Paris Henry County Tenn. Aug 25^th 1836

Aphek & Azubah Woodruff

Dear Parents

Impressed
with a realizing sens of my Duty I owe to God my Redeemer &
Savior & obligations I am under to my Parents who have
fostered me from my cradle to manhood & whose feelings
still often in warm exercise for my wellfare. It is amid such
reflections that I take up my pen to address you in answer to a letter
that fell into my hands last Evening which I re^a^d which I with
great Delight & thanksgiving to God to again hear from you & learn
that you & the rest of my friends were in the land of the living. The
l^e^tter alluded to from under the hand of my Mother Dated June 20^th
was interesting to me I was truly rejoiced to hear from so many of
my friends & in answering your letter I asked my Heavenly
Father in the name of Jesus Christ [FIGURE] to inspire my heart and pen while
I write for who does not need wisdom to write & speak when all of
their words will be recorded upon the Archives of heaven to be read in
the day of Eternity. Firstly I would say I am still enjoying the best of
health which blessing I am sorry to hear my Mother is depreived of. Also
my peace is like a river & my my righteousness be like the waves
of the Sea allthough persecution of a dark aspect threatens me with
a bold front upon my right & left yea scourgeings & death we
are threatened with we have to contend with with idolatry, superstition, liings,
Prejudice, Priestcraft, & spiritual wickedness in high places yea in
places whare I have been preaching the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ & nothing els the County Clerks Sheriff's co^n^stables, Esqrs,
Priests of different denominations with drunkerds thiefs murderers
manslayers are combined together in the face of all law human
or Divine against me & my Brethren with me in the ministry
in this country for no other reason but preaching the true gospel
of the Son of God & some of them in their blind zeal have falsly sworn
things against me the date of which was months before I step'd
into the State. But none of these things moove me for I know
that my Redeemer lives & while kind heaven sends me breath
& a dying people to be warned I will not shun to declare the whole
council of God. Perhaps the question may arise in your minds why all
this opposition to me & to others belonging the Church of Latter Day Saints if
we are the people of God the question Answer is at hand because God
hath chosen us out of the world theirfore they hate us as they always have
the Saints John XV:19. It is impossible to live godly in Christ [FIGURE] Jesus & not
suffer persecution in this generation. Think not that I am Destitute
of friends in consequence of speaking of the above I have more than
a hundred fold for while persecution rages around us the word of God mu
ltiplys the honest in heart enbrace the word of Truth & the little Stone is [pro
peted] by the arm of Jehovah & he will soon thunder from his hiding place
upon this generation he is my friend I have nothing to fear if faithful

Paris Henry County Tenn. Aug 25th 1836

Aphek & Azubah Woodruff

Dear Parents

Impressed with a realizing sens of my Duty I owe to God my Redeemer & Savior & obligations I am under to my Parents who have fostered me from my cradle to manhood & whose feelings still often in warm exercise for my wellfare. It is amid such reflections that I take up my pen to address you in answer to a letter that fell into my hands last Evening which I read with great Delight & thanksgiving to God to again hear from you & learn that you & the rest of my friends were in the land of the living. The letter alluded to from under the hand of my Mother Dated June 20th was interesting to me I was truly rejoiced to hear from so many of my friends & in answering your letter I asked my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ [FIGURE] to inspire my heart and pen while I write for who does not need wisdom to write & speak when all of their words will be recorded upon the Archives of heaven to be read in the day of Eternity. Firstly I would say I am still enjoying the best of health which blessing I am sorry to hear my Mother is depreived of. Also my peace is like a river & my my righteousness be like the waves of the Sea allthough persecution of a dark aspect threatens me with a bold front upon my right & left yea scourgeings & death we are threatened with we have to contend with with idolatry, superstition, liings, Prejudice, Priestcraft, & spiritual wickedness in high places yea in places whare I have been preaching the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ & nothing els the County Clerks Sheriff's constables, Esqrs, Priests of different denominations with drunkerds thiefs murderers manslayers are combined together in the face of all law human or Divine against me & my Brethren with me in the ministry in this country for no other reason but preaching the true gospel of the Son of God & some of them in their blind zeal have falsly sworn things against me the date of which was months before I step'd into the State. But none of these things moove me for I know that my Redeemer lives & while kind heaven sends me breath & a dying people to be warned I will not shun to declare the whole council of God. Perhaps the question may arise in your minds why all this opposition to me & to others belonging the Church of Latter Day Saints if we are the people of God the Answer is at hand because God hath chosen us out of the world theirfore they hate us as they always have the Saints John XV:19. It is impossible to live godly in Christ [FIGURE] Jesus & not suffer persecution in this generation. Think not that I am Destitute of friends in consequence of speaking of the above I have more than a hundred fold for while persecution rages around us the word of God mu ltiplys the honest in heart enbrace the word of Truth & the little Stone is pro peted by the arm of Jehovah & he will soon thunder from his hiding place upon this generation he is my friend I have nothing to fear if faithful