Letter from Orson Hyde, 28 September 1840

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
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N. J. Sept. 28, 1840.
Dear Brethren.
I left at the latter part of August, and came on up the Ohio river as far as Wellsburgh, Va. I stopped with father James, who received and entertained me with great kindness and hospitality. He and his daughter, a very fine amiable young lady, were keeping house together; and very pleasantly situated on the delightful banks of the beautiful Ohio. Here I preached twice and three persons.— Had a very pleasant visit with a brother of ’s; came on by stage and Steam Boats to : from thence took the canal to Leechburgh, where I stopped and preached to a small number of saints, raised up by the instrumentality of father Nickerson—all in good spirits. As I left this place, about 9 o’clock in the morning, the most remarkable phenomenon occured in the heavens that I ever witnessed. There appeared two bright and luminous bodies, one on the north, and the other on the south side of the sun: in length about ten yards, inclining to a circle resembling a Rainbow, about fifty yards distant from the sun; apparently east of the sun, about twenty-five yards, was a body of light as briliant, almost, as the sun itself; and on the west, a great distance from the sun, appeared a white simi-circle passing half way round the horizon, and another crossing it at right angles, exhibiting a scenery of the sublimest kind. It was a great wonder to the passengers on board the boat. Put this with the fact that the Jews are [p. 104 [204]]
N. J. Sept. 28, 1840.
Dear Brethren.
I left at the latter part of August, and came on up the Ohio river as far as Wellsburgh, Va. I stopped with father James, who received and entertained me with great kindness and hospitality. He and his daughter, a very fine amiable young lady, were keeping house together; and very pleasantly situated on the delightful banks of the beautiful Ohio. Here I preached twice and three persons.— Had a very pleasant visit with a brother of ’s; came on by stage and Steam Boats to : from thence took the canal to Leechburgh, where I stopped and preached to a small number of saints, raised up by the instrumentality of father Nickerson—all in good spirits. As I left this place, about 9 o’clock in the morning, the most remarkable phenomenon occured in the heavens that I ever witnessed. There appeared two bright and luminous bodies, one on the north, and the other on the south side of the sun: in length about ten yards, inclining to a circle resembling a Rainbow, about fifty yards distant from the sun; apparently east of the sun, about twenty-five yards, was a body of light as briliant, almost, as the sun itself; and on the west, a great distance from the sun, appeared a white simi-circle passing half way round the horizon, and another crossing it at right angles, exhibiting a scenery of the sublimest kind. It was a great wonder to the passengers on board the boat. Put this with the fact that the Jews are [p. 104 [204]]
Page 104 [204]