you
see what was now wanting, just simple Faith in God. |
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Offers
his pulpit
Joseph promised to be fair |
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he however proposed
that we should preach in the afternoon on the next day. this was the Lord's
doing. I had told him that if he should allow us that privilege we should
not run foul upon him at once, so that he might judge of it before he repeated
the favour and that his people might not be influenced to an undue agree
at first. |
|
¶
Willard Richards (h) |
| James
had promoted the elders |
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this excited great interest
for Bro J had read to them the Letters we sent to them in his Chappel. he
had even given it out that he had such Letters and would read them &
invited the people to attend and the Chappel was crowded to hear them so
that not only his own congregation but many others had become gretly interested
on the subject in that it had gone through the town, so that when the news
was circulated that the Elders were come many were ready to hear. |
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Hadn't
read about baptism
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Bro James had spoken
highly on the subject saying they came from a [-] on whom he could depend.
yet he did read the part on Baptism. but it had a powerful Effect on Some
of the most pious of his hearers and they were all praying the Lord to send
them the word by his servants. thus you see as we say they prayed us here.
no wonder that we Should come. |
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John
Goodson preaches
Return on Wednesday |
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In the Evening Bro.
Goodson preached and spoke of the doctrine generally and pointedly and Bro
J gave [up/us?] again an appointment, for Wednesday next. |
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John
Goodson, like Joseph, was converted by Parley P. Pratt in 1836. |
| People
believe, James objects |
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the people began to
believe more & more. this made Bro James begin to fear. he began to
object. he said he had not time to study the subject his mind was so taken
up in preaching to the people to repent & believe in Christ and be converted.
this was strange reasoning. I do not think he ever read the Book of Mormon
but to find objections. it appeared weak to him and unlike inspiration.
he saw no beauty in any thing we advanced but you know some of his hearers
are really honest hearted, Such as the following … |
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Ellipses
in original |
Congregation
likes James
Perhaps 150 baptized |
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they were strongly attached
to their minister and it seem'd impossible for them to leave him. yet having
a measure of the Spirit they could not rest without doing it. they therefore
as they say had to tear themselves away. some asked could we not obey the
Gospel and yet keep were they were. Answer, No. and not only the greater
part of Bro J but a many from other Churches have (to the number of perhaps
150) embraced the Gospel. |
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| Looks
bad |
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It has had a bad appearance
with many in Preston for our Bro to come and oppose another. it has said
Bro J has made religion stink in the minds of the intelligent [people] of
the place. he said he thought the people were too much inlightened to receive
such things. this is about the truth. therefore the poor have the Gospel
preached unto them they receive it & they will possess the Earth. |
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| Joseph
leaves James' home |
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I stop'd at Bro J and
lived there awhile and slept there untill I could see it was not agreeable
to him. he would often argue and contend with me but to no advantage for
his mind was first against our message. |
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| Bears
witness of Book of Mormon |
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one
morning as we were sitting down to Breakfast he began. I said but little
as little as I could. he said the Elders appeared to him just like evil
designed men, the Book of Mormon was like Fa[b]les and spoke very hard things.
I sat as long as I could bear and then got up from the Table took the Book
of Mormon in my hand and testified to them that the Book was of God that
what we had told them was the truth and that he Bro J would have to repent
and then left the House and went off to my Brethren in Christ. |
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| Martha
Watson |
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… but Martha is
as kind as Ever. I have gone there but seldom since. Bro Watson says but
little but is rather opposed. they have but little congregation. |
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Joseph's
sister, Martha Ibbotson Fielding (1803–1872) was married to Peter Isaac
Watson. They had no children. In the 1860s she would befriend Joseph F.
and Samuel H. B. Smith. |
| James
opposes Mormonism |
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I know not what Bro
J will do. the more he has done to oppose us the more it has been with him
as it is with all & so it will be. … |
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Goodson
and Richards to Bedford
Timothy Matthews welcomes misisonaries, people believe |
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After we had been in
Preston for a while Elders Goodson & Richards went off to Bedford. I
sent a letter by them. Mrs M was not at home. Mr M received them very cordially,
believed all their testimony and exhorted his Church to believe. in short
they received the doctrine and fixed a time for Baptism at eight oclock
in the Evening. |
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Mr
M: Rev. Timothy Matthews, Joseph's brother-in-law. |
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but when they should
have gone forward they began again to pray. I hardly know why unless it
was something like Balaam in Numbers. |
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| Matthews
gets baptized by someone else to keep his flock |
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it appears that Mr
M went (I think) the next day and got baptised by some other person of course
some one holding different sentiments to himself. to this you will say impossible
as I should have thought. he was fully convinced of the doctrine but as
his people were also convinced, he saw they would leave him for the sake
of truth [and] was therefore baptised himself and then began to baptise
his people for the remission of sins. |
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| About
12 convert to Mormonism |
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at this conduct some
of them were disgusted and left him. 12 I think united with us. the first
was Mr. Bradshaw. … |
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Joseph
Fielding
Joseph
Fielding Diary: 1832–1837
Joseph Fielding to Millennial Star,
1841
England
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