The following is a transcription of William Walker, Letter to Thomas Bullock, 7 February, 1845 (CHL call no.: MS 27307)
Hull Feby 7 1845 England —
My dear Brother Bullock/
Your’s of august 20th 1844 is now
before
me— for which I thank you from the ground of my heart— nearly 6
months will have passed since you wrote delayed I suppose by the parties
who may
have been detained on their journey or by taking a circuitous rout from them
&
then it came to me about 14 days ago— From Bro Rich’s not a word—from his
beloved Porten not a line— From Sister Sarah Wamsley or Chas not a sentence
which rather astonishes me— From sister Mary wood of Manchester living at
I suppose she does with Broth. P. P. Pratt and his esteemed wife not a stroke
of
the pen from her— But I suppose they are all as busy as can be helping
to build up Zion to fortify her; lengthen her Stakes and strengthen herFho
cords— while we here are getting the living stones out of Babylon to
adorn & inhabit the same— out of the sects of the day— hard work
let me see 6 months since you have to pass through some trying scenes since
then— america is a strange place— a great want of energy in the executing
part of the authorities or else a despond apathy amongst her law officers—and
her
military organs— But you well know my dear Brother that it is no new thing
for the Righteous to perish from the earth & no man to lay it to heart— of
such
the worldly wood is not worthy— another great and eternal truth we have
to remember viz a in this respect especially vengeance is mine saith the
Lord and I will repay it, therefore let us have no great anxiety about the
matter he
whose right it is will execute justice much more effectual than we can or
know how the judge of all the earth will do right— Your communication on the
Baptism for the dead, are valuable & shall store them. I also see by the
minutes of
your october conference some good hints thrown out on that and other subjects,
&
I think you must have had an interesting Conference— Poor Rigdon he seems
greatly
to have missed his cue if I understood the Law right in the case I expect he
would
not go alone. Let me have your calm thoughts upon the subject— as briefly
as possible say what are his Prospects as an apostate & his followers, if
any. How
can he have true revelations from God if he goes against the Law of God
true Church— I am not anxious about this I hope it will soon die.
another subject the knowledge of I want to come at viz the Urim and
Thummim— do you ever see it— how is it consulted and by whom
is it consulted on ordinary or extraordinary occasions— or both—
The next thing I may notice in
passing the advice you so kindly give me for which
I thank you I want a little more of the lion & the eagle & luck zeal in
this
glorious cause— In fact I don’t know what what I do not lack— But I am
sure that
as Christ has made my cause his & fill by his help & make his
cause mine through all difficulties my tongue some times stammers, but
it has learned to cry aloud repent— Repent aye people and turn to you
God. Before it be too late— my voice is not very strong or trumpet like
but the generation shall hear it— while he shall give me the ability—
The last general conference held
at Lpool appointed me to Hull— I came
here not finding a saint in the place— I met with one a little way out of the
town, [illegible]
not knowing a single individual in the place not knowing where to
abide— I put into the house of woman who charged me 2/6 per week for lodging
my washing & had to send into [illegible] to a little town 200 miles— as I
had an
opportunity of doing so without expence— for what I was thankful— I commenced
to open my mission preaching in the open air & in a house for 3 months
till I was nearly done over— I could hardly get along the streets with
weakness and exhaustion— at length I began to Baptise have kept doing
so ever since now & then— the number now some where about 80
less true some are on the sea at times being in that line of life others in
service— but here we are and last night we had a very good meeting of the
officers— we have had something in the shape of Religion but it is dying or
dead— I went from here last week into Lincolnshire to a place called
[illegible] and [illegible]
in one week— 12 were Baptise at a little distance from them. So you see we can
not
idle— we have a very pretty place to Preach in on Sundays considering the
weakness
of the instrument, the hardness of the place the determined opposition to our
Church we have not done so badly— the Lord is soon I hope to
in good & honest heart—
During my being here Mr. Walker
and the children have had some hardships to pass
through— of hunger & sickness— I have not seen them
since nor do I know when I may— I did expect to have spent a short time with
them in conference which will be held in Manchester in april— But then actually
stared
out at Pendleton and I expect will be in Bedfordshire or Sunderland about 30
miles
from London the days she should like to stay there for 2 years in order to
give the Children a more correct knowledge of the Straw business. I expect
she will be engaged by D’r Cooper’s Brethren at Leek who have begun
a large establishment there in the Straw department— so if [illegible]
I can get removed to London or
some who near them I will
try before I can see them— distance & expense are serious considerations—
now do I see How I can get to Zion under such circumstances
of present except the Church would allow me the privilege of making
a trip there & back for the benefit of my health & then Mrs &
Esther
Back with me; this I leave at present—
I wish some of my friend would
now & send a domestic sort
of a Letter as to their manner of living— what do the poor
saints find to do— How fares the climate agree with you
How much colder & hotter than England— I should like
to get some little account of the Temple in the interior—
What can a man stand by
endowment— What
becomes of the officers in the land if they can be with you at the
opening of the Temple can they have their endowments without
Ceremony or are they to come & Return— just answer me
these questions will you— From what I can get to know about the
size of the Temple it will not hold a tenth of the saints at the
same time how is this difficulty to be met— Is it a fact
that the officers are to have a peculiar kind of a roof when they
have to officiate in the Temple— Is it to be pewless, formless and
not a roof at all— [hole in letter]
a newspaper from “Nawoo”. What chance would a Cooper have
with you who has a large family & a stupid wife what would not
do as he wishes except it please her— But ye have no views of
this can with you— well perhaps you may— will you send
us word how to manage [illegible] — I must come to a close
with my scribble— there are a many things I could like to know
But you would think me tedious— or I was going to ask
what is the commonly received opinion with you as to the time
Christ will come to Reign on the earth— How & in what
manner are the Saints to become instruments in serving the
jews— I have just read your Letter again, it is good to my
spirit— I hope you send me another as soon as you can—
Send your next to Bro Ward at L-pool to be forwarded
to me by him— can you get me a copy of doctrine & covenant
put my name then it will not have to pay duty send it by [illegible]
