CALLED TO THE APOSTLESHIP, 1838.
Again on the Fox Islands.--Opposition Increases.--Manifestation of the
Gifts of the Holy Ghost.--Sign of the Prophet Jonas. Wilford Visits A.
P. Rockwood in Prison.--Baptizes His Father and Other Relatives.--Birth
of His First Child.--Called To Be One of the Twelve Apostles, and To
Take a Foreign Mission.--Assists Fox Islands Saints in Migrating to the
West.--Mrs. Woodruff Miraculously Healed.--They Reach Quincy, Illinois.
The second arrival of Wilford Woodruff at the Fox Islands was under
circumstances very different from those of the first landing. On the
earlier visit he was an entire stranger, and knew not how he could
obtain a meal or a night's comfortable rest; the people also were
strangers to the gospel message which he had come to deliver. On the
second visit, however, he knew he would be received with a cordial
welcome; and he met many Saints who had accepted the gospel through
his ministrations, and who hailed him, and his companion also, with
glad hearts. On Sunday, November 5, he met with a large assembly of
Saints and friends, and again engaged in baptizing those who received
his testimony. A few days later he went with Captain Coombs to another
island called the Isle of Holt, where he preached to an attentive
audience at an evening meeting, and spent the night with John Turner,
Esq., who purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon.
"On the following day," writes Wilford, "we returned to Fox Islands,
and as St. Paul once had to row hard to make land in a storm, we had to
row hard to make it in a calm. After preaching on North Island again,
and baptizing two persons at the close of the meeting, I went again
to the mainland, in company with Mrs. Woodruff and others, and there
spent fifteen days, during which time I visited among the people, held
twelve meetings, and baptized several persons. On the 13th of December
I returned to North Island, where I held several meetings, then crossed
over to South Island.
"On the 20th of December I spent an hour with Mr. Isaac Crockett,
in clearing away large blocks of ice from the water in {83} a cove,
in order to baptize him, which I did when the tide came in. I also
baptized two more in the same place, on the 26th, and still two others
on the 27th. On the 28th I held a meeting at a schoolhouse, when
William Douglass, the Methodist minister, came and wanted me to work
a miracle, that he might believe. At the same time he railed against
me. I told him what class of men asked for signs, and that he was a
wicked and adulterous man. I predicted that the curse of God would rest
upon him, and that his wickedness would be made manifest in the eyes
of the people. (While visiting the islands several years afterward, I
learned that the prediction had been fulfilled in his imprisonment for
a fourteen years' term, for a beastly crime.)
"On the last day of the year 1837, Mrs. Woodruff crossed the
thoroughfare in a boat and walked ten miles, the length of the island,
to meet me. I held a meeting the same day in the schoolhouse, and at
the close of the services baptized two persons in the sea, at full
tide, before a large assembly.
"January 1st, 1838, found me upon one of the islands of the sea, a
minister of the gospel of life and salvation unto the people, laboring
alone, yet blessed with the society of Mrs. Woodruff as my companion. I
had been declaring the word of the Lord through the islands many days,
the spirit of God was working among the people, prejudice was giving
way, and the power of God was manifest by signs following those who
believed. I spent this New Year's day visiting the Saints and their
neighbors, and met a congregation at the home of Captain Charles Brown,
where I spoke to them for a while, and at the close of my remarks led
three persons down into the sea and baptized them. Two of these were
sea-captains; namely, Charles Brown and Jesse Coombs, and the third was
the wife of Captain Coombs. After confirming them, we spent the evening
in preaching, singing, and praying.
"I held meetings almost daily with the Saints up to the 13th, when
I crossed to North Island. There I found that the seed I had sown
was bringing forth fruit. Six persons were ready for baptism. But my
mission to these islands was not an exception to the general rule;
success did not come without many obstacles presenting themselves.
