MISSION DIARY OF JOHN P. WRIGHT
1 April 1897 – 6 July 1897
(It appears that John is in North Wales at this time)
This
book was bought in Cannak’s Quary
(Connah’s Quay) on 2
March 1897. Cost 1 penny.
Thursday April 1, 1897
This morning is haisy but I think forty as I feel the
cold go through me I folded 102 tracts befor I left
my bedroom. We started out before 10 a.m. and went another way
to Howardin and tracted
some Farm houses on the way, and finished tracting Howarden. We went to Hon Mr. Gladstons
Mansion but the Old man was not at home, but the lodgekeeper
said he would be home on Saturday. We gave tracts 5 houses on the Estate. We
came back through Sandycroft, the pentre
and gave what tracts we had in the pentre but tracted nine in Sandycroft as we
will be back there I gave out 103 tracts and visited 90 houses 3 houses refused
to take the tracts. I had 3 conversations today a one yesterday walked about 12
miles.
Friday April 2, 1897
I got a paper from Hyrum and a letter from Louisa this morning. Today was fine
but our tracts being none too plentyfull we didn’t go
out. I folded 105 ready for distributing. I also wrote an answer to Lois and
Willis, and one to Jas. Po. Miller and mailed them. Bro Price got a letter from
President Peters with 1- 3- 6 in it so he feels better tonight.
Saturday April 2, 1897
This morning was fine, windy and cold. I bought a red
bottle of ink paid 2th% for it and another safty bottle. After dinner we went to Flint to see Roberts but he
was not home. I went into a tailor shop and had a short conversation with one
of the men. I got my beard trimmed and the top of my head shaved cost 1th% walked 8 miles today it was very windy.
Sunday April 4, 1897
Today I am 59 years old It is a fine day but the sun dosn’t shine clear. There is wind. But it
dosn’t blow as hard as last night. We both
felt like staying from
the Sunday School this morning. As we had been there twice and
thought that if there were any of them that wiched to
investigate further they would come to us. Today we fasted untill
dinner 12 oclok a.m. We went on the street at 1 p.m. to hold a meeting there was two or three there and we
talked with them until 1:30 and they left. and no more came so we went home. So at 3:30 we started for Little Dublin where we had gave out a meeting at 5 p.m. We got there at 4:25 and Price staid at the place and I went toward Flint to see if Roberts was
comming and met lots of the people comming we had a good turn out, and 4 or 5 offers but I
spoke and then Price spoke but we were opposed by some and there was some hot discusion. And we were there for over an hour. There are
some tough customers over there and wont listen to reason. And they thought
that they beat us in argument but they wont stand to
the truth. And finaly turned on to Poligamy and throughing up lies
to that they had heard, but we wouldn’t argue on poligamy
and told them we were not preaching it. I bore my testimony to them and told
them that I knew the Gospel we taught and that the Church that I belonged to
was the Church of Jesus Christ established in these
latter days.
Monday March (April) 5th 1897
Bro Price was not able to go out today and it was a nice one. But he is feeling
under the weather and tracts are limited. We staid home.
So I marked my bible with Gospel passages in red ink and read the Star and
wrote a letter to Barbara and family and sent it in with two stars and mailed
them.
Tuesday April 6 1897
The weather this morning is milder and cloudy it rained a little before we
started out tracting we started to Sandycroft I had 106 tracts of the true Gospel of Jesus
Christ, and some Welsh ones and a few Devine authority, after we started out I
found out it was cold with a breeze comming from the
East and we had to meet it, the distance being 3 miles. I gave out 78 tracts,
visited 55 houses and had 1 conversation with an engineer at a foundry where
400 men worked. We was there when the whistle blew for dinner, and the way the
men turned out surprised me, this caused me to inquire how many men worked
there and I was tole 400. We gave tracts to many of
the men. We had but 212 tracts and tracted every
house in Sandycroft and only visited about 135 houses
so there must be many the live in other towns of lets that keep boarders and
lodgers. There being 400 working at this one works. Bro Price was about gave
out so he stoped at his brother-in-laws at Shetton a wile before we get to our lodgings in Cannak’s Quary. I was home at 3 p.m. got dinner and went to work marking my bible where it
treats on Faith and works.
