for I do not consider that I am worthy of that Appelation
Father in the Priesthood implies the great head, the term
would be proper to Father Adam. Jesus had refference
to the same thing when He told his deciples not to call any
man Father on earth for their Father was in heaven. [Matthew 23:9]
The seal of the covenant that I have been speaking off
to day was what the Apostle saw previous to the destruction
of the wicked when the Angel was commanded not to fear pour
out the vials of wrath on the wicked untill the saints were sealed
in thereir forehead & when this was done they all became Father
Adams family. Those that are Adopted into my family & take me
for their councellor if I continue faithful I will preside over
them throughout all Eternity. I will stand at thereir head, and Joseph will stand at the head of this Church & will be there
President Prophet & God to the People in this dispensation. when
we Locate I will settle my family down in the order & teach them
there duty they will then have to provide temporal Blessings for
me instead of my boarding from 40 to 50 persons as I now
do. I will administer in spiritual Blessings to them. I expect to
live in the House of the Lord & recieve & administer ordinan-
ces to my Brethren & for the dead all the year round.
President H. C. Kimball arose & addressed the meeting at some
moments. Bore testimony that what President Young had
said was true & rejoiced to meet with them &c.
Br O. Pratt also addressd the meeting a few moments
bore testimony to the truth & also rejoiced to meet with
them. There was then an intermission untill after supper
The table was well furnished & supplyed. 40 persons could
be seated at the Table at a time. the men were seated to the
right with there companion oposite them, commencing with the
Twelve President Young at there head, then in order the adopted
children begining with the 1st that was adopted. the Band
& choir kept their seats, & continued there sweet strains of music
while the guest were partaking of the rich festival. While at the
table Brother Thomas Wolsay & John ^H.^ Tippets entered the
House they came direct fromt the from the Mormon Battalion
280 miles south of Santa fe on the River Riogrand on the 10th
of Nov 1847^6^. they piloted 56 sick men to Fort Purbolo whare
Capt Brown esstablishment were stationed from there
came in on Pack Mules were 50 days on the way. were taken
prisoners twice by the Indians, once was sentenceed to death
by the Pawnees were 30 days without bread & 5 days witho
ut much of any thing to eat. Brought a package of 137 letters
Brought good account from fort Purbulow but rather
unfavorable from the Battalion their faces were coverd with
hair & there persons resembled a mountaineer. it was a
miracle that the lives of the men were saved from the
Indians & cold. They were seated to the table in the
guardb [garb] they arived in. their arival produced no small stir
through the camp. men & women came in all directions
to enquire after there friends in the Armey. After the men
were refreshed we went into council with them & they rehears
ed the situation of the Battallion that they had been on
half rations for three weeks when they left them & no pro[sp]-
ects of more than half rations should they attempt to cross [page torn]
mountains this winter. However report reached sSant[a fe] [page torn]
for I do not consider that I am worthy of that appelation
Father in the Priesthood implies the great head, the term
would be proper to Father Adam. Jesus had reference
to the same thing when He told his deciples not to call any
man Father on earth for their Father was in heaven.
The seal of the covenant that I have been speaking off
to day was what the Apostle saw previous to the destruction
of the wicked when the Angel was commanded not to pour
out the vials of wrath on the wicked untill the saints were sealed
in their forehead & when this was done they all became Father
Adams family. Those that are adopted into my family & take me
for their councellor if I continue faithful I will preside over
them throughout all Eternity. I will stand at their head, and
Joseph will stand at the head of this Church & will be there
President Prophet & God to the People in this dispensation. when
we Locate I will settle my family down in the order & teach them
there duty they will then have to provide temporal blessings for
me instead of my boarding from 40 to 50 persons as I now
do. I will administer in spiritual blessings to them. I expect to
live in the house of the Lord & recieve & administer ordinances to my brethren & for the dead all the year round.
President H. C. Kimball arose & addressed the meeting some
moments. Bore testimony that what President Young had
said was true & rejoiced to meet with them &c.
Br O. Pratt also addressd the meeting a few moments
bore testimony to the truth & also rejoiced to meet with
them. There was then an intermission untill after supper
The table was well furnished & supplyed. 40 persons could
be seated at the Table at a time. the men were seated to the
right with there companion oposite them. commencing with the
Twelve President Young at there head. then in order the adopted
children begining with the 1st that was adopted. the band
& choir kept their seats, & continued there sweet strains of music
while the guest were partaking of the rich festival. While at the
table Brother Thomas Wolsay & John H. Tippets entered the
house they came direct from the Mormon Battalion
280 miles south of Santa fe on the River Riogrand on the 10th
of Nov 1847. they piloted 56 sick men to Fort Purbolo whare
Capt Brown esstablishment were stationed from there
came in on Pack Mules were 50 days on the way. were taken
prisoners twice by the Indians, once was sentenced to death
by the Pawnees were 30 days without bread & 5 days witho
ut much of any thing to eat. Brought a package of 137 letters
brought good account from fort Purbulow but rather
unfavorable from the Battalion their faces were covered with
hair & there persons resembled a mountaineer. it was a
miracle that the lives of the men were saved from the
Indians & cold. They were seated to the table in the
guard they arived in. their arival produced no small stir
through the camp. men & women came in all directions
to enquire after there friends in the Armey. After the men
were refreshed we went into council with them & they rehears
ed the situation of the Battallion that they had been on
half rations for three weeks when they left them & no pro[sp] page torn
ects of more than half rations should they attempt to cross the page torn
mountains this winter. However report reached Santa fe page torn
"Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853)," February 16, 1847, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed December 9, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/pYPy