England Nonconformist Church Records: Difference between revisions

Joseph Smith, and the early converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States faced severe opposition and subsequent persecution. In the midst of this oppressive early period, Smith sent missionaries to various parts of the world including first to Canada, secondly to the British Isles, and later, to Scandinavia, Europe and other places. It was within the same month as the commencement of England's Civil Registration of births, marriages and deaths, that the first missionaries landed on England's soil, first appearing in the Preston, ("Priest-town' as it was anciently called), Lancashire region with considerable success. As these missionaries began their journeying throughout the realm, thousands flocked to its ranks. About 14 years later, by the time the 1851 Religious Census was taken, there were just over 50,000 "sittings" in approximately 250 different congregations spread throughout the countries of England and Wales. Many of these awaited emigration to "Zion", which was located high in the Rocky Mountain's Great Basin (Utah Territory), in the Western United States. By the time of the 1860 U.S. Federal census, nearly 1 person in 4 that walked the valleys of Utah, spoke in the England/Welsh/Scottish baroque, due to the many converts who had arrived from Great Britain. Charles Dickens, who was commissioned to personally inspect and observe one of the docked 'Mormon emigrant' ships, ''The Amazon'', [https://saintsbysea.lib.byu.edu/mii/account/29 wrote some views about his experience].  

The Church's doctrinal views on the Eternal nature and continuity of each individual and the family, resonated well with many among England's mostly working class. Nothing demonstrates this more since Smith's day, than in its practices of dedicating time, means and other resources towards 1) the building of meetinghouses, and temples and sending missionaries throughout the world. Then and now, in the temples, devoted members learn about the purpose of life here in mortality, God's interest and Influence in one's eternal progression while here and beyond the grave, the origin and eternal nature of each soul, and a belief that the "restoration" of God's (priesthood) authority, sacred ordinances may both seal on earth and bind in heaven--for eternity, couples to each other, and each family member to parents, such that all may partake of the heavenly gifts. The Prophet Joseph taught that God's richest blessings for each one of His children--and members' ancestors who may have never had the opportunity to receive the fullness of the Gospel and its accompanying saving ordinances--by proxy--were/are to be performed in their temples. Therefore, today the Church allocates numerous resources and man-power 2) to facilitate the operations of their temples in order that ordinances may be performed and of which allows not only themselves, but which grants ancestors as well the opportunity to choose to accept (or reject) these ordinances done in their behalf to progress in, respectively, their own eternal progression. By the liberal use of the above "resources", the Church has been and currently is a major player and contributor to the world's genealogical community, by sharing its vast genealogical treasures. Because of it mission, the Church has built a the world's largest family history library--and opened all of its genealogical records and resources--free to the world. Family history enthusiasts and genealogists worldwide have used these to further their family historical pursuits. Visit the Family History Library, at 35 North, West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT, or, visit its website online to search for your ancestors at [[Https:familysearch.org/search|FamilySearch.org]] (both are free).   

Records for most of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint congregations (called Wards or Branches) are now located in the Family History Library in  Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. Many additional copies (originals) are found in its Church History Library. Currently, these records may only be viewed in the Family History Library. Digitization for most of these records has not been completed and are not yet available online. Dates of living baptisms are mostly available for church members seeking to learn the date[s] of baptism of an England ancestor. These baptismal dates may be viewed in FamilySearch.org's Family Tree. However, there are (yet) many early convert baptisms which have not yet found, recorded and made conveniently accessible in the Family Tree at this time, because FamilySearch.org has not yet prioritized the data to these living (early or pre-1920) baptisms to be made available in any viable online format. [Note to Church members: Just about all other ordinances for the living and by proxy (for deceased loved-ones) performed in nearly 180 years-worth of temple proxy work, are mostly available and found in FamilySearch.org's Family Tree. The place of baptism is never given. The place of living baptisms are found in the branch/ward membership records of the town in which they occurred. Look in census records to help you determine where baptisms are likely to have taken place.]