Merthyr Tydfil Jany 2nd 1846
My Dear Bro. Woodruff,
Judging by yr former course of devotedness to, and wellwishes for the best intersts of the Welsh Nation, methinks twil be interesting to hear of their present prosperity & future prospects; this interesting topic has merited a place in the bosom of the prophets & apostles of this dispensation to some extent, it was our favorite theme in the Western climes; and now, those glorious anticipations which we fondly cherished for many a sweet hour while pacing the Deck, at the still hours of the midnight watch, are being realised beyond my expectations; in fulfilment of the predictions of our beloved prophet e'er I started on this mission & e'er his exit to the abode of bliss. Bro. Henshaw & myself, after we parted with you at Manchester, bent our course through Wolverhampton & Birmingham, were we met the Saints in good spirits; all alive for the "Joint Stock Co." realising as Father Crook told them that their life & all depended on its success; here we parted with our beloved Bro. Davies and proceded in Co. with Bro. Heloday to Bristol, being too late for the packet, met with the Saints next day (Sunday) introduced their new sheperd to them, congratulated them on their happy union, preached to them about the new gospel, alias Joint Stock Co. and Bro. Heliday & Henshaw edified them much judging by their union & love; then the former left for Bath, the latter and myself next morning for Cardiff, thence by Railway home & found all
well. The Saints have rented a large Hall here in Merthyr, much larger than the one the Saints meet in, at Manchester; in this, held a meeting on Christmas day,-- by the by, this reminds me to wish you a Happy New Year, also to Sister Woodruff & family.-- The object of the meeting was to explain to the Saints & others, that the banishment of the Saints from Nauvoo, was so far from being the downfall of Mormonism and the last of Zion, & the gathering, as the Priests of Baal & Newspapers Editors prophecy that the reverse is precisely the case, tis another "Arcemedis lever," to propel Mormonism over the Snowy clifts of the Rocky Mountains, tis another nail in the coffins of scoffers, and laying another corner stone to Zion. oor folks, their little hearts are shut up in nutshells. he Saints rejoiced to understand the superiority of Zion over Nauvoo, and their desire is to reach there. Sunday Held a conference in the same Hall, representing 18 branches all in healthy and thriving conditions showing an increase of about 200, since last April, about half of that no. in this branch alone, & making in all about 600 Saints in Wales, & nearly all Of the pure stock of Ancient Britons, & yet, these are but the first fruits of the "Hosts of Gomer from the sides of the North" and judging by the daily increase tis well you go & prepare a place for the glorious Co. that will be, in "the fields of the woods" were else than California will afford us
our lenghth & breadth of consecrated ground? Were you in our Saints meeting in the afternoon to see the love & union of the Welsh Saints, you'd rejoice to see a double portion of the Same Spirit cementing those of different nations (speaking alternately, Welsh & English) as children of one family in the bonds of one Covenant 11 being confirmed and 9 children blessed, the Sacrament administered while every countenance glistened with joy, & every eye moistened with a tear of gratitude to one filial parent of all. I then in Welsh showed to the Saints, the necessity of faithfully warning our own nation & trying to save them e'er tis too late. that the harvest truly is great, and already white for the harvest and the laborers are but few, that we ought to spread the gospel by every lawful means in the course of this season from this Nursery to the remotest parts of Cambria's hills, and proposed that more officers shd be called and ordained such as wd be faithful, zealous & wise, to go two by two, Elder & Priest together, through every County in the Principality as soon as practicable, that the Saints shd sustain them with their prayers until their voices echo from the Mountains tops to the deepest glens of our Father land and till the fulness of the everlasting Gospel shd be heard in this dispensation of the fulness of times in every secluded abode of our much loved brethren. Bro. Henshaw in English followed in a very warm and pathetic address, &
rivetted the same upon every heart that I believe every Saint in the place, not only responded with a hearty Amen, but were willing & anxious to be up & doing all they could for the accomplishment of so glorious an object. The evening Meeting was ocupied by several of the Elders in Welsh & English alternately testifying of the great and wonderful works of God in this age of the word & each one seeming to be filled with the Spirit of their office, the Hall was crowded with anxious hearers, many acknowledged the power of the truth, three were baptized that night, making 7 during the conference. Monday at 10, Saints met for buisness--when I in Welsh followed by Bro. Henshaw in English & others sjowed the different duties of differnt officers, the absolute necessity of a concentration of efforts to success-- and also the danger of hiding a talent when given to officer or member, that all could act for good in their spheres, etc. thence called out, & ordained 4 Elders, 19 Priests, 9 Teachers, 6 Deacons, and advised them to prepare to go out when their circumstances wd permit, all to a man rejoiced in the honor of his office & pledged their fidelity to the cause, twas agreed on, that all the officers shd meet once a week to instruct each other in all things necessary. the no. of officers before were 10 Elders, 10 priests, 8 Teachers & 7 Deacons, Total now in Wales are 14 Elders, 31 Priests, 17 Teachers, 13 Deacons, in all 76. Then organized three
