Letter to Asahel Hart Woodruff, 25 August 1838 [LE-139]

O thou God of Israel who holds the destiny of men and at whose command goes forth the issues of life & death and by whose permission the sun sheds its beams to illuminate the earth & gladden the face of nature, I implore thy assistance to inspire my pen while I address my absent Brother. O deliver me from error, drive me from falshood, and save me from folly, and by the power of truth enable me to reach the fountain of my Brother's soul.

Scarborough Maine Aug 25 1838

My Dear Brother Yours under date of Terre Haute July 22^nd 1838 is now before me; and Believe me Brother Asahel when I say that it hath caused the most peculiar & interesting sensations to vibrate my bosom of any production of your pen that hath fallen before my inspection. it hath brought many tears of joy from the fountain of my soul & filled my mind with hours of pleasing meditations. If you ask the cause of this, I answer because it hath unlock'd the secrets of your soul & spread before me the furniture of your mind, while hitherto in a measure was hid from me like gold in its bed conceled from human view. With what deep interest we watch every movement of our friend when we are anxiously wishing & seeking their best good especially when eternal life is at stake, again what a privilege we enjoy to be permitted to unbosom our feelings to each other in confidence with our pen while separated thousands of miles by hills & dales. I feel thankful for such blessings. I think I can say in the truth that I never attempted to write to you when I had more matters crowding into my mind that I wish to communicate than at this time. I feel that I need the art of comprehending a volumn in a page in order to fully pour out my feelings before you. The interest of your letter is so great, it contains such important questions, questions that involve eternal consequences so much so that I cannot do justice to them on a sheet like this. There is many things I would like to say to you both in answer to your letter & concerning you & myself & our friends of things past, present, & to come. I have long desired an intimate and unreserved correspondance with you. It is to late in the day to be reserved in our communications, the day is far spent the night is at hand. I believe a correspondence of this kind will be a benefit to us both. I have just returned to the bosom of my family from my last mission to Fox Island & I have sumthing like 10 late letters from my correspondents which I am about answering & as I have just filled a sheet to Sister Eunice I concluded also to direct one to you at this time. The day of trifle with me are past, our youthful days are gone and with them their folly, then let them sleep, & let us like men pass th[r]ough the august events of the last dispensation & fullness of times, which is now rolling upon the earth. I was edified with your remarks concerning your following me in my ministry (with your mind) as I have traveled through the country. I rejoice that I have yet a Brother who feels an interest in my wellfare while I am the reproach of my enemies, & at times the ridicule of my {shorthand}. I have endeavoured to give you a correct account of my procedings during my peregrinations untill I have at times feared it was dry & uninteresting to you, thinking that you would desire to hear more upon temporal matters than the cause in which I was ingaged. while at the same time the interest of temporal & worldly concerns filed (in my mind) before the spiritual things of the Kingdom of God like the sable shades of night before the king of day. But I rejoice to learn that this hath not been the case but that you have continued to feel a deep interest in these matters & in my welfare, and as I learn this is the case I shall still continue to give you an account of my travels in the earth (which have but just began) & inform you of the dealings of God with me & the success I meet with among the nations of the earth. I design droping a few remarks here concerning my labours since I wrote you in Farmington. my visit was attended with more interest after I wrote than before. I preached several times at Father’s house to the citizens of farmington.

