1831 Journey of Hyrum and William E. McLellin

1831 Journey of Hyrum and William E. McLellin

School teacher William E. McLellin of Paris, Illinois, first heard Mormonism taught by Harvey Whitlock and David Whitmer on July 18, 1831. "I never heard such preaching in all my life," William wrote in his journal. 'The glory of God seemed to encircle [Harvey] and the wisdom of God to be displayed in his discourse." Twelve days later, William left for Independence, Missouri. He arrived nearly a month later, on August 18. Here he was baptized and confirmed by Hyrum Smith. At the Conference of August 24, 1831, Hyrum ordained William an elder, and the next day the two set off for Kirtland, preaching as they went. Eight weeks later, they arrived in Kirtland.

This account is drawn from William's journal (Journals of William E. McLellin, 36–44). William overcomes self-doubt and speaks to enthralled audiences, then finds himself tongue-tied and discovers he suffers from pride. Both William and Hyrum speak for two and three hours at a time day after day. They lay on hands and heal the sick. Hyrum washes his feet. None are baptized. William's account is valuable to document themes of early Mormon proselyting—plainness of the gospel, coming forth of the Book of Mormon, gathering to Zion, gathering of the Jews, impending disasters.

Journey to Kirtland	On August 25, 1831, the day after attending a church conference in Kaw township, Missouri, Hyrum Smith, Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Harvey Whitlock, Simeon Carter, and newly ordained William E. McLellin (h) walked from Kaw township to Independence, and the next day begin their journey to Kirtland.	Conference of August 24, 1831
Sunday	On Sunday, the 28th, they stopped in a village to address the people. Hyrum opened and spoke for an hour. William followed, his first attempt to preach.
William's first sermon	It seemed to me that the whole volumn of Truth was opened before me. My heart was animated and burning; and my tongue seemed to be untied. I spoke about an hour and a half. Many hearts were affected and many eyes filled with tears. I ceased to proclaim and seated myself, Filled with astonishment to behold the wonderful works of the Mighty God while wrapped in his Eternal Spirit.	I have changed the period after seated myself to a comma.
Sell Books of Mormon	William spoke to good effect: they sold five Books of Mormon and responded to "many queries."
Missionaries part	On the 31st of August, the missionaries parted—David and Martin to head south to St. Louis, then Terre Haute, Indianapolis, and Kirtland; Hyrum and William to head north.
Chariton court house T estimony of the witnesses	On the next day, Hyrum and William addressed the people in the Chariton county court house. William for two hours, followed by Hyrum, who had been suffering from diarrhea for several days, bore his testimony. Then William read the testimony of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon "and reasoned upon the power and force of it until many of the hard hearted were astonished and some dropped the crystal tear. "
Minister seeks sign	But a Methodist minister "observed that we taught a supernatural Religion, Therefore we must give supernatural evidence in favor if it," and requested a doctor to give William a glass of poison. The doctor responded, "Don't you Tempt God," and the minister "left the room in hasted."
Second meeting	Several of the audience followed the missionaries to the home where they were staying and asked for another meeting. William consented and the house quickly filled up. He spoke another hour and a half, [38] but "none were willing to obey," so the next day William and Hyrum resumed their journey.
Filled with spirit, warmth Tremendious acclamation	On September 4, William was so "filled with the spirit" that he spoke "with much warmth," and "one of the females present did shout with a most tremendious acclamation, but none seemed willing to go forward in obediance."	I have changed the period after acclamation, to a comma.
Preacher: false prophets	A preacher called the misisonaries "false prophets" on the 9th.
Hyrum washes feet	[39] Reason or Testimony had no influence on his mind … and his heart seemed so hard and wicked that he would have struck us dumb if he had had it in his power, but we left him raging and when we came to a brook Bro. H. washed his feet for a testimony against him.	wash feet: ¶ D&C 60 (August 8, 1831).
Broad interest Ruffian	In Jacksonville, Illinois court was in session, so there were many visitors in the village who, when they learned who the missionaries were, crowded around. The two spoke to different groups for about two hours. "I cut some of them so close," William wrote, "that a ruffian fellow rolled up his sleeves and swore that he could give it to me but a gentleman prevented him and took him away."
	The next day, Saturday, William estimated 500 persons crowded into the court house to hear the them.
