Wilford Woodruff and James Townsend's observation of the heavens
Published October 5, 2026 at 5:49 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
While walking through the snow in Scarsmont, Maine, on the evening of February 21, 1838, Wilford Woodruff and James Townsend witnessed a remarkable celestial display around 7:00 PM. A light appeared in the northeastern horizon, spread to the west, and rolled over their heads with the appearance of fire, blood, and smoke, resembling contending armies. Woodruff recorded the event in his journal, noting the heavens were illuminated for half an hour, leading them to believe the veil was about to rend and that they were witnessing the signs in the heavens predicted by ancient prophets for the last days.
In Their Own Words
“On the evening of the 21st of February, as we came out of the school house, a light appeared in the north-eastern horizon, and spread to the west, and soon rolled over our heads. It had the appearance of fire, blood, and smoke, and at times resembled contending armies. The heavens were illuminated for the space of half an hour. It seemed at times as though the veil was about to rend in twain, and the elements were contending with one another. We looked upon it as one of the signs in the heavens predicted by the prophets of old as to appear in the last days. Brother James Townsend and myself stood and gazed upon it with wonder and admiration. It was a very cold night, and the snow was deep upon the ground, but the heavens were so brilliant that we could see to read a newspaper. This was a night long to be remembered by us.”
— Wilford Woodruff, Journal entry for February 21, 1838
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 5 September 1881 (Vol. 43, No. 36). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1881-09-05_43_36 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Additional sources (periodical research): Matthias F. Cowley, Wilford Woodruff: History of His Life and Labors (Salt Lake City: The Deseret News, 1909). https://archive.org/details/wilfordwoodrufffOOcowlrich Full first-person account: Wilford Woodruff Papers, Journal (January 1, 1838 – December 31, 1839), p. 74 https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/documents/22e14db2-30f8-4a6d-af51-132c66e05d8b/page/917750c6-6f43-4aca-9e4c-3cc8d3494966
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