The following is a transcription of Erastus Snow, journal, 1841-1847, p. 4, 10, 12, 16-17, 21, 27, 29-30, 35-37, 44. These are the page numbers referenced in Elizabeth Kuehn’s article, “More Treasures Than One.”
Our due time. and they thought
the due time of the Lord had come. Though I felt anxious to go home in the fall
and thought it would involve but little property I had in the west in a
difficulty yet to stay I felt willing to do the will of the Lord. I prayed
earnestly to know his will and his Spirit continually whispered to go to Salem
I also thought of the Apostles who cast lots to see which should take the place
of Judas I therefore after writing on one ballot Nauvoo and on the other Salem
prayed earnes- ty that God would show by the ballot which way I should go. and
I drewed the ballot that had Salem on it twice in succession and I then
resolved as soon as I had filled the appointment, I should I would go to Salem.
. . .
Landed at Stonington Conn. at 2¼
A.M. we proceeded thence to Providence. 110 miles from N.Y. where we arrived at
5½ A.M. and that day the 19th went to Woonsocket— In that place and about a
vast number are infidels among which was my Brother. They were nevertheless
liberal minded and I tarried and preached several times. had good order and
large and respectable assemblies and many were ast- onished at the doctrine and
sold several books of different kinds and my Bro. seemed to take an interest in
the work. The Lord grant that he may embrace it. During my stay there I went to
Northbridge Mgs. 1½ miles and visited a small branch built up By Joseph Boll
last Summer and I preached to them twice on Sunday 22ᵈ Aug. Tuesday August
31st. I left My wife and child
. . .
We arrived, Strangers and alone
but trusted in God to direct our course. We took boarding at a respectable
boarding house, for $3½ per week each, being cheapest we found. We ranged the
city over hunted the hills, up and applied for several me Prayed that night
earnestly that God would open the hearts of the people that we might obtain a
hearing. Next mor- ning we succeeded to the Masonic Hall. We hired it by the
month and advertised in the papers and held our first meeting on Sunday the 6.
I went to Boston and preached twice but return- ed on the evening train of cars
and preached in Salem where Bro Winchester did in the day-time. He had
respectable congregations through the day
. . .
in private dwellings through the
week in various parts of the city.— Mr Hatherway of Marblehead also opened his
house and I preached twice, some opposed and others seemed to believe,— In
Salem I found a bitter enemy to the truth in the person of the Rev. Mr A.G.
Cornings editor of the “Genius of Christianity,” who called himself a Christian
Baptist. He published many evil things in his paper about the cause and refused
to insert my answers and it finally resulted in an Oral discussion in Mechanic
Hall before an audience of 400, 500 people. The discussion lasted 6 evenings
and the excitement increased as the debate advanced and the public feeling
continued to turn against my opponent for his arguments were chiefly epithets
and insults. The chief good which resulted from such that discussion was
it caused many to investigate the doctrines who otherwise would have thought it
un- worthy of notice. My meetings afterwards were much better attended than
before.— The people in Salem were generally rigid sectarians and the majority
of those that attended my meetings at first were those that stood aloof from
all societies. On the 8ᵗʰ of Nov. I reaped the first fruits of my labours.
Baptised five.— On the 9ᵗʰ myself and wife went to Broffol about 20 miles north
There were a few saints in that place. I preached thrice and returned leaving
my wife - On the 14 Elder E.P. Magin came to Salem & assisted me
. . .
Feby 26 I baptised eight and took
the cars that evening (Saturday) for Boston where I preached that evening and
twice the next day and returned and preached sunday evening in Salem. We
preached every evening that week in Masonic hall and on Saturday March 5th held
a conference and organized the branch, and ordained an elder and a Priest.
Those of Lynn and Marblehead were included with the Salem branch which made it
number 53. On Sunday afternoon Elder W. started again for Philadelphia. Monday
the 7th I baptised 5 more and on Tuesday I started for Northbridge. called and
preached in Boston and Chelsea
. . .
