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JOSEPH SMITH
The Man from Nauvoo

Young People's History

of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints

Volume 2

VIDA E. SMITH, Author

Revising Committee: Eldmund L. Kelley, Richard S. Salyards

Issued by

HERALD PUBLISHING HOUSE

of the

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

LAMONI. IOWA

1918

JOSEPH SMITH V» HEN TWEXTV-ONE YEARS OLD

THE LIBRARY

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

PRO VO, UTAH

CHAPTER 1

Young Joseph at Nauvoo

IN THE beautiful city of Nauvoo young Joseph
Smith was quietly working and studying; some-
times thinking, too, about the work of his father.
There were men who talked to him about going out
to the western land and joining the rejected church,
where he had every reason to think he would be treated
almost like a king; but he knew how his mother had op-
posed that church and her reasons for doing it. There
really was no particular thing out there that he de-
sired; but he grew to believe that somewhere in the
M'orld there was a work for him to do and that work
was with his father's church.

He was married October 22, 1856, to a young
woman named Emma Griswold. They went to the
farm to live, and about a week later George A. Smith
, and Erastus Snow, from the rejected church, came to
call on young Joseph. They invited him to come to
Utah, but he told them he could not come to that
church and be part of it while it taught things that
were not right according to the Book of Mormon.

Three or four weeks later Samuel H. Gurley and
Edmund C. Briggs called on young Joseph. These
men were delegates from the church at Zarahemla,
Wisconsin, and they carried a message from the church
to this young man, telling him that the Spirit had told

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

them to come to him and tell him the time had come
for him to do his work."

'Our faith is not unknown to you, neither our hope in the regather-
ing of the pure in heart enthralled in darkness, together with the
means, to the accomplishment of the same; viz, that the seed of
him to whom the work was first committed should stand forth and
hear the responsibility (as well as wear the crown) of a wise master
builder — to close up the breach, and to combine in one a host, who,
though in captivity and sorely tried, still refuse to strengthen the
hands of usurpers. As that seed, to whom pertains this right, and
heaven-appointed duty, you cannot be unmindful nor indifferent. The
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob covenanted with them and their
seed. So the God of Joseph covenanted with him and his seed, that
In's word should not depart out of the mouth of Iiis seed, nor out of
the mouth of his seed's seed, till the end come. A Zerubbabel in
Israel art thou. As a nail fastened in a sure place, so are the prom-
ises unto thee to make thee a restorer in Zion — to set in order the
house of God. And the Holy Spirit that searcheth the deep things
of God, hath signified to us that the time has come. For, through
ffisting and prayer, hath the answer from God come unto us, say-
ing. Communicate with my servant Joseph Smith, son of Joseph
the Prophet. Arise, call upon God and be strong, for a deliverer art
thou to the Latter Day Saints. And the Holy Spirit is thy prompter,
'ihe apostles, elders, and Saints who have assembled with us, have be-
held the vacant seat and the seed that is wanting. And like Ezra of
old with his brethren, by the direction of the Holj^ Spirit have we sent
faithful messengers to bear this our message to you, trusting that you
will l)y their hands notify us of your readiness to occupy that seat, and
answer to the name and duties of that seed. For this have our prayers
been offered up without ceasing for the last five years. We are as-
sured that the same Spirit that has testified to us, has signified the
same things to you. Many have arisen, perverting the work of the
Lord. But the good and the true are throughout the land waiting
the true successor of Joseph the Prophet, as president of the church
and of the priesthood. In our publication — sent to you — we have
shown the right to successorship to rest in the literal descendant of
the chosen seed ; to whom the promise was made, and also the manner
of ordination thereto. We cannot forbear reminding you that the com-
mandments as well as the ])romises given to Joseph, your father, were
given to him, and to his seed. And in tlie name of our Master, even
Jesus Christ, as moved upon by the Holy Ghost we say. Arise in the
strength of the Lord and realize those promises by executing those
commandments. And we, by the grace of God, are thy helpers in re-
storing the exiled sons and daughters of Zion to their inheritances in
the kingdom of God and to the faith once delivered to the Saints.

Holding fast that which is good and and resisting evil, we Invoke the
blessings of the God of Israel upon thee and ujion all .Saints, for whom
we will ever pray.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S IIISrORY 5

These things occurred in 1856, but as early as 1853
young Joseph had thought on them. With his three
brothers, Frederick, Alexander, and David, he lived
as other young men in the quiet little town on the river.
They were pleasant companions and went into the so-
ciety of the town as other boys and young men, mak-
ing friends and taking part in the town life. From
this wonderful fall of 1856 on until the spring of 1860,
young Joseph and members of his family talked at
times about the church at Zarahemla.

Edmund C. Briggs w^as full of earnest words and
stayed for months with the family of Joseph Smith.

As the years went by young Joseph became inti-
mate in his correspondence Avith William jNIarks. This
man had been his father's friend. Many years before
in the history we read the story of a vision had by
Joseph Smith the Seer in which William ^Nlark was
seen to take a part, when the Lord told him, "I will
raise thee up for a blessing unto many people." '

When the spring of 1860 came, young Joseph knew
that April 6 would find the church at Amboy, meet-

-I saw in a visiion while on tlie road, that whereas he was closely pui--
sued hy an innumerable concourse of enemies, and as they pressed upon
him hard, as if they were about to devour him, and had seemingly ob-
tained some degree of advantage over him, but about this time a chariot
of fire came, and near the place, even the angel of the Lord put forth
liis hand unto Brother Marks, and said unto him, "Thou art my son,
come here," and immediately he was caught up in the chariot, and rode
away triumphantly out of their midst. And again the Lord said, "I will
raise thee up for a blessing unto many people." Now the particulars of
this whole matter cannot be written at this time, but the vision was evi-
dently given to me that I might know that the hand of the Lord would
be on his behalf.

g YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

ing to do business. For years now they had spent
hours fasting and praying that God would send his
Spirit to young Joseph and lead him into his work.
In March, he wrote to William Marks that he was
prepared to receive them. That was joyful news to
the man who had prayed so long. Elder ISIarks came
with Israel Rogers and William W. Blair and coun-
seled Avith the man from Nauvoo, and his mother,
Emma Smith Bidamon.

YOUNG PEOPLES HISTORY

CHAPTER 2

Young Joseph Takes His Place

WHEN April 4 came in Nauvoo, it was a
stormy day. The wind swept across the Mis-
sissippi River, cold, and full of rain. Big
waves dashed their white foam and it was dangerous to
be upon the waters. Young Joseph and his mother
crossed the river in the morning in a small boat.
The man who rowed the boat was a dear friend of the
family, named James Gifford, and he had with him
another man to help. Wlien they landed at Montrose,
Iowa, they were met with the spray, but determined
to go on. From here they had the railroad train to
carry them and they reached Amboy safely. Then,
the evening of the 6th, the young man realized what it
had meant when the Lord had told the Saints that
"young Joseph would come in 1860." When the peo-
ple gathered in the meeting and when Elder Zenos H.
Gurley, sr., spoke to the people about "the fulfillment
of the word of the Lord" the whole people sobbed
aloud in their joy and gladness. Of course the news-
papers had the story in them and the young man from
Nauvoo found himself suddenly with much responsi-
bility and a wonderful new feeling in his heart.

It was a stately and solemn proceeding when young
Joseph took his place. On the evening before the

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

commencement of conference, a prayer meeting was
held at the home of Stephen J. Stone. It was into
this assembly of Saints that Emma Smith Bidamon
and her son Joseph were ushered. As they came in,

Mechanics Hall, Amboy, Illinois

the Saints arose and stood weeping for joy. Then
followed prophecies, and tongues with interpreta-
tions, witnessing that this young man Avas truly called
to ])e a prophet, the successor of his father.

Young Joseph, not yet twenty-eight years old.
made a short speech, telling the Saints that he would
meet witli tliem to-morrow and if the same spirit

YOUNG PKOrLE'S HISTORY 9

l)rompted his reception that had prompted him to
come, he should "be with" them.

The next day the conference met in a public hall,
called Mechanics Hall. Isaac Sheen, in a Saints' Her-
ald editorial, tells of this meeting and declares it
impossible to describe the exceeding great joy. It
was glorious; even in the "old organization" there
never was any greater demonstration of the Spirit.

