"We continued to labor, to preach, and to baptize. We organized a branch of the Church upon each island. Finally, on the 2nd of October, we parted with the Saints on North Island to return to Scarboro for a short time. We walked from Thomaston to Bath, a distance of forty-six miles in one day, and at the latter place attended a Baptist convention. I also preached there in the evening to a large congregation, and the people gave good attention and wished to learn more about our doctrines. On the following day we walked thirty-six miles to Portland, and the next day to Scarboro. There I again met my wife and her father's family.
"The time had come for me to give the parting hand to Brother Jonathan H. Hale. During the season we traveled over two thousand miles together, united in heart and spirit. He felt it his duty to return to his family in Kirtland, but duty called me to return to my field of labor upon the islands. On the 9th of October I accompanied Brother Hale one mile on his journey. We retired to a grove and knelt down and prayed together, and had a good time; after commending each other to God, we parted, he to return to Kirtland, and I to the Fox Islands.
"I spent fourteen days visiting the Saints and friends, and holding meetings among them. On the 28th of October I took leave of Father Carter and family, and, in company with my wife, rode to Portland, to the home of my brother-in-law, Ezra Carter. A severe storm arose, so we could not go to sea until November 1st, when we took steamer to Owl's Head, carriage to Thomaston, and sloop to Fox Islands."
CHAPTER 10.
CALLED TO THE APOSTLESHIP, 1838.
Again on the Fox Islands.—Opposition Increases.—Manifestation of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.—Sign of the Prophet Jonas. Wilford Visits A. P. Rockwood in Prison.—Baptizes His Father and Other Relatives.—Birth of His First Child.—Called To Be One of the Twelve Apostles, and To Take a Foreign Mission.—Assists Fox Islands Saints in Migrating to the West.—Mrs. Woodruff Miraculously Healed.—They Reach Quincy, Illinois.
The second arrival of Wilford Woodruff at the Fox Islands was under circumstances very different from those of the first landing. On the earlier visit he was an entire stranger, and knew not how he could obtain a meal or a night's comfortable rest; the people also were strangers to the gospel message which he had come to deliver. On the second visit, however, he knew he would be received with a cordial welcome; and he met many Saints who had accepted the gospel through his ministrations, and who hailed him, and his companion also, with glad hearts. On Sunday, November 5, he met with a large assembly of Saints and friends, and again engaged in baptizing those who received his testimony. A few days later he went with Captain Coombs to another island called the Isle of Holt, where he preached to an attentive audience at an evening meeting, and spent the night with John Turner, Esq., who purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon.
"On the following day," writes Wilford, "we returned to Fox Islands, and as St. Paul once had to row hard to make land in a storm, we had to row hard to make it in a calm. After preaching on North Island again, and baptizing two persons at the close of the meeting, I went again to the mainland, in company with Mrs. Woodruff and others, and there spent fifteen days, during which time I visited among the people, held twelve meetings, and baptized several persons. On the 13th of December I returned to North Island, where I held several meetings, then crossed over to South Island.