MISSION TO SOUTHERN STATES, 1834-1836.
A Prayerful Ambition to Preach.--Departure on Mission to
Southern States.--Traveling without Purse or Scrip.--Treatment
Received from Minister.--Tribulations.--A remarkable Dream.--Its
Fulfillment.--Preaching in Memphis.--Ordained an Elder.--Successful
Labors.--Ordained a Seventy.--A Mob Court.--Return to Kirtland.
After Wilford Woodruff received the gospel, he felt an intense desire
to deliver in turn the same message that had brought him such joy, such
assurance, such satisfaction in the service of the Master. The message
that came to him was the most glorious event of his life, and it is
quite natural that he should wish to be a messenger of the same divine
truth to others. The talents with which he had been endowed by his
Maker awakened within him those hopes, aspirations, and ambitions that
were in harmony with those gifts which were peculiar to the man. His
talents made him pre-eminently a messenger of salvation to the world.
It is no wonder that he was prompted by a heartfelt desire to bestow
upon others that which had come with such joy and with such abundance
to him.
He wanted to go on a mission, but felt that he should be called, and
yet he sincerely believed that the Lord would prompt those whose duty
it was to bestow upon him such an honor, such a privilege. He retired
to the woods in prayer. There upon his knees in humility and childlike
simplicity, he told the Lord his wishes and his hopes. He asked Him,
if it was within His holy will, that the way might be opened for him
to preach the gospel in the world. "Before I arose from my knees," he
says, "the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and bore witness that my
prayer was heard and should be answered upon my head. I arose very
happy and walked through thick woods about forty rods into an open
road. As I entered the roadway, I met Judge Elias Higbee. Brother
Hibgee was a high priest and a very faithful man, one of the noblest
men of God in the last days. I had associated with him daily, but never
mentioned to him my desire to preach the gospel. To my surprise, as
soon as I approached {47} him he said: 'Brother Wilford, the spirit
of the Lord tells me that you should be ordained to go and preach the
gospel.'"
A few days later, on the 5th of November, 1834, by vote of the branch
of the Church at Adam-ondi-Ahman, Wilford Woodruff was ordained a
priest by Simeon Carter who also ordained Stephen Winchester and Heman
Hyde at the same meeting. He received his license and by appointment
of Bishop Partridge was assigned to Arkansas and Tennessee. In eight
days he left to perform his mission, to be one of the very foremost in
introducing the gospel into the Southern States--a section of the Union
where, since then, so many thousands have received the gospel and have
been gathered to Zion. His faith had been great. The spirit of the Lord
rested upon him and his prayers were promptly answered.
His stay in Missouri after his arrival there with Zion's Camp was not
of long duration. The Saints had been driven from Jackson County and
were busily occupied in building up new communities in other counties.
He was then a young man without a family, and though actively engaged
in every kind of work peculiar to the conditions of those times, he was
free for almost any kind of service that might be required of him. The
spirit of the man, however, was that of the missionary; and the spirit
was so strong within him that he found satisfaction only when the
opportunity came to give expression to his fellow-men of the testimony
which had brought such consolation to his own life.
"The law of God to us in those days," says Wilford in his journal, "was
to go without purse or scrip. Our journey lay through Jackson County,
from which the Saints had just been driven, and it was dangerous for
a Mormon to be found in that part of the state. We put some Books of
Mormon and some clothing into our valises, strapped these on our backs,
and started on foot. We crossed the ferry into Jackson County, and went
through it. In some instances the Lord preserved us, as it were by
miracle, from the mob. We dared not go to houses and get food, so we
picked and ate raw corn, slept on the ground, and did any way we could
until we got out of the county.
"We dared not preach while in that county, and we did little preaching
in the state of Missouri. The first time I attempted to preach was on
Sunday, in a tavern, in the early part of {48} December, 1834. It was
snowing at the time, and the room was full of people. As I commenced to
speak, the landlord opened the door, and the snow blew on the people;
when I inquired the object of having the door opened in a snowstorm, he
informed me he wanted some light on the subject. I found that it was
the custom of the country. How much good I did in that sermon I never
knew, and probably never shall know until I meet that congregation in
judgment.
