Under date of February 15th, 1882, Elder Woodruff says: "There has never been a time since the organization of this Church when such a universal howl was raised against us. The whole land is flooded with lies against the people of God. The government seems determined on the destruction of the faithful Latter-day Saints."
In the midst, however, of the political excitement, Elder Woodruff took comfort in that spiritual nature with which God had so richly endowed him. Nor was he forgotten by his faithful co-workers in St. George. On March the first there came to him the following telegram: "President Woodruff: Temple workers of St. George greet and congratulate you on this your natal day, praying peace, length of days, continued usefulness, and the increasing power of the heavens to rest upon you." His reply reads: "Thanks for the greeting of my friends. May our friendship and union increase and continue throughout time and eternity." Such exchanges of friendship and such assurances of love meant much to him. He was a man of a most friendly nature and those friendships of life which his integrity won, he never lost.
The month of March, 1882, was an important landmark in the history of God's people. After years of constant agitation, and after the circulation of the most pernicious falsehoods, and after a campaign by the ministers of the country against the Latter-day Saints, Congress passed a law most drastic in its terms, and doubly so in the manner of its execution. From that period dates what has been properly styled, the Crusade.
On the 14th of March, 1882, the Edmunds Bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of one hundred and ninety to forty-two. Elder Woodruff records in his journal, to their credit, the names of those who voted against the bill, and the states which they represented. Of the bill itself he writes: "It is entirely a breach of the Constitution of the United States; condemns men before trial or conviction by court or jury; takes away the right of trial by a jury of their peers; makes an ex post facto law and a bill of attainder; takes away from the Latter-day Saints, because of their religious convictions, the franchise, and deprives them from sitting on juries because of their opinions; but if the nation can stand it, we can. It is taking a stand against God, against Christ and His kingdom, and against His people."
Ten days later, the 24th, the bill became a law by the signature of President Arthur. The words of President Woodruff will be debated and contradicted. It will be pointed out that the Supreme Court of the United States, in passing upon the constitutionality of that law, is the final arbiter; and so it is, so far as this nation is concerned; but the Latter-day Saints held then, as they do now, that there is One who holds in His keeping the destinies of nations; One who is raising up a people to Himself, who shall practice virtue and righteousness. Whether the words of Elder Woodruff were prophetic, or merely the expression of disappointment and anger, must be left to Him in whose name, and in whose name only, men have authority to prophesy. One thing is certain: the Latter-day Saints, in a spirit of resignation, have left the conduct of this nation toward them in the hands of God. At the same time, they have no desire to hinder the progress of this nation or thwart any patriotic purpose. On the contrary, they hope for the best, teach loyalty, patriotism, and uphold the Constitution of their country. They feel that men must come sooner or later to recognize the hand of God in His judgments.
When the spring conference convened, on the 6th of April, that year, there was considerable anxiety among the people; for with them there was a general desire to submit themselves to the will of God; and it is a part of their religious training, indeed, their conviction and testimony that there are properly appointed channels through which divine guidance comes to them. The words of their leaders at this conference were received with solemn attention and heartfelt determination. President Taylor spoke with great power and determination, counseled the Saints to keep the commandments of God and honor the constitutional laws of the land. On that occasion a reporter of the New York World and a correspondent of the London Times were present and listened to the proceedings of the conference.
Elder Woodruff was a many-sided man. He never surrendered himself or his interests to one thing exclusively. To him the program of life was made up of all sorts of conditions and experiences. From the affairs of the conference he records in his journal the lecture delivered on the 10th of the month by Oscar Wilde on "Art and Beauty." Elder Woodruff was slow to judge men and then only upon the most impressing convictions. However, of Oscar Wilde he said: "It was a very singular lecture, indeed, and he seemed a very singular man." His subsequent history proved him to be very singular indeed.
On the 13th he met with his council, when it was voted to call twenty young Indians and educate them in the Brigham Young Academy at Provo, that they might be missionaries among their own people. His heart was in the Indian mission,—the great possibilities of that people were so clear to his mind as to make him somewhat impatient concerning their future.
On the 20th he said: "We received a telegram this morning from George Q. Cannon, saying that a vote was taken on his case in the House of Representatives. One hundred and twenty-three votes were cast for his expulsion, and seventy-nine against it. Ninety did not vote at all. His seat in Congress was therefore declared vacant."
Shortly after this he referred to his visit to the quarterly conference in Logan with President Taylor, whom he quotes at that time as follows: "When we go to the spirit world, we go naked, as we came into the world, or if we get any clothing it is as much by our dependence upon others as when we were born into this world. If we get a mansion in our Father's Kingdom we shall also be dependent upon Him for it."