Elder J. Lloyd Woodruff's Providential Night's Shelter in a Graveyard

“We called on the minister, but he was not at home. His wife, however, told us that they did not entertain ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing,’ and that as we did not belong to their church we should have to sleep in the mud. At last a kind lady took us to the hotel, but the owner said he had no room for us. In fact, they threatened to mob us, and some of the roughest of the saloon loafers followed us out with the injunction to give us a beating. However, they did not carry it out, and we went away unmolested ; but the question where we should sleep still remained a question, and not being able to find shelter with the living we turned to the dead, and going to the church yard made a bed among the graves. It had rained all afternoon and was biting cold, but my other experience had taught me that rain and wind are not invincible foes, and that the Lord is very near to those who trust Him. The sequel will prove our trust was not in vain. We had been there about an hour, Brother Jones was asleep with his head in my lap, and I was just dosing off when I heard steps approaching and saw the rays of a lantern dancing along the path. When the bearer saw us he became somewhat excited ; but we soon calmed his fears, and to his questions answered who and what we were, and the reason for our being there. He said, ‘This won’t do, come with me.’ With thankful hearts we followed him, he took us to the minister’s barn, he being the coachman, and made us a good, comfortable bed. It is a curious fact that he did not know why he went prowling around the churchyard at that uncannie hour. We asked him if he did it often, or if it was part of bis work. He said, No, it is not, and I never did it before, and to tell the truth I don’t know why I did it to-night, I had no reason whatever. But to us it was no mystery why he had left his room to take that lonely midnight walk. — Millennial Star 63:19”