Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-03-07


was was here last Ithink Il was
thirteen or fourteen years ago; 1t was
while President Taylor was living
Various causes have contributed TO pre-.
vent visits here. OF course, the Twelve
Apostles visit lhe Stakes regularly but
/ have felt impressed OF late that the
FIRST Presidency should also 90 around
md visit the people as Tar as possible
one reason that we have not done this
10 greater extent has been President
WooduTs inability to endure the iaii.
que Of travel. His health Is excellent,
lot one Of his age, and he is able to per.
form good deal Of labor; but he can
not travel around as he once did. |
hope, however, that President Smith and
myself will be able 10 visit the confer
tnces and let the people see MS, and We
see the people, because strange con-
diton Of feeling has arisen among the
l.atter.day Saints concerning the author
tiles Of the Church. We hear things
said concerning them that to me are ex-
ceedingly painful. Misrepresentation,
not to say calumny, has been INDUCED
ia concerning the First Presidency Of
the Church and some Of the Twelve to
au extent that never believed possible
among the Lalter.day Saints. There
are causes for this, with which doubt
less the most Of you are familiar
Politics has caused serious divisions and
feelings in various quarters, and men
have allowed their tongues to say things
which in their cooler moments aud
when under the influence OF the Spirit
Of God they would shrink from. / do
not know that have heard Of any talk
Of this kind being INDUCED In in this
Stake; but in some Stakes 1t has been
INDUCED in TO a very dangerous extent.
Now, desire to say to you, my
brethren and sisters. that the First
Presidency OF the Church Of Jesus Christ
OF Lalter-day Saints have been. individ-
ually and as q body, laboring with entire
singleness Of purpose and with entire
devotion TO the work Oi God and It's
promotion In the earth. II may not be
improper for me, as one OF that Council,
to make this statement, because ! am
thoroughly familiar with the motives,
with the spirit aud with the action Of the
First Presidency. President WillOrd
Woodruff, who holds the keys on the
earth at the present time, Is man In
whose praise II IS, hope, unnecessary
ior me TO speak, Those who know him
know that a more innocent, guileless,
uufe, loyablc man never lived upon the
face OF the earth. There may have been
men with greater giits-men greater ia
other directions; but certainly no puter
man, no more uuaSsuming man has ever
lived. / have been familiar with the
leading men OF this Church from my
boyhOod up, aud with some Of them as
intimate as one man could be with
another, and ! speak in this manner IN
regard TO President Woodruff with en-
lire confidence and know that that which
/ say Is borne out by the facts Of his lille,
lie laboTs with diligence and zeal
that sometimes think too great Tor one
OF his advanced years. Those who
know him personally must be aware,
and those VINO do not know him person.
ally must have heard, that he Is one OF
the hardest working men We have ever
had among us. Tue Lord has been with
him, and has revealed His mind and will
TO him. The Lord has sustained him,
and the Lord has blessed every man and
woman who has listened to his counsel,
ana has borne tesl imony by the blessings
which lie has bestowed that Il was HIS
will that the CUunsels OF Ills servant
WliOrd should be listened TO AM obey
ed by the Latter.day SAINTS. OF Presl'
dent Smith and myself will not speak,
farther than to say that We have en-
deavOfed, to the extent Of our ability
and OF the power which God has given
Us, TO sustain our President, to be one
with him, and to carry out AS lar as we
could that which the Lord has revealed
through him and to us as the l'lTst
Presidency. We have helped bear his
burdens, and % have labuTed with such
diligence as we could IN this direction,
ana feel led to say here this afternoon
that We have laboTed with all purity and
singleness OF purpose, with entire de.
voliun and upselhshness in the cause Of
our God, Ia Sustaining HIS work and In
performing the duties that devolye upon
us as the Presidency OF the Church. We
have not spared ourselves IN any direc-
ton to accomplish this, and have sought
with all the faith and power that God
has given unto US TO know the mind and
will oi God concerning this people and
THIS work, so that we might he able TO
perform the duties OF the responsible
station that we hold, We have not
sought this position. President Wood
ruiz, you well know, Is not man that
had ambition or inspiration OF this
character. When | was first called to
be a counselor to President Taylor, |
besought him and the Council with all
the energy OF my soul not TO call me TO
act IN that position, but to call some one
else; for felt thai everyone Oi the Council
was more fitted ioT that position than !.
And when President Woodruff called
President Joseph +. Smith to be his
counselor, he expressed himself IN the
same manner and besought President
Woodruff not to choose him. or at least
TO select someone else in preference TO
himself. In this spirit we have accepted
the duties OF our postluns-not Tor
personal qualification, not to give us
prominence, but 10 do that which we
have felt to be the will OF God. And
do know that God chose MILFORD Wood.
ruil, that God chose Joseph +, Smith,
and that God chose George .. Cannon
to be the First Presidency OF this
Church. can bear testimony to that
with all my heart.
wish to say further In this connec-