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PROPHETS PATRIARCHS
OF THE
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter -Day Sail
Cowley's Talks on Doctrine
BY
K. COWUEY
ONE OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES
PUBLISHED BY BEN. E. RICH
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
1902
Bancroft- I ibrt4
INDEX.
SUBJECT PAGE
Apostasy 323
Authority. Divine 378
P>aptism 414
Benson, Ezra T 20G
Book of Mormon 488
Cannon, George Q l.~2
Cannon. Abraham H 286
Charity 47.",
Church, The 3.V>
Church Organization H72
Clawson, Rudger 800
Cowley. Matthias F 21)2
Divine Authority 378
Eternal Rewards and Punishments 406
Faith 402
Gathering of Israel 446
God, Personality of 388
Grant, Jedediali M 131
Grant, Heber J 269
Holy Spirit, Reception of the 420
Hyde, Orson 184
Kimball, Heber C 118
Lund, Authon H T 171
Lyman. Francis M 244
Marriage 41)7
Merrill, Marriner W 279
*-
Millennium 501
Mormon, Book of 488
Obedience 470
Patten, David W 177
Personality of God 383
Pratt. Orson. . 199
IV INDEX.
SUBJECT PAGE
Pratt, Parley P ; 191
Pre-Existence 4:26
Keception of the Holy Spirit 420
Repentance 40
Restoration of the Gospel 338
Resurrection 480
Revelation 394
Rich, Charles C 212
Richards, Willard 125
Richards, Franklin D 229
Salvation for the Dead 430
Smith, George A 138
Smith, Hyrum 36
Smith, Hyrum M 315
Smith, Joseph, Sr 5
Smith, Joseph 9
Smith, Joseph F 99
Smith, John 114
Smith, John, Fourth Patriarch 56
Smith, John Henry 253
Smoot, Reed 310
Snow, Erastus 219
Snow, Lorenzo 86
Taylor, John 59
Taylor, John W 274
Teasdale, George 261
Tithing 459
Wells, Daniel H 147
Winder, John R 166
Woodruff, Wilford 69
Woodruff, Abraham O 301
Young, Brigham 42
Young, Brigham, Jr 238
PROPHETS if PATRIARCHS
OP THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
BY
MATTHIAS K. COWLKY
ONE OF THE APOSTLES
PUBLISHED BY
BEN. E. RICH,
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
1844
JOSEPH SMITH I1YRUM SMITH
PROPHET AND PATRIARCH
(BROTHERS)
1901
JOSEPH F. SMITH
JOHN SMITH
PROPHET AND PATRIARCH
(BROTHERS)
PREFACE.
'HE BIOGRAPHIES of Ike Apostles and Patriarchs of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter --Day Saints, by Apostle
Matthias F. Cowley, were written for the li Southern Star."
When that periodical suspended publication not more than
half the letters from Brother Cowley had been published. The
biographies which did appear, howiver, were very popular among the
Elders and Saints of the Southern States Mission, and numerous culls
came for them from the West.
They are written in a simple and easy slyle, abounding in interesting
incidents and valuable historical facts.
It was the desire and original intention of the author to submit the
biographies of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies and Presiding Bish-
opric for the readers of this little volume, but not having these prepared for
publication, and the opportunity presenting itself, almost ivithout learning,
for the publication of those already prepared, it was thought best to leave
them for a subsequent edition.
As the articles contain much valuable information, and (heir publica-
tion will be instrumental in doing good, I accept as a labor of love the
pleasant task of presenting, in book form, all of Apostle Cowley 1 s biographies
to the u Star" those which appeared, those which were ready for publication
when the paper suspended, and a few recently prepared.
BEN. E. RICH.
Chattanooga, Tenn.,
January, 1902.
JOSEPH SMITH, SB.
Among the commonality of the many respectable class of
sturdy English who emigrated from the old to the new world,
was one Robert Smith, who, with his wife Mary, settled in
Essex, Mass., about the middle of the seventeenth century.
The posterity of these worthy people went through all the
training so necessary to qualify them for the great struggle for
liberty that was so soon to follow. Samuel, the son of Robert
and Mary, born January 26, 1666, married Rebecca Curtis
January 25, 1707. Their son. the second Samuel, was born
January 26, 1714; he wedded Priscilla Gould, and their son
Asael was born March 1, 1744. Asael Smith wooed and won a
typical New England lass, Mary Duty, and on July 12. 1771,
was born the character of this brief biography, Joseph Smith,
the father of the prophet of the nineteenth century.
Born, as he was, while yet the dark, ominous clouds of war
hung heavily over the peaceful horizon of the embryonic re-
public, it is not unreasonable to suppose that his plastic mem-
ory retained many incidents of the long, weary years of that
unequal contest, and it is only natural to presume that some of
those memories were closely interwoven with his father's sol-
dier life. But it is not this period of his life that we will em-
phasize. Suffice it to say that he sprang from some of the old
revolutionary stock that has made it possible for its descend-
ants to become freemen in all the term implies.
On the 24th of January, 1796, Joseph married Lucy Mack at
Tunbridge, in the State of Vermont. She was born July 8,
1776, just four days after the declaration of independence.
For many generations the men of these two families Smith
and Mack had been tillers of the soil, and it was only natural
after his marriage for Joseph and his young bride to settle on
their little farm at Tunbridge, and pursue the honorable avoca-
tion of their ancestors. This they did for a few years, and
their perseverance, industry and frugality surrounded them
with the comforts of life, placing them on an equal footing
with the well-to-do farmers in their vicinity. This prosperity,
6 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
so much to be desired, was of brief duration, for the dishonesty
of a trusted friend and agent, robbed them of their surplus sav-
ings and left them plunged in debt. It is too often the case, as
we journey along life's rugged highway, viewing the wrecked
fortunes of those we love, that we observe the hidden cause of
such disasters to be almost invariably misplaced confidence.
Possessing that high regard for honesty that so characterized
his ancestors, Joseph, together with his helpmate, sacrificed all
of money value and possessions, even the homestead, which had
endeared itself to them as Lucy's treasured dowry, and offset
every just claim that was held against them. During this
period of their early married life, God blessed them with three
children, namely: Alvin. born February 11, 1799; Hyrum,
born February 9, 1800, and Sophronia, born 'May IS, 1803.
Left entirely without means and home, Joseph rented his father-
in-law's farm, which was located at Sharon, Windsor county.
Here he moved his little family with the hope of retrieving that
which he had lost. By tilling the soil in summer, and teaching
the village school in winter, Joseph restored to his family, in a
measure, the home comforts they once enjoyed. But God's
ways are not man's ways. Joseph and Lucy, like their Elder
Brother, had to learn obedience by the things which they suf-
fered, that they might be all the more qualified for the import-
ant work that God would shortly require at their hands even
that of bearing and rearing a prophet. Their son Joseph, the
Prophet, was born December 23, 1805.
While at Sharon, though diligent and industrious, Joseph and
his family were pursued by poverty and illness, so that those of
the family who were able had to work hard for a sustenance.
Being thus almost exclusively engaged in trying hard to repair
his shattered fortunes, Joseph found little time to pay attention
to the desire that lay nearest his heart, that of educating his
children and preparing them for life's battles and difficulties.
Afterward he moved from Sharon, and later, in 1815, left the
State of his nativity, that in so many ways had been so unkind
to him and his, and setting his face westward, he journeyed
into the wilds of New York, locating at Palmyra, Ontario
county. Here he engaged in clearing land and preparing a new
home for his family, who joined him four years later. At this
place, and in the adjoining town of Manchester, he dwelt for
JOSEPH SMITH, SR. 7
several years. With the severest toil, assisted by his young
boys, he could only compass a frugal mode of life. Joseph
Smith was not a man to be ruled entirely by circumstances,
and occasionally we find him rising above them, devoting some
hours of each week to the careful development of the intellects
of the children that God had entrusted into his care.
In addition to those already named, the offspring of Joseph
and Lucy Smith are as follows:
Samuel, born March 13, 1808, at Tunbridge, Vt.
Ephraim, born March 13, 1810, at Royalton, Vt.
William, born March 13, 1811, at Royalton, Vt.
Catherine, born July 8, 1812, at Lebanon, N. H.
Don Carlos, born March 25, 1816, probably at Palmyra, N. Y.
Lucy, born July 18, 1821, probably at Palmyra, N. Y.
With such a large family to rear and educate, Father Smith's
time was solely occupied. Little from this period until his
Prophet son stirred the whole religious world with a strange,
but not a new doctrine, is known of Joseph Smith, Sr.
During the eventful life of his sons Joseph and Hyrum, he
was ever their true friend, wise counselor and loving father.
When the shafts of persecution were hurled with cruel force
at his beloved sons, he too bared his breast to the poisoned
darts of bigotry, begotten of the adversary, and suffered in
common with them. His life's attitude toward the unpopular
cause that his son, the Prophet, represented, even in its tender
beginning, is evidence to the careful observer that he pos-
sessed deep down in his heart the God-given assurance that it
was of God. This testimony remained with him from the time
of that beautiful day in early springtime, when his 14-year-old
Joseph told him of what he had seen in answer to his prayer,
until the day of his death.
In the due course of time the Church was organized, and
Joseph Smith, Sr., became a member on the date of its organ-
ization April 6, 1830 and later became its first Patriarch.
As to his labors in the Church, and the closing scones of his
rigorous and honest life, I prefer to close this brief sketch with
the words of his son, the Prophet:
"He was the first person who received my testimony after I
had seen the angel, and exhorted me to be faithful and diligent
to the message I had received.
PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
"In August, 1830, in company with my brother Don Carlos,
he took a mission to St. Lawrence, N, Y., touching on his route
at several Canadian ports, where he distributed a few copies of
the Book of Mormon, visited his father, brothers and sister,
residing in St. Lawrence county, and bore testimony to the
truth, \vhich resulted eventually in all the family coming into
the Church except his brother Jesse and his sister Susan.
"He removed with his family to Kirtland in 1831; was or-
dained Patriarch and President of the High Priesthood; was
a member of the first High Council, organized on the 17th of
February, 1834.
"In 1836 he traveled in company with his brother John 2400
miles in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and
Vermont, visiting the branches of the Church in those States,
and bestowing patriarchal blessings on hundreds of people,
preaching the gospel to all that would hear, and baptizing
many.
"During the persecutions in Kirtland in 1837 'he was made a
prisoner, but fortunately he obtained his liberty, and after a
tedious journey in the spring and summer of 1838, he arrived
at Far West, Mo. From there he fled under the exterminating
order of Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs, and in the midwinter made his
way to Quincy, 111., from whence he removed to Commerce
(afterward Nauvoo) in the spring of 1839.
"Through these exposures he contracted consumption, of
which he died on the 14th day of September, 1840. He was
six feet two inches high, was very straight, and remarkably
well proportioned. His ordinary weight was about two hun-
dred pounds, and he was very strong and active. In his young
days he was famed as a wrestler, and, Jacob-like, he never
wrestled with but one man whom he could not throw. He was
one of the most benevolent of men, opening his house to all who
were destitute. While at Quincy, 111., he fed hundreds of poor
Saints who were flying from Missouri persecutions, although he
had arrived there penniless himself."
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH.
JOSEPH SMITH, th great Prophet of the nineteenth century,
was born in the little town of Sharon, Windsor county,
Vermont, Doc. 23rd, 1805. Like the parentage of the Messiah
and the ancient Prophets, his parents were poor in the riches
of the world, yet rich in the possession of those noble traits
of character which go to make men good and great in the
sight of Him, "who judgeth not by the seeing of the eye nor
the hearing of the ear," but knows the hearts of all His child-
ren.
Joseph Smith was a descendant, on both sides of his house, of
the early founders of New England, and, indeed, of the gov-
ernment of the United States. He imbibed from his progeni-
tors a veneration for God, and love for human liberty. Dur-
ing his entire career, he upheld two great truths which strongly
characterized the Latter-day Saints. One was, that all man-
kind should have the privilege of worshiping Almighty God
according to the dictates of their own consciences, "let them
worship, how, where, or what they may;" the other was, that
the Constitution of the United States was framed by the in-
spiration of the Almighty that rested upon the patriots who
founded our government. Throughout life he maintained this
doctrine by precept and example, and impressed his people
so strongly with these views, that they have become the house-
hold teaching of parents to children in all the Stakes of Zion
and branches of the Church.
The example of the Prophet's parents taught him to be in-
dustrious, temperate, virtuous, God-fearing and honest in all
the transactions of life. Those who knew him intimately
from youth to the time of his martyrdom in 1844, testify that
these splendid qualities marked his life without variation from
childhood to the grave. He had five brothers and three sisters,
all well disposed, honest, industrious and upright people.
When Joseph was about ten years of age the family removed
to Palmyra, New York, and four years later to Manchester
in the same county. He was then fourteen years of age; old
PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
enough to think and reason for himself. It was a time of re-
ligious enthusiasm, and Joseph became greatly interested in
matters of religion. He began to inquire relative to the sal-
vation of his soul. In this condition of mind he attended a
joint sectarian revival, held by Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte-
rians, etc. He listened attentively, with a prayerful heart,
the inclination to criticise being farthest from his thoughts.
During the proceedings of the revival, he became keenly im-
pressed with two great facts. One was, that while the various
sects all professed Christ, they entertained conflicting views
relative to the doctrines which Jesus and His Apostles taught
as being essential to salvation. The other important lesson
he learned was, that the ministers of the denominations repre-
sented, were jealous and envious of each other in relation to
the converts which came forward and joined the respective
churches represented on that occasion. He concluded that God
was not the author of this confusion, and that he could come
to no certain knowledge of the truth from men preaching con-
flicting theories, yet each saying of his own denomination,
"This is the way, follow me."
Under these circumstances of uncertainty, Joseph betook
himself to a careful reading of the Scriptures. His heart
was prayerful. He was honest to God and man. He wanted
to know the truth. He knew, as 'all right thinking people
must know, that all conflicting creeds could not be acceptable
to God, for He is "not the author of confusion," but of peace
and perfect order. In his perusal of the New Testament, he
came to the first chapter and fifth verse of James, which reads
as follows: "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall
be given him," etc.
Joseph was deeply impressed with this sacred promise. He
knew that he lacked wisdom. He could not obtain that wis-
dom from uninspired men, whose theories of God and the
plan of salvation were a plain contradiction in themselves.
He must, therefore remain in darkness or take the advice of
the Apostle James and ask of God. He determined to pursue
the latter course. The following account of the exercise of his
faith is in his own language:
"It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in
JOSEPH SMITH.
12 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the spring of 1820. It was the first time in my life that 1 had
made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never
as yet made the attempt to pray vocally. After I had retired
into the place where I had previously designed to go, having
looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down,
and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I
had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by
some power which entirely overcame me, and had such aston-
ishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could
not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed
to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
But exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out
of the power of this enemy which 'had seized upon me, and at
the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair, and
abandon myself to destruction, not to an imaginary ruin, but
to the power of some actual being from the unseen world,
who had such a marvelous power as I had never before felt in
any being. Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a
pillar of ligiit exactly over my head, above the brightness of the
sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no
sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy
which held me bound. When the light rested upon me, I saw
two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all descrip-
tion, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto
me, calling me by name, and said, (pointing to the other): 'This
is my beloved Son, hear Him.' " Pearl of Great Price, pages
59 and 60.
As soon as Joseph recovered himself, he asked the personages
which, of all the denominations, W 7 as right. The answer was
that none of them were right, and none of them had been
founded by the Almighty. He was commanded to join none
of them. "They teach for doctrine the commandments of men,
having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
This was his first vision, and oh, how glorious ! Af cer cen-
turies of spiritual darkness, the heavens are again opened,
the Father and the Son make their appearance and give
commandments unto man. Soon after this glorious vision Jo-
seph related his experience to a preacher, when, to his great
surprise, the professed minister treated it with great con-
tempt, and like the Pharisees of old, said it was all of the
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 13
devil. But Joseph knew, like Paul, that he had seen a vision,
and he knew that God knew it, and that he must bear witness
of it to the world. From this time on, the youthful Prophet
became the subject of bitter persecution. Yet he wavered not,
but faithfully testified that he had seen a vision, and none could
truthfully deny it.
God has a right to show Himself to whomsoever and when
ever He pleases. Furthermore, Jesus Himself taught: "And no
m>an knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the
Father is but the Son. and he to whom the Son will reveal
Him." ("Luke x:22. ) Instead then of such a manifestation bo-
ing unreasonable or unscriptural, it was an actual necessity in
the establishment of the "Dispensation of the Fullness of
Times." Joseph kept the commandment to join none of the
sects. He says: ''I continued to pursue my common avocations
in life until the 21st of September, 1823, all the time suffering
severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both re-
ligious and irreligious, because I continued to affirm that I had
seen a vision." Pearl of Great Price, p. 61. Those who should
have been Ms friends if they believed him wrong, instead of
trying in kindness to show him his error, ridiculed him, and
without reason or charity, heaped upon him persecution in va-
rious forms.
After retiring to his bed, Sept. 21st, 1823, Joseph was calling
upon God in all humility for forgiveness of all his weaknesses
and imperfections, when suddenly the room was filled with
light, and in the light appeared a most glorious, heavenly being.
This personage said his name was Moroni, and that he was
sent of God. The messenger proceeded to inform the young
man that he was chosen of God to accomplish a great work in
the interest of human redemption, and that his name should
be had for good and for evil among all nations. This prophecy
has been, and is being, remarkably fulfilled wherever the Gos-
pel in purity is preached, and the name of Joseph Smith is
known among the nations. His name is cast out as evil among
the wicked those who "love darkness rather than light ;" who
deny the revelations of God. But those who are honestly seek-
ing for truth, and investigating the calling of Joseph Smith, are
always led to hold his name for good, and hand it down to pos-
terity as the name of a great Prophet of the Most High.
14 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
The messenger quoted many passages of the Bible which he
said would be fulfilled in this dispensation, among them Joel,
chap, ii :28-29 ; Mai., chap, iii ; Acts, chap, iii :22-23 ; Isaiah, chap,
ii, and said they were about to be fulfilled. He also showed
Joseph where a book was deposited in a bill near by. It was
written upon gold plates, and gave an account of the ancient
inhabitants of America, their origin and destiny. It recorded
the fact that the Church of Christ had been established among
them, and that before and after Christ, many mighty Prophets
wrote and spoke upon this continent. Indeed the ancients of
America were they of whom Jesus spoke to the Jewish Apostles
when He said, "Other sheep I have which are not of this
fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd." St. John x :1F.
The angel Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph three
times the same night, repeating each of his preceding instruc-
tions, and adding to them, thus preparing the mind of the
youthful Prophet for the great work before him. These visions
occupied almost the entire night.
On September 22, 1823, Joseph visited tihe hill where the
plates were deposited, and at once recognized the place as the
one shown him in vision the night before. He says: "On
the west side of the hill, not far from the top, under a stone
of considerable size, lay the plates deposited in a stone box.
The stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper
side, and thinner toward the edges, so that the middle part of
it was visible above the ground, but the edge all round was
covered with earth. -Having removed the earth and obtained
a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with
a little exertion raised it up, I looked in, and there indeed, did
I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breast-
plate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay
was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement.
In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the
box, and on these stones lay the plates and the things with
them." I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden
by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for
bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it arrive
until four years from that time; but he told me that I should
come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 15
that I should continue to do so, until the time should come for
obtaining the plates." Pearl of Great Price, p. 66.
The Prophet obeyed this injunction, and each successive year,
on Sept. 22nd, met the angel Moroni on the sacred spot, and
received from him many preparatory instructions. The angel
had told him previously that because of his indigent circum-
stances, he might be tempted to obtain the plates for worldly
gain, but if he entertained such a thought he could not have
them. They were to be published to all the world for the sal-
vation of the human family and the glory of God. In the
meantime, Joseph and family being poor, he was obliged to
work with his hands at daily toil for a livelihood. He was
engaged by a Mr. Stoal, of Chenango county, New York, to la-
bor with other employes to develop a silver mine. From this cir-
cumstance arose the silly story that Joseph was a "money
digger." During his employment by Mr. Stoal, Emma Hale,
daughter of Isaac Hale, was married to Joseph on Jan.
IS, 1827. On Sept. 22nd, 1827, he received the sacred plates
from which the Book of Mormon was translated. The reader
will find evidence that such a record was to come forth by
reading the Eighty-fifth Psalm, eleventh verse; Isa. chap, xxix:
9-12; and Ezekiel chap. xxxvii:15-21. No sooner had it become
known that he had received these plates than persecution be-
came more intense. Several attempts were made to wrest
them from him.
On the 15th of April, 1829, Oliver Cowdery came to Joseph
Smith, having been led to him by the Spirit of the Lord. This
was their first meeting. On April 17, 1829, Joseph Smith com-
menced the translation of the Book of Mormon into the Eng-
lish language. Oliver Cowdery acted as scribe. Joseph trans-
lated by the gift and power of God, using the Urim and Thum-
mim, an instrument used by ancient seers to translate lan-
guages. The following month, while translating the plates,
Joseph and Oliver found mentioned the doctrine of baptism for
the remission of sins. They retired to the woods to inquire of
the Lord respecting this subject, when a messenger from heaven
appeared to them, laid his hands upon them and ordained
them as follows (May 15, 1829) : "Upon you, my fellow-serv-
ants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron,
which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and the
16 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Gospel of reprntance, and baptism by immersion for the re-
mission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the
earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto
the Lord in righteousness." Pearl of Great Price, p. I'O.
This messenger was John the Baptist, the forerunner of the
Messiah in ancient times, the messenger before His face in
latter times. Read Malachi, chap, iii :l-4. He was the man who
held the keys of the Levitical Priesthood, the authority to ad-
minister in the outward ordinances of the Gospel. He com-
manded them to baptize each other, and thus was established,
in the last days, the authority of God upon the earth to bap-
tize in water for the remission of sins.
The Prophet Joseph subsequently moved to Pennsylvania
and continued, as circumstances would permit, the transla-
tion of the Book of Mormon, until it was completed. The first
edition, consisting of five thousand copies, was published to
the world early in the year 1830. Since then the Book
of Mormon has been published in Danish, Italian, French,
German, Welsh, Swedish, Hawaiian and Spanish, and trans-
lated into other tongues, but not yet printed. The -progress
in publishing this sacred volume in different tongues, points
to the fulfillment of prophecy that it should be read by
the people of every nation. During the translation Joseph
was assisted by Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, David
Whitmer, his wife, Emma Smith, and others. While engaged
in the work of translation, many important revelations were
given to the Prophet, and many important, yet trying events,
took place which served to test the faith, sincerity, devotion,
courage and integrity of this youthful Prophet of God. All
these manifestations and the grea/t work accomplished up to
1830, took place before he was twenty-five years of age. In
the meantime, himself and Oliver Cowdery had been visited by
Peter, James and John, and received under their hands the
Melchisedek Priesthood, which holds the keys to open the door
of the Gospel to all nations and establish in fullness the Church
and kingdom of God upon the earth.
Before the Book of Mormon was translated, Martin Harris
took some characters copied from the plates to Prof. Anthon,
a learned linguist in New York. The learned man examined
the characters and gave a certificate to Martin Harris, certify-
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 17
ing that they were correct characters from the Egyptian, and
that the translation was correct. He asked Mr. Harris where
Joseph obtained the plates. Upon being answered that an
angel of the Lord delivered them, Prof. Anthon asked for the
certificate which was handed him by Mr. Harris. Prof. An-
thon tore it up in anger, as he denounced the ministering of
angels in this age of the world. He told Mr. Harris to bring
him the book and he would translate it. He was answered
that part of the plates were sealed. Upon receiving this infor-
mation the professor answered, "I cannot read a sealed book.' 5
Little did he think that in using these words he was fulfilling
the prophecy of Isaiah, chap, xxix, and thus presenting to the
world a testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon. From
Prof. Anthon Mr. Harris went to Dr. Mitchell, who also pro-
nounced the characters true and the translation correct.
While translating, it was ascertained that three especial wit-
nesses were to be called by the Lord to witness the plates by
the gift and power of God. Accordingly, Oliver Cowdery,
David Whitmer and Martin Harris were chosen. They were
shown the plates by the same heavenly messenger, Moroni, and
they handled them with their hands. Their testimony, ex-
pressed in most solemn terms, is published to the world on
the fly leaf of each edition of the Book of Mormon. Notwith-
standing that these three men fell away from the Church
through transgression or neglect, they never, under any cir-
cumstances, denied their solemn testimony of the divine authen-
ticity of the Book of Mormon. On the contrary, they re-
peated their testimony time and again, and in their dying
hours, when soon to pass to the great beyond, they bore witness
that they had seen an angel and the plates from which the
Book of Mormon was translated. .
In the spring of 1882, the writer of this letter, in company
with President John Morgan, visited David Whitmer at his
home in Richmond, Mo., and found him firm and unflinching
respecting his published testimony concerning the Book of
Mormon. As showing how firmly riveted upon his memory
and how constant to this testimony this man was, an interest-
ing incident is related by President Ben E. Rich, of the
Southern States Mission. Elder Rich mailed his autograph
album to David Whitmer and requested him to write therein.
18 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
without the slightest suggestion as to what he should write.
To the joyful astonishment of Elder Rich, when the album was
returned, it contained these emphatic words :
"My testimony in the Book of Mormon is Truth."
"DAVID W'HITMER."
His associate witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris,
were equally constant to their obligation, and bore witness
to the end of their days that, they saw an augel and the plates.
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be
established."
On Tuesday, the 6th day of April, 1830, the Church of Jesus
Christ of L/atter-day Saints was organized with six members
in the house of Peter Whitmer, Sr., Fayette, Seneca county,
New York. The six members were Joseph Smith, Oliver Cow-
dery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Samuel H. Smith
and David Whitmer. No church organization could exist under
the laws of New York with a less membership than six.
Joseph Smith was the chosen head, the Prophet, Seer and
Revelator, and continued so when membership increased so
that the Presidency and Twelve Apostles could be organized
as in olden times, and subsequently Seventies, High Priests,
Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, after the an-
cient pattern.
The organization of the Church brought with it more per-
secution, and as it grew and prospered, Joseph's life was
many time.s endangered before it was finally taken. Healing
the sick, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and all the beautiful
gifts in the primitive Church, attended those who embraced
the restored Gospel then, as they do today, and always will,
and, as in ancient times, were attributed to Beelzebub, the
prince of devils. On one occasion, soon after the organ-
ization of the Church, a mob swore out a complaint against
the Prophet, charging him with being a disorderly person,
because, as alleged, he set the country in an uproar by
preaching the Book of Mormon, working miracles, etc. The
constable who served the warrant, was honest enough to inform
Joseph that the mob designed to capture him when the constable,
with the prisoner, should pass near where the mob was con-
gregated. The constable, however, finding the Prophet to
be an honest, upright man, fled with him in his wagon, so that
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 19
the mob failed to secure their victim. Joseph underwent a trial
and was honorably acquitted, the evidence showing that he was
a peaceable, orderly citizen in all respects.
As it would be impossible, in a brief article, to give in any
detail an account of the mobbings, trials and persecutions
through which this great man of God passed, it may be well
to here remark, that no less than thirty-nine times was he
brought before courts on trumped-up charges, tried, and each
time honorably acquitted, but still threatened. How like the
experience of our Savior ! When Pilate found Him innocent,
the rabble clamored for His blood, crying out, "Crucify Him,
crucify Him, and let His blood be upon us and our children !"
How terribly their words have fallen upon them. And in like
manner the men who comprised the mob, and the conspirators
who brought about the assassination of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, have come to a miserable end, having suffered the wrath
of God in the flesh.
At a conference of the Church, Sept. 1, 2 and 3, 1830, Joseph
received two revelations, found in Section 30 and 31, Doctrine
and Covenants. In one of these revelations, the Lord com-
manded the Prophet to open the door of the Gospel to the
Lamanites or American Indians, of whose forefathers the
Book of Mormon is a record. The brethren selected to perform
this great and important mission were, Oliver Cowdery, Par-
ley P. Pratt, Peter Whitnier, Jr., and Ziba Peterson. Previous
to Eider Pratt's conversion to the Gospel, he was a Campbell-
ite preacher, associated with Sidney Rigdon and others who
had established a large following in and about Kirtland, Ohio.
En route to the west, where they were destined to deliver the
glorious message to the Indians, they visited Kirtland, and
presented the Book of Mormon and the mission of the Prophet
Joseph to Sidney .Rigdon and his associates of the Campbellite
profession. Sidney Rigdon had never seen the Prophet Jo-
seph Smith, and never before heard the proclamation of "Mor-
monism." This fact is worthy of note, since the enemies of
the Saints have circulated the oft-repeated falsehood that the
Book of Mormon was the combined production of Joseph Smith
and Sidney Rigdon. It is also an interesting fact that the
Prophet predicted in the early opening of this dispensation,
that if the people would not receive the revelations from God
20 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
through him, then Lucifer would give them revelations to their
heart's content. Strange to say what is now known as Spir-
itualism, was not known in the United States until after the
organization of this Church, and then it commenced in the
state of New York. Today the spurious revelations of the ad-
versary are circulated broadcast through clairvoyants, medi-
ums, etc., giving no light, no knowledge of the great prin-
ciples of eternal life as enunciated by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well did Isaiah speak of these days, saying, "And when they
shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits,
and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter : should not a peo-
ple seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?" Isa. viii :19.
In 1831 the Prophet removed to Kirtland, Ohio, which had
now become the headquarters of the Church. On the 6th of
June, in that year, the fourth general conference of the Church
was held at Kirtland. The Saints numbered about two thous-
and at that date, and were constantly increasing. At the con-
ference, many Elders were called by revelation to go forth, two
by two, to preach the Gospel and baptize as the Apostles did in
ancient times. They were to journey westward, preaching and
baptizing by the way, and all were to meet in Missouri, where
the next conference should be held, and where, if they were
faithful, the Lord would reveal to the Prophet the location of
their promised inheritance.
Conforming to revelations already given, Joseph the Prophet,
accompanied by several of the brethren, left Kirtland, June
19th, 1831, on his first visit to Missouri. He reached Inde-
pendence, Missouri, July 15th, meeting the Elders who had
preceded him. Soon after Joseph's arrival at Independence,
the location of the city of Zion was made known to him by
revelation. Before his return to Kirtland, in August, 1831,
the foundation of the new city of Zion had been laid and the
site dedicated for a temple of the Lord. About this time, a
great stream of emigration started to the practically unexplored
regions of the west.
Soon after Ms return to Kirtland, the Prophet Joseph and
Sidney BJgdon retired to the quiet town of Hiram, Portage
county, Ohio, where they engaged in translating the Bible.
Besides this important labor, the Prophet was active in the min-
istry. He attended several conferences and was busy preach-
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 21
ing the Gospel in public and in private. Meantime persecution
did not abate, but was in active operation both in Missouri
and Ohio. March 25th, 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rig-
don were taken by a mob and treated in a most brutal manner.
The former was stripped, covered with tar and cruelly beaten,
and an attempt made to force a bottle of aqua fortis down his
throat. Notwithstanding this, the next day found the Prophet
declaring the Gospel to a public congregation. Sidney, how-
ever, was delirious for several days, as a result of the violent
treatment received at the hands of the mob.
In April, 1832, Joseph paid a second visit to Missouri and was
greatly pained to learn of the insults and injuries being heaped
upon the Saints, as hostilities had already begun of such in
tensity and bitterness, as to soon result in their complete
expulsion from Jackson county. After administering words of
comfort and instructing the Saints, Joseph returned to Ivirt-
land in June. Nov. 3, 1832, the Prophet's oldest son, Joseph,
was born.
On Dec. 25th, 1832, Joseph Smith received the revelation
on war, pointing out the great rebellion, which occurred twenty-
eight years later. During the winter of 1832-33 Joseph, by
inspiration, organized what is known as the School of the
Prophets, in which the Elders of the Church were instructed and
edified in .the things of God. Feb. 2, 1833, the Prophet com-
pleted the translation of the New Testament. July 23rd, 1833,
under commandment from the L/ord, the Prophet and his asso-
ciates laid the foundation corner stones of a Temple of the
Lord, the first in this dispensation.
March 18, 1833, the presidency of the Church was first organ-
ized in this generation. It consisted of Joseph Smith, president,
Sidney Rigdon, first counselor, and Frederick G. Williams,
second counselor. On Feb. 17, 1834, the High Council was
organized by the Prophet. It consisted of twelve High Priests,
presided over by the Presidency of the High Priesthood. This
High Council is a pattern of all High Councils in the Church,
one of which exists in every stake of Zion, presided over by
the Presidency of the Stake.
On May 5th. 1834, Joseph Smith, with one hundred men,
started for Missouri. Their number was increased on the way
to two hundred five. This body of men is known in his-
22 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
tory as Zion's Camp. They were called by revelation. The
purpose of their mission was to carry supplies and comfort
to the grief-stricken, mob-ridden Saints in Missouri, and if
possible, to influence the governor to restore to, and protect them
in their rights in the enjoyment of their hard-earned farms
and homes. While en route, "Zion's Camp" encountered many
hardships, and some of the brethren, like Israel of old, mur-
mured against the Prophet of the Lord. Joseph reproved them
for their evil conduct, and prophesied that a scourge would
come upon the camp. June 22, 1834, cholera broke out in the
camp ; sixty-eight were attacked, thirteen died. Thus was
the word of the Lord through Joseph literally fulfilled. Arriv-
ing in Missouri, they organized a Stake, and returned to Kirt-
land July 9th, 1834.
In 1835 Joseph, who had a strong desire for education, es-
tablished a school in Kirtland and engaged Prof. Leixas to
conduct a class in Greek. Though Joseph, like the ancient
Prophets and Apostles, was unlearned when first called, at the
age of thirty he had acquired a marked proficiency in language,
philosophy and statesmanship. This desire for education and
great efforts to promote the same, have characterized the au-
thorities of the Church from that day until the present time.
On the return of Zion's Camp from 'Missouri, the work on the
temple, which had been retarded, was now prosecuted with
zeal and vigor until its completion. The building was con-
structed under very trying circumstances. Many were in pov-
erty. Persecution was in progress. The building cost $70,000,
and was supervised by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in addition
to all his other duties in public and private, at home and
abroad. It was three years in course of construction and was
the first temple of the Lord built in this dispensation. Since
then five others, more expensive, have been built by the Lat-
ter-day Saints, and others will be erected in these last days to
the honor and glory of God.
This temple was dedicated March 27th, 1836. The occasion
was a veritable pentecostal feast. Many enjoyed the gifts
of the Holy Ghost, and prophesied of things to come. Subse-
quently the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cow-
dery, also Moses, Elijah and other ancient Prophets came
in their order, as recorded in section 110 of the Doctrine
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 23
and Covenants. The Apostles, as of old, were endued with
power from on high, and went forth to the world with renewed
strength declaring the glad tidings of the restored Gospel. Fol-
lowing these remarkable manifestations, a wave of financial
inflation swept over Kirtland, and many of the Saints ran
wild in speculations. Many of the leaders became infatuated
with the false spirit, and when the panic of 1837 engulfed the
nation, disaster came to Kirtland. Many leading men apos-
tatized, and attributed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the very
evils which he had warned them against and sought by every
means in his power to avoid.
The Kirtland Safety Society Bank had been organized by
the Prophet Joseph, for the benefit of the Saints. This failed
through the swindling operations of subordinate officers, and
many of the people were financially ruined. Persecution be-
came violent. Many of the leading men became bitter ene-
mies to the Prophet of the Lord. Jan. 12th, 1838, Joseph
Smith and Sidney Rigdon were forced to flee from Kirt-
land, and an armed mob followed them for two hundred
miles, thirsting for their blood. Joseph with a body of
the Church, was now established in Missouri, the Saints, on
account of persecution, migrating thither from Ohio. The
Saints in Missouri numbered about 12,000 souls, and having
been expelled from their homes in Jackson county by furious
mobs, were located in Oaldwell, Daviess and Carroll counties,
chiefly in Caldwell.
In the midst of perilous times, and being continually har-
assed by false brethren, the life of the Prophet must have
been a trying one. Only men of unswerving integrity could
stand the chastening fire of persecution, and many fell by the
wayside, and joined in the cry against the Prophet and the
Saints. Joseph knew that the Church of which he had the
honor to be the earthly head, was the Church of God, and that
tho Lord would preserve it to the end. He therefore had no
need to pander to the whims of men in order to retain their
friendship. This of itself, is no small evidence that Joseph
Smith was called of God. If he had been palming upon the
world a fraud, he would have feared the exposure of those
who became disaffected, and would have used politic methods
to retain their good will for him, rather than apply the law of
24 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
justice and cast them out of the Church. The example of Jo-
seph Smith in dealing with apostates, no matter how high in
Church authority they stood, has been followed by his suc-
cessors until the present, and ever will be, for "God is no re-
spector of persons."
In Missouri, Joseph received important revelations on various
items, such as the building of a temple at Far West, the law
of tithing, the mission of the Apostles abroad; also that Amer-
ica was the land where Adam dwelt, and that the Garden of
Eden was where Jackson county, Missouri, now is. July 4th,
1838, the Prophet caused to be laid the foundation stones of
a temple, which, however, has not been completed. About two
days after the Fourth of July celebration at Far West, lightning
struck the liberty pole and shivered it to pieces. This seemed
to be a warning that their own liberties were about to be
stricken down. It is said that on this occasion, Joseph prophe-
sied that the day would come, when the Constitution of the
United States would hang as if by a thread, and that the Latter-
day Saints would be prominent in saving that instrument from
utter destruction.
Persecution soon reasserted itself. The Latter-day Saints
in Missouri had a right to vote. Twelve of them attempted to
cast their votes at a state election in Gallatin, Daviess county,
Aug. 6th, 1838. A candidate for the legislature, William P.
Penistou, made an inflammatory speech against them, and
raised a tumult, in which several of the Saints and their
opponents were wounded. The report of this riot was great-
ly exaggerated and spread throughout the State. Mobocracy
followed in various places. October 25th, 1838, while de-
fending themselves y gainst a mob on Crooked river, Apostle
David W. Patten and two other brethren, Gideon Carter and
Patrick O'Bannion, were killed. The power of the Saints, even
in a small degree to defend themselves, exasperated their ene-
mies, and on Oct. 27th, MajVGen. Clark issued an order to the
state militia, to proceed with all haste against the Mormons and
drive them from the state or to consummate their extermina-
tion. Oct. 30th, the frightful massacre of Haun's Mill occurred,
when about twenty of the Saints, men, women and children, were
killed and thrown in a heap into a well and buried.
About this time, Col. Hinkle betrayed the Prophet and sev-
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 25
eral of his associates into the hands of the enemy, by forming
a compact with the latter to give up the arms of the Saints
without the knowledge or consent of Joseph and his brethren.
Oct. 31st, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Ly-
man Wight, George W. Robinson, Hyrum Smith and Amasa
M. Lyman were taken and treated as prisoners of war. The
city was given into the hands of mauraders, who pillaged the
houses and grossly insulted defenseless women and children.
Joseph and his brethren were courtrnartialed, and ordered to
be shot, but Gen. Doniphan, of the state militia, protested
against it as cold-blooded murder. Notwithstanding Gen.
Clark had told the Saints that they must never expect to see
their leaders again, Joseph prophesied to his associates that
their lives would be spared and they would return to the Saints,
which prediction was literally fulfilled. The prisoners were
paraded through the country with boastful glee on the part of
their captors.
On one occasion Joseph addressed a crowd of spectators,
many of whom were melted to tears. It became a settled con-
viction with his enemies, that if they allowed the Prophet to
address the public, he would never fail to make friends and
impress the honest that he was innocent. So, to avoid this
impression, the mob, or officers, who subsequently had him in
custody, would try to prevent him from speaking to the peo-
ple. Joseph and some of the brethren were confined in Liberty
jail, Clay county ; the remainder in Richmond, Ray county.
While in their dungeon cell, they were subjected to the taunts
and insults of guards and officers. One night, after bearing
all he could possibly endure of their filthy conversation, he
arose in chains, and with a voice of thunder rebuked the guards
in the name of the Lord. They cowered before him and asked
his pardon. So great was the power of God, they wilted before
Joseph as a blade of grass before a flame of fire.
Parley P. Pratt thus describes this scene commencing with the
words of the Prophet to the guards : "Silence, ye fiends of the
infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and
command you to be still : I will not live another minute and htiar
such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die this instant!'
He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty.
Chained and without a weapon, calm, unruffled and dignified
26 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
as an angel, he looked upon the quailing guards, whose weapons
were lowered or dropped on the ground; whose knees smote
together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his
feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of
guards. I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in mag-
isterial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life
was suspended on a breath in the courts of England; I have
witnessed a congress in solemn session to give law to nations;
I have tried to conceive of king, of royal courts, of thrones
and crowns, and of emperors assembled to decide the fate of
kingdoms; but dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it
stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon, in an obscure vil-
lage of Missouri." Autobiography of P. P. Pratt, p 229-30.
The brethren in prison were charged with murder, treason,
arson and other crimes, all of which they were acquitted.
Joseph's enemies considered one evidence of treason was, the
belief the Prophet and his associates had in the prophecy of
Daniel, that God in the last days would set up His kingdom
which should "subdue all others." They were tried in the
court of Judge A. A. King. Gen. Doniphan, the attorney for
Joseph, told him to "offer no defense, for if a cohort of angels
should declare your innocence, it would be all the same. The
judge is determined to throw you into prison."
While in prison, Joseph received from the Lord the glorious
revelations and instructions found in sections 121, 122 and 123
of the Doctrine and Covenants. Mobocracy continued. Gov.
Boggs issued his infamous order to exterminate the "Mor-
mons" or drive them from the state. Joseph cheered the
Saints from his prison cell. He wrote: "Zion shall yet live
though she seemeth to be dead."
While Joseph was in prison, Brigham Young, President of the
Twelve, planned and carried into effect the gathering of the
Saints from Missouri to Illinois. He and his brethren made
a solemn covenant that they would never cease their efforts
until the Saints were gathered from Missouri. They kept their
pledge. It was a gigantic undertaking. Ten thousand Saints,
homeless and almost penniless, compelled to sign away their
property at the point of the bayonet, were to be gathered, or-
ganized in suitable companies, with -proper arrangements and
remove to another state, where they hoped for better treat-
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 27
ment. The exodus was carried out. Early in 1839 found the
Saints in Iowa and Illinois. Thus was another prophetic ut-
terance finding fulfillment.
Joseph Smith once said that the Saints would have first a
county, then a state, and finally a nation against them. The
literal fulfillment of this prophecy is strikingly apparent to
those who know anything of the history of the Church. The
Saints were driven from Kirtlanu, Ohio, from county after
county in Missouri, and then from the state of Missouri in
which Gov. Boggs, the chief executive officer, took part by
issuing the infamous "exterminating order," virtually licensing
the wholesale pillaging and murder of hundreds of innocent
men, women and children. Later we see tne United States
government sending an army against the Saints to crusli an
imaginary rebellion, and later still, as if to emphasue the words
of the Prophet, we behold the great government under which
we live, confiscate the property of the Church, and there ap-
pears on the supreme court calendar, the case of ttuj "United
States of America vs. Church of Jesus Cnrist of matter-day
Saints." Surely no prophecy could more literally come true
yea, it has been doubly fulfilled than that relating to the
nation being against the Church.
April 22, 1839, Joseph and Hyrum Smith joined their families
at Quincy, 111., having escaped imprisonment a short time
previous. Soon after this, Commerce, afterwards named Nau-
voo, by the Prophet, was selected as a location for the Saints.
It was a beautiful site, being encircled on three sides by a
curve in the Mississippi river. The place was sickly and
many became prostrated with fever. It was on this occasion
that miraculous cases of healing occurred through the admin-
istration of the Prophet. He went from house to house, com-
manded the sick to arise and walk, and his words were fol-
lowed by instant healing.
The Twelve had been called on missions to Europe, and were
commanded to take their departure from the temple grounds
in Far West, April 26, 1839. Capt. Bogart, a leading mobo-
crat, heard of the prophecy and swore that it should never be
fulfilled. On the day named, however, at 1 a. m., the Twelve
met at the place appointed, held a conference, ordained Wilford
Woodruff and George A. Smith to the Apostleship, and departed
23 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
on their mission, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord through
the Prophet Joseph Smith. And here let it be said, that no
prediction of the Prophet Joseph Smith shall ever fall to the
ground unfulfilled.
Many converts were made in England, and in 1840, the first
company of Saints from the shores of Europe came to Nauvoo.
Joseph was diligent in helping the Saints to found themselves
in the new city. Having a little respite from persecution,
himself and Judge Elias Higbee went to Washington and laid
before the President, Martin Van Buren. a detailed statement,
with proof, of the outrages committed against the Saints in
Missouri. At first the President was averse to hearing them,
then expressed sympathy, and listened, as well as inviting the
Prophet to explain his views of the Gospel, which he did. At
a later visit, the President showed signs of political cowardice,
and after listening impatiently to the recital of their suffer-
ings, he made the reply, previously quoted in part : "Your cause
is just, but I can do nothing for you ; and if I take up for you I
shall lose the vote of Missouri." The Prophet concluded
promptly that President Van Buren was an "office-seeker ; that
self-aggrandizement was his ruling passion, and that justice and
righteousness were no part of his composition."
Joseph remained in the east during the winter, making the
acquaintance of leading political men of the nation. He re-
cited to several the sufferings of the Saints. To this recital
John C. Calhoun said: "It involves a nice question the ques-
tion of state's rights; it will not do to agitate it." Henry Clay
said: "You had better go to Oregon." Such answers were
too inconsistent and unreasonable ; too cowardly, to afford any
hope of redress from the hands of the men who made them.
The Prophet returned home to Nauvoo March 4, 1840. During
his absence he preached the Gospel to large audiences in Wash-
ington and in Chester county, Pennsylvania.
Nauvoo had been growing under the direction of Hyrum
Smith, the ever-faithful brother to the Prophet. The popula-
tion numbered near three thousand and contained three ec-
clesiastical wards. The Latter-day Saints again asserted their
political rights, and with this came persecution as bitter as
heretofore. Gov. Boggs, of 'Missouri, demanded of Gov. Car-
lin. of Illinois, the arrest of the Prophet on the ground of his
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 29
being a fugitive from justice. The demand was rejected, but
this only exasperated the Missourians, who subsequently took
an active part in persecuting the Prophet and his associates.
In the winter of 1840-41, the Illinois legislature granted a very
liberal charter to the city of Nauvoo. Abraham Lincoln was a
member of the legislature which granted it. It included the
establishment of the Nauvoo Legion, a military body, and the
University of Nauvoo. Feb. 1, 1841, it went into effect, and
shortly thereafter Joseph became the lieutenant-general of the
Nauvoo Legion.
On the 6th of April, 1841, the corner stones of the Nauvoo
Temple were laid. Joseph called upon the Saints in the regions
round about to gather into Nauvoo and assist in the erection
of this sacred edifice. The Saints responded with great energy
to this call, and flocked into the city from all directions. Nau-
voo grew with almost magic speed. Brigham Young and the
Twelve, on their return from England, greatly aided in its
growth. The population before the Prophet's martyrdom had
increased to 20,000. In 1842 prosperity abounded in Nauvoo.
This year the Prophet wrote for publication an account of the
coming forth of this great work. This included the Articles
of Faith now printed upon cards and distributed by the Elders
among all nations where the Gospel is being preached. The
Church paper was edited by the Prophet, and was called the
Times and Seasons. Through this medium he published many
profound truths which the Lord had revealed to him. Many
embraced the Gospel. The population increased, and Nauvoo
was rapidly becoming a city of importance.
Notwithstanding this wonderful growth, and the peace en-
joyed, the Spirit of prophecy, ever alive in this great Prophet,
gave him premonitions of the sore tribulations which were
soon to follow. March 17, 1842, Joseph organized the Relief
Society, now so famed in the Church as the organization
through which our devoted mothers administer so much com-
fort and help to the poor, the sick and the needy. At a funeral
sermon preached by the Prophet April 9th, 1842, Joseph fore-
shadowed his own death by saying, that he had now no prom-
ise of life and was subject to death. He said the Lord had
promised him life at different times until certain things should
30
PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
be accomplished. "But having now done these things, I have
no longer any lease of my life. I am as liable to die as other
men."
In 1842 Joseph uttered the following remarkable prophecy in
Montrose, Iowa, which he recorded as follows : "I prophesied
that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction,
and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains. Many would
apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors, or
lose their lives in consequence of exposure and disease; and
some would live to go and assist in making settlements and
building cities, and see the Saints become a mighty people in
the midst of the Rocky Mountains." Every provision of this
prophecy has been remarkably fulfilled.
Apostates began to plot the destruction of Joseph's life. John
C. Bennett, a vile man, possessing ability without character,
but whose perfidy was not detected until he had been crowned
with honor among the Saints, had rendered valuable service
in obtaining the Nauvoo charter. He was elected mayor of
Nauvoo, chosen chancellor of the university and major-general
of the Legion. He planned to have the Prophet Billed in a
sham battle of the Nauvoo Legion, but failed. He uttered
many falsehoods against the Prophet, both to shield his own
iniquity and to encompass the death of the Prophet. He wrote
a vile hook against Joseph and the Saints, made up of gross
misstatements. This greatly increased the prejudices against the
Prophet among the thousands who did not wish to investigate
and know the truth. Elders were sent out to refute these slan-
ders, and accomplished much good among the honest at heart.
The old Missouri hatred was still kept burning in that state.
Some one had attempted, it was claimed, to assassinate Gov.
Boggs at Independence. It was falsely laid to the "Mormons."
Gov. Boggs demanded of the governor of Illinois the person of
Joseph Smith on the charge of his being an accessory to the
attempted murder before the crime. He and O. P. Rockwell
were arrested Aug. 8th, 1842, but discharged after a hearing
before the municipal court of Nauvoo. Other attempts were
mnde to arrest him under false pretenses. He concluded to
go into hiding for a short time. While hidden, he wrote the
important letters to the Saints on the redemption of the dead,
found in sections 127 and 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 31
Thomas Ford became governor of Illinois in December, 1842.
Joseph applied to him for a withdrawal of the writs issued
against him by Gov. Carlin. After a judicial investigation
this was done.
In February, 1843, the population of Nauvoo was again aug-
mented by a company of Saints from Europe, under the lead-
ership of Elders P. P. Pratt, Lorenzo Snow and Levi Richards.
In June, 1843, other attempts were made to drag the Prophet
back to Missouri. Dr. Bennett was the chief instigator of this
scheme. Politicians stirred up strife against the Saints, and
recommended the repeal or restriction of the Nauvoo charter.
They pretended to be alarmed at the increase of "Mormon"
power. Yet, strange to say, "Mormon" power, in politics or re-
ligion, has never been wielded to deprive or restrict any human
being of their rights in the least degree. "Mormons" elected
to office were threatened with mobocracy when attempting to
qualify at the county seat, Carthage. Th^ anti-"Mormon"
party renewed their pledges to fight the "Mormons," and the mob
began to burn the homes and property of the Saints in outlying
districts of Nauvoo. When the governor was appealed to for
protection, his answer was an indication of his cowardice or
his sympathy with the mob element. He simply told the Saints
they must protect themselves. During these times of trouble
Joseph addressed .letters to several prominent men in the na-
tion who had presidential aspirations. He propounded to them
this question: "What will be your rule of action relative to
us as a people, should fortune favor your ascension to the chief
magistracy?" Only two answered, as previously showu,
Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, and their answers
were so non - committal or evasive that Joseph considered
the writers cowardly, or lacking in moral force. Soon
after, strange and startling as it sounded then, Joseph Suiitb
announced himself a candidate for the presidency of the United
States. He was nominated Jan. 29th, 1844, and duly sustained
at a state convention on the 17th of the following May. Soon
after this he published his views in plain terms, on the "Powers
and Policy of the Government of the United States." In this
document he defined his position on the live political questions
of the day. He favored abolition of slavery, the slave holders
to be paid for their slaves by the general government, the
32 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
money to bo raised by reducing the salary of congressmen
and by the sale of public lands; the abolition of imprisonment
for debt and for all crimes but murder; work on public enter-
prises to be the penalty for other crimes, and to make the pris-
ons schools of learning; the investment of power in the Presi-
dent of the United States to furnish troops for the suppression
of mobs; the extension of the United States from sea to sea,
with the consent of the Indians.
Many other excellent features appeared in his platform.
If his position on the slave question had been carried out, it
would have saved the nation a million lives, preserved thous-
ands from being crippled, and protected the happy homes of a
million people from widowhood, averted the cries of more than
a million fatherless children, and saved to the nation many
millions of treasure and property less valuable than human
life. Joseph prophesied of the war twenty-eight years before
it came, and that it should result in the death and misery of
many souls. That Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, is writ-
ten in letters of blood and by the tears of millions who suf-
fered from that fratricidal war. The Twelve and other lead-
ing Elders went to the eastern states to promulgate his views.
It is not probable for a moment, that the Prophet had any
faith in winning the presidential election. Neither had he
aspirations for the honors of men. Other considerations were
in view. His people had been traduced and misrepresented'.
His candidacy furnished an opportunity to explain his views,
to enlighten the public mind respecting the Latter-day Saints,
and to leave on record, propositions to the nation which, if ac-
cepted, would save the nation life and treasure. He wrote at
that time : "I feel it to be my right and privilege to obtain what
influence and power I can lawfully in the United States for
the protection of injured innocence; and if I lose my life in a
good cause, I am willing to be sacrificed on the altar of virtue,
righteousness and truth, in maintaining the laws and constitu-
tion of the United States, if need be, for the general good of
mankind."
Joseph, with a little band of pioneers, started on an expedi-
tion to explore the Rocky Mountains, to find a resting place
for the Saints, but was turned back. He was destined to seal
his testimony with his blood. On July 12th, 1843, Joseph had
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 33
recorded the revelation on celestial marriage, found in section
132, Doctrine and Covenants. In the spring of 1844 the situa-
tion in Nauvoo became very bitter. The Laws, Higbees and
Fosters plotted the overthrow of the Prophet. William Law
was his counselor, and of course knew of Joseph receiving and
privately teaching the doctrine of plural marriage. He had
Joseph arrested on a charge of polygamy, but failed to obtain a
conviction. The apostates then started a newspaper called the
Expositor, through which they circulated the basest false-
hoods imaginable, and thus inflamed still more intensely the
public mind. The city was shocked at the publication. The
city council was called together. Joseph Smith was the mayor.
The Expositor was declared a nuisance and was utterly de-
stroyed June llth, 1844, by order of the mayor. The proprie-
tors left the city and immediately planned the arrest of the
Prophet and others on a charge of riot. The latter had a
hearing and were acquitted. The mob was furious and gath-
ered in large numbers around Nauvoo, swearing vengeance on
the people and their leaders. Joseph, as mayor, declared the
city under martial law, and called out the Legion to defend
it. The governor, hearing of this and being weak and vacil-
lating, went at the head of the militia to Nauvoo, and demand-
ed that the Prophet come to Carthage for trial for the de-
struction cf the Expositor, and that martial law be abolished
in Nauvoo. His orders were strictly obeyed. The governoi
pledged, in a most solemn manner, his honor and the faith of
the state that the prisoners should be defended against mob
violence, and should have a fair and impartial trial. This
pledge was repeated, but never kept. Undoubtedly the Prophet,
felt that his withdrawal from Nauvoo would be a safeguard
for the Saints, for he loved them more than life itself. He
remarked just before leaving Nauvoo: "I am going like a lamb
to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer morning. I have
a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men.
If they take my life I shall die an innocent man, and my blood
shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall yet be
said of me, 'he was murdered in cold blood.' " His prophecy
has been literally fulfilled.
The Nauvoo Legion gave up their arms by command of Gov.
Ford, who again promised them protection. Joseph Smith,
34 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Hyrum Smith, John Taylor and Willard Richards were con-
fined in Carthage jail, and on the fatal 27th day of June, 1844,
were placed in an upper room of that building. About 5 o'clock
in the afternoon an armed mob of the state militia, assisted
by other murderous fiends in human shape, in all about two
hundred strong, burst in fury upon the jail and murdered in
cold blood, the Prophet and his brother Hyrum. Elder Taylor
was cruelly wounded with four bullets, while Elder Richards
escaped unharmed. While this inhuman tragedy was being en-
acted, Gov. Ford was in Nauvoo, haranguing the peaceful, un-
armed Saints on the enormity of destroying the printing press
of the Expositor. The governor undoubtedly knew the inten-
tion of the mob, for he had heard their threats that the Prophet
should never escape alive. A day or two before his martyr-
dom, while being exhibited among the militia, as if he were
something monstrous, the Prophet asked one of the officers if
he could see anything bad in his countenance. The officer an-
swered: "No, Gen. Smith, but I cannot see what is in your
heart." The Prophet promptly retorted: "But I can see what
is hi your heart, and if you are suffered to shed my blood you
will see blood'shed prevail in this land to your heart's content."
The testament of this great and last dispensation was sealed
by the blood of the testator, and is in force upon all the world.
When we review the life of Joseph Smith, we are compelled
to exclaim : In the hands of God he was a mighty man ! Next
to the Savior, Joseph Smith was as great a Prophet as ever
lived. At the age of fifteen he saw God the Father and our
Savior Jesus Christ. He beheld them face to face, and he
heard the voice of each. At the age of eighteen, he saw an
angel of the Lord on four different occasions. He saw the
ancient records of the people of God on the Western Hemis-
phere. When twenty-two years old he had been visited by the
same angel-Prophet eight different times, and on each occa-
sion instructed by him. At this age also he received the golden
plates. In his twenty-fourth year he published this record
to the world, received a visitation from John the Baptist, and
obtained the Aaronic Priesthood under his hands. At the
same age Peter, James and John came and laid their hands
upon his head, bestowing the keys of the kingdom of God,
which they had received from the Savior over eighteen hun-
dred years before. He also heard the voice of Michael.
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. 35
In his twenty-fifth year he organized the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, and thus laid the foundation of a
work so great that it will yet till the earth. When thirty-one
years old, he had founded and builded a temple to the Lord,
and in it, had seen the Savior, Moses, Elijah and other
ancient Prophets of the living God. He selected the site of
four temples of the Lord, saw one completed and another well
on its way before his martyrdom. Before he was thirty-five
years of age, he had been the prime mover in laying the foun-
dation and helping to build several important towns in the trav-
els of the Saints. At thirty-seven he organized a militia, of
which he was lieutenant-general ; established a university of
learning; set on foot the gathering of Israel, and previous to
this and before his assassination, saw thousands gathered from
various States of the Union, Canada and Great Britain. The
Prophet Joseph Smith died a martyr at thirty-nine years of age,
having received in his life-time over one hundred twenty-five rev-
elations from God, which he caused to be written, besides the
volumes of unwritten inspiration which found their expression
in prophecy, healing the sick, casting out devils, interpreting
tongues and translating the Scriptures of divine truth. His
prophecies are many, both written and unwritten. Many have
been filled, none have failed, and when the wheels of time
shall bring the remainder due, every jot and tittle shall be ful-
filled, for it was God who spake through the Prophet Joseph
Smith. He loved his God, his religion, his country and all
mankind. For them he lived and suffered; for them he died;
and future generations, when the cobwebs of sectarian ignor-
ance, bigotry and prejudice, with "the refuge of lies" shall
have been swept away, will do him justice, and acknowledge
him as being a statesman, a philosopher, a philanthropist,
a colonizer, an educator, a pioneer, and indeed a migiity
Prophet of the living God. Well did Josiah Quincy, the his-
torian, a uon-"Mormon," say of the Prophet, whom he visited
at Nauvoo May 15th, 1844: "It is by no means improbable
that some future text book, for the use of generations
yet unborn, will contain a question something like this :
'What historical American of the nineteenth century has
exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of
his countrymen?' and it is by no means impossible that the
answer to that interrogatory may be thus written: 'Joseph
Smith, the Mormon Prophet.' "
PATRIARCH HYRUM SMITH.
This great and good man was born at Tunbridge, Vermont,
Feb. 9th, 1800. He was an elder brother of the Prophet, Jo-
seph Smith. He was a boy with a prayerful heart and later, a
man of God, as true as this generation or any other has pro-
duced. Like -the rest of the family, he was inured to hard labor,
amid circumstances of privation with little opportunity for edu-
cation. He moved with his father and family to Western New
York, and when Joseph, his brother, announced his visions and
revelations to his father's family, Hyrum at once received his
testimony and espoused the cause with Joseph, becoming to him,
probably, the nearest, truest and best friend he had among
men. Not that scores of others lacked in their integrity and
love for the Prophet, for many would gladly have died for him
at any time, but Hyrum was a brother in the flesh, and
knew Joseph better from childhood to the hour of their
martyrdom than any other man and, consequently, under every
circumstance, was better qualified to sympathize and confer a
brother's love than other men. At the age of twenty- six
(Nov. 2, 1826), Hyrum married Jerusha Barden, who shared
with him his trials the remainder of her life, and bore to
him six children, Lovina, Mary, John, Hyrum, Jerusha and
Sarah. Most of them are now deceased, but his son John has
been for many years the Patriarch of the Church, and re-
sides in Salt Lake City. The office of Presiding Patriarch de-
scends to the first born of the family from father to son, pro-
vided always that the son is worthy to inherit this holy call-
ing, and let it here be said and remembered by all the Saints
in every generation, that no better, nobler, purer man than
Hyrum Smith, could have been chosen to receive this Holy
Patriarchal Priesthood. May the claim of his generations to
whom this office shall descend, never find within it a weak or
broken link !
In May, 1829, while the work of translating the Book
of Mormon was in process, while Hyrum Smith and
HVKUM SMITH.
08 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
several others were rejoicing in the dispensation opening to
the world, about the time that John the Baptist came and
restored the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, the Lord gave
a revelation through Joseph to Hyrum Smith. In it he com-
manded Hyrum to "seek to bring forth and establish the cause
of Zion. Seek not for riches, but for wisdom, and behold, the
mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall
you be made rich; behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.
* * * Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you
of My Spirit ; which shall enlighten your mind ; which shall
fill your soul with joy. * * * Behold, I command you that
you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you
are called. * * * Seek not to declare My word, but first
seek to obtain 'My word, and then shall your tongue be loosed;
then if you desire, you shall have My Spirit and My word ;
yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men." These
and many other glorious instructions are found given to Hyrum
in Section 11 of the Doctrine and Covenants. The truths,
admonitions, instructions, doctrines and promises therein re-
vealed, were accepted by Hyrum in all sincerity, and he was
guided by them and true to them to the last moment of his
earthly existence. His travels, labors and experiences in detail
scarcely need be related here, because they are so closely inter-
woven with the history of the Church and that of the Prophet
Joseph, as to be almost identical. On the 13th of Oct., 1837, his
wife, Jerusha, died. This was during the persecutions and
hardships entailed upon the Saints in Missouri. Subsequently
he married Mary Fielding, by whom he had two children,
Joseph F. and Martha, the former being now the President of
the Church.
In June, 1829, Hyrum Smith was baptized by his brother
Joseph, in Seneca Lake. He was one of the eight witnesses
permitted to view the plates from which the Book of Mor-
mon was translated. He was also one of the six members
who went to constitute the organization of the Church, April
6th, 1830. His name stands as a living witness of the exist-
ence of those sacred plates which give to the world the his-
tory of the Gospel upon the Western Hemisphere. At a con-
ference assembled in Far West, Missouri, Hyrum was chosen
and sustained as second Counselor in the Presidency of the
PATRIARCH HYRUM SMITH. 39
Church instead of Frederick G. Williams, who was rejected
on Jan. 19th, 1841. The Lord, through the Prophet Joseph,
then revealed the following Doctrine and Covenant, Section
124: "And again, verily I say unto you, blessed is My serv-
ant, Hyrum Smith, for I, the Lord, love him because of the
integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is
right before Me, saith the Lord." What greater blessing can
man attain to than to know that God loves him, not simply be-
cause of a Heavenly Father's love for all His offspring, but
because the individual is right in heart and works before the
Lord. Surely such approval in this life must be as Eternal
Life in the presence of the Lord hereafter. In the same revel-
ation, the Lord said : "That My Servant, Hyrum Smith, may
take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was ap-
pointed unto him by his Father, by blessing and also by right.
That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the Patriarchal
blessings upon the heads of all My people, that whoever he
blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be
cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven; and from this time forth I appoint unto
him that he may be a Prophet, and a Seer, and a Revelator unto
My Church, as well as My servant, Joseph ; that he may act
in concert also with My servant, Joseph, and that he shall
receive counsel from My servant, Joseph, who shall show unto
him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned
with the same blessing and glory and honor and Priesthood
and gifts of the Priesthood, that once were put upon him
that was my servant, Oliver Cowdery ; that my servant Hy-
rum may bear record of all things which I shall show unto
him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance
from generation to generation, forever and ever." Thus by
revelation direct from heaven were keys, powers and author-
ity, conferred upon Hyrum equal to which but few men in the
history of this world have ever enjoyed. He was a
man of exceeding great love, forbearance and kindness. He
was not hasty. No personal antipathy was ever allowed a
place in his heart toward any human being, nor even to the vil-
est thing that creepeth upon the earth. His power to bless
was never idle; his authority to curse, he shuddered at the
40
PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
thought of exercising. When one of the brethren in the heat
of trouble in Missouri forsook the Prophet Joseph, and said
false things against him, whereby he forfeited his calling,
Hyrum Smith went to, and sought to turn the wayfaring man
from his error. Apostle John Taylor said that he (Elder
Taylor) had it in his heart to try to save the rebellious brother,
but said when he heard that Hyrum Smith had gone before him
on the same errand, it was useless for him to try if Brother
Hyrum should fail. When Sidney Rigdon failed in his love for
Joseph and devotion to the work of God, and Joseph felt to drop
him .from the Presidency, Hyrum, in his great mercy and his
abhorrence at the thought of one making shipwreck of his faith,
pleaded with Joseph to bear longer with Sidney. Joseph said :
"If my brother Hyrum and the people want to carry Elder
Rigdon any longer they may, but I cannot." Hyrum's mercy
prevailed, although the Prophet was right in his judgment,
for Elder Rigdon was ungrateful for the mercy extended and
soon fell aside. During all the trials to which the Prophet
was subjected, his faithful brother Hyrum shared with him
therein. They were imprisoned together in Liberty jail, had
been courtmartialed and sentenced to be shot together by a mob
militia at Far West. Together they started on an exploration
tour to the west and when they returned, they went together
to Carthage jail to be offered as living witnesses that God had
restored the Gospel in these last days. ,
At the time of his death he held various offices, military
and civil, and had always been useful on committees in build-
ing the Nauvoo house, Kirtland Temple, and in every way was
a most capable and public spirited man. He was for the
cause of Zion incessantly. It was his whole theme; his
thoughts by day and his dreams by night. In all respects
he was morally, intellectually, physically and spiritually a most
worthy and loving companion to his Prophet brother. As a
Patriarch, he is represented by his son, John. As a Prophet,
Seer and Revelator, he is represented by his son, President
Joseph F. Smith.
The circumstances of their Martyrdom have been related
elsewhere, and need not be repeated here only as relates directly
to Hyrum. Before the awful tragedy took place, Hyrum asked
Elder Taylor to sing a second time the hymn, "A Poor Way-
PATRIARCH HYRUM SMITH. 41
faring Man of Grief." Elder Taylor felt too depressed to sing,
but sang again in compliance with Brother Hyrum's request.
Before leaving home, Hyrum read the words of Moroni to the
Gentiles from the 12th chapter of Ether, which are as follows :
"And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that He
would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have
charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me if
they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast
boon faithful; wherefore thy garments shall be made clean.
And because thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made
strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have
prepared in the mansions of My Father. And now I, (Moroni)
bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren
whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment seat
of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are
not spotted with your blood." Soon after the singing of the
hymn by Elder Taylor, the mob rushed upon the jail and cruelly
murdered the brothers, first Hyrum, and then the Prophet
Joseph, and frightfully wounded Apostle John Taylor. Apostle
Willard Richards escaped injury although standing side by side
with his brethren when they fell. I will close this brief sketch
of one of the very greatest of men who ever lived, by quoting
the words of President John Taylor, who witnessed the martyr-
dom and offered his own life for his brethren: , -
"These reflections and a thousand others flashed upon my
mind. I thought, Why must the good perish, and the vir-
tuous bo destroyed? Why must God's nobility, the salt of the
earth, the most exalted of the human family, the most perfect
types of all excellence, fall victims to the cruel, fiendish hate
of incarnate devils?
"The poignancy of my grief, I presume, however, was some-
what allayed by the extreme suffering that I endured from my
wounds.
"Soon afterwards I was taken to the head of the stairs and
laid there, where I had a full view of our beloved and now
murdered brother, Hyrum. There he lay as I had left him; he
had not moved a limb ; he lay placid and calm, a monument of
greatness even in death; but his noble spirit had left its
tenement, and was gone to dwell in regions more congenial to
its exalted nature. Poor Hyrum! he was a great and good
42 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
man, and my soul was cemented to his. If ever there was
an exemplary, honest, and virtuous man, an embodiment of all
that is noble in the human form, Hyrum Smith was its repre-
sentative."
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG.
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, the successor of Joseph Smith
to the Presidency and prophetic office in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, was born June 1, 1801, in Whit-
tinghain, Windham county, Vermont. Like his predecessor,
he was of purely American stock, dating back many genera-
tions. His father, John Young, fought in the revolutionary
war, and his grandfather in the French and Indian war. His
family relations on both sides were among the staunchest sup-
porters of freedom in the American colonies. He was the ninth
child in a family of five sons and six daughters. They were
inured to hard labor, and were strictly moral in their habits.
He was trained in piety, but joined no denomination until the
age of twenty-one, when he identified himself with the Metho-
dist church, to which his parents were allied. At the age of
sixteen he commenced business for himself. He learned the
trades of carpenter, joiner, painter and glazier, and exhibited
traits of a practical character which, in after life, were brought
into a broad field of activity among the people of God, being
quickened by the inspiration of the Almighty.
In the meantime his parents had moved to Chenango county,
New York. On October 8th, 1824, he married Miss Miriam
Works, and located in Cayuga county, New York, where he
followed the occupation) above named. Early in 1829 he
removed to Mendon, Monroe county, New York, where,
in the spring of 1830, he first saw a copy of the Book
of Mormon, which was brought to that neighborhood by
Elder Samuel H. Smith, brother of the Prophet. The con-
tents of this sacred record he carefully read with a prayerful
desire to know the truth. His investigation resulted in a firm
conviction that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the Living God,
and the Book of Mormon a divine record. Although a Metho-
dist of sincere piety, and confronted with frowns and oppo-
sition, he had the courage of his convictions, being baptized
and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints April 14th, 1832, by Elder Eleazer Miller.
44 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
He was ordained an Elder by Brother Miller the same day.
Three weeks later his faithful wife was baptized, dying in
the faith the 8th of September, 1832, leaving him two little
girls as the result of their union. From the day of Elder
Young's baptism, he became a most indefatigable and fearless
advocate of the pure principles of the Gospel revealed to the
Prophet Joseph. His parents, brother Joseph, and several
other members of the Young family, also embraced the Gos-
pel and became active workers in the Church. During the
summer subsequent to his baptism, he did much preaching in
the regions about 'Mendon, baptizing a goodly number and or-
ganizing several branches of the Church. In this vicinity also,
his life-long friend, counselor and associate, Heber C. Kim-
ball, received the Gospel.
With Elders Kimball and Joseph Young, Brigham visited
Kirtland, Ohio, in the fall of 1832, and for the first time in
life saw the Prophet Joseph Smith, with whom he at once be-
came acquainted. They were mutually impressed with the in-
tegrity of each other. In the evening of the day they first met,
the Prophet called upon Brother Brigham to pray. While
praying he spoke in tongues. The Prophet received the inter-
pretation, and said it was the pure language spoken by Adam
in the Garden of Eden. After Brigham had left the room Jo-
seph uttered this prophecy, "The time will come when Brother
Brigham Young will preside over this Church." Many thou-
sands of people now live as witnesses to the verification of
this prediction.
In the winter of 1832-3 Brother Brigham, with his brother
Joseph Young, labored as missionaries in and near West La-
boro, Canada. They were successful in baptizing numbers of
people and organizing several branches of the Church. His
labors continued the following spring and part of the summer
in Canada and Northern New York, with encouraging suc-
cess. In July, 1833, he conducted a small company of Saints
to Kirtland. This may be called the commencement of his
great labors in the capacity of a pioneer leader, which he so
fully accomplished in later years, 'and through which he was
often referred to as the "Modern Moses." In the fall of 1833
he removed with his family to Kirtland, Ohio, and was ever
afterward an important personage in the growth and develop-
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
46 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ment of that city. In February, 1834, he married Mary Ann
Angell, who took faithful care of his motherless children. She
bore several children to him, among them the present Apostle,
Elder Brigham Young.
When Zion's Camp was organized in 1834 to carry supplies
and encouragement to the driven Saints in- 'Missouri, which
work needed men of integrity, endurance, faith and courage,
Brigham Young was among the foremost of the faithful few
to accomplish that wonderful pilgrimage, doing his work cheer-
fully. He was never known to murmur against Providence or
the Prophet of the Lord. On his return to Kirtland, having
journeyed 2,000 miles on foot, he occupied the remainder of
the year working on the printing office, school room and
temple. When the first quorum of Twelve Apostles of this
dispensation were chosen, Brigham Young was numbered among
them; this occurred February 14, 1835. From that time
until 1837, he spent his summers preaching, baptizing, organ-
izing branches, as a missionary, and during the winter work-
ing at his trade upon the Kirtland Temple, the painting and
finishing of which he skillfully superintended in the spring of
1836. He also attended the Hebrew school in Kirtland in the
winter of 1835-36. When the temple was dedicated, he attend-
ed the solemn assembly and received his blessings in the house
of the Lord. Soon after this he performed a faithful mission in
the Eastern states, with Dr. Willard Richards. He returned
in May, 1837, 'and later the same year fulfilled another short
mission in the state of New York.
During the financial panic of 1837, when apostacy ran so high
in Kirtland and several of the 'Twelve Apostles turned against
the Prophet with false accusations, seeking his overthrow,
Brigham Young stood firm and loyal, declaring in the face of
bitter enemies, that Joseph Smith was a true and faithful
Prophet of God. So intense was the hatred against Brigham
for this bold stand, that he was obliged to leave Kirtland
to escape the fury of the mob. He left Dec. 22, 1837, and ar-
rived in the colony of the Saints at Far West, Missouri, March
14, 1838. Soon after this the entire Church moved from Ohio
to Missouri. In the meantime, the Prophet Joseph and other
brethren were betrayed by apostates, threatened with death,
iind cast into prison. During this period the coming Prophet,
PRESIDENT BRtGHAM YOUNG. 47
Brigham Young, was industriously improving the land, and
laboring diligently in the duties of his Apostleship, especially
in preparing and planning for the exodus of the Saints from
Missouri, under the cruel order of extermination issued by That
modern Herod, Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs. In this emergency,
Brigham Young exemplified those great gifts of organization
and pioneering, which Providence had given him in the great
exodus of the Latter-day Saints a decade later. He not only
directed, but worked as hard in a practical way as those over
whom he was called at this critical juncture to temporarily
preside. He left his own family no less than eleven times, to
return with teams and bring up the poor and helpless. Himself
and President Heber C. Kimball had entered into a covenant,
that they would not cease their efforts until all should be
delivered from Missouri and safely harbored in a more hos-
pitable state. This covenant they most faithfully kept.
April T8th, 1839, with others of the Twelve, he left Quincy
to fulfill a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith July
8th, 1838, to the effect that the Twelve should take their de-
parture on their mission to England from the temple site in
Far West. The mob had sworn that this should not be ful-
filled, but under the protection of the Almighty, with Brigham
Young at the head of the Twelve, this revelation was signally
fulfilled. He returned to Quincy May 3d, and met with Joseph
and Hyrum Smith for the first time since their escape from ene-
mies in Missouri. On the 16th of that month he left for Nau-
voo, and a week later, moved his family across the river to
Montrose, Iowa, where he secured a room in some old military
barracks as a temporary home for himself and family. The
climate was sickly in Nauvoo and his health was poor, but
he was constantly doing all in his power to establish the
Saints and build up the city of Nauvoo. He continued
this labor until September 14th, 1839, when he started "with-
out purse or scrip" to perform a mission in England. He was
sick when he started, leaving a babe only ten days old, his
wife and children being ill, and no means of support in sight.
Let it be acknowledged by the reader, that the motive which
prompted men to take such a course under such trying circum-
stances was a pure one, and the faith which buoyed them up,
sustained them, and brought to them complete success, must
48 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
have been the "faith that was once delivered to the Saints,"
produced by a knowledge of the truth founded upon the rock
of revelation. On his way to New York he did much teaching
and preaching, sailing from thence March 9th, 1840, arriving
in England April 6th.
On July 1st, 1841, Elder Young arrived in Nauvoo from his
mission in England, and was cordially welcomed by the Pro-
phet Joseph. During his absence, while laboring in the
British Isles, thousands of souls were added to the Church
in that foreign land, and a permanent shipping agency estab-
lished. Since that time, probably not less than seventy-five
thousand souls have sailed from the shores of Europe, as
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the first council of the Twelve held in a foreign laud,
Brigham Young was unanimously sustained as President of
that quorum. Under his direction, steps were taken to publish
three thousand hymn books, and five thousand copies of the
Book of Mormon. The Millennial Star was established, with
Apostle Parley P. Pratt as its first editor. This periodical
continues until the present time, half a century old, and has
gone to the homes of many thousands, bearing the glad tidings
of the Gospel restored to earth.
On Jan. 19th, 1841, the following revelation was given to
the Prophet Joseph : "I give unto you my servant Brigham
Young to be a President over the Twelve traveling coun-
cil, which Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of
my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after
that to send my word to every creature."
The quorum of the Twelve stand next in authority to the
Presidency of the Church, and in case of the decease of the
Prophet, the Twelve preside over the Church with their Pres-
ident at the head. Thus was brought to the front Brigham
Young, ; the man whom God designed should succeed Joseph
Smith in his great office.
In July, 1841, the Lord said through the Prophet Joseph
Smith: "Dear and well-beloved brother Brigham Young,
verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Brigham,
it is no more required at your hands to leave your family as in
times past, for your offering is acceptable to me. I have seen
vour Inbor and toil in journey ings for my name. I there-
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG. 49
fore command you to send my word abroad and take special
care of your family from this time, henceforth and forever.
Amen."
Subsequent events in the history of the Church, demonstrated
the propriety of this revelation to the fullest extent. He was
constantly diligent in the building up of the city as well as in
attending to the duties of his Apostleship. In July, following
the call of President Young to preside over the quorum of the
Twelve, the Prophet Joseph requested the Twelve to take the
responsibility of the Church in Nauvoo, especially in practical
matters. They attended to the selling of its lands, locating the
incoming Saints and performing such other labors as would
relieve and lighten the burdens resting upon the Prophet Joseph.
In all this labor, Brigham Young was energetic and efficient,
proving himself to be a great help to the Prophet in
all the labors incident to those trying times. He also served
with ability as a member of the city council of Nauvoo. On
the 7th of July, 1843, he started on a mission to the Eastern
states, one chief purpose being to gather funds for the build-
ing of the temple and the Nauvoo House. He was absent un-
til Oct. 22d the same year. From this time until May 21,
1844, he was busy in his calling, often in council with the
Prophet and other leading men, constantly alive to the interests
of Ziou and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world.
On the date last named, he went on a short mission to the East.
While absent, learning of the sad news of the martyrdom of
Joseph and Hyrum Smith, he immediately returned to Nau-
voo.
This was the first time, in this dispensation, the Church had
been called to mourn the loss of its Prophet, Seer and Rev-
elator. The people were young in experience. False brethren
sought to establish themselves as the rightful guardians of the
Church, Sidney Rigdon making such a claim at a conference
held in Nauvoo Aug. 8th, 1844. When the Twelve were sus-
tained as the presiding authority of the Church, Brigham
Young arose to speak, and in the presence of the multitude
was transfigured by the Spirit and power of God, so that his
form, size, countenance and voice, appeared as those of the
martyred Prophet. Even non-members of the Church who
were present were struck with amazement and expected to see
50 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
and hear the departed Seer. From that moment, doubt and un-
certainty were banished from the hearts of the faithful, and
they were fully assured that the mantle of Joseph Smith had
fallen upon Brigham Young. On the above occasion President
Young said- "All that want to draw away a party from the
Church after them, do it if they can; but they will not pros-
per." So far as time has brought this prophecy due, it has
been verified to the letter. It only remains for a little season
to record the confusion and downfall of any and every system,
which claims to be the succession of the Church as established
through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and yet which denies the
authority of Brigham Young and the Twelve to preside over
and continue the work, which God established through the
Prophet Joseph Smith.
After the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, persecution did
not cease; the Prophets were slain, but Truth did not die.
The man who stood as the earthly head was taken away, but
the authority which he held had been conferred upon others.
The work of God went on and in the midst of persecution and
bitter hatred, Brigham Young stood calmly performing his du-
ties, counseling the Saints, caring for their wants, and push-
ing with zeal the completion of the Nauvoo Temple, which was
dedicated and used for sacred ordinances before the final exo-
dus from Nauvoo. Brigham Young labored much in the tem-
ple until February, 1846, when he left the beloved city, and
joined the emigrating Saints on the west side of the Missis-
sippi. This was a trying time. Twenty thousand Saints were
dispossessed of their homes, and turned out upon the prairies
of Iowa in winter. It required not only a strong man to be
their leader, but one whose greatness consisted in his faith in
God and title to the right that God should be. his strength and
source of inspiration. Such a man was Brigham Young, a ver-
itable "Lion of the Lord" in the face of persecution and trial,
yet childlike, humble and ever dependent on the Lord.
The Saints were seeking a country, they knew not where.
They were poor, some were sick. Several babies were born
in camp, just after leaving Nauvoo. To counteract melan-
choly, and aid them to exercise cheerful hope, President Young
would have them meet around the campfire, and engage in
songs and instrumental music. To aid the Saints less well
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG. 51
equipped thaii others, he established two resting and recruiting
points, Garden Grove and Mount Pisgah. The main body, with
President Young at their head, reached Council Bluffs, on the
Missouri river, in June. While there, he was requested by the
government, to furnish a battalion of five hundred men, to en-
gage in the war with Mexico. This was promptly complied
with; taking many of the most able-bodied men from the camp
of the Saints. This battalion marched across the plains to
California, and after being mustered out with honor, reached
Salt Lake Valley a little later than the Pioneers. After fitting
out the Mormon Battalion, he crossed the Missouri to the Ne-
braska side and established Winter Quarters, since called Flor-
ence, about five miles north of Omaha. There he laid out
streets and blocks, upon which comfortable log houses were
built. He erected a grist mill, and in numerous ways provided
for the comfort of the Saints, while himself and a chosen few
should explore the unknown regions of the Rocky Mountains in
quest of a home for an exiled people.
In April, 1847, President Young and one hundred forty-
two others, among whom were three noble wome,n, full of
faith, commenced their perilous journey across the plains,
arriving at Salt Lake Valley July 24th, 1847. President
Young was sick and riding in the carriage of Apostle Wllford
Woodruff. When his eyes rested upon the valley, he said,
"This is the place." It was a barren desert, but God had
shown him in vision the place to rest, and he knew the valley
when he saw it with his natural eye. President Young im-
mediately directed the laying out of a city with ten-acre blocks,
containing eight lots each of one and one-fourth acres. The
streets were eight rods wide, to have a sidewalk on either
ide one rod wide, and subsequently, when water could be ob-
tained, a beautiful row of trees to adorn and shade the walks,
livened by a crystal stream on the outside of the walk. This
was the pattern, and most of the cities of Utah bear the main
characteristics of the pioneer city of Salt Lake. In August-
President Young started on his return to Winter Quarters, on
the way meeting about two thousand Saints, who reached Salt
Lake Valley in the fall of 1847. It was then Mexican soil, but
the Stars and Stripes had been unfurled by the Mormon Pioneers
on Ensign Peak above the city.
52 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
At Winter Quarters on December 5th, 1847, President Young
was unanimously sustained by the Twelve as President of the
Church; also on Dec. 27, by all the authorities and Saints as
sembled in general conference at Council Bluffs. On the 26th
of May he started with his family on his return to Salt Lake
Valley. At Winter Quarters he left a home, a mill and other
property. This was the fifth time he had left his home and
property for the Gospel's sake. This year he superintended the
emigration of over two thousand souls, arrived in Salt Lake
City Sept. 20, 1848, and began at once giving council and
planning for the general welfare. At a conference held Oct.
8, 1848, he was unanimously sustained as President of the
Church, with Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, who
had also been sustained in the conference at Council Bluffs,
as his counselors.
A new era now dawned upon the Church, a thousand miles
from bigoted intolerance and mob violence. The Saints found
themselves in a desert, but free and happy, notwithstanding
the task before them of reclaiming a wilderness. No man in
the Church, before or since, was better adapted to lead in col-
onizing and building up a grealt commonwealth than was
Brigham Young. He served as the first governor of Utah,
from 1851 to 1858, to the satisfaction of the people of the ter-
ritory and to the President of the United States, who appointed
him. When an army was sent to Utah for the purpose of
suppressing an imaginary rebellion, which the deceitful Judge
Drumrnond had induced President Buchanan to believe ex-
isted, President Young declared that if the army persisted in
entering Salt Lake Valley as a hostile force, they would find
it, as the Latter-day Saints had found it, a barren waste. Ac-
cordingly, torches were prepared to burn down all the houses
and property in Salt Lake City, and the body of Saints moved
southward. The move was made, but through kind Providence
and the intervention of Col. Thos. L. Kane, the administra-
tion was convinced that no rebellion existed in Utah, and that
Judge Drummond had basely misrepresented the Latter-day
Saints. The judge had reported that the Mormons had burned
the court records, but the committee who preceded the army to
Salt Lake City, found the court records intact, while life and
property was as safe to all classes as in any other part of the
PRESIDENT BKIGHAM YOUNG. 53
Union. In this trying circumstance, the courage and prompt
action of President Brigham Young displayed the character of
the man.
On April 0, 1853, the corner-stones of a great Temple were
laid in Salt Lake City, which was completed forty years later.
Before its completion President Young laid the foundation of
three others, in St. George, Manti and Logan. The one in St.
George he lived to dedicate to the Lord. He also completed
the organization of the Stakes of Zion, so far as population
required it to be done. In the St. George Temple he explained
the order and duties of the various offices in the Holy Priest-
hood. During his life-time in Utah, from 1847 to 1877, he la-
bored most industriously, in both spiritual and temporal matters,
for the welfare of all the inhabitants of the territory, and
indeed for the benefit of all mankind. He built mills, factories
and graneries, etc., and encouraged every form of home in-
dustry, which the facilities of this region would justify. In
the development of mines alone, he exercised a check, stating
that the time had not come to develop them to any considerable
extent. The wisdom of this suggestion is appreciated by the
Latter-day Saints, who know that a rapid development of
mining interests at that time would have brought to Utah an
element of speculators and political demagogues, who would
have waged a bitter warfare against the Saints when their
numbers and strength were too limited to maintain their foothold
in this region ; besides which farms and necessary work would
have been neglected, to the people's sorrow and loss.
President Young was the prime mover in the building of
railroads. He was a contractor on a large scale in constructing
the Union Pacific and the telegraph line across the plains ; also
in building the Deseret telegraph line to local points in the
state. Brigham Young and his associates founded the Deseret
University, now called the University of Utah, one of the
very best educational institutions west of the Missouri river.
In later years, to aid the children of the Saints to ob-
tain an education in religious truths, as well as in secular
branches, he founded and endowed the Brigham Young Academy
in Provo, and the Brigham Young College in Logan. He
was in all respects the friend and promoter of all true
education, though limited himself in youth to eleven days'
54 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
schooling. He foimded settlements in Arizona, Idaho and Ne-
vada. During his administration of thirty years as President
of the Church, he made frequent tours, accompanied by his
associates in the Priesthood, to the settlements of the Saints
throughout the length and breadth of the land. He was dili-
gent in sending the Gospel abroad, opening up new fields of la-
bor in various parts of the earth. He was a man of God, and
a man of the people. He loved God and all mankind, yet he
never catered to public sentiment. He would always know
the truth and righteousness of a movement before he would
espouse and aid it.
Like his predecessor, Joseph Smith, and nearly all great
men, ho had bitter enemies. His character and course in life
were traduced and villified. He was cast into prison on false
charges, and the weapon of the assassin was prepared to shed
his blood. But God "delivered him out of them all." Though
he did not utter so many distinct prophecies, he builded faith-
fully upon the foundation laid through the Prophet Joseph
Smith, and all his movements and counsels were prophetic,
as fully demonstrated by subsequent events. He was Pro-
phet, statesman, pioneer and colonizer. The saying is at-
tributed to William H. Seward, secretary of state under the
administration of Abraham Lincoln, that America had never
produced a greater statesman than Brigham Young. His pol-
icy with the Indians was one of peace. "It is better to feed
them than to fight them," was his theory, and he carried it
out fully. The Indians loved and respected him. It cannot be
denied truthfully, that the policy of Brigham Young and his
people with the Indians, has saved to our nation life and
treasure in Utah and Arizona.
In his family President Young was kind and indulgent. In-
deed he was a philanthropist to all who would receive his coun-
sel and kind acts, for he was not only the husband of several
wives like the Patriarchs and Prophets of old, and the father
of fifty-six children, but he provided means for the support
and education of orphans and others destitute of the comforts
of life. He believed, however, in the strictest industry and
that it was false policy to feed men in idleness if work could
be provided for them. In the face of calumny and opposition,
he was calm and serene, and bore persecution with that sub-
PRESIDENT BKIQHAM YOUNG. 55
mission and patience which stamped him, not only a broad-
minded and great-hearted man, but truly a follower of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He departed this life peacefully at his home in
Salt Lake City Aug. 29th, 1877. His funeral was attended
by about thirty thousand people, both of his faith and non-
Mormons. He was a true and undaunted friend to the Prophet
Joseph Smith, for whom he offered his life, wherever opportunity
presented itself, and it is not wonderful if, when the spirit was
taking flight from its temple of clay, Joseph appeared to him
and welcomed him home to the spirit world, for the last words
he uttered were, "Joseph! Joseph! Joseph! Joseph!" and Brig-
ham Young had finished his earthly mission.
JOHN SMITH
FOURTH PRESIDING PATRIARCH OF THE CHURCH.
The brotber of Joseph Smith, Sr., whose name stands at the
head of this brief chapter, was born in Derryfield (now Man-
chester), Rockingham county, New Hampshire, July 16th, 1781.
In 1815 he married Clarissa Lyman, by whom he had three chil-
dren, George Albert, Caroline and John Lyman.
The Gospel was introduced to John Smith by his brother
Joseph, father of the Prophet. He promptly obeyed the divine
message, and although very sick, he was led to the waters of
baptism in mid-winter, when the ice had to be cut, and received
the ordinance January 9th, 1832. He had been given up by the
doctors to die, but from the time of his baptism began '10 recover .
He was also ordained an Elder soon after his baptism.
He moved to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1833, and five years later to
Far West, Missouri, where he underwent the persecutions inci-
dental to those trying times. From Far West he removed to
Adam-Ondi-Ahman, where he presided over the Church in
Daviess county. He with the 'Saints were expelled by the mob
in 1839, and in February of that year arrived in Illinois. He
located at Green Plains, where he planted a crop, split rails and
did other heavy manual labor, much unsuited to his age and
health. In June he loctaed in Nauvoo and thence went to Lee
county, Iowa, to preside over the Church in that State.
In October, 1843, he returned to Illinois, locating in Mace
donia, Hancock county. In that place he presided over the
Saints. In January, 1844, he was ordained to the patriarchal
office. In November of the same year he was driven by mobo-
crats from his home in Macedonia to Nauvoo, where he imparted
many patriarchal blessings to the joy and comfort of the Saints,
until driven by mobocrats from the sovereign State of Illinois,
February 9th, 1846, to seek an asylum of peace beyond the
Rocky Mountains in the valleys of the unexplored west. He
crossed Iowa to Winter Quarters and spent a dreary winter on
the west bank of the Missouri river. On the 9th of June, 1847,
JOHN SMITH.
58 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
he commenced his weary march with ox teams across the great
plains of Nebraska, and arrived in Salt Lake valley September
23rd, 1847. While President Young and associates were attend
ing directly to the removal of the Saints from Winter Quarters
to Salt Lake Valley, Father John Smith presided over the
Church in their gathered condition until January 1st, 1849, when
he was ordained presiding Patriarch of the Church under the
hands of Presidents Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball.
The office of Presiding Patriarch is handed down from father
to son, the only hereditary office in the Church, but at this time
John Smith the eldest son of Hyrum was very young, and John,
the brother of the first Patriarch, was called to fill this office,
which he occupied during the remainder of his life. From the
Old Fort he moved to his city lot, which was the -only spot he had
been left unmolested, to cultivate for the preceding twenty- three
years. Like his brother Joseph he was truly benevolent and
great hearted, a veritable friend to the poor, whom he blessed
in spirit and assisted to the temporal blessings of life. His
blessings were full of comfort, consolation and prophecy. The
father of the writer received under his hands a choice and
prophetic blessing, which we esteem as a sacred relic of the
Patriarch's inspired administrations among the people of God.
Father Smith gave during his labors in the Patriarchal office
5,560 patriarchal blessings, the contents of which are full of
comfort, consolation and inspired prophecies. They are recorded
in seven large volumes. He died in Salt Lake City, May 23rd,
1854, and will come forth among the very choicest fruits of the
morning of the first resurrection. He was a choice friend of
Col. Thos. L. Kane, and at whose hands Col. Kane received
blessings which were of lasting benefit in life, and will tend to
the latter's glory and exaltation in the life to come. Father
Smith was the father of Apostle and President George A. Smith,
grandfather of Apostle John Henry Smith, and the literal de-
scendants of this great and good man will be numbered with the
presiding authorities of the Church through all time to come,
and will be found among the foremost in the councils of
Heaven.
PEESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR.
The subject of this sketch, President JOHN TAYLOR, was
the third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. He was born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland county,
England, Nov. 1st, 1808. His parents, James and Agnes
Taylor, were members of the Church of England. Naturally
enough they taught their children adherence to the principles
of that faith. Their son John early manifested a strong rever-
ence for God and sacred truths. He was very prayerful, and
thoroughly conscientious in his course. At the early age of
fifteen, he exhibited an independence of character as well as
such profound convictions of his own mind, that the left that
church and joined the Methodists. Soon after becoming identi-
fied with the latter sect, he was appointed a local preacher and
labored diligently as such until he emigrated to America in 1828.
While occupied as a Methodist preacher, and associated with a
much older minister of the same persuasion, he said to his com-
panion one day : "I feel impressed that I am going to
America to preach the Gospel !" And with this inspiration,
he also expressed the conviction that while they were doing
and teaching about the best they knew, there was something
lacking, and they did not possess the Gospel in its fullness, as
taught by the Savior and His ancient Apostles.
Upon his arrival in America he made a brief sojourn in New
York, Brooklyn and Albany, and shortly afterwards joined his
parents in Toronto, Canada, to which place they had preceded
him two years previously. While residing in Toronto he mar-
ried Miss Lenora Cannon, of the Isle of Man, who was an aunt
to President George Q. Cannon, who for many years was a
member of the First Presidency of the Church.
President Taylor's mind was constantly leading him into re-
searches for divine truth, and being convinced that the churches
extant were far from the one established by the Messiah,
he associated himself with a number of well informed, inde-
pendent thinking gentlemen for the purpose of studying the Holy
60 PROPHJUTS AND PATRIARCHS.
Scriptures. Some of his associates were members of the same
Church as himself, and were laboring under similar convic-
tions. They, consequently, felt free and untrammeled in their
researches to follow their own impressions of the Scriptures,
independent of any constructions placed upon them by ortho-
dox "Christian" teachers and commentators. Through their
careful and prayerful investigation, they became convinced
of, and were much impressed with, the clearness with which
certain great truths (almost unnoticed by the preachers of the
time) were set forth in the Bible, such as the ministration
of angels in the last days ; the restoring of the everlasting Gos-
pel in all its ancient purity and power ; the necessity of imme-
diate and continuous revelation ; the necessity of Apostles and
Prophets ; the inspiration and gifts of the Holy Ghost ; the
gathering of Israel ; the coming and reign of Jesus upon the
earth, and other glorious truths to be revealed in the last days.
They concluded that the churches of Christendom were not
founded upon the rock of divine authority. If the Bible were
true, the churches were false. Under such pronounced convic-
tions, they fasted and prayed much, that if the Savior had a
Church upon the earth He would send a messenger unto them.
In his eagerness to possess more truth and come nearer to
its perfect fullness, John Taylor investigated and received
Irvingism; but shortly afterwards Elder Parley P. Pratt ap-
peared upon the scene as a representative of the Gospel re-
stored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Bro. Taylor, having
heard false rumors about Joseph Smith and the "Mormons,"
received Elder Pratt very cautiously and asked him many
questions by which he could compare the teachings of Elder
Pratt with the Scriptures. He and his companions also in-
vited Elder Pratt to address them in public, and after a thor-
ough examination of his teachings, he and a number of his
associates were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Brother Taylor was ordained an Elder b:'
Brother Pratt, and a little later, set apart by him and Elder
Orson Hyde as presiding Elder in upper Canada.
In the baptism of these people, which includes the good man
of whom we write, was fulfilled a remarkable prophecy littered
in Kirtland, Ohio, by Elder Heber C. Kimball, upon the head
of Parley P. Pratt, which, with other items contained in the
JOHN TAYLOR.
OZ PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
prediction, was the statement that Brother Pratt should find in
Canada a people prepared to receive the Gospel. This was lit-
erally verified.
Elder Taylor was diligent and efficient in preaching the
Gospel in Canada. He was a wood turner by trade, and plied
his avocation to secure a livelihood for himself and family.
In 1837 the Prophet Joseph, with other brethren, visited To-
ronto, and under the Prophet's hands Elder Taylor was or-
dained a High Priest. He made several visits to Kirtland
before removing with the Saints to the west, and was usually
the guest of the Prophet Joseph. During the great apostasy of
1837, when many leading men turned away and became so em-
bittered against the Prophet that the lives of men who defended
him were endangered, Elder John Taylor stood up boldly in
the Kirtland Temple in the midst of foes, and with that elo-
quent power which came from God, and which ever charac-
terized Elder Taylor's speech, declared that Joseph Smith was
a Prophet of the living God and had not fallen, as alleged by
the apostates.
Elder Taylor was equally diligent in private conversation,
in maintaining the integrity of the Prophet Joseph and spread-
ing the Gospel among the people. From Canada, he removed
to Kirtland by request of the Prophet. From Kirtland he re-
moved to Missouri, joining the body of the Church in Far West
in 1838. In his migration he preached the Gospel on the way,
and organized a branch of the Church near Indianapolis, Ind.
Before reaching Far West, he and his little company of twenty-
four encountered a mob, led by two ministers, Abbott Hancock,
a Baptist, and Sashiel Woods, a Presbyterian, but were not
harmed.
On July 8th, 1838, the Lord, by revelation, called Elder
Taylor to the Apostleship to fill the vacancy occasioned by the
fall of John F. Boynton. At a conference in Far West, Oct.
5th, 1838, he was sustained by the vote of the Saints, and or-
dained December 19, the same year, by Apostles Brigham
Young and Heber C. Kimball, having been the same day
sustained by vote of the High Council. Elder Taylor entered
immediately into the duties of his new calling, and as in all
previous callings, soon proved himself truly an Apostle of the
Lord Jesus Christ. While a resident of Missouri, he shared in
PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR. 63
ill] the persecutions heaped upon the Saints. He was so bold
and powerful in his defense of their rights, and so terrible in
his denunciation of the wicked, that he was designated the
"Champion of Right ;" and this title was ever after accorded
him by the Latter-day Saints. On one occasion he was selected
with a small body of the Saints, to go and protect Adam-Ondi-
Ahman, where the enemy, nowithstanding their superior num-
bers, retreated before the band.