"In the southern part of Missouri and the northern part of Arkansas,
in 1834, there were very few inhabitants. We visited a place called
Harmony Mission, on the Osage River, one of the most crooked rivers
in the West. This mission was kept by a Presbyterian minister and his
family. We arrived there on Sunday night at sunset. We had walked all
day without anything to eat, and were very hungry and tired. Neither
the minister nor his wife would give us anything to eat, or let us stay
over night, because we were Mormons, and the only chance we had was
to go twelve miles farther down the river, to an Osage Indian trading
post kept by a Frenchman named Jereu; and the wicked priest who would
not give us a piece of bread lied to us about the road, and sent us
across the swamp, where we wallowed knee-deep in mud and water till ten
o'clock at night, in trying to follow the crooked river. We then left
the swamp and put out into the prairie, to lie in the grass for the
night.
"When we got out of the swamp, we heard an Indian drumming on a tin
pail and singing. It was very dark, but we traveled toward the noise,
and when we drew near the Indian camp quite a number of large Indian
dogs came out to meet us. They smelled us, but did not bark or bite.
Soon we were surrounded by Osage Indians, and were kindly received by
Mr. Jereu and his wife who was an Indian. She gave us an excellent
supper and a good bed, which we were thankful for after the fatigue of
the day.
"As I laid my head upon my pillow, I felt to thank God from the
bottom of my heart for the exchange from the barbarous treatment of
a civilized Presbyterian priest to the humane, kind, and generous
treatment of the savage Osage Indians. May God reward them both
according to their deserts!
"We arose in the morning, after a good night's rest. I was somewhat
lame, from wading in the swamp the night before. {49} We had a good
breakfast. Mr. Jereu sent an Indian to see us across the river, and
informed us that it was sixty miles to the nearest settlement of either
white or red men.
"We were too bashful to ask for anything to take with us to eat; so
we crossed the river and started on our day's journey of sixty miles
without a morsel of food of any kind. We started about sunrise and
crossed a thirty-mile prairie, apparently as level as a house floor,
without shrub or water. We arrived at timber about two o'clock in the
afternoon.
"As we approached the timber, a large black bear came out towards us.
We were not afraid of him, for we were on the Lord's business, and had
not mocked God's prophets as did the forty-two wicked children who said
to Elisha, 'Go up thou bald head,' for which they were torn by bears.
When the bear got within eight rods of us he sat on his haunches,
looked at us a moment, and ran away; and we went on our way rejoicing.
"We had to travel in the night, which was cloudy and very dark, so we
had great difficulty to keep the road. Soon a large drove of wolves
gathered around, and followed us. They came very close, and at times it
seemed as though they would eat us up. We had materials for striking a
light, and at ten o'clock, not knowing where we were, and the wolves
becoming so bold, we thought it wisdom to make a fire; so we stopped
and gathered a lot of oak limbs that lay on the ground, and lit them,
and as our fire began to burn the wolves left us.
"As we were about to lay down on the ground--for we had no blankets--we
heard a dog bark. My companion said it was a wolf; I said it was a
dog; but soon we heard a cowbell. Then we each took a firebrand, went
about a quarter of a mile, and found the house, which was sixty miles
from where we started that morning. It was an old log cabin, about
twelve feet square, with no door, but an old blanket was hung up in the
door-way. There was no furniture except one bedstead, upon which lay a
woman, several children, and several small dogs.
"A man lay on the bare floor with his feet to the fireplace, and all
were asleep. I went in and spoke to the man, but did not wake him. I
stepped up to him, and laid my hand on his shoulder. The moment he felt
the weight of my hand he jumped to his feet and ran around the room as
though he were {50} frightened; but he was quieted when we informed him
we were friends. The cause of his fright was that he had shot a panther
a few nights before, and he thought its mate had jumped upon him. He
asked us what we wanted; we told him we wished to stop with him all
night, and would like something to eat. He informed us we might lie
on the floor as he did, but that he had not a mouthful for us to eat,
as he had to depend on his gun to get breakfast for his family in the
morning. So we lay on the bare floor, and slept through a long, rainy
night, which was pretty hard after walking sixty miles without anything
to eat. That was the hardest day's work of my life. The man's name was
Williams. He was in the mob in Jackson County; and after the Saints
were driven out, he, with many others, went south.
