135 years ago today - Feb 8, 1886

Glory Hallelalulah to God and the Lamb for his mercies Endureth forever. Let all the Earth Praise the Lord. The History of this day is one of the Most important Events of my life and is well worth a place in the Records of the History of the Church. ... Brother Franklin D Richards Came in and Anounced that Our Office was all surrounded by a body of Marshals.

I imediately locked up my Papers in a draw[er] Put on my Overshues hung up my overcoat and took a survey of our position. I saw we had some 20 Marshals surrounded the Gardo House & Our Office and there was No Escape. Brother Erastus Snow & myself were the ownly two Persons that they would be liable to arest. We went up into a small Bed Room & locked ourselves in & we were there an hour watching the Marshals guarding outside while others were searching the Gardo House. They searched that Building from top to Bottom also the Lion & Behive House & Presidets Offices and were searching the Tithing Office and after we had Been Shut up an hour in our little bed Room like two Rats in a trap we thought it was not wisdom for us to be caught in that.

Brother Milando Pratt thought they were about to search the office. Brother Snow & myself then went down into the Lower Room occupied by F D Richards. We saw the front of the Office occupied By the marshals. I saw we had got to take some desperate Chance and But Little time to do it in. The Marshals wer all around & many were gath[er]ing in the Streets. At first the Brethren seemed to think that one of the Brethren had better drive a Buggy up to the door and I Better try my hand at getting in to that and 2 Buggies were Driven up. I prayed in my heart for the Lord to direct me. At that instant Brother Jenson stept in to the Room with his glasses on. I put my Glasses on. I said to Brother Jenson I will walk with you across the street to the other Office.

We walked out of the door to the gate together. There was a Marshal [on] each side of the Gate & a Dozen more on each side of the side walk leading to the Gardo & Greenman Coming up on the west with the squad of Marshals who had been searching the Tithing Office and we walked right through betwen the two lines of Marshals to the Crossing from the Gardo House to the Presidts Office and then Crossed the Street into the office through all the Marshals perhaps 20 of them & many of the Brethren who had gathered in the Street.

And the Eyes of all the Marshals was Closed By the power of God and all they saw was Jenson quite a smart Danishman and me an other Old Codger of a Danishman. The saints knew me. The Marshals did not. ...

Now from this House [Hour] Let not Wilford Woodruff, Erastus Snow nor any other Saint Ever distrust the God of Israel or the Son of God from Protecting or Delivering any servant of God who should be delivered, and whenever it is otherwise it is because it is the will of God as in the Death of the Saviour & of Joseph & Hyrum Smith.

[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]