Mormon History, Feb 16, 1845

-- Feb 16, 1845
[Anointed Quorum] Sunday evening prayer circle meeting "at the Trustees' Office" . (1)

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 16th Sunday Met in a special Conference with Elders Hedlock, Ward, Holmes, Hardy, Ross, Miller, & manny others. W. Woodruff the president of the Churches in this relm took the chair as president of the meeting acompinied by his Councillors viz Elders Hedlock & Word. Conference opened at 10 oclok their being present the Presidency of the realm 5 High Priest 30 Elders 31 Priest 21 Teacher & 4 Deacons.

Meeting opened by singing & Prayr by the President. The meeting was Addressed by Elder Hedlock, & followed by Elder Ward who presented many important principles & truths to the Conference. I followed them. The spirit of the Lord was with us & we had an interesting time.

I dined at Br Thomas Shelden's with Elder Holmes. I truly felt to rejoice to have the privilege of associateing with Br Holmes in England as we had travelled much together in america.

We met with the Officers in the Hall before meeting & lade before them the business of the day.

We then met a vast assembly of the Saints. The Hall was crouded. Elder Hedlock arose & lade before the meeting the changes we thought wisdom to make in the manchester Conference. Was followed by Elder Ward. I arose & made some remarks upon the subject. It was then moved by Elder Charles Miller that Elder Milton Holmes be appointed to preside over the Manchester Conference. The motion was second & carried by A unanimous vote. Elder Holmes accepted the appointment. It was then moved & Carried with a unanimous vote that Elder James D Ross be appointed the Presiding Elder over the Manchester branch. He accepted the Apointment. Sacrament was then administered to the vast Congregation which took untill dark.

I went & took tea at Br Sheldons, met again at 7 oclock & had a good time. Elder Hedlock spoke of the plans that would be well to enter into for the temperal as well as spiritual welfare of the Church such as entering into the Manufacturers of various branches of trades &c all of which was interesting. When he Closed, He & Br Ward had to leave for Manchester Liverpool. They could scarcely get out of the house so many wish to shake hands with them.

After they left I arose & spoke about half an hour & enjoyed myself well. The spirit of the Lord was with us. Love & union pervaded the congregation. I was made glad with the seene of beholding so many saints united in the New & Everlasting Covenant.

I often thought I would like to see President Joseph Smith meet with a conference of Saints in England but he has gone. We can go to him but it is not expected he will come to us.

Our Conference closed with the best of feelings. A good impresion was made upon the minds of many. Their are many warm hearted Saints in the Manchester Conference. At the Close of the meeting I went home with Br Flint & spent the night. 4 m.

This day fulfilled a prophecy which I predicted in the house of the Lord in Kirtland Ohio in 1837 that I should attend a Conference with Elder Milton Holmes in one of the British Isles.

We had one of the most interesting conference I ever attended abroad in the vineyard. Much of the spirit of the Lord & union rested upon the vast Congregation of the Saints. I lade hands upon 12 & administered to them for sickness. At the Close of the Conference I went home with Br Flint & spent the night, And had the following Dream:

I visited the flouring mill in Farmington Ct. whare I found my Father Aphek Woodruff who had attended those mills for the last 30 years. I looked upon my father who appeared to be so infirm & feeble he could not walk & said he felt strang. I went to his help. He seemed to be struck with death. He fell into my arms. I called upon Uncle Ozem Woodruff who was present to come to my assistance. He did so & it seemed that father was about breathing his last, & I awoke, & their was a deep impression left upon my mind by the dream. I some fear I shall not behold my fathers face again in the flesh but time will determin.

I recieved a letter from Br H Clark. (2)

-- Feb 17, 1845
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 17th In Company with Elders Holmes Hardy Ross & Miller I rode to Newton Heath Manchester to Br John Armstrong. Had a good pudding for dinner containing a sixpens silver peace. Their was ten of us. The pudding cut into 10 peaces, I had the good fortune to get the sixpens. We had a piesent time together. We spent the evening teaching principle & singing.

I then returned to Manchester in Company with Elders Holmes Hardy Miller, Ross & Br & Sister Shelden Br & Sister Dunn Sisters Bradbury & Hewett. We called at Br Millers. Administered to his wife. Br Holmes & myself spent the night at Br Sheldens. Br Holmes has taken up his abode their whare he was made comfortable by the kind treatment of sister Shelden who is a worthy sister indeed. (2)

-- Feb 18, 1845
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 18th I wrote a letter to Elder H. Clark. I spent the fore part of the day at Br Sheldens. I visited Mr Thomas Holbrook at 37 Oxford Street Manchester. His Lady is a Saint at heart.

+ * [Asterisks are Woodruff's.] In the afternoon in company with Elders Holmes, Hardy, Miller, Ross, & sister Shelden, I visited the Mechanics Institution a regular Museum. Many intereting paintings, sculptures, machinery, & a great variety of ancient works. Among other things we saw the happy family consisting of a great variety of animals & birds such as cats, rats, squirrels, monkeys, hedgehogs, pigs rabits, dogs & a great variety of other animals & birds all in the same cage taking care one for the other. We saw many electerized.

We all returned to Br Sheldens & took tea. We each got our likeness taken or profile. We paid 6/ each.

In the evening we held a council with the officers of the Manchester in the Manchester branch. We had a good time.

I spent the night at Br John Druce No 6 Sand-ford street Broughton Road Salford near Manchester. 12 miles. (2)


Footnotes:
1 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45, http://amzn.to/origins-power
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies


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