Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898
Source: Dean C. Jessee, “The Kirtland Diary of Wilford Woodruff,”BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972):370-99.
KIRTLAND DIARY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF
Nov 25th [1836] Took the parting hand with Elder [Henry G.] Sherwood. I then set out in company with Elder [Abraham Owen] Smoot on foot in a hard snowstorm for Kirtland. We came in sight of the [Kirtland] Temple of the Lord before we reached the village & I truly felt to rejoice at the sight as it was the first time that mine eyes ever beheld the house of the Lord built by commandment & revelation.
We soon entered the village & I spent one of the happiest days of my life at this time in visiting Kirtland & the House of the Lord & the presidents & elders of the Church. I was truly edified to again strike hands with President Joseph Smith Jr. & many other beloved saints of God who are rolling on the mighty work of God & of Israel after being separated from them for 2 1/2 years & among the rest I was filled with joy with the privilege of again meeting with Elder Warren Parrish & also being made acquainted with his companion Sister Parrish. There is an enjoyment in meeting our brethren & companions in tribulation that the world knows not of because it flows from a celestial source.
After spending a short time in conversing with my friends a more important scene was now to open to my view than kings ever saw or princes ever knew in this generation which was to visit the [Kirtland] Temple of the Lord & its contents. Elder [Abraham Owen] Smoot & myself visited each apartment of the House accompanied by Elder [Warren] Parrish & I must confess the scenery is indescribable. When I entered the threshold of the house & passed into the lower room their was great solemnity if not awe immediately overwhelmed me. I felt indeed as if my footsteps were in the Temple of the Lord. After walking into the pulpits, erected for the priesthoods & viewing the curtains all bespeaking that grandeur, solemnity & order that nothing short of wisdom from God could invent. We then visited the upper rooms & there viewed four Egyptian mummies & also the Book of Abram [Abraham] written by his own hand & not only the hieroglyphics but also many figures that this precious treasure contains are calculated to make a lasting impression upon the mind which is not to be erased. Many other important views I was privileged with in the upper story the school rooms, belfry &c. all indicating great architecture & wisdom.
We then spent some time in visiting the bank & printing office. But wonder on wonder strikes my sense to look into the casket of the great work of Israel’s God in these last days as the Prophet exclaims he does things we looked not for. Two & a half years [May 1834] since I left Kirtland with my brethren in their poverty to go fourth to visit our brethren in tribulation in Zion. Then our brethren in Kirtland were poor, despised, & even looked upon by the pomp of Babylon with disdain & disgrace who stood waiting with eager eyes to behold them sink into forgetfulness. But how changed the scene now I behold a cheerfulness beaming upon every countenance that indicates prosperity & the noise of the ax & the hammer & the sight of their walls & dwellings newly erected & their bank & market & especially house of God speaks in language loud as thunder that the saints will have a city in prosperity in spite of all the false prophets of Baal or even earth or hell because God is with them & his [Kirtland] Temple stands in honor of his kingdom while babylon begins to wonder & will soon perish. We spent the day with Elder Parrish [word in shorthand]. [Distance] 9 miles.
The money I expended . . . in my travels from Paducah, Kentucky to Kirtland Ohio: fees aboard steam boats & stages, board lodgings &c was $16.65. Also I paid $5.00 for a cloak making $21.65 in all.
26th November I visited President & Doctor [Oliver] Cowdery at the printing office & made a general settlement with them for the M [Messenger] and Advocate for the subscribers of the South. I gave 9 new subscribers to them & paid them $41.50 for the M. & Advocate which settled all matters between us. I received some counsel from presidents Smith & Rigdon. To Elder Parrish’s house & spent the day in writing.
November 29 [27] Upon this Lords day Elder [Abraham Owen] Smoot & myself accompanied Elder Parrish to the house of the Lord for the first time to behold the congregation of the Saints assembled Within its walls for the purpose of worshiping God. It was truly an interesting scene. It brought a lengthy catalogue of transactions, contemplations & experience of my youth to my mind & the experience of this day fulfilled many things of a spiritual nature which I had looked [for] for a number of years which I viewed as promises of God. After I entered the house [Kirtland Temple] & was seated I cast my eyes upon the pulpits arranged in order for the High Priest. I beheld the Patriarch Joseph Smith, Sen. standing in the upper pulpit, & President Joseph Smith, Jr. & Elder Carter in the second one & in the third elders Parley & Orson Pratt & W Parrish was seated. Soon Elder Carter arose & opened meeting by prayer & then preached the gospel unto us & was followed by President Joseph Smith, Jr. When meeting was dismissed & after an intermission of an hour we again met in the house of the Lord & I was called into the stand in company with Elder Smoot & requested to preach to the people. I opened by prayer & {beliefs-lds} read the LVI Chapter of Isaiah & made some brief remarks upon the same & gave a sketch of my travels in the South. I was then followed by Elder Smoot. After he closed I was blessed with the privilege of communing with a multitude of saints in the house of the Lord assembled together from the east, west, north & South many with whom I had been intimately acquainted. I truly felt to thank God that his promises had been verified unto me by giving me a seat & a name within his house & within his walls [word in shorthand] as of sons & of daughters. Their was four confirmed after the sacrament under the hands of Elder O. Hide [Orson Hyde]. President J Smith addressed the congregation & the meeting closed. Spent the night with Elder W. Parrish.
[November] 28th. Spent the day in Kirtland visiting friends & the night with Elder W. Parrish.
[November] 29. Spent the day in writing. Wrote two Letters one to my Parents & the other to Brother Asahel Woodruff.
[November] 30. I settled with Elder Reynolds Cahoon for the subscriptions put into my hands by the Saints of the South country for the building of the house of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio. I paid him one dollar which was all the back money that was due. This made $91.75 cts that I had the charge of that I forwarded for the house. I also purchased a Latin grammar of Elder P. Pratt for $ [smudged]. I am now expecting to enter upon a course of study. May the Lord open my way in temporal & spiritual things that I may be useful in my day & generation have a good warfare keep the faith & receive a crown of glory.
December 1st. Repaired to the house of the Lord [Kirtland Temple] where Father Smith met a number of saints to pronounce upon them a patriarchal blessing. This was the first meeting of the kind that I ever attended & I found it to be highly edifying & interesting as their was great & glorious things {miracles} pronounced upon their heads by the spirit of prophesy & revelation. Spent the evening at Elder Parrish’s accompanied by Brother Joseph Smith which was an interesting interview.
Dec 2nd. I wrote a letter to Brother Azmon Woodruff [eldest brother of Wilford Woodruff] it being the first communication between us for two years. I also wrote a letter to Col. Joseph Rowlett at Owengton, Owen County, Kentucky.
[December] 3rd. Traded with Brother Bump in goods $12.89.