In the afternoon of April 6, at 1.30, the morning
having been devoted to organizing and preaching,
after the preliminary of prayer and song, Joseph
Smith came forward and Elder Zenos H. Gurley, sr.,
said: "I present to you, my brethren, Joseph Smith,"
and young Joseph delivered the address quoted in
the papers.

At its close, Elder Gurley, his face alight with joy,
stood up by his side, and there was a motion made by
Isaac Sheen that young Joseph be received as a
prophet, the successor of his father. This carried ; then
Elder Gurley said with much earnestness: "Brother
Joseph, I present this church to you in the name of
Jesus Christ," and with his eyes running over with
tears the young man said: "May God grant in his
infinite mercy that I may never do anything to for-
feit the high trust confided to me. I pray that He
may grant to us power to recall the scattered ones of
Israel, and I ask your prayers." Then followed his
address :

^'orxc I'l'-oi'i.K's iiisroitv

"J would say to yuu, brethren, as 1 hope you may
be, and in faith I trust you are, as a people that God
has promised his blessings upon, I came not here of
myself, but by the influence of the Spirit. For some
time past I have received manifestations pointing to
the position which I am about to assume.

"I wish to say that I have come here not to be dic-
tated by any men or set of men. I have come in
obedience to a power not my own, and shall be dic-
tated by the power that sent me.

"God works by means best known to himself, and I
feel that for some time past he has been pointing out
a work for me to do.

"For two or three years past deputations have been
waiting on me, urging me to assume the responsibil-
ities of the leadership of the church; but I have an-
swered each and every one of them that I did not
wish to trifle with the faith of the people.

"I do not propose to assume this position in order
to amass wealth out of it, neither have I sought it as
a profit.

"I know opinions are various in relation to these
matters. 1 liave conversed with those who told me they
would not liesitate one moment in assuming the high
and powerful position as the leader of this people.
But I have been well aware of the motives which might
be ascribed to me — motives of various kinds, at the

VOL'NC; I'EOIM.K'S HISTOHV ^^

foundation of all which is selfishness — should I come
forth to stand in the place where my father stood.

"I have believed that should I come without the
guarantee of the people, I should be received in blind-
ness, and would be liable to be accused of false motives.
Neither would I come to you without receiving favor
from my heavenly Father.

"I have endeavored as far as possible to keep my-
self unbiased. I never conversed with J. J. Strang,
for in those days I was but a boy, and in fact am now
but a boy. I had not acquired a sufficient knowledge
of men to be capable of leading myself, setting aside
the leading of others.

"There is but one principle taught by the leaders
of any faction of this people that I hold in utter abhor-
rence; that is a principle taught by Brigham Young
and those believing in him. I have been told that my
father taught such doctrines. I have never believed
it and never can believe it. If such things were done,
then I believe they never were done by divine author-
ity. I believe my father was a good man, and a good
man never could have promulgated such doctrines.

"I believe in the doctrines of honesty and truth.
The Bible contains such doctrines, and so do the Book
of Mormon and the Book of Covenants, which are
auxiliaries to the Bible.

"I have my peculiar notions in regard to revelations,
but am happy to say that they accord \^^th those I am

]2 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HLSTORY

to associate with, at least those of them with whom I
have conversed. I am not very conversant with those
books [pointing to a volume before him], not so con-
versant as I should be and will be. The time has been
when the thought that I should assume the leadership
of this people was so repulsive to me, that it seemed
as if the thing could never be possible.

"The change in my feelings came slowly, and I did
not suffer myself to be influenced by extraneous cir-
cumstances, and have never read the numerous works
sent me which had a bearing on this subject, for fear
they might entice me into wrongdoing. It is my de-
termination to do right and let heaven take care of the
result. Thus I come to you free from any taint of
sectarianism, taints from thoughts of the varied minds
I have come in contact with ; and thus hope to be able
to build up my own reputation as a man.

"It has been said that a Mormon elder, though but
a stripling, possessed a power unequaled by almost
any other preacher. This arises from a depth of feel-
ing, and the earnestness with which they believe the
doctrines they teach; and it is this feeling that I do
not wish to trifle with.

"I know that Brigham Young is considered a man
of talent, by some a bold and fortunate man, and by
others an unscrupulous and bad man, accordingly as
circumstances differ.

"Should you take me as a leader, I propose that

YOUNG PEOi^LE'S HISTORY ig

all should be dealt by in mercy, open as to Gentile or
Jew; but I ask not to be received except as by the
ordinances of the church.

"Some, who had ought to know the proprieties of
the church, have told me that no certain form was
necessary in order for me to assume the leadership —
that the position came by right of lineage ; yet I know
that if I attempted to lead as a prophet by these con-
siderations, and not by a call from heaven, men would
not be led to believe who do not believe now. And
so I have come not of my own dictation to this sacred
office.

"I believe that we owe duties to our country and
to society, and are amenable to the laws of the land,
and have always considered it my duty to act upon
this principle; and I do say that among the people
where I live I have as many good and true friends as
I could desire among those of any society.

"The people of Hancock County have been strongly
anti-Mormon, and there I know of no enemies. I
have been engaged in business with anti- Mormons, I
have mingled Avith them, and have not only been
obliged not to make any remarks which might give
offense, but also to smother my own feelings, if I had
any. I hold no enmity to any man living who has
fought this doctrine; nor do I know any who hold
enmity towards me. I hope there are none.

"In conclusion, I will come to you if you will re-

14 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

ceive me, give my ability, and the influence my name
may bring, together with what little power I possess ;
and I trust by your prayers and faith to be sustained.
I pledge myself to promulgate no doctrine that shall
not be approved by you or the code of good morals.

"I have my shortcomings, but I trust as a leader
I shall do nothing to lead astray. If I do so, I shall
expect condemnation; for I am satisfied that this
people, governed by the same policy, would serve me
worse than they have Brigham Young before, for I
would be wholly deserted.

"A gentleman from Utah informs me that a major-
ity of Brigham Young's people were restive — not sat-
isfied with their condition — but dared say nothing.
That those who preached and those who practiced his
teachings were, in reality, the old fogies of the insti-
tution, the younger taking a different view of matters.

"I do not care to say any more at present, but will
simply add that if the same Spirit which prompts my
coming, prompts also my reception, I am with you."
— True Latter Day Saints' Herald, vol. 1, pp. 102-
104.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S IlISTOKY ^5

CHAPTER 3

First Works of President Smith

APRIL 7, the next day, a list of names was
handed to President Smith; names of people
who were to be put out of the church. He
shook his head ; he would have no action in the matter
because it was not charitable. This was the keynote of
all his future work.

Young Joseph was no longer popular in the society
that had known him in Nauvoo. Some men tried to
make the people in Illinois feel indignant over his
action. Some told him not to preach or pray in Han-
cock County or they would treat him like they had his
father and the rejected church. But others wanted
him to stay in Nauvoo, hoping the Saints would come
back and make it a busj^ growing city. He stayed
for five years, but the Lord did not send his Spirit to
lead the Saints to Nauvoo and save it from decay and
ruin. It was then he accepted the office of editor of
the Saints' Herald, and moved to Piano, Illinois, mak-
ing the change in January, 1866. In March, 1869,
three years later, he buried his wife, Emma Griswold
Smith, at Nauvoo, near the grave of Joseph Arthur,
his first little son. I^ater he married Bertha Madison,
who in time became the mother of children, one of
whom was named Frederick ISIadison Smith and was

l(j YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

destined to fill his father's place as leader of the
church.

There is no more beautiful document than the one
written by young Joseph, calling the Saints to return
to the church.

"the first general epistle of the president of

THE reorganized CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER DAY SAINTS

"To All the Scattered Saints: In view of the many
reports now in circulation, and to show to all the
scattered Latter Day Saints that I am a true son
of a true father, I, Joseph Smith, President of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in this
my first general epistle to the members of said church
scattered in all the land, send greeting.

"In the days of trouble, when darkness fell over all
the church, in consequence of the death of the Pres-
ident and Patriarch, many sought, out of the chaos
of confusion that ensued, to erect fabrics of spiritual
and temj^oral power, relying on the shrewd acumen
of men skillful to deceive, aided by the fears of a
desolate people, a flock without a shepherd, and the
sure assistance of the Prince and power of evil, who,
delighted at the fall of just men, took advantage of
the breach, fired their minds with visions of power
and opportunity to work out the convenient measures
of their own sordid passions.