May 24th at which time a
conference of elders (previously called) was held in Salem. We had a very
interesting meeting, and many elders, Priests, Teachers & Deacons were
ordained belonging in Salem and the Boston, N. Bedford, Lowell, Peterboro, and
Georgetown branches. & much good was done in the name of the Lord. On
Monday the 30th Conference adjourned to meet again the following 9th Sept. The
Salem Branch then was represented as consisting of 79 members. I baptised more
after conference, and in the course of the Month of June it increased to about
90 but several began to move away to Nauvoo & elsewhere one died and one
was expelled from the church. About this time there were many sick that were
healed of various diseases.
. . .
Sunday the 17th July I preached 3
times in Boylston Hall in Boston and confirmed some previously baptised, and
Monday while we were in the North end of the city on Boston line being 2½ miles
distant at the Southern sent for Bro. Nicherson and Myself to come and lay
hands on him and about 5 Oclock P.M. we went and found him rocked with pain on
a fever raging upon him. He told us he had heard the word and believed but had
refused obedience until the hand of God had been laid heavily upon him and now
He wished us to administer to him that he might be raised up and be able to
obey the Gospel. The Spirit rested on us and I told him any time he would set
to obey the ordinance he should be healed. He said he would go that evening. We
laid our hands on him and anointed him with oil and rebuked his fever and he
arose and put on his clo's and I took him by the hand and led him to a
neighboring brother and his pains departed his fever left him and he returned
home got his horse and wagon and clothes and himself & wife went 2½ miles
to Northend and were baptised and confirmed and the Lord gave them the comfort
and they went home rejoicing. I returned and preached in Chumpseut, Marblehead
and Salem till Sat. 31st July I went to Lowell and preached Sunday and Tuesday
the 2d August, and then went to Westford 9 miles from Lowell and preached
Thursday evening and was attacked by a preacher and we after some talk agreed
to discup the doctrine of "baptism for remission of Sins" the
following evening, he opposing. We met accordingly and discuped it much to the
satisfaction of the hearers and to his disappointment.
. . .
going to Nauvoo with my family
about this time but the Presidency counsiling me to stay I concluded to do so -
and the saints provided a house and other things needfull and we went to keep
my house by ourselves in Salem. about this time J. Proctor elder of the Salem
branch denied the faith and 2 or 3 others were added to the church and a few
families started for Nauvoo - On the 18 Oct. 08 I was in Boston Bro. Hains came
over from Chelsea after Bro. Nickerson & myself to go over and lay hands
upon a Mrs. Spooner whom he had by the workings of the holy Spirit been led to
visit & He told us that She was a saint was baptised somewhere in the
country 7 years ago but was unknown to the saints here and her wicked husband
and family had kept her ignorant of the existence of any saint in this part of
the country. When we went to see her to my surprise I found She was baptised at
my fathers in St Johnsbury Vermont in July 1835. She had been since by her
husband been deprived of all privile= =ges with the saints and moved away from
them and She had now been sick with the dropsy on the chest and heart so that
for 7 months her heart had rolled in water with= out apparently heating and a
council of physicians had pronounced her incurable and for 3 weeks before Bro.
Hains visited her She had been unable to speak above her breath. She had great
faith, had prayed much that God in would send by his spirit some elders to pray
for and lay hands upon her though She knew of none in this country and She
obtained a witness of the Spirit that her prayers were heard and that She
should be healed and She told it to her husband and physi= =cians. And so it
was me anointed her with holy oil laid our hands upon her and prayed and
rebuked the disease & it departed. This being in the evening The arose next
morning dressed herself washed the house and next day was out of doors, much to
the surprise of her physicians and to the Joy of her family. I also married a
couple in Boston after which I returned to Salem and continued preach= ing as
usual. I continued my labours in Salem and Marblehead occasionally visiting
& preaching in Boston
. . .
to Albany thence on the “Erie
canal” to Rochester N.Y. and Stopped and visited about ten days with my wifes
Brothers, sisters, and friends where She was born and spent her young days in
Mendon, Avon & Livonia from 15 to 20 miles south of Rochester. According to
previous arrangements I Joined at Rochester a company of saints numbering about
75 souls who left Boston and the eastern churches the first of Oct. and with
them I Journeyed to Nauvoo via Buffalo, across Lake Erie to Cleveland O. by
canal to Beaver on the Ohio river and per Steamers on the Ohio + Mississippi
rivers to Nauvoo. We were detained 2 days in Buff. =alo, during which time
myself and several others of the company went in a steam Boat to Chippeway and
thence to Niagara falls.
