JULY 1^st 1838. On this seventh month the first day of the month and the first day of the week
which is called Sunday some of the most important events transpired with me that I ever witness-
ed since I had a being, events worthy to be recorded upon the ARCHIEVES OF HEAVEN o or to
be engraven with an iron pen & laid upin a rock forever upon the EARTH. For I know that my Redeemer
liveth & he hath this day given me with my friends a victory over the Devil that tries the souls of men that dwell
upon the face of the earth. My Father Aphek Woodruff, the son of Eldad Woodruff, which was the son of Josiah
Woodruff, is a man that hath been seeking religion & the favor of God & light & truth for many years at times, & for
more than 20 years have a numerous circle of friends made his case a subject of prayer & pled with God in his
behalf. But as oft as my father hath strugled for a victory over sin & its influence heretofore Satan hath temp-
ted him & hindered him from gaining the victory. But since I had be[c]ame a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints &
entered the New & Everlasting Covenant & had a dispensation of the gospel committed unto me, I felt a deeper interest
than ever in the salvation of the soul of my Father. I had now come to declare a message to my father & his houshold
& teach them words whareby they might be saved. I began to cry unto God for my father & his houshold & the Lord
showed me in a night vision that a great victory was nigh, but the devil fell upon the whole household with great
wrath & tempations some of the time one was ready to fall back & rejiect the gospel & then again annother. his
power rested upon me at the same time as if to devour me at once but after being confined to my bed for several
hours under his grasp, in the name of Jesus Christ I with my friends birst the powers of darknes. I went & stood befo
re the people & declaired the gospel of Jesus Christ, & shout O Heavens and rejoice O earth for the victory the Lord
hath given us for after preaching the gospel to the peopl, I immediately assembled upon the bank of Farmington river
whare there was much water & lead six of my friends into the waters of Baptism five of them were my relatives
viz my Father, my Mother, & my ownly Sister Eunice, aunt Anna Cossett, & Cousin Seth Woodruff & the other was
Mr Dwight Webster a methodist class leader. We returned from the water rejoiceing & confirmed them by the laying
on of hands at my fathers house. I organized this small branch of the Church being 9 in number 8 of which were my relatives
I ordained Brother Dwight Webster to the office of a Priest. I communed with these Saints, & unbosomed my feelings unto
them which closed the scenes of this interesting day which have come to pass in fullfilment of my patriarchal blessing under the hands
of the Patriarch JOSEPH

Written upon what came to pass on the in fulfillment of Revelation

O GOD my heart inspire my pen direct while I record this scene of thy
mercy this blessing of thy love a blessing promised me by the testimony
of JESUS CHRIST. Could I claim it yes by faith all things are possible even that
my parents & friends could in the new covenant with me stand. Without shame
I stood the gospel to declare. It was a sword to pierce the hearts of my friends.
The day had come: they felt that God had sent they must obey. O'er the thresh-
hold of my father's house I walked accompanied by my friends, towa-
rds the appointed place we bent our way untill upon the rivers bank we
stood. All nature spread her fields of pleasing green. The canal
bold in her bed lay ready her inland commerce to convey. The sun
shed forth her golden beams to gladden earth while the silver
stream was rolling at my feet as if to say I am ready for thee
amid this scenery with feelings better imagined than described
I cast my eyes upon the audiance while we sung praises to the
God of Israel. Who would not have bowed the knee while offe-
ring the sacrifice of the heart and imploreing the blessings of hea-
ven that the spirit of God the candidates & the waters might
pervade. As from our knees we arose I entered the wattery element
and asked who was ashamed of the bed whare Jesus lay. Many
eyes were turned to behold this scene and deep solemnity veiled
their faces while I took my Father by the hand, my Father did I
say yes HE covenanted to walk with God and for the remission
of his sins I Baptized him. Feeling the victory won my Mother
followed his steps and by obediance was sealed a Saint a member
of the kingdom. Eunice my sister my ownly sister was ready, her
noble soul by Ephraim's spirit inspired her garb of pride had rent
and broke the gentiles chain, fearless of the world's despiseing
she freely recieved the watery bed her Master to imitate while her
firm example should say celestial glory is my boast the garb of
Saints my pride

For the consolation of Israel Anna long had look'd and rejoiced
that she could now the ancient path persue, upon the scene her
daughters gazed as if to say Great God prepare us likewise thy
will to do. Seth in his early youth was not to young his God to se-
rve, he desired to follow the example of his father, mother, and brother
that they might be one. Ozem, Hannah, and John, the parents & brother
of Seth were baptized on the 12 of July 1837 as my Journal declares
Dwight though not of consanguine blood to me desired baptism
at my hands for by the blood of Christ we were united,
thrice the cross he strove to pass & as oft the spirit pressed his
honest soul & he submitted to obey. Thus ended this scene of
wonder shall I say? yes and of mercy to, for heaven counten-
ance'd the deed for it was Gods command an ordinance of the
gospel. TO be permitted to stand in ones own native land and the gosp
el of JESUS CHRIST to declare in the last dispensation & while
dividing the word through the power of the priesthood to his kindred
his townsman to behold the pride of the great, the rich, the lea-
rned, by the spirit of God humbled at his feet then to exper-
ience the living reality of a Father, a Mother an ownly sister
meekly with other kindred receiving the ordinances of the
house of God at the hand of their son and brother is to me
at least a scene of Interest. As we retired from the rolling
stream to a Father's roof my spirit was ready to say forget this
not O my soul regard it as the mercy of thy God while thou dost
pay thy vows thy covenants fulfill. While upon the head of these
Saints my hands were lade I implored the mercy of God for the
Holy Ghost upon them to rest & guide them right. The bread and wi-
ne was bles'd & we partook to remember him who died for us. O, Eternal
God these Saints inspire, protect, support, & defend untill in Zion they stand
and with celestial glory crowned an heir with GOD AND CHRIST

WILLFORD