"In almost every one of these fragmentary dis-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTOUY irjf

pensations, the coniinencement was marked by an at-
tempt to steer for a time by the old landmarks, yet
each failed in each attempt ; for, finding that the law
and the testimony' came in conflict with their projects
of power and convenient sin, they cast them aside as
garments for the church in its infancy, and claimed
other laws, more suited to their ends than those pure
principles of the gospel upon which the church was
founded.

"Almost every one of them, too, knowing the true
order of the law, claimed respectability, sanction,
guardianship, regency, or a holding of the rule sub-
ject to, and looking for, a coming forth of one of the
true descent, to take a place in authority. Claims
were made, in almost every instance, that sooner or
later, one of Joseph's sons would come forth and unite
his destiny with that particular faction.

"Some acted, as they declared, with my knowledge
and sanction; some took upon themselves by right a
guardianship over my spiritual welfare, and dared to
say with my approval ; and still another, more bold but
scarcely less honest, claimed to receive letters from
me, saying that my mother's influence kept me from
their midst^ — that I was with them in faith, etc.

"Now, be it known, that up to the spring of 1860,
no faction of the church, no claimant to the honors of
leadership, no party or sect ever received indorsement,
sanction, or authority from me. I never selected a

yorxG PKoi'i.K's msioHv

spiritual guardian, iioi- appointed an agent, nor rec-
ognized any regency or guardianship whatever, and
that, at that time, I only acted as I was impelled ; that
I acted by dictation, and that of no man ; that I have
kept my own counsel, although my opinions, when
asked for, in regard to various doctrines extant, under
the guise of so-called Mormonism, have been known
by friend or foe, who chose to ask.

"I have deeply settled views of policy connected
with the church, that, in the present unconnected state
of the church at large, must needs remain wath me;
for having thus far taken the guidance of the Spirit,
as the man of my counsel, I shall still endeavor to
do so.

"There having been endeavors made, and reports
circulated, with a view to prejudice the minds of
Saints as yet unconnected with the church as now or-
ganized, to the effect that I had not come out and
taken a stand in connection therewith : Now, be it also
known, that on the sixth day of April, A. D. 1860,
I was duly received by the church, in conference as-
sembled, at Amboy, in Lee County, in the State of
Illinois, as President and Prophet, and successor of
my father, in strict pursuance of my right, as the son
of my father, Joseph Smith, jr., and in due accordance
with tlie voice of the Spirit, as has been partly shown,
and as shall, at some more fitting time, be made pub-
lic by me.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTOIM' |g

"I did not take that step witlioiit a due knowledge
of what I was doing, not without a perception of all
the difficulties of the position; but with a firm reliance
on the sustaining power of the almighty God, whose
arm is mighty to save, and who will not break a
bruised reed, I assumed the position.

"Since then the leaven has begun to work, and with
the good has come the evil. Designing men have told
all manner of stories, charging inaction, want of sin-
cerity, lies, subterfuge, speculation, etc.; and fearful
Saints wiio have ere now listened to siren songs of
deceitful spirits, dulcet notes of mysterious powder and
might, supernatural agency and subtle grace, taught
wisdom by their own varying race, careful lest another
will-o'-the-wisp of aspiring ambition should charm
their ears, and lure them once more to hope — ^to hope,
to be again cast down, have believed and echoed them.
It is better so, and I feel thankful that it is so. JNIen
who hastily reach forth their hands, and take hold
upon an earthly reed, must needs be tumbled in the
ditch, till they learn to examine for themselves, and
when they trust in man, to be sure that the man in
whom they trust is w^orthy.

"Now^ I have not a word to say in advocacy of my
right, or my calling. I ask none to believe upon my
say so ; let each and all examine carefully and without
prejudice, asking his God for wisdom to judge aright,

20 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

and as 1 have said, so say 1 now, 1 have no fears as
to the result.

"I would not that men should hastily run without
tidings, nor do I ask that any should place the stake
of their salvation upon an earthly arm. 'Cursed is he
that putteth his trust in man, and maketh flesh his
arm.' I ask and desire that all may place their stake
of salvation upon the Author and Finisher of our
faith — upon the promises and principles of the gospel,
pure as preached from the Savior's lips, for in him was
no guile, and in his teachings there was no deceit.

"In the name of the God of Abraham, of Isaac,
and of Jacob, I now call upon all the scattered Saints,
upon all the broad earth, to arise and shake off the
sleep that hath bound them these many years, take
on the armor of the just, calling on the name of the
Lord for help, and unite once more for the emanci-
pation of the honest in heart from the power of false
doctrines and the shackles of sin.

"In the name of bleeding Zion, I call upon all those
who have been wandering in by and forbidden paths,
and have been led astray by wicked and designing
men, to turn from their scenes of wickedness and sins
of convenience, to turn from their servitude to Satan,
in all his seductive devices ; from vice in every phase,
and from the labor of sin, the wages whereof are ever
death, unto their true and delightsome allegiance to
the principles of the gospel of peace, to the paths of

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 21

wisdom, to the homage of that God that brought the
children of Israel out of bondage ; to turn and remem-
ber the new covenant, even the Book of ^lormon; to
lay hold anew upon the rod of iron which surely leads
to the tree of life; to remember that those who live
to the Lord keep his commandments, and that the
promises are unto the faithful, and the reward unto
those that endure unto the end.

"And in the name of the Lord of hosts, I call upon
all the inhabitants of the earth to repent, believe, and
be baptized, for the time cometh when the judgments
of God are to be poured out upon all nations, and the
besom of God's wrath shall smoke through the land;
when men shall know that there is a God in Israel,
and he is mighty to punish or to save ; that the prayers
of those under the altar have been heard, and a swift
retribution is to come, when the despoiler will be de-
spoiled; when those who denied justice shall be
judged, and the measure meted unto others shall be
meted unto them ; when the prisoner shall go free, the
oppressed be redeemed, and all Israel shall cry,
'Glory to God in the highest be given, for he that is
long-suffering and slow to anger, has arisen, and shall
bring again Zion.' Amen and amen.

"Nauvoo, April 16, 1861."

YOUNG PEOPLE'S IIISTOUY

CHAPTER 4

Special Work of First Years

THERE are always serious problems in any
man's life. You will notice that this new leader
for the church had many things to think about
and make plans for, that were different from the per-
plexities of his father, although the gospel and its plan
were the same. His father had before him, when he
started the work, no organized plan since the time of
Jesus. With his brethren he had to organize and get
the church in working order, with its quorums and offi-
cers. Young Joseph came to his place and was wel-
comed by a bod}^ of people fairly well organized and
working out plans already outlined by the church of
1830. But one cannot suppose that young Joseph
found no difficulties ; far from it. The church, when it
came out of Fayette, Xew York, was clean and spot-
less. It had kept the word of God and was living
right. But from the time it failed to perform its work
and was rejected as a church, and went into sin, there
was shame attached to its name and record. It was
part of the work of young Joseph and the men with
whom he united, to lift the shame from the church.
They had to contend always for the good name of the
chiu'ch and prove that it was made up of honorable,
God-fearing, virtuous, honest people, and its leaders

YOUNG PEOl'I.E'S HfSTORV

were men who loved their country and the gospel of
Christ.

The rejected church had taken with it the name
given by God to a righteous people; they had the
money and property of the church and the large part
of the people. They had an organization already
prepared through the voice of inspiration through
Joseph Smith. All they had to do was to turn it to
their own purpose and use it, changing it at their own
will. ! ;^

The mention of the church name or Book of Mor-
mon recalled the evil work of the rejected church; so
it fell to young Joseph's people to redeem the good
name and lift up a banner that had been dragged in
the dust. They reorganized the church and made plain
that it was reorganized, but still bore the name taken
by the church at Kirtland, Ohio, and confirmed to it
by revelation in Far West, Missouri. The men who
went into the world representing the church found it
difficult to make people understand that there were
two churches bearing the same name; one rejected of
God for their own sin, the other true to his teachings
and the pattern sent by the Lord. They everywhere
proclaimed that the books taught none of the evils
introduced by the rejected church and taught by it
as church doctrine.