Those who rejected the word were frequently inspired by the evil one
to make an attempt at persecution. Some {84} of those who felt to
oppose me went down to the harbor and got a swivel and small arms,
planted them close by the schoolhouse, near the sea shore, and while I
was speaking they commenced firing their cannon and guns. I continued
speaking in great plainness, but my voice was mingled with the report
of musketry. I told the people my garments were clear of the blood of
the inhabitants of that island, and asked if any wished to embrace
the gospel. Two persons came forward and wished to be baptized, and I
baptized them.
"On the following day when I went down to the seaside to baptize a
man, the rabble commenced firing guns again, as on the previous night.
I afterwards learned that notices were posted up, warning me to leave
town, but I thought it was better to obey God than man, and, therefore,
did not go. The next day I baptized three persons, and two days
subsequently a couple of others.
"I had ample evidence of the fact that lying spirits had gone out into
the world, for three persons whom I had baptized had been visited by
Mr. Douglass, who told them that I denied the Bible and could not be
depended upon; and they yielded to his insinuations until the devil
took possession of them. They were in a disaffected condition, and
sent for me. When I met them they were in great affliction, but when
I instructed them in the principles of the gospel and administered to
them, they were delivered from the evil influence and rejoiced.
"On the 15th of February I again crossed to North Island; and after
remaining there seven days visiting, we returned to Camden, where I met
Brother James Townsend, who had just arrived from Scarboro. I ordained
Brother Townsend to the office of elder. We then concluded to take a
journey to Bangor and offer the gospel to the inhabitants of that city.
"We traveled on foot, in the dead of winter when the snow was very
deep, and the first day broke the road for seven miles to Scarsmont.
The day following being Sunday, we held two meetings, preached the
Gospel to the people, and were kindly entertained. On the evening of
the next day we wallowed through snowdrifts for a mile, to meet an
appointment to preach in a schoolhouse, and on the way I got one of
my ears frozen. Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, we had
a large and {85} attentive audience. We also spent the next two days
there, and held meetings.
"On the evening of the 21st of February, as we came out of the
schoolhouse, a light appeared on the northeastern horizon and spread
to the west, and soon rolled over our heads. It had the appearance of
fire, blood, and smoke, and at times resembled contending armies. The
heavens were illuminated for a period of half an hour. It seemed at
times as though the veil were about to rend in twain, and the elements
were contending with each other. We looked upon it as one of the signs
in the heavens predicted by the prophets of old to appear in the last
days. We were wading through deep snowdrifts most of the time while
witnessing this remarkable scene.
"The following day we walked fifteen miles through deep snow to
Belfast, and, after being refused lodging for the night by eight
families, were kindly entertained by a Mr. Thomas Teppley. There was an
interesting incident connected with our stay at his house. After eating
our supper (it being late in the evening), a stand was placed before
me by Mr. Teppley, with a Bible upon it, and he asked me to read a
chapter and have prayers with them, he being a religious man. I opened
the Bible mechanically, and the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew being
the first to catch my eye, I read it; as I closed the book Mr. Teppley
turned to his wife and said, 'Is not this a strange thing?' Then he
explained to us that he had just read that chapter and closed the book
when we rapped at the door, and he felt impressed to say, 'Walk in,
gentlemen.' There is probably no other chapter in the whole book that
would have the same influence in causing any one to feed a person who
professed to be a servant of God and asked for bread.
"After becoming acquainted with Mr. Teppley's circumstances I thought
it providential that we were led to his house, for although he was a
professor of religion and a Methodist, he was in a state of despair,
believing that he had committed the unpardonable sin. However, I told
him what the unpardonable sin was, and that he had not committed it,
but that it was a trick of the devil to make him think so, in order to
torment him. He then acknowledged that a few evenings before he went
down to the wharf with the intention of drowning himself, but when he
looked {86} into the cold, dark water, he desisted and returned home,
and said nothing about it to anyone previous to telling me. I taught
him the principles of the gospel, which proved a comfort to him.
