Saints on the Rockaway Experience Manifestations of the Spirit

During the voyage of the Rockaway from Liverpool to New Orleans in early 1855, the company led by Samuel Glasgow experienced a prosperous passage across the ocean, despite encountering two severe gales and a heavy sea. While the stormy conditions resulted in the ripping of a main-sail, the Saints suffered no significant losses or accidents, and aside from common seasickness, the company experienced no illness. Throughout the journey, the Saints held prayer and testimony meetings every evening to commune with their Heavenly Father and speak of the things of the Kingdom of God. According to Samuel Glasgow, they were blessed with a good spirit during these gatherings, which filled their hearts with rejoicing and gladness as they traveled toward the land of Joseph and the gathering place of the Saints. Following their safe arrival in New Orleans on February 28, 1855, the company departed for St. Louis on the steamboat 'Saranak' on March 1. They were sixteen days on the river, during which time the boat struck a 'snag' sixty-five miles below Cairo on the evening of the 11th, necessitating the discharge and reloading of the cargo. This delay provided an opportunity for the brethren to secure labor, which assisted them in obtaining necessary means upon their arrival in St. Louis.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

Our lives were spared, and we had a prosperous passage across the ocean. We had two severe gales of wind, and a heavy sea, but met with no losses or accidents, and, with the exception of the usual sea-sickness, we had no sickness in the company. We held our meetings every evening for prayer to our Heavenly Father, and bearing testimony to the work of God, and speaking one to another of the things of the Kingdom of God; and we were blessed with a good spirit, which caused us to rejoice and be glad in our hearts that we were on our way to the land of Joseph, and the gathering place of the Saints of the Most High. We arrived in New Orleans on the 28th of February, all in good health and spirits. We left New Orleans on the 1st of March, on the steamboat 'Saranak,' for St. Louis. We were sixteen days on the river. On the evening of the 11th, the boat struck a 'snag,' sixty-five miles below Cairo, which necessitated the discharging and reloading of the cargo. This delay gave the brethren an opportunity to secure labor, which was a great assistance to them in obtaining means to help them on their journey after their arrival in St. Louis.