The following are excerpts from Trent Bowen, Jesse Bigler Martin Diaries, Volumes 1-3 (2022). The handwritten originals can be found here. These were all composed while Jesse Bigler Martin (1825-1908) was serving a mission in England.
1854
[Sunday] March 5th
I held a meeting at Brother Howorth’s.
The Saints felt well. The sisters bore their testimony of the truth of this
work. I held a meeting in the evening at Sister Greenwood’s. Her husband is not
in the Church. I spoke to them on the subject of the revelation of the
government of GOD, showing that the revelation given in the last days was just
as binding on this generation as those given to other generations. Brother Wright
bore his testimony to the work. The sisters sang “The GOD that others worship
is not the GOD for me”, and “Praise to the Man that communed with JEHOVAH”. I
went home with Brother Wright and his girls sang some good songs. (p. 40)
[Sunday] May 7th
I went to Blackburn. It was fast
Sunday, for the Saints to fast and pray that they may have more of the spirit
of the Lord, and that they might be more united. I spoke to them in the evening
meeting on the subject of obedience, telling them that their duty, to abide by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of the servants of the Lord. In these
last days, and that their word was as binding on us as the words of the
prophets in olden times. (p. 51)
[Tuesday] June 13rd
I went to Blackburn and four of
the brethren we brought up before the meeting for misconduct, in going to the
beer shops and drinking. They confessed their faults and sid they would quit
going to the beer shops. (p. 56)
[Wednesday] June 28th
I went to Present to help take in
the stock at the star agent’s office. I went to meeting in the evening. I spoke
to them, and told them to give heed to the counsel of Brigham Young and to put
their money to the temple fund and emigration fund. They felt well and two
spoke on tongues and praised the Lord. (p. 58)
Sunday July 23rd
I went to Burnley. Preached to
them in the evening on the subject of obedience and told them to observe the Word
of Wisdom, that the blessing of our Father in Heaven might rest upon us. After
I met with two of the Saints from Tadmenden Branch about 2 miles away. (pp.
71-72)
Saturday August 5th
I wrote a letter to Albert Tyler
and then went to Joseph Giles. He and his wife belong to the church but say she
will not get to the valley. She does not believe in the gathering and she does
not believe in the plurality of wives nor any other principle but baptism and
sends the children to the Methodist chapel, and the old man does not govern his
house in the fear of God. (p. 74)
Wednesday August 9th
Still remained in Longton
teaching the Saints showing them the necessity of gathering as many of them
have got plenty of gold but not the spirit of gathering. (p. 75)
Monday August 21st
I went to Burnley and stayed all
night at Brother Armitage’s, but at about 12 o’clock I and Brother Ferguson
were called on to go and see a brother that had been taken sick or the devil had
taken possession of his body and caused him to have fits and he had lost the
use of his right arm and leg. He had hard fits when he came and of one fit he
would lay for a half a minute and then go into another. Brother Ferguson, the
president of the conference, told me to preside on that occasion. I told them
to kneel down and pray. I then called upon Brother Ferguson to be mouth and we
laid our hands on him and commanded the evil spirit in the name of Jesus Christ
to leave him and he made a struggle and left him, and he received his strength
in his arm before we took our hands off of him, and he got well and head no
more fits, and was about the town the next day. The Lord heard our prayers and
blessed the man and I praised the Lord as I laid on my pillow that night. There
was a woman that had tended on him for several hours and said it was the power
of God that healed him, and she does not belong to the church. (p. 76)
Sunday October 22nd
I preached to the Saints in the
evening on the subject of direct revelation. (p. 84)
Sunday November 19th
I stayed in Accrington and
preached to a large congregation in the evening on the subject of direct revelation
and living prophets. (p. 88)
Sunday December 24th
I went to Bristol with Brother
Bailey and his wife and sister Cose to Attend Conference as it was the Bristol
Conference. I spoke to the Saints on the subject of Setting up of the Kingdom
in the last days and the necessity of obeying he voice of the prophets in the
last days. (p. 92)
1855
Sunday April 1st
I went to the Saints’ chapel. I
had appointed that day for a fast throughout the conference. We met at 11 o’clock
and the president of the branch wanted me to take charge of the meeting all
day. We had a good time; the Saints said they never had a better meeting in Bath.
The Lord did bless us for which I feel to praise his holy name. In the evening,
I preached to a large congregation and bore my testimony that Joseph Smith was
a prophet of God and stands at the head of the last dispensation and that all
mankind will have to believe that Joseph was a prophet of God before they can
enter into the joys of the world to come. I told them that I am a special witness
of Joseph, sent forth to preach the gospel of life and to testify that Joseph is
a prophet and that he was God’s legal authorized agent on the earth, the same
as Peter was in his day, I felt the spirit of testimony on me and I bore a
faithful testimony. The strangers were very attentive and seemed well pleased and
may that obey the gospel, is the prayer of the servant of Jesus Christ and
fellow laborer with Joseph Smith, the martyred prophet of the 19th century. (p.
104)
Sunday April 8th
I went to the Saints’ chapel at
10 o’clock. The saints met and Brother Silver read to them out “The Mormon” that
is published by John Taylor in the City of New York. At 11 o’clock was
organized a school for the Saints to learn to read and write and receive other useful
instruction. We met at 3 in the afternoon and sister Deborah Morris was taken
very bad with the camps. She lost the use of her arms. She called for me and I went
and laid hands on her head to get better. Brother Davies carried her downstairs
and I knelt down by her side and prayed for her. The Lord heard my prayers, and
after a few minutes she was able to walk home. The Lord heard our prayer in her
behalf for which I feel to thank His holy name. (p. 105)
1856
Sunday November 23rd
I went to Burnley and stayed all
day with the Saints. Sister Anna Greenwood and Sister Mary Fielding came to see
me for the last time in old England. They are good girls and are alone in this
Church. Their parents are not Saints; some of the young men in Burnley have
backed out of the Church because they felt that tithing was too hard for them
to pay. Thomas Graham and John Fumes are the two that have left the Church on
that grounds. (p. 136)
1857
Thursday March 12th
I stayed in Bristol all day and
preached to the Saints in the evening for a short time after Brother Dille got
through. I felt well and exhorted the Saints to faithfulness, to observe Word
of Wisdom strictly, and to, in the favor of their God repent and be re-baptized
and begin a new and shine to live every word that God gives unto them. I pray
my father for them that they may be kept humble and receive a portion with the
faithful of God’s children. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
(p. 153)
Thursday March 17th
I stayed in Bristol all day; went
to the water and saw Elder Nelson baptize a person. They were re-baptized. We
went to Brother Tucker’s and reconfirmed them, then went to the Saints’ chapel
and Elder Nelson preached for a short time. (p. 154)
Monday March 24th
I stayed in Liverpool all day
went and saw the first ship George Washington that the Saints are going
to sail on. On the 16th of this month, met with the brethren of the priesthood
at Brother Chapmans’. Elder Benson preached. I was called on to assist to reconfirm
some of the brethren that had been re-baptized. I then had some supper with
Sister Rogers, then went home to my lodgings. (p. 155)
Friday June 5th
We started at 8 o’clock and
traveled 14 miles. Camped 1 ½ miles west of Moringo. This night, Mary Jan Dyer
was possessed with evil spirits. I commanded them to tell me their names. They
said their names were Mammon and Cutny. After we had cast them out in the name
of Jesus, another came. I asked his name and he said his name was Mortical.
After he had told me his name, I commanded him to depart in the name of Jesus
Christ and left forthwith, and she felt much better, and was able to travel the
next day. (p. 165)