"We spent the next day in visiting the people of Belfast, and in the
evening preached in a brick schoolhouse, provided by Mr. Teppley. Many
wished to hear more from us. We next visited Northport and Frankfort,
holding meetings at both places. On the 1st of March, 1838, we entered
Bangor, which at that time had a population of ten thousand. This was
my birthday, I being thirty-one years of age. I visited some of the
leading men of Bangor. They granted me the use of the city hall, where
I preached to good audiences for two successive evenings. This was the
first time a Latter-day Saint elder had preached in that town. Many
were anxious to learn more about our principles, but our visits through
all the towns from Thomaston to Bangor were necessarily brief, owing to
our appointments upon the islands. It was like casting bread upon the
waters and trusting in God for the result.
"On the 5th of March we sailed from Penobscot for the Isle of Holt,
where I held a meeting the following evening. The next day I took
passage on the mail boat for North Fox Island, where I again had the
privilege of meeting with the Saints for prayer and praise before the
Lord. On my arrival I received a package of letters from friends. One
was from Kirtland, and gave an account of the apostasy and tribulations
which the Saints were passing through. Joseph, the Prophet, and others,
with their families, had gone to Far West, Missouri, and the Saints
were following him. At North Island, Brother Townsend left me and
returned home, and I was again alone in the ministry.
"On the afternoon of the 22nd of March, Brother Sterrett and I,
accompanied by our wives, went several hundred yards from the shore to
a sandbar (it being then low tide), to dig clams. The ground near the
shore was much lower than the bar, and while we were busy digging clams
and talking Mormonism the dashing of the waves of the incoming tide
against the shore suddenly made us conscious that we had fifty yards of
water between that desirable place and ourselves. The surf waves added
to our difficulty, and, as we had no boat, our only choice was to {87}
cross our four arms, thus forming a kind of armchair for our wives to
sit upon, and carry them in turn to the shore, wading through two and
a half feet of water. By the time we had our wives and clams safely
landed, there was impressed firmly upon our minds the truth of the old
saying, that 'time and tide wait for no man,' not even for a preacher
of the gospel.
"On the 28th of March I received a letter from Zion, requesting me to
counsel the Saints I had baptized to sell their property and gather to
Zion. About this time the Lord was manifesting Himself in various ways
upon the islands, by dreams, visions, healings, signs, and wonders. I
will relate one peculiar circumstance of this kind that occurred. Mr.
Ebenezer Carver had been investigating our doctrines for quite a length
of time, and having a great desire to know the truth of our religion,
walked to the sea shore, wishing he might have some manifestation in
proof of its truth. There came to his mind the passage of Scripture
which says there will be no sign given 'but the sign of the Prophet
Jonas.' While this thought was in his mind a large fish arose to the
top of the water, out at sea some distance, and suddenly sank out
of sight. He greatly desired to see it again, and it soon arose the
second time, accompanied by another fish of about the same size, and
one of them swam on the water in a straight line towards Mr. Carver,
as he stood upon the shore. It came as near as the water would permit,
stopped and gazed at him with a penetrating eye, as if it had a message
for him, then returned to its mate in the ocean, and swam out of sight.
Mr. Carver retraced his steps homeward, meditating upon the scene and
the wonderful condescension of the Lord. It is proper to say that this
occurred at a season of the year when fish of that size are never known
upon those shores or seas, and they are never, at any season, known to
come so far inshore as in the case mentioned. Mr. Carver was convinced
that it was intended by the Lord as a sign to him.
"Two days after this event I visited Mr. Carver at his house, where his
wife was confined to bed with a fever, and was requested to administer
to her. I placed my hands upon her head, the power of God rested upon
me, and in the name of Jesus Christ I commanded her to arise and walk.
She arose and was healed from that instant; she walked down to the sea,
and I baptized her in {88} the same place where the fish visited her
husband. I also confirmed her there, and she was filled with the Holy
Ghost and returned to her home rejoicing.
"I called the people together and exhorted them to sell their property
and prepare to accompany me to the land of Zion. I had labored hard for
many days for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the inhabitants of
those islands, and the Lord had blessed my labors and given me many
souls as seals of my ministry, for which I felt to praise Him; and now
I felt to labor quite as zealously to gather out those who had embraced
the gospel, and lead them to Zion."