some of all classes attended and the Lord enabled me to set the truths of the everlasting gospel before the people and on the first day of july after setting furst the order of God I was blessed with the glorious privilege of leading our Father, Mother, & onenly sister, aunt Anna Cossett, cousin Seth Woodruff & also a methodist class leader into the watters of Baptism in Farmington river while solemnity & good order pervaded the congregation. Who ean contemplate such a scenery with insensibility or offense that I could have administered this solemn ordinance of the house of the Lord on this occasion with feelings of an ordinary kind. Had I room & opportunity I should be glad to set before you this whole scenery with all its appendiges attached to my last visit with my friends, but as I have not, suffice it to say it was the most interesting visit I ever enjoyed at a Fathers house. after Batism I attended to the ordinance of confirmation or laying on of hands, & in the evening I organized this small branch of the Church to Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints & communed with them. I ordained Brother Dwight Webster (the methodist class leader) to the office of a priest. Cousin Betsey & Ann Cosett were present at these meetings. Betsey's mind seemed much interested in the same. I truly rejoiced to Behold our Sister Eunice so indepedant in maintaining the cause of truth & of God. I had many a plesant walk with this dear Sister while with them. I never before knew what is was to enjoy the unlimited, & unreserved enbraces of a Sisters love. we mingle'd our joys, tears, sympathies & prayers together before a throne of grace, I would to God dear Brother that you might enjoy the same & even more it is your right, your privilege. But duty called me to take the parting hand with those dear friends. I did it on the morn of the third day of july with a firm Belief that time would not erase from my memory the recollection of those days. Nothing worthy of note transpired while on my journey to maine excepting while going from Boston to portland by water the steem Boat in which I sailed picked up the wreck of a Spanish Brig & towed her into portland. She had been wrecked 10 days at sea all her crew was an onboard no lives lost. After spending a few days with my family & friends in Scarborough (during which time we were blessed with the birth of a daughter on the 14^th of July Mother & babe doing well) I took the parting hand with the friends to once more go the Islands of the Sea. This mission was not so much to preach the gospel as it was to prepare the saints to go out of Babylon & stand in Holy places while judgments work in the earth. & by the assistance of God I accomplished my object in this thing in a good degree notwithstanding the malace & hatred of wicked men & devels. Although my enemies plotted for my destruction in secret chambers, threatened me with tar, feathers, & death, posted off a Sheriff at my heels: yet in spite of all their ungodly devices, I was enabled to assist in purchasing about fifteen thousand Dollars worth of horses, Waggons harness & tents &c. to convey about fifty of the Saints to the land of zion in city far west. This labour fell upon me in consequence of those Saints being seaman & unacquainted in such matters. Thus you see my mission in the generation is diverse from the Sectarian priest with their high salaries. It is no small matter to have such a trust required at ones own hands, however I was enabled to perform the task & return home without molestation from even my worst enemies. This Camp of Saints will leave the Town of Camden on the Maine land the 10^th day of Sept. next month, we shall leave Father Carters in Scarborough the 14^th day of Sept. I shall lead this company of which I have been speaking to the far west Missouri. I should rejoice to have our Sister & parents & other friends in Connecticut go with us to that land yourself not excepted, but I suppose I shall not be thus favored at present, we shall pass through Albany; We shall also pass through Terre Haute Iⁿ where you reside and if you are at home I shall calculate to have an interview with you. it will probably be about the last of October as we shall have about 1500 mils to journey before we reach you. The onenly aggrevation of such a visit might be that the time might be limited to an hour in a night in consequence of the care of the camp upon my saints. however I will be thankful for even a few hours interview with

