, 1877-09-07
BRIGHAM YOUNG.

at Salt Lake City, utah, ol bIIEn"'h
Young, President Reyelator, and
Trustee in Trust Of the Church of the
Latter Day Saints, The information
will be received all over the country
with astonishment, for although
Brigham Young was over 76 years
of age, the fact was not generally
known, while portraits of him in
books, photographs, and the like, to
be seen everywhere, exhibit him as
a hale and hearty man in the prime
of life, and indeed was possessed OF
remarkably rugged health to within
a few weeks. The news ofhis death
will be accepted with varied feelings,
for Brigham Young had thousands OF
warm admirers rs we'll as thousands
of bitter enemies. AS to his faults,
enough will probably be written
hereafter to satisfy his most uncom-
promising haters, but they will be
written by those who have better
reason to dwell upon them than the
men whose duty it is to merely
chronicle, as matter Of news, the
fact of his death, and some of the
leading points Of his life. That he
had many good traits there is much
evidence, and that he was remark
able man, in many particulars, there
cannot he a shadow of doubt. His
great success is an indisputable evil
dence of that fact, even were there
no corroborating testimony. He was
a man of strong executive ability, far
more than an average intellectually
and was said to have been possessed
of much physical courage. Indeed,
his life has fully proven that. One
trait of his character, which exhibi
ted warmth Of heart and kindness
was an extraordinary love for child
rem. No little Que could come near
him in one of his leisure moments
withou: being caught up in his arms
and fondled and pet,ed. He was al
ways genial and pleasant in his man
ner. and was, doubtless, truly good
hearted, except when his passions
were swayed in an opposite direction,
by some strong interposing interest
to himself and the peculiar church of
which he was the wonderfully zeal
GUS head.
Brigham Young was born at Whit.
tingham, Vermont, June ], 1901. He
was the son Of farmer, but learned
the trade of painter and glazier, and
early in life became a member Of the
Baptist Church, under whose teach
ings he had been reared. In 1882,
at Kirkland, Ohio, he joined the Nor,
mons, and in three years thereafter
started on his first missionary jour
ney. Being possessed of peculiar
but impressive eloquence, he was
very successful as a preacher, and
rapidly gained ground in the favor
of his people. After the death of
Joseph Smith in 1914, he was chosen
President OF the Church, and in 1916,
and 1848, led the Mormon hosts from
Nauvoo to Salt Lake Valley and
founded the city. In March, lS49, a
convention was held, a constitution
framed, and a State was organized |
under the name Of "Dcseret," which |
in the reformed Egyptian language,
is said to signify "a Land of the
Honey Bee" Congress refused to
admit Deseret as State, but the
Territory Of Utah was organized and
Young was appointed its Governor
for four years. Conflicts of authority
between the Mormon and the United
States authorities arose, and the
United States officers we're expelled
from the Territory. In 1852, Young
introduced polygamy into the Church
as an institution, claiming it to be
the natural law of marriage, and in
spite of strong opposition among
followers, succeeded in thoroughly
establishing the doctrine of plurality
of wives. In late years the develop
ment of mining interests brought
great numbers Of strangers to Utah,
who are styled by the Mormons gen.
tiles A bitter feeling arose between
the two classes of population which
has never died out; but has grown
stronger on the Mormon side because
the influx N non. .MorInons has been
so great that the control OF legisla-
tion and administration has been ra.
pidly passing out of the hands of
Young and his Church, and the last
days OF its once indefatigable head.
Indeed, it will be generally accepted
that the death Of Brigham is the
death Of MormOniam ITnda. h.,