While Joseph and Hyrurn Smith were imprisoned in Missou-
ri, Elder Taylor paid them several visits. He was selected
by the Saints of Caldwell county, one of a committee to draft
a memorial to the legislature of Missouri, setting forth the
persecutions, and asking that body for a redress of the wrongs
imposed upon them. He and Bishop Partridge were also
appointed to write a petition to the general government. El-
der Taylor was among the number who, after the expulsion
of the Saints from Missouri, returned to Far West to fulfill
a revelation given July 8th, 18.38, that the Twelve were to take
their departure for their mission to Europe on April 26th,
1839, from the Temple grounds in Far West.
On August 8th, Elder Taylor left Nauvoo for England. He
was sick for eleven weeks on his way. He left his family
in the old military barracks at Montrose, Iowa, in very poor
circumstances. Most of the Twelve, and many of the Saints
were sick, having just passed through the persecutions and
hardships attending their residence in, and exodus from Mis-
souri. Elder Taylor was a man of great faith in God, and be-
lieved thoroughly in preaching the Gospel "without purse or
scrip." When traveling to a certain destination, if he had but
a pittance, he would purchase with that, transportation in the
best conveyances attainable. When his means were exhausted,
with an inexhaustible etore of faith, he would stop sand
preach the Gospel. The Lord would raise up friends who
would give him money, with which he would proceed on his
journey. In doing this, he would never ask a human being
for help. He asked the Lord, and his prayers never went un-
answered. His course was pre-eminently the true pattern
which should be followed by the servants of the Lord in mis-
sionary work.
When they were about to sail from New York to Liver-
64 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
pool, Elder Taylor and two other brethren were almost desti-
tute of means, not having sufficient to pay one passage, much
less three. Notwithstanding their predicament, a very short
time before the vessel was to sail, Elder Taylor told one of his
companions to go and engage passage for all three to Liverpool.
His fellow-laborers were non-plussed and asked where on earth
could they get means in so short a time. Elder Taylor an-
swered that there was plenty of means in the world and the
Lord would send them enough before the vessel sailed to pay
their way. His words were most signally fulfilled. He
asked no person for money, and yet immediately after he made
Hie prediction, one after another came to them and proffered
assistance, until enough was provided to meet their expenses
to Liverpool.
Another instance, which but illustrates the constant mani
festations of Providence which characterized his entire life,
occurred in the Isle of Man. He had secured the printing of
some tracts, which he wrote in reply to the falsehoods circu-
lated by ministers and others, regarding the character and doc-
trines taught by the Prophet Joseph. When the tracts were
ready, the printer would not deliver them until every penny
was paid which was due him. Elder Taylor did not have suffi-
cient to meet the demand, and being very anxious to obtain the
tracts, went immediately into a private room, and, kneeling
down, told the Lord in plain simplicity exactly how much he
needed to pay for the matter he had published in defense of
his cause. In a few minutes after his prayer was offered, a
young man came to the door, and upon being invited to enter,
handed Elder Taylor an envelope and walked out. The young
man was unknown to him. The envelope contained some money
and a little note which read : "The laborer is worthy of his
hire," and no signature was placed thereon. In a few minutes
later, a poor woman engaged as a fish vendor came to the
house and offered a little money to assist him in his ministerial
labors. He told her there was plenty of money in the world
and he did not wish to take hers. She insisted, saying the Lord
would bless her the more and she would be the happier if
he would accept it, whereupon he received the offering, and the
poor woman's mite, added to what the young man had given
him, made exactly the amount sufficient to pay the printer.
PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR. 65
Elder Taylor arrived in Liverpool, Jan. llth, 1840, and imme-
diately commenced his missionary work, preaching, baptizing,
organizing branches, and with his brethren, regulating the
Church throughout the British Isles. He introduced the Gospel
into Ireland and the Isle of Man, extending his labors into
Scotland. He corrected the proof sheets of the Book of Mormon,
and with President Young and Elder Parley P. Pratt prepared
and published 'the first edition of the Latter-day Saints' Hymn
Book. After a very active and successful mission, he returned
to America, arriving in Nauvoo July 1st, 1841. Elder Taylor
edited the last three volumes of the Times and Seasons, by
appointment of the Prophet. He also edited and published the
Nauvoo Neighbor. He was also a city councilman, one of the
regents of the university, and judge advocate of the Nauvoo
Legion, all of which positions he filled with ability and dis-
tinction.
Elders Taylor and Richards were in the jail with Joseph and
Hyrurn at Carthage, and while the mob were forcing the door
open and pushing their guns through the opening, Elder Richards
held the door the best he could, while Elder Taylor par-
ried their guns off as much as possible with his walking cane.
Of a sudden, the Prophet Joseph sprang to the window and
leaped out. His motive in doing this could not have been to
save his life, for he sprang into the open fire of his enemies. It
must have been, as believed by Elders Taylor and Richards,
to save the lives of the two last named brethren, by calling
the attention of the mob from the inside to the outside of
the building. His action had the desired effect, for instantly
the mob rushed from the stairway of the jail to the ground
below, and concentrated their murderous fury upon the Prophet.
Elder Taylor ran to the window and was shot in and near the
thigh with four balls. He was about to fall from the window,
when a bullet struck his watch in his vest pocket and forced
him back. He fell upon the floor, not knowing at first what had
forced him back, and thus providentially saved his life. El-
der Richards, who escaped unhurt, dragged him to a small
room and covered him with an old bed.
The mob soon dispersed in confusion, and as soon as con-
venient thereafter, the wounded body of Elder Taylor was.
removed to Nauvoo, where he recovered, but carried oae or
5
66 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
more ballets to his grave, forty-three years later. He was a
man of wonderful vitality and nerve, bearing all physical
pains, as he did trials and tribulations of another kind, with
fortitude unexcelled. Upon his restoration to health, he re-
sumed the performance of every duty. He helped the Saints
in their troubles by every means in his power, assisted in
the completion of the Nauvoo Temple, and suffered the trials
of another great exodus when the Saints wece driven from
their homes in Nauvoo. He journeyed with the first com-
pany of the brethren to Winter Quarters, assisted in organ-
izing the Mormon Battalion, and was, from that point, called
with Elders Orson Hyde and P. P. Pratt on a mission to Great
Britain. He responded cheerfully, again leaving his family iu
the wilderness in tents and wagons. He arrived in England
Oct. 3d, 1846, and performed an excellent work. He returned
in the following spring, and had charge of a large company of
the Saints which entered Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1847.
In pioneer, exodus life, across the weary plains, on foot arid
with teams, under trying ordeals, as in all other experiences,
John Taylor was always to the fore. He cheered the Saints
by faith-promoting anecdotes of past experience and history,
and with prophetic inspiration, pointing them to a future
of long respite from mob violence. He could compose and
sing hymns and pleasant songs with high moral sentiment
embodied in them. One of the favorite songs he used to sing,
expresses the love and charity of this man, who had suffered
even the shedding of his blood to vindicate correct principle.
It was: "Nay, speak no ill, but rather speak of all the best
you can." There was nothing of a pettish or groveling char-
acter in his nature. He spurned every sentiment that was
low or dishonorable in thought, word or deed. His lan-
guage and manner of address, were always chaste and dignified
to the fullest extent.
In October, 1849, Elder Taylor was called on a mission
to France, which he filled with marked ability and success.
Upon his arrival in Boulogne, he was challenged to a discus-
sion with several clergymen, the proceedings of which, were
published in pamphlet form in Liverpool, and subsequently in
Orson Pratt's works. His opponents found themselves utterly
powerless to meet him upon Scriptural or reasonable grounds,
PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR. 67
and speedily resorted to subterfuges, false and slanderous re-
ports, all of which were refuted in a masterly manner by El-
der Taylor. During his mission, the Book of Mormon
was translated into French and German under his direction,
the latter being published in Hamburg, where he introduced
the Gospel. He also edited and published in France, a monthly
paper called L'Etoile du Deseret ("The Star of Deseret"), and
in Germany a periodical entitled "Ziori's Power." During his
labors, several branches of the Church were organized in
France. He also wrote, while upon this mission, and published
it after his return, the sublime treatise entitled "The Govern-
ment of God."
Elder Taylor returned to Salt Lake Valley Aug. 20th, 1852.
In 1854 he went on a mission to New York, and to pre-
side over the Church in the Eastern States. At that particular
time, heavy attacks were being made upon the Latter-day
Saints through the press. Elder Taylor published a paper
called "The Mormon," in New York City, establishing his
headquarters near the office of the noted writer and editor,
James Gordon Bennett, to whose attacks Elder Taylor replied
in such a vigorous manner, as to surprise the anti-"Morrnon"
element in that city. His arguments were unanswerable, and
as usual the opponents of the truth resorted to falsehood and
buffoonery. He continued "The Mormon" until 1857, when he
was called home on account of the threatened war against the
Saints, under the administration of President Buchanan.
Elder Taylor's replies to Vice-President Schuyler Colfax's
unwarranted attacks upon the Saints, exhibit the fearless charac-
ter of the man, as well as the clearness of his mind in pene-
trating the right and wrong side of every proposition under con-
sideration.
From 1857 on, for many years, his time was occupied in trav-
eling, preaching, organizing and regulating the church in the
various settlements of the Saints. He was many times a mem-
ber of the Utah legislature, and speaker of the house. As a
legislator he showed marked ability.
At the death of President Young in 1877, Elder Taylor was
president of the Twelve Apostles, and in October, 1880, was
sustained as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter-day Saints, and Prophet, Seer and Revelator to the Church
68 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
in all the world. Apostles Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith
were chosen as his counselors.
President Taylor presided over the Church with dignity and
ability. He traveled and visited the Saints, as far as circum-
stances would permit. When the crusade against plural mar-
riage came, to be waged with bitterness under the rule of the
Edmunds-Tucker act, President Taylor, to prevent trouble
and to place himself beyond the possibility of prosecution for
an infraction of the law, and rather than live with one family
to the exclusion of the rest, occupied the Gardo House, Salt
Lake City, having for his housekeeper his venerable sister,
Agnes Schwartz, while all his families occupied their own homes.
Yet, notwithstanding his observance of the law, his enemies
were determined to arrest him, and if possible precipitate an
eruption, which would give them a pretense for still stronger
measures to oppress the Saintjs. 'Upon h;is return from
Arizona and California in 1885, he appeared in the larg.:-
tabernacle February 1st, and preached his last public discourse
in that building. It was a powerful address, exhorting the
Saints to faithfulness and forbearance, long suffering and
charity in their trials. From this time on until his de-
cease he lived in exile, attending, however, from his place of
seclusion, by letters, epistles and otherwise, to his public du-
ties. During his exile, one of his wives was called to the
spirit world, after a season of illness. During her sickness
he was prevented from seeing her, as her home was closely
watched by despicable "spotters." Being denied necessary ex-
ercise to which he was accustomed, he became enfeebled in
body and his life shortened. He died in exile July 25th,
1887, truly a double martyr. His blood was shed in Car
thage jail, Illinois; his life was shortened by exclusion from
home, under the oppression of unjust men and measures.
His funeral a few days later was attended by many thousands
of Saints, who loved him in life and revere his memory in death.
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF.
The great and good man, WILFORD WOODRUFF, was the fourth
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He was" born March 1st, 1807, in Farmington, now called Avoi',
Hartford county, Connecticut. Like his predecessors in the
prophetic office of the Church, he came of a sturdy, industrious
race. His progenitors were among the early settlers of New
England. They figured nobly in the American Revolution,
and naturally transmitted to posterity, a love of liberty and
traits which go to make patriots and martyrs. Wilford Wood-
ruff possessed all these admirable qualities of character. These
were crowned with a veneration for God, and a strong religious
element in his being led in early youth to the consideration of
spiritual subjects. He was also very industrious. His father,
Aphek Woodruff, was a miller, and Wilford assisted him in
running the Farmington grist mills, and, though tender in years,
proved himself a man in thought and labor.
Although of a religious inclination, Wilford Woodruff did not
join any denomination until he was twenty-six years of age, be-
cause he found none which harmonized in doctrine and organiza-
tion with the Church of Christ as described in the New Testa-
ment. When only a boy, he would ask his Sunday school
teacher why there were no Apostles and Prophets in his age, as
in olden times. The answer he received only tended to disgust
him with sectarianism. It was the same old story, "Apostles
and Prophets are all done away with, because they are no
longer needed ;" and yet with all the learning of modern minis
ters, they were unable to come to a unity of the faith as taught,
by the Savior and his Apostles. Under these circumstances
Wilford could only turn to the Lord in prayer for guidance,
and find comfort in reading and believing the prophecies and
doctrines of the Holy Bible. In 1832 he felt a strong inspiration
to go to Rhode Island ; but having already arranged to move with
his brother, Azmon Woodruff, to Richland, Oswego county,
New York, he did not heed the inspiration to visit Rhode Island,
but moved to the former place.
70 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
On the 29th of December, 1833, over a year from the time
they left Connecticut, two Elders, Zera Pulsipher and Elijah
Cheeney, came preaching that an angel had visited the earth,
restored the everlasting Gospel, and that Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of the Lord. Wilford and Azmon Woodruff went to
hear them, immediately receiving a testimony of the genuineness
of their message, and offered themselves for baptism. Wilford
was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, December 31st, 1833, by Zera Pulsipher. He and his
brother, who also embraced the Gospel, immediately read the
Book of Mormon and received a testimony of its truth.
About this time Brother Woodruff learned, that at the time he
received the impression to visit Rhode Island, there were Elders
preaching in that State, and, had he gone there, the opportunity
to receive the Gospel would have been afforded him one year
earlier. However, his prayers were answered ; the truth had
come. He lived in a day of Apostles, Prophets, gifts and bless-
ings, and his joy was indescribable. From that hour until he
departed for a better sphere, Wilford Woodruff proved, by a life
of devotion to the cause of God, that he was grateful for his
existence in this age of the world. As a peculiar coincidence,
when Joseph, the Prophet, was writing his journal some time
later, having learned of Brother Woodruff's embracing the
Gospel, and notwithstanding hundreds were being baptized,
arid not knowing him, wrote under date of December 31st,
1833: "This day Wilford Woodruff was baptized/' To those
who note the purpose of the Almighty in the destiny and his-
tory of him and his companion Prophets, this brief statement
of Joseph Smith may be truly taken as prophetic, indicative of
the great character that Wilford Woodruff proved to be, and
foreshadowing his great destiny in the work of the Lord in the
last days. January 2d, 1834, a branch was organized in Rich-
land and Brother Woodruff was ordained a Teacher. In Feb-
ruary, he walked sixty miles to visit the Saints in the town of
Fabius with Elder Holton. During this winter Elder Parley P.
Pratt and others visited Richland. Elder Pratt became much
impressed with Brother Woodruff, and immediately told him that
his duty was to repair to Kirtland, join Zion's Camp, and go with
that body to Missouri. He took this counsel, closed his business
in Richland, and left for Kirtland, where he arrived April 25th,
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
72 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
3834. He was invited to be the guest of the Prophet Joseph,
which invitation he accepted, and enjoyed himself in his ac-
quaintance with the Prophet and other leading men of the
Church. May 1st, 1834, he started with Zion's Camp for Mis
souri, which journey was accomplished with considerable hard-
ship, but throughout all the varied experiences incidental to the
journey, Wilford Woodruff was, like Caleb and Joshua, among
the number who sustained the Prophet, and who never com-
plained or murmured because of trial and privation. This
experience served to prove the mettle of the men and to prepare
them for positions of responsibility in the Church. After they
had accomplished all that could be done as a body, the Prophet
advised the young men without families to remain in Missouri.
Brother Woodruff sojourned with Lyman Wight in Clay county,
spending the summer quarrying rock, cutting wheat, making
brick and in other kinds of hard manual labor.
During this time he was possessed of a strong desire to go
into the world and preach the Gospel, but did not express his
desires lest he should be considered aspiring, this being farthest
from his humble, unassuming disposition. The Lord, however,
knew the honest desire of his heart, and one day, while walking
along the road, he was met by one of the leading Elders in that
section, w r ho said to him : "Brother Woodruff, it is the will
of the Lord that you should be ordained a Priest and go on a
mission." Brother Woodruff answered, "I am ready." He was
so ordained and went on a mission to Arkansas and Tennessee ;
this was in the fall of 1834. Among the remarkable experiences
of this mission, he was grossly assailed by an apostate named
Akernan, who, when Brother Woodruff was leaving his premises,
came towards him in a savage manner as if to do him violence ;
when of a sudden, the apostate fell dead at the feet of this hum-
ble servant of the Lord. This event had been shown to Brother
Woodruff in a dream, though he did not understand the full
import thereof until it was fulfilled. He and his companion
traveled on foot without purse or scrip, going through Jackson
county, Missouri, where it was dangerous for a Latter-day
Saint to be seen, and were frequently preserved by Providence
from mobocrats.
Brother Woodruff's first attempt at preaching was at a tavern,
one Sunday in December, 1834. He was weary from a long
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 73
walk through mud and slush, but the people desired to hear him.
He enjoyed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speaking with
freedom and power, testifying to the restoration of the ever-
lasting Gospel. In their travels, he and his companion fre-
quently lost their way, and were obliged to wade swamps, and to
avoid expenses, would travel down some of the rivers in small
canoes. Between Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., they
became exhausted while crossing an alligator swamp. Brother
Woodruff's companion left him in the swamp suffering with a
severe pain in his back. He knelt down in the mud and prayed
intently, when the Lord healed him and he went on his way
rejoicing. They were joined by Elder Warren Parrish in April,
1835, and traveled together over seven hundred miles in less
than four months, preaching the Gospel every day. They
baptized twenty persons in their travels. Elder Parrish also
ordained Brother Woodruff an Elder, placing him in charge of
the branches they had organized in Tennessee. After Elder
Woodruff was left to travel alone, he extended his field of labor,
and baptized a number of converts, among whom were several
persons of the Campbellite persuasion. In 1835, he traveled
3,248 miles, baptized forty-three persons, organized three
branches and held one hundred seventy meetings. Subse-
vjuently, in the spring of 1836, he traveled respectively, with
A. O. Smoot and Apostle David W. Patten.
After performing a faithful two years' mission, assisting in
the conversion and baptism of many souls, Elder Woodruff re-
turned to Kirtland, Ohio, in the fall of 1836. In May of that;
year, he was ordained into the second quorum of Seventy by
Apostle Patten and Warren Parrish. There he received his
endowments, as far as they were given in the Kirtland Temple,
and attended school. On the 13th of April, he married Phebe W.
Carter of the State of Maine. A few days later, he received a
remarkable patriarchal blessing, under the hands of the Patriarch
Joseph Smith, Sr., in which much of his future life was plainly
foretold.
During the troubles of 1837, when many leading men became
embittered against the Prophet Joseph Smith, Wilford Woodruff
was among the number who murmured not, and was true to
the Prophet of the Lord. In May, 1837, he started on a
mission to Fox Islands. En route, he preached the Gospel to
74 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
his relatives in Connecticut and baptized a number of them.
On August 20th, 1837, he and Jonathan H. Hale landed on
North Fox Island, where they immediately commenced preaching
the Gospel. The first fruits of their labors was the conversion of
Justin Eames, a sea captain, and his wife, who were baptized
Sept. 3rd, being the first to embrace the Gospel, in this dispensa-
tion, upon an island of the sea. "Great are the promises of the
Lord unto they who are upon the Isles of the Sea." (Nephi.)
Since that mission, the isles of the sea have sent forth many
souls to the fold of the Good Sliepherd. A Baptist minister by
the name of Newton, allowed them to preach in his chapel, but he
opposed them, and was humiliated by seeing the best of his
flock leave him and embrace the Gospel as taught by these Elders.
Elder Ozro O. Crockett, of Preston, Idaho, who recently did
missionary work upon Fox Islands, testifies that the aged people
who lived on the islands over sixty years ago, still remember
Elder Woodruff and the remarkable work he and Elder Hale
did in that land, and the most conspicuous features of Elder
Woodruff's labors in their recollection is, that he baptized the
best citizens and neighbors they had on the island. Two
branches of the Church were organized, and the two Elders re-
turned to Scarborough, Maine, in October.
Elders Woodruff and Hale having parted, the former returned
to Fox Islands in November, this time accompanied by his wife.
He continued missionary work, baptizing a goodly number, until
persecution became so intense that he deemed it wise to return
to Maine. Accompanied by Elder James Townsend, he intro-
duced the Gospel into the city of Bangor and other places.
From this labor he returned to Fox Islands. In harmony with
counsel from the Prophet Joseph, he advised the Saints to sell
their property, and accompany him to the land of Zion. Early
in 1838 he visited Providence, New York, Boston and his native
town, Farmington, Conn. In this place he preached the Gospel,
baptized his father, step-mother, sister and other relatives, and
organized a branch of the church. Bidding his relatives a loving
farewell, he returned to Scarborough, Maine, where his firsr
child, a daughter, was born, July 14th, 1838. He again visited
Fox Islands to encourage the Saints and prepare them for gath-
ering to Missouri.
While laboring in North Vinal Haven, August 9th, 1838, he
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 75
received an official communication from Thos. B. Marsh, Presi
dent of the Twelve, stating that he had been called by revelation
to bear the Apostleship, and occupy a place in the Council of the
Twelve. Thus his early dreams of Apostolic days were coming
to a living reality, in which he himself was to be one of the
Apostles. He was requested to come to Far West, Missouri,
as soon as he could arrange his affairs. He was told that ho
should prepare himself to carry the Gospel to Great Britain
with his associates, the Twelve, the following year. With great
promptness he set about preparing the Saints on Fox Islands to
gather to Missouri. About one hundred people had embraced
the Gospel, chiefly through his labors. About fifty of these pre-
pared to gather with him to Missouri. Brother Nathaniel
Thomas sold his property and assisted his brethren and sisters,
loaning them about $2,000, which was placed in the hands ol
Elder Woodruff for their benefit. With this he purchased ten
wagons, ten sets of harness and twenty horses. When he had
done all he could to make ready the Saints, he preceded them to
Scarborough, Maine, to prepare his own family for the journey.
The company were counseled by President Woodruff to start by
September 1st, but they failed to do so, and did not leave until
the early part of October. In consequence of this late start,
the journey was attended by many difficulties. While crossing
Green Mountains Elder Woodruff was taken very sick. A
little later his wife was stricken down and came nigh to the
gates of death. Both were, however, restored to health by tb a
power of the Almighty.
Respecting this new experience of migration, of which he did
so much in later years, Elder Woodruff wrote the following in
his journal : "On the afternoon of October 9th, we took leave
of Father Carter and family in Scarborough and started upon
our journey of two thousand miles at this late season of the
year, taking my wife with a nursing babe at her breast with me,
to lead a company of fifty-three souls in their journey from
Maine to Illinois, to spend nearly three months in traveling in
wagons through rain, mud. snow and frost."
Upon arriving at Rochester, Illinois, December 19th, 1838, he
learned of the persecutions and unsettled condition of affairs in
Missouri, and concluded to stop in tha place the rest of the
winter. In the spring of 1839 he removed his family to Quincy,
76 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Illinois, and from that point accompanied the Twelve to Far
West. He was ordained with Elder George A. Smith to the
Apostleship, April 26th, 1839, on the Temple site, by President
Brigham Young, assisted by other members of the Twelve.
After returning from Missouri he moved his family to Montrose,
Iowa, where he was severely attacked with chills and fever.
While still sick he started, August 8th, 1839, on his mission to
England, leaving his wife also sick and, like all the families of
the Twelve, in destitute circumstances so far as temporal necessi-
ties were concerned. To New York he traveled with private con-
veyance, by stage, on foot and as best he could. In company with
Elders John Taylor and Theodore Turley he arrived in Liverpool,
England January llth, 1840, having been five months accom-
plishing the journey ; the Elders, who now go to Europe from
Salt Lake City, perform it in about two weeks and under palatial
circumstances compared with those surrounding Elder Wood-
ruff and his companions sixty years ago. He was assigned to
labor in the Staffordshire Potteries, where he was successful.
In the following March the Spirit of the Lord prompted him
to go south. He had plenty to do where he was, but he heard
the voice of the Spirit and obeyed. He went to Worcester,
where he met Mr. John Benbow, a wealthy farmer, who told
him that in that vicinity there were about six hundred people,
including forty-five ministers, who had withdrawn from the
Wesleyan Methodists for the purpose of an independent research
after truth. They owned several houses of worship, and styled
themselves "The United Brethren." Elder Woodruff commenced
at once to lay before these people the truth as God revealed it to
the Prophet Joseph Smith, bearing witness as an Apostle of the
Lord to the ministry of Angels and complete restoration of the
ancient Gospel in these last days.
The ministry of Elder Woodruff was not accompanied with
the eloquence of speech nor the well-skilled argument which
attends the labors of some men, but there was an earnestness
in his talk and an honest, straightforward, God-like simplicity
in his simple statement of truth, attended by the influence of
the Holy Spirit, that carried early conviction to the hearts of
all who were honestly seeking after truth. In eight months'
labor, chiefly by Elder Woodruff in Herefordshire, Worcester-
shire and Gloucestershire, eighteen hundred people were brought
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 77
into the Church. This included the six hundred United
Brethren. Two large conferences were organized. In August,
1840, Elder Woodruff accompanied Elders H. C. Kimball and
Geo. A. Smith to London, where they introduced the Gospel
under very difficult circumstances. On the last day of August,
1.840, the first convert in London was baptized. His name was
Henry Connor.
While in England, the adversary made desperate efforts to
impede the progress of the Elders in their ministry. At one
time evil spirits attacked Apostles Woodruff and Smith in a
physical manner, when by the exercise of faith and the authority
of God, the spirits departed. Brother Woodruff saw them
as plainly as he could see the beings of people tabernacled
in the flesh. After a very prosperous mission he returned
to America, arriving in New York May 20th, 1841, meet-
ing his wife at Scarborough, Maine, after two years' ab-
sence. A month later he and his wife returned to Nauvoo,
where they arrived October 5th, and were heartily welcomed
home by the Prophet Joseph. Elder Woodruff became a member
of the city council of Nauvoo and served the interests of the
city with energy and efficiency. He received his endowments in
the Nauvoo Temple under the direction of the Prophet. He
built a brick dwelling for himself and family on a lot given him
by Joseph. His Nauvoo residence, like that of many of the
leaders of the Church, still remains in a state of fairly good
preservation.
In the spring of 1844, Elder Woodruff was called on another
mission to the Eastern States. When about to take passage on
a steamer from Portland, Maine, to Fox Islands, he learned of
the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum. He went to Boston
immediately, met in council with the Twelve and went with
them at once to Nauvoo, where he arrived on August 6th, 1811,
and took part with his brethren of the Twelve in presiding over
the affairs of the Church. Brother Woodruff was a personal
witness to the power of God as it rested upon President Brig-
ham Young, on the occasion when the latter was transfigured
in the presence of the people, so that he appeared in person
similar to and spoke as with the voice of the Prophet Joseph
Smith.
On August 12th, 1844, Apostle Woodruff was called to preside
78 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
over the British mission, departing from Nauvoo August 28th,
1844, and reaching Liverpool January 3d, 1845. He presided
with ability and much industry over the mission about one year,
when he returned to Nauvoo, early in 1846, just in time to par-
ticipate with the Saints in their great exodus to the west. They
left their homes and property under trying ordeals, to the dis-
position of their enemies, very few receiving more than a
nominal price for their hard-earned possessions. Brother
Woodruff was active in helping the Saints to migrate, not only
looking to the comfort of himself and family, but to the well-
being of his brethren and sisters on every hand.
Early in 1S47 he joined the Pioneer company, consisting of
140 men and boys and three women. After a toilsome journey,
they entered the valley of the Great Salt Lake on July 24th,
1847 a day never to be forgotten and to be handed down to nil
generations of the Saints as one day of rejoicing and celebration.
Utah was then Mexican soil, but the Mormcn Battalion helped to
make it a part of American soil. The stars and stripes were soon
unfurled by the loyal, patriotic Pioneers and the foundation of
a great Western commonwealth established, in its destiny to be-
come the pride of all honorable and upright people in our broad
land of liberty.
President Young was in feble health when the Pioneers entered
the valley, and Apostle Woodruff had the honor of conveying him
in his carriage the balance of the journey. In 1847 he returned
to Winter Quarters, being present December 5th, 1847, when
Brigham Young was made President of the Church. He labored
with his hands as well as his head. Much younger men than
he were not his equals in the performance of heavy labor. No
class of labor, however laborious or undesirable, which was
honorable in the sight of God, would Wilford Woodruff ask any
man to do if he would not do it himself. He made ditches,
watered and pruned the trees and bushes of his orchard, made
roads, built bridges, hauled wood from the canyon, made adobes
and did all forms of manual labor which came his way. There
was not a careless thought in his brain, not a useless or impure
sentiment in his heart, not an idle bone or a drop of sluggish
blood in his body. He was honest, unassuming, faithful and
industrious. He had been designated in the days of Joseph as
"Wilford the Faithful." He deserved such a title, and main-
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 79
tained it to the end. His industry was so conspicuous a part
of his being that when, at the age of ninety years, one of his
grandsons excelled him a very little in hoeing some vegetables
in the garden, he said with a touch of humiliation : "Well, it is
the first time in my life that one of my children has ever outdone
me in hoeing."
When John Taylor succeeded to the Presidency of the Church,
Elder Woodruff became the President of the Twelve Apostles,
which place he occupied with honor. Subsequent to the decease
of President Taylor, in 1889, he became the President of and
Prophet, Seer and Revelator to the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. During his Presidency of the Twelve, Presi-
dent Woodruff spent much of his time in exile, owing to the
unholy crusade against the Saints. In this time, like John the
Revelator, he was favored with visions and revelations of the
Holy Spirit. On one occasion the departed Prophet, President
Young, appeared to him as he traveled along a road in Arizona,
to attend a conference, and urged upon President Woodruff the
necessity of the Saints to more thoroughly secure the companion-
ship of the Holy Spirit and keep it in them.
President Woodruff was greatly interested in the salvation of
the dead. Combining works with his faith, he secured from New-
England much genealogical information concerning his dead
progenitors, and for their salvation he would labor in the
Temple. About this time one of his choicest and most spiritual-
minded sons, Brigham Y. Woodruff, was drowned in Bear
river, Cache valley. Brother Woodruff, having expected mucii
for the future of his son, was very much grieved because of his
death. Although he never murmured at the providences of the
Almighty, he inquired of the Lord to know why it should be
thus. The Lord revealed to him that, as he was doing such an
extensive work in the Temple for the dead, his son Brigham
was needed in the spirit world to preach the Gospel and labor
among those relatives there. He had a similar manifestation
subsequent to the decease of Apostle Abraham H. Cannon.
President Woodruff did much to encourage the cause of
Church and secular education, making, as trustee in trust, as
liberal appropriations as the Church could afford to sustain the
Stake academies and other Church schools. In 1890 President
Woodruff issued the manifesto respecting the discontinuance
80 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of plural marriages in the United States, and later the address
which teaches that men who are called to spend all their time
in the ministry, shall not run into politics to the neglect of their
spiritual calling without being properly released for that pur-
pose. This does not abridge the rights of any man, since it is
no part of a citizen's duty to seek for office. Up to his death
he was President of the organization instituted by President
Young, and known as the Young 'Men's Mutual Improvement
Associations. He showed great love for the young people. In
this capacity, he was greatly loved and respected by them.
Inasmuch as a certain class of people in the United States
who are not Latter-day Saints claim to believe in the divine
mission of Joseph Smith, and yet deny the succession of
authority to President Young, and also attribute to President
Young the authorship of doctrine revealed to Joseph Smith the
Prophet, we here introduce the testimony of President Wilford
Woodruff. Be it remembered that he was an Apostle for five
years before the Prophet's martyrdom, and consequently was
his associate, a personal witness of the Prophet's teachings, and
the last remaining Apostle, at his death, who held the Apostle-
ship in the days of the Prophet Joseph. This testimony was
borne to 200 young men by the Prophet Wilford at the age of
ninety years, when he soon expected to stand in the presence
of the Redeemer and give an account of every word spoken and
every deed done in the body. At the Y. M. M. I. A. meeting of
May, 1898, President Woodruff addressed the meeting and
said : "I am deeply interested in the position we occupy. The
Lord had appointed the place we are in, when the blessings were
given of Joseph. We are the sons of Joseph. Here is the place
where we are going to stay. No power beneath the heavens will
ever drive this people from these mountains.
"This was a desert when we came here. President Young
went to work with a will like a man. I was with him when he
took his first walk from his carriage across the site where this
city now stands. When he reached the place where tbe Temple
now stands he stuck his cane into the ground and said : 'Here
will be buih the Temple of our God.' I thought that was a
strange prediction, but I lost no time until I cut a sage stake
and drove it into the very spot where he had marked. That
was before any survey or any street had been made, and on that
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 81
spot, indicated by Brigham Young, and where I drove the stake,
the Temple now stands. Men tried to persuade President
Young to go to California, but he replied, 'I'm going to stay here,
to build a city here, a Temple and a country."
"Young men, the vision of my mind is upon your position.
Upon your shoulders rests the mission of carrying on this work
of converting the children of men to the Gospel of Christ
from the sins of the world. There is nothing the children of
men can be engaged in that is equal to the converting of the
souls of men. The only office I ever asked the Lord for was
to be permitted to go and preach the Gospel. You hold the
power of the Priesthood in your hands. I was present in
Nauvoo, when the Prophet Joseph Smith gave the keys of the
Kingdom of God to the Twelve Apostles. He was with us
about three hours. He was full of the Spirit of the Lord. His
face was clear as amber. He said : 'I stand at the head of
this dispensation and God has given me every key of the Priest-
hood, every power of the Priesthood. I am going away (we did
not know what he meant). This kingdom will depend on you
and I now roll the responsibilities upon you, and God requires
it at your hands, and if you do not carry it on you will be
damned.'
"Joseph never bestowed upon young Joseph any key or Priest-
hood or authority. God is not with the Josephites, nor are the
ordinances Df the House of the Lord with them. I was once
riding on the cars from this city to Provo, and a man named
Short took occasion to w r alk up and down the car, declaring
that Joseph Smith never taught or practiced plural marriage,
and never instituted the covenant and endowments of the House
of the Lord ; that Brigham Young and those with him were the
authors of these things. I arose and said to him : 'You say
what is untrue. I received my endowments under the hands of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he taught me the celestial order
of marriage ' I shall be a witness of this in the spirit world,
and I shall meet you all there. The day is not far distant when
you will see great events in the earth and sorrowful judgment.
God bless you."
President Woodruff's ninetieth birthday was celebrated March
1st, 1897, by a great gathering of his friends and admirers at
the large Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, which was completely
6
82 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
filled and was attended by the governor and members of the
legislature and many other public officials, "Mormons" and non-
' 'Mormons." President Woodruff made a notable speech on
that occasion, speaking with great vigor and clearness. After
an appropriate programme was rendered President Woodruff
and his wife, Emma Smith Woodruff, fifty-nine years of age,
and whose birthday occurred on the same day as his, was seated
in front of the lower stand and held a reception that lasted over
an hour, almost the entire assembly passing by and shaking
hands with the venerable President and his wife. On July 20th,
1897, he officiated at the great Pioneer Jubilee celebration, when
the statue of Brigham Young and 'the Pioneers was unveiled and
dedicatory prayer by President Woodruff was offered. Subse-
quently he was presented with a gold Pioneer badge designed
for the oldest Pioneer present. On June 22nd, he was crown od
with flowers in the Tabernacle by the children who had marched
in procession to the number of about 10,000. On this occasion,
Ida Taylor Whittaker, granddaughter of the late Presidenc
Taylor, who spoke for the others, said : "As one of the descend-
ants of Utah's 1847 (year) Pioneers, I crown you the oldest of
that noble band present here today and pray God's blessings on
you and all your Pioneer companions."
President Woodruff frequently testified that two powers had
been at work with him all his life, one to destroy and the other
to protect him and enable him to complete his mission upon
the earth. During his eventful life he met with a number of
severe accidents, some of which would have killed an ordinary
person. He freqently remarked that nearly every bone in his
body except thosti of the spine and neck had been broken. The
following chapter of accidents which befell him was prepared
under his special direction :
"When three years of age he fell into a caldron of boiling
water, and it was nine months before he was considered out of
danger. When five years old, he fell from the great beam of a
barn, striking on his face ; three months later he fell down stairs
and broke an arm. Soon after, he broke his other arm. At
six years old he was chased by a mad bovine, but he fell into a
pesthole and the animal leaped over him. The same year he
broke both bones of one of his legs, in his father's saw mill.
When eight years old, a wagon in which he was riding
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF. 83
was tipped over upon him, and he was nearly suffocated.
When nine years old, he fell from an elm tree, through the break-
ing of a dry limb, fifteen feet, to the ground, and was supposed
to be dead. When twelve years old, he was nearly drowned in
Farmington river, Connecticut, but was brought up by a young
man from thirty feet of water. He suffered greatly in his
restoration to Jife. When thirteen years of age, he became be-
numbed with cold while walking through the meadows, and
went into the sleep of death, becoming insensible, but was found
and was restored. When fourteen years old, he split his instep
open with an ax, and was nine months getting well. At fifteen
he was bitten in his left hand by a mad dog. At seventeen he
was thrown from an ill-tempered horse, over the horse's head, on
a steep hill amid the rocks; he landed over the rocks on his
feet about a rod ahead. It broke his left leg in two places and
dislocated both his ankles. In eight weeks he was out of doors
on crutches. In 1827, while attempting to clear the ice out of
a water wheel, a full head of water was turned on, his feet
slipped into the wheel, but he plunged forward head first into
three feet of water and escaped being crushed to death. In
1831, he was again caught in a wheel twenty feet in diameter,
but leaped out against a jagged stone wall, and escaped with a
few bruises. During the winter of that year he suffered severely
from lung fever. In 1833, the day he was baptized, a horse,
newly sharpshod, kicked a hat off his head, and ten minutes
later he was thrown from a sleigh, without any box, on which
he was driving, lighting between the horses, and was dragged
with the sleigh on him to the bottom of a hill on a snow path,
but escaped unharmed. In 1834, he narrowly escaped death
twice from the discharge of firearms, a rifle ball passing withiu
a few inches of his breast, and a musket, heavily loaded, being
snapped with the muzzle pointed at his breast. In April, 1839,
in Rochester, 111., while riding on the forward axle tree of a
wagon, he was thrown so that his head and shoulders were drag-
ging. His horses took fright and dragged him about half a mile,
till they ran into a high fence. He was bruised, but no bones
were broken. While going to St. Louis, in July, 1842, he had a
severe attack of bilious fever, and on returning to Nauvoo, iu
August, was confined to his bed for forty days, and appeared to
be stricken with death, but he recovered by the manifestation
84 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of the power of God. September 12th, 1843, at 5 p. m., he lefr
Boston on the Portland Express. Six miles south of Kenne-
bunk, after dark, the train was wrecked, several cars wore
smashed to pieces, the engineer killed, some of the passengers
had bones broken, but he escaped unhurt. October 5, 1840,
when with the Camp of the Saints on the west bank of the Mis-
souri river, while cutting some timber, he was crushed by a
falling tree, his breast bone and three ribs on the left side were
broken, his left arm, hip and thigh were badly bruised, and he
was internally injured, yet he rode two and a half miles over
a rough road and was then carried to his wagon, when President
Brigham Young and his counselors laid hands upon him and
rebuked his pain. He had no physician; was able to walk in
twenty days, and in thirty days from the time he was hurt, he
was able to work again. On the 21st of April, 1856, while help-
ing to move an ox that had died from poison and had been
skinned, his arm was inoculated with the virus, and seven days
afterward he began to swell, and his whole system appeared to
be impregnated with the poison. President Young adminis
tered to him and promised him he should recover and live to
finish the work appointed to him on earth. He subsequently
recovered, although dead flesh had to be removed from his arm
with instruments and lunar caustic.
From his boyhood up President Woodruff kept a complete
journal of his daily life, without which many important items
must have been lost. For many years he was Church his-
torian, his long personal experience and the accuracy of his
journal assisting him very much.
From the year 1834 to the end of 1895, President Woodruff
traveled 172,369 miles, held 7,555 meetings, attended seventy-five
semi-annual conferences and 344 quarterly conferences, preached
3,526 discourses, established seventy-seven preaching places in
the missionary field, organized fifty-one branches of the Church,
received 18,977 letters, wrote 13,519 letters, assisted in the con-
firmation into the Church of 8,952 persons, and in addition to
his work in the St. George Temple, labored 603 days in the
endowment house in Salt Lake City. He traveled through
England, Scotland, Wales, six islands of the sea, twenty-three
States of the United States, and five Territories.
During the later years of his life he was a victim of insomnia,
PRESIDENT WILFOKD WOODRUFF. 85
and occasionally went to the Pacific coast where he could sleep
better and hoped to recruit. It was upon one of these visits that
he was prostrated and passed peacefully away, September 2nd,
1808. A portion of his family and President Cannon were at
his bedside. His remains were brought home for interment, the
funeral took place September 9th, in the large Tabernacle, Salt
Lake City, and was attended by several thousand people, and
the general authorities of the Church. He left a family of
estimable wives and children to mourn his departure, but they
were not alone in their bereavement, for hosts of people knew
and loved President Woodruff as a Prophet of the Lord, au
humble, honest, upright man of God.
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW.
President LORENZO SNOW was born in Mantua, Portage county,
Ohio, April 3, 1814, the eldest son of Oliver and Rosetta L.
Pettibone Snow. His parents were of the old Puritan stock,
and, naturally enough, from them he inherited the sterling quali-
ties which characterized the early promoters of civil and religious
liberty in this land. Ohio, at that" time, was considered in the
extreme west, and although President Snow was reared upon a
farm in the "wilds" and inured to hard manual labor, he early
exhibited a strong desire to secure a good education and was
often found by those seeking his company, "hid up with his
book." He also entertained an inclination to military tactics,
and gave them considerable attention. His faithful sister, Eliza
R., made him a suit of uniform. She became somewhat alarmeJ
at her brother's aspirations, lest he should be a military man,
become identified with the armies of his country, and end his
career upon the battlefield. Her anxiety, however, was relieved
when she found him turning his attention more completely to a
collegiate course of education. He attended the celebrated
Oberlin College, which at that time was strictly Presbyterian.
In the meantime, his sister Eliza had identified herself with the
Latter-day Saints. He would sometimes write home and ask
her many questions regarding the subject of religion, on one
occasion stating in a letter that if he could find nothing better
than he found at Oberlin College, "good bye to all religions."
During these years the Saints were building up the city of
Kirtland and regions around about, which were not very distant
from the home of the Snow family. This brought them in close
contact with the Latter-day Saints. On one occasion, while
journeying to Kirtland, Lorenzo fell into the company of Elder
David W. Patten, who engaged him in conversation on religious
matters. The ideas advanced by Elder Patten were both reason-
able and Scriptural. They made such a lasting and favorable
impression upon the youthful seeker after truth, that he con-
stantly meditated upon them until he became fully convinced of
LORENZO SNOW.
88 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the truth and embraced the Gospel. In Kirtland he joined the
Hebrew class and applied his mind closely to the study. He
became intimately acquainted with the Prophet Joseph and as his
acquaintance increased, so did his love and admiration for the
Prophet of God. In June, 1836, he was baptized by Apostle
John Boynton.
Upon joining the Church, Brother Snow was filled with a
desire to obtain a testimony for himself, and while pondering
upon the promised witness, the adversary sought to darken his
mind and weaken his faith. While in this frame of mind, he
retired to a secret place and sought the Lord in humble prayer.
The following is a description of the result, given in his own
words :
"I had no sooner opened my lips in an effort to pray than I
heard a sound just above my head like the rustling of silken
robes ; and immediately the Spirit of God descended upon me,
completely enveloping my whole person, filling me from the
crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and oh, the joyful
happiness I felt! No language can describe the almost in-
stantaneous transition from a dense cloud of spiritual darkness
into a refulgence of light and knowledge, as it was at that time
imparted to my understanding. I received a perfect knowledge
that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and of the
restoration of the Holy Priesthood and the fullness of the Gos-
pel. It was a complete baptism a tangible immersion in the
heavenly principle or element, the Holy Ghost ; and even more
physical in its effects upon every part of my system than the
immersion by water."
President Lorenzo Snow was always true and absolutely un-
deviating from that testimony. He traveled tens of thousands
of miles in bearing witness of the Gospel. He suffered priva-
tion, hardships, persecution, laid down his life in che Pacific
ocean, and by the power of God had it restored again ; suffered
through bonds and imprisonment, yet with it all he bore the
same testimony given sixty-five years before his death. I ask,
where does the Old or the New Testament produce a witness
whose testimony is stronger, worthy of more respect or more-
incontrovertible, than that recorded above given to the Prophet
Lorenzo Snow? This testimony will endure forever and be
presented at the bar of Jehovah, a witness against those who
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW. 89
have heard and rejected it. During the trouble and apostasy
in Kirtland, Elder Snow remained faithful and true to the
Prophet Joseph. In the spring of 1837 he performed his first
mission, traveling in the State of Ohio, "without purse or scrip."
In the year 1838 the Snow family joined the Saints in Mis-
souri, and there witnessed the scenes of mobocracy enacted in
that State. From Missouri Lorenzo went on his second mission,
this time to Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. While in Ken-
tucky he learned of the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri,
and walked five hundred miles to Kirtland, Ohio. The two
winters following, Elder Snow was occupied in Portage county,
Ohio, as a school teacher, in which profession he was very
successful.
In the spring of 1840 Elder Snow went on a mission to Eng-
land. It was during this mission that President Snow had
revealed unto him this glorious principle : "As man now is, God
once was ; as God now is, man may be." This sublime truth
was not then known to the Latter-day Saints. It had not been
taught by the Prophet, and Brother Snow wisely kept the matter
to himself, except that he confided in his sister Eliza R. and
President Young. The latter also cautioned him not to confide
the matter to others. He presided over the London Conference,
besides laboring in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.
Upon returning home in 1843 he was welcomed by Prophet
Joseph. Returning to Xauvoo, President Young informed Brother
Snow that the doctrine he had mentioned concerning God and
man was true, the Prophet Joseph having since taught it to
his people. Until this time Elder Snow was unmarried, his in-
tellectual and spiritual pursuits having excluded from his mind,
to a very considerable degree, the subject of matrimony. While
on a brief mission to Ohio, Elder Snow heard of the martyrdcm
of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Previous to the Prophet's death
he taught Elder Snow the doctrine of celestial marriage. Lorenzo
left with the exodus from Illinois, when the companies for emi-
gration were organized by President Young. At Mt. Pisgah, a
temporary resting place for the Saints, Elder Snow was ap-
pointed to preside. There he distinguished himself as a leader,
by organizing and planning to alleviate the sufferings of the
people and to provide for their maintenance. He moved to Salt
Lake Valley in the fall of 1848. In his new location he was
90 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
among the most industrious and cheerful in the performance
of every labor and duty incidental to building a city in the desert.
Early in 1849 he was called to the Apostleship, and was or-
dained a member of the Council February 12, 1849. As an
Apostle of the Lord, President Lorenzo Snow labored with
ability and energy, covering a period of over half a century.
Notwithtsanding the marked ability with which the Lord en-
dowed him, and the wisdom and efficiency which ever character-
ized his labors, his humility and meekness were such, that on one
occasion, he and President Franklin D. Richards went to Presi-
dent Young and offered to yield their places in the quorum of tli3
Twelve, if he felt disposed to accept their resignation, and fill
their positions with other men. Of course such a proposition
was not accepted.
At the October conference in 1849, President Snow was called
on a mission to Italy. En route he visited London and Paris,
arriving in Genoa on the 25th of June, 1850. Among the
Catholics Elder Snow and companions made little progress, but
in the Piedmont valley they labored with considerable success
among the Protestant Waldenses. In the prosecution of mis
sionary work, Elder Snow issued a number of pamphlets which
were widely circulated in their mission as circumstances won Id
permit. "The Voice of Joseph," "The Ancient Gospel Re-
stored," and "The Only Way to be Saved" were written by
Elder Snow. He caused the Book of Mormon to be translated
into Italian, and under his direction the Gospel was sent to
Switzerland, where good success attended the Elders. Since
that time hundreds have been gathered from that land. Presi-
dent Snow was so thoroughly filled with the spirit of preaching
the Gospel to all nations, that he planned for missions to extend
into Greece, Turkey, Russia and Malta ; at the latter place many
converts were made. He also sent missionaries to Calcutta
and Bombay, where branches of the Church were organized.
At Malta, journeying eastward, he was released to return home,
where he arrived July 30, 1852. The following year he was
elected to the Utah legislature, a position he occupied for twenty-
nine years, ten of which he presided over the Council.
In 1853 he was called by President Young to remove to Box
Elder county, and locate fifty families there. He cheerfully
consented, and for forty years made his home in Brigham City,
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW. 91
where he was the leading spirit not only in spiritual matters,
but in every laudable enterprise looking to the development of
the country. He also presided for years over the Box Elder
Stake of Zion. He organized the Brigham City Mercantile and
Manufacturing Association, under which industries were brought
into successful operation. The products of these industries in
1875 amounted in value to $260,000. The enterprises were con
ducted, as nearly as possible under the existing conditions, in
the spirit of the United Order. The country was unbroken, the
resources undeveloped, and when these things are taken into
account, it will be readily seen that the task was not an easy
one. Although the organization became extinct, and the indus-
tries ceased, President Snow fully demonstrated the fact that
under a more perfect condition of the people spiritually, the
United Order would be an absolute possibility.
In 1864 President Snow, with Elders Ezra T. Benson, Jos.
F. Smith and other Elders went on a brief business mission to
the Sandwich Islands. While going to the shore, the small boat
carrying them was capsized and President Snow was thrown into
the sea. When rescued he was to all appearances dead. The
brethren exercised great faith and worked over him for more
than an hour, when life came back to his body. He concluded
his mission in the islands successfully and returned to resume his
labors in Zion. In 1872, he, wtih his sister, Eliza R., and other
tourists visited the land of Palestine and dedicated from the
summit of Mt. Olivet, the land for the gathering of Israel in the
last days. The interesting account of their visit will be found
in their letters published in book form, entitled "The Palestine
Tourist."
During the crusade against the Saints under the Edmunds-
Tucker act, President Snow personally suffered the persecution
incidental to those times. Under the segregation process in-
augurated by the Utah courts, but afterward reversed by the
United States Supreme Court, President Snow was convicted
and sentenced to fine and imprisonment in the Utah penitentiary-
He served eleven months without a murmur or complaint. Be
fore being sentenced he was offered his liberty if he would do
violence to his own conscience by making a certain promise.
The following is his address to the court :
"Your honor, I wish to address this court kindly, respectfully,
92 PKOPHETS AND PATHIAECHS.
and especially without giving offense. During my trials, under
three indictments, the court has manifested courtesy and pa-
tience, and I trust your honor has still a liberal supply, from
which your prisoner at the bar indulges the hope that further
exercise of those happy qualities may be anticipated. In the
first place, the court will please allow me to express my thanks
and gratitude to my learned attorneys for their able, zealous
efforts in conducting my defense.
"In reference to 'the prosecuting attorney, Mr. Bierbower, I
pardon him for his ungenerous expressions, his apparent false
coloring and seeming abuse. The entire lack of evidence in
the case against me on which to argue, made that line of speech
the only alternative in which to disply his eloquence ; yet, in all
his endeavors, he failed to cast more obloquy on me than was
heaped upon our Savior.
"I stand in the presence of this court a loyal, free-born Ameri-
can citizen, now as ever a true advocate of justice and liberty.
'The land of the free and the home of the brave' has been the
pride of my youth and the boast of my riper years. When
abroad in foreign lands, laboring in the interest of humanity, I
have pointed proudly to the land of my birth as an asylum for
the oppressed.
"I have ever felt to honor the laws and institutions of my
country, and during the progress of my trial, whatever evidence
has been introduced has shown my innocence. But, like ancient
Apostles when arraigned in Pagan courts, and in the presence of
apotsate Hebrew judges, though innocent, they were pronounced
guilty. So, myself, an Apostle who bears witness by virtue of
his calling and the revelations of God, that Jesus lives that He
is the Son of God though guiltless of crime, here in a Christian
court I have been convicted through the prejudice and popular
sentiment of a so-called Christian nation.
"In ancient times the Jewish nation and the Roman empire
stood versus the Apostles. Now, under an apostate Christianity,
the United States of America stands versus Apostle Lorenzo
Snow.
"Inasmuch as frequent reference has been made to my
Apostleship by the prosecution, it becomes proper for me to ex-
plain some essential qualifications of an Apostle.
"First, an Apostle must possess a divine knowledge, by rev-
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW. 93
elation from God, that Jesus lives that He is the Son of the
living God.
"Secondly, he must be divinely authorized to promise the Holy
Ghost, a divine principle that reveals the things of God, making
known His will and purposes, leading into all truth and show-
ing things to come, as declared by the Savior.
"Thirdly, he is commissioned by the power of God to admin-
ister the sacred ordinances of the Gospel, which are confirmed to
each individual by a divine testimony. Thousands of people
now dwelling in these mountain vales, who received these ordi-
nances through my administrations, are living witnesses of the
truth of this statement.
"As an Apostle, I have visited many nations and kingdoms,
bearing this testimony to all classes of people to men in the
highest official stations, among whom may be mentioned a presi-
dent of the French republic. I have also presented works em-
bracing our faith and doctrine to Queen Victoria and the late
Prince Albert, of England.
"Respecting the doctrine of plural or celestial marriage, to
which the prosecution so often referred, it was revealed to me,
and afterwards, in< 1843, fully explained to me by Joseph Smith,
the Prophet.
"I married my wives because God commanded it. The cere-
mony, which united us for time and eternity, was performed by
n servant of God having authority. God being my helper, I
would prefer to die a thousand deaths than renounce my wives
and violate these sacred obligations.
"The prosecuting attorney was quite mistaken in saying, 'the
defendant, Mr. Snow, was the most scholarly and brightest light
of the Apostles;' and equally wrong when pleading with the
jury to assist him and the 'United States of America' in con
victing Apostle Snow, and 'he would predict that a new revela-
tion would soon follow, changing the divine law of celestial
marriage.' Whatever fame Mr. Bierbower may have secured as a
lawyer, he certainly will fail as a prophet. The severest prose-
cutions have never been followed by revelations changing a di-
vine law, obedience to which brought imprisonment or martyr-
dom.
"Though I go to prison), God will not change His law of celes
tial marriage. But the man, the people, the nation, that oppose
94 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
and fight against this doctrine and the Church of God, will be
overthrown.
"Though the Presidency of the Church and the Twelve
Apostles should suffer martyrdom, there will remain over foui
thousand Seventies, all Apostles of the Son of God, and were
these to be slain there still would remain many thousands of
High Priests, and as many or more Elders, all possessing the
same authority to administer Gospel ordinances.
"In conclusion, I solemnly testify, in the name of Jesus, the so-
called 'Mormon' Church is 'the Church of the living God, estab-
lished on the rock of revelation, against which 'the gates of hell
cannot prevail.'
"Thanking your honor for your indulgence, I am now ready
to receive my sentence."
The following extract from a letter to his family, dated Salt
Lake City, February 9th, 1887, speaks for itself :
"Eleven months I had been incarcerated within the walls of a
gloomy prison! Imagine for yourselves how like a dream it
seemed, when, suddenly and unexpectedly, the prison gate flew
open, and, clad in my striped convict suit, I was at once ushered
into the presence of a multitude of warm-hearted friends, anx-
iously awaiting my appearance. Oh, what warm clasping an r l
shaking of hands ! What hearty greetings and expressions of
congratulation !
"Having gone the rounds of this animating introductory scene,
I repaired to the tailors' department of the prison, and donned a
new black broadcloth suit and 'Richard was himself again.'
"Amid the soul-enlivening and the heart-cheering gaze of mj
numerous friends, I was conducted by Hon. F. S. Richards to a
carriage and seated with my daughter, Eliza S. Dunford, my
son Alvirus, and a son of Hon. F. S. Richards.
"When we started for Salt Lake City, it was a matter of as-
tonishment that so large a gathering should put in an appearance
on the spur of the moment. Included in the number were Heber
J. Grant and John W. Taylor, of the quorum of Apostles ; Hon.
F. S. Richards and wife, Abraham H. Cannon, representing the
seven Presidents of Seventies; John Nicholson and George C.
Lambert, representing the "Deseret News;" President L. W.
Shurtliff, of the Weber Stake, and many others ladies and
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW. 95
gentlemen noble men and women of God, of whose society
I am justly proud."
At the general conference April 7th, 1889, Elder Snow was
sustained as President of the Twelve Apostles, which position he
filled with distinction until he became President of the Church
subsequent to the death of President Woodruff, October 1, 189S.
Soon after the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893,
President Snow was installed in it as President, which honored
position he held to the day of his death. He was spiritual-
minded to a very high degree, and with his heavenly counte-
nance and sweet, gentle dignity, no one living was better, if so
well, qualified to stand as the watchman at the door which
opens between the living and the dead.
When President Snow succeeded to the Presidency of the
Church, he said to his brethren. "I do not want this adminis-
tration to be known as Lorenzo Snow's administration, but as
God's, in and through Lorenzo Snow." Being personally ac-
quainted with President Snow and observing his course in coun-
cil, the writer can testify that he was careful not to act in mat-
ters for the benefit of the Church unless satisfied that he had
the approval of the Lord. President Snow chose for his coun-
selors Presidents Geo. Q. Cannon and Jos. F. Smith, who had
served faithfully in the same relationship to Presidents Taylor
and Woodruff. One of the first and very foremost subjects of
consideration with President Snow on assuming the duties of his
position as President was, how to relieve the Church from the
heavy burden of debt which had rested upon it since the con-
fiscation of Church property by the government. He issued
church bonds, and with money borrowed almost entirely from
our own people, liquidated the most pressing obligations of the
Church. Soon after this he made a tour among the settlements
of the Saints in southern Utah. While in St. George, the Lord
revealed to him that the Saints must repent of their indifference
to the law of tithing, reform and do better, or many blessings
would be withdrawn and our enemies have great power over us.
President Snow and the brethren visited many Stakes of Zion,
and 1899 was a year of tithe-preaching and tithe-paying. This
spirit of obedience to this law, permeated every Stake of Zion
and every land and clime where a mission is established and
ihe Elders are found proclaiming the Gospel to the nations of
96 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the earth. With the advancement made as a result of this
movement, it may be safely believed that the administration of
the Lord through President Snow was ' one of the most re-
markable the Church has ever seen.
Let me here quote the testimony from an intelligent man not
of our faith, Rev. Dr. Prentis, a student of human nature, who
gave, unsolicited, a short time before our President's death, the
following pen sketch of Lorenzo Snow :
" 'Ye are my witnesses.' Nothing is stranger in this strange
world of inquiry and wonderment than the subtle power of the
human heart to distill itself through and utter itself permanently
in the human face. Every face is either a prophecy or a his-
tory. The tender grace of a baby's face commanding peace to
the troubled waves of a mother's heart, is but a prophecy of the
conquered peace of a noble life upon which that warm heart
may later lean. The droop of the school girl's eyelash, the
furrow of the student's brow, the compression of the youth's
lips in the various trials of life, are all promises to the physi-
ognomist of a tale that is yet to be told ; but upon the counte-
nance of the aged saint or sinner every line, every shade, every
tracing speaks unerringly of a history of glorious triumph or
disastrous defeat. Before the story is told and the character
completed, regularity of feature, lines of texture and delicacy of
coloring may cover up from careless eyes the deadly work of
spiritual destruction going on beneath the appearances ; but
when these have fallen like forest leaves in the autumn of life
and the hoar frost of winter whitens the head and furrows the
smooth skin, the history of life can no longer be hid, and men
may read it as in an open book. By a subtle alchemy intractable
to human control, the soul shines in the face and the countenance
is a monument of warning or a poem of benedictions. Whatever
estimate men may place upon the claims of Jesus of Nazareth,
His fiercest detractors have never challenged His perfect knowl-
edge of what was in man. To no one was this power of the
soul to distill itself into the lineaments of the face better
known than to Him. Not to logical symmetry of doctrines, not
to abstract beauty of truths revealed, but to the living beings
who had 'walked with Jesus,' did the great Physiognomist ap-
pear as the best evidence of the power of the Gospel of peace.
The face which speaks of a soul where reigns the Prince of Peace
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW. 97
is His best witness. Now and then in a life spent in the study
of man, I have found such a witness. Such was a face I saw
today ; saw it where and when I least expected it ; saw it in a
business office, where great affairs are transacted, where grave
responsibilities are borne, and where serious troubles come. I
had expected to find intellectuality, benevolence, dignity, com-
posure and strength depicted upon the face of the President
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but when I
was introduced to President Lorenzo Snow, for a second I was
startled to see the holiest face but one I had ever been privi-
leged to look upon. His face was a power of peace, his presence
a benediction of peace. In the tranquil depths of his eyes were
not only the home- of silent prayer, but the abode of spiritual
strength. As he talked of the 'more sure word of prophecy'
and the certainty of the hope which was his, and the abiding
faith which had conquered the trials and difficulties of tragic
life, I watched the play of emotions and studied with fascinated
attention the subtle shades of expression which spoke so plainly
the workings of his soul ; and the strangest feeling stole over
me, that 'I stood on holy ground ;' that this man did not act from
the commonplace motives of policy, interest, or expediency, but
he 'acted from a far-off center.' I am accustomed to study
men's faces, analyze every line and feature, dissect each ex-
pression, and note every emotion, but I could not here. What
would be the use of my recording the earnestness of the brow,
the sweetness of the mouth, and all my commonplace descriptive
terms? The man is not reducible to ordinary description. If
the Mormon Church can produce such witnesses, it will need
but little the pen of the ready writer or the eloquence of the
great preacher."
President Snow died on the 10th day of October, 1901, at
3 :35 p. m. Forty-eight hours before passing away he signed the
appointments of fifty-eight members of the Young Men's Mutual
Improvement Association to go on missions, and only twenty-
seven hours before his death, he presided at a meeting of his
business associates, thus showing how unimpaired were his
faculties up to the last.
The funeral took place in the large Tabernacle, Salt Lake
City, on the Sunday following, where his sorrowing brethren
and friends were in attendance. "He died, but he liveth ;" and
7
98 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
in the land beyond the veil, where sorrow and sin cannot enter,
he again mingles with the glorified martyrs and exalted souls
who went before. .His troubles are ended and his joy is endless,
while his shining record and the splendid personality of the
great man are left to those who survive as an imperishable
memory.
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH.
For over twenty years, President Joseph F. Smith was Second
Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is now the President, the date
of the reorganization of the First Presidency, after the death of
President Snow, being October 17th, 1901. He was born
November 13th, 1838, in Far West, Caldwell county, Missouri.
The period of his birth was a stormy one in the history of the
Church the time when it was in its infancy. His father,
Hyrum Smith, the Prophet's brother, was all and more to
Joseph than Jonathan was to David. In life they lived, labored
and suffered together, and when their time came, died together,
filling a martyr's grave for the salvation of mankind. Mary
Fielding, the mother of Joseph F., was a native of England,
and for energy, faith and determination, coupled with good
business abilities, was a most worthy and suitable companion
for her husband.
A few days previous to the birth of Joseph F., his father and
uncle, Joseph, with other brethren, were betrayed, through the
cruel treachery of George M. Hinkle, into the hands of armed
mobocrats. Being court martialed, they were sentenced to be
shot ; but this failed, by the interposition of Providence, through
Gen. A. W. Doniphan. They were then hustled off to prison,
but before starting were allowed a few minutes to bid farewell
to their families, being told they would never see them again.
With such scenes being enacted ; with mob rule holding sway ;
plunderings, drivings, imprisonment without trial or conviction ;
with poverty and distress at such a time was Joseph F. Smith
brought into the world. His childhood days were spent amid
the scenes of persecution and hardship which resulted in the
martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. His mother left
Nauvoo in 1846, as an exile from her home and country, for no
other cause than that of worshiping God according to the dic-
tates of her own conscience. Although at this time Joseph F.
was but a lad of eight years, he drove an ox team for his mother
100 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
across the State of Iowa. During the sojourn of the family at
Winter Quarters, Joseph was occupied as a herd boy, in which
he took special pride, feeling that his mother's cattle were ths
only means by which they were to make their way across the
great plains of the far west. Even after reaching the
valley Brother Smith was engaged (in herding, and so close and
conscientious was his attention to duty that he never lost a
''hoof" through neglect or carelessness ; this attention and devo-
tion to responsibilities placed upon him, has always marked his
character and is seen in all the labors of his life.
During his trials at Winter Quarters, while herding cattle, he
passed through a thrilling experience with Indians, who sud-
denly came upon him and his companions for the purpose of driv-
ing off their herd. In the exciting chase, two Indians, one on
either side, rode up to him, and taking hold of his arms, lifted
him from the saddle, and probably would have killed him but
for the unexpected appearance of a number of men who were
going to the hay field. The Indians suddenly dropped him to the
ground, and thus by the aid of Providence his life was saved,
his bravery and fidelity to trust having saved the cattle.
Brother Smith was taught by the example and precept of his
faithful mother, that in the performance of all duties and labors
he should go to the Lord in prayer. As a striking illustration
of the faith with which he became imbued in his early boyhood,
by the example of his mother, we present the following incident
related by himself :
"In the spring of 1847 a portion of our family crossed the
plains, following the pioneers to the Valley of the Great Salt
Lake, the remainder of the family intending to proceed on their
journey to the west the following spring. In the fall of 1847
my mother and her brother, Joseph Fielding, made a trip down
the Missouri river to St. Joseph, Mo., about 150 miles, for the
purpose of obtaining provisions and clothing for the family for
the coming winter, and for the journey across the plains the
following spring. They took two wagons with two yoke of
oxen on each. I was almost nine years of age at this time, and
accompanied my mother and uncle on their journey as a team-
ster. The weather was unpropitious, the roads were bad, and it
rained a great deal during the journey, so that the trip was a
very hard, trying and unpleasant one.
JOSEPH F. SMITH.
102 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
"At St. Joseph we purchased our groceries and dry goods,
and at Savannah we laid in our store of flour, meal, corn, bacon
and other provisions. Returning to Winter Quarters, we camped
one evening in an open prairie on the Missouri river bottoms,
by the side of a small spring creek, which emptied into the river
about three-quarters of a mile from us. We were in plain
sight of the river, and could apparently see over every foot of the
little open prairie where we were camped, to the river on the
southwest, to the bluffs on the northeast, and to the timber which
skirted the prairie on the right and left. Camping near by, on
the other side of the creek, were some men with a herd of beef
cattle, which they were driving to Savannah and St. Joseph
for market. We usually unyoked our oxen and turned them
loose to feed during our encampment at night, but this time, on
account of the proximity of this herd of cattle, fearing that they
might get mixed up and driven off with them, we turned our
oxen out to feed in their yokes. Next morning, when we came
to look them up, to our great disappointment our best yoke of
oxen was not to be found. Uncle Fielding and I spent all morn-
ing, well nigh until noon, hunting them, but without avail. The
grass was tall and in the morning was wet with heavy dew.
Tramping through this grass and through the woods and over
bluffs, we were soaked to the skin, fatigued, disheartened and al-
most exhausted. In this pitiable plight I was the first to return
to our wagons, and as I approached I saw my mother kneeling
down praying. I halted for a moment, and then gently drew
near enough to hear her pleading with the Lord not to suffer us
to be left in this helpless condition, but to lead us to recover
our lost team, that we might continue on our travels in safety.
When she arose from her knees I was standing near by. The
first expression I caught upon her precious face was a lovely
smile, which, discouraged as I was, gave me renewed hope and
an assurance I had not felt before. A few moments later Uncle
Fielding came to the camp, wet with the dews, faint, fatigued
and thoroughly disheartened. His first words were, 'Well,
Mary, the cattle are gone!' Mother replied in a voice which
fairly rang with cheerfulness, 'Never mind, your breakfast has
been waiting for hours, and now, while you and Joseph are
eating, I will take a walk out and see if I can find the cattle/
"My uncle held up his hands in blank astonishment, and if
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. 103
the Missouri river had suddenly turned to run up stream,
neither of us could have been more surprised. 'Why, Mary,' he
exclaimed, 'what do you mean? We have been all over this
country, all through the timber and through the herd of cattle,
and our oxen are gone ; they are not to be found. I believe they
have been driven off, and it is useless for you to attempt to do
such a thing as hunt for them.'
" 'Never mind me,' said mother. 'Get your breakfast and I
will see,' and she started toward the river, following down tho
little stream. Before she had proceeded out of speaking dis-
tance the man in charge of the herd of beef cattle rode up from
the opposite side of the creek and called out: 'Madam, I saw
your oxen over in that direction this morning about daybreak,'
pointing in the opposite direction from that in which mother was
going. We heard plainly what he said, but mother went right
on, paid no attention to his remark, and did not even turn her
head to look at him. A moment later the man rode off rapidly
toward his herd, which had been gathered in the opening near
the edge of the woods, and they were soon under full drive for
the road leading towards Savannah and soon disappeared from
view.
"My mother continued straight down the little stream of
water, until she stood almost on the bank of the river, and then
she beckoned to us. I was watching her every movement and
was determined that she should not get out of my sight. In-
stantly we rose from the 'mess-chest,' on which our breakfast
had been spread, and started toward her. Like John, who outran '
the other disciple to the sepulcher, I outran my uncle and came
first to the spot where my mother stood. There I saw our
oxen fastened to a clump of willows growing in the bottom of
a deep gulch, which had been washed out of the sandy banks of
the river by the little spring creek, perfectly concealed from
view. We were not long in releasing them from bondage and
getting back to our camp, where the other cattle had been fas-
tened to the wagon wheels all the morning, and we were soon
on our way homeward bound, rejoicing.
"This circumstance was one of the first practical and positive
demonstrations of the efficacy of prayer I had ever witnessed.
It made an indelible impression upon my mind, and has been a
104 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
source of comfort, assurance and guidance to me throughout
all my life."
The impression made upon Joseph's mind by this striking
answer to his mother's prayer, has never left him, but has
done much to encourage him in meeting every responsibility,
and causing him to realize that, no matter how arduous the
task, the Lord will not fail those who put their trust in Him.
Crossing the plains from Missouri river, to the Salt Lake
valley, Brother Smith (though less than ten years of age at that
time) drove two yoke of oxen attached to a heavily laden
wagon the entire distance of more than one thousand miles.
Reaching the valley of Salt Lake with his mother, September
23d, 1848, he continued in charge of the cattle as herd boy for
several years, and never lost an animal, notwithstanding the
great number of large wolves in the valley. This work of herd-
ing was interchanged with plowing, harvesting, canyon work,
etc., idleness having no part in his life.
The opportunities for education in those early days of trying
experiences of the Church were limited. Such learning as
Brother Joseph possessed he acquired chiefly from his mother.
She taught him to read the Bible during their pilgrimage across
the plains, in the tent and by the camp fire. Such facilities as
have been afforded him have not passed by unimproved. Being
fond of books, he reads extensively the best of them, always
with a purpose in view to learn lessons of worth for practical
use in life ; and it is safe to say that no man living applies them
'better to himself and family than does President Smith. His
mother died Sept. 21st, 1852, leaving him an orphan at the age
of fourteen. When fifteen years of age he was called on a mis
sion to the Sandwich Islands. He received his endowments in
the old Council House, -and was set apart in the same building
by Apostle Parley P. Pratt and Orson Hyde. Brother Pratt,
who was spokesman in setting him apart, declared that he
should receive the knowledge of the Hawaiian language "by the
gift of God as well as by study." This prophecy was literally
fulfilled, for in less than four months from his arrival (two
weeks of this time was spent in severe sickness) he was able to
make a tour of the island of Maui, to preach, baptize and ad-
minister the sacrament, etc., all in the native language. He
left his mountain home to fulfill this mission on May 27th, 1851,
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. 105
in company with other missionaries. The southern route was
taken, as far as Cedar, with President Young and party who
were on their tour to the southern settlements. This little
band of missionaries was headed by Parley P. Pratt. In
crossing the desert country from southern Utah to California,
they were followed a long distance by numbers of Indians who
were almost famished for food. The only alternative was to
share food with them, which the company did to keep on friendly
terms. As a result the missionaries were compelled to subsist
on very short rations, consuming the last of their supplies the
day they reached ajon Pass.
During the sojourn of Joseph F. in California, he worked
hard for a livelihood and to earn means sufficient to pay his
passage across the Pacific to Honolulu, much of his time being
spent in the manufacture of cut shingles. He and his fellow
missionaries embarked upon the "Vaquero," and after a some-
what disagreeable voyage, they landed in Honolulu September
27th, 1854. After a few days there, Brother Joseph was as-
signed to the island of Maui, to labor in company with his
cousin Silas Smith, S. B. Thurston and Washington B. Rogers.
He was shortly afterwards prostrated for more than two weeks
with a severe fever. Upon his recovery he was assigned to
Kula, the place where President Cannon first introduced the
Gospel to the Hawaiian race. He pursued the study of the
language with much diligence and faith, soon being able to
bear witness that "by the gift of God, as well as by study,"
the words of Brother Pratt concerning his acquisition of the
language, were verified. His experience brought him near to
the Lord.
Relative to the manifestations of the Spirit to him, Elder
Smith says : "Of the many gifts of the Spirit which were mani-
fest through my administration, next to my acquirement of the
language, the most prominent was perhaps the gift of healing
and the casting out of evil spirits, which frequently occurred."
One instance occurred at Wailuku, where he sojourned with
a native family, being engaged in the study of the language.
One night the woman was suddenly seized with evil spirits.
She went through all manner of hideous contortions. Her
husband was overcome with such fear that he trembled as a
leaf in the wind. Brother Joseph was also somewhat <lw
106 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
turbed at this new and unexpected demonstration, but suddenly
all fright left him; the power of the Holy Ghost rested upon
him, and he stood upon his feet, facing the woman possessed
of demons. "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I rebuke
you," he said, when suddenly the woman fell limp to the floor
and became as one dead. The husband pronounced her dead
and then set up a hideous howl, which Joseph promptly rebuked,
after which quiet and peace were restored and the young mis-
sionary proceeded with his studies.
Brother Joseph labored upon the Island of Alaui over eighteen
months, with great success. The readiness by which he ac-
quired and used the language astonished his brethren and
the natives. After President F. A. Hammond took his depart-
ure for his 'home in Utah, Brother Joseph presided over the
Maui Conference ; later he also presided over the Kobala Con-
ference for six months, and the island of Hawaii for the same
length of time.
Brother Joseph was laboring upon the latter island at the
time of the great volcanic eruption of 1855. He says : "I ex-
perienced the tremendous shocks of earthquake which imme-
diately preceded the eruptions, and subsequently visited the
great lava How which issued from the crater. It was said that
this eruption, in the quantity of lava thrown out, has probably
never been surpassed during the residence of foreigners on
the islands. The flow continued for about thirteen months,
reaching to within six or seven miles of the city of Hilo, more
than sixty miles from the crater. The city and bay of Hilo
were in imminent danger of destruction for months. I have
seen it stated since, that the area covered by lava from this
eruption exceeded three hundred square miles, or about one-
thirteenth of the area of the island of Hawaii."
President Smith continued his labors upon the islands with
efficiency, passing through many scenes which added strength
to his testimony of the Gospel and fitted him for the positions
of responsibility to which he has since been called. He has
sometimes said that he was never thankful but once that liis
first mission was upon the Sandwich Islands, and that once
had been all the time, from the time of his mission to the
present date.
Owing to the approach of Johnson's army to Utah, President
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. 107
Young sent instructions that he desired all Elders laboring in
foreign missions to return home. Accordingly President Smith
and other Elders took passage on the bark Yankee, October (?ch,
1855. Upon landing at San Francisco they reported to Presi-
dent George Q. Cannon, at the "Western Standard" office.
Shortly after arriving on the coast Brother Smith journeyed
south to Santa Cruz, there joining a company. He next ar-
ranged to drive a team to Utah for George Crismon, arriving in
Great Salt Lake City February 24th, 1858, having been absenv
four years.
Immediately upon his return home, Joseph F. joined the
militia and started with an expedition to intercept the hostile
army which had been sent to Utah. He served under Col.
Thomas P. Callister, and later was chaplain of the regiment
under Col. Heber C. Kimball. He says, in speaking of his
enlistment and experiences in the Utah army: "The day
following my arrival home, I reported myself to Presi-
dent Young and immediately enlisted in the Legion to de-
fend ourselves against the encroachment of a hostile and
menacing army. From that time until the proclamation of
peace, and a free and full pardon by President Buchanan camo,
I was constantly in my saddle, prospecting and exploring the
country between Great Salt Lake 'City and Fort Bridger, under
the command of Col. Thos. Callister and others. I was on
picket guard with a party of men under O. P. Rockwell when
Commissioners Powell and McCullough met us near the Weber
river, with the President's proclamation. Subsequently I wcs
on detail in the deserted city of Great -Salt Lake until after the
army passed through and thence to Camp Floyd. After this 1
assisted my relatives to return to their homes, from which they
had fled."
At the session of the legislature held in the winter of 1858-9,
President Smith officiated as sergeant-at-arms in the council,
and on March 29, 1858, he was ordained into the thirty-second
quorum of Seventies. He was married April 5, 1859, and on
October IGth of the same year was ordained a High Priest, also
being made a member of the High Council of the Salt Lake
Stake of Zion. At the April Conference, 1860, Brother Joseph
was called on a mission to Great Britain. He was in straitened
circumstances financially, and was almost obliged to discontinue
108 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
housekeeping and allow his wife to return to her mother's
home for the time being. (He was soon on his way, in company
with his cousin, Samuel B. Smith, each driving a four-mule team
to pay their way across the plains. They sailed for Liverpool
July 14, arriving in that port on the 27th of that month. Dur-
ing his mission in England President Smith traveled in various
conferences, and in all his ministrations among the Saints and
strangers left an impression for good that can never be effaced.
President George Q. Cannon was also in Great Britain on a
mission at the same time, and it was while there perhaps, more
than any other place, they learned to love and esteem each
other, where a friendship was established which grew stronger
as the years went by.
During his mission in Europe President Smith, with Presi-
dent Cannon, visited several of the conferences in Denmark,
and with Elder Brigham Young, Jr., and others, visited Paris,
France. Brother Joseph F. was released after filling a most
honorable and efficient mission, returning home in 1863. He
was in New York 'City at the time of the dreadful riots which
occurred in July of that year. Arriving home he found his wife
in a very poor state of health, which for some time grew
worse, but he waited upon her day and night with little or no
rest for many weeks, when she gradually recovered her health.
It was not in the providences of the Lord that Brother Joseph
F. should remain long at that period of his life to enjoy the
quiet and peace of home, for in March, 1864, he started on his
second mission to the 'Sandwich Islands. He went in company
with Apostles Lorenzo Snow and Ezra T. Benson, and Elders
William W. Cuff and Alma L. Smith. The purpose of their mis-
sion was to regulate the affairs of the Church on the islands,
which had been greatly interfered with by one Walter M.
Gibson, who had presumptuously established himself as leader
of the Church upon the Islands. They labored faithfully to
convert Mr. Gibson from his wrong doing, but to no avail.
The man was not honest at heart, and they were obliged, for the
protection of the native Saints, to excommunicate him. This
trouble being settled, the Apostles soon returned to America,
leaving President Smith and other American Elders in charge
of the mission, from which he returned in the winter of 1864-5.
'Vhile upon this mission an incident occurred which is worthy
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. 109
of note. The ship upon which the brethren arrived was
anchored in the channel, where the sea was usually very rough.
A breakwater had been constructed, and by the protection of it
the natives successfully ran their boats ashore. However, in
approaching it there was danger of disaster. It was proposed
to land the passengers in the ship's freight boat, which wa.i
unwieldy and not easily managed. President Smith at once
apprehended the danger, and stoutly protested against incurring
the great risk of capsizing the boat at the breakwater. He
refused to accompany them and tried to persuade his co-
laborers not to go. They were persistent, however, and made
the attempt, although Brother Joseph had offered to go alone
if necessary for a better boat. When they determined to go, he
persuaded them to permit him to remain on the anchored ship
and leave their clothing and valuable articles with him. They
consented to this reluctantly, and as they moved away from the
ship, Joseph stood upon the deck, gazing at his brethren with
awful anxiety. His fears were well grounded, for as their
boat struck the breakwater, a heavy wave dashed against
it and instantly capsized it, emptying its human cargo
into the surging billows. A boat manned by natives came to the
rescue and recovered all but Apostle Snow, when they started
for shore. Brother W. W. Cluff demanded the return of the
boat, that they might secure Brother Snow, which was done,
and his body was recovered. To ail appearance he was dead.
Through the mercies of the Lord, however, he was restored to
life. All this time Brother Joseph stood in awful suspense, a
helpless spectator, upon the anchored ship. This action of
President Smith indicates a trait which has been manifested
throughout his life he has the courage of his convictions, and
is most vigorous and earnest in expressing them.
After Brother Smith returned home from this mission he
was variously employed. He was an active and efficient member
of the city council for several terms ; the effects of his influence
in that municipal body are today monuments of worth to the
city of Salt Lake. The possession of Liberty Park by Salt
Lake City is due to his influence and determined convictions
more than to the labors of any other man. July 1st, 1866, he
was ordained an Apostle by President Brigham Young, and on
the 8th of October, 1867, was called to fill a vacancy in the
110 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
council of the Twelve. When President Young chose to have
more than two counselors, Brother Joseph P. was one of the
number selected. In 1868 he was called with Apostle Woodruff
and Elder A. O. Smoot, to go to Provo and labor for the up-
building of that city and Utah county. He served one term in
the Provo city council. By permission of President Young, in
1808-9, he moved his family back to Salt Lake City and resumed
his labors there.
On February 28th, 1874, Brother Joseph F. started on his
second mission to Great Britain, this time to preside over
'Lhe European mission. During his labors in Europe, Scan-
dinavia, Germany, Switzerland and France were visited, as
well as the several conferences of the British Isles. He proved
himself to be one of the very best men that has ever presided
over any mission, not only for his prompt and wise methods of
conducting affairs, but also his humility in obeying the prompt-
ings of the Spirit, for which he constantly lives. His personal
love and tender-hearted kindness to every Elder in the mis-
sion endeared him to the hearts of thousands.
Soon after the decease of President Go. A. Smith, in the
fall of 1875, Brother Smith was released to return home, and
upon returning he was appointed to preside over the Saints in
Davis county, which at that time was not organized into a
stake. He held this position until the spring of 1877, when lie
was called on his third mission to Great Britain. Before leav-
ng he witnessed the dedication of the St. George Temple, the
first completed in the Rocky Mountain country.
About the 1st of September he and Elder Orson Pratt re-
ceived the sad news of the death of President Brigham Young,
and were requested by the council of the Apostles to imme-
diately return home. They reached S<alt Lake City September
27, 1877, and the following year Brother Joseph was sent with
Elder Pratt on a short mission to the East. They visited noted
places in Church history, in Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and New
York, calling upon David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses
to the Book of Mormon.
In October, 1880, when the Presidency of the Church was
organized with President John Taylor at the head, Brother
Smith was chosen to be his 'Second Counselor. He was chosen
to the same position under President Woodruff and President
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. Ill
Snow. He now occupies the great station of the presidency,
succeeding President Lorenzo Snow. During the presidency of
John Taylor, and under the trying scenes of the anti-"Mormon''
crusade, by direction of President Taylor, Brother Smith per-
formed another faithful mission in the Sandwich Islands.
While there he obtained an exact copy of the old Spaulding
story, and by evidence incontrovertible showed that not the
slightest resemblance existed between the Book of Mormon and
the story-
His labors in the city council, the legislature and other places
of civil and financial responsibilities, are too numerous to
mention in a brief sketch. He has filled every position of trust
assigned him with such unblemished honesty and fidelity that
no man can justly say aught against him. One of the grandest
traits of his character is impartial justice. The great system
of Patriarchal marriage, so well designed to prove the hearts of
men and women, and to develop in them the principles of pure
love, charity, justice and impartiality, has no better examples
among God's people than President Smith. Whatever obliga-
tion he is under to that sacred principle for his existence and
for the possession of his own posterity, he is meeting manfully,
with the record that his example shall exemplify the truth as
revealed to the Prophet Joseph.
As a fitting conclusion of this meagre sketch of a useful life,
we quote a pen sketch made in 1900, of President Smith from
Elder Edward H. Anderson :
"President Smith has been constantly in the service of the
public and by his straightforward course has won the love, confi-
dence and esteem of the whole community. He is a friend of
the people, is easily approached, a wise counselor, a man of
broad views, and, contrary to first impressions, is a man whose
sympathies are easily aroused. He is a reflex of the best
character of the 'Mormon' people inured to hardships, patient
in trial, God-fearing, self-sacrificing, full of love for the huma
race, powerful in moral, mental and physical strength.
"President Joseph F. Smith has an imposing physical appear-
pearance. Now completing his sixty-second year, he is tall,
erect, well-knit and symmetrical in build. He has a prominent
nose and features. When speaking he throws his full, clear,
brown eyes wide open on the listener, who may readily perceive
112 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
from their penetrating glimpses the wonderful mental power
of the tall forehead above. His large head is crowned with an
abundant growth of hair, in his early years dark, but now, like
his full beard, tinged with a liberal sprinkling of gray. In
conversation, one is forcibly impressed with the sudden changes
in appearance of his countenance under the different influences
of his mind ; now intensely pleasant with an enthusiastic and
childlike interest in immediate (subjects and surroundings ;
now absent, the mobility of his features set in that earnest,
almost stern, majesty of expression so characteristic of his por-
traitsso indicative of the severity of the conditions and en-
vironments of his early life.
"As a public speaker, his leading trait is an intense earnest-
ness. He impresses the hearer with his message more from
the sincerity of its delivery and the honest earnestness of his
manner, than from any learned exhibition of oratory or studied
display of logic. He touches the hearts of the people with the
simple eloquence of one who is himself convinced of the truths
presented. He is a pillar of strength in the Church, thoroughly
imbued with the truths of the Gospel and the divine origin of
this work. His whole life and testimony are an inspiration to
the young.
"I said to him : 'You knew Joseph, the Prophet ; you are old
in the work of the Church ; what is your testimony to the youth
of Zion concerning these things?' And he replied slowly and
deliberately : 'I was acquainted with the Prophet Joseph in
my youth. I was familiar in his home, with his boys and with
his family. I have sat on his knee ; I have heard him preach ;
distinctly remember being present in the council with my father
and the Prophet Joseph Smith and others. From my childhood
to youth I believed him to be a Prophet of God. From my
youth until the present I have not believed that he was a
Prophet, for I have known that he was. In other words, my
knowledge has superseded rny belief. I remember seeing him
dressed in military uniform at the head of the Nauvoo Legion.
I saw him when he crossed the river, returning from his in-
tended western trip into the Rocky Mountains, to go to his
martyrdom, and I saw his lifeless body, together with that of
my father, after they were murdered in Carthage jail and still
have the most palpable remembrance of the gloom and sorrow
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH. 113
of those dreadful days. I believe in the divine mission of the
Prophet of the nineteenth century with all my heart, and in the
authenticity of the Book of Mormon and the inspiration of the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and hope to be faithful to God
and man, and not false to myself, to the end of my days."
PATRIARCH JOHN SMITH.
John Smith is a name so exceedingly common that it is not
infrequently used by humorists and others for characterization
when a handier cognomen does not occur to them ; and indeed,
without some striking individuality or special means of identifi-
cation, the name may, and sometimes does produce confusion and
uncertainty. In Utah are many who bear it with an addition
before or after, and no doubt, as elsewhere, there are a few
who have the name in all its simplicity, undistinguished by any
other. Yet there is one among the Latter-day Saints who is so
named, and whose personality and position are so striking that
he is hardly ever taken for another or vice versa. This man< is
the 'one whose name and office appear at the heading of this
chapter.
John Smith, the presiding Patriarch of the Church, entered
upon this sphere of action seventy-three years ago, the exact
date of his birth being Sept. 22nd, 1832, and the place Kirtland,
Lake (then Geauga) county, Ohio. His father, Hyrum Smith,
was the Patriarch, who sealed his testimony with his blood along
with his brother Joseph ; the mother was Jerusha Barden 'Smith,
who died October 13th, 1837. The father was again married,
on December 24th, 1837, to 'Miss Mary Fielding, who bore him
a son and a daughter. Young John accompanied his father's
family to Far West, that place around whose name so many
painful recollections to the Saints center, early in 1838. Perse-
cution was rife. During that year his Patriarch father and
Prophet uncle were hounded in various ways by howling mobs
and finally lodged in Liberty county jail, but were subsequently
released. Expulsion from the community and the State are
also among the youthful recollections of the present Patriarch ;
these with many other tribulations for the Gospel's sake going
to make up a very turbulent commencement of a life's journey.
After varied experiences, all involving innumerable hardships,
the family at last reached Commerce, Illinois, the town which
JOHN SMITH.
116 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
afterwards became world-renowned as Nauvoo. Young John
left his people and started with Heber C. Kimball's family for
the ''Wild West" in February, 18i7. On this expedition his ex-
periences were numerous. He had to do all kinds of work and
endure all kinds of privations. During the early part of the
journey across the plains he became acquainted with Col.
Thomas L. Kane, whose name is held in high regard by the
Latter-day Saints, and became a nurse for that distinguished
gentleman when suffering from an attack of sickness. After
going back over a great portion of the journey traversed to
meet his relatives, whom he heard were coming, and returning
to Winter Quarters where an extended stay occurred, the party
at last were off for the "vast, booming, bounding West," com-
mencing the journey during the month of April, 1848. It proved
to be an unusually hard journey, filled with trials and perils,
but under the providence of the Lord it was finished in safety on
the 22nd of September, Brother Smith's sixteenth birthday.
As a sample of many occurrences of that trying trip, the fol-
lowing from the "Juvenile Instructor" is here given :
"On one occasion a circumstance occurred which he feels
he will never forget. At about sundown, while the party were
encamped on the Platte river, it was reported that a woman
was lost. Without ceremony he took his coat on his arm and
a piece of corn bread in his hand and started out up the road,
to follow a part of the company which had left at noon. He
had not gone far when he came up with a dead carcass, which
was covered with wolves fighting and howling. He walked
past as fast and as quietly as possible. He traveled six miles
before he came up with any wagons. During this distance he
passed about twenty such frightful scenes, but he got through
in safety, and he thinks he was unnoticed by the wolves. He
stopped for the balance of the night with an acquaintance, and
at daybreak proceeded on his journey and found the lost woman,
a little after sunrise, safe with her mother, six miles from where
he stayed for the night."
Brother Smith's career in Utah, like that of so many others
who came at or close to the beginning, has been exceedingly
varied. All kinds of service, public and private, military and
civil, religious and secular, have fallen to his lot and always has
it received proper attention and correct performance. He also
PATRIARCH JOHN SMITH. 117
filled a successful mission to Scandinavia, on which he set out
iu May, 1802 ; his experiences on this mission were at times
most trying, but he faltered not and came home at last with a
company of 972 Saints. On December 25th, 1853, he was mar-
ried to Miss Helen M. Fisher, who has borne him five sons and
four daughters. His ordination to the office of Patriarch was
in February, 1855, under the hands of Presidents Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball and Jedediah M. Grant ; and Apostles
Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith
and Lorenzo Snow. During his administration of this high
and holy office, Brother Smith has given 15,863 Patriarchal
blessings. Notwithstanding his years and the dazzling white-
ness of his hair and beard, he is as active and spry as many a
man of half his years. May he long continue so. The writer
received a Patriarchal blessing at the hands of Patriarch Smith,
when nineteen years of age. Many glorious promises therein
have been. literally fulfilled. This may be said of the thousands
of blessings he has given, for he enjoys the spirit of his calling,
and his predictions will be fulfilled. Happy is the man who
receives a blessing from him who holds the keys of the office.
Brother Smith is kind, genial and fatherly, sociable with all and
unassuming in his disposition. May his life be preserved for
many years to bless the people of God.
PRESIDENT HEBER C. KIMBALL.
HEBER C. KIMBALL was born in Sheldon, Franklin county,
Vermont, on June 14th, 1801. His father was a blacksmith and
farmer, and taught by example and precept that "To earn the
bread by the sweat of the brow" was honorable so long as the
labor performed had nothing to do with intemperance or im-
morality in any particular. The Kimball family moved to
West Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, in 1811. Heber
C. went to school when five years of age, and continued most of
the time until fourteen, when he commenced to learn black-
smithing. During the war of 1812 his father lost his property
and was much reduced in circumstances. At the age of nine-
teen, Heber found himself dependent upon his own resources.
In this condition he accepted an offer from his elder brother,
Charles, to learn the potter's trade, and many times in later life,
while preaching the Gospel, he used the familiar phrase that
we should become, in the hands of the Lord, "as clay in the hands
of the potter." In the meantime he had moved to Mendon,
Monroe county, New York. In November, 1822, he married
Vilate Murray, a most estimable young lady, born in Florida,
New York, June 1st, 1806. He followed the potter's trade for
more than ten years. He became a Free Mason in 1823, receiv-
ing the first three degrees of Masonry. In 1824, with five
others, he petitioned the chapter to receive all the degrees of
Masonry up to that of Royal Arch Mason. The petition was
granted.
Brother Kimball evinced strong religious tendencies in early
life, and he had many pressing invitations to identify himself
with one or another of the religious sects. Feeling anxious to
find the truth, he joined the Baptists, believing it to be the best
he could do at the time. Still he felt that something was lack-
ing. Three weeks later Elders representing the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints came into the neighborhood and
were received at the home of Phineas H. Young. Brother Kim-
ball went to hear them preach and was deeply impressed with
UEBER C. KIMBALL.
120 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
their teachings and testimonies. He desired to know more, and
with Brothers Brigham and Phineas H. Young went to Penn-
sylvania, where he spent six days with the Church, attending
the meetings with great interest.
In April, 1832, Elder Alpheus Gifford came to Brother Kim-
ball's pottery, and after a few moments' conversation the latter
requested baptism, which Elder Gifford cheerfully administered.
Two weeks later his wife Vilate was baptized by Elder
Joseph Young. Elder Brigham Young and Brother Kimball
commenced preaching the Gospel in Genesee, Avon and Lyons-
town, where they baptized a number of persons and organized
several branches.
In September, 1832, Elder Kimball visited the Prophet Joseph
Smith at Kirtland, Ohio ; later he sold his possessions, and with
Brother Brigham Young removed to Kirtland, then the horae
of the Saints. In May, 1834, he started with Zion's Camp on
Salt River, Missouri ; he was chosen as one of the Prophet's
life guards. He suffered from an attack of cholera, but was
healed by the power of God. During all the trials of their
march to Missouri and back, Brother Kimball bore his responsi-
bilities with patience, and was never known to murmur at his
lot or against the Prophet. He returned to Kirtland July 20th,
1834, where he established a pottery and worked at his trade
until winter. During the winter he attended the theological
schools in Kirtland. February 14th, 1835, he was ordained to
the Apostleship, becoming one of the first quorum of the Twelve
in this dispensation.
On the 3d of May he, with his fellow Apostles, went on a
mission to the branches of the Church in the East. He visited
Sheldon, Vermont, his native town, and preached to his friends
and relatives. He also visited New York, met with the Twelve
in conference at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and returned to Kirt-
land September 25th, 1835.
Apostle Kimball was present at the dedication of the Kirt-
land Temple, March 27th, 1836. He received his blessings
therein and participated in the great spiritual work bestowed
in that holy edifice. After the dedication he filled a mission in
the northern part of the United States, and returned to Kirt-
land in October. He was called through the Prophet Joseph
to carry the Gospel to England, to open the door of salvation to
PRESIDENT IIEBER C. KIMBALL. 121
the inhabitants of that land. The year 1837 was one of
troublous scenes in the Church. Many apostatized, several of
the Twelve being among the number. Elder Kimball was very
sorrowful over the conditions existing, but was among the
valiant number who were true to God and His Prophet, 'though
assailed by enemies on every hand. June 13th, 1837, accom-
panied by Orson Hyde, Willard Richards and Joseph Fielding,
he started on his mission to England. At New York they were
joined by several others and set sail across the mighty deep,
the first to bear the glad tidings of the new dispensation to the
shores of Europe. They reached Liverpool on the ship Garrick,
July 20th, 1837. The history of Apostle Kimball's first mission
in England would make an interesting little volume of itslef, as
thrilling and accompanied by the power of God as thoroughly as
were the travels of the Apostle Paul in southern Europe, more
than 1800 years before. Elder Kimball returned to Kirtland
May 22d, 1838, being absent eleven months, and with his asso-
ciates was instrumental in baptizing nearly 1,500 people, be-
sides organizing large branches of the Church in various parts
of England, thus opening and establishing the European mis-
sion, from which has come to the Church of Christ in the last
days more than 100,000 people.
President Smith and other leading men having removed to
Missouri, Elder Kimball located with his family at Far West.
They journeyed chiefly by water on the Ohio, Mississippi and
Missouri rivers, reaching Far West July 25th, 1838, and en-
joyed a happy meeting with the Prophet Joseph and other
leading men.
Brother Kimball immediately set to work building a small
house for the occupancy of himself and family. During its erec-
tion they lived in a small shanty about eleven feet square, so
low that Brother Kimball could scarcely stand upright in it
with his six feet of stature.
During the summer he went with the Prophet Joseph and
others to Daviess county, to afford the Saints protection against
mob violence. At the incursion of Far West by the mob militia,
Elder Kimball was present to offer his life or undergo any ordeal
that might come upon the Saints. He visited, in company with
President Young, the Prophet in prison, and did ill that he
could to secure his release. He was also active in providing for
122 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the comfort of the wounded and helpless who had suffered from
the outrages of their enemies. He attended the secret con-
ference on the Temple grounds April 26th, 1839, at which
Wilford Woodruff and George A. 'Smith were ordained to the
Apostleship. He went with the Twelve to Quincy, 111., where
his family awaited him, and from thence moved to Nauvoo,
where he built a home which still remains, sixty-one years of
age, and the letters H. C. K. are still seen on thei front of the
building. Nauvoo, the former home of the exiled Saints, though
reduced from a population of 15,000 to 1,200 is still marked
with the old residences of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Heber
C. Kimball and many others of the leading men, who were
robbed of their possessions by the action of mobs in 1845 and
1846.
In September, 1839, with President Brigham Young, Elder
Kimball went to England on his second mission. He was
hailed with delight by his former acquaintances. He labored
with great diligence for over a year. They reached Liverpool
April 6th, 1840, and returned to Nauvoo July 1st, 1841, where
he was elected a member of the Nauvoo city council and labored
in various capacities to promote the growth and development of
the -Church. From September 10th, to November 4th, 1842, he,
with Brigham Young, George A. Smith and Amasa M. Lyman,
labored diligently in Illinois to allay excitement, remove preju-
dice and correct false doctrine. In July, 1843, he went on a
preaching mission to the Eastern States, returning to Nauvoo
October 22d of the same year.
May 21st, 1844, he went to Washington to petition the au-
thorities of the Nation to redress the grievances heaped upon the
Saints by their enemies in Missouri and Illinois. On his return
he heard the sad 2iews of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum
Smith. Apostle Kimball was active in sustaining the Saints
in their great affliction by his encouraging counsel. He united
witli his brethren to finish the Nauvoo Temple and in every way
fully met, under unfavorable circumstances, the responsibili-
ties of his high calling. What the people suffered, he suffered;
the labors which they performed, he performed. After the
trying experience of the exodus from Nauvoo, and the journey
to Winter Quarters, he became one of the historic 143 who
PRESIDENT HEBEB C. KIMBALL,. 123
constituted the Pioneer company which entered Salt Lake
Valley July 24th, 1847.
