[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 17th I left Boston in rail Cars. Rode to Saco. Fare $2.75. I walked one mile & rode 4 mile in John Coles [pung?]. Paid 75 cts. He bought Luther Scammons Place.
I called upon sister Foss found her well in good helth faith And Spirits. I Found Her accompanied by Phebe Foss & Phebe A Woodruff who I found to be a large fleshy girl. I soon Caught her in my arms & kissed her. I took dinner with Sister Foss & went with her to Father Carters in a waggon. We had to go through John Fabyan lot the lane was so drifted with snow. I Found Father Carter & Fabyan all well & Rhoda. I think Mary has Failed. She was pleased to see me.
We all spent the night at Father Carters And had a good time. Father bears his age well. He informed me that Mother Carters spirit appeared to him almost evry night. A few nights Ago she was with him put her Arms around his neck And leaned upon him. Father asked her why she did so. She says because I pitty you.
During the evening I informed Father Carter of Phebes last request that Father would be baptized & recieve the Priesthood And my feelings were vary peculier when he informed me that He had had a desire at times of Being Baptised by an Elder of the Latter Day Saints And thought if I would stay over another day He would be baptized. I immediately consented to do so for I felt willing to make any sacrifice in my power to accomplish so desireable an object And be enabled to carry such glad tidings to his worthy Daughter Phebe who had made the request at his hands. In fact I was so over whelmed with Joy at the thought that my eyes sent forth A fountain of tears of Joy And gladness. I spent A vary plesent evening with him.
I knew it would require much faith And perseverance for him to go foreward in that ordinance in his old age in the midst of Cold weather with the ground coverd with snow And the water with Ice. I read And Prayed with them And retired to there front Chamber.
I spent the night alon for the last time in that House probably in this life. I bowed my knees & offered up my Prayer to God for Father Carter & all the family esspecially for my Dear Wife And Children with whom I had spent many A sweet hour beneath that roof And who are truly worthy. O How I want to see them. My Prayer to God is that they may be preserved from sickness And death.
I had many peculier meditations upon my bed during the night. I thought of the whole family esspecially the sacrifizes that Phebe And myself had made together. I felt more anxious than ever that we might spend an eternity together with the posterity which God had given us. But I fell asleep And when I awoke the sun was shining in my Room.
The Morning came And disappointment came with it for I found on enquiry that Father Carter had made up his mind not to be Baptized this time. As the other page will show He firmly believed in the book of Mormon And in our faith but could not get an evidence that it was his duty to be baptized at this time. I laboured hard to take away his objections but his mind was made up And I saw it Could not be Changed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[source: 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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