24 YOUNG PEOPI-E'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 5

The Spirit of Contentment

A FEW Saints did settle at Nauvoo and at one
time there was a branch of the church meeting
in the storeroom on the corner of AVater and
Bain Streets. In 1864 this branch numbered seventy-
five and was composed of humble and earnest Saints.
They called it the Olive Branch, but it was destined to
gradually come to nothing but a memory. In April,
1862, while young Joseph was absent at a conference
at Mission, Illinois, his brother, Frederick, who had
been ill for some weeks, grew much worse. Word was
sent to the elder brother, who reached his home in Nau-
voo late one night. Hastening toward the mansion he
paused in the street; the light, kept burning so long
for the sick man in the sunny south room, was gone;
the room was dark. He turned his face away and
went into his own home until next morning, murmur-
ing, "It is over!" Frederick left wife and a daughter,
Alice, now a member of the church, at Independence,
Missouri. His death left three sons of Joseph the
Martyr : JosejDh, Alexander, David — all three in time
engaged in church work. The Lord had declared
that the blessing of Joseph of Palmyra should be upon
his posterity, and in fulfillment of the promise young
Joseph pursued the course indicated by the divine
Spirit. He boasted no great wisdom or light, but

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 25

stood forward in his place to be tested, and his mother
and brothers and his father's sisters, and in time his
father's brother, WiUiam B. Smith, stood with him.
Some heard with gladness the message, "Young Jos-
eph has come." It was written and shouted and told
in many places. Some did not hesitate to accept him,
but there were some who felt they had been fooled too
often, and they waited to see him tried by the books.
Even the brown people in far-away islands of the
sea were waiting for young Joseph. No wonder the
Lord would not let him rest in peaceful pursuits in
old Nauvoo when so many were praying for him to
come. But it took a brave man to come out and face
the world for such an unpopular church, whose people
were poor and scattered. There were not many pleas-
ant or beautiful memories of the old church for the
children of Joseph the Martyr. None but an honest,
courageous heart would have done what young Joseph
did. He had good, faithful men to work with, though,
and soon he became beloved of all the Saints, and
constantly grew in their love and trust.

In addition to the annual and semiannual confer-
ences, held spring and fall, there was sometimes a
special conference. It is interesting to notice in read-
ing of these conferences now that there is a feeling
of security and great contentment manifested, and
how fast the wanderers came back to the fold. Al-
ready they are speaking with glad, ringing voices of

26 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

hope. There comes into use often the phrase, "The
old organization," meaning the church as it was
formed at Fayette, Xew York, in 1830. Some of the
phrases of those times are eloquent Mhen considered in
the light of their history.

In October, 1861, on the twenty-fifth day, the first
general epistle of the Twelve under the presidency
of young Joseph, was issued. They did not omit any
part of the plan so dear to the heart of every one of
them.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY oy

CHAPTER 6

First Genercal Epistle of the Twelve

() ALL the Saints Scattered Abroad, Greet-
. ing; Brethren: Since it has pleased God to
* call forth the true successor in the Presi-
dency of the Church, in the person of Joseph, the son
of Joseph, the Martyr, in fulfillment of the promises
made to his people, we, in obedience to the injunctions
of the Holy Spirit, call upon you to give ear to the
voice of the Good Shepherd, and return to the M^hole
law, and to the covenants, as that form of doctrine
which being obeyed from the heart maketh you free
from sin and servants of righteousness. The Bible,
Book of Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Cove-
nants, contain that law, and those covenants or form
of doctrine, to which we point you, saying. This is the
way, walk ye in it and find rest to your souls. Mark
all who corrupt or pervert it, and avoid them. The
perilous times, shown to the ancient apostle, are upon
us, and our refuge is in the Lord, who, thanks be to
his name, 'holds the reins in his own hands,' and to
the obedient alone are the promises. We beseech you,
therefore, brethren. Give no heed to the subtle influ-
ences of those seducing spirits which were to charac-
terize the departing from the faith in the latter times,
but proving them by the plain word of God, resist
them, with all those new, fanciful, and strange doc-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

trines, convenient, truly, for such as have turned the
grace of God into lasciviousness. But ye have not
so learned Christ; having begun in the Spirit, are ye
to be perfected through the flesh? Be it known unto
all Saints that in this reorganization of the latter-day
work, we point only to the old paths from which so
many have turned aside in the dark and cloudy day.
"To further this object, faithful elders will be sent
as speedily as possible to all quarters, including Cal-
ifornia, Utah, England, Scotland, and Wales ; and to
enable us to do this, and to carry on the work of build-
ing up the kingdom of God, and to redeem the scat-
tered Saints from thralldom through false guides, we
appeal to all Saints whom the Lord hath made stew-
ards, to aid the same by tithing themselves according
to the law of God, and place it in the hands of the
Bishop of the church for these purposes. The most
convenient method for doing this at present appears
to us to be as follows : Let all presidents of branches
act as agents of the Bishop, and receive all means set
apart under the law of tithing, keeping a faithful rec-
ord of all receipts, and from whom received, holding
the same subject to the order of the Bishop. If paid
over in person, a receipt should be taken. All orders
from the Bishoj), and such receipts should be pre-
served, and an exhibit thereof, and all means on hand
made to each General Conference, that no ground of
suspicion as to the application of such means may

YOUNCJ I'KOPi.K's insrolo'

exist. Wc are Jiware that tliis law Jms been appealed
to as a warrant I'or acts manifestly oppressive, and
that the means obtained by such oppression have been
and are as a weapon of power to still further oppress
the zealous and devoted. But the perversion, not the
laW', have been the instruments of this wrong. 'My
ways are equal and your ways are unequal,' applies
to the execution of this law. Obeying it in its spirit,
is equal; submitting to its perversion, is unequal and
oppressive. To such as are willing to live by every
w^ord of God, and inquire, What is required by the
law^? we point to the law itself. Firstly, your surplus
is required. Secondly, after this, one tenth of your
interest or gains from time to time. You are all stew-
ards of the great Master, and what is needed to pros-
ecute your own stew^ardship is not required, but above
this is your surplus; that is required, and of this you,
and each of you, are to judge, and be your own exact-
ors, and Israel's exactors are to be all righteous. It
is for all that have surnamed themselves Israel, to see
that they deal righteously in this matter, as between
themselves and Him that seeth the hearts as well as
the acts of men. It is but a systematic freewill offer-
ing, gathered where it is not needed and placed where
it is, for the general w-eal.

"Finally, brethren, be of good cheer, for the light
of truth shines w ith renewed brilliancy upon the path-
way that Saints are called to walk. Zion, the pure in

30 ^'OUNG PEOPLE'S HISTOIIV

heart, must be redeemed by righteousness, but the
land of Zion by power. The first we may, by the
grace of God, work out; the second, we leave in the
hands of him that hath power and that doeth all things
well.

"Commending all Saints to the mercy of God, and
fellowship of his Spirit, through our I^ord Jesus
Christ.

"By order of the quorum.

"Jason W. Briggs^ President.

'^'^APPENDIX TO THE EPISTLE OF THE TWELVE.

"In order to place the church in a position to carry
on the promulgation of the gospel, and as a means of
fulfilling the law, the Twelve will take measures in
connection with the Bishop, to execute the law of tith-
ing; and let them before God see to it, that the tem-
poral means so obtained is truly used for the purposes
of the church, and not as a weapon of power in the
hands of one man for the oppression of others, or for
the purposes of self-aggrandizement by anyone, be
he whomsoever he may be.

"As I live, saith the I^ord, in the manner ye execute
this matter, so shall ye l)e judged in the day of judg-
ment.'

"Joseph Smith^
"President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints.

"Sandwich, Illinois, October 7, ISGL"

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTOHV

CHAPTER 7
The First Press and the Zion Movement

MANY and encouraging reports came from the
different missionaries. It was on the eighth
day of October they appointed Bishop I. I^.
Rogers, WilHam Aldrich, Philo Howard, George A.
Blakeslee, and Jonathan D. Hey wood a committee to
procure a press and printing materials and locate the
same. The True Latter Day Saints' Herald, then
published in Cincinnati, Ohio, was going to move
westward if these men succeeded in their efforts.

