Charles Derry

From "History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", copyright 1896, http://www.centerplace.org/history/ch/v3ch39.htm:

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES DERRY, WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF THE HISTORIAN.

Charles Derry, the second and youngest son of Charles Derry and Amelia Littley Derry, was born on the 25th day of July, 1826, in the parish of Bloxwick, and county of Stafford, England. His father died seven months prior to his birth, leaving the widow and one babe, George Derry, who was one year and five months old, besides the unborn subject of this sketch. Mother being very poor, was compelled to seek employment; and after my birth was compelled to separate the children, placing George in the care of her aged parents, Daniel and Rebekah Littley; and at the age of ten weeks I was placed in the care of an aunt; but at the age of three weeks, mother felt it her duty to dedicate me to the Lord, as Hannah of old did the young child Samuel, that I might be in the service of the Lord so long as I should live.

My mother told me this, and of my earliest history, after I had become a man, and presented to her the gospel in its fullness, which she gladly obeyed. She declared that she never doubted God's acceptance of the gift, no matter how wayward and willful I proved to be; and from my earliest recollection, I am satisfied I never was an angel, but was as full of the old Adamic nature as boys generally are. But mother was a God-fearing woman, and constantly bore her children's names before Him who has said, "Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me." She fully trusted in Him.

Mother had secured a position as housekeeper for a wealthy bachelor farmer, with a determination to remain single until her boys were able to care for themselves. This pledge she faithfully kept, and remained in this position sixteen years, sustaining her children and aiding her aged mother, who during this time had become a widow.

When I was about three years old I was placed in grandmother's care; and as soon as I was able to go I was sent to the common school, until I was nine years old, after which I went to work until I was ten, then mother gave me six

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months more schooling, after which I obtained a place on the farm with my mother, and was under her care until I was nearly thirteen, when I wickedly rebelled and ran away, and thus ungratefully caused her much sorrow. This was the only time, since I was ten weeks old, that I had been under her care. I was afterwards apprenticed to learn the blacksmithing trade, mother paying my employer a bonus of ten pounds sterling, and agreeing to clothe me while my employer furnished me board, lodging, and shoes until I was twenty-one years old. Here I remained during eight years, which time I felt the oppressor's rod very severely, which did not improve my nature at all; yet all this time there was a constant feeling in my soul that I ought to serve the Lord; and I tried to do so, but my daily surroundings were of such a nature that I had to fight against tremendous odds. At the age of seventeen I joined the "Freewill Baptist Church," determined to serve the Lord. I chose that church because I thought they came nearer the scriptural order than any other.

About this time the Reverend Samuel Jackson, minister of the Independent Church, formed a theological class to study "divinity," and as it was open for all, I joined it. In a short time the minister offered to send me to college, to fit me for the ministry; but my employers had claim upon my labor until I was twenty-one, hence I could not accept his kind offer.

At nineteen I heard of the Latter Day Saints. I went to hear them, not expecting to hear any good; but to my surprise I found they believed and taught the word as found in the Bible. There was one utterance made that conflicted with my Baptist proclivities; the preacher said, "The Baptists have no authority to baptize." This was too much; I left.

After I was of age and free from the bonds of my apprenticeship, I went to the town where mother lived. She was then married again. I obtained employment at my trade, and boarded with mother. Here I heard a discussion between a Methodist preacher and a Latter Day Saint. I became convinced of the truth after prayerful and diligent

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investigation, and on the 3d day of October, 1847, I was buried with Christ in baptism for the remission of my sins. I received the witness of the Holy Spirit that my offering was accepted of God, and my cup of joy was full. I had given myself unreservedly unto the Lord.

About three months from that time I was called into the ministry, ordained an elder, and sent out into the world without purse or scrip, to preach the gospel of Christ. Among the rest I preached it to my mother, and baptized and confirmed her, and soon afterwards my brother George. After traveling something over a year, I married Miss Alice Stokes, the eldest daughter of Joseph and Alice Stokes, of West Bromwich, England. She was a member of the church, and had been since prior to the death of the Martyr, and a devoted handmaid of the Lord, as all her after life proved. With the full understanding that my lifework must be in the ministry (for to that end I had consecrated myself, come weal or woe, prosperity or adversity) she gladly united her destiny with mine, to be a help meet in the labor of faith and love. And truly has she proved a help meet, enduring poverty and the contempt of the world without a murmur, always encouraging me in the great battle of truth.

To cement our union, came two sweet babes; the first in the year 1850, and the last in the year 1852, which pledges of our love always proved a source of joy. My traveling deprived her and them of my society, but never were hearts more firmly blended in one than ours; and when the curse, polygamy, came, it was not allowed to disturb our union, nor was any intruder permitted to step in between us. It is true we were at a loss to know of its real origin, and were puzzled by the fact that it had been practiced by some of the patriarchs and kings whose memories we had learned to revere; but we determined to wait the arbitrament of time, and seek guidance from on high.

My labors in England, were in the counties of Stafford, Warwick, Worcester, Shropshire, Montgomery, Flint, and Lincoln, with occasional visits to Liverpool and London; and in 1854, being counseled by the then church authorities,

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we bade adieu to our native land and wended our way to the "Valley of the Mountains."

