On the 29th of that month Elder Woodruff went to Boston {192} with Elders Davis and Wandell. This afforded him an opportunity to visit his father and family in his old home at Farmington, Connecticut. On the 9th of September, after reaching Boston, he, with six other members of the Twelve; namely, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John E. Page, and George A. Smith, held conference in Boylston Hall. From his notes the following is taken: "President Young said: 'The spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, is a gathering spirit, and its tendency is to gather the virtuous and good, the honest and meek of the earth, in other words the Saints of God. Now is the set time for the Lord to redeem Israel. He does not require every soul to leave his home as soon as he believes, but requires him to hearken to counsel and follow the counsel which the Lord points out to him. You say the Lord may save us as well where we are. Yes, if the Lord says so, but when He commands us to gather and we do not do it, He will not save us. You might have been baptized seventy times in any other way than that ordained of God and you would not have received the Holy Ghost. Can you get an endowment in Boston? No, only in that place which God has appointed. If you do not help to build the Temple and the Nauvoo House, if you do not help to build up Zion and the cause of God, you will not inherit the land of Zion. Be faithful or you will not be chosen; for the day of choosing is at the door. Why be afraid of sacrifice? I have given my all many times and would be willing to do so again. I would be glad to hear the Lord say to His servant Joseph, "Let my servant Brigham give all he has." I would obey in a moment if it took the last coat from my back.'" From a discourse of Heber C. Kimball the following is taken: "We do not profess to be polished stones like some of the elders. The more we roll through the forests and get the corners knocked off the better we are. If we were polished and smooth it would deface us to have the surface chipped off. This is the case with Joseph Smith, he never professed to be smooth and polished. Rolling around among the rocks has not hurt him at all, but in the end he will be as polished as any stone, while many who were so very polished in the beginning will become badly defaced." "Do the Saints of Boston know," said Parley P. Pratt, "that they are identified in laying the foundation of so great and mighty {193} a work that it will include all the great and glorious purposes of God which are to be fulfilled in the dispensation of the fullness of times? Millions will yet celebrate the day when the foundation of this work was laid." The Twelve little dreamed that when they would meet again in Boston it would be on the sad 27th day of June, when the Prophet and the Patriarch would be called upon to lay down their lives at the hands of a murderous mob.