Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-11-09


mont should be addressed to Mrs.
Elizabeth G. McCunc. chairman Gem
eolosical committee OF the Daughters
1T the Pioneers corner north Main
and First North street, Salt Lake City,
utah
The following letter VIII be of es-
pecial interest To- readers who are en-
gagged in temple work. and who have
had difficulty On getting genealogical
data, as &c shows how the Father opens
up the way when his children do their
part In looking after their dead kim
jred;
Payson, Utah Co. Utah. oct "a. 1907.
Mrs Elizabeth McCune. Dear Sis-
tons As you have invited correspond
cmco 90 your columns iu the News. %
] take this opportunity Co write "a few
items of my experience in genealogical
work. N might De faith-promotinE to
others. ] commenced 40 years ago TO
gather names vi my ancestors and 10
was "a very hard slow work. I would
write CD county clerks and they would
say send me $40 and 7 will send you
your names on this record" So
worked iu this way 2O years and the
tcmple work. When ] was about to
despair ] prayed 90 the Lord to open
my way Tie answered my prayer In
mysterious way. L went Co thc post
Office one day and there was a letter
from one trastus Potter. from tho
state OF Massachusetts. stating that he
had just completed and published a
book of 1900 names AN vt the pot-
ter families " the United States.
This Erastus Potter had worked %
years and had spent 100000 600 gather
ing names lie had searched six
states, fror Rhode Island twhere my
grandfather's father was born) west.
boz an the states % Iowa. / found that
an the names were on my direct line
OF gcnealogy, even AN OF my fathers
family were named In the book Now
/ hailed this book as "a gift Of God
sent trOm God 90 mo. 7 ala not
waste any time in going 90 Manti
temple And there I engaged the help
Of Frank pearns Farnsworth He was
ole ~ the noblost and most faithful
genealogical workers in the Church.
We spent some weeks in drawing on
on shect-form an that were dead and
when we got this AN completed. I
commenced the haptisms Of 1890 peo-
pie.
After completing an OF the baptsms
and recording them ON my Church
haQ Just really commenced. The great
work Of the temple ordinances was on
my hands And now I had spent
nearly an my means. So 1 became
very depressed and sad. went 10
my lodgings rather downcast and the
tempter came 90 me and said: you
have done an this work IN the dard
there Is nothing 10 IT. Men
have persuaded you 10 do this
70 make money ANA you are deceivedir
While in this state Of mind I fell asleepl
In "a moment. voice called me bv
name. ] raised up and saw a person
who stood by my bed. I asked him who
he was. ne said that he was nv
guardian angel / asked him some
questions and be said that he had
preserved my life many times when I
was near unto death. and then he said.
Come with me-"
We went upward with the speed Of
electricity ana Z found myself ON the
Atlantic sea board and o. was ln mo
old Revolutionary times My guide
said thaf / was missionary TO that
people I found that a meeting Was
called On large log house or school
mouse. There was ana oak table on "a
platform in one corner OF the house.
and taIlou candles We're burning in am
other corncr-thc house was packed
fun OF people as WC came lu. ] aroa.
ana sang "a hymn ana offered prayer.
ana then sang another hymn. L re-
member they were the same as we sang
In The temple. and they all helped me
IN Sing. ] spoke about 40 minutes ON
the FIRST principles OF the Gospel and
the redemption of The dead. aud when
] was through and had dismissed. /
told them That 7 wac travelling without
purse or scrip according 90 thc ancient
pattern that Christ Set Several people
gnUD ID mo and asked mo fs ga harr.