The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-27

Gus, gave a short address, eminently
suited to the occasion.
He began with aquotation from the
New Testament "And their works do
follow them"
The works of Brother Abraham H
Cannon will follow him. He labored
for the welfare of Israel, and certainly
his departure from us is a heavy blow,
not only to his wife and children and
! relatives, but to us all.
l wish to say a few words to his fam
lily, those upon whom the shock has
come with particular force. Brother
George O. Cannon has borne this with
all the patience and humility that be-
long to his character. All through the
ordeal he has shown great composure
and reconciliation to the will of God
This blow came suddenly upon all and
it IS a heavy trial to bear. But there
are two ways to look upon the loss we
have sustained.
In speaking to his family, I have to
talk on the plurality of wives, sub
ject which for a long time 1 have left
alone in accordance with my public OBJ
servations. I refer to this because
want to refer to his character and the
course he pursued
The course we have taken in the past
in relation to the plurality of wives
| has been. in a measure, out of har-
mony with that of the rest of the
world. That doctrine was introduced
by God through Joseph Smith. 1t was
carried out by only small percentage
of the Latter-day Saints, until the time
came when the law of the land forbade
our carrying out that principle, and We
submitted to that law. But I want to
say this, and I want you to hear it.
There is not one particle of law on any
! OF the statute books of the United
| States, or any authority in any judge
of the United States, or in the president
himself that can make a man who has
wives and children send them into the
streets and make vagabondS of them.
Such a law would be very cruel law
Inasmuch as these women have been
taken under the law and given them
selves into our care. we are not justi-
fed in sending them homeless into the
streets. Any man in this church who
| has plurality of wives given to him,
who will not take care of his children,
is under condemnation before God. No
man is justified in that. Why? Be
cause they belong to him and to no one
! e. Sc. They belong to him for time and
eternity if he keeps the law of God.
| [ hope there is not a man in this
church who will throw off his wives
/ and children and leave them unsup-
ported. Brother Cannon, has manifest
! ed this principle and has carried it out.
/ He has provided for his wives; he has
done all in his power to lay a founda-
ton to make it comfortable for them
after his departure. He has been
blessed in this principle. Therefore
consider him justified, when he has
! finished his work here suddenly and
gone into the spirit world.
Brother Cannon has been a very Pc
cu.iar man. He has never complained.
He has lived to take great load upon
himself; he has attempted to do every
thing for the church and kingdom of
God wherever he has been. 1t is true,
his labor was cut short suddenly, but
/ he awaits the morning of the resur-
/ rection to come forth with his wives
and children and family and friends
and be united with them. I want to
say to his children, Brother Cannon
will be with you in his immortal glory
! and immortal body. Death cannot
destroy such men. When look upon