Elder Kimball was one of the foremost men in all the labors
incidental to founding a great commonwealth in a desert land.
In December, 1847, when President Young was sustained as
President of the Church, Apostle Kimball was chosen as his
First Counselor, and retained this position with credit and
ability until his death in 1868. He was also lieutenant-gov-
ernor of the provisional 'State of Deseret. For a number of
years he was a member of the legislative council, the last three
years being president of that body. .He was ever constant in
his devotion to the Church, the State and the Nation. He was
a typical American as were his ancestors for many generations.
He officiated in the house of the Lord ; he visited every settle-
ment in Utah, most of them many times ; preached the Gospel ;
uttered many prophecies which have received literal fulfillment;
and gave counsel, spiritual and temporal, to advance the work
of God upon the earth. In May, 1868, he received a severe
fall in Prove, which brought on sickness and resulted in his
death on June 2d following, at his home in Salt Lake City.
He died as he lived, true, full of faith, and the hope of a glorious
resurrection.
President Kimball was a man of dignified bearing and well
proportioned ; complexion dark. His hair was thin. His
piercing dark eyes seemed to penetrate one's very soul and read
the thoughts of the human mind. Many times he told men
what they had done and what would befall them ; not by human
knowledge, but by the spirit of discernment and revelation.
He had many odd sayings which, uttered by him, left a lasting
impression upon his hearers in public and private. With all his
frank and fearless manner of saying to men what many would
shrink from telling, he was a loving, peaceful man, and was
designated the "Herald of Peace."
During the early hard times in Salt Lake City, President
Kimball was so blessed with temporal subsistence, brendstuffs
chiefly, that he was able to feed his own numerous family and
lend to men considered much better financiers than himself.
His special gift of the Spirit was that of prophecy. His pre-
dictions and their fulfillment would make a long chapter of
themselves and full of thrilling interest.
124 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
When the Saints were about to settle in Commerce, 111., and
though received with open arms by the good people of that
place, President Kimball looked upon the splendid site and
said sorrowfully, "This is a beautiful place, but not long a
resting place for the Saints." Sidney Rigdon was vexed at the
prediction, but its fulfillment is too well known to need recital
here. When trying times pressed the 'Saints in Salt Lake City,
and a thousand miles separated them from commercial points,
President Kimball stood up in the Tabernacle and predicted
that in less than six months clothing and other goods would be
sold in the streets of Salt Lake City cheaper than they could
be bought in New York. This astonished the people. One of
his fellow Apostles said to him after the meeting that he did not
believe it. "Neither do I," said Brother Kimball, "but I said it.
It will have to go." No one saw the possibility of its verifica-
tion. Six months, however, had not passed away when a large
company of emigrants from the east, burning with the gold fever,
came into the city, and becoming eager to reach the glittering
treasure fields of California, sold their merchandise on the
streets for less than New York figures ; they also sold their large
animals for pack horses and thus more than literally fulfilled the
remarkable prophecy of President Kimball.
These are but examples of many like predictions uttered by
this great Apostle of the Lord. He was broad and magnanimous
in his ways and uniformly kind to the widow and the fatherless.
He was beloved by his associates in the Apostleship and by all
the Saints. He was in the greatest measure possessed of the
characteristics of an honest man, "The noblest work of God."
PRESIDENT WILLARD RICHARDS.
WILLARD RICHARDS, known as Dr. Richards, was one of the
Twelve Apostles from April 14th, 1840, to 1847, when he was
chosen and sustained as Second Counselor to President Brigham
Young, which position he occupied until his death, in 1854.
He was born at Hopkinston, Middlesex county, Massachusetts,
June 24th, 1804, and was the son of Joseph and Rhoda Rich-
ards. His progenitors were among the early settlers of New
England. His parents were religious and early impressed their
children with religious sentiments. At the age of seventeen he
applied for membership in the- Congregational church, having
passed the ordeal of conversion, but for some cause his applica-
tion was disregarded and this led him to scrutinize more thor-
oughly the tenets of their faith, and in fact those of modern
"Christianity" as a whole. The result of his researches was
a most profound and emphatic conviction that no sectarian
church possessed more than mere fragments of Gospel truth,
and all were destitute of authority to administer the ordinances
thereof. With this conviction, came also the strong prophetic
impression that the Lord would in the near future restore the
Gospel and establish His Church upon the earth by revelation.
With such convictions, from this time on, he held himself
aloof from all those churches. If anyone asked why. he freely
told them his impressions and belief, regardless of the popular
sentiment against such views. He learned the Thompsonian
system of medicine and was practicing his profession near the
city of Boston when, in 1835, he providentially found at the
home of his cousin, Lucy Parker, a copy of the Book of Mormon,
left there by his counsin, Elder Brigham Young. Before this
he had never seen a publication or an Elder of the Church.
All he knew of 'the Mormons was from scurrilous newspaper
reports, which simply amounted to the statement that "some
boy named Smith out west had found a golden Bible."
When Dr. Richards opened the Book of Mormon, regardless
of page or paragraph, and knowing nothing of its claims, he
126 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
had read but half a page when he exclaimed : "God or the
devil has had a hand in that book, for man never wrote it !"
In about two weeks he read the book twice, and arose from its
perusal a witness of the promise that whosoever will read the
Book of Mormon with a prayerful, honest heart shall receive a
conviction of its truth. Thoroughly satisfied that the record
was divine, he at once commenced selling his stock of medicine
and settling his business that he might repair to Kirtland, Ohio,
for a complete investigation of the Church and its doctrines.
At the time he decermined to investigate the truth, he was
stricken with palsy and suffered from this malady during the
remainder of his life. On account of this sickness, his journey
to Kirtland was deferred until October, 1836. His brother,
Dr. Levi Richards, went with him and attended him as phy-
sician. Upon his arrival in Kirtland they were most cordially
received and cared for by their cousin, Brigham Young. On
Dec. 31st, 1836, Elder Young baptized his cousin Willard, who
at once cast his lot and all his interests with the Saints.
March 6th, 1837, Willard was ordained an Elder 'by Alva
Beeman, and in a few days was off on a mission to the New
England States, from which he returned June llth. He was
not to be idle nor to be occupied with worldly matters. God
ordained him to a higher purpose. The next day, following his
return from his first mission, he was blessed and set apart by
the Prophet Joseph to go with Heber C. Kimball and assist
in the introduction of the Gospel to the nations of Europe.
Landing in Great Britain, they soon established the Church
in Preston, when Elder Richards was assigned to Bedford and
vicinity, where he labored with much success.
He returned to Preston and was there ordained in confer-
ence, April 1st, 1838, a High Priest. Upon the return of
Apostles Kimball and Hyde to America, Brother Richards was
appointed First Counselor to Joseph Fielding in the presi-
dency of the British mission. While in England President
Kimball baptized a lady named Jennietta Richards. The day of
her baptism Elder Kimball said to Brother Richards, "Willard,
I baptized your wife today." Without any effort to fulfill the
prophecy, Elder Richards became attached to this noble lady
and she was married to him September 24th, 1838. In 1839
he labored successfully in Manchester, Bolton, Preston and
WILLARD RICHARDS.
128 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
several other places. July 8th, 1838, he was called by revela-
tion to be one of the Twelve Apostles. To this high office he
was ordained in England April 14th, 1840, the first and only
Apostle of this dispensation as yet ordained in foreign land,
assistant editor to Parley P. Pratt and performed other general
When the " Millennial Star " was established, he labored as
duties incidental to the presidency of the mission. From Pres-
ton he moved his family to Manchester in February, 1841, and in
April of the same year returned with others of the Twelve
to the body of the Church at Nauvoo, Illinois, where they
arrived August 16th, 1841.
Brother Richards, agreeably to counsel, located for the time
in Warsaw, a few miles from Nauvoo. This was a bitter anti-
Mormon city, in which was conducted a scurrilous sheet called
the " Warsaw Signal."
October 30th, Apostle Richards was elected a member of the
Nauvoo city council, and removed to Nauvoo in December, 1841.
December 13th he was appointed recorder for the temple, private
secretary to Joseph the Prophet, and general clerk. Each posi-
tion he filled with marked ability and credit to the cause. From
this time forth until the martyrdom of the Prophet he was
with Joseph, keeping his private journal and recording all im-
portant events in Church history. When the martyrdom of
Joseph and Hyrum Smith occurred, Willard Richards and
Apostle John Taylor were in prison with the Prophet and the
Patriarch, as their bosom friends. When the assault was made
upon the jail by the infuriated mobocrats, Elder Taylor and
Richards stood at the door parrying off the intruding guns with
their walking sticks. When Joseph fell from the window and
was being slain by his enemies, Apostle Richards rushed to the
window in> the face of the muskets on the outside, and secured
a glimpse of his dying friend and inspired leader. There he
stood with intent look, gazing upon the slain Prophet of God
until he felt assured that the noble spirit had taken its flight.
He then carried the wounded body of his fellow-Apostle, John
Taylor, into a room of the jail and there remained until the
mob had lied, panic-stricken, from the scene. Elder Richards
escaped without so much as a "hole in his robe." President
Taylor was seriously wounded with four bullets. All the
Twelve but these two were in the East.
PRESIDENT WILLARD RICHARDS. 129
Elder Taylor being wounded, the burden of responsibility to
counsel and direct the Saints in their troubles was left upon
Willard Richards ; but God qualified him for the task, and his
wise counsel to the Saints proved him to be a man of strength
and inspiration. His letters of advice were timely and indicated,
under all these trials, that he was possessed of great self-com-
mand and deliberate judgment. He passed through the trials of
the exodus from Nauvoo, and when the Pioneer company was
made up in the spring he was among that honored band to
cross the great plains and seek a home for the Saints in the
valleys of the mountains. During all these vicissitudes he was
the Church Historian and kept an accurate history of passing
events.
He returned to Winter Quarters to assist in preparing the
Saints for emigration. While at Winter Quarters he was
chosen and sustained as Second Counselor to President Brigham
Young in the Presidency of the Church. On his return to Salt
Lake valley, he had charge of a large company of Saints and
reached the valley in the fall of 1848 with his charge. He
was active in all matters respecting the growth and develop-
ment of the Saints. In a civil capacity he was secretary
of the provisional State of Deseret. Subsequently he did most
of the work of secretary of the Territory of Utah and presided
over the legislative council of Utah for a number of years.
For several years he was postmaster of Salt Lake City, in which
position he possessed the full confidence of the postmaster-
general in matters pertaining to postal affairs throughout the
inter-mountain Territories. Relative to the gathering of the
Saints, President Richards was a faithful worker in the P. E.
Fund company, whose officers succeeded in the emigration of
many thousands. He was also the editor of the "Deseret News,"
General Historian and Church Recorder, and was emi-
nently fitted for these various responsibilities, for he was a
gifted man, though modest and unassuming. His rare soundness
of judgment and tenacious memory were very marked. The
confidence of the Church in him was well expressed in the
numerous offices and positions of responsibility which he held
at the time of his decease. Whether in ecclesiastical or civil
office, he honored his calling and served with credit to himself
and all concerned. In the First Presidency, he shed rays of
-9
130 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
light and consolation by wise counsel and kind encouragement
to the Saints. His love of truth grew and increased by obe-
dience to the laws of God as the years rolled by. He was
competent in several branches of education, and indeed was
better qualified for the God-given responsibilities which he
carried than he himself knew. On great occasions his choice
attainments, quickened by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
made him master of the situation. Tens of thousands loved
Apostle Richards and from his inspired teaching and counsels,
drew comfort and consolation. He was reserved in his manner,
calm and even-tempered, and a man of original and independent
thought. He died at his home in Salt Lake City, March llth,
1854, leaving a large family, a host of friends and the thousands
of Latter-day Saints to feel the loss of his departure. He was
beloved and esteemed by all who knew him, and passed to the
great beyond a witness for God, with the full assurance of a
great reward.
PRESIDENT JEDEDIAH M. GRANT.
JEDEDIAJI M. GRANT, son of Joshua and Thelia Grant, was
born in Windsor, Broome county, New York, on February 21st,
1816. He was consequently only a lad of fourteen when the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in the neigh-
boring town of Fayette. It should be remembered that it was
at Colesville, Broome county, where the first miracle in Mormon
history was performed. It is not known whether the youthful
Jedediah came in contact with the new faith at that time or
not, but suffice it to say that three years had not passed when
the boy was baptized by Elder John F. Boynton. When Zion's
Camp was organized, Brother Grant was enlisted therein. He
displayed great courage and although young in years, show r ed
himself a man in valor and boldness. All through the pilgrim-
age, from northern Ohio to western Missouri, he played a manly
part and returned with high honors. This journey put the
mettle of every man to the test, and portrayed the goodness,
manliness and valor of that sturdy band. Men who could en-
dure cheerfully the ordeals of that trying journey were worthy
to be entrusted with responsibilities, and this indeed they were,
for, from the ranks of this plucky company were subsequently
chosen the early Twelve Apostles and the Seventies.
One of the latter was Jedediah 'M. Grant, who was ordained a
member of the first quorum of Seventy under the hands of
Joseph the Prophet, February 28th, 1835. Soon after re-
ceiving this ordination, in company with Elder Harvey Stanley,
Elder Grant performed his first mission. Having labored all
summer in the ministry, he returned to Kirtland and worked
during the winter upon the temple. When the sacred edifice
was dedicated he commenced a second missionary tour, this
time traveling alone. Almost one year (from April, 1836, to
March, 1837) was spent in this calling, during which time he
was very successful, baptizing some twenty-three persons, and
organizing a branch of the Church. In June of 1837 he set out
from Kirtland, Ohio, on his first mission to the South, a field
132 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
in which he was destined to acquire fame and leave a name that
shall live forever. Though not an educated man in the sense of
school learning, he was exceptionally bright, quick-witted and
logical, and this, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures,
together with a free and ready delivery, gave him power with
his hearers and enabled him to drive home his arguments with
telling force. If his opponent exhibited the least weakness, he
saw it in a moment and made the most of it.
His style was poetic as well as naturally practical, and he
possessed sufficient fearless, dashing, daring propensities to com-
pletely captivate the chivalrous, fiery Southerners. In North
Carolina, to which State he had wended his way, he met in
debate a number of Methodist ministers whom he completely
routed and overthrew, much to the delight of the Carolinians.
Having made many friends and some converts, he returned to
Ohio in time to participate in the general removal of the Saints
from Missouri. He performed a good work, and in the exodus
he accompanied his father's family to Knox county, Illinois.
In June, 1839, Brother Grant started on his second mission
to the Southern States. He made his headquarters at Burke's
Garden, Tazewell county, Virginia, where a branch numbering
some sixty members soon sprang into existence. Among the
many friends that he made at that place was Col. Peter Litz, a
man of considerable w r ealth and influence, who freely permitted
him to hold meetings at his house. Many are the interesting
anecdotes related of Jedediah, whose fearless advocacy of truth
and righteousness and equally daring denunciation of falsehood
and wrong, with his ready speech, quick wit, incisive logic and
adroit handling of his subjects ? gained him many friends and
admirers, made many converts to his cause and set the whole
country region thereabout in a quandary.
The late Elder T. B. Lewis, who many years later traveled as
a missionary through Virginia and North Carolina, brought
home several good stories told of him by old-time residents of
that region. One of these is given entire, as follows : "In the
early part of Elder Grant's ministry in that country he gained
quite a reputation; as a ready speaker, frequently responding to
invitations to preach from such subjects or texts as might be
selected at the time of commencing his sermon by those in-
viting him. In time it became a matter of wonder with many
JEDEDIAH M. GRANT.
134 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
as to how or when he prepared his sermons as other ministers
did. He said, 'Of course, I read and store my mind with a
knowledge of Gospel truths, but I never study up a sermon.'
Well, they did not believe he told the truth, for they thought
it was impossible for a man to preach such sermons without
careful preparation. So in order to prove it, a number of
persons decided to put him to the test, and asked him if he
would preach at a certain time and place from a text selected
by them. They proposed to give him his text upon his arrival at
the place of meeting, thus giving him no time to prepare. To
gratify them he consented. The place selected was Jefferson-
ville, the county seat of Tazewell county, at that time the home
of the late John B. Floyd, subsequently secretary of war, and
many other prominent men. The room chosen was in a court house.
At the hour appointed the house was packed to its utmost ca-
pacity. Mr. Floyd and a number of lawyers and minsters were
present and occupied front seats. Elder Grant came in, walked
to the stand and opened the meeting as usual. At the close of
the second hymn, a clerk appointed for the occasion, stepped
forward and handed a paper (the text) to Elder Grant, who
unfolded it and found it to be a blank. Without any mark of
surprise, he held the paper up before the audience and said:
'My friends, I am here today according to agreement, to preach
from such a text as these gentlemen might select. I have it here
in my hand. I don't wish you to become offended at me, for I
am under promise to preach from the text selected ; and if any
one is to blame, you must blame those who selected it. I
knew nothing of what text they would choose, but of all texts,
this is the favorite one. You see the paper is blank (at the same
time holding it up to view). You sectarians down here be-
lieve that out of nothing God created all things, and now you
wish me to create a sermon from nothing. You sectarians
believe in a God that has neither body, parts nor passions.
Such a God I conceive to be a perfect blank, just as you tind
my text is. You believe in a church without prophets, apostles,
evangelists, etc. ; such a. church would be a perfect blank as
compared with the Church of Christ, and this agrees with my
text. You have located your heaven beyond the bonds of time
and space ; it exists nowhere and consequently your heaven is
a blank, like unto my text." Thus he went on, until he had torn
PRESIDENT JEDEDIAH M. GRANT. 135
to pieces all the tenets of faith professed by his hearers, and
proclaimed the principles of the Gospel in great power. He
wound up by asking, 'Have I stuck to the text, and does it
staisfy you?' As soon as he sat down Mr. Floyd jumped up
and said : 'Mr. Grant, if you are not a lawyer you ought to
be one.' Then turning to the people he added, 'Gentlemen, you
have listened to a wonderful discourse, and with amazement.
Now take a look at Mr. Grant's clothes ; look at his coat, his
elbows are almost out and his knees are almost through his
pants ; let us take up a collection.'
"An eminent lawyer, Joseph Stras, Esq., still living in Jeffer-
son ville, arose and said, 'I am good for one sleeve in a coat and
one leg in a pair of pants for Mr. Grant.' They then called
upon the presiding elder of the Methodist church to pass the
hat. This worthy divine refused, but being pressed on all sides
to do so, he finally consented with a degree of reluctancy, and
the result of the collection was sufficient to furnish a fine suit
of clothes, a horse, saddle and bridle for Brother Grant, and no
one of the donors a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, though some joined afterward.
Elder Lewis also related another interesting anecdote in
which Elder Grant had been challenged to a debate by a learned
divine named Baldwin. When the preliminaries had been ar-
ranged, Brother Grant turned to the Reverend and said, "Mr.
Baldwin, before we proceed any further may I ask you a ques-
tion?" "Certainly," replied Mr. Baldwin. "Who stands at the
head of your church in Southwest Virginia?" "I do, sir, I
do," quickly and austerely ejaculated Mr. Baldwin. "All right,"
said Elder Grant, "I wanted to know that I had a worthy foe."
A titter was heard among the audience, when Mr. Baldwin,
being somewhat confused, rushed into the trap set for him.
"Mr. Grant," said he, "I would like to know who stands at the
head of your Church in Southwest Virginia?" "Jesus Christ,
sir," was the prompt reply, which had the effect of a lyddite
bomb in scattering the preconceived ideas of the Reverend gen-
tleman. Brother Grant hung on to this weakness, and pounded
away at it from start to finish until his opponent was completely
crushed.
Many other incidents of this character might be related.
Upon one occasion in Surrey county, North Carolina, he met,
136 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
single-handed, seven Methodist divines and proved the victor.
From June, 1843, to March, 1844, he presided over the Saints
in the city of Philadelphia. July 2d, 1844, he was married to
Miss Van Dyke, Bishop Newel K. Whitney performing the cere-
mony. He returned to Nauvoo in May, 1845, and on the 4th of
December of that year, he was set apart as one of the first
Seven Presidents of the Seventies under the hands of President
Brigham Young, Heber 0. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others
of the Apostles.
In the exodus of the following February he was almost the
first to cross the Mississippi and start for the West. From
Winter Quarters he went east on a short mission, transacting
important Church business at Philadelphia, and returned in
June, 1847, in time to cross the plains with the first immigra-
tion that followed the Pioneers to Salt Lake valley. On the
way he had the sad misfortune to lose his little daughter and
loving wife.
Brother Grant had the honor of being the first mayor of Salt
Lake City and of holding that office by successive re-election as
long as he lived. When Judges Brocchus and Brandebury,
together with Secretary Harris, abandoned their posts of ducy,
and returned East with false and inflammable reports, Elder
Grant was called to journey in their trail and vindicate 'the
cause of the Saints. He published letters in the New York
"Times" which completely forestalled these wicked defamers
and thwarted them in their vile purposes. Returning to Utah
in 1852, he was for the second time elec-ied to the legislature
and was chosen speaker of the house of representatives.
In 1854, he was chosen and sustained a member of the First
Presidency, in which capacity he consummated the famous
"Reformation," being the chief promoter in this work of spiritual
and temporal revival. Elder Grant labored so zealously,
arduously and incessantly in this regard that he strove beyond
his physical endurance, impaired his health and broke down
his iron constitution. He died in the forty-first year of his age
on December 1st, 1856, a comparatively short life when meas-
ured by years, but a long one if reckoned by its many accom-
plishments. President Young remarked that Brother Grant was
capable of living as long in twenty-five years as most men live
in a hundred. Here are his words quoted at Brother Grant's
PRESIDENT JEDEDIAH M. GRANT. 137
funeral : "Some people would have to live to be a hundred
years of age to be as ripe in things of God as was Brother
Grant, as was the spirit which lately inhabited this deserted
earthly tabernacle. There are but few that can ripen for the
glorious immortality that is prepared for the faithful, for re-
ceiving all that was purhcased for them by the Son of God ; but
very few can receive what Brother Grant has received in his
life-time. He has been in the Church upwards of twenty-three
years, and was a man that would live, comparatively speaking,
a hundred in that time. "The storehouse that was prepared in
him to receive the truth was capable of receiving as much in
twenty-five years as most men could in one hundred."
President Jedediah M. Grant was one of the few among the
men who cannot be forgotten. Not merely loved by his own
family and the limited circle of personal friends common to the
surroundings of almost every man, but his life, his labors, his
character, made peculiarly impressive by his individuality and
sterling qualities, made it impossible for any people, large or
small, whoever saw and heard him, to forget him. It was the
fortunate lot of the writer to labor as a missionary in Tazewell
county, Virginia, where, forty years before, Elder Grant had in-
troduced and preached the Gospel. I never met a man or woman
who had seen him, either in public or private, who could not
tell just about his height and build and movement, and relate
his conversation with them. Every man and woman, not im-
paired mentally, who had heard him address a public congrega-
tion, could tell you his text and how he handled the subject,
could tell you where he stood and the gestures he made. His
manner and teachings, inspired by the Holy Ghost, were so
simple and plain that the most unlearned person understood,
and the learned could find no fault with what he said. He
was so full of inspiration and spoke with such power that
the rich, the haughty and the proud were charmed as by a
spell. They had to listen !
It is safe to say, that if the testimony and preaching of any
Elder in this generation will leave those who reject it absolutely
without excuse, such may be said of the testimony of Jedediah
M. Grant. His garments are clean from the blood of this gen-
eration. He was just as active at home as abroad. He was
in the highest counsel here, and will be among the chief coun-
selors of the Holy Priesthood throughout eternity.
PRESIDENT GEORGE A. SMITH.
GEORGE ALBERT SMITH, who was one of the 'Twelve Apostles
and a First Counselor to President Brigham Young, was born
June 26th, 1817, in Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, New York.
He was the son of John Smith and 'Clarissa Lyman Smith.
His father was a brother to Joseph Smith, Sr., the father of the
Prophet, George thus being a 'first cousin to the Prophet Joseph
Smith. The 'Smith family was a fine race of sturdy, honest, in-
dustrious men and women, typical Americans, who loved their
native soil and offered their lives at various times of emergency,
to establish and perpetuate the principles of human liberty in
the United States.
When George A. was born he weighed four pounds ; when full
grown, about 250. He was dignified in his bearing, yet affable
and kind, without affectation, in all his deportment. He was
so conscientious that if he offended a little child he would ask
forgiveness. In other words, he possessed what few men can
claim the moral courage to be humble and meek.
Among many other great qualities of George A. Smith were
two notable traits which characterized our Lord and Savior
the courage of a lion and the meekness of a lamb. George A.
dared to do right, no matter what the consequences might be,
and would suffer a great wrong rather than to do the least
wrong himself. In boyhood he was trained in the tenets of
the Congregational church until fifteen years of age. While
attending school in Potsdam, a peculiar circumstance occurred
which exhibited his sense of honor and his sensitive nature.
He had grown very rapidly, in consequence of which he was
very awkward. To this inconvenience was added the misfor-
tune of being near-sighted. The boys of the school had a habit
of taunting and making fun of him. Being wrapped up in his
studies and contented with the company of the older and wiser
persons, he made no effort to curry sympathy and favor with
the boys of the school. They continued to ridicule him until
he felt thoroughly outraged and determined that longer for-
GEORGE A. SMITU.
140 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
bearance would not be a virtue. He therefore resolved to resent
this kind of treatment by whipping the perpetrators. He had
been very sick and was just recovering when these resolutions
were firmly established in his mind as the right thing to do.
He therefore waited patiently until sufficient strength was
regained, when he started in to thrashing the boys, and did not
refrain until he had soundly whipped every boy of his age and
size in school. It was a very practical lesson for his school-
mates, and it was effectual, for they never made fun of him
after that.
In the winter of 1828, George A.'s father received a letter
from the latter's nephew, Joseph Smith, Jr., in which he pre-
dicted that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth
because of wickedness and abominations which exist among
the people. This letter made a lasting impression upon the
young man's mind, and his father remarked that "Joseph writes
like a prophet."
In August, 1830, Joseph Smith, Sr., and his son Don Carlos
paid their relatives a visit in Potsdam. They brought with
them the Book of Mormon and left it with father John Smith,
while they proceeded to visit other family relatives. George
A. and his mother immediately set about reading the strange
book. Neighbors came in and heard portions of it. They
ridiculed and raised objections to it. These objections young
George Albert found himself trying to answer, and with
remarkable success, although but thirteen years old. The Spirit
of Light rested upon him to the discomfiture and defeat of his
opponents. They would leave the house with the remark to his
mother that her boy was a little too smart for them. George
A. himself thought he saw objections to the book. Upon the
return of his relatives he expressed these objections, when his
Uncle Joseph took them up one by one, quoting the Bible to
show that such a work should come forth ; he was then thor-
oughly convinced and from this time he became a staunch
advocate and defender of the Book of Mormon as a divine record.
He was also convinced that some authorized system of religion
was essential to salvation. Soon after this he attended a Con-
gregational revival, and while nearly every non-believer in the
audience was converted but himself, he sat day after day in
the gallery awaiting the sensation of religion. Finally the
PRESIDENT GEORGE A. SMITH. 141
minister gave him up as a reprobate and sealed him up to
eternal damnation, saying, "Thy blood be upon thine own head."
Nine times he thus delivered this offensive but unsatisfied seeker
for religion to the buffetings of Satan and the burning of an
endless hell.
Two years later, September 10th, 1832, George A. Smith
embraced the Gospel of Christ, being baptized into the Church
by Elder Joseph H. Wakefield. May 1st, 1833, he left with his
parents for Kirtland, Ohio. They reached their destination
May 25th, and were warmly received by the Prophet Joseph.
George A. at once imbibed the spirit of the work, became
deeply interested in the affairs of the Church, and was de-
lighted with his cousin, Joseph the Prophet. This was their
first meeting. He was valiant for the cause to the fullest
extent. On hand for any duty required, he spent many nights
guarding his brethren, whose lives were in jeopardy from the
violence 0f mobs. In the summer he was occupied in quarrying
and hauling rock for the temple, and doing other manual labor
about the building. George A. and Harvey Stanley hauled the
first two loads of rock from Stanard's quarry to the temple
ground. He was one of that valiant band, Zion's Camp, leav-
ing Kirtland for Missouri in May, 1834. The camp had to
undergo many hardships, and as many in the camp of Ancient
Israel murmured against the Prophet Moses, so did some in
Zion's Camp complain against the Prophet Joseph Smith.
George A. was not only free from the least disposition to
murmur, but was extremely cheerful, possessing a happy vein of
humor. On one occasion when sent to a house to obtain some
buttermilk, the lady of the house gave him the milk in a bucket
not very clean. Some of the brethren complained very severely,
when George A. remarked, laughingly, "If you had seen the
churn the buttermilk came from you'd never mention the
bucket." On his journey to and from Missouri he traveled on
foot two thousand miles.
March 1st, 1835, he was ordained a Seventy by Joseph
Smith, Sr., Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, the latter
being spokesman. George A. was the junior member of the
first quorum of Seventy, in this dispensation.
June 5th, 1835, with his second cousin, Lyman Smith, he
left for a mission to the East. They journeyed on foot, traveled
142 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
without money and held about eighty meetings in Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania and New York. George A. returned to Kirtland October
5th, in 1835. He received his endowments in the Kirtland
Temple in the spring of 183G, and soon after performed a
mission in Ohio, traveling nearly 1,200 miles on foot. Early in
1837 he performed a mission in Ohio and Virginia, occupying
about one year, traveling 2,500 miles, half the distance on foot.
In 1838, he removed with his father's family from Ohio to
Daviess county, Missouri. June 28th, 1838, he was ordained a
High Priest, and the fall of the same year found him a
missionary in Kentucky and Tennessee. He traveled 800 miles
on foot, 700 by water during his absence and accomplished a
good work. Subsequently he moved into Illinois with his
father's family and early in 1839 returned to Far West.
On the 26th day of April, 1839, Geo. A. Smith was ordained
one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church, at the southeast
cornerstone of the temple which, through persecution,, has not
been built. On September 21st, 1839, he started on his mission
to England, arriving in Liverpool on the 6th of April, 1840. He
was one of the best missionaries, always affable and kind in his
manner and perfectly clear in his testimony and understanding
of the Gospel. These good qualities were so thoroughly
quickened by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Apostle
Smith, that he won the love and respect of the honest in heart
wherever he traveled, and was instrumental in bringing many
to a knowledge of the truth. He returned to Nauvoo July 5th,
1841. The 25th of the same month he received in marriage
Bathsheba W. Bigler. From this time until the martyrdom of
the Prophet and Patriarch of the Church, Elder Smith was
busy at home and abroad, building up the city and the temple
and spreading the Gospel throughout the land. He preached
in the principal cities of Illinois and performed another faithful
mission in the Middle and Eastern States.
When he learned of the death of his cousins, Joseph and
Hyrum, he was engaged as a missionary in the State of
Michigan. He returned at once to Nauvoo and actively partici-
pated in all the councils and deliberations for the well-being of
the Saints in those sad days of trials and tribulations.
In February, 1846, he crossed the Mississippi river with his
family, an exile from home to find a place of rest and respite
PRESIDENT GEORGE A. SMITH. 143
from the furious rage of religious bigots, who were mobocrats
while hypocritically professing Christianity. The ensuing
winter he lived at Winter Quarters, where the people suffered
much sickness. At this place his wife and four children died.
He visited all the camps of the Saints and urged the raising
and use of potatoes as a remedy for scurvy ; but little seed could
be obtained, yet from that little a marvelous yield was the
result. The next season in Pottawottamie county, Iowa, the
potato crop was a failure, and the saying went out that it was
because Geo. A. Smith, "the Potato Saint," had gone to the
mountains.
In 1847 he was numbered with the 143 Pioneer company to
Salt Lake valley, arriving in the valley July 24th, 1847. He
walked much of the distance. In finding places for the location
of the Saints, Brother George A. was one of the foremost and
best explorers in the Church. He built a house for his father
in the Old Fort, and returned to Winter Quarters in the fall,
arriving there October 31st, the same year. He opened a
farm near Kanesville, had charge of the congregating Saints,
and with the last company of them left with his family for
the valley, July 4th, 1849. Their teams were overloaded and
progress was slow. They met with hail and rain storms. Their
stock was stampeded, and at South Pass a cold, heavy storm
caused the death of seventy animals. They reached Salt Lake
valley October 27th, 1849.
Apostle Smith was a member of the senate in the provisional
State of Deseret. He presented a bill for the organization of
the judiciary. This was the first bill presented for the consid-
eration of the members. He also reported a bill relating to
the construction of a railroad across the continent. In Decem-
ber, 1850, he headed a company of volunteers to make explora-
tions in southern Utah. They determined the location of Paro-
wan and built a road six miles into the canyon. They hoisted
the American flag on a ninety-foot pole on the town site, and
dedicated the ground by prayer and supplication: to the Lord.
He had been elected chief justice of the provisional State and
was empowered to complete the organization of Iron county.
An election being called, two associate justices, county recorder,
member of the house in the general assembly and all other officers
to make the organization of the county complete, were elected.
144 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
In the winter of 1850-51 the settlers erected a fort, in the en-
closure of which they built their homes, house of worship (the
latter being used for all public meetings), schools and a watch
tower to guard against hostile Indians. The fort was built of
logs and shaped like a Greek cross. It was used for fifteen
years and then replaced by a suitable stone structure. In the
winter Brother Smith taught school, with thirty-five pupils.
Around the camp-fire at night he gave them lectures on English
grammar. When the Territory of Utah held its first election,
Geo. A. Smith was elected a member of the council. In every
place he honored his calling and filled the office with great
ability. He was very efficient as a peace-maker among the
Indians, protecting the Saints by wise counsel and proper pre-
cautions from much trouble. Like President Young, he felt
it better to feed than to fight the Indians, and this has been
a principle of the Latter-day Saints from the beginning. In
1852, having been called by President Young to preside over
the affairs of the Church in Utah county, he left Iron county.
He traveled much, especially where he had immediate over-
sight, encouraging the teaints in all their labors to promote the
growth of the Church and the State.
At the general conference in 1854 he was chosen and sustained
as Historian and general Church Recorder. President Willard
Richards was his predecessor in the office of Historian and had
written on some blanks he had prepared to be filled out, as if
with prophetic eye, "to be supplied by Geo. A. Smith." Presi-
dent Richards had well said, for after his decease, George A.
was the man chosen to fill this important position. He was
well qualified for this particular work, for he was himself
a fund of history.
February 2d, 1855, he was admitted as a member of the bar
in the supreme court of Utah Territory, receiving his certificates
as an attorney, solicitor in chancery and counselor-at-law. He
was one of a committee in convention which drafted a constitu-
tion, was elected by the convention with Apostle John Taylor to
present the constitution to the President and Congress, asking
admission into the Union on the same footing with the original
States, performing his duty with ability and devotion as a
delegate. He also did good missionary work in New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa
PRESIDENT GEORGE A. SMITH. 145
and Missouri. He was absent about eleven months and this
was a pleasant respite from the close application of his labors
in the Historian's office. April llth, 1866, he was commissioned
by Gov. Durkee brigadier-general and appointed aide-de-camp
to the lieutenant-general of the Nauvoo Legion.
At the October conference in 1868 he was sustained as First
Counselor to President Brigham Young, succeeding the late
President Heber C. Kimball. This great station he filled with
w isdom, energy and efficiency during the remainder of his natural
life. With his file- leader, fellow-counselor and associate
Apostles, he met in all the important councils of the Church,
traveled throughout the Stakes of Zion, continued as Church
Historian, and filled places of responsibility and distinction in
a civil capacity. October 15th, 1872, he, with President Lorenzo
Snow and others, started on a mission to the Holy Land. En
route they visited many notable places and distinguished persons
in the nations of Europe. They knelt upon the Mount of
Olives, where our Savior once stood, and where Apostle Hyde
had previously dedicated the land to the gathering of Israel.
President Smith and companions also dedicated the land to the
return and possession of the house of Jacob. While absent he
was sustained as Trustee in Trust, which position he filled until
his decease. Upon his return he spent much of his time in St.
George, the chief city in Southern Utah and honored with his
name, giving much attention to the building of the temple. He
was an able advocate of the United Order, his discourses upon
that subject being most impressive and characterizing him
as an inspired political and domestic economist. Soon after
his return to Salt Lake he was attacked with an intense cold,
which settled upon his lungs and terminated in his death on
September 1st, 1875.
Geo. A. Smith was one of nature's noblemen. Few, if any,
better types of pure, honest, manhood ever lived. More than
half of his entire life was spent as a minister of life and
salvation to a fallen world. In matters of civil government his
political career covered the entire history of his life in Utah.
He held various positions of a civil and military nature. He
was a member of the Utah legislature in every session but one
(and then he was absent from the Territory), until 1870, the
last six years being president of the council. He was a wise
10
146 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
counselor, a great preacher, a sound statesman, a pioneer
and colonizer of the highest ability, an able lawyer and an
efficient educator.
Several years before his decease he had traveled tens of
thousands of miles by land and sea. and preached over 3,800
discourses in> various portions of the globe. He was recognized
as the father of the settlements in Southern Utah. He was
always ready in public and private speaking. No one ever
wearied of his preaching. He was brief, and interspersed his
doctrinal and historical remarks with anecdotes appropriate
and timely in their application. Short prayers, short blessings,
short sermons, full of spirit, were a happy distinction in the
ministry of Geo. A. Smith. He was humble and meek, yet full
of courage and unbounded energy in the cause of right. He
always had time to notice the young people and children and to
leave his eternal impress of love and kindness upon the tablet
of their hearts. I once gave President Geo. A. Smith a ride in
a wagon from Draper to Lehi, and the tone of his conversation,
with the influence which he diffused, drew me to him like a
magnet draws the needle. I could never forget the impressions
of love and respect which I then formed of him.
President Brigham Young, on the morning of President
Smith's decease, said : "I have known Brother Geo. A. Smith
for forty-two years, have traveled and labored in the ministry
with him for many years, and have believed him to be as faithful
a boy and man as ever lived ; and, in my opinion, he has as good
a record on this and the other side of the veil as any man.
I never knew of his neglecting or overdoing a duty ; he was
a man of sterling integrity, a cabinet of history, and always
true to his friends."
PRESIDENT DANIEL H. WELLS.
DANIEL H. WELLS was a man of the most sterling integrity,
a type of strong manhood, and a great character. He was the
son of Daniel and Catherine Chapin Wells, and was born at
Trenton, Oneida county, New York, October 27th, 1814. His
father was a veteran of the war of 1812, and was a descendant
of the celebrated Thomas Wells, the fourth governor of Con-
necticut, who was several times elected alternately as governor
and lieutenant governor of that colony. On his mother's side he
also inherited the valiant blood of patriots, for her father,
David Chapin, was a revolutionary soldier who served under
the immediate command of Washington during the greater part,
of the War of Independence.
In 1826, when only twelve years old, his father died, and in
1832 he, with his mother, moved to Ohio. They did not remain'
there long, however, for in the spring of 1833 they went to
Illinois, and took up their abode at Commerce, then a small
village, but afterwards known as the "Mormon" city of Nauvoo.
Here Brother Wells was elected constable, justice of the peace,
and was an officer in the first militia organization of that dis-
trict. He early distinguished himself as a champion of the
rights and privileges of his countrymen, and a mighty foe
to injustice, fraud and oppression. By the citizens of Com-
merce and adjacent districts he was held in high esteem, and
frequently acted as arbitrator in difficulties between neigh-
boring families.
"Squire Wells," as he was familiarly called, was looked upon
in that early day as a man of strict integrity, with a high
sense of justice and impartiality. The persecuted Saints wiL
never forget the kindness and good will of "Squire Wells," for
when they were fleeing from Missouri (1839) and began to settle
at Commerce, he aided in securing them a cordial welcomo.
He owned, among many other pieces of property, eighty acres of
land on the bluff. This he platted into city lots and let the
poor and oppressed "Mormon" refugees have the ground at
very low figures and on long time of payment. This beneficent
148 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
act endeared him to the hearts of the Saints and determined
tiie location of the chief part of the city and of the Temple,
which was also built on land that had belonged to him
He was ever an earnest friend of the afflicted Saints, ami
when he met the Prophet Joseph Smith, a strong and lasting
attachment was at once formed, although at that time he was
not connected with the Church. When the city of Nauvoo was
organized, Damiel H. Wells was elected alderman and member
of the city council, also a regent of the University and brigadier-
general in the Nauvoo Legion. In all the affairs of the city ho
performed a prominent part, and supported and advocated every
measure calculated to advance the progress of its citizens.
When the persecutions of the Saints reached their height, th'
"Squire" arrayed himself with those assailed, and he never once
flinched from the conflict. When the sad news reached Nauvoo
of the cruel martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and his brother
Hyrum at Carthage, 111., the subject of this sketch was griev-
ously shocked, and his deepest indignation was aroused. He
firmly and strenuously protested against the demand of the
governor of the State to disarm the Nauvoo Legion.
Up to this time he had still not become affiliated with the
Church, but when the exodus commenced, and the remnant left
in Nauvoo were subject to the wicked attacks of the enemy in
direct violation of a compact, he cast his loc with 'die Saints
and was baptized August 9th, 184G. After taking an active
part in the Nauvoo battle and settling his affairs in Illinois,
he started for the West and came to Utah in 1848 r acting as
aide-de-camp to President Brigham Young on the second journey
of the Pioneers. Brother Wells took an active part in the
organization of the provisional State of Deseret, and was elected
to tlie first legislative council. He was appointed state
attorney, and was also elected major general of the Nauvoo
Legion (the State Militia) by the general assembly on May
26th, 1849.
Brother Wells was a general, a soldier and a fighter for law
and justice in every sense of the word. During the Indian
troubles that arose in Utah county, he took the field in person
and saved the Sanpete and Sevier settlements from the ravages
of the red men. His fearless character, cool head, deliberation
and sound judgment gave him executive ability which was no-
DANIEL II WELLS.
150 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ticeable wherever he was known. He was a member of 'the legis-
lative council in the Territorial assembly for many terms, and
of all the conventions that framed constitutions for Utah's
statehood, except the last. His unusually clear perception of
legal points and his lofty regard for constitutional rights, made
him an able and a wise legislator.
When the fearless, faithful Jedediah Grant succumbed to
the summons of death, there was left a vacancy in the First
Presidency of the Church, and on the 4th of January, 1857,
Brother Wells was chosen Second Counselor to President Brig-
ham Young ; Heber C. Kimball being First Counselor. He
visited the Saints throughout the Territory and gave them
much wise counsel and choice admonition concerning their du
ties. In the summer of 1876 he was placed in charge of a
company to visit and encourage the new settlers in Arizona.
While crossing the Colorado river at Lee's Ferry, the boat,
containing his traveling wagon and outfit, and a number of
the party, was capsized and thrown into the rushing and turbu-
lent stream. He was not counted a good swimmer, and yet
he reached the shore without even wetting his necktie, while
Bishop Roundy, who was regarded as an expert in that line,
was drowned and the whole outfit was swept away and lost.
Brother Wells always considered his escape miraculous, for he
felt as though unseen hands supported him.
When President Young died in 1877, the Twelve Apostles
succeeded to the Presidency and Brother Wells was appointed a
Counselor to that quorum, which office he held until his death.
In 1864, with Elder Brigham Young, Jr., he went on a mission
to England and presided over all the branches in Europe. He
returned to Utah in the fall of 1865, and in the- following year
was elected mayor of Salt Lake City, being re-elected successively
until 1876. The time when the suffrage franchise was granted
to the women of Utah, this being the first opportunity the
gentler sex had of exercising their rights as American voters,
was one of the occasions of such election. In 1874, while in that
office, trouble occurred at a general election held August 3d ;
the mayor endeavored to restore peace, but was set upon by a
mob, brutally struck and his coat nearly torn from his back.
Notwithstanding this violent assault, Brother Wells appeared
before the infuriated mob, and amid cries of "Shoot him !
PRESIDENT DANIEL II. WELLS. 151
shoot him !" he read the riot act and commanded the police to
disperse the crowd. His courage and fearlessness prevented
rogues from capturing political plunder and maintained the
dignity and serenity of the municipality.
The clear exhibition of the character of the man is plainly
seen from his words in court when he said, "It is interwoven in
my character never to betray a friend, a brother, my country,
my God, or my religion," and he would not do so for the wealth
of worlds. This was his motto, his aim and his record, and
when on March 24th, 1888, his spirit left its mortal environment,
the Saints universally mourned the lo'ss of a good and great man.
Brother Wells was tall, standing a trifle over six feet in
height, was muscular and angular in his features and general
make-up. He presented a striking appearance, while his manner
was unassuming. He was not gifted as a public speaker, but
when one read what he said, it was recognized that his speech
contained the choicest gems of truth, words of wisdom and the
counsel of a sound judgment. In times of trouble he was cool,
deliberate, full of moral and physical courage, and equal to
every emergency that confronted him. He was generous to all
people. Though emphatic in his convictions, he was conserva-
tive in his treatment of others, being broad-minded and mag-
nanimous with those who differed in opinion with him. He
lived and died a man of God, and will stand among the first in
the courts of heaven.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON.
President GEORGE Q. CANNON was born in Liverpool, January
llth, 1827. His parents were natives of the Isle of Man.
Their progenitors were traceable as natives of the island for
several centuries. While not classed with the wealthy from
a worldly viewpoint, they were endowed with greater riches
honesty, integrity and devotion to principle, which secured
them the respect and confidence of the people who knew them.
The possession of these excellent traits, coupled with humility,
are important factors conducing to man's obedience to the
Gospel. In later years, when Apostle John Taylor and his.
associates bore the Gospel message to England, the parents of
George Q. Cannon were readily found among those who knew
the "voice of the Good Shepherd" and straightway hearkened.
Early in life George Q. was a devoted reader of the Bible,
having a strong desire to learn more than he could understand
by a literal reading of the Scriptures. He knew, however,
through reading the Bible and making comparisons between
its teachings and that of modern sectarian churches, that
the latter were destitute even of the true "form of godliness,"
much less did they enjoy the gifts and powers of the Holy
Ghost. In his youth he yearned to witness the mighty deeds
performed by the Savior and His Apostles. With such a
preparation of heart, he readily accepted the Gospel as re-
vealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
In 1842 the family started for Nauvoo. On the way
Brother George Q.'s mother passed from this life and was
buried in the sea. Two years later his father died, leaving a
family of orphan children. Leonora Cannon, aunt of George
Q., had moved to Canada and become the wife of Elder John
Taylor, of whose family Brother Cannon practically became a
member after reaching Nauvoo. Upon the arrival of the Cannon
family there, George Q. recognized in an instant, in the midst
of a large number of people, the Prophet Joseph Smith. Soon
after this Brother Cannon worked for his uncle, Elder Taylor,
in the printing establishment, and there learned the printer's
GEORGE Q. CANNON.
154 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
trade, with which he has had so much to do in later years.
When the Saints were exiled from their beautiful city and
homes in Illinois in 1846, Elder Cannon accompanied the
main body to Winter Quarters. There he remained until the
next year, when he wended his way with the exiled Saints
across the dreary plains to Salt Lake valley. He arrived there
October 3d, 1847, and thus became one of Utah's earliest, best
and noblest Pioneers. He and his uncle, John Taylor who
was the proprietor of an old-fashioned saw mill, the first estab-
lished in the valley labored hard to upbuild the barren waste
which today "blossoms as the rose."
George Q. was physically, mentally and spiritually an indus-
trious young man. This grand quality, essential to greatness,
characterized him throughout this life, and the record will
remain to the end of time and throughout eternity. During
the early settlement of Utah, food as well as all other com-
modities was very scarce. For weeks at a time, much of the
provisions upon which many subsisted consisted of thistle roots,
weeds and the wild sego root. In all these trails Elder Cannon
was a practical participant ; for weeks at a time his appetite
was never satisfied.
In 1849 George Q. was called to go to California, and from
there he went on a mission to the Sandwich Islands. When the
Hawaiian mission was inaugurated, it was not contemplated so
much to reach the natives as to preach the Gospel to the white
population. The Elders found the opportunity for preaching
to the whites very limited and most of them favored returning
home. Then was emphasized a most prominent trait in his
character. He had been sent to declare the plan of salvation.
The message was to all the world, without regard to race or
nationality. The natives, like the whites, were in darkness,
and President Cannon determined that he would not return
home, but remain and establish the Gospel among the inhab-
itants of the islands. He informed his associates that he would
stay if he had to do so alone and labor without baptizing a
soul. Four Elders remained with him, and the result of their
labors is well known. In three and one-half years they bap-
tized nearly four thousand persons. Brother Cannon also
translated the Book of Mormon into the Hawaiian language.
From that time a permanent and prosperous mission has existed
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON. 155
upon the islands, and thousands of the natives have embraced
the Gospel.
In time a sugar plantation was procured and has been
successfully managed by Elders who have performed missions
upon those islands. Early in his missionary work among the
natives, President Cannon, in answer to his prayer and faithful
desire to preach the plan of life to the natives, received by gift
from God power to understand what the natives said in their
conversation. This was the gift of interpretation and soon
after he was also able to speak the language with great
accuracy and fluency.
Elder Cannon returned to California from the islands in
1854. For some time he assisted Apostle Parley P. Pratt in
the preparation of Elder Pratt's interesting Autobiography.
Returning to his home in Salt Lake City, he became one of
the presidents of the thirtieth quorum of Seventy. He was
soon called on a second mission to the Hawaiian Islands, but
before the time of starting, was appointed to assist Elder
Parley P. Pratt in the publication of a paper in California.
Upon reaching that state he was appointed to preside over
the missions there and in Oregon, while Brother Pratt re-
turned to Utah.
Brother Cannon edited the "Western Standard," which con-
tained some of his choicest productions in defense of the latter-
day work. He also printed in the Hawaiian language the
Book of Mormon, which he had translated previously. This
work, with the personal supervision of missionary labors, called
for his best mental and physical energies, and these he devoted
with cheerfulness and great efficiency, to the perfect satisfaction
of the general authorities of the Church. In those days,
missionary work in California, through pulpit and press, was
attended with great difficulties, and it is safe to say that no
one was better qualified by humility, faith and energy for such
labor than was Elder George Q. Cannon.
When Johnston's army came to Utah, President Cannon, in
obedience to counsel, closed up the affairs of the mission and
returned home, reaching Salt Lake City January 19th, 1858.
He was appointed adjutant general in the army organized to
defend the people against invasion and served with ability.
Subsequently he was appointed by President Young to take
156 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
a printing apparatus, press and material, to Fillmore and
publish the "Deseret News." This labor occupied his time from
April to September, 1858. When at Pay son, returning from
Fillmore to Salt Lake City, he received a call to fill a mission
to the Eastern States. The call came suddenly and unex-
pectedly, but George Q. was a minute man. He made it a
rule of his life to answer promptly every call of duty, and on
this occasion, in less than one hour he was prepared to depart
for his field of labor. The purpose of his mission was to
enlighten the public mind regarding the true state of affairs
in Utah. This was a delicate matter, as prejudice ran very
high. The sending of the army to Utah, was entirely due to
the scurrilous falsehoods of a certain Federal officer and others
in Utah who thought to make capital by defaming an unpopular
people. Brother Cannon labored with indefatigable zeal and
efficiency. He was greatly aided in his efforts by letters of
introduction from Gen. Thos. L. Kane, of Pennsylvania, who
understood the situation in Utah and had been the undeviating
defender of the Latter-day Saints ever since their expulsion
from Nauvoo. By the assistance of these letters, President
Cannon was enabled to meet and converse with members of
congress, many leading editors, and other public and influential
men. He laid before them the true status of affairs in Utah
and disabused their minds of much prejudice. At the same
time he had charge of the branches of the Church in the East,
and acted as emigration agent for the Church. Good results
followed and perfect satisfaction was rendered to the Church
authorities.
During his sojourn in the East, Elder Cannon was chosen,
October 23d, 1859, to be one of the Twelve Apostles, a vacancy
having been occasioned by the death of Apostle Parley P. Pratt.
He returned ten months later and was ordained to the Apostle-
ship August 26th, 1860, being then thirty-three years of age.
Very soon after this he was called on a mission to Great Britain
and reached Liverpool December 21st, 1860. Later the
Church printing office was established there. Since that time,
from that office have issued tens of thousands of copies of
leading Church works and pamphlets, explanatory and in de-
fense of the Gospel of Christ, and showing the character of the
Latter-Jay Saints.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON. 157
Elder Cannon returned to America in May, 1862, and with
the Hon. Wm. H. Hooper repaired 'to Washington, D. C. Tney
had been elected senators from Utah in the effort to secure
admission for the Territory into the sisterhood of States. After
the adjournment of Congress in July, 1862, Brother Cannon
returned to England and presided over the European mission
until 1864. Upon his return in the autumn of 1864 an Indian
war was in progress, and the journey over the plains was at-
tended with perils, but through divine Providence no disaster
occurred. At the time of the arrival of Brother Cannon in
Utah in 1864, more than fourteen years had been spent in
missionary labors far from his mountain home.
While returning to his home and family was a source of
joy to Elder Cannon, he had no disposition to lay aside his
missionary work. The field at home was broad and needed
attention. Thousands of youths were growing up in the valleys
of Utah, and to their salvation, more especially, aid he turn his
attention. In 1866, he commenced the publication of the
"Juvenile Instructor." His experience as a writer, his love for
children in particular and mankind as well, aptly qualified him
to issue such a paper, designed to inspire and promote faith
in the hearts of Zion's youth. The magazine is now (1901)
thirty-five years old, and it is safe to say that no other
publication in the shape of a magazine or paper has done so
much good among the young people of Zion. President Cannon,
though loaded with many duties, never failed in devoting time
and attention to this publication for the growth and develop-
ment of faith and purity in the hearts of the young people.
After President Cannon's death, the Juvenile Instructor passed
to the control of the Deseret Sunday School Union.
In 1867, Brother Cannon was made General Superintendent
of Sunday Schools throughout the Church, in which position he
faithfully and efficiently served until his death. He was
greatly interested in education ; he served at one time as
chancellor of the Deseret University and was a member of the
Church board of education. He remarked in public that no
labor in life had given him greater satisfaction than the teach-
ing and training of the youth in the paths of righteousness,
and in all matters of true education.
In 1867 President Young again appointed Elder Cannon to
158 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
edit the "Dcseret News," which was then issued weekly and
semi-weekly. While in this position he instituted the "Deseret
Evening News." In 1877 he, with Elder Brigham Young, Jr.,
again had charge of that paper. Brother Cannon was the
author of a standard work on the life of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, also of many smaller publications. If all he has written
in books, papers, magazines, pamphlets, etc., were published in
book form they would comprise many volumes, from every one
of which could be learned lessons of incalculable worth to the
children of men.
Brother Cannon was remarkably attached to the Book of
Mormon. He wrote "The Life of Nephi," and in many of his
writings can be discerned the plain simplicity, the humble faith
and spiritual force of the Nephite prophets. He was a living
evidence of the truth promulgated by the Prophet Joseph Smith,
that by reading the Book of Mormon we would get nearer to
God than by reading any other book. In a business line, Presi-
dent Cannon was connected with railroads, banks, mercantile
and other commercial enterprises, looking to the promotion and
development of resources in the inter-mountain country. He
tcok part in founding Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institu-
tion. He was a director of the Union Pacific railroad, and
was a prominent member and officer of the Trans-Mississippi
Congress. In his old age, in company with Apostle John
Henry Smith and others from Utah, he attended the session of
that body held in Houston, Texas, and afterward visited the
city of Mexico, in the Mexican republic.
In 1871, he was again sent on a mission to the East to
assist in the correction of wrong impressions, created in the
public mind by wicked and designing men against the Latter-
day Saints.
In August, 1872, George Q. Cannon was elected to Congress
as a delegate from Utah. In that position he served for ten
years. Although not entitled to vote as a representative, he
exercised a marked influence among leading men in that notable
body. On account cf the intense prejudice existing through
false impression against Utah and her people, his experience in
Congress was frequently most trying. Notwithstanding this,
he made many warm friends in the national capitol, and accom-
plished much for Utah and her people. In 1882, when the
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON. 159
Edmunds act came into operation, Delegate Cannon was ren-
dered ineligible to serve in Congress, the act barring him
because he believed and practiced plural marriage as a devine
institution. Before leaving, however, he had an opportunity
of speaking in defense of the people of Utah. He discharged
this solemn duty with ability and courage, to the perfect satis-
faction of his friends in Congress and the people of Utah.
In August, 1877, President Brigham Young died, and in his
will he named George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., and
Albert Carrington as executors. The administration of the
estate was attended with considerable perplexity. Jacob S.
Boreman, the district court judge, issued an order increasing
the bonds of the administrators. As this act of the court was
altogether unjust and uncalled for, the administrators preferred
an indefinite term of imprisonment rather than submit to it.
After a three weeks' term in the penitentiary, Chief Justice
Hunter, who had newly come into office, set aside the action of
Judge Boreman and liberated the administrators. Following
their liberation President Cannon and associates proceeded with
their labors until the affairs of the estate were closed.
After the decease of President Young, the Presi-
dency of the Church was exercised by the Twelve Apostles.
When the Presidency was again organized with President John
Taylor at the head, he chose for his counselors Aposrles George
Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, who were also chosen by
Presidents Woodruff and Snow. President Cannon was
a member of the First Presidency at the time of his
death, being President Snow's First Counselor, and in rhis
position, as in all previous ones, he manifested humility and
meekness, ever yearning for the guiding hand of the Almighty.
In 1884, when the fury of persecution was raging, particularly
against plural marriage, it was thought proper for leading
men, subject to these assaults, to go into exile. The spirit of
persecution against the Saints was exceedingly bitter. It
appeared that the anti-"Mormon" element was determined to
provoke violence and thus secure a pretext for action that
might result in scenes similar to those enacted in Missouri and
Illinois. Much suffering was endured ; thousands of dollars
of fines were imposed. Altogether about 800 men and a few
women were imprisoned. At last the storm abated and the
160 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
long suffering of the Saints was over ; their prayer was answered
by the Almighty, and conditions settled down to a moderate
enforcement of the laws. In all these trials President Cannon
was a leading sufferer. He was in exile and suffered a four-
months' term in the penitentiary. But all this tended to ad-
vance the interests of the cause and prove the Saints to be
superior in morals, sobriety, patience and faith to their perse-
cutors. Their prison life, rather than a stain, was a credit,
indicating their fidelity to conviction of right.
President Cannon was gifted as a speaker and writer, and his
practice of using simple language and making his meaning
clear to all classes, was worthy the emulation of all young men
whose lot in life may be cast in similar places. Among the
many noble traits of character possessed by this great man,
there was none more conspicuous than one, which possibly,
has never been excelled by any man in this dispensation
his profound respect for the Lord's Anointed. We think
it can truly be said, that no being ever heard or could possibly
infer by word or act from President Cannon the slightest dis-
respect for, or even depreciation of the abiltiy of his file leader.
The names of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor,
Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow were to him sacred, as
shown by his life association with these men of God.
The following character sketch of President Cannon, pub-
lished before his death, is from the pen of Elder John
Nicholson :
"My first meeting with George Q. Cannon was in the city
of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1862. On the invitation of several
brethren in the local branch of the Church, I accompanied them
in a friendly call upon him at the house at which he was
stopping during a brief visit to the Scottish capitol. He was
at that time presiding over the European mission.
"I was then a youth of twenty-two years, and afflicted with
diffidence amounting to embarrassment, in the presence of
strangers, and therefore on this occasion confined myself
strictly to the exercise of observation, listening to the con-
versation and replying tersely to questions directed personally
to myself.
"I was at once struck with the strength of the personality
of the distinguished visitor a handsome, vigorous man of
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON. 161
thirty-five years. His figure of medium height, well rounded
and erect ; the shapely head crowned with a liberal growth
of black hair ; the cheeks and upper lip clean shaved ; the chin
adorned with a close hirsute growth. Up to that time his was
one of the most striking faces I had seen ; a forehead broad
and high, the breadth being especially observable in the upper
section ; a somewhat large, aquiline nose, almost approaching the
Israelitish in contour, well-formed mouth, without rigidity and
with an expression of amiability. . The large, clear, gray eyes
impressed me most. In the due course of conversation, in
which he took the lead, the characteristic mobility of his coun-
tenance was exhibited.
"My acquaintance with President Cannon covers the period
from 1862 to the present. At times it has been close, notably
while he was at the bead of the Deseret Neics establishment
and editor of that journal, commencing in November, 1867,
and continuing for several years. Necessarily I had oppor-
tunities of becoming familiar with many of his traits. One of
these was his regard for detail and appearances. While pre-
siding in Europe he insisted that the clerks employed in the
office at Liverpool should write with neatness- and legibility.
All those who worked under him in that capacity became
excellent penmen.
"The importance he attaches to appearances is not only
apparent in his own unvarying personal neatness, but in his
requiring, under proper circumstances, the same condition on
the part of others. Hence in the missionary field in Europe he
directed that every Elder should be clad in a full suit of black,
or clerical cut, and surmounted by a tall silk hat. Frequently
when a group of missionaries arrived he would commission
one of the office clerks to take the lot to a clothing establish-
ment, where they were thus equipped. Occasionally, but rarely,
some of the boys from the far west objected. One of these is
now a bishop in Idaho. While the latter labored abroad he in-
sisted on dispensing with the use of suspenders, in wearing a
suit with some semblance of antiquity and not of the regula-
tion cut or color, and a somewhat unsymmetrical article for
head-gear. Brother Cannon sometimes good-humoredly re-
ferred to this conventional, but really estimable individual.
"President Cannon was a gifted speaker. In his earlier
11
162 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
experience he was much more deliberate in utterance than later
in life. In this he showed his usual fidelity to detail. If he
happened to make the slightest error in grammar, he would
then and there correct himself by repeating a sentence. This
was noticeable in the first discourse I heard him deliver. It
was on the subject of the necessity of continuous revelation,
which he explained with striking clearness. For many years
he had ranked among the foremost public speakers of the
Nation. Added to his wide range of information and deep and
sometimes tremendous earnestness, he has been aided by a clear,
resonant voice. When warmed to his theme he has on occa-
sions reached the highest flights of oratory, thrilling and cap-
tivating his auditors by the forcefulness of his thought and
the persuasiveness of his address.
"There never was a man within the range of my acquaintance
who could so readily adapt his speech to convey important
thoughts to the minds of little children. This is one of the
rarest of gifts. It is natural to him, and he developed it to
a high degree of excellence by cultivation. Hence his speech
has a wide applicability, ranging from the undeveloped children
to the most cultivated audiences of mature people. His
addresses have been far from being confined to theological and
moral subjects, but have embraced a wide variety of themes,
including civil government and other matters associated with
the general well-being of humanity.
"He is an intense lover of little children, in whom he takes
a deep interest. This trait has always been manifested in
his visits to families. He never fails to give a liberal
share of attention to the little ones, with whom he pleasantly
converses. In this capacity he has exhibited marked tenacity
of memory by calling each child of a household by name
after a lapse of two or three years between a former and the
later visit.
"His love for and interest in his own progeny is hardly ex-
ceeded. This patriarchal instinct prompts him to group the
members of his family and their branches around himself, he
being the center of the aggregation. The wisdom of this is ap-
parent. It is the process of patriarchal populous expansion.
Its perpetuation means an incalculably wonderful result. So
long as the organization and solidification are preserved, the
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON 163
accretion must necessarily be ceaseless. This practical effect
of his personality is but one of numerous evidences of the com-
munal tendency of his thoughts and far-reaching character
of his ideals.
"It must not be supposed that Brother Cannon's interest
in and affection for children are merely of a centralized char-
acter ; on the contrary, these sentiments are, with him, decidedly
expansive. His work at the head and front of the Sunday
School system, now so conspicuous a feature among the Latter-
day Saints, place this beyond question. He took hold of this
labor when the enterprise had scarcely an existence as an
organization. Now it extends to every settlement where the
Saints are found and has numbers of scattered branches in the
nations abroad. I have no idea that this beneficent establish-
ment has its equal in completeness and efficiency in the world.
The spectacle presented by the Jubilee celebration held in the
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 8th, 1899, was of such
a character as to impress any intelligent beholder with this
thought. Who can count the number of precious souls whose
feet have been directed and maintained in the path of rectitude
and salvation by the agency of this great institution? If
the subject of this sketch had performed no other work in life
than that which he has accomplished in connection with the
Sunday School cause, it would entitle him to have his name
handed down as a benefactor to the latest generation. What
he has produced under the blessing of God, through this agency,
radiates beyond the limits of time and stretches into eternity,
where the multiplication of its effects will parallel duration.
"The man about whom I write has been conspicuous for the
strength of his personal magnetism. As a rule he captivates
those who come in contact with him. The influence of his
personal atmosphere has not only been felt among his co-
religionists, but has extended to all classes of men whom he
has met in the world. I should say that he is a natural
statesman. This has been virtually admitted by national
characters of this Republic while he occupied the position of
delegate to the Congress of the United States for the Territory
of Utah, and since. While acting in that capacity he showed
his usual appreciation of the necessity for familiarity with
details. Not only did he acquaint himself with the functions
164 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of government and the features indicating the limitation lines
between its different departments, but likewise with the names,
constituencies and some personal particulars regarding every
member of each branch of the national legislature. He was
therefore regarded by his contemporaries in that body as a
kind of individual intelligence bureau. When any one member
made inquiry of another about some particular senator or mem-
ber of Congress, it was by no means unusual for the gentleman
interrogated to say, 'I don't know. Inquire of Mr. Cannon
from Utah. He seems to know everybody.' This species of
information was doubtless useful to the gentleman who pos-
sessed it. As a rule, men are pleased when they observe
evidence of being remembered.
"Running through the career of this striking character are
strong evidences of his adherence to duty as he has understood
it. This ideal has been sustained under circumstances that
have demanded, at the time, much personal sacrifice. His
responses to calls made upon him by his superiors in office in
the 'Church of Christ have been prompt and unhesitating. I
have found in my observation of men this statement of Carlyle
to be unqualifiedly correct: 'Great minds are respectfully
obedient to all that is over them. Only small souls are
otherwise.'
"The standard of the subject of this sketch in relation to
charity has always been of the highest order. His exatled
ideal in this respect has not only been exhibited in his public
and private teachings, but, without doubt, is personally exem-
plified in his entire mortal career to the present. This eminent
position regarding the most important subjects that occupy
human contemplation has undergone in him but a single change
a modification in his views in relation to those who have
flot practically occupied the same elevated moral position as
himself.
"Has Brother Cannon exhibited faults? Ask me if he is
human. Imperfections are the lot of humanity. Where
there is light there is shadow the more brilliant the light the
deeper the shadow appears by contrast. The failings of mere
men of the world pass without notice, while the defects of
individuals conspicuous for great qualities appear abnormally
large by immediate contrast with their opposite. In this case
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON. 165
i speak not of imperfections. They should be buried in oblivion
by the overwhelming weight of his virtues."
The death of President George Q. Cannon, previously herein
poken of, occurred at Monterey, California, on Friday, April
12th, 1901. He had gone there a few months previously with
the hope of benefiting his health, which for some years had
been far from good, and which was perceptibly reducing his
physical strength. It was not to be, however, and his spirit
was required in the higher and grander sphere. He was
attended at his death by several of his family and friends, the
former bringing the body back to this city for interment. The
funeral services took place on Wednesday, April 17th, in the
large Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, where many thousand
mourning relatives and friends, as well as numerous sympa-
thizers not of our faith, were in attendance. The proceedings
were most instructive and impressive. The funeral cortege
was one of the longest ever seen in the Western country, and
the floral displays from many sources were numerous, elaborate
and beautiful. He was laid to rest in the Salt Lake City
cemetery, where he sleeps the sleep of the just, awaiting the
morning o the first resurrection.
PRESIDENT JOHN R. WINDER.
Those who begin life in obscurity, environed by humble cir-
cumstances, and lacking the stimulus of available opportunities,
have yet the encouragement of numerous examples of those
who were similarly placed and forged their way to the front
by dint of sterling merit and unflagging determination. The
world pronounces such men self-made, and so indeed they
are so far as relates to temporal things, and having made
the best use of the means within their control ; when to
these is added the divine spark which, being forged, becomes
a flame that lightens the possessor's way to righteousness and
salvation, we then have one who is an example worthy of all
emulation by his followers and one who is pleasing to his
Father in heaven. Such a man is JOHN REX WINDER, First
Counselor in the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
Brother Winder first beheld the light of day upon this
earth at Biddenden, county of Kent, England, on December
llth, 1821, and at once underwent the ceremony of "sprinkling,"
in accordance with the rites of the Church of that nation.
This circumstance goes to show that his parents belonged to
that denomination, from which several of our brethren who
have gained envious prominence have come, among them Presi-
dent John Taylor. Brother Winder had the distinction of
being confirmed in that Church under the hands of the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, being at that time only fourteen years
old'. As was also the case with many, in and out of the
Church of God, who arose to eminence, his educational ad-
vantages were meager ; but what he learned was learned well,
as his whole life has shown he has always done.
At that time America was a far-off land to him, and occu-
pied but a small part of his thoughts; little did he imagine
it was to be his final earthly home, where he was destined to
mount high in the estimation of brethren, whose faith he
had not the smallest conception of, and be a man of in-
JOHN R. WINDER.
168 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
fluence and prominence, respected and honored by all kinds
of people. Truly, "God moves in a mysterious way, His
wonders to perform."
At the age cf about twenty years, the person of whom I
write, decided to quit his strictly provincial life and look to a
wider and busier field of action. With this object in view
he betook himself to the world's metropolis, London, and
succeeded in finding a situation in a shoe store, which he
retained for some time. He was united in marriage on
November 24th, 1845, to Ellen Walters, and two years later
went to Liverpool to take charge of a business, which position
he held for six years. While thus engaged, he heard, or
read, by the merest chance, of the Latter-day Saints. Even
the words were new to him, but they had the effect of setting
him to inquiring, and he succeeded in learning in a general
way, that they meant a new religion, having at its head a
Prophet whose name wos Joseph Smith, and that members of
this Church were then engaged in holding meetings in that
very city. By stealth he attended one of these meetings and
heard Elder Orson Spencer preach on the first principles of the
Gospel. This had the good effect of causing young Winder
to inquire fur then and investigate, the outcome being hia
baptism into the Church on September 20th, 1848, by Elder
Thomas D. Brown. His wife followed soon after, the ordi-
nance of baptism in her case being performed by Elder Orson
Pratt, and in February, 1853, they, with three living children
(one other being dead), set sail for America, the ultimate ob-
jective point being Salt Lake City. Smallpox broke out on
shipboard. Brother Winder was taken with the disease and
quarantined from his family, and altogether their ocean ex-
periences were far removed from a pleasure trip ; it was a
very trying one, filled with tedious, vexatious incidents. They
finally reached New Orleans, and from there found their way
up the Mississippi river to Keokuk, Iowa, where they joined
Elder Joseph W. Young's emigrant company and reached Salt
Lake City October 10th, 1853.
Brother Winder's history, if it embraced nothing but that
portion of it from the time he reached Utah, if set out in
detail, would make a very large volume, and of course there
is no room for any considerable portion of it here. He
PRESIDENT JOHN R. WINDER. 169
engaged in various business enterprises, in which he was uni-
formly successful. He became captain of a company in the
Nauvoo Legion, and, as such, was in Echo Canyon to take
part in repelling the unwarranted invasion by Johnston's army.
He also engaged actively in repressing, by military means, some
of the lawlessness and general depredations of the Red men,
and in this capacity underwent some very trying experiences,
rendering not only the people here, but the Government, great
and effective service, for which he has never been paid. He
was for fourteen years assessor and collector of Salt Lake
City, served three terms in the city council, and in April, 1877,
became second counselor to Presiding Bishop Preston, the
duties of which position he discharged with ability and fidelity
for twenty-four years. On October 17th, 1901, upon the
occasion of the reorganization of the First Presidency of the
Church, Brother Winder was chosen by President Joseph F.
Smith as his First Counselor, and the choice was unanimously
confirmed.
In addition to the positions herein set forth, Brother Winder
has held many others, both ecclesiastical and civil. He also
is a prominent factor in several business enterprises and is
altogether a sterling, go-a'head, useful, busy citizen. Under
his presidency the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing
Society has become one of the recognized great and pros-
perous institutions of our grand and growing -State. His
wife, above named, died November 7th, 1892 ; he has had three
others, only one of whom, Maria Burnham Winder, is living.
He has a numerous posterity, and notwithstanding his four-
score years, is still active, vivacious and healthy. May he
long be with us in this sphere of action !
My first recollection of President Winder runs back to my
boyhood days, when he was a counselor to Bishop Taylor, of
the Fourteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, and the writer a
member of the Sunday school in that ward. The quick move-
ment of the body and the ready action of his mind and speech,
his constant labor and unexcelled industry, were the traits of
character which presented themelves to me as the most con-
spicuous elements in his make-up. These most excellent quali-
ties, controlled and directed by the spirit and principles of the
Gospel, impressed me that John R. Winder was one of the
170 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
strong men of Israel. His life and labors, the positions of
honor and responsibility which he has since filled, religiously
and civilly, his present calling in standing next to the chief
man in the Church, all go to confirm the impressions of youth
concerning President Winder. His selection by President
Smith to be First Counselor in the Presidency of the Church,
proves as well the inspiration of the Lord to President Smith,
as it is pre-eminently a recognition of honored age and the
merits of a righteous life.
PRESIDENT ANTHON H. LUND.
The year 1844 is a marked one in the history of the Latter-
day Saints, for it witnessed the martyrdom of its faithful
seer and leader, Joseph Smith. Just previous to his incar-
ceration in Carthage jail, and at the time when Illinois was
the scene of much vile persecution and wiibked opposition
towards the Saints, the subject of this sketch was born, on the
other side of the Atlantic, in Aalborg, Denmark, May loth
of that year. When only four years old he was sent to a
private school, where he mastered the first principles of reading,
writing, arithmetic, etc. He made rapid progress in the
little class room, so that when he was seven he entered the
public schools of Aalborg. Once in that school, he out-
stripped his companions, skipped over the second grade en-
tirely, and when he was eleven years old, he held first place
in the school. Apart from his regular school studies, he took
private lessons in English, and also studied German and
French. In early life he had an unusual desire to study the
good old Bible, and whenever he could avail himself (which
was infrequent in that land in his day), he might have been
found perusing the book, pondering over it, and reading with
interest and pleasure the thrilling story of ancient Israel and
its wanderings in the wilderness.
Elder Lund says he cannot call to mind a moment in his
whole life, when he was not thorough^ convinced of the truth
of the Gospel. It was no easy thing for him to step out and
obey it when it came, for in doing so he had to face a frowning
world and give up the sweet society of his associates and com-
panions, but on the anniversary of his birthday, in 1856, he
entered the waters of baptism, being just twelve years of age.
When only thirteen he began to preach the Gcspel, and like
his Lord and Master Jesus, enjoyed such divine inspiration as
to enable him to confound the learned doctors of divinity who
sought to entrap him in his words. He labored incessantly
for the spread of truth in his native land, for something like
172 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
five years, at which time (then eighteen years old) he em-
barked on board the ship Benjamin Franklin for America.
Upon his arrival in Utah he located in Sanpete valley, where
he has been a solid, useful counselor in all the material and
spiritual interests of the Church. He learned telegraphy and
worked at that employment for a number of years. He has
also been successful in the mercantile business ; in fact, what-
ever Apostle Lund has undertaken, has been well done,
efficiency and skill characterizing all his efforts. He
has performed several missions in Europe, notably in his
native land ; but whether among English-speaking peo-
ple or those of a foreign tongue, the personality of
Brother Lund 'is deeply impressed upon all. His latest
mission to Europe was as President of that mission. He ac-
complished a good work, and it may be truthfully said that
no man has presided over the European mission who has re-
ceived the love and esteem of the Mission Elders and Saints
more than Apostle Lund. From an educational standpoint, it
is safe to say that Brother Lund has no superiors in the quorum
of the Twelve. He has always been very studious, and upon
a great variety of subjects has a large fund of information.
To know him is to love him. Well informed and ready in
conversation, kind and congenial to all he meets, dignified in his
bearing, honest and impartial, he lives forever in the hearts
of those who know him. Besides his numerous good qualities
of heart and brain, which make him a great and successful
missionary, he has an additional advantage, possessed by
no other man in the Apostleship, of speaking some six different
languages English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French and
German; he has also a slight understanding of Spanish and
Italian, and with his aptitude for language, Elder Lund, not-
withstanding his age, quickened by the inspiration of the Lord,
which is ever present with him, could readily master any lan-
guage spoken upon the earth.
When the Manti Temple was opened for ordination, he was
chosen to aid President Daniel H. Wells in conducting the
ordinaces thereof. His fitness for that sacred work was
greatly enhanced in that temple district because so many of
his nationality reside in the vicinity of Manti. Upon the
decease of President Wells, Elder Lund was chosen to preside
ANTHON H. LUND.
174 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
over the Temple and conduct service therein. His genial,
kind disposition and constant patience endeared him to all who
visited or labored there during his administration. While
acting as president of the Temple, one of his associates therein
Brother Thompson prophesied that Elder Lund would be-
come cne of the Twelve Apostles. This prediction soon came
to pass, for he was called with Marriner W. Merrill and
Abraham H. Cannon in October, 1889. Soon after he was
chosen to this high calling, he was released from his temple
work and sent to preside over the European mission.
In the fall of 1891, when the colonizing and farther ex-
tension of the Palestine mission was under consideration in
council of the Presidency and 'Twelve, it was revealed to
the writer that "Anthon H. Lund is the man to go to Pales-
tine," although another had been partially decided upon, and
my impression was not stated in the council. However,
Brother Lund was subsequently chosen. He filled the mission
with great efficiency, accompanied by Elder F. F. Hintze.
Upon Apostle Lund's return from Jerusalem, the minute de-
tails of his report, entering into every phase of the question,
proved beyond question or controversy that he was the right
man for the work. Viewing the subject from a natural stand-
point, based upon the comparative abilities of men, it is doubt-
ful if any other man among the Apostles could have done as
well as President Lund. He is thorough in all his researches,
investigations and observations, so that when he makes a
report of his surroundings it can be relied upon as being
complete. In council he is slow to speak, naturally modest
and timid in the midst of his brethren, but when he does make
suggestions, they are invariably such as have not been pre-
sented. This makes him a valuable counselor and proves his
inspirations.
Apostle Lund is not merely a thought-gatherer, but a thinker.
He has recently prepared a new edition of the Doctrine and
Covenants in the Danish language, and for some time has oc-
cupied the responsible station of General Church Historian
and Recorder, being the most suitable man to succeed Presi-
dent Franklin D. Richards. In this capacity Brother Lund
has proven himself to be a most competent man.
From the Scandinavian countries, wherein so much of Israel's
PRESIDENT ANTHON H. LUND. 175
faithful seed abounds, have come to the Church of Christ in
the last days thousands of noble converts, better than whom no
country on the globe has produced. They are steady, sober,
industrious, abounding in faith and good works ; they have
furnished people who have colonized the hills and mountains
where other nationalities would shrink from going. They are
among the leaders of the people throughout the wards and
stakes of Ziou. Their sons are found among the brightest and
best missionaries that have been sent to the nations of the
earth. From among the thousands of this great race, Anthon
H. Lund has been chosen to bear the holy Apostleship and the
office of President's Counselor. He is not only an Apostle to
his countrymen, like Paul to the Gentiles, but is of corre-
sponding value to the Saints of God from every land and
clime. Public speaking is a source of embarrassment to
President Lund, and instinctively he thinks others better quali-
fied than* himself. No better example of genuine worth, free
from self-conceit can be found than in Brother Lund. He is
true to the admonition of Paul, "preferring his brethren before
himself." Useful in the past from early boyhood, before him
lies the record of a long life of useful labors all directed to
the salvation of his fellow man.
Brother J. M. Sjodahl makes the following timely and
truthful remark : "A striking feature of Brother Lund's char-
acter is his tendency to religious thought and meditation, which
almost reminds one of the Pietistic school, which, during the
last century, had so much influence upon Lutheran Protestant-
ism; it should be added, though, that his practical training
during a life rich in experiences has preserved him from the
errors of mysticism, which under different circumstances might
have been difficult to avoid. In his public speaking it is easy
to perceive that his thoughts center round the great themes of
the Gospel ; the Redeemer, in His two-fold character of Priest,
atoning for the sins of the world, and King, coming to rule
and restore all things. As a teacher in Israel, he evidently
at all times endeavors to magnify his calling of an Apostle
and witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. It follows that in
the daily events of life he readily acknowledges the hand of
the Lord in all things. Through a varied experience he
has obtained a firm faith in the promises of God to hear and to
176 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
answer prayers, and this is a source of strength to him which
never fails.
"It is no wonder that Brother Lund is much respected and
loved by all who know him, or that the feelings of regard grow
stronger as the acquaintance with him becomes more intimate.
Few men go through life without enemies, but Brother Lund
appears to be one of the few. He is very much like the late
President Wilford Woodruff in this respect, of whom it was
said that even his antagonists loved him. The regard in
which he is held by his associates in the Council of Apostleship
was very well expressed by Elder Heber J. Grant when, in a
meeting of Scandinavian Saints in this city, not long ago, he
said : 'Erastus Snow was my ideal of an Apostle of the Lord,
and Brother Snow's mantle has, in my opinion, fallen upon
Elder Anthon H. Lund.' "
It would be impossible, even in a lengthy treatise, to give a
more striking tribute to the genuine worth of the successor of
him who has been called the Apostle of Scandinavia.
The reorganization of the First Presidency, consequent upon
the death of President Snow, October 7th, 1901, resulted in
the choice of Apostle Lund as President Smith's Second Coun-
eslor. In this position he will be found as he has been in all
others, a faithful and zealous, but yet humble, follower of the
Lord.
APOSTLE DAVID W. PATTEN.
DAVID W. PATTEN, a great and good man, and Apostle of the
Lord, was born in the State of New York, in the year 1800.
His parents were farmers, and earned their livelihood from
the products of the soil. David was industrious and ener-
getic, possessed of a strong, healthy body and a bright, active
mind. Early in life he manifested a great interest in the sub-
ject of religion, and was endowed with such faith in God that
lie was the recipient of dreams and visions from the Lord.
When twenty-one years old he testified' that the Spirit of God
commanded him to repent of his sins. He did so, and during
the years following, several future events were revealed to him
in dreams and visions. He looked for the restoration of the
Gospel in its ancient purity, completeness and power, and felt
that he would live to see it. In 1830, he first saw the Book of
Mormon. Being impressed with its truth, he cried unto God
for more faith. His brother, John Patten, received the Gospel
previous to May, 1832, and in that month wrote to his brother,
David, of the rise of the Church in the last days; the restora-
tion of spiritual gifts, etc. David was convinced that God had
revealed Himself, and on June 15th, 1832, was baptized by his
brother John, in Green county, Indiana. On the 17th of the
same month he was ordained an Elder by Elisha Groves, and
seoit on a mission with a Brother Wood to Michigan. He was
mighty in faith. Many remarkable cases of healing occurred
during this mission. In many instances, when the sick said
they had faith to be healed, and promised to obey the Gospel,
he would command them to arise and walk, and they did so,
being instantly healed by the power of God. On this brief
mission of about three months they baptized sixteen persons.
In October he went to Kirtland, where he spent a few \veeks,
and then started on his second mission, this time, going to
Pennsylvania. He and his companions baptized several on the
way. To the sick he taught faith in the ordinances of the
Gospel, and where their hearts responded, he commanded them
12
178 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
in the name of the Lord to be healed, and it was done. Many
people came long distances, having faith to be healed, and
their prayers were answered. One woman, who had been
afflicted for nearly twenty years, was instantly healed. He
returned to Kirtland February 25th, 1833. The next month
he was sent, with other Elders, on a mission to preach the
Gospel and advise the Saints to gather at Kirtland. He
traveled with R. Cahoon. At Father Bosley's, in Avon, they
preached to the people. Their meeting was disturbed by a
boisterous man, who defied any one to eject him from the
meeting. Brother Patten, being aroused with righteous in-
dignation, told him to be quiet or he would put him out. The
fellow said, "You can't do it!" Brother Patten promptly
answered, "In the name of the Lord, I will do it!" He seized
the disturber, carried him to the door, and pitched him onto a
woodpile. The saying went out that Patten had cast out one
devil, soul and body.
They met with much opposition and persecution in Orleans,
Jefferson county, New York. Notwithstanding this, they
raised up a branch of eighteen members. In Henderson, Elder
Patten baptized eight persons. When the Elders confirmed
them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with
tongues, and prophesied. He organized several branches dur-
ing the summer, numbering eighty members in all. Of the
power, of God, manifested throug'h Elder Patten's labors, he
writes: "The Lord did work with me wonderfully, in signs
and wonders following them that believed in the fullness of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ; insomuch that the deaf were made
to hear, the blind to see, and the lame were made whole.
Fevers, palsies, crooked and withered limbs, and!, in fact, all
manner of diseases common to the country, were healed by
the power of God that was manifest throug'h His servants."
Elder Patten returned to Kirtland in the fall of 1833, worked
one month on the Temple, and then went to his former place
of residence, in Michigan. From there he moved to Florence,
Ohio. He was sick for some time, but being full of desire to
la'bor for the salvation of his feilow-beings, he consecrated
himself to the Lord, and began a preaching tour. One day
the Spirit of the Lord said to him, "Depart from your field of
labor, and go unto Kirtland; for behold, I will send thee up
APOSTLE DAVID W. PATTEN. 179
to the laud of Zion, and thou s'halt serve thy brethren there."
He obeyed, and was immediately sent south, with William D.
Pratt, to convey messages to the Saints in Missouri. They
arrived in Clay county, March 4th, 1834, after a journey that
was very trying from cold and fatigue. He remained in Mis-
souri until the arrival of Zion's Camp. During these troubles,
a bitter enemy approached Brother Patten, and said, with a
drawn bowie knife in his hand, "You d Mormon, I will cut
your d throat." Elder Patten looked him squarely in the
face, and, putting his hand in his left breast pocket, said, "My
friend, do nothing rashly." Brother Patten was unarmed, but
the mobocrat was seized with fear, and turned away, saying,
"For God's sake, don't shoot!"
On Sept. 12th, 1834, Elders Patten and Warren Parrish
started on a mission to Tennessee. In Henry county they
labored about three months, baptizing twenty persons. The
sick were healed in a remarkable way. One instance of im-
portance was the case of Johnston F. Lane's wife, who had
been sack for eight years. Learning of the Elders, and the
faith they taught, they were sent for. Brother Patten
preached to Mr. Lane and his family, saying that the power
to be healed was given to those who had faith to receive it.
Mrs. Lane believed, and Brother Patten laid his hands upon
her, saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke the dis-
order and command it to depart." He also commanded her,
-in the name of the Lord, to arise, go forth, and be baptized,
which she did the same hour. After baptism and confirma-
tion, he told her she should gain in strength, and in less than a
year become the mother of a son. She had been married
twelve years, and yet had no children. Nevertheless, this
prophecy was fulfilled, for within a year she bore a son, whom
the paremts named* David Patten.
Brother Patten returned to Kir f land in the winter of "1834-5.
On February 15th, 1835, he was ordained one of the Twelve
Apostles, and was the President of that quorum until his mar-
tyrdom, October 25th, 1838. On the first mission of the
Twelve, he traveled through New York, Canada, Vermont,
Maine, and other States, setting the branches in order, attend-
ing conferences, etc. He returned to Kirtland in September,
1835. Soon after receiving his endowments in the Kirtland
180 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Temple, he went on another mission to Tennessee. There he
found Brother Wilforcl Woodruff, on a mission from Missouri
May 17th, 1S35, Margaret Little, being at the point of death,
was instantly healed. She had covenanted to be baptized,
but after being restored, she refused. Elder Patten told her
the affliction would come back if she did not repent. On their
return, they found her very low. She begged them to ad-
minister to her, promising that she would obey the Gospel.
She was again instantly healed, and this time received the
Gospel. They continued their labors against much persecu-
tion. On one occasion an armed mob fled before him, being
seized with fear, though he had nothing but a walking stick
with him. A little later Warren Parrish arrived from Ivirt-
land, and the threie journeyed together from town to town in
Kentucky, preaching the Gospel wherever opportunity afforded.
The Spirit of the Lord wrought mightily with them, especially
in healing the sick. Satan opposed them bitterly, and on one
occasion a mob of about forty men, headed by a sheriff and a
Methodist priest, took them into custody, on a complaint of
Matthew Williams, who swore to the complaint that these
brethren had prophesied that "Christ would come the second
time before this generation passed away, and that four indi-
viduals should receive the Holy Ghost within twenty-four
hours." Upon examination, Elder Patten and Parrish were
placed under $2,000 bonds to appear for trial June 22d. Early
on that date they appeared in court. The officers took from
Brother Patten his walking stick and penknife. The court
denied the prisoners the right to produce witnesses on their
side. The trial was a mockery. They were prohibited from
saying anything in their own defense. Elder Patten bore the
indignities until forbearance ceased to be a virtue, when he
arose, filled with the Holy Ghost. The court and spectators
were spellbound while he addressed them; he rebuked the
court sharply for the unjust proceedings, having declared them
guilty of the charge, and yet there was nothing conflicting with
any law of God or man.
Brother Parrish remarked afterward that while Elder Pat-
ten was speaking, "My hair stood straight on my head, for I
expected to be killed." The judge was astonished, and said,
"You must be armed with concealed weapons, or you would
APOSTLE DAVID W. PATTEN. 181
not treat an armed court as you 'have this." The Apostle re-
plied, "I am armed with weapons you know not of, and my
weapons are the Holy Priesthood and the power of God. God
is my friend; He permits you to exercise all the power you
have, and He bestows on me all the power I have." The
court and mob were defeated in their purposes, and the prisoners
released. The sheriff advised the brethren to leave at once,
as their lives were in imminent danger from the mob. The
Elders went to Brother Seth Utley's, but soon after the mob
quarreled, many of them being exasperated because the breth-
ren were allowed to go. The mob was again in speedy pur-
suit. The Elders, learning of this, mounted their mulos, and
by a circuitous route through the woods reached the house of
Albci-t Petty, where they put up their animals, and lay down
to rest. They had been sleeping but a short time when a
heavenly messenger appeared to Elder Patten, and told him
thai the mob would soon be at the '.house. He awoke Brother
Parrish, informed him of the danger, and they soon left.
Shortly afterward the mot) reached the house, surrounded it,
and demanded the Elders. Being informed they were not
there, the house was searched. The mob remained until day-
light, when they tracked the brethren's animals to the county
line, and turned back disappointed.
Concluding his mission in the South, Elder Patten, accom-
panied by his wife, repaired to Far West, Missouri. He re-
mained there until the spring of 1837, when he traveled and
preached through the States until he came to Ivirtland. It
was a season of great apostasy. His brother-in-law, Warren
Parrish, had apostatized, and Elder Patten, faithful and true
himself, experienced great sorrow because of such a situation.
He returned to Missouri, and on February 10th, 1838, with
Thomas B. Marsh, was appointed to preside over the Church
in Far West, during the absence of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
While in this position he wrote an epistle, and delivered his
last testimony to the Church and the world, so far as this
mortal life is concerned.
On October 24th, 1838, Samuel Bogart, a Methodist
preacher, leading a mob of seventy-five men, was committing
outrages on Log creek. They were destroying property and
taking prisoners. Apostle Patten and about seventy-five
182 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
others went out to meet the mob, and early the next morning
encountered them in battle. During the engagement Elder
Patten was mortally wounded, though the mobbers were de-
feated. Upon returning to Far West with the dead and
wounded, Brother Patten's pain and suffering became so in-
tense that he asked his brethren to leave him. He and
Brother Seeley, another of the wounded, were placed upon a
litter, and carried gently by kind and loving hands. They
were met by Presidents Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Elder H. C.
Kimball, and others. Brother Patten became so distressed
that they could convey him no further, and he was taken to
the home of Brother Stephen Winchester, about three miles
from Far West, where he expired in peace, with a cleas 1 mind
and a happy spirit, at 10 p. m., October 25th, 1S38. Of his
last moments, President Heber C. Kim'ball wrote: ''When
the shades of time were lowering, and eternity, with all its
realities, was opening to his view, he bore a strong testimony
to the truth of the work of the Lord and the religion he had
espoused. The principles of the Gospel, which were so pre-
cious to him before, were honorably maintained in nature's
final hour, and afforded him that support and consolation at
the time of his departure which deprived death of its sting and
horror. Speaking of those who had apostatized, he exclaimed,
'Oh, that they were in my situation! For I feel I have kept
the faith; I have finished my course. Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
shall give to me.' Speaking to his beloved wife, who was
present, and who attended him in his dying moments, he said,
'Whatever you do else, do not deny the faith!' A few mo-
ments before he died he prayed thus: 'Fatiher, I ask Thee, in
the name of Jesus Christ, that Thou wouldst release my spirit
and receive it unto Thyself.' The brethren committed him to
the Lord, and he quietly breathed his last without a struggle
or a groan. In a revelation given January 19th, 1841, the
Lord said that He had received Brother Patten unto Him-
self. "My servant, David Patten, who is with Me at this
time," D. and C., Sec. 124.
At the funeral, October 27th, 1838, the Prophet Joseph
Smith, pointing to his lifeless body, said: "There lies a man
who has laid down his life for his friends." David W. Patten
APOSTLE DAVID W. PATTEN. 183
was truly one of God's noblemen. He was faithful and true,
and gave all that man could give, including Ms life, for the
testimony of Jesus and the word of God. He belongs to that
honored number that the angel said to John upon the Isle of
Patmos should be slain for the testimony of Jesus before God
would avenge the blood of those whom the Apostle saw under
the altar. David W. Patten was the first Apostolic martyr
of the dispensation of the fullness of times, and will 'be among
the first fruits of the resurrection of the just. Joseph, the
Prophet, wrote of him: "Brother David W. Patten was a
worthy man, beloved by all good men who knew him. He
died as he had lived, a man of God, and strong in the faith of
a glorious resurrection in a world where mobs will have no
power or place."
APOSTLE ORSON HYDE.
ORSON HYDE was one of the first quorum of Twelve Apostles
chosen In this last dispensation. He was the son of Nathan
and Sally Hyde, and was born in Oxford, New Haven county,
Connecticut, January 3th, 1805. Like all his associates in the
first council of Apostles, Orson Hyde and his progenitors for
several generations were native-born Americans. The love
of country was a strong element in their composition, and this
trait Orson inherited from his forefathers in a high degree.
His father was a talented man intellectually, possessed of
keen wit, and was athletic and active physically. Nathan
Hyde, Orson's father, served in the United States army in
Canada, and was several times wounded. He was on the
frontier in the war of 1812. Orson's mother died when he
was seven years old. He and his eight brothers and two
sisters became separated by living in different families. Orson
was placed in the care of Nathan Wheeler, a gentleman with
whom he lived until he was eighteen years of age.
When Orson was fourteen, Mr. Wheeler moved from Derby,
Connecticut, to Kirtland, Ohio. The young man Hyde walked
the entire distance', 500 miles, carrying 'his knapsack. Subse-
quent to his arrival in Kirtland, he launched out in the world
for himself, reliant and dependent upon the providences of
the Lord to rule his course and guide his footsteps in proper
channels. He labored at various occupations, and for some
time served as a clerk in the mercantile establishment of
Gilbert & Whitney, in Kirtland, Ohio. In 1827, under the
influence of a religious revival, he joined the Methodist church
and became a class leader. Realizing, howevr, that the truth
he had received was only fragmentary* and that he must look
for something better, he subsequently embraced the Camp-
bellite persuasion, which taught faith, repentance, and bap-
tism by immersion for the remission of sins; this being in
form more scriptural, he accepted it, as a step in advance.
He went to Mentor, Ohio, to reside. Under the direction of
ORSON HYDE.
186 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Sidney Rigdon, he took up various lines of study, and by close
application of mind, 'became quite proficient in several branches
of education. He soon became a preacher, and took part in
organizing branches of the Camphellites. Over two of these
branches he was appointed pastor in 1830.
In the autumn of that year, several Elders Oliver Cowdery,
Parley P. Pratt, and others came to Ohio with the Book of
Mormon, and declaring a new dispensation. This was the
first time 'Sidney Rigdon had seen the Book, notwithstanding
the oft-repeated fallacy that his learning was coupled with
Joseph 'Smith's ingenuity to produce it, which was published to
the world several months previous to Sidney Rigdon ever see-
ing it or the Prophet Joseph Smith. Orson Hyde read a por-
tion of the new record, and by request preached against it;
but, feeling convinced that he had done wrong, he determined
to say no more against it until he had investigated thoroughly
for himself with an unprejudiced mind. He recognized the
great truth that no man can justifiably oppose anything con-
cerning which he knows little or nothing. "He that judgeth
a matter before he heareth it, is not wise." After some con-
sideration of the new message, he went to Kirtland to see the
Prophet Joseph Smith, bent on further investigation. Upon
his arrival there, he learned that Sidney Rigdon and others of
his Campbellite associates had embraced the faith taught by
the Latter-day Saints. Upon a more mature investigation,
with a prayerful spirit to obtain light from heaven, he became
convinced that God had really spoken from the heavens and
established the Ghurch of Christ after the primitive pattern.
He accordingly presented himself for membership, and was
baptized October 31st, 1831, by Sidney Rigdon, and confirmed
the same day by the Prophet Joseph Smith. He soon re-
ceived strong and most convincing manifestations of the Holy
Spirit concerning the truth of the work, and began in earnest
to bear witness to his former associates. Shortly afterward
he, with Hyrum Smith, pea-formed a very successful mission
among the Campbell! tes of Ohio. Brother Hyde had been
ordained a High Priest in the Church. They baptized a
goodly number, organized several branches of the Church, and
under their administration many sick people were healed. The
Lord "confirmed their words with signs following" in a re-
APOSTLE ORSON HYDE. 187
markable manner. In those days spiritualism and other coun-
terfeits of God's power were not extant in America. They
are prevalent today, as predicted by Joseph Smith and the
ancient Prophets.
In the early days of Elder Hyde's ministry in the Church,
thousands of people had been, by the operation of the Spirit
of the Lord upon their own hearts, in course of preparation
to receive the Gospel. They knew the voice of the Good
Shepherd and followed it. It was the good fortune, God-
given, of Elder Hyde to re,ap the fruits of Gospel seed sown
by the Almighty in the hearts of thousand's, who readily re-
ceived that baptism when the truth of its purity was pre-
sented to them. In the spring of 1832, with 'Samuel H. Smith,
he accomplished an arduous mission in Massachusetts, New
York, Rhode Island, and Maine. They traveled on foot two
thousand miles, without purse or scrip, and rejoiced in being
counted worthy of so great an honor.
Early in 1833, Elder Hyde, with Elder Hyrum Smith, per
formed a faithful mission in Ohio and Pemnsylvania. They
baptized many people in the course of a brief period. Re-
turninfg to Kirtland, Elder Hyde and John Gould were ap-
pointed as message bearers to the persecuted Saints in Mis-
souri. They traveled on foot 1,000 miles, and crossed the
rivers and large streams by swimming. Orson was strong
and active in body, cheered on by the living faith and a certain
testimony of the truth. They frequently walked forty miles
a day. They performed their mission faithfully, and returned
to Kirtland in November of the same year. Shortly after
this Elder Hyde, with Elder Orson Pratt, filled another im-
portant mission in Pennsylvania. In May, 1834, he went
with Zion's Camp to Missouri. On the way to their destina-
tion, Elder Hyde, with Elder P. P. Pratt, called on Governor
Daniel Dunlin, to secure his offices in restoring to the Saints their
homes and lands in Jackson county. This property they had
secured legally from the Government and by purchase from
individuals. They had been driven, without provocation, or
even the shadow of law, by ruthless mobs, the excuse of their
enemies bein'g that the Saints believed in revelation, fulfillment
of ancient prophecy, spiritual gifts and blessings, and in the
abolition of slavery. The Governor gave them no encourage-
188 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ment; and their effort to save the chief executive of 'Missouri
from the shame of cowardice, because he feared to do his duty,
was comparatively in vain.
