Letter to the Millennial Star, 5 August 1840
TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.
Beloved Brother,
Since Elder G. A. Smith
and myself left Manchester for the
purpose of going to the South of Eng-
land, we have visited the churches
which lay on our route, and found
them universally prospering and re-
ceiving additions. We preached in
Leek on Sunday, July 10th, and Elder
Smith baptized six persons after meet-
ing; and numbers were also baptized
in the churches at the Staffordshire
Potteries while we were there. We
passed through West Bromwick and
Birmingham, and found numbers who
were anxiously wishing for some of
the Elders to visit that region and
labour among them. We arrived in
Ledbury, Herefordshire, July 22nd,
and we have spent about two weeks
in visiting the churches through this
region, and I am happy to inform to
you that we have found the Saints
universally rejoicing in the truth, and
the work progressing upon every hand.
Elder Richardson has baptized about
forty since he came, and Elder Kay
about twenty; they are both much
blessed in their labours. Elder
Kington is labouring constantly in
this wide field which is under his
care; and he, with the Elders and
Priests generally thorugh this region,
are blessed with many souls as seals
of their ministry. We baptized
forty on Sunday last in this region,
making 250 baptized since the Con-
ference. The churches now number
in this region about 800, and appear
in a very prosperous state, and I pray
the Lord of the harvest to thrust
forth more laborers into the vine-
yard, [Matthew 9:38] and to roll on his work with
mighty power until all the honest in
heart and meek of the earth from
among men, embrace the everlasting
gospel of the lamb of God, and par-
take of those blessings which God has
in store for his Saints. We are ex-
pecting Elder Kimball every hour,
and soon after his arrival we shall
leave the Saints in this region, for the
purpose of visiting the city of London,
and warning the inhabitants thereof,
and of preaching the gospel unto
them. May the Lord go before us
and prepare the way and give us ac-
cess to the hearts of the people, that
good may be done and the kingdom
of God roll forth: to his end we ask
an interest in the prayers of all Saints.
Your brother in the everlasting gospel,
W. WOODRUFF.
