The Prophet advised all the young men with Zion's Camp who had no families to stay in Missouri, and not return to Kirtland. "Not having any family," says Wilford, "I stopped with Lyman Wight, as did also Milton Holmes and Heman Hyde. We spent the summer together, laboring hard, cutting wheat, quarrying rock, making brick, or at anything else we could find to do. The Prophet organized the Saints in Zion, with a presidency of three, and a high council. On the 17th of July, 1834, he met the authorities of the Church at Lyman Wight's, where he gave us many glorious instructions, he being clothed with the power of God. He ordained the presidency and the twelve high councilors. All present voted, with uplifted hands, to sustain the Prophet and the authorities of Zion. We had a glorious time. This was the last meeting I ever attended with the Prophet Joseph Smith in the State of Missouri."
Wilford Woodruff continued to attend faithfully to all of his religious duties. Illustrative of his zeal and earnestness is his action relative to what property he possessed. Notwithstanding the Saints had been dispossessed of their homes in their central city of Zion, where they had endeavored to carry out the principle of consecration, and were now in a broken and scattered condition, Wilford desired to comply with every law relative to Zion. On December 31, 1834, he consecrated to the Lord all his earthly possessions. "Believing it to be the duty of the Latter-day Saints," he writes, "to consecrate and dedicate all their property, with themselves, unto God in order to become lawful heirs to the celestial Kingdom of God, I therefore, with this view, consecrated all I had (though but little) before Edward Partridge, the Presiding Bishop of the Church, in Clay County, Missouri, in this form: 'Be it known that I, Wilford Woodruff, do freely covenant with my God, that I freely consecrate and dedicate myself, together with all my properties and effects, unto the Lord, for the purpose of assisting in the building up of His Kingdom and His Zion upon the earth, that I may keep His law. I lay all before the Bishop of His Church, that I may be a lawful heir to the celestial Kingdom of God.'"
The whole life of Wilford Woodruff shows that he would have been willing to do the same thing at any time, for the same purpose, even though his possessions could have been counted by the millions. He was whole-souled, and wholly given up to the service of his God and the welfare of His people.
CHAPTER 7.
MISSION TO SOUTHERN STATES, 1834-1836.
A Prayerful Ambition to Preach.—Departure on Mission to Southern States.—Traveling without Purse or Scrip.—Treatment Received from Minister.—Tribulations.—A remarkable Dream.—Its Fulfillment.—Preaching in Memphis.—Ordained an Elder.—Successful Labors.—Ordained a Seventy.—A Mob Court.—Return to Kirtland.
After Wilford Woodruff received the gospel, he felt an intense desire to deliver in turn the same message that had brought him such joy, such assurance, such satisfaction in the service of the Master. The message that came to him was the most glorious event of his life, and it is quite natural that he should wish to be a messenger of the same divine truth to others. The talents with which he had been endowed by his Maker awakened within him those hopes, aspirations, and ambitions that were in harmony with those gifts which were peculiar to the man. His talents made him pre-eminently a messenger of salvation to the world. It is no wonder that he was prompted by a heartfelt desire to bestow upon others that which had come with such joy and with such abundance to him.
He wanted to go on a mission, but felt that he should be called, and yet he sincerely believed that the Lord would prompt those whose duty it was to bestow upon him such an honor, such a privilege. He retired to the woods in prayer. There upon his knees in humility and childlike simplicity, he told the Lord his wishes and his hopes. He asked Him, if it was within His holy will, that the way might be opened for him to preach the gospel in the world. "Before I arose from my knees," he says, "the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and bore witness that my prayer was heard and should be answered upon my head. I arose very happy and walked through thick woods about forty rods into an open road. As I entered the roadway, I met Judge Elias Higbee. Brother Hibgee was a high priest and a very faithful man, one of the noblest men of God in the last days. I had associated with him daily, but never mentioned to him my desire to preach the gospel. To my surprise, as soon as I approached him he said: 'Brother Wilford, the spirit of the Lord tells me that you should be ordained to go and preach the gospel.'"