Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-18
DISCOURSE
DELIVERED nv
PRESIDENT NILFORD WOODRUFF
Al rur
General Conference, IN ho Tabernacle,
Sat Lito Cny, Njnday Nora.
ing, dprR q, 1891.
DISCO u X : Il

have few thoughts and reflections
would like 10 present 10 my friends,
the Latter.day saints. finy.two years
ago the twenty.sixth day ofthis month
stood upon the Temple Block la Far
West. Joseph sVlth, Hyrum Smith,
Farley ~ Pratt and others were In
prison. The Lord had given n rcve.
lstion and commanded Us, as tho Apos'
ties, to no there upon that occasion 10
lay the foundation Of that Temple. lie
appointed day aud n date on which
we were commanded to perform this
work. Then all was peace In Caldwell
County, whore we dwelt. The Lord
perfectly understood what would take
place before that time came. When
the time came 10 fulfil this revelation
the Lstter.day Saints were In Illinois,
they having been driven ont of Nilsson.
ii. The spirit Of opposition WINS No
great that our lives were In jeopardy In
returning there TO perform the rcvcla'
ton. When the day came for us to 20
there our Prophet was In prison for the
Word Of God aud testimony Of Jesus.
When We converscd with our patriarch
and leading men, they said the Lord
would take the will for the dcci. They
did not think II was wisdom for Us TO
no; for Missourians had sworn by all
the gods Ia existenc. that II all tho
other revelations aud prophecies OF
"Joe Smithv had been fulfilled. that
this one should not he, because there
was day and date TO II. After hear.
Ing the views OF Father Smith AMI
Others Of tho brethren, Brother brig
ham Young asked the Twelve what
their feelingr were with regard To this.
We told Brother brigham that the
Lord God had spoken and we were
ready 10 obey, ami leave the event Ia
His hands. We did. We went there.
We arrived Mt TINT placc, according Ia
that revelation md commandment, on
the Goth day of April, 1880. We laid
the corner ston. OF that Temple, with
Father Cutler, who had been appointed
u oversee that building. After that
stone was laid we knelt upon II, aud
Brother Geo. A. Smith aud myself,
who Ind been called by revelation 10
I'LL the places u some who had fallen,
were ordained Apostles under the
hands OF brigham Young, Heber G.
Kimball, Otron Pratt, John Taylor
aud John T.. Page. There was mum.
Der present. But they are all today In
tlfc spirit world, excepting myself, 10
far n know. ! name this, because |
wish TO say here to this congregation
that during these flfty.two years that
arc past aud gone have had the OPP
portunlty OF bearing my testimony 10
many OF the nations Of the earth
and Islands OF the seas aud
10 the L1tter.day Saints. And
as | know not how long | may
ttill have this privilege In the iicsh,
.eol It my duty ~ bear my testimony
today 10 this people upon u few prlncl-
plcs, aud 0ne Is the subject upon which
treated u little yesterday.
There are n few people who PROBES.
u believe that the Church has not had
the living principle Of revelation from
heaven anu the blessings Of God with
II slucc the death Of the Prophet
Joseph m II had while he lived. want
10 say to these Latter.dny Saints that
travelled with Joseph Smith thous-
nnd miles la 1884 for the redemption OF
hhA AhNNNNhAls lNAfNt hlt
perhaps half dozen mcn Ia this con.
gregatiOn today who were In that camp
lZiOn's camp.l We we're with that
Prophet OF Cod. We heard his tv-ti.
monies. We saw his revelations full
filled. | WIS with him when lac 70.
celved that revelation given on Fish.
Ing River. or course, We know that
he was Prophet OF God, and that he
HALL fhA L..kn ~ Ll.as..Nas.. % 1a.l
We knew the Inspiration OF Almighty
God was with him, aud i'iat when he
prophesied II came d, pats. Those who
are here today, Brother Gates, Brother
Noble, and perhaps others, who were
present on that occasion, will remom.
Der the day that Joseph Smith called
this camp together. We were all well.
There was no disease nor sickness Ia our
camp. Hut he told US what awaited US.
He gave US 10 understand that there
was TO DO n cbastisrment visit our
camp. He told IN the reason. He
had given counsel 10 the brethren with
regard 10 many things, and number
OF them had dlsobeyed that counsel.
They did not understand anu apprecl.
ate fully his position and standing M u
Prophet OF God. "Yes," says he, "you
think OF 10 Ms n boy, like the rest OF
you, but you will understand soon that
l occupy "a position where God governs
and controls me-" Those who were
present know the feelings that we had.
There was not n dry eye Ia camp. lilo
stood upon a wagon ana told us tho
Judgments OF God would visit our camp
and we would he chastisod. These
things came TO pass. This day that VIZ
landed the destroying angel visited our
camp, aud, OF course, there was sorrow.
do not know the number that went
10 the grave, but somewhere about
fourteen, think. Then We understood
that we had Prophet In our midst.
We knew very well that what no said
would come 10 pass. Well, everything
that was done In that camp, going and
returning, record OF It, In n measure,
has been kept. During that thousand
miles Journey the word Of the Lord was
given unto us, aud We fully understood
We were being led by Prophet Of God.
We realized that all the way through
thnt mission.
Now, | want To say that | have
Travelled with Joseph Smith good deal
IN my day. | was associated with him
more or less from the spring Of 1894 to
the day OF his death, | know, ~ do
my brethren who were associated with
him, that he was u Prophet OF God
One VI the greatest prophets God ever
raised upon the earth. As | said
yesterday, he received revelations
upon every subject necessary for the
Organization OF the Church-the organ
nation Of the Twelve Apostles: OF the
Seventies, OF the High Councils, OF the