The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-10-12
THE SENIOR APOSTLE.
Sketch Of John Taylor, the Head Of the TwelTt
Apostles Of the Mormon Church.

John Taylor, senior apostle Of the Nor.
mon church, and by virtue thereof president
| of the quorum of twelve apostles, now oc-
cupies nominally the same position Brigham
Young did for three years after Joseph
| Smiths death. He is not president of
the church, as might be inferred from yes
| terday's kilograms, but merely presiding
member of the twelve, in whom the govern
ment is for the present invested. While
this position nominally confers very little
more power than that of any other apostle,
yet in practice an ambitious man might
make himself virtual director of the Nor
mon people. This is what Brigham did
within year after Joe Smiths death, hav-
ing excluded all of Smith brothers and in
Inmates from any share in the government;
but it was not till late in 1S47 that Brigham
was, by full vote of the church, chosen to
all the honors and titles of the dead proph-
ct. II Taylor has the ability, he may, by
degrees, centre all power in himself, and
follow the example of Brigham; but it is
not to be understood that he is asow the sue
cessor. This action of the church does,
however, settle the case as against the sons
of Brigham. Neither of them will succeed.
John Taylor is native of Canada, of
pure English blood, and now at least 65
years old, but very vigorous and well pre-
served. He was among the early converts,
and with his wife, Leonora, passed through
most Of the tribulations of the church.
When Joseph and Hyrum were arrested for
destroying the Erpositor Office in Nauvoo,
Taylor and Willard Richards, another apos-
tie, went with them to Jail at Carthage.
When the mob fred into the room, Taylor
stood at the door knocking down the guns
with his cane, and in the contest was shot
with four balls. When Hyram Smith fell
dead, Joseph leaped from the window, but
was shot in the attempt and fell on the out
side. At this the mob ran around the build
ing, and in the melee Richards carried Tay-
lor to another room and covered him with
bed clothes, expecting to be killed.
But the death of the Smiths satisfied the
mob: Richards escaped unhurt and Taylor
recovered after long illness. He still car
ries two balls in his body, another passed
entirely through him, and tine fourth struck
an old bulls-eye" watch in his vest pock-
ct, stopping the hands at SIG o'clock p. M,
which is marked by the Saints as the "sol-
emn hour that is, of the prophets death.
Taylor afterward became very successful
as o missionary, and is the wealthiest of
the apostles, He is, however, probably the
bitterest enemy of the United States in the
quorum. In most of the discussions with
the Gentle world he has conducted the
constitutional and legal lines of the Mormon
defence. He had three polygamous wives
many years ago, but his legal wife Leonora,
died in 1869. The laws passed by the Utah
Legislature have mostly been put in shape
by him, as he has some legal talent, and as
writer he is second only to Orson Pratt.
His abilities are of a totally different order
from Brigham's but, all things considered,
he is probably the best man the Mormons
could select if they ever choose successor.