[December] 4th. Sunday I went up to the house of the Lord to worship. Elder Parish preached in the forepart of the day. Several spoke in the latter part of the day. President [Sidney] Rigdon called a vote of the Church to {beliefs-lds} discountenance the use entirely of all liquors from the Church in sickness & in health except wine at the sacraments & for external washing. The vote was carried unanimously. I spent the night with Elder Parrish.
[December] 5th. This Monday morning in company with Elder [Abraham Owen] Smoot I entered the school [Kirtland High School which met in the attic story of the Kirtland Temple] & commenced studying the Latin grammar under the instruction of Professor [H. M.] Haws [professor of Greek and Latin]. [See H.C. 2:474-75] I commenced boarding also this morning with Brother Bond at $2 dollars per week. I paid him $10 dollars in advance.
[December] 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. I spent in school. In the evening of the 10. I wrote two letters one to Elder Alexander & the other to Sister M Atkinson both in Tenn.
[December] 11th. Sunday morning after an interview with Priest Turpin I went up to the house of God to worship & O what a meeting. May it be printed upon my heart as a memorial forever. For on this day the God of Israel sharply reproved this stake of Zion (Kirtland) through the Prophets & Apostles for all our sins & backslidings & also a timely warning that we may escape the Judgments of God that otherwise will fall upon us. Even the case of the travels of the Camp of the Saints from Kirtland to Zion in 1834 Was Presented to us for an example [Finishes sentence in shorthand.]
[December] 18. Sunday I went up to the house of the Lord to worship. Sermon delivered by Elder William Smith. Elder Joseph Young administered the Sacrament. President Joseph Smith, Jr. solemnized the rights of matrimony. At candle light I preached at Mr. Daytons & was followed by Elder Smoot & Nobles.
[December] 19, 20. Was spent in school. I commenced studying the GREEK GRAMMAR on Monday the 19th Dec 1836.
[December] 20. At candle light I repaired to the house of the Lord for a meeting with the quorum of the Seventies. The third Seventies had been chosen & the business of this meeting was to organize them & ordain them. But as they were not all present they were not all ordained or organized. There was 27 twenty Seven of the third Seventy ordained to the High Priesthood & as members of the third Seventy. Elder Abram O. Smoot was among the number ordained to the third Seventy which fulfilled what I pronounced upon his head by the testimony of JESUS on the 30th of June while in Tenn. See June 30th 1836. The above mentioned were ordained under the hands of Presidents Aldrich, Young, & Coltrin. We had an interesting meeting. Much of the {miracles} spirit of Prophecy was poured out upon those Presidents while ordaining the third Seventy. They Proclaimed great & marvelous things upon their heads. President Young had visions while Performing this ordinance.
[December] 22. I attended prayer meeting in the house of the Lord at night.
[December] 24. Spent the past week in school.
[December] 25. Sunday went up to the house of God to worship & heard a discourse from Brother Samuel Smith. Brother Hiram Smith broke bread which closed the meeting. Elder Smoot was quite sick & {miracles} healed by the laying on of hands.
Dec 27th. Met at the house of the Lord at candle light with the quorum of the Seventies. There was about one hundred Elders of Israel present of 1, 2, & 3rd Seventy. It is expected the Seventies will meet every tuesday evening through the winter for the purpose of worshiping God & sanctifying themselves before him. Elder Smoot was again taken sick.
[December] 28, 29, 30 & 31st. Was principally spent in taking care of Elder Smoot who was confined to his bed with the scarlet fever at the house of Brother Bonds in Kirtland. On the 31st of Dec being the last day of 1836 I arranged the account of my journals & recorded the same in the following manner. Thus ends the year of 1836 which hath quickly passed with its report into ETERNITY.
[January] 1st. I traveled six thousand five hundred & fifty-seven Miles. (6,557)
[January] 2nd. I held one hundred & fifty-three meetings. (153) I attended four Conferences (4) & held four debates (4).
I planted one Branch of the Church.
[January] 3rd. I baptized twenty-seven persons (27) I confirmed 27.
[January] 4th. I ordained two elders, three priests, one teacher, & two deacons (8). I established 2 preaching places.
[January] 5th. I attended to the ordinance of blessing nineteen children (19).
[January] 6th. There was four persons {miracles} healed of diseases under my hands (4).
[January] 7th. I procured twenty-two subscribers for the M & Ad (22). I also procured seventy dollars for the M & Ad. $70.
[January] 8th. I gave six dollars & procured eighty five more for the building of the house of the Lord in Kirtland. $91.
[January] 9th. I wrote thirty-four letters (34) & received seven letters (7).
[January] 10th. I had three mobs come together against me but always as yet delivered from their hands (3).
The before mentioned is an account of the most conspicuous part of my proceedings during the year of 1836 which has gone into eternity with its report as the year before it hath done & as the one following & all others must do. O time how swift & how precious thou art. How great the events that are born upon thy wings, especially in the dispensation of the fullness of times. 1836 is gone. It cannot be recalled. Europe hath began to tremble at thy departure. The {beliefs-lds} endowment of the Latter Day Saints hath bespoke a God in Israel, & is sufficient to show that though the heavens & earth pass away the word of God spake through the Prophets must all be fulfilled. It is true that the thoughts of man may now retrace his footsteps through 1836 that is past. But who can tell where the end of 1837 will leave him? Yea that important year that is mounting the wheels of time to stand upon the stage of existence, to do its perfect work. Will not its gigantic operations, & its magnus works stand upon the archives of heaven as great events? Will this gentile generation still sleep in this late hour? If so sleep on & take thy rest which is short for thy end is come, & the day hath broke that Israel must be awoke from his slumber for the last time & prepare himself for the Bridegroom. Then let 1837 finish its work with speed & let its departure say who hath gone to the tomb & what kingdom overturned, & what kingdom established & may God grant that 1837 may report as she departs that Zion & her stakes indicates that God rules in her midst with POWER STRENGTH & GLORY. Thus ends the year of 1836.
THE THIRD BOOK OF WILFORD FOR 1837
O Lord I ask thee in the name of Jesus Christ thy Son, to look upon thy servant Wilford, who now occupies a place in Kirtland, this first stake of Zion, which thou has appointed in this last dispensation, & fullness of times for the gathering of thy Saints. O God of Israel, inspire the heart & pen of thy servant at this time & hear & answer the petition which he will put up unto thee at this time, & remember the covenant which thy servant Wilford will make with thee at this time, O mighty God of Jacob. O Lord thou hast spared my life, to behold the commencement of 1837. May my life, health, & strength be precious in thy sight, through the year. Wilt thou save me by thy grace from all sin, & the powers of temptation, which try the souls of men. Wilt thou give me favor during this year with God & the Saints. Wilt thou bless me while in school, & in meeting with the quorum of the Seventies, & while attending all other meetings in Kirtland for divine worship. O Lord if it be thy will, give me the privilege of recording in this years journal great blessing, pronounced upon my head from mine anointing & from under the hands of the Patriarch JOSEPH, & an account of great visions, & the opening of the heavens, & the revelation of JESUS CHRIST unto me, that I may be a special witness of Thee, O Lord, & may I also have the administering of holy angels, that I may be taught of the eternal things of the priesthood. If I am called to preach thy word this year, may I be bless with souls for my hire. If I visit my kinsman, wilt thou make me an instrument, of bringing them into thy Celestial Kingdom, & I covenant with Thee, Heavenly FATHER, to go & come at thy bidding. I ask the above blessings, through the priesthood, in the name of JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.
