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Church History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Collection Name | Wilford Woodruff journals and papers, 1828-1898 |
| Collection Description | Wilford Woodruff journal, 1833 December-1838 January |
| Collection Number | MS 1352 |
| Collection Page | 5-201 |
| Source Link | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Rights and Use | Copyright and Use Information |
| Transcript | View Full Transcript |
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Believeing it to be benificial to review our past life And not ownly our privilege but duty to keep an accurate account of our procedings. And it is to this intent that I shall endeavour henceforth to keep a journal of my travels that when required I may give an accou nt of my stewardship
We both were anxious to attend the meeting. Accordingly we we went and found a full cong regation of people. The person that was to preach was Zerah Pulsipher an elder in the Church of Christ or of the latter day saints. He commence[d] the meeting with some introductory rem arks and then prayed I felt the spirit of God to bear witness that he was the servant of God. He then commenced preaching and that to us with authority, and when he had finished his discourse I truly felt that it was the first gospel sermon that I had ever herd I thought it was what I had long been looking for I could not feel it my duty to leave the house without bearing witness to the truth before the people. I opened my eyes to see my ears to hear my heart to understand & my doors to entertain him who had administered unto us
I truly felt that I could exclaim with the servant of God that it was better to be a door keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness
I truly felt that I could exclaim with the servant of God that it was better to be a door keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness
The ma jority of the people or public opinion were against us and even their were about seventy men mounted on horseback with firearms gathered together for the intention of comeing against our camp but the God of Israel frustr ated their design for while they were comeing against us the Lord rained upon them rain and great hail so that it was expedient for them to seek shelter from the storm and after the stor m they dispersed and would not go against the camp.
I witnessed a solemn scene previous to this time while on our journey there were disobedience and murmurings in the camp And Brother Joseph prophesied
That in consequence of these things there was a scourge awaited the Camp And as it was prophesied of so it was fulfilled for soon after we had cam ped by Brother Burkjetts we were visited by the destroying angel and 8 or 10 of our brethren were immediately lade helpless beneath the stroke[.] I assisted in taking care of them through the day and the night following and through the night and in the morning there continued to be new attacks. And in the morning Joseph remarked that it was the duty of the Camp to brake up and disperse and take up their abode around among the brethren lest the Sco urge should be more severe. A reser ve was made however for ^a^ sufficient number to tarry to take care of the sick.
Clay Co Missouri Dec 31st 1834 Be it known that I Willford Woodruff do freely covenant with my God that I freely consecrate and dedicate myself together with all my properties and affects unto the Lord for the purpose of assisting in building up his kingdom even Zion on the earth that I may keep his law and lay all things before the bishop of his Church that I may be a lawful heir to the Kingdom of God even the Celestial Kingdom
On the 13th of Jan 1835 I left Brother Lyman Wights in company with my Beloved Brother Henry Brown to go forth to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ without purse or scrip to the people in the South. May God grant us wisdom and make us meet for our Masters use and assist us to rightly divide the word of truth and render to evry man their portion of meet in due season that our garments may be clean of the Blood of this generation
We repaired to the water whare the Spirit of God & the solemnities of of Eternity rested upon us While administering the ordinance of Baptism. It was A scene that caused rejoicing in both heaven & Earth to view 3 men lead their wives into the same element whare our Saviour had lain to obey the mandates of heaven
I thought of Pauls perils by water But the Lord doth not forsake his saints even in the seventh trouble for while we were in the woods grouping as the blind for the wall suffering under the blasts of wind, & rain miracle A light suddenly Shone around about us without either Sun Moon or Stars so that we were able to reach A hous whare we receieved directions & procured some torches to serve us as lights. We went our way rejoiceing allthough the wind & rain beat upon us & the darkness returned
then rode to Br Loy's 12 miles Whare I in company with Seth Utley & Br Loy & his family were called out in the night to view the signs in the heavens which was three clouds having the appearance of fire & blood one in the North one in the East one in the West each about the size of an acre of ground they arose from the Earth into the air frequently changed their places
Br Smoot related the news to me from Br Patten which was glorious in the first degree he gave me an account of the endowment at Kirtland Ohio the heavens was opened unto them Angels & Jesus Christ was seen of them sitting at the right hand of the father
the second seventy was chosen & that I was one of the number. O God prepare me for the Battle while combating error with everlasting truth
I had the spirit of God and of Prophecy} I Proph esied to the people of the Judgments of God that awaits them[.]
