THE YEARS 1866, '67, '68.

New Year's Greetings.—Evil Spirits Rebuked.—Love for Little Ones.—Drawings in His Journal.—Mrs. Godbe's Dream.—Brigham Young's Remarks on the Atonement.—Sept. 5, 1867, Joseph F. Smith Selected as One of the Twelve.—Amasa Lyman Dropped from Twelve.—School of the Prophets.—Move to Provo.—Grass-hopper War.—Advent of the Railroad.—Remarkable Prophetic Utterances at Logan.—Visit to Sanpete.—Call to First Presidency of Geo. A. Smith.—Accident to His Son Ashael—Summary of 1868.

New Year's Day, 1866, found nine of the Twelve Apostles at home. Elder Woodruff says they met at ten o'clock in the Historian's Office in a body and went across the street to the home of President Young where they greeted him with the compliments of the season, and in return received his best wishes and blessings. They then called upon Heber C. Kimball and paid him their compliments. He, in turn, blessed them and prophesied respecting the future blessings which awaited them. To Orson Hyde he said: "You shall overcome all things, conquer in the end, without a spot or blemish, and shall be crowned with glory in the presence of God, as Joseph saw you thirty years ago." "Brother Franklin has passed through trials and will also be vindicated in the end." "I will say concerning Schuyler Colfax, who aspires to the Presidential chair to the downfall of the Latter-day Saints, that he shall go down as Douglas did and shall be a disappointed man." They then called on President Wells, to whom they extended a like greeting. After this they called upon Apostles George A. Smith and John Taylor. Apostle Taylor provided three sleighs and they all drove to Orson Pratt's home, where they greeted his family, he being on a mission at that time. They paid their respects to Mayor Smoot and Governor Durkee. These New Year calls having been made, they made their way to the home of John Taylor, who provided the company with a New Year's dinner.

After giving an account of his labors in the Historian's Office for the months of January and February, Apostle Woodruff's journal of March 17th contains the narration of a peculiar circumstance which transpired at the City Hall. The police had in their custody a man possessed of evil spirits. He was a raving maniac. Elder Woodruff called to see him, and being alone with him, he laid his hands upon the man's head and commanded the devils to leave him. They obeyed; and the man became instantly sane and begged Elder Woodruff to take him to his home. The latter complied, and the man remained in a sane condition of mind until about one o'clock the following morning, when he again became possessed. Again Elder Woodruff rebuked the evil spirit. The man was relieved and remained quiet until morning. There were some subsequent attacks upon this unfortunate, but through the power of faith, he was healed.

Elder Woodruff's journal is devoted to a narration of family life as well as to those of public services. His heart is full of love for his wives and children, and he felt especially tender toward the little ones. On May 4th he said: "My grandson, four years old, brought wood to me nearly all day. I told him I would record it in my journal so that he could read it when he became a man." This was a little thing, but that is one of those little things that showed the appreciation and gratitude of Apostle Woodruff toward the humblest and most child-like of those who administered to his wants. There is something remarkable about the appreciation of Elder Woodruff for what was good and true and beautiful in life. Good sermons always delighted him for they were food to a hungry soul.

June 3rd, 1866, Elder Woodruff recorded a synopsis of a sermon delivered by President Young, who took as a text, "If I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." "I considered it in some respects the greatest sermon I ever heard in this dispensation." He also referred to the sermons of Orson and Parley P. Pratt and of President Joseph F. Smith, who was then a young man. Elder Woodruff was free from envy and was not swayed by ambitious motives. In his journal of June 24th he says: "Joseph F. Smith spoke an hour and fifteen minutes, and the power of God was upon him. He manifested the same spirit that was upon his uncle, Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and upon his father, Hyrum Smith."

On the first of July following, he makes this record, respecting the words of President Young at the close of a prayer circle which had just been held by the Presidency and some of the brethren. As they were about to leave, President Young spoke up: "'Hold on. Shall I do as I feel led to do? I always feel well when I follow the promptings of the spirit. It has come to my mind to ordain Brother Joseph F. Smith to the Apostleship, and to be one of my counselors.' He then called upon each one of us for an expression of our feelings and we responded with our hearty approval. Joseph F. Smith was then ordained under the hands of Brigham Young and the brethren present to be an Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to be a special witness to the nations of the earth. He was further ordained to be a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church."

