Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-24

PROPER TO have gatherings OF this kind
throughout the Church. There are
not many living now who were ac-
quAinted with the Prophet. some
who are here may be called 10 state
what they know OF him, 90 that the
young people here may be impressed
with the Gospel. Some remember one
thing and some another. The speaker
rotated incidents In the life Of the
Prophet. Saw him once throw man
out Of the house for insulting language.
IL was very proper action under the
circumstances. Once In the grove at
NauyOo,the Prophet addressed the con-
gregation from wagon. rememberthe
occasion we'll. The last time / saw the
Prophet wss acrose the river from my
fathers house. Ho had started
for the Rocky Mountains for tho put-
pose Of locating reating-place for the
Saints-a gathering place for the peo.
pie where they could worship God
without persecution. Some false
brethren raised n hue and cry that the
Prophet was fleeing from the flock
while tho wolves were approaching.
Jose ph was upbrAided by these false
brethren, who claimed he was a
false shepherd, anu returned.
watched him and my father cross
the Mississippi river. He went
10 Nauvoo aud Carthage, whore he
was killed, / know nc was Prophet
Of the living God. Angels mlnistertd
10 him, aud he behel1 the face OF the
Father and the Son. They appeared
to him, and the Father declared,
pointing 10 the Son, "rhis IL my be.
loved Son, hear ye Him." No man
Itylug 40 far aa HIsfnFy IUf,rpta IA az.
copt Joseph Smith, beheld the Father
anu the Son, From his FIRST vision
Joseph was prosecuted until his mar.
tyrdom vt 85 yoars Of age. lilo was one
VI the puTest, noblost and best
men that ever llved. He was filloi
with Joy and gladncss under all
circumslanocs,aud was full Of courage,
and his whole life was spent for tue
benefit OF the people. He laid the
foundation for tho great work We are
now engaged In, and which IL being
sent TO tho nations. This work, this
Gospel, will continue 10 spread I'LL II
covers the earth rs the waters cover
tho sea.
The list Of names, before given, Of
those present who were acquainted
with tho Prophet, was rehj.
TO the question whether there were
any present who were baptized by the
Prophet, Elder U. q. Workman aud
Sister RoGanA q. Trip stood up.
To the inquiry whether there was
any one who was ordained by the
Prophet, Elder Joseph g.. Kingsbufy
responded that he was ordained an
Elder by him at Kirkland, Ohio.
President Joseph II. Smith added
that Elder kingsbury was tho person
who made the first copy OF the reve-
lation on celestial marriage. William
Clayton wrote the revelation M II came
from tho mouth OF Joseph, apd Elder
Kingsbury made this frat copy. Pres.
dent smith raid Elder Kingsbury was
a man In whom the Prophet had abao.
Lutte oonfidence; who had never be-
trayed n trust reposed In him; and the
kind OF man who will stand the test
aud will In the end obtain eternal life.
Elder 4. IL. Is. Smith said he 70.
membered the Prophet coming TO his
fathers house, aud also recalled the
9Th OF June, 1874, when his father left
to assist Joseph aud Hyfum In their
distress. Elder Smith testified that he
knew Joseph TO be- a Prophet.
Bishop II. +. Burton, who had been
ordained TO the Priesthood under the
hands OF Patriarch Hyrum Smiih,lwAs
on guard at NEuv0O ht the time the
Prophet and Patriarch were mArtyred
In Carthage jail. Hs also described
the occasion when, at a subsequent
time, the congregation OF Saints beheld
the mantle OF Joseph fall on Brigham
Young. While ut that memorable
meeting all knew that Brigham was In
font Of them, II was the voice, tue
face, and the gestures VI JOseph. Bish-
Oh Burton also added his testimony
that he knew Joseph to DO a Prophet.
Sister Zina ID. III. Smith, wife OF the
| Prophet, also testified TO the divine
calling Of Joseph. She oorrObOrated
Bishop BurtOn's statement regarding
the occasion when tue mantle OF JO-
aoph reAted on Brigham Young.
| Sister Lucy Walker Smith, wife OF
tho Prophet, related an incident which
occurred At a prayer meeting, when
Joseph asked those present "Who do
| YOU suppose was with ua tOnigh t2n
One OF those present replied "Chrlst,"
whom the Prophet responded "The
Lord has revealed this unto your
Sister BathahebA w. Smith told
| OF having met and talked with
| the Prophet. She said the pictures ex.
/ ulllkNh W MN WNA' AeA AAAtNAhA HuI-
traits. Ho was a man OF handsome
appearance aud dlgnified presence.
Sister Rachel Grant, who went to
Nauvoo In 1913, visited friends In the
Prophets house, although she was not
acquainted with him as we'll As others
who had spoken. She had heard him
speak In New Jersey when she was a
Baptist, anu afterwards she had en-
braoed tho true faith.
Elder Angus NJ. Cannon said the
pictures exhibited OF Joseph were not
true llkenesses. He never had seen a
good picture OF him, and did not know
| where the one from which those usu.
| ally shown was obtained. He had
often aeon the Prophet with his wife
Emma, whom he loved deeply. The
night Joseph was slain there was u
terrible storm In Nauvoo and vicinity.
IL seemed Us though the very elements
were angry.
Patriarch John Smith also said tho
pictures OF Joseph were not good ones.
| Joseph was u handsome man, six feet
| Ia his stockings and weighed 2l2
pOunds. The speakers father, JOseph's
brother, was one.hRli an inch shorter,
but Uf equal weight Tue day they
started for Carthage his father left HE
watch ut home, and Patriarch Smith
still carTioa II.
Sister Roundy read an Interesting
biographical sketch OF the Prophet
|