FIRST MISSION TO FOX ISLANDS, 1837.
Troubles at Kirtland.--Mission to Fox Islands.--Evil Spirits Cast
Out.--Healing the Sick.--Visits his Home Enroute.--From Connecticut to
Maine.--Description of Fox Islands.--Begins Ministry in Vinal Haven.--A
Minister Comes to Grief.--Baptisms.--Excitement.--Return to Scarboro.
The condition of affairs in Kirtland during the winter of 1836-7 was
not at all to the liking of Elder Woodruff. To his mind there was no
place in the Church for contentions, misgivings, and opposition. The
work was of God--that was enough. There were the properly appointed
authorities. Upon them the responsibilities of the kingdom had been
placed. He was not therefore concerned about what others thought was a
lack of wisdom in them. He was not avaricious; and financial reverses,
to his mind, could never thwart the purposes of God; and he was not
troubled about how much of this world's goods came to his possession. A
glorious message had been given to the earth, and he wanted every one
to know its value to the human family and to understand the blessings
of salvation to those who yielded obedience.
Wilford Woodruff always felt out of place in the midst of contention.
He shunned it, and never cared for the association of those who were
given to fault-finding, criticisms, and personal griefs. He never saw
the necessity for them. It was never hard for him to agree with his
brethren. He was never unreasonable in his demands, never had private
ends to foster, and never hesitated when there was something important
to be done. He was loyal to the Prophet, true to his brethren; and as
he was now a seventy, he wanted to magnify his office by service in the
missionary field.
He felt impressed that he wanted to take a mission to Fox Islands,
off the coast of Maine, although he was not at all familiar with the
locality nor with the conditions there. To his impressions of the
spirit of God, he found a hearty response in the minds of the apostles.
"Feeling," he said, "that it was my duty to start at once upon {71}
this mission, I did not tarry at home one year after having taken a
wife as the law of Moses allowed. On the contrary, I started just one
month and one day after that important event. I left my wife with
a Sister Hale with whom she expected to stay for a season. I left
Kirtland in good spirits, in company with Elder Jonathan Hale, and
walked twelve miles to Fairport, where we were joined by Elder Milton
Holmes. There we went aboard the steamer Sandusky, made our way to
Buffalo, and proceeded thence to Syracuse by way of the Erie Canal. We
then walked to Richland, Oswego County, New York, where I met my two
brothers whom I had not seen for several years." The elder of these
brothers had become, through trial and temptation, indifferent to the
Church. This was a source of deep sorrow to Wilford, who warned him
against opposing the truth, and faithfully instructed him in his duty
to the gospel which he had embraced.
From Richland they proceeded to Sackett's Harbor, thence across Lake
Ontario by steamer, Oneida, to Kingston, Upper Canada, and along the
canal to Jones' Falls, whence they walked to a place called Bastard,
Leeds County. There they found a branch of the Church presided over
by John E. Page and James Blakesly. "We accompanied them to their
place of meeting," said Elder Woodruff, "and attended a conference,
at which three hundred members of the Church were present. Thirty-two
persons presented themselves for ordination. I was asked to officiate
in company with Elder William Draper. We ordained seven elders, nine
priests, eleven teachers, and five deacons.
"We addressed the people several times during this conference, and at
its close were called to administer to a woman who was possessed of
a devil. At times she was dumb and greatly afflicted with the evil
spirits that dwelt in her. She believed in Jesus, and in us as His
servants, and wished us to administer to her. Four of us laid our hands
upon her head, and in the name of Jesus Christ commanded the devil to
depart from her. The evil spirits left immediately, and the woman arose
with great joy and gave thanks and praise unto God; for, according to
her faith, she was made whole from that hour. A child that was sick was
also healed by the laying on of hands, according to the word of God.
{72} "We walked thirty miles to visit another branch of the Saints
at Leeds, where we met with John Gordon and a John Snider. There we
held a meeting, and bore testimony to the people. A Sister Carns came
to us and asked that the ordinance for the healing of the sick be
performed for two of her children who were afflicted. One was a nursing
babe which was lying at the point of death. I took it in my arms and
presented it before the elders, who laid their hands upon it, and it
was made whole immediately. I handed it back to the mother entirely
healed. We afterwards laid hands upon the other, and it was also
healed. It was done by the power of God, in the name of Jesus Christ,
and the parents praised God for His goodness."
