Ledbury, Herefordshire, England, .
My Dear Phebe
I again appropriate a little time to fill a sheet to you. which I shall
mostly take up in giving an account of the work of the Lord in this Country. I wrote you
a long letter while in Staffordshire at the potteries, but whether it has fallen into your hands or
not I do not know. You have been anxious No doubt to hear from me from time to time, &
I have been equally as anxious to hear from you, but I do hope that you have not been as
much disappointed in your desires in this thing as I have in mine for though I have written
to you as often as once a month since I left home, yet I have not seen the first mark
of your pen but once since I last saw you, & then you & Sarah was both sick in bed
& you must realize that my desire has been vary great to hear from you Sisters Turley &
Clark both wrote to their husbands & their letters arivd safe & I was in hopes to have herd a
word about you some way but in this I was also disappointed, I do not make these remarks wishing
to cast any reflections at all for I presume you have written several Letters to me since
I left home but they must have been lost by the way somewhere. But I want you s[t]ill
to continue to write to me often for I may obtain some of them. I want to hear from you
& little Sarah vary much. I continued Labouring in Staffordshire about the Potteries untill
the first of March when I left the church in that place in the care of Elder Turley numbering nearly
one hundred & I went into the South part of England about 80 miles from the Potteries or whare the
word had been preached at all & I made a stand near Ledbury in Herefordshire[.] it is about 40
miles from Birmingham, 30 from Bristol, 100 from London & bordering upon Wales, I commenced
Working & the Lord worked with me in a wonderful manner I first stoped at Mr John Benbows a large
farmer he was cultivating 5 or 600 acres of Land[.] his Brother William Benbow went from the potteries
with me to his Brothrs I expect you will soon see him in Commerce or Montrose for he has gone to
America & will call upon you. I arivd at John Benbows on the 5th of March I preached at
his house on the 5th & was convinced that their was many that would come into the church I also preached
on the 6th & Baptzed 6 persons 4 of which were preachers of the United Brethren of the Methodist order, John Benbow & wife were baptized
I preached on the 8th & Baptzd [◊] 7. 4 were preachers
9th I Prechd & Baptzed 7, 2 were preachers
10th I Baptzd 12 three were preachers
13th I Baptzd 3.
16th I Baptzd 3
20th I Baptzd 3 one a preacher
21 I Bap 4, two preachers
23d I Bap 12 one a preacher
24th I Baptzed 9. four were preachers
27th I Baptzed 7 four were preachers
28 I Baptzd 2 one a Methodist preacher
29 I Baptzd 13. several were preachers
30 I Baptzd 9, five were preachers
31st I Baptzd 13, four were preachers
April 2d I Baptized 9, two were preachers
4th I Baptzd 11 women
5 I Baptzed 9 three were preachers
6th I Baptzed 5. one preacher
& one Clark of the Church of England
8th I Bap 7 four were preachers
9th I Baptzed 5 in the midst of a shower of stones
tha fell upon me from a mob
10th I Baptzed several persons
After labouring here one Month I receivid a letter from Elder
Taylor in Liverpool stating that the Twelve had just arivd from
New York & I must come immediately & meet with them in
conference at Preston & so I left this part of the vineyard & travled 160
miles to Preston & attended a conference with the 12 & the church in general
& had an interesting time. I was truly happy to meet our Brethren from
America & immediately after the conference I returned accompaned by Elder
Brigham Young & Elder W. Richards will soon join us in this vast field that
is now open before us I never have seen such a vast field for labour
as the Lord has enabled me to open where I now am since the church was
first established either in America or England. I preached here one month
& 5 days & baptized the superintendant of the Church of the United Brethren & about
45 Preachers of the same order with about 120 of the members making about
160 in all, & this senery has flung into my hands or under my care &
superintendancy more than forty esstablished places of preaching which are
licensed according to Law including one or two chapels & their is now about
200 ready to be baptized as soon as an opportunity offers I have Baptized some
here of most classes rich as well as poor. a Number of large farmers
I have Baptized from 8 to 13 the first time I have preachd in several places
The Lord of Hosts has been with me & much of the convinceing spirit
of God has accompaned the word. The whole country was immediately
stired up[.] the Ministers was of England of the Church of England I was inf
ormed held a council upon the subject to stop me in my preaching & also
the work one of the Church Ministers called upon the constable of the parish to
take me up but he called upon the wrong man for he had recievd my testimony & I had baptzed
him. but as they cannot stop me by either the Law of the Land or the word of God, I have been [in◊◊◊d][.]
