While returning to Utah in with a large company of
Saints from Boston and the east, on my arrival at Pittsburg I
engaged a passage for myself and company on a steamer to St.
Louis. But no sooner had I engaged the passage than the
Spirit said to me, "Go not on board of that steamer, neither
you nor your company.''
I obeyed the revelation to me, and I did not go on board,
but took another steamer.
The first steamer started at dark, with two hundred passen-
gers on board. When five miles down the Ohio river it took
fire, burned the tiller ropes so that the vessel could not reach
shore, and the lives of nearly all on board were lost either by
fire or water. We arrived in safety at our destination, by
obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to us.
In another instance, after attending a large annual conference
in Salt Lake City, and, having a good deal of business to
attend to, I was somewhat weary, and at the close of the con-
ference I thought I would repair to my home and have a rest.
As I went into the yard the Spirit said to me, "Take your
team and go to the farm," which is some three miles south of
the tabernacle.
As I was hitching the horses to the wagon Mrs. Woodruff
asked where I was going.
I said, "To the farm."
"What for?" she asked.
"I do not know," I replied; but when I arrived there I
found out.
The creek had overflowed, broken through my ditch, sur-
rounded my home and filled my barn-yard and pig pen. My wife was wading in the water, trying to turn it from the lot to
save the home and family.
Through my own exertions I soon turned it, and prevented
much damage that might have occurred had I not obeyed the
voice of the Spirit.
This same Spirit of revelation has been manifested to many
of my brethren in their labors in the kingdom of God, one of
which I will here name.
While returning to Utah in 1850 with a large company of
Saints from Boston and the east, on my arrival at Pittsburg I
engaged a passage for myself and company on a steamer to St.
Louis. But no sooner had I engaged the passage than the
Spirit said to me, "Go not on board of that steamer, neither
you nor your company.''
I obeyed the revelation to me, and I did not go on board,
but took another steamer.
The first steamer started at dark, with two hundred passengers on board. When five miles down the Ohio river it took
fire, burned the tiller ropes so that the vessel could not reach
shore, and the lives of nearly all on board were lost either by
fire or water. We arrived in safety at our destination, by
obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to us.
In another instance, after attending a large annual conference
in Salt Lake City, and, having a good deal of business to
attend to, I was somewhat weary, and at the close of the conference I thought I would repair to my home and have a rest.
As I went into the yard the Spirit said to me, "Take your
team and go to the farm," which is some three miles south of
the tabernacle.
As I was hitching the horses to the wagon Mrs. Woodruff
asked where I was going.
I said, "To the farm."
"What for?" she asked.
"I do not know," I replied; but when I arrived there I
found out.
The creek had overflowed, broken through my ditch, surrounded my home and filled my barn-yard and pig pen. My
wife was wading in the water, trying to turn it from the lot to
save the home and family.
Through my own exertions I soon turned it, and prevented
much damage that might have occurred had I not obeyed the
voice of the Spirit.
This same Spirit of revelation has been manifested to many
of my brethren in their labors in the kingdom of God, one of
which I will here name.
