REVIEW OF HIS MISSION.
Wilford Renders Aid to the Persecuted Saints.--His Care in Recording
the Events, also Sermons and Sayings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith.--Elder Woodruff's Humility, and Appreciation of the Work of
Others.--At a Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Convention.--Letter
from His Wife Announcing the Death of Their Daughter.--Revelation
Foreshadowing the Troubles of the Saints in the Expulsion from Illinois.
In the fullest sense Wilford Woodruff was a man of industrious habits.
During the interval between his return from the Fox Islands and his
departure with others of the Twelve for the European mission, he not
only labored hard to provide for his family; but, true to the spirit
of a faithful saint and disciple of the Lord, he devoted much time
to visiting the afflicted Saints in Montrose, Iowa, and in Nauvoo,
Illinois. He also rendered efficient service in getting teams and
money to assist the Saints in their exodus from Far West, Missouri, to
Illinois.
The Prophet Joseph Smith being in prison, Presidents Brigham Young
and Heber C. Kimball, with other leading brethren, made a solemn
covenant that they would not rest until they had made every possible
effort to free the Saints from their persecutors in Missouri, and
lead them safely to Nauvoo. In this movement, as at all other times,
Wilford Woodruff was a staunch supporter of the presiding authorities
of the Church. In his journal he makes prominent mention of the
mobbings in Missouri, the martyrdom of Elder David W. Patten and
others, the imprisonment of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and other leading
men of the Church, their escape from prison, and of other events of
those times. Indeed, whether or not Wilford Woodruff was present at
the occurrence of some important event in Church history, he made
careful investigations and recorded the results of his research.
Were it not for this care, the history of many events now looked
upon as important never would have been written. He also reported
in considerable fullness nearly every sermon he heard preached by
the Prophet Joseph Smith. Almost every gem from the sayings of the
Prophet Joseph published in the {148} Compendium is found in Wilford
Woodruff's journal; also are many others which have not been published.
Whenever he made the acquaintance of men or women whose integrity to
the gospel and generosity to the Saints were notable, their names have
an honored place in his journal. In this connection, for the comfort
and encouragement of their immediate friends and descendants, it may
be said that the names of William Clayton, John Benbow, William Pitt,
Edward Ockey, Alfred Cordon, with others whom he met first in England,
and some of whom he baptized, are mentioned many times by him, with
feelings of love and admiration. These all died in the faith; may their
descendants follow in their footsteps, and the prayers of Wilford
Woodruff in their behalf not go unanswered.
His first mission to Great Britain was a land mark in Church history.
His wonderful success is without a parallel in the missionary
experiences of that or of any subsequent period. Its importance grows
with the growth of the work. He here returns to that mission in a
reminiscent spirit and recounts events overlooked in his hasty survey
contained in the narrative of the previous chapter. What follows picks
up loose ends and is not given as a summary.
On the 10th of February, 1840, he records this item:
"On this day Queen Victoria of England was married to Prince Albert.
As many were on this day celebrating the marriage of the queen, I
thought it right to honor the King of Heaven by advocating His cause
and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I walked into the market
place at Burslem, accompanied by Elder Alfred Cordon and two other
brethren, and we began to sing and pray unto God, and call upon His
name. A congregation flocked around us, and we preached to them; I bore
testimony of the great work which God had set His hand to accomplish
and of the second coming of Christ, and warned the people to repent and
be baptized for the remission of sins."
While viewing the beauties of English landscape, many times his soul
was filled with intense admiration for the works of the Creator.
Describing a visit to Malvern Hill, he says: "In my walk to Colwell
on the 9th, I had a great survey of nature and of the power of the
Creator; this was while standing upon the summit of Marlvern Hill,
elevated from twelve hundred to fifteen {149} hundred feet above the
level. The surrounding country was before my view, stretched out many
miles. Worcester town lies on the north, clearly seen in the prospect,
Gloucester on the south, with several large villages between, Ledbury
and other villages on the west, and a fine, beautifully cultivated
vale upon every hand. While upon this noted hill, beholding the grand
and charming prospect before me, the thunder began to roll, and the
lightning flashed in the vale below, on which the rain descended in
torrents. The solemnity and grandeur of the scene was impressive as I
stood upon the hill above the clouds, surveying the beautiful works of
the Creator, and His majesty in the storm."
