Audley Staffordshire
Dear Father
I was pleased on my arrival
here a few hours ago at finding a letter
from you dated at Rexburg Onida Co Idaho
June 1st, and it is with pleasure that I take
my pen to answer it. Was glad to heare you
are well with the exception of a cold which
I trust will soon leave. You seem to have
had several quite exciting episods in your
travels north. Am glad to hear of the marriage
of Bro M F Cowley and Miss Lydia Hyde of Hyde
Park. I was afraid Matt would go of[f] tlo Calcutta
without getting himself a matrimonial mate
and am therefore somewhat surprized to hear
to the contrariry I also read of the marriage
of two other couples the bridegrooms are two
of Pres Taylors Sons and the brides are misss
Campbell and Colebrook, was acquainted with
all the party and wish them much joy on
thier journey in the matrimonal car. We are
at present in Audley a small town in
Staffordshire about 35 miles south of Mancheter
I will give you a little account of my labors
for the past ten days At our last fast
meeting I was changed from the Oldham
district to labor with bro Allen in the
Leek district, this a large district being
comprized in four shires vis Staffordshire
Lancashire Cheshire and Derbyshire there are
but few saints and they are poor & scatterd
but most of them do their best to make
us comfortable. We occasionaly have a
midnight encounter with an army of flees
and other varmine which sometimes lastsy
until daylight when we can retreat leaving
them in possession of the field. but we are
getting used to them so they dont bother
us a great deal Elder Allen is a young man
from Mount Pleasant of my own age and is
verry zealous in the cause of truth. I like
him verry much for a companion. After
haveing ben admonished by our worthy
President both by example and precept to
stir the country up with some out door
preaching, we started out on the morning
of the eleventh intending to do so if the
Lord was willing, we walked 20 miles to
a town called Macclesfield, on our arrival
we found a large multitude gatherd on
a public square called park green waiting
for the Salvatidan Army to come along
(Every one has gone mad over this army here)
but as we were more interested in the crowd
than the army, we walked into the centre
of the square where we packed stacked our
coats & satchels up in a heap and soon the
air was ringing with awake! awake the world
from sleeping. After singing Elder Allen
laid before our auditors the first principles
of the gospel in a clear and convincing manner
I closed on the apostacy & restoration and
bore testimony to the divine mission of
the prophet Joseph, we had but one interrup-
-tion which was made by a Methodist preacher
but it did not ammount to any thing
After cloosing we distributed a number of trac[t]
which were sought verry eagerly. The 12th we
walked to Cangleton eight miles and held
openair service there among our auditors
were two ministers, it is verry easy to
pick them out of a crowd as they are the
only ones who weare slouch hats a right
which they seem to reserve to themselves,
on the 13th we walked 11 miles to Leek where
we remained until the 17 on the 14th we
held a meeting on the cattle market to a fair
& interested audiance, on the 15th we walked
eleven miles & held four services, over at
Wetly-rocks one at Cheddleton and two at
Leek all passed of with verry little interruption
went to bed pretty well tired out with
our days work oOn the 16th in the evening we
walked out to a small hamlet (Leek Brook) for
the purpose of preaching to about 60 people who
live there; but we were refused the privilage
by Mr Wardel the proprietor (he owns the whole
hamlet) so we had our walk for nothing
still we had done our duty in trying to
warn the people. On the 17 after bidding the
folks good by where we had ben staying, we
were soon on our way for Tean. Leaving the
turnpike to our right and taking a field road
we soon found ourselves in a beautiful little
valley through which the Churnet river flows
following its bank down for some ten miles
we passed through some of the most lovely
scenery it is I ever saw. You probably know
something about the beuties of English scenery
but I doubt if you ever got into as pretty a
5
valley as the Churnet. We visited the Cansal
flint mills in this valley where the material
is prepared for making potteryware with,
the process is quite an interesting one. After
croosing a number of parks & comons we came
into Cheadle and went through the Cathedral
there it is noted as being eaquel to if not sur-
-passing any in England in the interior finish
the gates to the chancel alone cost one thousand
pounds After viewing this fine edifice we
we[nt] to Tean arriving there about sundown
having walked sixten miles with out any dinner
We went to an old misers that Elder Allen was
acquainted with, where we got a bite of bread
& butter As we wanted to hold a meeting here
and not being acquainted with any one in the
place we requested of the old gent the privil-
-age of setting up on his lounge all night
which favor he refused. Well we started
our meeting up expecting to walk afterwards
seven miles to the nearest stopping place,
so judge of our surprize when at the close a
lady came up and asked us where we were going
to stay for the night and on our telling her
we had no place in the town to stay she
invited us to go to supper with her
and afterwards she secured us some good
lodgings at a nighbors as she had no
spare beed for us. so you see the Lord
provided. This is a strong testimony to
me of the divinity of the work which we
are engaged in for these people were all
perfect strangers to us. On the 18 after eating
a hearty breakfast at Mr Perkins the place we
stayed at we walked to dirty smoky
Longton a distance of seven miles this
town contains 12000 inhabitants and is
locatede fourty three miles south of Manchester
in the pottery district. I spoke here 45 minuts
to the largest audiance we have had—about
three hundred, among our auditors was
the Mayor of Langton, Policemen, Soldiers,
Clerks, drunkards, and a few honest people
after the close Elder Allen answerd
several questions asked by a minister in
a manner that completely baffled this
learned divine and placed him in a verry
unenviable position. We held meeting last
night the 20th at Chesterton, making nine
since the eleventh instent eight of which
have ben open-air with a few exceptions
we have had no assistance in our meetings
Some of the places where we have
preached they have not heard the sound
of the gospel for many years and I feel
satisfied that considerable good can
be accomplished in this district. Well
Father I feel first rate in my labors and
am doing my best in my weak inexperi-
anced way; It does seem as if the people
had entirely forsaken the Lord and as
Paul says have become lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God. We are haveing
fine weather with but little rain, in
fact a little rain would be verry welcome
just now to freshen things up a bit
We took a walk yeasterday through
the Duke of Southerlands estates and
saw the ruins of an old hall, the fine
old Mannor house, and the hall & gardens
that sir Garnet Woolsley is occupying
this season. I am informed that Sir
Garnet does not own this property but
has only leased it for the season as
it is a beautiful place to live at in summer
time. Well I dont know that I have any
more to write. Remember me to the
folks. I would like to write to all of
them but it is a impossibility to do so
they need not wait for me to write
though before they do. I would be
pleased to hear from any of them
Write as often as possible
Your Affectionate Son.
A. H. Woodruff
P S
Wish you would please give me
your opinion as to the whereabouts
of the ten tribes of Iseral. I would like
to know just for my own informa-
tion
AHW
[upside-down text]Asahel H Woodruff
Jne 21 1884[end of upside-down text]