Jan. 1st 1837. In the morning of this Lords day I repaired to the house of the Lord for worship. We heard two discourses delivered from the Aaronic Stand by Bishop Whitney & Counsellor Cahoon. They also broke bread. The latter part of the day was spent in attending to the funeral services of a child.
[January] 2nd. Spent the day in school also the 3rd. I received a letter from Brother Asahel Woodruff on the 3rd.
Jan 3rd. At early candle light I repaired to the house of the Lord in company with Elder Milton Holmes for the purpose of meeting with the quorum of the Seventies. President Aldrich opened the meeting by prayer & after a few appropriate remarks from President Coltrin about twenty of the third Seventy was ordained to the high priesthood & as members of the third Seventy under the hands of the above named presidents. After these were ordained Elder M. Holmes & myself was called upon by the Presidents to come for ward to be ordained as members of the first seventy elders of Israel to bear the name Jesus to the nations of the Earth. The first Seventy was chosen out of the CAMP that went up to Zion for the redemption of it & the Saints in the Spring of 1834. But as we were not present when the first Seventy was chosen we was afterwards chosen in the Second quorum. (See May 31th 1836 in this Journal.) But there being two vacancies in the first quorum we were chosen to fill them. President Aldrich ordained Elder Holmes to this appointment & pronounced great blessings upon his head. President Z. Coltrin ordained me as a member of the first Seventy & pronounced great blessings upon my head by the spirit of prophecy & revelation. Some of them I will mention which are as follows:
THAT my enemies may confine me in prisons & chains & that I would rend the prisons & chains in twain in the name of JESUS CHRIST & that the Lord would give me great power, knowledge, & wisdom & faith so that I should heal the sick cause the blind to see the lame to leap as an heart, the Deaf to hear stop the mouths of lions & raise the dead to life & waft myself (as did Philip) from river to river from sea to sea & from continent to continent for the purpose of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ & that I should stand before Kings & Princes & that they would send for me to receive wisdom knowledge & instruction at my mouth because they considered me wiser than themselves in like manner as the Egyptians sought wisdom at the hand of JOSEPH. And that God would give me a multiplicity of blessings that I should preach to the nations of the earth & to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea & that I should then return & stand upon Mount Zion in the flesh even in Jackson County Missouri at the coming of Christ & that I should be caught up to meet him in the clouds of heaven for he said this was the word of God unto me & Also that I should visit COLUB [Kolob] & preach to the spirits in prison & that I should bring all of my friends or relatives forth from the Terrestrial Kingdom (who had died) by the Power of the gospel. These & many other blessings were pronounced upon my head, & further said that I should be anointed & my life sealed unto me & that there would be still greater blessing pronounced upon my head. I felt much of the power of God rest upon me in this ordinance & bear witness of the truth of the above PROCLAMATION.
Jan 4th. I met in Company with the high school of Kirtland in the house of the Lord for the purpose of a public examination it being the last day of the first quarter. The examination lasted about three hours. Then after an intermission of one hour we again repaired to the house & heard an interesting lecture delivered on education by Professor Haws. We have now a vacation of four weeks & the next term will then commence.
[January] 5th. I repaired to the house of the Lord for a prayer meeting at 2 o’clock PM. We had a good time. One man gave us an account of the general gathering of Israel in the gift of tongues. I interpreted the substance of the same.
[January] 6th. I visited the office of the Kirtland Safety Society & saw the first money that was issued by the treasurer or society. It was given to Brother Bump (in exchange for other notes) who was the first to circulate it. I also heard President Joseph Smith, jr. declare in the presence of F. Williams, D. Whitmer, S. Smith, W. Parrish, & others in the deposit office that he had received that morning the word of the Lord upon the subject of the Kirtland Safety Society. He was alone in a room by himself & he had not only the voice of the spirit upon the subject but even an audible voice. He did not tell us at that time what the LORD said upon the subject but remarked that if we would give heed to the commandments the Lord had given this morning all would be well. May the Lord bless Brother Joseph with all the Saints & support the above named institution & protect it so that every weapon formed against it may be broken & come to nought while the Kirtland Safety Society shall become the greatest of all institutions on EARTH.
Jan 6. Wrote a letter to Brother Asahel H. Woodruff.
[January] 8. Sunday went up to the house of the Lord to worship. We had an interesting meeting. There was about fifteen hundred people assembled. There was two discourses delivered from the Aaronic Priesthood one from Councillor Knight & the other from Priest Willey. Priest Willey had much of the Spirit of God in preaching to the Church. After breaking bread Elder Sherman sung in the gift of tongues & proclaimed great & marvelous things while clothed upon by the power & spirit of God. Elder Smoot for the first time after his sickness also attended meeting. I spent the evening with Priest Turpin at Bishop Whitney’s. Had a very happy time in speaking singing hearing & interpreting tongues & in prayer with the family.
[January] 10. Tuesday evening I met in the house of the Lord with the quorum of the Seventies. There was about 12 ordained of the third Seventy under the hands of Elder Shermon. We had a spiritual meeting. Elder Brigham Young one of the twelve gave us an interesting exhortation & warned us not to murmur against Moses (or) Joseph or the heads of the Church.
[January] 11. Wrote two letters one to A. B. Willson & [the] other to Brother Levi Tailor.
[January] 12. Wrote two Letters one to Brother Daniel Thomas the other to Simeon Hendricks.
[January] 14. Wrote two letters one to Wright Akeman in the Arkansas & the other to David Cranshaw.
[January] 15. Sunday attended meeting in the house of the Lord. President Rigdon preached in the spirit & exhorted the Church to union that they might be prepared to meet every trial & difficulty that awaits them.
Jan 16th. Elder Abram O. Smoot was again attacked by the destroyer which brought him upon a bed of Great distress. We immediately called upon the Elders of the Church, viz. Elders O. Hide [Orson Hyde] & H. C. Kimble [Heber C. Kimball] of the twelve & B. Nobles, M. Holmes, & myself of the first Seventy. We prayed with & for him & laid hands upon him according to the scriptures & he was immediately healed of his pain & fever [shorthand].
[January] 17th. Met at candle light with the quorums of the Seventies & was favored with a lecture from President David Whitmer. He warned us to humble ourselves before God lest his hand rest upon us in anger for our pride & many sins that we were running into in our days of prosperity as the ancient Nephites did & it does now appear evident that a scourge awaits this stake of Zion even Kirtland if there is not great repentance immediately & almost every countenance indicates the above expectation especially the heads of the Church. See Dec 11th 1836. May the Lord in mercy enable us to meet every event with resignation.