As the summer days opened, and travel was facilitated by the warm weather, frequent tours were made to the various towns and stakes of the Church. On these visits of President Young, Wilford Woodruff's presence was almost always noticeable. He did not delve much into the mysteries of the kingdom, but was a safe counselor in matters of every-day life. His own example afforded excellent encouragement to the Saints in the development of every industry required in those times. His spiritual nature was fed by the ordinances in which he officiated in the house of God. When ever possible he went there to officiate and to take part with his brethren in administering both to the living and to the dead.

Wilford Woodruff had a curious practice in keeping his journal of making some peculiar or appropriate drawing at the head of some particular event of which he wished to take notice. These drawings, no doubt, helped him in after years to find the record of these events in lieu of an index. For example, there may be seen at one place the drawing of a number of coffins. The drawing suggests Baptiste, the grave-robber. The drawings are more significant than artistic; however, they were no doubt helpful in locating certain events to which at some future time he might wish to refer.

Under date of March 29th Elder Woodruff said: "My attention was called to a dream of Mrs. William Godbe published in the Deseret News of 1867. The dream related to life in the spirit world, and gave the experience of herself and others there. It awakened much interest among the people and was the subject of general conversation. Elder George Davis, who drove an express wagon, asked his wife if she thought the dream was true; and when she replied that she believed it was, Elder Davis said that he felt like going into the spirit world to see for himself. Elder Davis read the dream over to his wife three times, and finally said to her: 'If I should die to-night or to-morrow it would be alright.' Early in the morning he went with another man to get a load of gravel. He had thrown into the wagon only a shovelful when the bank caved in upon him and he was buried about three feet. His companion dug him out as quickly as possible, but he was dead."

Elder Woodruff preached the funeral sermon, and regarded the man's death as an evidence that there are times set for our departure from this life. Such circumstances as that always made a deep and lasting impression on Elder Woodruff, and his thoughts, feelings, and desires seemed close to the world beyond.

Soon after the April conference of that year, President Young set out upon one of his tours through the southern settlements of the Territory. It was a sort of triumphal procession. Everywhere the Church leaders were received with manifestations of a heart-felt welcome. Sunday school children lined the road sides and helped make the occasion in the different settlements one that would be long remembered. Efforts had been made among many non-Mormons to cast discredit upon the character of Brigham Young and lessen his influence over the people. It was that influence that was bitterly contested. The people, however, knew the voice of their shepherd and gave him the strongest assurance of their love and fellowship.

At Fillmore, on the return trip, May 12th, the speakers, in their turn, emphasized the subject, "The Necessity of the Atonement." It was the home of Amasa Lyman, who was breaking away from his moorings and advocating a strange doctrine respecting the atonement of Jesus Christ. In his remarks at that time President Young said: "There never was, and never will be, a world created and redeemed except by the shedding of the blood of the Savior of that world. I know why the blood of Jesus was shed, and I know why the blood of Joseph and Hyrum was shed, and why the blood of others will be shed in the future. It is all to answer a purpose. Adam subjected himself to the conditions of this world as did our Lord and Master, that redemption and exaltation might come to man. Without descending below all things, we cannot rise above all things. The gospel of salvation will never change. It is the same in all ages of the world and will be through all ages of eternity."

It was not long after their return to Salt Lake that a trip of the leaders was made to Provo, where a new meeting-house had been erected and was to be dedicated. Elder Woodruff made the following description of it: "It is built after the Presbyterian order. It has a pulpit in it, a very narrow one, that gives but little room to stand in, and there is barely room for three or four on the stand behind it. The house has been twelve years in building." In his discourse to the people from the pulpit he said: "I thank God with every sentiment of my heart that I have lived to see a Presbyterian meeting-house filled with the Saints of God, and the pulpit occupied by the Apostles of the Lamb, who have dedicated this house unto the Lord." This meeting-house still stands in Provo, but is now superseded by one much larger and more commodiously arranged.