Leaving the year 1862, we find the Saints again in
conference at Amboy, Illinois, April, 1863. Young
Joseph is presiding and Isaac Sheen and James W.
Gillen are clerks. Among other things done at this
conference we find a "Declaration of loyalty" which
we insert:

"the declaration OF LOYAI/rV

"To the Government of the United States, by the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: The
Annual Conference, of April 6, 1863, at its recent
session at Amboy, Illinois, directed that the article
on 'governments and laws in general,' which are in
Doctrine and Covenants, section 110, be published in
the Herald that all may know the ground that the
Saints of God occupy with regard to civil rulers and
civil laws. It furthermore appointed Joseph Smith,

32 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Jason W. Briggs, and W. W. Blair a committee to
write a brief preface to said article. We therefore
submit the following:

"It must be evident to the Saints that the time has
come when the wrath of God is beginning to be poured
out upon the enemies of God and his people, agreeable
to the word of promise, and that the most striking and
prominent event in bringing it about was the rebellion
first of South Carolina, then of all the Southern
States, who have been and are now warring against
the Northern States. When it is admitted, and indeed
declared, that South Carolina and the Southern
States are in rehellion, it is easy for us to tell .where
our Government is. It is that authority to which they
will not submit, and which they are resisting by force
of arms. Without legal and rightful authority prop-
erly vested, there could be no such thing as rebellion,
for rebellion is resistance to rightful authority. Now
rebellion, we are told, is as the sin of witchcraft, and
witchcraft was anciently a crime, punishable with
death. Rebellion is no less obnoxious now than then.
The evils resulting from it are as great now as then,
and it should find as little favor and sympathy with
the people of God now as it has in any past time. The
fact is, God has always called his people to peace — to
be obedient to kings, governors, and rulers in general,
except when they dictate in matters of religion — in
matters pertaining to the salvation of the soul. It is

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 33

therefore the duty of all Saints to set a bright and
worthy example in this respect to the erring and dis-
obedient family of man.

"Jesus, our blessed Master, paid tribute to Caesar,
and he was far greater than Csesar ; j^et he recognized
and respected the civil powder of him wlio had by force
of arms put an iron yoke of bondage upon the once
favored but now disobedient people of Israel. He
said : 'Render unto Cfesar the things that are CEesar's,
and unto God the things that are God's. Following
Christ does not lead us into contact with civil rulers,
but to honor them and respect them as ministers of
God who are set for the protection and well-being of
the innocent and for the punishment of the guilty.

"It is our duty to pray for all in authority that we
may lead a peaceful and quiet life. Are they weak
and imbecile? Are they wicked and disobedient?
Then they need our prayers so much more. If we
desire peace, let us be peaceful. If we desire good
government, let us be obedient, with hearty good will,
not only for wrath but for conscience' sake.

*^'JosEPH Smith^
"Jason W. Briggs^
"William W. Blair,

"Co7?i?7iittee."

— True Latter Day Saints' Herald, vol. 3, pp. 201,
202.

Another item of interest was the acceptance of a

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

revelation given in March, 1863, in which WiUiam
Marks was named as counselor to young Joseph, and
at this conference of April, 1863, at Amboy, Lee
County, Illinois, Elder Marks was ordained counse-
lor by Joseph Smith, Jason W. Briggs, and Edmund
C. Briggs, and during this conference the church re-
affirmed the se\'enth resolution in the Word of Con-
solation :

"Resolved, That in the opinion of this conference
there is no stake to which the Saints on this continent
are commanded to gather at the present time ; but, that
the Saints on all other lands are commanded to gather
to this land, preparatory to the reestablishment of the
church in Zion, when the scattered Saints on this land
will also be commanded to gather and return to Zion,
and to their inheritances, in fulfillment of the prom-
ises of God. And it is the duty of the Saints to turn
their hearts and their faces towards Zion and suppli-
cate the Lord God for such deliverance. . . ."

YOUNG PEOPLES HISTORY 35

CHAPTER 8

The "Herald" of a Coming Day

THE title-pages of the first Heralds published by
the Reorganized Church in January, 1860, re-
veal the early mission of the church, and seem to
bear a message of hope to the people for whom it was
especially intended. First, you notice it is the True
Latter Day Saints' Herald. The first one was very
plain. They stated they were going to try it for six
months, and if it succeeded it would continue. It was
published in Cincinnati, and bore the quotation from
the Book of ^Slormon, "Hearken to the word of the
Lord, for there shall not any man among you have
save it be one wife." The editor was Isaac Sheen, of
Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a monthly paper, and cost
one dollar per year. In a poem by Charles Derry he
calls the little paper "The Herald of a coming day."
This was what it ^^'as to those ^\'ho had seen the dark
time of the church. Another little business item is the
notice, "Postage on Herald is six cents outside the
State of Ohio and three cents in the State." In these
old Heralds are some sweet old poems that you will
recognize as familiar hymns of to-day. See on this old
yellowing page, "The ^Nlarch to Zion," that is, "Hark,
hark, the word to you is given," by David H. Smith,
then only eighteen years old. He wrote the words,
but a young girl friend, named Imogene Austin, with

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

the spirit of a genius, worked the melody out of a
much used accordeon. "How beautiful it is!" they
cried when it was finished, as they sat by the shining
old Mississippi. Afterward it, with others, was har-
monized by Mark H. Forscutt and Norman W.
Smith.

At the conference in 1863 the elders made an effort
to change the scripture motto on the Herald. They
wanted it to signify the message of the paper. The
following numbers bore different mottos.

The appointment of three missionaries to foreign
lands provided the theme for the poem, now a hymn,
"Chosen messengers of glory." Although at the time
it appeared, in May, 1863, as "To the three mission-
aries," by David H. Smith.

In April of this year, 1863, the Herald began to
be published at Piano, Illinois. Here it developed
into a twice a month magazine and was printed by
steam power instead of by hand, the change coming in
1869. They were also encouraging an effort to illus-
trate Zioris Hope, the children's paper. Pictures
were not so easily obtained then and were quite ex-
pensive, and the illustrating in the early Hopes looks
very crude and unlovely now ; but to the heart of the
"Little Hopes" it was a marvelously beautiful "pic-
ture."

The Herald improved greatly in kind of type and
kept abreast of the times with its developments in

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 3*^

looks and production. In May, 1865, Joseph Smith
became the editor of the Herald. Sometimes, in the
years that followed, he was the only editor ; sometimes
he had assistants or associates, or both. When the
Herald was first issued it had but twenty-four pages,
four by seven inches in size, and that was reduced to
sixteen pages — not very large, you see. Then it be-
gan to grow, for the church was growing and needed
it. When the year 1876 was finished the last of the
little Heralds had been published, with thirty-two
pages each. When the January, 1877, number came
out it was much larger, sixteen by ten and a half
inches, and sixteen pages. The face of it was changed,
too ; it was called the Latter Day Saints' Herald.

YOUNG PKOIM.K'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 9

Tithing and Missionaries

WHEN the church met in conference in 1860
and received young Joseph, there were about
three hundred people represented by the del-
egates there, and by the opening of the year 1869
there was a church membership of several thousand.
From every direction came the news, "The gospel
wins its way"; but with this same cry of good news
came stories of the disadvantages, troubles, and dis-
couragements that beset the efforts of the elders and
other church workers. Many of the names of those
church workers became household words, and nearly
all active ministers were well known in the homes of
church people.

When 1870 brought the Annual Conference in
April there were many new fields to hear from, and
some interesting things to be talked over in the meet-
ings.

A committee was chosen to prepare a memorial, or
short story, telling the United ^States Congress what
the church believed and taught about government in
state and church, and especially that it did not teach
or believe in polygamy. The committee chosen were
President Joseph Smith, Elders William W. Blair,
Josiah Ells, Alexander Smith, and Mark H. Fors-
cutt.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 39

Many times the church had felt the need of some
good plan to care for the missionaries' families. Of
course if a man worked all the time for the church he
could not work for his wife and children and home.
Many a good man sincerely desired to work for the
church, and was even willing to go without comforts
himself, who did not feel that he could deprive his
family of food and clothing, and the children of school.
The man who will not care for his own is not good
enough to work for the Lord. Thus it was difficult
to decide how to arrange this part of church finance,
or money matters.