Sept. 4th, 1834, Elder Hyde married Marinda Johnson, a
sister of Lyman E. a,nd Luke S. Johnson, who were members
of the 'first council of Apostles. In the winter of 1834, Elder
Hyde was cho'sen to be one of the Twelve Apostles, and or-
dained to that holy calling February 15th, 1835. With his
associates in ihe Apostleship. he traveled on a mission through
Vermont and New Hampshire. In 1836 he went on a mission
to New York, thence to Canada, where, wiith Elder Parley P.
Pratt, he raised up several branches of the Church. In 1837
he went, with Elder Kim-ball and others, to introduce the Gos-
pel into England. The history of Apostle Hyde, in this first
mission to Europe, is largely the same as that of President
Kimball and the other Elders associated with them. The
spread of the truth was rapid. The power of God richly at-
tended their labors, and in one year the baptisms in the British
Isles approximated fifteen hundred souls. Elder Hyde re-
turned to Kirtland May 22d, 1838, and in a short time removed
to Far West, Missouri. Following the bitter persecutions en-
dured by the Saints in Missouri, he removed to Nauvoo,
Illinois, and took part in the early settlement of that historic
place.
At the April conference in 1840, Brother Hyde was called on
a mission to Jerusalem. He was soon on the way, bearing the
Gospel message to the land of Canaan, where once dwelt the
Messiah and His holy Prophets and Apostles. John E. Page
was appointed to accompany him, but failed to comply, and
Elder Hyde proceeded alone. Crossing the ocean to Great
Britain, he passed on to Germany, and in Bavaria sojourned
awhile, to learn the German language. He proceeded to
Constantinople, thence to Cairo and Alexandria, and encoun-
tered many hardships during the journey. He reached the
holy city in October, 1841, and on Sunday morning, October
24th, he ascended the Mount of Olives, the sacred spot where
once stepped the feet of the Savior, and where He will stand
again in the last days, and consecrated the land to the gather-
ing of the Jews. He erected a pile of stones there as a wit-
ness, also another upon the Mount Zion, in verification of a
APOSTLE OESON HYDE. 189
vision given him before leaving Nauvoo and the predictions of
the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning him. He reached his
home in .Nauvoo in December, 1842.
Brother Hyde was active at home as well as abroad in
preaching the Gospel and assisting to build up the interests of
the Saints in Nauvoo. When the Prophet and Patriarch
were martyred, Elder Hyde was on a mission with other
Apostles, but returned with them to Nauvoo after receiving
the sad news. He was with the Saints in their exodus from
Illinois, and endured patiently the hardships incident to those
trying ordeals. In 1S4G, with Elders John Taylor and Parley
P. Pratt, Brother Hyde went on a mission to England to set
in order the Church in that land. Upon their arrival, he was
placed in charge of the "Millennial Star," while Elders Taylor
and Pratt visited throughout the mission, and regulated the
branches of the Church. He edited the "Star" efficiently,
and his writings were read with much interest by the Saints
in the British Isles. He returned to Winter Quarters in 1847.
While the Pioneer company explored the West, and located
the resting place of the Saints in .Salt Lake valley, Elder
Hyde remained in charge of the Saints at Winter Quarters.
He published a paper at Council Bluffs called the "Frontier
Guardsman," and came to Salt Lake valley in 1851. He was
energetic 'in helping to found the new commonwealth and in
every way promote the growth and development of the Church
and the country. In 1855 a mission was established in Carson
valley under the immediate presidency of Apostle Hyde. He
organized a county there, which was then in Utah, but after-
ward became a part of Nevada.
In later years Brother Hyde was sent to take charge of the
interests of the Church in Sanpete county, making his resi-
dence at Spring City. He was the leading spirit in that
region up to the time of his decease. For a number of terms
ho represented his county in the Territorial Legislature, and
was an active, efficient law-maker. He wias also occupied,
with President Young and other leading men of the Church,
in visiting the settlements of the Saints, and encouraging the
people in all their labors, both spiritual and temporal. He
was a member of the committee for the construction of the
Manti Temple. More than seventy-three years of age, and
190 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
after a Life of useful activity, in which he suffered many trials
and hardships, Apostle Orson Hyde departed this life, at his
home in Spring City, Sanpete county, Utah, Nov. 28th, 1878.
He left a large family and a host of friends, who loved him
in life, and mourned his absence when Providence called him
to another sphere.
Apostle Hyde was a man of marked a'bility. He had a
strong physical constitution and a powerful intellect. By
application of mind he acquired a good education, which,
coupled with a long >and varied experience, made him a strong
instrument in the hands of God, in disseminating and defend-
ing the truth. He was well acquainted with the Bible and
New Testament, and it was said of him that in his younger
days, if any one should quote or read a passage from any part
of the Scriptures, Elder Hyde could quote the next verse, and
tell you where to find it. He was a gifted speaker and writer,
and, like all true servants of the Lord, ascribed ail the praise,
honoT and glory to our Heavenly Father.
APOSTLE PARLEY P. PRATT.
PARLEY P. PRATT, who was one of the first council of
Apostles in the dispensation of the fullness of times, was born
in Burlington, Otsego county, New York, April 12th, 1807.
He was the third son of .Tared and Charity Dickinson Pratt. -
While still in boyhood, Parley was noted for his remarkable
activity of body and mind. He worked hard upon his father's
farm, and when opportunity afforded him the privileges of
school, he was cited as an example of studiousness worthy the
following of all his associates. He was a descendant of Lieu-
tenant William and Elizabeth Pratt, who were among the
first settlers of Hartford, Connecticut, in the year 1639. The
supposition is that they accompanied the Rev. Thomas Hooker
and his congregation of about 100 from Cambridge (then
known as Newton), Massachusetts, through a wilderness in-
habited by savages and wild beasts, to the place where they
founded the colony of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636. This
early pioneer, William Pratt, was a member of the Connecticut
Legislature for some twenty-five sessions, his long term of
service proving his efficiency to hold the office, and the high
esteem in which he was held by the people. The general
court gave him one hundred acres of land in Saybrook, Connec-
ticut, for gallant services rendered in the Pequot war. He
was a judge in the first court of New London county. Parley
P. and Orson Pratt are lineal descendants of the seventh gen-
eration from that worthy pilgrim and pioneer.
Parley P. Pratt was distinguished in his early boyhood; for
the maturity of his thoughts and actions. The opportunities
afforded Mm for education were extremely limited, and yet
the originality of his thought was so distinguished that he
was looked upon, by many who knew him, as a leading spirit
with a great destiny. He also displayed strong tendencies of
a religious character, and for some time was associated with
the followers of Alexander Campbell.
In September, 1830, while residing in Ohio, he felt strongly
192 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
impelled to journey eastward. Acting upon this suggestion of
the Spirit of the Lord, he went eastward several hundred miles,
where he came into possession of a copy of the Book of Mor-
mon. He read the sacred volume with a prayerful heart, and
arose from its perusal a witness of the promise contained in
the book that, those who read it with a desire to know the truth,
should receive a testimony of its truth. He immediately set
out in search of the honored men who had seen the angel and
heard the voice of God. He soon found some Elders, and
learned from them o'f the organization of the Church on April
6th, 1830. He received baptism, and was ordained an Elder.
He visited Canaan, Columbia county, New York, where he bad
spent many of his boyhood days, preached several times in the
neighborhood, and baptized his brother Orson' on the nineteenth
anniversary of the latter's 'birthday, September 19th, 1830,
and then went to Seneca county, New York.
In October, 1830, Parley and three others were commanded
by revelation to carry the Gospel to the Lamanites, or Indians,
located in the western boundaries of Missouri. On their jour-
ney they spent some time at Kirtland, Ohio, where they
preached the Gospel to Sidney Rigdon, Orson Hyde, and other
Campbellites. They baptized many of them, and pursuing
their journey to Missouri, Brother Parley was among the first
of the Latter-day Saints to stand upon the favored site where
the city of Zion and her glorious temple are to be reared in the
last days. Early in 1831 he went east as far as Ohio, and in
Kirtland met the Prophet Joseph Smith. During the summer
he performed another mission in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri,
preaching the Gospel, baptizing many, and promoting by every
possible means the interests of the Church.
While the Presidency and main body of the Church were
established in Ohio, Brother Parley was among the number
located in Jackson county, Missouri, building up the city of the
Saints in that chosen land. In the fall of 1833 he and over
1,000 men, women and children were driven from their homes
and dispossessed of their property in Independence and sur-
rounding country. Two hundred houses were burned, also
many hay stacks ; cattle and hogs were shot down ; many of the
saints were cruelly whipped, others killed, and the body of the
people driven across the river into Clay county. Subsequently
PARLEY P. PRATT.
-13
194 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Elder Pratt performed a long mission of over 1,200 miles to
the east, preaching the Gospel, and encouraging the Saints.
In 1834 he returned to 'Clay county, Missouri, and wherever
he went was a most energetic and capable minister of the
Gospel. He returned to Kdrtland, O., a,nd on February 21st,
1835, having been previously called to the Apostleship, re-
ceived his ordination. After this he went East with his fellow-
Apostles, and performed a faithful mission in New York, Penn-
sylvania, and the New England States.
In 1836 he preached the Gospel in Canada, where he organ-
ized a large -branch of the Church in Toronto, and others in
neighboring towns. Upon this eventful mission he baptized
the late President John Taylor and others, who became such
substantial advocates of the cause of Christ in the last days.
Before leaving Kirtl-and, Apostle Kimball promised Brother
Parley that in Canada he would find a people prepared to re-
ceive him, and that his wife should bear him a son. They
had been married ten years without posterity. Both these re-
markable predictions were fulfilled.
In 1837, Elder Pratt founded a large branch of the Church
in New York City. In 1838 he removed from Ohio to Cald-
well county, Missouri, where persecution was raging in a
furious manner. Over a score of men, women and children
were murdered in cold blood. Many hundreds of thousands
of dollars' worth of property was destroyed, and over 10,000
people were banished from the State.
Elder Pratt was among the number captured by the mob
militia through the treachery of George M. Hinkle, and sent
to prison in Richmond, Ray county, Missouri, with other
brethren. He was kept in prison seven months without trial.
By the help of the Lord, he escaped from prison on July 4th,
1839, and successfully regained his liberty. In this way he
joyfully celebrated the Nation's anniversary. Upon gaining
his freedom, he published a history of the Missouri persecu-
tions, the first edition appearing in Detroit, Mich., in 1839.
He went wilth the Twelve to England in 1840, and became the
first editor of the "Millennial Star," a periodical now over
sixty years of age, and still published as an exponent of the
history and doctrines of the Church; especially devoted to the
interests of the European mission. In 1841 he was appointed
APOSTLE PARLEY- P. PRATT. 195
to preside over the British mission. In this capacity he con-
tinued to edit the "Star," visit the several conferences of the
mission, superintend the emigration of the 'Saints, and in a
most efficient manner conduct all the general affairs of the
mission. He also wrote and published several interesting little-
works explaining the principles of the Gospel. In the winter
of 1842-3 he returned to Nauvoo, the home of the Saints, con-
tinuing faithfully at work in the ministry.
In the summer of 1844, when the martyrdom of Joseph and
Hyrum Smith occurred, Elder Pratt was doing missionary
service in the East, with most of his quorum. All at once he
was impressed to leave for home in Nauvoo. He took passage
on a canal boat near Utica, N. Y. ; his brother William,
also on a mission, came aboard the same boat. Brother Par-
ley felt overcome with gloom, and said, "Brother William,
this is a dark hour. The powers of darkness seem to tri-
umph, and the spirit of murder is abroad in the land; it con-
trols the hearts of the American people, and a vast majority
of them sanction the killing of the innocent." Many other
expressions did he utter of like character, without knowing
the exact cause; but it was June 27th, 1844, in the afternoon,
and about the same hour when a furious mob, 1,000 miles
distant, were shedding the blood of Presidents Joseph and
Hyrum Smith atnd Elder John Taylor, in Carthage, 111. Elder
Pratt hastily returned to Nauvoo. receiving on the way the
revelation of the Holy -Spirit that all would be well, the work
of God would Toll on, and His kingdom be established, regard-
less of all efforts to destroy it. Brother Parley was full of
encouragement to the Saints and loyal to the Holy Priesthood
during these trying scenes.
In the spring of 1845, Elder Pratt was appointed to preside
over the conferences of the Eastern and Middle States, with
headquarters in New York City. While there he published an
interesting and spirited periodical entitled "The Prophet."
He returned home in the summer of the same year. In Feb-
ruary, 1846, he again became an exile, being driven, with
15,000 co-religionists, from their homes in Illinois, for no other
cause than the one which induced Cain to slay his brother
Abel, the brethren of Joseph to sell him to the Ishmaelites,
and the Jews to betray and crucify the Redeemer the victims
196 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of hatred had offered a more acceptable offering unto the Lord.
The home of Elder Parley P. Pratt still remains in Nauvoo
in good preservation, a monument of his never-ceasing in-
dustry.
Elder Praltt and his family passed through many tribulations
in their pilgrimage, and fimally found a temporary resting-
place in the Indian country, at Council Bluffs, Iowa. There
he was called by the voice of inspiration, through the Prophet
broad prairies of Iowa, to comply with this divine call. He
his family almost destitute of food and shelter, upon the
broad prairies of Iowa, to comply with this Divine call. He
accomplished a faithful work in the British Isles, visiting the
various conferences and strengthening the branches of the
Clhurch. He returned to "his family in the spring of 1847, and
the same summer and autumn they wended their way across
the great plains to Salt Lake valley, where they arrived in the
fall of 1847. They passed through the ordeals and hardships
incident to the founding of settlements in the then desert lands
of Utah.
Brothetr Parley was a most industrious, hard-working man,
making new roads, building bridges, and in every practical way
promoting growth and development among the Saints of God.
He was prominent in the formation of a constitution for the
provisional State of Deseret, was elected a senator in the
General Assembly, and subsequently served with distinguished
ability in the Territorial Legislature of Utah. In 1851 he
went on a mission to the Pacific islands and South America.
He was absent upon this mission about four years. Keturn-
ing, he occupied much of his time visiting the Colonies of the
Saints in their several places of location, and when at home
was busy in manual labor, improving his home and the city of
the Saints.
In the winter of 1855-6 he officiated as chaplain in the
legislative council of the Territory, convened at Fillnaore
City. In the fall of 1856 he crossed the plains with a com-
pany of Elders, and spent the winter visiting the Saints, and
preaching the Gospel in Philadelphia, New York, St. Louis,
and other places. In New York City he met his warm, de-
voted friend, Apostle John Taylor, whom he had baptized
twenty years before. While there, having a premonition
APOSTLE PARLEY P. PRAPT. 197
that the end of his earthly career was rapidly approaching,
he wrote a poem called "My Fiftieth Year," throughout which,
in the spirit of prophecy, he pointed to the end of his mor-
tality. President Taylor also knew, by the spirit of revela-
tion, that it was the last time he should ever see Brother Par-
ley in this life. Elder Taylor wrote in beautiful verse an
appropriate response to Brother Parley's poem. Tlhese pro-
ductions are to be found in the "Autobiography of Parley P.
Pratt," published by his eldest son, Parley, many years after
his father's decease. On his way home, he came by Fort
Smith and Van Buren, Ark., where he was arrested on a
trumped-up charge by a bitter anti-"Mormon" and thrust into
prison. Upon his trial before the court, he was proved inno-
cent in the fullest degree, and given his liberty. Several of
the old settlers, who knew Elder Pratt in that section of Ar-
kansas, still remain, and testify in the highest terms of his
nobility and grandeur of character. The judge who tried his
case said to a relative, subsequent to the trial, that she n>evf:r
experienced so sublime a spirit and influence as when in the
presence of this great man, and "if there is such a thing as
an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Parley P. Pratt is such a man."
When he was discharged, and friends, knowing of the bitter-
ness of his enemies, felt sure of his assassination, and offered
him weapons of defense, he answered mo, that the end was
near, and that his mission was peace on earth and to man
good will. On the 13th of May, 1857, while journeying west-
ward on the wagon road from Fort Smith to the Indian Terri-
tory, he met his death at the hands of a wicked assassin. He
was laid to rest near the fatal spot by Elder George Higginson
and a few kind friends who lived in that region.
Parley P. Pratt was one of the most efficient Apostles of
the Lord who has ever lived in any dispensation. In writing
and speaking the word of the Lord he was filled with the in-
spiration of the Holy Ghost. He was truly poetical, and
many of his choicest poems and hymns, familiar to the Latter-
day Saints, are the expressions of divine inspiration through
this great Apostle. He wrote "The Voice of Warnlmg," "Key
to Theology," a history of his own life and travels, and many
smaller works, all of which bear the unmistakable evidence
of an inspirational mind. His "Voice of Warning," as a
198 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
means of conversion to the honest in heart, has no superior
among books, save it be the Book of Mormon. At times he
was so full of inspiration th'at the influence which radiated
through him, and the intensely interesting character of his
conversation in public and private, to his listeners, caused
many hours to be apparently reduced to brief moments of
time. While traveling as a missionary on foot, without purse
or scrip, tlhe Spirit of the Ix>rd would often inspire him to
write, when he would sit down by the roadside or in the shady
woodland and inscribe the glorious truths of heaven. He
also wrote much while in prison for the Gospel's sake. He
traveled thousands of miles in his own and foreign lands for
the salvation of the human family, an'd was instrumental in
bringing many souls into the fold of Christ. He had a testi-
mony that every principle revealed through the Propheit Joseph
Smith was true, and so taught his own family. All his
children are in the Church, imbued with the faith of their hon-
ored 1 sire, and his memory will outlive the limits of time and
extend to all the eternities of the boundless future.
President John Taylor wrote concerning Brother Parley, in
the preface of his autobiography : "He has gone but has left
a name and a fame that will live throughout time 'and burst
forth in eternity. And in the morning of the first resurrection,
when the opening heavens shall reveal the 'Son of God, and
He shall proclaim, 'I am the resurrection and the life,' when
Death shall deliver up the dead, I expect to meet Brother Par-
ley in the resurrection of the just."
APOSTLE ORSON PRATT.
The great Apostle ORSON PRATT was born in Hartford, Wash-
ington county, New York, September 19th, 1811. His father's
name was Jared Pratt, his mother's, Gharity Dickinson Pratt.
They were of the sturdy, hard-working elment who furnished
the muscle and sinew which founded and built the Nation in
the early days of our country. Orson was a younger brother
of Parley P. Pratt, both of whom became members of the
first quorum of the Twelve Apostles chosen in this dispensa-
tion. They were accustomed -to hard work and throughout life
were very industrious. The Pratt family 'moved to New Leb-
anon, in Columbia county, at which place Orson obtained a
common school education. Brother Pratt early became a
student of the Bible, and also manifested a strong desire for
useful knowledge, in whatever line and from whatever source
he could obtain it.
In the fall of 1827 he went to Ohio. One year later ihe
walked nearly 700 miles to Connecticut, and from there went
to Long Island, where he studied, in 1829-30, grammar, sur-
veying and geography at a boarding academy. Although
studious and prayerful, neither he nor his parents joined any
of the sectarian denominations.
His brother Parley, who had, a few months previously, em-
braced the Gospel as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith,
came to Canaan, New York, with another Elder, to preach
the Gospel. Orson at once received their testimony, and was
baptized September 19th, 1830, the nineteenth anniversary of
his birthday. In October the same year he traveled two hun-
dred miles to see the Prophet Joseph. It was on this occasion,
November 14th, 1830, when the Lord, through his Seer, spoke
to Orson Pratt, giving the revelation found in Section 34 of
the Doctrine and Covenants. This revelation told the calling
of his future life. Prior to this, though studious and indus-
trious, he had wandered much, and thought there was something
lacking. He longed for the Pearl of Great Price. Now he
200 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
had found it. What a glorious blessing to thus be called
and directed by our Heavenly Father! Such was the blessed
privilege conferred upon Orson Pratt when nineteen years
of age. His calling was to lift up his voice 'and cry repent-
ance to a fallen world, and thus, like John the Baptist, prepare
the w r ay for the coming of the Lord.
Orson Pratt was ordained an Elder December 31st, 1830,
and immediately performed his first mission, to Colesville,
Broom county, New York. Early in 1831 he walked 300
miles to Kirtland, Ohio. From Kirtland, as headquarters of
the Church, Elder Pratt performed .several short missions in
Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri. He was greatly blessed in bring-
ing people into the Church, most of them proving to be good,
reliable' souls who proved a blessing to the Cause. June 25th,
1832, !he was chosen to preside over the Elders of the Church,
and was sent on a mission to the Eastern States. Subse-
quently he was ordained a High Priest, and continued mis-
sionary work through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
New York, traveling without purse or scrip. He traveled on
foot, and extended his labors through ,New Hampshire and
Connecticut. Upon returning to Kirtland from his mission in
1832, he had walked about 4,000 miles, baptized one hundred
four persons, and organized several branches of the Church.
In Kirtland he attended the School of the Prophets, and in
the spring of 1833 performed another mission, traveling 2,000
miles, and baptizing over fifty persons. Following this, he
filled a special mission with Elder Orson Hyde, and next he
became one of that noted body, Zion's Camp.
April 26th, 1835, he was chosen one of the Twelve Apostles.
During the winter of 1835-36 he studied Hebrew, and received
his endowments in the Kirtland Temple. After this he filled
a mission in western Canada, baptized a number of converts,
and organized several branches of the Church. July 4th,
1836, he received in marriage Sarah M. Bates. In April, 1839,
he joined the Twelve at Far West to fulfill a revelation, and
from thence started on a mission to Europe. On his way
he preached to the branches of the Church in the East, and
embarked for England in the spring of 1840. He labored
principally in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he raised up a
ORSON PRATT.
202 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
branch of over 200 people. He returned home in the spring
of 1841.
In Nauvoo, to which point the Saints had been moved, he
taught the school of mathematics. In 1842 he filled a mission
in the Eastern States, and on returning to Nauvoo was made
a member of the city council. He assisted in drawing up a
memorial to Congress, and repaired to Washington to present
it in the spring of 3844. He la'bored in the East until the
martyrdom of the Prophet and the Patriarch, when he re-
turned with the Twelve to Nauvoo. During the troubles fol-
lowing the martyrdom of the Prophet, Brother Pratt shared
in all the trials and troubles 1 of those times. He was in the
exodus from Nauvoo, and when the Pioneer company to cross
the plains was made up, Orson Pratt was one of that historic
body. While en route he made astronomical observations,
and by the aid of the sextant and circle of reflection deter-
mined the latitude and longitude, as well as the change of
elevation in different points a'bove the sea level. He entered
Salt Lake valley with Erastus Snow, three days in advance
of the main body of Pioneers.
In 1848, Elder Pratt was appointed to preside over the
British mission, which then included the conferences in Eng-
land, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. During his presidency
of two years, over 12,000 people joined the Church in that
mission. While presiding in England he edited the "Millennial
Star," published fifteen pamphlets of his own production and
circulated several thousand of them in different languages.
He traveled and preached much, and started for Zion, twenty
ship companies of Latter-day Saints. Soon after his return
home he delivered twelve astronomical lectures in the Old
Tabernacle to large audiences. He became a member of the
Utah Legislature at its first session, and for many sessions
thereafter when he w r as in the Territory and was seven times
Speaker of the House. In 1852 he went to Washington,
D. C., and published the "Seer" which contained many of his
choice writings. In 1860-61 he performed a mission in the
United States, and in 1864-65, with Elder William W. Riter,
went to Australia to introduce the Gospel, but the stringency
of the Australian laws prevented them from accomplishing
APOSTLE ORSON PRATT. 203
the object of their mission. He bore his testimony to Govern-
ment officials, and then left them. Returning, he visited the
conferences in England, and labored there until 1867. In
1860 he went to New York City, and translated and published
the Book of Mormon in phonetic characters. In August, 1857,
he held the famous three-days' discussion with Dr. J. P. New-
man on the question, "Does the Bible Sanction Polygamy?"
A verbatim report of the discussion is published, and all who
wish to do so may read and judge; for themselves. Suffice
it to say 'here that the reverend gentleman was completely
overthrown on every phase of the controversy. Brother Pratt
met him on grounds of his own choosing, and showed such
mastery of the Bible, of the Hebraic legends, and the general
rules of polemical discussion, as well as a much superior com-
mand of language and style of delivery, that Dr. Newman was
defeated at the outset.
In 1847, Elder Pratt became Historian and general Church
Reporter, which positions he filled with a'bility to the time of
his decease, in 1881. He crossed the ocean again in 1876,
this time to transcribe and publish an edition of the Book of
Mormon in the Pitman phonetic characters. About one year
later he published the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and
Covenants, with extensive references and foot-notes, making
for that purpose another trip to England. Upon returning
home, he was again elected to the legislature, occupying his
usual position as speaker of the house.
His health failed him in 1880, and he suffered with kidney
troubles for over a year. His last public address was de-
livered in the Tabernacle on Sunday, September 18th, 1881.
This was the last earthly address of one of the greatest
Apostles that ever lived. In his remarks he expressed his
desire, were it the Lord's will, to continue in this life to preach
and publish the Gospel abroad. When he concluded, Apostle
Woodruff arose, and said, in substance: "I have known
Brother Pratt for forty-five years. I have traveled with him
by sea and by land. He has been faithful and energetic in
his calling. I have never known the winds on the mighty
ocean to toss the vessed too much and we have been in storm*
when Orson Pratt could not sit calmly upon the deck or '
204 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
his room and study astronomy, mathematics, or the Gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ."
Orson Pratt died October 3d, 1881, at his home in Salt Lake
City. He was then seventy years of age. He had been in
the church fifty-one years. During that half century he had
traveled thousands of miles in his own country, much of it on
foot, and crossed the Atlantic ocean at least twelve times,
bearing the glad tidings of salvation to the nations of the
earth. Besides his industries as an Apostle of the Lord in
preaching and publishing the Gospel, he studied astronomy
and higher mathematics. He left, in manuscript, a work on
"Differential Calculus," containing original principles. He
also published "Pratt's Cubic and Biquadratic Equations,"
and another work entitled "A Key to the Universe, or a New
Theory of Its Mechanism." Learned professors in the uni-
versities of America and Europe who knew Orson Pratt, pro-
nounced him one of the profoundest scholars of the age,
especially in mathematics and astronomy. He had conferred
upon him the degree of M. A. Elder Pratt, while a profound
thinker, acknowledged that the key to his success in science,
as well as religion, was contained in the revelations of God
to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit to himself.
Elder Pratt was blessed with such profound concentration
of thought that he w r as frequently oblivious to everything
around him. He was not disturbed by the noise of children
in the house or of the passing railroad trains or wagons in
the streets. 'Members of his family relate that on one occa-
sion, during several days of constant study on some problem,
he came downstairs in the morning, trying to button his spec-
tacles around his neck; and when one of the family called
his attention to it, he s'aid: "Oh, I thought it was my collar."
Owing to his profound study, he was not given to ready con-
versation, and pen-chance at times he felt that he should talk
more in private to his associates. He said once to Brother
Joseph Bull in England: "Brother Bull, I almost envy you
your powers of conversation." Notwithstanding his deep re-
searches for knowledge, his great leiarning, and the rich
measure of inspiration he enjoyed, he was humble and meek,
APOSTLE ORSON PRATT. 205
as all truly great men are. He acknowledged that God was
above all, and the source of true knowledge. He saw so
much ahead to be learned that what he knew he recognized
to be only a grain of sand upon the seashore or a drop of the
mighty ocean.
Orson Pratt was of medium height, and squarely built. He
wore a flowing full beard, white as the driven snow, which
made him appear truly patriarchal, and reminded one of the
title given to our first progenitor, "The Ancient of Days." He
bora his trials with patience, and acknowledged the hand of
God in all things.
As a fitting conclusion to this brief sketch, we quote from
the "Deseret News" the conclusion of its editorial at the time
of Elder Pratt's decease: "Orson Pratt was truly an Apostle
of the Lord. Full of integrity, firm as a rock in his convic-
tions, true to his brethren and to his God, earnest and zealous
in defense and proclamation of the truth, ever ready to bear
testimony to the latter-day work, he had a mind stored with
scripture, ancient and modern: he was an eloquent speaker,
a powerful minister, a logical and convincing writer, an honest
man, and a great soul who reached after eternal things,
grasped them with the gift of inspiration, and brought them
down to the level and comprehension of the common mind.
Thousands have been brought into the Church through his
preaching in many lands, thousands more by his writings. He
set but little store on the wealth of this world, but he has laid
up treasures in heaven which will make him eternally rich."
APOSTLE EZRA T. BENSON.
EZEA T. BENSON was born on the anniversary of Washing-
ton's birthday, February 22d, 1811, in Worcester county, Mas-
sachusetts. He was the eldest son of John and Cloe Benson.
His father was a farmer, and Ezra, who, like his father, was
very industrious, worked on his father's farm until he was six-
teen years of age, when he went to reside with his sister and
her husband, who kept a hotel in the city of Uxbridge. His
grandfather Benson suddenly died while at work in the field,
after which Ezra T. was placed in charge of the farm, which he
managed successfully. At the age of twenty he received in mar-
riage Pamelia Andrus, of Northbridge, Worcester county, Mas-
sachusetts. Soon after this he moved to Uxbridge, bought out
his brother-in-law, and became a hotel keeper. He was engaged
in this business two years, in which time he made considerable
means, which he invested with his wife's brother in renting a
cotton mill and commenced the manufacture of cotton in Hol-
land, Mass. A combination of circumstances which he could
not control rendered him unsuccessful in this business. He lost
money, and, retiring from the business, went to hotel keeping.
He was also postmaster in the same town. He was very pros-
perous, rapidly making means, but a strong and unexplainable
desire came over him to visit the West. He knew not why,
and yet he could not shake off the feeling.
Early in 1837, with his family, he left for the West. In Phil-
adelphia a gentleman whose acquaintance he had formed, spoke
against that section and persuaded Ezra to locate in Salem,
saying he would assist him with means to establish himself in
business. This suggestion was acted upon and he spent one year
in the place. In the meantime this great desire to go West
remained with him, and he could not divest himself of the
feeling. His friends offered him money and tried to persuade
him to tarry and locate with them, but to no purpose ; he longed
for the " land beyond," and in that direction he started. Calling
at St. Louis, he purchased a small stock of goods and went up
EZRA T. BENSON.
208 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the Illinois river, not knowing where he should land. While
on the river he became acquainted with a gentleman who proved
to be his father's cousin and who lived at Griggsville, 111., where
Ezra concluded to stop.
He was still unsettled in his intentions, and only remained
a short time, when he moved to Lexington, 111., where he and
a man by the name of Isaac Hill located and laid out a town
naming it Pike. At this point he built a dwelling and a
warehouse, but the place was sickly, and his restless spirit led
him to move onward. In 1839, early in the year, he was led by
his impressions to Quincy, in search of a home, and there, for
the first time in his life he met the Latter-day Saints, who had
just been exiled from their homes in Missouri. Becoming ac-
quainted with their history and feelings, his sympathies were
enlisted. He heard they were peculiar in their views, yet in
conversation with them and listening to their public discourses
he was favorably impressed.
During the winter he boarded with a family of Saints, whose
faith and deportment in the walks of life led Brother Benson
to hold them in high esteem. About this time a public debate
was held in Quincy, in which Dr. Nelson opposed the doctrine of
the Saints. The Prophet Joseph was in attendance, and Ezra
listened with honest attention to both sides. At the conclusion
of this debate he was fully convinced that the principles of the
Saints were superior to those of their opponents and in perfect
harmony with the Bible. While rejoicing in their victory over
the opponent, Ezra had no idea at the time of joining the
Church. He and his wife continued to hear them, and their
doctrines were the chief topic of conversation. His wife first
declared her faith in the doctrines, and when the people who
knew them learned of their belief in "Mormonism," they made
a determined effort to get them identified with a sectarian
church. About this time Elders Orson Hyde and John E. Page,
on their way to Jerusalem, preached in Quincy, and all doubts,
if any still existed in the mind of Ezra T. Benson, were
removed. He and his wife were baptized by the President of
the Quincy branch on July 19th, 1840.
From the time he reached Quincy 'all desire to go farther
left him. He was content, and when the light of the Gospel
was given to him through obedience thereto, he knew why he
APOSTLE EZRA T. BENSON. 209
wanted to go West and why discontent attended him in every
place until he reached Quincy, the home of the Latter-day
Saints. The Lcrd led him by His own right hand and prepared
his heart and that of his wife to obey the truth and accomplish
the great work which Brother Benson subsequently performed
as a servant of the Lord. In the fall of 1840, at conference in
Nauvoo, he was ordained an Elder. Soon after his return to
Quincy he was favored with a visit from President Hyrum
Smith, who ordained him a High Priest and appointed him
second counselor in the Presidency of the Stake recently organ-
ized by President Smith in that place.
In April, 1841, Ezra removed to Nauvoo, purchased a lot,
built a home and was in every way active in promoting the
growth of the Church and the city of Nauvoo. June 1st, 1842,
he went to his native Eastern States,, performed a good work,
and returned in the fall of 1843. In the month of May, 1844,
he went East with Elder John Pack, and was absent until they
learned of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, when
they returned to Nauvoo. In the fall of 1844 he was called to
be a member of the High Council in Nauvoo, and soon after
was sent on another mission to the Eastern States. He pre-
sided over the Boston conference until May, when he was coun-
selled by the authorities of the Church to gather up the Saints
in that region and lead them to Nauvoo. Upon his return he
went to work on the Nauvoo Temple, working hard by day and
many times standing guard by night to prevent the onslaught
of fiendish mobocrats.
During the exodus from Illinois Brother Benson and family
moved out with the first company in 1846. William Huntington
presided at Mount Pisgah, and to him Ezra T. Benson was
appointed a counselor. While at Pisgah he was notified of his
appointment to the Apostleship to fill the vacancy in the council
of the Twelve, caused by the apostasy of John E. Page. He
moved on to the main camp of the Saints in Council Bluffs,
and at this place was ordained to the Apostleship July IGth,
1846. From Council Bluffs he went on a brief mission to the
East, returning Nov. 27th, 1846. In the following spring he
was 'selected by President Young as one of the honored com-
pany of 143 to pioneer the great West and find the home which
the Lord had held and reserved for His people. When Brother
14
210 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Benson, years before, felt the spirit urging him westward, little
did he dream how great the importance' of such impressions were,
that in the West he should find the true plan of salvation and
carry the standard of that Gospel still westward 1,500 miles,
plant the Stars and Stripes on Mexican soil, and be himself
one of the first men in founding the greatest commonwealth in
our great republic.
Soon after his arrival in the valley, Elder Benson returned to
meet the company of Saints en route and inform them that a
place of settlement had been found. He accompanied them to
their destination and then returned to Winter Quarters with the
Pioneers. He next performed a successful mission in the East,
being absent several months. On Jan. 14th, 1847, with others,
he was named in the revelation to the Prophet Brigham Young
to organize companies of Saints for their pilgrimage to the far
West. " Let my servants, Ezra T. Benson and Erastus Snow,
organize a company," was the word of the Lord to His mouth-
piece on the earth. Upon returning from his mission to the
East, Ezra was appointed to preside in Pottowattamie county,
Iowa, where he was associated, in the management of the
Church in that region, with Apostles Orson Hyde and George A.
Smith. Concluding his labors in Iowa, he moved to Salt Lake
valley in 3849. En route he was seriously ill, but by the
prayers of the camp, with fasting, the power of God was mani-
fested and he recovered. Again, in 1851, he was sent to Potto-
wattamie county, to gather up the Saints and help move them
to the body of the Church. From this mission he returned in
1852. While at home in Utah he was constantly at work either
with his hands to improve and develop the country, in counsel
with the Priesthood, or preaching the Gospel among the Saints.
In 1856 he went on a mission to Europe, where he was asso-
icated with Apostle Orson Pratt in the Presidency of the British
mission. He returned home the following year.
Elder Benson was not considered a great public speaker, yet
he was vigorous and earnest. When the weather was uncom-
fortably warm it is said that he would take off his coat while
preaching, and remark to the congregation that he believed in
" comfort more than style." In 1860, he was called to preside
over the Saints in Cache valley. He made this his home the
remainder of his natural life, being the Apostle of the northern
APOSTLE EZRA T. BENSON. 211
country. He was wise in council, industrious and exemplary in
habit, and a source of great strength to the people in colonizing
and building settlements in that valley. In the early settlement
of Cache it was so cold that it was deemed hardly practicable
for occupancy. Today it is the best watered, and has under
cultivation a greater percentage of its lands than any other
valley in Utah.
Elder Benson went to the Sandwich Islands with Apostle
Lorenzo Snow, Elder Joseph P. iSmith, Alma L. Smith and
William W. Cluff, to regulate' the affairs of the Hawaiian mis-
sion. He, with President Snow, narrowly escaped drowning,
while approaching the coast of one of the islands, by the cap-
sizing of the boat. This was the last mission performed by
Apostle Benson. Aside from his labors abroad, lie performed
many important missions among the Saints. He was an active
member of the Provisional State of Deseret. Afterwards he
became a member of the House for several sessions in the Ter-
ritorial Legislature, and the last ten years of his life he was
elected and served with ability in the Legislative Council. In
1869 he became associated with Elder Lorin Farr and Bishop
Chauncey W. West in constructing the Central Pacific Railway.
They had a large contract of grading on the Promontory.
On Oct. 3d, 1869, in Ogden City, while attending to a sick
horse, he was suddenly stricken with heart failure and died the
same day. His funeral occurred in Logan a few days later,
with a numerous family and thousands of Saints and friends to
mourn his departure. He had " fought the good fight, kept the
faith and finished his course." He went to receive the crown
of glory laid up for the faithful, and left to his sons and
daughters the legacy of a good character and a faithful record
of devotion to God and His Cause. He gained eternal riches, as
" he that hath eternal life is rich."
APOSTLE CHARLES C. RICH.
Among the great and good men of this dispensation was
CHARLES COULSON RICH, born August 21st, 1809, in Campbell
county, Kentucky. He was the son of Joseph Rich and
Nancy O'Neal. His parents were of the substantial class of
people who are always the backbone and sinew of every country
and community. They were industrious, and possessed the traits
of hospitality and kind-heartedness so proverbial in the South.
Charles C. imbibed these characteristics in his early youth, and
maintained them with uniformity throughout life. While not
possessed of the tendency to pious religious profession that so
many in these days manifest, he exhibited a consistent, practical
view of religious matters which protected him against the fanat-
ical zeal of many by whom he was surrounded. When the
restoration of the Gospel in these last days was made known
to him he received the impressions of its truth, and with an
honest, earnest heart, embraced it without delay. He was bap-
tized April 1st, 1832, by Elder Ira M. Hinkley, in Tazewell
county, Illinois. He soon started for Kirtland to see the Prophet
Joseph Smith. While on his way he was ordained an Elder by
Zebedee Coltrin, in Fountain county, Indiana. He honored his
calling as an Elder by laboring faithfully in this office at home
and abroad until 1836, when he was ordained a High Priest by
the Patriarch Hyrum Smith. He received his endowments in the
Kirtland Temple, participating in the blessings of that holy
house. With his father he removed to Far West, Mo., and was
soon involved in the trials and tribulations which came upon
the Saints through mob violence. In Caldwell county, Mis-
souri, Feb. llth, 1837, he received in marriage Sarah D. Pea.
She shared with him all the persecutions of these days, was
exiled with him from place to place, bore to him noble sons and
daughters, and survived her husband several years. One of
her sons now presides over all the conferences of the South-
ern States mission, the land that gave his father birth, and
afforded to the Church of Christ one of its Twelve Apostles.
CHARLES C. RICH.
214 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
It is but a fitting coincident that Charles d Rich should be
represented in the Southern States by one who presides over
the interests of the Church in that land. Though the truth
today is submerged in the 'turbid stream of prejudice, founded
on false reports, and which shuts the doors of investigation,
the day will come when the sons of the South will rejoice in
having produced such men as Charles C. Rich, Abraham O.
Smoot, and others of similar convictions, who embraced the
Gospel as revealed from heaven to 'the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Elder Charles C. Rich, with undaunted valor, took a most
active part in defending the Saints against mob violence. While
carrying a flag of truce he was shot at by Samuel Bogart, a
Methodist preacher, only about thirty feet away. At the battle
of Crooked River, when Apostle David W. Patten was fatally
wounded by the mob, Brother Rich laid down his sword while
the battle was raging and administered to the dying martyr.
He then resumed his weapon of warfare, took command, and the
battle was won by the Saints. On account of the prominent
part he took in these troubles, and because justice for Latter-
day Saints was not found in the courts of Missouri, Brother
Rich was compelled to flee for his life to the State of Illionis.
After the founding of Nauvoo and the more complete organiza-
tion to meet the growing needs of the Church, he was ordained
a member of the High Council in Nauvoo and also became a
member of the city council. He filled both places with becom-
ing dignity and ability.
At the exodus of the Saints, Brother Rich left Nauvoo Feb.
13th, 1846. The following winter he presided over Mt. Pisgah
branch, and left there for Winter Quarters on March 20th, 1847.
From 'this point he took charge of a company of Saints and
commenced the journey to Salt Lake valley June 14th, 1847.
He was a good pioneer and a source of encouragement to the
Saints in their pilgrimage across the plains. He reached Salt
Lake valley Oct. 3d, 1847. While the 'Twelve were absent on
their return <to Winter Quarters, Brother Rich acted as coun-
selor to Father John Smith, the Patriarch, who presided over
the new colony.
On Feb. 12th, 1849, Elder Rich was ordained one of the
Twelve Apostles. He was constantly faithful in building up the
interests of the growing city of Salt Lake, as well as at-
APOSTLE CHARLES C. RICH. 215
tending to his ministerial duties. Oct. 9th, 1849, he started
on a mission to California, returning November 4th, 1850.
March 6th, 1851, he started again for California, accompa-
nied by a portion of his family. The purpose of the mis-
sion was to purchase lands for the location of the Saints
who might be gathered from the Pacific Islands. Amasa M.
Lyman and Elder Rich purchased a large tract of land at
San Bernardino, comprising about 100,000 acres, at a cost of
$77,500. A company of Saints from Utah moved to this
ranch and began the settlement of the section, which is now
among the choicest spots in California. When the Buchanan
war was inaugurated the tract at San Bernardino was sold and
the Saints returned to Utah. Brother Rich left California in
April, 1875, arriving in Salt Lake City the following June. He
was associated with General Daniel H. Wells at Echo Canyon
and Fort Bridger, impeding the progress of the army until Pres-
ident Buchanan should send a committee to investigate the
situation in Utah. It is a well known fact that the sending of
the army to Utah was actuated by the shameful inventions of
Judge Drummond, who said the "Mormons" were in rebellion
and had burned the court records. As has been previously
stated, this was a falsehood in every particular. The counsel
and assistance of Apostle Rich in those trying times was of
paramount importance. He was wise and courageous. He had
learned in Missouri the lesson of facing mob armies on the
battlefield, and was well prepared for any emergency that might
arise in later times.
After the trouble subsided and the building of homes and
settlements was resumed with vigor, Elder Rich, in I860, was
called on a mission to England. Upon his arrival there he was
associated with Elder Amasa M. Lyman in the presidency of the
European mission. He returned home in 1862, resuming his
faithful labors among the Saints. In the fall of 1863 he ex-
plored Bear Lake valley, removing his family there in the spring
of 1864. He was the leader of the pioneers in that valley, which
today is one of the most beautiful and prosperous in the West.
The climate is cold and rigid. The snow falls deep in the valley,
and much more so in the mountains adjoining. In those early
times, long before the advent cf the railroad, the only way of
receiving and sending mails was to cross the mountains on snow
216 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
shoes. This was a hazardous undertaking when the storms of
winter were beating violently upon the snow-clad peaks. When
others shrank from this task Apostle Rich would set out. His
physical endurance was wonderful, so great that he scarcely
knew its limit. He made such trips many times. Being for
several years a member of the Territorial Legislature, he would
also go to and from its sessions across the mountains on snow
shoes. Bear Lake valley was then in Utah, but is now in South-
ern Idaho. Rich county, in northeastern Utah, was named in
his honor. He was a natural pioneer and much of his time
was spent on the frontier.
Elder Rich continued his labors in the Apostleship, chiefly
among the Saints, during the latter years of his life, and in every
position was capable and faithful. He was stricken with pa-
ralysis Oct. 24th, 1880, and suffered very much for three years.
He died at his home in Paris, Bear Lake county, Idaho, Nov.
17th, 1883. During these years of affliction he never murmured,
but cheerfully resigned himself to the trying situation, acknowl-
edging the " hand of the Lord in all things."
Apostle Rich believed in the words of Jesus and Paul : " If
ye were the seed of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abra-
ham," and " if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and
heirs according to the promise."
He was the father of one of the largest families in the
Church. Three of his noble and devoted wives, Mary, Emeline
and Harriet, still survive him, exercising maternal love over all
the children, irrespective of parentage, and who in turn are
loved and revered as mothers by all the offspring. He truly
lives in the hearts of his numerous posterity, many of whom
reflect the sterling qualities of their worthy and honored sire
as they carry responsibilities of trust both in Church and State.
Hon. Joseph C. Rich, the oldest son, has served the public for
many years, having presided over the State Senate of Idaho,
and is at present judge of one cf the most prominent districts
of that state ; William L. is a member of the Presidency of the
Bear Lake Stake of Zion, a position he has sustained with
honor for years; Samuel is a prominent lawyer of Idaho, as
is also George Q., of Logan, Utah ; Drs. Rich & Rich, of Ogden,
Utah, are also sons of Apostle Rich. Like many of the pos-
terity of his associates, his children and grandchildren have
APOSTLE CHRLES C. RICH. 217
responded to many calls to preach the Gospel in different parts
of the world.
Apostle Rich was an humble, unassuming man. He was
not given to many words in public or private, but what he did
say was full of good counsel and wisdom. His example was his
best sermon, and that was preached every hour. He was a man
of great moral and physical stamina. He had the courage of his
convictions, not merely the courage to face the foe in sanguinary
conflict upon the battlefield, but the grander kind which caused
him to act upon the right against the popular sentiment of a
frowning world. Stimulated by strains of martial music and a
glittering array, many a man will face death in the conflict of
war who would shrink from the sentiments of the world around
him ; but the man who is truly brave is he that dares to do what
is right against the power of might, and such a man was Charles
C. Rich. He dared to embrace unpopular truth and declare it
to all the world. He had the courage to dress plainly, to pat-
ronize home industry, to speak and act for the weak and unpro-
tected. He was one of nature's nobility, was generous and
brave, qualities which are wanting in most men of this affected,
wealth-loving, sycophantic age. These great qualities of heart
and brain he sought to impress by example upon all around him.
Perhaps no man more than Apostle Rich entertained and acted
upon the sentiments of freedom expressed by the poet :
" Is true freedom but to break
Fetters for our own dear sake,
And with leathern hearts forget
That we owe mankind a debt?
No ! True freedom is to share
All the chains our brothers wear ;
And, with heart and hand, to be
Earnest, to make others free !
They are slaves who fear to speak
For the fallen and the weak.
They are slaves who will not choose
Hatred, scoffing and abuse
Rather than in silence shrink
From the truth they needs must think.
They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two or three."
When he was called to the other side his death was not
mourned by his patriarchal family alone, but by all who knew
218 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
him throughout the various Stakes of Zion. The leaders of the
Church always recognized him as a man who was sound in
doctrine, never fearing to correct when necessary, and always
safe in counsel. His was a charitable and God-fearing life, and
when the trump of God shall sound and the sleeping dust
awake, Apostle Charles C. Rich will be of the first fruits of
"them that slept."
APOSTLE ERASTUS SNOW.
ERASTUS SNOW was born at St. Johnsburgh, Caledonia
county, Vermont, November 9th, 1818. He was the sixth son of
Levi and Lucinda Snow. On his father's side he was a descend-
ant of the early settlers of Massachusetts. His mother was a
member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and Erastus early
became impressed with religion. In the spring of 1832 Elders
Orson Pratt and Luke S. Johnson introduced the Gospel to the
Snow family, all of whom received it except the father and
two sons. William and Zerubbabel were the first "baptized, and
Erastus, then but fifteen years old, was baptized Feb. 3d, 1833,
by his Brother William. He was ordained a teacher June 18th,
1834, by Elder John F. Boynton. His Brother William ordained
him a Priest. In this capacity he extended his missionary
labors into New York and New Hampshire, where he held meet-
ings and baptized a number of people.
Brother Snow was ordained an Elder Aug. 16th, 1835. He
left his home for Kirtland by water, being almost shipwrecked
on the way, but reached his destination in safety on Dec. 3d.
He met the Prophet Joseph for the first time at Kirtland and
lived with him several weeks. In the winter he attended the
Elder's school, and in the spring received his endowments in the
Kirtland Temple, together with nearly 200 other Elders. About
this time he was ordained into the second quorum of the Seven-
ties and received his patriarchal blessing under the hand of
Joseph Smith, Sr. Thus in youth he became a witness that
God had renewed his choice spiritual blessings upon men in the
flesh. He left on a mission to Pennsylvania April 16th, 1836.
He was gone eight months, traveled 1,600 miles, preached 220
times, baptized fifty persons, and organized several branches of
the Church in Western Pennsylvania, returning to Kirtland
Dec. 29th, 1836.
Brother Snow was almost incessantly engaged in missionary
labor. He traveled in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vir-
ginia. On one occasion six ministers assailed him on the Book
220 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of Mormon. He proposed to produce as much proof for the
Book of Mormon as they could for the Bible, but none of the
six would accept the proposition ; so in order to present the
truth to the people, he' accepted other terms and cauie off victo-
rious. At one gathering he debated twelve hours with his oppo-
nent. In May, 1838, he received a message to return to Ohio
for the purpose of removing to Missouri.
June 25th, 1838, Elder Snow started with about fifty others
for Far West, Mo. After nearly a month's journeying by water
down the Ohio, 950 miles up the Missouri, 550 to the Rich-
mond landing, and forty by team, they arrived in Far West
July 18th, 1838. Dec. 13th, 1838, he married and during
the winter taught school in Far West. With others, Brother
Snow visited the Prophet Joseph in Liberty jail. In an attempt
of the prisoners to escape, the visiting brethren were locked in
the jail and placed under arrest. Threats of a violent character
were made upon their lives, but the Prophet Joseph told them
not to be alarmed, that the Lord would deliver them and restore
to them their horses, saddles, blankets and all that had been
taken from them. When they were brought to trial, Elder Snow,
by advice of the Prophet, plead their cause without the aid of
a lawyer, and was so inspired in his address that at the con-
clusion the attorneys flocked around him and wanted to know
where he had studied law, stating they had never listened to a
better plea. During the effort to secure the liberty of Joseph
and his brethren, Erastus Snow took a leading part. He visited
the state authorities at Jefferson City, Mo. They treated him
contemptuously, but by faith and perseverance he finally suc-
ceeded in procuring a change of venue, and on the way from
Liberty the prisoners escaped from the guards and made their
way to Illinois.
In the spring of 1837, Elder Snow commenced to build a home
in Nauvoo, but soon after rented a small dwelling in Montrose,
Iowa, and started on a mission. He preached in several counties
of Illinois and administered to the sick. While journeying on
this mission the Lord revealed to him in a dream that his family
were ill, and that he should return home. On his return he
found his wife and other relatives very low with the fever and
ague. Elder Snow, with others, went from house to house ad-
ministering to the sick until he himself was taken with the fever.
ERASTUS SNOW.
222 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
In October, 1839, Brother Snow became a member of the
High' Council at Montrose. He endeavored to be active in the
ministry during these days of sickness among the Saints, and by
over-exertion was prostrated again, and in Knox county, seventy
miles from home, was laid up at the house of Brother Haws.
At the same time his family was very sick at home. On the
return of the Prophet from Washington in 1840, he told Brother
Snow that his labors were needed in Pennsylvania. Through
much sickness he was reduced to poverty, but by the kindness
of the Saints in Commerce he secured some means and left on
his mission April 27th, 1840. He traveled by water on the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio rivers a distance of 1,400 miles, to Wells-
burgh, Va., where he and his companion commenced their labors.
He debated two days with Matthew Clapp, a Campbellite
preacher, with victory to his side. They then proceeded to
Philadelphia. During this mission, Elder Snow did successful
missionary work in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and
Rhode Island, baptizing a goodly number and holding a great
many meetings. He returned in six months to bring his wife
to Pennsylvania, having traveled 5,650 miles. He started on his
return Nov. 7th, and soon after his arrival in Pennsylvania
published a tract in answer to a publication issued against the
Saints by a Methodist preacher. While laboring with great
zeal in Pennsylvania and New Jersey they met Elder George A.
Smith on the latter's return from England, and also Hyrum
Smith and others, who had visited the New England States.
Elder Hyrum expressed a desire that Brother Snow should go
to Salem, Mass., and introduce the Gospel to the inhabitants of
that city. Previous to this, the Lord had revealed to the Prophet
Joseph that He had many people in that city. Brother Snow
had expected to return to Nauvoo. Protracted sickness in his
family and continuous absence from home had reduced him to
poverty. Notwithstanding this, he started for a strange and
unknown region. He took his wife and child to his brother's
home in Rhode Island, and continued his journey to Boston,
where he met Elder Benjamin Winchester, who had been as-
signed as his traveling companion.
On Sept. 3d, 1841, they proceeded to Salem, a city at that
time of 1,800 people. They secured lodging at one of the cheap-
est hotels, and the next day hired the Masonic Hall to preach
APOSTLE ERASTUS SNOW. 223
iu. They then wrote an epistle to the people of Salem, setting
forth the principles of the Gospel in simplicity, and circulating
about 2,500 copies among the people. Elder Winchester then
repaired to Pennsylvania, while Brother Snow labored in Salem,
preaching four times a week in Masonic Hall. The congrega-
tions contributed to pay the hall rent. Opposition soon came,
and friends also were raised up who took an interest in the
message delivered to them. His friends became numerous and he
no longer needed to live at a hotel. He also asked the Lord to
provide a home for his family and his prayer was soon answered,
for a Mr. Alley, of Lynn, five miles from Salem, invited him to
bring his family to his home and there abide. 'Subsequently they
removed to Salem. The opposition to Brother Snow was led
by a priestly editor, who published in his paper vile falsehoods
against the Saints, but refused to publish Elder Snow's reply.
This led to a six days' public debate held in Masonic Hall.
About 500 people were present, and as the days went on the in-
terest increased. The popular feeling was turned against the
editor, whose arguments were made up of slander and abuse.
Many more friends were made, new investigators came to the
front, and on Nov. 8th, 1841, five persons were baptized, and
soon after thirty more. On March 5th, 1842, Elder 'Snow held a
conference in Masonic Hall and organized a branch of fifty-four
souls. By the following June another conference had been held
in Salem and the number of members increased to ninety. In
Salem, May 1st, 1842, his first" son was born.
Elder Snow continued his labors in Salem and vicinity until
the spring of 1843. During this time he baptized many, the
sick were healed, branches organized and many meetings held.
He had several discussions with ministers of various sects,
always resulting in a victory for the truth as represented by
Elder Snow. Among his opponents the notorious apostate, John
C. Bennett, came to Salem and lectured against Joseph Smith
and the Saints, telling base falsehoods. Elder Snow met him
so ably and firmly that Bennett soon left town. Concluding his
fruitful mission, Elder Snow left Salem Aug. 9th, and reached
Nauvoo April llth, 1843, leaving his family in Salem. He re-
turned in May, labored several months in the mission field, and
took his family to Nauvoo in November, 1843.
Elder Sncw remained in Nauvoo during the winter. He was
224 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
intimately associated with the Prophet Joseph, with whom he
spent many pleasant hours. He became a member of the Ma-
sonic Lodge at Nauvoo, and soon advanced to the degree of
Grand Master. At the dedication of the Masonic Temple, April
5th, 1844, Elder Snow delivered the dedicatory address. At the
April conference in Nauvoo, 1844, Brother Snow was again
called to the Eastern States, where he labored diligently. He
returned to Nauvoo, finding the Saints bowed down in sorrow
over the martyrdom of their beloved Prophet and Patriarch.
He shared in all their sorrows and w<as a support to the Twelve
in encouraging and sustaining the people in their great afflic-
tion. He was present at the special meeting, Aug. 8th, when
the Twelve, with President Young as their senior, were acknowl-
edged to be the presiding authority in the Church in the absence
of the First Presidency. Brother Snow was a living witness to
the transfiguration of President Young, and felt, with the Saints
present, that truly the mantle of Joseph Smith had fallen upon
Brigham Young. Elder Snow spent the winter in Nauvoo, b?ing
diligent in his calling and laboring with his hands to provide for
his family.
In September, 1845, the mob renewed with vigor its persecu-
tion. Elder Snow was present at the general council of the
Church in October, 1845, where Ge'n. Warren, Judge Douglas
and other representatives of Gov. Ford were present to negotiate
with the Saints to leave the state. This they agreed to do the
following spring. The state authorities guaranteed their pro-
tection until they could arrange their affairs and leave. This
pledge, like the one to protect the Prophet, was not kept, for
the mob, before the time for all to leave, were suffered to do
them violence and destroy their property. Upon the agreement
being made, the Saints intensified their diligence in completing
the Temple. This accomplished, they set to work administering
the ordinances therein.
Before the exodus, Elder Snow was sent to Quincy to prepare
supplies for the Pioneer company. Upon returning he was
asked by President Young to prepare himself and family for the
journey. He accordingly sold his personal property at a low
figure, provided himself with teams and provisions, such as his
limited means would allow, and with his family left Nauvoo
Feb. 16th, 1840. While crossing the river the boat capsized,
APOSTLE ERASTUS SNOW. 225
resulting in the loss of some of his property and the narrow
escape of his eldest child from drowning. His family pressed on
to Mt. Pisgah. On his arrival he found it difficult to sell his
property and had to dispose of it at about one-fourth its value.
The family then proceeded until they reached the main body of
the Saints at Council Bluffs, and thence crossed the river to the
camp of the Twelve at Cutler's Park. Subsequent to this he
had much sickness. His youngest child died Sept. 9th, 1846.
In the winter he made several trips to St. Joseph, Mo., and other
points to lay in supplies for his family and others, to sustain
them in their pilgrimage.
At a special conference April 6th and 7th, 1847, Elder Snow
was selected as one of the noted 143 who constituted the Pioneer
company to Salt Lake valley. The full account of this great
Latter-day exodus, in which Erastus Snow was a leading spirit,
would fill a volume. The patience and endurance of those
people, in sickness, privations and dangers from Indians, were
truly that of men and women whose trust was in the living God.
After three months' journey, Erastus Snow, with Orson Pratt,
emerged from the canyon overlooking the 'Salt Lake valley July
21st, 1847. When they first beheld the blue waters of the great
inland sea, Brother Snow, in his account, says : " We simul-
taneously swung our hats and shouted Hosannah ! for the Spirit
told as here the Saints should rest." Brother Snow took an
active part in laying out the city and building the Old Fort.
He started on a return trip Aug. 26th, 1847, to bring on his
family. On his arrival at Winter Quarters his joy was mingled
with grief over the death of a sweet little daughter, Mary
Minerva, who had died during his absence. Finding the Saints
very destitute at Winter Quarters, having been robbed of their
homes in Illinois, Elder Snow was appointed to accompany
Apostle Ezra T. Benson to the branches of the Church in the
Eastern States and solicit aid from the Saints and others to
alleviate the wants of their suffering brethren and sisters. Some
received them kindly, while most of those not in the faith, turned
a cold shoulder to them. They were absent about three months.
Upon their return all was activity in preparing to cross the
plains with their families and a large company of the Saints.
Brother Snow reached the valley with Presidents Young, Kim-
ball and his family Sept. 20th, 1848
15
226 PROPHETS ANDPATRIARCHS.
On Feb. 12th, 1849, following, Erastus Snow was called and
ordained one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church. It is not
unsafe to say that no man called to the Apostleship in this dis-
pensation had been a more constant and efficient laborer in the
cause from the time he was fifteen years of age up to the date
of his ordination. Following his ordination he worked in the
ministry and labored with his hands incessantly to build up the
country and strengthen the Saints to endure their trials.
At the October conference, 1849, Elder Snow was appointed
to open the door of the Gospel in Scandinavia. He left on his
mission Oct. 19th, 1849, and had an interesting journey across
the plains, thence to the Atlantic coast and across the ocean
from Boston to Liverpool, where he landed April 16th, 1850.
He visited the branches in England, Scotland and Wales. Ac-
companiied by Elders George P. Dykes and John E. Forsgren, he
set foot in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the 14th of June, 1850.
Brother P. O. Hansen, a native of that city, who had embraced
the Gospel in America, conducted them to a hotel. There they
knelt down in solemn prayer and dedicated themselves and their
mission to the Lord. The details of Elder Snow's labors in
Scandinavia, the manifestations of God's power, his mastery,
by study and inspiration, of the Danish language, and all things
relating to his remarkable mission, would make many chapters
of themselves, and present to the honest heart incidents as re-
markable and impressive as those attending the ancient Apostles
in introducing to the world the pure plan of salvation. The
first baptism in Denmark was performed by Elder Snow, near
Copenhagen, Aug. 12th, 1850. Fifteen were baptized on that
occasion. The first branch was organized Sept. 15th, 1850, with
fifty members, in 'Copenhagen. While on this mission Elder
Snow wrote a pamphlet in Danish, called " A Voice of Truth."
Others were translated into Danish, and a most effectual open-
ing was made in Scandinavia. Scores were baptized, and many
branches organized. From that day until the present the fruits
of the Gospel have been enjoyed in the Scandinavian countries.
Thousands have embraced the Gospel and emigrated to Zion.
They are among the most faithful Saints of the Church, the
most honorable citizens of the country, and best redeemers of
a barren waste.
Erastus Snow was beloved by all our people, but he is especi-
APOSTLE ERASTUS SNOW. '227
ally endeared to the Saints and their children who have come
from the far off Scandinavian country of the north. To them
his name is almost a synonym of love and admiration. He was
absent on this mission nearly three years. He arrived in Salt
Lake City Aug. 20th, 1852. The following year, October, 1853.
Elders Snow and George A. Smith were called to gather fifty
families to strengthen the settlements in Iron county, which
they did successfully. In 1854, Erastus was called to preside
over the Church in St. Louis and the Western 'States. Nov.
14th, 1854, he organized a Stake in St. Louis and soon com-
menced the publication of the St. Louis Luminary. He assisted
in the emigration of two thousand Saints in 1855, and returned
home Sept. 1st, of that year. Between April 22d, and August,
1856, he filled another mission to the States, and later filled
another in the East.
Soon after this he was called with Apostle George A.
Smith to locate other settlements in Southern Utah. The mis-
sionary company left Salt Lake City Nov. 29th, 1861, and from
that time Brother 'Snow made his home chiefly in Southern
Utah. The labor of this great pioneer, wise counselor, constant
worker and colonizer also extended into Arizona, Mexico, and
other places, and wherever he went, either to preach the Gospel
or to counsel the 'Saints in practical matters, Erastus Snow has
left the impression of a wise leader and a great man, for God
has made him such. Brother Snow represented Southern Utah
in the council of the Utah Legislature for many years. In 1873
he went on a short mission to Europe, visiting England and
Scandinavia. After that time he was constantly at work among
the Saints at home, traveling throughout the Stakes in Utah.
Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, Canada and Mexico. He probably
did more pioneer work than any other Apostle in the Church.
He was a true, patriotic American, and yet during the anti-
"Mormon*' crusade he was an exile from home. He might, with
consistency, ask as the Savior did : "Many good things have
I done unto you, and for which of these do ye persecute me?"
Brother Snow was an active participant in all moves looking
to the material development of the country and the employment
of the Saints. He was interested in the education of the youth,
and a staunch supporter of the Church and public schools. He
instilled into his sons and daughters, by example and precept.
228 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the habits of industry, temperance and economy. He was kind-
hearted and benevolent. He was a man of fine appearance, strong
in build. Like all great men, he had his peculiarities. He was a
deep thinker, and at times so absorbed in profound thought that
he took but little notice of things around him. Sometimes when
asked a question, he would not answer it until the next day, or
perhaps later still. Some would think that he did not hear the
question, but he seldom failed to answer it at a later time.
Here is one of the amusing incidents told of him : It was
Saturday afternoon. He sat with his wife and others in a room
of his house in St. George. While the others were conversing
he was intently looking at the floor and tapping his cane OD
the heel of his shoe. His wife spoke to him, saying : " Brother
Snow, will you preach at Washington tomorrow?" He made
no answer, and did not appear to notice the question. The inter-
rogation was not repeated and conversation went on as before.
The next morning, as the family arose from their knees in
prayer, Brother Snow quietly said : "Ye's, Minerva, that is
my intention." At first they were a little bewildered, but sud-
denly it dawned upon them as the answer to Sister Snow's
question propounded the day before.
After a most remarkable and fruitful life, fraught with great
events and crowned with blessings not a few, Apostle Erastus*
Snow departed this life at his home in Salt Lake City, May
27th, 1888, a little under the age of three score years and ten.
He had said before, " I never want to outlive my usefulness."
and When, through hardship and exposure, his body gave way
to the blows of adversity, the Lord took him to a field where he
could continue his labors in the cause of truth. He was an
honest man, a true husband, a kind father, a wise counselor,
an efficient pioneer and colonizer, a great statesman, and in
every sense of the word truly an Apostle of the Lord Jesus
Christ. His name and his works will live forever in the gener-
ations of the Saints, who love and respect him as their friend
and counselor.
APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS.
FRANKLIN DEWEY RICHARDS was born in Richmond, Berk-
shire county, Mass., April 2d, 1821. He was the son of Phineas
and Wealthy Dewey Richards, and was the fourth-born of nine
children. Like most of his early associates in the Church,
he was of the old New England race, who had distinguished
themselves in the early settlement of our country by toil,
courage and patriotism to the young republic. Franklin was
raised on a farm, and was by no means a stranger to hard
work. He early displayed a strong desire for education, and
used his spare time in seeking for treasures of knowledge. Be-
fore he was ten years old he had perused every book in the Sun-
day school, which comprised several volumes, and at thirteen
he attended for one winter, the Lenox Academy. His parents
were devout Congregational ists and trained their children in
strict piety. Franklin early developed strong impress'.ons of
a religious character. He was so decided in his views that he
differed with most of the people around him on scriptural points
of doctrine. Because of this, he declined a special offer made
him to be educated for the sectarian ministry.
Elders Brigham and Joseph Young visited Richmond in 1836,
and presented the restored Gospel. Franklin read the Book of
Mormon, accepted it as the truth, and was baptized June 3d,
1838, in .as native town. October 22d, 1838, he bade adieu to
his home to cast his lot with the persecuted Saints in Far
West, Missouri. While crossing the Alleghanies, he received
the sad tidings that his brother, George S., had been assassinated
at Haun's Mill, Mo. Undaunted, he journeyed on to Missouri,
and soon after his arrival, found employment along the Missis-
sippi river.
In May, 1839, he first met the Prophet Joseph Smith. The
following spring he was ordained a Seventy, and went on a
mission to Northern Indiana. He was very successful, and
soon established a branch of the Church in Porter county.
Before attaining his twentieth anniversary he delivered a se-
230 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ries of public lectures, which attracted much attention and left
a lasting impression upon the minds of those who heard them.
He attended the laying of the cornerstone of the Temple in
Nauvoo, at the April conference in 1841, and then resumed
his labors in Indiana, where he continued his missionary work,
though sick with fever most of the time. In December, 1842,
he married Jane Snyder. In May, 1844, he was ordained a
High Priest, and started on a mission to England, but hearing
the sad news of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, lie
returned to Nauvoo. In the fore part of 1845 he traveled over
a thousand miles in gathering means for the Nauvoo Temple.
After this he was called to be a scribe in the office of the
Church Historian. He also labored as a carpenter and joiner
on the Temple, in which he received his endowments, and subse-
quently officiated in administering the ordinances to others.
In the exodus of 1846 Elder Richards sacrificed his little
home, built by his own hands, and started^ his family westward
with the moving Camp of Israel. After seeing his family
driven into the wilderness he turned his face eastward, and
with true heroism left to fulfill his mission to England. He
possessed the faith of the ancient Apostles, for with meager
clothing and almost destitute of money, he made his way to the
Atlantic coast, and thence across the mighty deep to the shores
of Europe. Before leaving America the last word he received
from the exiled Saints was that his wife had given birth to a
baby boy and was lying at the point of death. With this addi-
tional trial he resolutely commended his family to the Lord, and
pursued his way to England. Upon his arrival in Europe, he
was appointed to preside over the Church in Scotland. Shortly
afterward he became one of President Orson Spencer's coun-
selors in the British mission. He was then twenty-five years
old. Through the serious sickness of President Spencer, Elder
Richards sustained the responsibility of virtually presiding
over the entire mission. He labored efficiently and faithfully
until February 20th, 1848, when he started homeward, in
charge of a large company of emigrating Saints. During
his mission he received the sad news that his brother, Joseph
William, had succumbed to death while on the march as a
member of the Mormon Battalion. Brother Franklin's daugh-
ter, Wealthy, had also died during his absence.
FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS.
232 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Upon his return home he found his wife, and their relatives
who had survived the perils of the exodus, at St. Louis, Mo.
This was the middle of May, 1848. In June he went to
Southern Iowa to buy cattle with which to move the company,
under the direction of his uncle, Willard Richards, across the
plains. Tne company left for Salt Lake valley July 5th,
1848. The journey was a most trying one, as Sister Richards
was very sick nearly the entire distance, but by the blessings of
the Lord, and with the aid of kind, helpful friends, she sur-
vived the journey and is today one of the presidency of the
Relief Society throughout the Church. They reached their
destination, Oct. 19th, 1848, with hearts full of gratitude to God
to be once more with the body of the Church, and far removed
from scenes of mobocracy and persecution.
Elder Richards exchanged his cloak and other available
articles of clothing for building material, and by dint cf hard
and honest labor constructed a small room, in which the family
sojourned during the winter While dwelling in this humble
adobe habitation he was called to receive his ordination to
the Apostleship, February 12th, 1849. He immediately be-
came associated with the leading men of the community in
forming the provisional government of the State of Deseret, in
Church work generally, and was very active in establishing the
Perpetual Emigration Fund.
In October, 1849, he was again called to Europe to continue
his missionary labors in a foreign land. He traveled across
the continent and ocean with Apostles John Taylor, Lorenzo
and Erastus Snow, and other Elders. Hostile Indians, in-
clement weather, icy streams, etc, went to make up an eventful
journey. In January, 1850, they visited Saints and friends
in St. Louis. They arrived in Great Britain in March, 1850.
This was an eventful year in the history of the Church, so far
as spreading the Gospel abroad is concerned. President Taylor
was sent to open the door of salvation to the French nation ;
Lorenzo Snow to Italy ; Erastus Snow to Scandinavia ; Orson
Pratt was presiding in Liverpool, but being called hastily to
Council Bluffs, Brother Franklin was left to edit the Millennial
Star and take charge of the British mission. He founded
the Perpetual Emigration Fund in England on a solid basis,
and labored efficiently in every department. Apostle Pratt
APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS. 233
returned to England, when Elder Richards became his assist-
ant, and upon the release of Elder Pratt in 1851, Brother
Richards became President of the British mission. With
energy and great zeal he and his fellow-laborers spread the
Gospel throughout the British Isles. He increased the labors
in the Liverpool office very materially. In a short time he
revised and published a 25,000 edition of the Hymn Book, a
new edition of P. P. Pratt's Voice of Warning, stereotyped
the Doctrine and Covenants, prepared and published the Pearl
of Great Price, and paid an interesting visit to Elder Taylor in
France. From 1850 to 1852, about 16,000 souls had been
added to the Church by baptism in the British mission. He
started to Zion the first company of Saints that sailed from
Europe under the regulations of the Perpetual Emigration
Fund, with Apostle Erastus Snow, and arranged for the or-
ganization of a company to manufacture iron in Utah.
Soon after his return he was agalin elected to the legislature
and resumed his labors as a lawmaker. Early in 1853 he
participated in the dedication of the grounds and laying the
cornerstone of the Temple in Salt Lake City. In July of that
year he went to Iron county to establish iron works, but the
project, under existing conditions, was impracticable. While
there, Gov. Young and Lieut.-Gen. Wells issued military orders,
owing to Indian hostilities. Brother Richards labored faith-
fully in gathering in the outposts, changing the site of Cedar
City, and preparing the people to resist the aggressions of
the Indians. Returning to Salt Lake City, he was just in time
to witness the decease of his mother. He went back to Iron
county in October, 1853, and labored there until called to his
legislative work in the winter.
While in Salt Lake City he was notified to prepare again
for the British mission. Before leaving, he dedicated his
home, property and all he possessed to the Lord. He reached
England, June 4th, 1854, and immediately assumed the respon-
sibilities of the mission. His letter of appointment from the
Presidency implied the amalgamation of all the European mis-
sions under one head, as it authorized him "to preside over all
the conferences and all the affairs of the Church in the British
Isles and adjacent countries." While presiding in Europe
he visited the continent, promoting the interests of the Gospel
234 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of peace and harmony among the people. It was during this
mission that Brother Richards baptized that noble man, who
has done so much for Zion, especially the youth, in religious
and secular education Dr. Karl G. Maeser. In 1855 he se-
cured for the growing necessities of the mission the premises
now widely known as 42 Islington, which have been occupied
from that time to the present as the miission headquarters. In
October, 1855, under President Richards' personal direction,
the Saxon Mission was established in Dresden, and has yielded
many intelligent converts to the faith. He was constant in
his travels, and it was also within his province to direct the
branches in the East Indies, Africa, Australia and other parts,
which required the concentration of every energy with an
eye ever single to the glory of God.
Brother Franklin was probably better informed on every
detail of foreign miissions than any other man. Previous to his
leaving for home the presidents of conf ere aces met in London
and paid to him a glowing tribute of respect and esteem. Octo-
ber 4th, 1856, he once more reached his mountain home. He
again became a member of the Utah Legislature, and was re-
elected a regent of the Deseret University. April 20th, 1857.
he was elected and commissioned brigadier-general of the second
brigade of infantry of the Nauvoo Legion During the John-
ston army troubles he was engaged with a detachment from
his brigade to support Gen. Wells in Echo Canyon. With
others, he left his property to be committed to the flames in
case the army persisted in driving the Saiints from their homes
and despoiling them of their property. July 21st, 1859, he
began a political tour in Southern Utah to arrange for the elec-
tion of a delegate to Congress.
Upon his return to Salt Lake City he was appointed, with
President John Taylor, to meet two companties of emigrants,
many of whom were old -and endeared associates of these two
Apostles. During the seven years following, he labored chiefly
among the Saints. His labors were varied and multifarious,
combining the work of ecclesiastic, politics, mill building and
agriculture. He was never idle, but was the embodiment of
industry with hand and brain.
July 29th, 1866, he was again called on a. mission to
Europe ; was on the way two weeks, reached Liverpool Sep-
APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS. 235
tember llth, I860, and immediately commenced a tour of the
conferences, including that of Scandinavia and several on the
continent. In July, 186G, he again became President of the
entire mission. He had a splendid corps of Elders to labor in
the vanious fields, and the year following, Great Britain alone
furnished over 3,400 souls for baptism into the Church, and in
about the same time more than 3,000 Saints emigrated to Utah.
Up to this time sailing vessels were used for transporting the
Saints to America, 'but President Richards, looking to the future,
deemed these inadequate, and changed to the steamship.
This was Brother Richards' last foreign mission. He crossed
the ocean eight times, and spent much of his life in the ministry
abroad. Under his supervision, the Lord directing him, many
thousands of souls had embraced the Gospel, and a much
greater number gathered to Zion. His missionary zeal
had not abated, but his wise counsels were needed at home
with the body of the Church. A new experience in his labors
now came to him. In February, 18G9, he was elected probate
judge of Weber county. He occupied this position for fourteen
years. He served with great ability and wisdom, making
friends on every hand. He was famiiliarly called by business
and political men, "Judge Richards." He had many warm
friends among the non-"Mormon" population of the community.
Ogden City and Weber county are recognized as next in im-
portance to Salt Lake City and county, and much of the
growth and progress of Weber is due to the potent influence of
Brother Richards. Up to 1869, Ogden had no newspaper.
Elder Richards established, and for some time edited, the
Ogden Junction, which subsequently took the title of the Ogden
Herald, and finally the Ogden Standard, under changes of
management.
Elder Richards did much to improve the schools of Weber
county. He organized societies which preceded the Mutual
Improvement Associations, and originated a plan by which
the youth of Weber county, without cost, could hear the most
talented lecturers of Utah on scientific and other subjects.
He 1 taught the people by pretext and example, how to avoid the
influence of the mixed population so rapidly gathering into
Ogden City, and how to make home pleasant and attractive.
During his administration of fourteen years as probate judge,
236 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
no decision of his was ever reversed by a higher tribunal.
Hundreds of cases of divorce, land estates and land suits were
brought before him. He adjudicated the land titles of Hunts-
ville, North Ogden and Plain City. None of these arrange-
ments were ever set aside by any court. Besides these, he
had many criminal cases to try, the decision in none of which
was ever reversed. His administration financially was also a
great success. Roads and bridges were built, and the only
toll road in the county, the one through Ogden canyon, was
purchased and made free. His position had no salary attached
to it, yet he labored with unselfish devotion for the county and
people.
During this time Elder Richards continued a member of the
legislature, and traveled, preached and counseled throughout
the territory. He assisted President Young in organizing nearly
all the Stakes of Zion. Near the close of his official career, Con-
gress passed a law known as the "Hoar Amendment," which
authorized the governor to fill vacancies caused by failure to
elect officers at the August election of 1882. By claim of
authority from this act, Gov. Murray appointed James N.
Kimball probate judge of Weber county. Judge Richards
denied that there was a vacancy, and Mr. Kimball instituted a
mandamus suit to compel a relinquishment of the office and
records to him. The district court decided in favor of Mr.
Kimball. Judge Richards appealed to the supreme court of
the Territory, which affirmed the lower court. He then ap-
pealed to the supreme court of the United States, where it
rested until the time of Mr. Kimball's appointed term had
run out. This was a test case, and if it had not been contested
with determination, the governor's appointees would have dis-
placed the officers elected by the people and thus given the polit-
ical control into the hands of the non-"Mormon," or Liberal
party.
Many years Apostle Richards was Church Historian and
general Church Recorder. This position he filled with his usual
ability and devotion until the time of his death. He was much
interested in work for the dead and had accomplished as much,
perhaps, in this line as any other man except President Wood-
ruff. He took great interest in the Genealogical Society of
Utah, and sought to interest others.
APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS. 237
When President Lorenzo Snow became President of the
Church, Brother Richards succeeded to the Presidency of the
Twelve Apostles, and occupied that place until he departed this
life. He was endeared to all his associates and all the Saints,
and many not of our faith, because of his kind, affable manner.
During the later years of his life his time was chiefly occu-
pied in the office of Historian, but he visited many of the
stakes and was faithfully industrious to the last. In the
fall of 1899 he became enfeebled through paralysis, and after
an illness of several weeks accompanied by brief spells of
improvement, he passed quietly into the spirit land at 12 :14
Saturday morning, December 9th, 1899, at his home in Ogden
City.
President Richards was noted for the kindness of his heart,
the gentleness of his manners, and his constant, unceasing
devotion to the work of God. While he has gone to the un-
seen world, he still lives by the great labors of his life, which
will be perpetuated in the love and memory of the Saints
throughout all generations. His funeral was held at the Ogden
Tabernacle, December 12th, 1899, and was attended by a host
of Saints. His remains were laiid quietly to rest in the
Ogden cemetery. President Snow, his counselors, and Elder
Brigham Young and others spoke at his funeral in terms of
highest esteem. Among the glowing tributes of respect to the
character and faith of President Richards, President Joseph F.
Smith saiid, that he had seen him under such trying ordeals
as few could endure, and under which President Richards had
shown the patient submission, faith and devotion of Job, when
he exclaimed, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."
The industry, integrity, faiith, purity and devotion of Franklin
D. Richards will serve as a beacon light to all generations who
shall read his history, who will bless his memory and praise
God, who sent him to perform his part in the great dispensation
of the fullness of times.
APOSTLE BRIGHAM YOUNG, JR.
BJREGHAM YOUNG, JR., a son of the late President Brighain
Young and Ann Angell Young, was born in Kirtland, Geauga
county, Ohio, December 13th, 1836. With his parents he re-
moved to Missouri, and thence to Nauvoo, Illinois. In these
States, though in childhood, he learned something of the hard-
ships of persecution, and they have never been effaced from
his memory. His father, as is well known, was one of the
first and great Apostles cf the Church. His mother, too, was
a noble type of womanhood, and a true, devoted, Latter-Jay
Saint. While in poverty, and her husband on a mission to
Great Britain, Elder Lorenzo Snow called upon Sister Young
on the eve of his departure to fill a mission to Europe. He
asked her what news from home he should convey to her hus-
band. She answered, "Tell him we are about as well as other
people, and though in stralitened circumstances, temporarily
speaking, we don't want to see him home until he has com-
pleted a good mission and has been honorably released." Be-
fore their children, the Church and the world, this example
of endurance and devotion to God and His cause, the parents
of Apostle Brigham Young set all the days of their lives.
Brigham Young, Jr., was baptized by his father in the Mis-
sissippi river at Nauvoo, Illinois, when eight years of age. He
was exiled, with his father and family, from their home in
Nauvoo in 1846. With his mother, he remained in Winter
Quarters until 1848, when they journeyed across the plains and
reached Salt Lake valley in September of that year. Brigham
was then only twelve years cf age, but he at once performed
good service as a herd boy and worked in the canyon and at
other manual labor. He was likewise a "minute man," keeping
watch against the encroachment of hostile Indians. In this
latter capacity he participated in several dangerous expedi-
tions. November 15th, 1855, he took to wife Sister Catherine
Curtis Spencer, a daughter of Orson Spencer. At the ap-
proach of Johnston's army he did able work as a scout, suffer-
BKIGHAM YOUNG, JR,
240 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ing many hardships while in the mountains, from inclement
weather and over-exertion in his duties. When one of the
hand-cart companies crossing the plains was in distress, Brother
Brigham went with a relief party, and suffered such exposure
and hardships that he was attacked with inflammatory rheu-
matism, from which he has suffered at various times ever
since. At the April conference in 1861 he became a member
of the Salt Lake Stake High Council. In 1862 he went East
with Utah's delegate to Congress, Dr. J. M. Bernhisel. While
in New York City he received a letter from his father requesting
him to proceed as a missionary to Europe. He' promptly
complied, and sailed for Liverpool, where he arrived July 26th.
1862. His labors were, principally in London, with Elder
William C. Staines. He also visited Scandinavia and other
parts of Europe. He sailed from Liverpool on his return
home, September 1st, 1863. In 1864 he was again called to
Europe, this time to associate with President Daniel H. Wells
in the Presidency of the European mission. Accompanied by
his wife, Catherine, he reached Liverpool, July 25th, 1864. He
then labored in company with President Wells, looking after the
interests of the mission in all departments until August. 1865.
when he succeeded President Wells as the President of the
mission. During his administration he traveled extensively
through the conferences upon the British Isles, and several
times visited the continent, giving personal attention to the
interests of the Church in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzer-
land, France and Russia. By request of his father, he returned
home on a visit, sailing from Liverpool, September 19th, 1865.
Apostle Orson Pratt taking charge of the mission.
A peculiar incident occurred while crossing the Alantir*
ocean. A terrible storm arose, threatening to sink the vessel.
A portion of the rigging was torn down by the wind, and one
man was washed overboard. A burly Irishman, who was called
a religious fanatic, attributed the cause of the storm to the
fact that a "Jonah" was aboard the ship in the shape of a
"Mormon" Elder. The Irishman made a persistent demand
on the captain that Elder Young be cast into the sea. He
was so boisterous and persistent that at last the captain had
to interfere and compel the Irishman to hold his peace. .
After a very rough journey by sea and land, Elder Youn?
APOSTLE BRIGHAM YOUNG, JR. 241
reached home, October 25th, 1865. In the spring of I860 he re-
turned to Europe, resumed the responsibilities of the mission,
and continued his labors until he sailed from Liverpool on his
return home, June 20th, 1867. While absent he visited the
World's Fair at Paris, France. Returning home, he left the
mission under the presidency of Apostle Franklin D. Richards.
While on his mission two of his children were born in England,
Mabel and Joseph. The following year Elder Brigham Young
and his brother, Joseph A., acted as agents in sub-contracting for
their father, who had contracted to grade a large section of the
Union Pacific railroad. Brother Young was also prominent
in the Nauvoo Legion as a military man until its disorganization
in 1870. In that capacity he displayed considerable talent,
and did efficient service in the annual drills of the territorial
militia.
Elder Young had been ordained to the Apostleship, and was
set apart as one of the Twelve Apostles, October 9th, 1868.
From that time to the present his chief and almost entire
labors have been directly in the duties of his Apostleship. Sub-
sequent to the decease of Apostle Ezra T. Benson he was called
by President Young to preside over the affairs of the Church
in Cache valley. For this purpose he removed to Logan city
and presided in Cache valley until the Stake was organized in
1877. At the annual conference held in April, 1873, Apostle
Young was chosen one of the assistant five Counselors to
President Brigham Young, which place he filled until after his
father's death, in 1877. During that period he spent much of
his time in St. George, looking after the interests of the Church
in Southern Utah. After his father's demise, he was appointed
one of the administrators of the estate, in settling the affairs
of which he showed a just and amicable disposition, which
elicited the confidence and respect of the Saints, as well as of
his father's family. For refusing to deliver certain Church
property into the hands of the receiver, W. S. McOornick, he
and President John Taylor, George Q. Cannon and Albert
Carrington were adjudged guilty of contempt by Judge Bore-
man. Aug. 4th, Apostle Young, with the two last-named
brethren, was sent to the penitentiary, where they remained
until August 28th, when they were liberated, the decision of
16
242 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Judge Boreman having been reversed by the supreme court of
the Territory.
In 1881 Apostle Young went to Arizona, where he spent one
jear, returning in time to wait upon his noble mother in her
dying moments. She departed this life at her home in Salt
Lake City, June 27th, 1882. Among the many positions of
honor and trust held by Apostle Young, and always held with
integrity, he has served several terms in the territorial legisla-
ture. He has been East on several visits in the interests of
the Church, as well as doing considerable missionary labor
abroad. In more recent years his labors have been chiefly in the
Stakes of Zion, quite extensively in Mexico, Arizona, New
Mexico and Colorado, as well as Utah, laboring zealously with
his brethren, the Twelve, in the many duties and responsibilities
of their high calling. While visiting the Yaqui Indians in
Mexico, lie was stricken with yellow fever and brought nigh
unto death, but was healed by the power of God. During the
anti-"Mormon" crusade in Utah and surrounding territories,
Apostle Young suffered, with many of his brethren, as an exile
from home. In 1890 to 1892 he presided over the European
mission. He labored with zeal for the spread of the Gospel,
possessing the love and confidence of the Elders throughout
the mission. He returned home in the spring of 1893, in time
to take an active part in the dedication of the Temple of the
Lord in Salt Lake City. Since then he has traveled exten-
sively among the (Stakes of Zion, assisting to regulate the
affairs of the Church, and has been prominent in the councils
of the Presidency and Apostleshlp.
Apostle Young is a sociable, unassuming, humble and pleas-
ant man, and from the nature of his disposition is most beloved
and appreciated by those who know him best. As a fitting
conclusion of this brief and incomplete sketch of his life, we
subjoin the following quotation from the gifted pen of Sister
Susa Young Gates, his beloved and devoted sister :
"Brigham Young is a noble representative of his father's
family. His gentle wisdom, his merry heart and his integrity
and truth are known to all the Saints. No matter what may
be his troubles, he does not impose them upon his friends. He
has naught but contempt for all forms of hypocrisy or deceit.
His own life and soul is a clear, open book, and he would not
APOSTLE BRIGHAM YOUNG, JR. 243
gain the whole world were it to be secured through policy or
subterfuge. A wide stream of bubbling gaiety flows through
much of his life. All who know him, even in the least, are
well aware of this trait in his character. Yet, well as he love's
a joke, he cannot tolerate anything savoring of irreverence or
mockery. His wrath is rare, but so much the more to be
dreaded. Woe to the doer or speaker of anything which might
savor of the betrayal of the Priesthood when Brigham Young
is nigh ! One of his most notable traits is an innate modesty,
which is almost extreme when he estimates his own worth and
character. Ask him for the facts of his life and he will inno-
cently ignore that you are asking about himself, and will give
you leaf after leaf from the life of his beloved father or others
of his friends and associates. He must be often reminded
that it is his life that you are seeking to know about. He will
assure you that he is the least worthy of his exalted position
of any of his quorum, and your silent comment thereon is, 'He
that is least among you, the same shall be greatest.' Today
Apostle Young has the same genial tone of voice, the same
youthful spirit and the same quiet wisdom that have been so
prominent in his character from boyhood. Those who know
him best honor and revere him most. May his useful life be
prolonged many years upon the earth."
Apostle Brigham Young was unanimously sustained by the
council of the Apostles, as President of that body, Thursday,
Oct. 17, 1901, and set apart the same day by President Joseph
P. Smith, assisted by the Apostles and Patriarch John Smith.
APOSTLE FRANCIS M. LYMAN.
That worthy Apostle of the Host, FRANCIS MARION LYMAN,
was born in Goodhope, McDonough county, Illinois, Jan. 12th,
1840. He is the eldest son of Amasa Mason Lyman and
Louisa Maria Tanner Lyman, both of the early Puritan stock.
The time of his birth witnessed the days of tribulation to the
Saints of God. They had been driven from Jackson, Clay and
Caldwell counties, Missouri, and were taking refuge in Illinois.
In the spring of 1840, Brother Lyman's family moved into
Iowa, thence to Nauvoo, in 1841. From there, in 1843, they
moved to Alquina, Fayette county, Indiana, where they re-
mained until after the martyrdom of the Prophet and the
Patriarch of the Church in 1844, when they returned to Nau-
voo. Elder Lyman is probably the youngest man living who
remembers having seen the Prophet Joseph Smith and who
also received administrations in the Nauvoo Temple, for in that
sacred building he was sealed to his parents by Presidents
Young and Kimball in 1846.
In June, 1846, he, with his mother and three other children,
in charge of his mother's father, John Tanner, journeyed west
to Winter Quarters, his father having gone with the pioneers
from Nauvoo. On July 1st, 1848, being a little over 8 years
old, Brother Lyman was baptized by his father in the Elkhorn
river, and confirmed by him. Notwithstanding his tender
years, on their journey to Salt Lake valley, young Lyman drove
a yoke of cattle, arriving there October 9th, 1848. During
the next three years he occupied his time in such labor and
diversions as were the lot of Pioneer children in those days.
The opportunities for education were meager, but such as they
were, Francis Marion received the benefit. His father and
Elder C. C. Rich having been called on a mission to California
to establish a temporary home and outfitting post there for
the Saints, the family removed to California in 1851. On the
way young Lyman performed a man's duty in driving loose
stock, etc., the entire distance. For several years he was em-
FRANCIS M. LYMAN.
246 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
ployed in looking after cattle and freighting between San
Bernardino and Salt Lake City, making in that time sixteen
trips across the desert between California and Utah. His
winter months were spent in San Bernardino, obtaining such
education as the schools afforded. With Thomas W. Whittaker
he worked about eighteen months at the joiner's trade. His
father and Elder C. C. Rich purchased the 'San Bernardino
ranch.
In April, 1853, Francis 'Marion was a witness to the laying
of the cornerstone of the Temple in Salt Lake City. In 1857,
he was selected as a missionary to Europe, but the advent of
Johnston's army deferred his mission for the time being,
alhough he went as far as Salt Lake City on his way to Great
Britain. There it was deemed wisdom for him to return to the
coast and move his father's family into Utah. All missionaries
and colonizing Saints abroad were called home then.
In 1856, Brother Lyman was ordained an Elder by his
father, and May 1st, 1860, he started on his mission to Europe.
While his public life in the ministry really began at this time,
he had filled the colonization mission with his father in San
BeTnardino. In 1858, he explored, with the elder Lyman, the
Colorado river in Utah. He was ordained a Seventy in Farm-
ington, Utah, (where he had moved to cultivate his father's
farm), on January 7th, 1860.
On November 18th, 1851, he was united in marriage -to
Rhoda Ann Taylor, who, with her mother and family, had
received the Gospel in Australia, through the labors of Elder
Wm. Hyde and others.
Before leaving for England, Elder Lyman moved his family,
consisting of a wife and one child, to Beaver, Utah, where he
built for them a log cabin. While en the way to Europe he
visited Kirtland, and was shown through the Temple by Martin
Harris, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
Since that time he has visited the sacred edifice several times,
as he takes profound interest and satisfaction in visiting places
of note relating to the early scenes and history of the Church.
He sailed for Liverpool from New York, July 14th, on the
steamship Edinburgh, and landed in that city July 27th, 1860.
At this juncture, let us quote a paragraph of his life, written
for the Juvenile Instructor, by Elder Edward H. Anderson :
APOSTLE FRAWCIS M. LYMAN. 247
"Let us ask the boys and girls to look back over the life of this
boy of twenty years and see what he had accomplished. What
an astonishing record of activity and work ! Frontiersman at
birth and babyhood ; pioneer and teamster at eight ; herdsman
and cowboy at eleven ; learning a trade at thirteen ; plowing
the trackless desert at sixteen ; married at seventeen ; exploring
the gorges and wilds of the Colorado at eighteen; a Seventy and
a missionary at twenty ; with farming, attending school,
presiding over improvement associations, building the log cabin
of the pioneer, as incidents thrown here and there in between."
What an example of industry, labor, faith and devotion,
worthy of following by every human being!
In 1862, Elder Lyrnan was released from his mission, and
started for home May 13th, with a company of over 800 Saints.
They were forty-two days on the ocean, and it was October
16th when he reached his home in Beaver, Utah. In 1863, he
moved to Fillmore, where he resided fourteen years. In that
time he held the positions of assistant assessor of United States
internal revenue, member of the Utah legislature from Millard
county, prosecuting attorney, county superintendent of schools,
county clerk and recorder, and other places of trust, to which
he was chosen by the people. He was also ordained a High
Priest and served as a High Counselor. On October 16th,
1873, he started on a second mission to Great Britain. He not
only labored as a missionary in England, but made tours of
Scotland, Wales, Germany, Denmark, France and Switzerland,
and was very successful. On his return, in 1875, he was ac-
companied by 300 Saints.
In April, 1877, Elder Lyman attended the dedication of the
St. George Temple. When the Tooele Stake was organized,
June 24th, 1877, he was placed to preside over it. For the
next three years he was at the head of affairs in that county,
religiously and politically. The so-called "Liberals" had
obtained control previously, and by dishonest extravagance, had
spent in four years the revenue of five. President Lyman
having been elected county recorder and representative to the
legislature from the county, set his mind at once to the dis-
lodging from power of the incompetent and plundering officials,
and with his determination and persistent qualities, he never
relaxed his energies until the good work had been accomplished.
248 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
In 1878, the Utah legislature passed a law which required the
registration of votes ; this meant the dissolution of the so-called
"Tooele Republic," because it afforded means for the people to
regain the control of the'r cwn affairs, which had been wrested
from them. In August, 1878, all the candidates of the "People's
Party" were elected by a safe majority. The "Liberal" officials
refused to count the votes cast, and by fraudulent procedure
declared the candidates of the "People's Party" not elected. Hon.
F. M. Lyman filed notice of contest and carried it to the
supreme court, which issued a preemptory order requiring the
officers to count the ballots and declare the correct result of
the election. This action placed the candidates of the "People's
Party" in office, and by economy and watchfulness the county
was redeemed from the debt incurred by the corrupt officials.
Elder Lyman, in this experience, as in others, proved himself
to be a terror to evil-doers.
While on a tour in Southern Utah, Arizona and New Mexico,
Elder Lyman was called at the general conference in October,
1880, to be one of the Twelve Apostles. Elder John Henry
Smith was called at the same time. Brother Lyman was
ordained to the Apostleship October 27th, 1880, by President
John Taylor. From that day until the present, his whole time
and energies have been devoted to the duties of that office. No
Apostle travels more among the Stakes of Zion and reaches
more of the settlements of the Saints than does Apostle" Lyman.
He is incessant in his work by day and by night. Since his
call to the Apostleship he has performed an important mission
among the Indians of Uintah and Uncompahgre reservations,
one mission in California, (accompanied by Elder B. H.
Roberts),. one in the Southern States with 'Elder Matthias F.
Cowley, as his traveling companion, and on April 19th, 1901,
left on his third mission to Great Britain to preside over the
European missions of the Church. It was on November 17th,
1883, when he was called by President John Taylor to fill his
Indian mission. Before leaving he asked President Taylor how
to proceed. He was answered that Brother Lyman was entitled
to know the will of the Lord and would be guided aright. While
at Currant Creek, on the way to the Reservation, Brother
Lyman came to a hill, 1,000 feet above the table-land in that
vicinity. While climbing the steep his thoughts were upon the
APOSTLE FRANCIS M. LYMAN. 249
difficulty of his mission; he had no knowledge of hew to pro-
ceed. If he asked the agents, he might be refused the privilege
of presenting the Gospel to the Indians, as other missionaries
had been. While thus in troubled thought, the Spirit of the
Lord impressed him to go to the summit of the hill. When he
reached the top he discovered a large flat rock, upon which he
stepped, removed his hat, and fell upon his knees in prayer to
God, with his face toward the East. He says : "I went before
the Lord and told Him all my troubles ; how everything seemed
against us, and how little I knew about the work ; how I had
learned that the agents at Uintah and Ouray were bitterly
opposed to the "Mormons" and their doctrines, and then asked
for the successful opening of the mission to the Lamanites in
that region, and that God might guide me aright and soften
the hearts of the agents with a favor towards us and our
cause."
Before he knelt to pray the atmosphere was perfectly calm,
but suddenly a wind began blowing amounting in force almost
to a tempest and lasted during the half hour he was engaged in
prayer. Wlien his supplications were over, the wind suddenly
ceased to blow and all was calm and serene. As he arose and
left his place of prayer, the quiet yet unmistakable testimony of
the Holy Spirit rested upon him, and he felt to go straightfor-
ward with his work, visit the agents and all would be well.
Subsequently this testimony of the Spirit was verified in a
remarkable manner, for the agents and Indians received him
well and an effectual door for doing good among them was
opened wide. But before the fulfillment of this prophetic con-
viction, as the wind had howled around him while engaged in
prayer, so he personally had to pass through well-nigh the
ordeal of death. The event is described by Elder Edward H.
Anderson as follows :
"On the morning of the 12th (May) the camp was up early
and it appeared that all the difficulties which had so far sur-
rounded them were at length overcome. He was sitting on a
camp-stool just before breakfast, and reached over to take up
a fry -pan of meat, when he was suddenly seized with a threat-
ened rupture of the lower bowels and the most excruciating
pain that could be imagined in his left side. It felt as though
there had been some internal rupture and was so severe and
250 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
agonizing that all hopes of his recovery were given up. The
company had no medicines of any kind. One cf the brethren
preferred to send fifty miles away for a doctor but Brother
Lyman forbade him saying that he could not last until the
arrival of a physician. It was suggested that he be taken back,
but it was impossible to move him, the pain was so intense.