The leaders on their return from Provo made a visit to Logan. Here, President Young is quoted as saying that the ten tribes of Israel are on a portion of the earth,—a portion separated from the main land. This view is also expressed in one of the sacrificial hymns written by Eliza R. Snow:

"And when the Lord saw fit to hide
The ten lost tribes away,
Thou, earth, was severed to provide
The orb on which they stay."

It was here on the 5th of September, 1867, Elder Joseph F. Smith was selected to be one of the Twelve Apostles, he having been ordained sometime before as an Apostle without having been made a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. He was sustained at the general semi-annual conference which took place between the 6th and 9th of October.

That conference was one of unusual interest to the Saints. The new Tabernacle was then completed and between eight and ten thousand people met to honor the occasion and attend conference. The organ was not quite completed. It was designed to have two thousand pipes, but then had only seven hundred and fifty.

At this conference one of the brethren spoke upon the God-head. The discourse met, in the main, the views of President Young. The latter, however, said: "When any man publishes or preaches his peculiar views he should not say they are the views of the Church." At the close of the meeting President Young talked very plainly with him about saying that such and such were the doctrines of the Church; about telling what would have been if Christ had not died; if Adam had not fallen; or if there had been no Savior prepared, the world would not have been created.

The conference was further characterized by the call to Dixie of a hundred young men. Instructions were also given on the laws of life and health. A simple life was urged upon the people. President Young further impressed upon young ladies the necessity of some sort of business education. He thought they should study telegraphy, learn to keep books, and prepare themselves for the lighter vocations of life.

The conference had its shadows. Much that was taught was no doubt a result of peculiar views which Amasa Lyman preached. This Apostle was dropped from his position in the Quorum of the Twelve.

Elder Woodruff recorded the marriage on October 12th of his son Wilford to Emily Jane Smith. To the father, the ordinance was in keeping with man's express duty to his God and his obligation to the Church. He thought it was a circumstance in a young man's life which called forth a prayerful desire to serve the Lord. Indeed, such sacred obligations as marriage should never be undertaken without resorting to prayer for God's guidance.

The organization of the School of the Prophets was again taken up and effected on the 16th day of December, 1867. Its members met in the City Hall. It had been organized in earlier days of the Church by the Prophet Joseph through revelation, and was designed for the spiritual growth and development of the Saints of God. Of this school Elder Woodruff was a devoted and active member.

The winter of 1866 and '67 was an open one. Up to January 1st the ground was bare. The weather was warm and there had been a considerable fall of rain. The winter months of that spring were occupied by Elder Woodruff in legislative work.

He had with him at that time two Indian boys whom he undertook to educate. One was called Moroni, the other Sarrowkeets. The latter, he sent to a private school taught by Elizabeth Cowley in her home in the Fourteenth Ward. These Indian boys, in one way or another, caused him considerable trouble, yet he bore with them patiently and sought to educate them and provide for them a father's care. Moroni died as a boy. Sarrowkeets or "Keets," as he was familiarly called, yielded to the wandering spirit of his ancestors and left home. It is supposed that he was run over and killed by a Short Line train four miles north of Salt Lake City.

In his journal of January 21st he recorded some instructions given to a body of the priesthood. "Who was Michael, the Archangel?" "He is Adam, who was Michael in the creation of the world. It will take all the ordinances of the gospel to save one soul as much as it will take to save another,—the dead as well as the living. Jesus Christ Himself obeyed all the ordinances of the gospel that He might fulfill all righteousness. Therefore, those who have died without the gospel will have to receive it in the spirit world from those who preach it to the spirits in prison. Those who dwell in the flesh will have to attend to all the ordinances of the gospel for and in behalf of the dead."

Continuing, he remarked: "There are some keys which the Prophet Joseph held which no other man held while he lived. So it is with Brigham Young. The keys of the sealing power are held by the President alone, although he permits others to administer in this ordinance.

"When I was baptized into this Church, I was observing the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord, and not the first day of the week; but I knew that the Latter-day Saints were the people of God, and had the true Church of Christ; and if I had had a hundred traditions I would have laid them all aside."

Elder Woodruff observed that in the School of the Prophets the brethren were instructed not to dabble in astrology, or any system which might contain a mixture of truth and error. Not one ray of light had ever been thrown upon the principle of salvation in the practice of clairvoyance and spiritualism. These subjects are not such as men can act upon with the ordinary intelligence God has given them.