[January] 20th. Wrote a letter with Brother Kimball to Brother Thomas B. Marsh in Zion.
[January] 22nd. Sunday went up to the house of the Lord to worship. Elder John E. Page occupied the former part of the day with an interesting relation of his travels for the last eight months in the province of upper Canada. He stated that he in company With Elders James Blakesley & Harris had baptized 267 persons. He also gave an account of his persecutions &c which he had to endure. The latter part of the day was occupied by Elders Kimball & Green & of communion. Also at candle light I heard an interesting discourse from Elders P. P. Pratt & J. E. Page at Brother Bosley’s. Elder Pratt also warned us to humble ourselves before God & feed the poor & clothe the needy & put away all our sins lest judgment overtake us speedily.
Jan 23rd. As Elder Abram O. Smoot hath been much out of health. Since he hath been in Kirtland he desired to return home into the south country to spend the winter in a warm climate with his friends. I accompanied him to father Smiths to officiate in the office of a scribe while he received his Patriarchal blessing. Accordingly the Patriarch JOSEPH SMITH sen. pronounced his blessing upon his head in the name of the LORD & I wrote it down for him. It was truly a great blessing. We had it recorded & I gave Elder Smoot a copy of it in print that he might take it home with him as he was expecting to leave the day following.
[January] 24th. Took the pains to assist Elder Smoot to settle his business in Kirtland which took up the major part of the day. I met at candle light in the house of the Lord with the quorum of the Seventies. We had an interesting interview. There was several ordained under the hands of President Silvester Smith to the third Seventy. Then we heard two lengthy discourses one from Elder J. E. Page and the other from Elder P. P. Pratt which was interesting in the first degree. The meeting closed but little before midnight. We had been threatened by a mob from Panesville to visit us that night & demolish our bank & take our property but they did not appear. But the wrath of our enemies appears to be kindled against us. This in part is the scourge that hath awaited us. But may the Lord show us mercy & deliver us from the hand of our enemies for Christ sake.
[January] 25th. Took the parting hand with Elder A. O. Smoot & he started on his journey. May the Lord bless him & enable him to reach his friends in peace. At early candlelight the heavens began to show forth the signs in fulfillment of the Prophecy of JOEL recorded in the 2nd Chap 30th verse of the Book of Joel. The clouds of fire & blood began to arise in the N. E. & reached unto the N. W which principally covered the horizon. The reflection of the clouds upon the earth which was covered with snow presented a vary red appearance. It commenced at 6 o’clock & continued until 10 or past [shorthand].
Jan 27th. Wrote a letter for Elder M. Holmes.
[January] 28th. I attended a court with the quorum of the Seventies to settle a difficulty between Elder Hiram Stratten & I. H. Bishop. Elder Holmes and myself was chosen among the counsellors. Elder Stratten acknowledged his faults & was restored.
[January] 29th. Sunday I met at Elder J. P. Greens at 9 AM in company with 7 others to act as bearers to convey the corpse of Sister Mary Boyington to the house of the Lord where a funeral sermon was delivered by Elder P. P. Pratt. The latter part of the day was spent in communion & addresses from Presidents O. Cowdery & J. Smith, Jr. JOSEPH blessed us in the name of the Lord & said if we would be faithful we should rise above our embarrassments & be delivered from the hands of our enemies.
[January] 30. Spent the day in writing. Wrote a piece for the Messenger & Advocate.
[January] 31st. Met in the house of the Lord at 10 o’clock AM & heard an address from President’s J. Smith, jr. & S. Rigdon on the temporal business of the church & petitioned for a charter to the Assembly of the State for the Kirtland Safety Society & the presidency of the Church bought the Monroe Charter & we all lent a hand in establishing it that it might be beneficial to us in forwarding the building of the temporal Kingdom.
Feb. 1st. I again commenced school confining myself to the Latin language mostly.
[February] 5th. Sunday spent the day in the house of the Lord in worship.
[February] 12th. Sunday spent the day in the Lords house. Communed with the Saints.
Feb 19th. I repaired to the house of the Lord & stood in the midst of the congregation of the Saints where I beheld President JOSEPH SMITH Jr. arise in the stand & for several hours addressed the Saints in the power of God. Joseph had been absent from Kirtland on business for the Church, though not half as long as Moses was in the mount, & many were stirred up in their hearts & some were against him as the Israelites were against Moses. But when he arose in the power of God in their midst, as Moses did anciently, they were put to silence for the complainers saw that he stood in the power of a Prophet. O how weak is man.
[February] 26. Sunday President Joseph Smith, Jr. again addressed the congregation of the saints in the power and spirit of God.
March 1st I spent in school. This is my birth day bringing me to 30 thirty years of age. How fleet is time.
[March] 4. Saturday I spent in school. During the day I was called to lay hands upon Elder Sherwood’s son that was sick with the pleurisy. He was deaf and dumb. He was healed of his sickness.
VERA
AMICITIA
[March] 4. Thou scenes of life how variant, how transient.
[March] 5. Sunday wrote a letter to my friends in the east.
[March] 22. The last seventeen days have been principally spent in school. I have attended some interesting meetings during the time.
March 24th. I left school under view of spending some time in studying history & preparing for the endowment.
March 23rd. I repaired to the house of the Lord at an early hour in the morning to spend the day in prayer and fasting with the saints in Kirtland, as this was a day set apart for that purpose. Immediately after entering the house in company with several other Elders, I went within the veil and we bowed down before the Lord in the Aaronic stand & offered a morning sacrifice, & the Spirit of God rested upon us with joy to our souls. I was called upon, by the Patriarch JOSEPH to read a chapter in the book of Mormon. I then read the third chapter of the Book of Jacob, which contains the parable of the tame olive tree likened unto the house of Israel as was spake by the Prophet Zenos. The same God that touched Isaiah’s lips with hallowed fire, gave Zenos great wisdom in setting forth this parable. After I had made some brief remarks upon the subject the congregation took their seats, for the services of the day, in the following order: The house being divided into four parts by veils, the females occupied two parts & the males the others. Some of the presidency presided in each apartment. The time was taken up during the day in each apartment in singing, exhortation, & prayer. Some had a tongue, others an interpretation, & all was in order. The power of GOD rested upon the people. The gifts were poured out upon us. Some had the administering of angels & the image of GOD sat upon the countenances of the Saints. At 4 o’clock PM the veils were all rolled up together which brought the whole congregation in full view of each other and while the presence of the LORD filled the house the congregation of the Saints fell upon their knees & all as one man, vocally poured forth rejoicing, supplication & prayer, before the God of Israel which closed the services of the day, after contributing for the support of the poor [3 lines in shorthand].
