Wilford Woodruff Journal 1: 27 Distinct Times God Preserved His Life from Death — Woodruff's Own Accounting

Wilford Woodruff was, by his own count, preserved from death on at least 27 separate occasions — a lifetime record that he cited publicly and that gives the title 'A Chapter of Accidents' to the second chapter of his biography written from his journals.

At the close of 1895, Woodruff wrote a personal summary of his life in his journal:

'My life abounds in incidents which to me surely indicate the direct interposition of God whom I firmly believe has guided my every step. On 27 distinct occasions I have been saved from dangers which threatened my life.'

The documented list from his journals includes:

- Both arms broken separately in different accidents

- A leg broken

- Injury to his breastbone and ribs

- Near-drowning (more than once)

- Nearly frozen to death

- Scalded severely

- Gored by an ox

- A runaway horse that dragged him

- Bitten by a dog thought to be rabid

- Poisoned by skinning a diseased animal (1856 — healed by Brigham Young)

- Attacked by evil spirits who choked him and sought his death (healed by three angels)

- A lightning strike that destroyed the spot where his carriage had stood

- Wagons that overturned, steamer ships that nearly sank, and other frontier dangers

In addition to these physical preservations, he recorded being warned in dreams and by the Spirit on multiple occasions of dangers he would otherwise have walked into.

His biographer Matthias F. Cowley wrote: 'Satan, knowing the power for good that Brother Woodruff would be, if permitted to live, has often sought to effect his destruction. The adventures, accidents and hair-breadth escapes that he has met with are scarcely equalled by the record that the former apostle, Paul, has left us of his life.'

Woodruff himself saw each preservation as evidence that God had a specific work appointed him — to record the history of the Restoration, to serve as President of the Church, to dedicate the Salt Lake Temple, and to issue the 1890 Manifesto that allowed Utah statehood and preserved the Church from federal dissolution.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I have broken both legs—one in two places—both arms, my breast bone and three ribs, and had both ankles dislocated. I have been run away with by a team of horses, and had my carriage smashed to pieces. I have been drowned, and restored to life. I have been frozen, and restored to life. I have been scalded, and restored to life. I have been bitten by a mad dog. I have been poisoned, and restored to life. I have been shot, and had my clothes riddled with bullets. I have been gored by an ox, and had my entrails let out. I have been caught in a water-wheel, and had my body crushed. I have been struck by lightning, and had my clothes burned off my back. I have been in a house that was blown down by a hurricane, and had my body buried in the ruins. I have been in a steamer that was blown up, and in a ship that was wrecked. I have been in a mob, and had my life threatened by them, and have been in many other dangers, and yet I am alive today.