it was for the gospel's sake and did not
choose to complain. The next day a
walk of thirty miles brought us to Scar-
boro, where we spent the night at Father Carter's.
On the I parted with Mrs. Woodruff and Father Carter and family,
and in company with Milton Holmes
walked thirty-three miles towards Ports-
mouth, which city we reached the and spent several hours there,
visiting the navy yard. We then walked
to Georgetown, formerly New Rowley,
and spent the night with Father Na-
thaniel Holmes.
On the I visited Charles-
ton and Bunker Hill monument, and also
spent several hours in the city of Boston,
which then contained a population of
one hundred thousand. I ascended to
the cupola of the court house, from
which I had a fine view of the city. I
visited several of the Saints in the city,
and walked over the long bridge to Cambridge and Cambridgeport.
I visited the jail there in order to have
an interview with Brother A. P. Rock-
wood, who had been cast into prison on
the plea of debt, in order to trouble and
distress him, because he was a Mormon.
This was the first time we had ever met.
The jailor permitted me to enter the
room where he was. It was the first time
in my life I had ever entered a prison.
The jailor turned the key upon us and
locked us both in.
We conversed together for three hours
in this solitary abode. He informed me
of many things which had transpired
while he was confined there as a prisoner.
Among other things, he mentioned that
the jail had taken fire a few days previous
to my visit. He said it looked a little
like a dark hour. The fire was roaring
over his head, while uproar and confu-
sion were upon every hand. Fire engines
were rapidly playing around the build-
ing, with water pouring into every room.
The people were hallooing in the streets.
Prisoners were begging for mercy's sake
to be let out, or they would be consumed
in the fire. One was struggling in the
agonies of death, while others were
cursing and swearing. Brother Rock-
wood said he felt composed in the midst
of it until the fire was extinguished.
At eight o'clock the jailor unlocked the
prison door to let me out, and I gave
the parting hand to the prisoner of hope.
We had spent a pleasant time together,
and he rejoiced at my visit; and who
would not, to meet with a friend in a
lonely prison? I left him in good spirits,
and wended my way back to Boston.
I spent several days in Boston, hold-
ing meetings with the Saints there, and
then walked to Providence, Rhode
Island, preaching by the way.
I there took steamer and arrived in New York on the , where I
met with Elder Orson Pratt and his
family, and Elijah Fordham and near
one hundred Saints who had been bap-
tized in the city of New York.
I spent three days in New York visit-
ing the Saints and holding meetings.
Several new converts were baptized while
I was there.
Leaving New York, I traveled through New Jersey, and returned to Farming-
ton, Connecticut, the residence of my father. I arrived at his house on the
.
It was with peculiar sensations that I
walked over my native land, where I
spent my youth, and cast my eyes over
the Farmington meadows and the hills
and dales where I had roamed in my
boyhood with my father, step mother,
brothers and half-sister.
On my arrival at my father's home I
had the happy privilege of again taking
my parents and sister by the hand, also
my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, who was
among the number I had baptized the
year before.
After spending an hour in conversa-
tion, we sat down around our father's
table and supped together and were re-
freshed. Then we bowed upon our
knees together in the family circle and offered up the gratitude of our hearts to
God for preserving our lives and reunit-
ing us.
I spent the next eighteen days in
Farmington and Avon, visiting my
father's household, my uncles, aunts
cousins, neighbors and friends, preach-
ing the gospel of Jesus Christ unto them
and striving to bring them into the kingdom of God.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF.
Column 1
it was for the gospel's sake and did not
choose to complain. The next day a
walk of thirty miles brought us to Scarboro, where we spent the night at Father
Carter's.
On the I parted with Mrs.
Woodruff and Father Carter and family,
and in company with Milton Holmes
walked thirty-three miles towards Portsmouth, which city we reached the following day and spent several hours there,
visiting the navy yard. We then walked
to Georgetown, formerly New Rowley,
and spent the night with Father Nathaniel Holmes.
On the I visited Charleston and Bunker Hill monument, and also
spent several hours in the city of Boston,
which then contained a population of
one hundred thousand. I ascended to
the cupola of the court house, from
which I had a fine view of the city. I
visited several of the Saints in the city,
and walked over the long bridge to
Cambridge and Cambridgeport.
I visited the jail there in order to have
an interview with Brother A. P. Rockwood, who had been cast into prison on
the plea of debt, in order to trouble and
distress him, because he was a Mormon.
This was the first time we had ever met.
The jailor permitted me to enter the
room where he was. It was the first time
in my life I had ever entered a prison.
The jailor turned the key upon us and
locked us both in.
I found Brother Rockwood strong in
the faith of the gospel. He had the
Bible, Book of Mormon, Voice of Warning and Evening and Morning Star as
his companions, which he read daily.
We conversed together for three hours
in this solitary abode. He informed me
of many things which had transpired
while he was confined there as a prisoner.
Among other things, he mentioned that
the jail had taken fire a few days previous
to my visit. He said it looked a little
like a dark hour. The fire was roaring
over his head, while uproar and confusion were upon every hand. Fire engines
were rapidly playing around the building, with water pouring into every room.
The people were hallooing in the streets.
Prisoners were begging for mercy's sake
to be let out, or they would be consumed
in the fire. One was struggling in the
agonies of death, while others were
Column 2
cursing and swearing. Brother Rockwood said he felt composed in the midst
of it until the fire was extinguished.
At eight o'clock the jailor unlocked the
prison door to let me out, and I gave
the parting hand to the prisoner of hope.
We had spent a pleasant time together,
and he rejoiced at my visit; and who
would not, to meet with a friend in a
lonely prison? I left him in good spirits,
and wended my way back to Boston.
I spent several days in Boston, holding meetings with the Saints there, and
then walked to Providence, Rhode
Island, preaching by the way.
I there took steamer and arrived in
New York on the , where I
met with Elder Orson Pratt and his
family, and Elijah Fordham and near
one hundred Saints who had been baptized in the city of New York.
I spent three days in New York visiting the Saints and holding meetings.
Several new converts were baptized while
I was there.
Leaving New York, I traveled through
New Jersey, and returned to Farmington, Connecticut, the residence of my
father. I arrived at his house on the
.
It was with peculiar sensations that I
walked over my native land, where I
spent my youth, and cast my eyes over
the Farmington meadows and the hills
and dales where I had roamed in my
boyhood with my father, step mother,
brothers and half-sister.
On my arrival at my father's home I
had the happy privilege of again taking
my parents and sister by the hand, also
my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, who was
among the number I had baptized the
year before.
After spending an hour in conversation, we sat down around our father's
table and supped together and were refreshed. Then we bowed upon our
knees together in the family circle and
offered up the gratitude of our hearts to
God for preserving our lives and reuniting us.
I spent the next eighteen days in
Farmington and Avon, visiting my
father's household, my uncles, aunts
cousins, neighbors and friends, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ unto them
and striving to bring them into the
kingdom of God.
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