TAKING LEAVE OF MY OLD HOME--RETURN TO MAINE--BIRTH OF MY
FIRST CHILD--APPOINTMENT TO THE APOSTLESHIP AND TO A FOREIGN
MISSION--PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY TO ZION.
Now, as my mission to my native land was accomplished, which I felt
impressed to take while upon the islands, I felt it my duty to return
here.
Monday, July 2nd, 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
the last walk with my sister I ever had with her while in my native
State. We walked by the canal and viewed the river and fields, and
conversed upon our future destiny.
After evening prayer with the family, my father retired to rest, and I
spent a season with my step-mother who had reared me from my 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 was
ever 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 are the bonds of consanguinity and of the blood of Christ
united in binding the hearts of the Saints of God together, and "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 the weight of it, and my prayer was, "O,
Lord, protect my father's house, and bring him to Zion!" (which prayer
was granted.)
On the morning of July 3rd, I took leave of my relatives and my native
land, and started on my return to Maine.
I arrived in Scarboro on the 6th, 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 once more to visit Fox Islands.
While holding meeting with the Saints at North Vinal Haven on the 9th
of August, I received a letter from Thomas B. Marsh, who was then
President of the Twelve Apostles, informing me that Joseph Smith, the
Prophet, had received a revelation, naming as persons to be chosen to
fill the places of those who had fallen; John E. Page, John Taylor,
Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards.
President Marsh added, in his letter, "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 other
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.
The time having now come for me to prepare for leaving the islands,
I had a desire to take with me all the Saints I could get to go to
Zion. There had already been a line drawn upon the islands between the
Saints and those who had rejected the gospel, and the enemies were very
bitter against me and 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 had baptized and organized into the Church nearly one hundred persons
while upon the islands, and there seemed a prospect of gathering about
half of them with me, but the devil raged to such an extent that quite
a number 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 got everything prepared for the company to start, I left the
affairs with Brother Thomas, and went on ahead of the company to
Scarboro, to prepare my own family for the journey.
The outfit which I purchased for the company cost about $2,000.00.
Before leaving Brother Thomas, I counselled him in regard to the course
to pursue, and charged him not to be later than the 1st of September in
starting for the mainland.
I arrived at Father Carter's on the 19th of August, and waited with
great anxiety for the arrival of the company from the islands, but
instead of reaching there by the 1st of September they did not arrive
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 prepared for the journey.