on these things than my calling, for it is not. consequently I wish to call your minds back again to my labour in the vineyard
I remarked that many came out to hear us on the . The methodist
became alarmed for fear his foundation also was in danger, & he came over whare we were baptizing
& made friends with the Baptist , (like & ) and called a meeting I went out
to hear him. [Luke 23:12] He commenced warm hostilities against the and our principles
I wrote down his discours & are to give answer to it next Sunday, at which time I expect
to meet a numerous assembly I learned he would not be present to hear my answer so I
arose & rectifyed some of his wild mistakes in his presensce before he left the congregation.
The Baptist priest has written Letters & even gone himself to the main land after several priests
to come over and help them, declairing if they do not come the churches here will surely
fall. -[But cursed is man that puteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm saith the Lord]- [2 Nephi 4:34] But O ye
priests of Baal your cry is in vaine. The hath set his hand to recover Israel his people
The stone has begun to roll. God hath chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise, and
with them he will rend your Kingdoms. The cry of the Saints is assending unto the Ears of the for . The Apostles of the are bearing the
on the shores of . Yea & the mighty captains of these are receeving the & injoying its power. And the call of many from distant Islands has
already entered into our Ears to come & preach to them. My own Book of Mormon
has this day taken its departure over the billows of the great deep to teach those that trade in
ships at sea, & the word & work is propelled by the arm of JEHOVAH. And every weapon
formed against Zion shall soon be broken, & he that raises his puny arm against it, is fighting
against God, & shall soon mourn because of his loss. I say these things are so as God liveth
& the Spirit beareth record & the record is here. Therefore O Babylon thy fall is sure.
My dear parents suffer me to drop a few words of my
meditations on this paper. When I think where I am, what my calling is, & where I have been
& whare I shall be, & have to do in this generation, I marvel & wonder. I [page torn]
myself. A few years since, I was tendindg mill as other men not expecting to do [page torn]
to live & di[e] with my friends. But how changed the scene, the last four years has [page torn]
the plow, called me into the ministry, bestowed the , , [page torn]
Blessing upon my head, & called me into the ranks of [page torn] [s]eventy Apostles to pus [page torn]
from the ends of the earth, and act a conspicuous part in winding up the august scene of these last
days in rending the kingdoms of darkness, and error with everlasting truth. It has called me to
visit 16 different states in America, & travel about 14,000 miles to preach the , and
are now standing upon the Islands of the Sea, & thousands seeking wisdom & instruction
at my mouth, While at the same time its wise & learned complain Bitterly that I am
sapping the foundations of their Holy religion, churches & kingdom, & the ships of the sea
spread their canvas to bring captains & sailors to hear my voice. I say amid these
truths I ask myself the question who am I. ^I^ am that poor, weak, ignorant, Illiterate
Willford. then I have nothing to boast. No God forbid. It is not Willford that has done this,
but it is the power & . I'll acknowledge he hath chosen the weak things
of this world to perform his work with, & if I glory it shall be in the cross of Christ
I cannot tell when I shall see any of you again. their was some invisidble power seemed to
hurry me from to come on my journey, it has been so with me ever since I left , untill I reached these
Islands, and the reason was because of the great work to be done here, for the sound will go from here to a vast number of the
Islands to prepare the way before us. But I rejoice that I had the privilege of visiting you at all. I now feel as though it will be my privilege
to visit you again & build up a church in connecticut. But if I do not I pray GOD to send some one among you that will. I have great
faith yet to believe that many of my blood relations & other friends will stand in the covenant before they die. yes I believe my
Parents & their family will, for I know they are of the Blood of Ephraim, and the Lord will never suffer the good my hath
done to the poor in his ^day^ go unrewarded. I believe you will both live to see a change in this world which is fast hastning. it would be great joy to my
soul to see you stand in the covenant. It is the work of God that hath called me to do as I have done, and it marvelous in mine eyes. I rather expect
to spend next summer amid these Islands of the sea. I intend to visit as soon as possible, it is but 12 miles to it. it contains 4000
inhabitants, and theirre is but one among them. I do not know whare I shall spend the winter, whether here or in . My friends
may still direct letters to Scarborough. Give my respects to , To Uncle & family & Aunt family I think of writing to them both & also
^to^ Brother , & finally remember me to all inquiring fr^i^ends. O how I wish they would all receive the . Dear
Parents Pray for me & watch the . I want to see you all much but I'll be content whare God would have me. Elder
, & both wish to be remembered to you and all inquiring friends. That the peace of GOD may abide with you & that
your lives health & strength may be prescious in HIS sight, is the prayer of your Dutiful son
Willford Woodruff
on these things than my calling, for it is not. consequently I wish to call your minds back again to my labour in the vineyard
I remarked that many came out to hear us on the . The priest
became alarmed for fear his foundation also was in danger, & he came over whare we were baptizing
& made friends with the priest, (like Herod & Pilate) and called a meeting I went out
to hear him. He commenced warm hostilities against the and our principles
I wrote down his discours & are to give answer to it next Sunday, at which time I expect
to meet a numerous assembly I learned he would not be present to hear my answer so I
arose & rectifyed some of his wild mistakes in his presence before he left the congregation.
