W. WOODRUFF AUTOBIOGRAPHY VOL. 2.

W. Woodruff's Autobiography.

[top of page blank] Eighteen hundred and forty four entered with a cold blustering snow storm. I spent the day plastering and white washing the Printing Office On the 3rd a court of Inquiry was held at Josephs store concerning William and Wilson Law and William Marks. William Law proffessed to beleive that Joseph had instructed the police to kill him but the fact was thus the Laws had turned traitors and were in reality seeking the life of Joseph ...

purchased the Printing Office of President Joseph Smith so that I had to settle my accounts and close up my connection with the stablishment On Sunday evening Jan ^21^ I met with my quorum and Parley P Pratt received his [redacted text]. Joseph said concerning Parley that he had no wife sealed to him for eternity and asked if there was any harm for him to have another wife for time and eternity as he would want a wife in the resurrection or his glory would be clipped ...

receive a portion of knowledge from God by immediate revelation by the same source we can receive all knowledge What shall I talk about to day? I know what brother Cahoon wants about ^me to the^. He wants me to speak about the coming of Elijah in the Last days. I can see it in his eye. I will speak upon that subject then The Bible says I will send you Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord come that he shall turn the hearts of the children ...

much time to save and redeem their dead and gather together their living relatives that they may be saved also before the earth will be smitten and the condemnation decreed falls upon the world I would advise all the Saints to go to with all their might and gather together all their living relations to this place that they may be sealed and saved that they may be prepared against the day when the Destroying Angel goes forth. If the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their ...

like splitting hemlock knotts with a corn dogger [dodger] for a wedge and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to understand. I have tried for a number of years to prepare the minds of the Saints to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them after suffering all ^that^ they have for the work of God fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions. They cant stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial ...

Two evenings later ^on the 30th^ at the house of President Young John and Leonora Taylor received their [redacted text] and sealing. On the next George A Smith and sister Smith received their [redacted text] and sealing and two evenings after W. W. Phelp and wife received theirs. There was at this time quite a revival throughout Nauvoo and an enquiring after the things of God by all the quorums of ...

But it was not long before I saw them starting out into the channel or main body of water again. The storms were raging and the waters rough. I said to my friends that if they did not understand the signs and the times and the spirit of prophecy they would be apt to be lost. It was but a few moments after when we saw the waves break over the boat and she soon foundered and went down with all on board and perished The storm amd waters were still very rough; yet I told ...

I asked him how he liked it and he said first rate and I thought so too. I was soon enabled to swim with my head and shoulders out of water and I could swim as fast as any steamboat. In a little time it became calm and I could rush through the water only going in up to my loins. Soon I only went in up to my knees and finally I could tread upon the top of the water and went almost with the speed of an arrow I said to ...

the Constitution guarantee unto all her citisens alike. But this we as a people have been denied from the beginning Persecution has rolled upon our heads from time to time from portions of the United States like peels of thunder because of our religion and no portion of the Government as yet has steped forward for our relief and under view of these things I feel it to be my right and privilege to obtain what influence and power I can lawfully in the United States for the protection of injured inocence and if I loose my ...

^and Elders Yerslay Emmett^ were named for that expedition While we were holding this council the Rev D. Wolfe an Episcopalian clergyman was preaching to a congregation of Saints in the other room. When he closed President Joseph Smith followed and among other remarks he said "Men may preach and practice everything excepting that which God commands us to do and they will be damned at last. We may tithe our 'rue' 'annis' and 'coummin' and still not obey the commandments of God. The object with me ...

Temple &c. The quorum of the Twelve and Temple committe were present with about seven or eight thousand Saints Hymns were sung and prayer offered up by Parley P. Pratt and then Elder Young arose and observed that the Patriarch was next and Hyrum came to the stand and spoke to the assembly. He said The object of this meeting is to stir up your minds by way of remembrance. It is necessary to have a starting point to build the Temple. With the assistance of the sisters ...

endowments and sealing powers and many blessings depend upon it." The Prophet arrived and took the stand and arose in the midst of the congregation and said "Orson Pratt, come and take your place" and then continued: "I do not know whether the object of the meeting has been told or not. I apologize for not coming sooner. I have had so much on my mind since I saw you that I hardly know where to begin; but one of the grand objects which I had in view in calling this meeting ...

virtue to them they will oppose it. If you preach the Methodist God to them they will oppose that also ore anything else and if there is any case tried they want it appealed to Carthage Mr Boswicks case had to go there. Our lawyers will send anything to Carthage I want to know if the citizens will sustain me when my hands are raised to heaven for the people. I will arraign the person before the people who acts against the interest of the city and I ...

every fool to stay at home and let the steamboats and captains alone and let the peace officers alone. How can we keep off mobs and keep inocent blood from being shed? By striking a blow at everything which rises up in disorder and I will wage an eternal war with those who oppose me while I am labouring in behalf of the city. A man has been writing to the New York Tribune. I will not mention his name. He says that much has been spent for other purposes which was appropriated for the building of ...