my Brother. I have so many things resting upon my mind that when I close I may find that I [illegible] not touched upon the most important part of your letter But as you have manifested such interest in my welfare & the cause in which I am engaged, I feel disposed at this time to lay before you my calling in life & that unreservedly so that you may have a view of the road in which I shall walk in this day & generation, My Dear Brother what I have done since I became a member of the church of Latter Day Saints I have done for myself & not another. I have done it to with my eyes open & not shut. I have done it in knowledge & not Ignorance, and I know before the living & true God that the cause in which I am engaged, is eternal truth & the work of God and that it will stand while Babylon falls to rise no more; it is the ##Daniel 2:45|little stone cut out of the mountain without hands##, it is the last covenant that God will make with Israel in pruning his vineyard for the last ^time^ [##Doctrine and Covenants 24:19##] & bestowing unto them his kingdom. If you ask how I know I answer by the word & spirit of God, by the open visions of heaven, & the revelations of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost & the gifts & graces of the same that follow the the believers if we have the spirit of Christ & comforter we may know of the doctrine whether it be of God. if we lack wisdom ask of God & we'll obtain it. [##James 1:5##] I despise the principle of being dependent alone upon the testimony of Adam, Moses, Abram, Daniel, Paul, or Joseph or any other man for my knowledge of a God, and God despises it to. If I am a saint of God, let me [unlock] the battles of heaven, & rend the vail of eternity. let me feel after God & see if I cannot find him when he is not ^vary^ far from every one of us, this dear Brother is my religion & privilege, & any thing short of this is folly. Is God unchanjable, are not his ways equal, then where are our privileges compared with the earnest Saints. O my soul mourns own the unbelief of man & the ignorance of the Earth. We talk of deception, & truly theirs is a world of it, & why should theirs not be, when their is a whole generation worshiping they know not [page torn] whether a God without mouth, eyes, ears, body, parts or passions as he does not revele [reveal] himself unto them, but theirs is no deception with the Saint in any age of the world who worships the living & true God of revelation. you will say then that my assertions are no testimony to you or at least are not satisfactory evidences of the truth of the work, and probably this is the reason why you say that my admissions are not satisfactory to you not being as explicit as you could wish. I answer I do not wish you to lean upon my testimony alone or any other mans for your knowledge of the work. yet if God sends a man in any age of the world by revelation to preach the gospel or deliver a message & any man rejects that testimony he is under condemnation. what is to be done then, I answer let a man ##Moroni 10:4|go befor God for himself and ask the Father in the name of Jesus Christ if these things are not so and he may have the witness for himself.## And I now say unto you Brother Asahel never receive the work in which I am ingaged because I say it is true, But humble yourself before God & covenant with him with full pupose of heart to walk in the light & truth. when he shows it unto you then ##Moroni 10:4|ask the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ if these things are not true & he will manifest the truth of it unto you## by his spirit. but see that you do not grieve the spirit by rejecting the light when shown you, ##John 5:39|search the scripture daily for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of all our doctines,## and if you receieve no testimony or light upon the subject stand where you are untill you come before the bar of God. then you shall know these things are true, thus to you own Master you must stand or fall. It is one of the greatest desires of my soul that you may see, understand, Believe & imbrace the work. Brother I am sensible I have not taken a systematical course of citing you to passages of scripture in proof of all our doctin as I have passed along from time to time but I am willing to do it as far as it is requested. ask me any questions you please I will endeavour to answer them in mekness & humility, for I feel a deep interest in the salvation of your soul & I beg the privilege of enjoying your society in a celestial kingdom. I said I wished to show you the road In which I shall walk in this generation. When I first embraced this work (we profess to be led by revelation) I was ordaining a teacher Jan 2^nd 1834, and a priest ^Nov 5 1834^. June 28, 1835 I was ordained an Elder. May 31, 1836, also a member of the Second Seventy. On the 3^rd of Jan. 1838 I was also ordained a member of the first quorom of the seventy Elders by revelation. And I have just received several lengthy letters from the President in Zion in which I am informed their hath baeen some vary interesting and important revelations lately received of the Lord, in which I am commanded in person to come immediately to that place viz far west and also to take upon me the Bishopprick or Apostleship of one of the twelve which have fallen away & that I am to take the parting hand with the saints in Zion, & to leave this contenant in company with the other eleven on the 26 day of April next & to cross the mighty deep to visit other climes to bear the keys of this last kingdom befor the kings & princes of the nations of the earth. Thus my Brother you see the path spread before ^me^. I am ready to go, my heart & soul responds Amen, I count not my life dear unto myself Truly the Lord choses the weak things. Brother Asahel be reconciled to my calling, be not troubled about me. I worship a God of Power, knowledge, and revelation, & he is with me By day and night. When I am sick he heals me when I am cast down he comforts me. When my enemies are upon me he tells me of it & shows me the way to escape He shows me by dreams visions & revelations all things that await me. I do not war as those that beat the air I know in whom I trust. Then Dear Brother go with us and you will say the half hath not been told you. The Lord hath had his eye upon you from your cradle. his unseen hand has mysteriously guided you from many dangers temporal, & spiritual. your afflictions are governed for your good, then arrive not against the providences of God Keep his commandments & you shall one day understand the cause of ALL