March 26th. Sunday communed with the saints in the fore part of the day. In the latter part, Elder W. Parrish preached the funeral sermon of Sister Pratt the wife of Elder P. P. Pratt one of the twelve who died March 25th 1837.
March 27th. I signed $50 fifty dollars for the building of the house of the Lord in Zion. The subscription list was in the hands of Elder Elisha H. Groves.
April 2nd. Attended worship in the Lords house upon this Sabbath day. I have spent the time for several days past in perusing the outlines of ancient and modern HISTORY on a new plan, by Rev. Royal Robbins. It strikes the reflecting mind with deep sensibility to contemplate the scenery of the rise progress decline & fall of the nations and kingdoms of the earth from the days of ADAM until 1837 years after Christ. And it is equally interesting to contemplate the day that is now at hand & hath already began in fulfillment of ancient prophecy in bringing the Church of Christ out of the wilderness in establishing Israel upon those lands by a Theocratical government in fulfillment of the covenants God made with Abram, Isaac & Jacob. As this hath began in my day & I am called to act a part in the work by being placed with the first Seventy Elders of Israel to become a special witness of Jesus Christ to all nations I need much faith fortitude, holiness, & wisdom. May the Lord enable me not to seek honor from man but God & be faithful in clearing my garments of the blood of Gentile & Jew and do honor to the HOLY Priesthood & the Anointing that now awaiteth me.
April 3rd. The day had now arrived for preparations for the solemn assembly the Anointing & the endowment of the Elders of Israel or at least for those that were not endowed in Kirtland the strong hold of the daughters of Zion in the spring of 1836 & as I was absent at that time my day is now come & my time at hand for those blessings & I shall record the events of each day of the endowment for the benefit of the generation to come. I upon this third day of April met in the house of the Lord with a number of the Seventies to receive counsel respecting our washing & anointing. I was appointed with Elder G. Meeks to visit President F. G. Williams & have the perfumes & oil prepared against the day following. I considered it a privilege to wait upon the Elders of Israel in this thing that we might become the anointed of the Lord according to the words of the poet & the revelations of JESUS CHRIST.
We’ll wash and be washed and with oil be anointed
Withal not omit the washing of feet
For he that receiveth his PENNY appointed
Must surely be clean at the harvest of wheat.
After attending to the duties above spoken I repaired to a room in company with Elder Meeks & Priest J. Turpin to attend to our first washing. After washing our bodies from head to foot in soap & water we then washed ourselves in clear water next in perfumed spirits. The spirit of God was with us & we had a spiritual time. We spent the evening with several Elders in prayer before God & the Power of God rested upon us.
April 4th. I met at the house of Elder Hales at one o’clock PM in company with twenty-three Elders President Joseph Young making one of the number for the purpose of attending to the ordinance of washing the body with clean water & perfumes that our bodies might be prepared for the anointing. President Young opened the meeting by prayer. We then proceeded to the ordinance. Myself & Elder G. W. Meeks were the first washed under the hands of President Joseph Young. We then assisted President Young in washing our Brethren the Elders. Much of the spirit of God rested upon us. I washed & perfumed the bodies of a number of my Brethren & the interview closed after expressing our feelings to each other. We again met together in the quorum of the Seventies at the upper part of the Lords house at early candle light to receive our anointing. The quorums of the deacons, teachers, & priest occupied one apartment the Elders another & the Seventies the third. Each quorums met for the anointing. three of the presidents met with the Seventies viz.: H. Aldrich J. Young and Z. Coultrin. President Coultrin opened the meeting by prayer & after conversing plainly to those who were to be anointed they proceeded to business. The presidency consecrated the oil before God that it might be holy. The person to be anointed then took a seat & the presidency then laid hands upon his head & consecrated him unto God & then anointed him in the name of the Lord & pronounced such blessings upon his head as the testimony of Jesus shall direct which is the spirit of prophecy. We had a glorious season indeed in this solemn ordinance of the house of the Lord. There were fifteen anointed in our quorum mostly by President Coultrin. The Power of God rested upon us. President Coultrin anointed me & the following are some of the blessing that he pronounced upon my head while clothed upon by the spirit & power of God, viz. That God would bless me with all the powers of the priesthood & give me a multiplicity of blessing that Kings would tremble upon their thrones at my word, that I should become a counsellor & multitudes should seek counsel at my mouth & I should have great wisdom & power to fly through the midst under heaven as Philip traveled by the spirit that I should have power over my enemies & have long life & bring many into the kingdom of God. Also that I should have the riches of the earth & that I should have sons & consecrate them priests unto God in Zion & that I should tread upon the ashes of my enemies in Jackson County they that had sought to take my life & the life of my brethren that went to redeem Zion & he also sealed upon my head all the blessing that had previously been pronounced upon me & these blessing were sealed upon my head with a loud amen from all of the anointed present in the name of Jesus Christ. Much of the power & spirit of God & a sense of the virtue of the ordinance rested upon me. May God enable me to possess those blessing & obtain those visions that have been promised me in this & other solemn ordinances & keep me from dishonoring my anointing & the Holy Priesthood for Christ Sake Amen.
The interview closed about 10 o’clock P.M. I then repaired into the lower Court of the Lords house in company with Elders Joseph B. Nobles & G. W. Meeks to spend the night (after being anointed) in prayer & fasting before God. The veils being closed we entered the elder’s pulpit & there upon our knees we pled with God & we covenanted with each other in the holy stand that we would not give sleep to our eyes neither take food until we received a blessing from God by the outpourings of his spirit upon us if it was until the end of three days. And according to our Covenant we commenced praying & a part of the night we had a severe trial of our faith by great temptation from Satan but before day we gained a good degree of victory over the Devil & the Lord poured out his spirit upon us & we felt it good to be in the house of God while nature was hushed in silenced by the sable shades of night. After spending the night in prayer we returned to our homes in the morning intending to spend the day in prayer & fasting for still greater blessings this being upon.
April 5th. I spent a part of the day in attending the high council the remainder in writing, prayer, & fasting. I again repaired to the upper lower part of the house of the Lord at 5 o’clock PM. with the quorum of the Seventies for a solemn assembly anointing &c. Three out of the seven presidents were present & anointed twelve. The spirit of God sat upon us & we were satisfied with our blessing. Consequently I returned home with those brethren with whom I had covenanted for a blessing & took some food & retired to rest being 24 hours since we had taken food or sleep. There was much of the Spirit of Prophesy & revelation poured upon the heads of the anointed in the different quorums.
April 6th 1837. This being more particular the day of the solemn assembly or a day that is looked upon annually with feeling of greater interest in celebration of the 6th of April 1830 as upon that day the Church of Latter day Saints was first organized in this last dispensation & fullness of times. Henceforth the solemn assembly of the Elders of Israel & all official members that can, will meet in the LORDS house annually to attend to the most solemn ordinances of the house of GOD & of receiving the visions & great things of heavens. Therefore I shall be more particular in recording the transactions of this day than others for it is something similar to the Pentecost that St. Paul speak of at Jerusalem.