May 31, 1836 ~ Tuesday Spent this 31st DAY of MAY at Br Fry Eagle Creek and found it to be the most interesting, important & instructive day of my LIFE. For on this Glorious DAY I was ordained unto the High Priesthood and also as one of the second seventy & sealed up unto Eternal LIFE under the hands of my Beloved Brethren VIZ Elders David W Patten & Warren Parrish my ordination was requested by the PRESIDENCY of the church at Kirtland Ohio Their was glorious things Pronounced upon my head in my ordination by the spirit of Prophecy & Reve lation some I will mention which are as follows That although my enemies would strive to take my life & confine me in dungeons & Prisons yet God should give me power over my enemies & deliver me out of their hands & from their vaults, prisons, & caves in the name of Jesus Christ. & that men would bow at my feet & worship me if I did not say to them do it not & that Kings would bow before me & Princes give me their hand & that I should Baptize them into the Kingdom of God & that I should be blessed on the EARTH When my head blossomed with age & if I desired it I should remain on the Earth untill the comeing of the Savior & that God would give me the desire of my heart & that God had had his eye upon me all my life long to prepare me for this work YEA {even when my spirit was playing around the throne of God in eternity} that I shou ld travel to the nations of the Eearth & the Islands of the sea to Proclam the word of God. When these and other blessings were Pronounced Upon my head I was filled with the Power & Spirit of God.
O. thou God of Israel stretch fourth thy hand & save thy Saints O. America hide thy face in shame & disgrace as the day dawns While thy Sons stab liberty to the heart by Persecuting beating & Puting the LATTER DAY SAINTS to death for worshiping God after the dictates of their own conscience for thou wast built upon the Pillars of freedom.
Will not God be avenged upon such a nation as this[?] O. God save thy Saints while Babylon falls beneath thine ire
I requested the Elders to lay hands upon me for Sickness & lameness which they did do & I was healed of both
September 19, 1836 ~ Monday 19th Is a day long to Be remembered by me & others in Consequence of the interesting scenes transpir'd with the Saints of God in the South Isaiah & others of the Ancient Prophets testify to us of the great events of the last days esspecially of the literal gathering of Israel. They say the Saints shall gather from the East & from the West & that that the North shall give up & the South Keep not back This interesting day had now arived yea the 19th of Sept 1836 when some of the Saints of God in the South began to take their families, their Charriots Waggons
their Oxen, their Horses their Tents their armour and moove towards Zion as the children of Israel accordi- ng to the command of God
I assembled this small camp of Israel together at Br Albert Pettys tent to address them for the last time & after they were assembled I arose to address them & although the rain desended in torrents so that we wer e wet through a good tent yet my soul was vibrated & fired with emotions & feeling of no ordinary nature I endeavor'd to lay before them the worth & value of the cause they were ingaged in & that they were the first in fullfiling the Prophets who spake of the south keeping not back & that it would be recorded upon the archives of heaven to be read in the day of eternity that they were the first fruits of the south who had spread their tents for zion
November 25, 1836 ~ Friday Nov 25th Took the parting hand with Elder Sherwood I then set out in company with Elder S^m^oot on foot in a hard snowstorm for Kirtland We came in sight of the Temple of the Lord before we reached the village & I truly felt to rejoice at the sight as it was the first time that mine eyes ever beheld the house of the Lord built by commandment & Revelation
November 25, 1836 ~ Friday Nov 25th Took the parting hand with Elder Sherwood I then set out in company with Elder S^m^oot on foot in a hard snowstorm for Kirtland We came in sight of the Temple of the Lord before we reached the village & I truly felt to rejoice at the sight as it was the first time that mine eyes ever beheld the house of the Lord built by commandment & Revelation
I spent one of the happiest days of my life at this time in visiting Kirtland & the House of the Lord & the Presidents & Elders of the church I was truly edified to again strike hands with President Joseph Smith Jr. & many other beloved saints of God who are rolling on the mighty work of God & of Israel after being seperated from them for 2 1/2 years & amoung the rest I was filled with joy with the priviledg of again meeting with Elder Warren Parrish & also being made acquainted with his companion Sister Parrish. Ther is an enjoyment in meeting our brethren & companions in tribulations that the world knows not off because it flows from a celestial source.