Wednesday April 7 1897
It rained in the night and is very dull and
threatening this morning, so we did not go out tracting.
I got my bible and done some marking of passages to quote on Faith and works,
after dinner I went to Flint to see if Bro Theo C. Roberts would go with us to Wrascham tomarrow. I started at 12:35 or ther about and found him
drinking a cup of tea, I was about 1 ¼ hours in going over as I didnt hurry and I had one short conversation on the way.
After taking a cup of tea I went with Bro Roberts into the country about __
miles to see Mr. Jones, as he, Bro Roberts wanted to do some business with him,
but he was not in so we waited until 5:30 before he got home, in the mean time,
we preached the Gospel to Jone’s wife, Also took tea
with her. I gave her 3 Welsh trats and one Devine
Authority. When her husband came home we conversed with him on the Gospel. For
about 15 or 20 minutes, which seemed to make a good
impression on him, then Roberts wanting to be home by 7. He attended to
the business he came for and succeeded, that is accomplished what he came for
and was pleased so that when we started home I had a job to keep up with him
after we came to his house his overseer came immediately and he was with him
until 9:25 at which time the train left for Chester. I had a good conversation
with Bro Roberts the day has been a threatening one and I walked 8 miles but it
didn’t rain.
Thursday April 18th 1897
This morning the sun rose clear and it was fine, I got up at 6:35, had
breakfast at Brother Roberts and left on the 9:30 train for the Quary. We went to Shutton to take
the next train for Wresham it being half price but it
had gone. So Brother Price wouldn’t go so I went alone left Shutton
at 12:23 p.m. got a return ticket so as I come back next day if I wanted to
stop over night. On the train with me was a man by name of Hall who had a
cousin in Wellsville Cash co. Utah whos
name was Theo Hall I gave him a Devine Authority tract. He got out at Howarden and this Hall from Utah came from this place.
I walked around Wrescham from 1:30 to 5p.m. from place to place
hunting for some of my people and concluded to go back on the 5:20 p.m. train to Shutten not being able
to find anyone. But just as I got to the station gate, the train was leaving.
So I went to the ticket office and got a ticket for Reuabon
for 5’ and left for Reuabon at 5:55 and was there in a little while. I found two families of
Wrights but no relation and the 3rd one of the Wrights was my first
cousin a son of my Mother’s brother Edward and he is 72 years old and looks
well for his age. I staid with them and took supper there and at 9 .m. went to
where I was going to lodge for the night. I had a good Gospel conversation here
with the man and one of his lodgers and gave them 3 Welch and one English tract
total tracts for today 5 and one conversation.
Friday April 9th 1897
I got up and had breakfast at my lodgings. Cost 10’ and went to my Cousins and
got all the information I could from him. Then I walked to Rhenymodie
where I served my time to the tailor trade but could find nobody there I knew,
so I went to Cerfon Mawr
and hunted around and came back to Reuabon, thinking
to take train to Wrescham but I would have to wait
over an hour so I started a foot and walked 2 miles to a place called Johnstown
and took a train from there to Wrexam which cost 3’
and got into Wrixham at 1:35 so I walked to the
station which was another good mile pretty well tired and waited untill 2:18 p.m. and came on to Shutten
3 p.m. then it was another mile to my lodging. When I got there I got a letter
from home and with one dollar in it from Johnie the
folks were all well except Hyrum and Julia who had a touch of the hooping cough. It was raining pretty good
when I got out of the train and rained all the way home. I answered Johnies litter, also sent a paper called the County Herald with a little piece
in it about our meeting last Sunday. At Little Dublin and it said they didn’t
think we would go back there to preach, but I hope we will. This afternoon is a
wet one again.
Saturday April 10th 1897
Today was a fine day I got the Herald of March 19 today and read what was
interesting in it cost 2’. I had a good Gospel conversation with the family
that got the pants dyed they listened very attentively I spent 8’ tonight for
sugar eggs and meat.
