The 24th of that year was celebrated in the Tabernacle with great enthusiasm. Ten thousand people were present. On the anniversary of that day Wilford Woodruff was always reminiscent. As time went on, the earlier impressions of his mind were confirmed in the fulfillment of God's promises which year after year were to his mind more plainly fulfilled. He felt that the observance of that day was a duty which the people owed to their God because of the care He had manifested over them and the wonderful manner in which He had made the desert blossom like the rose.
In his journal of August 27th he mentioned regretfully the death of Andrew Burt who had been killed on the 25th by a mulatto. At Bishop Burt's funeral there were about nine thousand people, and it is said that before the exercises something like fifteen thousand viewed the remains. Captain Burt's splendid integrity, his simple life and unassuming demeanor had won for him a respect quite universal. He was bishop of the 21st ward.
Wilford Woodruff's love for men whose friendship was tried and true and whose devotion to the things of God was above question, was again verified. It made no difference to him what their standing in life was, he saw above the honors of men that which he esteemed true greatness, such greatness as he sincerely believed God recognized.
In reading his journal one learns to esteem more highly the practice of manual labor. He exalted work by the interest he took in the workmanship of his own hands. If he ever felt the temptation to leave his ministry for any length of time it was the temptation which came to him in his love of manual labor. All through his journal he was telling about the things that he did on his farm. He wrote about his horses, his cows, his orchards, his crops, he spoke of them in detail, they all meant much to him. One is constantly reminded in reading his journal of the life and doctrines of Tolstoi, the great Russian author, whose simple life and labors upon his farm with the Russian peasants have won the admiration of millions of admirers.
As the year 1883 was drawing to a close the times became more trying. The hatred of the enemy was greatly intensified. The brethren felt the impending storm coming upon them, there was often a spirit of gloom which it was not easy to cast aside. Elder Woodruff's journal of October 12th that year contained an account of a meeting of the Presidency and Twelve, a meeting of fasting and prayer that the troubles which were coming upon them might be diverted if it were the will of God, and if they were not to be diverted that they might have the strength to bear them and the wisdom and patience and spirit to do the will of the Father. To all these unhappy forebodings was added the sorrow that comes from separation of old friends. On the 19th of that month Bishop Edward Hunter died, and on the 17th of the month following he was joined by Charles C. Rich.
During the year 1883 he traveled, according to the summary which he made in his journal, over six thousand miles, held 213 meetings and preached 144 discourses.
The year 1884 was the beginning in the Church of a great crusade. It was a land-mark in history. What began that year is likely to be told from generation to generation. The hardships that it brought to the Church and the trials which the people underwent were themes for household conversation throughout the entire Church. The Edmunds law of 1882 had been put into effect so far as it related to the imprisonment of the Saints. The enemy were at first occupied in its political phases. As time went on it was seen that the disappointment of the enemy in the political advantages to be derived from the law became more apparent. The law was really a disappointment to them. The Utah commission which it established was filled by appointees from the East and those who were grasping for political power in the Territory found their hopes unrealized. This disappointment led to a spirit of intensified anger and the criminal part of the law began to receive its enforcement in the most drastic, spiteful, and revengeful manner. Everything possible was done to prepare the people for dark days to come. The revelations of God were to the effect that men should set their families in order.
Elder Woodruff on his birthday, March 1st, had a family gathering. Of the 46 members of his family, 39 were present. This included his daughters-in-law and grandchildren. As a token of respect on the part of his family, an address to him was read by his little grandson, Elias Smith Woodruff: "To our beloved Grandfather,—we greet you on this your seventy-seventh birthday. We wish you many happy returns of the day, for this and more we ever pray. We all shall strive to walk in your footsteps and listen to your counsel as you are a man of God. We likewise hope to be like you by the help of our Heavenly Father. You have done a vast amount of good, both for the living and the dead. Your days have been many and many call you blessed. You have been in the hands of God, the savior of thousands. Through the blessings of the Lord your life has been preserved in many dangers through which you have been called to pass. You have accomplished a great work and we all with one voice say: 'Peace and blessings be with you to the end of your days.' Please accept this tribute of love and respect. From your little grandson. Written for him by Julia Woodruff." The family little imagined at that time that President Woodruff would continue with them in life yet fourteen years.
The 6th of March he became very much interested in the visit to Salt Lake City of the great singer, Adelina Patti. Her world-renown fame made her a person of great interest. She in turn recognized the important stand occupied by the leaders of the Church, and invited President Taylor and Elder Woodruff to visit her private car which had cost something like sixty thousand dollars. Its conveniences and beautiful apartments greatly interested Elder Woodruff whose powers to observe were always strong.
As the year went on reports of the activity of the enemy and the intense anti-Mormon hatred came to the Presidency of the Church. Miles Romney brought word from St. Johns, Arizona, of the opposition there from both the Mexicans and the whites. The April conference witnessed the call of John W. Taylor to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Charles C. Rich. William B. Preston was made the presiding bishop of the Church. That same month word also came from Arizona of the attempt to rob the people there of their lands by means of a purchase of railroad land which the Saints had occupied and cultivated long before the railroad was built and before any grant had been received by the railroad. Presidents Taylor and Cannon were absent at the time, but a telegram signed by President Woodruff and others was sent to General Williamson, Washington, D. C., the general agent of the railroad lands, asking him not to sell the land in question before receiving a letter from them. The method here referred to of robbing the Saints was due to the fact that the enemy was taking advantage of special information of which the Saints were ignorant. The lands granted to the railroad in that part of Arizona were of little value except as they had been made valuable by the labor of the Latter-day Saints. It was a specie of robbery, but those who engaged in it thought, no doubt, that their unscrupulous methods would be condoned by exciting prejudice against the Saints.