Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 2/Letter to Oliver Cowdery from Sylvester B. Stoddard (Oct. 20, 1834)
TO OLIVER COWDERY, Esq.[edit]
Saco, Maine, Oct. 20, 1834.
BROTHER O. COWDERY,—
Agreeable to your request in the Evening and the Morning Star, I proceed to give you a short account of my travels since the conference in this place.—On the 18th of June I started in company with bro. Josiah Butterfield, to visit a small church in Farmington, about 80 miles from this place, which consisted of ten members. We labored a short time with them and the people round about, and baptized seven: one of them a Methodist preacher, who is now preaching the whole gospel, and bids fair to be a very useful member in this church.—We tarried with them until the 10th of July, when we returned home. I then attended to my domestic concerns until the 30th of August, when I started for the East again, and on the 5th of September, arrived in Farmington and found the brethren and sisters strong in the faith, and rejoicing in the Lord. I then took bro. Kempton with me and labored in the back towns for the space of six weeks, occasionally visiting the church: and where ever there was a door opened to us we preached the gospel according to the ability given unto us. And I trust our labor will not all be lost. We have met with considerable opposition from the sectarian priests, and according to the appearance, they used all their influence against the work of the Lord: but notwithstanding, where we can get the ears of the people, and have the privilege of speaking to them once, they generally want to hear more—prejudice falls before the power of truth. There are many investigating the work of the Lord. I have baptized one and there are many more believers who have not yet obeyed; but expect there will be some on my return. There appears to be a considerable field open in this section, and a great call for preaching: and if there could some faithful brethren come into these parts they would find work enough, and would no doubt do much good. We should be glad if any comes into these parts that they may be competent workmen.
Yours in the bonds of the new covenant.
SYLVESTER B. STODDARD.