Wilford Renders Aid to the Persecuted Saints.—His Care in Recording the Events, also Sermons and Sayings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.—Elder Woodruff's Humility, and Appreciation of the Work of Others.—At a Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Convention.—Letter from His Wife Announcing the Death of Their Daughter.—Revelation Foreshadowing the Troubles of the Saints in the Expulsion from Illinois.
In the fullest sense Wilford Woodruff was a man of industrious habits. During the interval between his return from the Fox Islands and his departure with others of the Twelve for the European mission, he not only labored hard to provide for his family; but, true to the spirit of a faithful saint and disciple of the Lord, he devoted much time to visiting the afflicted Saints in Montrose, Iowa, and in Nauvoo, Illinois. He also rendered efficient service in getting teams and money to assist the Saints in their exodus from Far West, Missouri, to Illinois.
The Prophet Joseph Smith being in prison, Presidents Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, with other leading brethren, made a solemn covenant that they would not rest until they had made every possible effort to free the Saints from their persecutors in Missouri, and lead them safely to Nauvoo. In this movement, as at all other times, Wilford Woodruff was a staunch supporter of the presiding authorities of the Church. In his journal he makes prominent mention of the mobbings in Missouri, the martyrdom of Elder David W. Patten and others, the imprisonment of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and other leading men of the Church, their escape from prison, and of other events of those times. Indeed, whether or not Wilford Woodruff was present at the occurrence of some important event in Church history, he made careful investigations and recorded the results of his research. Were it not for this care, the history of many events now looked upon as important never would have been written. He also reported in considerable fullness nearly every sermon he heard preached by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Almost every gem from the sayings of the Prophet Joseph published in the Compendium is found in Wilford Woodruff's journal; also are many others which have not been published. Whenever he made the acquaintance of men or women whose integrity to the gospel and generosity to the Saints were notable, their names have an honored place in his journal. In this connection, for the comfort and encouragement of their immediate friends and descendants, it may be said that the names of William Clayton, John Benbow, William Pitt, Edward Ockey, Alfred Cordon, with others whom he met first in England, and some of whom he baptized, are mentioned many times by him, with feelings of love and admiration. These all died in the faith; may their descendants follow in their footsteps, and the prayers of Wilford Woodruff in their behalf not go unanswered.
His first mission to Great Britain was a land mark in Church history. His wonderful success is without a parallel in the missionary experiences of that or of any subsequent period. Its importance grows with the growth of the work. He here returns to that mission in a reminiscent spirit and recounts events overlooked in his hasty survey contained in the narrative of the previous chapter. What follows picks up loose ends and is not given as a summary.
On the 10th of February, 1840, he records this item:
"On this day Queen Victoria of England was married to Prince Albert. As many were on this day celebrating the marriage of the queen, I thought it right to honor the King of Heaven by advocating His cause and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I walked into the market place at Burslem, accompanied by Elder Alfred Cordon and two other brethren, and we began to sing and pray unto God, and call upon His name. A congregation flocked around us, and we preached to them; I bore testimony of the great work which God had set His hand to accomplish and of the second coming of Christ, and warned the people to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins."
While viewing the beauties of English landscape, many times his soul was filled with intense admiration for the works of the Creator. Describing a visit to Malvern Hill, he says: "In my walk to Colwell on the 9th, I had a great survey of nature and of the power of the Creator; this was while standing upon the summit of Marlvern Hill, elevated from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet above the level. The surrounding country was before my view, stretched out many miles. Worcester town lies on the north, clearly seen in the prospect, Gloucester on the south, with several large villages between, Ledbury and other villages on the west, and a fine, beautifully cultivated vale upon every hand. While upon this noted hill, beholding the grand and charming prospect before me, the thunder began to roll, and the lightning flashed in the vale below, on which the rain descended in torrents. The solemnity and grandeur of the scene was impressive as I stood upon the hill above the clouds, surveying the beautiful works of the Creator, and His majesty in the storm."