"We got up in the morning and walked in the rain twelve miles to the
house of a man named Bemon, who was also one of the mob from Jackson
County. The family were about to sit down to breakfast as we came in.
In those days it was the custom of the Missourians to ask you to eat
even though they were hostile to you; so he asked us to take breakfast,
and we were very glad of the invitation. He knew we were Mormons; and
as soon as we began to eat, he began to swear about the Mormons. He had
a large platter of bacon and eggs, and plenty of bread on the table,
and his swearing did not hinder our eating, for the harder he swore the
harder we ate, until we got our stomachs full; then we arose from the
table, took our hats, and thanked him for our breakfast. The last we
heard of him he was still swearing. I trust the Lord will reward him
for our breakfast.
"In the early days of the Church, it was a great treat to an elder in
his travels through the country to find a Mormon; it was so with us. We
were hardly in Arkansas when we heard of a family named Akeman. They
were in Jackson County in the persecutions. Some of the sons had been
tied up there and whipped on their bare backs, with hickory switches,
by the mob. We heard of their living on Petit Jean River, in the
Arkansas Territory, and we went a long way to visit them.
"Recently there had been heavy rains, and a creek that we had to cross
was swollen to a rapid stream of eight rods in width. There was no
person living nearer than two miles from the crossing, and no boat. The
people living at the last house {51} on the road, some three miles from
the crossing said we would have to tarry till the water fell before
we could cross. Feeling to trust in God, we did not stop. Just as we
arrived at the rolling flood, a negro, on a powerful horse, entered the
stream on the opposite side and rode through it. On making our wants
known to him, he took us, one at a time, behind him and carried us
safely over, and we went on our way rejoicing.
"We arrived that night within five miles of Mr. Akeman's, and were
kindly entertained by a stranger. During the night I had the following
dream: I thought an angel came to us, and told us we were commanded of
the Lord to follow a certain straight path, which was pointed out to
us, let it lead us wherever it might. After we had walked in it awhile
we came to the door of a house, which was in the line of a high wall
running north and south, so that we could not go around. I opened the
door and saw the room was filled with large serpents, and I shuddered
at the sight. My companion said he would not go into the room for fear
of the serpents. I told him I would try to go through the room though
they killed me, for the Lord commanded it. As I stepped into the room
the serpents coiled themselves up, and raised their heads some two
feet from the floor, to spring at me. There was one much larger than
the rest, in the center of the room, which raised his head nearly as
high as mine and made a spring at me. At that instant I felt as though
nothing but the power of God could save me, and I stood still. Just
before the serpent reached me he dropped dead at my feet; all the
rest dropped dead, swelled up, turned black, bust open, took fire and
were consumed before my eyes, and we went through the room unharmed,
thanking God for our deliverance.
"I awoke in the morning and pondered upon the dream. We took breakfast,
and started on our journey on Sunday morning to visit Mr. Akeman. I
related to my companion my dream, and told him we should see something
strange. We had great anticipations of meeting Mr. Akeman, supposing
him to be a member of the Church. When we arrived at his house, he
received us very coldly, and we soon found that he had apostatized.
He brought railing accusations against the Book of Mormon and the
authorities of the Church.
"Word was sent through all the settlements on the river for {52} twenty
miles that two Mormon preachers were in the place. A mob was soon
raised, and warning sent to us to leave immediately or we would be
tarred and feathered, ridden on a rail, and hanged. I soon saw who the
serpents were. My companion wanted to leave; I told him, no. I would
stay and see my dream fulfilled.
"There was an old gentleman and lady named Hubbel, who had read the
Book of Mormon and believed. Father Hubbel came to see us, and invited
us to make our home with him while we stayed in the place. We did so,
and labored for him some three weeks with our axes, clearing land,
while we were waiting to see the salvation of God.
"February 14th, 1835, was an important day to me. In company with
Brother Brown, I took my axe went into the woods to help Brother
Hubbel clear some land. We chopped till 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
The spirit of the Lord came upon me like a rushing of mighty wind.
The voice of the spirit said, 'Go up again and visit Mr. Akeman and
again bear testimony to him of the truth of the Book of Mormon and of
the work of God.' I marveled at this and told Brother Brown what the
spirit said to me. He replied that I might go if I wished to do so,
but that he would not go. I carried my ax to the house and walked up
to Mr. Akeman's about one and a half miles through a pleasant grove.
