During the early part of January he paid a visit to his old time friend, John Benbow, who lived on the prairie six miles from Nauvoo. Elder Benbow had been a very liberal man in promoting the missionary work of Apostle Woodruff abroad. He was just as liberal when he joined the Saints near Nauvoo. Besides {159} his regular offerings, he loaned money to the Prophet to meet pressing obligations of himself and the Church. "This was the first time I had visited him since my return home. I passed the time there very pleasantly. His farm looked almost like a Garden of Eden. I have never seen more work done in one year on a prairie farm than was done on his. He had surrounded and crossed it with heavy ditches, and had planted thorn hedges. His dwelling, barns, sheds, garden, yards, and orchards were all beautifully arranged. The farm resembled very much the farms of old England. Elder Benbow had been a well-to-do-farmer on about three hundred acres of land. This place was a pleasant retreat for a summer's ride from Nauvoo. The little neighborhood consisted of five families from England. All were united except one family that had denied the faith. Before my return to the city I paid John Benbow two hundred dollars for President Smith and had it endorsed on his note." The activity in and about Nauvoo directed toward the erection of the Temple must have presented the appearance of men who worked with a will to accomplish definite purposes. Elder Woodruff himself was engaged in hauling large stones from the river to Temple Hill. Whatever he set himself to do he did as though it were the occupation of his life and never a makeshift. It was that whole-souled devotion that enabled him to turn from one occupation to another without any disappointment or distaste. It is only the half-hearted that complain at interruptions, who are distracted when taken from one condition of life to another and are subjected to radical as well as frequent changes. From the occupation of a rock hauler he was called to the printing press, and with John Taylor he took up the work of publishing the "Times and Seasons," which thereafter was to be under the direction of Joseph, the Seer. He began work in his new calling by taking charge of the business department of the paper. Joseph was editor in chief and John Taylor was his assistant.