The two Apostles set out upon their journey on the 25th of November, 1840. On their way they stopped at the Potteries in Staffordshire, where they met Elder George A. Smith, who was paying a visit to his former field of labor, having left Brother Woodruff in London. They also went to Birmingham, where Elder Lorenzo Snow was then laboring. On the 30th they took train for London, and arrived there the same evening.
They found Brother Woodruff "well and in good spirits," but with a tale to tell of his experience since he saw them last, "whose lightest word" was well calculated to "harrow up the soul."
It will be remembered that Heber C. Kimball and his confreres, who opened the British Mission in 1837, had a terrible encounter with evil spirits on the day of the first baptisms in Preston. A similar ordeal had been experienced by Apostle Woodruff on the night of the first Sabbath after his return from Manchester.
Himself and Elder Smith had held a sacrament meeting that day at Father Corner's, with a few Saints who had gathered there, during which "the Spirit bore testimony that there would be a great work done in London."
Satan, it seems, was also aware of this fact, and it displeased him mightily.
That night, while lying in his bed, meditating upon the mission in that city and determining to warn its inhabitants, and "overcome the powers of darkness," a personage appeared to the Apostle Wilford whom he took to be the "Prince of darkness." "He made war with me," says the Apostle, "and attempted to take my life. As he was about to overcome me I prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ for help. I then had power over him, and he left me, though much wounded. Afterwards three persons, dressed in white, came to me and administered to me, when I was immediately healed and delivered of all my troubles."
Such, in brief, was the thrilling tale told by Apostle Woodruff to his fellow servants in Christ, on their arrival in the British capital.
The next evening, December 1st, President Young preached his first sermon in London at Barnett's Academy, 57 King's Square, Goswell Road. Heber C. Kimball followed him. The President remained about ten days in London, and then returned to Manchester.
In a letter to his wife, written about this time, Heber gives somewhat of a detailed account of the President's visit to the metropolis, and other events that were happening in different parts of the mission:
LONDON, December 3rd, 1840.