Letter to Phebe Whittemore Carter Woodruff, 8 July 1840 [LE-261]

Document Transcript

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Manchester England

My Dear Phebe

Having the privilege of sending letters by a friend who is going direct
to New York I will improve the opportunity of again sending a few lines to you
which will ^be^ Mailed at New York City. My last letter which I wrote you was Dated
June 8d in which I informed you that I recievd your letter under Date
of March which was of much interest to me which is the ownly letter that I have
as yet receievd from you since I have been in England. But I am
now expecting letters from you every Day & I trust I shall not be
disappointed in obtaining one from you soon. I am in hopes we shall
not be under the necessity of waiting so long for letters from each other
as we have done here to fore, for when we are begin to obtain letters in exchange
I hope to obtain letters from you as Often as one in a Month for I shall
endeavor to write as often as that & hope you will do the same. I have
and shall have much that I would like to communicate to you from
time to time.

I am enjoying the best of health & spirits, & am happy;
& I never enjoyed myself better while in the vineyard of the Lord. & could
I Behold the faces of my wife & children often, it would greatly add to
my joy & consolation: But Knowing that we shall have our reward for
all the sacrafices that we are called to make in this life, for Christ sake, &
for all that we do in his cause & y Vineyard, causes me to be reconciled
to his will. I wrote a letter to Prsdt Joseph Smith, Jr. in company with
Elder G.A. Smith, & T. Turley, June, 27th, In which I gave him a Brief accou
nt of my labours in the vineyard.

We have held two conferences of late, in the
South of England where I have been labouring; the first was held at the Gadfield Elm Chapel, in ^wor^ wostershire ^wosce^ ^worcestershire,^ England, June 14th. Elder W. Richards was with me, we had an inter
esting time, we organized 12 churches, & transacted much business; the other
was held on the 21st of June, at Stanly Hill, Herefordshire, England. Elder Richards & myself
conducted the meeting, or conferene with the help of God. & I never saw more
business executed in one day, than on that occasion. We organized 20 churches, Ordained 4 Elders, 7 Priest, & 4 Teachers; Baptized 10, Confirmed 20, & Blessed 20 children,
besides a multitude of other business, & broke bread to several hundred Saints, &c.
The work had been so rapid, it was impossible to ascertain the exact No. belonging
to each branch, but the whole Number is 33 churches, 534 members, 75 officers, viz;
10 Elders, 52 Priest, 13 Teachers, all of which had imbraced the work in less time than

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four months in a new field which I have opend in Herefordshire, Westershire,
& Glostershire & the church now in that place numbers over 600, & the work
never in a more prosperous state in that place than at the present time:
I had no doubt but what the churches in that place will soon No. 1000 souls.
We have set all the churches in that region in Order, ^with^ Officers members presiding
over them, & they are now Baptizing daily in that region, about 50 of those
Baptized, were preachers of different Orders. Between 3 & 400 hundred of which, I
have Baptized: & so you see the sacrafice which we are called to make, is not
in vain. I feel vary thankful to God for the manner he has blessed me in
my labours sine I have been in England. I also attended a conference
the Staffordshire potteries on my way to Manchester, & had an interesting time.
I arivd in Manchester On the 1st day of July, & I spe^n^t 3 days with the Twelve,
& other friends in writing, transacting business, visiting the Saints, preparing for the confer
ene, &c. & had a pleasant time. On Sunday the 5th of July, I met with the
Saints, & a large congregation of Citizens in the Joiners Hall in Manchester, for public
worship: this hall, the Saints have hired for their regular place of meeting, they
pay £100. (about $500) yearly; it will seat about 2000 souls; the rent is paid by
contribution. There was about 1000 persons present, I preached in the forenoon &
several testified in the Afternoon, while we were communig with about 400
Saints: the power of God was upon the people. Monday, July 6th the quorum
of the Twelve & a general conferene of the Church of L.D.S. sat in conferene
in Europe, met at the above namd place, & we had an interesting day; there
were Elders present from every almost evry church in England, & Scotland; there was abot ^about^
40 churches represented, containing 2,495 members, 59 Eldes, 122 Priests, 61 Teachers, 13 Deacons,
making an increase of about 824 members, 25 Elders, 70 priest, 23 Teachers, & 5 Deacons, during
the last three months; & 374 members, 9 Elders, 50 Priests, & 13 Teachers of the above number, were
added in the Herefordshire churches in which ^where^ I had been labouring. But the foundation is
now la^i^de in such a manner in this country, & new Doors opening in England, Scotland,
Ireland, & Wales, so that we have evry reason to expect a greater increas for the months
to come, than has been in the thee that are past.

