Graphic Glimpses of Pioneer Life

Improvement Era Vol. XXVIII JULY, 1925 No. 9 GRAPHIC GLIMPSES OF PIONEER LIFE How the Hymn: "Blow Gently, ye Wild Winds," Originated By Charles W. Penrose Reported by W. Theron Carruth. [It will be a delight to his thousands of friends who are readers of the Era to peruse these thrilling words of the late President and Pioneer Charles W. Penrose. They were spoken, a little more than fifteen months before his passing, to his family and friends who were assembled in his 'honor to com- memorate the 92nd anniversary of his birth, February 4, 1924. How he came to write the hymn, "Blow Gently, ye Wild Winds," is here told in his own way. The clearness, simplicity and earnestness of his testi- mony concerning faith in God as the Father of our spirits, the divinity of "Mormonism," eternal life and other doctrines of the Gospel, are character- istic of all his spoken and written utterances. All were exemplified in his life, and were a part of his very being. — Editors. ] My dear boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, children and grand- children of the Penrose family and their associates: I heartily thank you this evening for this entertainment which you have furnished for my benefit and for your own entertainment and enjoyment. I regret that I am in such poor condition to speak to you. I am very much oppressed with the grip and for the last two or three days have not been in a fit condition to be in public at all- Yesterday I was intending to go to the Eleventh ward fast meeting to speak, but on account of this affliction, which has come on me a little every year for several years, I was unfit to go out. I should have been better today if I had gone to bed. I had made up my mind to be with you as you met to celebrate my ninety-second birthday. Today I have had the pleasure of meeting a latge number of my old friends, some of whom I met and knew abroad and some at home. Some I have been associated with intimately, particularly in connection with the great Latter-day work commonly called "Mormonism." 1 Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section I 101. Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum. Address Room 40 6. Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.

804 IMPROVEMENT ERA am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I have been closely associated with it ever since my boyhood. I have learned of the great fact that God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, has in these latter times revealed himself and communicated with man- kind through his prophet — a boy between fourteen and fifteen years of age, with a very common name, Joseph, and a very common sur- name, Smith. This young man, Joseph Smith was very anxious to find out which was the true religion. He was living among people mixed up in different sects and so he prayed to find which was the true religion. He retired to a grove of trees near his father's residence, a place which I have had the pleasure of visiting, and bowed down on his knees and prayed to the Father. There were many other churches — the Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist — all different denominations, but he wanted to find out which was the right one, because he could see by good common sense that God would not in- vent a number of different religions, so he prayed, and in the course of his prayer, the Lord made himself manifest to him. God the Father and Jesus Christ, his Son, appeared to him in a pillar of light and con- versed with him and told him to join none of the religions because all were gone out of the way and that the time was near at hand when the true religion should be revealed from heaven; that the true gospel should be restored and that he should have authority to ad- minister in its ordinances and to lead men in the truth. I mention this because it has been my life. I learned about these things when I was a boy. I found myself in a similar condition in which Joseph Smith found himself. I prayed to the Father and he manifested to me the clearest way, that there was one true religion and that was the one which he revealed. Being convinced of the fact and knowing the gospel to be true, I was baptized on trie 14th of May, 1850. If you will think for a minute or two you will see that was a long time ago. But the Lord gave me his Spirit, blessed me and led me in the path of righteousness. I bowed in obedience to the gospel, and although none of my friends or family could see as I did, yet I obeyed. I had to stand for myself. I embraced the Faith, received witness from God that this Church was the true one, and when the Lord called upon me, through his servants, to go and preach this faith, I answered the call and on the 6th day of January, 1851 — how long ago that is! — I was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and called to go out into the world without purse or scrip — without pay, without money, without price, with dependence upon nobody but the Lord, to preach the gospel. I was called and sent out for that purpose. And in the early part of March of that year, I started out. I was called upon to go to the county of Essex to preach the gospel. There were no Latter-day Saints there and no friends. Another man by the name of Pursice was called to go to another

