your possession or within your reach for the day is at hand that will try many souls. As it respects
myself I can say the cause I am ingaged in I will never renounce for friend or foe. No by the grace of God Assisting me I am determined that neither the powers of Earth or Hell wicked men
or devils shall ever separate me from the New and Everlasting Covenant which God hath
made in these last days with his Saints. I to highly prize and value the Blessings embraced
in this covenant to part with such glorious treasures for any shineing straws that are
floating down lifes stream. There is virtues in this covenant that will give a man Joy
when this Earth shakes like chaos and will fill him with Joy and felicity and glory at the
sight of his Lord and Master in the clouds of heaven Yea their souls will be inspired
with the recollection that they have fought the good fight, that they have finished their
course and are now prepared to receive there crowns [2 Timothy 4:7-8]. Yea I essteem the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures of the Earth [Hebrews 11:26] and I am determin to spend
my days in the cause even if Father, Mother, Brothers, Sister, and all my kindred oppose
me for in some degree I know the value of the cause in which I am Engage And if God be
for me who can be against me? [Romans 8:31] As Ever I remain your Brother Wilford Woodruff.
CHAPTER VI.
My ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood My first mission to Preach the gospel
My travels through Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee Incidents of My Journey
Having embraced the fulness of the everlasting gospel|Everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing in
it great beauty, power, Glory, and salvation I had a great desire to teach it to my fellow
men and this desire increased upon me and rested with great wait upon my mind, but
I did not reveal this to any man. But one sunday evening I retired into the woods alone
by myself and called upon the Lord in mighty Prayer to open my way to go & Preach the
gospel of salvation to the children of men, the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and bore
witness unto me that my Prayer was heard & should be answered upon my head I arose
from ^my^ knees happy and walked some 40 rods through a thick wood into an open road
as I entered the road there stood before me Judge Elias Higby an High Priest with whom
I had associated daily but he had never passed a word with me about Preaching to my recollection
but now as I approached him He said "Brother Wilford the spirit of the Lord tells me that
you should be ordained and go & preach the gospel.["] I said vary well if it is the will of the Lord
I am ready. It was a Practice at this time in Zion if anyone was to be ordained to be recom-
mended by the branc[h] where they lived And at a meeting of the High Council Held at Lyman Wights, Clay County, Missouri, On the Brother Lyman
Wight called a vote of the Branch of the Church to recommend Stephen Winchester, Heman
T Hyde & Wilford Woodruff to the High Council for ordination the vote was unanimous Then
the High Council voted to ordain us the office of Priest. Brother Simeon Carter was appointed to
to ordain us we were Accordingly ordained under his his hand to the office of a Priest on this
5 day of Nov 1834.
I Receivedthe followinglicense. To whomthese presentsmay come
This certifies that Wilford Woodruff has been received into this Church of Latter Day Saints organized
on the 6th day of April AD 1830 and has been ordained a Priest according to the rules & regulations
your possession or within your reach for the day is at hand that will try many souls. As it respects
myself I can say the cause I am ingaged in I will never renounce for friend or foe. No by the
grace of God Assisting me I am determined that neither the powers of Earth or Hell wicked men
or devils shall ever separate me from the New and Everlasting Covenant which God hath
made in these last days with his Saints. I to highly prize and value the Blessings embraced
in this covenant to part with such glorious treasures for any shineing straws that are
floating down lifes stream. There is virtues in this covenant that will give a man Joy
when this Earth shakes like chaos and will fill him with Joy felicity and glory at the
sight of his Lord and Master in the clouds of heaven Yea their souls will be inspired
with the recollection that they have fought the good fight, that they have finished their
course and are now prepared to receive there crowns 2 Timothy 4:7-8. Yea I essteem the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures of the Earth Hebrews 11:26 and I am determin to spend
my days in the cause even if Father, Mother, Brothers, Sister, and all my kindred oppose
me for in some degree I know the value of the cause in which I am Engage And if God be
for me who can be against me? Romans 8:31 As Ever I remain your Brother Wilford Woodruff.
Having embraced the fulness of the Everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing in
it great beauty, power, Glory, and salvation I had a great desire to teach it to my fellow
men and this desire increased upon me and rested with great wait upon my mind, but
I did not reveal this to any man. But one sunday evening I retired into the woods alone
by myself and called upon the Lord in mighty Prayer to open my way to go & Preach the
gospel of salvation to the children of men, the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and bore
witness unto me that my Prayer was heard & should be answered upon my head I arose
from my knees happy and walked some 40 rods through a thick wood into an open road
as I entered the road there stood before me Judge Elias Higby an High Priest with whom
I had associated daily but he had never passed a word with me about Preaching to my recollection
but now as I approached him He said "Brother Wilford the spirit of the Lord tells me that
you should be ordained and go & preach the gospel." I said vary well if it is the will of the Lord
I am ready. It was a Practice at this time in Zion if anyone was to be ordained to be recommended by the branch where they lived And at a meeting of the High Council Held at
Lyman Wights, Clay County, Missouri, On the Brother Lyman
Wight called a vote of the Branch of the Church to recommend Stephen Winchester, Heman
T Hyde & Wilford Woodruff to the High Council for ordination the vote was unanimous Then
the High Council voted to ordain us the office of Priest. Brother Simeon Carter was appointed to
to ordain us we were Accordingly ordained under his his hand to the office of a Priest on this
5 day of Nov 1834.
I Receivedthe followinglicense. To whomthese presentsmay come
This certifies that Wilford Woodruff has been received into this Church of Latter Day Saints organized
on the 6th day of April AD 1830 and has been ordained a Priest according to the rules & regulations
Select a date to see more documents from that day.