While on my way I reflected upon this strange operation of the spirit
within me. I was in a deep, gloomy frame of mind and thought. As I
approached the house I saw the door open and Mr. Akeman walking the
floor. I felt particularly impressed to ask if he was well. He said he
never felt better in health. I told him I had come to bear testimony
again to him of the truth of the Book of Mormon and of the work of God
and of the danger of opposing that work. He was soon filled with wrath
and indignation and he opposed me in the strongest terms and raged
against the leaders of the Church. My mouth was more closed up than
ever before. I felt that the house was filled with devils and with an
awful darkness. I felt horrible. I did not understand why the Lord
should send me into the midst of such spirits to bear testimony of his
work. I felt very strange. My tongue seemed glued to my mouth. I could
not {53} speak. I arose to my feet to leave the house. I felt as though
the floor moved under my feet and when I stepped upon the ground I felt
as though I was surrounded by evil spirits. I had a desire to flee
as Lot did when he went out of Sodom, without looking behind me. Mr.
Akeman followed me out of the door and kept within about four rods of
me. Neither of us spoke a word. I knew he was following, but when he
was about four rods from the house, the strange feeling left me. When
Mr. Akeman reached the place where my feelings so instantly changed, he
fell dead at my feet as though he had been struck with a thunderbolt
from heaven. I heard him fall to the earth, but I did not look behind
me. His daughter stood in the doorway and saw him fall. She fainted and
fell at about the same time. Neither of them spoke a word that I could
hear. I continued to walk down to Mr. Hubbel's as fast as I could,
meditating all the while upon the strange dealings of God with me. I
still did not know that Mr. Akeman was dead. I arrived at Mr. Hubbel's
just at dark in a peculiar state of mind. Supper was ready. We all sat
down to the table. The blessing was asked, and I took up my knife and
fork and began to eat, when I heard a horse coming up on the full ran.
I dropped my knife and fork and listened. A man rode up to our door and
cried out: 'Mr. Akeman is dead. I want you to go there immediately.' In
a moment my eyes were opened, so that I understood the whole matter.
I felt satisfied with the dealings of God with me in calling me to go
and warn him. As soon as his daughter, who fell to the ground about the
same time, came to her senses, she ran to her nearest brother and gave
the alarm.
"We walked up to Mr. Akeman's house as soon as we could. When we
arrived there, we found all his sons in the house around his body
wailing in an awful manner. He was naturally a large man, but his body
was swollen to a great extent. It appeared as though his skin were
ready to burst open. He was black as an African. We at once went to
work and made a large box in which to put him. I continued to think of
my dream, which I had had some time before the events here related took
place.
"His family, as well as ourselves, felt it was the judgment of God upon
him. I preached his funeral sermon. Many of the {54} mob died suddenly.
We stayed about two weeks after Akeman's death and preached, baptized
Mr. Hubbel and his wife, and then continued on our journey.
"We concluded to go down the Arkansas River and cross into Tennessee.
We could not get passage on the boat, because of the low water; so we
went on the bank of the river and cut down a sound cottonwood tree,
three feet through, and cut off a twelve foot length from the butt
end; in two days we dug out a canoe. We made a pair of oars and a
rudder, and on the 11th day of March, 1835, we launched our canoe, and
commenced our voyage down the Arkansas River, without provisions.
"The first day we sailed twenty-five miles, and stopped at night with a
poor family who lived on the bank of the river. These kind folks gave
us supper and breakfast, and, in the morning, gave us johnny-cake and a
piece of pork to take with us on our journey. We traveled about fifty
miles that day, and at night stopped at an old tavern, in a village
called Cadron, which was deserted because it was believed to be haunted
by evil spirits. We made a fire in the tavern, roasted a piece of our
pork, ate our supper, said our prayers, went into a chamber, lay down
on the bare floor, and were soon asleep. I dreamed I was at my father's
house in a good feather bed, and I had a good night's rest. When I
awoke the bed vanished, and I found myself on the bare floor and well
rested, not having been troubled with evil spirits or anything else.
