South Fox Islands Vinalhaven Jan. 5th 1838
Dear Brother
I have been sitting with my pen in my hand
answering letters most of the time for three days. & as I have just taken it
off from a sheet directed to Father Mother & Sister Eunice I thought
I would next put it on a sheet for you. I have your letter dated Nov 24
now before me, & it is with pleasure I spend a few moments in complying
with its contents. In the first place I will give you a short sketch of thing[s]
with me & then answer your qusestions. I took the steamer Bangor at
Portland in a hard snow storm in company with Phebe my wife to again
visit the Islands of the sea, we had not gone far before we saw the breakers
most high we had a putty [pretty] rough time, most on board were sea sick. we
landed at Owles Head at night. I reached fox Islands the day following
being the 2nd of Nov. I found the Saints strong in the faith. I have visited
three Islands since I returned, & also the Maine land. I am labouring
alone in the vineyard. But the work of God is manifesting itself at this time
with great interest in our midst. The spirit of God if like fire in dry stubble
in our midst. The word of God is like a sharp two edged sword in the hearts of men.
our congregations are large & profoundly attentive. The sea store is
Throng'd when I baptize. Many are enquireing to know what they shall do to be
saved. I have Baptized 19 since I returned to the Islands 7 of the No are
sea captains. I baptized 2 sea captains & a Lady on New years Day,
there is many ^that^ will soon follow their example here. There is now a door
open for me to preach to all the neighbourning Islands, even to the Jut of
[Caneer] & the Magdalene Islands laying 800 or 1000 miles N.E. of
fox Islands I think of going there early in the spring, & spending a few weeks
I am now on South fox Islands sitting & writing at the same table in com-
pany with Mrs Woodruff with the sea spending its waves against the rocks a
few rods from my feet. The ground is bare, the weather warm & pleasent. I
walked out last eve & this morning with Phebe & viewed the sea shore, & stood
for an hour upon a rocky turret viewing the sea foam beneath us. it speaks
the power of God. Will you inform me when you write again if you receieve the
Elders Journal. I should be pleased to have you perus that paper. I gave dire-
ctions for it to be sent to ^you.^ Elders Joseph Smith jr & Sidney Rigdon spent a night
in Terre Haute a short time since perhaps you did not see them. I shall expect
to go to Missouri next fall, & shall probably pass through Terre Haute. If you
are there I shall probably see you. I am gratified to learn of your prosperity in
temporal business, & I hope you will prosper in spiritual things before you
die. You made one request in your letter concerning sister Eunice which
I will answer with pleasure. In expressing myself to you upon that subject
I shall speak in confidence & unreservedly for, I consider your request
to be perfectly consistant with the interest you have taken in her well-
fare. Brother Asahel you spoke of being disturbed in your subject by a person
coming into the store I waited upon you in this will you give me the
same privilege. Thomas Arey has just come across the bay with a wherry (what we used
to call a skiff or boat) & wants Phebe & I to go home with him & spend the night he says he will bring
us back in the morning & so I suppose I must go I will continue the subject in the morning. [FIGURE] Jan 6th I have
got back we had a good sail & a plesasent time. the son shines as warm as summer the water most as still as if
nature had ceased to breathe the people say they never saw such weather here before in the winter [FIGURE] I am
glad I did not fill this sheet last night for just as I came into Capt Coombs's house this morning Mother Coombs handed
me two letters one of them was from Brother Asahel, Dated Terre Haute Dec 10th I have red it through & through,
& there is much I would like to say concerning it hiad I time & room. I was glad to learn that you receieve the
mormon papers. I sent word for the Elders Journal to be sent to you, I trust you will get it. You speak of not liking
the stile & spirit of the letter from England for my part I see no impropriety in a servent of God expressing his desires
for the wellfare of his family, if there is I have it yet to learn, however, I do not intend entering into any argument
upon the subject. from your remark I conclude you have receieved the first no of the Elders Journal. Tehere
now the captain has set a bowl of dried raisins before us to heinder me awhile. I hope Brother Asahel you will
excuse this long adjunct flung in the face of Sister eunice. I will haste to answer your reasonable request
I wish you to bear in mind that Sister is advancing in life as well as ourselves