The church sent men hundreds and thousands of
miles from home, and at times generous-hearted peo-
ple brought the family vegetables, fruit, meat, or
maybe money ; and at times no one brought them any-
thing; not because good people were not abundant,
but because it was nobody's especial duty.

It was many years before a system was finally
adopted that gave to the wives of the missionaries a
certain amount of money for their needs. The law of
God would provide for the needs and wants of all
alike, but these things work out slowly.

Men and women were hearing the law of tithing,
given to the church in Kirtland, but the men who re-
ceived the money for tithing must learn also how to
give it to others properly and justly.

A committee chosen in 1870 at once began to ar-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

range the finances of the church and through many
other committees the present church system gradually
evolved.

The same committee made a resolution that gave to
the world a "Board of Publication of the Reorgan-
ized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,"
and it was incorporated, or was given its rights in the
world, so it could do business legally and properly,
by the State of Illinois, in 1872.

The Board of Publication chosen by the conference
was President Joseph Smith, Bishop Israel L. Rogers,
David Dancer, John Scott, and Elijah Banta, who
took possession of the Herald Office and property
therein June 17, 1872. The days of the conference
were clear and bright and everyone was eager to help
promote the growth of the church.

They planned to organize a company and buy lands
in some new place, and let the Saints buy homes of
the company and have a long time in which to pay for
them. They proposed to call it the United Order of
Enoch. There was no direct command of the Lord to
do this work. No doubt they hoped their good plan
would work out at least something like the beautiful
story of the city of Enoch. That will make us re-
member this story as we move up through the years
of the history, for in later years we shall find a com-
mand of the Lord to organize a similar order.

President Smith, as he was now called, adopted the

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 4,]

custom during the early years of his Hfe, at the close
of the conference of always giving a warm-hearted,
earnest talk to the elders. Men grew to look for it
and to wait rather eagerly for what he would say.
His opening address of the conference might be
marked with considerable dignity and some reserve,
but all knew that the eloquent brown eyes would fill
with tears, and the clear, bell-like voice drop to confi-
dential, even tender counsel, when he gave his fare-
well talk. There was always a certain spicy phrase
that stayed with one long after the time it was given.
Often these little phrases were sort of a slogan for the
year.

An occasional glimpse at church growth is very
interesting. At the conference of 1870 there were
present two of the First Presidency; four of the
quorum of Twelve, eighteen high priests; seven of
the Seventy, and fifty elders. Two years later, 1872,
there were present of the First Presidency, one ; of the
Quorum of Twelve, two; of the high priests, five; of
the Quorum of Seventy, two; elders, forty-two;
priests, eleven ; teachers, nine ; deacons, one.

^2 YOUNG PEOPI-E'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 10

The Work in Piano

PLAXO, ILLINOIS, was the first real home of
the Reorganized Church. Here it took out the
first x^apers of incorporation ever granted to the
Reorganized Church and here was the first real home
of our official paper or periodical, The Saints' Herald,
and the first church building owned by the church was
located in Piano. Piano was chosen as a place of
meeting in General Conference in 1865, after the
burning of ^Mechanics Hall in Amboy, Illinois, where
young Joseph took his place.

Here were printed the first Heralds published in
the ^Mississippi Valley ; and the first steam power work
on our books was done in Piano. The Inspired Trans-
lation was first published here, and an edition of the
Book of JNIormon; and many other notable things oc-
curred in the town of Piano, on the Fox River, in
Kendall County, Illinois.

At the conference of 1866 there was an arrange-
ment partially made to build a meetinghouse in that
little town. The committee pushed the work to com-
pletion. There were other churches or buildings used
by the church, but they belonged to some person.
This was the first one to be deeded to the Bishop of
the church. It was a neat little stone building, built
in the summer of 1868 and dedicated November 15,

Piano Church

44 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

1868. Although there are many more beautiful and
much finer in the church to-day, it holds a place of
honor in the hearts that know its history, a pioneer
among the "meetinghouses" owned by the church.

The church was issuing many public documents
now and needed something to mark these papers as
official and of importance. They appointed a com-
mittee to think about it and plan for it. This com-
mittee was Joseph Smith, Jason W. Briggs, and
Elijah Banta, and they were told to adopt a style and
form of church seal. The work of this committee was
approved when they reported as follows :

"We, your committee on church seal, respectfully
submit the following design, with legend, date, and
motto: "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints." Emblem, a lion and a lamb ly-
ing down at rest. Motto, 'Peace.' Incorporated
1872."

The committee was continued and empowered to
purchase the seal. This seal is still in use on all offi-
cial church papers, having appeared beautiful as sug-
gestive of its motto "Peace" in many lands, in many
parts, in many places, always a sign that the church
stood back of the words on the paper where it rested,
it has become very dear to the church people.

At the April conference of 1874 it was decided by
resolution that the families of the missionaries were
to be provided for out of the tithing fund; and the

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

people at this conference urged the compiling of and
writing of a history of the church ; and they also made
an appropriation of seventy-five dollars for the pur-
chase of books for church purposes. This was a new
venture in library work.

Church Seal

1875. Time had come for the church to have a cen-
tral place "fixed and certain," for the printing press
and for the mair, place of church business, and they
appointed a coaimittee of five to select and arrange
for purchase of land and locating a town site. Joseph
Smith and William W. Blair, of the First Presidency;
Israel L. Rogers, David Dancer, of the Bishopric;
and John H. Lake, of the Twelve, were appointed
the committee provided for in the above resolution.

President Smith and Thomas W. Smith, who were

4(J YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

not kinsmen, prepared a book on business and rules
for meetings, called parliamentary rules, and a com-
mittee was appointed to examine the book. The same
year Elder Thomas W. Smith published a little paper
bound book of hymns, the words of which he had com-
posed. There were no notes, the words being sung
to familiar tunes as indicated under the title of each
song. This little book was called, "Songs of Zion,"
and was used quite widely in church and Sunday
school for a number of years.

The first books written and published by the church
were objects of deep concern and pride. The Rules
of Order, and Hesperis, a book of poems by David
H. Smith; and Joseph the Seer, a work by Wil-
liam W. Blair, were pioneers in the literary field. As
years went by there were many books written and
published by the church people, until the advent of
new ones became frequent.

Occasionally there came before the public men and
women of real genius who gave to the church of their
royal gift and wrote stories, poems, and lessons for
the church papers. It would take more room than is
allotted us to tell their names or name their works.
Artists illustrated the stories and the work of print-
ing and publishing moved forward with the times.

YOUNG TEOl'LES IlJS'l'OUV

CHAPTER 11

The First Long Revelation

WHEN the year 1873 opened there were many
Saints hoping to see the quorums of the
church filled. Especial interest was felt
for the two leading ones. The long, cold win-
ter found men busy driving across snow-b(nmd
country and through snowy roads to schoolhouses,
churches, and family homes to preach the gospel
of Jesus. Sometimes in open lumber wagons,
sometimes in smooth, gliding sleds, and not in-
frequently men waded to their boot toj)s in snow" for
many miles to fill appointments, and would find maybe
two or three or a dozen to listen to them. Always the
elders felt a little anxious over a coming General, or
then called Annual Conference, which opened on the
birthday of the church, born back in Fayette, Xew
York, April 6, 1830. On the ninth day of that con-
ference of 1873 President Smith asked Jason W.
Briggs to preside, and he went away. You know
Elder Briggs was president of the Twelve. After
President Smith left, the conference was hushed and
expectant. Elder Briggs was a man of slow and
deliberate movement and had a low, deep, slow manner
of talking. He spoke of the almost empty Quorum of
Twelve and how it hindered the work, and finally he
presented a revelation. This w^as the longest and most

48 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

important message the Lord had ever given to the
church through young Joseph Smith. Three short
revelations had been given, one in 1861 about the
law of tithing, and one in March, 1863, to call William
Marks to the place of counselor to President Smith
and urge the elders to go preach two by two. The
last of the three was given in jNIay, 1865, about ordain-
ing men of every race and promising that if the elders
of the Quorum of Twelve were diligent that the
quorum should soon be filled, even to twelve.

