--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Anderson, Edward H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 11 number: 5 published: 1908-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Edward H. Anderson, "A Fragment of Early Church History," *Improvement Era* 11, no. 5 (March 1908): 353–358.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1105unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1105unse start_page: 353 end_page: 358 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1105unse publication_year: 1908 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Fragment of Early Church History A FRAGMENT OF EARLY CHURCH HISTORY BY EDWARD H. ANDERSON. Elder Benjamin Winchester was a zealous worker in the early days of the Church. He was one of the first converts to the gospel who came from New York. In 1837, he removed from his native state, and settled in New Egypt, New Jersey, where the first sermon in that section of the state was preached by him. He continued for some time to hold regular services there, and also preached in neighboring places, giving in his talks a minute account of the discovery of the Book of Mormon in the Hill Cumorah, near Palmyra, New York, and of the restoration of the gospel to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Messenger, printed in Allentown, New Jersey, August 24, 1905, and from which a number of the facts in this sketch are culled, contains a reference to his early labors. He is said to have obtained and baptized some fifty converts, among them being Abraham Burtis, who became a preacher. He proclaimed the gospel in many of the surrounding villages, among them Homerstown. Cream Ridge, Forked River, Toms River, and Allentown, and many meetings were held by him. **At Allentown, 'Mormon' services were held," says the Messenger, "at times in the schoolhouse that formerly stood at the corner of what is now the Peter Wikoft" farm on the Imlaystown road. One of the preachers here was Elder Benjamin Winchester. Stephen B. Robe, a former Allentown merchant, became a preacher in this neighborhood about 1840, and he and his wife, who was Sarah Wikoff, subsequently removed with some others, from Cream Ridge to Salt Lake City." "About this time," continues our authority, "Reverend Henr>- Perkins, of the Allentown Presbyterian church, felt it his duty to counteract, 'if possible, the effect produced in this region through the efforts of the 'Mormon' missionaries. He aroused much interest here and elsewhere by his attacks on the doctrine of the new 354 IMPRO VEMENT ERA . faith. One of the largest audiences that assembled to hear Mr. Perkins was at Emley's Hill on a week day's summer afternoon. It was not long after that Elder Winchester replied to his discourse by a sermon at the brick schoolhouse on Cream Ridge , which.also drew a large assemblage." The brick schoolhouse, of which a cut is herewith presented, is still standing, and we are told that among the teachers who taught when the "Mormons", were there, were Emanuel Hodson, and two others named Weed and Jobes. Mary B. Wikoff, a comparatively recent convert to the gospel, some months ago, kindly Brick Schoolhouse, Cream Ridge, N. J. , where the elders held meetings. Mary Wikoff writes fromElmwood Farms, N. J. : "The school house is located one-fourth of a mile from the Wikoff home, across country. My grandmother, a child of eleven or fourteen, was present when a lady arose and discoursed '^\n tongues."^ sent this photograph, also that of the mansion of James L. Wikoff, with a copy of the Messenger, to President Joseph F. Smith. In her (letter, among other matters, she says: ''I am happy and thankful that my heavenly Father has enabled me to say, I am certain we have the gospel of Jesus Christ. May God bless you. May you ever find your associates to be staunch and true to you, and close followers of Christ." Mr. James L. Wikoff, who lives in the A FRAGMENT OF EARLY CHURCH HISTORY. 355 mansion referred to, writes as follows to the editor of the Messenl/er: I understand you will give some reminiscences of the old brick schooihouse which stands opposite to my homestead, about one-quarter of a mile distant. I spent most of my school days there, as did my father and mother. An old frame schooihouse stood on the site when my father first started to school, and as a child he helped cart the brick. It was quite *a noted place when the Mormons held meetings there, and great crowds were attracted by the miracles performed by them. My mother was present when a very estimable lady, modest and retiring in disposition, arose by the power of unseen influence and discoursed in tongues, as it is called in the scripture. No one present understood the language. They (the Mormons) gained many converts, but when the doctrine of polygamy was advanced their enthusiasm was noticeably lessened. When the schooihouse was built, it was in the midst of a large woods covering many acres, and was later cleared. Some of it stood until very recently. The above facts can be verified by some of the old families now living. Yours truly, James Wikofp. Concerning Elder Winchester, it is noted in the biography of Apostle Erastus Snow that when the Prophet .Joseph 3mith returned from Washington, in March, 1840, he told Elder Snow that his labors were greatly needed in Pennsylvania. Elder Snow therefore left to fill this mission April 28, 1840, and in early May, with his companion, Elder S. James, began his labors in Virginia and continued them in Philadelphia, where he was joined by Elder Winchester. He held meetings at one time for five successive days in a New Jersey forest where two thousand people were present, on one occasion, and seven were baptized. With the exception of a short visit to Nauvoo, Elder Snow with Elder Winchester continued with unabated zeal missionary labors in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, including New Egypt, New Jersey, until August, 1841, when they both left for Salem, Massachusetts, where they had been appointed to labor. It was during this period that the Gospel Reflector, a semi-monthly periodical, was published in the interest of the Church, the first number being issued in Philadelphia, January, 1841, with Benjamin Winchester as editor. Elder Winchester was also the author of a Synopsis of the Holy Scriptures (ind Concordance, chiefly designed to illustrate the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to which was added. 