Among the sad experiences of Wilford Woodruff during his mission to the
Fox Islands was the fact that his former missionary comrade, Warren
Parrish, with others in Kirtland, had apostatized and left the Church.
Wilford had been especially attached to Warren Parrish, because of
their former missionary companionship. Elders who travel in the mission
field realize how great is the love of missionaries for each other
when they enjoy the spirit of their calling. He was pained severely to
learn that Warren Parrish had made shipwreck of his faith and taken the
downward road. The cause thereof he explained as follows: "It might be
stated here that Warren Parrish fell through disappointed ambition. He
aspired to the Quorum of the Twelve, or to be a leading spirit of the
Church. He was what is termed a smart man, and through his smartness,
which was distorted by ambition, envy, and bitterness, he turned
against Joseph and the Church, having fallen into darkness and given
himself up to the power of Satan." The failure of Warren Parrish was
but one instance out of many. Joseph, the Prophet, warned the elders
against being thus envious and striving to excel each other through
envy, instead of being excellent in doing good. At this period the
Prophet and Saints were moving to Missouri. Apostasy and rebellion were
rampant at Kirtland; but Wilford Woodruff was undaunted, and continued
his labors and baptized a considerable number who listened to his
message. A scurrilous letter sent by Warren Parrish to the postmaster
at Vinal Haven aroused a strong opposition, but did not hinder the work
of the Lord there.
{89} On the 11th of April, Elders Milton Holmes, James Townsend, and
Abner Rogers, who had come to the islands to attend the conference,
again met with Elder Woodruff, and on April 13th conference was held on
North Fox Island, with a goodly representation of the various branches
of the Church on the islands. "On the 17th of April," writes Wilford,
"Mrs. Woodruff left the islands, returning to her father's home in
Scarboro, Maine, and a few days afterwards I called the Saints of
North Island together and gave them some instructions. I also informed
them that the spirit of God bore record to me that it was our duty to
leave the islands for a season, and take a mission westward. They had
been faithfully warned, and the Saints were established in the truth,
while the wicked were contending against us and some were disposed to
take our lives if they had the power. On the 28th of April we left
the island in an open sailboat, made our way to Owl's Head, and from
there walked twenty miles. The following day we walked forty miles and
suffered some from weary limbs and blistered feet, but we felt it was
for the gospel's sake, and did not wish to complain. The next day a
walk of thirty miles brought us to Scarboro, where we spent the night
at Father Carter's. On the 8th of May I parted with Mrs. Woodruff and
Father Carter and family, and in company with Milton Holmes walked
thirty-three miles towards Portsmouth, which city we reached the
following day, spending several hours there, visiting the navy yard.
We then walked to Georgetown, formerly New Rowley, and spent the night
with Father Nathaniel Holmes.
"On the 11th of May I visited Charleston and the Bunker Hill Monument,
and spent several hours in the city of Boston, which then contained a
population of one hundred thousand. I ascended to the cupola of the
courthouse, from which I had a fine view of the city; then I visited
several of the Saints, and walked over the long bridge to Cambridge
and Cambridgeport. I visited the jail there to have an interview with
Brother A. P. Rockwood, who had been cast into prison on a charge of
debt, to trouble and distress him because he was a Mormon. This was
the first time he and I had met. The jailer permitted me to enter the
room where he was. It was the first time in my life that I had entered
a prison; the jailer turned the key upon us, and locked us both in.
{90} I found Brother Rockwood strong in the faith of the gospel. He had
the Bible, Book of Mormon, Voice of Warning, and Evening and Morning
Star as companions, and read them daily. We conversed together for
three hours in his solitary abode. He informed me of many things which
had occurred at the jail while he was confined there as a prisoner.
