Page:Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow monochrome.djvu/93

 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 67 Mississippi rivers to the city of Nauvoo. Descriptive of their arrival, I clip the following paragraph from the "History of Joseph Smith," under date of April 12, 1843:

"Before the Elders' Conference closed, the steamer 'Amaranth' appeared in sight of the Temple, coming up the river, and about noon landed her passengers at the wharf opposite the old Post Office building, consisting of about two hundred and forty Saints from England, under the charge of Elder Lorenzo Snow, who left Liverpool last January, after a mission of nearly three years. This is the first boat up this season."

The time of the arrival had been announced, and many hearts (mine not excepted) were anxiously and expectantly beating, and when the steamer came in sight, every eye was turned in the direction, and as it neared the landing, white handkerchiefs were waving along the shore, up and down, for a great distance. President Joseph Smith, with a large number of brothers and sisters, was present to greet our friends, and he gave notice to the new comers to meet at the Temple on the next day at ten o'clock, to receive instructions.

It should be borne in mind that time and progress have wrought great changes since that event—at that time steamers were not navigating the ocean with the astonishing rapidity they are doing forty years later—crossing in a few days; and, at that time, letter communication was very tardy in comparison with the present fast age, and cablegram nonexistent. In consideration of these circumstances, it will be readily understood that a mission to England now differs very considerably from a mission to England then—saying nothing about the aid and facilities of the railroads of the present day. In view of all these improvements, it is easy to comprehend that the arrival of a company of Saints from Europe was hailed as an important event. To me, personally, the one alluded to above was particularly so.

The appearance of the "Amaranth," as it came in sight,