While upon this mission, on March 22, 1840, a son, Wilford Woodruff
Jr., was born. At this writing he is living, and is a faithful worker
in the Salt Lake Temple. Upon leaving Herefordshire in June, 1840, to
attend the Manchester conference, Wilford comments: "I never before
left a field of labor with as much satisfaction with the results of my
work; I felt to render unto God the gratitude of my heart for giving
me so many souls as seals to my ministry; and I note the remarkable
fact that I had been led by the spirit (only a little more than three
months before) through a densely populated country for eighty miles,
and chose no part of it for my field of labor until I was led by the
Lord to the house of John Benbow, at Frome's Hill, where I preached for
the first time on the 5th of March, 1840; now, on the 22nd of June,
I was going to the Manchester conference, to represent this fruitful
field of my labors with thirty-three organized churches numbering
541 members, 300 of whom received the ordinance of baptism under my
hands." In that labor, attended with such unprecedented success in this
dispensation, he never, for a moment, felt to take honor to himself;
yet with characteristic humility and meekness he failed not to make
honorable mention of the labor of other brethren who came to assist
him. For instance, of Presidents Brigham Young and Willard Richards he
writes: "Elder Brigham Young labored with me in this vineyard about
one month; from him the Saints and I received much benefit, for he
is mighty in counsel, and is endowed with much wisdom. Elder Willard
Richards had labored with me two months, and was also a great blessing
to us, for he had passed through a notable school of experience and
learned much wisdom, and his {150} sound judgment was very manifest
in the councils and conferences in which we had acted together." At
that time the British mission numbered forty-one branches of the
Church, with 2,513 members, the local officers including 56 elders,
126 priests, 61 teachers, and 13 deacons; 842 members had been the
increase in the preceding three months. It was about this time that a
local elder who was in the British army was ordered with his regiment
to India, where he went in good spirits, determined to carry the gospel
to that land, he being the first to do so. At this time Wilford also
notes in his journal the death of Bishop Edward Partridge, and makes
this comment: "Bishop Partridge was one of the wisest and best men of
the last generation. Like Nathaniel of old, in him there was no guile.
He had passed through much persecution with the Saints, for the word of
God and the testimony of Jesus."
Brother Woodruff relates that Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball
and himself were once locked out of an Aitkenite meeting because the
preachers were afraid the spirit of the Latter-day Saints mission
would break up their society. He also narrates this incident: "In
company with Elder George A. Smith, I attended the Wesleyan Methodist
missionary convention held on City Road, London. It was considered
one of the greatest of the kind ever held in that city. The chair was
filled by the Lord Mayor. He was a noble-looking man, and the insignia
of office which hung about his neck consisted of six gold chains, which
were large and very heavy. The object of the meeting was to arrange
for sending out missionaries, and to make collections to liquidate a
debt of fifty thousand pounds sterling. Some of the best talent of
Europe was gathered on this occasion. Much policy was manifested in
this combination of ministers and their influence for raising means.
The speeches were from ten to twelve minutes' duration. One minister
from Scotland arose and said: 'My Lord and Wesleyan friends, let my
tongue cleave to my mouth and my right hand forget her cunning when
I do not take a Wesleyan by the hand and call him brother.' One from
the Church of England said: 'My Lord and Wesleyan friends, I wish you,
while looking at the Church of England, to cover her imperfections
with the cloak of charity--I would readily cover the imperfections of
the Wesleyan society, but I know not {151} where they are. I would
not hesitate to cover the imperfections of the Church of Rome were
it in my power, but they are all scarlet.' A Wesleyan minister then
arose and said: 'We are highly favored on this occasion by having for
our chairman the Lord Mayor of London, the chief magistrate of the
most renowned city of the world; and his lordship has, like Caesar,
submitted himself to the worship of Christ in this condescension;
but, when rightly considered, is not my Lord as highly honored in
presiding over this vast body of respectable citizens this evening on
so important a matter as he would be were he reigning upon a throne?