Among other things he related that the jail had taken fire a few days
previous to my visit. He said it looked a little like a dark hour; the
fire was roaring over his head, while uproar and confusion were upon
every hand; fire-engines were playing rapidly around the building; the
water was pouring into every room; the people were hallooing in the
streets; prisoners were begging for mercy's sake to be let out, or
they would be consumed in the fire; one was struggling in the agonies
of death; while others were cursing and swearing. Brother Rockwood
said he felt composed in the midst of it all. The fire was finally
extinguished. At 8 o'clock the jailer unlocked the prison door and let
me out, and I gave the parting hand to the prisoner. We had spent a
pleasant time together, and he rejoiced at my visit; and who would not,
to meet with a friend in a lonely prison? I left him in good spirits,
and wended my way back to Boston.
"After spending several days in Boston, holding meetings with the
Saints, I walked to Providence, Rhode Island, preaching by the way.
There I took steamer, and arrived in New York on the 18th of May,
where I met Elder Orson Pratt, his family, Elijah Fordham and nearly
one hundred Saints who had been baptized in the city of New York.
I remained in New York three days, visiting the Saints and holding
meetings; several new converts were baptized while I was there. Leaving
New York, I traveled through New Jersey and returned to Farmington,
Connecticut, to the residence of my father, where I arrived on the 12th
of June. It was with peculiar sensations that I walked over my native
land where I had spent my youth, and cast my eyes over the Farmington
meadows and the hills and dales where I had roamed in my boyhood with
my father, stepmother, brothers, and sister.
"On my arrival at my father's home, I had the happy privilege of again
taking my parents and sister by the hand. I also {91} met my uncle,
Ozem Woodruff, who was among the number I had baptized the year before.
After spending an hour in conversation, we sat down around father's
table, supped together, and were refreshed. Then we bowed upon our
knees in the family circle, and offered up the gratitude of our hearts
to God for preserving our lives and reuniting us. I spent the next
eighteen days in Farmington and Avon, visiting my father's household,
my uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbors, and friends, preaching to them
the gospel of Jesus Christ, and striving to bring them into the Kingdom
of God.
"On the 1st of July, 1838, there occurred one of the most interesting
events of my whole life in the ministry. When Father Joseph Smith gave
me my patriarchal blessing, among the many wonderful things he promised
me was that I should bring my father's household into the Kingdom
of God; and I felt that if I ever obtained that blessing, the time
therefor had come. By the help of God I preached the gospel faithfully
to my father's household and to all who were with him, as well as to
my other relatives, and I appointed a meeting at my father's home on
Sunday, the 1st of July. My father was believing my testimony, as were
all in his household; but upon this occasion it appeared as if the
devil were determined to hinder the fulfillment of the promise of the
patriarch to me. It seemed as if Lucifer, the son of the morning, had
gathered together the hosts of hell, and was exerting his powers upon
us all. Distress overwhelmed the whole household, and all were tempted
to reject the work; and it seemed as if the same power would devour
me. I had to take to my bed for an hour before the time of meeting.
There I prayed to the Lord with my whole soul for deliverance; for
I knew then that the power of the devil was exercised to hinder me
from accomplishing what God had promised I should do. The Lord heard
my prayer and answered my petition. When the hour of meeting came, I
arose from my bed and could sing and shout for joy to think I had been
delievered from the power of the evil one. Filled with the power of
God, I stood in the midst of the congregation and preached unto the
people in great plainness the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"At the close of the meeting we assembled on the banks of the {92}
Farmington River, 'because there was much water there,' and I led six
of my friends into the river and baptized them for the remission of
their sins. All of my father's household were included in this number,
as the patriarch had promised, and all were relatives except Dwight
Webster, who was a Methodist class-leader, and was boarding with my
father's family. I organized the small number of nine persons, eight
of whom were my relatives, into a branch of the Church, ordained
Dwight Webster to the office of priest, and administered unto them
the Sacrament. It was truly a day of joy to my soul. I had baptized
my father, stepmother, and sister, and I afterwards added a number of
other relatives. I felt that the work of this day alone amply repaid me
for all my labors in the ministry.
"While upon Fox Islands I was impressed to visit my father's home.
