The youth of my Philadelphia-area LDS stake are participating in "Trek" this year and I am helping prepare historical information and serving as a historical advisor for the different activities. Here are my remarks for an opening fireside this past Sunday.
One hundred and sixty-four years ago, a young Irish immigrant named
Samuel Linton picked up the Philadelphia newspaper and saw a notice that said,
“Elder Samuel Harrison of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would
preach at ten o’clock on Sunday at 7th and Callow Hill.” Seventh and Callowhill
is just a few minutes’ walk from the Liberty Bell and a few minutes’ drive from
the temple. Samuel Linton said, “They were the most presumptuous people I had
heard of, to style themselves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I thought I must go and hear them first. I was there on time.” He heard the
missionaries preach the gospel and said, “I was convinced that the Lord had
restored the Gospel and the authority to administer the Ordinances thereof, [so]
I applied for baptism.”
In those days the Latter-day Saints
would move to live with other Latter-day Saints, so a few months later, Samuel
left Philadelphia for Utah.
