[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ..In speaking of the Mahomitan religion He said it was not a new religion but a refermation of the Christian religion. Opium is sold in that Country for its weight in silver. There was a drug the people took which they received as a luxury. They would set Back to Back so as to not see Each others faces. If one sneezed all would Sneeze. He spoke of the Custom of the Druses. Their religion Caused them to bath often and they are temperate while many of the Christians of that Country are intemperate and filthy which Causes them to be weaker than the Druses which gives the Druses the advantage over the Christians in war &c. (1)
-- During 1860s
[Godbeites] By the 1860s Godbe was a bishop's counselor, Brigham Young's friend and protégé, and, as owner of the Godbe Exchange Building that housed the Godbe-Mitchell drug and sundry business, was one of the territory's ten wealthiest men. (2)
-- Jan 1, 1861
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] Jan 1st This is the commencement of another new Year and of a vary important year. Joseph Smith the Prophet said whoever lived to see 1860 would live to see the foundation laid for some most awful bloody wars and whoever lived to see those two figures Come together 1866 would live to see a day when the Earth would be deluged in blood in many places & there would be such awful distress & Calamity that it would be a vexation to hear the report of it. We may prepare ourselves for an awful time in the United States. The hand writing has been seen upon the wall And our Nations is doomed to destruction. The United States will be visited this year with much affliction more than they have ever seen since they have been a Free Government and it will increase yearly untill they are destroyed.
They are like the Ox going to the slaughter. They know not the day of their visitation. The Judgments of God await them because of their wickedness and while we are looking for the judgments of God to rest upon the United States & Great Babylon at large let us turn our Eyes towards Zion in these vallies of the Mountains and ask what State are the people in. Are they righteous & keeping the Commandments of God and preparing themselves for the great things of God which await them or are they lying, stealing, swareing, & mingling with the drunken? Yes many of those who are Calling themselves Saints are doing these things and they have great need to repent before the Lord, or they will Be damned & the Judgments of God will rest upon them.
South Carolinia Seceded from the Union Dec 20 1860.
[ ]
Missisippi Convention voted to Secede from the Union Jan 9 1861 Yeas 84 Nays 15.
Georgia Seceded Jan 10 1861 yeas 208 Nays 89.
Florida Seceded Jan 10 " signed 11 1861 Yeas 62 Nays 7.
Alabama Seceded Jan 11 " Yeas 61 Nays 39.
Louisiana Seceded Jan 26 " Yeas 113 Nays 17.
Texas Seceded Feb 1, 1861 Yeas 156 Nays 7. (1)
-- Apr 7, 1861
[Sermon] Brigham Young: The Gifts of God - Home Manufactures - Word of Wisdom - Happiness, JD 9:31 - 40 (3)
-- Apr 21, 1861
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 21 I met with my Quorum in the morning at the Historians office. I +***** found on the Table A Deseret Extra News Containing the latest pony dispatch which says that war has Commenced. Charleston Batteries opened fire upon Fort Sumter at 4 oclok on the 12 April 1861 and fired 2,000 Shot & Shell into the Fort in about 24 Hours & Anderson Surrendered the Fort on the 13 April. The Fort much Damaged two magazenes Blown up some 3 or 4 wounded on Both sides but no one killed. This is the Commencemet of the war at South Carolina in fulfillment of the Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1832.
I attended the meeting at the Tabernacle. John Taylor Preached followed By Presidet Young in the fore noon. Jacob G. Bigler John D. Chase & Parley P. Pratt in the afternoon followed by Presidet Young.
At the Close of the meeting, The Presidency, Twelve & Missionaries all met at the Historians Office. There were present B. Young H. C. Kimball D. H. Wells & W. Woodruff J Taylor & G. A. Smith of the Twelve. Presidet Young & Kimball W. Woodruff & J. Taylor laid hands upon the Heads of Nine of the Missionaries & blessed them & set them apart to go upon their missions. Presidet Young Blessed P. P. Pratt & George W. Grant & gave them each a great Blessing. Said they should become greater than there Fathers. At the Close of the blessing Presidet Young instructed the missionaries in vary plain term. Joseph Young & A. P. Rockwood ordained P. P. Pratt to the office of a Seventy. Presidet Young spoke of his being ordained as a President of one of the Seventies.
Presidet Brigham Young in his instructions to the missionaries said now I want you to remember what I say to you. Now take care that you do not get to Sleep & let the devil take the advantage of you. You may do that in an hour that you cannot regain through all Eternity. Now you have great priviliges & nothing but the attainment of the Throne of a God is worth the attainment of a Saint of God.
Your privliges are great. What is the privilege of the wicked? They want the privilege to get drunk to Hore it & kill each other. Is this a privilege? No more than it would be to stick your hand into a Burning Stove. We have the privilege of living to all Eternity and Enjoying Eternal life forever, while the wicked want to kill his Neighbor. Now I want to say to you all quit your Covetousness, and whether you have little or much give it to bring the poor to Zion.
And let the women alone, or it will prove a Curse to you. Here is George Grant. Has no wife. Now let him not think of a wife untill He gets back. This Corting women while you are abroad upon a mission is a miserable business. I would not give shucks for an Elder who Cannot go on a mission & keep Clean & Come back Clean. Now remember that. I have spent my Early life without women. Your integrity before the Lord is worth evry thing.
Many Elders go out get to sleep & do wrong and they Come back and are good for Nothing & never will be. They will do no good. I want you to go & Come back right. I Expet this off you. God Expets it off you and now go & do right.
President Kimball said, now take the bees for an Example. When they go out of the hive they go to make Honey. They do not make any bees while they are gone but they wait untill they Come back to the Hive. You should go & do likewise. Now do as Presidet Young has told you and God will bless you and you will Come back like a Child innocent.
G. D. Grant made a few remarks.
President Young said the Elders should take means with them to Carry them on there Journey to there field of Labor. He said $100 would Carry a man Comfortable to England. He spoke of his Travels with Brother Kimball East. The Lord gave them money.
He said that He got a letter from Capt Wm. H Hooper who said that no appointments had been done for Utah. The Utah Merchants were writing to washington to Block up Hoopers way. They want to get Harris Elected Govornor and all Gentiles officers. He said He was satisfied that if they were not fighting Each other they would fight us. Bennet of the Herald advised Hooper to recommend to Utah to organize an independant State government if the presidet did not give us our own officers. He said we should have many to Sustain us in it.
In speaking of the war in the United States Presidet Young Said the North would find much treachery among there armies. Anderson is playing in a deep game, and his fight at Sumpter is all a sham. He will try to get influence in the North untill He Can get the Command of an armey to deliver to the South and many play this game. The Nations would like to use us up but they Cannot do it. (1)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Utah History Encyclopedia: Godbeites, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/g/GODBEITES.html
3 - Journal of Discourses, http://jod.mrm.org
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
