The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-02-25
APOSTLE EZRA T. BENSON
HONORED BY DESCENDANTS
REVIEW Of LIFE OF GREAT MISSIONARY
PIONEER AND HOME BUILDER
PROGRAM OF REUNION HELD IN The FOURTH WARD
HALL LAST WEDNESDAY

to be his fathers cousin. He lived a
Griggsville. Illinois, where Ezra con
cluded to stop.
He was still unsettled in his feel
ings and only remained a short time
when he moved to Lexington, Ill.
thence to the mouth of Little Blue
river, where he and man by the
name of Isaac Hill located and laid
out town and named It Pike.
At this place he built dwelling and
o warehouse, but the place was sick
ly and his restless spirit led him to
move onward. In 1889, early in the
year, he was led by his impression to
Quincy In search Of home. Soon az
ter he heard of the place he was i'm.
pressed to move theme, and here for
the first time in his life he met the
Latter-day Saints, who had just been
exiled from their homes in Missouri.
Becoming acquainted with their
history and sufferings, his sympathies
were enlisted. He heard they were
very peculiar in their views, yet in
conversation with them and listening
to their public discourses he was very
favorably impressed.
During the winter he boarded with
family of the Saints, whose faith
and department in the walks of life
led Brother Benson to hold them ip
high esteem.
About this time a public debate was
held in Quincy, IN which DR.. Nelson
opposed the doctrines of the Latter.
day Saints. The Prophet Joseph was
in attendance and Ezra r. Benson lis.
tened with honest attention to both
sides.
AT the conclusion of this debate he
was fully convinced that the princi-
pies of the Saints were superior to
those of their opponents and in per.
feet harmony with the Bible. While re.
joicing in their victory over the Cd.
II
Of joining the church.
He and his wife continued to hear
them and their doctrines were the
chief topic of conversation. His wife
declared the faith in the doctrines
and when the people who knew them
learned of their belief in "Mormonism"
they made determined effort TO pet
them Identified with a sectarian
church.
ABOUT this time Elders Orson HYDE
and John h, Page, on their way IN
Jerusalem preached in Quincy, and
all doubts, IL any still existed in the
hiind OF Ezra T. Benson, were remov.
ed He and his wife were baptized nv
the President of the Quincy branch
July 18th. 1910. From the time he
reached Quincy all desire to move left
MN. He was content, and when the
l'sht OF the Gospel was given to him
through obedience to the same no
knew why he wanted to go west and
why discomfort attended him in every
place until he reached Quincy, the
nome OF the Latter-day Saints. The
Lord led him by his own right hand
and prepared his heart and that of
MS wife to obey the truth and accom-.
plish the great work which Ezra r,
henson subsequently performed as a
servant of God, In the fall of 1910 AT
conference in Nauyoo, he was ordain-
ed an elder. Soon after his return To
quincy he was honored with a visit
nom President Hyrum Smith, who or.
dained him high priest and appoint.
ed him second counsellor in the pres
ldency of the stake recently organized
by President Hyrum Smith in that
place
In April, lS4l, he moved to Nauyoo.
purchased lot, built home and was
IN every way active in promoting the
growth of the church and the city of
Nauvoo.
June list, 1912, he went on a mission
to his native eastern states, performed
good work and returned in the fall
of 1S43.
In the month of May, 1874, he went
east with Elder John Pack and was
absent until they learned of the mar.
tyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith,
when they returned to Nauvoo. In the
fall OF 1914 be was called to be a
member of the high council in Nau,
VOC, and soon after was sent on an.
other mission to the Eastern states
He presided over the Boston confer.
ence until May, 1S45, when he was
counseled by the authorities OF the
church to gather up the saints in that
region and lead them to Nauvoo.
Upon his return he went TO work
the NauVno ta,,,I.