Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-12
Nobility of the
Mormon Pioneers
Discourse by Elder Orson F. Whitney, at the Funeral of
; Caudius " Spencer, Held January 7, 1910 in the
Twelfth Thirteenth Ward Chapel
tRcported by F. W. Ottcrstrom,

he dared do It, He was not a cow
ard. He wae like his father. He
would have come out In the face of the
whole world and proclaimed himself
Mormon. Lattcr-doy Saint, O lover
OF God and truth; and had his father
not been there to lead him into tho
fold, he would haze come In of him
self Who can doubt It?
TO Orson Spencer. tho brother of
Odnlel, owe personal debt of grati-
tudei for 1t was the reading of "Spen-
GERS Letters" that gave me my first
insight into the principles of the gos-
pei. These classics are not appreci-
ated as they should be: Spencers Let
ters-l read them while on the way to
my first mission field, as a youth of
Il. They had for me an absorbing
interest 1 saw shining through them
the purity and nobility Of the author:
ana admired his culture, for he was
man or education. 1t Is a mistake
10 suppose that the men and women
who laid the foundations of this work
were an inferior class All had hon
esty and Integrity. and many of them
culture and refinement: none moro
than the Spenccrs. Orson Spencer had
been Baptist minister. and his let
tors arc q classic argument written to
brother minister OF that church, In
NSSNhoc VI TIE utW Idltn ne naQ eS-
poused. Orson followed Daniel into
the fold; his brother Hyrum came also;
and they gathered to Nauvoo. taking
their parents with them. their families.
and their effects; and there Daniel
spencer rose to the prominence for
which he was in every way fitted He
succeeded Joseph Smith the Prophet as
mayor of Nauvoo; and when the time
came for the exodus Of the saints into
the wilderness. he was one of four
captains OF hundreds" who led the
first emigration to Salt Lake valley
the companies that followed immedl-
ately after the pioneers. ClaudIus V.
Spencer drove the second team in his
fathers hundred" arriving here in
September. 1S47. He had a full share
of the hardships and trials of those
primitive times; held positions of
prominence; was a member of the ter
ritorial legislature, a member of the
Salt Lake City council. and OF the high
council; filed missions at home and
abroad. and was instrumental in bring
Ing many people into the Church.
PICTURE OF PIONEER LIFE.
I want to read to you a sketch of
his early experiences In the Salt Lake
valley. Orson Spencer was not the
only member of the family who had
a literary gift. / consider this article
gem. 1t was written by Claudius
V. Spencer and published in the Ju-
venile Instructor 10 years ago. Those
who seek to detract from the sacrifices
and labors OF the Utah pioneers rep
resent that the service to civilization
rendered by that devoted band has
been greatly exaggerated. One prom
inent man. many years ago. before n
congressional committee, endeavored
to belittle the work done by the pio-
neers. He said:
why, 1 myself passed through Salt
Lake valley prior to the year 1S47. and
the dew on the grass wet my mocca-
sins as I rode horse back through the
meadows There WAS not a more in
wiling spot in the whole world than
Salt Lake valley when the Mormons
went there"
I place side by side with that state
mcnt the testimony of a man who came
to Salt Lake valley with the first i'm
migration Hear what Claudlus V.
Spencer says:
ITO appreciate properly the largo
ness OF soul of the heroes and hcroines
who pioneered this barren desert-to
enter even little into sympathy with
what they felt In thoir labors and dcs-
titutlon-we must know something of
the kind of people they were, the sta
lions of life in which they had moved
Their enemies would have the world
believe that they were ignorant for
eignerS from the slunns Of foreign cities
No greater libel was over uttered.
''The settlers who came hero in 1S47
were largely of the best families Of the
United States. portions of them de
scendants OF Puritan fathers. and OF
the early pioneers in the settlement OF
our great country: and few English
and Scotch families mingled with them
were the equals of their American as
sooiates. and memory fails to call up
n disrcputable family in the devoted
band. / don't believe the world ever
saw a moro noble, chivalrous, Cod
fearing association Of men and women
than those who first settled these val
loys. Before they were Mormons, liy-
ing in their own homes. they ranked In
the estimation of their townsmen
above par The records of probate
courts OF New England states show
that they were moro often than their
neighbors called to SIT on nrbitrations.
to be guardians and executors. have
In my mind five families prominent rs
merchants, real estate owners. and
stock men. cultured. wealthy and of
high esteem: all Joined our people In
an eastern town. One of them married
Senator Conkling'S sister / can gee
some OF these tonight as they used to
be in their eastern homes. I can SEE
them, too, ms they were fleeing from
Nauvoo. crossing the Mississippi on the
ice into the snow camps of Iowa Six
babies were born that night. no shell
ter. from the sevore cold but stretched
canvas: one woman WAS taken sick
with her garments beSpanglcd with ice
The little ones were kept alive by lying
between their parents. / can see them
shyering In tents, wagons and Ding
outs on the bleak banks of the Missouri
at Florence-see their wives and chill
dren In their Scantiness of apparel and
Punishment OF oldtimc food and com-
forts. I can see these old time NOR
chants travelling down to settlements
in Missouri. seeking for labor chop
ping wood. splitting radls-any menia'
service. to help At thcm out to go west
with Gods people the next spring.
Perhaps tho greatest face study
ever offered was In the afternoon and
evening OF the day OF the arrival Or
this camp. Here around the camp
fires were some families who had trav-
eled with teams over 5000 miles TO
found new homo In the center OF
desert whose extent reached in every
direction nearly 1000 miles.
Except some few willows fringing
q moistened spot, a few trees near
distant creek, a little grass by
spring-all else. a sun-b Drowned heath
and scorched barrenness. In the mar
row space OF their wagon boxes was
all their wealth, everything OF this
worlds goods. The waving forest, the
-Iu Aa vn1N az - rf..1