For the angels in heaven honor every effort that is made on earth for
the spread of the gospel, and the saving of the souls of men. My Lord
and Christian friends, how did the ancient apostles prevail? They were
illiterate, and had neither money nor influence, and their doctrines
were unpopular, yet they established the gospel, maintained the
doctrines of Christ, and caused the nations to tremble; but this was
all by the power of God, and not of man. My Lord, our circumstances are
different from theirs. We have influence and wealth; we have splendid
chapels and respectable bodies, and our members are many; yet if God
is not with us we cannot prevail.' (I shouted, 'Amen!') These speeches
continued until 10 p. m., when a collection was made, and the Lord
Mayor arose and addressed the three thousand people present. This was
in City Road chapel--the first ever erected by the celebrated John
Wesley. The Lord Mayor said: 'It is with pleasure that I have been
permitted to preside over this respectable body this evening, on so
important an occasion, which will be indelibly fixed upon my mind as
one of the most pleasing events of my life; and I trust I shall ever be
as ready to perform every duty required of me by the citizens of London
as I have been to meet with our Wesleyan friends this evening.' The
house rang with applause. In the midst of all this, who can imagine our
feelings? None but those in like situation. Here were we with a mission
and message from the Lord to the inhabitants of London. We stood in
their midst ready to deliver that message as the Lord might open our
way, and yet we were as little known to the people as was Jonah to the
citizens of Nineveh while in the belly of the whale. Notwithstanding
all this display of talent, yet the people needed a humble servant
of the Lord to teach them {152} the gospel in its purity, as Nineveh
needed a prophet to cry repentance therein. I retired alone, and
reflected upon these things."
Scenes of this kind stirred Wilford Woodruff, in his deeply
conscientious nature, with great anxiety and concern, lest he might
fail to deliver his divine message to the very uttermost of the
requirement made of him.
The grief that bowed down Wilford Woodruff's heart at receiving news
of the death of his little daughter finds pathetic expression in his
journal, in which also appears the letter from his wife bearing the
sorrowful tidings. It reads:
"My Dear Wilford: What will be your feelings when I say that yesterday
I was to witness the departure of our little Sarah Emma from this
world? Yes, she is gone. The relentless hand of death has snatched her
from my embrace. She was too lovely, kind, and affectionate to live in
this wicked world. When looking upon her I have often thought how I
should feel to part with her. I thought I could not live without her,
especially in the absence of my companion; but she is gone. The Lord
has taken her home to Himself, for some wise purpose. It is a trial
to me, but the Lord has stood by me in a wonderful manner. He will
take better care of her than I possibly could do. We have one little
angel in heaven, and I think it likely that her spirit has visited you
before this time. She used to call her Papa, and left a kiss for her
Papa before she died. Today, little Wilford and I with a number of
friends, came over to Commerce, to pay our last respects to our darling
in seeing her decently buried. * * She had no relatives to follow her
to the grave, or to shed for her a silent tear, except her Mamma and
little Wilford. She lies alone in peace. 'The Lord giveth, and the Lord
taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.'
"PHOEBE W. WOODRUFF."
Under date of October 2, 1840, Wilford being at that time with Elder
Heber C. Kimball, says in his journal: "Elder Kimball and I arose
from our bed that morning with the power of God resting upon us, yea,
His spirit was like fire shut up in our bones. I said, 'O my God, why
is Thy spirit thus upon me? {153} Why are mine eyes like a fountain?
What art Thou about to do, O Lord, that causes this thing? I ask Thee,
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, They Son, to make it known unto
me.' The spirit of revelation came upon me, and I was answered: 'Thus
saith the Lord God unto thee, my servant Wilford. This is my spirit
which resteth upon thee to enlighten thy mind, to show thee things to
come; and not only upon thee but upon all my faithful servants upon the
face of the whole earth, saith the Lord. Mine indignation is about to
be poured out without mixture upon all the nations of the earth, and
they shall not escape. The cry of the poor, of the widow and the orphan
ascendeth to mine ears, saith the Lord, and I am about to avenge the
cry of mine elect by laying low the oppressor, and executing the decree
of mine heart upon all the ungodly amongst men. Here I put my spirit
upon thee and say unto thee, lift up thy voice and spare not, and call
upon all men that come within the sound of thy voice to repent, and
many souls shall be given unto thee, and great shall be thy reward, and
eternal shall be thy glory, saith the Lord.'"
About this time the spirit of the Lord rested in similar manner upon
the other apostles and elders, and indeed upon many of the Saints
throughout the British Isles. They had vivid impressions of the trouble
and persecutions about to be heaped upon the Saints in America and
Europe. Elder Woodruff further says: "But my mind was troubled, for the
spirit manifested unto me much discomfort and persecution among the
Saints throughout Europe and America, and that many will fall away;
also that the powers that be in America will rise up against the Church
and it will be driven; and that while trouble lay in the future before
the people of God, greater calamities await the world. The Saints were
receiving testimonies of the clouds which were gathering over the
Church, and afterwards over the whole world, for judgments begin at the
house of God."
How completely the revelation thus given to Wilford Woodruff by the
Spirit of prophecy which rested upon him, and to his brethren and the
Saints in Europe, was fulfilled, is well known to those familiar with
the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during
the score of years succeeding the manifestation herein recorded.
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