I pray God to roll on this work in
mighty power in this country & in all Nations & enable us to be humble in the
midst of prosperity, & work righteousness with all diligence while the day last, & learn
learn that it is the mercy, & work of God that giveth us Souls as seals of our
ministry. July 8th the Elders are mostly leaving Manchestr to day for their missions abroad.

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The Twelve are all well, also Elder Hadlock, ^&^ Turley; & Clark excep Brothr Clark has
had a little of the ague.) Elder Kimble ^Kimball^ sayes give my love to Phebe. Elder Willard Richards makes
the same request & so do all the Twelve that are here. (Elder O. pratt was not at our conf
erene, but preaching in the City of Edinburg, Scotland, & has Baptized 5. Elder Hadlock has
esstablished a preaching place in Glasgow, & baptized seven. Elder Tayler has Baptized about 70 in
Liverpool, but it thinking of visiting Ireland for a little season. soon. Elder Young is
expecting to visit remain in Manchester for a season, to assist in printing the Book of Mormon.
We have 3000 copies of the Hymn book just out of press, which is a good selection; Should
you see Brother William Benbow & his wife, give my respects to them, & ^tell^ them I expect their
Brother, John Benbow will leave Liverpool for a journey to Commere, with a
company with him, led by Elder Turley, start ^the^ last of August, or first of Sept. I
am going to visit the City of London in about three weeks if the Lord will, in compa
ny with Elders, Kimball, & G. A. Smith. I shall go direct to Brothr Benbows in Herefordshire
to assist them a Little about going to America; & we shall go from there to London
We are determind to lift the Standard in that City, the Lord being our helper.
May grace, Mercey, & peace, health, Strength, & prosperity, rest upon you & your little family, &
abide with you continually, for which I will ever pray, I remain as ever yours ^&c.^ W. Woodruff.

PS please inform the Editors of the Times & Seasons they will do us a favor by inserting a
note in their Paper requesting all our friends in the United States who have communication wit [page damaged]
Mail to direct their Letters, Papers, & all communications to, 149 Oldham Road Manchester, England. ic [page damaged]
following Persons, Brigham Young; Heber C. Kimble, Parley P. Pratt, Willard Richards, Willford Woodru [page damaged]
& George A. Smith. & should their be letters directed to any other friends who are in England whose names
are not given in the above list they can be forwarded unto them from Manchester. W Woodruff

Please give my respect to all the Saints who inquire & write often & direct as above named.

NB I have thought of late more about the offer of Br Joseph about building you a house in Commerce If he is still willing
to do it I think it is best to except of it, as I think I should like to live in Commerce on my return. I expect you are
now passing through the sickly season. I pray God to protect you & the little children from sickness & want while
I am absent. I shall send some small ^choice^ articles to you by Elder Turley which I much desire may fall into your hands if he
arives safe he will no doubt convey them to you viz one cap & stuff for another, cloth for an Apron 2 pr of stockins, scissors,
penknife, sewing silk needles a pair of shoes for Sarah E. & Willford a small choice china Box as a present from the Saints in the Staffordshire
potteries
with the following inscription set in gold Elder Willford Woodruff
Phebe W. Woodruff
Stoke upon trent
England

& also 2 small china Bottles, Phebe upon one
& Sarah Emma upon the other I shall enclose several sovreigns in the china Box which I want
you to spend in any way that will make you the most comfortable But I shall send you a letter with the things
giving you more particulars. give me all the News you have when you write pray for me cont
inually you have my prayers let us be patient & resigned to our seperation & God will bless
us & our reward will be great. the third NO of the Star is out of press I shall forward
a copy to you their is none of us get the times & seasons in this land. Eldr Tayler
& Turley both receevd a letter from their wife of late Sister Tayler said you had receevd
one or two letters from me I am glad of it I hope you will receevd all I write you
Dont let the above mess fall into the hands of any. I shall send Father Carter & Woodruff a
copy of the Star & Also Ilus at New York you will hear from me from time to time
I was rejoiced to hear of the good time you had at the general conferece in comerce
May God roll on his work in Mighty power that the Saints may spedily have a place of rest
I pray
cut the above off

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Mrs. Phoebe W. Woodruff -
Commerce
Hancock County
Illinois -
North America -

25
Paid
[stamp in red ink] PAID
25
[stamp in red ink] NEW-YORK
AUG
21

Willford Woodruff July 8th 1840
Manchester England

Willford Woodruff
England