Letter to Samuel W. Richards, dated Sept. 29, 1853, at Merthyr Tydfil. (Vol 15: 733,734)
Merthyr Tydfil, September 29, 1853.
President S. W. Richards--Dear Brother--I have had the pleasure of visiting a Conference every Sunday since I saw you, and have preached in the most populous places some four or five times every week besides. I am happy to say that the Lord in His goodness has bestowed His good Spirit upon me to overflowing. I was very kindly received by the Saints and the world everywhere, and I had the great pleasure of leaving the Saints in union, and fully determined to be up and doing, while the day lasted. In many places I found people who had travelled from twenty to thirty miles across hills and dales, purposely to meet me. I do believe that with the blessing of Him who owns the vineyard, it will blossom like the rose, so that it will bear a better crop than ever. In no place hardly have I preached without a few hundreds of attentive hearers, and not unfrequently a couple of thousands. For instance--in Bethesda, Carnarvonshire, on a Sunday afternoon, a very large barn was prepared for the occasion, with a pulpit, &c. When I came in sight of the place, behold! a small field adjoining was nearly full, so that I had to crowd my way, and O! the eyes that stared at the "man of forty wives," they were like truckle berries in milk! "Where will you preach?" inquired a loud voice from the far end. "In that big barn, if I can ever get there," was the reply. "You can't get in, for that was crammed full of people long ago," cried many voices. And so it was,
pulpit and all! What a chance, thinks I! "Fetch a cart to the middle," was the next invention, which was scarcely said than done. Into the cart I mounted, and who that has not experienced the like can imagine the "glorious heaven below" which I realized the next two hours? Heaven's floodgates were thrown open, Pentecostal like! With open mouths, and tears of joy glistening in their eyes, did the mass unmoved drink down with greediness eternal truths. They were reluctant to have an intermission, many followed me, and the world contended who should have me to tea. Several promised to be baptized soon. That over, and six o'clock come, again they were there, and some congregations had brought their preachers with them--more than one got converted, too, as they admitted to me. Again over the mass I mounted my scaffold, and had as good attention as before, and as much power of the Spirit as I wished to have, for a couple of hours more; in fact, 'twas difficult to find a place for the "Amen." All were astonished, all believed, methinks! at least, if there was an unbeliever left he dared not say so. Till dark they stood there, and several voices begged of me to "preach to-morrow," saying, that "thousands more would come." I told them that I had an appointment in Bangor then, five miles off. A general shout was heard--"Let us follow him to-morrow," and many of them did. I left six there to be baptized next day by the Elders. The Calvinistic Association
was commencing at Bangor then, but I sent the bell-man round, and got hundreds of their hearers, and five at the close said they would be baptized. From there I had to be on the lope to Carnarvon, &c., to enjoy similar scenes of blessedness. If I had had time to stay, I might have done more; but a streak of fire is kindled, and the Elders are blowing the bellows. God bless them.
Your affectionate brother,
D. JONES.
