The ordinance of the Lord's supper being attended to, elder Woodruff rose to
state his motives for leaving England. His family were scattered; he had one
child in the State of Maine, and an aged father and mother in Connecticut, and
another child in Nauvoo, he could not think of the church leaving the United
States, and these portions remain ungathered. If Israel was justified in taking up
the bones of Joseph, surely he was so in taking his living father and mother and
children from the midst of Babylon. [Genesis 50:13] It was therefore a sense of duty which called
him away, and caused him to bid farewell to his friends in this land. It will of course
be necessary for this conference to take a vote on the presidency in Britain. My re-
turn is hastened, the work is hastened. It has ever seemed to me that the Lord has
driven me onward in his work. I have, comparatively speaking, been compelled to do
the work of five years in one. I have printed the book of Doctrine and Covenants
also the Proclamation, which would not certainly have been done, had not circum-
stances and the schemes of the enemy prompted it much sooner. I have visited
many conferences, but not so many as I could have wished. I have inquired of the
Lord respecting my departure, and I can come to no other conclusion than to adopt
this course. I feel now that the time has come, after travelling 60,000 miles, and
crossing the ocean three times, to go and gather with my brethren. There is
strength in Britain and in British laws. That day is past in America. I am an
American citizen and have a right to speak my sentiments; so long as you are pro-
tected by British laws, and are afforded equal rights with her other subjects, I say
respect those laws, and be subject unto them. I love the land of my birth, and
I love her laws, but not the mal-administration of them, for many of her rulers,
are guilty of great injustice towards the Saints, and the judgment of God hangs
over them. I hope then, that what I have stated will suffice in justification of my
leaving you. It will, therefore, in the first place, be my duty to adjust matters with
regard to the presidency, and I feel to recommend to your notice elder Reuben
Hedlock to preside over the church in Britain, which was unanimously carried.
Elder Woodruff also recommended elder Thomas Ward as his first counsellor,
which was also carried unanimously.
Elder Woodruff said he had another proposition to make with respect to another
counsellor. He had asked the Lord upon this subject, and he would nominate elder
John Banks to act as second counsellor unto the presidency, which was carried
unanimously.
Elder Woodruff remarked that we had been expecting elders who had received
their endowment to arrive in this country, but they now might not come, but pro-
bably go to the seed of Jacob in the West; but I trust there is sufficient wisdom and
talent here to carry on the work. It is for you to rise up as men of God, that your
course may be onward and increasing. Remember that the kingdom is rising in
the West, that their eyes will be upon you, and their ears to listen to the report of
your welfare. We have to lead the people there, and we have a great work to do.
I remember the words of our beloved prophet; on one occasion he said, "I have
one of the most important proclamations to make to you that God as yet given: as
soon as the elders get their endowments, they may go both through North and
South America, and build up stakes of Zion, as far as doors are open." We
now leave the temple and city, as a stake and a monument of the industry and
sacrifice of the Saints, at least until the indignation and judgments of God are past
over. Any nation acting as America has done, in withholding justice, in refusing
to defend her citizens from violence and death, will be punished, and is ripe for the
judgments of God; and rest assured, brethren, that the church in the wilderness will
look unto this portion of the church to assist and uphold them.