"We thanked the Lord for His goodness to us, ate the remainder of our
provisions, and continued our journey down the river to Little Rock,
the capital of Arkansas, which then consisted of only a few cabins.
After visiting the place, we crossed the river and tied up our canoe,
which had carried us safely one hundred and fifty miles. We then took
the old military road leading from Little Rock to Memphis, Tennessee.
This road lay through swamps, and was covered with mud and water most
of the way for one hundred and seventy miles. We walked forty miles in
a day, through mud and water knee-deep.
"On the 24th of March, after traveling some ten miles through mud, I
was made lame with a sharp pain in my knee, and sat down on a log. My
companion, who was anxious to get to his home in Kirtland, left me
sitting in an alligator swamp. {55} I did not see him again for two
years. I knelt down in the mud and prayed, and the Lord healed me and I
went on my way rejoicing.
"On the 27th of March I arrived at Memphis, weary and hungry. I went
to the best tavern in the place, kept by Mr. Josiah Jackson. I told
him I was a stranger and had no money, and asked him if he would keep
me over night. He inquired what my business was, and I told him I was
a preacher of the gospel. He laughed and said that I did not look much
like a preacher. I did not blame him, as most of the preachers he ever
had been acquainted with rode on fine horses or in fine carriages,
dressed in broadcloth, had large salaries, and would likely see this
whole world sink to perdition before they would wade through one
hundred and seventy miles of mud to save the people.
"The landlord wanted a little fun, so said he would keep me if I would
preach. He wanted to see if I could preach. I must confess that by
this time I became a little mischievous, and pleaded with him not to
set me preaching. The more I pleaded to be excused the more determined
Mr. Jackson was that I should preach. He took my valise, and the
landlady got me a good supper. I sat down in a large hall to eat.
Before I got through, the room began to be filled by some of the rich
and fashionable people of Memphis, dressed in their broadcloth and
silk, while my appearance was such as you can imagine, after traveling
through the mud as I had done. When I had finished eating, the table
was carried out of the room over the heads of the people. I was placed
in the corner of the room, with a stand having a Bible, hymn book, and
candle on it, hemmed in by a dozen men, with the landlord in the center.
"There were present some five hundreds persons, who had come together,
not to hear a gospel sermon, but to have some fun. I read a hymn, and
asked them to sing. Not a soul would sing a word. I told them I had
not the gift of singing; but with the help of the Lord, I would both
pray and preach. I knelt down to pray, and the men around me dropped
on their knees. I prayed to the Lord to give me His spirit and to show
me the hearts of the people. I promised the Lord, in my prayer, that
I would deliver to that congregation whatever He would give to me. I
arose and spoke one hour and a half, and it was one of {56} the best
sermons of my life. The lives of the congregation were open to the
vision of my mind, and I told them of their wicked deeds and the reward
they would obtain. The men who surrounded me dropped their heads. Three
minutes after I closed, I was the only person in the room.
"Soon I was shown to a bed, in a room adjoining a large one in which
were assembled many of the men whom I had been preaching to. I could
hear their conversation. One man said he would like to know how that
Mormon boy knew of their past lives. In a little while they got to
disputing about some doctrinal point. One suggested calling me to
decide the point. The landlord said, 'No; we have had enough for once.'
In the morning, I had a good breakfast. The landlord said if I came
that way again to stop at his house, and stay as long as I might choose.
"After leaving Memphis, I traveled through the country to Benton
County, and preached on the way, as I had opportunity. I stopped one
night with a Squire Hardman, an Episcopalian. Most of the night was
spent by the family in music and dancing. In the morning, at the
breakfast table, Mr. Hardman asked me if we believed in music and
dancing. I told him we did not really consider them essential to
salvation. He said he did, and therefore should not join our Church.
"On the 4th of April, 1835, I had the happy privilege of meeting Elder
Warren Parrish at the house of Brother Frye. He had been preaching
in that part of Tennessee, in company with David W. Patten, and had
baptized a number of persons and organized several small branches.
Brother Patten had returned home, and Brother Parrish was laboring
alone. I joined him in the ministry, and we labored together three
months and nineteen days, when he was called to Kirtland. During
the time we were together, we traveled through several counties in
Tennessee for the distance of seven hundred and sixty miles, and
preached the gospel daily, as we had opportunity. We baptized some
twenty persons.
