Letter from William Paxman, 11 April 1889
President Wilford Woodruff,
and Quorum of Apostles:
Dear and beloved Bretheren;
We cannot find words to fully express to you the
great joy we have in the Lord at being spared in health
and strength to once more address you by letter, from
this, a small island of the sea, at the nethermost
part of the earth. Yet in so doing we feel to offer up
a silent, though fervent prayer to our loving Father in
Heaven, that this may reach you in safety, and find
you in the full enjoyment of health and every blessing
of the Lord suited to your high and holy callings, and
the great labors devolving upon you at this peculiar
period in the history of the Church.
How we were made to rejoice and praise the Lord
our God for the good news that came to us by the last
mail, viz., the freedom of Pres Woodruff and Cannon, af-
ter so long a confinement, to again mingle with and
instruct the Saints of Israel in the great things of God;
feeling as we do that it has not come any too soon for
the good and welfare of Zion; for when the shepherds
are absent, the flock is apt to become more or less affected.
We feel that a reformation will now take place in the
midst of the Saints, and all Israel will be made to