356 IMPROVEMENT ERA. as an appendix, an epitome of ecclesiastical history, published by B. Winchester, a minister of the gospel, in Philadelphia, 1842. The book, one of the few additions to early literature in the Church, consists of 256 pages, and is a splendid scriptural exposition of gospel doctrines and first principles. It is endorsed by Erastus Snow, (July 19, 1842,) who indulges^ 'in the hope and sincere belief, that it will receive from the Christian public that patronage it so richly deserves ." A copy is in possession of Prest . Joseph F, Smith . Jensen's Historical Record is authority for the statement that Benjamin Winchester was a member of Zion's Camp which left Kirtland, in May, 1834, to aid the Saints who had been driven out of Jackson county, Mo., and that his daughter, Maria, was sealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, with others, during the last three years of the Prophet's life. Referring to early missionary efforts in New Jersey, the Messenger further says : A large number joined the society at Hornerstown, where they finally built a church, and where many of the people became adherents to the new doctrine. This movement then extended to Toms River, where many influential citizens joined the Mormon Church and practiced its peculiar rites and ceremonies. Here, too, a church was built on the south side of the river, which is remembered as the first building in which the Ocean county courts were held after the county was established, and before the court house was built. Their preachers also went as far south as Forked River, where they made considerable impression, and some were baptized in the mill pond there. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, visited New Egypt, Hornerstown and Toms River, in 1840, and "sealed" a large number. William Smith, brother of the prophet, frequently preached at New Egypt, one of his sermons being at the funeral of Alfred Wilson, who was originally a Methodist, but became a Mormon preacher. Another preacher formerly a Methodist, was James L. Curtis. In 1850, the church at Toms River was in a flourishing condition, and was occasionally visited by their leading men. These were occasions of great interest to the Saints. Among their rites at that time was anointing the sick and the laying on of hands of the elders to heal diseases. John Taylor, the successor of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, as head of the Church, had preached in Ocean county, and was probably the last who preached as far south as Forked River. He held forth about 1851, in the old schoolhouse at that place, and his sermons seemed to differ but little from an old fashioned Methodist sermon, on the necessity of salvation, as he made but little allusion to the peculiar tenets of Mormonism. A FRAGMENT OF EARLY CHURCH HISTORY. 357 About 1852, a number of converts left Ocean and Monmouth counties for Salt Lake City, among them being Joseph Chamberlain and family-of Forked River, some of whom afterwards became quite prominent in public affairs. Before reaching their destination they encountered serious hardships in crossing the plains. It is generally conceded the Mormon converts were noted for their sincerity, industry, and frugality. Among their converts in this vicinity were members of the well-known families of Wikoff, Steward, Conover, Curtis and Ivins, of Cream Ridge. This little "Mormon" Church referred to above, and which was built at Toms River, was sold owing to removals and death of the Saints, in 1878, to Franklin Harris, and was afterwards used by him as a storehouse. Our authority goes on to state: "AlThe Wikoff Homestead on Cream Ridge, built in 1766. Writes Mary Wikoff: "This was called by the 'Gentiles' the 'Old 'Mormon Temple,' because my great grandparents, who were "Mormons,' saw fit to shelter the early elders, Orson Pratt among the number, and we think Joseph Smith.' though the local church as an organization had ceased to exist some time previously, there were still many members of that faith in the town. A singular condition of affairs in several homes there was that some of the furniture and household goods which had been made ready for packing, years previously, in anticipation of removing to Salt Lake, still remained in the same condition, hoping they would yet be called to join their brethren in that 358 TMPRO VEMENT ERA . western city of the Saints . But for some of them that time never came, and their eyes finally closed without having had a view of the long wished-for and far away land of promise in Utah." As to Elder Winchester, he visited Utah on one occasion, but returned east again. His father and mother, Stephen Winchester and wife, lived and died true and faithful members of the Church, in the Seventeenth ward, Salt Lake City; and a brother, James Winchester, still resides in this city, a respected citizen. A notice in the Trenton Advertiser, quoted in the Messenger referred to, calls attention to two "Mormon" elders, neatly attired and modest-looking in appearance, holding evangelistic services on the street-corners, in that city. There names were Frederick R. Hicken, of Heber City, Utah, and Howard Streeper of Rudy, Idaho. And so the work of the Lord goes onward. Elders bearing the same message, at intervals still traverse the country, and visit the cities where years ago Elders Smith, Snow, Taylor, Winchester and others, raised their voices in defense of truth, and in testimony of the angel visit to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City, Utah. In the Petrified Forests of Arizona.