Daniel Hanmer Wells, a fifty-year-old Latter-day Saint apostle, arrived in Liverpool, England, in August 1864 to preside over the church's missionary efforts in Europe.1 During his almost two years stay, he corresponded with Brigham Young on Latter-day Saint theology, the progress of missionary work, health matters, and a myriad of other subjects. A story Wells shared with Young reflects an interesting perspective on Latter-day Saint leadership's preoccupation with the poor of Europe and the American Civil War. This essay examines an extract from December 22, 1864, where Wells details “the Southern Bazaar,” a charity event held in Liverpool to raise money for the relief of Confederate prisoners of war.
Wells had been an apostle and First Presidency member for seven years when Young asked him to go with his son, Brigham Young Jr., to preside over the European Mission to allow George Q. Cannon, a fellow apostle, to return...
