Francis Gladden Bishop Ordained a Seventy and Sent on Extensive Missions

Francis Gladden Bishop's spiritual gifts and zeal for the gospel were recognized early in his membership in the Church. Beginning in 1833—just one year after his baptism—he departed from his home to serve as a missionary in the Eastern States Mission, preaching the restored gospel throughout New York and Connecticut. His missionary labors were so faithful and extensive that in February 1836, he was ordained a Seventy in Kirtland, Ohio, a priesthood office reserved for those called to be traveling ministers and witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world. That same year he was listed as a stockholder in the Kirtland Safety Society, evidence of his full participation in the communal life of the Saints. He continued his mission labors across multiple calls, serving in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Upper Canada between 1838 and 1840. During his years of faithful service, he published a short history of the Church designed to help investigators understand the Restoration. His mission covered hundreds of miles on foot, by horse, and by wagon, bearing testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith. In October 1837, he was appointed secretary of a church conference in Rochester, Ohio—a mark of the trust placed in him by local leaders. His years of devoted missionary service stand as a testament to the power of genuine conversion and the willingness to consecrate one's life to proclaiming the gospel.