Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily JournalsWoodruff, Wilford
Religion
Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily Journals
Woodruff, Wilford
Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898
"On the 15th of August I had an appointment at the house of Brother
Taylor, the step-father of Abraham O. Smoot. I had to cross Bloody
River, which I had to swim, in consequence of heavy rains. While
crossing, my horse became entangled in a tree-top, and almost drowned;
but I succeeded in getting him loose. We swam to the shore separately.
He reached the shore first, and waited till I came out. I got into the
saddle, went on my way in good spirits, and had a good meeting.
"On the 20th of October I baptized three Campbellites, one of whom was
a deacon. I then rode twelve miles to Mr. Green wood's, who was eighty
years old, and had been a soldier under General Washington. His wife,
who was ninety-three years old, I found quite smart, and busy carding
wool. I preached at their house and baptized both of them.
"On the following day I preached at the house of Benjamin L. Clapp, and
baptized seven Campbellites and one Baptist. On the 16th of November, I
preached at Brother Camp's, and baptized three. On the day following,
it being Sunday, I preached again at Brother Clapp's, and baptized five.
"At the close of the meeting I mounted my horse to ride to Clark's
River, in company with Seth Utley, four other brethren, and two
sisters. The distance was twenty miles. We came to a stream which
was so swollen by rains that we could not cross without swimming our
horses. To swim would not be safe for the women, so we went up the
stream to find a ford. In the attempt we were overtaken by a severe
storm of wind and rain, lost our way in the darkness, and wandered
through creeks and mud. But the Lord does not forsake His Saints in
any of their troubles. While we were in the woods suffering under the
blast of the storm, groping like the blind for the wall, a bright light
suddenly shone around us, and revealed to us our dangerous situation
on the edge of a gulf. The light continued with us until we found the
road; we then went on our way rejoicing, though the darkness returned
and the rain continued. We reached Brother Henry Thomas' in safety
about nine o'clock at night, having been five hours in the storm,
and forded streams many times. None of us felt to complain, but were
thankful to {58} God for His preserving care. On the following day I
preached at Damon Creek, and organized a branch called Damon Creek
Branch, and ordained Daniel Thomas a teacher.
"On the 19th of December I again preached at the house of Brother
Clapp, and baptized five persons; one was a Campbellite preacher. On
the following day I preached at the house of Brother Henry Thomas, when
a mob of about fifty persons collected, headed by a Baptist preacher,
who, after asking one question, advised the mob not to lay hands on any
man on account of his principles. The advice was good and well taken.
At the close of the meeting I baptized three persons, one seventy-eight
years old.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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