HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
-[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]-
At an early age my mind was exer-
cised upon religious subjects, although
I never made a profession until 1830.
I did not then join any church, for
the reason that I could not find any
denomination whose doctrines, faith
or practice, agreed with the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, or the ordinances and
gifts which the Apostles taught.
Although the ministers of the day
taught that the faith, gifts, graces,
miracles and ordinances, which the
ancient Saints enjoyed, were done
away and no longer needed, I did not
believe it to be true, only as they
were done away through the unbelief
of the children of men. I believed
the same gifts, graces, miracles and
power would be manifest in one age of
the world as in another, when God had
a Church upon the earth, and that the
Church of God would be re-established
upon the earth, and that I should live
to see it. These principles were rivet-
ed upon my mind from the perusal
of the Old and New Testament, with
fervent prayer that the Lord would
show me what was right and wrong,
and lead me in the path of salvation,
without any regard to the opinions of
man; and the whisperings of the Spirit
of the Lord for the space of three
years, taught me that he was about to
set up his Church and kingdom upon
the earth in the last days. I was
taught these things from my youth by Robert Mason, an aged man, who
lived in Simsbury, Conn., who was
frequently called the old prophet
Mason. He taught me many things
which are now coming to pass. He
did not believe that any man had
authority to administer in the ordi-
nances of the Gospel, but believed it
was our privilege, through faith, prayer
and fasting, to heal the sick and cast
out devils by the laying on of hands,
which was the case under his admini-
stration, as many could testify.
In , I was inspired to go to Rhode Island; my brother, Asahel,
was also directed by the Spirit of God
to go to the same place. When we
met, we both told our impressions,
and it caused us to marvel and wonder
what the Lord wanted of us in Rhode
Island; but, as we had made prepara-
tions to move to the west, we let out-
ward circumstances control us, and,
Jonah like, instead of going to Rhode
Island, we went to Richland, Oswego
county, New York, and there remained
until , when I heard El-
ders Zerah Pulsipher and Elijah
Cheeny preach. My brother Azmon
and I believed their testimony, enter-
tained the Elders, and offered our-
selves for baptism the first sermon we
heard. We read the Book of Mor-
mon, and I received a testimony that
it was true.
We soon learned what the Lord
wanted of us in Rhode Island, for at
the time we were warned to go there,
two of the Elders were preaching there,
and had we gone, we should have em-
braced the Work at that time.
—I was baptized by Elder
Zerah Pulsipher; he confirmed me the
same evening.
—I was ordained a Teacher, and my brother Azmon an
(Continued from page 168.)
HISTORY
OF
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
[FROM HIS OWN PEN.]
At an early age my mind was exercised upon religious subjects, although
I never made a profession until 1830.
I did not then join any church, for
the reason that I could not find any
denomination whose doctrines, faith
or practice, agreed with the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, or the ordinances and
gifts which the Apostles taught.
Although the ministers of the day
taught that the faith, gifts, graces,
miracles and ordinances, which the
ancient Saints enjoyed, were done
away and no longer needed, I did not
believe it to be true, only as they
were done away through the unbelief
of the children of men. I believed
the same gifts, graces, miracles and
power would be manifest in one age of
the world as in another, when God had
a Church upon the earth, and that the
Church of God would be re-established
upon the earth, and that I should live
to see it. These principles were riveted upon my mind from the perusal
of the Old and New Testament, with
fervent prayer that the Lord would
show me what was right and wrong,
and lead me in the path of salvation,
without any regard to the opinions of
man; and the whisperings of the Spirit
of the Lord for the space of three
years, taught me that he was about to
set up his Church and kingdom upon
the earth in the last days. I was
taught these things from my youth by
Robert Mason, an aged man, who
lived in Simsbury, Conn., who was
frequently called the old prophet
Mason. He taught me many things
which are now coming to pass. He
did not believe that any man had
authority to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel, but believed it
was our privilege, through faith, prayer
and fasting, to heal the sick and cast
out devils by the laying on of hands,
which was the case under his administration, as many could testify.
In 1832, I was inspired to go to
Rhode Island; my brother, Asahel,
was also directed by the Spirit of God
to go to the same place. When we
met, we both told our impressions,
and it caused us to marvel and wonder
what the Lord wanted of us in Rhode
Island; but, as we had made preparations to move to the west, we let outward circumstances control us, and,
Jonah like, instead of going to Rhode
Island, we went to Richland, Oswego
county, New York, and there remained
until , when I heard Elders Zerah Pulsipher and Elijah
Cheeny preach. My brother Azmon
and I believed their testimony, entertained the Elders, and offered ourselves for baptism the first sermon we
heard. We read the Book of Mormon, and I received a testimony that
it was true.
We soon learned what the Lord
wanted of us in Rhode Island, for at
the time we were warned to go there,
two of the Elders were preaching there,
and had we gone, we should have embraced the Work at that time.
—I was baptized by Elder
Zerah Pulsipher; he confirmed me the
same evening.
—I was ordained a
Teacher, and my brother Azmon an
