Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 3/Number 3/Letter to Oliver Cowdery from Wilford Woodruff (Nov. 26, 1836)
Kirtland, Nov. 26, 1836.
President O. Cowdery,
Dear brother,
Perhaps it would not be altogether uninteresting to our friends abroad, to give them a brief sketch of my travels in the ministry, and travels since I left Kirtland, in May, 1834; at which time I joined the saints to go up to Zion, for the purpose of visiting our brethren in their afflictions. I deem it unnecessary to give an account of my travels while journeying to that place; suffice it to say, that after I arrived in Missouri, I spent the summer and fall in laboring with my hands. On the 5th of Nov. 1834, I was ordained to the office of a priest, under the hand of elder S. Carter, and sent forth in my weakness to proclaim the first principles of the gospel. After receiving some advice from bishop Partridge, I left Clay county, Missouri, on the 13th of January, 1835, in company with elder Henry Brown, for the purpose of preaching the gospel in the south country. We first visited Jackson county, the only success we met with, was to procure a few signers to the petition to the Governor of Missouri, for redress of wrongs done to the saints, who inhabited that county: and we felt to rejoice in the privilege of bowing the knee on that land, to worship the God of Israel, although, at the same time it was polluted by wicked and ungodly men.
From thence we passed into the territory of the Arkansas, and traveled through an extent of country where the fulness of the gospel had never been proclaimed by the Latter Day Saints. Many parts of the country we visited was but thinly inhabited, as we found in it places from 20 to 50 miles between dwelling houses, in which places was frequently the wide prairies, inhabited only by the bounding deer, and prouling [prowling] wolf which are very numerous. Some parts of the Arkansas was considerably populous; and wherever we found inhabitants, we did not shun to preach the word unto them as we had opportunity, either in the family circle or in the public assembly. Elder Brown, having been absent from his family for some length of time, felt it his duty to return; we travelled with speed through the country, consequently we had not time to establish churches in that region; yet I trust our labors were not in vain: the minds of many were awakened to enquire [inquire] into the work, prejudice removed, and the way opened for those who may visit that country in future. In places where our stay was short, some would take us by the hand and with tears in their eyes bid us God's speed. Elder Brown led two into the waters of baptism, at the Petty John creek in the Arkansas; these were the only two we baptised while together.
From this place we proceeded to the Dardanell, where we dug us out a canoe, and proceeded down the Arkansas river to the Little Rock, a distance of 170 miles. From thence we took the military road leading from Little Rock to Memphis; passed through the Mississippi swamp rising of 100 miles which road at that time was almost impassable for man or beast in consequence of mud and water. Here about 60 miles east of the Mississippi, I took the parting hand with elder Brown, after we had commended each other to God. He started for Kirtland, and I bent my course for Benton county, Tennessee; and as others before us had found it good to trust in the Lord, so did we; for, although our travels together were rising 1,000 miles, without purse or scrip, in a thinly settled country, yet I can say with gratitude to God, and those that entertained us, that in not one instance were we refused in any of our requests for the necessaries of life.
I reached Benton county Tenn. in April, 1835, where I was privileged with a happy interview with elder W. Parrish, and a society of saints, raised up through his and elder Patten's instrumentality.
I traveled for several months with elder Parrish; the Lord blessed our labors while together, the work of God rolled on, and we had souls given us as seals to our ministry. Elder Parrish was called to Kirtland, and after setting in order the churches and ordaining me to the office of an elder, he left them in my care and returned to this place. I felt my weakness but was much blessed in my labors, and continued to preach the gospel; and although priests and people raged, yet truth prevailed among the honest in heart, many received the word with joy and gladness, and were baptisedfor the remission of their sins, and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and signs followed them that believed. I was frequently opposed in public, by those whose craft was in danger, but when this was the case, and the subject investigated, it had a tendency to rend the garb with which they were covered, and lay their characters open and naked to the eyes of every unprejudiced mind.
It is true, we have had persecution to endure in the south, but notwithstanding this, there are many republicans and gentlemen in that country, who would scorn the idea of lending a helping hand to deprive their fellow citizens of those rights and liberties they enjoy, and which our laws guarantee to every American citizen. The saints in the south are strong in the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and will maintain their integrity unto the end; this is their right and none can take it from them.
We have had the privilege the season past of hearing the gospel proclaimed by some of the able servants of God from Kirtland and Missouri, viz. elders Marsh, Patten, Parrish and Groves, who have faithfully set forth the oracles of God to this people. On the 19th of Sept. I had the privilege of assembling in company with the saints at Tarapan, Ky. upon the banks of a stream where prayer was offered unto God. Elder Marsh led a young woman into the waters of baptism. I here took the parting hand with elders Marsh, Patten and Groves, also sister Patten, and they started for Zion with cheerful hearts. I spent a few days in visiting some of the branches of the church, and found them growing in grace; I also baptized 9 and procured 9 new subscribers for the Messenger and Advocate. Among the number baptized, was Mr. James Beaty who has been a preacher of the Christian order for years; but on hearing the fulness of the gospel, he believed, received and obeyed it: I also baptized his wife and daughter. I ordained brother Beaty a priest, and took passage at Paducah on the 25th of Oct. in company with elder A. O. Smoot, and J. Turpin, priest. On our journey we passed two boats that had sunk, we also saw the dead and wounded carried from the third, caused by the bursting of her pipes, and arrived in Kirtland, Nov. 25. I have been absent from this place two years and a half, in which time I have traveled between eight and nine thousand miles, principally in the south, and led 70 into the waters of baptism; and I feel to say, that wherever my lot may be cast, if I should live till my head blossoms with age, I shall remember the scenes of my spiritual youth, and the first fruits of my ministry; they are bound to me closer than the ties of consanguinity; yea, even by the ties of the blood of Christ: and while time may sever the ties of consanguinity, eternity cannot break the ties of celestial love that disembogues from the fount of eternal life.
W. WOODRUFF.