I repaired to the house of the Lord at 8 o’clock A.M. & after spending an hour in the lower part of the house the presidency of the Church called the quorums of the Seventies into the upper part of the house that they might be by themselves for a while as there was some business to be attended to in these quorums before they could proceed to the business of the day below. In the first place six of the Presidents of the Seventies were to leave the Seventies & take a station in the quorum of the traveling high priesthood and six other Presidents chosen in their stead. I shall not here give the particulars of this change of Councilors. Suffice it to say that all of the Councilors first chosen excepting Joseph Young were high priest before the organization of the Seventies & they had a right to officiate in the lower offices of the Church & there was some difference in the authority and office of the quorums of high Priesthood & Seventies. The six new Presidents chosen out of the Seventies to take the place of those that were to leave were: John Gould, Josiah Butterfield, Salmon Gee, Foster, John Gaylard.
After this matter was arranged there was a glorious ordinance performed upon the heads of those who had been anointed (by the first presidency of the church Joseph Smith, Jr. Sidney Rigdon &c was this ordinance performed. It was as follows. While all of the anointed present lifted their hands towards heaven this first presidency of the church confirmed & sealed upon our heads all the blessings of our ordination, anointing, & patriarchal with a seal in the presence of God & the lamb & holy angels that they should all be fulfilled upon our heads that not one jot or tittle should fail & the seal was confirmed upon our heads with a shout of all the anointed with uplifted hand to heaven HOSANNA, HOSANNA, HOSANNA, to GOD & the LAMB, Amen, Amen, & Amen. Hosanna Hosanna, Hosanna, to GOD & the LAMB, Amen, Amen, & Amen. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna, to GOD & the LAMB, Amen, Amen, & Amen.
This was repeated as it is written & if ever a shout entered the cabinet of heaven that did & was repeated by angels on high & caused the power of God to rest upon us. (O ye Priest of Baal. O, ye Gentile religionest. O ye inhabitants of Babylon possessing the mark of the beast, what knowledge have ye of the ordinances or blessings or virtues of the house & Church of God?) Great and marvelous are the blessings and power of the ordinances of the Lord & his gospel made manifest on these occasions.
After being in the upper room about two hours we again joined the congregation of the Saints in the lower court & the house came to order for the business of the day. The veils were closed & each apartment commenced the duties of the day. The washing of the feet of the anointed was the first business that was performed. The twelve assisted our presidency in washing the feet. Elder Heber Kimble [Heber C. Kimball] one of the twelve apostles attended to the washing of my feet & prophesied upon my head & pronounced me clean from the blood of this generation. This as it was with JESUS when he washed his disciples feet. Great were the blessings that rested upon us in this ordinance.
After the washing of feet, the veils were rolled, which brought the congregation into one assembly. The stand of the priesthood were still covered with the veils. The Presidency stood in the lower stand & President Joseph Smith, Jr. arose and addressed the congregation for the term of three hours clothed with the power, spirit, & image of GOD. He unbosomed his mind & feelings in the house of his friends. He presented many things of vast importance to the minds of the Elders of Israel. O that they might be written upon our hearts as with an iron pen to remain forever that we might practice them in our lives. That fountain of light, principle & virtue that came forth out of the heart & mouth of the prophet JOSEPH whose soul like Enochs swelled wide as eternity. I say such evidences presented in such a forcible manner ought to drive into oblivion every particle of unbelief & dubiety from the mind of the hearers, for such language sentiment principle & spirit cannot flow from darkness. Joseph Smith, Jr. is a prophet of God rised up for the deliverance of Israel as true as my heart now burns within me while I am penning these lines which is as true as truth itself.
President Hiram Smith followed Joseph with many useful remarks. He also was clothed with much of the spirit of God. Joseph desired us to give heed to his words & teaching this once & be wise that Zion & her stakes might speedily be redeemed. He instructed us to be sure & ask those that enter the Kingdom to send up their wise men to Kirtland with their money to counsel with the presidency & purchase an inheritance before they move their families or bring the poor to the places of gathering for to suffer. Also that we must keep in view the institution of the Kirtland Safety Society & if the Elders of Israel would be faithful & do what was in their power this once Kirtland should speedily be redeemed & become a strong hold not be thrown down. Joseph presented us in some degree the plot of the city of Kirtland (which is the strong hold of the daughter of Zion) as it was given him by vision. It was great marvelous & glorious. The city extended to the east, west, north, and south. Steam boats will come puffing into the city. Our goods will be conveyed upon railroads from Kirtland to many places & probably to Zion. Houses of worship would be reared unto the most high. Beautiful streets was to be made for the Saints to walk in. Kings of the earth would come to behold the glory thereof & many glorious things not now to be named would be bestowed upon the Saints. But all these thing are better imagined than spoken by the Children of Jacob.
President Oliver Cowdery followed Hiram Smith & made but few remarks but very appropriate. He called upon the elders to keep within the bounds of their knowledge & to let the great mysteries of the kingdom alone for the gentiles had not a knowledge even of the first principles of the gospel. That it was far better to preach what the people would call the small things of the Bible than to enter into the visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, & John &c. President Sidney Rigdon next spoke & said many important things and impressed it upon the elders of Israel with great force & eloquence to lay to with their mights this once for the redemption of Kirtland that Israel may be safe & free and have a place to set his foot [sentence in shorthand]
After the Presidency closed their remarks the twelve were called upon to break bread for the multitude (as Jesus did in the days of the Apostles) that they might all be filled. They did so & we were all filled & was made glad while feasting with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, evangelist, pastors, teachers, & deacons. After the feast was closed thanks was returned to GOD with uplifted hands to heaven this being about the setting of the sun. All had the privilege of returning to their homes that felt disposed & the rest might spend the night in the house of the Lord in prayer, & exhortation, praise & thanksgiving. At about candle light the meeting commenced with great interest. Joseph requested the congregation to speak their feelings freely & pray according to the spirit. The saints began to open their mouths & they were filled with language unto edification one a prayer another exhortation some a doctrine & a psalm others a tongue, some an interpretation. Prophecy was also poured out upon us & all things was done decently & in order & the night was spent gloriously by the saints. Much of the gifts of the gospel rested upon us. One Brother clothed with the gift of tongues laid his hands upon my head & prophesied great blessing upon me. Another Brother possessing the interpretation uttered it unto me to my joy & consolation with the many blessing pronounced upon my head he rehearsed the blessing that Jacob pronounced upon the heads of Joseph & said that I should possess the blessings of heaven & of earth & be much blessed in my ministry &c. Much prophecy was uttered upon the heads of many of the Saints in other languages & was interpreted which was glorious. Thus was this day & night spent gloriously & those scenes will long be remembered. Rejoice O earth & shout O heavens for the natural fruit of the tame olive tree is again manifest in the earth. The fig tree is putting forth leaves. The Church of Christ is traveling out of the wilderness with her gifts & graces which edify the body of Christ. The house of God is reared in beauty & splendor according to the pattern given by the visions of heaven & the revelations of Jesus Christ. O ye gentiles come & receive the gospel. Repent & be baptized for the remission of your sins & receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands & partake of the blessing of God with Israel that you may be hid under the shadow of the ALMIGHTY in the day of GODs wrath & indignation upon babylon which is at hand. The meeting continued until break of day when we all dispersed to our homes with great Joy & consolation. May the Lord bless the Saints & have mercy upon the poor the sick & the afflicted & deliver Israel from the gentile yoke for Jesus sake. Amen.
