It does appear to me that I have never Read
in the whole history of the World any
Nation taking such rapid strides to prepair
themselves for the Judgments of God as are
the United States to day. whole pages of
the publications of the day are taken up in
the recitation of their Dredful Murder, rapes
and the Abominations of the Earth, and all
the government officers who are sent to admin-
ister Justice to the Saints seem in a terrible
hurry to fill up their cup of iniquity. They are
filled with madness, and Act mo[r]e like
Demons than wise men to Judge the people
by Law and Equity. And I am sorry to say that
I am not able to see any saving or Redeeming
quality in any Department of our Government
The Supreme Court the president, The Cabinet
The Congress or the Majority of them seem com-
bind to destroy the Saints of God from off from the Earth, and their is a great meen-
ing to all this And no man possessing the
spirit of God, and of inspiration can help but
observe the signs of the times and of beholding
the Dreadful Storm which is approaching
our Country and the Nations of the Earth
The Lord is not slack concerning his promises
for what He promises He will fullfill, his words
will not pass away. fifty four years ago last
January a few Saints in Ohio prayed the Lord to stay
his Hand in Judgment. He said He could not
Deny his word. If the people would Repent
of their sins He would stay his hand in Judgment
but not without. I think the present Generations
are far from itRepentance. I feel the force of
your Remarks in the Epistle to myself and my Brethren
the Apostles, of the great responsiblity which Rests
upon us. And while I am shut up like a caged
Lion, and cannot open my mouth in the congregations
of the Saints or sinners. I am strongly Reminded of
the word of the Lord to the Elders of Israel on the
11 Sept 1836 when He says "If youbelieve me you willlaborwhile it is called to day" Again we are
told that soon night will come when No man can
work. When I look around myself and ask where
are the ph prophets and Apostles who laid the foundation
of this Church and Kingdom on the Earth, with whom
I was associated in Kirtland and Nauvoo. They are gone, gone into the spirit wor[l]d, where I shall soon
follow, and there are but few left of thos days
others have taken their places, but it matters not if
we have done our duty. But I fear that many
times as Elders of Israel, We do not Realize the
great responsibility which Rests upon us
while we hold in our hands in a measure the
destiny of the souls of men in the generation in
which we live Jesus has told us it is our
privilege to know the signs of the coming of the Son
of Man It does appear to me that the signs of both
Heaven and Earth indicate his coming. And looking
upon the other hand it appears as though there was
a great amount of work to be performed before that Event-
ful day. Still the Lord is able to cut his work short
It does appear to me that I have never read
in the whole history of the World any
Nation taking such rapid strides to prepair
themselvs for the judgments of God as are
the United States to day whole pages of
the publications of the day are taken up in
the recitation of their Dredful Murder, rapes
and the Abomination of the Earth, and all
the government officrs who are sent to administer Justice to the Saints seem in a terrible
hurry to fill up their Cup of iniquity. They are
filled with madness, and Act more like
Demons than wise men to Judge the people
by Law and Equity. And I am sorry to say that
I am not able to see any saving or redeeming
quality in any Department of our Government
The Supreme Court the president; The Cabinet
The Congress as the Majority of them seem Combind to destroy the Saints of God from off
the Earth, and their is a great meening to all this And no man possessing the
spirit of God, and of inspiration can help but
observe the Signs of the times and of beholdig
the Dreadful Storm which is approaching
our Country and the Nations of the Earth
The Lord is not Slack Concernig his promises
for what He promises He will fulfill, his words
will not pass awy. fifty four years ago last
January a few Saints in Ohio prayed the Lord to stay
his Hand in judgment, He said He Could not
Deny his word. If the people would repent
of ther sins He would stay his hand in Judgment
but not without. I think the present Generatins
are far fromRepentance. I feel the force of
your remarks in the Epistle to myself and my Brethen
the Apostles, of the great responsiblity which rests
upon us. And while I am shut up like a Caged
Lion, and Cannot open my mouth in the Congregations
of the Saints or Sinners I am strongly reminded of
the word of the Lord to the Elders of Israel on the
11 Sept 1836 when He says "If youbelieve me you
you willlaborwhile it is called to day" Again we are
told that soon night will come when No man Can
work. When I look around myself and ask where
are the prophets and Apostles who laid the foundation
of this Church and Kingdom on the Earth, with whom
I was associated in Kirtland and Nauvoo they are
gone, gone into the spirit world, where I shall soon
follow, and there are but few left of thos days
others have taken their places, but it matters not if
we have done our duty. But I fear that many
times as Elders of Israel, we do not realize the
great responsibility which rests upon us,
while we hold in our hands in a measue the
destiny of the souls of men in the generation in
which we live Jesus has told us it is our
privilege to know the signs of the coming of the Son
of Man It does appear to me that the signs of both
Heaven and Earth indicate his Coming, And looking
upon the other hand it appears as though ther was
a great amount of work to be performd befor that Eventful day. Still the Lord is able to Cut his work short
"Letter to John Taylor and George Quayle Cannon, 13 October 1885," p. 2, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed May 2, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/W7kJ