they offer to Baptize those of their own church if they desire it this is done thinking to save them from
joining us for I have baptized a number of their ^members^ churches. I have had vast congregation out to my
meeting both priest & people. their will spedily be a mighty work in this country I think there
will be several hundred Baptzed soon in this part of the vineyard there is now nearly 200 sants
here & the work if but just begun to human appearance Elders Young, & Richards, & myself will
continued in this part of the vineyard untill we have secured the grain which is ripe for
the harvest the work is rooling [rolling] on in every part of England where the word is faithfully proclamd
we have sent the Minutes of our Conferene to the Editors of the Times & Seasons & you
will see by that, that we are about to publish a Hymn Book & also a Monthly periodical
Elder P P Pratt is the Editor of the some [same] which will be published in Manchester which will
be his place of abode for the present, O Pratt is well & going North & will visit Edinburg
the capital of Scotland. Elders Mulliner & Wright have Baptized about 40 in Scotland.
John Tayler about 30 in Liverpool where he will Labour for the present Heber C. Kimble
is well & will visit the churches which he has formerly built up & then thinks some of going to
Ireland Elders Youg Richards & Woodruff are well & will labour for a season in Herefordshire,
Glostershire, Worcestershire, & then think of visiting London & Bristol, Eldr Hadlock is well & going to
the North of England Eldr Clark is well not well but he has had a few shakes of the fever & ague but is
getting better. Eldr Fielding is well & will watch over the churches with Brothr Clark, Elder Turly is
well as to health but last I herd from him he was preaching to the spirits in prison for he has been
confined in Stafford Gaol for more than a Month he was taken up by a man in Birmingham
under pretene of Debt but it was to stop him from preaching, as soon as I herd of it I
went to see him & carried him some provisions & money so that he should not suffer. he has
friends now that are administering unto him so he has what he needs I expect he will soon
be liberated he is preaching to the prisoners & some want to be Baptzed I saw two men hung
at the gaol the day I went to visit him. Elder Tayler is well & has just recievd a letter from
Sister Tayler which said that you was well & I was exceding glad to hear it I do not know
when the Letter was dated but I Believe in Janowary Jan I have not had a letter from any friends
in America since I arived in England. I have written to Fathr & Mothr Carter. Sarah Foss &
Ilus at N.Y. When you write inform me about them. Mr William Benbow Left Liverpool
a few day since for commerce I did not know that he was going so soon I had no chance
to see him before he went if he I had I should have sent some letters by him to you & some
other small articles their is much of the spirit of gathering with the Saints in this Land John
Benbow has sold his property to the amount of about £1,500 & wants to go as soon as the Lord will[.]