GLIMPSES OF PIONEER LIFE 805 part of the same county. We started out on foot to go to our fields of labor. On arriving in the town of Tennsford, the capital town, which was his field of labor, we had no friends, no money and had no place to go, so we lay down by a straw stack and spent the night there. It was a very cold night and we stayed there without supper, and in the morning had no breakfast and my companion became very dis- couraged. . "What are we going to do?" he asked, and I said, "I am going on to my field of labor." "I have had enough," he said, "and I am going home." He went, and I do not know to this day what became of him. I went on to the town of Marldon in Essex. Before I started out the president of the branch gave me some good advice. He said: "Now, Brother Penrose, you are going out into the world and you will have to depend on the Lord. If you see somebody that looks well-to-do, and as if he would help you, go right up to that person and ask him to give you help, that you are a servant oi the Lord." I remembered this advice and just before I got into the town of Marldon, being very tired and sleepy, I saw a gentleman coming across a field up to a stile — I don't know whether you know what that is — we called them stiles, so I walked up to him and after swallowing a few times, for I was not accustomed to begging, I said: "I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, sent out into the world to preach the gospel." And he said, "Give him my compliments" — and walked off. You can imagine how I felt. I went on to the town and after distributing a few tracts — having no friends, no money, no change of apparel, no lodging, I came to one house and the woman seemed to be very kind and I asked her for a drink of water. She gave it to me. I sat down and broke into tears. That was my introduction to missionary work. It came to my mind that a man with whom I had conversed in London, William Taber, had some relatives there, so I inquired and was told, "Oh yes, her name is now Sayaart, I will find her and bring her to you." I found I knew her brother and told of my sleeping out doors and she said, "You shan't sleep out of doors. I havn't got a place to keep you but I will find some place for you." That was my beginning. I baptized a numbei of people, made many friends in the town, and one of the ladies I had baptized, took up a collection and hired a cottage where -I could preach on Sunday. This was my introduction in the work. I mention these things so you will know what we had to face in those days. I succeeded in raising up a large branch there. I was blessed with health and rich spiritual blessings were poured out upon me. I was blessed with the power of healing and many cases of healing were performed and it made quite a stir in the town. The mother of this young lady was sick with heart disease and had been given up by the doctors. One

806 IMPROVEMENT ERA day she said she could exercise enough faith that the Lord could heal her. I had the same faith, and so we engaged a vehicle to take us down to the sea-side. I took her to a bath house and then we went into the water and when she came up she said, "Praise the Lord; 1 am healed; I am well." She was. It was a very remarkable case and it attracted considerable attention. Another case which may be very interesting to you was that of a woman by the name of Colt, who had been baptized into the Church. This lady had been suffering from headaches — severe headaches, and by the laying on of hands she was healed and the pains left her and she got well as far as her head was concerned. One day while talking with her she held out her hand for me to see — which I easily could, because it was about as large as a shoulder of mutton — and there in each joint was a bleeding sore. Every joint was cracked. She said. "I have been suffering with this hand for years. I have been to hospitals, to doctors and they don't know what it is." I don't know whether you children have seen oysters in the shell, but you know oysters grow in salt water and have a great rough shell on the outside. Her hand looked just like the outside of an oyster shell — it was an awful looking thing. I asked her if she had any faith that her hand could be healed, and she said she had for she knew she had been healed of the headaches. I got some oil and she covered her hand up with a black glove, after administering to her. That night she went to bed and when she got up the next morning she found out she could close both her hands. She pulled off the glove and her hand was well — completely healed except one sore on the thumb and that was open for nearly a week. After that she had no trouble with it. Sometimes when I would go to the sur- rounding villages to preach she would hold up her hand and show it to the people and relate how she had been healed. These instances show the power of faith and the wonderful blessings of God. I might tell you of similar instances of the same kind — many of them. They were great testimonies to me. But I must hurry along and cut the story short. I labored in this way for ten years, in different parts of England, before coming to this country. I traveled from place to place. I raised up friends and baptized people and the Lord blessed me with strength of mind and body. I was only a young fellow — a little over nineteen. The Lord was with me in all my ministry. At that time I wrote a great many things for the Millennial Star, a publication in Liverpool. They are published in volumes to this day. A short time ago a man came to me and said he had read an old discourse of mine, written in 1859, published in the Millennial Star, in which I predicted a great many things, which he said had taken place. I got that copy of the Millennial Star, published on September 10, 1859, and these things