April 7th. I spent the day in writing my journal, & when the shades of evening began to appear I repaired to the house of the LORD in company with Elders Milton Holmes, & Joseph B. Nobles for the purpose of worshiping God. We entered one of the stands within the veils & fell upon our knees & Satan appeared also but not to worship God but to deprive us of the privilege. Satan strove against us with great power by tempting & otherwise. He at one time drove me from my stand while I was striving with my brethren to enter into the visions of heaven. Notwithstanding his apparent victory good grew out of it for by going into the outer Court I there found Elder Freeman Nickerson an aged father in Israel who was faithful & prayed to God always. I solicited him to join us in prayer that we might gain a victory over Satan & get a blessing at the hand of God. He joyfully accepted the invitation & we again entered the stand being four of us in number of one accord in one place. We had great cause to be united in heart. We all had traveled together about 1,000 miles in the spring of 1834 for the redemption of Zion. We at that time offered to lay down our lives & our offering was accepted as was Abram’s. We felt considering those circumstances that we could kneel down & unitedly get a blessing by faith through Jesus Christ. We fell upon our knees & began to cry unto God. Satan departed, temptation found no place in our hearts. The power of God rested upon us & we were baptized with the Holy Ghost & the Spirit of God was like fire shut up in our bones. We were immersed in the liberty of the sons of God. Many great things were shown unto us. The power of God & the spirit of prophesy & revelation rested upon us. I arose & proclaimed many glorious thing upon the heads of my beloved brethren that were present which were dictated in my heart by the Holy Spirit. And I Wilford testify in the name of Jesus Christ that many precious things were shown me concerning my brethren by the Holy Spirit in prophecy & revelation. Our hearts were made glad & we went our way rejoicing.
April 8th. Spent the day in writing my journal. Spent the evening at Elder Milicans in good company.
[April] 9th. Sunday morning I repaired to the house of the Lord to worship with the Saints. Father John Smith opened the meeting by prayer then read the twelfth chapter of the second Book of Nephi & preached from it unto the people. In the latter part of the day Elder Kimble addressed the saints in the power of God. Elder O. Pratt followed with few remarks after communion.
President S. Rigdon addressed the congregation & laid before them their situation as to temporal things as the gentiles are striving to besiege the saints in Kirtland & would be glad to starve the saints to death. He also stated that the Presidency had used every means for the deliverance of the Church but as many of the Church had refused Kirtland Currency which was their temporal salvation in consequence of this they put strength in the hands of their enemies & those that had done this thing must suffer by it. Sidney closed and Joseph arose & like the lion of the tribe of JUDAH he poured out his soul in the midst of the congregation of the Saints. But who can find language to write his words & teachings as with an iron pen in a rock that they may stand for future generation to look upon? A fountain of knowledge rolled from his mouth to the people which was the word of God. Yea in the name of God he proclaimed that severe judgment awaited those characters that professed to be his friends & friends to humanity & the Kirtland Safety Society but had turned traitors & opposed the currency & its friends which has given power into the hands of the enemy & oppressed the poor Saints. Such have become covenant breakers for which they will feel the wrath of God as true as Joseph is a prophet. Joseph uttered the feelings of his soul in pain while viewing the poverty & afflictions of Ephraim or the Saints in Kirtland at least that false brethren should be whited walls & bring perils upon the Saints. Joseph is as a father to Ephraim & to all Israel in these last days. He mourns because of unbelief & the negligence manifest with many who have received the gospel in obeying the commands of God. He fears lest but few be left to receive an inheritance. There is not a greater man than Joseph standing in this generation. The gentiles look upon him & he is to them like bed of gold concealed from human view. They know not his principle, his spirit, his wisdom, virtue, philanthropy, nor his calling. His mind like Enochs swells wide as eternity. Nothing short of a God can comprehend his soul.
April 10th I wrote two letters to the land of Zion one to Elder A. O. Smoot & the other to Elder Alexander.
A Conference of Elders to be held at Mane Aug 12th & 13th AD 1837, on Saturday & Sunday.
Direct a letter to Freeman Nickerson South Dennis Post Office Barnstable County Massachusetts.
My first acquaintance with Miss Phebe W. Carter was on the eve of the 28th of Jan. 1837 at which time I was introduced to her at Elder Milliken’s by the politeness of Elder M. Holmes. After two & half months acquaintance we were joined in matrimony the account of which will be found on the following pages.
MATRIMONY
WILFORD WOODRUFF. Born March 1st 1807.
PHEBE W CARTER. Born March 8th 1807.
April 13th 1837. Marriage being an institution of heaven & honorable in all, I accordingly accepted the honor upon this memorial day, by joining hands with Miss PHEBE W. CARTER in the bonds of matrimony and took upon ourselves the marriage covenant. Elder Johnathan Holmes also took the same responsibility upon himself at the same time by giving his hand to Miss Mary Carter in the marriage covenant. We were married at the house of President JOSEPH SMITH, Jr. The ceremony was solemnized by President Frederick G. Williams. President J. Smith sen. the Patriarch then blessed us in the name of the Lord and pronounced great blessings upon us & our posterity. President J. Smith, Jr. was expecting to solemnize the ceremony, but his life was so beset & sought for by wicked and ungodly men for the testimony of JESUS, that he was under the necessity of fleeing from his house & home for a few days. O when will the prophets of God rest upon the earth?
We were married at 2 o’clock PM and at 4 PM. the whole company consisting of about 16 couples walked from President J. Smiths to President S. Rigdons where we were gratified with the privilege of seeing Elder George Robinson & Miss Thalia Rigdon also joined in matrimony by President F. G. Williams. The company dispersed at the sitting of the sun. I spent the night at President Joseph Smiths. May the Lord bless us all with salvation.
