See Heber C. Kimball, Manchester, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Commerce, IL, 9 July 1840, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL. On 30 June 1840, Kimball and Richards traveled from Preston to Manchester in preparation for the 6 July 1840 conference. (Richards, Journal, 30 June 1840.)

Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.

Richards, Franklin D. Journals, 1844–1899. Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961. CHL. MS 1215, boxes 1–5.

The “late persecution” referred to the Saints’ expulsion from Missouri in 1838 and 1839. Parley P. Pratt used the phrase in the title of a pamphlet published in 1839. (See Parley P. Pratt, History of the Late Persecution Inflicted by the State of Missouri upon the Mormons [Detroit: Dawson and Bates, 1839].)

Young likewise described the British Saints as “very anxous to emigrate.” Woodruff reported that “most all the Saints” in Great Britain developed this desire “without my preaching it.” (Letter from Brigham Young, 7 May 1840; Wilford Woodruff, Ledbury, England, to Willard Richards, Preston, England, 25 Mar. 1840, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.)

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

Missionaries frequently recorded that the British Saints spoke in tongues, prophesied, and experienced dreams, visions, and other gifts of the Spirit. On 29 June, Kimball was present for a meeting in which “about 15 Spake with toungs and others had the Interpitation of tongues, and menny had the gift of Prophesy and declared menny good things.” (Heber C. Kimball, Manchester, England, to Elisebeth Parkenson, 2 July 1840, CHL.)

Kimball, Heber C. Letter, Manchester, England, to Elisebeth Parkenson, 2 July 1840. CHL.

In April 1840, the apostles were concerned about accommodating the number of attendees they foresaw coming to the conference in Manchester. Parley P. Pratt wrote, “Indeed the largest place in the town would be to[o] small if the public could have general notice.” On 17 June 1840, shortly after leasing the Carpenter’s Hall, Young wrote that the building was “a large fine place for meetings it will hold about 2000 people.” John Needham, a British convert, described the building as “a large commodious place with a gallery at each end.” ([Parley P. Pratt], “At a General Conference,” LDS Millennial Star, May 1840, 1:20–21; Brigham Young, Manchester, England, to Willard Richards, Ledbury, England, 17 June 1840, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL; Needham, Autobiography and Journal, 5 July 1840, 24.)

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

Needham, John. Autobiography and Journal, 1840–1842. CHL.

See “Minutes of the General Conference,” LDS Millennial Star, July 1840, 1:67–69.

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

Parley P. Pratt. (“Minutes of the General Conference,” LDS Millennial Star, July 1840, 1:67.)

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

Young had been actively involved with publishing since shortly after his arrival in England. On 16 April 1840, Young, Pratt, and Taylor were appointed to select hymns for a new hymnbook. Since the hymnbook was completed before the 6 July 1840 conference, the apostles’ publishing efforts at this time were primarily focused on the Book of Mormon and the new church newspaper in England, the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Young had already made headway on the printing of the Book of Mormon, for which he, Pratt, and Kimball signed a contract on 17 June 1840. By 7 July 1840, they had signed another contract for “paper sufficient to Print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon.” (“Minutes of the General Conference,” LDS Millennial Star, July 1840, 1:69; B. Young to W. Richards, 17 June 1840; Woodruff, Journal, 16 Apr. and 7 July 1840.)

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

Because he expected to stay in England for five to ten years while serving as editor of the LDS Millennial Star, Pratt had urged his wife, Mary Ann, to settle their affairs in New York and begin the voyage to England at the earliest opportunity. On 6 July 1840, Pratt received a letter from his family alerting him “that they were dangerously ill of scarlet fever.” The next day, the apostles granted Pratt permission to return to New York and escort his family to England. Pratt departed in July and returned in October. (Parley P. Pratt, Liverpool, England, to Mary Ann Frost Pratt, New York City, NY, 6 Apr. 1840, Parley P. Pratt, Papers, CHL; Pratt, Autobiography, 342–343; Woodruff, Journal, 7 July 1840.)

Pratt, Parley P. Papers, 1837–1844. CHL.

Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

Richards’s wife, Jennetta Richards Richards, then residing near Preston, had been ill. John Needham noted that she was unable to walk when he saw her before the 6 July 1840 conference. After Willard asked Young’s advice on how to best care for her, Young encouraged Willard on 17 June to visit his wife. (Needham, Autobiography and Journal, 6 July 1840, 24; Willard Richards, Dymock, England, to Brigham Young, Manchester, England, 15 June 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; B. Young to W. Richards, 17 June 1840.)

Needham, John. Autobiography and Journal, 1840–1842. CHL.

Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

Pratt arrived in Scotland toward the end of May. Reuben Hedlock was already in Scotland, having organized the Bridge of Weir branch on 6 June 1840. (Orson Pratt, Manchester, England, 16 Apr. 1841, Letter to the Editor, LDS Millennial Star, May 1841, 2:11; Bridge of Weir Branch, British Mission, Minutes, 25 June 1840.)

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

Bridge of Weir Branch, British Mission. Minutes, 25 June 1840. CHL.

Wright and Mulliner arrived in Scotland on 20 December 1839. (Wright, Journal, 20 Dec. 1839; see also Alexander Wright to Willard Richards, Preston, England, 6 Apr. 1840, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.)

Wright, Alexander. Journal, 1839–1843. Alexander Wright, Papers, 1838–1876. CHL.

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.

On 7 July 1840, members of the Twelve voted that Turley would lead a group of English Saints immigrating to Nauvoo. (Woodruff, Journal, 7 July 1840.)

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

On 27 May 1840, Kimball wrote of this plan to his wife: “Thare is sevrel of the Churches [congregations] here are going to gow up next Spring to Zion in Churches for the Rich love the poor so well they cant leave them behind, this is a Celestial Spirrit, I would to God that all the Saints had it. The saints have began to gether to Zion from this land and it will never Stop till the Salt is dreaned out of all nations, some have gon and others are Redy, will start next tuesday thare is about forty of them.” (Heber C. Kimball, Manchester, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Commerce, IL, 27 May 1840, CHL.)

Kimball, Heber C. Letter, Manchester, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Commerce, IL, 27 May 1840. CHL.

This was probably James McGuffie, who was ordained an elder in Liverpool and later traveled to Ireland with John Taylor, arriving on 27 July 1840. (John Taylor, Letter to the Editor, LDS Millennial Star, May 1841, 2:15.)

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

See William Donaldson, Chatham, England, to Parley P. Pratt, Manchester, England, 5 July 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL. This elder was William Donaldson. (“News from the Elders,” Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1840, 2:229.)

Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Great Britain was in the midst of a depression. Slums began forming after poor British citizens who had previously been involved in agriculture moved into cities in order to work in factories or mines. Several missionaries left accounts describing the poor in England. For example, Wilford Woodruff observed, “Preston has a population of about 60,000 the streets were crouded with the poor both male & female going to & from the factories with their wodden or Clogg Shoes on which makes a great ratling over the pavement the poor are in as great Bondage as the children of Israel in Egypt.” (Woodruff, Journal, 14 Jan. 1840.)

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

See Isaiah 11:9.

See Matthew 24:6; and Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:26].

See Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:89].

The church’s effort in 1839–1840 to obtain redress for the expulsion of church members from Missouri did not succeed. President Martin Van Buren denied JS’s request for help in December 1839, and in February 1840 the United States Senate rejected considering the memorial for redress. (Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 Dec. 1839; Letter from Elias Higbee, 26 Feb. 1840.)