"By the counsel of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, Elder
Parrish ordained me an elder, and left me to take charge of the
branches that had been raised up in that neighborhood. As soon as I was
left alone I extended my circuit {57} and labors. For a season I had
large congregations; many seemed to believe, and I baptized a number.
"On the 15th of August I had an appointment at the house of Brother
Taylor, the step-father of Abraham O. Smoot. I had to cross Bloody
River, which I had to swim, in consequence of heavy rains. While
crossing, my horse became entangled in a tree-top, and almost drowned;
but I succeeded in getting him loose. We swam to the shore separately.
He reached the shore first, and waited till I came out. I got into the
saddle, went on my way in good spirits, and had a good meeting.
"On the 20th of October I baptized three Campbellites, one of whom was
a deacon. I then rode twelve miles to Mr. Green wood's, who was eighty
years old, and had been a soldier under General Washington. His wife,
who was ninety-three years old, I found quite smart, and busy carding
wool. I preached at their house and baptized both of them.
"On the following day I preached at the house of Benjamin L. Clapp, and
baptized seven Campbellites and one Baptist. On the 16th of November, I
preached at Brother Camp's, and baptized three. On the day following,
it being Sunday, I preached again at Brother Clapp's, and baptized five.
"At the close of the meeting I mounted my horse to ride to Clark's
River, in company with Seth Utley, four other brethren, and two
sisters. The distance was twenty miles. We came to a stream which
was so swollen by rains that we could not cross without swimming our
horses. To swim would not be safe for the women, so we went up the
stream to find a ford. In the attempt we were overtaken by a severe
storm of wind and rain, lost our way in the darkness, and wandered
through creeks and mud. But the Lord does not forsake His Saints in
any of their troubles. While we were in the woods suffering under the
blast of the storm, groping like the blind for the wall, a bright light
suddenly shone around us, and revealed to us our dangerous situation
on the edge of a gulf. The light continued with us until we found the
road; we then went on our way rejoicing, though the darkness returned
and the rain continued. We reached Brother Henry Thomas' in safety
about nine o'clock at night, having been five hours in the storm,
and forded streams many times. None of us felt to complain, but were
thankful to {58} God for His preserving care. On the following day I
preached at Damon Creek, and organized a branch called Damon Creek
Branch, and ordained Daniel Thomas a teacher.
"On the 19th of December I again preached at the house of Brother
Clapp, and baptized five persons; one was a Campbellite preacher. On
the following day I preached at the house of Brother Henry Thomas, when
a mob of about fifty persons collected, headed by a Baptist preacher,
who, after asking one question, advised the mob not to lay hands on any
man on account of his principles. The advice was good and well taken.
At the close of the meeting I baptized three persons, one seventy-eight
years old.
"This brings the year 1835 to a close--the first year of my
mission--during which time I had traveled three thousand two hundred
and forty-eight miles, held one hundred and seventy meetings, baptized
forty-three persons--three of whom were Campbellite preachers--assisted
Elder Parrish to baptize twenty more, confirmed thirty-five, organized
three branches, ordained two teachers and one deacon, procured
thirty subscribers for the Messenger and Advocate, one hundred and
seventy-three signers to the petition to the governor of Missouri for
redress of wrongs done the Saints in Jackson County, had three mobs
rise against me--but was not harmed--wrote eighteen letters, received
ten, and, finally, closed the labors of the year 1835 by eating johnny
cake, butter and honey, at Brother A. O. Smoot's.
"I spent the fore part of January, 1836, (the weather being very cold),
at the house of A. O. Smoot, in Kentucky, studying Kirkham's English
Grammar. I continued to travel and preach in Kentucky and Tennessee and
baptized all that would believe my testimony. On the 26th of February
we held a conference at the house of Brother Lewis Clapp (father of B.
L. Clapp). There were represented one hundred and three members in that
mission. I ordained A. O. Smoot and Benjamin Boyston elders, and Daniel
Thomas and Benjamin L. Clapp priests. I also ordained one teacher and
two deacons.
"After conference I took Brothers Smoot and Clapp with me to preach.
