March, 25, 26 and 27, 1841.—Elders Young and Richards were detained at the Liverpool post office, as witnesses in the case of "The Queen vs. Joseph Holloway," for detaining letters.
Saturday, 27.—Elders Wilford Woodruff, and Geo. A. Smith attended a council of the official members of the Staffordshire Conference, at Hanley.
Staffordshire Conference.
Sunday, 28.—Elders Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith attended a general meeting of the Staffordshire Conference at Hanley, when 13 branches were represented, containing 1 High Priest, 17 Elders, 55 Priests, 25 Teachers, 14 Deacons, and 663 members. Thomas J. Filcher, J. Taylor, Osmond Shaw, W. Ridge, and H. Ridge were ordained Elders, also 8 Priests, 7 Teachers, and 2 Deacons, under the hands of Wilford Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, and Alfred Cordon. There have been 141 baptized during the past three months.
Union of Commerce and Nauvoo Plats.
Monday, 29.—I attended city council, and moved that the city surveyor be ordered to survey Commerce, and plat the same so as to correspond with the city plat of Nauvoo, and make out a map to be recorded, which was carried by the Council. Much was said in council about fining the owners of dogs, and I contended that it was right to fine individuals who would keep unruly dogs, to worry cattle, sheep, or the citizens, and an ordinance was passed to that effect.
William Marks, president of the stake at Nauvoo, made choice of Charles C. Rich and Austin Cowles as his counselors.
Elders Young and Richards were at Liverpool packing Books of Mormon, to pay off those who had loaned them money in order to carry forward the printing and binding.
The following are extracts from Elder Woodruff's letter.
Letter of Wilford Woodruff to Don C. Smith—Relating to Affairs in England.
Burslem, March 29, 1841.
Brother Don Carlos Smith:—The following is a brief sketch of my journey from London to this place. Elder Kimball left London on the 19th February. I left on the 26th, and arrived at Bristol on the same day, where I found Elder Kington, who was busily engaged in the work of the Lord in that city, and had established a small branch of fourteen members. I tarried there a short time and preached three times in a theatre, had large congregations, good attention, and baptized one, and there appears a good prospect of a work being done in that city. Population of Bristol, 200,000. While there I visited the suspension bridge, now erecting across the river Avon, at St. Vincent's Rocks, Clifton; which bridge is one hundred feet in height above the river, and seven hundred in length. I spent one evening in Monmouth, on the borders of Wales; preached to a large congregation; several applied for baptism after meeting. On the 8th of March I attended a conference in Garway; Elder Levi Richards was chosen president, and James Morgan, clerk; heard four branches represented, containing one hundred and thirty-four members; three were ordained to the ministry. I also preached at Lugwardine, Shucknall Hill, Ledbury, Dymock, and Turkey Hall to large congregations, and find the work of the Lord still progressing throughout that region. The excitement upon the subject in the city of Hereford has been so great, that it has assembled together in the market place three thousand persons at a time to hear something upon the cause of the Latter-day Saints. On the 15th of March I attended the Gadfield Elm conference, which met at the Gadfield Elm Chapel. Elder Wilford Woodruff was chosen president; John Hill, clerk; 18 branches represented, containing 408 members, 8 Elders, 32 Priests, 11 Teachers and 1 Deacon; when such business was transacted as was deemed necessary. I also met large congregations at Keysend Street, Coldville, Browcut; Dunclose, Froom's Hill, and Stanley Hill, and left many churches on the right and left, which time would not permit me to visit. I also met with the Froom's Hill conference, on the 22nd March, at Stanley Hill, Herefordshire, there being present one of the traveling High Council, 2 High Priests, 20 Elders, 30 Priests, 9 Teachers, two Deacons. Elder Levi Richards was chosen president, and Elder Woodruff, clerk. On this occasion I heard represented 30 branches, containing 997 members, 24 Elders, 66 Priests, 27 Teachers, 7 Deacons, and 6 were ordained to the ministry. The sum total represented at these conferences was 1,539 members, 36 Elders, 103 Priests, 41 Teachers, 7 Deacons; all of whom have embraced the work in that part of the vineyard in one year, besides many members and officers who have emigrated to America; and I am happy to say that the officers and members, have universally been ready to hearken to counsel, and give heed to our instructions, and it was with no ordinary feelings that I took my farewell of those churches who have been so ready to receive and embrace the truth. I called upon the Saints in Birmingham and Gret's Green, but had not time to hold any meetings among them. I arrived in Hanley on the 25th, where I had the privilege of again meeting with Elder Geo. A. Smith, and was rejoiced to find the churches universally prospering in Staffordshire. I spent one evening with the church at Longton, and baptized seven.