From Leeds they went to Schenectady, New York. On this journey they
were accompanied by Elders Isaac Russell, John Goodson, and John
Snider. In New York they expected to join Apostles Heber C. Kimball
and Orson Hyde who were soon to leave on a mission to England. Elder
Russell seemed to be troubled constantly by evil spirits. They were
also troublesome to him while in England, where Apostles Hyde and
Kimball had a severe contest with them, when administering to him.
After separating from the three brethren named, Elder Woodruff and his
companions went by rail to Albany, and walked from there to Canaan,
Connecticut, where they found a branch of the Church. Here they met
Jesse and Julian Moses and Francis K. Benedict. They held a two day's
meeting at Canaan, and Elder Woodruff ordained Julian Moses and Francis
K. Benedict to the office of an elder.
At Colebrook, Elder Woodruff visited his half-sister, Eunice Woodruff,
who taught school there. "I spent five hours," he wrote, "watching her
in the performance of her school duties. Five years before, when I last
beheld Eunice at our father's house, she was a child of only twelve
years; but now I beheld her an instructor of the youth. As I looked
upon her, my heart was filled with admiration for those accomplishments
in her which adorn the female sex. Her spirit was blithe, and her
step, as she moved among her pupils, showed the energy of youth. She
handed me a bundle of letters from her brother Asahel. The teachings
and instructions contained in those letters, if followed by the youth,
would lead them past a thousand snares. As I read, I {73} smiled and
wept, and prayed in my heart, 'O God, protect my brothers, my sisters,
my wife, and my parents.'" Wilford's affection for his family and
relatives was strong and beautiful.
From Colebrook he proceeded to Avon. "There I visited," he wrote, "many
of my former neighbors, and my relatives, also the grave of my mother,
Beulah Woodruff, who died June 11th, 1808, when she was twenty-six
years of age. The following verse was upon her tombstone:
'A pleasing form, a generous heart,
A good companion, just without art;
Just in her dealings, faithful to her friend,
Beloved through life, lamented in the end.'
"At the close of the day I walked six miles to Farmington, where my
father, Aphek Woodruff, was living, and I had the happy privilege of
once more meeting him and my stepmother, whom I had not seen for seven
years. They greeted me with great kindness. It was a happy meeting.
After visiting with my father for a day or two, I returned to Avon,
where most of my relatives lived, and held meetings with them. On the
12th of June, 1837, I baptized my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, his wife,
Hannah, and their son, John, and we rejoiced together; for this was in
fulfillment of a dream I had in 1818, when I was eleven years of age.
"On the 15th of July I had an appointment to preach at the house of
my uncle, Adna Hart. While there I had the happy privilege of meeting
with my wife Phoebe W. Woodruff, who had come from Kirtland to meet me
and accompany me to her father's home in Scarboro, Maine. Those who
had assembled to hear me preach were relatives, neighbors, and former
friends. After meeting, we returned to Farmington, to my father's home,
where I spent the night with my father, stepmother, sister, and wife.
Elder Hale was also with us.
"On the 19th of July, Elder Hale left us to go to his friends in
New Rowley, Massachusetts. The same evening I held a meeting in the
Methodist meetinghouse in the town of Farmington. I had a large
congregation of citizens with whom I {74} had been acquainted from
my youth. My parents, wife, and sister attended the meeting. The
congregation seemed satisfied with the doctrines I taught, and
requested me to hold another meeting; but I felt anxious to continue my
journey, and on the 20th of July I parted from father, stepmother, and
sister, and, with my wife, took stage for Hartford.
"On my arrival there, not having money to pay fare for both of us,
I paid my wife's fare to Rowley, Massachusetts, where there was a
branch of the Church presided over by Brother Nathaniel Holmes, father
of Jonathan and Milton Holmes. I journeyed on foot. The first day I
walked fifty-two miles, the second day forty-eight, and the third day
thirty-six miles, arriving at Rowley at 2 o'clock, having made the one
hundred and thirty-six miles in a little over two and a half days. On
the second day, when within a mile or two of my stopping place, I felt
so weary and worn-out that every step was made with painful effort.
Just then a gentleman came dashing along in his carriage. As he came
up I prayed to the Lord that he would invite me to ride. Instead of
doing this, he went by with great speed until about ten rods ahead,
when his horse, without being spoken to, or reined up, and for some
cause unknown to the driver, came to a sudden stop. It appeared as if
a barrier, unseen by others, stood in his way. Instantly the gentleman
turned and asked me to ride. The invitation I accepted gladly, and we
sped on our way.