The former traveled with me constantly till the 21st of April, when
we had the privilege of meeting with Elder David W. Patten, who had
come direct from Kirtland, and who {59} had been ordained one of
the Twelve Apostles. It was a happy meeting. He gave us an account
of the endowments at Kirtland, the glorious blessings received, the
ministration of angels, the organization of the Twelve Apostles and
seventies, and informed me that I was appointed a member of the second
quorum of seventy. All this was glorious news to me, and caused my
heart to rejoice. On the 27th of May we were joined by Elder Warren
Parrish, direct from Kirtland. We had a happy time together.
"On the 28th, we held a conference at Brother Seth Utley's, where were
represented all the branches of the Church in the South. On the 31st
of May I was ordained a member of the second quorum of seventy, under
the hands of David W. Patten and Warren Parrish. At the close of the
conference we separated for a short time. Elders Patten and Parrish
labored in Tennessee, Brother Smoot and myself in Kentucky. On the 9th
of June we all met at Damon Creek Branch, where Brother Patten baptized
two. One was Father Henry Thomas, who had been a revolutionary war
soldier under General Washington, and was father of Daniel and Henry
Thomas.
"A warrant was issued, on the oath of a priest, against D. W. Patten,
W. Parrish and myself. We were accused in the warrant of the great
'crime' of testifying that Christ would come in this generation, and
that we promised the Holy Ghost to those whom we baptized. Brothers
Patten and Parrish were taken on the 19th of June. I, being in another
county, escaped arrest. The brethren were put under two thousand
dollars bonds to appear at court. Albert Petty and Seth Utley were
their bondsmen. They were tried on the 22nd of June. They pleaded
their own cause. Although men came forward and testified that they did
receive the Holy Ghost after they were baptized, the brethren were
condemned; but finally were released by paying the expenses of the mob
court.
"One peculiar circumstance was connected with this trial by a mob
court, which was armed to the teeth. When the trial was through, the
people were not willing to permit more than one to speak. Warren
Parrish had said a few words, and they were not willing to let David
Patten say anything; but he, feeling the injustice of the court,
and being filled with the power of {60} God, arose to his feet and
delivered a speech of about twenty minutes, holding them spell-bound
while he told them of their wickedness and of the abominations they
were guilty of, also of the curse of God that awaited them, if they
did not repent, and for taking up two harmless, inoffensive men for
preaching the gospel of Christ. When he had got through his speech
the judge said, 'You must be armed with secret weapons, or you would
not talk in this fearless manner to an armed court.' Brother Patten
replied, 'I have weapons that you know not of, and they are given me of
God, for He gives me all the power I have.' The judge seemed willing to
get rid of them upon almost any terms, and offered to dismiss them if
their friends would pay the costs, which the brethren present freely
offered to do.
"When the two were released, they mounted their horses and rode a mile
to Seth Utley's; but as soon as they had left, the court became ashamed
that they had been let go so easily, and the whole mob mounted their
horses to follow them to Utley's. One of the Saints, seeing the state
of affairs, went on before the mob to notify the brethren, so that they
had time to ride into the woods near by. They traveled along about
three miles to Brother Albert Petty's, and went to bed. The night was
dark, and they fell asleep, but Brother Patten was warned in a dream
to get up and flee, as the mob soon would be there. They both arose,
saddled their animals, and rode into the adjoining county. The house
they had just left was soon surrounded by the mob, but the brethren
escaped through the mercy of God.
"I was invited to hold a meeting at a Baptist meetinghouse; this was
on the 27th of June. On my arrival I met a large congregation, but, on
commencing services, Parson Browning ordered the meeting to be closed.
I told the people I had come ten miles to preach the gospel to them,
and was willing to stand in a cart, on a pile of wood, on a fence, or
any other place they would appoint, to have that privilege. One man
said he owned the fence and land in front of the meetinghouse, and we
might use both, for he did not believe Mormonism would hurt either. So
the congregation crossed the road, took down the fence and made seats
of it, and I preached to them one hour and a half. At the close, Mr.
Randolph Alexander bore testimony to the truth of what had been said.
He invited me home with him, bought {61} a Book of Mormon and was
baptized, and I organized a branch in that place.