Sunday April 11th 1897
This morning is cloudy. After dinner we went to Penlan to hold a meeting out of doors at 1 oclock, but Bro Price thought the wind blew to strong but
we stood around 15 to 20 minutes and there was nobody seemed to stop around so
I went to see a family that I had a conversation with last night and promised
one of the tracts called Devine Authority and I had a conversation with them
and then I told them that my partner was a Welshman as I had given the man a
Welsh tract and he said he could understand that better and was highly elated
as he said that was what he wanted, and told me to bring in my partner so I
brought him but the man had to go to his chapel as he was the leader of the
choir and he told us to stop and talk with his wife and invited us to visit him
any night to talk to them. We staid about ten minutes and conversed with his
wife and promised to visit them again sometime as we were going to move to Flint on Tuesday next.
Monday April 12 1897
This morning is dull and I started out with 49 of the True Gospel and 30 of the
Only True Gospel total 79 and a few Devine Authority, and I distributed 63 I visited 53
houses and had 4 conversations We would have given out all our Tracts but Bro
Price got sick and so we came home. It commenced to rain and was chilly and
cold. After we had a bite we went to the docks where they were building two
ships one a 3 mast Sevoner and the other a one mast
flat or coal vessel. I bought a linnin front for 5 ½’
today. My washing for last week cost 9’ so I paid that and my weeks lodgings
today.
Tuesday April 13th 1897
We moved to Flint today came on the 9:20 a.m. train cost 31/2’ and our lodge is at No. 1 Trelawney
Square at a Mr Roberts. Father of the young man that joined the church last February.
After dinner we went and visited several I gave tracts out and had 2
conversations so did Bro Price. But it seems they are all traditownated
that they are hard to convince. After tea We went with Roberts to the people
where I went with him last week, but they was not home, but Price had a good
conversation with her They belong to two different churches and they are both
determined that they can’t join the other Church, so we sugested
that they both join our Church and be united in faith. She said she would but
she said that he said that he never would.
Wednesday April 14th 1897
This morning was fine when we got up but before we got
down stairs it commenced to hail and a strong wind. The day was too stormy to
go tracting so I fixed the pants that I got dyed, by
putting 3 pockets in them. This being a cold and until after tea then we went
and visited a family 2 ½ miles away and nothing of importance transpired.
Thursday April 15 1897
This morning I got a letter from Barbra and one from Darcas in which Darcas says that I
haven’t answered one I got from her before. Barbara tells of Louisa Dawens’ death caused by an operation being performed upon
her after which she died in 9 days leaving a baby 9 weeks old. It’s a fine day
today and not so windy and we may go out tracting. I
have got 64 Only True Gospel 14 Welsh and 1 Devine Authority. I gave out 72
tracts and visited 65 houses. I wrote two letters to Barbara and one to Dorcus and sent them and two stars. I had one conversation
with a shoe maker in his shop.
Friday April 16th 1897
Today is Good Friday, it is a blustorious morning
raining and blowing I got a letter from Wrexam from Mrs Wilding saying that Mr Meyers
properts was left to a chapel, and that a Joshua
Roberts of Cefn Mawr was
trustee and when he died his son claimed it all and that the chapel had been
done away with years ago. At about 11 a.m. Myself Elder Price and Chas Roberts
started to Hollywell about 5 miles away to see a Mrs Price that brother Roberts reported was investigating
and wanted him to baptise him a week or two ago but
of course he couldn’t as he himself was only a member. The weather was rough
and squwly and our umbrellas came in good service
with the strong wind in our faces this being Good Friday there was a big band
contest coming off at Bugyllt 2 miles from Flint and
as we were going through that place we met this Mr. Price so myself &
brother Price went no further but Roberts went on to Hollywell
as he had business there to attend to. There were 6 bands in this contest and
we stood beside the street and heard them all play one after the other in front
of us so we got that free, as it was from 1 to 3 shillings to go and hear the
contest in the hall. But we experienced a desperate hail and wind and rain
storm just before the bands commenced which lasted about 15 minutes and it was
very cold. More like a March storm than an April shower, so we came home
leaving this gentleman with a promise to visit him before long. I walked about
4 ½ miles today.