The sun in the east arose to gladden earth & shed over nature his pleasing beams to welcome the return of delightful spring that dreary winter might be forgotten. No day more pleasing than April thirteenth 1837. While all nature smiled without friendships purest joys were felt beneath a prophets roof where the brides and bridegroom found a welcome reception, while by law with the nuptial cord their hands were bound their congenial hearts in one, lay cemented bearing the seal of eternal life. Their friendship formed from principle pure, virtue unsullied, bid refinement over those hearts to rule, possessing the love of GOD the only foundation of true friendship. True the prophet Joseph from his wife, children, & house for a moment had fled. Had torn himself from their embrace in some lonely place to seek a shelter to escape the blood thirsty gentiles hands against him raised for bearing the testimony of Jesus Christ. A patriarch yet was left. He possessing a Holy Priesthood more ancient than his gray hairs arose upon his feet to bless in the name of GOD the married four. Being clothed in the spirit through the power of the priesthood he pronounced upon the wedded heads and their posterity blessing that never decay.
While heaven smiles upon the Elders of Israel friendship presents each with a bride as a help meet whose prayers will be wafted by a more holy breeze than wind up to the throne of GOD for their companions while bound in chains & vaults in prisons cast for the word of God & the testimony of Jesus. These feeble words inspire their hearts to call on God that he may & send deliverance to the bridegroom in distance lands while under Zions banner the bride finds protections.
O heaven protect the four that they their covenants may fulfill that friendship may grow old but pure and strong as death that peace and harmony may crown their lives. Let God direct their steps their hearts possess his love while personal friendship joins their hearts and hands in one. May light and truth their way direct until they meet the great bridegroom.
Vera amicitia est sempiterna
[At this point in his diary Elder Woodruff records his patriarchal blessing which was given April 15, 1836, and that of his wife, Phebe, which was given in November 10, 1836. Both blessings were given at Kirtland, Ohio, by Joseph Smith, Sr.]
THE LAST DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL
Solemn and interesting are the scenes and living realities of the present generation of the human family. The reflecting mind may flit back with the rapidity of lightning to the day when GOD spake and chaos heard and this world came into order. Then from the days of ADAM trace the history of man down to 1830 years after Christ both sacred and profane and place their history in a point of light to comprehend in one combined mass all the rise, progress, decline, and fall of all the nations, kingdoms, and empires of the earth and they do not form a more compounded scenery of grand awful sublime and important events than is to transpire in this last dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The prophets and apostles & all inspired men of God in every age of a theocratical government have looked, spake, & written respecting this generation with feelings of the deepest interest. In 1830 the stone began to roll. The church & body of Christ became visible. It will continue to be propelled by the arm of JEHOVAH until the Kingdom fills the whole earth & Israel gathered, Babylon falls & Christ reigns. Then marvel not O ye reader that the Patriarch Joseph pronounces blessings upon the children of EPHRAIM.
April 20th. Spent this day in the house of the Lord in prayer and fasting with the congregation of the Saints. Much of the power, gifts, and graces of the gospel was poured out upon us. Speaking and interpreting of tongues was manifest in the Congregation. One brother sung a lengthy song in tongues & sister Hide interpreted the same. It was great & glorious. Much of it was respecting the fame of Joseph and his magnus works.
April 21. I paid $37 dollars to Elder Harvy Redfield for Jacob Bump which balanced all of my account with them both. I paid $5 dollars to Elder Heber Kimble. [Sentence in shorthand]
April 22nd. Received a Letter from my father in law Ezra Carter under date of April 9th.
[April] 30th. Spent the last week laboring with my hands for Elder H. Kimble.
May 1st. Mrs. Woodruff with myself removed our boarding place to Elder W. Parrishes where we tarry for the present.
[May] 5th. While laboring for Elder J. Young in the latter part of the day we experienced a very sudden, hard, & rapid storm of wind and rain. A vane of it passed south of the temple in the form of a whirl wind or tornado. It destroyed and injured several buildings. It crushed one of Elder Young buildings instantly and removed the one we were in. Yet no lives were lost nor persons injured. Soon all was calm again.
[May] 10th. Brother Henry Harmon arrived in Kirtland from the state of Main and Mrs Woodruff received nine Letters from our friends in the state of Maine.
May 14th. We wrote two letters to our friends in the state of Maine.
[May] 23rd. Spent several of the last weeks in laboring with my hands for Elder Joseph Young. Spent the fore part of this day in attending a patriarchal meeting. I wrote a patriarchal blessing for Brother Henry Harmon.
[May] 25th. I commenced boarding with Elder Jonathan H. Hale.
[May] 27th. I wrote a patriarchal blessing, as it was delivered from the mouth of the Patriarch JOSEPH, for Elder Rufus M. Lord.
[May] 28th. Sunday I repaired to the house of the Lord to worship the GOD of Israel with the congregation of the Saints in Kirtland. Behold, it was a day of experience, of interest, & of knowledge. The same spirits of murmering, complaining, & of mutiny, that I spake of in Feb. 19th in this journal, hath not slept from that day to the present. They have been brewing in the family circle in the secret chamber & in the streets until many & some in high places had risen up against Joseph the servant whom God had raised up to lead Israel. And they were striving to overthrow his influence & cast him down until Joseph was grieved in spirit to stand in such perils among false brethren. But notwithstanding this thick cloud of darkness standing over Kirtland Joseph being unmoved in the cause entered the congregation of the Saints arose in the stand & spake to the people in the name of the Lord in his own defence. The Lord was with him by his power & spirit to the convincing of the honest that he would stand & his enemies fall. Sidney followed him with an able discourse & several others spake in the spirit of God maintaining Joseph in his integrity. But, alas, one arose, once a friend, (not now) in the blackness of his face & corruption of his heart stretched out his puny arm and proclaimed against Joseph. Joseph acted wisely while all saw the spirit of his foe. O, [words in shorthand] when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren. O my God deliver me from such a crime I pray thee.
May 29th. I met in the house of the Lord to attend an important conference or meeting of the high council to attend to some important business of the church. Let memory speak upon this subject. Two [words in shorthand] two [words in shorthand] one [words in shorthand] It was considered not [words in shorthand] try [words in shorthand] before the high council but before the Bishop. The Presidents withdrew. The council closed without transacting business.
[May] 30th. Rode to Panesville in company with the Presidency & many other official members of the church of latter day Saints for the purpose of attending a Court, President Joseph Smith jr. was accused of endangering the life of Newel. This was done out of spite not because he was guilty of the charge. The court adjourned until saturday following. We then returned home distance of the day 18 miles. I spent the evening in preparing myself to go forth from Kirtland into the eastern country on a mission to again proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in company with some of my brethren. May the Lord prosper our way.
May 31st. The day had now arrived for me to take the parting hand with the saints in Kirtland and again go into the vineyard to proclaim the word of God. I accordingly took my departure from Mrs. Woodruff my companion & Sister Hale who were expecting to tarry together for a season. I then left Kirtland in good spirits in company with Elder Hale. . .
(Writings of Early Latter-day Saints : Wilford Woodruff 1836-37 Diary BYU Studies 12 (1972)—Wilford Woodruff 1836-37 Diary BYU Studies 12 (1972) : 399 : 1)
Church Historical Document Corpus 