When We First Heard the Gospel

by Alfred Burningham

It was in dear old England in 1857

We first heard the gospel revealed to earth from heaven.

To go into the waters to be cleansed from earthly sin

The first of all the family was our faithful brother Jim.

Soon two sisters were baptized, and then again two brothers,

And with them to receive the faith our dear and faithful mother.

And then the devil jealously began a furious howl;

He knew that we were winning which surely made him growl.

Old Satan in his shrewdness knew he had no time to rest,

So on the parson hurriedly his suit he keenly pressed.

The parson soon the task assumed and to the landlord came,

To get him to assist him to destroy the Mormon's name.

Our father for this landlord worked to earn his daily bread,

And from his meager earnings his family was fed.

The parson told the landlord that his heart was full of fear,

That certainly destruction was hovering very near.

Says he, "A strange religion has come into our town,

And we must be united if we hope it put it down.

One of our best men, I understand, is furnishing food and bed,

To those worthless Mormon elders whom honest people dread."

The landlord knew neither what to say or do,

For he knew that father's services were genuine and true;

But the minister urged him onward and spoke with zeal and zest,

To turn the family from their home he did his level best.

The squire spoke to father while working in the field,

"To the wishes of the parson it will be well for you to yield.

Those Mormons I am told are a very wicked lot.

In the company of such people it is strange that you were caught.

If you should go to Utah you would soon repent the day,

And tho you wished you were in England you could not get away,

Already in America the soldiers are enroute,

They are on their way to Utah to drive the Mormons out."

But said Father, "The gospel revealed to them is true,

We do not want to be cowards, we want to be true blue,;

'Tis the gospel of the Son of God and it has stood the test,

And God will protect His people away out in the West."

The parson said if we searched the scriptures we would find

That the Mormons in their reading must certainly be blind.

Later on the parson and his wife came to our home one day;

Says he, "Since searching the scriptures, what have you to say?"

And our father soon replied, "We have searched them day and night,

And we can prove to you that the Mormons are all right.

Nowhere in the Bible is the soulless message given,

That the babe who dies unsprinkled is ever kept from heaven.

If you will read and study the word of God you'll find,

That you and all who follow you are certainly most blind."

One day soon after this event, as we sat down to dine,

A messenger came to father with a document to sign.

Says he, "You must listen carefully as I read this letter through,

And make your mind up hurriedly what is best for you to do."

The document in every sense was cruel and severe.

And the messenger read it emphatically with voice both loud and clear.

Our family was to listen the Mormons never more;

And the elders must be driven forever from our door.

Father said, "We'll trust in God and sign no such decree,

For we have learned the truth and the truth has made us free."

Next morning the landlord aloud did shout,

"I'll give you and your family just one week to get out."

"That will be all right also," replied the good old man,

"I shall get another place to live as quickly as I can."

And o'er us all there fell that day a feeling most forlorn,

To think we had to leave the home in which we all were born.

But soon we had determined to leave old England's shore,

To go to distant Utah to dwell forever more.

To make so great a journey was difficult in that day,

But the good Lord in his kindness opened up the way.

But there is something in this story I have not yet told,

My father and I had not yet entered the fold.

I said to father, "We both know the gospel is true,

I am going to be baptized so indeed ought you."

In tears, my father said, "You are right my faithful boy,

To hear you speak of baptism fills my soul with joy."

When father and I were baptized our family all but one,

Had received the gospel and this was the oldest son.

And he was a man of worth and kindly deed.,

In duty's path and honor's cause he ever sought to lead.

But no he's gone from this sad earth, to enter heaven's glory,

He's heard the gospel message there of Jesus and his story.

In 1860 on the morn of March and twenty third,

The farewell voices of two brothers and sister too were heard.

We were leaving dear old England and our loved ones ever true,

Bidding adieu to the old world glad to embrace the new.

After being tossed about on the waves of the rough old sea.

On the first of May we landed in New York, just we three.

To Winter Quarters then we hastened, up the Hudson calm and clear,

Past Niagara Falls, Chicago and St. Joe did we boldly steer.

Then a two-wheeled cart we mustered and our baggage to it tied,

In a jolly had cart company, traveling toward the river side.

Over a thousand miles of trackless plains we pushed our carts along.

Tho roads were rough and streams were deep we'd sing our hand carts on.

At night we'd take our turn on guard, when all was calm and still,

To keep the Indians from our camp by woods and mount and rill.

When times were dull and food was short, we'd do the best we could.

Our fires were made of buffalo chips when we could find no wood.

Through these trials we lived knowing it was for the good,

Though among our dearest friends we were not understood.