Saturday April 17 1897
This is a very wet day from the first thing in the
morning until 2 p.m. and it commenced to
blow gales about noon but didn’t rain as
steady. Bro Roberts had to go to Hollywell today
again and started at 11 a.m. I put some pieces
underneath the knees of Bro Prices pants while he wore a pair of mine those
being the only ones he had and we could see his underclothes through his pants
they were so thin. And I charged him nothing as it cost me nothing only my time
and I had the cloth and other things. I made a lotion for my eyes out of a herb
called, selindine, which I hope will do them good as
the are very weak and water and keeps me
wipeing them when the wind blows in my face. Bro
Roberts didn’t get home before 9 p.m.
Sunday April 18th 1897 Easter
Today turned out a fine one. We that is Price myself and Bro Roberts held a
sacrament meeting at 3 p.m. we also read two chapters in the Testament before
dinner At 5 p.m. Price and myself went to the fountain with the intention of
holding an out door meeting but it looked dubious as there was nobody to preach
to but about 5 men quite away off and Price spoke to one of them about holding
a meeting but they didn’t stir so we commenced I opened by prayer and Price
read in the New Testiment about Nicodimas
in welsh, and then spoke in welsh for about 15 minutes the wind was blowing
from them to us but they took no notice and most of the time had their backs to
us and was talking so after Price finished speaking I closed with prayer. The
meeting lasted about 55 minutes. I went to the English Church at night.
Monday April 19 1897
This is a dull morning and it rained we intended to go
to Hollywell but didn’t start before dinner. One of
Bro Roberts sisters came from Wrescham also two
cousins from Liverpool a man and his sister the girl was single Bro Price had a
good conversation with her and gave her 3 tracts they went visiting through the
day then at night we had more conversation and Bro Price let her have a Voice
of Warning to read, and Bro Roberts promised to go to Liverpool sometime and
take her to the office at 42 Lexington and to the Saints meeting. That Mr.
Jones came this afternoon and we had quite a chat with him he seems queer, he
had not been around for quite awhile and we thought he had given up
investigating but he said his wife had been confined about two weeks ago and he
found fault with the Minister of his chapel for not coming to see how they
were. I had conversation, but a small one with Jones as he seemed to have
considerable to say about his minister.
Tuesday April 20th 1897
This morning it is clear with white clouds flying
around and a little gusty. But we started to Hollywell
at 10:40 a.m. and took it easy as we wanted to meet Roberts at a Mr. Ellis
Price at about 1:30 p.m. as we had plenty of time We went to Prices about 1:30
and one of his boys came out and said his father wasn’t very well, the Price
works in a woolen factory where Welsh flannels and lineys
are wove and he works night all the time and Roberts told us that he was ready
for Baptism and we went on purpose to talk and converse with him and if we saw
that he was sincere and worthy of baptism we would either baptize him or
appoint a time, but to our astonishment we got the cold shoulder and was not as
much as invited in but we thought we would wait around and see him when he got
up which would be about 4 oclock. So Price hunted up
an old aquaintance and he had a chat with this woman
who was a wife of a man that used to work with him for years before he left
this country. It is realy tutching
to see two of a kind meet after not seeing each other for so long and as Price
told me her and her husband used to be bitter against the Mormans
when he left such a bad shake as they had and she seemed so glad to meet him,
She had buried her husband 4 years ago and she was now living with her
son-in-law, she didn’t ask us to eat anything, but I expect she had no right
to. We then went back to Prices about 4 oclok to see
if Roberts had come, but he had not I went to the house to see and Bro Price
staid in the street as the house was some distance from the street. I went to
the door which was open and knocked and he came to the door, and we talked
there but he didn’t ask me in it looked to me as though he dare not, and we
came to the conclusion that his wife did not want us there, because when we saw
him on Good Friday in bagillt he wanted us to come
any time as he said he was working nights and he would be glad to see us, but alass so it is with many that we meet. They see and believe
we are preaching the True Gospel. When we first meet, and we go again feeling
that we are about to bring another soul into the fold, but the Devil has been
there and brought his power to bare in some shape or
other and we are disapointed. Some are influenced by
their wives, some by their friends, some by public openion
some ashamed, others are after riches, then again others can’t leave off their
beer and drinking. verryly,
indeed few there are that can leave all and follow Christ. and
we can’t help at times to feel to mourn for them and we also feel to ask God to
have mercy upon them for they are led away by Tradition and false teachers.