For two hours he remained in such terrible agony that cold
sweat stood out in great beads upon his body. During this
time, he says, every good act of his life passed before him, and
strange to say, not an evil thing that he had done came to his
mind nothing but good. He saw himself carried home dead
and beheld the consternation of his family at his death and
what had overtaken him. During all this time, strange to say,
neither he nor his companions (although they had done every-
thing to alleviate his sufferings) had thought of the ordinance
of laying on of hands. 'It never once entered my mind,' he said,
'nor did the brethren think of it.' At the close of that time
one of the brethren suggested administering to him, which was
accordingly done. No sooner were the hands of the brethren
lifted from his head than the pain left him as suddenly as it
came. He became perfectly free, and had thus been healed by
the power of God. by the laying on of hands by the Elders.
'Then,' he says, 'I thought how good it is to be only free from
pain ! It is the greatest heaven of all. And yet the most of
our lives we are free, but scarcely appreciate it. He fell into
a sweet sleep and in a comparatively short time was able to
proceed on the journey."
The adversary was thus overcome by the power of God. They
reached their destination, and were received with kindness by
the Lamanites and the agents, J. J. Crichlow of Uintah and
J. F. Minness of Ouray. The Gospel was freely taught and
the Book of Mormon introduced among them by Elder Lyman
and his associates. Elder Nephi, surnamed Lehi by Apostle
Lyman, Chief Tabby and other Ute chiefs also preached and
bore testimony (being faithful Latter-day Saints), and many
others were converted to the truth.
In the winter of 1893-'94, Apostle Lyman, accompanied by
Elder B. H. Roberts, performed a good mission in Southern
California, visiting some of his father's family and other rela-
tives, who had recently moved there. In the winter of 1897-'9S,
APOSTLE FRANCIS M. LYMAN. 251
he and Elder M. F. Cowley visited each conference of the
Southern States mission, held a two days' meeting with the
general public and one- day of Priesthood meeting with the
Elders in each conference. His counsels, admonitions and in-
structions, often couched in quaint sayings, will ever be remem-
bered by the Elders then laboring in the Southern States.
Apostle L/yman is one of the most active workers in the
Church. He is never idle. He keeps a daily journal, in all
probability the most complete in detail of any private journal
in the Church. When he goes to the sphere beyond, he pro-
poses to place his journals in the archives of the Church for
the benefit thereof. He writes it up daily, never getting be-
hind. In keeping a journal, which every active Elder and some
of the sisters ought to do, Elder Lyman's example and method
may w r ell be followed with profit. He is very practical in word
and deed, and his teachings are always seasoned with the
influences of the Holy Spirit. Owing to his marked ability, he
is often referred to as "the teacher" in his quorum He is pre-
eminently a peacemaker. When difficulties exist where the
general authorities are requested to participate in their settle-
ment, Brother Lyman, if within reach, is frequently selected
to adjudicate the trouble. He is firm, yet kind, never betraying
petty anger or a sense of affronted dignity because of opposition
to his efforts to make peace.
As in the case of his Indian mission, Elder Lyrnan usually
"sets no stakes," but depends upon the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit for guidance to meet the emergency, and never fails to
be impressed about right. His "off-hand" answers to questions
and his quaint sayings, always containing a good thought,
would make a volume, pleasing and instructive. He is also
apt in his replies to questions ; for instance, he w T as asked, before
a public audience in the opera house at Jackson, Miss., by an
impertinent fellow, if the "Mormons" did not still believe in
plural marriage, only discontinuing it because of a compulsory
law, and if that law was repealed would they not restore the
practice of it? Apostle Lyman cooly replied : "When you get
the law repealed will be time enough to answer your question."
During the Tooele troubles an over-inquisitive person wrote,
and among other queries, asked him, "Who is the largest sheep
252 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
owner in Tooele county?" He answered, "I am. I weigh 280
pounds. Other questions answered on receipt of $2.00."
Brother Lyman looks upon death with the utmost freedom
from concern. His experience while filling his Indian mission
doubtless makes him a personal witness that to the faithful
"death is sweet and the grave has no victory." The 'writer of
this little sketch was favored, a few weeks after his call to the
Apostleship, with being in Elder Lyman's company day and
night for four months, and will never forget the lessons taught
by him through example and precept.
Apostle Lyman is now past the age of sixty-one, is of well
preserved body and sound mind, full of endurance and activity.
He stands over six feet high, weighs 250 pounds and is unbur-
dened with surplus flesh. His life of usefulness, his constant
labors, his marked ability, his title by merit to the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, all endear him to the faints and make us
fondly hope that he shall live for many happy years.
In concluding this imperfect sketch, let us repeat the counsel
of Apostle Lyman, which he gave to the readers of the Juvenile
Instructor : "Boys and girls, be pure in thought and actions ;
do nothing that will make you feel ashamed to face any good
person in the world. This course will make you free and
happy. There is no other bondage so heavy as the bondage of
sin, no other freedom so delightful as the freedom of innocence
and purity. C4uard your good name and your happiness by
determining to be free from sin ; protect your innocence by
thinking pure thoughts ; shield your purity by noble actions."
APOSTLE JOHN HENRY SMITH.
JOHN HENRY SMITH is the son of the late President George
A. Smith and his wife Sarah Ann Libby, and was born at
Carbunce, Pottawattamie county, Iowa, September 18th, 1848.
When asked in later years by an acquaintance where he
was born, he answered, "In the garden spot of the world."
So great was his admiration for the rich lands of his native
state that he esteemed it worthy of that title.
The time of his birth was that period of trial incident to the
exile from Nauvco, and the pilgrimage of the Saints from
Illinois to the valley of the Great Salt Lake. His father had
gone to the valley with President Brigham Young in the
Pioneer band of 143, and shortly therafter had returned to
Winter Quarters, on the Missouri river, to assist in gathering
the Saints and to remove his family to Salt Lake valley. In
the summer of 1849 George A. Smith started across the plains
with his family. When they reached their destination the
subject of this sketch was one year old. In less than two
years from the time of their arrival his mother died, leaving
John Henry as their only child. He was immediately taken
by his aunt, Hannah M. Libby Smith, also a wife of his father,
and under her kind watchcare was reared to manhood with
all the tenderness bestowed upon her own son. She also had
a son, Charles Warren, but a few months the junior of John
Henry. The two were reared together, and as they grew in
years they became more and more endeared to each other,
becoming to each other as David and Jonathan. Although in
later years conditions have thrown them apart, the attachment
of early youth remains bright and untarnished.
The family of George A. Smith being called to colonize
different places, became very much scattered, some residing
in Salt Lake City, some in Provo and others in Parowan, and
George A.'s many public duties rendered it impossible to devote
much personal attention to his family. For this reason
Brother John Henry feels that much of his success in life is
due to the careful training afforded him by his devoted aunt
254 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
and step-mother. In 1852 his aunt removed to Provo, and
in that city he spent his early boyhood days. In expressing
his heartfelt sentiments of respect for the noble mother who
reared him, he but corroborates the heartfelt testimony of
thousands whose great attainments in life are largely due to the
example and teachings of a loving and devoted mother.
Like many other Pioneer boys of Utah, John Henry's occupa-
tion consisted of herding stock. This he did on the Provo
bench and along the shores of the Uta^ lake. He is of large
staure, full of life and merriment, and always esteemed by his
associates as the very embodiment of good nature.
During the Indian troubles which occurred in Utah county
in its early history, John Henry, though very young, partici-
pated, and on one occasion was shot at, but escaped unharmed.
On another occasion, when but fourteen years of age, he came
near drowning in the Provo river, but the eye of the Lord
was upon him. His mission was to live and labor for man's
salvation. He was saved in a most marvelous manner. In
company with Thomas and Geo. M. Brown, he attempted to
cross the river in a small boat. This was June 8th, 1862,
when the water was high and the current swift. The boat
was capsized, and while the other boys made safely to shore,
John Henry became entangled in some driftwood and disap-
peared below the surface of the stream. He was under water
so long that his comrades on the bank lost hope of his being
saved from drowning, when, all of a sudden, with no apparent
effort, he was lifted to the bank of the stream and rescued.
Soon after this occurred it was learned that his father, who
was at the time in 'Salt Lake City, felt impressed by the
Spirit of the Lord that his son, John Henry, was in peril of his
life. He therefore, in prayer and supplication, sought the
Lord to save the boy, and his prayer was immediately answered
in the manner described above.
The facilites for education in those days were meager com-
pared with the present, but the best that could be had was
placed wjithin the reach of Brother John Hentry, and he
improved his time as opportunity would permit. Among the
numerous incidents of boyhood days which strongly impressed
the young man with a strong, earnest desire to live a righteous
life and be useful was a patriarchal blessing given him by
his grandfather, John Smith, the Patriarch to the Church.
JOHN HENRY SMITH.
256 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
In this prophetic blessing the young man's life was foretold.
It painted out to him glorious attainments on condition, as all
blessings are, of his devotion to the truth and his industry
in keeping the commandments of God. This blessing was vver
before him, an anchor to his soul in time of trouble, and a
motive power of action under every condition of life. While
still a youth, he called upon that distinguished man and
ever constant friend of the Latter-day Saints, Col. Thomas L.
Kane. Col. Kane, who knew the early leaders of the Church,
and who understood the sufferings through which the Saints
had passed for pure principle, looked John Henry square in
the face, <and said in a most impressive way, "Young man,
I trust that you will ever remember that the best blood of
the nineteenth century flows in your veins." This was too
impressive to be forgotten, being an appeal to fidelitiy, not only
to his own kin, but to the nobility which is born in love
and unswerving integrity to the truth, which so thoroughly
characterized all the faithful founders of God's work and
the commonwealth of Utah, that their descendants forever
should be loyal to their names and memory, and to the great
cause for which they lived and died.
John Henry was wedded at the early age of eighteen, receiv-
ing in marriage Sarah, an estimable daughter of Elder Loren
Farr, of Ogden City, Utah, who has proved to be a true and
devoted companion in every sense of the word. Brother Smith
made his home in Provo, beting employed as a telegraph
operator, and ecclesiastically, occupying the place of Counselor
to Bishop W. A. Follett, of the Fourth Ward of that city.
Just prior to the completion of the Union and Central Pacific
railways, he left Provo and engaged with Messrs. Benson,
Farr and West in grading about two miles of the Central
Pacific. Subsequently Gov. Leland Stanford, of California,
offered him a lucrative position in Sacramento. This he
declined, his father desiring him to return to labor with him
in Salt Lake City and elsewhere.
During his early manhood days John Henry accompanied
his father, with President Brigham Young and party, in their
visits to the several settlements of the Saints. This brought
to him the society of the grandest men on earth. He studied
their characters, observed them closely, and sought to discover
APOSTLE JOHN HENRY SMITH. 257
the secret of the great qualites which adorned them. His own
nobility and magnanimity of heart and mind proves that the
example of his father and other good men were not placed
before him in vain. He profited greatly by these opportunities.
In 1872 he was assistant clerk in the house of representatives
in the Utah Legislature and held the same position in the
constitutional convention in 1872. In May, 1874, he was
called to fill his first mission in Europe, and was set apart for
that purpose by President John Taylor. He started on June
29th and reached New York July 4th ; but before sailing for
Europe he visited his mother's brothers in New Hampshire.
He reached Liverpool July 26th, and was soon assigned his
field of labor in the Birmingham conference, under the presi-
dency of Elder R. V. Morris. His kinsman, President Joseph
F. Smith, presided over the mission, and with him, Elder F.
M. Lyman and other Elders, made a tour of the mission, visit-
ing most of the British conferences, as well as Denmark, Ger-
many, Switzerland and France.
Owing to his father's sickness, Elder Smith was called home
one year after his arrival in England, reaching the beside of his
noble parent fifteen days before his decease, which occurred
September 1st, 1875. The improvement 'attained by Elder
Smith in the important matter of preaching the Gospel during
this short mission, was so pronounced that younger men looked
(upon him with wonder and admiration, feeling that only
God could so inspire humble and unlettered men to speak
with the power and inspiration which accompanied the remarks
and testimonies of Elder John Henry Smith. November 22d,
1875, he was called by President Young and ordained Bishop
of the Seventeenth Ward, Salt Lake City. This position
he filled with marked ability, receiving the love and confidence
of all the Saints in the Ward. While acting as Bishop he
worked for a livelihood in the freight department of the
Utah Central railway, keeping accounts and handling funds,
which work he did with accuracy and honesty of the strictest
character.
At the October conference of 1880, Bishop John Henry
Smith, with President Lyman, of the Tooele Stake, was called
to the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In 1839 his father
and President Wilford Woodruff were ordained to the Apostle-
17
258 PROPHETS AND PATRIAKCHS.
ship at Far West, Mo. They two being associated together,
the desire entered Brother Smith's heart to have President
Woodruff, then President of the Twelve, ordain him. Silently
he offered a prayer that such might be the case, and he would
take it as a testimony that his call was from the Lord.
Elders Lyman and Smith were ordained to the Apostleship
October 27th, 1880. President Taylor ordained Elder Lyman
and then called on President Woodruff to ordain Elder Smith.
No one but John Henry Smith knew his heart's desire, and
yet it was answered by the Lord in prompting President John
Taylor, the Prophet of the Lord, to so arrange it. This was
all the more remarkable because of the custom that when
one is ordained to the Apostleship the President of the Church
officiates, and when two or more, his First Counselor next,
and then his Second Counselor; not that this is a law, but
the usual practice. In this instance, however, it was de-
parted from in answer to the silent prayer.
,Since his call to the Apostleship, Eldier Smith's labor's
therein have been incessant, preaching at home and abroad,
and performing other labors, always in the interest of the
Church and humanity at large. Three successive times he
has been to Washington, D. C., to assist in allaying prejudice,
staving off inimical legislation, which was inspired by false
reports and misrepresentation, and in urging statehood for
Utah. The first time he went in company with Apostle Mcses
Thatcher, and subsequently with other brethren. In October,
1882, he was called to preside over the European mission. He
was absent twenty-nine months, looking with deep and impartial
interest to all conferences and departments of the mission.
His genial, loving interest in all the Elders and Saints won for
him their love, confidence and respect. In the meantime prose-
cutions under the nefarious Edmunds-Tucker act were being
vigorously urged. Upon his return he was arrested for the
prevailing charge "unlawful cohabitation," but discharged for
lack of evidence. In 1876 he was elected to the city council of
Salt Lake City, and served with credit to the people for six suc-
cessive years. In 1881 and 1882 he was elected a member of
the Utah legislature, in whose deliberations he took an active
part, and when the State constitutional convention convened,
which framed the constitution upon which Utah was admitted
APOSTLE JOHN HENRY SMITH. 259
into the Union as a sovereign State, Apostle John Henry Smith
presided over that important assembly. He takes an active
interest in the civil government of his State and country, as
a truly patriotic and full-fledged American, not in name only,
but in the deepest sincerity of spirit. His progenitors on both
sides of the house have been native-born Americans for many
generations, and all the patriotic qualities which distinguished
them are reflected with honor in Apostle John Henry Smith.
In the spring of 1899 he, accompanied by Elder Matthias
F. Cowley, attended a conference of the presidents of the
Southern States Mission, held in Chattanooga, Tenn., May, 1899.
While there they preached in the Opera House and were fa-
vcrably reported by Mr. Adler in the Chattanooga Times.
They visited the old Chickamauga battle ground, the National
cemetery, and from the summit of Lookout Mountain beheld
the battlefields where thousands of human beings laid down
their lives in sanguinary strife. Several times he has been
a delegate from Utah to the Trans-Mississippi Congress. From
one which he attended, held in Houston, Tex., in 1900, with
President George Q. Cannon, he paid a visit to the City of
Mexico. He was much impressed with what he witnessed
in the neighboring republic.
Among the many events of Providence which have favored
the life of Apostle Smith and enabled his mission of salvation
to be more complete to the living and the dead, is a well-pre-
pared genealogy of his mother's kin, the Libby family, con-
taining on his mother's side the names of thousands of their
progenitors who have lived and died, and many who now live,
but who have not heard and embraced the Gospel. His rela-
tive who prepared this important record said to him in sub-
stance one day, "John, while preparing that work I could not
rest day or night, I was so intensely interested, searching tne
musty town records of the past, the names and tombstones,
anything and everything to get light on the subject. Now
it is done, I have no particular interest in it ; the dry facts of
births, marriages, deaths, and places of what value are they,
and especially to anyone outside the family?" The author of
the book knew not that Gcd inspired him to the work, but the
Lord's humble Apostle, John Henry Smith, was aware of what
260 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
it all meant, and thanks the Father for this volume of names
so sacred to himself and family.
In June, 1901, accompanied by President A. W. Ivins of the
Juarez Stake, Counselor Eyering and Ammon Tenney, he paid
a visit to the City of Mexico as representative of the Mexican
Colonization Company. Their business brought them into the
society of Minister Fernandez, of Fomasito, and Jose Ives Le
Mantour. The relations at first were strained, but resulted
satisfactorily. They also enjoyed a most pleasant interview
with President Diaz, in whose commendation as a great-minded
and large-hearted man Bro. Smith takes great delight.
Apostle Smith is now (1901) in his fifty-third year, hale and
hearty, ever active in the ministry and interested in his country.
He is loving and genial to all around him, frank and open in
his character, easy to understand, a worthy example for all to
follow. To know him is to love him. His disposition is a
happy one, his character and record without blemish. He
is generous in his feelings for ethers, is not jealous or envious,
but quick to recognize and appreciate the good qualities and tal-
ents of others ; he is broad-minded in his ideas, just, merciful
and kind in all his administrations. May he live yet many
years to benefit and bless mankind, especially the Saints of God
APOSTLE GEORGE TEASDALE.
GEORGE TEASDALE was born December 8th, 1831, in London,
England. He was the son of Wm. Russell Teasdale and Har-
riet H. Lidey Teasdale. His mother was a devout member of
the Church of England, and although their son George' early
developed strong religious traits, he was not favorably impressed
with the doctrines taught by that organization. Independently
he studied the scriptures, unbiased with preference for any sect
more than another and untainted with the fallacious interpre-
tations placed upon Bible truth by the man-made ministers of
Sectarianism. In this unsullied frame of mind, with clean
hands and a pure heart, George Teasdale received, direct from
heaven, impressions which prepared his heart and mind to
embrace the Gospel of Christ in its purity when presented to
him at the age cf twenty years.
In matters of education, Brother Teasdale was not so amply
provided with means and opportunities as many young men of
his time in the great city of London, but his sober, studious
disposition led him to search for knowledge from every availa-
ble source, and from the public schools and the University of
London he obtained the best education of which his time and
circumstances would admit. Subsequently he studied archi-
tecture and surveying, but owing to the dishonest character of
his tutor he soon dissolved his relationship with the office. After
this he learned the upholstering trade.
In the year 1851, he first learned of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. The information came through
an anti-"Mormon" tract published by the Church of England
Tract Society, entitled, "Mormonism." At that time, in this
neighborhood, prejudice ran high, and the only reference to the
Latter-day Saints which people usually heard came from their
avowed enemies, who drew their information from unreliable
newspaper accounts and apostate literature, garbling and mis-
representing the truth. Under these circumstances it is not
surprising that the young man, like most of the people unen-
262 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
lightened with the facts, should be more or less biased against
the Saints; but when he heard the Gospel and felt the Spirit
which accompanied the simple honest testimony of its advo-
cates, his heart being honest and his mind free to receive the
light, he acknowledged the truth and soon became one of its
most ardent advocates. And let me here remind the reader
that when a man hears the truth and learns that a people are
better than he previously believed from false reports, and that
their doctrine is not assailable with truth, if that man be
honest and upright he will rejoice in the information received
and glorify God ; whereas, if he is angry because the light shows
that he was mistaken, it is because he himself is not an honest,
upright man, but one "who loves darkness rather than light,"
because his "deeds are evil." Shortly after reading the anti-
"Mormon" tract, a man belonging to the Church of Jesus
Christ came to work in the establishment in which Brother
Teasdale was employed ; this man was uneducated, but firm
and emphatic in bearing testimony of the truth to his fellow
workmen. He showed plainly by his manner that he enter-
tained no doubt of his religion. His associates ridiculed and
made light of his teachings, but undaunted, he testified that
he knew the Gospel to be true and that Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of the living God. His testimony was so impressive
that the prejudice in Brother Teasdale's mind was largely
dissipated. He immediately began to investigate, the result of
which was that he embraced the Gospel in all its fullness. While
investigating, his acquaintances and friends bitterly opposed
him ; they threatened him with ostracism and scorn, but he was
not to be daunted, for one of the striking traits in his character
is that when convinced that anything is right he cannot be
turned from his purpose. Regardless, therefore, of ridicule and
abuse, he rendered obedience and was baptized August 8th,
1852. The birth of the Spirit came with his confirmation. He
was filled with zeal. His love for the truth and his fellow men
led him to act upon the injunction, "Let him that is warned,
warn his neighbor." Because the truth was so clear to his own
mind, he thought others could readily be convinced of it. With
this pure zeal and love burning in his bosom, he testified on
every hand of the restored Gospel. He soon learned by ex-
perience, however, that "men love darkness rather than light
GEORGE TEASDALE.
264 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
because their deeds are evil," and few gave heed to his humble
efforts.
Brother Teasdale was soon ordained a Priest, subsequently
an Elder, and did much in missionary labor. The Elders from
Zion, who in those days visited London, never forgot the im-
pression of honest integrity, devoted zeal and unselfish love for
the Saints and the truth manifested by the young Elder, then
commencing his future, life-long and eternal labors in the min-
istry of God for the redemption of the human family. Although
well educated, of a sensitive nature and a dignified bearing, he
was also humble. His feeling was that he would rather be
a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than possess all the
honors of men and dwell in the luxurious ease of human
wealth. He had little time to study, and being not naturally
a speaker, he felt somewhat embarrassed in trying to speak.
He learned at once that he must enjoy a higher power than his
own natural or acquired endowments he must enjoy the Holy
Spirit. He labored hard to succeed in speaking, but for some
time obtained no satisfaction. He says his earliest efforts were
a total failure. He persisted, however, being faithful in work,
devoted and sincere in prayer, until his tongue, as it were,
became loosened and he spoke with power from on high. While
doing missionary work, Elder Teasdale became acquainted with
Miss Emily E. Brown, who became his wife in 1853. Sister
Teasdale proved a devoted companion ; she shared with the
same unselfish interest in the work of the Lord and always sup-
ported her husband in his labors for the Church throughout
her entire married life. She bore trials and hardships of a
temporal nature, persecution and the scorn of the world with
that cheerful resignation which always dignifies the true Saint
of the Most High.
Being zealous in the ministry, his abilities commended him
to the brethren as President of the Somerstown branch of the
London conference. He was also clerk of the conference, audi-
tor of the book agency accounts, and president of the tract
distributing association. These numerous duties occupied
nearly all his time and were well performed, without monetary
consideration, and yet he was compelled to do a little work for
a livelihood, until the year 1857, when he was called to spend
his entire time in the ministry. This necessitated giving up
APOSTLE GEORGE TEASDALE. 265
his temporal employment and the breaking up of a comfortable
home. All this he did without a murmur, determined that his
time and talents without reservation, belonged to the work of
the Lord henceforth and forever. In all this his faithful wife
was one with him. He sold his home, provided for his wife
as best he could and set out an ambassador of the Truth. The
peace and joys of the Holy Spirit fully sustained him. First
he presided over the Cambridge conference. In 1858, he pre-
sided over three conferences the Wiltshire, Landsend, and the 1
South, and in 1859 he was placed in charge of the Scottish
mission. In 1861, he was released to emigrate to Zion. Then
came another trial ; two of his children cut of four had died
and were laid away in the land they were about to leave.
Because of his constant missionary work, his temporal sub-
stance was well nigh exhausted. He and his family were com-
pelled to make the ocean voyage in the steerage of an emigrant
ship. He crossed the plains with ox teams, passing through
the experience of the thousands who came to Salt Lake valley
before the advent of the railroad across the continent. Arriving
in Salt Lake City, Elder Teasdale taught school ; later he had
charge, under the direction of Bishop H. B. Clawson, of Presi-
dent Brigham Young's store. Being blessed with a good voice
for singing, he joined the Tabernacle choir and became a useful
member of the Salt Lake Dramatic Association. In 1867, he
was placed in charge of the general tithing office in Salt Lake
City. In 1868, he was called on a mission to Great Britain,
with Albert Carrington and Jesse N. Smith, who went to pre-
side over the British and Scandinavian missions. While on
this mission he acted as assistant editor of the Millennial
Star, and enjoyed the spirit and ability to write in a clear,
vigorous manner. Returning to New York, he assisted Elder
Wm. C. Stains with emigration matters and did some preaching
in New York City and vicinity. Upon arriving home from this
mission, Brother Teasdale secured a position in the Z. C. M. I.,
first in the drug store and subsequently with the produce de-
partment, over which he had charge, and worked up the busi-
ness to such success that it amounted to several hundreds of
thousands of dollars annually. While thus occupied he was by
no means idle in Church duties. He acted' as a home mission-
ary, visiting Sunday schools and young people's associations,
266 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
and was ever constant in his obligations to the quorum to
which he belonged. In 1875-'7G, he performed a faithful mis-
sion to the Southern States, mainly in Tennessee, Virginia and
North Carolina. The writer traveled in subsequent years in
several fields of labor where Elder Teasdale labored, and
wherever he had gone he was endeared in the memory of Saints
and friends ; every succeeding Elder in later years would hear
from the Saints and others the name of Elder Teasdale spoken
in terms of love and respect.
In 1877 Brother Teasdale was called to preside over the Juab
Stake of Zion. He was ordained a High Priest and set apart
for this position by President Brigham Young. He complied
promptly and removed to Nephi, where he presided until called
to the Apostleship, five years later, and there he still makes his
home, endeared to the hearts of the Saints in that Stake. He
also labored in the Nephi tithing office, took contracts on the
Utah Southern railroad, was president of the Nephi Co-opera-
tive Store, and was also connected with other enterprises. He
represented his county for two terms in the Utah Legislature,
in 1880 and 1882. On the 13th of Oct. 1882, there being a
vacancy of two in the quorum of the Twelve, the Lord, by reve-
lation to President John Taylor, called Elders George Teasdale
and Heber J. Grant to fill them. From that date until the
present, he has been a constant worker in the duties of his
Apostleship, preaching the Gospel at home and abroad.
Although in his seventieth year, he attends Stake conferences
far removed from railroad stations, and sets an example of
courage and energy not frequently seen in men of his years. In
public and private he fails not at every opportunity to lift his
voice in defense of truth and to turn the wayward from the
path of ruin to that of reformation. Since receiving the Apostle-
ship, Brother Teasdale has filled several missions abroad, to the
Indian Territory, old Mexico and Europe, where he presided
over the European mission for four years. During his presi-
dency in Great Britain he visited the missions established in
the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Switzerland and France,
as well as the British Isles. In Mexico he helped to establish
the colonies of our people, and for a period of time had a gen-
eral oversight of the work in that land. Being naturally averse
to the hardened feeling cf the world, and so intensely devoted
APOSTLE GEORGE TEASDALE. 267
to everything in keeping with the Gospel, he became greatly
attached to the situation of our people in Mexico, wherein set-
tlements were almost exclusively of the Saints and free from
the drinking saloon, the gambling den, and other haunts of vice
so prevalent throughout the world. In that land several mem-
bers of his own dear family laid their bodies down to rest until
the resurrection of the just. Anxious to spread abroad the
Gospel, and beyond his power to go in person, he has written
several tracts, " Glad Tidings of Great Joy," " The Restoration
of the Everlasting Gospel," etc., which are used quite extensively
in foreign lands. Apostle Teasdale has always been devoted to
the welfare of the young ; for this reason he is an interested and
able member of the Sunday School Union Board. He strictly
observes the Word of Wisdom and teaches the same with great
earnestness to the children and their parents.
Apostle Teasdale is tall and erect. His countenance and
manner are impressive. He is humble and meek, yet dignified
and courageous. His call to the Apostleship is proof that the
Lord loves humility and a pure motive. He is genial and kind
to all he meets, has great faith in the promise of the Lord, and
in every proposition which confronts him his first thought is,
"What is the will of the Lord?" When he learns that, he goes
straightway to carry it out. He honors the Lord with tithes
and offerings as fully and unselfishly as he lifts his voice in
praise or proclamation of the truth. As a reward of his devo-
tion the Lord directs him in all his labors, especially so when
presiding over missions abroad. On one occasion, while presid-
ing in Europe, a Danish Elder, who was called to Germany,
was puzzled to know why he was called there, where he
would have to learn a new language, when there was constant
need of missionaries in Denmark, where the people spoke his
native tongue. When he reached Liverpool he expressed his
feelings to President Teasdale, supposing his mission would be
changed. Brother Teasdale could not account, either, for the
brother's call to Germany, but reflecting a moment, he said to
the Elder : " You go to Germany, in accordance with your
call." He accordingly went, and in a few months the situation
was all made clear ; he was assigned to labor in Schleswig-Hol-
stein, where he met numbers of Scandinavians, who had come
into the country to help construct a canal. He preached the
268 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Gospel to them, and through this event many of them and others
were brought to membership in the Church. This incident is
but one of many which has occurred in the life and ministry of
Apostle Teasdale. Notwithstanding his three score years and
ten will soon have been attained, his " natural force does not
abate," nor "his eyes wax dim." His love and zeal, coupled
with Divine wisdom, increase with him as the years roll by.
May his life continue with us yet many years, and when he has
gone to a broader and higher place of usefulness, may not only
one, but many, rise up from among his posterity who shall rep-
resent among the people of God the purity, humility, devotion,
integrity, love, zeal and God-given character of their loving
father, whose reward will be all that can come to the faithful,
the reward which is derived from the " Glory of a well spent
life."
APOSTLE HEBER J. GRANT.
HEBER J. GRANT holds the distinguished title of being the
first of Utah's noble sons to receive a call and ordination to the
Apostleship. None cf his predecessors in the quorum of the
Twelve were born in Utah. From early childhood he has been
rioted for his thrift and industry. The cottage where he was
born was situated upon the grounds where the Z. C. M. I. build-
ing now stands, and Saturday, Nov. 22d, 1856, marks the day
of his initial appearance upon this mundane sphere. His father
was that remarkable preacher and expounder of the Gospel,
that wonderful counselor and good man, Jedediah Morgan Grant.
His mother, Rachel Ridgeway Ivins, one of Zion's fair daugh-
ters, is now living in Salt Lake City. Apostle Grant possesses
an unusual and untiring love for his dear mother ; she has been
his earthly incentive in all the walks of life, and it is safe to
say that no matter what enterprise he may be led to engage in,
he will first consider the happiness, felicity and welfare of
mother. He is easily moved to tears, and his heart is soft with
abundant sympathy and charity for all who may stand in need
of his assistance. He is his mother's only son, and this aug-
ments the endearment and attachment between them. Were you
to ask Brother Grant to tell of his love for mother, he would
answer your query by saying that it was beyond the expression
of his tongue to do so, as he has often declared.
As a boy he did not manifest any degree of precocity, but
seems to have been the butt of his companions and associates;
nevertheless, when he set himself to perform any task he usually
came out victorious. He was possessed of that invincible deter-
mination which knew no defeat, and which halted not until the
goal was reached. He seems to have had the usual love which
most boys have for outdoor sports, and it was not infrequent for
him to play marbles or baseball. Owing to his delight and fre-
quent engagements in such games, he was called an indolent,
good-for-nothing boy, but he has lived and labored in such
earnestness and diligence, attended with success nnd satisfaction.
270 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
that those who in his boyhood days supposed him shiftless and
idle 1 , have been forced to confess that in him was the genuine
material necessary to make men useful and good.
Many incidents in his early life may be cited to illustrate
his energy and resolute will in overcoming obstacles and mount-
ing the ladder of development. He had a lean and weakly
physique, and his comrades took occasion to make fun of him
and call him names, but he determined in his own mind that he
would exercise himself so as to be equal to the best of them.
He could not throw a baseball with any grace or accuracy, but
he resolved to accomplish this feat, so he forthwith began to
practice. His mother's barn suffered much during those days of
drill, for against the gable of the same he pounded his ball day
and night. He conquered, became the captain of his nine, and
was acknowledged a peer upon the diamond. In penmanship it
was much the same, but he came off victorious, and is today one
cf the best penmen in the state. So long as there was some
difficulty to overcome you might find Heber fighting his way
with unremitting toil and energy, being determined to win ; but
when there was nothing left to conquer, no barriers to overcome,
his interest lagged. Brother Grant is one of those industrious
souls who will not be happy or contented in idleness. He must
work, for there is no enjoyment for him but in diligent employ-
ment. He thoroughly believes that no lazy man can ever be
saved, and proves his faith by his works.
This industrious trait has enabled him to realize the dreams of
youth. While laboring as a clerk, or otherwise, he used to look '
to better days, when he should have a more exalted calling and
occupy a better place in life. Today he occupies the chair of
president of a bank, and is a large stockholder. He is a director
in other banks, mercantile institutions, factories, etc. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no man more
interested in home enterprise and the growth and development
of its people than Heber J. Grant. He loves the energy, thought
and enterprise of accumulating wealth, but never hoards it up.
He is not penurious in any sense of the word ; it is not the
money which attracts him, but the good to be accomplished in its
use. He is often called to solicit large sums of money to pro-
mote some enterprise, and whether it be in the light of an invest-
ment or charitable offering, Apostle Grant ranks as one of the
HEBER J. GRANT.
272 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
most generous, never asking any man to do what he will not do
himself.
Of his missionary labors I cannot do better than quote the
words of Elder Edward H. Anderson : " Apostle Grant has
filled a number of important financial missions for the 'Church
and for the institutions with which he is connected. In the
panic of 1890-91 he visited leading Eastern and Western cities,
and obtained several hundred thousand dollars to aid institu-
tions in Utah that were financially distressed. During the suc-
ceeding dark days of 1893, he crossed the continent on such mis-
sions four times, and succeeded marvelously, and by the aid of
God, as he declares, in securing something over half a million
dollars for the Church and business institutions with which he
is connected. He was sent with the promise of President Wood-
ruff that he should succeed ; he had implicit faith in the Prophet
of God and that his words would be verified, as they were."
Heber ,T. Grant held the offices of Elder and Seventy prior
to his ordination to a High Priest, in October, 1880. He was
ordained an Apostle under the hands of the First Presidency and
Apostles on Oct. 16th, 1882, President George Q. Cannon being
the spokesman. His ecclesiastical missions have been in various
Stakes of Zion, in different states and territories of the Union
and Mexico. With Apostle Brigham Young and others, he went
to Sonora, Mexico, before any of the Saints were located in that
country. Their special work was to open up the Gospel to the
Yaqui Indians. In 1883-4 he, with Apojstle Young, visited the
Indians of the Navajo Nation, and the Moquis, Zuni and Papago
Indians. While away, they called a number of brethren and set
them apart to labor among these Indians.
One of the most striking evidences of Brother Grant's faith,
industry, courage and perseverance is his present effort in learn-
ing to sing. He is proving that singing is not altogether a gift
of nature, an inbred tendency, but that it may be acquired.
Brother Grant was a great admirer of the late Superintendent
George Goddard, whose life was devoted to Sunday school work.
He was fond of Brother Goddard's singing and the beautiful
sentiments expressed in verse. Being pronounced destitute of
vocal talent, Brother Grant used to read or quote songs of
Zion to the Sunday school children. At once an inspiration
seized him that he could learn to sing, and against all inherent
APOSTLE HEBER J. GRANT. 273
obstacles, to the amusement of the congregation and the amaze-
ment of eminent vocalists, he has persevered until he sings well,
and still improves by constant practice. Brother Grant is largely
engaged in the insurance business, and is very successful. In
appt -a ranee he is tall, with prominent, well defined features,
indicative of push and energy. He has recently been called to
open up a missionary work in the nation of Japan, and on July
4th. following the April conference of 1901, he left for his field
of labor.
In religious life my first recollection of Brother Grant was in
the Elders' quorum. He wrote and read an essay to the quorum.
He was then very young, but the essay to my mind was grand,
and made such an impression upon me that it remained with me
until I received a dream from the Lord in support of it, and
neither the essay nor the dream has ever vanished from my
memory. Elder Grant was early called to preside over the
Tooele Stake. He was successful in his administration and won
the love of the people. While acting in this capacity he was
called by revelation through the Prophet John Taylor, Oct. 13th,
1882, to be one of the Twelve Apostles. He is efficient and full
of energy in this high and holy calling. Brother Grant has
passed through many trials of personal affliction, sickness in his
family, the death of his affectionate, noble wife and loving chil-
dren, and has had financial troubles. In all these sorrows he has
shown his implicit faith in God, submission to Hisi holy will,
with endurance, patience and perseverance which know no
failure, and he never murmurs. He is a kind, indulgent father,
as well as a loving, obedient son. He is an honest man, an
industrious, faithful Saint, and truly an Apostle of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
18
APOSTLE JOHN W. TAYLOR.
JOHN W. TAYLOR, son of the late President John Taylor,
bears the distinction of being more unlike other men than any
one in his quorum. These peculiarities, when understood by
close acquaintance, 'are pleasant to contemplate, and afford a
happy relief from the monotony so prevalent among mankind.
He is strikingly original in all his expressions and methods. He
is not a copyist in any sense of the word, and at the same time
no man more than Elder Taylor appreciates the virtue of others,
or is more unselfish in affording facilities to exercise the talents
and gifts which he sees in his fellow men. He is never jealous or
envious of the talents or acquisitions of his fellows, but through
the greatness of his soul he thanks God for the blessings and
prosperity bestowed upon them, though he may himself be in the
depths of adversity.
In Brother John W. we see a perfect exemplification of the
Savior's words, "A good tree bringeth forth good fruit." His
father was one of the best and noblest of God's children, and he
ever strove to instill into the minds of his children the lasting
truths of eternal life, of true charatcer, honesty, thrift and in 1 -
tegrity. From his 'mother, Sophia Whittaker Taylor, he in-
herited sterling qualities, for she was blessed with a goodly
degree of spirituality ; indeed, s'he was an ideal Latter-day Saint.
He was born in Provo, Utah, May 15th, 1858. The time of
his birth was during that period when Johnston's army was
approaching Utah, and his father had moved his family south
of Salt Lake City. The spirit and emergency of the times seem
to be indelibly affixed as a characteristic of John W. He is full
of vital energy in body and spirit, and no matter what the con-
ditions confronting him are, he is always equal to the task.
In early life he was not afforded the same opportunities for
scholastic education as the sons and daughters of some other
families, but this did not bar his way to advancement and
development, for we find him ascending the ladder of progres-
sion step by step. Though he was deprived to some extent
of the advantages derived in the class room, he at least had
JOHN W. TAYLOR.
276 PKOPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
the wise counsel of a God-fearing father, who taught him to
do right, 'and whatever he found to do to do it well. This
motto has been the guiding stare of his whole life ; whatever
he is called upon to accomplish, he does it well.
At about the age of fourteen years he was ordained a Deacon,
and in this humble calling he worked earnestly and diligently.
Two years later, when he was ordained a Teacher, we find ham
working in the same energetic way. After his ordination to the
Melchisedek Priesthood he received liis blessing in the house of
the Lord, and with Elder Matthias F. Cowley, he was chosen a
counselor to President Edward W. Davis, of the Elders' quorum
of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. He was also very beneficial in
Sunday School work, and his ability to teacli the young, and
the tact and aptness he possessed in this regard was pronounced
the best in the land. Besides his work in the Sunday School
as a teacher, he was 'also connected with the Mutual Improve-
ment Association, in which he was an active and leading member.
At this time he was about nineteen years of age. In early life
he was made the recipient of heavenly visions and divine com-
munications. These holy inspirations have given him a sure
knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and Joseph
Smith a true Prophet of the Most High. No matter what he
may be called upon to do, by humility, determination and no
small degree of tenacity, he will accomplish the labor. The
occasion may require thought, discernment and quick action, all
of which he manifests, but the crowning feature of his life
is his sublime faith in God and the positive assurance of
the Holy Spirit that victory will come to right. His feeling
is pronounced that if we obey the injunctions of the Gospel
'and live righteous lives in all respects, God will fight the
battles of His people in whatever course He will have His people
pursue, at the same time maintaining a most independent nature
and having strong convictions on all subjects presented for his
consideration.
Apostle Taylor treats with the utmost respect the views and
sentiments of his fellow beings. His opportunities for schooling
were very limited, as stated, yet his peculiar gift of grasping the
situation around him causes men of much greater opportunity
and experience to look to him as a leading spirit. He possesses
talent in various directions, but he shines as an inspired preacher
APOSTLE JOHN W. TAYLOR. 277
of righteousness far brighter than in any other field of labor.
While in his boyhood he labored as a Deacon and Teacher in the
14th Ward, also as a Sunday School teacner to the primary
children, and in this line was pronounced by Superintendent
Goddard the best in the Church. He labored in the Ward also
as an Elder, and in this office filled his first mission chiefly in the
states of Georgia and Kentucky. 'My first recollection of his
public speaking goes back to a literary association in the Four-
teenth Ward, \vhen he was about eighteen years of age. He arose
apparently with perfect calmness and said : "I feel very weak
just now ;" then he paused for some seconds, and continued :
"That clock goes slower than I ever saw it before." Another
pause, and then : "I feel better now," and on -he went, ex-
pressing clearly exalted ideas and an exhortation to the young
worthy <a man of much maturer years. He was constantly grow-
ing in grace and a knowledge of the truth.
In the Southern States, while standing before the congrega-
tions of the people, his countenance would fairly shine with the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost. His tongue was loosed and he
spoke for hours at a time, one constant stream of heavenly ii>
spirations, and this was also the case in private conversation.
As a missionary, I feel safe in saying that Apostle John W.
Taylor is among the very best this last dispensation has ever
produced. He is kind, pleasant and lovable in all his walk and
conversation. Passing the humble cabin home of an aged couple
in Colorado one day, he said to his companion: "Let us go in
and chop them some wood." They turned in and chopped up the
wood pile, consisting of small quaking asps. The occuypants of
the 'house were greatly surprised to see preachers turn aside to
cut wood, but their friendship for the Elders was lasting. In
Kentucky he hoed corn side by side with several natives of that
State, and whih- he wielded the hoe with equal strength to his
companions, his mind was lit up with the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost, and he declared the Gospel unto them. Several were
converted and subsequently embraced the truth. Since then he
has labored faithfully at home, has been called to the Apostle-
ship, and for several years until recently, has presided over the
Colorado mission. This mission he opened and has conducted
missionary work in it with great success, many liaving received
the Gospel under his administration.
278 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS'.
Probably no man in the quorum enjoys the gift of prophecy so
much as Elder Taylor. He has uttered many prophecies, and so
far as time has brought them due, they have received a remark-
able fulfillment. He has great faith in healing the sick and in
all the gifts of the Spirit, Feeling that the Saints did not live
as strictly to the duties of the Gospel as they should, and conse-
quently failed to enjoy to a proper extent the gifts of the Spirit,
he requested the Patriarchs of the Davis Stake to get out among
the people, dedicate their homes to the Lord, call them together in
the cottage meetings and exercise the gifts of the Gospel. They
complied with his suggestion, he often meeting with them, and
the people spoke in tongues, and had the (interpretation, sang in
tongues, prophesied, healed the sick and enjoyed a Pentecostal
feast. For a number of years Elder Taylor has been the leading
Apostle in the growth and development of our settlements in
Canada. He is a leading spirit in all the interests of Zion tem-
porally and spiritually. May his life be long and happy, and
every desire of his noble heart granted.
APOSTLE MARRINER W. MERRILL.
MARRINER WOOD MERRILL was born in Sackville, Westmore-
land county, Brunswick, September 25th, 1852. Reared in a
cold, rigid climate, and nurtured in industry and thrift, *he is a
man of typical endurance and steady, unswerving character ; also
a man of remarkably sound judgment and foresight in all the
practical walks of life. With all his matter-of-fact, practical
disposition, he is very spiritual, and has perhaps as choice a
blending of the spiritual and temporal as any man in the Church.
Before embracing the Gospel he received a testimony from the
Lord that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. His own simple
statement of this great event is here given :
"When I was a boy of nine years my mother sent me to the
Tiay field, where my father and brothers were at work, to call
them to dinner. On the way I became unconscious, and was
clothed with a vision which I distinctly remembered w r hen I
gained my usual feelings and thoughts. After I became conscious
I found myself in a log cabin located on the way to the field. In
this cabin I was on my knees in the attitude of prayer. In the
vision I saw the Church and the Prophets Joseph and Brigham.
I saw the travels of the latter and of the Saints from Xauvco
and Winter Quarters to Utah. In the vision the sight of covered
buggies and wagons was peculiar to me, for at that time I had
never seen such vehicles, nor had I ever seen the mules which I
beheld in my vision. I saw two and sometimes six mules to a
wagon, and in the company of the pioneers I saw two men w'ho
had been boy friends of my youth, and each of them had more
than one wife. In my vision at that time the divinity of plural
marriage was revealed to me. I comprehended the doctrines and
principles as they had been revealed The progress and develop-
ment of the Church were shown, and the persecutions of the
Saints were made clear to my understanding, and I heard a voice
which told me that all I beheld was true, but I was cautioned to
keep to myself what I had seen until I should have the oppor-
tunity of leaving my native country. Upon reaching home I was
280 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
pale, and it was some time before I could speak distinctly. That
incident in my life made a very strong impression upon my
boyish mind, and one day I ventured to ask my mother a ques-
tion about plural marriage, why it was not practiced now as in
the days of God's ancient people. She answered in surprise by
asking what I knew about such things. Fearing that I might
betray the secret revealed, I made no more mention of the
matter."
Apostle Merrill is not what people generally term an enthus-
iast in religious matters, but is as firm as a rock in his con-
victions of the truth. He looks upon the Gospel of Jesus 'Christ
philosophically as the embodiment of all truth, whether that
truth is possessed by men of a strictly religious type or not ; he
thus measures all things by the Gospel standard, and if it will
not bear this test it is of little or no benefit to him. He emi-
grated to Utah in 1853, and early became acquainted with Pres-
ident Brigham Young, of whom he was a great admirer. This
feeling of attachment was reciprocated, for President Young
discerned in Brother Merrill the elements of a truly great man.
He doubtless 'had some premonition of Elder Merrill's future
worth to the Church, because of the confidence he placed in him.
In the early settlement of Cache valley, Brother Merrill was
called to be one of its pioneers. He located by direct inspiration
on the ground where Richmond stands, and soon after became
the Bishop of that Ward. This position he held for many
years, until called to be a counselor in the Cache Stake
Presidency. In the Richmond and Cache Stake of Zion he has
been truly a father to the people. No wiser counselor ever pre-
sided in Cache valley. He has the love, confidence and regard
of the people. If any one lacks in his esteem for Brother Mer-
rill, it is because he has failed to keep good counsel wh'ich may
have been given, for while he commands the respect of the
people, he lias ne\ 7 er acquired it by catering to the whims of any
one. In his family government he is a standing example to the
entire Church, having in that respect very few equals.
Brother Merrill has had some remarkable manifestations of
God's power and preserving mercy. An instance is here given
in his own language : "In the winter of 1855, I worked in what
was then called North Mill Creek canyon. The only team I
had at the time was one yoke of oxen ; with this I kept myself
MARRINER W. MERRILL.
282 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
busy during the latter part of the fall of 1854 and th beginning
of the winter of 1855, in hauling wood from the canyon to Salt
Lake City, where I sold it for what I could. In January, 1855,
the snow in the mountains was so deep that I was unable to
procure firewood, and I decided to haul some pine house and
stable logs. Myself and some brethren therefore shoveled and
broke the road to a small red pine patch of timber in the side
mountain, and when this road was completed for two days we
together hauled logs and timber to the city.
"Just at this time the weather became extremely cold, and.
a dense winter fog hung over the valley ; but high up in the
mountains one could overlook the cloud of fog. This condition
prevailed for several days, but exactly 'how cold it was I cannot
say, as thermometers were very scarce in those days. It was
during one of the early days of this cold spell the following
incident occurred :
"I left home very early in the morning to obtain a load of
logs. My wife remonstrated with me and tried to prevail upon
me not to go, as the weather was so very cold. I did not, how-
ever, heed 'her kind entreaties, but started upon: my journey ;
and, on arriving at the timber, was surprised to find that I was
the only one who had come for a load. I worked verp rapidly
for two reasons : one was that I might keep warm, and the other
that I might return 'home early. I cut, trimmed and prepared
five nice red pine logs about thirty feet long and ten inches
thick at the butt end, and about dx inches at the top. These I
succeeded in getting down to the place where I had left my bob-
sled and camp outfit, about a 'half mile distant. The place of
loading was very slippery, it being rather on a side hill. I had
my five logs arranged side by side below the sled, my oxen being
chained to a stump, where they were quietly eating their hay.
I proceeded to load the logs, designing to place three on the
bottom and two on the top of the three, which was my usual
way of hauling timber of that kind. I succeeded in getting the
first log on the sled without much difficulty. The bunk (canyon
men will know what a bunk is, especially if they were born in
New Brunswick) being icy, it was with some difficulty that I
could make the log stay w'here I had placed it on the sled ; but
I finally succeeded in blocking it up, and thought it secure.
Then I turned around to load the second log, and as I did so,
APOSTLE MARRINER W. MERRILL. 283
the blocking gave way and the first log slid rapidly from the
sled, catching me in the hollow of my legs and throwing ma for-
ward on my face across the log lying there. In falling, the
hand-spike in my hand, which I had been using in loading the
logs, fell far from my reach ; and I was thus pinioned completely
across the timber. The log that had slipped from the sled lay
across my legs, which were on the hard ice, and my body was
lying across the four logs.
"I began to think that I was- thus doomed to perish in the
canyon. I struggled desperately to release myself, but every
effort seemed to bind me the more firmly beneath the terrible
load which seemed crushing my very bones. While thus strug-
gling for relief I also prayed earnestly to the Lord for assist-
ance, and while doing JQ I lost consciousness. When I next re-
gained my senses I was half a mile down the canyon from the
place where I began to load, and was seated upon the logs,
which were loaded in the exact position that I had designed to
put them three on the bottom and two on the top of the three.
All were nicely bound with chains ; I was sitting upon my sheep-
skin with the woolly side up ; my whip wag placed on the load
carefully so it could not lose ; my overcoat, home-made jeans, lay
across the load in front of me, but within my reach.
"As I aroused from my stupor, I spoke to my oxen and they
stopped, and I viewed my surroundings with feelings that can-
not be described. I quickly took my bearings, as I was fa-
iniliar with every point in the canyon. Being quite cold, I
essayed to jump from the load and put on my overcoat ; but, to
my surprise, my limbs refused to do my bidding, they were so
sore and my body so badly bruised. I sat there and reflected
for a few moments upon my peculiar situation; looked around
my load and found everything in place, just as I would have
put the things myself ; my ax was firmly bedded in the butt
end of one of the logs, and everything else was in first-class con-
dition.
"After making another unsuccessful effort to get from the
load, I reached my coat, put it on as best I could in a sitting
posture, and started my oxen for home. I arrived safely about
one hour later than my usual time. My wife was very uneasy
about me on account of the lateness of my arrival, and because
of the fear ever present with her during the whole of the day,
284 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
that something would happen to my injury. She met me at the
corral and carried me in her arms to the house, which she was
then quite able to do, I weighing but a little over a hundred
pounds. I was placed in a comfortable position on the bed, and
she then cared for my team. For some days she carefully
nursed me before I was able to move around the house.
"I hesitated to narrate this incident because of the skepticism
which is so common at the present day, even among some who
profess to be Saints, concerning things somewhat supernatural ;
but I can truthfully testify in all soberness that some power
which I did not see assisted me from the position which doubt-
less would have speedily cost me my life/ As I was preserved
for some purpose known to my Heavenly Father, so do I also
believe that God will bless and preserve the lives of His faithful
children just as long as it is necessary for them to live to accom-
plish their missions upon the earth. The youth of Zion, and
all who have made covenants with the Lord should, therefore,
exercise faith in Him ; and He will, if necessary, send angelic
visitors to sustain and preserve those who put their trust in
Him."
Personality is strongly impressed upon his posterity. Among
them all, not one is disinclined to hard labor, either mentally or
physically. They are among the leading spirits in Northern
Utah. He is a staunch supporter of education and has provided
his sons and daughters with a good education ; they have grad-
uated at colleges at home and in the East. Several of his sons
are among the leading professors of the Brigham Young Col-
lege, the University of Utah, and the Agricultural College at
Logan. Numbers of 'his daughters also have been successful as
teachers in the school-room. With their educational attain-
ments they have also the sturdy, industrious qualities of their
parents and the practical experience given to them, by their
'honored father and mothers. They are all imbued with the
faith of their parents, and several of his sons hold positions of
prominence and responsibility in the Church.
As an example of Apostle Merrill's firmness to duty, an inci-
dent is related as occurring at the time of General Connor's
army passing through 'Northern Utah. Two of the soldiers
came to Bishop Merrill's home and had occasion to remain over
night. When the time of prayers came, Brother Merrill said
APOSTLE MA.RRINER W. MERRILL. 285
to the two visitors : "We hold family prayers night and morn-
ing at our house ; you are welcome to kneel with us in prayer
or retire until prayers are over." One of the soldiers, with
becoming humility, knelt in prayer, the other walked out of the
house until the devotional exercises were over. No matter who
Mas present or what embarrassments surrounded him, he was
never ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, nor afraid to do his duty,
lie has always been a strong advocate and supporter of home
industry ; he would give $25.00 for a suit of home-made cloth-
ing rather than $20.00 for an equally good one manufactured
abroad.
When the Logan Temple was prepared for use, President
Taylor appointed Brother Merrill to take charge, although
others were urged for the position. (Subsequently, with Anthon
II. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon, Brother Merrill was called
to the Apostleship, in which capacity he has proven himself in-
deed a disciple of the Lord. Unpretentious in his appearance,
his soul, like that of Nephi, "delighteth in plainness ;" his
counsels and teachings in public and private are full of inspira-
tion, discretion and good judgment, and are most strikingly
emphasized in his example and precept. At a time when Cache
Valley needed a man of unusual qualities to preside over the
Stake, although out of the usual course to take an Apostle,
President Snow designated Elder Merrill for the place. During
his administration the debts of the 'Stake have been greatly
reduced, and >a feeling of unity has been brought about.
Among the gifts enjoyed by Brother Merrill the spirit of
revelation and prophecy are not wanting. He lives near to the
Lord and is truly an Apostle of the Savior.
APOSTLE ABRAHAM H. CANNON.
ABRAHAM HOAGLAND CANNON was the son of George Q. and
Elizabeth Hoagland Cannon. He was born in Salt Lake City
March 12th, 1859, while his father was absent on a mission to
the Eastern States. As a boy he was given the best advantages
that the times afforded for an education, and being of a studious
nature he availed himself of the opportunities at hand, finishing
with the Deseret University. For some time, while his father
was editor of the Deseret News, Abraham was employed at the
institution as errand boy. Later he learned the carpenter's
trade at the Church carpenter shop, and worked on the Temple
block. He also studied architecture under Obed Taylor, and be-
came proficient in this branch.
When only twenty years old he was called on a mission to
Europe. For the first few months he labored in the Notting-
ham conference, England, when he was transferred to the Swiss
and German mission. He quickly mastered the German lan-
guage and traveled as a missionary in both Germany and
Switzerland, presiding over one of the conferences in the former
country. He composed some of the hymns now being sung by
the Saints in Germany, and met with marked success while on
this mission. During his absence his beloved mother died. He
returned home in June, 1882.
Soon after his return (Oct. 9, 1882,) Elder Cannon was or-
dained one of the First Seven Presidents of the Seventies. For
seven years he occupied this position, and at the general con-
ference of the Church in October, 1889, he was sustained as one
of the Twelve Apostles. From that time until the day of his
death (Sunday morning, July 19th, 189G,) he was the junior
member of the Council of Apostles.
Although called from this sphere of action in the very prime
of a useful life, he had been a diligent worker, a prominent
figure in business transactions, and a power among his brethren.
He seemed to possess extraordinary qualifications for business
management and successfully conducted many enterprises under-
ABRAHAM H. CANNON.
288 PROPHETS AKD PATRIARCHS.
taken under adverse circumstances. One fact connected with
Elder Camion's career in business ventures which stands out
noticeably prominent and important is, that all he did was
for the advancement of Uta'h and her people, and of those
dependent upon them. When twenty-three years of age he as-
sumed business control of the Juvenile Instructor and other
associate publications, developing what was then a small print-
ing establishment into one of the foremost publishing 'houses in
the West. During his management, which lasted until his death,
and although he laid no claims to literary ability, still we find*
that between his many duties, which were onerous to him, he
found time to write a vast number of articles for publication,
which were read with interest and delight by many thousands.
The amount of 'his labors in this regard cannot be computed.
In 1892 he, with his brother, John Q. Cannon, took charge of
the Deseret News, In the same year he became editor and pub-
lisher of the Contributor, continuing in that relation until his
death. The News, speaking of his marvelous business capa-
bility, gives the following items of interest :
"Of his other business ventures, there are so many that there
is room here for but a passing mention thereof. He w r as the
moving spirit in the 'Salt Lake and Pacific Railway, that great
enterprise which was to connect Salt Lake City with Southern
California, and to build a line into the Deep Creek country, and
which is still under way. He was elected director, vice-presi-
dent and assistant manager of the Bullion-Beck 'Mining Com-
pany. He was a director and one of the organizers of the State
Bank of Utah ; director of the Utah Loan and Trust Company,
Ogden; director in Z. C. M. I.; vice-president of George Q. Can-
non & Sons Company ; director in the Co-operative Furniture
Company ; first vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce ;
the owner of a prosperous book and stationery business in
Ogden ; he had also been an active promoter of canal and irri-
gation company enterprises, and was a member of the Deseret
Sunday School Union Board, to the duties of which he had
given much attention.
"In the vast amount of labor which he performed, and in
which he never seemed to tire, it may be said that during the
past twenty years he has accomplished much more than many
APOSTLE ABRAHAM H. CANNON. 289
truly active, energetic men have been able to do in double that
length of time."
In his religious life and duties Elder Cannon was scrupu-
lously strict and energetic. He was ever found ready to per-
form whatever was required of him, and was never known to
shift the burden to other shoulders. He was a true disciple
of Christ, conforming to every principle of the Gospel, and being
perfectly willing to suffer for the 'Master's sake. As a boy and
as a man he was frank and fearless, with a love and reverence
fcr things holy and divine that was sublime. He was virtuous,
thrifty, honest, upright and true. An incident in his life, which
bespeaks his fidelity and zeal for the Gospel, was when he was
arraigned before Judge Zane aud sentenced to six months in
the penitentiary for obeying and living in plural marriage. At
that time he was but twenty-six years of age. His conviction
for the right and his loyalty to the faith led him to say, as he
stood up to receive the judgment of the court :
"I would like to state to your honor that I have always en-
deavored to keep the laws of the United States, because I have
been taught by my parents that the Constitution was a sacred
instrument. That I have failed in this respect, and now stand
before you convicted cf the crime of unlawful cohabitation, is
due to the fact that I acknowledge a higher law than that of
man, which is the law of God; and that law being part of my
religion, sir, I have attempted to obey it. When I embraced this
religion I promised to place all that I had, even to life itself,
upon the altar, and I expect to abide by that covenant which I
made; and, sir, I hope the day will never come when I must
sacrifice principle, even to procure life or liberty. Honor, sir,
to me, is higher than anything else upon the earth, and my
religion is dearer to me than anything else that I have yet seen.
I am prepared, sir, for the judgment of the court."
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon was distinguished for his deter-
mination and perseverance. Whatever he undertook to perform
he worked with indefatigable, steady zeal to accomplish. If any
failure occurred it was not from a lack of ability or application,
but due to the changeableness of circumstances which mortals
have not power to control. It was my good fortune to know
him in boyhood. In his studies at school, while he did not dis-
play the brilliancy and rapidity characteristic of some young
19
290 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
men, there could be seen a steady growth, which knew no inter-
mission. It was onward and upward, not spasmodic, but one
constant forging ahead without halting or retreating. From the
time he was called to the Apostleship until his decease, he grew
spiritually and intellectually with a rapidity which seems to us
now to have been superhuman a preparation for the world to
come. In council, men twenty yeans his senior showe'd a defer-
ence to his judgment as being remarkably sound. The positions
of honor and responsibility conferred upon him in business life
testify to the high esteem in which he was held by his associates
in life. When he passed away, President Woodruff said that he
would miss him almost as much as any man could be missed in
the councils of the Priesthood, notwithstanding his tender years
thirty-seven but that he was prepared to labor in a higher
sphere, being one of the very purest and best of the Apostles of
the Lamb. The Deseret News, at the time of his demise, pub-
lished in its editorial columns this beautiful expression of love
and good will :
"Though the writer is speaking of his brother, the son of his
own father and mother, he knows that tens of thousands will
affirm his words when he says that Abraham Hoiagland Cannon
was one of the brightest and noblest spirits that ever moved
among the earth's inhabitants. His years were far too few to
let his greatness of heart and soul and mind become fully and
widely known, but those who knew him intimately, and could
read the auguries of his nature and character, foresaw in him
a man so good and great as to deserve a place among the first
of those who were born to bless their kind.
"His nature was always sweet and amiable ; his heart was
always tender and responsive; his sympathies for all mankind
were boundless. His love and reverence for his father and for
his mother, in her lifetime she is now some years deceased
were traits of a soul which feels the strongest and deepest emo-
tions. His attachment for his parents, his regard for their
wishes and obedience to their counsels, were, from his earliest
years, marked traits of a noble soul. For his brothers and sis-
ters he always felt, and by cutward demeanor showed, a love
that was a type of what such an affection ought to be.
"In his own household and in his bearing towards his wives
iind children, he was most loving, tender and solicitous ; ever
APOSTLE ABRAHAM H. CANNON. 291
patient and ever cheerful, coming as near to the fulfillment of
all that is required of a husband and father as the weakness of
mortality can come. Only the family of such a man can know
what such a man is, and what is signified by his departure from
this world.
"To his intimate associates and employes his manner was
simplicity, courtesy and kindness, all combined ; and to all with
whom he came in contact, whether they were kinsmen, co-
religionists or strangers, he showed by his deportment that every
act of his life was sought to be conformed to those high and
clear convictions of right that so distinguished his lofty mind.
"The writer cannot express the brotherly affe'ction that has
been disrupted, or the loss he has sustained. Though the elder
by two years, he leaned upon him who has gone, and in the
counsel and sympathy that were ever freely given, has found a
safe support. -The loss can never be repaired until the meeting
in and for eternity shall take place."
APOSTLE MATTHIAS F. COWLEY.
(By Elder Ben L. Rich.)
The strong fraternal feeling which has always existed be-
tween Apostle MATTHIAS F. COWLEY and my father, Ben E.
Rich, and the high regard in which I have learned from my
childhood days to hold the name of Brother Cowley, make it
a double pleasure to be permitted to write a brief biographical
sketch of him who, in my estimation 1 , is indeed an ideal Apostle.
In these days of selfishness and doubt, when most men devote
their time and employ their talents to the getting of wealth,
where friendship is but a kind of commercial devotion and
words are heard spoken everywhere to create distrust in men
and unbelief in Gcd, it gives comfort -to the heart to learn
that there are in the midst of us some good men whose entire
live's are consecrated to unselfish purposes, and whose whole
ambitions are to make men happy by teaching them belief in
their fellow men and trust in their Creator. The Apostles of
the Lord Jesus are even such noble and unselfish men and most
earnest in their efforts to make all mankind a family of friends
and brothers. The subject of this sketch is an Apostle, and if
all men were like him and his associates in thought, in act,
in goodness, what a world would we have ! And how unlike the
world would it be ! Contentment, peace and love would be in
every home, angels would associate with men, God would dwell
among us, and we would live the lives of celestial kings in the
great eternity.
Matthias F. Cowley was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on
the 25th of August, 1858, at a time when the valleys of the
mountains were just beginning to awaken, after the slumber of
centuries, through the hard blows of the Pioneers and early
settlers. His father's name was also Matthias, and he was of
Celtic ancestry. The elder Matthias was born on the Isle of
Man, emigrating in early youth with his parents to the new
world and settling near Nauvoo, Illinois. When the Prophet
Joseph iSmith was martyred at Carthage, he was thirteen years
MATTHIAS F. COWLEY.
294 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of age. Soon after the expulsion of the Saints from their
Nauvoo homes to the unsettled West, he found employment in
St. Louis, Missouri, in a printing office as apprentice. Eight
years after the tragedy at Carthage jail, he crossed the great
plains to Salt Lake City, where five years later he married
Sarah Elizabeth Foss, who came to Utah from the state of
Maine and was of Puritan extraction. Thus from this parent-
age, the father of pure Celtic stock, the mother of Puritan, and
both familiar with religious persecution and acquainted with
hardships incident to the settlement of a new country, Matthias
inherited a healthy and vigorous body, an active and determined
intellect, a mild and kind disposition, sympathetic and loving
to all around him.
In 1864, the fathe'r Cowley passed from this life into the
great beyond, leaving a grief-stricken wife and two small chil-
dren. Two had died. Matthias was the eldest of the four.
Several years after the death of her husband Sister Cowley
was married to Jesse W. Fox, a civil engineer of early Utah
days and of considerable skill and popularity in his profession.
Brother Fox made a kind and provident father to his foster
children and a good husband to the widowed mother. In those
early days in Utah there were no drones in society and people
everywhere earned their livelihood by hard toil. It was a
struggle then in which every capable man, woman and child
did his or her part towards the support of the family and the
Church. Very few children were cradled in luxury and "fed
from silver spoons." Most men who were born in the first
decade of Deseret's settlement were used to work. Whatever
education they possessed had been obtained at spare times in
winter when the earth lay under a covering of ice and snow.
They were brought up in a time when opportunities for school-
ing were scarce, but have been tutored in the schoolroom of
experience. They are self-made, and one of these who knows
the realities of life and who has overcome difficulties is by far
more manly than he who has been pampered and educated in
the university and who knows the theory and abstractions of
life. Matthias F. Cowley is a self-made man. When only
thirteen years old he gave his services in assistance to his step-
father in surveying. He worked in laying off the Utah South-
ern railway, now a branch of the Oregon Short Line south of
APOSTLE MATTHIAS F. COWLEY. 295
Salt Lake City. For seven summers he assisted his father
in civil engineering. During the winter months he attended
school at the Deseret University, now the University of Utah,
but in all his life has never served a whole school year at a
time. His scholastic training has been in fragments of about
three months a year. He showed that he possessed good brain
and a strong memory. When yet a. small boy his mother, a
teacher, and whose school Matthias had attended, delighted in
his aptitude for learning and faculty for retaining what was
taught him. When later he attended school he was studious
and learned easily. His mother desired that, he 'fit himself for
some' profession, or learn a trade ; but for some cause, he ob-
tained a general knowledge of things rather than perfecting
himself in any one line. He was good-natured and slow to
anger, was a favorite with 'his instructors and popular among
his schoolmates. He had a greeting for everybody and every-
body liked him. While he may not 'have realized that he was
learning his profession, he nevertheless was fitting himself for
his life work as he grew to manhood. His thoughts always
turned to the serious and spiritual rather than to the com-
mercial. To him this life was real and wonderful and he often
speculated on deep questions. He thought of where he came
from and where he was going when he left this life. He was
honest, prayerful and conscientious. He could not enter a sem-
inary to be educated for the ministry, because the Church to
which he belonged had no seminary ; but he read the Bible
and enjoyed the Sunday sermons which he heard. His father
and mother had sacrificed much for their faith, and he would
not shrink from duties to his Maker df his services were re-
quired.
At the age of nineteen Elder Cowley received a call to fill a
mission in the Southern States, to which call he responded,
and forthwith left for the South and commenced his labors in
Kentucky, from which he went to Virginia. Today Elders
traveling in Bland, Tazewell and Smith counties, Virginia
Elder Cowley's old field meet with people who vividly remein
ber the youthful preacher and speak of him in most respectful
terms. In Virginia he learned to express his thoughts in public
by the aid of the Holy Spirit. One country gentleman remarked
lately to a missionary, "that young Elder Cowley of yours
296 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
is the preachingest man I ever heard." Elder Cowley learned
the Gospel and was not backward in expounding its teach-
ings. His sermons were' forceful, not that mechaniical style
which comes with preparation and rehearslal, but a spon-
taneous, earnest, unaffected style of speaking, a kind which
holds the minds of men and carries conviction with it. He
filled a successful mission and assisted in bringing 114 people
into the Church. After laboring twenty-seven months without
purse or scrip, he secured a release to return to his mountain
home. Elder Cowley was one of the first missionaries called to
the Southern States under the presidency of Elder John Mor-
gan, his name appearing eighth on the mission records. Five
months elapsed and he received another summons to a mission
to the Southland. At the commencement of this mission, and
notwithstanding his youthfulness, President John Morgan
placed him in charge of a company of -Saints emigrating to Col-
orado. President Morgan was a* 1 " ; f '"<> ^'d not think Elder
Cowley too young to lead such an expedition, ami be replied,
"No, you may trust him with anythdng ; he is eminently capable
of discharging his duties satisfactorily, but still better, he is
humble and always relies upon the arm of the Almighty." On
his return trip from Colorado he met his companion, Elder
John W. Taylor, at St. Louis, and together they proceeded to
tlie State of Georgia, where they prosecuted their work, sowing
seeds of truth in places where there were rocks and tares.
They endured many hardships common to all missionaries of
the Latter-day Church who go out into the world for their
faith. They were often weary from long marches under the
Southern sun; they were often hungry, but always found
friends who took them in, and provided for their wants. They
bore their trials with glad hearts and without complaint. From
Georgia Elder Cowley went to St. Louis, and there, with Elder
George C. Parkinson, Geo. E. Howe, and local 'Saints, they
rented an assembly hall in which they conducted sacred ser-
vices. He wrote several articles for the St. Louis Globe-
Demccrat in defense 1 of the Latter-day Saints. Brother Cow-
ley believed that time spent in the mission work was time spent
for his God, and acting upon that unselfish belief he employed
every available means of preaching the Gospel, and while not
engaged in writing or talking for his cause, he carefully read
APOSTLE MATTHIAS F. COWLEY. 297
the scriptures and stored his mind with words of wisdom. The
little Bible that he carried was one which his father had owned,
and used on a mission in England ; while using his book, more
than at. other times, he iseemed more serious and spiritual as 'if
the spirit of his dead sire commune'd with and gave him in 1 -
spiration.
In the spring of 1882, Elder Cowley accompanied President
Morgan with another company of Saints to Colorado, and
returning East, interviewed David Whitmer and heard him bear
a strong, earnest testimony that he had seen an angel of God
and the plates from which the Book of Mormon was trans-
lated. In the autumn of the same year he was released from
his duties and returned home. As his first 'mission was a suc-
cess, so also was his second. He had performed honorable work
and left his name on the lips of many a person who had been
made to rejoice through his ministry.
Elder Cowley, after the completion of his second mission,
interested himself in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement
Association. He became identified with the organ of that in-
stitution, the Contributor, and traveled throughout the ter-
ritory in its interest. He succeeded in increasing the circula-
tion from 1,300 to over 4,000. He infused ne"w life into the
society. May 21st, 1884, the first day the Logan Temple opened
its doors to Temple work, he was honored to partake of its
blessings, securing in marriage Miss Abbie Hyde, daughter of
William Hyde, a member of the famous Mormon Battalion
who participated in that memorable march to California. Elder
Cowley was ordained a High Priest October 25th, 1884, by
Apostle Francis M. Lyman, and the same" year was chosen to
preside over the Y. M. M. I. A. of Oneida Stake, Idaho, having
seventeen organizations under his supervision. Three years
subsequently he was chosen a counselor to President George
C. Parkinson, of Oneida Stake, in which capacity he served for
ten years. He ever held the welfare of the Saints under his
jurisdiction uppermost in his endeavors and strove always for
their comfort and advancement. He commanded the respect
and won the love of his people. Every widow in Oneida Stake
knows Matthias F. Cowley, because he has done something or
said something to cheer her in her bereavement ; every orphan
knows him, because they have rceived comforting ministrations
298 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
from him. No person has ever been turned away from his
door hungry, and shelter was never denied a wayfarer.
At the general conference of the. Church in October, 1897,
Brother Cowley was called to the quorum of the Apostles and
sustained in that calling by the unanimous vote of the Saints.
He was ordained an Apostle by President George Q. Cannon.
His selection was unlocked for by himself or his friends, but
as an Apostle he will be successful, because he will win the
affections of the whole Church and because success is a part
of his being. However unlooked-for his calling to the Apostle-
ship, two little incidents are cited to show that it had been
predicted. When he was ordained a Seventy President Joseph
Young officiating, 'staid : "Your name corresponds to that of
an Apostle of old, and you shall perform a similar mission."
Again, Elder John W. Taylor, his companion in Georgia, in
a letter to him under date of March 19th, 1882, said : "If
you are faithful, the day will come when you will become one
of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints in all the world." This communication was sent to
Elder Cowley before he was twenty-five years of age, and when
he was a poor, obscure" missionary, fifteen years before he
received his high commission.
In less than a month after he was chosen an Apostle, he and
Apostle Lyman commenced a tour through the Southern States,
this being the third mission Elder Cowley had undertaken in
the South. His mission record shows that when he entered
upon his third mission his number was 2286, there having been
2188 missionaries sent out during the interium of his second
and third Southern missions. From the South the two Apos-
tles went to the Northern and Eastern States missions, visiting
Philadelphia, New York and Washington, at which latter place
they were received by President McKinley. Apostle Cowley
since his ordination, has been on a continuous mission to the
Northeast, South and West. His three Southern and one Mon-
tana mission (which latter Elders Stevenson and Cowley were
called to open up) prepared him for his missionary career
which now will continue until his hair becomes white with the
frost of years.
Apostle Cowley has preached the Gospel and borne his testi-
mony to the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission in every State
APOSTLE MATTHIAS F. COWLKY. 299
and Territory in the United States, excepting Alaska and the
foreign additions, and doubtless before many years shall have
elapsed, his voice will be heard in every land where there is
Anglo-Saxon people. He truly is a missionary Apostle. .
Apostle Cowley has a most excellent character. He is simple
in his manners and unassuming at all times. He is honest in
his dealings and punctual in his appointments. He was never
charged with vanity, and egotism he knows not of. Humility
is his constant companion and love and purity dwell in his
heart. He always has the interest of the Church uppermost in
his thoughts. When the Trans-Mississippi Congress was held
in Ogden, Utah, in 1893, he was appointed a delegate from
Idaho. He felt his weakness to accomplish much for the con-
gress, in attending a gathering where the great and honored
were to assemble, but remarked that he would go, "for," said
he, "I may get an opportunity of explaining the Gospel to some
stranger and say a good thing for Zion 1 ." The first day of the
Congress found Matthias F. in a seat by the side of a visitor
from Vermont, to whom he received an introduction. The
visitor, a lawyer by profession, learned that his companion was
a "Mormon," and commenced to ply innumerable questions to
him concerning "Mormonism." He became very much interested
in his Mormon friend and accompanied Mm one evening to
listen to a lecture by Elder B. H. Roberts on spiritualism.
Elder Cowley remained with his new acquaintance until after
midnight, explaining his faith. During his visit to Utah the
lawyer was introduced to President Woodruff and confessed
that he had not taken so keen an interest in any subject for
years as he had taken with his friend Cowley in discussing
"Mormonism." Elder Cowley slept with him one night and it
was gray in the East before they closed their eyes. In the
morning the lawyer related a dream that he had during his
sleep ; it was that in two years he should be promoted in some
way through Elder Cowley's labors and that in four years
Elder Cowley should attain a position of high responsibility.
The Congress being adjourned, the lawyer visitor left the Ter-
ritory, but two years thereafter met with an accident which
resulted fatally. Upon hearing the results of the accident,
Elder Cowley performed a vicarious work for his friend, thus
promoting him through his labors, and in four years Elder
300 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Cowley was called to be an Apostle, by which calling he at-
tained a position of high responsibility. Thus the dream had
a fulfillment.
There is in him so much of good that he has been called an
"Israelite without guile." He has every reason to feel satisfied
with his achievements and success, and standing today in the
vigor of healthy manhood, the possessor of a strong mind and
a true heart, and with the prayers of half a million people for
his preservation, he may look into the future with hope and
contentment and be proud of his faculties and possibilities in
his great mission to save the souls of men.
APOSTLE ABRAHAM OWEN WOODRUFF.
ABRAHAM OWEN WOODRUFF was called to the Apostleship
when only twenty-six years of age. He is young in looks, with
an open, bright countenance which indicates an honest heart
and a quick intellect. He was born November 23d, 1872, in
Salt Lake City, the home of his birth being a two-roonied log
house with the overhead used for stoiing grain and other farm
products fcr winter use. This humble dwelling place was lo-
cated on his father's homestead which he (President Wilfcrd
Woodruff) erected soon after coming into the valley with the
original Pioneers in 1847. The quaint old house was warmed
in the old-fashicned way, by means of <a fireplace furnished with
dog-irons. Brother Woodruff is his mother's youngest sx>n,
and among his playmates and associates he was familiarly
known as "Owen." From both his progenitors he inherited
habits of industry which are essential to growth in every
avenue of life. His boyhood days were spent on Ms father's
homestead, where he learned to hoe corn, plant and do general
farm work. This work gave him some of the sturdiness and
hardihood of his good father and fitted his physique for hard-
ships and difficulties which all usually meet in the battle of
life. Of his early school days he says that he "was a thick-
headed scholar and more mischievous than studious." However,
he mastered the" first elements of addition, subtraction and
multiplication. He was extremely fond of fishing, hunting and
all outdoor sports. His first definite enterprise in life was that
of gathering watercress from Liberty Park springs for the
market. By this means he furnished himself with pocket
money, which was used only for the necessary things of life;
money earned by such diligent toil was too valuable to be
wasted or spent in useless things. At the age of ten he might
have been seen herding cows along the banks of the Jordon, or
"taking a swim" in the river while the cattle quietly grazed.
From the district school he was entered upon the roll of
the Latter-day Saints college. His tutors were Professors
302 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
Done, Talmage and Maeser. After spending five years in this
institution he entered the employ of Zion's Saving Bank and
Trust company, Salt Lake City, but did not seem to enjoy his
occupation. While so engaged he received a call to perform
a mission in Europe. He had just passed his twenty-first year.
Of this mission I do not feel that I can do better than take
the liberty of quoting the Juvenile Instructor, under date
of December 1st, 1900 :
"In the year of 1893, his father was far from enjoying his
usual good health. The illness of his father, consequently,
made his departure to a foreign land not a very easy matter.
But, trusting in Providence and acquiescing with his father's
wishes, he started for the Swiss and German mission. Within
a few days after his arrival at the mission headquarters he
was appointed to labor, without a companion, in Frankfort-
on-the-Main, at which place he was instructed to open a mis-
sion. A very charitable family opened their doors to him, which
materially lessened the difficulties under which he was to begin
his labors. The first task before him was that of mastering
the difficult German tongue. But this good family gave him
willing and efficient aid in his task. He would read in concert
with the children, finding in them his natural teachers. He
would arise at six o'clock in the morning and put in two
hours of diligent work on the German grammar. He did not,
however, spend all his time in studying the language and re-
citing it, but with singular courage and characteristic zeal he
set about his "Father's business." He distributed tracts during
the day and held meetings in the evening. His knowledge of
German was, of course, exceedingly small, but he straightway
began to preach and to expound the scriptures in a broken,
stammering manner. He was at first laughed at, but nothing
daunted, he prosecuted his labors, and in an exceedingly short
time acquired the language. It came to him, he says, as a gift.
"After five months of aggressive, 'single-handed labor, a com-
panion was sent to him, and in a short time a branch of the
Church was organized where he had labored. Two months
more elapsed, when he was called to the presidency of the
Dresden branch. Not long after he had commenced his labors
there, he dreamed one night that he was fishing in a beautiful
stream of water. In the dream, he was fortunate enough to
ABRAHAM OWEN WOODRUFF.
304 JMIOPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
catch three trout. The dream proved to be prophetic, for very
soon afterward he baptized a man, his wife and daughter. The
ordinance was performed in the river Elbe, beneath the shade
of the spreading lindens, en the exact spot where, many years
before, Elder Budge baptized two of our very highly respected
brethren Elders Karl G. Maeser and F. Schoenfeld.
"Elder Woodruff at this time had great pleasure in meeting
and preaching to the old-time associates and fellow teachers
of these brethren. They showed him great respect and were
courteous in their attention to Elder Woodruff, but it seemed
that they were actuated by a sense of regard for their old as-
sociates rather than the teachings they heard.
"While he was presiding over this new conference, Elder
Woodruff spent much of his time in distributing the written
word in the villages that border the Elbe, extending from
Dresden to Bohemia. He even entered one Bohemian Village
and deliveTed his message there. He was called from Dresden
to Berlin, over which conference he presided one year. This
conference comprehended such cities as Berlin, Stettin, Soreau
and Broskau. While laboring there the civil officials under-
took the banishment of the Mormon Elders, and in order that
the good work might not be stayed, the Elders were often com-
pelled to employ most subtle methods in order to carry on their
labors without detection and consequent interruption. At
Ernest, Elder Woodruff was disguised as a country swain. He
donned the rude garb and heavy clogs and with the other
peasants toiled in the shop or field during the day. With his
fellow rustics, he ate the black bread and smear. No sooner,
however, did the evening shades fall than he would meet in
some humble cottage a company of eager Saints, who would
perchance bring some trusted friend with them whom they
hoped to lead into the Gospel light. One thing that impressed
Brother Woodruff deeply was the absolute trustworthiness of
those country Saints. He found them as true as steel and never
were they known to disappoint an Elder or betray his confidence
in those trying times.
"At this juncture, a furlough was granted him, during which
he made a most enjoyable tour of the greatest European cities.
He visited Austria and Italy, and spent the Fourth of July in
Geneva. He spent ten days in Rome visiting, among other
APOSTLE ABRAHAM OWEN WOODRUFF. 305
places, the Vatican. From there he went to Naples, Pompeii,
and Herculaneum. Having read Bulwer-Lytton's fascinating
novel, these latter two places were exceptionally delightful to
him. He then returned to the mission and, after reviewing his
old field of labor, received a release and returned home, having
performed a faithful and acceptable mission.
"Elder Woodruff reached his native city in 1896. For a
short time he resumed his work in the bank. On the 30th
of June he was married to Miss Helen/ May Winters. During
October conference of the same year he was called to the
Apostleship, and on the 7th day of October was ordained to that
office by his father."
In the later years of his father's life he was his close com-
panion, and gathered from this worthy sire many lessons of
great worth which President Woodruff had acquired in a well
spent life of pure and true devotion to God. One striking
tendency and characteristic of Brother Owen Woodruff since
his call to the Apostleship is an eager interest in colonizing new
locations for the settlement of the Saints. From the outset he
has had charge of the Big Horn, Wyoming, settlement. He has
been there several times, assisted chiefly by President Joseph
W. McMurrin, and thus far has manifested wisdom and devoted
interest to its growth and development. Apostle Woodruff,
like his honored and respected father, is humble yet perfectly
confident of the favorable outcome of every responsibility as-
signed him in connection with the work of the Lord, for he
is possessed of a strong and abiding faith. He is noted for
unhesitating obedience to the suggestions of the Prophet of
the Lord, and when set to accomplish any task he never doubts
or quibbles or wishes that another had to bear the brunt of any
labor assigned to him. When appointed to any labor, he works
with all his might, mind and strength, coupled with implicit
faith in our eternal Father. He is young, healthy, active and
faithful in his high calling and will doubtless accomplish a
mighty work in the earth, and live to see the redemption of
Zion.
20
APOSTLE RUDGER CLAWSON.
Perhaps no Apostle of the Church, in such a brief time in
these days, has passed through more diversities and ordeals
than has Elder RUDGER CLAWSON. In 1857, at Salt Lake
City, March 12th, he first saw the light of day, Bishop H. B.
Clawson and Margaret Gay Judd Clawson being the honored
parents of the "new comer" to mortality. From his early
boyhood he has been religiously inclined, seeking for a knowl-
edge of the things of God in preference to all other pursuits.
He seems to have taken special interest in the Book of Mormon,
and if one would follow closely his sermons and discourses,
this fact will be noticeable, for he is able to quote copiously
from that sacred record. His own testimony in this regard is :
"Early in life I became deeply interested in the Book of Mor-
mon, which I read and re-read, and drew from its divine pages
inspiration and hope. Faith sprang up in my heart. By a
careful study of that glorious book, well defined ideas of right
and wrong were firmly fixed in my youthful mind, and I was
then measurably able to withstand the temptations that as-
sailed me and was able to escape many of the sins and follies
to which seme of the young are addicted. With advanced years
conviction has constantly grown upon me that the Book of
Mormon is the grandest book of the age." His words in rela-
tion to this Book may well be supplemented by what he once
said about going to meeting: "I remember the interest I felt
as a boy, in the Sunday meetings at the Old Tabernacle, and
later in the large New Tabernacle. The sermons of Presidents
Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith and the
Apostles and Elders made a profound impression on my mind
for good. From my own experience I am led to believe that the
effects and influence of the teachings of our leaders upon the
youth of Zion I mean the very small boys and girls, who in
the midst of the congregations sit almost unnoticed is greater
than many suppose.
Elder Clawson while attending school was also a member
RUDGER CLAWSON.
308 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
of the Wasatch Literary Society, which has produced not a few
men who have occupied prominent places in business and re-
ligious circles. When only eighteen years old, having left
school but a few months, he became private secretary to Hon.
John W. Young, the president of the Utah Western Railway
company. In his employment he spent two years in the East,
the major portion of the time in the city of New York, although
he visited most of the prominent cities. This experience, for
one so young, was invaluable, and served him to good purpose.
At the age of twenty-two he was called to fill a mission in the
Southern States. The records of that mission show him to
be "No. 34." It was while laboring in the State of Georgia
that his bosom friend and companion, Elder Joseph Standing,
was brutally assassinated by a wicked mob.
Apostle Clawson is of a strong character. Early impres-
sions of the truth were developed in his mind from the teachings
of his parents, from reading the Book of Mormon and attending
services in the Tabernacle. The habits of his youth were re-
markably clean and pure, just such a person as is designed to
grow in grace and knowledge of the truth because entitled to
a companionship of the Holy Spirdt ; not a flashy intellect, but
one susceptible of deep, strong convictions which, when one
idea is learned, readily adds another related to the first and
remarkably capable in a quiet, unostentatious way to apply
the knowledge acquired. He is a man of cool temperament and
moral courage of the highest type. His experience at the mar-
tyrdom of Elder Joseph Standing proved him to be" of the ma-
terial of which martyrs are made. The danger to himself and
President John Morgan at the trial of the murders in Dalton,
Ga., was not a trifling one, and the presence of mind displayed
on these occasions proved Brother Clawson to be a man of no
ordinary strength of character. His three years' experience in
the Utah Penitentiary, for conscience sake, was a period of
patient suffering, yet many incidents associated with it stamp
him as a man among men, a man of courage, patience and
determination to rise above the conditions which sometimes
break the spirit of the ordinary mortal. Elder Clawson was
placed in prison for doing what he knew to be his duty, obeying
a law of God. Like other valiant men when given the oppor-
tunity of freedom in exchange for conscience, he announced
APOSTLE RUDGER CLAWSON. 309
to the court that when there was a conflict between the laws
of God and of man he would obey God and suffer the conse-
quences. The grand trait of his character herein expressed
was not a sentiment of words with him. It was and is the
living, unchanging character of the man. He has lived his
professions, and under every condition has served God and not
man. Duty, not pleasure, is ever his choice. His efficiency in
presiding over the Box Elder Stake of Zion was discerned by
President Snow while yet they were prisoners together in the*
penitentiary. During his presidency there he won the confidence
and esteem as well as the love of all right-feeling Latter-day
Saints. He accomplished much to advance the interests of
the Saints in spiritual and temporal affairs. When the Taber-
nacle in Brigham City was burned, he went quietly yet firmly
to work for its reconstruction. He obtained contributions from
Non-"Mormon" business men in Salt Lake City and Ogden,
even from the judge who had sentenced him to prison. In
rebuilding the tabernacle, President Clawson proved his prac-
tical judgment in constructing a house of worship by the man-
ner in which he remodeled it, making it, inside, one of the best
tabernacles, if not the very best for ease and convenience, of
any of its size in the Church. While thus presiding he was
called to the Apostles'hip and has become one of the soundest,
wisest and most capable counselors and Apostles in the Church.
At the general conference held in Salt Lake City in October,
1901, Apostle Clawson was called to the First Presidency, being
made Second Counselor to President Lorenzo Snow. He held
this distinguished position but a short time, the death of the
President making a reorganization necessary, this resulting in
the choice by President Joseph F. Smith of Elders John R.
Winder and A. H. Lund as his Counselors.
Brother Clawson is a very competent bookkeeper, and is so
thorough ?n auditing accounts and ascertaining the true condi-
tion of financial enterprises, that in the financial affairs of the
Church he is always safe authority. He is truly a grand
man. Those who know him best love him most. He is indeed
an Apostle of the Lord and a great worth to his people.
APOSTLE REED SMOOT.
The subject of this sketch was born in Salt Lake City,
January 10th, 18G2. His father, Abraham Owen Smoot, was
of Kentucky birth, and his mother, Anna Kerstina Morrison,
came from Norway; thus did he possess the bold, fearlessness
of the sturdy Norsemen and the courage, trustworthiness, honor
and hospitality of the Kentuckian. From his youth he has been
energetic in every sense of the word, forming plans, shaping
ends and never resting satisfied until the mark set was reached.
In early life it appears that Brother Smoot sought after the
material with more earnestness and vigor than he did the
spiritual. He was not religiously inclined and his tendencies
seem to have launched him upon a temporal wave. This is
duly true of his early youth, for as he began to grow in years
he also grew in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. In
all 'his habits he was temperate and moral in his character,
with a determined will, and active mind and a loving, generous
heart.
Almost twenty-seven years ago, his father, President Smoot,
pronounced a patriarchal blessing upon him in which these
prophetic words were uttered : "Thou shalt be associated in
the labors with the wise counselors of Israel, and if thou art
faithful, though shalt not be a whit behind the chief est cf the
Apostles." This was an inspired prediction, and from a worldly
point of view it did not appear at all probable of fulfillment.
When we consider the fact that at the time of the promise
Brother Smoot was a mere lad between twelve and thirteen
years of age November 24th, 1874 we at once observe that
the Spirit of Almighty God actuated the honored sire who pro-
nounced the blessing. His parents taught him in the iioly
precepts of God's laws, and the lessons he received in childhood
ripened in his mature years and bore fruit to the honor and
glory of God. His first schoolroom was in the house of Bishop
George Romney, where he was tutored for one season under
the charge of Miss Barbara Romney. This was in the year
1868. The" next year he attended the Ward school and continued
REED SMOOT.
312 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
there until 1870. His father and a portion of the family had
moved to Provo in 1868, and about 1872 Reed also took up his
abode in that city. Bishop O. F. Whitney has this to say in
a brief treatise on the life of Apostle Reed Smoot :
"Elder Smoot's ecclesiastical record is as follows: He was
baptized at eight years of age in the Endowment House at 'Salt
Lake City, and was ordained a Deacon July 15th, 1877. In
1879 he was made a Priest and in April, 1800, an Elder. Four-
years later he was ordained a Seventy by Elder Abraham H.
Cannon, one of the First Council of Seventies, and in April,
1895, was ordained a High Priest under the hands of President
Joseph F. Smith. At the same time he was appointed second
counselor to President Edward Partridge, who had succeeded
President A. O. Smoot, deceased, as the presiding authority of
the Utah Stake of Zion. Elder Smoot continued to serve as one
of the presidency of that Stake until called to the Apostleship
on the 8th day of April, 1900. The same day he was sustained
in that exalte'd position by the voice of the general conference,
and was ordained an Apostle by President Lorenzo Snow on
the day following.
"While a member of the Utah Stake presidency he was ap-
pointed to raise means to pay off the debt then hanging over
the unfinished Stake Tabernacle, and to complete that struc-
ture. This duty he performed with his usual promptitude and
success, the debt being cancelled and the building completed
accordingly. He has acted for years as one of the board of
trustees of the Brigham Young Academy, and is a member of
its executive committee. He solicited subscriptions for and was
the main instrument in the erection of the new college hall,
an adjunct to the Academy, in the success of which he has ever
been deeply interested.
"It can be truly said of Apostle Smoot that he has never
sought preferment, either civil or ecclesiastical. He has worked
honestly and faithfully at whatever he had in hand, industry
and continuity being his watchwords, recognized by him, even
while a boy, as the keys to success and prosperity, and his tal-
ents and his labors alone have recommended him for promo-
tion. This accounts for the general feeling of satisfaction
manifested by the vast congregation, whiich, in the afternoon
of Sunday, April 18th, 1900, at the great Tabernacle in Salt
APOSTLE REED 8MOOT. 313
Lake City, voted unanimously, with their hearts as well as
their hands, to sustain him as one of the Twelve Apostles of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Much of this
good feeling was doubtless due to the fact that many present
were acquainted, not only with the marked ability of this young
man, but with the good and wise use that he has made of that
ability and of the means it has enabled him to accumulate.
"Many know of the valuable aid that Reed Smoot has ren-
dered from time to time in a financial and executive way to
this or that struggling institution, but few are aware of how
numerous are his private acts of beneficence. Truly 'has it
been said that ostentatious charity insults the misery it would
relieve. Reed Smoot's charity is not of that kind. He does
not ask a friend in trouble, "What can I do for you?" or say,
"If there is anything you want, let me know," thus throwing
upon the afiTicted soul an additional burden and subjecting it
to unnecessary humiliation. He shrewdly sees the need and
tactfully supplies it, without speaking or awaiting a word.
And this is charity, true charity, for it is generosity, it is big-
ness of heart, and as far outsoars mere almsgiving as the eagle
outsoars the swan.
In person Apostle Smoot is tall and well built, though his
unusual height makes him appear almost slender in frame.
He moves with the rapid, energetic stride characteristic of the
rustling business man. He is punctual dn keeping his ap-
pointments, and, as he says, owes his greatest losses in time
to the failure of other men to promptly keep theirs. He pos-
sesses a fearless candor, "speaks right out in meeting," says
exactly what he thinks, and yet is courteous, considerate and
kind-hearted. He expresses himself with intelligence, earnest-
ness and humility, both by tongue and pen. His genius is
practical and progressive. As a financier and an executive,
his talents are of the first order, and the fallacy is long since
exploded that the Lord has need of but one class of men in any
department of His mighty and marvelous work. "My duty
first, my pleasure afterwards," may be said to be our Apostle's
favorite motto, one that he faithfully exemplifies, and this is
just as true since the great spiritual awakening experienced
by him as the result of his foreign mission and his appointment
as one of the presidency of the Utah Stake, as it was when he
314 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
was devoting himself, heart and soul, almost entirely to com-
mercial pursuits."
Elder Smoot has risen from the humblest walks of life,
spiritually and financially, by virtue of true merit. In many
respects, especially along financial lines, his experience has
been very similar to that of Apostle Heber J. Grant. At an
early date he felt the inspiration of business pursuits, and from
an humble laborer in the Z. C. M. I. at Provo, he rose rapidly
to the station of superintendent. In mining, merchandizing,
sheep industry, banking and other vocations he has displayed
marked ability and has become one of Utah's leading business
men. He has, while not holding political office, acquired promi-
nence in political circles. He enjoys the acquaintance and
confidence of the present National Administration, many of
whose members would gladly have welcomed him to Washing-
ton in the capacity of United States Senator. He could have
received the hearty support of the legislature, but felt it his
duty to decline, for, as heretofore stated, duty is always first
with Apostle Smoot, no matter what may be the temptations
and inducements held out for his consideration. Elder Smoot
performed a good mission in Europe, laboring in the Liverpool
office, traveling in the field, visiting the continent of Europe,
and was especially useful in matters of emigration. He was
efficient as a counselor in the presidency of the Utah Stake,
and now as an Apostle of the Lord, 'his counsel and judgment
are esteemed as the choicest value. He is ever on hand to fill
any call and ready at all times to advocate the cause of Zion
in public and private. He is honest and frank in his expres-
sions. When he gives his views you know exactly what he
means. He has strong convictions and is truly a leader with
noble traits and qualities among the people of God.
APOSTLE HYRUM M. SMITH.
HYRUM MACK SMITH, always known among his associates
as the "Peace-maker," was the first son of his parents
Joseph F. and Edna Lambscn Smith and was born on the
21st day of March, 1872, in Salt Lake City. He was very
carefully guarded by his mother, who was loath to let him out
of her sight, and who, in his younger days, would never permit
him or his brothers, to go beyond the confines of the garden
gate alone. He was safely tucked away in bed, long after
he reached the age of hundreds of the boys and girls, too
that we now see playing in the streets until late at night.
His mother, a woman of strong character and great faith,
often gathered her children, and many of the children of her
neighbors, round the hearthstone and spent hours relating to
her never-tiring listeners the stories of the Bible, Book of
Mormon, and of the history of the restoration of the Gospel
and early rise of the Church. The lives of Joseph, Moses,
Samuel, David, our Savior, and His Apostles, were vividly con-
trasted with those of Pharaoh, Saul, Judas, Herod and Nero.
The great faith and obedience of Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Mormon
and Moroni were clearly portrayed to be vastly better and
more acceptable to the Lord than the doubt, wickedness and
murderous apostasy of Laman, Lemuel, Sherem, Korihor and
Gadianton. The visions of Joseph Smith, his trials and
persecutions ; the rise of the Church ; the patient toilings of
the Saints in building a city and temple to the Lord, only
to be driven by a murderous mob of wicked men, beyond the
boundaries of civilization, there to build another city and
temple ; the final, cruel murder of the Prophet Joseph and
his brother, "the grandfather of you children;" the destruction
of, and expulsion from their beautiful city of Nauvoo ; the
long, weary march across the desolate plains, and the halt
upon the most desolate, forbidding spot of all, where their
prophet leader, striking his cane into the parched soil, ex-
claimed, "It is enough. This is the right place," were all
316 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
most vividly described and indelibly impressed upon the
minds of the little ones. All these things Hyrum eagerly
drank in and pondered upon. His father, President Joseph
P. Smith, would also gather round him his boys and girls and
teach them to shun evil, to be honest and truthful, associate
with no bad companions, and, with picture and narrative,
show them the results of doing right and wrong. Thus
were Hyrum and the other children made the companions of
their parents, friends unto whom they could go at all times,
and pour out the inmost secrets of their hearts in full con-
fidence. He grew up, developing to a marked degree the
boundless love and impartial affection which he had been accus-
tomed to see his father and mother mete out to their chil-
dren, and his father to his wives. Until he left the paternal
rcof of his parents he would be visited by that ever loving
father, who must still kiss him and tuck the covers snugly
around him. Even today, whenever father and son meet, in
the home, on the street, in the office, it matters not where,
they meet with an affectionate and holy kiss. I have heard
his wife banter him and say, "Hyrum is the biggest baby I
ever saw; I believe he would die if he could not go home
and see his mother every day." He was taught to love
his home, an4 there he could always be found when no
duty called him away.
He attended the public schools, and later the Latter-day
Saints College, from which he graduated in June, 1894- On
the 15th of November, 1895, he was married to Miss Ida
Bowman, of Ogden, and on the evening, of the next day
he departed on a mission to Great Britain. Upon arriving
at Liverpool he was appointed to labor in the Leeds con-
ference, where he engaged in regular missionary work. In
October, 1896, he was called to preside over the Newcastle
conference, which position he held until he was honorably
released to return home in February, 1898.