Two & a half years since I left Kirtland with my Brethren in their Poverty to go fourth to visit our brethren in tribulation in zion then our Brethren in Kirtland were poor, despised, & even looked upon By the pomp of Babylon with disdain & disgrace who stood waiting with eager eyes to behold them sink into forgetfulness. But how changed the scene now I behold a cheerfulness beaming upon every countenance that indicates Prosperity & the noise of the ax & the hammer & the sight of their walls & dwellings newly erected & their Bank & market & esspecially house of God speaks in language loud as thunder that the saints will have a City in prosp erity in spite of all the fals Prophets of Baal or even earth or hell because God is with them & his Temple stands in honor of his kingdom while babylon begins to wonder & will soon perish
November 27, 1836 ~ Sunday Nov 29th ^27th^ Upon this Lords day Elder Smoot & myself accompanied Elder Parrish to the house of the Lord for the first time to behold the congregation of the saints assembled within its walls for the Purpose of Worshiping God it was truly an interesting scene it brought a lengthy catalogue of transactions contemplations & experience of my youth to my to my mind & the experiance of this day fulfilled many things of a spiritual nature which I had looked for a number of years which I viewed as Promises of God
I am now expecting to enter upon a course of study may the Lord open my way in temporal & spiritual things that I may be usful in my day & generation have a good warfare keep the faith & receieve a crown of Glory
December 1, 1836 ~ Thursday Dec 1st Repaired to the house of the Lord whare Father Smith met a number of saints to Pronounce upon them a Patriarchal Blessing. This was the first meeting of the kind that I ever attended & I found it to be highly edefying & interesting as their was great & glorious things pronounced upon their heads by the spirit of Prophesy & Revelation.
December 4, 1836 ~ Sunday 4th Sunday I went up to the house of the Lord to worship Elder Parish Preached in the forepart of the day Several spoke in the Latter Part of the day President RIGDON called a vote of the church to discountenance the use intirely of all liquors from the church in sickness & in health except wine at the sacraments & for external Washing the vote was carried eunanimously
December 11, 1836 ~ Sunday 11th Sunday morning after an interview with Priest Turpin I went up to the house of God to worship & O what a meeting. May it be printed upon my heart as a memorial forever For on this day the God of Israel sharply reproved this stake of Zion (Kirtland) through the Prophets & apostles for all our sins & backslidings & also a timely warning that we may escape the Judgments of God that otherwise will fall upon us even the case of the travels of the Camp of the Saints from Kirtland to zion in 1834
We had an inter esting meeting much of the spirit of Prophecy was poured out upon those Presidents while ordaining the third Seventy they Proclaimed great & marvelous things upon their heads President Young had visions while Performing this ordinance
O time how swift & how precious thou art. How great the events that are bourn upon thy wings, esspecially in the dispensation of the fullness of times. 1836 is gone it cannot be recalled. Europe hath began to tremble at thy departure. The endowment of the Latter Day Saints hath b[e]spake a God in Israel, & is sufficient to show that though the heavens & earth pass away the word of God spake through the Prophets must all be fulfilled.
Will this gentile generation still sleep in this late hour, if so sleep on & take thy rest which is short for thy end is come, & the day hath broke that Israel must be awoke from his slumber for the last time & Prepare himself for the Bridegroom. Then let 1837 finish its work with speed & let its departure Say who hath gone to the tomb & what Kingdom overturned & what Kingdom esstablished & may God grant that 1837 may report as she departs that zion & her stakes indicates that God rules in her midst with POWER STRENGTH & GLORY.
Thou shalt have the spirit of God to instruct thee in thy mission and lead thee into all truth thou shalt be filled with the spirit of God. Thine eyes shall be opened to look within the veil and behold the things of eternity. ^Yea the Lord of glory shall appear unto thee thou shalt put thy hands upon his feet and feel his wounds with thy hands that thou mayest be a special witness of his name^
July 12, 1837 ~ Wednesday 12th And during the night at 2 oclock AM, uncle Ozem Woodruff & his houshold believed the fullness of the everlasting gospel & I led them fourth at the same hour of the night and baptized them for the remission of their sins, being three of them. viz Ozem Woodruff, Hannah Woodruff, & John Woodruff, their son. Glory to God in the Highest for this blessing the Lord hath given me the desires of my heart in this think thing which is in fulfillment of a vision given me in 1818 all is now fulfilled
The whole distance of the three days walks above spoken of is 136 miles making 45 miles pr day Excell this ye who can & not be weary in body or lame in limb or joint & it will be because you are assisted by higher power than man {Limit a Nephite's journey.}