Now that the purpose of the mission had been accomplished I felt it
my duty to return to the Islands. Monday, July 2, 1838, was the last
day and night I spent at my father's home while upon this mission. At
the setting of the sun I took with my sister the last walk I ever had
with her in my native state. We walked by the canal, viewed the river
and the fields, and conversed about the future. After evening prayer
with the family, my father retired to rest, and I visited awhile with
my stepmother, who had reared me from infancy. In conversation we felt
sensibly the weight of the power of temptation out of which the Lord
had delivered us. I also spent a short time with my sister Eunice,
the only sister I ever was blessed with in my father's family. I had
baptized her into the Church and Kingdom of God, and we mingled our
sympathies, prayers, and tears together before the throne of grace.
"How truly the bonds of consanguinity and the blood of Christ unite the
hearts of the Saints of God! 'How blessings brighten as they take their
flight!' This being the last night I was to spend beneath my father's
roof while upon this mission, I felt its importance, and my prayer was,
'O Lord, protect my father's house, and bring them to Zion!' My prayer
was granted.
"On the morning of July 3rd, I took leave of my relatives and my native
state, and started on my return to Maine. I arrived in {93} Scarboro
on the 16th, and on the 14th my first child, a daughter, was born, at
Father Carter's house. We named her Sarah Emma. On the 30th of July I
left my wife and child at Father Carter's, and started for Fox Islands.
"While holding meeting with the Saints at North Vinal Haven, on the 9th
of August, I received a letter from Elder Thomas B. Marsh, who was then
President of the Twelve Apostles, informing me that the Prophet Joseph
Smith had received a revelation from the Lord, naming as persons to be
chosen to fill the places of those of the Twelve who had fallen. Those
named were John E. Page, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and Willard
Richards. In his letter President Marsh added: 'Know then, Brother
Woodruff, by this, that you are appointed to fill the place of one of
the Twelve Apostles, and that it is agreeable to the word of the Lord,
given very lately, that you should come speedily to Far West, and, on
the 26th of April next, take your leave of the Saints here and depart
for others climes, across the mighty deep.' The substance of this
letter had been revealed to me several weeks before, but I had not
named it to any person."
It was on the 8th of July, just one week after Wilford's memorable
experience at his father's home, that this humble, faithful, diligent
elder was called by the voice of God, through His prophet, to be one of
the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb in this dispensation; and Wilford being
at the time many hundreds of miles distant from the Prophet, the Lord
then revealed to him the fact of that calling. Wilford had been true to
the Lord as a teacher, priest, elder, and seventy in His Church, and
thus was worthy of the higher call that had come, and to be trusted
with its increased responsibility. He was prepared by the revelations
of heaven to his own soul to be an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ;
and his ordination and leave-taking of the Saints at the designated
place, on the 26th of the succeeding April, under the circumstances
then existing, were a manifestation of the miraculous power of God in
witness of the prophetic office and gift that had been conferred from
heaven upon Joseph Smith, the great Prophet of this dispensation.
"The time having come for me to prepare to leave Fox Islands," wrote
Wilford, "I had a desire to take with me all the {94} Saints I could
get to go to Zion. Already there had been a line drawn between the
Saints and those on the islands who had rejected the Gospel, and
enemies were very bitter against me and against the work of God I had
labored to establish. They threatened my life, but the Saints were
willing to stand by me. I spent four days with the Saints, visiting
them, holding meetings, and encouraging them, while the devil was
raging upon every hand. I baptized into the Church and organized,
while upon the islands, nearly one hundred persons; and there seemed a
prospect of gathering with me about half of them, but the devil raged
to such an extent that some of them were terrified.