& in giving you a description of her I can do no better than to state simple truth,
which is the best in all cases. Sister Eunice was a child of about 11 years when I first left
her in Colebrook the day before I left I took her by the hand & led her out on a
walk of 15 or 20 minutes & gave her good advice the image of her childhood countenance
remained on my mind & I could not bring any other appearance of her to my mind
except the one she was clothed in when I shook her by the hand as a little girl to go to the
west with Azmon, & this was always the case with me untill I returned last sum-
mer to Colebrook & wraped at her school house door & I will will assume you Dear
sir that wrap was made amid enexpressible sensations, when In an instant our
ownly sister stood before me took me be the hand & saluted me with a kiss, then
at that instant all of her former appearence her childish countenance departed from
my mind & recollection like electricity, yea with the rapidity of lightning. & it is
as much impossible for me now to recall & imagine in my mind how she look'd &
appeared at 11 years of age as it would be for me to imagine how you will look &
appear at 40 should you live untill that time, for you will beare in mind that a
female receieves the greatest change from 11 to 17 or 18 of any period. On seeing Eunice
I found her midling size in stature not tall, rather stocky, but of a pleasing form
with the appearence of a young woman or Lady (not a child) I think she has the looks
of Philo in her countenance. Wien I first had an interview with her she was vary
resereve bordering upon a distance. I suppose because I was a Mormon priest. you
know the days have been & still are in some degree that a man might as well look
for popularity in to-fet as among the gentiles with the appetation of mormon about
tims or toth advocate the principles of Latter Day Saints. & that to because, the world do
not believe the Bible. I have been surprised to see how fearful some of my relatives
and old neighbours were of me in connecticut, they supposed I had turned into an Elep-
fant, Hotantat, or an Arab, & I dont know but this is the case with you if it is I hope
you will some day learn to the contrary, but I see I am of from my subject. I
soon showed Sister Eunice by an easy appearence & familiararity that I was still
Willford & I am happy to say that I had an uncommon agreeable visit with her
although it was short, I am pleased to have a sister as well qualified to adorn
and humour the female sect, character or circle, as I consider Eunice to ^be^. I have seen
some of the world & it is verry seldom I have found a female making better
appearence in company than Eunice she is graceful modest & appears to understand
every crook & turn about right. I must confess ^xxx^ I admire her turn of
mind in mose cases, one in particular, she is not elated with ribbons, ruffles, rings
& ornamenting the body not that I think these is so much sin in these, but I am
proud (if I may be allowed the expression) that my sisters mind is more noble. I discover
some gems in her mind that most of females in riper years are destitute of. Do not
understand me by this remark, concerning dress that Eunice does not dress rich neet,
& tidy, or that her apperrel is not well aranged for she does. in speaking of her [page torn]-
ections I did not discover but one & that we are all of us more or less ge [page torn]
I mean lightness bordering upon what we call rudeness, but I was so cheerful
& sociable with her myself that I had no fa^u^lt to find with her upon that subject
I think Brother Asahel she will answer your expectations & desires concerning
her. I am in hopes with her outward accomplishments she will be a worshiper
of the true & living GOD. I hope your advise to her will always incline her
mind that way she is not insensible of the interest you are taking in her
welfare & I hope you will yet have your reward by seeing her arise
in life doing honour to her Brother, to virtue, to her parents, to all her relatives, to her
country & her God. But I must dissmiss this subject for the present by saying
that if your delight ins in the company of boys & girls in memory of your sister, I would
say that season is past with her & the refinement of riper years would more suit
case. I do not know that I have answered your expectations in replying
to your qustions if ^not^ make further inquiries & I will do according to my abilities.
I receeved your papers you sent me, I shall be pleased to still hear from
you from time to time. Mrs. Woodruff thinks you for your notice of her
& wishes to be remembered to you with evey feelingof her soul & hopes yet to see you
Willford Woodruff
Asahel H Woodruff
Mr. Asahel H Woodruff
Terre Haute
Indiana
[upside-down text] Wilford Woodruff
Jan 5th 1838 [end of upside-down text]