http://ldsblogs.com/files/2008/05/men-missionaries-mormon-man.jpg
When
in Placerville, California in July 1856 what did Elder Mitchell stop Elder Rose
from doing?
a.
Gold mining
b.
Preaching the gospel
c.
Helping during a
fire
d.
Returning home from his mission
Yesterday’s answer:
A Crimean
A letter from Edward Stevenson to George Q. Cannon,
September 15, 1885: On May 1, 1854, my
thirty-fourth birthday, Elder John McLean, Brothers Thomas McDonald and Peter
Hays, with their regiment, 1,000 rank and file, marched on board of one of her majesty’s
men-of-war to sail up the Mediterranean sea and take part in the Crimean war.
In the midst of thundering shouts of enthusiasm the gallant ship with her
precious burden of souls steamed out of the beautiful bay of Gibraltar to do
honor to Briton’s flag. A solemn reflection crossed my mind on this occasion
with a mental question, who of this one thousand will ever return home again to
fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters or wives?
Many
tears were shed over the wounded and slain during this cruel war, which lasted
about two years. My blessings went with the brave boys in red, especially the
three brethren mentioned. These were instructed to remember their prayers as
they were in the hands of the Lord who could protect them even in the hour of
fierce battle, and also to use their influence to spread the gospel among their
comrades. A subsequent letter brought news that Elder McLean had organized a
branch of the Church in a Turkish burying ground, and while doing so, bottles
and other missiles were thrown at him and his companions. The branch was named
the Expeditionary Force Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Frequent
letters revealed many of the horrors of warfare, such as being compelled to lie
in the trenches before Sebastopol, in a mass of filth and vermin with no one to
prepare them a change of linen. Elder McLean stated that he had been in the
heavy charges at the battle of Inkerman and Alma. So pressed was the charge
from both sides that the soldiers were crushed together and faced each other
with crossed bayonets being unable to use them for some time. He however, came
out with only a slight bayonet wound in the arm which only kept him from duty
five days. Brother McDonald was wounded by the bursting of a shell, but with
his handkerchief bound up his head and continued the encounter until another shell
burst close by and this time disabled him so that he was taken from the field,
but soon recovered. Corporal Hays lost this arm, but his life was spared; so
the lives of all three of the brethren were spared, while often the ground was strewn
with the dead and dying. Thus, even in this war, the hand of the Lord was plainly
seen and acknowledged.
Reid
L. Neilson, “Proselyting on the Rock of Gibraltar, 1853-1855,” BYU Studies, Vol. 55, No. 1, 126-127.
No comments:
Post a Comment