In the early part of the year 1868, Elder Woodruff, John Taylor, and Joseph F. Smith with others were called to Provo for the purpose of assisting in the work to be done there. Abram O. Smoot was elected as mayor, and Elder Woodruff with others, constituted the City Council. The town was in need of a new spiritual life. It also needed strong men to guide its destinies and make it a center of one of the leading stakes of the Church. Elder Woodruff, however, did not long remain there, and upon receiving his release returned with his family to Salt Lake City.

When he reached Salt Lake City, he found there a letter from his brother Azmon, who had embraced the gospel when he did in the state of New York. The brother, however, was in a dissatisfied state of mind. He wrote letters occasionally to Wilford in which he set forth some of his objections to the work. In reply to these letters, some of which were copied in Wilford Woodruff's journal, he spoke to his brother with great plainness, told him about his wives and children, and gave a strong defense of the principle of Plural Marriage.

This was the year of the grasshopper war. Swarms of them had swept over the country. They were so thick at times as to cloud the rays of the sun. The struggle with these insects was rightly characterized as a war. It is difficult to realize at this distance of time what it meant in those days to protect the crops against the ravages of the grasshopper. All the ingenuity and device that men could bring to their assistance were used in the effort to save out of the ruins enough bread for winter use. Furrows were ploughed, nets were devised, and by these different means Elder Woodruff says in three days they caught and destroyed one hundred and seventy-five bushels of grasshoppers. Elder Woodruff gave to that war all his strength and ingenuity.

We next find him, according to his journal, grubbing willows, breaking land, building bridges, digging ditches, constructing roads, erecting fences, barns, and houses. He was, indeed, a model of industry. He was as pliable in spirit as he was in body. All honorable work was God's work, whether he dug a ditch, preached a sermon, or wrote history,—with him it was all alike for the glory of God. In 1868 Apostle Woodruff made a record of the enthusiasm which he, in common with others, felt over the advent of the railroad. It was approaching the Territory from both the east and the west. There was considerable agitation about its location. President Young and others had taken contract for the construction of the road-bed. Where the railroad entered Utah was of course to them a matter of great importance, as Salt Lake City was the headquarters, and its future possibilities seemed wonderful to them. On the 10th of June Elder Woodruff walked from his farm on Canyon Creek to Salt Lake that he might take part in a mass-meeting which was to discuss the entrance or place of entrance of the roads into the Territory. Should these trans-continental lines meet in Ogden or Salt Lake City? To their minds Salt Lake City was the place. In that event, the road would go south of the lake, instead of north of it. Those, however, whose word was final in the matter decided to make Ogden the Junction City, and plans were at once entered into to construct from that place to Salt Lake City a branch line.

With the advent of the railroad, the interests of the Territory became so diversified that there were subjects to interest and occupy the non-Mormon and Mormons alike. There were more public platforms on which all might stand with equal interest.

Heretofore, the Fourth of July had been the principal occasion for universal celebration; this year it was observed in the customary manner. All the Sunday schools of the city marched to the Tabernacle, with them were enough grown people to make an audience of some ten thousand. Addresses were delivered by Governor Durkee, George A. Smith, General A. L. Chattan, and George Q. Cannon. Colonel E. H. Head was orator of the day. The Twenty-fourth was also appropriately celebrated by the Saints.

In August the leaders visited the settlements north as far as Logan. In his address there Elder Woodruff said: "When I was a youth, I felt that I would have gone hundreds of miles to see a prophet or an apostle of the Lord, or any other man called of God and inspired to preach the gospel of Christ in its fulness and purity. Now, as I travel through the country I see thousands of children, also men and women who behold prophets, apostles, and elders. They greet President Young, the Twelve, and others as we travel through the country. This is an excellent practice, as it will make a lasting impression upon the minds of all, especially the children. They will never forget it. When they meet in the years which are to come they will converse upon the scene of this visit something as follows: 'Oh! what a great change has taken place since the Prophet Brigham Young and the Apostles visited Logan in 1868. Then, it was a new country. There were a few settlements and only about ten thousand people, all told, in Cache Valley. Then, we had no tabernacle in which to worship—no Temple of the Lord stood upon the bench to the east of the city. Now, we have a great tabernacle, a beautiful Temple of the Lord, from whose summit we may view the glory of this valley filled with cities and towns from north to south. Then, our fields were filled one-half with sun flowers and noxious weeds. Now, they are properly tilled and no man occupies more land than he can cultivate properly.'"