"I spent eight days at New Rowley, holding meeting and visiting with
the Saints, including the Holmes family, and left there on the 1st of
August. On the 8th of August, in company with my wife and Elder Hale,
I visited my wife's father, Ezra Carter, and his family in Scarboro,
Maine, it being the first time I had ever seen any of her relatives.
"We were received very kindly. My wife had been absent from her father's
home about one year. I remained eight days with Father Carter, and
household, and one day I went out to sea with Fabian and Ezra Carter,
my brothers-in-law, in a boat to fish with hooks. We caught two hundred
and fifty cod, haddock, and hake, and we saw four whales, two at a
time. It was the first time I had ever seen the kind of animal which is
said to have swallowed Jonah.
{75} "On the 18th of August, 1837, I parted with my wife and her
father's household, leaving her with them, and, in company with
Jonathan H. Hale, started upon the mission that I had in view when I
left Kirtland. We walked ten miles to Portland, and took passage on
the steamboat, Bangor, which carried us to Owl's Head where we went on
board a sloop which landed us on North Fox Island at 2 o'clock a. m. on
August 20th.
"The town of Vinal Haven includes both North and South Fox Islands,
in latitude 44 north longitude 69 10' west. The population numbered,
at the time of my visit, about eighteen hundred. The inhabitants were
intelligent and industrious, and hospitable to strangers. They got most
of their living and wealth by fishing. The town fitted out over one
hundred licensed sailing vessels, besides smaller craft.
"North Fox Island is nine miles long by two miles in width, and has
a population of eight hundred. They have a postoffice, one store,
a Baptist church and a meetinghouse, four schoolhouses, and a tide
grist-mill. The land is rather poor, yet there are some good farms. The
products are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and grass. The principal
timber consists of fir, spruce, hemlock, and birch. Raspberries and
gooseberries grow in great abundance, and some upland cranberries are
raised. The principal stock are sheep.
"South Fox Island comes as near being without definite form as any spot
on earth I ever saw. It would be difficult for any person to describe
it. It is about ten miles in length by five in width, and is a mass
of rocks, formed into shelves, hills, and valleys, and cut up into
necks and points to make room for the coves and harbors that run into
the island. The population is one thousand. The inhabitants get their
living entirely by fishing. There is no chance for farming upon the
island. There are a few garden patches which are cultivated at great
expense. Some few sheep are raised there. Many of the inhabitants fish
in the vicinity of Newfoundland, and bring their fish home, where they
cure them on flakes and prepare them for the market. They supply the
market with great quantities of cod, mackerel, and boxed herring. Upon
this island there are two stores, three tide mills, six schoolhouses,
and a small branch of the Methodist church presided over by a priest.
What timber there is upon this {76} island, such as pine, fir, spruce,
hemlock, and birch, and likewise whortleberries, raspberries, and
gooseberries, grow mostly out of the cracks in the rocks.
"Great quantities of fish in almost endless variety inhabit the
coves and harbors around the islands. The whale, blackfish, shark,
ground-shark, pilot-fish, horse-mackerel, sturgeon, salmon, halibut,
cod, polleck, tom-cod, hake, haddock, mackerel, shad-bass, alewife,
herring, pohagen, dolphin, whiting, frost-fish, flounders, smelt,
skate, shrimp, skid, cusk, blueback, scallop, dog-fish, mutton-fish,
lumpfish, squid, five-fingers, monkfish, horse-fish, sun-fish,
sword-fish, thrasher, cat-fish, scuppog, tootog, eye-fish, cunner,
ling, also the eel, lobster, clam, mussel, periwinkle, porpoise, seal,
etc., are found.
"I have given a brief description of Vinal Haven. It was quite dark
when we landed, without a farthing of money. We made our way over the
rocks and through the cedars the best we could until we found a house.
We rapped at the door. A woman put her head out of the window and asked
who we were and what was wanted. I told her we were two strangers, and
wanted a bed to lie down upon till morning. She let us in and gave us a
bed. We slept until quite late, it being Sunday morning.
"When we came out and took breakfast it was nearly noon. I asked
her what she charged for our accomodation. She replied that we were
welcome. I then asked her if there were any minister or church on
the island. She informed us that there was a Baptist minister, named
Newton, who had a congregation and a meetinghouse about five miles from
there.
