Journal entry about labors in the missionary field, 24
March
1902
Notes: In the spring of 1902, Mormon missionary James M. Taylor visited Bath while staying in the small crossroads of Yatesville,
some five miles northeast of Bath. Taylor notes the state of disrepair of St. Thomas Church and gives a version of the legend
of eighteenth-century evangelist George Whitefield’s curse on the town.
Transcription 24 [March 1902]—Went down to Bath mailed our letters and walked through the City dodging around the Cow. T—— on the side we
saw the oldest Church (Episcipal [sic]) in the State it is a very old city and has gone to rack quite badly the Capital of
the State was there years ago but it is said there is a curse on the place as a man came in there years ago to preach and
the people rejected him and h[e]
[page 126]
scraped the dust off his feet as a testimony against the city and it hasn't prospered since. we came onto John Curtises and
there eat [sic] dinner. [A]fter dinner went down to Bay Side and notified the people of preaching at Curtises at night had
quite a crowd out both of us doing the Speaking.
25—wrote part of a letter then started out canvassing sold a V [?] of W. [uncertain about what this is] to Mrs. Gailard at
the P.O. conversed with the people along and took dinner with a Mrs. White then come on down to Mr McGowin where we are now
[on the road between Bath and Plymouth, North Carolina].
Location:
Special Collections, Joyner Library, East Carolina University