"On the 18th of July, Brother A. O. Smoot and I arrived at a ferry on
the Tennessee River, and, as the ferryman was not at home, the woman
kindly gave us permission to use the ferryboat. We led our horses on
board, and took the oars to row across the river. Brother Smoot never
had used an oar, and I had not done so for some years, so we made
awkward work of it. Soon he broke one oar, and I let another fall
overboard, which left us only one broken oar to get to shore with. We
narrowly escaped running into a steamboat. We struck shore half a mile
below the landing place, tied up the boat, jumped on the bank with our
horses, and went on our way with blistered hands, thankful to get off
so well.
"On Sunday, the 31st of July, A. O. Smoot and I preached at Mr. David
Crider's, Weakley County, Tennessee. After the meeting, Mr. Crider was
baptized. A mob gathered and threatened us, and poisoned our horses, so
that the one I rode, belonging to Samuel West, died a few days after.
This horse had carried me thousands of miles while preaching the gospel.
"I continued to travel with Brothers Smoot, Patten, and Parrish in
Tennessee and Kentucky, and we baptized all who would receive our
testimony. On the 2nd day of December we held a general conference at
Damon Creek Branch. Elder Thomas B. Marsh, President of the Twelve
Apostles, presided. All the branches in Tennessee and Kentucky were
represented. Brothers Randolph Alexander, Benjamin L. Clapp, and
Johnson F. Lane were ordained elders, and Lindsay Bradey was ordained
to the lesser priesthood. I assisted President Marsh to obtain fifteen
hundred dollars from the Southern brethren to enter land in Missouri
for the Church. The brethren made me a present of fifty dollars, which
I sent by President Marsh to enter forty acres of land for me. Elder
Smoot and I were released from the Southern mission, with permission to
go to Kirtland."
During his mission, Wilford Woodruff organized a company of Saints, and
went with them a short distance, starting them on the way to Zion--a
portion of the work of gathering in which he did so much subsequently,
both in the United States and Great Britain. Most of his travels for
over two years had been on {62} foot. Since leaving Richland, New York,
he had journeyed over six thousand miles. Under his administration the
sick were healed, mobacrats were destroyed by the power of God, light
from heaven had been sent in the darkness of the night to lead him from
a lost condition in the forest and to save him from being dashed to
pieces over a rocky precipice, other miracles were wrought, and Wilford
Woodruff, in his early youth and manhood, had become in a marked degree
a choice witness for God and for the divine mission of Joseph Smith,
the Prophet.
Let it be remembered, too, that to enjoy all this power it was not
necessary to be an apostle, a patriarch, a high priest, or a seventy.
For the greater part of his mission, Wilford Woodruff was only a
priest after the order of Aaron. Like John the Baptist, he magnified
his calling; his soul was in the work; he loved his fellowbeings, and
yearned for their salvation. His whole experience is a striking lesson
worthy of being learned, and an example to be followed profitably by
all the young men and elders of Israel. More than once, thousands of
the Saints have heard Wilford Woodruff say in assemblies of worship
that in all his life he never had enjoyed more of the spirit and power
of God than when he was a priest doing missionary work in the Southern
States.
His first mission being completed, he approached the city of the
Saints--Kirtland--whence he had departed over two years previously.
"The Temple of the Lord," says he, "came in sight--first in importance
to our vision. I truly rejoiced when the House of the Lord rose into
view as we drew near to this Stake of Zion. It was the first time I
had seen the Temple of God--the first Temple built in this generation.
After my long absence, I rejoiced greatly to strike hands with the
Prophet Joseph, and with many others engaged in rolling on the mighty
work of the Lord in the last days.
"Two years and a half had elapsed," he writes further, "since I left
Kirtland with my brethren in poverty to go up to visit our brethren
in tribulation in Zion. The Saints at Kirtland were then poor,
despised, and looked upon by the pomp of Babylon with disdain, and
people watched with eager eyes to behold them sink into forgetfulness.
But what a change has come! Now I behold a cheerfulness beaming from
every countenance, {63} and the scenes around indicate prosperity. The
noise of the ax and the hammer, the stir of their bank and market, and
especially the presence of the House of God, speak in language loud
as thunder that the Saints will have a city in spite of all the false
prophets of Baal, and in spite of even earth and hell combined, because
God is with them, and His Temple stands in honor of His Kingdom, while
Babylon begins to wonder and soon will perish."
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