"We thanked her for her kindness, walked to the meetinghouse, and
stepped inside the doorway. We stood there until a deacon came to the
door. I asked him to tell the minister in the pulpit that there were
two servants of God at the door, and that they had a message to give to
the people and wished the privilege of delivering it. He sent for us
to come to the pulpit, so we walked through the congregation with our
valises and took a seat by the side of the minister, who was about to
speak as we came to the door. He arose and delivered his discourse to
the people, occupying about half an hour. When he closed he asked me
what my wish was. I told him we wished to speak to the people at any
hour that would suit his or their convenience; so he gave notice {77}
that there were two strangers present who would speak to the people at
5 o'clock that evening.
"We were quite a source of wonderment to the people, as they had
no idea who we were. Mr. Newton asked us home to tea with him, and
we gladly accepted the invitation. When we arrived at his house, I
opened my valise and took out the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and
Covenants, laid them upon the table, and took my seat. Mr. Newton took
up the books and looked at them, but said nothing. I then inquired if
there were any schoolhouses upon the island, and if so, whether they
were free to preach in. He answered that there were four, numbered
respectively from one to four, and that they were free. Mr. Newton
and family accompanied us to the meeting-house, where we met a large
congregation, none of whom knew who we were or anything about our
profession, except the minister.
"Elder Hale and I went to the stand, and I arose with peculiar feelings
and addressed the congregation for one hour, taking for my text
Galatians 1:8, 9. This was the first time that I, or any other elder of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had (to my knowledge)
attempted to preach the fulness of the gospel and the Book of Mormon
to the inhabitants of any island of the sea. I had much liberty in
speaking, and informed the people that the Lord had raised up a prophet
and organized His Church as in the days of Christ and the ancient
apostles, with prophets, apostles, and the gifts as anciently, and that
he had brought forth the Book of Mormon. At the close of my remarks
Elder Hale bore testimony. I gave liberty for any one to speak who
might wish to do so. As no one responded, I announced that we would
hold meetings the next four evenings at the schoolhouses, beginning at
No. 1.
"During the first thirteen days of our sojourn upon the island, we
preached seventeen discourses, being invited by the people to tarry
with them. I left a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants with Mr. Newton
for his perusal. He read it, and the spirit of God bore testimony to
him of its truth. He pondered over it for days, and walked his room
until midnight trying to decide whether to receive or reject it. He
and his family attended about a dozen of my first meetings, and then
he made up his mind, contrary to the dictation of the spirit of God to
him, to reject the {78} testimony and come out against me. However,
we commenced baptizing his flock. The first two we baptized were
a sea-captain, by the name of Justin Eames, and his wife. Brother
Jonathan H. Hale went down into the sea on the 3rd of September, and
baptized them; these were the first baptisms performed by proper
authority upon any of the islands of the sea (to my knowledge) in this
dispensation.
"Before we left Kirtland some of the leading apostates there had tried
to discourage Brother Hale about going on his mission, telling him he
never would baptize anyone, and had better remain at home. When Captain
Eames offered himself for baptism, I asked Brother Hale to baptize
him, and prove those men to be false prophets, which he did. On the
following Sabbath I baptized Justin Eames' brother, Ebenezer Eames,
another sea-captain, and a young lady.
"Mr. Newton, the Baptist minister, now commenced a war against us, and
sent to the South Island for a Mr. Douglass, a Methodist minister, with
whom he had been at variance for years, to come over and help him put
down 'Mormonism.' Mr. Douglass came over and they got together as many
people as they could, and held a conference. He railed against Joseph,
the Prophet, and the Book of Mormon, and taking that book in his hand,
with outstretched arm, declared that he feared none of the judgments of
God that would come upon him for rejecting it as the word of God. (I
never heard what his sentiments upon this subject were at the end of
his term of fourteen years' imprisonment in the Thomaston penitentiary,
for an outrage upon his daughter. The judgment was given upon the
testimony of his wife and daughter).
"I was present and heard Mr. Douglass' speech upon this occasion, and
took minutes of it. When he closed I arose and informed the people that
I would meet them the next Sunday in the meeting-house and answer Mr.
Douglass; and I wished him, as well as the people, to be present. I
informed the people that Mr. Douglass had made many false statements
against Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints, with whom he had no
acquaintance; and he had misquoted much Scripture, all of which I would
correct.