Well we visited three other families and had Gospel conversations, I gave out 4
tracts and we trudged along for home having had nothing to eat all day from
breakfast but a honey bun a piece until we got to our lodge at 8:45 p.m. tired
and weary, and to all appearience as far as we could
see accomplished nothing, but we leave that to the Lord, if we sow the seed it
is left for Him to bring forth the increse. We were
on our feet from 10:40 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. with the exception of being in three houses about 15
minutes each and only walked 12 miles. The pokeing
around tires me more than walking a third more of the distance, but so it is,
and I feel to thank God that I am worthy and able to do it.
Wednesday April 21st 1897
This morning turns out to be rainy and a poor prospect
to go and tract and it rained until about 5 p.m. I marked some
quotation on Devine Authority in my bible; and on the Laying on of hands for
the gift of the Holy Ghost and so for healing the sick. We were both in the
house all day except I was out for about 15 minutes by the station.
Thursday April 22 1897
This morning I started out with 80 Only True Gospel,
80 Articles of Faith 9 Devine Authority. And 33 welsh
tracts. I gave out 28 welsh 5 Devine Authority and all the Articles of Faith
and Gospel ones 193 in all I visited 70 houses and got home at 2 p.m. the day
was fine and a cold wind and my eyes watered considerable, I wish I could get
something to strengthen them.
Friday April 23 1897
A fine morning I started out with 120 Gospel tracts 9 Devine Authority and 25
Welsh I gave out all my tracts except 4 D.A. and got 14 more of Bro Roberts and
gave them out total tracts 164 visited 65 houses had 4 conversations. We tracted part of Halkyn 5 miles
from our lodgings I went to a farm house and got a bowl of hot bread and butter
milk and sweetened it with sugar it was splended.
Cost 3’ I got a Herald from home I supose with Jos Riley’s name on it but none from Hyrum today. We got
home at 5 p.m. fine all day. If its fine
tomorrow I want to go to Rhyl to hunt up my brother
Edward, as there is where he went the last that I can find out 20 years ago.
Saturday April 24th 1897
I forgot to state that we went through the Duke of West Minsters
park yesterday and tracted his Castle, I found one of
the servants there that wouldn’t take a tract he said he couldn’t read, the
Duke wasn’t at the Castle it was a fine day today and I started for Rhyl at 5 minutes to 7 a.m. and walked to Mastyn 7 miles then took the train at 9:45 to Rhyl cost 10’ hunted around and found one Wright but he was
no relation and got after another but he had gone to Bangor and left his
family, him and his wife drank, I had to go to the police station to find out
where he was and I concluded he was not my brother because he was a native of Denbeigh a plastorer by trade and
too young. I went to the coach building shop and a coach trimmer that was
there, thought the matter through the day and happened to be going on the same train
as I came home on an he saw me and came to me and said that an Ed. Wright used
to work with him in Rhyl and he felt sure that he was
my brother, and they were chums together and that Ed had gone to Birmingham
about 8 years ago and he was going to try to find out more about him so I gave
him my address at Cardiff. I left Rhyl at a quarter to 4 I had a good conversation in Rhyl
with an Iron moulder, he was a Weshain.
On the train got aquainted with a Mr. Richard Morris
that lived at Bagyllt and he had a uncle in Cache Vally by name John Roberts, a joiner and he invited me and
my partner to come and visit him on Sunday and take tea with them because his
mother would like to see some one that came from Utah. I only booked to Hollywell station so I had to get out there or pay double
fare from there to Bagyllt. So I walked through Hollywell to see another man which was 1 ½ miles further
around so when I came to Bagyllt I called on Mr Morris as I was leg weary to take a rest so I took tea
there and they were very kind I gave them 3 tracts one Welsh for the old man
and three English ones and a little book called Latter Day Saints, and I had a
good conversation with them and he invited us to come there and we could hold
meetings in his house if we could get somebody to come and listen to us which
was very good. After I had rested and had tea with him and his wife and he was
going to Flint to trade so we walked
together which was 2 miles. I gave out 6 tracts and
had 2 conversations today I walked over 14 miles rode 23 ½