Upon arriving home he was at once set apart as a home
missionary. He also acted as assistant teacher and as cor-
responding secretary of the Twenty-fourth Quorum of Seventy ;
he was employed at Z. G. M. I, where he remained until
October 30th. 1901.
When the Salt Lake Stake was divided he became a
HYRUM M. SMITH.
318 PROPHETS AND PATRIARCHS.
resident of Granite Stake. Here also he labored as a home
missionary, and later was called to act as Stake secretary
of the Sunday schools, which office he filled to the satisfac-
tion of the stake authorities. He was chosen to be one of
the Twelve Apostles, by the spirit <of revelation, on October
24th, 1901, and ordained by his father on the same day.
He is a young man who has striven to profit by the excel-
lent teachings he has received from his parents. He gives
his parents and the Lord the credit for enabling him to say
that up to the present time he has never tasted tea, coffee,
tobacco nor intoxicating drinks of any kind; that he has
never taken the name of God in vain, nor befouled his mouth
with profanity ; that he has never in his life spoken dis-
respectfully of his parents, but that he honors and loves them
with all his soul ; that he has always defended the princi-
ples of the Gospel and the servants of the Lord ; that he has a
testimony for himself that God lives, and tnat Joseph Smith
was the prophet through whom He restored the Gospel of
Jesus Christ in these latter days, and that he hopes, by the
help of the Lord, to ever be found working diligently or bat-
tling, if need be, in defense of the truth.
We think it not saying too much, that no man has been
called to the Apostleship with a clearer, purer and better
record, and before whom there is a brighter prospect of growth
in wisdom, knowledge and power. He will have the love
and approval of the Lord and the cheerful support of all the
Saints. May bis life be a long and useful one to th|e
cause of Truth.
COWLEY'S TALKS
ON
DOCTRINE
One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints.
21
PUBLISHED BY
EJ N . K. RICH
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
1902.
PREFACE.
OTWITHSTANDING what has already been written upon
the principles and doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as
taught by the Latter-Day Saints, I feel an assurance that this
little work will be received with no little pleasure and a great
degree of satisfaction by members of the true Church, as well
as those who are seeking light upon religious topics.
The style in which the articles comprised in this little volume are
written, is pre-eminently plain, and peculiarly adapted to the reading
public. Loaded as the articles are, with careful thought and numerous
scriptural quotations and references, itself not only a thought gatherer but
a thought generator, it will come as a valuable aid to our missionaries and
theological organizations, and also to the many investigators throughout the
civilized world. Truth in studied brevity has been aimed at, without
seeking the least embellishment of diction.
With an intense desire to impart the truth to mankind as widely as
possible, this little messenger is sent forth, trusting that it may prove a
blessing to thousands who are as yet grovelling in darkness and superstition
and lead them to the sunlight of truth.
THE PUBLISHER.
Chattanooga, Tenn.,
February, 1902.
APOSTASY.
The subject of Apostasy occupies the minds of people of
modern times but very little. This, however, is not surprising
when we consider their views regarding the 'Church of Christ;
for they claim a continuation of divine authority and the plan
of salvation from the apostolic age 1 to the present time, the idea
prevailing among them being, that the Bible alone is a sufficient
guide without immediate and continued revelation. In this re-
spect, the position of the Latter-day Saints differs widely from
that of all other religions organizations. The Saints bear no
relationship to any, but declare in words of soberness, that our
Heavenly Father has restored the Gospel by modern revelations
to the Prophet Joseph Smith. This being true, there must have
been a departure from the" proper order of the Gospel.
To prove that this has been the case, we will refer to state-
ments of Holy Writ. In II Peter i :20, it is said, "Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private inter-
pretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will
of man ; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost." The Savior said, when addressing His disciples:
"And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another,
and shall hate one another, and many false prophets shall rise
and deceive many, and because iniquity shall abound, the love
of many shall wax cold." (Matthew xxiv :1<KL2.)
To this testimony of Matthew, concerning the words of the
Savior, in relation to the subject under consideration, there
will be found the corresponding testimonies of Mark and Luke.
It will be remembered also, that the testimony of the Lord was
in answer to a very important question. When He" had foretold
the overthrow of the temple, His apostles asked Him : "When
shall these things be, and what shall be* the sign of Thy coming,
and of the end of the world?" The appearance of false
prophets; the deception of man; the martyrdom of the apos-
tles ; the betrayal of the Saints ; the love of many waxing cold ;
the overwhelming prevalence of iniquity ; the universal discord
and contentions of the nations, all were prominent events to
324 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
transpire before the advent of the Savior to reign in power
and glory upon the earth. To this we will add the words of
Paul : "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him,
that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day
of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive! you by any means : for
that day will not come, except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (II
Thes. ii: 1-4.)
It is evident from the foregoing that some we're likely to
be deceived with regard to the time of His second coming. Paul,
to prevent their being misled by false teachers who were likely
predicting the Savior's advent, testified that there should come
a "falling away first." The language is so pointed that one can
readily se"e that nothing but a departure from the unchangeable
plan of salvation could fulfill this prediction. We read in the
Scriptures that "God hath set some in the Church, first apos-
tles; secondarily, prophets," and other officers; all of whom
were divinely inspired "for the work of the ministry," with spir-
itual gifts following the baptized believers. Only a short time
elapsed, however, before these officers, principles, gifts and bless-
ings, mentioned in the New Testament, w>ere not to be found
on the earth; and when we examine the religious institutions
of the present time, these things, which God set in the Church,
are not found, save with the Latter-day Saints. The present
generation then, 'as those of many centuries past have been,
are witnesses to the verification of the words we have quoted.
When Paul was about to depart from Miletus, he called to
him the Elde'rs of the Church from the city of Ephesus, and in
his farewell address warned them, as appears in the following
words : "For I know this, that after my departing shall griev-
ous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of
your own selves shall men arise", speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after them." (Acts xx:29,30.) As an evi-
dence that this prophecy was being verified as early as the time
of the' apostle John's banishment on the Isle of Patmos, this
appears in the second chapter of Revelations, first and fifth
verses : "Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus write :
APOSTASY. 325
These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right
hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candle-
sticks ; Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and
repe'nt, and do the first works ; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of this place, ex-
cept thou repent." By reading the second verse we discover
that false teachers had arisen among the people, professing to
be apostles, thus verifying the words of Paul. Following closely
the context, we discover that similar reproofs were meted out to
most of the branches of the Church in Asia, because they were
departing from the truth.
Peter, the presiding apostle, also has spoken very plainly re-
garding the apostasy. Beginning with the first verse of the 1
second chapter of his second epistle, we read : "But there were
false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be
false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring
upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their
pernicious ways 1 ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be
evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise" of you : whose judgment now
of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth
not." From this we learn not only that false teachers should
arise among the people, but that they should succeed in deceiv-
ing the people, causiing them to follow pernicious ways. In con-
nection with this part of the subject, Paul says to Timothy :
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doc-
trine"; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears ; and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and sihall be turned unto fables." (II
Timothy iv : 3, 4.) Thus it is clearly stated, not only that men
should arise "speaking perverse" things," and by their evil de-
signs succeed in making innovations upon the teachings of the
apostles, but that the people themselves would be so allured
from the way of life, as to heap unto themselves these false
teachers, and many would adhere to their spurious doctrines.
The terms "heap" and "many" do not signify a few but a great
number.
These quotations from the Holy Scriptures bear especially
326 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
upon the internal eruptions that occurred in the Church, causing
many to depart from the straight and narrow path which leadeth
unto life eternal. Those causes which create internal division
and discord in the midst of the Saints are" the worst of all, for
"a house divided against itself cannot stand."
Having shown that many of the ancient Saints departed from
the plan of salvation, we will now proceed to examine another
branch of the subject, namely : The External Events in Connec-
tion with the History of the Church which Conspired to Over-
throw the People of God. From the quotations here given, stat-
ing that "the love of many waxed cold ; many shall follow their
pe'rnicious ways," etc., it may be asked, "What shall become of
the few who were faithful? Did not they confer the authority
upon a people in some remote corner of the earth? And from
thence has it not continued, as the true Church, down to the
present time?" In answer to these queries we shall refer to
declarations of Holy Writ.
When the Savior made His appearance in the flesh there
were many religious denominations extant, some of which pro-
fessed a firm belief in the Bible the" Old Testament and not-
withstanding the ancient prophets plainly foretold the birth and
ministry of the Savior, the religious element bitterly opposed
Him and denounced new revelation, as manifested through the
Redeemer. This peculiar perversity of the human family has
been displayed prominently whenever the Almighty has intro-
duced a new dispensation of the Gospel. The Lord, fully under-
standing the result of such batter persecution, said to His
apostles : "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and
shall kill you ; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name-
sake." (Matt. xxiv:9.)
The vile treatment to which the ancient apostles were subjected
and the martyrdom of many of them, is known to all acquainted
with the history of those inspired men ; and scriptural evidence
as to their having be'en informed thereof in advance is quite
abundant. The Savior says in Mark, thirteenth chapter, ninth
verse : "But take heed to yourselves ; for they shall deliver you
up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and
APOSTASY. 327
ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a
testimony against them." Another witness to this testimony of
our Savior has also left us the following : "And ye shall be be-
trayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends,
and some of you shall they cause to be 1 put to death."
It is a remarkable fact that, in every age of the world when
the Lord has committed a disipensation of the Gospel to men
upon the 1 earth, the heavenly message has been rejectd by
the great majority of the human family, and the envy and
hatred of many have been such as to instigate measures of
violence against the humble servants of the Lord. Especially
is this true when applied to the professedly religious element,
and more directly to those who aim to be public instructors
of the people. Notice the action taken by the Pharisees, Sad-
ducees and other religious classes regarding the ancient Saints ;
while the devotees of these sects were divided on points of
doctrine and disagreed upon the writings of the prophets,
they combined their efforts to overthrow the Lord's chosen
people. The Savior, indicating the class who would imbrue
their hands in the bleod of the prophets, said : "These
Things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be
offended. They sdiall put you out of the synagogues ; yea, the"
time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will thdnk that he
doeth God's service." (John xvi : 1, 2.) This could not apply
to the 1 atheistic world, for it denies the existence of God. It
could not mean the infidel class, for while they may not deny
the existence of a Supreme Being, they disavow all forms of
worship. The Savior's prediction was directed to the religious
world, and from the facts of the case, it seems especially appli-
cable to that portion of it which cladmed to believe in the
writings of the" ancient prophets. Immediate revelation from
heaven has always come in contact with the vain traditions
and religious crafts of men, so that the strictest professors of
religion anciently were, and are now, among the" foremost in
persecuting the Saints and seeking to deprive them of the
rights and privileges which other men enjoy. In connection
with the evidence found in the Holy Scriptures on this part of
the subject, the thousands of Latter-day Saints who have suf-
fered by the hand of oppression in this dispensation of the
Gospel, are living witnesses.
328 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
While the revelator John, who was the last remaining
member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles on the Eastern
Hemisphe're, was in banishment upon the Isle of Patmos, he saw
the image of a beast, representing a power that should arise!
in the earth, make war upon the 'Saints and overcome them.
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like unto
the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blasphe'me His
name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints, and
to overcome the'm ; and power was given Him over all ktn-
dreda, and tongues, and nations." This declaration of the
Scriptures is very broad, indicating clearly that the Saints
should be overcome, and the power of the* beast should be
so extensive as to cover all "kindred, tongues and nations,"
thus leaving the people destitute of divine authority and bereft
of the glorious plan of redemption.
By turning to the second chapter of Daniel, we learn some-
thing with regard to the' period of time when this power which
made war with the Saints and overcame them should flourish
in the earth. The metallic image which Nebuchadnezzar saw
in his dream consisted of gold, silver, brass, iron and clay, so
we are told in the interpretation given by Daniel the* prophet.
It represented several kingdoms, beginning with Babylon,
which we learn from history flourished in the fifth and sixth
centuries before Christ ; and second, the Medio-Persian govern-
ment, from about 530 to 331 B. C. ; third, the Macedonian
kingdom, founded by Alexander the Great, from 331 B. C., to
161 B. C. ; fourth, the Roman Empire, established in 161 B.
C., and which flourished until 483 A. D. This last named
government was represented in the metallic image by the
two legs of iron, which resembled very much the two divisions
of the Roman Empire, the one having its seat of government at
Rome, the other at Constantinople. These subsequently sub-
divided into the petty governments of modern Europe, having
in them the elements of strength and weakness, as indicated
by the feet and toes of the image, which were part of iron and
part of clay. It will be observed by the dates given above
that it was during the time of the Roman Empire that our
APOSTASY. 329
Lord and Savior was born into the world. As early as the
banishment of the apostle John, about 96 A. D., we discover
that nearly all apostles forming the chief quorum of officers
in the Church of Christ had beefn martyred. We are informed
in Mosheim's Ecclesiastical Institutes that the year 70 A. D.
Vespasian and his son Titus besieged the city of Jerusalem
with an army, destroyed the city and the temple and slew
many of the inhabitants, this event having been predicted by
the Savior, and recorded in Matthew, twenty-fourth chapter.
In speaking of this power that should destroy the Saints,
Daniel the prophet, says, "And he shall speak great words
against the Most High and shall wear out the Saints of the
Most High." We might illustrate how literally these" prophecies
were verified by the following example : Previous to the late
Civil War in the American Union, the South organized a re-
publican form of government with the requisite officers to con-
stitute such a government. In a short time, however, the
Northern States engaged in war with the South and overcame
them, so that the confederacy of that section ceased to exist.
Suppose a stranger should visit the South at the present time
and inquire of some" person in that region of country if they
have a republic entirely independent of the North, and on
being answered "We have," the visitor queTies, "Where is your
president?" "Well, he is done away with, because no longer
needed." He is asked, "Where is your vice-presiident?" "Oh,
we have none 1 ." "Where is your congress?" "Well, that was
dissolved long ago and has not existed since." "Pray, then,"
says the stranger, "What have* you left?" "Well, we have a
judge, and a policeman, besides the book which gives a history
of the officers you inquire about." Such answers, however
absurd and inconsistent, are very similar to those offered by
the religious world of today who claim to have 1 the Church of
Christ ; but when asked where are their apostles, they answer,
"We have none, they are 1 done away with." "Have you
prophets?" "Oh, no! They are no longer needed." "Do the
members of your church enjoy the" gifts of the Holy Spirit
that Jesus promised should follow believers?" "Certainly not,
they have passed away centuries ago, and we have" no occasion
for them now." "Well, then, what have you left?" "Why,
we have a pastor and a de-aeon, and then we have the good
330 COWLEY 'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Book, the Holy Bible, that describes the officers you mention."
It is very clear, from the condition of affairs, that we have
briefly described, that at siome period in the past, the Church
of Jesus Christ was taken from the earth and the human
family left without the direct and authorized administration
of the plan of salvation. The prophecies we have quoted
show, first, that such an event was to transpire some time
in the future; second, about the period of time in which
many of these predictions were verified, and, third, the means
of power by which the Saints were overcome".
There are other prophecies in the Bible which plainly show
that the extent of the ancient apostasy would be" universal
and continue in the earth until a certain period in the history
of the human family, which will, with other items, form the
subject matter for our next consideration. As the predictions
of the prophets relating to the past have been so laterally veri-
fied, this fact should promote, in the hearts of the people 1 , great
faith .in the words of the Lord, as these are given in the Bible.
We have shown that the Church established by the Savior
in all its pristine beauty and purity was taken from the e'arth.
As none of the religious denominations, existing between the
time of the ancient apostles and the nineteenth century have
received a new commission from heaven, that fact is proof that
the effect of the primitive apostasy has extended without inter-
ruption to the present age" of the world.
Dr. Mosheim is the author of four large volumes of religious
history comprehending about eighteen centuries of the Christian
era. This work has been translated by Dr. Murdock with
copious notes, or extracts, from the writers who lived con-
temporary with the times of which he writes. From the
translation of Mosheim's Ecclesiastical Institute's we make a
few quotations.
In speaking of the second century of the 'Christian era,
Mosheim says (Vol. 1, p. 142) : "For the noble simplicity and
the majestic ddgndty of the Christian religion were lost, or
at least impaired, when the'se philosophers presumed to asso-
ciate their dogmas with it and to bring faith and piety under
the dominion of human reason." On pages 182 and 183 of the
APOSTASY. 331
same volume we are informed that, to conform to the customs
of Jews and Pagan priests, rites and ceremonies were added
to the simplicity of correct worship, and a "large part there-
fore of the Christian observances and institutions even in this
century had the aspect of Pagan mysteries." Passing on to
the third century on page 257, we have the following : "All
the monuments of this century which have come down to us,
show that there was a great increase of ceremonies." Page
259 : "Baptism was publicly administered twice a ye'ar to can-
didates who had gone through a long preparation and trial."
Of the fourth century we learn from p. 345 that the regard
for Platonic philosophy was embraced and mingled with the
doctrine of the Savior : "Hence it is that we see on every
hand evident traces of excessive veneration for Saints in
heaven ; of belief in a fire to purify souls on leaving the body ;
of partiality for priestly celebacy ; the worship of images and
relics, and for many other opinions which, in the process of
time, almost banished the true religion or at least very much
obscured and corrupted it." Of the fifth century, an account
is given of impostors perpetrating artifices to make people
think they were miracles and thereby induce them to embrace
Christianity. Religious teachings, we are informed, "were sub-
stantiated, not so much by the declarations of the Holy Scrip-
tures, as by the authority and logical reasonings of the ancient
doctors." Page 455 : "The whole Christian Church was in
this century overwhelmed with these disgraceful fictions."
We might proceed with similar quotations relative to subse-
quent centuries intervening between the fifth and the time of
the Reformation, but the foregoing will suffice 1 to show that
religious matters grew worse from one age to another, pre-
senting to the world a mass of religious confusion. Although
there may have been honorable men who protested against
these evils, it is evident that genuine authority and the princi-
ples of the Gospel in their purity could not be derived from
such a corrupt source 1 . We are informed in the Scriptures
that an evil tree will not produce good fruit nor a bitter foun-
tain send forth sweet waters. As neither Luther, Melancthon,
Huss, Zwingli, Calvin nor any of the reformers of that age
received revelation from heaven authorizing them to establish
the Church, we find that the world was still without the plan
332 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
of salvation, and that the products of the Reformation, as
religious bodies, are the offspring of the mother church, de-
scribed in the Scriptures as the" "mother of harlots and
abomination of the earth." This unnatural mother, like some
of the fashionable women of modern times (whose husbands
and illicit patrons are zealously opposing the Latter-day
Saints), endeavored to procure abortion, but failing in this,
she tried to destroy her children after birth. Both attempts
being futile, the children grew to years of maturity and in turn
gave birth to other children, and so on until now there are sev-
eral generations of them living. 'These offspring, being without
natural affection, have been and still are quarreling with each
other and casting missiles at their mothers and grandmothers
as the case may be.
In the midst of thus religious spectacle, however, there are
and have been many honorable people who have realized the
fallen condition of the world and were honest enough to ac-
knowledge the same. From Elder John Morgan's Tract No.
1, we make the following extracts : "Roger Williams refused
to continue as pastor over the* oldest Baptist church in America
on the grounds that there was no regularly constituted church
oil earth nor any person authorized to administer church ordi-
nances, nor can there be until new apostles are" sent by the
Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking."
(See Picturesque America, page" 502.) Smith's Bible Dic-
tionary also says: "We must not expect to see the Church
of Holy Scriptures actually existing in its perfection on the
earth. It is not to be found thus pe'rfect either in the collected
fragments of Christendom or still less in any one of these frag-
ments." The names of sixty-five learned divines and biblical
scholars are on the preface page as contributors to and en-
dorsers of this book.
Mr. Wesley states that the reason the gifts are no longer
in the church, is because the love of many waxed cold and the 1
Christians had turned heathens again and had only a dead
form left. (See volume 1, sermon 94.)
The situation of the religious world is beautifully depicted in
poetic verse on page forty-one of the Latter-day Saints' Hymn
Book, in a hymn from Wesley's collection. In speaking of the
APOSTASY. 333
golden age of the apostles and prophets, when the Saints were
endowed with spiritual gifts and graces, the writer says :
"Where shall we wander now to find
Successors they have left behind?
The faithful whom we seek in vaiin
Are 'minished from the sons of men.
Ye different sects who all declare :
'Lo ! here is Christ' or 'Christ is there !'
Your stronger proofs divinely give,
And show me where true Christians live."
I will now quote from the Bible to illustrate how plainly the
prophets foretold what the writers from whom I have quoted
clearly show to have been verified : "Behold the days come,
saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not
a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the
words of the Lord : And they shall wander from sea to sea
and from the north even to the east they shall run to and fro
to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." (Amos
viii: 11, 12.) We learn from this that the time was coming when
men should seek to the four points of the compass, and in all
directions, and yet fail to find the word of God ; but we find the
Bible in every direction, and that is said to contain the word
of the Lord. Very true, but that word was directed to past gen-
erations and is a record of the dealings of our Heavenly
Father with His children in bygone days.
The sacred record states: "Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but He reve<aleth His secrets unto His servants the
Prophets." (Amos iii : 7.) From this we learn that if there
are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing
nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth ;
but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption,
then there must be prophets. By this it will be easy to ascer-
tain whether the prediction of Amos has been, verified or not.
Who, previous to the year 1827, for many centuries has found
in his researches an inspired prophet who could stand in the
midst of the" people and say, "Thus saith the Lord?" Have not
the people denied the prophets and visions of heaven? We
learn from the nineteenth chapter of Revelations that "the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Therefore, if any
334 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
have had this testimony they have been inspired with the
spirit of prophecy. And again, we are informed by the Savior,
as written in the sixteenth chapter of John, that the "Spirit
of truth shall guide into all truth," and "show you things to
come." Who has seen thangs to come? And where is the word
of the Lord? Surely not with those who deny prophets and
apostles.
We? learn from the twenty-fourth chapter of Isaiah that the
effects of this ancient apostasy would be so universal as to
cover all classes of society, affecting not only the religious and
social circles, but the business transactions of the human fam-
ily. In the second verse he says: "And it shall be as with the
people, so with the priest ; as with the servant, so with h.s
master ; as with the maid, so with her mistress ; as with the
buyer, so with the seller ; as with the lende'r so with the bor-
rower ; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury
to him." By reading the fifth verse of the same chapter we'
learn that even the earth upon which we dwell is seriously
effected. Isaiah says: "The earth also is defiled under the
inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant."
As a testimony to the fulfillment of this prophecy, thousands
of people dn the American Union are witnesses to the fact, that
in many parts the? land will not produce such prolific crops as
it would several years ago, but is gradually growing weaker and
losing its virtue. Many places once fruitful are now turned
aside as being too poor to cultivate, and are occupied by hedge'
grass, sassafras bushes and growths of small pine. iSuch is the
rapid decline of the strength of the soil. I have been informed
that in one state some of the people, desiring to learn why the
soil was losing its virtue", took quantities of earth from different
po-ints and had it analyzed. The analysis revealed the fact that
the soil had lost its salt and was therefore comparatively of
but little worth, only to be trodden under the foot of man. This
test of the soil in one section is a fair sample of the same con-
dition of the land in many other places. These are the terrible
effects, Isaiah informs us, of the inhabitants of the earth trans-
gressing "the laws," changing "the" ordinances," and breaking
the "everlasting covenant."
Among other important features wherein the everlasting cov-
APOSTASY. 335
enant has beeti broken is that pertaining to the marriage con-
tract, which, agreeable to the laws of heaven, is binding through
time and eternity, not recognizing death, which is said to be the
"wages of sin," as having power to sever that which is joined
together by the power and authority of God. The world is now
following the pattern of the Sadducees (who denied the resur-
rection), and therefore pronounce the ceremony of marriage
"until death do you part."
Another prophecy which vividly portrays the religious state
of affairs in the last days is that contained in (II Timothy iii :
1-6) as follows : "This know also, that in the last days peril-
ous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-
breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but denying
the power thereof ; from such turn away."
This is so plain that no one need to doubt its verification.
It clearly sets forth the very evilsi that are now prevalent in all
the civilized nations of the earth. While this statement of evils
may apply to the world at large, it is evident that it was directed
specially to a certain class of people" not to infidel nor atheist,
nor yet to the heathen nations, which are unacquainted with the
name of the Savior and with what is termed Christianity, but
to those religious bodies which, as Paul declares, "have a form
of godliness, but deny the power thereof." It plainly describes
the situation of the Christian world at the present time,
who, while they have various forms of worship, deny the
gifts of vision, prophecy, healing, tongues and nearly all the
manifestations of the power of the Lord, as enjoyed by the
ancient Saints. In fine, they deny the Gospel, for that, says
Paul, "is the power of God unto salvation." The apostle, it
appears, would not attribute to them even true forms of worship,
for he says they have a "form of godliness." "From such,"
says Paul, "turn away."
If all would receive this admonition and "turn away" from
these powerless forms, what would become of the churches that
are now extant? With the foregoing positive predictions upon
this subject, and the facts before us in verification of the same.
336 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
we can testify that the words of Isaiah have been fulfilled,
wherein he says : "Behold the darkness shall cover the earth
and gross darkness the people ;" and that nothing short of more
revelation direct from heaven could place the present generation
in possession of the everlasting Gospel.
Having shown that many of the ancients fell away from that
Gospel ; that the faithful remainder were warred against by
the enemies of truth, and that the last of the saints
who held the Priesthood were overcome, leaving no successors
to continue the works of the ministry ; it is therefore made clear
that the plan of salvation was taken away from the earth, that
the results of the ancient apostasy were universal and nave
extended down without interruption to the present century.
The gloom that these serious events would cast upon the
minds of the honest in he'art who saw this sad picture unfolded
to the gaze of the world, and which would effect their posterity
in future generations, was greatly relieved when they beheld,
while rapt in heavenly vision, angels' from the mansions of glory
descending to the earth with the Gospel message in all its purity
and holiness, to deliver to the sons of men, causing the "poor
among men to rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." The apostle'
John, while in banishment upon the Isle of Patmos, said : "And
I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the ever-
lasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and
to every nation, and kindred, and tongue", and people, saying
with a loud vo'ice, Fear God, and give glory to Him ; for the
hour of His judgment is come ; and worship Him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water."
(Revelation, xiv :6, 7.) There are now thousands of honest-
hearted people upon the earth who testify that the angel spoken
of in the foregoing quotation visited Joseph Smith, the prophet,
and delive'red to him the everlasting Gospel. Scattered Israel is
coming to a knowledge of the truth while the day spoken of by
Jeremiah is dawning. "O Lord, my strength, and my fortress,
my refuge 'in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto
Thee' from the ends of the earth, and shall say, surely our
fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is
no profit." (Jeremiah xvi : 19.)
These predictions are being fulfilled and will be 1 fulfilled to
the very letter; and as the apostasy and its effects were" uni-
APOSTASY. 337
versal, so will the restoration of the Gospel be universal, extend-
ing to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, until Satan
shall be bound and the voice 1 of "peace on earth and to men
good will" shall be heard from the rivers to the ends of the
earth; when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea ;" and when "they shall teach
no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother,
saying, know the Lord ; for all shall know Me, from the least
of them unto the greatest."
22
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL.
Having shown conclusively that the Church of Christ in its
purity and entirety was taken from the earth, we find the world
without divine authority, without ordinances of the Gospel, hav-
ing a "form of godliness but denying the power thereof."
"From such turn away."
This would be truly a sad picture to gaze upon and contem-
plate, were it not that the! Lord also revealed to the apostles and
prophets anciently that in the last days there would be a re-
storation of all that had been enjoyed in previous dispensations.
The apostle Peter, speaking of the second advent of the Messiah,
prophesied as follows : "And He shall send Jesus Christ, which
before was preached unto you : whom the heaven must receive
until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world
began." (Acts iii :20, 21). This prediction is so plain that a
"wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein."
A restitution means bringing back that which was lost ; even
if God had not spoken by the mouth of many prophets since" the
beginning, giving in detail various conditions which would be
restored to the earth, this prophecy would be sufficient in itself
in assuring "a restitution of all things" to justify mankind in
looking for a new dispensation containing all the gifts and
powers of the apostolic age".
These gifts- and powers do not exist in the Catholic church,
nor in any Protestant denomination of modern Christendom.
Nothing short of new revelation from God will fulfill the pre-
diction of the apostle Peter.
The twenty-second and twenty-third verses of the same proph-
ecy read: "For Moses truly said unto the fathers" (his prophecy
here quoted by Peter is found in Deuteronomy, 18th chapter,
commencing with the fifteenth verse), "A prophet shall the Lord
your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;
Him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever He shall say unto
you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not
hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people."
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 339
This prophecy undoubtedly .refers to the Savior, but the condi-
tions specified were never verified at His first coming. Those
who would not hear Him were not destroyed from among the
people. It is plain therefore that the prediction must allude to
His second advent. In this connection, we refer our readers to
the third chapter of Malachi, 1 to 3, inclusive: "Behold, I will
send my messenge'r, and He shall prepare the way before me ;
and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple,
even the messenger of the cove'nant whom ye delight in, behold
He shall come, said the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the
day of His coming? A<nd who shall stand when He appeareth?
For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap, and He shall
sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He shall purify the
sens of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may
offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."
These conditions did not exist when Jesus came as the Babe
of Bethlehem. The people then abode His coming. They despised
Him, and persecuted Him to the death. The sons of Levi were
not purged. Many centuries have elapsed since they offered an
acceptable 1 offering unto the Lord, so far as we are informed in
sacred or other history. The Messiah did not come suddenly ;
He came as other infants came, only under humbler circum-
stances, being born in a stable and cradled in a manger. Truly
does the Scripture say : "He descended below all things that
He might rise above all things." He did not come to His temple,
for He said that "the foxes had holes and birds of the air had
nests, but the Son of Man had not where to lay His head ;" and
again that the temple 1 occupied by money changers, rather than
being a house of prayer, had become a "den of thieves."
When He comes in verification of Malachi's prophecy, He
will come suddenly and in power and great glory. He will find a
temple to come to. To do this, there must be a people called
of God, instructed by revelation direct, in order to know where",
when and how to erect, in keeping with divine approval, such
a sacred edifice. Such information cannot be found in the writ-
ten word of bygone age's, much less in the writings and com-
mentaries of learned divines who deny the necessity of new and
continuous revelation. Nothing short of a new Gospel dispen-
sation, ushered in and perpetuated by direct revelation from the
Lord, can fulfill the provisions of Malachi's prediction.
340 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Passing on to chapter four of Malachi's prophecy, we find the
inspired utterances respecting the judgments of God, the burning
and overthrow of the wicked and the" rising of the Son of Right-
eousness to those who fear His holy name. In- the fifth verse
it is said: "Behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before
the coming of the" great and dreadful day of the Lord." This is
so definite that comments are unnecessary. The prophet Elijah
who was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire without tasting
death is doubtless referred to.
In the' verse following the one quoted, the mission of Elijah
is specified to "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and
the hearts of the children to their fathers." How consistent and
glorious such a mission ! The children receiving the Gospel in a
new dispensation naturally inquire what has become of their
fathers who died without the Gospel. In other pages of this vol-
ume, referring to the* redemption of the dead, we notice more
fully this prophecy and testify that Elijah has come and also
restored the keys of salvation for the dead.
Zechariah saw the time when Jerusalem should be rebuilt,
and said: "Behold, the angel that talked with me went forth
and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him,
run, speak with the young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be in-
habited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and
cattle therein." ( Zech. ii: 3, 4.) Continuing, the prophet speaks
of Israel coming from the North, and from Babylon, and being
gathered to their inheritances, and that God Himself "shall dwell
in the midst of thee." The Scripture's are replete with similar
prophecies pointing to the gathering of Israel to Zion and Jeru-
salem, the coming of the Lord, and other important eve,nts. How
any one could belie've that these glorious prophecies could be
verified without more revelation and the establishment of a new
dispensation of the Gospel, is more of a marvel to a true be-
liever in the Bible than is believing in prophecy, revelations,
visions, miracles, etc.
In Revelations, chapte'r xiv, verses 6 and 7, we have the fol-
lowing very clear prophecy on this important subject : "And I
saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ever-
lastng Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the" earth, and
to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying
with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 341
of His judgment is come ; and worship Him that made heaven,
and earth, and sea, and the fountains of waters." The inspired
utterance cannot have reference to an event in the age" in which
it was littered for two reasons at least: first, the people had
the Gospel at the time, and John's mission was to declare the
same; second, the voice from heaven as recorded in Rev. iv:
1, 2, called to John saying, "Come up hither, and I will shew
thee things which must be hereafter."
"What is prophecy but history reversed?" Thus the bock of
Revelation is one unbroken chain of prophetic history from first
to last. The declaration that an angel should come with the
Gospel is proof that the Gospel would be taken away. Again, the
angel was to come in the "hour of God's judgment," a day not
at all fulfilled during the earthly ministry of our Savior. One
of the most remarkable features of the prophecy is that the
inhabitants of the e'arth, without exception (every nation, kin-
dred, tongue and people, is included in the glorious message), are
called upon to worship Him who made the heaven and earth and
the sea and the fountains of water.
When we come to the subject of personality of God, it will be
our purpose to show that the "God without body, parts, and pas-
sions" is not the God who made the heaven and the earth, and
hence the necessity of just such an injunction as that quoted
from the fourteenth chapter of Revelation being given to the
world in the last days. The specifications of the prophecy are
plain. The question which logically follows is, "Has that angel
come?" If he has not, then he must do so, or the word of God
is null and void, and this is impossible. "Not one jot or tittle
shall fall unfulfilled." "Though heaven and earth shall pass
away, rny word shall never pass away."
Certainly the angel has not come to any Catholic or Protestant
ministers, for they dispute the necessity of angels. The only
claim to the reception of the heavenly message isi made by Joseph
Smith, the prophet, and his followers, who testify that the angel
came to the young man Joseph. It will not do to dismiss this
claim by saying that "false prophets shall come," for false proph-
ets, counterfeit coin, and every spurious imitation exists as a
counterfeit to the true article, so that the existence of false
prophets is usually a very fair indication that true prophets are
not far away.
342 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Following the coming of the angel having the Gospel to restore
was to be another, urging the Saints to come out of Babylon :
"And I heard anothe'r voice from heaven, saying, come out of her,
my people, that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. xviii:4.)
Thus it is a gathering dispensation, as stated by Paul in the first
chapter of Ephesians. The Savior, in speaking of the' signs asso-
ciated with His second coming and the consummation of His
Father's work un the last days, says : "And this Gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations ; and then shall the end come." \^lait. xxiv:14.) This
prophecy was uttered in connection with the stating of other
signs given by the Savior respecting His second advent, and in
answer to a question by the disciples : "Tell us when shall these
things be? <and what shall be the sign of Thy coming and of
the end of the world?"
"This Gospl of the kingdom ;" "The Everlasting Gospel ;" The
Gospel of apostles, prophets, revelations, visions, miracles and
all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. This only true Gospel could not
be preached for a witness unto all nations unless restored to
earth by modern revelations, for the religious world, so far as
enjoying the true Gospel is concerned, comes under the prophecy
of Isaiah, chapter ix : 2 : "For behold darkness shall cover the
earth and gross darkness the people;" and again, chapter xxiv: 5:
"The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, broken
the everlasting covenant," all this going to prove the necessity of
a Gospel restoration.
When Jesus taught His diaciples how to pray He instructed
them to say, among other things, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will
be done in earth as it is in heaven." (Matt, vi :10.) If the king-
dom referred to by Him had come, He would not have instructed
them to pray for what they alre'ady possessed. They were look-
ing for a future day.
On one occasion after His resurrection, the apostles asked the
Savior this question : "Wilt Thou at this time restore again the
kingdom to Israel?" And He said unto them, it is not for you
to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in
His own power." (Acts i: 7.) This indicates plainly the establish-
ment of God's kingdom at a future period of time. We may
connect with these inspired sayings of the Savior the prophecy of
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 343
Daniel, recorded in the second chapter of his prophetic utter-
ances. By reading from the second chapter of his book we learn
that the king of Babylon had received a dream which, having
gone from his mind, he demanded to know of the wise men ; and
not only the interpretation, but the dream itself. They, of
course, failed. Daniel, the prophet, was called in, and in the
spirit of a true prophet and Saint of God acknowledged that it
was not in man to reveal snch things, "But there is a God in
heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the King
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." The image
seen in the dream is ne'xt described by Daniel as being in form
like a man, with a head of fine gold, his breast and arms of sil-
ver, his belly and thighs of brass, hiai legs of iron, his feet part
of iron and part of clay. The interpretation made known that
this image represented the kingdoms of the world, beginning with
Babylon, the head of gold; next came the Medio- Persian, under
Alexander the Great: then arose the Roman empire, out of
which grew the modern kingdoms of Europe, represented by the
feet and toes. Here comes the important feature of the? proph-
ecy which was to take place in the "latter days," of which the
prophet Daniel says, "And in the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed ;
and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand forever."
The language of this prophecy shows: first, that unlike the
preceding kingdoms, this last named kingdom was to be set up
by God Himself, in other words, the kingdom of God, not of
man. Second, unlike the" other kingdoms, it should never be
destroyed. Third, it should not, like the kingdoms of men, pass
from one people to another, but should not be left to other peo-
ple. Fourth, that dt should have power to break in pieces and
consume all other kingdoms.
The terms of this prophecy, and the history of God's dealings
with men since it was uttered, are such that no thoughtful, well-
informed man can suppose that this event took place at the first
coming and ministry of the Savior, for the 1 following reasons :
first, the kingdoms represented by the toes and feet, contem-
porary with which the kingdom of God was to be set up, did
not exist; the Roman empire, symbolized by the legs of iron,
344 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
was that part of the image then extant. Second, the kingdom
spoken of by Daniel was not to be left to other people, whereas
the Savior Himself said to the disciples^ as recorded in Mat-
thew xxi: 43, "Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God
shall be taken from you and given to the nation bringing forth
the fruits thereof." To this the testimony of Paul agrees in
Acts xiii: 46. "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It
was necessary that the word of God should first have been
spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge your-
selves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
These statements taken together, as well as many other condi-
tions referred to, prove clearly that the kingdom spoken of by
Daniel was not established in the days of our Savior. We are
thus forced to the admission that if the kingdom of God has not
come in this age, it is yet to come. There are, however, many
other prophecies relating to the restoration of the last days,
which show not merely that a restoration has been predicted,
but that the Gospel veritably has been restored to man in this
dispensation, with all the gifts and blessings which characterized
the same in the days of the 'Messiah ; and more, that a people
are being prepared for the coming and reign of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
We have proved from the Bible prophecies that a restoration
of the Gospel in its fullness, by modern revelation, would take
place in the last days. We now desire to show that this restor-
ation has taken place, and that Joseph iSmith, the Prophet, was
the man through whom God has established anew His Church
upon the earth, after the -ancient pattern, with apostles, proph-
ets, gifts and blessings, visions and revelations.
Joseph Smith announced to the world that he had received the
visitation of heavenly messengers, also that they conferred upon
him authority to speak and officiate in the name of the Lord
with the same power and authority received and exercised by
John the Baptist and the apostle Peter in ancient times.
Now, the prophecies quoted here could not be verified unie'ss
some one should come to the world bearing just such a testimony
as that borne by Joseph Smith.
Furthermore, when we ask Catholic and Protestant ministers
if an angel has come to any of them with the everlasting Gospel,
they answer in the negative, and deride the idea of new revela-
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 345
tion. Ask them if Elijah the Prophet has .'ome to them, to plant
in the hearts of the children the promise, made to the fathers.
They say no. Has the messenger spoken c i by Malachi come to
you and taught you how to build a temple to the Lord, that He
may "suddenly come to His temple?" The" very question itself
is treated with utter astonishment, and thv$ n?an who asks it is
regarded as being erratic. We must therefore turn from sects
having forms of godliness "but denying the power thereof," to
other sources to find some one who has received, or shall re-
ceive, the revelations of the Almighty in the last days.
One thing is certain, if the claims of the" Latter-day Saints are
not true, then some one must come in the future with just such
claims. We ask the question, will the world be any better pre-
pared to receive a message of this character in the future than
it is today? Certainly the hearts of the people are not being
prepared for such testmonies by the influence and teachings of
modern ministers. Gome", dear readers, let us reason together ;
let us divest our minds of all prejudice. "Prove all things, hold
fast that which is good," and ask the question, what consti-
tutes complete evidence that a man is a prophet of God?
To be a reliable" witness in a human court, an individual must
be a person of veracity, whose honor cannot be impeached. Such
a man was Joseph Smith, the Prophet. His parents were hard-
working farmers. They had a standing in the community of
virtue", honesty, industry and sincerity in religious devotion, un-
excelled by any. His forefathers were among the early founders
of New England, who came from the "mother country" to enjoy
Ihe greater liberty of worshiping God without molestation and
according to the dictates of conscience. His progenitors were
soldiers of the Revolution. They offered their lives freely upon
the altar of liberty, for the freedom of the American colonies
and their descendants for all generations to come. From such a
line of ancestors came the Prophet Joseph Smith. If they were
not popular, nor great, nor affluent, in the eyes of the world,
neither were the immediate ancestry of Jesus and His apostles.
If Joseph was poor and earned his bread by the sweat of his
brow, so did most all of the prophets since the world began. He
enjoyed the reputation, among those who knew him best, in
every state in which he lived throughout life, of being an
honest, industrious, virtuous, patriotic man. On truniped-up
346 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
charges by the enemies of truth, he was arrested and tried
thirty-nine times in courts not conducted by men of his own
faith, and thirty-nine times he was honorably acquitted. The
last time he was arrested, his enemies said, "If the law cannot
reach him, powder and lead shall." How like the experience of
Jesus before Pilate ! Honorably acquitted by the judges, they
cried out, "Let His blood be upon us and our children!" And
so it has been; the same is true of those who shed the blood of
the Prophet and Patriarch in these last days.
In view of the unpopularity of believing in angels and revela-
tions in this age, what purpose could a man have in view, to
make such a declaration, unless it was true? Joseph Smith
gained no popularity or honors of men by it ; he made no
wealth of a worldly character by such a course. On the other
hand, he suffered ignominy, scorn, and persecution in almost
every form, including hunger, fatigue, exile, imprisonment and
death at the hands of assassins. If it could be urged with the
least propriety that when he announced his first vision he was
so young only about fifteen years of age (not much older than
Samuel the prophet when God called him) that he did not
realize the terrible consequences of such a testimony, he certainly
realized in a very short time and had every opportunity to cor-
lect his assertions had they been false.
Human nature is not such as to maintain known errors with
such unwavering integrity and consistency against the bitter
opposition of the world from boyhood to the grave. Yet with
all bis increasing trials and persecutions, which rolled upon him
all his life like the angry waves of the ocean, driven by the
winds against the" peaceful shore, he never faltered. His testi-
mony never wavered. He testified that he saw God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ, and received of the ministrations of
John the Baptist, Pete'r, James and John, Elijah and other
prophets who lived in bygone ages. With an understanding of
these circumstances and a knowledge of his character, the charge
of fraud and dishonesty cannot be laid against him. If so, eveTy
prophet since the world began can be counted a dishonest man.
The question which naturally follows in this place is : Could
Joseph Smith be mistaken? In answer we say : He' was not a
religious zealot. He was a young man of a practical turn of
mind. While not a skeptic, he was reasonable, and thought
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 347
that men professing to be the servants of the* Lord should give
proof of their calling similar to that given by the ancient proph-
ets. If they had the true Gospel, with the gifts of the Holy
Ghost, they sthould not be 1 full of contradictions on doctrine, at
least. This feature shows that Joseph was of a disposition not
easily deluded by the unfounded theories of men. He belonged
to no church, and like the anciemt apostles, was free from pre-
conceived dogmas and theories. He had no system to bolster up
nor pet theory to maintain. His mind was free and of an order
most likely to be selected for the great work which the Lord
assigned him.
The circumstances which led to Joseph Smith's prayer offered
in the grove near Palmyra, New York, in the spring of 1820,
were these : A great religious revival had been in progress. He
attended. It consisted of people who were Baptists, Methodists,
Presbyterians, etc., represented in the pulpit by their respective
ministers. When a convert joined the Baptists the other min-
isters would say : "This is the" way ; walk ye in it." And an-
other : "This is right ; follow this way." Yet their doctrines
were in conflict. He could get no light from them. In this
frame of mind he commenced to read the Scriptures. He 1 came
to the first chapter of James, fifth and sixth verses. This reads
as follows: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not ; and it shall
be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for
he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind
and tossed. For, let not that man think that he shall receive
anything from the Lord." Joseph believed the promise. He
put it to the test. He knelt in a grove of timber, and asked
God which denomination was right. While" thus engaged an
unseen power seized him, tied his tongue, as it were, and appa-
rently would have destroyed his- life. Here are 1 Joseph's words,
quoted from the "Pearl of Great Price," page 59: "Just at this
moment of great alarm I saw a pillar of light exactly over my
head, above 1 the brightness of the sun, which descended grad-
ually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found
myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When
the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness
and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.
One of them spoke unto me, calling me by name, and said (point-
348 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
ing to the other), "This is my beloved Son 1 . Hear Him.' In
answer to my question, which of the sects were right, He an-
swered that nome of them were, and I was forbidden of the Lord
to join any of them."
This prayer was offered by an honest boy, seeking after truth,
unable to get the whole truth from men. Would the Lord suffer
such a prayer to go unanswered, or suffer this boy to be de-
ceived hy iSatan? All reason, all Scripture answers, no. "Ask
and ye shall receive ; knock and it sihall be opened unto you."
If a son ask his father for bread "will he give him a stone?"
If he ask for fish will he give him a serpent?" The Savior
answers, no. If it is argued that Joseph was alone and no one
else present to corroborate his testimony, we have two answers :
One is that those determined to reject such revelations will
deny the veracity of two or three men as readily as the asser-
tion of one; the other is that those who believe the Bible, to be
consistent, if they doubt the testimony of Joseph because he was
alone, must also doubt the testimony of 'Moses, who was alone
when God spoke" to him from the burning bush, and again when
he stood in His presence en the mount and received the Ten
Commandments. Will they doubt that Isaiah saw the Lord in
the days of King Uzziah? (Isa. vi.). Because Stephen alone
saw God and His Son in the* last moments of His life, is his tes-
timony false? Paul saw the Savior, but the men who were
with him saw Him not. Yet the Christian) world believes that
Paul saw the Lord, even though other men in the presence of
Paul did not see 1 him.
While Joseph was alone on the occasion above related, he was
not alone in all the manifestations which the Lord gave him.
We have other honest witnesses who corroborate the" testimony
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and their testimony has not been
impeached. They were men of good repute'. On the 5th day of
May, 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery, laid his hands upon their heads and conferred
upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds authority to
preach the 1 principles of the Gospel and baptize in water for the
remission of sins, but not authority to administer in the laying
on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. This Aaronic Priest-
hood was held by John the Baptist, by Philip, who baptized the
Samaritans, and by others in the times of the apostles. Sub-
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 349
sequent to this Peter, James and John presented themselves to
the same men, Joseph and Oliver, conferring upon them the
holy apostleship, which included authority to organize the
Church in its fullness and to open the door of the Gospel to all
nations.
Passing over the many remarkable manifestations given to
the Prophet and others, we will conclude this part of the sub-
ject by reference to the 1 statements of the three witnesses re-
specting the Book of Mormon. Their testimony will be found in
the title pages of every copy of that sacred volume, signed with
their names Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Har-
ris. They assert that an angel appeared before them, held in
his hands the metallic plates, giving an account of the ancient
inhabitants of America ; their origin, history and destiny ; the
dealings of God with them ; and the fullness of the Gospel as
taught by the Savior and ancient prophets on this land, from
which sacred plates the Book of Mormon is translated into Eng-
lish. The witnesses saw and handled the" plates-, and gave their
solemn testimony to the world. Under all circumstances the wit-
nesses maintained their testimony to the end in private and
public; to all who came to ask of them, they told the same
unchanging story. Another feature of this evidence of these
three witnesses is this : In the course of time they transgressed
the rules and regulations of the Church, and of necessity had to
be excommunicated. Having thus fallen away from their ad-
herence to the Church, from their association and fellowship
with the Prophet Joseph Smith, they were placed in a condition
where every inducement was presented them to deny their te's-
timony and in this way frustrate the scheme, if it had been
false. If such a procedure had been possible they could thereby
gain the fellowship and applause of the world for exposing to
ridicule and shame the man who came to the world with a New
Dispensation. But they did not do this. Being outside the
pale of the Chruch, may they not be called truly disinterested
witnesses, witnesses stronger in that sense than can be pro-
duced to substantiate the divinity of ancient Jewish Scriptures?
The writer once sat in the presence of David Whitmer and can
testify from personal contact with him that he was firm and un-
shaken in the testimony which he bore to the divine authenticity
cf the Book of Mormon. In David Whitmer's dying hours,
350 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
when enemies of this work may have had some hopes of his re-
canting, he asked the leading men of Richmond, Mo., if they
' could honestly give an affidavit before an officer that, from their
acquaintance and dealings with him, he was a man of honesty
and truth. This they did, and published it. They were men
not of Mr. Whitmer's religious views. With that affidavit
signed by about twelve leading business men of the town, and the
testimony of his physician that his mind was perfectly sound,
he published again to the world his testimony that he had seen
the angel, had handled the plates, and that the Book of Mormon
was the divinely translated record.
In connection with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon,
a remarkable prophecy of Isaiah has be'en strikingly verified :
"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a
book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned,
saying, Read this, I pray thee : and he saith, I cannot ; for it is
sealed : and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, say-
ing, Read this, I pray thee : and he saith, I am not learned."
(Isaiah xxix: 11, 12.) When Joseph obtained the plates he dis-
covered that a portion of them were" sealed and learned from the
angel that the time had not come to publish that part of the
volume, but from the unsealed plates he copied some characters
and sent them by 'Martin Harris to a learned linguist in New
York Prof. Anthon. The learned man examined them and gave
Mr. Harris a certificate" testifying that they were true characters
of Hebrew and reformed Egyptian. Before leaving, the learned
man asked Mr. Harris to bring him the plates and he would
translate them. Mr. Harris answered that he was forbidden to
do that, and also that a portion of the" plates were sealed. He
replied, "I cannot read a sealed book," and asked where Joseph
Smith obtained them. When answered that an angel revealed
them, he asked to see the certificate he had given of their genu-
ineness. It was handed him and he tore it up in a rage, saying,
"Angels do not appear nowadays." The words of the book, not
the book itself, were delivered to the learned man, as Isaiah
said they would be. He said he could not read a sealed book,
as Isaiah said he would say. The book itself was delivered to
Joseph, the unlettered youth, and in his humility he said, I am
not learned ; but God gave the gift of translation, that it should
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL. 351
be done; not by the wisdom and learning of men, but by the
power of God.
Other Bible prophecies might be quoted referring to the
Book of Mormon, but our purpose at present is not to treat
upon that sacred record, but incidentally to show that its com
ing forth furnishes strong evidence that Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of God. How it would be possible for an unsophisti-
cated youth to devise a scheme that would answer in its work-
ings so minutely the details of ancient prophecy, unless God
inspired him, should require far more credulity to believe than it
would that he was sent of God, and thus attribute to the Al-
mighty the honor for the great work.
With this array of corroborating witnesses, and the practical
character of Joseph Smith, we do not see the possibility of his
being mistaken any more than were Paul, Stephen, Moses, Peter,
James and John and all the ancient prophets. It should be re-
membered that God has His own way and does not show Himself
openly to all the people, but to chosen witnesses. "Him God
raised up the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the!
people, but to witnesses chosen before God." (Acts x: 40, 41.)
We come now to another phase of evidence that the Gospel
has been restored, namely, that the organization of the Church
as established by the Prophet Joseph Smith, and also the doc-
trines taught by him, are in perfect accord with the teachings
of the Bible. The proof of this is given in other chap-
ters of this volume. The evidence there given of the divine mis-
sion of Joseph Smith is all the stronger when we take into con-
sideration the fact that for seventeen centuries learned men
have been organizing churches 1 and teaching what they esteemed
to be the essentials of salvation, without being able from the
fragmentary teachings of the apostles to organize a church with
apostles, prophets, seventies, etc. The force of this condition is
also enhanced when we recall that each generation of reformers
has possessed the advantages arising from the experience and
conclusions of each generation preceding them. Neither has
been able to unite upon the principles essential for mankind to
obey in order to secure salvation.
Joseph Smith presents to the world a system which is a mon-
ument of inspiration, both as to the scriptural evidence that the
organization is divine and in the fact that the practical workings
352 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
thereof are perfect. He does not stop at this. He says to his
followers that on condition of their acceptance of faith in God
and in His Son, Jesus Christ, repentance* from all sin, baptism
by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of
hands by Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, they shall receive the Holy Ghost, and that the fruits
thereof are the same" as in olden times ; they shall prophesy,
speak in tongues, have dreams, visions, revelations, healings and
miracles. There are in the Church today 310,000 souls. Of this
number many are children, but the thousands who have arrived
at the years of accountability have put the promise to the test,
and the universal testimony of these people is that they have
received knowledge of God for themselves. The tens of thou-
sands, also, who have" passed from life, since the date of the
organization of the Church (1830), received the same testimony.
During the troubles of the Saints in Illinois, judge Stephen
A. Douglas was an acquaintance of Joseph Smith and his people.
He knew the injustice heaped upon them by his personal ac-
quaintance with the facts. While in the presence of judge
Douglas and others, the judge requested the Prophet to give him
a history of the persecutions in Missouri, which he did. While
addressing the judge the Prophet said : "Judge, you will as-
pire to the presidency of the United States ; and if you ever turn
your hand against me or the Latter-day >Saints, you will feel the
weight of the hand of the Almighty upon you ; and you will live
to see and know that I have testified the 1 truth to you ; for the
conversation of this day will stick to you through life." (Deseret
News, Sept. 24th, 1856.)
Judge Douglas aspired, as stated, to the Presidency of the
United States, and was nominated for that position on June
23d, 1860, at the Democratic convention held in Charleston.
When he thus aspired he was a popular man, eloquent and
gifted, and no one seemed to have brighter hopes of succe'ss.
However, in his mistaken effort to win popular approval, in a
speech delivered in Springfield, Illinois, June 12th, 1857, he, in
defiance of his own knowledge of the Latter-day Saints and their
character, said : "The knife must be applied to this pestiferous,
body politic. It must be cut out by the" roots and seared over by
the red-hot iron of stern and unflinching law." Much more he
uttered against the Latter-day Saints, in harmony with misguid-
RESTOBATION OF THE GOSPEL. 353
ed public sentiment. When the election came Douglas was
badly defeated. Of the electoral vote's he had but twelve. He
carried but one state. Feeling "the weight of the hand of the
Almighty upon him," he died a disappointed, heart-broken man,
in less than a year, in the prime of life, being but forty-eight
years of age. Thus the word of the Lord was fulfilled with ter-
rible accuracy.
Again Joseph said : "I prophesied that the Saints would con-
tinue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky
Mountains; many would apostatize, others would be put to death
by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure
and disease ; and some of you will live to go and assist in making
settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty
people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." ( Mill. Star, Vol.
xix., page 630.) The Saints did continue to suffer much persecu-
tion, some did apostatize, others did die of exposure, disease and
privation. Others were put to death by persecutors ; some lived
to go to the Rocky Mountains. They have assisted there in
building cities, towns and temples, in making a great common-
wealth, and the Saints have become a mighty people in the midst
of these mountains. They attract the attention of the world.
"A city set on a hill cannot be hid." These prophecies, uttered
by Joseph Smith, have come to pass, as have many others, and
that, too, contrary to all human prospects. All his prophecies
not yet verified relate to future times, and will come to pass as
literally and exactly as those of the" past or those of any other
prophet since the world began, for God inspired and Joseph
spoke.
Having finished his mission, accomplished all in the flesh the
Lord gave him to do. the Prophet Joseph Smith suffered the*
shedding of his blood at the hands of a wicked mob, June 27th,
1844, in Carthage, Illinois. Why was he slain? His doctrine,
his promises, his life, his prophecies, all proved him to be a
prophet of God before 1 he died a martyr. Let the Scriptures
answer the question : "For where a testament is, there must
also of a necessity be the death of the testator." (Heb. ix : 16.)
God gave to the world through Joseph Smith a new testament
of the plan of salvation. He gave the Book of Mormon, a
record of the Gospel to the ancient inhabitants of America. He
gave the Doctrine and Covenants, containing the revelations of
23
354 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
God to the Saints of the* last days. These do not supplant the
Bible. They prove it true, and all agree in one. "In the rnoutn
of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
Through Joseph, to this generation, came" the witness of the
Holy Ghost and the authority of the Holy Priesthood. By the
continuation of that authority the Church exists today, with the
Prophet Joseph F. Smith as its earthly living head. Every Elder
of the Church can trace his authority back directly to Joseph
Smith, who was ordained by the apostles Peter, James and
John, who received it from the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Joseph Smith's testimony is weighty. It effe'cts the whole
world. The evidence must also be weighty, and it can now be
said that no class of evidence was withheld. He gave all that
any Prophet ever gave, including life itself. He sealed his testi-
mony with his blcod and his testimony is in force upon all the
world. The sealing of his testimony with his blood also accords
with ancient prophecy. John the Revelator was called into a
high mountain to see the visions of the future. Read (Rev. iv :1).
Also, among other things, the apostle says : "And when he had
opened the fifth seal, I saw under the" altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which
they held : And they cried with a loud voice, saying : How long,
O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes we're given
y.nto every one of them ; and it was said unto them, that they
should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also
and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be!
fulfilled." (Rev. vi:9-ll.)
Joseph Smith, the great Prophet of the last days, and his mar-
tyred brother, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, were among these
fellow servants who were to be slain. They have fulfilled this
hist requirement of their earthly existence. Their testimony is
true, attested by every evidence that man could give or the world
inquire. That testimony is binding upon all the world. The
Gospel has been restored to man, through Joseph Smith, in all its
fullness. Will men obey the divine message? A proper answer
by every individual is of the greatest importance.
THE CHURCH.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the organ-
ization through which the Lord is accomplishing the declaration
of the Gospel in the last days, gathering Israel, administering
the ordinances of salvation, and, in short, is accomplishing the
work of redemption that accomplishment which has been pre-
dicted by the mouths of all His holy prophets since the world
began. The Church is called the Church of Jesus Christ because
it is His. He directed how and when to organize it, pointing
out by direct revelation the manner of Church government; the
principles and ordinances of the Gospel; the blessings to be en-
joyed by those who obey Him, and also the respective duties of
each quorum or council of the Holy priesthood. The words
"Latter-day Saints" are used to distinguish it from the former-
day dispensation, or from the Church of Jesus Christ of Former-
day Saints.
The authority of God delegated to man is called the Holy
priesthood. This priesthood is arranged under two great heads.
The lesser branch is called the Levitical or Aaronic, because
it was conferred upon Aaron and his posterity. It holds the"
keys of the administration of angels, administering the outward
ordinances of the Gospel, such as "baptism by immersion for
the remission of sins," the sacrament of the Lord's supper, the
receiving and distribution of tithe's and offerings, all subject to
the direction of the high priesthood. The officers in the Aaronic
priesthood consist of Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons.
There is a presiding Bishop, who holds the keys of this priest-
hood, also other Bishops, who preside over the interests of the
lesser priesthood in Wards of Branches, looking after the tem-
poral interests of the Saints. The Priests are standing minis-
ters, organized into quorums of forty-eight in each. .
The duty of the Priest is to visit the home of each member,
expound the Scripture, invite all to come unto Christ and exhort
the Saints to perform every duty enjoined by the Gospel.
Teachers are organized into quorums of twenty-four each.
356 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTBINB.
The duty of those bearing this office is to see that the Saints dc
tteir duty and entertain no ill-feelings toward their fellow-
beings, and that no iniquity exists in the Church. The'se general
duties, common to all Saints, consist in living a chaste, honest,
upright, temperate and industrious life, attending to secret and
family prayers, attendance at meetings of worship, partaking
of the sacrament, the payment of tithes and offerings, observing
the Sabbath day, and kindred obligations, all made plain in the
revelations of God to the Church.
The Deacons are organized into quorums of twelve each, and
are to assist the Teacher in all the duties of his calling, as occa-
sion may require, but their especial duty is to look after the
houses of worship, keep them clean, see to the arrangement of
seats and the seating of the people in public assemblies of wor-
ship, and such other 'labors under the direction of the Bishop as
may conduce to the welfare of the Church.
The Melchisedek or higher priesthood holds the keys to the
kingdom of heaven. It has the power to seal on earth, and
what is done is. sealed in heaven ; to loose on earth and it is
loosed in heaven ; to receive the revelations of God ; to guide
the Church in all things, and to understand the" mysteries of
godliness as far as they are revealed to men in the flesh. In
ancient times these keys and fullness of authority were given
to Peter when the :Savior said to him : "And I give unto thee
the keys of the kingdom of heaven." (Matt, xvi: 19.)
The offices of this priesthood consist of the First Presidency,
a quorum of three, bearing the 'holy apostleship, and as the or-
ganization of the Church on earth typifies the heavenly, these
three symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and hold
the keys of authority over all departments of the Church, on all
matters, spiritual and temporal, even as the Godhead is the"
great ruling power of the universe, the heavens and the earth
and all that in them is.
Next come the Twelve Apostles, who hold the keys of opening
the door of salvation to all nations, kindreds, tongues and
peoples. The reason that this quorum numbers twelve is in
honor of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus said to the Twelve
at Jerusalem: "Thou shalt sit upon twelve thrones, judging
the whole house of Israel ;" and again, upon the foundations
of the heavenly Jerusalem were to be the names of the "Twelve
THE CHURCH. 357
Apostles of the Lamb." The Church in government is "built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
Himself being the chief corner stone." (Eph. ii :19, 20.) The
duty of the Twelve is to carry the Gospel to all nations and to
send the same by their associates, the Seventies.
The Seventies are organized into quorums of seventy in each,
presided over by seven of their number. Their especial calling
is, like that of the Twelve, to be witnesses of the truth in aii
the world, and they are the ones especially appointed to asso-
ciate with the Twelve in conveying the Gospel message to ail
mankind.
The office of High Priest is one of presidency. The High
Priests are not limited to any especial number to constitute a
quorum, but any number existing in a Stake of Zion is a
quorum, presided over by three of their members. High Priests
are chosen to preside over Stakes of Zion, to act as High Coun-
selors, preside over temples, officiate in the ordinances of the
house of the Lord, and, where the literal descendants of Aaron
are not found, the High Priest is chosen to officiate in the
Bishopric. Where men are found among the Seventies or Elders
in any Ward or 'Stake, more suitable to fill a vacancy in the
Ward Bishopric, Stake Presidency, or High Council, than the
resident High Priests, such men are selected and ordained to
the office of High Priest.
As standing ministers in Wards and Stakes the office of Elder
exists, and a quorum of Elders numbers ninety-six. They have
authority to preach the Gospel, baptize, confirm, administer the
sacrament, anoint, and lay on hands for the healing of the sick,
but differ from the Seventies in not being under the especial
duty of traveling abroad to preach the Gospel. They have
authority, however, as do High Priests, to travel abroad and
preach the Gospel when called by the Presidency of the Church.
There is in the Church a presiding Patriarch, and other Pa-
triarchs in all the Stakes of Zion. The duty of this high office
is to impart blessings to the Saints of God. In presenting the
general authorities of the Church the name of the Patriarch is
presented next to the Twelve Apostles.
The general authorities of the Church, presented for the
acceptance of the Church at every general conference, are the
Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, the Patriarch, the Seven
358 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Presidents of 'Seventies, and the Presiding Bishopric of the
Church. The names of the officers in the Priesthood are
Apostles, Patriarchs, High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Bishops,
Priests, Teachers and Deacons.
When difficulties arise between members of the Church and
they fail to settle by themselves and the assistance of one or
two witnesses, as the Savior directs, the Bishopric of the Ward
form an ecclesiastical court, to which the disputants can refer
their difficulties. If the decision is unsatisfactory to either party,
there is a court of appeal in each Stake, called the High
Council, consisting of twelve High Priests presided over by the
Presidency of the Stake. From their decision an appeal can
be had to the Presidency of the Church, which is the end of
controversy. Trials by these courts are conducted free of
charge. They are to exercise the functions of their calling with-
out partiality and with the fear of God before their eyes, and
to be? guided by the Spirit of the Lord in their conclusions.
In the selection of any and all officers in the Church, the
Saints have a voice. "No person is to be ordained to any
office in this church, where there is a regularly organized
branch of the same, without the vote of that church." (Doc-
trine and Covenants, section xx, 65.) "And all things shall
be done by common consent in the Church, by much prayer and
faith, for all things you shall receive by faith." (Doctrine and
Covenants, section xxvi, 2.) The Gospel is a perfect law of
liberty, and no people upon the earth have broader freedom
and a stronger voice in government, religious or otherwise, than
do the Latter-day Saints in the governmental and all other
affairs of the Church.
The reader is referred to the revelations of God, given in
the last days to the Prophet Joseph Smith, for a more perfect
understanding of the offices and duties thereof, pertaining to
the" Church of Christ. They are to be found in the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants. These revelations* throw great light
upon the fragmentary statements of the New Testament, be-
cause in the latter no one can learn the 1 relationship of one
quorum in the Church to another, nor the explicit duties of the
respective offices in the Holy Priesthood.
This Church was organized on the 6th of April, 1830, as far
as could be, with the limite'd membership of six men Joseph
THE CHURCH. 359
Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith,
Peter Whitmer, Jr., and David Whitmer. It was truly "a
grain of mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds," in comparison
with other organizations. A less number could not have been
organized under the laws of New York. The great founder,
under God, of this Church, had never belonged to any other.
It was not an off-shoot of Catholic or Protestant, but as "a
little stone cut out of the mountains without hands," it bore no
relationship to any human system; and as the stone should in-
crease in velocity as it rolled on, so has the Church grown in
magnitude from the "mustard seed" to a great tree. It is
believed by the Saints that the Savior was born on the 6th of
April, and that the organization of this Church commemorates
that great event.
On the llth of April, 1830, Oliver Cowdery preached the
first Gospel discourse" of this dispensation. Soon branches of
the Church were raised up in New York and Pennsylvania.
Men were brought into the fold who later filled notable places
in the Church. Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Wood-
ruff, Lorenzo Snow and other leading men embraced the Gospel
between 1830 and 1837. The Book of Mormon had been trans-
lated and published to the world previously. News of the new
dispensation was heralded abroad by friend and foe. At that
time many were prepared to embrace the Gospel, for the Lord
had shown unto them that the Gospel in its fullness and purity
did not exist in the Catholic and Protestant systems of so-called
Christianity. The ministration, of heavenly beings had been
renewed, and during the entire lifetime of Joseph Smith he
was the recipient of messages from the eternal worlds.
Persecution arose, and bitter opposition was arrayed against
the Church. The Prophet was at times waylaid by wicked
men, and sometimes arrested upon unfounded, trumped-up
charges. From all these he 1 was delivered until the time came
for him to offer his life as a martyr.
In the fall of 1830 Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, John
Whitmer and Ziba Peterson were called to carry the Gospel
to the Indians (Lamanites), located in what was then the"
western wilds of these United States: Near Kirtland, Ohio,
they met Sidney Rigdon and other followers of Alexander
Campbell. The Elders presented to them the restored Gospel,,
360 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
with the Book of Mormon. Many of them received the truth,
and the town of Kirtland became a gathering place for the
Saints. Joseph Smith, the Prophet, removed to that point, and
the Church as a body was chiefly located there as early as 1831.
In the meantime the future site of the chief city of Zion was
designated by revelation to the Prophet, dedicated and set apart
for the gathering of the Saints. In 1832 the 1 first periodical
in the Church was published, the Evening and Morning Star,
at Independence, Missouri. The press and property of this
publication were subsequently destroyed by a mob. Persecu-
tion, in Missouri became very bitter. Many of the Saints were
treated with bodily violence, their houses and property de-
stroyed by fire and themselves expelled from the county by
armed mobs.
During this time Kirtland was being built up. The Lord
required the Saints to build a temple, in which to receive
sacred ordinances for the salvation of the living and the dead.
To this labor they devoted their energies, and notwithstanding
their poverty the temple was completed and ready for dedica-
tion in March, 1836. Joseph 'Smith, the Prophet, translated
by inspiration the New Testament, completing the work Feb.
2, 1833. Five months later he finished the translation of the
Old Testament, so far as the Lord indicated the necessity of
so doing. The Latter-day Saints 1 Messenger and Advocate was
published in Kirtland. The Church, though organized by the
authority of the apostle'ship, did not contain sufficient adherents
at first to organize the councils of the priesthood, so as time
went on and numbers increased, the Lord would indicate when
and how to organize these quorums. The quorum of High
Priests was organized in Kirtland, March 18, 1833. The Presi-
dency and High Council of the Church were organized Feb. 17,
1834. That of the Seventies commenced Feb. 28, 1835. Thus
from time to time, as the Church grew and developed, the Lord
made plain by revelation how to organize every quorum, and
finally Stakes of Zion and branches thereof and branches scat-
tered abroad.
On Aug. 17, 1835, the Book of Doctrine amd Covenants, con-
taining the revelations of the Lord to the Church up to that
date, was accepted as a rule of faith and practice. Between
that date and the martyrdom of the Prophet many revelations
THE CHURCH. 361
were given, but owing to the poverty and unsettled condition of
the Church all of them were not published until subsequent to
the decease of the Prophet. During the troubles in Missouri, a
body of men called "Zion's Camp" left Kirtland May 5, 1834,
to carry supplies and relieve the distress of their co-religionists,
who had been exiled from their homes in Independence, Mis-
souri. They performed the arduous journey on foot, through
the wildernesses of Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, accomplished
their mission and returned to Ohio.
Early in the year 1836 the 1 ordinances of blessing and anoint-
ing were attended to in the Kirtland temple, and that sacred
edifice was dedicated to the Lord March 27, 1836. In the tem-
ple the gifts of the Holy Ghost were" poured out in abundance.
Many saw visions. The Savior, Moses, Elias and Elijah ap-
peared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Previous to this,
Joseph's first visit was a personal visit of the Father and the
Son. Again on Feb. 16, 1832, the Savior appeared to Joseph
Smith and Sidney Rigdon, and revealed to them the glories of
the celestial, terrestrial and telestial worlds, and the suffering
and condemnation of those 1 who are unworthy a kingdom of
glory. In 1837, during the financial panic, a great apostasy
took place in Kirtland, which involved the standing of several
of the Twelvo Apostles. Persecution raged in Missouri.
Elders Kimball, Hyde and Richards introduced the Gospel
into England and performed their first baptism July 30th, 1837,
in the river Ribble. From that time until the present date a
prosperous mission has been conducted in Great Britain.
Thousands have joined the Church in that land and gathered to
Zion. Subsequently John Taylor introduced the Gospel into
France, and with others, into Germany; Erastus Snow into
Scandinavia, and Lorenzo Snow into Italy; and from these
countries, especially Germany and Scandinavia, thousands have
come to swell the ranks of the Latter-day Saints. Into each
of these tongues, and others, the Book of Mormon has been
translated in fulfillment of prophecy.
The Gospel continued to spread in Canada, where it had been
introduced by Parley P. Pratt, also in the United States and
Europe. Persecution raged in Ohio and Missouri. The Saints
as a body left Kirtland July 6th, 1838, for Missouri, chiefly lo-
cating at Far West, Caldwell county. In the fall of that year.
362 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Apostle David W. Patten fell a martyr at the hands of a mob
on Crooked river ; Joseph, Hyrum and others had been sent
to prison without trial or conviction ; yet the' work prospered
and spread abroad. During these sore trials, when death to
the Prophet and others appeared inevitable, he prophesied their
safe deliverance? from the mob in Missouri.
While Joseph and Hyrum were yet in prison, Presidents
Young and Kimball led the suffering Saints to Illinois, where
they established the famed city of Nauvoo. To that point
Joseph and his brethren made their escape and enjoyed a brief
respite from mobocracy. The Prophet predicted, however, that
Nauvoo would not be a resting place of the Saints for a great
length of time. In keeping with this inspiration, he prophesied
on Aug. 6th, 1842, of their coming location and greatness in
the Rocky Mountains. He also prepared an expedition to ex-
plore the West, but died a martyr before its consummation.
Although Nauvoo was a sickly place, the industry of the
Saints was attended with the blessings of divine Providence,
and the city grew with magic speed. A temple was soon com-
menced. A charter was obtained from the State Legislature to
establish a university, and prosperity almost unparalleled char-
acterized the labors of the people. However, the combination
of political intrigue and religious bigotry on the part of reli-
gious professors, coupled with transgressing apostates, soon
conspired to spread death and destruction among the Saints.
In Missouri, at Haun's mill and elsewhere, many had been shot
down in cold blood, property was burned, and the whole people
exiled from the state
In Illinois further trouble was inaugurated by Missourians.
They sought on one occasion to kidnap the Prophet, but failed.
Fabricated charges were made against the Prophet. He was
tried as before, and every time acquitted. When "his last trial
was being conducted, the mob (like the rabble? in the halls of
Pilate) said that if the law could not touch him, powder and
lead should. Their nefarious purposes were permitted to be
carried out, and on June 27th, 1844, Joseph and Hyrum, while
under the pledged protection of Gov. Ford, were assassinated
by a howling mob in 'Carthage jail, Hancock county, Illinois.
Previous to his martyrdom, the Prophet Joseph had received
more than one hundred revelations, had been instrumental in
THE CHURCH. 363
organizing the Church in its fullness, and bestowing the keys
of the kingdom of God upon the Twelve Apostles. To Nauvoo
were gathered thousands of people from the several states,
Canada and Great Britain. At the time of the Prophet's mar-
tyrdom the Twelve were abroad on missions, with the exception
of Elders John Taylor and Willard Richards, who were with
the Prophet and Patriarch at the time of the martyrdom, Elder
Taylor himself being wounded with four bullets.
While the Saints were 1 in Missouri the Lord commanded that
they should importune the officers of the law in the districts
where the trouble occurred, and not being heeded, should appeal
to the governor, thence? to the president of the United States.
All this was done, without avail. The president answered their
appeal by saying, "Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can
do nothing for you." Governors of states were 4 written to, to
use their influence to avert the wrongs heaped upon the Saints,
but from one or two only came a favorable response. On the
failure of the states and nation to protect their own citizens
against mob violence and plunder, ttie Lord promised to vex
the nation with a soref vexation. This was done in the hun-
dreds of thousands of lives and the millions in treasure lost in
the Civil War. The outbreak of this war was revealed by the
Lord to Joseph twenty-eight years before it came to pass, and
published to the world as early as 1851.
The Church was not founded by men, nor did it depend
upon any particular man or set of men for strength, growth or
progress. God has founded and protected and is perpetuating
His Church on the earth, so that when the Prophet passed to
the life beyond, the work continued and grew with great rapid-
ity. It is said, and truly, that "the blood of the martyr is the
seed of the Church."
President Brigham Young and his associates of the Twelve,
according to the voice of the Spirit and the order of the Holy
Priesthood, succeeded to the Presidency of the Church. The
work of the Lord continued to prosper, contrary to the predic-
tion of its enemies that when the Prophet Joseph was out of
the way the work would come to naught. The foundation of a
temple had been laid which was pushed to completion, dedi-
cated to the Lord, and ordinances performed therein. Mobo-
cratic hostilities were renewed, however, with determined vigor.
364 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Nauvoo was besieged. The temple was burned and Elder Wil-
liam Anderson and his son killed. The Saints were expelled at
the point of the bayonet. They had a flourishing city in an in-
credibly short time. They were quiet, peaceable, law-abiding,
industrious citizens. The killing of their leading men, the burn-
ing of their homes, the numerous indignities heaped upon them,
were as dastardly and cold-blooded as any persecution chron-
icled in the annals of history, especially when we consider that
it occurred in a free country, where liberty for every race and
religion is the proud boast of its people. Many of the people
left Nauvoo in the dead of winter, 1845-6, crossing the Missis-
sippi river on the ice. The day aftefr the general exodus, nine
children were born in the camp of the exiled people. Under
the leadership of President Young and his associates, the Saints
move'd westward across the state of Iowa and built up a settle-
ment called Winter Quarters, where the people remained to re-
cruit until 1847. While there the government called on the
Saints for five hundred men to engage in the war with Mexico.
These were promptly supplied, and the most able-bodied men
were sent to defend their country.
In the spring of 1847, President Young and a small company
numbering 143, including three 1 women, started from the Mis-
souri river to find beyond the Rocky Mountains a place of rest,
where they might build and inhabit homes and worship God
"free from the furious rage of mobs." After an interesting and
trying journey of about three months this noble" band of pioneers
entered Salt Lake valley July 24th, 1847, over a thousand miles
from the Mississippi river. As they emerged from the mouth
of what was afterwards named Emigration Canyon, they stood
upon a plateau facing westward. To the north and south a
great valley extended, bordered on the west by mountains and a
great inland sea of salt water, the Great Salt Lake. The
islands in the lake are mountains almost destitute" of timber,
but supplied with grass suitable for the grazing of horses and
cattle. The valley was poorly watered, and dry and sterile was
the apearance of the country before the'm. But God was their
leader. He had shown to President Young beforehand the Salt
Lake Valley. When the pioneer band ente'red the valley the
Prophet said, "This is the place. Here we will build a city."
When they came upon the ground where the temple" now stands,
THE CHURCH. 365
President Young, thrusting his cane into the ground, said in
substance, "Here we will stay, and upon this ground we will
build a temple."
All the events conducing to the growth and development of
the valleys prove that President Brigham Young knew whereof
he spoke, and God has confirmed his words by the many bless-
ings of divine Providence showered upon the people in building
up a commonwealth in what was in those days a great barren
waste. The soil upon which the Saints then stood belonged to
Mexico. Those pioneers were 1 as truly exiles from their country
as were the Puritans who sailed the trackless ocean and planted
their feet upon Plymouth Rock. And yet the Latter-day Saints
then had five hundred men in the American army, in the con-
test with Mexico. Upon a prominent mountain peak, called
Ensign, the "Mormon" pioneers planted the Stars and Stripes,
the flag of their country, and possessed the land as citizens of
the United State's. Upon the arrival of this first company the
work of plowing and building immediately commenced. It
would take volumes to tell the history of the growth and pro-
gress of the Saints from that time till now ; but this wondrous
recital is written upon the mountains and in the valleys, which
are open to the inspection of all people.
In the fall of 1847 a large company of Saints crossed the
plains, led by President John Taylor and other prominent men.
The companies continued to pour into Salt Lake" valley and
spread into the valleys north and south each year from 1847
to 1000, coming as Latter-day Saints, under the regulations of
the Church. The leading brethren had made covenant that they
would not cease 1 their energies until all the Saints who would
remain faithful should be gathered to the place appointed.
Before the death of Prophet Joseph many had apostatized.
The Saints were not so well established in doctrine" as they are
today, and some were led astray by the pretensions of promi-
nent men who were disposed to leave the Church and follow
their own course. The Twelve Apostles stood next in authority
to the Presidency of the Church by the order pointed out in the
revelations of God and at the time when Sidney Rigdon was
asserting his claims to the guardianship of the Church, Presi-
dent Young stood up to address the Saints. A remarkable man-
ifestation of God's power took place. President Young was
366 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
transfigured before the people. He appeared to increase in
height and in form of his face and body to the 1 exact personal
appearance of the Prophet Joseph Smith. When he spoke his
voice was as that of the martyred Prophet. People who were
present on that occasion say that if their eyes had been closed
when he arose from his seat they would have believed the
speaker to be none other than the Martyr. Truly the mantle of
Joseph had fallen upon Brigham, and while Joseph had received
all the keys of the priesthood, he had bestowed them upon the
Twelve, also the revelations upon which to build the Church of
Christ. President Young truly built upon these revelations
during his entire administration. In 1849, at Winter Quarters,
he was sustained as President of the Church by the unanimous
voice of the priesthood, Heber C. Kimball and Williard Rich-
ards then being chosen Counselors and so endorsed by the voice
of the Church thereafter at general conferences during the re-
mainder of their lifetimes. President Young presided over the
Church as the senior Apostle for thirty-three years, five years
in connection with the Twelve and twenty-eight years in the
Presidency.
Soon after the settlement of the Saints in Salt Lake 1 valley,
other valleys were explored north and south, and settlements
established wherever water could be obtained, as rapidly as the
strength and numbers of the Saints would justify. As early
as 1860 settlements were founded and the Saints organized in
Wards and quorums of the priesthood, from Cache valley to St.
George, a distance of over 400 miles from north to south.
Wherever the Saints locate in settlements of a few families, or
more, they are organized with a Bishop and counselors to pre-
side over them, with Priests, Teachers and Deacons, as before
explained, for a local ministry. As helps in government they had
in those early d'ays the Relief Society to relieve the poor and
afflicted. The society is composed of women, and was first
organized March 17, 1842, by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in
Nauvoo. In 1849 the first" Sunday school was established in the
Church by Richard Ballantyne, in the Fourteenth Ward, Salt
Lake City. Later, and during the administration of President
Young, the Young Men and Young Ladies' Mutual Improve-
ment Associations were inaugurated. Still later, by suggestion
of Sister Aurelia Spencer Rogers, under the administration of
THE CHURCH. 367
President John Taylor, the* Primary Associations, presided over
and conducted by capable sisters, were established for the es-
pecial benefit of little children. All these are helpful regula-
tions to meet the growing requirements of the Saints in mat-
ters of religious, moral and intellectual training and develop-
ment. One of these organizations exists in every Bishop's Ward,
unless the number of any class who properly belong to one of
the associations named is too limited to make the organization
profitable. In such cases those who would take part in such
associations are not unprovided for because the Sunday school,
more than any other association in the Church, takes in all
ages of both sexes. Our Sunday schools now have a member-
ship of nearly 125,000.
Where there are a sufficient number of Wards, in any section
of the country, these Wards are presided over by a President
and two counselors, with a High Council, who have certain
jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Church in this group
of Wards. The associations, Sunday schools, societies, etc.,
have a general superintendency of three, with assistants. This
organization, composed of the Wards, is called a Stake of Zion.
For convenience sake, the" geographical boundaries of the Stake
are usually the same" as those of the county, but not always, or
necessarily so. Sometimes the population of two or three
counties is not too great to be one Stake", where the settle-
ments are close together, or not separated by mountains, which
would render the attendance of the people at Stake confer-
ences, especially in the winter season, very laborious, and in
seme instances almost impossible. We" have now fifty Stakes
of Zion. They extend from Canada to Mexico. They exist
in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Canada and
Mexico. Many of them were organized just prior to the
decease of President Young, the* remainder under his suc-
cessors, respectively : Presidents Taylor, Woodruff, Snow aiiJ
Smith.
April Gth, 1853, the Temple in Salt Lake City was com-
menced It is constructed of granite. The rock was hauled,
the" first fifteen years, with ox teams, a distance of sixteen
miles, two yoke of oxen frequently being required to draw
one huge stone. But many years before the completion of
the Temple, the locomotive 1 , with many car loads of stone at a
368 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
time, rolled into the Temple block and left its cargo by
the side of the growing edifice. The capstone of this magnifi-
cent house of the Lord was laid by electricity. The current
was applied by the finger of God's Prophet, Wilford Woodruff,
then eighty-four years of age, and one of that noble band of
one hundred forty-three who entered Salt Lake valley July
24th, 1847. President Young was instrumental in laying the
foundation of four temples in Utah, at Salt Lake, St. George.
Logan and Manti. All have been, years ago, completed; the
Salt Lake Temple being dedicated April 6th, 1893, by President
Wilford Woodruff. The ordinances of salvation for the liv-
ing and the dead are performed in the temples, and tens of
thousands have been officiated for since their completion.
Subsequent to the exodus of the Church from Nauvoo to Salt
Lake valley, the Gospel was introduced to the Pacific Isles by
President George Q. Cannon and other Elders in 1853. In
the work of preaching the Gospel many countries have" not yet
accorded perfect religious fre'edom, and to penetrate these the
Church awaits only the provinces of the Almighty to break
down the barriers and make it feasible to promulgate the
Gospel in those countries. In other lands, where fre'edom
reigns, the Elders have carried the glorious message. The
Book of Mormon has been translated into German, Danish,
Swedish, French, Spanish, Italian, Hawaiian, Maori and other
tongues, and will continue to be given to the world until the
truths of the Gospel upon its sacred pages shall be read by
every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The thousands
who have embraced the work with honest motives have received
the witness of the Holy Spirit to their own satisfaction. Gifts
and blessings which the ancient saints enjoyed have been re-
newed in this glorious dispensation.
The external history of the Church has been the same as in
other times. "If ye were of the world, the world would love
its own ; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the
world hateth you." "And they that live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution." Prophecy has been and is
being fulfilled. "What is prophecy but history reversed?"
History repeats itself. When Joseph Smith promulgated a
new revelation, religious and irreligious fought against such
an idea. Professional religionists seek to prove by the Scrip-
THE CHURCH. 369
tures that revelations are not for our day. In this they
fail, because the Old and New Testaments abound in predic-
tions of future revelations and events which cannot be filled
without revelation. The wicked have resorted to slander, ridi-
cule and falsehood, then to violence, resulting in the destruction
of property and human life. All this being futile, they movefd
the nation by the falsehoods of Judge Druinmond to send an
army to Utah. But when the army came they found that
this United States officer had basely deceived the 1 president of
the nation, by telling that the 'Mormons wore in a state of re-
bellion and had burned the court records, these being found
unharmed. The Mormons were at peace with God and all
mankind, quietly minding their own business, pursuing their
vocations of life and building up the country for the benefit
and blessing of all who should come within their gate's. The
army came to Utah in 1857, and subsequently returned East,
going chiefly to the South, their leading officer, Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston, taking part with the Confederate army in
the great rebellion. He fell upon the" battlefild of Shiloh,
April 6th, 1862, thirty-two years to the day after the Church
was born in this dispensation. The army sold to the Mor-
mons mules, wagons, harness and other materials much needed,
at a mere nominal figure, and thus being a blessing, proved
the words of Isaiah true, "I will make the wrath of man to
praise me."
As the Saints grew in prosperity and importance, avarice
and prejudice seized political demagogues, adventurers and
religious bigots, to stir the nation to a systematic effort to
crush out "Mormonism." Special legislation was enacted
and enforced beyond the severity of its own provisions. About
eight hundred men went to prison ; a few women were incar-
cerated because they would not testify against their husbands;
heavy fines were paid and hundreds went into exile rather than
prove untrue to the solemn covenants and obligations the'y
had entered into under their religious convictions. Finally
confiscation oi ! Church property took place, but most of it was
afterwards restored. In 1890 President Woodruff issued his
manifesto regarding plural marriage 1 , feeling that the courts
of the country had abused justice in denying the Saints
24
370 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
the liberty of religious worship granted by the American
Constitution.
In this form of opposition to the Church, a prophecy of
Joseph Smith is fulfilled, in which he said, in substance, that
persecution against the! Saints would extend from township
to county; from county to state, and from state to nation.
His words have been literally fulfilled. The Saints, in en-
during persecution, did so with patience and forbearance.
They have no spirit of revenge". They understand that much
of the popular sentiment against them is based upon mis-
understanding, founded in the falsehood of wicked and de-
signing men. The spirit of the Gospel teaches them that
it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong, and that
patience and charity are as necessary as a testimony of the
truth ; for without the approval of the Lord they could not
endure the" trials and temptations which beset them.
From the commencement the Church had taught the utmost
freedom of mankind to worship as they chose, such liberty
being curtailed only when it runs into license and infringes
upon the rights of others. In the 1 early inception of the
Church, God commanded His people to study and learn from
the best of books, to acquire an understanding of the laws of
God and the governments of men, to become acquainted with
the heavens and the" earth. Thus the Saints are the friends
of all true education. Joseph Smith established a school in
Kirtland for the 1 study of Hebrew and other branches of knowl-
edge. For Nauvoo he obtained a charter for a university.
Brigham Young and his associates founded the Deseret Uni-
versity, now called the University of Utah. They have also
established church schools, the Brigham Young Academy in
Provo, the Brigham Young College in Logan, Stake academies
and other schools. The sons of Latter-day Saints have grad-
uated with honor in the Military Academy at West Point.
In Ann Arbor, 'Michigan, they have a record unsurpassed in
the law school and in other branches taught by that noted
institution. The same is true of their record at Harvard and
elsewhere ; also are there numerous graduate's of medicine,
dentistry, civil engineering, etc., as taught in the great schools
of Chicago, Philadelphia and other places. Mission conferences
are" established in almost every state of the American Union,
THE CHURCH. 371
also in England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden
and Norway, Germany, Holland, Palestine, New Zealand, Aus-
tralia, the Hawaiian and many other islands of the Pacific
ocean, including Japan.
The present living membership of the Church, men, women
and children, is not less than 310,000 souls. While there has
been steady progress in numerical strength, it is not in numbers
altogether that strength consists. We fully realize that
"Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto
life, and few there be 1 that find it." The greatest strength
consists in the purity of the principle and the impossibility
of the wicked and corrupt to remain long in the Church. God
is its founder and builder. He established the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It will stand always, for
"whatsoever the" Lord doeth, He doeth it forever."
CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
We have treated briefly upon the subject of Divine Author-
ity, merely pointing out the absolute necessity of such authori-
ty in order to obtain complete salvation, and how it was be-
stowed and perpetuated whenever a Gospel dispensation existed
upon the earth. It will not be amiss to deal briefly with
the subject of Church Organization, as this specifies the dis-
tribution of divine authority to the various offices in the Church
of Christ, each having specific duties to perform.
In the' beginning we wish it distinctly understood that we
accept of the New Testament as the rcord of this organization,
and that nowhere within that sacred record is even an inti-
mation that, by divine appointment, the offices established in
the Church of Christ by the Savior of mankind would be
done" away. On the other hand, neither do we claim that the
New Testament contains a full and explicit statement of
every office in the Church, with the several duties of each
officer and the relationship which each council or order of
authority bears to every other council. The New Testament
is fragmentary and has been translated and re-translated many
times since it was first written by inspired apostles and prophets ;
those translations were by men not claiming the inspiration
which characterized the men of God who wrote" it.
In this connection we must not forget the statement of
Holy Writ: ''The things of God knoweth no man but the
Spirit of God. * * * But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto
him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned." (I. Cor. ii :11, 14.) Therefore, where the inspired
record is not sufficiently full in elucidating any principle,
nothing short of new revelation from God will clear away the
mist and bring us to a knowledge of the truth. The* writings
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James and Jude, so
far as they bear upon the sayings and acts of the Savior
during His earthly ministry, are the testimonies of what they
CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 373
saw and heard personally, as well as the revelations of the
Holy Ghost to them, subsequent to the crucifixion and ascension
of the Savior. Paul embraced the Gospel later, and was not
personally associated with Jesus in His ministry. His testi-
mony is equally binding, however, as he "wrote* and spoke as he
was moved upon by the Holy Ghost." "In the mouth of two
or three witnesses every word may be established." (Matt,
xviii: 16.)
In Matthew, chapter 10, commencing with the first verse",
we have this statement : "And when He had called unto Him
His Twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean
spirits to cast them out and he"al all manner of sickness and
all manner of disease. Now the names of the Twelve apostles
are these;" then follows the name of each of the Twelve. Mark
gives more! detail as to when and where they were called, as
follows : "And He goeth up into a mountain and called unto
Him whom He would; and they came unto Him. And He
ordained twelve," etc. (Mark iii: 13, 14.) Luke records the
calling of the Twelve in the sixth chapter of his book, be-
ginning with the 1 twelfth verse : "And it came to pass in those
days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued
all night in prayer to God. And when it was day He called
unto Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom
also He named apostles." Paul says in I. Cor. xii :28 : "And
God hath set some in the church, first apostles ;" and again in
Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 11 : "And He gave some apostles."
From the statements of four New Testament writers, it is
plain that the first officers placed in the Church of Christ
were apostles. Jesus delegated unto Peter the 1 keys of the
kingdom of heaven, that whatsoever he should bind on earth
should be bound in heaven, as recorded in the sixteenth chap-
ter of Matthew, thus delegating to the apostleship all authority
essential to the preaching of the Gospel, and administering in
all the ordinances thereof, at home and abroad, for the salvation
of all who would render obedience. It is apparent that other
men such as Paul and Barnabas received the apostleship, but
while this was the case it is evident that the Twelve apostles
constituted a quorum. When Judas fell, one was chosen to
take his place in that quorum, as written in the Acts of the
Apostles, first chapter, 23-26 verses. It would appear from
374 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
the reading of the Scriptures that while these twelve still lived,
Paul and probably others received the holy apostleship, but did
not become members of that council.
The work of preaching the Gospel to all the world, to every
creature, was undoubtedly too extensive for the accomplishment
personally of twelve men, so Jesus chose others to assist them.
"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also,
and sent them two and two before His face into every city
and place, whither He Himself would come." (Lukex:!.) As
He conferred upon them similar powers and gave them a
similar calling to preach the Gospel, they were undoubtedly
the next associates of the Twelve in preaching the Gospel to
the inhabitants of the earth. Some think by the language
used by Luke, "other seventy," that He had chosen one quorum
of seventies before this one, but this is not necessarily correct, as
it will apply in meaning to "other" than the Twelve apostles.
In Hebrews, fifth chapter and first verse, Paul says 4 : "For
every high priest taken from among men is ordained for
men in things pertaining to God." While it is true that the
words "high priest" are used in a more general sense in some
instances, such as in Hebrews, third chapter, first verse, whertJ
the 'Savior is called both the "Apostle and High Priest of our
profession," it appears evident from the above quotation and
other passages that there" was in the order of ecclesiastical
government in the Church of Christ a distinct officer with
specific duties called a High Priest.
Again, in Acts, fourteenth chapter and twenty-third veise,
we read : "And when they had ordained them elders in every
church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them
to the Lord, on whom they believed." "And when they were
come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the
apostles and elders. * * * And the apostles and elders
came together." (Acts xv:4-6.) "And as they went through
the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that
were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Je-
rusalem." (Acts xvi:4.) "And from Miletus He sent to
Ephesus, and called the elders of the church." (Acts xx:17.)
"And ordained elders in every city as I had appointed thee,"
(Titus i:5.)
The term "elders" is used in many other passages of Scrip-
CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 375
ture. In some instances the apostle is called <an elder, as
Paul and John allude to themselves personally as elders. In
some places the term is used in reference to the" aged, as in
I. Timothy, chapter v., verses 1, 2 : "Rebuke not an elder, but
entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren,
the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with
all purity." Yet the quotations made will be ample to prove
that the office of Elder was an order anciently in the organiza-
tion of the Church of Christ.
In I. Timothy, third chapter, verses 1, 2, we learn of the
office of Bishop, with some essential qualifications. "This is a
true saying : If a man desire the office of a bishop, he de-
sireth a good work. A bishop thefn must be blameless, the
husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given
to hospitality, apt to teach." Also, in Titus i: 7: "For a
bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not self-
willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not
given to filthy lucre ; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good
men, sober, just, holy, temperate." These passages show
clearly the office of Bishop to be a department in the govern-
ment of the Church of Christ, and should be held by a married
man.
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain
priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia." (Luke i: 5.)
The order of the Priest as established in ancient Israel seems
to have continued in the New Testament dispensation. Although
the offering of sacrifice was consummated at least for that
period, in the atonement of our Savior, it is apparent that
John the Baptist, Philip, and others, were priests after the
order of Levi, having authority to baptize for the remission
of sins, and to preach faith and repentance, but not to officiate
in the higher ordinances of the Gospel which secure-! the
baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, nor to preside over the
Church of Christ and regulate the affairs thereof throughout
the 1 world.
In Acts xiii :1 ; I. Cor. xii.28, and Eph. iv :11, we learn of an
officer called Teacher, though nothing as to the especial func-
tions of that office.
Paul to Timothy, in the third chapter of his letter, refers to
the Deacons, and enumerates some of the qualifications essen-
376 COWLEY'S TALKSON DOCTRINE.
tial to the possession of men who bear that sacred calling in
the Church of Christ.
In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, twelfth chapter,
verse 28, the apostle declares: "And G-od hath set some
in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, diversities of tongues." "And He gave some
apostles ; and some prophets ; and some evangelists (patri-
archs) ; and some pastors and teachers." (Eph. iv :11.) "Now
there were in the church * * * certain prophets and teach-
ers." (Acts xiii: 1.)
Peter and Paul, in their writings, make reference to the
ancient patriarchs, and although no definite statement is made,
as to soich an office existing in their time, it is more! than
probable that it existed in the Church of Christ whenever
that Church had an existence on the earth.
The quotations give us the names of, at least, the following
offices as departments of the Holy Priesthood and essentials
to the work of the Lord: Apostles, Patriarchs, High Priests,
Seventies, Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons. The
words pastors, shepherds, evangelists, etc., are also used in
reference to officials in the Church, but it is probable that
some terms were* used not so much to name the exact title
of a man's position or calling in the order of the priesthood
as to indicate the nature of the work his calling enjoined upon
him. For instance, a pastor is one who has charge of a
flock, a shepherd; applied religiously, one who has the" over-
sight of a Branch of the Church (president of conference, for
example . ; and this term would apply to Elders and Bishops,
who, according to the New Testament, had watched ovefr
branches of the Church in different parts of the earth.
We wish to again call attention to the fact that the exact
and full duty in detail of each officer is not wholly explained
in the Jewish Scriptures. The precise order in which all
of these officers were placed is not clear. The difference
between the general duties common to all and the particular
labors enjoined upon one officer, which distinguished him from
every other officer in the church, is not told. This is not sur-
prising, either, as undoubtedly each man in his order understood
his duties from the instructions of the living oracles of God.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 377
Furthermore, they bad writings, which are referred to in the
Testament, but which are not preserved and handed down to
us ; and it is probable they had still other writings that are
neither compiled nor alluded to in the Scriptures.
The" New Testament contains letters of instructions, exhorta-
tions, warnings and testimonies of the apostles to the Church
and to the world, and does not claim to be a complete exposi-
tion of Church Organization, etc. The Church was guided by
direct revelation, and was to be so guided in all time; and
the fact that man, with all his learning and the benefits of
researches made by preceding generations, cannot organize a
church after the ancient pattern, is indisputable proof that we
need more revelation from God. The 1 world by wisdom knew
n'ot God. Suffice it to say, that as long as we need divine
instructions, which will be the case" forever, we need the God-
given officeTs which Christ placed in His Church, and which He
designed to continue as long as the Church should exist.
Here is the testimony of Paul to the Ephesians, chapter 4:
"And He gave some apostle's ; and some prophets ; and some
evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive." In this connection it is perhaps sufficient
to remark that the history of the world is ample proof that
apostles, prophets and inspiration are always needed. The
reader is asked to carefully study the chapter on the "Church,"
given in this work, as it points out the duties of officers in the
Church Organization, as given us by modern revelation.
DIVINE AUTHORITY.
A very remarkable feature in the religious sentiment of
rnode'rn "Cfiristianity" is the indifference which prevails as to
the question of legitimate authority to speak and officiate in the
name of the Lord. Should an unauthorized man operate in
matters of human government, or an impostor pretend to be
the agent of a mercantile" institution and deceive the people by
taking their orders for goods and receiving their money, no one
with sound reason would expect the government or firm to
make good the unauthorized contracts of such an impostor ;
but the deceiver would be arrested and thrust into prison for
his fraudulent acts. Why should the consideration of sacred
ordinances involving the salvation of mankind be treated with
less concern?
