Dear brother
I received your truly interesting
letter of 5th January two days since and I am happy in improving
an early opportunity to reply. I perused your letter of Nov
20th to Don C Smith published in the "Elders Journal" with
much satisfaction. The account you gave of your ministry
upon the "Island of the Sea" in that communication together
with other particulars in your last letter to me enables me to
form a pretty just estimate of the result of your labors. I am happy
my beloved brother to assure you that I rejoice in the success of
those ministers of the gospel of the Son of God who are not ashamed
to declare the truth in opposition to popular error. And although
I confess myself an incompetent judge of the merits of the "faith"
of the "Latter Day Saints" as a system of religion yet, I entertain
an erroneous impression if the struggle between popular secta-
-rianism ^(2)^ and "Mormonism" ^(1)^ is not a strife between liberty
of speech and toleration in religious opinion and their
antipodes – dumb sevility servility to the prejudices of
education and the trammels of an illiberal bigotry.
You make some allusion to the "reserve" and "distain" of some
of your friends on account (as you suppose) of your odd
religious profession. That the deportment of some of them should
be affected in some degree by this circumstance seems to me very
natural and indeed when we consider how very inconvenient
it is for most persons under the circumstances to appreciate
properly the character and motives of the "Saints" it is
reasonable to expect themat many will turn up their noses and
make wry faces. I do not however suppose that in the
care of your early acquaintances you have just grounds for
doubting their respect and confidence for as far as I am
acquainted with their views they give you much credit
for your devotion to such a cause. There is perhaps
nothing cause from ^by^ which we are so much anoyed in
the world as the misconstructions that are put upon
our actions thus we are continually misunderstood
and consequently our motives are misappreciated (if I
may manufacture a term). I am apt to imagain that
the world is not half so bad as it appears to be though
I must confess my conviction that many persons are
far worse than they seem. We do not know the motives
by which men are governed in their intercouse with us
and hence when their conduct is opposed to our wishes
and interest we set them down as bad men, while
perhaps at the same time they are only opposing to
our selfish views the purest principles of their integrity
In refference to your leaving Richland and joining the "Mormons"
I received my first impression either directly or indirectly
from brother Azmon than whom not even yourself could
have felt a deeper interest in a pecuniary point of view
He was grieved and his friends sympathised with his
sorrow and I in the tenderness of my heart condoled with
him. I reflected upon your conduct – and passed sentence
of unqualified condemnation uupon it. In letters both
to Azmon and to friends at home I took occasion to
allude to the matters and I spoke of you leaving in terms
of reproach! I would not conceal from you that
I thought you had done foolishly or even wickedly. I
would not recall those thoughts. I do not even wish
they had not occurred for they stand an evidence
of my honesty and sincerity. And what is my apology?
You will find it in the imperfection of human nature.
And in appealing to you for your charity – to your brother
for his confidence. I have no doubt I shall meet a
ready response. And formy folly I hesitate not to
believe you will both find an excuse in my apology.
It was silly in me to make the remarks I did about
the Letter from England for really I had no
serious fault to find with even the objectionable passage
it was only an affair of bad taste and worse
judgment. which ought to have been more than ballanced
by the very good intention which manifestly dictated
the sentence. I am ashamed to be caught in such
folly but brother I am prone to it. I do and say
a thousand foolish things which I regret a moment
after and if you could only witness my intercourse
with the world for one day only you would be
surprised to find half as much sense in my
letters as this contains!!
I do not pretend to note half the contents of your
letter. I cannot even reply to that part which relates
to "Sister" except to tell you that I have had sweet
dreams both waking and sleeping about her since
your items.
How much I should delight in visiting you and
your interesting Lady I cannot well express
I have even thot of going to Fox Island for
the purpose yet I fear I shall not - at all
events I shall calculate much on the pleasure
of seeing you here as you intimate next fall
I heard Joseph Smith Jr preach when he was
here last fall.
Please present my kindest respects to Mrs
Woodruff and all whom you love.
With much affection
Your brother
Asahel H woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Mr Willford Woodruff
Vinalhaven
Maine
Fox Island
Maine
[stamp in black ink]
TERRE HAUTE
FEB
9
Ia.
^25^
[Wilford Woodruff] Asahel H. Woodruff
Feb 8th 1838