We sat down under the shade of a pine for morning prayers, & O, what glorious contemplations vibrated our souls. Elder Hale read the XVI. ch of Jeremiah that spake of the hunters and fishers that God should chuse in the last days to gather Israel. And of a truth here we were on an Island of the sea standing upon a rock whare we could survey the gallant ships, and also the Island. which was as full of rocks, holes, & caves perhaps as any part of the earth. But what had brought us here? Ah to search out the Blood of Ephraim & gather him from these Islands, rocks, holes, & caves, which were numerous While the sun shed his beams to gladden earth, the spirit of God caused, our souls to rejoice. I sat down in company with Elder Hale, we read, and sung, and Prayed, and rejoiced. We spake of the ancient Prophets & Apostles in Jerusalem and Asia, Also of Nephhi, Alma, Mormon & Moroni in America. We Also spake of Joseph, Oliver, Sidney, & of the twelve
We sat down under the shade of a pine for morning prayers, & O, what glorious contemplations vibrated our souls. Elder Hale read the XVI. ch of Jeremiah that spake of the hunters and fishers that God should chuse in the last days to gather Israel. And of a truth here we were on an Island of the sea standing upon a rock whare we could survey the gallant ships, and also the Island. which was as full of rocks, holes, & caves perhaps as any part of the earth. But what had brought us here? Ah to search out the Blood of Ephraim & gather him from these Islands, rocks, holes, & caves, which were numerous While the sun shed his beams to gladden earth, the spirit of God caused, our souls to rejoice. I sat down in company with Elder Hale, we read, and sung, and Prayed, and rejoiced. We spake of the ancient Prophets & Apostles in Jerusalem and Asia, Also of Nephhi, Alma, Mormon & Moroni in America. We Also spake of Joseph, Oliver, Sidney, & of the twelve
I preached in the school house No. 2. the spirit of God rested upon me. I spent the night at Mr John Smith's & I dreamed of seeing the great Draggon or beast with all of his heads and horns to the number of six hundred three score and six. He was about 20 rods in length with many riding upon his back without fear or alarm
There is much of the spirit of enquirey manifest by the Blood of Ephraim in this country.
November 1, 1837 ~ Wednesday NOV 1st We left the wharf at Portland, at 7 oclock AM. on board the Bangor. Howse Captain. The wind that had been blowing for several days caused a high sea, & it still continued. We had not gone far before we came in sight of the waves & breakers mast high. We had a snow storm during the day, most all of us on board were sick: after being tosted upon the sea for eight hours, I landed In company with Mrs Woodruff at Owls Head, at 3 oclock PM. our fare $6. I enquired among the shiping for a passage to Vinal haven (the Islands) I could find none. I called upon several to get conveyance to Thomaston but without affect. & after spending several hours in the snow storm & suspens about getting further, I returned to Mr Paine's tavern whare I had left Mrs Woodruff. I retired to the grove, & Knelt down to call upon God in the same place whare Elder Hale & myself made prayer & supplication unto God, for deliv erance, on the 19th Aug. The Lord herd our Prayers then & I believed He would again: & I called upon him to open our way. I then returned to the Inn, retired to rest with a determination to trust in God. distance of the day 84 miles November 2, 1837 ~ Thursday 2nd We arose in the morning, refreshed by sleep & rest. Mr. Paine, conveyed us in his chaise to east Thomaston. We soon got passage on board of Capt Wright's Sloop, for the Islands. We left the shore {after much suspense} at noon, reached the Island in two hours. & I truly felt to rejoice and thank God for the privilege of setti ng my feet again upon North fox Islands in Vinalhaven, & to add to my happiness was accompanied by my [Phebe Whittemore Carter Woodruff|companion]]. We walked to Mr Hezekiah Eames & dined with him, from thence to Br Justus Eames; & of a truth we met a welcome reception. & found all of the saints rejoicing in God, & strong in the faith. We spent the night at Br Eames 20 [miles]
November 16, 1837 ~ Thursday 16th I went on board the vessel and fell upon my Knees & pra- yed for God to have mercy upon the People & cause the Book of Mormon to prove a Blessing to the Island.
The spirit of God is like leaven in the midst of these Islands of the sea. the solemnities of Eternity is resting upon the People, the word of God is like a sharp two edged sword in the hearts of men I am now preachi -ng & Baptizing almost daily. O may the Lord roll on his work amid the Islands of the sea and give me a rich harvest of souls.
THUS ends the year of 1837 and the 1st VOL of my Journal. I now find myself upon one of the Islands of the sea in defence of the word of GOD and for the testim -ony of JESUS CHRIST, in company with (PHEBE) my companion whom God hath given me for a bosom friend & a helpmeet. I marvel & can exclaim like one one of old, "great and marvelous are thy works "O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY" when I consider his ways with the children of men, esspecially when I consider his dealings with myself.