Xow comes this long revelation. How beautiful
to the waiting Saints sounded the words, "Thus saith
the Spirit," and then it called William W. Blair and
David H. Smith to act as counselors to the President
and to be so ordained. Then came the call to men for
the Quorum of Twelve, naming William H. Kelley,
Thomas W. Smith, James Caffall, John H. Lake,
Alexander H. Smith, Zenos H. Gurley, and Joseph
R. Lambert ; seven in all, as especial witnesses, of the
Quorum of Twelve. To these men was given a
promise that if they henceforth should do that which
was right and true, as apostles, before God they should
become men of power and excellent wisdom in the
meetings of God's people. With but one exception
these men fulfilled that promise. Six out of the seven
becoming strong and wise in the work of the Lord,
and every one of the six making a splendid record in
the church. But this did not fill the quorum, for

YOUNG FEOPLE'wS HISTORY 4,9

Daniel B. Rasey and Rueben Newkirk's names were
taken from the records of the quorum and they were
permitted to labor with the elders ; but Jason W. and
Edmund C. Briggs, and Josiah Ells were to remain in
the quorum as before, and with these and the seven
new members there were but ten in the quorum.

The Lord provided for counselors to the Bishop and
that he should appoint agents until the time came for
the church to have more bishops. Then the Lord
spoke of the different organizations for good of his
servants and handmaidens, how they should be blessed
and bless others if they kept themselves righteous.
There is so much of good and interest in the revela-
tion that nothing can tell it so well as its own reading.

After the quormns had each considered and ac-
cepted the revelation it was accepted by the church
and became a law to the whole church, and there was
an ordination meeting. Of this we read that "the
Holy Ghost like a mantle rested upon the assembly,
and every heart was moved with joy and gladness, in
that the Dayspring from on high had visited them,
and the Lord had again manifested himself to his
people. The hardest heart was melted to tenderness,
and all were made to feel that this was indeed the
house of God, the very gate of heaven."

James Caffall and Zenos H. Gurley, two of the
seven called to the Quorum of Twelve, were not

YOUNG PEOPLE'wS IIIS'IORY

present at this outpouring" of the Spirit and were or-
dained later.

At this same conference Elders John H. Hansen,
John C. Foss, James McKiernan, Joseph C. Clapp.
Robert Davis, E. C. Brand, and Duncan Camp-
bell were ordained seventies; and George Rarick and
Archibald ^I. AVilsey, high priests. Indeed, this was
a most interesting and possibly, up to this time, the
most important conference of the Reorganized
Church. Although the weather was variable and at
times most disagreeable, people were ^vell and alert
and things went pleasantly. The quorums were now"
in better order than ever before, and every soul seemed
to feel encouraged and cheerful.

Ever since 1852, more than twenty years before,
the church had spent its best service and made its
first duty the gathering of a faithful remnant, or part
of the church of 1830. These good, honest people,
who truly loved the church, had been hunted for and
sought out, and everything possible done to bring
them to the good old faith. Now thej^ would not be
neglected, but the church was moving out in other
w^ays and for other good and precious things to help
mankind, with more vigor than heretofore.

YOLXG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 12

Death of Emma Smith Bidamon and Story of a New Land

IT AVAS the last day of April, 1879, that Emma
Smith Bidamon, widow of Joseph Smith, the jNlar-
tyr, died in the southeast chamber of the second
floor of the Xauvoo House. For almost seventy-five
years this woman had lived and loved in the world.
Living since 1839 in Nauvoo almost continually, she
left a record of good deeds and strong, clean, splendid
character. Her body was carried by five of her neph-
ews and Elder Babcock across the street to the family
burying ground on the old Homestead, where it rests.

A little book called Joseph Smith the Prophet and
His Progenitors, written by Lucy Smith, mother of
the Martyr, published in Liverpool, England, by
Samuel W. Richards and Company, but under the
direction of Orson Pratt, was for years quite popular,
and contained many things of profit; but in I860
Birgham Young ordered the collection and destruc-
tion of all these books, consequently many were
burned, but there were still numbers of the 1852 edi-
tion in circulation, and some were preserved even in
Utah, when in 1879 the Reorganized Church repub-
lished the book, leaving it just as it was at first, but
adding a few^ explanatory footnotes.

The settlement of new lands is always good to read
about, whether one looks forward to it in hope or look-

52 YOUNG I'EOFLE'S HISTORY

ing backward sees it as it really was. The hope of the
church has always been to occupy "Zion" and the
"regions round about." Whatever the meaning
placed on these words by men, the condition was one
to be desired at all times.

The "old church" had pushed westward with a
nation-wide movement, but with all their fervor and
zeal had made mistakes. The Reorganized Church
had moved carefully and with constant vigilance that
they might keep within the law of the church and the
law of the land, and had come to the point where they
felt that removal to more open country and into a
place where their worthy poor might find homes, was
a necessity.

Because of these needs had arisen the Order of
Enoch, and following them the conference of 1875
appointed a "removal committee." This committee
reported year after year and made trips of investiga-
tion to various places.

Chicago and Nauvoo, Illinois; Stewartsville, Far
West, Saint Joseph, and Independence, Missouri;
and Council Bluffs, Iowa, and other places were con-
sidered as places where the church might make a busi-
ness center.

The removal committee were not hasty in deciding.
They were appointed at the annual conference in
Piano in 1875 and were five in number; two of the
first Presidency, two of the Bishopric, and one of the

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Twelve. That they were not idle their frequent re-
ports testified.

The Saints' Herald of those years gives some very
entertaining accounts of their trips through Iowa

Map of Disputed Strip

and Missouri, seeking a location in or near the "Zion"
spoken of in the revelations to the church.

They at last chose none of the places before men-
tioned, but went into a practically new region of
country in southwestern Iowa, where the Order of
Enoch had already bought land and where there was
room and opportunity for development from the soil
up. This was on the strip of land that had been dis-

54 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

puted territory in the time that Lilburn Boggs was
governor of JNIissouri and Robert Lucas governor of
Iowa, each claiming it for his own State.

In 1882 they rej)orted they had built a two-story
brick building for the Herald Office. This building
had an engine room attached. The Board of Publica-
tion had been placed in charge October 18, 1881, and
we give a few extracts from the Articles of Incorpora-
tion, filed in the office of the county clerk of Decatur
County, Iowa, February 5, 1882. This will be found
in the little book called the Rules of Order.

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

Articles of Association made pursuant to a resolu-
tion passed at the Annual Conference of the Reorgan-
ized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
on Friday, April 10, A. D., 1881, providing:

"That a committee of three be appointed to prepare
Articles of Incorporation in harmony and in conform-
ity with the present incorporation under the laws of
the State of Illinois, the same to be used to further
incorporate the Society in the State of Iowa and
other States by vote of any larger branch or stake in
such State or States, as provided by the laws of the
same."

These said Articles having been adopted by the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints at a general meeting of the members of said

YOUNG TKOPLE'S lllS'iOU^' 55

church, held at Lamoni, County of Decatur, in the
State of Iowa, on the 6th day of June, A. D. 1891.

Article 1.— The name of this association and organ-
ization shall be, "The Reorganized Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints," and shall be incorpor-
ated under the laws of Iowa in and by that name.

The Church adheres to the doctrines and tenets of
the original "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints," as organized by Joseph Smith, (the Martja*) ,
on the 6th day of April, A. D. 1830, as the same has
been reorganized by Joseph Smith, formerly of Piano,
Illinois, now of Lamoni, Iowa, with the advice and
assistance of Jason W. Briggs, Zenos H. Gurley, sr.,
William Marks, sr., Israel L. Rogers, Isaac Sheen,
and many others.

The church government consists:

1st. — Of a First Presidency — consisting of a pres-
ident and two counselors.

2d. — A Quorum of the Twelve, (a traveling high
council ) .

3d.— A "Standing High Council" of the church;
and at each "stake" a similar subordinate standing
high council, consisting of twelve chosen for that pur-
pose.

4th.^ — A High Priests' Quorum.

5th. — One or more quorums of seventy, not exceed-
ing seven.

6th. — Quorums of elders.

5(} YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

7th. — Bishops, consisting of a Presiding Bishop,
and associate or local bishops — said bishops having
temporal jurisdiction subject to the general direction
of the church, and higher church authorities.

8th. — Quorums of priests.

