The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-03-03
The Successor Of brigham Young.

Inc DaNse1~uA ot &sAA&hsh ApaaS.
The g Mormon" question among the peo
pie and in Congress is fast assuming the ex-
cited phase which always precedes q course
of action, when action has been long de-
layed. Whatever may be the disposition of
the question: the portrait and biography of
the present head Of the Church must be of
interest
Elder John Taylor, the successor to Brig
ham Young as the President of the Church of
Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, more gen.
orally known as Mormons, was born in Min
throp, County of Westmoreland, England,
November LIST, 1908. In his boyhood he re-
ceived the advantages of good, sound, En-
glish education and in early manhood joined
the Methodist Church and became local
preacher in that sect. In his twenty-fourth
year he emigrated TO Canada to join his IA
theirs family, who had preceded him two
years. Shortly after his arrival he married
Miss Leonora Cannon, o Manx lady, who
was residing in Canada as the companion of
the wife of the Governor OF the Province.
This lady tnow deceased) was the aunt of
Hon. George @. Cannon, Delegate to Con-
gress from Utah.
Mr.. Taylor soon became locally conspicu.
Gus as religious teacher and reformer in
Toronto, and was associated with a body of
thoughtful men and women who were dissat-
isfed with the existing forms of religion and
seeking Bible truth by all legitimate means.
In this state of enquiry, Farley p. Pratt, one
of the Twelve Apostles of the Latter Day
Church. visited Toronto, which visit resulted
in Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor and number of their
friends and associates being baptized. Mr..
Taylor was very shortly afterward ordained
an Elder, and before long appointed TO pre-
side over the churches in that region.
In short time Elder Taylor visited the
main body of the Church to which he had al
lied himself, in Kirkland, Ohio. Here he be-
came conspicuous for his zeal and courage In
defending the tenets Of " Mormonism,n and
his strong personal friendship for the Proph-
ct, Joseph Smith. He went with the Church
to Missouri, where he was ordained one of
the Twelve Apostles. He suffered with his CO.
religionists the miseries that attended the ex-
pulsion of the Mormons from that State in
1888. He took a prominent part in the re-or-
ganization of the fugitive Saints In Illinois,
and in the building of the city of Nauvoo.
There he became editor Of the official journal
of the Church, The Times and Seasons and
also of political weekly paper entitled the
Nauvoo Nsighbor. He was associated in the
city government as Counselor, and was
Judge Advocate General and Chaplain, with
rank of Colonel in the Nauvoo Legion.
When the two brothers, Joseph and Hiram
Smith, were confined prisoners In the Car
thage Jail, Elder Taylor stayed with them as
friend and visitor. When they were assas-
sinated he was present, and was himself shot
in four places by the mob. For some months
his life trembled in the balance, and he car
ries one ball in his body to this day. When
the Mormons were exiled from Nauvoo, Ell
der Taylor accompanied them to the Missouri
river. From that point no was sent, with
two others, by the Council of the Twelve
Apostles, on mission to England to regu-
late the business affairs of the Church in that
land. Leaving his family camped on the
river aud exposed to all the deprivations and
annoyances incidental to their situation, he
departed in answer TO this call, from which
he returned the year following, when he
fou nd his family encamped at Winter Quar-
ters, about six miles above where Omaha now
stands. He then, as enc of the Apostles,
took a prominent part in the organization
and guidance of the companies of expatriated
Saints" who followed the pioneers under
Brigham Young In their toilsome and peril
Gus journey across the plains and the Rocky
Mountains. He was also among the most en-
ergetlc In the formation of the Mormon Bat
talon Of five hundred men who enlisted to
serve as volunteers in the war with Mexico.
He has also been on several preaching mis-
sions to foreign lands, chief among which
was one of the earliest to Great Britain !;
those to France and Germany, from 1s49 to
1852, when he arranged for and snperintend-
ed the translation of the Book of Mormon
into the French and German languages, and
In later years In the Eastern States, when he
published the Mormon newspaper In New
York. AT home, for a number Of years he
was Speaker of the Territorial House of
Representatives, was twice elected Territor-
ial Superintendent of Schools, and also acted
Al Probate Judge In Utah county.
When Brigham Young died, In 1877, Elder
Taylor stood, by seniority, at the head OF the
Council Of the APOSTLES, and consequently
was de tacto head Of the Church. For nearly
three years the Apostles regulated the affairs
of the Church, when the first Presidency was
re-appointed and Elder Taylor was elected
President, with George q. Cannon and Jo-
seph +. Smith as his Counselors. This il the
position he holds to-day. He has also been
elected Trustee In Trust for the Church, and
holds prominent position as President or
Director In most Of the business concerns la
which the Church has an interest
President Taylor has been In his time. and
is1now for his age, q handsome man. He Ii
of dark complexion, about six feet high, Of
commanding presence, erect carriage, and
great natural dignity. He Ii by many con-
sidered the finest pulpit orator In his Church.
He has always been noted for great indie
pendence Of thought and action, uncompro-
missing determination. and great will power.
His zeal ard fiery eloquence made him q
mark6d man In the earlier years Of his asso-
citation with the Mormon people. His pol
ley, thus far, during his Presidency, has been
marked for Its conservative character. He
has enunciated no new doctrines, proposed
no Innovations, but determinedly carried OUT
the policy Of his predecessors.
Hsides his numerous missionary dntias.
President Taylor has written number Or
works on the fenets Of bis sect, ana il III
present engaged on three or four doctrinaI
treatises, the most elaborate 81 which il AN
Examination into the Doctrine Of the Atone
mentof our Lord and Savior Jesus Christi
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