Report on the Woodruff Stake

I take pleasure, my brethren and sisters, in representing the Woodruff stake of Zion. The Woodruff stake was organized about five years ago. It comprises the south half of Rich county, Utah, and the southern half of Uintah county, Wyoming, also taking in the Lucern valley in Uintah county, Utah. We have fifteen wards and branches in the Woodruff Stake. It covers a large area of country. Our stake extends east and west 125 miles, and about the same distance north and south. The mining and agricultural districts are divided about equally. That portion of the stake in Wyoming is composed principally of mining districts, and the Latter-day Saints are greatly in the minority; while that portion of the stake in Utah and in the Ft. Bridger country, Wyoming, is composed mainly of farming districts, and the people are mostly Latter-day Saints. We have erected five meetinghouses since the organization of the stake, all of which have been completed and paid for. We now have a meetinghouse in course of construction at Randolph, which will cost upwards of $15,000. It has not been finished yet. ¶

We suffered a great loss two years ago, after the organization of our stake, when so many of our people were called to colonize the Big Horn country, including President Sessions, my first counselor, and a number of other persons holding prominent positions in the Woodruff Stake. The Big Horn Stake was organized two years ago; previous to that time it belonged to the Woodruff stake of Zion: We met with another great loss in the Woodruff stake, through the closing of the mines at Almy, Wyoming, which caused the breaking up of the ward at that place. Almy was the largest ward in the Woodruff stake at the time of its organization. When the mines closed down, the people scattered throughout the states of Wyoming and Utah. I am pleased to say, however, that the tithes of the people have not diminished on account of this loss. We are paying more tithing at present than we were when the Almy ward was in a flourishing condition and when the Big Horn country was still included in our stake. So, we are increasing in number and good works. That barren country known as the Ft. Bridger country, over which so many of our fathers and mothers traveled in coming to these valleys, which was then, and up to a few years ago, a barren desert, now has many beautiful farms and homes. We now have a thriving people there. They have erected a large meetinghouse, and it is equipped with all the modern improvements. ¶

We are getting along very nicely with our neighbors in Wyoming, although, in many of the towns in which our people are located we are greatly in the minority, yet we are accorded all the rights and privileges that others enjoy. We find the people of Wyoming to be a broad-minded, generous and large-hearted people. They are willing to accord to the Latter-day Saints all the rights and privileges that are given to other people, and we are enjoying the friendship and fellowship of the people of that state. We love them, and love to associate with them. I am happy to say that some of the congressmen of Wyoming have had the courage to defend our people in the halls of Congress. ¶

All the organizations of the Woodruff Stake of Zion are complete. I have, indeed, been blessed with good counselors— men of wisdom, men of experience, who have been a support to me. We also have a good High Council, which is a help to the Woodruff stake. We also have good Bishops and good people in that stake of Zion. ¶

There is one thing that was brought to my mind this morning, while one of the brethren was speaking about the young people's moving away from his stake. We find that a great many young men and young ladies from Utah go to the mining camps of our stake, in search of employment. There are many temptations surrounding the young people in those places, which are not to be found in our agricultural districts in Utah and other places. So far as saloons are concerned, I believe we can boast of more saloons in the Woodruff stake than in any other stake in the Church. Every mining town in the stake has from 10 to 15 saloons, and I almost believe the people drink more beer than water; but it is not our people, as a rule. Our people who live there are nearly all temperate. Some of them visit the saloons, I am sorry to say. Some of the young people who go to the mining towns from our agricultural districts in Utah and other places, after getting married, being surrounded by these influences and no longer under the watchcare of their parents and the Priesthood— some of them partake of these influences and fail to attend to the duties that devolve upon them as Latter-day Saints. ¶

I will say in conclusion, that I have a testimony to bear of the truth of this Gospel. I know that it is true. I was born and reared in this Church, being born in Salt Lake City. I have had evidence, all my life, of the divinity of the work in which we are engaged. I know that this Gospel is a perfect law of liberty. I was freeborn, and I have been free ever since I was born. I have taken a great deal of comfort and pleasure in seeking the counsel and advice of those who were placed over me, and I want to testify to you, that I have profited in every instance by doing so. I know that those who are placed in the Church to lead us are men of God; they are men of experience; they are men of wisdom, and above all, they are inspired of God. It will be profitable to us as Latter-day Saints not only to take the advice that they may give us from time to time, but to seek for their counsel and advice continually. May God bless us and help us to do this, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