new branches & the meeting closed to give room for another scenery, &
judging by the busy move of a myriad of the fair, the music of the China by the base of the trays, the laurels, evergreens & flowers to adorn the hall youd have throught twas a preparation for a splendid tea party, however, I was not left, long in doubt, for ocular demonstrations like tables well set & lined, amounts to facts you know. Yes a picture this not of fancy, but of real life, long to be remembered, a type of the "feast of fat things, of wines on the lees," which shall be, on Mount Zion. I have been informed that some 400 cards were sold previous to the time and perhaps twice the number partook of the feast, the Co. was as respectable in apearance, conduct, & circumstances as any tea party of the times; and I had ample proof that it was the means of doing good in various ways, all the preposessed prejudices of the guests gave way before it, many of the Sectarians and some of the Priests I was informed came through the Hall to see our "liberty", and the more the better, for we had a specimen of that worthy of their admiration, I overheard conversation like the following on the right & left, "These must be a good & a loving people." "These cannot be guilty of the charges prefered against them by our preachers." I will be babtized e'er I go home," and many similar expressions of astonishment & admiration saluted my ears amid the social chat of the lively throng. Some were babtized during the meeting, others after meeting, &
it really seems as tho shaking among the armies of the alians, and that e'er long they will flock in solid phalanx to the Standard of Mormonism, happy day. When the tables were cleared and the Hall crowded I addressed them in English followed by two Welsh Elders & Bro. Henshaw about the "Restoration of all things spoken by all the Holy Prophets since the world began." The motto over the State, "Peace, Union and Brotherly Love." was a good introduction to the subject, altho this subject is rather new here, it met the almost universal aprobation, and cheered up the hope of the Saints in delightful anticipation of the happy day when the lamb and the lion shall lie down together, &c. when peace, love & union shall universaly prevail, and nothing, animate or inanimate (if such there be) shall hurt or destroy in all the holy Mount. May it be the happy lot of all the Saints, to enjoy such a portion of these three great, and darling principles of heaven, as was manifested in this meeting is my desire. Then they wd be happy. But Dr Bro. I hope you'l not get tired reading this long letter, for I have not done yet. Next comes something about a theme if possible more interesting at the present crisis than the old ones, I mean to say that last night we held a meeting to advocate the "Joint Stock Co." you'l say that we are fond of varieties, who is not if these be a fair specimen? But the result was that almost all think well of it, & you
know when I get talking ? about California & thereabouts, I feel as tho I was on the quarter Deck again, _________ my old stamping grounds. I read them the rules of Society in Welsh, and they passed a vote to have them published in Welsh, so ask Bro. Ward if he will please send me the list with amendments, and any other information about it, for the Welsh are hot for that, like all other good topics, and also when we can collect the Cash & all about it, &&&&c..-- Some 9.5 shares were taken besides upwards of 80 previously taken. So now I must close by saying go ahead Mormonism with thy colors nailed to the mast head, success to the "Joint Stock." till its ships shall meet auspicious breeses to fill their sails, blow high, blow low, in every clime, Dr Br. Woodruff. Adieu altho you return & leave me behind, may Neptune's hosts, Vancuard (?) yr Westward course, & Eden's breeses waft you home in peace.
Yr Bro in Christ DJones.
B. privately to Br W.
Will give my respects to Bro Hedlock, Ward & Wilson, will they favor me by sending some American papers here to me at Bro. Henshaws, that California pamphlet too, & the "Stars" I will settle for the Postages & be glad get all news so. shd you deem the above to be, for the good of any others to hear tis at yr sedvice, as then of course twd (?) be trimed by Bro. Ward's pen, I shd be pleased if you wd send me a letter authorising me to collect what I can from the Welsh Saints on ac &c. to enable me to bring out another pamphlet now, in answer to one now must out by the joint stock of Priests just such another as the "Mormonism Unveiled" tho' in Welsh, published in this place, if it is not answered some weak Saints & sinners may stumbl at it please advise on that, and also for the benefit & peace of Br H. what position I hold now, in relation to Wales, wether I have authority to organise other Conferences than Merthyr & Wrexham, wether all those delegates shd come to Manchester from all parts or wether we hold a general conference here & one from here represent all others at Manchester for we might by & by have many delegates there who could not understand a word of English. Some hints about these things & others from you would preserve peace in the family, if I prophecy aright.--I am yr affectionate
Bro DJones.
