Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-25
Anniversary Of His Birth CsIe.
brated in the Sixteenth Ward,
PLEASING "REMINISCENCES.
Associates OF the Prophet speak Of
Ills Great aud Good Character
Thirteen Relatives Present.

A very interesting meeting was held
In the Sixteenth ward assembly rooms
Saturday night, IN honor Of the birth Of
the Prophet Joseph Smith The walls
We're adorned with numerous portraits
OF various members Of the Smith fam
n.y. and others who were associated
with the Prophet through the stormy
days Of Missouri and Illinois.
Among others. there We're ON the
stand. President Joseph f, Smith Pa
triarch John Smith. Bethsheba w.
Smith. Mrs. Lucy W. Smith, Lorln Farr,
Bishop Emery and Counselors c. w.
Spencer and Hop Pender
The meeting was opened by Bishop
Emery, who said that these meetings
were In honor Of the birth Of the Prophet
Joseph and had been established By
his predecessor, Bishop Kesler, and he
felt that they should continue. He ad-
vised all the young and old TO read the
life Of the prophet, for In that they
would learn many valuable lessons.
Bishop Emery was followed by quar-
tette composed OF George d. Piper, Ii.
. LhrlbHs W llldla NHilntoPhNi sun anu
James Dunbar.
Elder Lorin Farr Of Ogden then
spoke briefly, his remarks being eulo-
Cystic OF the prophet, whom he had
known while a child. He related many
incidents In his youth while living In
the Smith family. that illustrated the
noble spirit that presided In that fam
lily. Joseph Smith he regarded as the
noblest and greatest man he had ever
known.
Bishop George Romney followed,
speaking very enthusiastically OF his
acquaintance with the prophet. Al
though he was boy the great man mad
more influence over him than any man
he had ever met. He loved him before
he was old enough to realize that he
was prophet OF God. Bishop Romney
said he had heard Joseph Smith
speak by inspiration and the
effect 1t had upon him, he was
unable to describe. The speaker
recalled that awful DIV when
the prophet was killed. When the Lat
ter-day Saints We're wrought up to
pitch Of excitement which had never
been manifested by them before or
since. and If God had not restrained
them they would have done something
desperate, Bishop Romney testified
that he knew that Joseph Smith was
Prophet OF God, and that his mantle
fell upon Brigham Young. The people
may be driven and bounded, but they
could endure i,, because they know
they have the truth
Miss Bessie Edmunds then sang a
solo, with much sweetness, and was
followed by the reading Of chapter on
the early lie Of the Prophet, by Inez
Smith
Lucy Walker Smith, wife of the
Prophet was then introduced. She
bore testimony 10 the fine moral char
acter of Joseph Smith, whom she knew
20 have been a man Of purity and honor.
She also spoke OF the Prophets first
wife, Emma and told how that good wo-
man was tried beyond conception when
the law Of polygamy was introduced by
her husband. She had always been a
true and faithful wife rendering her
husband great aid, because she was
very intelligent, and possessed Of ster-
ling qualities, but the law Of plural
marriage was the trial OF her lIfe The
speaker also looked upon the system
with great aversion until after the
Prophet had explained II 10 her. that
1t was not for yoluDtuous love, but be-
cause God had commanded IL. and
promising her that the Lord would set
her mind al rest concerning the mat
ter she was sa tisfied And Subsequent
ly, while praying earnestly In her room
she was visited by great light and re- !
ceived testimony that the principle was
true. After the death OF Joseph Smith, |
she became the wife OF Heber c. Kim |
ball She spoke In high terms Of En- |
ma Smith, the wife Of the Prophet, |
whom she said was woman OF grand |
heart and brain, but she had made her
mistakes.
The speaker alluded to the violent |
manner in which many OF the early per-
secutors OF the Saints had come to their
death, some Of these deaths being the
most horrible, as had been predicted
many times,
George D. Pyper sang "Hosannah" In
a style and voice that he seldom eclips-
IS.
Mrs Elizabeth T. Roundy spoke a
short time. She had known the Prophet,
and the Influence OF his noble charac-
ter had never left her She believed
him 20 be the nobest and best man
that had ever lived, since the Savior
A duet was sung by Evan Stephens
and Willard Christopherson.
There were thirteen relatives Of the
Prophet present. and sixteen who had
Known him.
The Lone Grave" composed by the
Prophets youngest son, was rendered
1y Mrs. II. M. Dlnwoodey, and Joseph
:. Smith said that the sentiment that
vas expressed In II, was because the
composer did not know where his father
vas burned
After resolving 10 hold a similar meet
ng next year. the meeting was dis
missed by Patriarch John Smith, who
pronounced the benediction.