"We continued to baptize the people on North Island until {79}
we baptized every person who owned an interest in the Baptist
meeting-house. I then followed Mr. Douglas home to South Island, and
preached the gospel to the members of his church, and baptized nearly
all of them.
"The excitement became great on both islands, and on Sunday, the 17th
of September, I met a large assembly from both islands, and took up
the same subject that Mr. Douglass had dwelt upon in his remarks
against the Book of Mormon and our principles. I spoke two and a half
hours, and answered every objection against the Book of Mormon, Joseph
Smith, or our principles. I had good attention, and the people seemed
satisfied. At the close of the meeting Elder Hale administered the
ordinance of baptism.
"Mr. Newton, in order to save his cause, went to the mainland, brought
over several ministers, and held a protracted meeting. They hoped by
this to stop the work of God, but all to no avail; for all the people
would attend our meetings and receive the word of God, and we continued
to baptize. We visited the homes of most of the inhabitants.
"Upon one occasion, while standing upon Mr. Carver's farm, on the east
end of North Island, we counted fifty-five islands in that region, most
of which were not inhabited. We also saw twenty ships under sail at the
same time. We did not lack for food while upon the island, for if we
did not wish to trouble our friends for a dinner, we had only to borrow
a spade or a hoe and a kettle, and go to the beach and dig a peck of
clams. These, when boiled, make a delicious meal, of which we often
availed ourselves.
"One day Elder Hale and I ascended to the top of a high granite rock
on South Island for prayer and supplication. We sat down under the
shade of a pine tree which grew out of a fissure in the rocks, and
Elder Hale read the sixteenth chapter of Jeremiah, where mention is
made of the hunters and fishers that God would send in the last days
to gather Israel. We were, indeed, upon an island of the sea, standing
upon a rock where we could survey the gallant ships, and also the
islands which were as full of rocks, ledges, and caves as any part
of the earth. And what had brought us here? To search out the blood
of Ephraim, the honest and meek of the earth, and gather them from
these {80} islands, rocks, holes, and caves of the earth unto Zion. We
prayed, and rejoiced together. The spirit of God rested upon us. We
spoke of Christ and the ancient prophets and apostles in Jerusalem;
of Nephi, Alma, Mormon, Moroni, in America; of Joseph, Hyrum, Oliver,
and the apostles in our own day; and we rejoiced that we were upon the
islands of the sea searching out the blood of Israel. While filled with
these meditations and with the spirit of God, we fell upon our knees
and gave thanks to the God of heaven, and felt to pray for all Israel.
After spending most of the day in praise and thanksgiving, we descended
to the settlement and held a meeting with the people.
"On the 6th of September we called upon Captain Benjamin Coombs, and
visited his flakes, where he had one thousand quintals of codfish
drying for the market. They had been caught mostly in the neighborhood
of Newfoundland. While we were passing Carvey's Wharf, our attention
was called to a large school of mackerel playing by the side of the
warf. Several men were pitching them out with hooks. We also caught
what we wanted and went on our way.
"We continued to labor, to preach, and to baptize. We organized a
branch of the Church upon each island. Finally, on the 2nd of October,
we parted with the Saints on North Island to return to Scarboro
for a short time. We walked from Thomaston to Bath, a distance of
forty-six miles in one day, and at the latter place attended a
Baptist convention. I also preached there in the evening to a large
congregation, and the people gave good attention and wished to learn
more about our doctrines. On the following day we walked thirty-six
miles to Portland, and the next day to Scarboro. There I again met my
wife and her father's family.
"The time had come for me to give the parting hand to Brother Jonathan
H. Hale. During the season we traveled over two thousand miles
together, united in heart and spirit. He felt it his duty to return to
his family in Kirtland, but duty called me to return to my field of
labor upon the islands. On the 9th of October I accompanied Brother
Hale one mile on his journey. We retired to a grove and knelt down and
prayed together, and had a good time; after commending each other to
God, we parted, he to return to Kirtland, and I to the Fox Islands.
{81} "I spent fourteen days visiting the Saints and friends, and
holding meetings among them. On the 28th of October I took leave
of Father Carter and family, and, in company with my wife, rode to
Portland, to the home of my brother-in-law, Ezra Carter. A severe storm
arose, so we could not go to sea until November 1st, when we took
steamer to Owl's Head, carriage to Thomaston, and sloop to Fox Islands."
{82}