LEAVE MY FAMILY--START UPON MY MISSION--OUR CONDITION--ELDER TAYLOR
THE ONLY ONE NOT SICK--REPROOF FROM THE PROPHET--INCIDENTS UPON THE
JOURNEY--ELDER TAYLOR STRICKEN--I LEAVE HIM SICK.
Early upon the morning of the 8th of August, 1839, I arose from my bed
of sickness, laid my hands upon the head of my sick wife, Phoebe, and
blessed her. I then departed from the embrace of my companion, and left
her almost without food or the necessaries of life.
She parted from me with the fortitude that becomes a Saint, realizing
the responsibilities of her companion. I quote from my journal:
"Phoebe, farewell! Be of good cheer; remember me in your prayers. I
leave these pages for your perusal when I am gone. I shall see thy face
again in the flesh. I go to obey the commands of Jesus Christ."
Although feeble, I walked to the banks of the Mississippi river. There
President Brigham Young took me in a canoe (having no other conveyance)
and paddled me across the river.
When we landed, I lay down on a side of sole leather, by the post
office, to rest.
Brother Joseph, the Prophet of God, came along and looked at me.
"Well, Brother Woodruff," said he, "you have started upon your mission."
"Yes," said I, "but I feel and look more like a subject for the
dissecting room than a missionary."
Joseph replied: "What did you say that for? Get up, and go along; all
will be right with you!"
I name these incidents that the reader may know how the brethren of the
Twelve Apostles started upon their missions to England, in 1839.
Elder John Taylor was going with me, and we were the first two of the
quorum of the Twelve who started on their mission.
Brother Taylor was about the only man in the quorum that was not sick.
Soon a brother came along with a wagon, and took us in. As we were
driving through the place, we came to Parley P. Pratt, who was stripped
to the shirt and pants with his head and feet bare. He was hewing a
log, preparing to build a cabin.
He said: "Brother Woodruff, I have no money, but I have an empty purse,
which I will give you." He brought it to me, and I thanked him for it.
We went a few rods further, and met Brother Heber C. Kimball, in the
same condition, also hewing a log, towards building a cabin.
He said: "As Parley has given you a purse, I have got a dollar I will
give you to put in it."
He gave me both a dollar and a blessing.
We drove sixteen miles across a prairie, and spent the night with a
Brother Merrill. The day following we rode ten miles, to a Brother
Perkins', and he took us in his wagon to Macomb, and from thence to
Brother Don Carlos Smith's.
I rode four hours during the day over a very rough road of stones and
stumps, lying on my back in the bottom of the wagon, shaking with the
ague, and I suffered much.
We held a meeting in a grove near Don Carlos Smith's and here Elder
Taylor baptized George Miller, who afterwards was ordained a Bishop.
At the meeting the Saints gave us nine dollars, and George Miller gave
us a horse to help us on our journey.
I rode to Rochester with Father Coltrin, where I had an interview with
several families of the Fox Island Saints, whom I had brought up with
me from Fox Islands, in 1838. I spent several days with them and at
Springfield, where Elder Taylor published fifteen hundred copies, in
pamphlet form, of a brief sketch of the persecutions and sufferings of
the Latter-day Saints, inflicted by the inhabitants of Missouri.
We sold our horse, and in company with Father Coltrin, Brother Taylor
and myself left Springfield, and continued our journey.
I had the chills and fever nearly every other day, which made riding in
a lumber wagon very distressing to me, especially when I shook with the
ague.
On the 24th of August, we rode to Terre Haute, and spent the night with
Dr. Modisett. I suffered much with the chills and fever.
Elder John Taylor up to this time had appeared to enjoy excellent
health, but the destroyer did not intend to make him an exception to
the rest of the Apostles. On the 28th of August, he fell to the ground
as though he had been knocked down. He fainted away, but soon revived.
On the following day, however, the enemy made a powerful attack upon
his life. He fainted away several times, and it seemed as though he
would die. We stopped several hours with him at a house by the wayside.
We then took him into the wagon and drove to Horace S. Eldredge's, and
spent the remainder of the day and night doctoring him.
In the morning Brother Taylor was so far recovered that he thought he
would be able to ride. So we started on our journey on the morning of
the 30th, and we traveled forty miles, to Louisville, and spent the
night with the family of Brother James Townsend.
We felt terribly shaken up, being in such a weak state. Brother
Townsend was away from home, but we were kindly entertained by Sister
Townsend.
In the morning, Elder Taylor, though very weak, felt disposed to
continue his journey. We traveled fourteen miles to Germantown. He was
quite sick at night, and the bilious fever seemed to settle upon him. I
was also very feeble, myself.
On the day following, September 1st, being Sunday, Brother Taylor
concluded to remain there for the day, and hold a meeting.
It was a German settlement. He wished me to speak, and I spoke upon the
first principles of the gospel. He followed me, and spoke until he was
exhausted.
After we returned to the inn where we were stopping, I was taken with a
chill and fever, and had a very bad night. Brother Taylor was also very
sick.
The following day, September 2nd, was a painful day to my feelings. It
was evident that Brother Taylor had a settled fever upon him, and would
not be able to travel.
Father Coltrin was resolved to continue his journey, and, in conversing
with Brother Taylor, he thought it better for one sick man to be left
than for two, as I was so sick with the chills and fever that I was not
able to render him any assistance, nor, indeed, to take care of myself.
Under these circumstances, Brother Taylor advised me to continue my
journey with Brother Coltrin, and make the best of my way to New York.