GLIMPSES OF PIONEER LIFE 80 7 that I wrote have come to pass, many of them word for word.* These have been testimonies to me that the Lord was with me. During all of this time the power of God was with me and his Spirit led and directed me. In 1861 I was released and came out here. I crossed the sea in a sailing vessel, a vessel which has to depend upon the wind for traveling power. Nobody knew about steam in those days. No one traveled by electricity; the wonderful powers of electricity were not then known and developed. Many wonderful things have come to pass since that time. We were thirty days before the winds and the waves from Liverpool to New York. I had passage in the steerage among the poorest of the poor and was there with them for thirty days. From New York to St. Joseph it took nine days of travel, then three days up the river on a boat, lying out on the deck at night, then eleven weeks on the plains from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City. I have to talk rapidly and cut things short so that you may hear what I have to say without tiring you. So we were thirty days on the ocean, sea sick, travel worn, at the mercy of the winds and waves. The Civil War had broken out and it took us nine days from New York to St. Joseph. Then three days on the Missouri River, followed by eleven weeks on the plains driving two yoke of oxen. I borrowed money and bought a cart and some oxen. After I came here to Zion, I went to live in Farmington, and there I passed through the experience which caused me to write the song which my son, Frank, sang to you, called "Blow gently, ye wild winds." That song was written in England in 1865. I had been to Farmington, as I told you, and afterwards moved to Cache Valley. Just a few words about Farmington. There I had the experiences of my life. I had obtained a small log cabin which faced the east. At that time several severe wind storms had occurred which had blown things to pieces. One afternoon I noticed that the wind was blowing from the east to the west and the clouds had settled low like a pillow on the mountains. The wind was rising and I knew some- thing was going to happen. In order to protect my house I fastened my door. It had a little latch on it — no lock — if you know what a latch is. The wind grew stronger until it was blowing terribly. I piled up two heavy boxes of clothing against the front door and helped to secure the door by using a pair of scissors. I then thought we were pretty safe. My wife lay there on the bed, with twins. Two little children three days old. I lay down on the floor and the wind began to screech and howl in a way you cannot imagine; *For the article referred to, see Improvement Era, March, 1924, pp. 403-7.

808 IMPROVEMENT ERA it was a most horrible sound, rushing and screeching like whirlwinds. It blew everything loose on the house and made an awful noise. I was afraid something would happen and I was thinking what to do, the door blew right open, pushing the boxes of clothing before it and the snow blew in right over that bed. Well, I can't describe my feelings. I grabbed the door and tried to push it shut, putting my head against it. The snow poured in over my feet and ankles; I called out for Aunt Lizzie — we called her — who was living in corner room of the house and together we tried to push the door back but we couldn't succeed. I had learned that during the day some strangers passing through the town had stopped in the big house on the east side of the street. I found a big spike nail and I wrenched that out and got something to serve as a hammer and I drove that in the ground against the door and said, "Lizzie, hold on for dear life and I will get help. I ran out the back entrance and waited until the wind lulled a bit and then ran. I got these men and it took four of uj three-quarters of an hour to nail the door up — all of that time to close and nail up the door, but at last we got it fastened up. I lay down again on the floor and as soon as I began to go to sleep I could hear the wind screeching and howling and suddenly the window crashed and I had to get up again. I loofted out and saw that the wind had blown the ground bare of snow and had actually blown rocks out of the ground and one had smashed the window and the snow was blowing in. I had to take up a Buffalo robe and nail it across the window to keep the snow from coming in — that was the pickle we were in. I had an old cow and no cow shed and the poor thing was out in the lot. I saw her standing out there like a cat perched on a fence, so I ran out and cut the rope loose and then tried to get back to the house. I dropped down on my hands and knees and pulled myself back by grabbing hold of weeds and grass. We were in that condition all day long. We had no stove then, but we had a chimney built in the log house. I had borrowed a sheet iron stove and built a fire so we could get some hot water. The wind was still howling and screeching, the snow flying and it was terribly cold. I had laid down again and then I noticed that the chimney was red hot and was setting the logs on fire. I tried to put the fire out by packing snow on it but couldn't pack enough. I ran out to get help and by getting down and pulling myself along the fence I got to the nearest house and there I got Jacob Miller to help me and together we put out the fire. All that night the wind howled and blew and tore and the next morn- ing it subsided. Then we learned of the damage it had done. Cows and sheep were destroyed, barns blown away and great damage was done. A man in the south part of town had built a new house and his wife was in the house during the storm, and the wind took the

