Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-10-17

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW.
AS the President OF the Quorum OF
the Twelve Apostles. OF Nhich Brother
Thatcher Is a member, want to say a
few words in connection with this sub.
ect that has been introduced by Pfcsi.
dent Woodruff. feel II my duty, how.
ever unpleasant that duty may be to me,
70 testify to the truth OF what President
woodruff has said IN reference TO the
fellowship existing between Brother
Thatcher and our quorum. think IL
was seven years ago when the present
Presidency ol the Church was Organized,
aud then was appointed TO preside
over the quorum OF the Apostles
| duty and an obligation that | iclt the
utmost iBeOmpetcncy 10 discharge: and
yet believing aud knowing that Il was
| my duty to accept that position, was
satisfied that the Lord would aid aud
assist me In accomplishing the duties
pertaining To that sacred Office. | have
labofed actively ifom that day to the
| present 10 do that which / considered
my duty, to accomplish a perfect union
between every member OF that quorum,
and perfect union also with the First
Presidency ! felt the importance OF
this when took the position as Pfesl-
dent OF the Twelve, aud asked the
Lord to let me live until these duties
we're ACKNOWLEDGEMENT | could see
aud feel that every member OF the
quorum OF the Twelve Apostles was In
| perfect Fellowship with each other and
with the Fifst Presidency The brethren
OF the Twelve can answer now whether
that has been accomplished, and how
Tar Il has failed. Il has failed IN only
one single instance. and that has been
presented TO you BY President Wood.
run. There arc now Ut the quorum OF
the Twelve ten members SUING here
upon these stands. With these ten
brethren there Is now a perfect union
between themselves aud with the First
| Presidency.
distinctly remember peculiar
| circumstance In connection with this
subject IL was when perhaps $50
brethren were assembled IN the upper
hail OF the Temple. the object OF that
assembling was to gather means TO &C.
eomphsh the completion Of the Temple,
and that speedily. ! do not remember
now hos much we raised there, but II
was large sum, contributed by the
brethren present. On that occasion
| President George y. Cannon arose and
| spoke very ieeliug,y In reference TO the
perfect union that inen existed with the
Frs, Presidency This was about one
year before the dedication Of the TEN.
| ple,) In all matters pertaining to the In.
tefest OF the Church, both spiritual and
financial. Alter he got through, | dare
say that the people ihrrc-l thought 30.
at leasi-expected that ! would arse and
say something In fcictence TO the union
VI the quorum OF the Twelve Apostles.
did not do It. sat there In silence.
And never explained the reason to the
| quorum OF the Twelve, that | have any
remembrance of. why | sat there in
silence. am now going to explain L..
] thought my brethren had reasons to
expect that | would arise and speak IN
reference % union, could have
| spoken as loudly and as effectively IN
felctcnce to the union OF our quorum as
Brother Cannon IN reference to the
union OF the Fifst Presidency, with but
one single exception. That exception,
| regret TO say was Brother Moses
Thatcher. The brethren Of the quorum
will now understand why ! sat there In
silence.
The next day, think Il was, In going
up to Brigham City on the train,
Brother Thatcher and sat together.
there told him this circumstance that
have just told you. said to him that
II was on his accounI-thc love and
respect that | had for him-that | did
not arise and make him an exception.
| would have been compelled at that
time to have mentioned Brother Moses
Thatcher as an exception. There were
eleven OF us that were In perfect union,
which we had labored and toiied to
effect completely and strongly and
abundantly, But would not place him
In an unpleasant attitude before the
people. explained this TO him.
But thar was not the only time. The
night previous to the dedication OF the
Temple we ielt that the quorum OF the
Twelve ought all To be united, or per.
haps there would be something arise
that would prove OF a disagTesable char.
acter. We called the quorum together.
Every member was present. We
laboTcd and toiled at that meeting to
bring Brother Thatcher into a union
with us, hour alter hour. TIL about two
O'Clock nj the morning. I labored
diligently. | always thought good
deal Of Brother Thatcher. lie aud
always got along lovingly together; aud
he knows and will state II II he
ever comes to address the people, that
Brother Snow was one Of his particu.
lar friends and felt an interest for him
as deep rs any man IN the quorum.
We labored there with only one objec;
In view--to bring one member OF our
quorum into a perfect union with our
selves and with the First Presidency.
At last repeated TO Brother Thatcher
what ] have been telling you. told
him OF the sacrifice | made In my feel.
ings when had to keep silence, and
said could not do II any more; should
be obliged to get up before the gather.
ing IN the Temple aud state tnat our
quorum was IN perfect union-that Is, II
the subject came up, which II probably
would-cxcept In the case ct Brother
Thatcher. Well. we patched the thing
up, and he came to q conclusion that we
accepted at that time. How lar that
was really conclusion made In his
heart, AN not prepared TO say.
There was another time, perhaps a
year or a year and half ago, when we
sought To eiiecl 4 union with Bother
Thatcher and the quorum. We had a
pretty difficult time, aud Jailed. None
OF US felt satisfied.
About the last conversation had
with Brother Thatcher was in the
Temple, either at the last spring or fall
conference, We had prayed Tor him,
and We had sent some Of our most ex'
perienced brethren to talk with him
ufiyatsly and beg OF him to make thinps