Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-08-07
The English MOrmOnS.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM A MORMON MIS-
SIONARl.

Elder q. ID. Watt writes from this city
to the Salt Lake Telegraph an account of
what he has seen i'll Il recent tour through
England He first speaks Of the extreme
poverty of the Mormons in Great Britain
=" 1t may not be amiss to note here that
the Latter-Day Saints still scattered abroad
throughout those distant nations, especially
those in England and Wales are the poor
est Of the poor Saints. Those who possess
means to help themselves away have done
So For instance
In 1861 | attended meeting OF the
Saints in Liverpool, which was held in one
of the finest halls in that city, and ad-
dressed congregation Of nearly one thou
sand people The Liverpool branch then
numbered hundreds of Saints, we'll to do,
and able to occupy a splendid hall for the
worship of God In the month of March,
1867. | again attended meeting Of the
Saints in Liverpool, and spoke to a con-
gregation of not more than twenty persons,
in room or garret situated in the back
streets of that city, measuring about ten
feet wide and twenty-five feet long, being
lighted by skylights from the root. The
Preston branch of the Church, whose con-
gregation numbered hundreds in 1851.
does not now have a congregation Of over
fifteen persons.
This rule will apply as a general thing
all over the island of Great Britain, where
the gospel has been received and churches
of the saints have been organized years
ago Those who could get away are gone :;
those who could not and would not have
apostatized, and those who would and cam
not are still there struggling with poverty,
believing on, and looking still to the far
off West, where they have looked for
years, and hoping on that deliverance will
surely come some day
THE ELDERS THEN AND NOW.
Such is the general condition Of the
poor saints in those old countries. They
are good, true and faithful, and would be
wiling to walk on their hands and knees
to reach the valleys of the mountains. if it
could be done. They are willing to divide
their last potato or piece OF bread with the
travelling elder or the minister of God,
who is appointed to instruct and bless them.
The day was in those counties when u
DTtSlucUl VI Il COHltICiltC Nputi NAVY Ills
carpeted room, with sofa, bright fender,
and fre-irons, looking-glass and glittering
ornaments, in which to pray, mediate and
write to-day the president of a district
of conference cannot be so favored, not for
the want of disposition in the Saints thus
to bless the servants of God, but for the
want of the wherewithal to do it. The
Saints who possessed means of comfort
have gone to Zion, and taken their silver
and their gold with them.
CAS- general thing the elders now have
to crush themselves into the circle of a
family who have not half sufficient room
for themselves in their small, poorly ventil-
ated dwellings, sleeping one night IN Il bed
with scarcely any covering another night,
perhaps, covered enough; sometimes hot
and sometimes cold, travelling from town
to town, sometimes poorly shod and halt
fed, half fed often, because they refuse to
take the bread from the mouths of the
poor toiling saints. This picture, of
course, will not apply to all, because 1t is
generally so all through that island. Were
it not for the blessings of the Almighty
on the bodies of His servants, they would
suHCI, Dut 'iSii i"ith 'hSf ""ii'
for nothing, and are sustained in the per.
formance of their labors.
Some of the brethren whose constitu
tions are not naturally strong, sink an6
become sick, and before their missions have
closed are released and sent home to the
more congenial climate of the mountains
Many of them have sent home for mean.
to assist them to buy clothing, and a gooc
meal of victuals, when they have felt tha
they required it,
THE UNMARRIED SISTERS.
There are hundreds of unmarried sis
ters in that country, many who have beer
born in the church, and some who hav'
been in the church more than half thei
lives, refusing to enter into matrimonial
alliance with those who are not of ou
faith, waiting for tie day of their deliver
ance, and looking to the mountains 70
help. Great and precious promises hav
been made to them by the servants of God
They rely upon those promises, and ar
looking and expecting year by year for tn
day of their deliverance. They canno
save means to help themselves out. Som
OI tnein nave W woIA W HoiP an aye
father or mother, or both, or a widowed
mother and little fatherless brothers an
sisters. In short, all the faithful saint
who have been able to help themselve
away have done so generally all throug
those countries.
"The prayers of the poor of those land
are ascending day and night to God fc
aid and deliverance. Let my brethren
J. Zion who have plenty, who have enoug
and to spare, think of their relations an
friends who are back in the old country.