GLIMPSES OF PIONEER LIFE 809 roof off the house. The woman ran with her baby across the street against the fence and there she and her baby were frozen to death . About three and one-half years from that time I was called to go on another mission to England. I was called to be in the city on the first day of May. I was there; I learned that I was to leave im- mediately for my field of labor. We had no funds to help missionaries in those days and we had to get along the best we could. So I worked my way to New York and got on a shipping vessel, in the steerage, with a lot of wild Irish people. I was kept in England for three and one-half years. During that time my folks lived in a log cabin and got along as best they could. I have been back there three times. The last time I was gone three and one-half years. Money was very scarce and the missionaries had to get along as best they could, while the folks at home did the same. But the Lord blessed us. It was by his Spirit and power that I labored and through him I have main- tained my reputation. I have met a number of good friends here today who have told me of the good work which the Lord gave me the power to do. I laid hands upon the sick, preached the gospel and baptized people. I can testify to you that the Lord has been with me, his Spirit is round about me, and it is by his power that I have been able to hold the position which I have in his Church. He has blessed me — I have the confidence of the people, and many who came here today told me of the work which I have done. It has been my life and my whole energy has been in the work of the Lord. I am here to night to testify to you that there is a God who made the heavens and the earth. He is the Father of that portion of us called our spirits. The spirit of man is the son or daughter of God just as we are the sons and daughters of our mortal fathers in the flesh. God is almighty. He can be reached by prayer and faith. When we obey him, he will hear our prayers. I exhort you boys and girls — grand-children — I exhort you to do right. Do what is right and stand by it under all circumstances and God will be with you and he will bring you off victorious at last. But if you disobey him, he will not be with you; but will leave you to yourselves and you will go down to darkness and despair. Believe in him, pray to him, keep his commandments and he will be with you to the end of your days as he has been with me. I hope he will be so until life is no more. I have faith that the spirit in my body is" the son of God, and when the body has done its work that I shall live and shall be the same person then as I am now and I know that by continuing in faith to the end, I will be with him and the good and just and the pure in heart in his heavenly kingdom. I testify to you that "Mormonism" is the work of God. He established it and has ever been with it; he is with it today and with all of his servants. He is with the priesthood in guiding and directing

810 IMPROVEMENT ERA Home of Charles W. Penrose, Farmington, 1861-1864. the affairs of his Church. You boys and girls attend Sunday School and your Religion Classes and your Primary. Do not do evil; don't associate with those who do evil, but keep close to the Lord and do right. Pray to him in your silent chambers. Pi ay to him if you are in trouble; pray to him in joy and thank him lor his blessings, foi every good thing is from him. He is the Author of all good and Satan is the author of that which is evil. Do right — avoid wrong; don't keep bad company. Do not join with the unrighteous but join with the Saints and God will be with you whether in joy or in pain, in every condition, on the land or on the sea, on the hill-top or v/herever you may be. He is the God of all things in heaven and on earth and the Father of our spirits. I love you, my dear ones, with all my heart and the best thing I can say to you is to put your trust in the Lord and keep his commandments. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," so Jesus Christ taught, "and all other things will be added unto you." Be willing to keep his commandments. Obey your parents. Rejoice in the Truth; avoid evil as much as you possibly can and the Lord will be with you and in the end you will come together in the celestial kingdom of God and your joy will be eternal. Now, when I went back to England I wrote that song which Frank has sung so prettily. The other numbers on the program have been so very splendid. I rejoice in your diversions — in your good times together. But I caution you not to do anything wrong. Avoid evil in your play. Cultivate the gift of music and the gift of singing. Learn all you can that is useful.