There seems to have grown up in the hearts of the people
a feeling that mere belief and intellectual assent to the theories
9f the Gospel is all-sufficient to secure salvation in the presence
of the Lord. But this is an unscriptural delusion. "Even so
faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." "Thou be-
lie vest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also
believe and tremble." "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead?" "For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (St James
ii: 17, 19, 20 and 26.)
We have shown from the Scriptures that baptism and con-
firmation are essential ordinances to salvation ; and to these
might be added other sacred rites, instituted by the Savior
of the world for the" redemption of man. He has said that
"not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven." (Matt. vii:21.)
Can anyone reasonably suppose that baptism, confirmation,
the sacrament, or any other sacred ceremony administered by
one not sent of God will be followed by the blessings which
attended the primitive saints? Will unauthorized acts secure 1
DIVINE AUTHORITY. 379
the remission of sins, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are
manifest in visions, dreams, healings, prophecies, tongues, etc.?
Not by any means; and the reason the" signs do not follow
professed believers of the present day is because their ministers
are not called of God according to the pattern instituted by
Him. The condemnation of the Lord will rest upon all who
speak presumptuously and who wilfully usurp authority to
officiate in sacred things.
The Lord said in the days of Jeremiah, concerning certain
men who spoke without authority: "I have not sent these
prophets, yet they ran ; I have not spoken to them, yet they
prophesied." (Jer. xxiii:21.) The whole history of the
dealings of God with His people as it is recorded in the Bible,
proves the constant necessity of living, divine 1 authority.
Upon this branch of the subject we cite the reader to
the Scriptures. When Moses was about to depart from Israel
he sought the Lord to designate his successor, knowing full well
that without succession of authority the work of God could
not continue. He said, "Let the Lord, the God of the
spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may
go out before them, and which may go in before* them, and
which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that
the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no
shepherd." (Num. xxvii : 16-17.) In Romans x., 14 to 17, we
have the following : "How then shall they call on Him in
whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except
they be sent?"
The Savior, who called Twelve apostles and other seventy to
continue the work which He, by the direction of His Father,
had inaugurated, was so particular that they should not "run
before they were sent" that He said to them, "And that repent-
ance and remission of sins should be preached in His name
among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And behold, I
send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the
city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
(Luke xxiv:47, 49.)
This emphatic injunction was given, notwithstanding that
these apostles bad been already called and ordained as recorded
380 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
in Mark iii :14, and notwithstanding their great experience
by personal association with the Savior of mankind, who was
pure, without guile, and perfect in all things, "who spake as
never man spake'." The apostles had witnessed the sick healed,
the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the dead raised.
Three of them, Peter, James and John, had been with Christ
when He was transfigured on the holy mount. Mosesi and
Elias had ministered unto them. These Twelve were the living
oracles of Almighty God, but for all that, they must not "run
before they were sent, nor speak before they were spoken to."
They must enjoy especial power. Are men in modern times as
particular to avoid speaking in the name of the" Lord before
they are truly called?
Let us ascertain how men are called of God and His authori-
ty perpetuated in the earth. In speaking of the honor and au-
thority of the Holy Priesthood, Paul says, "And no man taketh
this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was
Aaron." By reading the fourth and twenty-eighth chapters
of Exodus, the information as to how Aaron was called can be
obtained. He was called by a revelation through a prophet of
God. That prophet was called by revelation and ordained
by one having authority to ordain him. This method of calling
men to the ministry was ever adhered to by true Saints, and
when departed from, the departure has been of men and not
of God. Aaron received the anointing literally at the hands
of the prophet Moses, as recorded in Exodus xl: 15, 16, and thus
conferred the Levitical priesthood upon Aaron, which was to
be transmitted by the holy anointing from generation to gen-
eration, as long as they should observe the statutes of the
Holy One of Israel.
When Joshua was called to succeed Moses in leading Israel
into the promised land, it was done by revelation from God
and the laying on of hands by one having authority. "And the
Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man
in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him. * * *
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the
Lord commanded by the hand of Moses." (Num. xxvii :18, 23.)
"And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom ;
for Moses had laid his hands upon him." (Deut. xxxiv:9.)
During the entire history of ancient Israel, men were called
DIVINE AUTHORITY. 381
by revelation, and when any person presumed to officiate
without such a call, their acts were invalid and were rejected
of the Almighty.
The New Testament furnishes direct evidence" of the plan
of calling men to the ministry and perpetuating the authority
of God among men. Jesus said to His apostles, "Ye have not
chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you." (St.
John xv:16.) "Now there were in the church that was at
Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and
Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and
Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch,
and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where-
unto I have called them. And when they had fasted and
prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away." (Acts
xiii: 1, 2, 3.) "And when they had rdained them elders in
every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended
them to the Lord, on whom they believed." (Acts xiv: 23.)
Men thus called have authority to speak in the name of the
Lord, to officiate in His name ; and their acts are" valid, binding
in time and eternity.
When Paul found a number of disciples at Ephesus who had
received baptism, but in answer to his question, said that they
had not "so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost,"
he promptly baptized them; yet they had received this ordi-
nance after the form of John's baptism, that is, by immersion,
which veas correct. It was evident, however, that their first
baptizing was done without authority, otherwise the person
officiating would have told them of the baptism of the Holy
Ghost, as did John the Baptist. Under these circumstances
Paul had to rebaptize them, or rather administer the true bap-
tism, he having authority from God to administer it, and then
he conferred the Holy Ghost upon them by the laying on of
hands. This example is a lesson as applicable to similar con-
ditions of today as it was in the New Testament dispensation.
All ceremonies, ordinances, rites, etc., administered without the
administrator being "called of God as was Aaron," are null
and void.
The dispensation of the fullness of times has been ushered
in. The Father and the Son and other heavenly messengers
382 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
have visited the earth and restored authority to act in the
name of Jesus as in days of old. This authority has been
transmitted from the Prophet Joseph Smith to others, as des-
ignated by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and by the laying
on of hands. In/ this manner the authority of the Holy Priest-
hood will be perpetuated without interruption until the "king-
doms of this world shall have 1 become the kingdom of our God
and His Christ."
PERSONALITY OF GOD.
The general idea of Deity accepted throughout the so-called
Christian world is stated briefly in this way : "God is a being
without body, parts or passions."
The Latter-day Saints regard our Heavenly Father as pos-
sessing an actual tabernacle" of flesh and bones (not blood),
and that in His image man is created. Our views respecting
this important subject are based upon the revelations of God
to man in ancient and modern times, and regarding which there
is no contradiction in the testimony of the prophets. "God said,
Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air, and over the cattle, and over all the' earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created
man in His own image, in the image of God created He him;
male and female created He them." (Gen. i: 26, 27.)
It is claimed by some that this likeness is only to be un-
derstood as a moral image. There is, however, nothing to jus-
tify such a view, either in the statement quoted or any other
passage' of Holy Writ. On the contrary, the Scriptures show
that man is actually in the image of his Maker. Concerning
His appearance to Abraham, we read: "And the Lord ap-
peared unto him in the .plains of Mamre ; and he sat in the
tent door in the heat of the day ; and he lifted up his eyes and
looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and whem he saw them,
he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself
toward the ground, and said, ''My Lord, if now r I have found
favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy ser-
vant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your
feet, and rest yourselves under the tree." (Gen. xviii: 1-4.)
Material as this may appear to many, the first verse of the
chapter, as well as other verses following those quoted, proves
conclusively that this records a personal appearing of the Lord,
and also that He has a tangible being, composed of various
parts of the body, as real as those which characterize His off-
384 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
spring. This instance is only one out of many in which the
Lord appeared to Abraham. Read the seventeenth chapter of
Genesis, 1-3, "And when Abraham was ninety years old and
nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the
Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I
will make' my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply
thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face ; and God talked
with him." Then follows the conversation engaged in between
God, our Eternal Father, and Abraham, the "father of the 1
faithful." How such an event should occur between a real hu-
man being and one who had no real organization, "without
body, parts or passions," requires more credulity to believe than
to accept the idea which the Scriptures themselves convey in
these chapters, viz : that God has an actual personality.
If language more direct than the foregoing is required, it can
be found in the eleventh chapter of Genesis, regarding the con-
fusion of tongues at the tower of Babel. "And the Lord came
down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men
builded. * * * Go to, let us go down, and there confound
their language, that they may not understand one another's
speech." It is evident from this that the Lord was in one" place,
the tower of Babel in another ; that He was surrounded by asso-
ciates, and in counsel with them proposed to go to the place
where the tower was in course of construction and there defeat
the purpose of its builders. No one could take this account,
written in the simplicity of truth, believing that it is a truthful
statement of the historical facts, and still believe that God
is without body, parts or passions and in His actual individu-
ality fills at once the immensity of space.
The entire Bible history of Abraham is also one continuous
account of personal visits, conversations and covenants made
by the Almighty to and with the patriarch. Isaac was* also
favored with the presence of the Lord : "And Isaac went unto
Abimelech, king of the Philistines, unto Gerar. And the Lord
appeared unto 'him and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in
the land which I shall tell thee of." (Gen. xxvi: 1, 2.) And again
in the twenty-fourth verse of the same chapter : "And the
Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God
of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and will
PERSONALITY OF GOD. 385
bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's
sake."
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was no less favored of the
Lord in being a personal witness of His existence, with love
and interest in His earthly children : "And Jacob said unto
Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of
Canan and blessed me, and said unto me, Behold I will make
thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make? of thee a mul-
titude of people ; and will give thisi land to thy seed after thee
for an everlasting possession." (Gen. xlviii: 3, 4.)
Abraham was designated "the fathe'r of the faithful, the
friend of God." Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the Lord has
said, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." To them
He made glorious promises and entered into everlasting cove-
nants extending into eternity. He promised that their seed
should be as numerous as the stars of heaven and as countless
as the sands upon the seashore. To the thoughtful person who
reads the Scriptures in the spirit of truth, it must be? apparent
that our Heavenly Father foreknew the unchanging integrity of
these men, and because of this gave them such great promises
and made them, by His visits to them, living witnesses of His
existence and personality.
Moses is another witness to the personality of God. "And
Moses hid his face ; for he was afraid to look upon God." (Ex.
iii:6.) On another occasion there were over seventy witnesses
that God is a personal being. "Then went up Moses, Aaron,
Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; And they
saw the God of Israel ; and there was under His feet as it were
a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of
heaven in His clearness." (Ex. xiiv: 9, 10.) He said to the
prophet Moses: "Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no
man see me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a
place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock; and it shall come
to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a
clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass
by; and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back
parts; but my face shall not be seen." (Ex. xxxiii: 20-23.) Again
it is written: ""My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all
mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even ap-
25
386 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
parently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the
Lord shall he behold." (Num. xii :7, 8.)
These quotations respecting the prophet Mose's show that on
some occasions he had personal visits from the Lord. In one
instance he was accompanied by over seventy associates, and
once he was permitted to see the back parts only. These state-
ments are so much in detail and in such direct language that
they are not susceptible of any private interpretation, but must
be taken in a literal sense. How any one can profess to believe
in the Bible and read these statements, yet deny the personality
of God, is a matter of wonder and astonishment, and can only
be accounted for in the fact that people have been taught to
accept the precepts of men without taking the natural and
reasonable conclusions which a personal reading of the Scrip-
tures would establish in their own minds.
When Hezekiah, king of Judah, was beset by the Assyrians
he offered the following prayer to the Lord: "Lord, bow down
thine ear, and hear; open, Lord, thine eyes, and see; and he^r
the word of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the
living G-od. (II Kings xix: 16.) And again it is written: "Now
mine eyes shall be open, and my ears attend unto the prayer
that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sancti-
fied this house, that my name may be there forever ; and mine
eyes and mine heart shall be" there perpetually." (II Chron.
vii:15, 16.) The Psalmist David expressed himself, saying:
"I have called upon Thee, for Thou wilt hear me, O God; incline
thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. As for me, I will behold
thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake
with Thy likeness." (Psalms xvii: 6, 15.) These expressions in
the prayers of righteous men point to the manifest truth that
God has eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart with Which to love, a
mouth to speak ; and taken with other statements of Holy Writ,
show beyond the possibility of a reasonable doubt, that our
Heavenly Father is possessed of a body composed of the various
parts which go to constitute the several members of a human
body, and that He is susceptible of anger, love and hatred. He
hates iniquity and loves righteousness. He is angry with the
wicked every day. Such are the statements of Holy Writ. He,
therefore, cannot be without body, parts or passions.
The Lord was also seen by the prophet Isaiah. "In the year
PERSONALITY OF GOD. 387
that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple." (Isa.
vi: 1.) To corroborate these testimonies of the Old Testa-
ment we call the attention of the reader to several passages in
the New. When Stephen was being martyred he saw God :
"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of Gcd, and Jesus standing on the
right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened,
and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts
vii: 55, 50.) Nothing could be plainer and more convincing from
the written Scripture's than that Stephen actually saw God, and
that He and His Son were in the heavens in the presence of
each other.
Paul wrote to the Philippians as follows : "Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus ; who, being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." (Phillip,
ii: 5, C.) And again in Col. i: 15, Paul said respecting the
Savior: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born
of every creature." To the Hebrews the same apostle says,
concerning Jesus : "Who being the" brightness of his glory, and
the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the
word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins,
sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. i: 3.)
These writings of Paul, though not relating to a peTsonal appear-
ance of God, fully corroborate in doctrine all the quotations on
the subject made from the Old and New Testaments. The
Scriptures referred to show conclusively the personality of the
Father, and a portion of the quotations presented, point to the
fact that He is a separate personage, and entirely distinct in
person from His Son Jesus Christ.
We now call the attention of the reader to a few passages
of Scripture, showing the personality of the Savior, not only
in reference to His individuality before His crucifixion, but
showing that in His resurrected and immortal state, He will
continue a separate and distinct personality from all other
beings. Subsequent to His resurrection He appeared to the
apostles; at first sight they were terrified, and supposed they
had seen a spirit, "And He said unto them, Why are ye
troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Be-
hold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and
388 COWLEY 'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
And when He had thus spoken He showed them His hands
and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and
wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And
they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
And He took it, and did eat before them." (Luke xxiv; 38-45.)
Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus
came, and when told by his brethren that they had seen the
Lord, he would not believe them, and said: "Except I shall
see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into
the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I
will not believe." Subsequent to this appearance, Thomas
w>as present when the Savior invited him to satisfy his mind
to the fullest extent, thrusting his hand into His side and be-
holding the wounds in His hands and feet, when he exclaimed,
"My Lord and my God." (John xx: 25, 28.)
Here is a clear demonstration that Jesus in His immortal
state continues as a personal being, with a tangible body of
flesh and bones. To show that there is no change in the per-
sonal status of the Savior, eighteen hundred years have passed
away since His resurrection, and yet we learn from the Scrip-
tures that still in the future He shall appear in the same
body: "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount
of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the
Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof. * * * And
the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee."
(Zeeh. xiv: 4-6.) In the thirteenth chapter, which appears to
be connected with His appearance upon the Mount of Olives,
we find the following statement: "And one shall say unto
Him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then He shall
answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my
friends." (Zech. xiii: 6.)
Many entertain the belief that of the three personages con-
stituting the Godhead only one is a personal being with a tan-
gible body, viz.: the Lord Jesus Christ. Enough evidence has
been offered to prove the contrary of this erroneous theory;
but as the Scriptures are full of evidence on this important
subject, I will present the reader with several quotations which
will aid him in his researches after the truth respecting this
PERSONALITY OF GOD. 389
important doctrine. Matthew informs us concerning the bap-
tism of the Savior that "The heavens were opened unto him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and
lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying,
'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' " (Matt,
iii : 16, 17.) In this instance the Savior is represented as being
at the waters of Jordan, while the voice of His Father came
from the courts of heaven, showing that the Father and Jesus
are two distinct personages, existing in separate places at the
same time. This testimony of Matthew is corroborated by
that of Mark and Luke, the former in the eleventh verse of his
first chapter: "And there came a voice from heaven, saying,
"Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'";
and in Luke, the third chapter and twenty-second verse, as
follows: "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape
like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which
said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.' "
It is recorded that on one occasion, while the Savior seri-
ously contemplated the coming ordeal of His crucifixion, this
occurred: "And Jesus answered them, saying, 'The hour is
come, that the Son of Man should be glorified. He that loveth
his life shall lose it. If any man serve me, let him follow me.
If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my
soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father save me from
this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father,
glorify thy name.' Then came there a voice from heaven,
saying, 'I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.' " (St.
John xiii: 23, 25, 26, 27, 28.)
Still another instance where the voice of the Father was
heard, and in the presence of other witnesses than the Savior,
is recorded in Matthew, seventeenth chapter, fifth and sixth
verses: "While He yet spake, behold, a bright cloud over-
shadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which
said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;
hear ye him.' And when the disciples heard it, they fell on
their face, and were sore afraid." The disciples here referred to
were Peter, James and John. Peter relates this impressive
event as follows: "For we have not followed cunningly de-
vised fables, when we made known unto you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of
His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor
390 COWLEY'S TALKS OJST DOCTRINE.
and glory, and there came such a voice to Him from the excel-
lent glory, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we
were with Him in the holy mount."
The account of this vision is also recorded in Mark ix: 7:
"And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: 'This is my be-
loved Son; hear Him.' " It is also said in Luke ix: 35.
"And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my
beloved Son: Hear Him.' " Surely the testimony of three or
four reliable witnesses is sufficient to affirm the truth of this
matter. When the Savior addressed the Father, no one could
reasonably say that He was addressing Himself. We have
many instances recorded by the writers of the New Testament
that Jesus supplicated His Father in humble prayer. "I thank
Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid
these things f rom the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them
unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All tnings are delivered to me of my Father." (Luke x: 21, 22.)
"Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son
also may glorify Thee. And now, O Father, glorify Thou
me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with
Thee before the world was." (John xvii: 1, 5.) "I came forth
from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave
the world, and go to the Father." (John xvi: 28.)
To these references may be add^d those before referred to,
giving an account of the martyrdom of Stephen, in the seventh
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the statement by
Paul, in the first chapter of kis letter to the Hebrews. Many
other scriptural testimonies might be cited to prove that the
Father and the Son are personal beings, each separate and dis-
tinct from the other.
The following passage of Scripture is often cited to prove
that the Savior is the only personal being in the Deity:
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word; that they all may be one;
as Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, that they also may
be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent
me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one." (John xvii: 20-22.)
The very wording of this Scripture shows that the Father
PERSONALITY OF GOD. 391
and. the Son are not one in person, because He prays that all
the disciples may be one in the same manner that the Father
and the Son are one, and one in that sense only, for the simple
reason that the oneness of the Father and the Son is perfect
and complete. Their unity consists in being one in wisdom,
one in knowledge, one in power, one in council, having a unity
of purpose in the accomplishment of man's salvation to the
fullest extent and in every conceivable respect. The disciples
of Jesus could not be one in person, for each of himself is a
separate individuality; they can be one, however, as the
Father and Son are one, in the accomplishment of one great
purpose the salvation of mankind 'because they are baptized
by one Spirit into one body, even the church of Christ; they
have one Lord, one faith and one baptism, and are all taught
of God, having "access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph
ii: 18), who is not the author of confusion, and cannot con-
sistently, with His own attributes, contradict Himself.
When Jesus sent His disciples into the world He commanded
them to baptize penitent believers "in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii: 19.)
These three personages are understood by believers in the
Bible to constitute the Godhead. We have shown that the
Father and Son are separate personages. It is just as evident,
from the Scriptures, that the Holy Ghost is as much a separate
and distinct personage as are the other two. Concerning the
enormity of sinning against the Holy Ghost, Jesus said:
"Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy
shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the
Holy Ghost shall mot be forgiven unto men. And whoso-
ever speaketh a word against the Son of 'Man, it shall be for-
given him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost,
it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in
the world to come." (Matt, xiif 31-32). Again, "Verily I
say unto you, all sins shall be forgive* unto the sons of men,
and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme; but he
that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never for-
giveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." (Mark iii:
28-29.)
Agreeable to the language of these quotations, there is a
distinct separation between the personality of the Savior and
392 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
that of the Holy Ghost. Jesus, in speaking of those who
should believe and obey Him, used this language: "He that
believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of
the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for
the Holy G-host was not yet given; because that Jesus was not
yet glorified." (John vii: 38, 39.) It appears from this state-
ment that while Jesus was the representative of the Godhead
to men in the flesh, at least for a period of time, the Holy
Ghost had not come to officiate at that time as a personal
witness of the .Father and the Son to the children of men.
To corroborate this idea, we quote from the sixteenth chapter
of John, seventh verse: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you." That this Comforter is the Holy Ghost
is evident from the fourteenth chapter of 'St. John, sixteenth
and twenty-sixth verses: "And I will pray the Father, and He
shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you
forever. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatso-
ever I have said unto you." Further: "But when the Com-
forter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He
shall testify of me." (John, xv: 26.)
These promises are so definite that no one could reasonably
mingle the personality of the Holy Ghost with that of either
the Father or the Son. After the crucifixion and resurrection
of the Savior, and when He had spent forty days with His
disciples before His ascension, instructing them preparatory
to their great mission, before He allowed them to go out, He
reminded them of the promise which He had made to them,
and commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem "until ye be en-
duecl with power from on high." (Luke xxiv: 49.) This
promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when the
powers of the Holy Ghost were manifest through His glorious
gifts which attended the apostles on that occasion. On that
great day the Holy Ghost as a gift for their permanent guid-
ance, was promised to all without distinction of time or place,
PERSONALITY OF GOD. 393
if they would have faith, repent and be 'baptized by divine
authority.
The personality of the Holy Ghost as a minister for God
has been enjoyed in every dispensation of the Gospel. "Men
and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled,
which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake." (Acts
i: 16.) Again: "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart
and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers
did, so do ye." (Acts vii: 51.) This is proof that David
and the prophets spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost, as did the disciples in the dispensation of Christ; also
that the ancients rejected the inspiration of the Holy Ghost,
as did the people in the days of the apostles. The apostle
Peter says: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the
will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost." (II Peter i: 21.) No one by reading
the Scriptures can reasonably deduce therefrom that divinely
authorized men were justified in their official ministrations in
speaking by any other power than that of the Holy Ghost.
Pau: says: "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by
the Holy Ghost." (I Cor. xii: 3.)
The great gifts of the Spirit have been referred to in earlier
pages of this work, and need not be repeated here; but the
character of those gifts and the constant necessity for their
existence, together with the passages quoted here, are positive
proof that the Holy Ghost is one of the Deity and a separate
personage from the Father and Son. At the Baptism of the
Messiah He was present in the waters of the Jordan with John
the Baptist. The Father was in the heavens above, and His
voice was heard, while the Holy Ghost descended upon the
Savior, as witnessed by its appearance in the form of a dove.
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The three constitute the
great, supreme Godhead, yet are as separate and distinct in
their personalities as any earthly parents and the children.
REVELATION.
For eighteen centuries the people of this world have been grop-
ing in spiritual darkness. They have had the Bible, it is true,
but what have they learned from it? In letter, many things. In
the true spirit of divine inspiration, they have learned little.
"The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (II Cor. iii: 6.)
They are "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowl-
edge of the truth." (II Tim. iii: 7.) These statements of Holy
Writ are fully corroborated by human experience in religious
matters. The world is divided and sub-divided into many con-
tending factions, professing Christianity, yet not having a unity
of faith. Many ideas of tlie Lord, many faiths in baptism. "One
Lord, one" faith, one baptism." (Eph. iv:5), was the doctrine
of Paul. "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew
vii:14.)
What is the cause of all this uncertainty respecting the glori-
ous plan of eternal life? If one was or is right, all opposing
methods must be wrong. We answer that the lack of unity, the
ignorance in relation to the Gospel, and finally skepticism and
infidelity, are due to substituting the wisdom of men for the
revelation of God, using human learning instead of the inspira-
tion of the Holy Ghost.
We desire to show in this article that without direct and
continuous revelation from God, the Gospel cannot be under-
stood and properly applied for the salvation of mankind, nor
can the purposes of God be accomplished on the earth. First,
we take dire'ct statements of Scripture : "Where there is no
vision, the people perish ; but he that keepeth the law, happy is
he." (Prov. xxix:18.) The law of God has never been kept
without the Spirit of God to enlighten those' who sought to keep
it. The history of the human family, from Adam to Noah,
from Noah to Moses, from Moses to the Lord Jesus Christ, and
in all subsequent ages, proves beyond cavil that where there was
no. vision from heaven, no inspired voice', no revelation, the
REVELATION. 395
people utterly perished in darkness and unbelief. The combined
wisdom and learning of men could not save them from spiritual
darkness.
That there may be an authorized channel of communication
between the heavens and the earth, the Lord has, whenever
His Church has existed on the earth, appointed men to receive
His will and make it known to the people. "Surely the Lord
God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secrets unto His
servants, the prophets." (Amos iii:7.) This literally might be
understood as equivalent to saying that where no prophet was,
there the Lord was doing nothing that would result in man's
salvation. Without being technical respecting the language of
Amos, the history of the world from Adam down provefs his
statements true. When there has been no prophet there has
been no revelation from God. When there has been no reve-
lation or vision the people have wandered to and fro, have
tossed upon the billows 1 of clashing opinion, perished in dark-
ness and have been buried in the great ocean of doubt and un-
certainty. On the other hand, when authorized prophets have
existed among men we may exclaim with the ancient Scriptures :
"I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes, by tlie ministry of the prophets.
And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet was he preserved." (Hosea xii: 10, 13.) And
we affirm that without prophets Israel nefver was preserved
and never will be.
In looking over the field of mysterious sayings contained in
the Bible, as well as the mystery which enshrouds many phases
of human history, we are consoled by the" promise of the Savior :
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither
hid, that shall not be known." (Luke xii: 2; Matthew x: 26;
Mark iv :22.) In thisi connection we may cite the fact that men
by le'arning do not see the truth alike, they do not harmonize
on the fundamental principles of the Gospel. As an example,
they cannot, unaided by revelation, tell the origin, history and
destiny of the American Indians.
Isaiah, over 200 years before the advent of the Messiah,
foresaw the spiritual ignorance of the last days and how that
condition would be ovrcome by the light of revelation. He
prophesied as follows : "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch
o96 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their
lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me,
and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among
this pe'ople, even a marvelous work and a wonder ; for the
wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding
of their prudent men shall be hid." (Isa. xxix:13, 14.) By
reading the context it is evident that the prophecy refers to a
time later than the 1 first coming of the iSavior, and that the pre-
diction never could be verified without direct revelation from
heaven.
Paul, writing to the Hebrews, calls attention to the great
truth that the method of the Lord in leading His people from
the beginning has been by revelation. He says : "God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto
us by His Son." (Heb. i :1, 2.) Jesus said in St. John xvii :3 :
"And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." Paul says
in I Cor. xii :3. "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but
by the Holy Ghost."
Whe'n Peter received a knowledge of the divinity and mission
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior said unto him : "Blessed
art thou, Siinon Bar-jona ; for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven." It required
a revelation for Peter to receive that testimony. How could
any one receive that knowledge without revelation from God?
The Jews saw Jesus, witnessed His wondrous miracles of heal-
ing the sick, giving siight to the' blind, unstopping the ears of the
deaf and even raising the dead, but all that was not sufficient.
They read the ancient prophecies, pointing to the birth and na-
tivity, the birthplace, life, ministry and martyrdom of the Mes-
siah. Yet were they blind, with eyes to see ; deaf, with ears
to hear, and without understanding. No reason can be assigned
for the ignorance of the masses and the enlightenment of the
humble fishermen other than that the" former depended upon the
learning of men ; the latter had received a revelation from God.
To place the necessity of revelation beyond question as to ob-
taining a knowledge of God, we quote the statement of Jesus
to His disciples: "All things are delivered to me of my Father;
REVELATION. 397
and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who
the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal
Him." (Luke x: 22.) Compare this plain, unmistakable testi-
mony of Jesus with the assertions of modern divines, who claim
that the canon of Scripture is full and that we do not need
divine revelation as it was given to men in ancient days. The
position of the latte'r simply contradicts the plainest teachings
of Holy Writ. If it required revelation 2,000 years ago to know
that Jesus was the Christ, nothing short of revelation from
heaven will secure that knowledge now. Notice, too, the re-
markable fact that notwithstanding all the personal experience
of the apostles through their association with the Savior, He
commanded them to "tarry ye at Jerusalem until ye be endued
with power from on high." (Luke, chapter 24.)
Another phase of the subject is this, that men claim that
which is written in the Scriptures is sufficient. This view simply
makes uninspired men the judge of what is and what is not es-
sential as to all the writings of the apostles and prophets of the
Lord Jesus. This is an unwarrantable assumption, condemned
by the Scripture ; for John says, concerning that which he had
written in the Book of Revelation : "For I testify unto every
man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any
man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the
plagues that are written in this book ; and if any man shall take
away from the words cf the book of this prophecy, God shall
take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy
city, and from the things which are written in this book."
(Rev. xxii: 18, 19.)
This does not deny God the privilege of adding more revela-
tion, as it is an undisputed fact that the Gospel according to St.
John was written subsequent to the Apocalypse ; but it is a
decree of divine displeasure upon any man who shall add to or
take from the revelations of the Alinighty. In the face of this
decree, history informs us that councils of the Roman Church
sat in judgment upon the writings of the apostles, and received
only that which, in the light of their human wisdom, was ac-
ceptable to them. Notwithstanding this fact, the various fac-
tions of Christendom are essaying to build upon the foundation
of what has come down to them through the channel of unau-
thorized councils of men. May we not ask with perfect pro-
398 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
priety, is not that which was rejected or lost just as valuable
as much of that which has been handed down to us?
As proof that writings of the disciples of Jesus have been lost
to the world, I would call special attention to several passages
of the Scripture. The writings of the New Testament are from
eight authors Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James
and Jude. Luke says : "Forasmuch as many have taken in
hand to set forth in order a declaration of these things which
are most surely believed among us." (Luke i:l.) While the're
is no definite proof in this statement as to how many had writ-
ten their testimonies concerning the Messiah, it is evident they
were not few, but many. That there was opportunity and ma-
terial upon which to write respecting this glorious subject, the
life and ministry of Jesus, is very apparent from the last verse
of the twenty-first chapter of St. John, as follows : "And there
are also many other things which Jesus did, the 1 which, if they
should be written, every one, I suppose that even the world it-
self could not contain the books that should be written." With
such a statement, it is to be wondered at that the world who
believed in the Redeemer should rest contented with the narrow
view that we have all that is important.
We have' in the New Testament what is called I Cor. and II
Cor., written to the Saints in Corinth by the apostle Paul. In
I Cor., chapter v :9, we have this: "I wrote unto you in an
epistle not to company with fornicators." This must have been
previous to the one in which this occurs, and yet such an
epistle is not found in our New Testament. In Col. iv :16,
Paul says : "And when this epistle is read among you, cause
that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans ; and that
ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea." This refers to an
epistle from Paul to the Colossians, written from Laodicea, but
which is not found in the canon of Scripture as we have it.
in II Tim., chapter iv: 13, Paul requests Timothy to bring him
certain parchments ; what they contained we know not. Jude
says : "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied
of these things, saying: 'Behold the Lord cometh with ten
thousand of His saints.' " How delightful it would be to read
the predictions and teachings of that great prophet Enoch, the
man who walked and talked with God 365 years, "and was not,
for God took him." Only a few verses in the Old and New
REVELATION. 399
Testament are all we have in the canon of Scripture respecting
Enoch and his city. What a glorious flood of light will dawn
upon the world when the writings of Enoch are revealed ! In
the 1 Old Testament may be found references to about thirty
books written by the Jewish scribes and prophets, but which
have been lost to the world, rejected and cast aside by unin-
spired, unauthorized councils of men.
Suppose that all that is necessary so far as explanation of
doctrine is concerned is contained in the New Testament, we
are then confronted with man's inability to understand what has
been revealed without the light of revelation to guide the hu-
man mind in understanding and applying the truth. As proof
of this. I will cite the testimony of Paul : "For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God. * * * But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto him ;
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis-
cerned." (I Cor. ii:ll, 14.) Jesus said to Nicodemus : "Ex-
cept a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
( St. John iii :3. ) "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord
but by the Holy Ghost." (I Cor. xii:3.) The truth of the'se
sacred sayings is verified by the history of the world, which has
languished in darkness without revelation, as shown by previous
quotations.
Another very important feature of this subject consists in
the fact, that there always 'have been in every gospel dispensa-
tion labors to perform of a practical character, such as the
building of temples, the gathering of Israel out of Egypt, the
building of the Ark of the Covenant, etc., none of which coukl
be accomplished except by direct revelation from God. We
may therefore conclude that while the ordinances and doc-
trines of the gospel are eternal and unchangeable, the circum-
stances associated with the people in every dispensation of the
gospel are constantly changing. The emergencies of this
situation must be met. not by the dead letter of ancient Scrip-
ture, but by present inspiration and revelation given through
living oracles of God.
"By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by
a propnet was he preserved." (Hosea xii: 13.) The proph
400 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
ecies of the Jewish prophets in the Old Testament, pointing to
the advent of the Messiah, are clear and explicit. Read the
seventh chapter of Isiaiah, fourteenth verse; the ninth chapter
and sixth verse; the fifty-third chapter of the same book; the
fifth chapter of Micah, second verse; and many other passages
of the Old Testament. In these we find plain predictions
which were verified in the birth, ministry and crucifixion of
the Savior, which were read by the Jews but not understood
by them, because the light of revelation from God was not the
source of their information. This was rather the wisdom of
their own learning, which led them to reject the Messiah and
discard the great message of life which He brought unto them.
As there were many plain prophecies relating to the first
coming of the Savior and the great work associated with His
advent, so there are pointed predictions referring to His second
coming 'and a work of great magnitude to precede that great
event. I will call attention to a few as proof that more revela-
tion will be given, and that without it these prophecies could
never be fulfilled: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he
shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek,
shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the
covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, He shall come, saith the
Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming?
and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a re-
finers' fire, and like fuller's sope. * * * And He shall
purify the sons of Levi," etc. (Mai. iii: 1-3.) This prophecy
must refer to His second coming. At His first advent He did
not come suddenly; He did not come to His temple. The
house of the Lord had become "a den of thieves." He did
not accept it. He did not purify the sons of Levi. It was a
day when they could in their wickedness abide His corning.
"Who shall stand when He appeareth" is clearly a condition
when He shall come in power and glory to take vengeance on
the ungodly.
How could He suddenly come to His temple unless a temple
should bo built for Him? One could not be built without a
chosen people to build it; and how can men build the house of
the Lord without revelation to tell them where, when an'd
how to construct such a holy edifice? In Malachi. chapter iv,
we have a very striking prophecy of the judgments of the Al-
KEVELATION. 401
mighty in the last days, before the coining of the Lord. In the
fifth, verse the prophet says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah
the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day
of the Lord." The great prophet Elijah, who was taken to
heaven in a chariot of fire without tasting death, was to visit
the earth in the last days. The apostle John, when upon the
isle of Patmos, also saw the hour of God's judgment, and
uttered the following prediction: "And I saw another angel
fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on the e'arth, and to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice,
Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment
is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and
the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. xiv: 6-7.) From
this prophecy we learn that an angel was to visit the earth at
a later period than when John uttered the above words. His
mission was to be to restore the everlasting gospel, a gospel
that does not change; a gospel of apostles, prophets, gifts,
visions, revelations, etc.
"The everlasting gospel." Why should an angel bring the
gospel if it already existed upon the earth? Why should the
call be to worship the God who made the heavens, the earth
and the fountains of water, etc., if these creations were
brought into existence by a God "without body, parts or pas-
sions"? This prophecy of John agrees with Peter's words
recorded in the third chapter of Acts, wherein he says: "And
He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto
you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of resti-
tution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth
of all His holy prophets since the world began." (Acts iii:
20-22.) By this we learn that before the advent of the Mes-
siah to reign on earth there should be a grand restitution,
bringing back that which was lost; a restoration of revela-
tion, ministry of angels, prophecies, tongues, healings, mir-
acles, etc. Who can believe the Scriptures and yet deny the
necessity for more revelation? The quotations here given are
only a few compared with many that can be made bearing
upon the subject. They all show that direct and continuous
revelation from God is an absolute necessity to the welfare,
progress and final salvation of the children of men.
26
FAITH.
In considering the principles of the gospel, it will not be
difficult to see that faith occupies the first place in the cata-
logue of righteous principle's which, as a whole, go to consti-
tute the plan of salvation. It is the principle existing in the
human soul which goes before all action and leads to good
works. It pleases God that man should repent of all sin by
ceasing therefrom, thus accomplishing a reformation of life
without which remission of sins would not be granted; and as
repentance and good works are pleasing to God, we must
accept of faith first, for Paul says: "But without faith it is
impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must be-
lieve that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that dili-
gently seek Him." (Heb. xi: 6.)
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evi-
dence of things not seen," (Heb. xi: 1.) The inspired trans-
lation by the prophet Joseph Smith renders the word "assur-
anice" instead of "substance," which appears more consistent
with the latter clause in the passage, which says, "the evi-
dence of things not seen," not the substance itself, for that
would amount to knowledge or 'the actual possession of the
object hoped for. This assurance of things hoped for must
come through some evidence, either of a character which can
be demonstrated in a tangible manner, or through some im-
pression which gives an assurance to the mind of the individual
possessing it, if to no other. This faith prompts to action all
intelligent beings. Without the assurance of reaping, the
farmer would not sow; the laborer would not commence his
daily task unless he believed he would accomplish it; and so
it is in religious matters.
Upon the day of Pentecost the multitude never would have
appealed to the apostles to know what they should do to be
saved unless they first believed in God and in His Son, Jesus
Christ so recently crucified in their midst and also in the
authority of the apostles to teach and administer in the ordi-
FAITH. 403
nances of eternal life. This faith was based upon the evi-
dence presented by Peter that Jesus was the Christ, sealed
upon their hearts by the Spirit of God, and not by the wisdom
or ability of man. The result was obedience, and a knowledge
of the truth tor themselves; for the promise is: "If any man
will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be
of God, or whether I speak of myself." (St. John vii: 17.)
If Feter had been an impostor, deceiving the people, he might,
perchance, have persuaded some to accept his theories; but
what would have been the result? The evidence being false,
the faith or assurance would have a false foundation to act
upon, and disappointment would have been the result. When
the evidence is true, the faith resulting and acted upon will
bring knowledge.
When Columbus discovered America, and the use of gun-
powder was displayed to the astonishment and fear of the
Indians, some of the Europeans told the natives that all they
had to do was to procure some powder and sow it like grain,
and it would grow. The poor natives believed the lie, acted
upon their belief, and disappointment was the result, to the
destruction of their confidence in the white man. This illus-
trates that belief may be built upon false evidence, and no
matter how sincere the believer, the laws of sincerity cannot
be changed to vindicate the dishonesty of the deceiver nor to
avoid disappointment befalling the deceived. Why should it
be otherwise regarding the law of God? Sincerity is not evi-
dence that the believer will obtain the good for which he seeks,
for if his religious devotion is based upon his confidence in the
preaching or teaching of false guides, God will not change His
laws and ordinances, neither will He acknowledge the authority
of impostors, and thus become accessory to the deception, in
order to satisfy those who allow themselves to be led astray.
It is a maxim of skeptics that "We doubt all things in order
to prove all things"; and, thus doubting, they reject the means
which God has designated as the way to become acquainted
with and prove for themselves the truth of the promise: "If
any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine."
The history of the world proves that in the advancement
made in science, in arts, in human government, the leaders
and promoters of all that is good, in the majority of instances,
404 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
have been believers in God; and their faith in Him and the
ultimate success of their enterprises have prompted them to
action. In the language of Paul on this subject of faith:
"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as
yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his
house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir
of ihe righteousness, which is by faith": "By faith Abraham,
when he was called to go out inito a place which he should after
receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not
knowing whither he went." (Heb. si: 7, 8.) I might add
numerous testimonies from the Scriptures that faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, and the principle which prompts
to action all intelligent beings, and that when based upon the
promises of the Lord, unmixed with the theories of men, and
acted upon, it has never failed to bring knowledge and rest to
the weary mind in that security which comes from a pure
knowledge of God.
Having shown something of the nature of faith in a general
way, ; as a principle existing in the human mind and as direct-
ing all human action, whether religious or secular, let us now
draw the line of distinction between faith in its general sense,
and faith as a principle of power as enjoyed and exercised by
those who are truly the people of God.
. Let us first remember that it is one thing to believe in the
power of God as manifested by revelation, prophecy, healing,
etc., when presented to us merely as the events of history, and
altogether another thing to be confronted with the testimony
of living apostles, presenting to the world doctrines that are
unpopular and with which the cherished creeds of men have
never failed to conflict apostles who ask us to believe them to
be servants of God, called by new revelation, and testing our
faith by the promise that "if you will repent and be baptized"
with honest hearts, you shall know for yourselves the truth,
and need not depend upon the assertions of any other man for
your knowledge concerning it. It is an undeniable fact of
history that God has never sent a prophet to warn the world
but He found thousands professing belief in the dead prophets,
yet ready to reject and slay the living. It cannot be said
that this generation is an exception, for the religious education
they receive from the so-called "Christian pulpit is that
FAITH. 405
apostles and prophets, together with the ancient gifts and
powers of the gospel, are no longer needed; and if any come
professing the ancient apostleship, ithey may reject them with-
out investigation as "false prophets." They apparently forget
that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to produce a coun-
terfeit coin unless the genuine existed.
In speaking of faith as a principle of power, the apostle Paul
said to the Hebrews: "Through faith we understand that the
worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear. * * *
And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to
tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jeph-
thae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, ob-
tained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched thn
violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weak-
ness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight
the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead
raised to life again," etc. (Heb. xi: 3, 32-35.) Besides these,
innumerable other events have been brought about through
faith exercised by men having authority to speak and act in
the name of God. Jesus promised that "these signs shall
follow them that believe." In my name shall they cast out
devils, they shall take up serpents, and if *hey drink any
deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick and they shall recover."
These are only a few of the characteristics associated with
true faith, the "faith that was once delivered to the saints,"
and so much in striking contrast to the weak yet high-sounding
pretensions of modern professors who have a form of godliness,
yet deny the power thereof.
As a contrast to the wisdom and learning of men, we are
promised, as the result of acting upon true faith, that to one
is given the word of wisdom, to another knowledge. Tongues,
prophecy, etc., all are characteristic of that faith which eman-
ates from God. These gifts are not merely to satisfy curi-
osity or to convince skeptics.
As a principle of eternal truth it is a necessity that not only
must the administrator have faith, but the one who is the re-
cipient of the blessings also must exercise it so far as he is
406 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
capable. Therefore, as a rule, when Jesus healed the sick
and opened the eyes of the blind, He said to the individual:
"Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." As a further
testimony of this He told unbelievers when they sought a sign:
"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and
there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas; for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the
whale/' s belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth." (Matt, xii: 39, 40.) Yet
be it remembered that this sign of Christ's three days' rest in
the tomb was not given to convince skeptics, for it was an
event ordained of God before the foundation of the world, in
the plan of human redemption, and would have occurred if all
the world had received Him gladly. But they did mot receive
Him even when He was resurrected, for the same class who
sought a sign circulated the fabrication that the body of Christ
was not risen from the dead, but that His disciples had come
in the night and stolen Him away.
There are sign-seekers today, even among those who profess
Christ, and may wo not say the same of them as Jesus said of
the ancient sign-seekers, from the fact that what was true
then is true now, and what is true of a generation is true of
the individuals which compose it. Further, the Savior said
to His apostles when they failed to cast out the devils and
sought Him to know the reason: "Because of your unbelief,
for verilj I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mus-
tard seed, ye shall say nnto this mountain, 'Remove hence to
yonder place,' and it shall remove: and nothing shall be im-
possible unto you." (Matt, xvii: 20.)
To these quotations might be added many others, but this
will suffice to show the effects of faith, that it is a principle of
power. We ask, has God changed? Is not faith, being a
principle emanating from Deity, as unchangeable as God Him-
self? Who, professing to believe in Christ, will say, if we
believe and are baptized by rightful authority in this age, that
Jesus will fail in His part of the contract to bestow the prom-
ised blessings V
In view of all that is written in the Bible concerning this
true faith and the effects which flow therefrom, and the re-
FAITH. 407
verse of that pure faith of the Bible which characterizes the
"Christianity'' of today, is it wonderful that the Savior ex-
claimed: "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith
on earth?" (Luke xviii: 8.)
REPENTANCE.
Repentance follows faith as a natural sequence ; for when
the human mind has sufficient faith in God, based upon the
perfection of His attributes, to desire His guidance and a final
return to His presence, the thought is foremost that no un-
clean thing can enter his presence. Repentance from all sin,
not merely an expression of sorrow but a discontinuance of sin-
ful practices, amounting to a reformation' of life, therefore sug-
gests itself as a matter of course". This philosophical view of the
subject is in perfect accord with Holy Writ. Hence it was,
upon the day of Pentecost, when the sin-convicted multitude
cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" that Peter
commanded them to repent as the first step following the man-
ifestation of their faith in Christ and His atonement. (Acts
ii: 37.)
That repentance is an indispensable 1 condition of salvation
has been taught in all ages of the world by men of God, the only
exception being that which applies to all other requirements of
the Gospel. That exception is in the case of persons incapable
of knowing good from evil, such as children who cannot believe,
or disbelieve, and are exempt from the law until they arrive at
the years of accountability. Hence the" saying of the Savior :
"Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. xix:14.)
Ezekiel said to ancient Israel, in his 18th chapter and 30th
verse, "Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgres-
sions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin." Israel did not repent
as a nation, and their sad history proves that iniquity caused
their ruin. The olive branch of peace was offered them without
money and without price. They rejected the means of escape,
and in consequence they have verified the words of Moses, their
great lawgiver: "And I will scatter you among the heathen
and will draw out a sword after you; and your land shall be
desolate and your cities waste." (Lev. xxvi: 33.)
It was supposed by those in Palestine that the Galileans, whose
REPENTANCE'. 409
blood Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, were greater sin-
ners than others because such agonies had come upon the'm.
''And Jesus? answering said unto them, 'Suppose ye that these
Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because 1 they
suffered such things? I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.' " The foregoing contains the divine
lesson that suffering is not a substitute for repentance : that
while He did not justify the agonies brought upon them by per-
secution, He did not intimate that the suffering would be* ac-
ceptable instead of repentance, or that these sufferings were any
evidnce of the sins of the sufferers as to the height or depth
of their transgressions. The weight of responsibility is meas-
ured either by the light men possess or the light which oppor-
tunities afford them to possess. As Paul said to the* Athenians
(Acts xvii: 30.), "And the times of this ignorance God winked
at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent"; and
again the Savior enunciated this doctrine: "And this is the con-
demnation that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (St.
John iii: 19.)
No matter how strict the individual may be in living a life
of moral rectitude, it is very plainly taught in the Scriptures
that rejecting further light from God constitutes a sin. We"
cite the case of the young man told of in Matthew, chapter 19,
who came to the Savior for instructions, but who, when he was
commanded by the Redeemer to sell all that he" had, give to the
poor, and follow Him, went away sorrowful, rejecting the in-
junction of the Savior, and yet he had kept the commandments
from his youth up, and probably was as righteous as any mod-
ern Christians, who, if commanded by the Savior to give their
possesions to the poor, would go away sorrowful. There were
"devout" people assembled on the day of Pentecost, and yet
Peter made no exception when he commanded the multitude to
repent. If they had done the best they could previously with
the light they had, greater light had come to them and they
must receive it or be condemned.
This truth applies to every gospel dispensation, not excepting
the "dispensation of the fullness of times," the greatest of all.
God promised to send a holy angel and make a restitution of all
things as predicted by the ancient prophets, preceding the" sec-
410 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
ond advent of the Messiah. The light has come. A new dispen-
sation has been ushered in. The Everlasting Gospel has been
restored with its ancient gifts and blessings, and "God com-
mandeth all men everywhere to repent," whether they be so-
called Christians or infidels. Repentance is a principle and not
merely an expression of penitent grief. It involves 1 , as before
stated, a reformation of life. In II Cor, vii :9,10, Paul says :
"Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sor-
rowed to repentance. * * * For godly sorrow worketh re-
pentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of
the world worketh death." The sorrow of the world may be
illustrated by the conduct of the inebriate, wha, when intox-
icated, commits acts of violence which mantle his brow with
shame and fill him with remorse in his sober moments. He ex-
presses sorrow, perhaps weeps in his agony, but again gives
away to the tempter and repeats his acts of dishonor instead of
"fleeing temptation." This kind of sorrow does 1 not work re-
pentance to salvation. We find religious people sorrowing and
sometimes confessing their sins, only to repeat sin. This is the
sorrow of the world and needs to be* repented of because it sav-
ors so much of hypocrisy, and consequently worketh death." On
the contrary, true repentance consists, not in the outward ex-
pression of grief, but in forsaking sin. "Let the wicked forsake
his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him re-
turn unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to
our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa. Iv: 7.) Repent-
ance is required not only of the evil deed, but of the unrighteous
thought. Every wicked deed is first conceived in the mind,
hence the need of casting away the evil thought before it ger-
minates into actual crime, which leads to prison, the gallows
and to spiritual death. Of the ruin caused by the talented, but
corrupt Aaron Burr it was truly said : "His brain conceived it,
his hand brought it into action."
Let us now examine a passage of Scripture which is fre-
quently quoted to substantiate the erroneous doctrine that God
is pleased to save men in their sins, or that death-bed repent-
ance is all-sufficient. The passage is found in Luke xxiii :42, 43.
and reads thus: "And he (the penitent malefactor) said unto
Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy king-
dom.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Verily I say unto thee, today
REPENTANCE. 411
shalt thou be with me in Paradise.' " From this statement
thousands in the Christian world have taken it for granted
that the thief on the cross received full and complete salvation.
With this unwarranted perversion of a sacred passage, the min-
ister has taught the murderer in the felon's cell to confess Christ
and all would be well with him; and as the hangman, drew the
bolt and let the culprit swing into eternity, the minister has
stood close by and said, "The Lord Jesus receive thy soul." On
the other hand, the poor victim of the assassin has been cut off
without time to confess Christ, and the same doctrine which
wafts the murderer to the" courts of glory consigns the victim to
the flames of hell. Is it possible that Christ ever taught such a
heinous doctrine? A doctrine so inconsistent, so revolting to
reason, so repugnant to justice ! We amswer emphatically
"No," nor did He" utter a syllable from which such an inference
can be drawn or establish the idea that the malefactor went to
heaven. The question is, then, where did he go? If not to
heaven, then the paradise named and heaven are two different
places. Let the Scriptures answer for themselves. Three days
after the crucifixion the Savior came forth a resurrected being,
and as Mary met Him at the tomb, He said to her, "Touch me
not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father." Thus we have
from His own lips, in which there was never guile", that He had
not ascended to the Father ; and if He had not, neither had the
thief. If no further light than this could be found in the sacred
volume, this would be sufficient to show that the" malefactor
did not go to heaven, for where Jesus went the thief went, for
that was the promise. Where, then, did the Lord go? Turn to
I Peter iii: 18-21, and the question is answered: "For Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but
quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went and preached
unto the spirits in prison; Which sometimes were disobedient
when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of
Noah."
This) makes it plain that the paradise referred to was the
prison house, to which place Jesus went and opened up a dis-
pensation of the Gospel to the dead. The next chapter, 6th
verse, says: "For for this cause was the Gospel preached also
to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to
412 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." The
thief therefore went to a place of confinement to remain until
the justice of God should be satisfied and mercy step in and
claim her own. The difference between the penitent malefactor,
who appears to have* repented before death, and the antidilu-
vians was that the former immediately went to a place where
Christ would present to him the plan of life", that day, while the
latter had waited hundreds of years for that privilege. This
shows that repentence brings its blessings even upon the death-
straight to the abode of the Father and remained there in glory,
bed; but to say that, after a life of sin, the malefactor went
is in conflict with the teachings of Christ and Peter. The
statements of Peter relative 1 to the mission of Christ to the
spirits in prison throws light upon the saying of the Savior in
St. John v: 25, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is com-
ing and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son
of God, and they that hear shall live."
Thus we see" the privileges of the penitent malefactor. He
went to the prison house and heard the Gospel, but how long
he remained there before receiving all the saving benefits of the
Gospel, we are not told. One thing is certain he did not come
back with the Messiah, nor have we ever heard of him sitting
down with Christ on the right hand of the Father. The Scrip-
ture being true which says, "The murderer hath not eternal
life abiding in him," it is safe to say that the" prayers of all the
ministers on earth cannot carry the souls of the assassin to the
presence and glory of God. As there are different degrees of
glory, so are there various grade's of crimes to which are at-
tached the different degrees of punishment, all of which clearly
maintain the justice and mercy of God."
In Galatians v: 19-21, we read as follows: "Now the works
of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornica-
tion, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Bnvy-
ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom
of God."
In conclusion, as a true definition of repentance, let us quote
the words of Paul to the Ephesians, iv: 25, 30: "Wherefore
REPENTANCE. 413
putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor.
* * * Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down
upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole, steal no more. * * * Let no corrupt communica-
tion proceed out of your mouth. * * *" This is the only re-
pentance taught in Holy Writ, and simply means to forsake all
sin and accomplish a reformation of life.
BAPTISM.
We come now to considering the necessity of the ordinance
of baptism. When men have repented of their sins it is
natural for them to desire a forgiveness of those sins. How
shall this boon be obtained? That repentance alone does not
blot out the sins of the past may be illustrated in part by a
comparison between the temporal and the spiritual. A man
acquires a debt by purchasing goods on credit, and finding it a
ruinous policy, resolves, for the future, to pay as he goes.
This changes his course and constitutes in his business life a
reformation, but it does not . pay the debt already incurred.
He must liquidate the obligation, or be forgiven the debt by
the creditor. Some may say that this is the difference be-
tween the earthly transaction of men and the dealings of God
with His children. God forgives, it is true, but every blessing
is predicated upon a condition, and the condition is laid down
by the Lord; hence it is written in Mark i: 4: "John did
baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins." From this scripture it is evident
that baptism is to follow repentance, and that at least one
object of baptism is the remission of sins.
Let us now examine some statements of Holy Writ which
point out clearly the necessity of this ordinance. "Then
cometh Jesus from Gallilee to Jordan unto John to be bap-
tized of him. But John forbade Him, saying, 'I have need
to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?' And Jesus,
answering, said unto him, 'Suffer it to be so now; for thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he suffered
Him." (Matt, iii: 13-15.) Every thoughtful, God-fearing
person must be impressed with the feeling that if it was essen-
tial for the "Only Begotten of the Father," "who is full of
grace and truth," to be baptized, none can be exempt who have
arrived at the years of accountability. It appears also from
the language used in the quotation that without being bap-
tized he could not fulfill "all righteousness." After teaching
BAPTISM. 415
His disciples for three years, being crucified and risen from
the dead, He gave to them this commission: "Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
belie veth and is baptized s'ball be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned." (Mark xvi : 15, 16.) Also in Matthew
xxviii: 19: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost"; and in Luke xxiv: 45-47: "Then opened He
their understanding that they might understand the Scrip-
tures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it be-
hooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third
day; And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusa-
lem." In the latter quotation the word baptism is not used,
but the same writer says in Luke iii:3, regarding the mission
of John: "And he came into all the country about Jordan,
preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,"
thus enunciating the doctrine that remission of sins is obtained
through baptism.
The same writer gives us the following (Luke vii: 29, 30):
"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified
God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the
Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against
themselves, being not baptized of Him." From this it is
manifested that by receiving baptism they honored and obeyed
God, and that the rejection of this simple yet divine institution
amounted to rejecting the counsel of God, with all the terrible
consequences attendant upon such disobedience.
We read in the eighth chapter of Acts that Philip baptized
the Samaritans and the Ethiopian. In the same book is re-
lated the baptism of Saul, of Lydia, of the Philippian jailor,
and of Cornelius. It is not necessary to multiply quotations
to show that baptism was taught and practiced all through the
apostolic dispensation, as being essential to salvation. As a
direct statement of Jesus Himself, to close this part of the
subject, we luote His words to Nicodemus, ! St. John iii: 5:
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water
and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
The birth of the water can only be accomplished by baptism,
and if an accountable being cannot enter into the kingdom of
416 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTKINE.
God without baptism, then that ordinance must be essential to
salvation.
Let us next consider the object of this sacred rite. It is
evident that inasmuch as a man cannot enter into the kingdom
of God without the baptism of water, then his sins must neces-
sarily be remitted through faith, repentance 'and baptism from
the fact that "no unclean person * * * hath any inheri-
tance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
In Mark i:4 and Luke iii:3 we read that "John did baptize
in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for
the remission of sins/' On the day of Pentecost, when the
mighty power of God rested upon the apostles and the Spirit
bore witness to the multitude that they were in sin, notwith-
standing their devoutness, they cried out, "Men and brethren,
what shall we do?" To this Peter answered, "Repent and be
baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins." (Acts ii: 38.)
Paul narrates before King Agrippa his conversion, in Acts
xxii: 16, and says that Ananias, to whom he had been com-
manded to 'apply, said: "And now, why tarriest thou? Arise
and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name
of the Lord." The foregoing quotations will suffice to show
that God instituted baptism for the remission of sins, but from
other passages already quoted. Mark i: 4, also xvi: 15-16, and
the account of Simon, the sorcerer, in the eighth chapter of
Acts, it is very evident that the result forgiveness is not
secured unless baptism is accompanied on the part of the can-
didate by faith and a genuine repentance in turning aside from
sin. Otherwise there would be the solemn mockery of ad-
ministering a sacred ordinance to a hypocrite. Hence the
apostles said <to Simon, "Thy money perish with thee because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with
money." (Acts viii: 20.) Notwithstanding he had been bap-
tized he was still in his sins, because his heart was not pure,
and he had not repented. For this reason the apostles said
to him, "Repent therefore of this wickedness. * * * For I
perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond
of iniquity." (Acts viii: 22-23.) This should be a warning to
those modern professors whose religion is in many instances a
cloak, hidden beneath which is the depraved heart that gar-
BAPTISM. 417
nishes the sepulchres of the dead prophets but is ready to slay
the living ones.
We now come to that part of the subject which formerly
caused so much dissension among the Christian sects, but
which latterly is smoothed over with the assertion that it
makes no difference which mode sprinkling, pouring, or im-
mersionis used; "either will do," "let the candidate take his
choice; it is immaterial." To these unwarranted assertions
we reply: First, that if either mode will do, none will do,
for still other forms may be added by the whims of men.
Christ established but one true mode, "One Lord, one faith,
one baptism" and if one is right, the others are wrong. This
is a plain proposition. Again, the dissension and conflict on
this point is proof against the inspiration of the sectarian
world, if they have any, for the reason that the Spirit of God
will not lie nor contradict itself. If, therefore, the Spirit of
the Lord teaches me that immersion is right, it will not teach
another sprinkling, and yet another pouring. This division,
then, is because men are guided by opinion and preference
and not by the spirit of revelation from God, which guides
into all truth and brings those who possess it to a unity of
faith.
Now as concerning the baptism of Jesus, who is the pat-
tern, we have Matt, iii: 16, which says, "And Jesus when He
was baptized went up straightway out of the water." It is
not likely that John would be baptizing in Jordan and that
Jesus would have gone down into the water if anything less
than immersion would have fulfilled the law. This also agrees
with the account of the Ethiopian's baptism by Philip (Acts
viii : 38) : "And they went down both into the water, loth
Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him." As making still
plainer this using a river of water and going "down into the
water" to receive the sacred rite, we quote from St. John iii : 23 :
"And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because
there was much water there." A statement so plain as the
foregoing needs no comment. It speaks for itself. He was
baptizing not only in Enon, but at a certain point in the
stream "because there was much water there." Such a rea-
son could not have been given if sprinkling or pouring had been
a proper mode.
27
418 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
We refer further to the New Testament statements where
not only the mode of baptism is indicated by the language, but
the fact that baptism sym'bolizes the birth into the world, the
death, and the resurrection of the body. To Nicodemus,
Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be
born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the king-
dom of God." (St. John iii: 5.) When man comes forth into
the world, he is born or brought out from the watery element,
being first buried in it. and this constitutes his birth. To be
"'born of water" as a sacred ordinance would be impossible if
the lite of sprinkling or pouring be the mode employed. Only
complete immersion will answer the ordinance indicated in the
language of Jesus to Nicodemus.
Paul also said to the Romans, "Know ye not that so many
of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of
His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrec-
tion." (Rom. vi: 3-5.) The foregoing shows that baptism is
a likeness of burial. When the body is laid lifeless in the
tomb it is covered completely; it is not left partly buried and
partly uncovered; and as the body comes forth in the resur-
rection, immortal, and free from the conditions of mortality,
thus walking in "newness of life," so by the remission of sins
through faith, repentance and baptism, the obedient candidate
comes forth free from sin, and walks in a new life, prepared
for the birth of the spirit, thus symbolizing in beautiful simi-
larity the death and resurrection of the body. This is still
farther emphasized by the language, "For if we have been
planted," etc., thus using a word which implies a complete
burial as in planting seeds in the earth.
Again, we quote the words of Paul to the Colossians, ii: 12:
"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with
Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath
raised Him from the dead." This corresponds with the state-
ment before quoted from Romans, and also the teachings of
Christ to Nicodemus.
BAPTISM. 419
From the Scriptures already quoted on the necessity, object
and mode of baptism, we may deduce the conclusion that the
ordinance established to follow and go with faith and repent-
ance, and which constitues the third principle of the gospel, is
baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Having shown that faith, repentance and baptism are essen-
tial to the remission of sins, let us now consider the reception of
the Holy Spirit. That this should follow, and not precede, the
birth of the water must be evident to every thoughtful person.
It is clear that a man is not prepared for the indwelling
of the Holy Ghost unless he repents of his sins and becomes
freed from them by obedience to the laws of God. Some people
may contend that, because Jesois stated that man must be born
again, in order to see the kingdom of heaven, such a birth pre-
cedes baptism, and is synonymous with the birth of the Spirit
mentioned by the Savior in the third chapter of St. John ; but
being born again, in order to see the kingdom, evidently shows
that a man must have some" light above the natural senses, suf-
ficient of the light of Christ to make him see the kingdom of
Goa. in otner words, to secure, and we may say, consistently
constitute his conversion.
This light which guides him to the truth dees not, however,
forego the absolute" necessity of obeying the laws and ordi-
nances of the Gospel. As proof of this we cite the conversion of
Paul. He received a personal manifestation of the Savior's
power, even hearing his voice and witnessing a light from
heaven. Notwithstanding this, Jesus commanded him to go to
Ananias, an authorized servant of Christ, who should instruct
him regarding his salvation. He was therefore required to be
born of water and of the Spirit. Cornelius, also, as related in
the tenth chapter of Acts, saw an angel and received a manifes-
tation of the Holy Ghost previous to baptism. Yet both men
were required to obey the ordinances e'njoined by the Gospel of
Christ. If they rejected these requirements, undoubtedly the
light they had received would have departed from them and this
would have added to their condemnation.
The historical fact of the laying on of hands for the gift of
the Holy Ghost is not, in every instance, recorded in the
Scriptures, and it is not necessary that it should be, in order to
RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 421
prove that the ordinance was established by the Messiah. In
the matter of baptism He said to John, "Suffer it to be so now,
for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." He made
no exception of Himself, but gave the example by his own obedi-
ence. How can others be excused? To show that the laying on
of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, by those having divine
authority was practiced by the ancient apostles, we refer to
Acts viii: 14, 17: "Now, when the apostles which were at Jeru-
salem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they
sent unto them Peter and John, who, when thefy were come
down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were
baptised in the" name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their
hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost."
Philip did not have the authority to lay on hands for this
gift, hence Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem for the
express purpose 1 of performing this higher ordinance of the
Gospel. In the nineteenth chapter of Acts is an account of
Paul's visit to the city of Ephesus, where he found about twelve
men who claimed to have received the same 1 form of baptism
as administered by John the Baptist. But in answer to Paul's
question, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"
they told him they had not so much as heard of it, and his ac-
tion in re-baptizing them would strongly indicate that some
imposter had counterfeited in form the true baptism. This
being performed without legitimate authority, their sins were
not remitted, and they were not in a condition to receive" the
Holy Ghost. Hence Paul baptized them; and the sixth verse
says : And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy
Ghost came upon them and they spake with tongue's and prophe-
sied."
An imposter can baptize in water by physical force, imitate
the true form at the submission of the candidate, but the gift
of the Holy Ghost cannot be given without authority from
God ; and while the wateT baptism is equally destitute of its
legitimate results when not performed by authority, the im-
posture is not so readily detected because not usually accompa-
nied by the same manifestation of divine power ; therefore de-
signing or ignorant men have taken pains either to deny the
gift of the Holy Ghost as being essential with its ancient spir-
422 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
itual powers, or to tell the people that no outward ordinance
was essential to confer it, thus endeavoring to dispense with this
sacred ordinance.
The following references also indicate the laying on of hands
as a sacred rite which would not have been adopted by the
apostles unless commanded of God to do so : I Tim. iv :14
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by
prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."
IT Tim. i: 6 "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou
stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my
hands." Also showing that this ordinance was laid down as a
positive doctrine, we call attention to the sixth chapter of He-
brews, first and second verses: "Therefore leaving (another
translation, that of the prophet Joseph Smith, reads 'not leav-
ing') the principle's of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto
perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from
dead works, and of faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms
and of laying on of hands."
That man might duplicate in form this divine ceremony with-
out authority and without effect, we do not deny; but we con-
fidently assert that without this ordinance 'being administered
by an acknowledged authority from God, the operation would
be of non-effect. The undeniable facts of religious history for
seventeen centuries prove that men did not receive the Holy
Ghost. Where the tree is, there will the fruit be produced,
unless the tree is dead; and no one will contend that the Holy
Spirit is dead.
The following quotations will point out the fruits of the Holy
Spirit: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have
said unto you." (St. John xiv:26.) "Howbeit, when He, the
Spirit of Truth, is> come, He will guide you into all truth : for
He 1 shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear,
that shall He speak, and He shall show you things to come."
(St. John xvi: 13.) "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Ghost said, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the
work whereunto I have called them.' " (Acts xiii: 2.) "Where-
fore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the
Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say
RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT/ 423
that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are
diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. * * * For to one is
given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another, the word
of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another, faith by the same
Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to
another, the working of miracles ; to another, prophecy ; to an-
other discerning of Spirits ; to another, divers kinds of tongues."
(I Oor. xii: 3, 4, 8, 9, 10.) "But the fruits of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance. (Gal. v: 22-23.)
The same cause will ever produce the same effect; a tree is
known by its fruits, and to be convinced that we need such
gifts today it is only necessary to look at the spectacle of jar-
ring "Christianity" with its many creeds. Where is the Spirit
that guides into all truth, which does not contradict itself, but
teaches the "common salvation" of "one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all?" That brings us "to a
unity of faifh," and makes us one in Christ, as He prayed that
His disciples and all whom the Father should give Him out of
the" world might be one even as I am one in the Father amd
the Father in me, that they may be one in us, "that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me?" Where is the Spirit of
prophecy? "The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy,"
the gifts of revelation, healings and all the glorious powers
enumerated in the Scripture quotations made. Well did Isaiah
say, "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof,
because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances
and broken the everlasting covenant." (Isa. xxiv: 5.)
Without further comment on the giftsi of the" Spirit, we will
introduce quotations to show that the laying on of hands was
practiced also for ordination to office in the Church of Christ,
and for the healing of the sick, as well as to confer the gift of
the Holy Ghost: "Whom they set before the apostles; and when
they had prayed, they laid their hands on them." (Acts vi: 6.)
This refers to the ordination of Stephen and six others. "As
they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,
separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have
called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid
their hands on them they sent them away." (Acts xiii : 2, 3.)
The same ordinance was also had in ancient times before the
424 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
coming of the Savior. Paul informs us in Gal. iii, that the
Gospel was preached before" unto Abraham. "And the Lord
said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man
in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hands upon him. And
he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge, as the
Lord commanded by the hand of Moses." (Num. xxvii: 18, 23.)
"And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the Spirit of wisdom,
for Moses had laid his hands upon him." (De"ut. xxxiv:9.)
It is most reasonable to conclude from the evidence presented
that this practice came down from the beginning, and was
before and after Christ a divine ordinance. That it was prac-
ticed for the" healing of the sick is evident from the following
historical and doctrinal statements made in the New Testament
by the Messiah and His apostles: "They shall lay hands on the
sick and they shall recover." (Mark xvi: 18.) "And He could
there do no mighty work save that He laid His hands upon a
fe'w sick folk and healed them." (Mark vi:5.) "Now whem
the sun was 1 setting, all they that had any sick with divers dis-
eases brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on
every one of them, and healed them." (Luke iv:40.) "And
putting his hands on him, said Brother Saul, the Lord, even
Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath
sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight," etc. (Acts
ix:17.) "And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay
sick of a fever, and of a bloody flux; to whom Paul entered in,
and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him." (Acts
xxviii:8.) "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the
elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing
him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith
shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up," etc.
(James v: 14, 15.)
Although the laying on of hands is not expressly mentioned
in the last quotation, it is readily seen that the sick could not be 1
anointed without the imposition of hands.
The foregoing should be sufficient to convince all Bible believ-
ers that the laying on of hands is a sacred ordinance for the
purposes specified in Holy writ, that it follows the baptism of
water, and occupies its relationship in the plan of salvation as
the fourth essential principle to fully establish men in the
Church of Christ; the order is, faith, repentance, baptism by
RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 425
immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands
for the 1 gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the door into the
sheepfold ; "he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a
robber." (St. John x: 1.)
PRE-EXISTENCE.
As Latter-day Saints we believe that all creation existed
spiritually before the physical organism was brought into ex-
istence; "And every plant of the field before it was in the
earth, and every herb of the field before it grew." (Gen. ii: 5.)
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature
after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing. And <beast of the
earth after his kind; and it was so." (Gen. i: 24.) There-
fore each kind, whether beast, bird or fish, as well as man,
existed before it came to occupy a physical being, otherwise
how could each have been created after its own kind? The
spirit and the body must be the soul, as enunciated by the
Lord in a revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith. (Doctrine
and Covenants, sec. 88, verse 15.) "And the spirit and the
body is the soul of man." Otherwise there might be an eter-
nal fullness when the spirit and the body are separated. When
Jesus was crucified He went, as stated by Peter, to preach to
the spirits in prison, and did not enter into the fullness of His
Father's glory until He ascended after His resurrection. This
was the pattern to all men.
Without the union of the spirit and the body there is not a
fullness of glory. As the spirit exists between death and the
resurrection, so the spirit existed before the birth of the mortal
body. God is the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh,
as stated by Moses: "O God, the God of the spirits of all
flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be wroth with all
the congregation?" (Num. xvi: 22.) "Let the Lord, the
God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congrega-
tion." (Num. xxvii: 16.) This declaration is corroborated
by the apostle Paul in writing to the Hebrews: "Furthermore,
we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we
gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjec
tion to the Father of spirits and live?"
We associate in this life with our natural fathers; \ve see
them as they are. They teach, guide and direct us by virtue
PRE EXISTENCE. 427
of their fatherhood and their advanced experience, which
qualify them to teach us and direct our footsteps in the way
we should walk. So in our pre-existence did we mingle with
our heavenly Father and His children, our brother and sister
spirits. We knew God and partook of His influence and
power. We were agents to ourselves, and when propositions
affecting man's eternal welfare were placed before us, we were
left to choose for ourselves and be responsible for our own
course. Thus Lucifer rebelled, and drew one-third part of the
heavenly host away. They were cast out, and denied a body.
So keenly have they felt this curse tbat they seek to possess
the bodies of the human family. When Jesus cast the evil
spirits from the men coming out of the tombs, so eager were
they to possess some physical tabernacle, that they besought
Him that they might enter the herd of swine. The request
was granted, and the swine, possessed of evil spirits, ran down
violently into the sea.
Not only the fact of man's pre-existence, but also his power
to do good and ill, seemed to be understood by the ancient
apostles when they said, "Master, who did sin, this man or
his parents, that he was born blind? Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents." (John ix: 2, 3.) Jesus did not deny
the possibility of sinning before birth. Why should not the
spirit be just as capable of intelligent action before the birth
into this world, as it is during its existence between death and
the resurrection? As to that time, Jesus taught that all that
were in their graves should hear His voice. (St. John v:25,
29.) When Job was in the depth of his affliction the Lord
said unto him, "Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will
demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when
I laid the foundations of the earth? * * * When the morn-
ing stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for
joyV" (Job xxxviii: 3, 4, 7.) Doubtless Job was somewhere in
existence or the Almighty would never have propounded such a
question. The sons of God shouted for joy, and without doubt
Job was among that honored number. Solomon also gives us
to understand that the spirit once dwelt in the presence of the
Lord. He says: "And the spirit shall return unto God who
gave it."
428 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
The subject of pre-existence is made very plain in the first
chapter, 5th verse of Jeremiah: "Before I formed thee in the
belly I knew thee: and before thou earnest forth out of the
womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto
the nations." Thus in his pre-existent state did Jeremiah re-
ceive his ordination to be a prophet of the Lord to the
nations of the earth. If such were the case with Jeremiah,
why not with thousands of the sons of God? Indeed it is
evident from Paul's writings that the time of man's coming
to this world is not mere chance, neither is it regulated by the
arrangements of human philosophy in this world: "God that
made the world * * * hath made of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on all the face of the earth: and hath deter-
mined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habi-
tations." (Acts xvii:24, 26.) In other words, the Father of
our spirits determined when we should come and those portions
of the earth where should be set the bounds of our habitation.
It was no chance-work, then, that Abraham, Moses, Isaiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, the Savior, Joseph Smith, and the founders
of liberty in this and other lands came to the earth in their
respective times and to those countries where they played their
great parts in the purposes of God and the drama of life.
"I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world;
again I leave the world and go to the Father." (St. John
xvi: 28.) And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with thine own
self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world
was." (St. John xvii: 5.) Jesus dwelt with the Father before
He came here, so did we. Entering our temples of mortality
we forget all that has passed before in our spiritual existence.
This mortal state is a veil which hides the eternal past, from
our recollection, and shuts off the visions of the eternal future,
only as from time to time the revelations of the Holy Ghost
bring "things past to our remembrance and shows us things to
coine."
It is probable, from some references in the Scriptures, that
if our spirits were sent here unembodied, the remembrance of
the past would come with us. At least, this was doubtless
the case with Lucifer <and his rebel host. When he tried to
tempt the Savior, as recorded in 'Matthew, fourth chapter, he
knew Him undoubtedly from their acquaintance in a pre-
PJRE-EXISTENCE. 429
existent state. When the man with evil spirits met the Savior
in the synagogue, the spirits cried out, "saying, let us alone.
What have we to do with Thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art
thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who thou art, the
Holy One of God." (Luke iv:34.) A similar testimony was
borne by evil spirits possessing the men coining out of the
tombs, as recorded in Matthew, viii : 29. "And behold they
cried out, saying, What have we to do with Thee? Jesus,
thou Son of God? art Thou come hither to torment us before
the time?" "And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell
down before Him and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God."
(Mark iiirll.) In Luke, viii:28, we have the testimony of the
historian that the devils possessing a certain man cried out,
"and with a loud voice" said, "Jesus, Thou Son of God." It
is not probable that these evil spirits knew Jesus because of
a testimony from above, while all Judea failed to recognize in
Him the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Many likely knew
Him because they had been associated and acquainted with
Him before the world was.
John the Revelator in Revelations, twelfth chapter, describes
the war in heaven, which took place between Satan and his
followers on the one hand and Michael and his angels on the
other. This description refers to their spiritual existence, as
do the foregoing quotations from Holy Writ. These show us
clearly that man did not begin with this world, nor does he
end with this earthly life. Man is eternal, and will have no
end. He lived and reigned with God in the heavens. His
course there largely affects his condition here, as our conduct
in this life will have all to do with the glory we attain to in
the world to come. Man will live on forever. He dies as to
the body, lives in the spirit world, and will again take up his
body, a resurrected, glorified being, prepared on certain con-
ditions to dwell with God throughout the countless ages of
eternity, to become like unto Him. Possessing all things, even
as Jesus, being in the image of His Father, "thought it not
robbery to be made equal with him." "What is man, that Thou
art mindful of him? and the Son of Man, that Thou visitest
him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest
him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; thou
hast put all things under his feet." (Psalms viii:4-6.)
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD.
''I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth."
We must not infer from this quotation that mere conviction
of the mind to religious truths will secure salvation ; for pure
belief would lead men to actual works, thus constituting a
living, active faith.
The Apostle James declares that "faith without works is
dead." The Savior taught in His sermon on the mount that
"Not every one that saith unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven." From these and other passages of.
Scripture we 1 learn that the Gospel is the power of God unto
salvation to all who believe, obey and remain faithful to the
end. This gives us a general definition of what is meant by the
term Gospel.
To understand the principles which constitute the Gospel,
we may remind our readers that mankind find themselves under
the necessity of a redemption which is two-fold in its character.
First, by the act of our first parents, all creation is subject
to the death of the mortal body. Second, by individual
sins man becomes unworthy to dwell in the presence of the
Eternal Father.
The Gospel, then, consists of the atonement of Christ, by
which all are entitled to a resurrection of the body ; in the
language of Paul, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive." It also consists of laws and ordi-
nances for man's obedience, by which he is redeemed from
his own sins, placed in communication with God, and led back
into His presence.
In the justice of the Almighty the plan of salvation must
be so comprehensive and general that the human family, without
distinction, shall have the opportunity of receiving it.
We learn from the Pearl of Great Price that before Adam
departed to the life beyond, God revealed to him the plan of
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD. 431
salvation. He obeyed it and communicated this knowledge
to his posterity during the seven generations that lived con-
temporary with him. With the Gospel, necessarily came the
authority of God to administer in the ordinances thereof. This
authority is called the Holy Priesthood. In a revelation
given the prophet Joseph Smith, September 22d and 23d, 1832,
and contained in Sec. 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we
learn thnt the priesthood was conferred through Father Adam
by the laying on of hands upon Abel, and from Abel or Seth
was conferred through the lineage of their descendants- to
Enoch, and from Enoch to Noah down to Melchisedek, who
conferred it upon Abraham. In the days of Abraham lived
the great prophet Esaias, who, the revelation informs us, re-
ceived the priesthood under the hand of God. From Esaias
it was handed down through an unbroken chain to the prophet
Moses, but because of the unbelief and hardness of the people,
"He took Moses out of their midst and the Holy Priesthood
also, and the lesser priesthood continued." (Doctrine and
Covenants, Sec. 84.)
This record shows an unbroken succession of the Holy Priest-
hood and the Gospel of Christ from Adam to Moses, a period
of about 2,500 years. Then began those periods of the world's
history when the fullness of the Gospel was not to be had among
the children of men, periods when the spirit of darkness en-
grossed the human family and left mankind, in a great degree,
as a blind man groping for the wall. The first of these periods
continued from Moses until the Savior came and restored the
higher priesthood, established His church upon the earth, and
sent his apostles to preach the Gospel in all the world. An-
other similar period was from the time the Gospel became
corrupted, in the first two or three centuries of the Christian
era, to its restoration in this dispensation through the prophet
Joseph Smith. The Christian dispensation of the Gospel
continued to a greater length upon the American continent,
extending to nearly 400 years after Christ. What success
attended the Gospel among the ten lost tribes whom the Messiah
visited and how long it was maintained among them is not
yet revealed, but will be in the due time of the Lord.
The Elders in preaching the Gospel abroad are often con-
fronted with an objection to this claim of apostasy from the
432 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
truth, that such periods of spiritual darkness do not harmonize
with the mercy and justice of God. The objectors, therefore,
incline to the belief that the Christian world has enjoyed the
Gospel ever since the coming of the Messiah. The query
then arises, what is the cause of such apparent difference in
the opportunities of human beings? Some are born in the
church, heirs to the Holy Priesthood; others, in a Gospel dispen-
sation, not in the church, but under conditions favorable to
their accepting it ; still another class in the same dispensation
is under such adverse circumstances that believing and obeying
are rendered very difficult ; and yet a larger number, counted
by millions, live and die where no voice from God comes to their
relief.
In the absence of revelation giving any detailed information
on this question, we may rest contented with the reflection that
God is just, and that a just cause exists for that which appears
inconsistent in the eyes of mortal man, but that reflection is not
satisfying ; we are 1 in absolute need of revelation to enable us
to comprehend the cause and to justify in our minds the condi-
tions which exist.
Our works in this life are known to God, and our rewards
and punishments are meted out according to the deeds done
in the body. Our pre-existent merits and demerits are equally
well known to our Heavenly Father. As proof that God knew
before this life with all the exactness that we are known here,
I here introduce the* following from page 41, Pearl of Great
Price : "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the in-
telligences that were organized before the world was ; and
among all these there were 1 many of the noble and great ones ;
and God saw these souls that they were good, and He stood iu
the midst of them ; and He said, 'These I will make my rulers,'
for He stood among those that were" spirits; and He saw
they were good ; and there stood one among them like unto God,
and He said unto those that were with Him, 'We will go down,
for there is space there, and we will take of these materials,
and we will make an earth, whereon these may dwell ; and we
will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; and they
who keep their first estate 1 shall be added upon ; and they who
keep not their first estate, shall not have glory in the same
SALVATION FOB THE DEAD. 433
kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who
keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their
heads forever and ever."
In the first chapter fourth and fifth verses of Jeremiah, we
have the following : "Then the word of the Lord came unto me,
saying, Before I formed thee I knew thee, and before thou
earnest forth, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations." From these plain teachings of the prophet,
it is readily seen that the measure of integrity attached to our
pre-existence was fully understood by our Father; and as our
future condition is based upon our works in this life, is it
not a reasonable conclusion that our sdtuation in this world is
largely due to our conduct in a pre-existent state?
That God has a distinct hand in the appointment of the
time for His children to come upon the earth is very clearly
stated by the Apostle Paul. In the seventeenth chapter of
Acts he says : "God that made the world and all things therein,
giveth to all life, and breath, and all things ; and hath made
of one blood ail nations of men for to dwell on all the face 1 of
the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and
the bounds of their habitations." Thus we learn that this great
emigration of souls from the presence of the Lord to this earth
is controlled and directed by the Almighty. That He designed
them all at some time to learn of Him is stated in the verse fol-
lowing the above quotation, which reads, "That they should se'ek
the Lord and find Him."
We are compelled from these facts to believe that, as God
Himself sent millions into the world when the Gospel was not
had among the inhabitants of the" earth, then His saving plan,
to be compatible with His attributes of mercy and justice, must
be of such a character as to reach these people after they leave
this world. We may add here that this vast host of humanity
who lived when the Gospel was not extant is greatly augmented
by the unnumbered millions of people who live during the dis-
pensation of the Gospel, but who never see or hear an authorized
servant of the Lord.
In connection with this branch of the subject it may be well
to refer to the belief of many that, at death the wicked are
consiigned to their final doom and the righteous to full and com-
plete exaltation in the presence of God. We can explode this
28
434 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
fallacy by quotations from Holy Writ. In line with this mis-
taken belief we find ministers attending the culprit at the gal-
lows, urging him to confess Christ, and telling him that by such
confession he will be saved in the kingdom of heaven. In the
face of such doctrine the Scriptures plainly declare that, "The
murderer hath not eternal life abiding in him." We who live
in this dispensation are forbidden by the living oracle's of God
to receive temple ordinances for even the suicide. To exhibit
the error of many in the religious world on this point read the
forty-second and forty-third verses of the twenty-third chapter
of Luke. The thief on the cross is recorded as saying to the
Savior, "Lord, remember me when' Thou comest into Thy king-
dom." Jesus then said to him, "Today shalt thou be with ma
in Paradise." The claim is made that such a promise amounte'cl
to salvation, taking the malefactor to a condition of eternal
glory. In the face of this mistaken interpretation of the
Scripture, we have the assertion of Christ Himself, made thre'e
days later to Mary : "Touch me not, for I am not yet
ascended unto my father." (John xx : 17.) Thisi is conclusive
evidence that the paradise spoken of was not the enjoyment
of the presence and glory of God. But we are not left in
ignorance of where He did go. He had previously said to His
apostles, as recorded in John v : 25, "The hour is coming and
now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God,
and they that hear shall live." The object of this preaching is
stated in the fourth chapter, sixth verse, of I Peter, to be,
"For, for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that
are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live* according to God in the spirit."
This Scripture establishes the truth beyond doubt that death
does not perfect people, and dying without obedience to the
Gospel does not relieve them of the impartial obligation placed
upon all men to believe and obey. It also maintains the doc-
trine of man's; free agency by showing that salvation is only
realized when man exercises his own volition to receive the
Gospel, and by education in the knowledge of God, step by step,
becomes prepared to dwell in the glorious presence of the Father
and the Son. With this testimony of the Savior and the Jewish
apostles, the teachings of the Book of Mormon and of the
Prophet Joseph Smith are in perfect harmony.
SALVATION FOB THE DEAD. 435
The sacred record of the Nephites informs us that the spirit
which possesses a man who dies in his sins will have power to
possess him in a future state. The Prophet Joseph, speaking
upon this subject, also said, on April 10, 1842 : "If you wish
to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the prin-
ciples which God possesses, for, if we are not drawing towards
Go ' in principles, we are going from Him and drawing towards
the devil. A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge,
for, if he 1 does not get knowledge, he will be brought into cap-
tivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will
have more knowledge and consequently more power than many
men who sre en the earth. Hence, it needs revelation to as-
sist and give us knowledge of the things of God."
To show still more definitely Christ's mission in the spirit
world, we read from Peter, third chapter, eighteenth verse, as
follows; "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just
for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit; by which also He
went and preached unto the spirits in prison ; which sometimes
were disobedient, when once the long-soiffering of God waited in
the days of Noah."
We may infer safely that the" penitent thief had the privi-
lege of going to the prison house with the Savior and hearing the
Gospel; the distinction between his situation and that of the
antediluvians being that they had remained in purgatory for
hundreds of years, while the penitent man, who had shown some
repentance in the last hour of his life, may have heard, with
but little delay, the Gospel. Whether he had heard it in
life and rejected it we are not informed, and how long he would
remain in the spirit world without realizing its full benefits we
do not know, but the above quotations are ample to disprove
the fallacy of the position taken by those in the religious world
who deny salvation after death.
One objection made by the world to this doctrine is, that
offering salvation after this life destroys the incentive to em-
brace the 1 Gospel here and holds out the inducement to indulge
in the pleasures of sin, through people believing that they
might be redeemed in a future state where the pleasures of sin
would be less delusive. If we admit, for the sake of argu-
ment, this theory, the evil results following are incomparably
436 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
less than would be those which offer salvation to some and
deny it to others, for this amounts virtually to a destruction
of the attributes of justice and mercy which dwell in the
bosom of a wise Creator ; but there is another side to this part
of the question. We may illustrate by comparison. If a man
obey the law of the land simply because he fears 1 the penalty
of violating the law, you have at once an individual devoid
of love for right and of no strength of character, a man who is
a meTe slave to the influences which surround him ; or if you
find a being who is willing to pay the penalty of stealing or com-
mitting other crimes, for the pleasure he finds in them, with the
knowledge that when he has/ served his term in prison he may
be liberated only to steal again, you have a man devoid of
character, and to say that this would be the course of man-
kind relative to the boon cf eternal life is only to belittle the
character of the human family and strip them of those at-
tributes which come from God their Father. This mission
of the Savior was contemplated by the ancient Jewish prophets.
They, knowing that the atonement of Christ and the principles
of ihe Gospel must apply to those who lived before His com-
ing as well as to all who came after, understood that the
millions who died without the Gospel in this life must hear and
obey in the life to come. Isaiah prophesied conceTning the mis-
sion of the Son of Gcd : "I, the Lord, have called thee in
righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and
give thee 1 for a covenant of the people, for a light of the
Gentiles ; to open the blind eyes ; to bring out the prisoners from
the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison
house." (Isaiah xlii : 6, 7.)
Thus salvation for the dead is a scriptural doctrine. The
Gospel is preache'd to the spirits in prison. At the same
time, it is evident from all that we learn upon this subject
that the ordinances of baptism, confirmations, sealings, etc.,
are received by those living in the flesh, in behalf of those who
die 1 without the Gospel in this world, but receive it in the next.
Paul, in the fifteenth chapter of I. Corinthians^ speaking of the
resurrection, says : "Else what shall they do which are bap-
tized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they
then baptized for the 1 dead?" While Paul's argument is not
upon the subject of baptism for the dead, why does he thus
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD. 437
forcibly allude to this subject if no such an ordinance belongs
to the Gospel? The theologians of sectarianism have exhausted
their ingenuity in a fruitless effort to mystify or explain away
the true meaning of this passage, for the evident reason that
it strikes a deadly blow at their unjust dogmas respecting the
eternal damnation of those who die without the truth. The
plain meaning of the above statement of Paul is that a living
person receives baptism in behalf of those who are dead. This
simple interpretation was adopted by the early writers on Chris-
tianity. Scaliger, Meyer, Erasmus, Calixtus, De Witt, Grotius
and others, counted as good authority, adopte'd the same view.
Epiphanius, in the fourth century, writing of the Marcionites,
rmikes use of this langunge:"A traditional fact concerning them
has reached us, that when any of them had died without
baptism, they used to baptize others in their name, lest in
the resurrection they should suffer punishment ais ulnbap-
tized."
Another very emphatic evidence that this ordinance was
practiced by the 1 ancient followers of Christ is that the council
of Carthage, A. D., 397, in Canon No. 6, forbids the ordinance
of baptism for the dead. Why would such a decree be issued
against this ordinance if it had no existece in the Church?
Having shown that salvation for the dead is scriptural doc-
trine, adopted in theory and practice 1 by the Former-day Saints,
let us turn now to the dispensation of the fullness of times.
We have seen that the mission of Christ to the dead was
spoken of by Isaiah in the forty-second chapter. The same 1
great prophet utters a prediction in the twenty-fourth chapter
as follows : "The earth is also defiled under the inhabitants
thereof, because 1 they have transgressed the laws, changed the
ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant." The context
shows clearly that this prophecy refers to the last days, because
it predicts that "the inhabitants of the efarth are burned and
but few men left." The term "everlasting covenant" cannot
refer to the Mosaic law. which existed under the lesser priest-
hood. This law consisted in the rites and ceremonies cf the
offering of sacrifice, pointing to the great sacrifice of the Mes-
siah, and of the law of carnal commandments, which served,
Paul says, as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. The
Mosaic law was done away in Him, because he fulfilled the law.
438 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
It was not everlasting. Breaking the everlasting covenant
must, therefore, refer to an apostasy from the fullness of the
Gospel as instituted by the Savior.
In connection with this apostasy Isaiah tella us in the same
chapter : "And it shall come to pass in that day that the
Lord shall punish the host of the high one's that are on high
and the kings of the earth upon the earth." And they shall
be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit,
and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days
shall they be visited." In other words, we might say
that they have rejected the Gospel during the Christian
era, as the antediluvians rejected it in the days of Noah;
the judgments of God destroyed them in the flesh, and
their spirits were consigned to the prison house and could
not be visited until after many days. Whether the Gospel
tHspeiiastions in the spirit would correspond in their divisions
of time to those delivered to men in the flesh, we do not
know so far as preaching to the spirits in prison is con-
cerned ; but this much is evident, that when no Gospel dis-
pensation exists upon the earth, those in the spirit world,
whatever their opportunities to hear, cannot enjoy the blessings
of the Gospel, because no one in the flesh has authority to
receive the ordinances in their behalf. It, therefore, follows
that the haughty ones spoken of by Isaiah could not receive the
Gospel until it should be revealed again from heaven in the
latter days ; and to fulfill this prophecy such a revelation must
come, comprehending the keys of a dispensation of the Gospel
to the" dead as well as to the living.
Malachi, whose prophecies are the last of those of Jewish
prophets recorded in the Old Testament, in speaking of the
great day of the Lord's second coming and the judgments of
God which would precede 1 , utters the following prediction (Mal-
achi iv : 5, 6) : "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord ;
and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and
the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse." This prophecy is in beautiful ac-
cord with that of the apostle Peter recorded in the twentieth
and twenty-first verses of the third chapter of Acts: "And He
shall send Je'sus Christ which before was preached unto you ;
SALVATION FOB THE DEAD. 339
whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of
all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy
prophets since the world began." How different these joyful
words to those of an apostate! Christianity which denies the
necessity of revelation and tells us that the canon of Scripture
is full !
John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of the Messiah
at His first coming, was also the forerunner of the higher
priesthood in these? last days. On the 15th of May, 1829,
he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained
them to the Aaronic priesthood, the authority to preach unto
and baptize those living in the flesh. Afterwards came Peter,
James and John, with the keys of the <Melchisedek priest-
hood, embodying authority to administer all the ordinances of
the Gospel to men in the flesh. But the prophecy of Malachi,
chapter iv., was yet to be fulfilled. On the 3d of April,
1836, in the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph testified that
''Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting
death, stood before us and said : 'Behold the time has fully
come which was spoken of by Malachi, testifying that he
(Elijah) should be sent before the Lord come to turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers,
lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore, the
keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and
by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the
Lord is near, even at the doors.' "
In connection with the restoration of the keys of te'mple ordi-
nances by Elijah, let us contemplate for a few moments a pre-
diction by the Prophet Joseph Smith. He stated that the
Gospel as preached by the elders would yet revolutionize the
religious world. Without going into detail regarding the
application of this prophecy to several principles of the Gospel,
the subject in hand, salvation for the dead, will clearly prove
the prophecy correct. When Joseph first taught the redemp-
tion of the dead, it was not believed, but was ridiculed by every
denomination of Christendom, so far as we know, and by nearly
all the religious world individually; yet during the past fifteen
years this doctrine? has been growing in favor in the minds of
prominent men. Dr. Thomas, of the Methodist church in
Illinois, was brought in question a few years ago by his
440 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
dhurch for teaching unorthodox doctrine, which consisted in
claiming that those who did not hear the Gospel in this world
would hear it in the spirit world. There is now a vast number
in the various denominations that believe there is hope for the
dead such as was never thought of before the words of the
Prophet Joseph were spoken. Since the glorious visitation of
Elijah, the Lord has revealed definitely how to conduct the 1
ordinance for the dead. He has fulfilled the words of Jere-
miah that He would take "one of a city and two of a family and
bring them to Zion." It required "two of a family," or at least
a male" and a female representative of the dead, to receive the
ordinances of salvation for the dead of their respective sexes.
It has 'been related of Henry Ward Beecher that ho said,
if a literal rendering of the Scriptures was to be accepted, then
"Morinonisrn" was correct. In line with his sentiments on
this subject, it has been reported that he delivered a lecture in
Nashville, Tennessee, his subject being, "What Christianity
Has Done to Civilize the World," in which he said: "What
has Africa done for the world? She has never produced a
s>age, a philosopher, a poet nor a prophet, and why not? Be-
cause the name of Christ and the influence of Christianity are
scarcely known in her dark regions. Millions of her children
have lived and passed away without hearing the truth. What
will become of them? Will they be forever damned? No, not
if my God reigns, for they will hear the gospel in the spirit
world." He then proceeded to show by irrefutable evidence
that salvation for the dead is a scriptural doctrine.
The writer was not present at the lecture, but another Lat-
ter-day Saint elder was present, and, at the conclusion of the
lecture, stepped up to the platform and said: "Mr. Beecher,
I have been much interested in your lecture and would like
to ask you a question. Jesus said to Nicodemus, 'Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God.' Now, how is it possible for a man to
be baptized in water when his body has already crumbled in
the earth?" The great preacher looked at the interrogator
for a moment and then said: "Young man, where do you hail
from?" "From the West." "From what part of the West?"
"From Salt Lake City," answered the Elder. "Oh," said Mr.
Beecher, "you may answer your own question. Good even-
SALVATION FOB THE DEAD. 441
ing," and walked away. Mr. Beecher probably had read
enough on the subject of baptism for the dead to know that
such a doctrine must be coupled with preaching to departed
spirits, but he did not wish to be accused of teaching "Mor-
monism," so he stopped short of that. He said enough, how-
ever, to verify the words of Joseph Smith, and also those of
the Savior, when He said that if men put new wine into old
bottles it would break them to pieces; in other words, new doc-
trine into old systems.
Other instances might be cited, but this will suffice to illus-
trate how the influence of the Gospel is working among the
children of men.
We now come to one of the most important, interesting and
extensive branches of this great subject, namely,' that of secur-
ing the names, births, marriages and deaths of our ancestors,
a class of information essential for record in order to prosecute
this great work of salvation for the dead. The genealogical
research must be an arduous one and ofttimes attended with
great difficulty.
Nathaniel H. Morgan, author of a genealogical history en-
titled "James Morgan and His Descendants," makes this ob-
servation in the introduction of his work: "The task of the
genealogist, in groping his way amid the dusty records of the
past, is much like that of the African Indians in pursuing an
obscure trail through a tangled widerness. An acute faculty
of perception and a keen and practiced eye must note and
scrutinize every obscure footprint, every rustled leaf, every
bent twig; now, progressing rapidly, under a clear light, and
guided by sure tokens; and anon, suddenly arrested by a total
absence of all further signs, and forced hopelessly to abandon
the trail long and patiently pursued until, perchance, again
some new and unexpected waymark greets his eye, inspiring
fresh pursuit."
While then- have been isolated instances of genealogical
works in America since the year 1771, it is a noteworthy fact
(and one showing the hand of God plainly manifest in moving
upon the Gentiles to do this work) that since the coming of
Elijah to the Kirtland Temple, this spirit of writing genealo-
gies has rapidly increased in the United States.
442 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
I cannot do better at this juncture than to include as a part
of our article a letter written to the writer by Elder Franklin
D. Richards on this important subject. Elder Richards,
through his researches, has been instrumental in furnishing
printed genealogies to many families of Latter-day Saints.
He says, under date of Nov. 29th, 1805:
"In answer to your question when the first genealogical
history was published, either in this country or in foreign
nations, I must say it is impossible for me to answer, as I
have not searched the libraries of Europe or of any foreign
countries to learn when their first genealogies were published;
but, narrowing your question down to this country, I may
say that tlhe first that we have any account of was published
in 1771, consisting of twenty-four pages and was 'A genealogy
of the family of Mr. Samuel Stebbins and Hannah Stefobins,
his wife, from the year 1707 to the year 1771, with their
names, time of their births, marriages and deaths of those
tha: *re deceased,' published at Hartford in 1771. The author,
Mr. William H. Whitmore, says: 'This I believe to be the
earliest genealogy in a distinct form published in the United
States.' It is safe to conclude that an interest in genealogical
work did not take very deep root among the people until after
the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the great work
of extending salvation to the dead. This is made evident from
the dates noted in the following excerpts taken from works
on genealogical lore, published in Boston and Albany. In the
introduction of a work entitled 'The American Genealogist,'
by William H. Whitmore, and published by Joel Munsell,
Albany, 1868, the following very interesting pages occur, in
which you will observe the years 1844 (the year of the
Prophet's martyrdom) and 1847 are named as the respective
dates when the New England Historical Genealogical Society
was formed, and the 'Register' was established under its
patronage.
"It seems evident that the English element has predominated
throughout our country, and the greater portion of English
colonists settled in New England. Hence the great activity
of genealogists there has had more than a local importance,
and will be the means of preserving the records of the greater
portion of our nation. There is difficulty in tracing the Ameri-
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD. 443
can pedigree of any family. Mr. Savage's admirable dictionary
will furnish the inquirer with the first three generations of
the name, and the indices of the register will enable him to
examine numerous town and county records 1 . There are very
few names which will not be found in one or the other of
these easily accessible works. The county registers of wills
and deeds are open to every inquirer, free of expense, and it
is rarely that any town clerk demands a fee for the inspection
of his books. It is safe to say that nowhere else is the genealo-
gist so favored as in New England, and consequently no com-
munity exists where so great a proportion of its families have
had their records preserved.