"The inhabitants of the islands had but little acquaintance with the
management of horses or wagons; in fact, most of them knew more about
handling a shark than a horse. However, in company with Nathaniel
Thomas, who had sold his property and had money, I went to the
mainland and purchased ten new wagons, ten sets of harness, and twenty
horses. When I had everything prepared for the company to start, I
left affairs with Brother Thomas and went ahead of the company to
Scarboro, to prepare my own family for the journey. The outfit which
I purchased for the company cost about two thousand dollars. Before
leaving Brother Thomas I counseled him regarding the course to pursue,
and charged him to be not later than the 1st of September in starting
from the mainland. I arrived at Father Carter's on the 19th of August,
and waited with great anxiety for the company from the islands, but
instead of reaching here by the 1st of September, they did not come
till the 3rd of October; and when they did arrive the wagon covers were
all flying in the breeze. It took a good day's work to nail down the
covers, paint the wagons and get them ready for the journey."
It should be remarked that in the very starting of this company
Nathaniel Thomas cheerfully stepped forward to the assistance of the
poor and invested about one thousand dollars in wagons, horses, tents,
etc., to fit out this company. While others who possessed this world's
goods drew back and did not go with the poor lest they should be under
the necessity of helping them.
At this time Wilford had still another trial, and the integrity of
his wife was further tested. Her parents, relatives, and friends
{95} strongly opposed her starting upon the journey, and used every
influence and argument they could against her accompanying her husband.
They had been very kind to him, but when it came to parting with her
on a journey of such a distance at such a time of the year, and to a
land where her people were subjects of such bitter persecutions as
were being inflicted upon the Saints in Missouri at that time, it was
too much for them to acquiesce in. They knew that he must go, but they
insisted that she must stay. Like her husband, she was of a spirit
that did not shrink from duty when she knew it. Wilford said of her
at the time: "Yes, Phoebe possessed too much firmness and faith and
confidence in God to put her hand to the plough and then look back, or
to give way to trials, however great. Like Ruth, she was determined to
forsake kindred and country for my sake and for the cause in which we
were engaged." Under these circumstances, and with a realizing sense
of the dangers and hardships of the journey, and of painful conditions
prevailing at their destination, they did not falter.
"On the afternoon of the 9th of October," wrote Wilford, "we took
leave of Father Carter and family, and started upon our journey of two
thousand miles at this late season of the year, taking with me my wife,
her nursing babe, to lead a company of fifty-three souls from Maine to
Illinois, and to spend nearly three months traveling in wagons, through
rain, mud, snow, and frost. It was such a trial as I never before had
attempted during my experience as a minister of the gospel.
"We were joined at Georgetown by Elder Milton Holmes, and traveled each
day as far as we could go, camping wherever night overtook us. On the
13th of October, while crossing the Green Mountains, I was attacked
by something resembling cholera, and was very sick; I stopped at a
house about two hours, and the elders having administered to me, I
revived. On the 24th I was taken sick again, and my wife and child also
were stricken down. Several others of the company were sick, through
exposure. On the 31st we had our first snowstorm, and the horses
dragged our wagons all day through mud, snow, and water. On the 2nd of
November Elder Milton Holmes left us, and took steamer for Fairport;
two days later, Nathaniel Thomas' little child, about six years of age,
died, and we had to bury it at Westfield. {96} The roads finally became
so bad and the cold so severe that Nathaniel Thomas and James Townsend
concluded to stop for the winter; we parted with them on the 21st of
November, near New Portage, Ohio.
"My wife Phoebe was attacked on the 23rd of November by a severe
headache, which terminated in brain fever; she grew more and more
distressed daily as we continued our journey. It was a terrible ordeal
for a woman to travel in a wagon over such rough roads, afflicted as
she was. At the same time our child was also very sick.
"The 1st of December was a trying day to my soul. My wife continued
to fail, and about four o'clock in the afternoon appeared to be
stricken with death. I stopped my team, and it seemed as if she then
would breathe her last, lying there in the wagon. Two of the sisters
sat beside her, to see if they could do anything for her in her last
moments. I stood upon the ground, in deep affliction, and meditated.
Then I cried to the Lord, praying that she might live and not be taken
from me, and claiming the promises the Lord had made to me through the
Prophet and Patriarch. Her spirit revived, and I drove a short distance
to a tavern, got her into a room and worked over her and her babe all
night, praying to the Lord to preserve their lives.
