HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
—As I met in the evening
with a large assembly in Hanley, the
Lord revealed unto me that it would
be the last meeting that I would hold
with the Saints in the Potteries for
many days. I told the people it was
the last meeting I should hold with
them for a season; it created much
excitement. I had appointments out
for a week, which I got brother Cor-
don to fill. I went before the Lord in
prayer, and asked him where I should
go; the Spirit said, "Go to the
south." According to the directions
of the Spirit, on the I went to Herefordshire, and called upon John
Benbow, at Castlefroom. I found a
people prepared for the Gospel. I
preached twice at his house. On the
, I baptized six persons, including
John Benbow and wife. I here found
a society called "United Brethren,"
numbering about six hundred mem-
bers, and about fifty preachers; Tho-
mas Kington was the presiding elder.
They came from all quarters to hear
me preach, and believed my testimony,
and I preached and baptized daily.
The ministers of the Church of Eng-
land sent three church clerks to see
what I was doing, and I baptized them.
One constable came to arrest me for
preaching, and I baptized him. In
about thirty days I baptized 160, forty-
eight of whom were preachers of the
"United Brethren," including their
presiding elder, Thomas Kington.
I established forty-two preaching
places, licensed according to law.
On the , I had an appoint-
ment at Haw Cross. As I was going
into the meeting, letters were put into
my hands from Elder Brigham Young
and others, informing me of his arri-
val with five of the Twelve, and re-
questing me to come to Preston, and
attend a General Conference. A vast
assembly had gathered to attend my
meeting; the house, yard and street
were crowded; a mob had also gather-
ed. I preached to the people; five
came forward to be baptized. The
mob surrounded the pool, armed with
stones. I dismissed the meeting and
went away, but the congregation and
mob remained on the ground till mid-
night; and as there was no prospect
of their dispersing, and the candidates
were anxious to be baptized, I went
down into the water and baptized five,
in the midst of a shower of stones.
The water was all in a foam for a rod
around me. None that I baptized
were hit, and I was only hit twice,
once on my hip and once on my head;
the blow on my head raised a large
bump, which went away while I was
confirming. Subsequently I baptized
many of the mob.
I left next morning for Preston,
and attended the Conference with the
Twelve, and returned to Hereford-
shire, accompanied by Elder Brigham
Young, on the , and was
soon joined by Elder Willard Rich-
ards. Elder Young remained twenty-
(Continued from page 328.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]
—As I met in the evening
with a large assembly in Hanley, the
Lord revealed unto me that it would
be the last meeting that I would hold
with the Saints in the Potteries for
many days. I told the people it was
the last meeting I should hold with
them for a season; it created much
excitement. I had appointments out
for a week, which I got brother Cordon to fill. I went before the Lord in
prayer, and asked him where I should
go; the Spirit said, "Go to the
south." According to the directions
of the Spirit, on the 3rd I went to
Herefordshire, and called upon John
Benbow, at Castlefroom. I found a
people prepared for the Gospel. I
preached twice at his house. On the
, I baptized six persons, including
John Benbow and wife. I here found
a society called "United Brethren,"
numbering about six hundred members, and about fifty preachers; Thomas Kington was the presiding elder.
They came from all quarters to hear
me preach, and believed my testimony,
and I preached and baptized daily.
The ministers of the Church of England sent three church clerks to see
what I was doing, and I baptized them.
One constable came to arrest me for
preaching, and I baptized him. In
about thirty days I baptized 160, fortyeight of whom were preachers of the
"United Brethren," including their
presiding elder, Thomas Kington.
I established forty-two preaching
places, licensed according to law.
On the , I had an appointment at Haw Cross. As I was going
into the meeting, letters were put into
my hands from Elder Brigham Young
and others, informing me of his arrival with five of the Twelve, and requesting me to come to Preston, and
attend a General Conference. A vast
assembly had gathered to attend my
meeting; the house, yard and street
were crowded; a mob had also gathered. I preached to the people; five
came forward to be baptized. The
mob surrounded the pool, armed with
stones. I dismissed the meeting and
went away, but the congregation and
mob remained on the ground till midnight; and as there was no prospect
of their dispersing, and the candidates
were anxious to be baptized, I went
down into the water and baptized five,
in the midst of a shower of stones.
The water was all in a foam for a rod
around me. None that I baptized
were hit, and I was only hit twice,
once on my hip and once on my head;
the blow on my head raised a large
bump, which went away while I was
confirming. Subsequently I baptized
many of the mob.
I left next morning for Preston,
and attended the Conference with the
Twelve, and returned to Herefordshire, accompanied by Elder Brigham
Young, on the , and was
soon joined by Elder Willard Richards. Elder Young remained twenty-