"We have been fortunate in our historical records from the
first. Bradford and Winthrop have noted down even the minute
particulars of the settlement of their respective colonies;
Mather and Prince have given us numerous items concerning
the lives and pedigrees of the clergy and magistrates. In
establishing the registry of deeds, our forefathers not only
were in advance of England in political science, but they gave
the genealogist a source of information elsewhere wanting.
"Very soon after the Revolutionary war an effort was made
to revive the former taste for historical research. The Mas-
sachusetts Historical Society was formed, and has continued
slowly to acquire wealth and influence, having greatly ex-
tended its usefulness within the past ten years. John Farmer,
secretary of the New Hampshire Historical Society, early
devoted himself to the study of genealogy and biography, and
by his genealogical register attracted public attention to the
subject. Our list will show that but little progress was made
for thirty years from the time he issued his Farmer genealogy,
but enough was done to keep the fire alive. In 1844, the
Register was established under his patronage; since then the
study of history and genealogy has been greatly encouraged,
and with good results. When the new society was formed the
science of genealogy was little understood. The wealth of
our records was hardly imagined, the necessity of severe ex-
amination of traditions scarcely thought of, and the simplest
and most economical form of arrangement was not yet in-
vented. Soon, however, all these points were examined, old
manuscript published, and the State authorities were persuaded
444 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
to enact laws for the preservation of its documents. Since
1843 numerous local societies have been established or revived;
over two hundred distinct works on genealogy have been pub-
lished up to 18GS, and innumerable town histories and histori-
cal pamphlets have been, issued. In many instances these
results have been known to be due to the establishment of the
new societies, and it is unquestionable that the spirit it fos-
tered has been the mainspring in all. Massachusetts, Con-
necticut and Rhode Island have issued large volumes of their
early annals, under the patronage of the respective govern-
ments. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont possess active
historical societies. New York has not only published her own
records but assisted her neighbors, and established the largest
and richest historical society in existence. Similar associa-
tions exist in more than half the States in the Union, and a
new magazine, the "American Notes and Queries," established
as their organ, has continued to the present time. Circular
No. 3 of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, is-
sued June, 1847, signed by the following gentlemen, viz:
Charles Ewer, Lemuel Shartuck, Samuel G-. Drake, Samuel
H. Riddle and W. H. Montague, treats of the great importance
which they attach to genealogical and historical work and
works; and in this connection I may be permitted to suggest
that what appealed so directly to their needs in those early
times applies with much greater force to the Saints of the
Latter Days, who are clearly and pleasurably made aware
of the glorious relationship which exists between parents and
children and the vital obligations the living are under to the
dead. These intimations, no doubt you will appreciate, and
when time and opportunity permit let us hope that you will
actively take pleasure in promoting the aims of the Genealogi-
cal Society of Utah, which was especially organized to advance
temple work, which includes the salvation and redemption of
both dead and living. F.'D. RICHARDS."
With all these prophecies before us, with the keys of salva-
tion restored to the earth, with the spirit of Elijah moving
not only the Saints but men of the world to action, who can
fail to see the truth of this doctrine and the power of God
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD. 445
made manifest to promote the great work of salvation for the
dead?
In conclusion, let us heed the voice of God to the Prophet
Joseph, saying, "Therefore renounce war and proclaim peace
and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to the
fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children;" and the
exhortation to us of the prophet who received this command-
ment, "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go
forward and not backward. Courage, brethren and on, on to
victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.
Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak
forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who
hath ordained before the world was, that which would enable
us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall
go free."
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL.
This subject is of great moment. It should interest all
people, Jew and Gentile, especially those who profess Judaism
and Christianity. It involves several features which affect the
claims made by the Latter-day Saints that more revelation has
been given and that the gospel has bee/n restored in these, the
last days. The solution of this question involves the fulfillment
of many prophecies in the Old and New Testaments.
The trend of the teachings of modern Christianity is such as
to keep, from the human mind, the idea that the Lord is a prac-
tical being and has anything whatever to do with the temporal
affairs of the children of men. Yet by a careful reading of the 1
Scriptures it is readily seen that God designated various por-
tions of the earth to be occupied by different bodies of His
children. He gave* Palestine to the seed of Abraham, and
designated where the children of Esau and other races should
dwell. This truth is beautifully expressed by the apostle Paul
in Acts xvii : 26, as follows : "And hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all the? face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their
habitation."
To make this subject clear to the reader, we will first show
that the seefd of Abraham were promised certain countries, that
they once occupied those promised lands, and were driven and
scattered from them. Hence, in order to receive the fulfill-
ment of the promise regarding their inheritance, they must of
necessity be gathered home from their long dispersion.
In Genesis xiii: 14, 15, we have the following: "And the
Lord said unto Abraham after that Lot was separated from him,
Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the" place where thou art
northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward ; for
all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy
seed forever." This promise was renewed to his son Isaac, as
recorded in Genesis xxvi: 2, 3: "And the Lord appeared unto
him and said, Go not down into Egypt ; dwell in the land which
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 447
I shall tell thee of; sojourn in this land, and 1 will be with
thee 1 , and will bless thee ; for unto thee and unto thy seed I will
give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I
sware unto Abraham, thy father." And again, the promise
was made to Jacob, the father of the twelve tribe's of Israel.
In Gen. xlviii : 3, 4, it is said : "And Jacob said unto Joseph,
God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz, in the land of Canaan,
and blessed me. And said unto me, Behold I will make thee
fruitful and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude
of people ; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an
everlasting possession."
It is not necessary to make special quotations to prove to
Bible readers that the tribes of Israel were led into the land of
Palestine in the days of the prophet Joshua, and under his ad-
ministration received their respective inheritances in the prom-
ised land.
On reading the forty-ninth chapter of Genesis we find a brief
statement of the blessings pronounced by the great patriarch
upon his twelve sons. In blessing Joseph it is plainly indicated
that his seed was "a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches
run over the wall;" in other words, his posterity should re-
ceive a land beyond the limits which bound the country occupied
by the other tribes of Israel. This view is corroborated by the
thirty-third chapter of Deuteronomy, in the blessing and proph-
ecy of Moses upon the head of the tribe of Joseph.
The descriptions of the land of Joseph, given in these two
chapters, together with the other passages of Holy Writ, show
that the land of Joseph was no less than the Western Hemi-
sphere, known to us as North and South America. It is well
known that the tribes of Israel occupied the promised land from
generation to generation, until through apostasy and trans-
gression nearly all the tribes were carried into captivity long
before the advent of the Messiah. When He came the land was
occupied chiefly by the tribe of Judah, which was subsequently
scattered among the various nations of the earth.
The Lord plainly warned the house of Israel that, to enjoy
His blessings and to remain unmolested in the land of their
fathers, they must keep His commandments. If they did not,
this was to follow: "And I will bring the land into desola-
tion ; and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished
448 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTKINE.
at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will
draw out a sword after you, and your land shall be desolate and
your cities waste." (Lev. xxvi : 32, 33.) Very much like
this prophecy are the sacred words of the Messiah, spoken 1500
years later : "For there shall be great distress in the land, and
wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: And
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times
of the Gentiles be" fulfilled." (Luke xxi : 23, 24.)
It is also stated in Dent, xxviii: 63-65: "And ye shall
be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to pos-
sess it. And the Lord shall scatter th-ee among all people,
from the one" end of the earth even unto the other ; and there
thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers
have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations
shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy feet have
rest ; but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and
failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind."
History records beyond the" possibility of a doubt how literally
and terribly the various clauses in these predictions have been
fulfilled. Israel has been scattered, and Judah has been perse-
cuted and oppressed and become a hiss and a byword in the
mouths of all the Gentile nations.
With the sacred promises before us, that Israel should receive
those countries and the history which proves that they were
scattered and are still unreturned to their promised land, we
must be convinced, if nothing were said in the Scriptures of the
restoration, that Israel must be gathered and re-established in
the land of their fathers or the promises of the" Almighty would
come to naught. We are not left, however, without predictions
which specify, in considerable detail, that the chosen people
shall be gathered and the circumstances and signs of the times
associated with the gathering of Israel in the last days.
Four hundred and forty-six years before Christ, the prophet
Nehemiah, bowing down in sorrow because of this scattering
and destruction of his people, besought the Lord in humble sup-
plication, thus : "Remember, I beseech thee, the* word that
thou commandest thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I
will scatter you abroad mong the nations ; but if ye turn unto
me, and keep my commandments and do them; though there
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 449
were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet
will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the
place that I have chosen to set my name there." (Neh. i : 8, 9.)
The psalmist David said (Psalms 1:5): "Gather my saints
together unto me ; those that have made a covenant with me by
sacrifice." The context of this psalm shows plainly that the
fulfillment of the words quoted should take place in the" last
days, near the time of the coming of the Son of God. Those
who should be called saints would be required to sacrifice the
associations of their native lands as Abraham was when called
upon to turn aside from the false religion of his fathers and go
to a land into which the Lord should lead him. The Latter-day
Saints have made a covenant with God, and through self-denial
are gathering together in fulfillment of the words of David the
psalmist.
Another prophecy from the same book is as follows : "O
give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good ; for His mercy en-
dureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom
He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy ; and gathered
them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, and
from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the
wilderness in a solitary way ; they found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, their souls fainted in them. Thefy cried
unto the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them out of
their distresses."
The provisions of this prophecy have been and are being
ve'rified in the gathering of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains.
In Isaiah ii : 2, 3, we have the following prediction : "And it
shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the
Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall flow
unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come' ye, and let
us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of
Jacob ; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in
His paths ; for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem." This prediction isi too plain to
be mistaken when it is fulfilled. This prophecy was not ful-
iille'd at the coming of the Messiah, neither before nor since His
time, but it is being fulfilled in the gathering of the Latter-day
Saints. They have established the house of the Lord in a
27
450 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
mountainous country ; many people are gathering to it, their
object being to le"arn the ways of the Lord that they may more
perfectly walk in His paths. This prediction should be verified
at a time near which people should beat their swords into plow-
shares and their spears into pruning hooks ; "neither shall they
learn war any more," as shown by the verse following those we
have quoted.
Micah, fifty years after this, uttered a similar prophecy, in
almost the same language, as will be found in the first and sec-
ond verses of his fourth chapter.
Another prophecy of Isaiah on this subject will be found in
chapter five, twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh verses. It reads
as follows : "And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from
afar, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth ; and
behold, they shall come with speed swiftly ; none sihall be weary
nor stumble among them ; none shall slumber nor sleep ; neither
shall the girdle of their loins be loosed nor the latchet of their
shoes be broken." The wording of this, in connection with
verses which follow, seems plainly to have its fulfillment in the
manner of travel by which the Saints are being and shall be
gathered to the place appointed. They come by railroad, "with
speed swiftly," which prevents them, in a great measure, from
stumbling or becoming weary by the way. Notice that the
words of this prediction, that the ensign was to be set up from
afar, undoubtedly indicate a far distant land from the place
where Isaiah stood when he uttered the prophecy. He stood
upon the Eastern Hemisphere ; America was far distant, and
upon this land the ensign has been lifted up. Is it not an
ensign to the nations? The authority of God, the house of the
Lord, where the 1 nations of the earth are invited to repent of
their sins and freely partake of the blessings to be obtained
where the ensign is established, surely are such.
A prediction very similar to the" foregoing in its provisions
was uttered by the same prophet and is contained in the eleventh
chapter of his book, the eleventh and twelfth verses : "And it
shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand
again the second time to recover the remnant of His people,
which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from
Pathros, and from Ous'h, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and
from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He shall
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 451
set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the" out-
casts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from
the four corners of the earth."
These prophecies could not be" fulfilled short of bestowing
more revelation upon the children of men to show them how,
where and when these great events should be accomplished.
We have quoted from the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, in the
twelfth verse 1 of which this language is used : "And shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the disf-
persed of Judah." It will be noticed that the word outcasts
applies to Israel, which means that Israel was cast out from
the knowledge of the Gentile nations, while the seed of Judah
wag scattered among the nations of the earth. The reason dis-
tinction is made between Israel and Judah, when Judah was one
of the tribes of Israel, is that in the days of David and Solomon
the Lord divided the" kingdom of Israel, making Judah one dis-
tinct nation and the remaining tribes another distinct nation,
having two separate kings. The tribes of Israel were led away
into the north country, and became lost to the knowledge of the 1
world, while Judah and a portion of Ephraim remained in Pales>-
tine, and were scattered among the nations. This is why the
prophet applies the word "outcast" to Israel and the word "dis-
persed" to the tribes of Judah.
Zechariah the prophet says : "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee
from the land of the north." (Zech. ii : 6.) This return of
the tribes of Israel from the 1 land of the north will be attended
with much miraculous power. The miracles wrought in the
days of Moses will not be the reference made by Israel to show
the power of God in their behalf, but this prophecy will be ful-
filled : "Therefore, behold the days come, saith the Lord, that
it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought up the
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But the Lord liveth
that brought up the Children of Israel from the land of the
north, and from all the lands whither He had driven them:
and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto
their fathers." (Jer. xvi : 14, 15.)
One ve'ry interesting feature associated with the gathering of
Israel in the last days is expressed in the sixteenth verse of the
same chapter, as follows : "Behold, I will send for many
fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them ; and after will
I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every
452 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the
rocks." When men engage in fishing they cast their lines into
the water, and know not until drawn to shore whether the fish
caught be of one kind or another ; but when they go hunting
they know exactly the game they shoot at, whether it is a lion
or a tiger, a buffalo or a deer. This Scripture is fulfilled in the
preaching of the Gospel among the Gentile nations by the elders
of Israel ; it is not known by them whether the person who em-
braces the Gospel and gathers to Zion is of the blood of Israel, a
Gentile or otherwise, until it is made 1 known by the light of
revelation. This, then, is as casting the Gospel net into tfhe
sea, which gathers of all kinds, who remain together until the
bad are separated from the" good and cast back into the sea.
Isaiah says, in chapter xxvii : 12, "Ye shall be gathered one
by one, O ye children of Israel." This is corroborated in the
third chapter of Jeremiah, fourteenth and fifteen verses, which
read : "I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and
I will bring you to Zion ; and I will give you pastors according
to mine heart, which shall, feed you with knowledge and under-
standing."
How strikingly true it is that in this dispensation only one or
two, in many instances, of a numerous family, receive the truth.
And frequently but one, or very few, in a whole city. But
these, when they receive the" Holy Spirit through embracing the
Gospel, at the hands of inspired and divinely authorized men,
are filled with a desire to gather to Zion, and there are 1 taught
by pastors "called of God as was Aaron."
A prophcy very like the foregoing is found in the eighteenth
chapter of Revelations, fourth and fifth verse's : "And I heard
another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of
he'r plagues. For ner sins have reached unto heaven, and God
hath remembered her iniquities." That they are out of Babylon
is made clear by the verses preceding the ones quoted. Babylon
signifies confusion, and is shown in the preceding chapter of
Revelation to apply to "people and multitudes, and nations and
tongues." Should there be among the nations of the earth any
class of people professing to be the Saints of God, yet who have
no desire to gather from Babylon in order to avoid her sins and
thus escape her plagues, it would 'be proof that they had not re-
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 453
ceived, in spirit and truth, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another prophecy bearing upon the return of the tribes from
the north, as well as those scattered among the nations, is found
in Jer. xxxi : 8, 9, 10 : "Behold, I will bring them from the
north country, and gathe'r them from the coasts of the earth,
and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child,
and her that travaileth with child together: A great company
shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with
supplications will I lead them ; I will cause them to walk by
the 1 rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not
stumble; for I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first
born. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in
the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather
him, and keep him, as a shepherd doe's his flock." In the
twelfth verse it says, "Therefore they shall come and sing in the
height of Zion." This latter clause in the prophecy shows that
the place of the'ir gathering shall be an elevated region of coun-
try. In some instances the term Zion is used with reference to
a place or land, as shown in the sixty-second chapter of Isaiah,
which the reader can refer to at leisure. And in other instances
the word applies to a people. Modern revelation through the
prophet Joseph Smith says : "This is Zion, the pure in heart."
Using the word in this sense", light is thrown upon the foregoing
prophecy of Jeremiah by one found in Isaiah xl : 9 : "O Zion,
that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain."
This would not have been verified if the Saints of latter days
had remained in a scattered condition among the nations, or
even in the lower regions first occupied by them in the United
States, for America is the land of Zion. The great events
which go to make up the history of the" Latter-day Saints 1 fur-
nish indisputable evidence that they were led there by the hand
of God, and that, too, in fulfillment of ancient and modern
prophecy.
In reference to the saints being led by the rivers of water in
a straight way, Isaiah has a similar prophecy, contained in the
thirty-second chapter, eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth
verses : "And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation,
and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places ; when it shall
hail, coming down on the forests ; and the" city shall be low in
a low place. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that
454 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
send forth thither the feet of the ox, and the ass." The prophets
foresaw that the 1 gathering place of the saints should be in a
section of the country where the rains should not be abundant,
and for that reason they would plant beside all waters, that the
system of irrigation might be employed to water the crops of the
e'arth, and through this also that grasses and other vegetation
might be provided for their domestic animals. It is also an in-
teresting fact that the cities built by the Saints in the valleys,
in comparison with the summit of the snow-capped mountains
around them, are situated in low places, so that many times
when the hail come's down in fury upon the mountain forests
above, the city is free from storm.
One feature of the pleasantness which characterizes the
Saints of God is their custom, in their mountain homes, of com-
ing together in a social capacity and joining in the 1 dance. In
this capacity, as in gatherings of more weighty importance, the
old and the young, male and female, mingle together, that par-
ents may rejoice in the innocent recreation of their children
and that the children may be under the guiding influence of their
parents. Strange as it may seem to the world, eve'n to those
professing Christianity and a consequent belief in the Bible,
such a condition is in fulfillment of sacre'd prophecy found in the
thirteenth verse of the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah, which
reads as follows : "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance,
both young men and old together ; for I will turn their mourn-
ing into joy, and will comfort the'm, and make them rejoice from
their sorrow." This was to be at the time of their getting up
into the high mountains, and expressing their praises to the
Almighty in the heights of Zion.
Olosely connected with the foregoing prophecie's is one found
in Isaiah, thirty-fifth chapter, first and tenth verses : "The
wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and
the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. And the ran-
somed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and
everlasting joy upon their headsi; they shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Almost the
entire chapter has a bearing upon this subject.
The Lord has so abundantly blessed the labors of His people
in that once barren region that truly the desert does rejoice and
blossom as the rose. That Salt Lake valley was a most forbid-
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 455
ding place cannot be denied. James Bridges, an old trapper
who had seen Salt Lake valley before the Pioneers, was so confi-
dent of the perpetual sterility of the soil, rendered so by having
little or no water, scarcely any rain, and frost nearly every
month in the year, that he said to President Brigham Young :
"I will give you a thousand dollars for the first ear of corn that
can be produced in Salt Lake valley." Our geographies desig
nated that country as the Great American Desert. Daniel
Webster, the great statesman and orator, earnestly opposed the
annexation of that section of the country to the United States
on the ground of its almost utter worthlessness, claiming it
would be a financial burden to the government.
Notwithstanding these forbidding aspects, the Prophet Joseph
Smith predicted on the 6th of August, 1842, that the Latter-day
Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky
Mountains. This prophecy will be found readily in a work en-
titled "A New Witness for God," by Elder B. H. Roberts, which
work also contains many other predictions of the prophet Joseph
Smith, and shows their fulfillment. The following in the proph-
ecy of Isaiah, chapter thirty-five, "For in the wilderness shall
waters break out, and streams in the 1 desert, and the parched
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty lands springs of
water," has been fulfilled in the settlement of the Rocky Moun-
tain region by the Latter-day Saints.
As the judgments of God come upon the earth the gathering
of Israel will be accelerated, and the words of the prophet Isiaiah
will be fulfilled wherein he asks the question, "Who are these
that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?" (Isa. Ix:
8.) As they come together from their long dispersion, and
from the north country, in times of famine, pestilence and blood-
shed, the Lord will strengthen them by saying, "Fear not; for 1
am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the east and gather
thee from the west; I will say to the north, give up; and to the
south, keep not back ; bring my sons from afar, and my daugh-
ters from the ends of the earth ; even every one that is called
by my name." (Isa. xliii: 5, 6.) How universal will be this
gathering from all points of the compass, and which will apply
to all who are truly called by the name of the Lord !
This gathering will be attended by greater power than here-
tofore, and no power will be able 1 to impede the progress of the
456 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
great work. Hear what Ezekiel says: "And I will bring you
out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries
\vherein ye arc scattered, Math a mighty hand, and with a
stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will
bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I
plead with you face to face." (Ezekiel xx: 34, 35.) The same
prophet also predicts the gathering of Israel in unmistakable
terms, ill chapter xxxvi: 24: "For I will take you from among
the heathen, and gather you into your own land."
The foregoing predictions are chiefly from the Old Testament,
but the New Testament also contains many very definite fore-
casts upon this glorious subject ; indeed, in the 1 last days, when
the Gospel should be restored to earth by divine revelation, the
dispensation thus established was to be designated as a gathering
dispensation, as stated by Paul in Ephesians, chapter i: 9, 10:
"Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according
to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself ; that
in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on the earth; even in Him." This is in
perfect accord with the prophecy of Isaiah before quoted, that
all who are' called by the name of the Lord should be gathered
together.
Jesus offered the gathering to the house of Judah in His
day, but they rejected it. He said unto them, "O, Je-
rusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent unto thee ; how often would I have gathered
thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under
her wings, and ye would not ! Behold, your house is left unto
you desolate; and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me,
until the time come when ye shall say, blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord. (Luke xiii : 34, 35.) How
terribly have the'se words been fulfilled upon the Jews through
their having rejected the Messiah and the principle of gathering
which He offered to them.
By reading the book of Zechariah we learn that when the
Jews have gathered to their promised land, in the last days, and
the armies of the Gentiles surround them, the Messiah will
THE GATHERING OF ISRAEL. 45-7
appear unto them on the Mount of Olives. Looking to the
fulfillment of the great predictions the feeling now pervades
the hearts of the Jews, to a very great extent, to furnish
means for the purchase of the 1 land of Palestine, that they
may return and rebuild the city of Jerusalem.
When the Twelve Apostles at Jerusalem requested of the
Savior to know the 1 signs of His second coming, He gave
various evidences, among which was the preaching of the Gospel
of the kingdom and consequently its restoration to the earth,
and the raising up of prophets to warn the people, without
which the comparison of the 1 days of Noah and the days of the
second coming of the Messiah would not be complete. To
counterfeit the work of God through prophets that should
be raised up, false prophets and teachers should also arise;
kingdom should arise against kingdom; war, pestilence and
bloodshed should desolate the nations of the earth; the gath-
ering of Israel should be going on, as proved by the prophecies
heretofore quoted, and when the signs of His appearing should
appear in the heavens, "He shall send His angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect
from the" four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
(Matt, xxiv: 31; see also Mark xiii: 27.)
This is the dispensation of the fullness of times in which
all the keys, power and authority enjoyed by all previous dis-
pensations have been restored to the 1 earth, and this includes
the keys of the gathering. Under date of April 3d, 1836,
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were the recipients of many
splendid visions and revelations at Kirtland, Ohio, in the
Temple of the Lord. They solemnly testify as follows : "After
this vision closed, the" heavens were again opened unto us, and
Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of
the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and
the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north." (Doc-
trine and Covenants, Sec. 110: 11.)
From that time the spirit of gathering has rested richly upon
the saints of the Most High, and tens of thousands have gath-
ered from many nations of the earth. The* Saints will continue
until they are assembled in the places designated for them to
occupy. 'Since the date mentioned, the spirit of the gathering
also has been working among the Jews, and when all things are
458 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
revealed it will undoubtedly be found that the spirit of gath-
ering is working among the* ten lost tribes of Israel, looking to
the restoration promised to them in the predictions of their
fathers. Thus in the purpose of God will be accomplished
the gathering together in one, all who will serve Him and
keep His commandments, that they may "learn of His ways
and walk in His paths," that the earth may be "filled with
the knowledge of the Lord as the* waters cover the mighty
deep, when no man shall say to his neighbor, "know ye
the Lord," for all shall know Him, from the least to the
greatest.
TITHING.
Unlike other religious sects professing Christianity, the
Latter-day Saints do not observe the law of tithing, the ordi-
nances of baptism, confirmation or any other sacred rite
merely because tihe Bible records that such observances were
had among the ancient saints, but for the reason that in this
age of the world, God has commanded us to receive these
laws and ordinances.
The law of tithing was given in the early history of God's
dealings with the children of men. Abraiham paid tithes to
Melchisedek, according to the statement of Paul to the He-
brews. The apostle also refers to the fact that the tribe of
Levi had been selected from all the sons of Israel to officiate
in that order of the priesthood which has to do with the out-
ward ordinances of tithes and sacrifice, and notwithstanding
there was a nigher order, of which Melchisedek was the great
High Priest, those bearing the higher priesthood were not ex-
empt from the law of tithing. (Heb. vii: 4-5.)
Jacob also paid one-tenth to the Lord. (Gen. xxviii: 20-22.)
During the administration of 'Moses as the leader and law-
giver under the Almighty to Israel, tithing was enjoined as a
universal law to the people of God. "And all the tithe of the
land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree,
is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord. And concerning the tithe
of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under
the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not
search whether it be good or bad." (Lev. xxvii: 30, 32, 33.) This
did not require a selection of the very choicest product of the
flock, the herd or the soil, neither did it justify a man in of-
fering for his tithes the poorest or least valuable of his in-
come. Of the flocks, each one "that passeth under the rod"
was to be tithed. The custom was to pen the flocks in a corral,
with a gateway too small for the passage of more than one
animal at a time; and as they passed out, a man stood at the
gateway with a rod in his hand, and as the tenth one of the
460 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
flock went out, the man at the gate marked the animal with
his rod. Thus every tenth one, whether it was good, poor or
medium, was sanctified to the Lord as tithing; any disposition
to offer as a tithe an inferior article was disapproved of by
the Lord. In matters of sacrifice upon the altar, pointing to
the sacrifice of the Great Redeemer who should be offered in
the meridian of time to redeem a fallen world, Israel was
positively forbidden to offer the blind, the lame or the bruised.
"Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of
the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath
a blemish, that shall ye not offer; for it shall mot be acceptable
for you. * * * Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a
wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the
Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto
the Lord." (Lev. xxii: 19, 22,)
The atonement symbolized by the sacrifices was one (the
Lamb of God) free from blemish in every particular "a pure
and perfect being without spot or blemish." Not only was the
offering upon the altar a reminder of the atonement as a fact,
by the shedding of blood, but the character and quality of the
offering must symbolize the perfect purity of the Son of God.
While tithing was not so directly pointing to the atonement,
nor was it designed for that purpose, it is yet an offering to
the Lord required by Him, to be used for righteous purposes
and to prepare the heart of the tithe-payer to give his all to
God, to consecrate all in the interest of human redemption.
The Lord, in tithing, does not demand the best nor justify
His people in offering that of the least value in any substance
tithed. How penurious, mean and small-souled on the part
of any saint it would be to offer for tithing that of the poorest
value to himself, especially in the light of the fact that God
is the Giver of all we enjoy, whether of a spiritual or physical
nature, and in the face of His great liberality in not demanding
a selection of the very best of any product which is tithed.
If any man is tempted to pay the poorest calf, the poorest ton
of nay, or a scabby sheep to rid himself of it, let him remem-
ber the word of the Lord to ancient Israel and the condemna-
tion that followed when they robbed God in tithes and offer-
ings.
These injunctions continued throughout all the history ir>i
TITHING. 461
Israel, from Moses to the Savior. Malachi says "And if ye
offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the
lame and sick, is it not evil?" (Mai. i: 8.) It should be
considered evil to offer such for tithing in our day. When
Israel turned from their observance of this law, as from all
others enjoined by the Almighty, the people were reprimanded
severely, and were followed by the withering hand of God's
displeasure. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me.
But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me,
even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-
house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me
now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you
the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there
shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the
devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of
your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the
time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts, and all nations shall
call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the
Lord of hosts." (Mai. iii: 8-12.) Thus was the law of tithing
given to Israel; thus were they to be blessed in its observance
and cursed if they transgressed it. As the law was given
anciently for the same purposes as in this dispensation, it
would naturally agree in the blessings following its observances
and the curses for its disobedience. When the Savior chastised
the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, He evidently approved the
law of tithing, for He said, "But woe unto you Pharisees!
For ye tiche mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and
pass over judgment and the love of God; these ought ye to
have douo, and not to leave the other undone." (Luke xi: 42.)
It is erroneously supposed by many that the laws ob-
served 'by Israel previous to Christ's atonement were almost
entirely obliterated, being, as many think, all fulfilled in His
mission on earth. A little reflection upon this subject will cor-
rect this error in the minds of all who are diligently and hon-
estly seeking for the truth. The Ten Commandments them-
selves are pre-eminently a part of the Gospel of Christ. When
the 1 young man came to the Messiah to learn the way of salva-
tion, he was enjoined to observe the commandments, "Thou
shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery," etc. (Matt.
462 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
xix : 16-2.1. ) Whatever was discontinued after the atonement
was that which had been established to symbolize and teach
the great atonement to come. The offerings of lambs and
bullocks in sacrifice was dispensed with, as it had pointed to
the coming atonement now fulfilled in the Messiah. It was
replaced by the sacrament, the broken bread and the wine,
both blessed and administered to the disciples and enjoined as
a continuous ordinance to keep bright in memory the sufferings,
atonement and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Ohrist.
The only time when the* law of tithing was not enjoined upon
the people of God, so far as the Scriptures indicate, is when
they not only consecrated one-tenth to the Lord, but all they
had. This law of consecration, we learned, was observed in
the city of Enoch. It was carried out in a measure by the
ancient Saints in Palestine after the day of Pentecost : "And
the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of
one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things
which he possessed was his own ; but they all had things in
common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus ; and great grace was upon
them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked ;
for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold
them, and brought the prices of the things which were sold, and
laid them down at the apostles' feet ; and distribution was
made unto every man as he had need." (Acts iv: 32-35.)
This law of consecration, which comprehended the law of
tithing and much more, was also observed for some 200 years
upon the American continent subsequent to the visit of the
Savior to and the establishment of His Church among the
Nephites upon this land, The law of consecration was re-
vealed to the Latter-day Saints through the Prophet Joseph
Smith, and will be established and carried out fully in the re-
demption of Zion; without it Zion cannot be redeemed.
This is the dispensation of the fullness of times, the one
containing in its revelations all the keys, powers, prerogatives,
authorities and blessings, enjoyed toy any and all previous
dispensations combined a day of the restoration of all things
spoken 'by the mouth of all His holy Prophets since the world
began. (Acts iii: 20-21; Eph. i: 9-10.) Consequently the law
of tithing, with other grand doctrines, has been restored to
TITHING. 463
the earth. The revelation on this subject is found in the Doc-
trine and Covenants, Sec. 119, and was given to the Prophet
Joseph Smith July 8, 1838. It shows what constitutes tithing,
the purpose thereof and the blessings to be received as a re-
ward of obedience thereto.
The law specifies one-tenth of all our interests annually.
This means what it says, "one-tenth of our interests;" in
other words, whatever comes to us as the result of our labors
in any and every vocation of life. If we lend money, what-
ever the interest on the loan amounts to, one-tenth of this
interest is tithing. If the money is invested in any enterprise
and brings a dividend, one-tenth of the dividend is the tithing.
If a man is a carpenter, a blacksmith or a school teacher,
and earns a salary, one-tenth of that salary should be conse-
crated to the Lord as tithing; and the tithe-payer has the
other nine-tenths to meet his expenses and to use as a means
of livelihood. Whatever the occupation, whether farmer,
mechanic, professor, miner or whatever, one-tenth of his in-
terest annually is the tithing. If questions arise, as they
sometimes do, especially with the farmer regarding legitimate
expenses used in producing what is left to us as a profit on our
labors, the Latter-day Saint, if in doubt as to the amount to
pay, is usually certain of this that between two propositions
one of which he knows is right, and the other may be but he
is not sure, he is always safe to act upon that side of the
question which extends to the law of the L/ord the greater
liberality. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." "The
Lord loveth a cheerful giver," and "He that deviseth liberal
means, shall stand by his liberality," while the man wno com-
plies grudgingly or studies how little he can do, and at the
same time have the name and record of doing, is not the man
who loves the Lord with all his heart, mind and strength, and
should not anticipate a full measure of blessing attached to
His law.
By an honest compliance, the individual is blessed in spirit
and in temporal substance. The testimonies of thousands,
and even of the widow who has paid her full tithing, is that
God has increased their substance in some instances in a most
remarkable manner, even as He increased in the barrel the
464 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTBINE.
meal of the poor widow who fed the prophet Elijah. He also
has given testimony of His goodness and power and the in-
crease of His Holy Spirit to the honest tithe-payer, who
receives blessings greatly exceeding in value the increase of
gold, silver or any physical substance.
In tithing is strongly exemplified the eternal law that what
is given as God directs increases the substance of the giver.
When men exert the intellectual talents with which they are
endowed in imparting knowledge to others, their own knowl-
edge does not decrease but is enhanced, while the active in-
tellect grows strongly and the talents are more quickly de-
veloped and increased. When our young Elders go forth and
preach the Gospel as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost,
the Spirit they employ does not grow less nor the gifts thereof
diminish because they are constantly imparting to others, but
these increase abundantly. It is just as easy for the Lord to
increase physical subs-tance as to add to spiritual blessings
and powers. When we sow the grain upon the earth, it would
seem thrown away, but, by the law of the Great Creator, the
seed germinates in it and produces again, sometimes thirty
and forty fold. So it is with tithing. We may not under-
stand fully the process, but the result is plain. God increases
the faith and substance of him who freely pays his tithing.
Among the conditions associated with this law is, "those
who are not tithed shall not be worthy the blessings of the
house of the Lord;" and again, "He that is tithed shall not be
burned" (at His coming). (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec.
64: 23.) It is predicted by Malachi and other prophets, as
well as by the words of the Lord in the last days to the prophet
Joseph Smith, that the days of God's judgment are coming upon
the earth, and that the wicked, proud and rebellious shall be-
come 1 as stubble, "and the day that cometh shall burn them up,
saith the Lord of hosts." (Malachi iii. Doctrine and Cov-
enants, Sec. 64.)
In the revelations on tithing the Lord also says, "Verily I
say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather
into the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties,
and shall observe this law or they shall not be found worthy to
abide among you. And I say unto you, if my people observe
not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land
TITHING. 465
of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be
kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto
you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you. And this shall be
an ensample unto all the Stakes of Zion. Even so, Amen."
(Doc. and Cov., Sec. 119.)
The perfection and benefits of the law of tithing could not be
comprehended by men of this age of the world prior to the refvel-
ations given from the Lord. This divine instruction was neces-
sary, and its demonstration in the lives of the people is a fur-
ther witness of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith ; the facts
connected therewith are within easy reach of those who will in-
vestigate among the people who have actual experience and
knowledge of the divine blessings that attend obedience to the
law of tithing and are unimpeachable testimonies of the truth of
God's word.
28
ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.
There is nothing more strikingly plain and explicit in all the!
Holy Scriptures than that God is jusit and His paths are
"mercy and truth."
Justice is an essential attribute of Deity ; it is as necessary
in government as love and mercy ; it demands that man snail
acquiesce in divine law, without which all were confusion,
utterly devoid of order and method, and the learned essayist
has informed us that "Heaven's first law is order." Justice
should govern law, and when the law is violated or its statutes
are broken, justice calls for a penalty therefor. It is by law
that penalties are affixed, and we find in Deuteronomy, the 28th
chapter, beginning with the 15th verse, "If thou wilt not
hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to
do all His commandments and His statutes which I command
tbee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee."
In Mark xvi : 16, we read, "He that beliefveth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Here we find a penalty affixed for the violation of the laws of
God.
We' find it verily true that in all God does and in all that
He orders, He manifests goodness and love, maintains justice
and equity and exercises mercy and long-suffering. Notwith-
standing His compassion and mercy, He is nevertheless just and
true", therefore a full assurance that He will bestow rewards
and inflict punishments, as He has aforetime decreed, must
take root in the mind of every considering, inquiring, honest
soul. As the apostle said: "In hope of eternal life, which
God, that cannot lie", promised before the world began." (Titus
i : 2. ) Mercy shall ever season justice, but never be permitted
to rob her of her inexorable demands Love will never cease 1
to be a ruling attribute in all God's dealings, but not to mitigate
or lessen punishment, unless repentance" be manifest and for-
giveness granted ; goodness, kindness, forbearance and gentle-
ness, while they are forever and always exercised in Deity, will
ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS. 467
not stand to thwart or forestall the judgments of God, or
remove deserving penalties, only as provision is made in the
plan of redemption.
There are numerous instances recorded upon the pages of Holy
Writ which go to prove that God is just, and that Hisi decrees
will be fulfilled to the letter. Perhaps none are so convincingly
clear as that portrayed in the atonement of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. He" became pre-eminently the "man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief." Not for His own sins,
for He was the one person free from sin, but He bore affliction
and suffering beyond our finite comprehension before a remission
of that penalty, which justice" demanded for Adam's sin, could
be procured. When we consider the agonies of the garden,
the scoffings of the council and the torture of the crucifixion,
we begin to realize the exaction of punishment ere the sons of
Adam could be freed from the original transgression enacted in
Eden. Christ, in His vicarious work of interposition for fallen
man, humbled Himself before His Father, being subject to
pain, scorn, ignominy and death, that justice might be satisfied.
Herein, then, is plainly discerned the justice of the Almighty
a justice as strict in its works as it is stern in its words, yet
seasoned with mercy and dealt kindly with love; requiring
of that Just One a full and complete atonement, unsparingly
and unflinchingly, for thus did justice demand We are assured,
then, of the justice of God ; the debt must be paid before the
burden is lifted, but when the requirements of the law are
righteously met and kept, the load is removed, for our Father
is not only just, but merciful and true.
In the minds of many there exists a vague and erroneous
idea as to what is really meant by the term "eternal rewards"
and "eternal punishments." A misunderstanding of these
expressions has doubtless caused many to be skeptical and
infidelic. The word "eternal" does not refer to the length
or duration of the 'blessings endowed or penalties inflicted, but
to the everlasting nature of the Great God, under whose right-
eousness and justice the faithful are exalted and the wicked
punished.
Through Moses, that ancient seer, the Lord spoke thus : "The
eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting
arms." (Deut. xxxiii : 27.) God, then, being eternal, His
468 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
rewards are "eternal rewards," His punishments "eternal pun-
ishments." If the United States were an eternal government,
its justice* would be eternal ; if it were unchangeable, it always
would punish violators of the law, and if justice were meted
out to all, they would be punished in proportion to the crime
committed, and when the demands of justice were satisfied
they would be" released, but the punishment would still continue
to exist, and being eternal, all who fell under its ban would
taste of eternal punishment. The punishment will always en-
dure, although criminals may serve their penalties and come
out from the prison house; it is even so in the kingdom of God.
God is the highest type of justice. He is eternal, everlasting,
unchangeable, and always will punish sin. His punishment is
eternal, because He is eternal. Eternal is one of His names,
and eternal punishment is used in the sense of God's punish-
ment, and not to designate it as everlasting in its duration upon
the offender of the law. He will beat with many stripes all
who commit sins worthy of the same, and with few stripes those
guilty of less venal crimes. This will be determined according
to the light and knowledge one may possess For example,
three men commit murder, an African in the jungles of Africa,
a negro who was formerly a slave", and a white man. Other
things being equal, the white man, with his advanced intelligence,
will suffer most, for he has had the most light and by far the
best opportunity to advance.
There are degre'es of punishment, as well as degrees of
reward. Here is a tender, moral girl, who dies without
accepting Christ as her Savior, and here is an old man, eighty
years old, who dies in his sins ; dare any one assert that a
just and holy God is going to punish those 1 two alike? And
yet many, very many, look upon hell as a place where all suffer
alike, and heaven an ethereal, uncertain abode, where all enjoy
like blessings. Our salvation from death defpends entirely
upon Christ, but our exaltation is upon our acts of obedience,
and our condemnation upon our sins and transgressions How
plain and simple are the words of the apostle Paul, "Every
man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor."
(I. Cor. iii: 8.)
God rewards according to our faithfulness to all opportuni-
ties. He does not require a quart from a pint vessel. "Where
ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS. 469
much is given much is required." "As ye sow, so shall ye
reap." As with rewards, so likewise with punishments. When
justice is satisfied, the sinner has paid the debt.
How beautiful and holy is this plan of eternal justice ! How
consistent with the words of the Messiah, "Be ye perfect, as
your Father in heaven is perfect." Paul informs us that after
the resurrection and eternal judgment, we are to go on unto
perfection," and not until then, will the measure of our creation
be filled.
Let all ponder the simple truth that God is just, holy and
righteous, wondrously tender, loving, gentle and kind. Eternal
rewards are the blessings we receive from God for our faith-
fulness and fealty to His laws. Eternal punishments are the
inflictions which He imposes for our violation of His righteous
commands. Our rewards we merit ; our punishments we justly
deserve. The Lord has said, "I will never leave thee; I will
never forsake thee," therefore, we are assured that "His mercy
endureth forever."
OBEDIENCE.
"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the
fat of rams." (I. Samuel xv : 22.) In an age of the world
when indeptmdence is the proud boast of the nations, obedience
is, by mistaken ideas of freedom, considered a mark of humilia-
tion. To the reader I will say, in reality, true obedience
to the Lord's commands is an indication of moral courage, union
and power. It is not blind obedience that is referred to and
maintained, but that type which characterized the ancient
seers and saints, who, like the 'Messiah, were ready to say by
word and deed, "I came not to do mine own will, but the will
of my Father who sent me."
The Latter-day Saints are credited with being obedient and
submissive to authority, this fact being often used by their op-
ponents as the occasion of re*proach. Those who so use it
surely must forget that God requires obedience; that the best
embodiment of this principle, the most humble and yielding to
the divine will, was the best and purest Being who ever dwelt
in mortality, viz., the' Lord Jesus Christ ; He in whose mouth
there was found no guile ; who was perfect and without blemish
in all the walks of life. While He was obedient to His
Father's will and humble to the extreme, He was independent
of the influence and persuasions of wicked men.
The status of Latter-day Saints is conformable to this
example. They are obedient to conscience, to convictions of
right, to divine authority and to God, in whom they trust.
While thus submissive, their persecutors have found them
equally oblivious to the behests of wicked men, whether high or
low. Men in the factories of the old world, working side by
side at the weaver's loom, in the coal pit or elsewhere in follow-
ing the various vocations of life in this condition the Gospel
preached by the elders of Israel has reached them. Alike, many
of them have received convictions of the truth. They have
said : "This is the truth ; I must obey it or stand condemned."
Other people have said : "It is true, but if I obey I will be
ostracised, perhaps lose my employment and be an outcast from
OBEDIENCE. 471
my father's house. Better that 1 reject the truth and live
in peace, than take upon me this cross of obedience 1 to unpopular
truth."
The courageous obey the Gospel, suffer persecution, prove
themselves men, and will attain to eteTnal life. The other
people referred to are slaves to their own fear of popular
clamor and to the unseen powers of darkness which lead men
to reject the plan of salvation. Of the first named class are
the Latter-day Saints, a host of men and women who have
left home, kindred and country for the" Gospel's sake. They
have endured persecution even unto death, privation and suffer-
ing in every form; have redeemed a desert and built up a
commonwealth so fruitful with education, thrift and enterprise
that any nation beneath the sun might well be proud of them.
Their obedience and moral courage they bequeath to their pos-
terity is a legacy better than diamonds or the honors and
praise of a fallen world. They look back to their associates
in early manhood who, for fear, rejected the truth, and find
these, whether living or dead, in most cases unhonored and
unknown.
The obedience rendered by Latter-day Saints to the authority
of the priesthood is not secured by virtue of any solemn
obligation entered into by the adherent to obey the dictum of
his superiors in office; but upon the nature of the Gospel,
which guarantees to every adherent the companionship of the
Holy Spirit, and this Spirit secures to every faithful individual
a living testimony concerning the truth or falsity of every
proposition presented for his consideration.
"By one spirit have we access unto the Father." (Eph ii.)
So that as all men and women who embrace the Gospel are
entitled to an individual testimony of the 1 truth, the same
spirit guides into all truth reveals the things of the Father and
imparts the inspiration essential to preserve mankind from a
blind obedience to erroneous principle's and false guides.
The statement of the Savior, recorded in St. John vii : 17,
covers the ground in the broadest light: "If any man will do
His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be 1 of God
or whether I speak of myself." This secures to every true
Saint, if he is faithful, protection against imposture, the abuse
of power and the" false decisions of man-made councils. In
472 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
this particular the Church of Ohrist is distinguished from all
other systems and institutions. He has promised to guide and
direct, and that He "doeth nothing, but He revealeth His
secrets unto His servants, the prophets." (Amos iii : 7.) This
does not imply the infallibility of man, but it does imply the
promise that no man or council of men who stand at the head
of the church shall have power to lead the Saints astray.
With this assurance, then, the people of God in every dispensa-
tion have been justified in rendering absolute yet intelligent
obedience in the direction of the holy prophets. It is an
undeniable fact in the history of the Saints that obedience to
whatever has come, either by written document or verbally,
from the presidency of the church, has been attended with good
results ; on the other hand, whosoever has opposed such council,
without repentance, has been followed with evidence of con-
demnation.
Applying this principle of obedience to organizations of a
civil and business character, confusion and weakness result
from men refusing their support to the decision of the presiding
authority or of the 1 majority, where the action is left to popular
vote. Carlyle, the great English writer, said : "All great
minds are respectfully obedient to all that is over them ; only
small souls are otherwise."
The obedience rendered to God is based upon a conviction
that He is perfect in all His ways possessing the attributes
of justice, judgment, knowledge, power, mercy and truth in
all their fullness. Obedience" to His appointed authority upon
the earth is obedience to Him, and is so taught by the Savior.
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth
me receiveth Him that sent me." (Matthew x: 40.) He
that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you de-
spiseth me ; and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent
uie. (Luke x: 16.) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that re-
ceiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me ; and he that receiveth
me, receiveth Him that sent me." (St. John xiii: 20.)
It is not the attractive qualities of the individual, however
great, that renders submission to his administration valid, but
the authority of God which he fears. The acts of Philip,
Stephen, Paul or James were just as valid and binding as
those of the Messiah Himself, when performed by His authority
and in His name. To reject the personal teachings and
OBEDIENCE. 473
offices of the Savior could bring no greater condemnation
than to reject the teachings of any man sent of God bearing
authority and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to speak and
act in the name of the Lord. This great truth was taught
by the Savior on more than one occasion, but perhaps no
more forcibly or in more beautiful terms than in the follow-
ing : "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the
throne of His glory ; and before Him shall be gathered all
nations ; and He shall separate them one from another, as
a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And He
shall set the? sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the
left. Then alhall the King say unto them on His right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an
hungered and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty and ye gave
me drink ; I was a stranger and ye took me in ; naked and
ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison
and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer Him
saying: Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered and fed Thee?
or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger
and took Thee in? or naked and clothed Thee? or when saw we
Thee sick or in prison and came unto Thee? And the
King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto
you, inasmuch as ye have done* it unto one of the least of
these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." When He told
the wicked that they had failed to thus administer unto Him,
they began to plead that they had not seen Him sick, in
prison, hungry, naked or athirst. He answered them, "Inas-
much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did
it not unto me." (Matt, xxvi: 31-46.)
It is not the individuality of the person which calls for
respect and consideration, it is the principle involved. God
had placed His authority upon humble men. Through their
administrations can be secured the benefits! and blessings which
follow obedience to the ordinances of the* Gospel. Implicit
obedience must be rendered. The mandates of Jehovah are
imperative. No substitute will do. The condition is com-
plete to the plan of salvation as established by Almighty God.
Saul was commanded to destroy Agag and all his hosts, man
474 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
and beast. He kept the best of the flock for, he said, a
sacrifice, but God had ordered otherwise, and Saul's disobedience
caused him to lose the kingdom, shut him out from the" revela-
tions which came by dream, vision and the Urim and Thum-
nimt. "Thou shalt not steady the ark"; and they who dis-
obeyed were smitten of the Lord. Israel by disobedience lost
the guidance of the Almighty, went into spiritual darkness, and
have been scattered to the four quarters of the earth, "a hiss
and a by-word in the mouths of all nations."
Obedience is essential to salvation, essential to success in
every avenue of human enterprise. Whether rendered to the
laws of God direct, in their moral and spiritual phases, or to
His authority vested in .man, obedience must be implicit. The
haughty man boasts of independence. He scorns the humble
followers of the" Lord, but while he prates of freedom, he is
himself slavishly obedient to his own whims and mistaken
ideas or to the spirit of evil, to popular sentiment or to some
other influence always dangerous to the welfare of mankind.
The Saints have befen accused of being priest-ridden and
fearful to use their own judgment. What do the facts show?
They are only asked to do right, live pure lives, do good to
all men, evil to none, and to respect the order of God's king-
dom that salvation may come" to them and be extended to all
the world. Their obedience has made them the best and
purest body of people on the earth. What of the character
of those who have derided the'm? They are slaves to a shallow
and excited sentiment or to wickedness and vice, obedient to
their own lusts and wicked ways. Compared with those they
misrepresent they are below them in almost every trait which
characterizes noble manhood. By obedience to God and His
priesthood the Saints in this age have come off triumphant
over obstacles within and foes without. By obedience to
God and His commands they will continue 1 the blessed and
favored of the Lord forever. They have proved the words
of Samuel to Saul, verily true : "To obey is better than sacri-
fice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
CHARITY.
What is charity? Does it consist solely in the giving of
bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked or succor to the
distressed? "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the 1 poor,
and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed
up ; doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is
not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; rejoiceth not in iniquity,
but rejoiceth in the truth ; beareth all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never
faileth." (I. Cor. xiii : 3-8.) If to say that one has charity
to any considerable extent requires the possession of all the
foregoing characteristics, then we may truthfully admit that
there is a great charity famine now prevailing throughout the
world.
It is not difficult to find people who will impart of their
substance to feed the poor; but too frequently many who
do so will look with scorn upon those who differ from them
in matters of religion, politics or other subjects. Modern his-
tory records many instance's where people noted for their hospi-
tality have shown intense hatred and bitterness toward some
who have come into their midst preaching doctrines which
were in conflict with the theories they and their fathers had
espoused.
In many cases mobs have been headed by ministers of re-
ligion, who have instigated and participated in shedding the
innocent blood of their fellow beings for no other reason than
their hatred of a religion different from their own Indeed,
few if any in modern Christendom can be said to exemplify in
their lives all the traits attributed to charity in the quota-
tion from the sayings of the apostle Paul. Who "suffers
long" without a murmur, especially if the suffering comes by
oppression from an outward foe, and in return for evil? Who
are kind to those who wrong them? Where is he who "envieth
476 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
not" the possessions of his neighbor, or the honors and emolu-
ments of office enjoyed by others? Who, under the wave of
prosperity, in the lap of luxury, or dwelling in popular favor,
"vaunteth not" himself, "is not puffed up" or "doth not behave
himself unseemly?" Who "seeketh not" his own, "but rather"
prefers his brother before himself? Who is not "easily pro-
voked," and therefore does not retaliate against those who may
give offense? Who "thinks not evil" of those who go con-
trary to his views, but the motives of whose hearts he knows
nothing about?
How many persons there are who have not become acquainted
with our people, yet who, through the circulation of scurrilous
reports, have imbibed deep-seated prejudice against the Latter-
clay Saints, and having become acquainted with them, have
rejoiced to find them a better people than such preconceived
ideas had led them to the belief that they were? In mis-
sionary experience, the Elders frequently have found many
professing Christians exasperated when confronted with proof
that the Saints were a God-fearing, virtuous, temperate, honest
and industrious people. Such professors "rejoice in iniquity,"
and "love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are
evil." They do not rejoice in truth, but rather "have pleasure
in unrighteousness." Few there are, even among the Saints,
who fully and becomingly "bear all things" and prove themselves
the true type of the Savior of mankind, who preferred ever to
suffer wrong than to do wrong.
Do we "believe all things" and "hope for all things" which
have been predicted by the prophets since the world began?
Who in the world is looking for angels to visit the earth
in the last days, for the restoration of the ancient Gospel in
its primitive beauty and power? Who is looking for the
restoration of the Jews to Palestine? Who looks for a people
to build a temple where the Savior shall suddenly come, and
who looks for Elijah to appear before that great and terrible
day of the Lord's coming, when the wicked shall become as
stubble, and be consumed by the judgments of God? If these
events have not occurred or are not transpiring, they must do
so, or the words of the prophets will fail, the Scriptures be
proved fallacious, and our hope is vain. And he who believes
not these things has not charity. If he had, he would be
CHARITY. 477
patient to hear, anxious to learn, and the Lord would lead all
such to the light. Charity should be sought after and culti-
vated by the Saints above all other people. Our professions
are greater. If our deportment contradicts our teachings, our
ignorance is more apparent, or our hypocrisy is more pro-
nounced.
It is stated in the Book of Mormon that "Charity is the
pure love of God." By this plain yet comprehensive definition,
we learn that unless the love of God dwells in our hearts we
have not charity. This love for the salvation of mankind
induces the true servants of the Lord to travel to the ends of
the earth, without the shadow or hope of earthly reward, to
preach the Gospel to the world. Not only that ; with all the
self-denial of home and its comforts which such a mission
implies, we also esteem all the good which others have, not
asking them to forsake one truth they now possess, but
inviting them to receive more truth, pointing them to a greater
light, and leaving them perfectly free from undue persuasion
to receive the message or reject it as they may choose.
The Prophet Joseph instructed the Twelve and the Elders,
in preaching the Gospel, not to tear down the tenets of other
men's faith, but in the spirit of meekness explain the Gospel
and bear testimony to its divinity, leaving all mankind abso-
lutely the" keeper of their own consciences, to do as they
please and meet the responsibility of their own acts at the
bar of eternal justice. Neither should it be forgotten that
much of the labor of mankind, without a knowledge of the
Gospel, in many respects has been directed by a divine Provi-
dence to ameliorate the condition of mankind. "There is a
spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them
understanding." The achievements 1 of the reformation by
Luther and others, the inventions of the printing press, of
electrical machinery, the locomotive and the steamboat, the
discovery of America, the revolution, the founding, establish-
ment and perpetuity of our civil government in the United
States, all were events preparing the way for the restoration
of the Gospel and the final establishment of the kingdom of
God in these last days.
A striking instance 1 of divine purpose in the labors of men
outside the true church is pointed out in a revelation given
478 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
m December, 1830, to Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon.
The L/ord said: ''Behold, verily, verily, I say unto my servant
Sidney, I have looked upon thee and thy works. I have heard
thy prayers and prepared thee for a greater work. Behold,
thou wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way
before me, and before Elijah, which should come, and
thou knewest it not. Thou didst baptize by water unto
repentance, but they received not the Holy Ghost. But
now I give unto thee a commandment, that thou shalt baptize
by water, and they shall receive* the Holy Ghost by the laying
on of the hands, even as the apostles of old." (Doctrine and
Covenants, sec. xxxv, 3-6.)
The revelation given December, 1830, from which the above 1
is quoted, was upon the occasion of the first visit of Sidney
Rigdon and Edward Partridge to the prophet Joseph Smith.
The labors of Sidney Rigdon, referred to in the quotation,
must have alluded to his ministry in the Campbellite church,
for he had been in the Church of Christ only about six weeks
when this revelation was given, having embraced the Gospel
at the hands of Parley P. Pratt and fellow missionaries
near Kirland, Ohio, late in October or early in November,
1830.
As is well understood, the followers of Alexander Campbell
preach faith, repentance and baptism by immersion for the
remission of sins. These views Sidney Rigdon espoused as
being better than what he already had, and when the true
Gospel, in its fullness, with authority from God to administer
the ordinances thereof, found him, he gladly obeyed the same.
In about three weeks from the time Brother Pratt and co-
laborers entered Kirtland, 127 persons were baptized. Subse-
quently the numbers were augmented to about 1,000 souls. In
the providences of the Lord, Kirtland soon became the gather-
ing place of the Saints, the facilities there being greatly en-
hanced by so many people embracing the Gospel and thus
making a foothold for the prophet Joseph Smith and the
Saints who should follow him from the East. There the
Kirtland Temple was built. There the Savior, Moses Elijah,
Elias and other ancient worthies appeared to the prophet.
There the endowments were given, and the Spirit from on high
was poured out in the last days, as upon the day of Pentecost.
CHARITY. 479
All these subsequent events, of such a glorious character,
show how distinctly the Lord's hand was manifest in the mission
and labors of Sidney Rigdon before he embraced the Gospel.
Such instances serve as pointed lessons to the youth of Israel,
teaching us to be broad and generous in viewing the labors of
those not of us, so that if the hand of Providence is mani-
fest we shall not be 1 oblivious thereto, nor be found in the
ranks of those who have not charity.
THE RESURRECTION.
The skeptical doubt the resurrection of the dead. Some
scientific men have denied the possibility of the" actual redemp-
tion of the body from the grave. One would think, as time goes
on, with the wonderful developments of science which reveal
things that were classed among the impossibilities of a century
ago, that it is not reasonable to doubt the possibility of any-
thing, however remarkable", which is within the scope of blessings
to mankind. The date, in the past, is not remote when it
would have been deemed almost an indication of insanity for a
man to say that such an instrument as the X-ray would be
invented, by which a photograph of the 1 interior of the human
body could be taken. Astounding as it may appear, such is
ROW an accomplished fact, and this is but one of the many
remarkable and grand achievements of modern times. If
such things are possible by the intelligence" given to mortal man,
is it not equally probable that the elements which enter into
the composition of the human body can be brought together
and resuscitated by an Omniscient Being? Is the resurrection
any more unaccountable from a natural and scientific view
than the organization of the human body before its birth into
the world? Many things are admitted in nature to be a fact,
but why they are such, the most learned and scientific have
been unable to explain. The elements in any substance do not
become annihilated ; they change from one form of organization
to another. Wheat, by a grinding and separating process,
is made into flour, bran and shorts; from flour, by another
process, into bread. Each change produces an article very
different in appearance from the one preceding it. but the
same elements are there. They are eternal and indestructi-
ble. This being true of all forms of life in the vegetable king-
dom, it must also be true of human life.
Even Christians dispute with respect to the character of
the resurrection of the body, some believing in an actual resur-
rection thereof, and others denying the immortality of the
THE RESURRECTION. 481
body of flesh and bones. It is our aim simply to present
the statement of the Scriptures, which, the Latter-day Saints
claim, are! clear in declaring the actual resurrection of the body.
Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection and the pattern
of what is an eternal principle, applicable to all mankind.
As He took up the same body which was laid in the tomb, so
will all the human family receive a renewal, each of his own
body. The change is, that the blood, which is the life of the
mortal body, will not occupy the immortal one. "Flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." (I. Cor. xv : 50.)
It is evident, however, that flesh and bones can inherit, occupied
by immortal spirit ; for Jesus was the type.
After His resurrection He appeared unto many. He said
to His disciples, when they were affrighted and supposed they
had seen a spirit : "Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is
I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and
bones, as ye see me have." (Luke xxiv : 39.) He then
showed them His hands and feet, which had been pierced with
spikes in the terrible 1 hour of His crucifixion. While He was
with them He called for food, and they gave Him broiled fish
and honeycomb, which He ate in their presence.
What could be more real, more tangible 1 than this? When
He was resurrected, many others received the same glorious
blessing and came bodily out of their graves. "And the
graves we're opened ; and many bodies of the saints which
slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection,
and went into the holy city and appeared unto many." (Matt,
xxvii: 52, 53.) These undoubtedly were the bodies of the
righteous who had embraced the Gospel in the various dispen
sations prior to the coming and atonement of our Lord and
Savior. The antedeluvians who rejected Noah were not among
this number, for Peter informs us that the Messiah, when put
to death in the flesh, was "quickened by the spirit; by which
also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison ; which
sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of
God waited in the days of Noah." (I. Peter iii : 18-20.)
Is this not a beautiful yet terrible lesson to all, that those
who hear the Gospel in the flesh and reject it shall not come
forth in the first resurrection, but remain, their bodies mingling
with the dust, while their spirits are gathered as prisoners in
29
482 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
the pit, awaiting with awful anxiety the judgment of the great
day.
The Savior Himself said to His disciples: "Verily, verily,
I say unto you : The" hour is coming and now is, when the
dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that
hear shall live." (St. John v: 25.) Continuing His re-
marks, it would appear that He spoke of the two resurrections,
for in the first, which took place when He came forth from
the" tomb, the saints were resurrected, while in the following
verses, twenty-eight and twenty-nine, He says: "Marvel not
at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in
the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth ; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they
that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
The reader will notice that the twenty-fifth verse reads "the
de'ad," and may only apply to the righteous as coming forth
at His resurrection, while the twenty-eighth verse says, "All
that are in the graves," which would make it universal and
apply to the just and the unjust, the evil and the good. This
resurrection of the' wicked doubtless applies to the same event
that is recorded in the book of Revelations John first saw the
resurrection of the righteous, and then says: "And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given
unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which
had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had
received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
( Rev. xx : 4. ) Glorious thought ! The righteous rewarded
for all their trials and tribulations ! "Who are these arrayed
in white, brighter than the noon-day sun?" "These are they
which have come up through great tribulation, washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." This
reward is well worth all the hardships incidental to preaching
the Gospel and living the life of a Saint. "But the rest of the
dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection."
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and
the books were opened; and another book was opened, which
is the book of life; and the dead were 1 judged out of those
THE RESURRECTION. 483
things which were written in the books ; * * * and they were
judged every man according to their works." (Rev. xx : 12, 13.)
Nothing could be more literal, more tangible", more real than
this ; nothing more just. The righteous were to come forth
and enjoy a thousand years of absolute peace and freedom
from the tribulations heaped upon them by the wicked, un-
trammeled with trials brought upon them by Lucifer; free
from sickness, sin and sorrow ; living in the personal presence
of the Lord Jesus Christ, in full enjoyment of the earth in all
its paradisic glory ; justice meted out to the wicked, who will be
denied the opportunity to revel in the lusts of the flesh or to
persecute those who "live godly in Christ Jesus.".
No wonder that Job rejoiced in all his affliction, because his
soul was enlightened with the visions of the future. Not-
withstanding his bodily pains and the annoyance of friends
who attributed his afflictons to his own failings, he exclaimed
from the depths of Ms soul : "Oh, that my words were now
written ! Oh, that they were printed in a book ! That they
were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever !
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh, shall I see God." (Job
xix: 23-26.) Undoubtedly this great and good man was resur-
rected when the Messiah was, and received a partial fulfillment
of this glorious vision, but whatever was lacking in the full
realities of this prophecy will be complete when the Son of
Man shall come, in His glory, to reign on the earth.
Paul said to the Thessalonians : "For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with Him. * * * For the Lord Himself
shall dscend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ
shall rise first." (I. Thess iv : 14-16.) This agrees with the
testimonies already quoted from the Savior and the apostle
John in reference to the resurrection at two different periods ;
one for the just and one for the unjust.
This great subject is also portrayed by the prophet Daniel.
In the seventh chapter of his prophecy, ninth and twenty-second
verses, he speaks of the coming of the "Ancient of Days." The
most ancient man of days associated with this earth is our
484 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
father Adam, and it is plain that he has a great part to perform
in placing judgment in the hands of the Saints and subduing
the wicked. It would appear by the mission to be performed
by Michael, as described in the first verse of the twelfth chap-
ter of Daniel, and in the twelfth chapter of Revelations, that
Michael and the Ancient of Days are the same person, and that
he will be upon the earth at the opening of the millennium and
will dwell in the midst of the people of God.
In modern revelation the Lord has said to the Prophet Joseph
Smith, "And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up
and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the
archangel." (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 107, verse 54.)
In connection with the coming of Michael in the last days,
Daniel says 1 : "And many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to
shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel xii : 2.)
In Paul's address before Felix he refers to the resurrection
in the following language : "And have hope toward God,
which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resur-
rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." (Acts
xxiv : 15.) Again "Him God raised up the third day ana
shewed Him openly ; not to all the people, but unto witnesses
chosen before of God, e'ven to us, who did eat and drink with
Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to
preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was
ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." This
was the testimony of the chief apostle, Peter, when the Gospel
was first delivered to the Gentiles.
It is evident that the burden of the teachings and testimonies
of the apostles was to establish the divinity of the mission of
the Lord Jesus Christ. This necessarily included His atonement
and resurrection. The fall of our first parents brought not
only a banishment from the presence of the Lord, which may
be termed a spiritual death, but it caused the death of the 1 phys-
ical body. When an atonement was wrought out as a redemp-
tion from that fall, it would be incomplete unless it brought
to pass immortality and eternal life to the body.
"The spirit and the body is the soul of man." The body
is resurrected from the grave, independent of whether the indi-
vidual in this life was good or bad, as shown by the declarations
THE RESUBRECTION. 485
of Scrpture. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shai 1
all be made alive 4 ." (I. Cor. xv : 22.) Paul describes in a
very definite way the different degrees of glory in the resurrec-
tion, which vindicates the justice of God in rewarding every man
according to his works, and establishing the free agency of man
by holding him personally accountable for every act of his
life. "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial;
but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the" ter-
restrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star
differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrec-
tion of the dead." (I. Cor. xv : 40-42.) Jesus said to the
apostles: "In my Father's house are many mansions: If it
were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place
for you * * * that where I am there* ye may be also."
(St. John xiv: 2, 3.) These assertions all agree that there
has been a resurrection (so far as they refer to the resurrec-
tion of Jesus and those who came forth from their graves at
the same time) and that there will yet be two more resurrec-
tions, one of the just, one of the unjust. The only reasonable
conclusion to be reached by reading these testimonies is, that
the resurrection will be an actual reunion of the spirit and
the body.
If in the mind of the reader anything seems to be deficient in
the conclusions from the statements quoted, certainly the account
of the resurrection from the inspired writings of Ezekiel should
dispel every doubt. The entire thirty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel
should be" read. In this vision of the prophet he saw the
resurrection of the house of Israel, so real in its nature that
bone came to bone, sinew to sinew ; flesh and skin covered the
frame, and the spirit entered the body of each. Thus a com-
plete resurrection of the bodies was wrought out. Ezekiel
says, after the Lord commanded, "So I prophesied as I was
commanded; and as I prophesied there was a noise, and be-
hold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon
them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no
breath in them. * * * Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
* * * And they lived and stood up upon their feet, an
486 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTKINE.
exceeding great army." (Ezek. xxxvii : 7-10.) That this is
to be an actual resurrection of the bodies of the dead is made
plain by the twelfth and thirteenth verses: "Thus saith the
Lord God : Behold, O my people, I will open your graves
and cause* you to come up out of your graves and bring you
into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the
Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and
brought you up out of your graves." * * * "Moreover, I
will make a covenant of peace with them ; it shall be an ever-
fasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply
them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for-
evermore. ( My tabernacle also shall be with them ; yea, I
will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Verses 26,
27. ) Thus there shall be a real, actual resurrection of the 1 body,
a complete reunion of the spirit with the body.
After the resurrection, those whose bodies and spirits are
thereby reunited will join their living brethren, receive revelation
from God, including the everlasting covenant, be gathered to
their own lands, and continue to multiply and increase, with the
sanctuary of God in their midst, and with His divine approval
forevermore.
How beautiful, how joyous to contemplate", and how real
and tangible is this, as contrasted with the poor, rambling,
uncertain theories of uninspired men, who are controlled by
the systems of men rather than guided by that "more sure
word of prophecy," the revelations of God.
To the Latter-day Saints the doctrine of the resurrection is
a living, tangible reality because, added to the testimonies of
the Jewish Scriptures, the Old and the New Testaments, and
the Book of Mormon, which corroborates the Bible, they have
the testimony of men in this century, who have seen the living
bodies of resurrected beings. Joseph Smith was a man of
unblemished character. His veracity was never impeached.
His honor in religion, in morality and business transactions,
attested by friend and foe, were unsullied to the 1 end of his
mortal career, when he sealed his testimony with his inno-
cent blood. His testimony is that he saw God the 1 Father and
His Son Jesus Christ, the latter on several occasions. Joseph
also had a visitation from John the Baptist, Peter, James,
John, 'Moses, Elijah, Moroni and other ancient prophets of
THE RESURRECTION. 487
God who lived on the Eastern or Western hemispheres. He
was not alone in being a witness to the existence of resurrected
beings. Others in modern times also have seen these, and
have published their testimonies to the world. Those who
have received the witness of the" Holy Ghost, and who also
know that there is a resurrection and that the words of the
Savior and the prophets are true and faithful, are numbered
by the thousands.
This is my testimony on the subject : I testify in the name of
the resurrected Redeemer that God has spoken from the heavens
in this age of the world ; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
the Redeeme'r of the world ; that Joseph Smith was a prophet
of the Most High, and received the revelations of God for the
benefit of mankind ; that angels and ancient prophets visited
him and delivered to him the keys of the "dispensation of the
fullness of times;" that Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford
Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, each in his time, has been the suc-
cessor of the prophet Joseph Smith, and that Joseph F. Smith
is now such successor. I also testify that all who receive this
Gospel with honest hearts shall know that the doctrine is true,
and if they are faithful unto death shall come forth in the res-
urrection of the righteous, to live and reign with Christ a
thousand years. Those who reject this message, and who
fight against the truth and persecute" the advocates thereof will,
unless they repent, die in their sins, and will remain unredeemed,
their bodies in the earth, their spirits in bondage, until the 1
thousand years are finished, when death, hell and the grave
shall deliver up their dead to stand before God, living, resur-
rected beings, to receive the reward of their deeds, whether they
be evil or whether they be good.
THE BOOK OF MORMON.
It is not the purpose in this brief chapter to enter into a
detailed argument on the divine authenticity of the Book of
Mormon, but to state sufficiently what the sacred record pur-
ports to be. The Bible records some of the leading events in
the dealings of the Almighty with His children upon the East-
ern hemisphere, prefaced by the Mosaic history of the creation.
The Book of Mormon is to the American continent what the
Bible is to the Eastern. The Bible is more especially the stick
of Judah, being written by Jewish prophets and apostles. Of
the ten tribes carried into the North countries and lost from the
world, the Bible gives no account, beyond brief statements which
go to prove that they were lost to the rest of mankind.
Of the various colonies "scattered from the 1 tower of Babel"
upon all the face of the earth, according to Genesis, chapter xi.,
the Bible offers no information. Of the branches of Joseph
which ran over the boundary walls of the other tribes of Jacob,
extending to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, the
Jewish record is silent.
What became of them? Whither did they flee, and are 1 they
lost to God? Are they less His offspring because they went to
people other lands? From the time the ten tribes were carried
away, no communication has been established between them and
the Gentile nations, and not until the discovery of America by
Columbus was there any correspondence between the aborigines
of America and the countries of Europe and the East. Because
these were lost to Jew and Gentile, is it reasonable to suppose
they were lost also to Him who is the 1 Father of the spirits of
all flesh, and who made of one blood all nations to dwell upon
all the face of the earth? Reason, mercy, justice and the
Bible all deny that these should not have revelations from God
and write them as well as did the Jews. Jesus Himself most
emphatically declared, "There is nothing covered, that shall not
be revealed, neither hid, that shall not be known." (Luke
xii: 2.) The Book of Mormon reveals the fact that from the
THE BOOK OF MOBMON. 489
Tower of Babel came a colony of people to the Western conti-
nent They were led by a prophet to whom God spake and
His words we're written. They became a mighty nation on this
land, having prophets and inspired men to lead them. Finally,
like the Jews, they fell into apostasy and through war and
bloodshed became extinct as a nation. The Book of Mormon
gives a brief review of their rise*, progress and fall. It also
records the fact that in the days of Jeremiah, two colonies
came from Jerusalem to America, years before Christ. It
gives a history of God's dealings with them until four hundred
years after Christ, covering a period of one thousand years.
From the Book of Mormon we also have light thrown upon
sayings of the Savior, recorded in the New Testament. He
said to the Twelve, "Other sheep I have which are not of this
fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." (St. John x: 16.)
Who can tell us where those other sheep were* and when the
Savior visited them? He said they should hear His voice.
The Book of Mormon gives the history of this visit to the de-
scendants of Jacob upon this land. He 1 organized His church
among them, with apostles, prophets, etc., "one fold and one
shepherd." This occurred subsequent to His resurrection.
While teaching His disciples on this land, He told them of
this statement to the Jewish apostles, that He had other sheep
to visit ; and to the apostles chosen upon this land He said,
"I have other sheep which are not of this land; neither of the
land of Jerusalem; neither in any parts of that land round
about, whither I have been to minister. For they of whom I
speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither
have I at any time manifested myself unto them. But I have
received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto
them, and that they shall hear my voice and shall be numbered
among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd;
Therefore I go to show myself unto them." (III. Nephi, chap-
ter xvi: 1-3.)
These sayings of our Savior afford the only present scriptural
and reasonable interpretation of the parable in Matthew, thir-
teenth chapter: "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,
which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal,
till the whole was leavened." The leaven must be a symbol
490 COWLEY '8 TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
of the Gospel, as its effects upon the meal to lighten and pre-
pare it for use are like the effects of the Gospel of Christ upon
the hearts of those who obey the same, viz., to refine and purify
that men may be prepared for the kingdom of the Father.
The three measures of meal doubtless are representative of
three divisions of the house of Israel. These" were, according
to the Book of Mormon, the Jews 1 in Palestine, the seed of
Joseph on the Western hemisphere, and the ten tribes in the
North country. These all were visited by the Savior. They
heard His voice and were taught of Him "one Lord, one faith,
one baptism," that there might be "one fold and one shepherd."
The Gospel going to the Gentiles could have no part in the ful-
fillment of the parable of the three measures of meal, because
the Messiah never did visit the Gentiles, and He says of the
other sheep, "they shall hear my voice." The only account of
such an event given to mankind thus far is that recorded in the
Book of Mormon. If that is not the true one, then we must
look for one no less remarkable and no less in conflict with the
spiritual bigotry and ignorance of the nineteenth century. That
there should be a record kept by another branch of Israel than
the Jewisih tribe, is plainly set forth by Ezekiel in his thirty-
seventh chapter, where the Lord commands the prophet to take
"one stick" and write upon it for Judah and his brethren, and
another stick and write upon it for Ephraim and his brethren,
and then predicts that they shall become one in the hand of
the Lord. The Book of Mormon claims to be the stick of
Joseph, and it and the Bible have become one in the hand of
the Lord in these last days. Each corroborates the other.
They are one in doctrine, one in prophecy, one in history so-
far as thf.y treat upon the same events. Each throws light upon
the other, and yet bear the marks of having been written far
apart by a different people, of different surroundings and educa-
tion.
Isaiah speaks of a book (see Isa. xxix.) that should come
forth. And "the vision of all is become unto you as the words
of a book -that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is
learned, saying, read this, I pray thee: and he sayeth, I can
not; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is
not learned, s'aying, Read this, I pray thee: and he sayeth, I
am not learned." This prophecy was verified as set out in a
THE BOOK OF MORMON. 491
previous chapter. The book itself was delivered by an angel
to the young man Joseph Smith, with the injunction that they
should never be used to get gain, but for the salvation of man-
kind. Joseph, feeling his own weakness and knowing that he
could not of himself translate them, acknowledged that he was
not learned. He was told that he should translate them by the
gift and power of God, which he did by the use of the Urim
and Thummim, the instrument used by seers of old. Thus
were the words of the prophet Isaiah verified.
No amount of credulity could make a reasonable mind believe
that Joseph Smith, an unlettered, unsophisticated boy of twenty-
two years, could prepare such a scheme, conniving with men of
maturer years to aid him in the fraud, that the words of an
ancient prophet, spoken 2,500 years before, should be literally
fulfilled. The probability is that neither Joseph Smith, Martin
Harris nor Prof. Anthon knew anything of the words of Isaiah
relating to such a record. Prof. Anthon was not in sympathy
with Joseph Smith and became an avowed opponent of the Book
of Mormon. What he said in fulfillment of prophecy in this
instance regarding the Book of Mormon may be said of all
others, for many have been verified since it came forth prophe-
cies regarding it and predictions in the book itself.
The Psalmist David said that "Truth shall spring out of the
earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven." The
Book of Mormon was written upon metallic plates, and hidden
in the earth 400 years after Christ. They literally came out
of the earth, and righteousness in the personage of a holy angel
came 1 down from heaven and placed them in the hands of the
Prophet Joseph Smith. Isaiah speaks of the ancient seers
being covered, and that in the latter days their speech should
be "low out of the dust." The Book of Mormon was written
by seers upon the American continent. Through martyrdom
they had been covered and their words lost to the apostate
Lamanites for many generations. In the last days, however,
their words came forth. They speak "out of the dust" and light
shine's upon the hidden mysteries of a whole continent, revealing
a period of ten centuries.
Among the many prophecies in the Book of Mormon verified
since its publication in 1829, is one found in II. Nephi, chapter
29, verse 3 : "And because my words shall hiss forth, many of
492 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
the Gentilefs shall say, A Bible ! A Bible ! we have got a Bible
and there cannot be any more Bible.
"But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a
Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient
covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible
which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles
mean? Do they remember the travels, and the labors, and the
pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth
salvation umto the Gentiles? O ye Gentiles, have ye remem-
bered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye
have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to
recover theim. But behold, I will return all these things upon
your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.
Thou fool, that shall say, A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we
need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible, save it were
by the Jews?
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know
ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and
that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and
that I rule in the heavens above, and in the efarth beneath ; and
I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon
all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because
that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the
testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God,
that I remember one 1 nation like unto another? Wherefore, I
speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And
when the two nations shall run together, the testimony of the
two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may
prove unto many, that I am the same" yesterday, today, and
forever ; and that I speak forth my words according to mine
own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word, ye
need not suppose that I cannot speak another ; for my work
is not yet finished; neither shall it be, until the end of man;
neither from that time henceforth and forever.
"Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible, ye need not suppose
that it contains all my words ; neither need ye suppose that I
have not caused more to be written : For I command all men.
both in the East and in the West, and in the North, and in the
South, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the
tvords which I speak unto them; for out of the books which
THE BOOK OF MORMON. 493
shall be written, I will judge the world, every man according
to their works, according to that which is written.
"For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews, and they shall write
it ; and I shall also speak unto the" Nephites, and they shall write
it ; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of
Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it ; and I
shall also speak unto all nations of the earth, and they shall
write it. And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have 1 the
words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words
of the Jews ; and the Nephites and the Jewsi shall have the 1
words of the lost tribes of Israel ; and the lost tribes of Israel
shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. And it
shall come to pass that my people which are of the house of Israel,
shall be 1 gathered home unto the lands of their possessions ; and
my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will shew unto
them that fight against my word and against my people, who
are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted
with Abraham, that I would remember his seed forever."
It has been decreed by the Almighty, and spoken of by
Book of Mormon prophets that slavery should not obtain and
be perpetuated upon this land : "Behold, this is a choice 1 land,
and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bond-
age, and from captivity, and from all other nations under
heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is
Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which
we have written." (Ether ii : 12.) This decree of the Al-
mighty has determined the history of this country from the
beginning, so far as internal slavery and freedom from bond-
age of other nations is concerned. If the skeptic shall say
that the prophecy was published to the world long after the
freedom of the American colonies and the independence of this
government were attained, we call attention to the fact that
slavery has been abolished in this land since then, and that no
nation which has made war with the United State's has ever
succeeded, and never will, unless the inhabitants of this land
shall become overwhelmed in iniquity and abominations.
Another striking prediction contained in the Book of Mormon
is the following: "And this land shall be 1 a land of liberty
unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land,
who shall raise up unto the Gentiles ; and I will fortify this
491 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
land against all other nations ; and he that fighteth against Zion
shall perish, saith God; For he that raiseth up a king against
me shall perish, for I, the 1 Lord, the king of heaven, will be their
king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my
words." (II. Nephi x: 11-14.) Gradually, yet with certain
progress, has the government of kings been abolished from the
American continent until nearly all governments in North and
South America are republics. Canada is still under the rule of
Great Britain, but is managed in such a manner that the liberties
of the people are almost, if not quite equal to those of a repub-
lican territory. Those who know the history of the effort to
make Maximilian a king in Mexico also know how terribly the
words of the Book of Mormon have been verified : "For he that
raiseth up a king unto me shall perish."
This continent is the land of Zion, "and he that fighteth
against Zion shall perish, saith God." Before the late Spanish-
American war, George Q. Cannon read these predictions from
the Book of Mormon before a congregation in the Tabernacle,
and with a knowledge that these prophecies were given of the
Lord foretold the result of the war and the certain banishment of
Spanish kingly power from the American isles*. Other prophe-
cies of the sacred volume have been verified since its publication
to the world. Those verified should establish faith in reasona-
ble minds that the unfulfilled parts will surely come to pass.
The external evidences afforded by archa3ologists to the divine
authenticity of the Book of Mormon are very numerous ; they
may be ascertained by a careful study of the sacred volume
and a comparison with the discoveries of later times, in the
ruins of ancient cities, towns, temples, roadways, etc., which
have been brought to light and are treated upon in the writings
of Stevens and Catherwood, Dr. Le Plongeon, and many other
eminent antiquarians. While the Book of Mormon without
investigation is discarded, its opponent is led to prove its di-
vinity by his researches into archaeology. In connection with
the coming forth of this word Isaiah said, "The wisdom of
their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their
prudent men shall be hid."
All the old subterfuges published against the book have been
exploded long since, and yet people are still repeating them.
It was stated that Joseph Smith's ingenuity and Sidney Rigdon's
THE BOOK OF MORMON. 495
learning devised the Book of Mormon from the Solomon Spauld-
ing romance. The Book of Mormon was published to the world
before Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon ever saw each other.
Prof. Fairchild of the Oberlin College in Ohio, examined the
Spaulding manuscript and compared it with the Book of Mor-
mon ; he then testified over his signature that there" was no
similarity between them.
Some people have ridiculed the record because in point of
literary merit it did not equal the Jewish record, the Holy
Bible. If this were any just cause of rejection, why not dis-
card several books in the Bible because their literature does not
equal in merit the writings of the patriarch Job? But laying
this aside 1 , the Book of Mormon offers its own explanation of lit-
erary defect. "Condemn me not because of mine imperfection ;
neither my father, because of his imperfections; neither them
who have written before him, but rather give thanks unto
God that He hath made manifest unto you our imperfections,
that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been. And now
behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge
in the characters, which are called among us the Reformed
Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to
our manner of speech. And if our plates had been sufficiently
large, we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath
been altered by us also : and if we could have written in Hebrew,
behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record. But
the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also
that none other people knoweth our language, therefore He
hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof." (Mormon
ix : 31-34. ) In the preface of the record is written : "And
now if there be faults, they are the mistakes of men, where-
fore condemn not the 1 things of God, that ye may be found
spotless at the judgment seat of Christ." "But he that believeth
these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the mani-
festations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record.
For because of my Spirit, he shall know that these things are
true; for it persuadeth men to do good." (Ether iv: 11.)
Again, "And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn
it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall
know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni;
and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you."
496 COWLEY'S TALKS OH DOCTRINE.
(Mormon viii : 12.) Those persons who would esteem literary
imperfections an evidence against the divine authenticity of the
Book of Mormon must belong to one of two classes 'they are
either not honest at heart and are seeking opportunity to evade
the responsibility of knowing the truth, or they are shallow-
minded, and to the world of sound reason, good judgment, and
practical ability prefer the" shadow compared with the substance.
He "that will do the will of the Father shall know of the doc-
trine," is the promise of our Savior; and the promises in the
Book of Mormon that those who will not condemn the things of
God because of human imperfections, but shall receive greater
knowledge, are plain enough to condemn the world if they re-
ject them, as much as the teachings of the Jewish record shall
conde'mn mankind if they will not hearken.
The truth of the Book of Mormon is affirmed by the direct
testimony of four witnesses Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery,
David Whitmer and Martin Harris, who saw the angel Moroni,
and the ancient plates from which the sacred volume was trans-
lated. None of them ever wavered from that testimony. They
maintained it under great trials and persecutions to the end,
and Joseph Smith sealed his testimony with his life, a martyr to
the truth. Eight other men, whose names are recorded in the
fore* part of the book, saw and handled the plates. Many
thousands of people from various lands and climes have read
the book with prayerful hearts, have received the ordinances of
the Gospel and by the power of the Holy Ghost solemnly testify
that the Book of Mormon is a divine record. Added to this
I testify, as an humble disciple of the Lord, in the name of Jesus
Christ who is our Redeemer, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of
the living God and the Book of Mormon is a divine record, re-
vealed by the God of heaven and translated by the gift and
power of God as a witness unto this and all future generations
that Jesus is the Christ, that the Bible is true, that there is but
one plan of salvation, and that Jesus taught the same plan to
the Jews, to the seed of Joseph and to the lost tribes by his own
personal ministrations. He also sent the Gospel to the Gentiles
by the hands of His apostles, and thereby shows to all men in
every land and in all ages that God changes not, and is the same
today, yesterday and forever.
MARRIAGE.
No people hold more sacred the principle of marriage, nor
esteem more highly the possession of chastity, than do the
Latter-day Saints. Among no people, either Catholic or Prot-
estant, is a lapse of virtue so rare as among this people. We
consider sexual crime the most blighting curse that infests the
earth today. Adultery is considered as next in the catalogue
of crime to murder. Individuals guilty of fornication or
adultery are promptly excommunicated from the church, unless
the sin is followed by the most profound repentance and the
best reparation which can possibly be made. The children
around the family altar, in Sunday school, Mutual Improve-
ment Associations, Primary Associations, and all the institu-
tions of the church, are taught to hold their virtue more sacre'd
to them than life itself. When they attain to years of ma-
turity and enter the holy state of matrimony, they vow before
God, angels and living witnesses that they will never violate the
marriage covenants.
We believe that God ordained the union of the sexes in
marriage, not only for time but for all eternity. It is greatly
due to this fact and the defeply religious element which enters
into marriage among our people, that divorces are so rare.
Young men and women are taught that, while pure love and
perfect congeniality should exist between the parties to the
marriage covenants, passion and infatuation should not be the
ruling motive, but principle should control ; and that in the
weakness of humanity the dangers of mistakes in the mating of
the" sexes are so great, the only safe way is to seek in prayer
and supplication the guidance of divine Providence; they are
also taught to so live in daily walk and conversation that their
heavenly Father will answer their prayers To feel sublimely
impressed that marriage is for all eternity, and that God is
directly interested in us, tends to make people more careful
and considerate, more prayerful in choosing a husband or wife,
than otherwise they would be. The 1 result of such teaching is
30
498 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
a far greater percentage of happy unions and a much smaller
percentage of divorces among the Latter-day Saints than among
other Christian communities.
The primary design of marriage-, to "multiply and replenish
the earth" and not to gratify lust, is upheld by the Latter-day
Saints as in no other community. The consequence is two-
fold. Infanticide, foeticide and illegitimacy are very rare. The
two former practice's, so common in the world and adopted to
lessen the responsibility of child-bearing while increasing the
facilities for lustful gratification, are esteemed by this people
as abominations in the sight of God, little short of out-
right murder in heinousness. Parties known to be guilty of
such acts would not bo fellowshiped in any sense, but would
be cast out of the church without hesitation. The result of
such high regard for the purposes of the Lord in marriage is,
that the percentage of children in every family is much larger
on the average than it is among any other Christian com-
munity of equal population. Because the children are numer-
ous they are not weaker but usually stronger in body and
intellect than in communities where the blighting curse of
a reprehensible modern custom prevails. The wives of men
thus taught and convinced of the sacredness of their pro-
creative functions are healthier and happier in the home than are
the wives and mothers in other communities. Prof. PMneas
Priest, a non-"Mormon" phrenologist who traveled among the
"Mormon" people in Idaho and Utah, said that in aJi his travels
he had not found so large a percentage of healthy aud intelli-
gent children, with a corresponding condition of health and
happiness on the part of the mothers, as he had among the
"Mormon" people.
As to the eternity of the marriage covenant, a helpmeet was
provided for man before death entered the world and the'refore
death could not prevail against the covenants of the Lord.
"And the Lord God said. It is not good that the man should be
alone. I will make him an helpmeet for him." (Gen. ji: 18.)
The Savior came and offered up a sacrifice to redeem man from
the fall, to destroy death and all the effects thereof. If His
atonement simply redeemed the body from the grave, without
restoring the condition of the Paradise lost, it would be alto-
MARRIAGE. 499
gether incomplete, and the words of Paul would be without
effect wherein he said to the Corinthians, "O, grave, where is
thy victory? O, death, where is thy sting?" If death de-
stroyed and the grave buried the covenants of the Lord, we
would indeed be, as Paul says, "of all men most miserable."
God is eternal, and "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it
shall be forever." (Eccl. iii: 14.)
When the ceremony of marriage i
of God, and the parties to the agreement are under the same
covenant, he pronounces them one for time and all eternity. If
this were not true of what avail was the authority delegated
to Peter, when the Lord said unto hdm, "And I will give unto
thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou
shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt,
xvi : 19. The apostle Peter, performing the marriage ceremony
for members of the Church of Christ, would not pronounce them
husband and wife "until death do you part ;" for death was to
be 1 banished and "immortality brought to light" through the
atonement of Christ.
All Christians pray and sing and preach about going to
heaven. Will they be in the Lord there? If so, and they have
embraced the true Gospel here, they will be" united as husband
and wife for all eternity, and that covenant will prevail there;
hence, the apostle Paul says, "Nevertheless, neither is the man
without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the
Lord." (I. Cor. xi : 11.) If they are in the Lord, then they are
united ; if not in the Lord, they are" damned.
Again the same apostle tells us, "For the husband is the head
of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church." (Eph.
v: 23.) Will any man say that Christ was the head of the
church for time* only, during His few years of brief mor-
tality, and that then the church is left without a head? No;
Christ is the head of the church for all eternity and God so
designed the husband to be the head of the wife.
The doctrine of marriage until death, appears to be a
Sadducee doctrine, for they denied the resurrection. It was
the Sadducee who asked the Savior whose wife should the
woman be" who had seven husbands in this world. The answer
was undoubtedly designed to apply to those who rejected the
500 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
Gospel of Christ, while pretending to cling to the laws of
Moses. They virtually made >a covenant with death. Isaiah
says, "And your covenant with death shall be' disannulled, and
your agreement with hell shall not stand. When the over-
flowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden
down by it." (Isa. xxviii : 18.) In making a covenant with
death they broke the "everlasting covenant" and dishonored
God, for He is everlasting and His ordinances endure forever,
unimpaired by death, hell or the grave.
The earth also is denied under the inhabitants thereof, be-
cause they have "transgressed the laws, changed the ordi-
nances, broken the everlasting covenant." (Isa. xxiv: 5.) As
a result of this condition the prophet says : "Therefore hath
the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are
desolate" : therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned
and few men left." (Isa. xxiv: G.) Among the causes of this
great desolation yet to come upon the earth is the breaking of
the everlasting covenant. The earth is to be burned and few
men left. Jesus says that except "those days shall be short-
ene'd there should be no flesh saved." To shorten those days
and provide the way for honorable women to fill the measure
of their creation in holy wedlock, God has restored this everlast-
ing covenant and will yet cleanse the earth of wicked men by
His judgments, until few men shall be left. Whoredoms,
adultery and all sexual abominations will be swept away, and
the words of Isaiah in the fourth chapter will be verified.
They that are the "seed of Abraham will do the works of
Abraham." As the apostle Paul says, "And if ye be Christ's
then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise."
(Gal. iii: 29.) That all honorable women, who desire wife-
hood and motherhood under the laws of God may have this
privilege and not be left to live and die as spinsters, nor
become a prey to wicked, lustful men, God will fulfill the
prophecy found in Isaiah, chapter iv., verses 1, 2 : "In that
day seven women shall take hold of one 1 man, saying, we will
eat our own bread and wear our own apparel ; only let us
be called by thy name to take away our reproach. In that
day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious,
and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for
them that are escaped of Israel."
THE MILLENNIUM.
The Latter-day Saints are looking for the coming of the Savior
to reign upon the earth, at which coming will commence the
reign of peace for one thousand years. This is the Millennium,
during which period Satan will be bound and all iniquity shall be
done away. When Jesus had finished his ministry at Jerusa-
lem and had ascended into heaven from the presence of His
apostles, two heavenly beings "stood by them in white apparel;
which also said, 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up
into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into
heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go
into heaven.'" (Acts i: 10, 11.) He ascended in glory and
power. In glory and power will He come to reign. The
preparation shown forth in the restoration of the Gospel by a
holy angel ; the gathering of Israel ; the" restoration of the ten
tribes; the return of the Jews; the establishment of Zion and
Jerusalem all are signs to precede His second coming, as re-
ferred to in preceding chapters of this little work, in its discus-
sion of several subjects.
That Jesus will come in power and glory is evident from many
prophecies. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied
of these, saying, "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands
of His saints to execute judgment upon all." ( Jude i : 14, 15.)
Malachi says : "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before me, and the Lord who)n ye seek shall
suddenly come to His temple. But who will abide the day of
His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth?" For
He is likef a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap." (Mai. iii : 1, 2.)
Unlike this first advent as the meek and lowly babe of Bethle-
hem, He next comes in glory, to avenge the blood of His Saints,
to purify the sons of Levi, to cleanse and purify the" earth that
it may enjoy a reign of peace and rest.
When Jerusalem is partly rebuilt by her ancient covenant
people, the Gentile nations will be gathered against them to
battle. Then will the crucified Redeemer appear to the Jews.
502 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
He will set his feet upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount
will cleave in twain. The house of Judah. will look upon Him,
and seeing the wounds in His hands and feet, will ask where
He obtained them. When He shall answer, "In the house of
my friends," they will weep and mourn, their separate houses
and families apart, to realize that He whom their fathers re-
jected is in truth their Deliverer and Redeemer. Then will the
fountain for uncleanness be opened, and the house of Judah
will be baptized for the remission of their sins.
"Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be
divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations
against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and
the houses rilled, and the women ravished; and half of the city
shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall
not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth,
and fight against the nations, as when He fought in the day
of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the
Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and
the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward
the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great
valley; and half of the mountain shall move toward the north,
and half of it toward the south." (Zech. xiv: 1-4.) )
"And one shall say unto Him, What are these wounds in
Thine hands?" Then He shall answer, "Those with which I
was wounded in the house of my friends." (Zech. xiii: 6.)
"And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to de-
stroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will
pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication: and they
shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall
mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be
in bitterness for Him as one that is in bitterness for his first-
born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusa-
lem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megid-
don. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the
family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart;
the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives
apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives
apart; Ihe family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All
the families that remain; every family apart, and their wives
THE MILLENNIUM. 503
apart." (Zech. xii: 9-14.) "In that day there shall be a
fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." (Zech xiii: 1.)
Many other plain and precious prophecies of the Old and
New Testaments might be cited to show forth the second com-
ing of our Savior. These predictions are corroborated by the
prophecies in the Book of Mormon, and by the predictions of
the prophet Joseph Smith, made in the revelations of God to
him in these latter days.
In close connection with the Savior's second coming will be
presented the glorious conditions of the Millennium. "For the
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory ef the
Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Hab. ii: 14.) "Tiie wolf
also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down
with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling
together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and
the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together:
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking
child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child
shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not
hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall
be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea." (Isa. xi: 6-10.)
Man is the great head of God's creation, the image of his
Maker. He has made him "a little lower than the angels, and
hast crowned him with glory and honor." (Ps. viii: 5.) Man
led the way to the fall by which came the enmity between him-
self and the lower animal creation. Should man not lead the
way, as the Lord directs, back to his "Paradise Lost"?
As an incident pointing the way to and expressing the true
spirit of the Millennium, when Zion's Camp, a body of more
than 200 men, journeyed through the wilderness of Indiana,
Illnois and Missouri from Kirtland to Western Missouri, the
Gamp at night would be visited by serpents, which the brethren
were inclined to destroy. The Prophet Joseph told them not to
kill the snakes, but to carry them peaceably fr6m their tents
with sticks. Joseph promised them that if they kept this coun-
sel none should be bitten, adding that it was man's duty to set
the example of peace and lead the way back to the perfect
504 COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE.
harmony existing in Eden before the fall. The Camp observed
his advice and realized his promise.
The time spoken of by Isainh, as already referred to here,
was also predicted by Joel when he said: "And ye shall know
that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your
God and none else: And my people shall never be ashamed.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young
men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the
handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit." (Joel ii;
27-29.) The apostle Peter, upon the day of Pentecost, gave
the multitude to understand that the Spirit which gave utter-
ance to the apostles on that occasion was the same Spirit con-
cerning which Joel the prophet said in the last days should be
poured out, not upon the few only, but upon all flesh. The
Spirit of God alone can bring perfect unity, destroy enmity,
and fill the earth with the knowledge and glory of God.
Of this glorious epoch the prophet Jeremiah says: "And
they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all
know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,
saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will re-
member their sin no more." (Jer. xxxi: 34.) Such a condition
would be in harmony with the promise of the Savior that there
should be "one fold and one shepherd." The Spirit of Truth is
the guide into all truth, rather than to man-made theories
taught by men devoid of the authority and inspiration of Al-
mighty God.
Paul says, "When that which is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away." (I Cor. xiii.) Prophecy
and tongues and the gifts of the Gospel imperfectly enjoyed by
man in his weakness were never designed to be done away
until we come to enjoy a more perfect fullness, "when we see
as we are seen and know as we are known." Zephania says:
"For then win I turn to the people a pure language that they
may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one
consent." (Zeph. Hi: 9.) The pure language was confounded
at the tower of Babel, because men sought to thwart the pur-
THE MILLENNIUM. 505
poses of Jehovah. When the time comes that the wicked who
will not obey are swept from the earth, the Lord will restore
to His children the language which they learned from their
mother tongue and which was spoken from Adam to the time
of the tower of Babel. He will also unite the great bodies of
water into a mighty ocean and roll it back to its place in thf
North, while the lands of the earth will be reunited and be-
come one vast continent.
Isaiah says, speaking of the land of Zion, which is the West-
ern hemisphere, and the land of Jerusalem, on the Eastern
continent: "Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken, neither
shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be
called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah ; for the Lord de-
lighteth in thee, arid thy land shall be married." (Isa. Ixii: 4.)
In other words, the lands shall be united. What a
glorious period and condition! The earth geographically re-
stored, spiritually redeemed and politically exalted to the gov-
ernment of God. John, the revelator, prophesied: "The king-
doms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and
of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever." (Rev.
xi: 15.) And again, in the twentieth chapter, fourth verse,
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment
was given unto them: And I saw the souls of them that were
beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God,
and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in
their hands: And they lived and reigned with Christ a thou-
sand years."
The further writings of the apostle John in the Apocalypse
describe the conditions of peace during the Millennium, and
subsequently the last resurrection, the change of the earth, the
banishment of Lucifer therefrom, and the earth celestialized
as man's eternal abode, our heaven. The apostle Peter says
"the elements shall melt with fervent heat," and John the
apostle informs us that the earth shall become as a sea of
glass, a great Urim and Thummim. What a joyous consum-
mation to the labors of the faithful, in the great and marvelous
blessings that will bring such glory to those that serve the
Lord and to their heavenly abode!
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