William's 3 hour stump speech	If ever I felt small, and felt my dependence n God, now was the time. To have to ascend the judges bench and face Judges, Lawyers Doctors Priests and people. But I arose with confidence in Elijah's God and gave them a brief history of the book of Mormon, and of its coming forth &c, Then reasoned upon and expounded prophecy after prophecy and scripture after scripture, which had reference to the book and to these days and after speaking with liberty [{and}] about 3 hours I concluded with a warning to them to flee from the warth and gather themselves to Zion and prepare to meet the Lord at his second coming which was nigh at hand.
Hyrum's testimony	Hyrum endorsed William's remarks, "gave them his evidence of the truth of the book," and dismissed the meeting.
Travel William's brothers	They addressed the people again on Sunday for two hours, and again on Monday, with little effect. So they continued on to near Springfield, where William found his brother, Israel. He gave Israel a Book of Mormon to give to his brother, Samuel, in Tennessee.
Ague	After parting with tearful Israel, William and Hyrum began traveling again, and William came down with the ague, a high fever marked by chills and shakes most of the night and the next day.
Pray, Hyrum's blessing	Shaking on the ground, William asked Hyrum how God could have called him to preach the gospel and allow him to become sick because he had to pass through "an unhealthy country in the sickly season." Together they prayed. Hyrum then laid his hands on William.
Healed	"I was instantly healed And arose and pursued my journey in health with vigour." Upon reaching the next village, they sent out an invitation, and in a home meeting William spoke for an hour and a half.
August 16, Shelbyville	On Saturday the 16th, William spoke 3 hours in Shelbyville, Illinois, after which
William and Hyrum show up a Methodist	[41] a Methodist Priest … arose with all the rage & fury which it seemed the evil one could invent. I sometimes thought that he would break the stand. When he closed, I arose and showed the people his mistakes, and they seemed to be ashamed for him. bro. H. also made some observations precisely to the point. He said no more.
William can't preach	The next day, Hyrum preached two hours in the morning. In the evening William tried, but could not. "I had no animation in it, no memory, and in truth I had lost the spirit of God. Hence I was confounded, I set down and told bro. H. to preach for I could not."
	After much prayer on Monday, William
Pride	found out what was the matter. One thing, It was to show me, my own weakness and that it was not me who had preached so many gre[a]t sermons—I found too by close examination that my whipping out the Methodist P. so completely the day before had tended to lift me up. This was the whole secret.
Journey	Chastened by his own introspection, William resumed his journey with Hyrum. On the 20th he bought a horse for Hyrum, and two days later they reached Paris.
Preaches in Paris	For five days William preached in his old schoolhouse and talked with his friends. None believed.
Heal a child	In Stilesville, Indiana they were approached by a man who asked them to bless his daughter. She had been sick for a long time. "The family seemed to be quite believing," so they "we all bowed before the great Johovah and implored his mercy upon the child, we then arose and brother Hyrum & I laid our hands upon it, and in a few minutes the little child got down from its mother's lap and went to play upon the floor." All rejoiced. The father "got down and prayed mightily, then arose & said that he believed that the Lord was there."
	The missionaries taught the history of the Church of Christ and its doctrines, but though they were friendly, they did not "lay hold."
	But they did preach to the man's congregation on October 2.
William's themes	[43] … by the power of the spirit of the Lord, I unfolded to them the plainness of the Glorious gospel and also the requirements of the Lord of them and also the opening glories of the latter days by the coming forth of the book of Mormon and the gathering of the saints to mount Zion and the [44] Jews to Jerusalem.
	Two and a half hours later, Hyrum took over, speaking of the Book of Mormon and warning them of dangerous times to come. To no avail.
	In Bellville a large number gathered. Hyrum spoke an hour and a half, laying out many prophecies "to their great astonishment." William spoke half an hour "by way of warning and exortation."
Winchester church	The next day, after swimming two creeks, they arrived in Indianopolis. Two and a half days later they reached the church in Winchester that Zebedee Coltrin and Levi Hancock had organized.
Kirtland, Smith family	They remained in Winchester until October 12. Then it was 6 straight days of travel to Kirtland, where they found the Smith family "well and strong in the faith and good works; rejoicing in the hope of the second coming of the Lord with all his saints."	The Kirtland population was 1,140 in 1831, including 90 Mormons. Profile of Latter-day Saints, 83.
	William E. McLellin (h) Notebooks Home