On the return from this trip, a journey was taken by the leaders through the settlements south of Sanpete. The disagreements between the authorities and many non-Mormons of those times had created an enthusiastic determination on the part of the people to stand by their leaders. The efforts to imprison Brigham Young and to bring reproach upon his name only awakened the stronger their confidence and love. When the company reached Nephi many women and children came out to meet and greet him. They built a large pyramid of evergreens with the word "Welcome" woven into it. Their enthusiasm kindled into a heartfelt expression, "Blessed are they that come in the name of the Lord." There was a grand ovation wherever the leaders went.

President Young, however, was not exalted in his feelings because of these attentions. The welfare of the Saints was a matter of deep concern to him. The Saints were admonished to abandon the use of tea, coffee, and tobacco; to cease to use liquor; and not support those in the country who were the deadly enemies of the Saints—those, who, enriching themselves by their patronage, were sending lies abroad against the people. At Nephi the stake of Zion was organized with Elder Jacob Bigler as president.

On reaching Mt. Pleasant, the enthusiasm of the people exceeded even that at Nephi. "It was the greatest display and the largest procession I ever saw outside of Salt Lake City." At Ephraim there was a torchlight procession. There, President Canute Peterson was selected to preside over the priesthood in that place. He subsequently became president of the Sanpete Stake. At Ephraim Elder Woodruff recorded in his journal the following: "I had an interview this morning with a Danish brother by the name of Soren Christensen, a man seventy-five years of age. He had lived under five reigning kings of Denmark and had served as a soldier under Napoleon. He was a very strong man."

The leaders returned for general conference which convened that fall on the 6th of October. "It was the first time for thirty-two years," said Elder Woodruff, "that all the Quorum of the Twelve had been together. The last time before this was at the home of Elder Heber C. Kimball in Kirtland. They were then contending one against the other, and Brigham Young prayed that all the Quorum might never meet again until it could meet in peace and union. The entire Quorum never met since then until this day." Only three of the original Quorum still remained. They were Brigham Young, Orson Hyde, and Orson Pratt. The Quorum at this time consisted of Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Chas. C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith. At this conference George A. Smith was called to the First Presidency of the Church to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Heber C. Kimball, and Brigham Young, Jr., was called to fill the place made vacant in the Quorum. He had, however, been previously ordained as an apostle.

On October 26th of that year, Elder Woodruff recorded a circumstance of a misfortune that befell one of his sons. The Indian boy "Keets" whom he had taken to raise, in a fit of surliness left his post of duty at the molasses mill where he was feeding the rollers. No one was left to take the Indian boy's place except Elder Woodruff's little son, Ashael, then only five years old. While the child was feeding the mill, his right hand was drawn between the rollers and badly crushed. The father and mother immediately brought him to the city where the thumb and two of the fingers were amputated by Dr. Ormsby.

December 8th he recorded the death of Daniel Spencer, president of the Salt Lake Stake; and on the 9th, the death of Leonora Cannon Taylor, wife of President John Taylor.

In closing the record of the year 1868, he made a summary of his labors for that year. He traveled one thousand three hundred and four miles, attended one hundred and seventy-six meetings, preached seventy-nine discourses, attended thirty-two prayer meetings with the Presidency and Twelve, twenty-six meetings of his own prayer circle, two general conferences. He labored twenty days in the Endowment House, gave endowments to two thousand and twenty-five persons, married four hundred and nine couples, out of a total of one thousand one hundred and nine for that year. He officiated in other ordinances for eighteen persons, met with the School of the Prophets forty-seven times, baptized one, confirmed one, blessed one child, met in a council with the body of the priesthood three times, met with an Irrigation Company twice, and while in Provo met four times with the City Council. During the year he wrote eighty letters and received sixty. He attended the legislative council forty days. Besides all this, he labored on his farm plowing, planting, reaping, and irrigating. He killed about three hundred bushels of grasshoppers. What a marvel of industry!