"In the morning circumstances were such that I was under the necessity
of removing them from the inn, as there was so much noise and confusion
there that my wife could not endure it. I carried her out to her bed in
the wagon and drove two miles, when I alighted at a house and carried
my wife and her bed into it, with a determination to tarry there until
she recovered her health or passed away. This was on Sunday morning,
December 2nd. After getting my wife and things into the house and
providing wood to keep up a fire, I employed my time in taking care of
her. It looked as if she had but a short time to live. She called me to
her bedside in the evening, and said she felt as if a few moments more
would end her existence in this life. She manifested great confidence
in the cause we had embraced, and exhorted me to have confidence in
God, and to keep His commandments. To all appearances she was dying. I
laid hands upon her and {97} prayed for her, and she soon revived, and
slept some during the night.
"December 3rd found my wife very low. I spent the day in taking care
of her, and the day following I returned to Eaton to get some things
for her. She seemed to be sinking gradually, and in the evening the
spirit apparently left her body, and she was dead. The sisters gathered
around, weeping, while I stood looking at her in sorrow. The spirit and
power of God began to rest upon me until, for the first time during her
sickness, faith filled my soul, although she lay before me as one dead.
"I had some oil that was consecrated for my anointing while in
Kirtland. I took it and consecrated it again before the Lord, for
anointing the sick. I then bowed down before the Lord, prayed for the
life of my companion, and in the name of the Lord anointed her body
with the oil. I then laid my hands upon her, and in the name of Jesus
Christ I rebuked the power of death and of the destroyer, and commanded
the same to depart from her and the spirit of life to enter her body.
Her spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she was made whole;
and we all felt to praise the name of God, and to trust in Him and keep
His commandments.
"While I was undergoing this ordeal (as my wife related afterwards)
her spirit left her body, and she saw it lying upon the bed and the
sisters there weeping. She looked at them and at me, and upon her
babe; while gazing upon this scene, two persons came into the room,
carrying a coffin, and told her they had come for her body. One of
these messengers said to her that she might have her choice--she might
go to rest in the spirit world, or, upon one condition, she could have
the privilege of returning to her tabernacle and of continuing her
labors upon the earth. The condition was that if she felt she could
stand by her husband, and with him pass through all the cares, trials,
tribulations, and afflictions of life which he would be called upon to
pass through for the gospel's sake unto the end, she might return. When
she looked at the situation of her husband and child she said, 'Yes, I
will do it.' At the moment that decision was made the power of faith
rested upon me, and when I administered to her, her spirit re-entered
{98} her tabernacle, and she saw the messengers carry the coffin out of
the door.
"On the morning of the 6th of December, the spirit said to me, 'Arise,
and continue thy journey,' and through the mercy of God my wife was
enabled to arise and dress herself; she walked to the wagon, and we
went on our way rejoicing.
"The weather being very cold, on the night of the 11th I stopped
for the night at an inn. I there learned of the sudden death of my
brother, Asahel H. Woodruff, a merchant of Terre Haute, Indiana. I had
anticipated that the following day I should have a joyful meeting with
this brother; instead of this, I had only the privilege of visiting
his grave, in company with my wife, and of examining a little into his
business. I was offered the position of administrator of his affairs,
but I was leading a company of Saints to Zion, and could not stop to
attend to his temporal business. Strangers settled his affairs and took
possession of his property; his relatives obtained nothing from his
effects but a few trifling mementoes.
"I left this place on the 13th of December and crossed into Illinois,
arriving at Rochester on the 19th. Getting information there of the
severe persecutions of the Saints in Missouri, and of the unsettled
state of the Church at that time, we concluded to stop at Rochester and
spend the winter there.
"Thus ended my journey of two months and sixteen days. I had led the
Fox Island Saints to the West, through all the perils of a journey
of nearly two thousand miles, in the midst of sickness and great
severity of weather. In the spring I took my family and removed to
Quincy, Illinois, where I could mingle with my brethren; and I felt to
praise God for His protecting care over me and my family in all our
afflictions."
{99}