The voyage across the Atlantic ocean was made in twenty three days, and Wilford Woodruff and his companions landed at Liverpool, England, on the 11th day of January, 1840. After visiting George Cannon, father of President George Q. Cannon, and family, they left Liverpool on January 13th, going to Preston, where a branch of the Church had been built up in 1837, by Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, and Willard Richards. The latter had remained in England, while Elders Kimball and Hyde had returned to America. The meeting with Elder Richards was very pleasant. On January 17th a council was held at his home to determine the future actions of the elders. "After consultation as to the best course for us to pursue," says Elder Woodruff, "it was finally resolved that Elders John Taylor and Joseph Fielding should go to Liverpool; Elder Woodruff, to Staffordshire Potteries; Elder Theodore Turley, to Birmingham; Elder Richards, wherever the spirit might direct him; and that Elder William Clayton preside over the branch in Manchester. After various principles of the Church had been expounded by the Apostles present, the council adjourned. Elder Willard Richards had been called to be one of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, but had not yet received his ordination. "On the day following I parted with Elders Taylor and Fielding, who went to Liverpool, and with Elder Richards, who tarried in Preston. Elder Turley and I went to Manchester; it was the first time I had visited that city. There I met for the first time Elder William Clayton. As soon as I was introduced to him, he informed me that one of the sisters in that place was possessed of {115} a devil. He asked me if I would not go and cast it out of her. He thought one of the Twelve Apostles could do most anything in such a case. I went with him to the house where the woman lay, in the hands of three men, in a terrible rage. She was trying to tear her clothing from her. I also found quite a number of Saints present, and some unbelievers, who had come to see the devil cast out and a miracle wrought. "Had I acted upon my own judgment I should have refrained from administering to her in the company of those present; but as I was a stranger there, and Brother Clayton presided over the branch, I joined with him in administering to the woman. The unbelief of the wicked who were present was so great that we could not cast the devil out of her, and she raged worse than ever; I then ordered the room to be cleared, and when the company, except the few attending her, had left the house, we laid hands upon her head, and in the name of Jesus Christ I commanded the devil to come out of her. The devil left, and she was entirely healed and fell asleep.