I have had some scenes here some like ancient times soon after I commencd preeching
in Ledbury or Herefordshire the Sound spedily went abroad & thee Ministers or preahers came more
then 20 miles in a gig to see me & inquire into thes things they never had herd me preach or
any of our people & when they came to the house whare I was I had put on a change of clothing
to go to the pool to baptzed a preacher that had baptized recevd my testimony I invited them into the
room whare I was & I asked them what their business was with me. they said they had come
to learn who I was & who had sent me & what message I had for them & the people. I then
stood up & taught them Jesus Christ & the first principles of the gospel & testified of the Book
of Mormon & the great work which God had set his hand to accomplish & while I was
yet speaking the spirit of God rested upon us & bore testimony unto them of the truth of
my words & they bowed down & prayed & gave glory to God for his marvelous work & they
rose up & the Charriot stood still while all four of these preachers went down into the
pool & I Baptzed them & lade my hands upon them & they recevd the Holy Ghost & went
their way rejoiceing. I went into the town of Ledbury to preach for the first time
& as soon as the people herd that I was in town they gathered together in companies wanting
to hear, the Baptist Minister offered to open his Chapel for me & he went into the pulpit with
me & opened the meeting by reading the 35 chapter of Isaiah & praying mightyly for the Lord to bless
me & make me an instrument of doing much good after which I arose & preached to
the largest congregation (it was said) that ever met in the Chapel & they did not have over
an hours notice many appeared Believing, the Baptists Minister gave me his hand & bid me God
speed, aftr meeting I Baptized 13, ^next morning^ & the Lord is opening many doors upon the right & left. You
will see from the Times & Season the No of the Saints in England which were represented at
our conferene sumwhare about 1800 in all nearly one half of which have been
Baptized since Hide & Kimble left England. We have another conference in Preston on
the 6th of At July at which time I expect a large addition of Numbers, I have visit
many parts of England since I arivd & in my travels I have visited many of the Ancient
& Noted castles, & Cathedrals which are well worth the attention of a Historian or travler
the most Noted one I have visited is the splended Ancient Cathedral standing in the City of
Worcester Elder Young was with me this Cathedral surpasses any thing for splendor &
architecture mine eyes ever beheld it is about 500 feet in length parts of it about 150 in
highth it was 8 or 900 years of age[.] it contained many Monuments & portraits of persons
graven out of solid marble & lade over the tombs & vaults of Ancient Bishops, Lords, & Princes
some of which have lane there for 7 or 800 years it is said that some of those monument with
their winding sheets al of which are car[ve]d out of solid marble is as neatly executed as any
thing found in Europe Almost every thing about it is carved out of solid fine marble. the whole
pulpit with all its trimings & hangings & deorations is carved out of one solid stone. There is a large
organ in the building & the church of England still worship there & hold a meeting twice every day
in a year We stayed though one service. We also have been on to the top of Malvern Hill which is
the most Noted Hill in England in consequene of it being the highest Hill in England & the most
splended prospect of all the surround country for 30 miles & on some of the Highest peaks are
large intrenchments whare men retreated to in the time of the Roman war The building
in the village of Malvern are splended standing on the side of thes Hills it has long been a
place of retreat for the Kings Queens Princes Lords & Nobleman of London & other parts of
England. I will endeavor to write to you from time to time & inform you about
matters & things with me I have directed a part of my letters to Comm[erce] [page torn]
fearing their might be some fail at Montrose when you write tell [page torn]
can which would be the safest place. Please give my respect to Fathr & Moth[er] [page torn]
Brothr & Sister Smoot, & all the friends in Lovly Street I do not recolect their [page torn]
remember me to all who inquire give me all the news you may have to co[m] [page torn]
municate I want you to tell me how your health is & that of your family
Tell me how Sarah Emma gets along as to health, growth, Walking talking &c.
My Dear Companion, in all our sacraifices, afflictions sickness, sorrow, &
persecutions let us strive to be patient & resigned to the will of God in all these
things I am well aware that these things are not joyous but grievous for a moment
but afterwards it will yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto those that
are exercised thereby. Let us not think strange that our afflictions are multiplyd
upon us for it is through tribulations that we inherit the Kingdom & we have but little
time to pass through these trials & tribulations before the scene will be closed & joy
will come & we shall enter that rest that remains for the Saints [page torn] the Lord will
make a short work in the Earth this last time. & our sorrows will not be lengthened
as many of the Ancients were for the want of time which may account for our having
so many of them in quick succession. I have had much joy & consolation vibrate
my bosom in my lonely meditations while walking over the parks, fields &, hills of England
even at the thought that I have a companion that thus far has not hesitated to make
the sacrifices which God has required of her, & inasmuch as you have done it thus far
do not be discouraged in future trials for your reward is great & your joy shall
be full & no power shall take it from you. I expect to reign with you in the
malinneum [millennium] & als[o] in a Celestial Glory with the Children which God may give us
which will more then pay us for the toils we have in this Life. That the Blessings of God may rest
upon you & give you the desire of your heart & bestow upon you food rament, grace & friends
is the prayer of your companion who is in the vineyard of the Lord Willford
Willford Woodruff April 24th
Ledbury Herefordshire England 1840
Mrs Phebe W Woodruff
Commerce, Hancock County
Illinois
United States
[red ink stamp]
New York
[illegible]
[illegible]
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I just received a letter from Mother Woodruff
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