GLIMPSES OF PIONEER LIFE 811 I hope you will excuse me if I am taking up too much time here — but I want to say these things to you. Don't waste time on things that are only theoretical; learn things that will be of use and valuable to you. The great time to teach things of worth and truth is now at hand. This pedagogy called science — a great deal of time is wasted in studying some things. A great deal of science is true but very much is false, worthless clap trap. Learn what is right. Learn that which will make you useful, happy, kind, patient and charitable. All these things are from God. God bless you and may his peace abide with you. I thank my daughter, Lulu and her husband, Brother Walter A. Wallace, for the use of the house in which we have had this splendid entertainment. I thank my children. I thank you all. I pray God to bless you, my dear ones, that his peace will be with you always and his Spirit in your hearts; that you may be kept from want and from sickness; that you will do what is right; that we may finally unite in blessed hap- piness in the Kingdom of God, with all the good and upright of the earth. I pray peace to be with you all, through Jesus Christ. Amen. In Memory of President Charles W. Penrose BY GEORGE H. BRIMHALL, President-Emeritus, Brigham Young University. On Monday, May 24, 1925, at the devotional exercise of the Brigham Young University, this poem was a part of a tribute paid to President Penrose, in an address to the student body: His voice is hushed, his pen is dry, His earth-life flag is furled; But faith is strong and hopes are high — His words still move the world. The songs that owe to him their birth We sing as if our own; In fields of thought that gird the earth, We reap where he has sown. His valiant life, a beacon light Upon a mountain peak, Shines, like a star in cloudless night, For strong, and tired, and weak. To worlds beyond, his spirit flies, Swift messenger of truth. All heights, all depths before it lies. With it eternal youth.

PRESIDENT CHARLES W. PENROSE By Elizabeth Cannon Porter President Charles W. Penrose, a born newspaper man, with over thirty years' experience knew instinctively where news was. In the last year of his service at his office he gave me many "tips" in con- nection with my news gathering for the Deseret News. Although he was 92 years of age the fires of life still burned brightly, for he eagerly wanted to know what was going on. A friend of women, he told us that he had first introduced the measure permitting women to hold public office in Utah. This did not go into effect at that time, however, but succeeded later. One stormy morning he told of composing the hymn, "Blow gently, ye wild winds." [See his own account in this number of the Era— Ed.] In his trip across the plains the hoofs of his oxen became sore. He made the draft animals leather shoes which he fastened on their feet, for lame oxen meant disaster to the emigrants. He was keenly aware of the day's news. Once he commented on a woman who stood high in the ranks of the Republican party. An- other time he praised the sheriff of Salt Lake county. On hearing of the death of the late John W. Young he said: "He had a way with women." He told how he went with him to visit an Englishwoman: "She served us Cambric tea. Do you know what that is?" When I admitted my ignorance, he explained: "It is sugar and hot water." President Penrose had a temper, which he controlled. He was amenable to counsel. One morning I said to him: "President Penrose, you arrive like a king!" for so it seemed to me. He drove up in a glittering limousine with a member of the Church Offices at the wheel. One of his sons helped him to alight. Sister Bertha Irvine, always his friend, was ready with his mail. "H'mph," said he, "we had to stop at a garage for repairs." The mahogany and brown room in the northwest corner of the Church Offices must seem lonely without him! Los Angeles, California.