had established me in my then present faith neither have I since that time felt
any obstrutction in my mind on account of this Doctrine excepting my anxiety to have
my children see with me on this subject. I exspect however that some, if not many
of the Brethren in Burlington some of which may have gone to the Bluffs have
entertained the Idea that I had become a believer in Mr Strang as being call'd to lead
the church from the fact that my daughter & her husband were of this faith & withal
that I had not formed much acquaintce with them having been confin'd at home for
the most past on account of sickness in the family & I think it not at all unlikely that
such a report has reached the Bluffs long eer this, But I will digress, I wrote to Azmon soon after I arrived here & informed him of my leaving his Father at the Bluffs
& coming to Burlington to make a years visit at Son Webster's exspecting to return the next
spring &c, he replied in due season, & congratulated me on my escape from the savage
hordes of the western wilds & warned me in the name of Israels god not to think of
ever returning there again & that if I did so, I would do it at my peril, at the expense
of bodily comforts if not of life itself he sent me fifteen Dollars & said if I would act
wisely & stay where I was he would assist me from time to time, he requested me to write
to his father & to tell him that he wanted him to return & come to Richland & tho't if he
would set himself to work & use every effort in his power ^tho't^ that he would be able to acco-
mplish the journey & when he should find himself at Br Websters he would then
feel that he could with safety send on help to bring him & Mother to Richland
he then adds "if you should ever find yourselfs in the society of your children
at Richland I know" (I don't guess) you will never wish to leave for the R. M.
he said, he felt, that he could not with any safety send on Money beyound where
I now was to assist his Parents on their Journey to California or if he could do so,
it appreared to him that it would be much like assisting a Man with but one
arm who someway wanted to contrive to put a rope around his neck to hang
himself with, he concluded his remarks by saying that if his Father would
not return there was no law either of God or Man that would condemn me
for not returning to dwell with him, he gave me a very handsome invitation
to come & make it my home with him, sassuring me that I should never want
for any of the comforts of life so long as he had any thing or was able to labour
he has written me four or five times a year ago the past winter he lost his Daughter Elisabeth which was a great trial to them. Thus you will perceive the inducements
I have had to make up my mind not to return to the Camp for the present yet I do
discard the Idea of being influenced by my friends any farther than my own better
Judgment & belief dictated to be right, & consequently for the best. I have enjoyed
myself very well since I have been at Burlington Son Webster is doing well has
had established me in my then present faith neither have I since that time felt
any obstruction in my mind on account of this Doctrine excepting my anxiety to have
my children see with me on this subject. I exspect however that some, if not many
of the Brethren in Burlington some of which may have gone to the Bluffs have
entertained the Idea that I had become a believer in Mr Strang as being call'd to lead
the church from the fact that my daughter & her husband were of this faith & withal
that I had not formed much acquaintce with them having been confin'd at home for
the most past on account of sickness in the family & I think it not at all unlikely that
such a report has reached the Bluffs long eer this, But I will digress, I wrote to
Azmon soon after I arrived here & informed him of my leaving his Father at the Bluffs
& coming to Burlington to make a years visit at Son Webster's exspecting to return the next
spring &c, he replied in due season, & congratulated me on my escape from the savage
hordes of the western wilds & warned me in the name of Israels god not to think of
ever returning there again & that if I did so, I would do it at my peril, at the expense
of bodily comforts if not of life itself he sent me fifteen Dollars & said if I would act
wisely & stay where I was he would assist me from time to time, he requested me to write
to his father & to tell him that he wanted him to return & come to Richland & tho't if he
would set himself to work & use every effort in his power tho't that he would be able to accomplish the journey & when he should find himself at Br Websters he would then
feel that he could with safety send on help to bring him & Mother to Richland
he then adds "if you should ever find yourselfs in the society of your children
at Richland I know" (I don't guess) you will never wish to leave for the R. M.
he said, he felt, that he could not with any safety send on Money beyound where
I now was to assist his Parents on their Journey to California or if he could do so,
it appreared to him that it would be much like assisting a Man with but one
arm who someway wanted to contrive to put a rope around his neck to hang
himself with, he concluded his remarks by saying that if his Father would
not return there was no law either of God or Man that would condemn me
for not returning to dwell with him, he gave me a very handsome invitation
to come & make it my home with him,assuring me that I should never want
for any of the comforts of life so long as he had any thing or was able to labour
he has written me four or five times a year ago the past winter he lost his Daughter
Elisabeth which was a great trial to them. Thus you will perceive the inducements
I have had to make up my mind not to return to the Camp for the present yet I do
discard the Idea of being influenced by my friends any farther than my own better
Judgment & belief dictated to be right, & consequently for the best. I have enjoyed
myself very well since I have been at Burlington Son Webster is doing well has
"Letter from Azubah Hart Woodruff, 20 March 1849," p. 2, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed April 26, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/BnoJ