While upon this mission, on March 22, 1840, a son, Wilford Woodruff Jr., was born. At this writing he is living, and is a faithful worker in the Salt Lake Temple. Upon leaving Herefordshire in June, 1840, to attend the Manchester conference, Wilford comments: "I never before left a field of labor with as much satisfaction with the results of my work; I felt to render unto God the gratitude of my heart for giving me so many souls as seals to my ministry; and I note the remarkable fact that I had been led by the spirit (only a little more than three months before) through a densely populated country for eighty miles, and chose no part of it for my field of labor until I was led by the Lord to the house of John Benbow, at Frome's Hill, where I preached for the first time on the 5th of March, 1840; now, on the 22nd of June, I was going to the Manchester conference, to represent this fruitful field of my labors with thirty-three organized churches numbering 541 members, 300 of whom received the ordinance of baptism under my hands." In that labor, attended with such unprecedented success in this dispensation, he never, for a moment, felt to take honor to himself; yet with characteristic humility and meekness he failed not to make honorable mention of the labor of other brethren who came to assist him. For instance, of Presidents Brigham Young and Willard Richards he writes: "Elder Brigham Young labored with me in this vineyard about one month; from him the Saints and I received much benefit, for he is mighty in counsel, and is endowed with much wisdom. Elder Willard Richards had labored with me two months, and was also a great blessing to us, for he had passed through a notable school of experience and learned much wisdom, and his sound judgment was very manifest in the councils and conferences in which we had acted together." At that time the British mission numbered forty-one branches of the Church, with 2,513 members, the local officers including 56 elders, 126 priests, 61 teachers, and 13 deacons; 842 members had been the increase in the preceding three months. It was about this time that a local elder who was in the British army was ordered with his regiment to India, where he went in good spirits, determined to carry the gospel to that land, he being the first to do so. At this time Wilford also notes in his journal the death of Bishop Edward Partridge, and makes this comment: "Bishop Partridge was one of the wisest and best men of the last generation. Like Nathaniel of old, in him there was no guile. He had passed through much persecution with the Saints, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."
Brother Woodruff relates that Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and himself were once locked out of an Aitkenite meeting because the preachers were afraid the spirit of the Latter-day Saints mission would break up their society. He also narrates this incident: "In company with Elder George A. Smith, I attended the Wesleyan Methodist missionary convention held on City Road, London. It was considered one of the greatest of the kind ever held in that city. The chair was filled by the Lord Mayor. He was a noble-looking man, and the insignia of office which hung about his neck consisted of six gold chains, which were large and very heavy. The object of the meeting was to arrange for sending out missionaries, and to make collections to liquidate a debt of fifty thousand pounds sterling. Some of the best talent of Europe was gathered on this occasion. Much policy was manifested in this combination of ministers and their influence for raising means. The speeches were from ten to twelve minutes' duration. One minister from Scotland arose and said: 'My Lord and Wesleyan friends, let my tongue cleave to my mouth and my right hand forget her cunning when I do not take a Wesleyan by the hand and call him brother.' One from the Church of England said: 'My Lord and Wesleyan friends, I wish you, while looking at the Church of England, to cover her imperfections with the cloak of charity—I would readily cover the imperfections of the Wesleyan society, but I know not where they are. I would not hesitate to cover the imperfections of the Church of Rome were it in my power, but they are all scarlet.' A Wesleyan minister then arose and said: 'We are highly favored on this occasion by having for our chairman the Lord Mayor of London, the chief magistrate of the most renowned city of the world; and his lordship has, like Caesar, submitted himself to the worship of Christ in this condescension; but, when rightly considered, is not my Lord as highly honored in presiding over this vast body of respectable citizens this evening on so important a matter as he would be were he reigning upon a throne? For the angels in heaven honor every effort that is made on earth for the spread of the gospel, and the saving of the souls of men. My Lord and Christian friends, how did the ancient apostles prevail? They were illiterate, and had neither money nor influence, and their doctrines were unpopular, yet they established the gospel, maintained the doctrines of Christ, and caused the nations to tremble; but this was all by the power of God, and not of man. My Lord, our circumstances are different from theirs. We have influence and wealth; we have splendid chapels and respectable bodies, and our members are many; yet if God is not with us we cannot prevail.' (I shouted, 'Amen!') These speeches continued until 10 p. m., when a collection was made, and the Lord Mayor arose and addressed the three thousand people present. This was in City Road chapel—the first ever erected by the celebrated John Wesley. The Lord Mayor said: 'It is with pleasure that I have been permitted to preside over this respectable body this evening, on so important an occasion, which will be indelibly fixed upon my mind as one of the most pleasing events of my life; and I trust I shall ever be as ready to perform every duty required of me by the citizens of London as I have been to meet with our Wesleyan friends this evening.' The house rang with applause. In the midst of all this, who can imagine our feelings? None but those in like situation. Here were we with a mission and message from the Lord to the inhabitants of London. We stood in their midst ready to deliver that message as the Lord might open our way, and yet we were as little known to the people as was Jonah to the citizens of Nineveh while in the belly of the whale. Notwithstanding all this display of talent, yet the people needed a humble servant of the Lord to teach them the gospel in its purity, as Nineveh needed a prophet to cry repentance therein. I retired alone, and reflected upon these things."
Scenes of this kind stirred Wilford Woodruff, in his deeply conscientious nature, with great anxiety and concern, lest he might fail to deliver his divine message to the very uttermost of the requirement made of him.