Asahel H. Woodruff Yours in the love of God

Willford Woodruff

(even if we had power so to do) and then [illegible] it upon the world for the revelations of God when they were his own make, judge so. Tis 3^rd No of the Elders Journal is now before the public printed in Missouri I expect they will come regular & I trust they you will obtain them so as to know something what is going on with us, I pray the Lord that you may yet see the cause of Jews & Gentile in its true light, & I hope yet before you die you will be an instrument in the hands of God, of sounding the glad tidings of salvation to some of the house of Israel in this generation yourself. O what tidings this would be to my soul, far more glorious to me than to hear that my Brother had obtained the riches of China or perue, or the honours of the East. I cannot yet believe that God hath bestowed upon you the mind you possess for nought & I trust it will yet be imployed with all its forcible powers in a cause that will do honour to a Saint. I can’t give it up, my vary soul shrinks at the idea, I am determin to plead with God for this desire of my heart to be granted while hope remains. But my paper is used up & my mind still pressed. The subject is as inexhaustable as the fountain of the Atlantic. Mrs. Woodruff remembers your complements with gratitutde & wishes to be remembered to you & ever share in your love & friendship. Excuses for poor paper & writing will not help you read this sheet

Asahel H. Woodruff

Willford Woodruff

[sideways text] Willford Woodruffs last letter written to Asahel before his Death in answer to his of July 22, 1838

25

Mr Asahel H. Woodruff Terrie Haute Indiana

Scarborough Aug 29

I am not so weak and unkind as for a moment to harbour the thought that any thing in your letter is written in unkindness or hardness. Brother answer your feelings, speak plainly, it is your right and duty so to do, and if I have the Spirit of Christ I shall never be offended at your honest plainness. I say with yourself God forbid that we should be under the influence of mormonism if it is not the work of God. I ask none of my friends to engage in it that have not the evidence and witness in & for themselves. I know the work to be of God and true for myself and not another and without this knowledge I never should have desired our father, Mother, sister, & other friends to have engaged in it and if those of my friends who have not engaged in ^it^ do not find it to be the work of God they will be much troubled to find a work which is of God in this generation. You see Brother that I speak plain and pointed myself but bear with me in these things for I speak them with the best of feelings under the consideration that I am accountable to God for all I certainly have had a chance to know for myself whether the work be of God or the devil as five years experience with Joseph & the Church in all their councils &c must leave me without dubiety upon my mind. I have much I would like to say to you upon this subject which I must defer untill another time as you see I am in close quarters so farewell for the present {Wilford Woodruff} [end of sideways text]

As you will discover from my writings that I am about to go to the west consequently it would be improper for any of my friends to send any more letters to the eastern country to me. I was informed by Sister Eunice that you thought of visiting your friends in Connecticut this fall should this be the case I shall, probably, not see you. as I pass through Terre Haute I should be pleased to have you visit your friends in the east for they would all be happy to see you. I should esteem it a great favor to me to have an interview with you but I would not wish you to defer your visit to the east on my account, for I know others wish to see you also, should it so happen that I should not see you as I go west you will please direct your next communication to far west, Caldwell, County, Missouri. I wish you to answer your mind freely & ask me any questions you wish, & it will be with pleasure and cheerfulness that I shall endeavour to answer your every question according to the best of my abilities. I am sensible that there hath many things transpired with us as a people that may appear strange to one at a distance, who has send the report of these things, & not known the circumstances under which they have transpired. I should like to have you give the Book of mormon and also another the doctrine & covenants another reading & let it be accompanied with prayer before God that you may have a knowledge of these matters & while perusing these Books consider the limited privilege of J Smith jr and then see if it appears rational that he or any other man could be the author of these things without the assistance of God again would the Lord suffer any man to prosper to bring forth such a Book as the doctrine & covenants