Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-30

I Intellect. lie did not read euperiici
aiiy,i however, neither lid he adopt
the views Of writer's unless hlt owl
! Judgment approved of TINT which
they said. lie was nu indcpond
.ent thinker In this respect anc
possessed literary ability IN . marked
degree. Years ago Dr. Bernhiycl and
myself exchanged views about Brother
| W,lls,whcn lac was IN the habit " writ
Ing rapcfs which were not credited 10
him, but which, nevertheless we're the
carnations ~ his pen. DR.. B,rnhisei
used then 10 Observe how extrnonlin.
nry u was that ono having had 10 few
educational advantages was able 10
prepare such mnslerly documents NJ
lie diu. have been similarly struck
myself. AS n speaker he was not 40
strong rs ho wnsas n writer, and yet how
olicn has IL been said that the reports u
his discoures always formed de-
| llghtnil reading. He convened
his thoughts tersely and luold-
| ~. Every onu who read his lis.
courses was pleased with them: III.
matter was far better than the manner
OF delivery. Brother Wells was a man
OF great Intellect, therefore n man OF
power among his fellows. IA TO his
future we need have no concern,
though his death has brought us sad.
neet, because We have been deprived
Of his society.
lie had been sufferer for somo
time. We had fclt for som, year, that
he might pnss away nj almos. any
time. When he WINS on his last
European mission word came
frequently respecting tho pro.
carious condition Of his health.
u was this, In fact, which haatcuel
his release, II being thought that uu.
less he soon returned lac would perhaps
die away from home. Aud when hc
did return he was quite feeble.
II was. happy inspiration that
prompted tho selection Of Brother
Wells IA President Of the MantI TEN.
pie. ! believe this added years 10 his
life; II gave him occupation Of most
congenial kind. IL placed him IN
position where he could employ him.
self, AMI where bo could feel that ho
was doing great amount OF good. He
was not rtisting cut, dying unnoticed.
the position was one which enabled
him 10 t,c useful 10 Others and 10 .xer.
ci-e his powers. The last time |
visited Manti was In company with
Brother Lyman, few weeks ago.
There was 4 conference In S,npUtc, nj
Ephraim, aud before Il concluded We
decided 10 40 10 Manti aud hold q
meeting la the evening. President
Wells had not been able 10 attend tho
conference M thc weather was stormy,
aud Il was not NJ for him 10 10 out.
We, however, Joined him NJ the Manti
Temple aud took our meal with him.
| remarked 10 Brother LymaU at that
time that ! feared Brother Wells was
not long for this lie. could SEQ
change In him-thnt he was mora
feeble than | had observed him for
some tlmo. Strangely enough, he
came horo without our learning Of IL.
wo were very busy nj the time
aud when Tho news of his
Illness first reached Us We sup
posed he was sllll nj Mantl. IL was
not until q remark was made 10 tho
private secretary 10 send n dispatch TO
Alnnil 10 lcafu ot his condition that
We heard he was IN this city. II was
a surprise tou.. | last saw him thfCn
hDurs before his death, and although |
knew how feeble lie was, | little
thought he was going 10 die 40 soon.
| He was ahle 10 talk the evening before
his death, when somr Of u- visited him.
He appeared cheerful, had good
many pleasant things 10 say, and was
u little inclined TO Joke. Ia fact, his
manner led me 10 hope that perhaps
he would pull through. Hut when
saw him the next morning " scented
% though very serious change
had taken place; yet had
little Idea that within thrto
hours hu would deIarts lfom Us.
Brethren and sister, | thank God for
| the men that lie has raised ~ In our
gonrratlOn;I thank God for such nian
| NJ Daniel n. Wells, | have thanked
| Him that ! WINS barn IN the time "
such mon, aud that we have been assoc
clatcd with such or Joseph Smith,
Hyrum Smith brigham Young, aud
| host OF Others whose Nantes might be
mentioned. loved these men m
would the angels, because | know the
purity OF tholr motives. know their
courage, that they were determined TO
keep tho commandment, Of dod.
When such men pass away, | feel that
II IL a great loss 10 US, not only a. a
community, but personally. | am
thankful that we have some still spared
To us, that we have the benefit Of their
experience and the advantage Of their
counsel In our midst, mon who have
been true and faithful all the days OF
their life.
After the martyriom OF Joseph
| Smith, President Young, In addressing
n congregation, made a nnark which,
though was but boy ut the time, 40
fastened Itself upon my mlnd that |
have never forgotten II. Speaking Of
Sidney Rlgdon and other men In the
Church hu sald, contrasting those mcn
with Rigdon, "rhcfe are many among
us whose knees have never tremblcd,
whose hands have never shaken, whose
hearts have never failed" And this
il true. There are mon among
the Latter day Saints who
amidst the greatest perils have
never trembled nor thought "
wavoring either TO tho right hand
or 20 the left 10 save Themselves.
Daniel II. Wells was ono OF
the most prominent among them all.
the peer OF the strongest, the peer OF
the most courageous, the pcor Of tho
best men among us. | pray God TO
bless his posterity; invoke the blcs-
sings OF our Eternal Father upon them,
that their hearts may bo comforted In
the midst OF their distress; for II II
distress 10 part with such ~ he. They
viii miss him, no doubt; but God u
able 10 console them and 10 M their
hearts with peace aud Joy. | pray
God to bless this congregation, TO pour
out His Spirit upon us all, to NJ US
with good aud heavenly desires, help
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