ALFRED BEST MISSION TO GREAT BRITAIN

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Alfred Best was basically called on his mission to Great Britain in April of 1880, left Utah in August 1880, arrived in England in September, served in the Sheffield District until ill health caused his return to Utah in January of 1881. He was 50 years of age at this time and left his families and business to go on this mission. It was a short mission because of ill health.

1. Alfred Best received his call to Great Britain at the April, 1880, General Conference along with 28 other brethren. In those days the call and the announcement was made from the pulpit during conference. This was the Fiftieth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church. [Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, Friday, October 8, 1880, p. 709, number 45, vol. XLII.]

2. Travel: He left Salt Lake on August 24, 1879, traveling by Union Pacific railway to New York.

3. Arrival: “On Thursday, September 16th, Elder Alfred Best, missionary from Utah, arrived in Liverpool on Guion and Co’s S.S. Arizona. He left Salt Lake on August 24th, and reached here in fair health and good spirits.” [Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, Monday, September 20, 1880, p.602, number 28, vol. XLII.]

4. Appointment: “Alfred Best is appointed a traveling elder in the Sheffield Conference, to labor under the direction of Elder Henry Margetts.” William Budge, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the British Isles and adjacent countries. [Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, Monday, September 20, 1880, p. 602, number 28, vol. XLII.]]

5. Conference Report: Minutes of a District Meeting held in St. Thomas’ rooms, Knifesmith Gate, Chesterfield, on Sunday, Oct. 10, 1880. “Elders from Utah present–Wm. Budge, President of the European Missio; O. F. Hunter, President of the Nottingham Conference; H. Margetts, president of, and Edward Kay and Alfred Best, traveling elders in the Sheffield Conference.”

At the 10:30 a.m. meeting: “Elder Best spoke of the willingness of the Saints, in his district, to help spread the truths of the Gospel among the people, by distributing the written word and otherwise. Said he had met with much kindness from the Saints. Exhorted them to continue faithful, and to be diligent in keeping all the commandments of the Almighty.”

At the 2:00 p.m. meeting: Elder Best offered the invocation.

At the 6:00 p.m. meeting: Elder Best offered the benediction.

[Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, Oct. 10, 1811. pp. 670--671, number 42, volume XLII.]

6. Conference Report: The Sheffied Conference, December 11, 1880: President H. Margetts of the Sheffield Conference wrote to President A. Carrington, including the following: “I am pleased to inform you that the elders now laboring in the Sheffield Conference are well, and working energetically in bringing the Gospel before the people. We have baptized into the Church quite a number since last report from the conference.

Elders Alfred Best and Joseph G. Cutler, who are traveling in the Chesterfield and Tupton District, are very zealous in teaching and counseling the Saints, also in preaching to the people and distributing the written work among them. In these districts there have been, since the first of October, nine baptisms into the Church–six adults and three children. There are fair prospects of more being baptized before long. The Saints generally are becoming more alive to the duties required of them, and of late show to a greater extent their faith by their works. “ [Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, December 20, 1880, p. 814, number 151, volume XLII.]

7. Release: “Elder Alfred Best is released from his labors in the Sheffield Conference to return home, on account of ill-health..” [Millennnial Star–Liverpool, England, p. 26, January 10, 1881, number 2, volume XLIII.]

8. Departure: “Elder Alfred Best and Joseph W. Burt, having been released from their mission labors on account of ill-health, left Liverpool on Saturday last to S. S. Arizona of the Guion Line. [Millennial Star–Liverpool, England, p. 26, January 10, 1881, number 2, volume XLIII.]]

9. Arrival: “Arrived home on Monday evening, Elders Joseph W. Burt and Alfred Best, of this city, arrived home from Great Britain, whither they went last year on a mission...Since leaving Liverpool, the health of both missionaries has improved.

Elder Best arrived in England on the16th of September, 1880 and since his arrival has labored in the Sheffield Conference under the direction of President Henry Margetts. Of late brother Best has suffered from neuralgia and rheumatism, and it was deemed wisest to release him from any further labor in the English climate...These brethren are honorably released and return with the good wishes of the presiding authority in these lands.” [Deseret Evening News 1881, Journal History 24 Jan 1881.]

Note: Alfred Best was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Birmingham, Warwick, England in 1849 when he was twenty years old.. At this time (July 1, 1849) there were 160 individuals baptized during the quarter with a total of 1,640 church members in the Birmingham Conference. The July 1850 record says that 191 were baptized in the Birmingham Conference during the last quarter and they had a total of 1,909 members. The reports said that 44 had just emigrated and Alfred Best might have been in this count since he came to the U.S.A. [New York] in June of 1850.

Richard H. Henstrom

2466 North 930 East

Provo, Utah, 84604

(801) 373-5426

2 April 2007