On this journey my loved companion sickened and died, and I was left alone with my two little babes, Alice being four years old, and George Nephi two. When I reached our destination I was like a lone sheep on the mountains, with my two little lambs bleating at my side, without home or means, and friends very few and far between. In this condition I besought the Lord to give me a companion who would be a mother to my babes. Nor did I seek in vain. God heard my prayer, and sent me a companion, young and beautiful, whom I had never seen or heard of until I proposed to her to become my wife and a mother to my little ones, describing my helpless condition. I had not been without offers; but I failed to see in those who volunteered the characteristics that would qualify them to be mothers to my children; but here I seemed to recognize those qualities, and urged my suit, nor was it denied. And after forty-two years of experience with my present companion, I am proud to say my reading of character was not at fault, for she has proved to me and mine all that my heart could desire; and here I acknowledge the faithfulness of him who said, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God." Faithful in the observance of duty, patient in privation and poverty such as must come to every traveling elder's wife, and zealous for the cause of truth, she has always aided and encouraged me in the arduous and unenviable task of a traveling minister. And when the great awards are meted out, not the least will fall into the hands and rest upon the heads of these quiet, unobtrusive, but self-sacrificing women.

Having had the opportunity of learning by observation the workings of polygamy, where it had full sway, we became satisfied that it had its origin in lust, and pandered to the flesh, instead of bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and we were satisfied it was not of God. And while the revelation of this fact brought sorrow to our minds, and grief more poignant than death, we sadly turned our backs upon the Utah Church, utterly at a loss to know where to find the

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rest our weary souls needed. Sectarianism in all its forms was too much like Isaiah's bed, "Too short for a man to stretch himself on, and the covering too narrow for a man to wrap himself in."

We left Utah in 1859, and came to Nebraska by ox team, and found a temporary home with my brother, who, with our mother, had come thus far on their way to Utah, but had been induced by letters from me and the influence of other friends to stay there. I soon heard of the Reorganized Church, but I feared, at first, it was another move of Brigham Young to capture those whom he called apostates, but upon receiving a number of the Saints' Herald, I was satisfied there was no connection between the Reorganized Church and that of Brigham. Moreover, the Spirit of God began to work with me, and I was drawn to him, remembering the evidences he had given me of his love, and his power that had attended my ministry, and I determined to find the Reorganization.

Accordingly, in the last days of February, 1861, I left my family in a little cabin in Dodge County, Nebraska, and with the snow eighteen inches deep on the level, and a few cookies in a small sack, I started for Iowa. After traveling about seventy-five miles, I found Elders W. W. Blair and E. C. Briggs, and after a proper investigation of the claims of the Reorganized Church I was again buried with Christ in baptism, in Farm Creek, Mills County, Iowa, and was again ordained an elder, during the ordinance of confirmation by Elder Blair. This was early in March, 1861. I returned to Nebraska by the kind aid of Philip Gatrost, who took me with his team to where I had left my family, and he brought myself and family into Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where I found a temporary home among the Saints of God.

I was again called into the traveling ministry and labored in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska until the fall of 1862. In that time I was called to the office of a Seventy, and in October of that year I was appointed on a mission to England, in connection with Elder J. W. Briggs, of the Quorum of the Twelve. On December 6 of that year I started on

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that mission, as I had always gone, without purse and scrip, leaving my family in a little log cabin belonging to William Brittain, near Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa, the following named brethren pledging themselves to see that my family should not suffer: Jairus M. Putney, William Brittain, John Leeka, Elijah Gaylord, Noah Green, John Pack, and Joseph Craven, and right nobly did they keep their pledge.

I reached Liverpool, February 4, 1863. Jason W. Briggs and Jeremiah Jeremiah came to England about the 15th of May, 1863, and found me at West Bromwich on the 16th. We labored in unity until the month of June, 1864, when I returned or started home to my family, by sailing vessel, from Liverpool, and arrived at home on the 6th of September of the same year.

On the lst of November I removed my family from western Iowa, and started to Nauvoo, Illinois, where we remained until the spring conference of 1865, and on the 30th of November, Brethren A. H. Smith and George Redfield fetched us from Montrose to Nauvoo, and we were kindly entertained by Alexander and wife that night.

Just prior to the General Conference in April, 1865, President Joseph Smith came to my house to inquire if I was going to the conference at Plano. I replied, "I cannot go; I have not the means."

He then said, "If I consider it of so much importance for you to go as to pay your expenses, will you go?"

I answered, "Certainly." He then gave me ten dollars. I went to conference. Three brethren were appointed to select two for ordination into the Quorum of the Twelve. Bro. Josiah Ells was one selected, and I was the other; and, believing that the call was of God, I accepted and was ordained. That night I slept with Joseph and he remarked, "Now I know why it was that I could not come to conference without you," referring to my ordination.

I served in that capacity until the General Conference of 1870, in Plano, when I resigned my position as an apostle, and requested the church to permit me to be simply an elder, for I felt that in that office was all the priesthood I was qualified to hold. After long and anxious deliberation,

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the conference granted my request and accepted my resignation, but they retained me in the High Priests' Quorum, in which capacity I have served until the present. After the death of Bro. Isaac Sheen I was appointed and ordained president of that quorum.

I am now seventy years of age, but my love for the cause does not lessen; but rather my desire to serve God increases with my years, and I desire to keep firm hold of the gospel plow until the Master shall say, "It is enough." 1 1 At the General Conference of 1890, held at Lamoni, Iowa, Elder Derry was chosen and ordained a member of the High Council. The above sketch was written about four years ago. [copyright date of this publication was 1896.] He is now seventy-four years old, but still laboring in the ministry as his strength permits. He yet retains his positions as President of the High Priests' Quorum and a member of the High Council. Since his connection with the Reorganization his ministerial work has been performed in the States of Iowa, Nebraska, Dakotas, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, and Idaho; and in England and Wales. He now resides at Woodbine, Iowa. His wife still lives, and together they are spending their old age in the memory of a well-spent life.

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Last updated: March 2004