At a conference of the Sunday school children in the old Tabernacle, on the 30th of March, Elder Woodruff reported President Young as saying, "I thought while I was looking at the school children to-day that I should see a larger assembly of them in the spirit world, and I wondered if there I should see as large a percentage of grown people with them, that is, of teachers to direct their minds there as they are doing here. Joseph, the Prophet, told me that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri. When Adam was driven out he went to the place we now call Adam-ondi-Ahman, Daviess County, Missouri. There he built an altar and offered sacrifices."
At the April conference President Young chose five additional counselors because of the heavy labors devolving upon him. These were Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Albert Carrington, and John W. Young. President George A. Smith at that time was made trustee-in-trust with twelve other brethren as his assistants.
On the 12th of May twelve high counselors were selected for the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, and about that time William Hyde, William Budge, Elias Smith, and fifty others were selected to receive ordination to the office of patriarch.
June 1st he visited Provo in company with President Young. The latter, in speaking there of another temple, said that he had once asked the Lord what kind of temple we should build. The answer was that He did not make any two things alike, and we need not build two temples alike. On the 18th of the same month he went as far east as Evanston to meet George A. Smith and his party on their return from Palestine. The description of that country greatly interested Apostle Woodruff, whose familiarity with the Scriptures made those ancient scenes of prophets and apostles very sacred to him.
On the 9th and 10th of August meetings were held in the new Tabernacle, where President Young, Elder Woodruff said, chided the Saints for the too frequent claim on their part for the sacrifices which they made for the gospel's sake. Instead of making sacrifices, he said, they were only exchanging dross for gold. Apostle Joseph F. Smith at the time further remarked on the same subject that it was almost a libel on the Lord the way some people talked about making sacrifices for the gospel's sake. He then pointed out to them the blessings they had received temporally, spiritually, and socially. Their circumstances were in every way more favorable than those which surrounded them in the land they had left.
About this time a party of editors from the East came to Salt Lake City, and in August Elder Woodruff escorted them to places of interest, including the Temple Quarry, at Granite, and Provo. The party also visited Lehi, American Fork Canyon, and on their return to Salt Lake City a feast was given them and they were treated in a most hospitable manner.
Elder Woodruff recorded in his journal that on the 25th of September, 1873, he was stricken apparently with paralysis; his condition was alarming to both himself and members of his family. To him it seemed that he could live but a short time. "A strange feeling came over me, I turned out my horses and went to bed. I felt as though I was stricken with death and should live but a short time. My blood, spirit, and life all seemed to be leaving my limbs, and death to be closing around my heart and vitals. I sent for my wife, Phoebe, and Brother George Q. Cannon. I also sent for my neighbor, Brother William Wagstaff, who came and administered to me. I suppose he came quickly, but it seemed to me it was an hour before he reached the bedside. When he came I felt as though I was about to give up the ghost. He laid his hands upon me and rebuked the affliction and I was instantly liberated. Soon, Mrs. Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Brigham Young, Jr., arrived. These brethren also blessed me, and returned home." For a time his limbs were affected with numbness and he was generally feeble; however, he lived, subsequent to this, twenty-five years and three days. Speaking of his condition at the time he wrote: "I feel the effects of the paralytic stroke, and unless there is a change in me, my journal writing in this life is about done; but should I not live to finish my biography, it is my desire that the historians of the Church or some friends do it for me."
It was only a short time after this that he found himself again active in his ministerial duties. On the 14th of October he visited Provo, where he took part in the dedication of the Utah County Court House. It was an occasion of special public interest and attended by prominent men in the County as well as in the Territory. Elder Woodruff mentioned the visit of a distinguished Scotch earl who subsequently became Lord Rosebery, at one time Prime Minister of England. "He was a young man then, quite unassuming, free, easy and sociable," said Elder Woodruff. He had come from England to Salt Lake City to see President Young and the Latter-day Saints. The young earl conversed about an hour with the Church leaders and after taking supper with them went to the ball in President Young's party. The next day the party visited the seminary, factory, Z. C. M. I., and other places of interest about the town.
President Woodruff was again taken to Provo on the 25th of November to celebrate with the citizens there the beginning of the Utah Southern Railroad. It was perhaps the greatest assemblage of people the town had ever known. The progress of the railroad was always a source of special pride to Elder Woodruff, who realized how much the development of the Territory depended upon improved means of transportation.
It was a practice of Elder Woodruff to record the death of his friends, especially those who had been devoted to the cause which he represented and who were faithful to the end. He gives in a general way the characters of the men and the work they performed, when he pays tribute to them at the time of their death. On the 2nd of March he made special record of the death of Bishop William Hyde of Hyde Park, Cache County. Bishop Hyde was a brother of his old missionary friend, Heman Hyde. William, he speaks of as a member of the Mormon Battalion and refers to him as a leading spirit in building up Cache Valley; mentions the fact that he was probate judge and prominent in the Territorial militia. He also mentions on the 11th of April, 1874, the death of an old associate, Robert L. Campbell, a man, in his estimation, who was tried and true. A summary from his journal of many of the grand characters in Church history, who bore the burden in the heat of the day, would be interesting were it not beyond the scope of this biography. Elder Woodruff had a high sense of appreciation for those honored Saints of God, who were true to themselves and true to the Church.