The Baptist priest has written Letters & even gone himself to the main land after several priests
to come over and help them, declairing if they do not come the churches here will surely
fall. [But cursed is man that puteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm saith the Lord] But O ye
priests of Baal your cry is in vaine. The hath set his hand to recover Israel his people
The stone has begun to roll. God hath chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise, and
with them he will rend your Kingdoms. The cry of the Saints is assending unto the Ears of the Lord
of Sabaoth for Ephraim. The Apostles of the Lamb of God are bearing the Keys of his Kingdom
on the shores of . Yea & the mighty captains of these are receeving the & injoying its power. And the call of many from distant Islands has
already entered into our Ears to come & preach to them. My own Book of Mormon
has this day taken its departure over the billows of the great deep to teach those that trade in
ships at sea, & the word & work is propelled by the arm of JEHOVAH. And every weapon
formed against Zion shall soon be broken, & he that raises his puny arm against it is fighting
against God, & shall soon mourn because of his loss. I say these things are so as God himself
& the Spirit beareth record & the record is here. Therefore O Babylon thy fall is sure.
My dear parents suffer me to drop a few words of my
meditations on this paper. When I think where I am, what my calling is, & where I have been
& where I shall be, & have to do in this generation, I marvel & wonder. I page torn
myself. A few years since, I was tending mill as other men not expecting to do page torn
to live & die with my friends. But how changed the scene, the last four years has page torn
the plow, called me into the ministry, bestowed the Holy priesthood, annointing, page torn
Blessing upon my head, & called me into the ranks of the seventy Apostles to page torn
from the ends of the earth, and act a conspicuous part in winding up the august scene of these last
days in rending the Kingdom of darkness, and illegible word with everlasting truth. It has called me to
visit 16 different states in America, & travel about 14,000 miles to preach the word of God, and
are now standing upon the Islands of the Sea, & thousands seeking wisdom & instruction
at my mouth, While at the same time its wise & learned complain Bitterly that I am
sapping the foundations of their Holy religion, churches & kingdom, & the ships of the sea
spread their canvas to bring captains & sailors to hear my voice. I say amid these
truths I ask myself the question who am I. I am that poor, weak, ignorant, Illiterate
Willford. then I have nothing to boast. No God forbid. It is not Willford that has done this,
but it is the power & work of God. I'll acknowledge he hath chosen the weak things
of this world to perform his work with, & if I glory it shall be in the cross of Christ
I cannot tell when I shall see any of you again, their was some invisible power seemed to
hurry me from to come on my journey, it has been so with me ever since I left , untill I reached these
Islands, and the reason was because of the great work to be done here, for the sound will go from here to a vast number of the
Islands to prepare the way before us. But I rejoice that I had the privilege of visiting you at all. I now feel as though it will be my privilege
to visit you again & build up a church in connecticut. But if I do not I pray GOD to send some one among you that will. I have great
faith yet to believe that many of my blood relations & other friends will stand in the covenant before they die. yes I believe my
Parents & their family will, for I know they are of the Blood of Ephraim, and the Lord will never suffer the good my father hath
done to the poor in his day go unrewarded. I believe you will both live to see a change in this world which is fast hastning. it would be great joy to my
soul to see you stand in the covenant. It is the work of God that hath called me to do as I have done, and it marvelous in mine eyes. I rather expect
to spend next summer amid these Islands of the sea. I intend to visit as soon as possible, it is but 12 miles to it. it contains 4000
inhabitants, and there is but one priest among them. I do not know whare I shall spend the winter, whether here or in . My friends
may still direct letters to Scarborough. Give my respects to , To Uncle & family & Aunt family I think of writing to them both & also
to Brother , & finally remember me to all inquiring friends. O how I wish they would all receive the fullness of the gospel. Dear
Parents Pray for me & watch the signs of the times. I want to see you all much but I'll be content whare God would have me. Elder
& both wish to be remembered to you and all inquiring friends. That the peace of God may abide with you & that
your lives health & strength may be precious in HIS sight, is the Prayer of your Dutiful son
Willford Woodruff