9th. — Quorums of teachers.

10th. — Quorums of deacons.

The Reorganized Church at Lamoni, Iowa, shall be
the principal or central church, unless change is made
otherwise as provided for by amendment to these ar-
ticles; all others shall be stakes, or branches, but all
subject to the same church government, subordinate
to this organization and forming constituent parts of
the same; and a general or business meeting of said
Reorganized Church may be called at any of said
churches, or places, according to the laws provided by
said organization for convening its assemblies.

A branch may be organized at any time, or place,
by the concurrence of six or more resident members
of said Reorganized Church, who are in good stand-
ing, one of whom must be an elder, priest, teacher, or
deacon.

A stake is a large branch, organized into a stake, at
the direction of a General Conference of the church;
Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa, shall be the principal
place of business of said corporation, but to facilitate
the work of the society, business may also be trans-
acted at the stakes, or branches, when deemed proper.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Said Reorganized Church, and its stakes, and
branches, are in all respects subject to the doctrines
and tenets of the said original, and reorganization, in
this article mentioned.

Article 2. — The Presiding Bishop and his counse-
lors shall be the trustees of the church, and perform all
the duties contemplated by Chapter Two of Title Nine
of the Code of Iowa, a majority of whom may perform
any act under said law, or contemplated by this or-
ganization.

Article 3. — This organization shall publish, print,
circulate, sell, or give away, religious, school, and mis-
sionary books, papers, tracts, and periodicals, such as
said church shall deem necessary or useful to the pro-
motion of religion and morality ; and for that purpose
may purchase or own such printing presses, types,
cases, and material as shall be necessary to conduct
such publication, binding, and circulation of books and
published matter aforesaid; and said publication bus-
iness shall be under the immediate control and man-
agement of a Board of Publication, to be nominated
by the Presiding Bishop and confirmed or approved
by the church, at any general annual or semiannual
conference; but the title of the property to be in the
corporation, and all suits relating thereto must be in
the corporate name.

Article 4. — This corporation may purchase and
hold, or receive donations, or in any other legal way

58 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

procure, receive, and hold the title of any real or per-
sonal property for the use of said church, its stakes,
and branches, the title of all of which, whether pur-
chased, donated, or otherwise legally obtained, or re-
ceived, and wherever the same shall be located, whether
procured by the general church or any stake or branch,
shall be taken to the corporation and in the corporate
name of said Reorganized Church, and said corpora-
tion shall hold the same for the use of said church, its
stakes and branches; and said corporation may sell
and convey the same, or any part thereof, applying
the proceeds to the use aforesaid.

Article 5. — This church corporation shall have a
corporate seal; all conveyances shall be signed by the
presiding bishop, as the trustee, and sealed with the
seal of said corporation.

These Articles of Association constitute the by-laws
of said corporation, until revised or amended. Said
by-laws or Articles of Association may be revised or
amended at any general conference of the church, by
a two thirds majority vote of the members of said
church present, and voting at said conference. Notice
of such amendment shall be given in the church paper
at least two months before action can be had on such
proposed change.

The principal place of business of said corporation
may be changed from I..amoni aforesaid to any other
place, by the direction of the Quorum of the First

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 59

Presidency, the Bishop and counselors, and the Board
of Pubhcation. Upon such change being made, a
certified copy of the affidavit of organization of this
corporation, together with a similar affidavit of the
action of said church reorganizing said corporation,
and naming such new principal place of business, shall
be filed in the office of the recorder of deeds of the
county in which such new principal place of business is
located. Such change of principal place of business
shall not change or affect the rights of said corpora-
tion, but only the location of its principal office or
place of business. Said corporation may establish
subordinate places of business at any time and in any
place; but all shall be subject to the control of the gen-
eral office. Said corporation may appoint agents at
any time and place to act in behalf of said corporation.
Said corporation may sue and be sued, defend and be
defended, in all courts and places, but all shall be done
in said corporate name.

Article 6. — All property now held or owned by said
church, in the name of any person or persons, as
trustees or otherwise, including the publication estab-
lishment of said church, shall vest in said corporation.
And all persons holding such property in trust for
said church are hereby directed and required to trans-
fer and convey the same to said corporation, as the
property of said church. And said corporation shall
by operation of law succeed to all property now owned

60 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

by said church or held for its use; and may sue for and
recover the same in the name of said corporation.

Article 7. — The term of office of said trustees shall
be as follows, viz : of the trustee, who is the Presiding
Bishop of the church, during his good behavior, and
while he remains such Presiding Bishop. Of the other
trustees, who are the counselors of said Presiding
Bishoj), during their good behavior — not extending
beyond the term of office of said Presiding Bishop as
such trustee; except as hereinafter provided. Upon
the death, resignation, or removal from office of said
Presiding Bishop, the office of the other trustees shall
become vacant, upon the apjDointment of another Pre-
siding Bishop, who shall be the successor as Bishop,
and his assuming the office of such trustee — and there-
upon such new Presiding Bishop and his counselors
shall be the trustees of said corporation; it being un-
derstood that no person can be trustee of said corpor-
ation except the Presiding Bishop of said church and
his counselors. Said trustees, or either of them, may be
removed by said church for cause, the same as any
other church officer.

Article 8. — This organization reserves to itself all
the rights, powers, privileges, and exemptions con-
ferred by Chapter Two, Title Nine, of the Code of
Iowa, providing for the incorporation of churches or
religious societies, and the same so far as applicable
is made a part of these Articles of Association.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Article 9. — The trustees of this Association now
duly elected and qualified according to the laws and
usages of the society to act for the same and for this
present year, are E. L. Kelley, Presiding Bishop of
said Reorganized Church, and George H. Hilliard
and Edwin A. Blakeslee, counselors to the Bishop
aforenamed.

In testimony of the foregoing declaration of prin-
ciples, rules, usages, and purposes, we hereby sub-
scribe our names, and acknowledge the same to be
our voluntary act and deed for the objects set forth.

Done at Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa, this sixth
day of June, A. D. 1891.

E. L. Kelley.
D. F. Nicholson.
W. W. Blair.
RoBT. Winning.
Alex. Hale Smith.
Robert M. Elain.
D. F. Crane.

C. H. Barrows.
Jasper H. Van Meter.
Edwin B. Stafford.

S. D. Shippy.

D. D. Young.

F. M. Smith.
S. P. Bass.

Ed Weedmark.
A. K. Anderson.
Seth M. Bass.
George Derry^
J. B. VanMeter.
William Anderson.
John Traxler.
Emeline a. Elvin.
Minnie E. Anderson.
Samuel Ackerley'.
J. P. Dillon.
Ekin Loat:ll.
David Dancer.
Edwin A. Blakeslee.

(j2 VOINTCJ I'EOPJ.E'S HISTORY

Asa S. Cochran. Henry A. Stebbins,

Joseph Smith. Secretary of the Church.

State of Iowa,
Decatur County

ss.

Before me, Asa S, Cochran, Xotary Public in and
for said County and State, personally appeared the
above-named, E. L. Kelley, D. F. Nicholson, W. W.
Blair, Robert Winning, Alex. Hale Smith, Robert
M. Elvin, D. F. Crane, C. H. Barrows, Jasper H.
Van^Meter, Edwin B. Stafford, F. M. Smith, S. P.
Bass, Ed Weedmark, A. K. Anderson, Seth M. Bass,
George Derry, J. B. VanMeter, John Traxler, Em-
eline A. Elvin, ]Minnie E. Anderson, Samuel Acker-
ley, J. P. Dillon, Ekin Lovell, David Dancer, Henry
A. Stebbins, Joseph Smith, S. D. Shippy, William
Anderson, D. D. Young, personalh'^ known to me to
be the identical persons whose names are attached to
the foregoing Articles of Incorporation and acknowl-
edged the signing of the same to be their voluntary
act and deed and for the purposes named.

Asa S. Cochran, Notar?/ Public .

Lamoni, Iowa, June 6, 1891.

vol NG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 13

The "Herald" in its New Home

THE LAST number of the Saints' Herald issued
at Piano, under date of October 15, 1881, has
this little notice:
"This issue closes the stay of the Herald in Piano,
Kendall County, Ilhnois. It came here m 1863, and

Sceiu' oil Fox River, near Piano

was kindly received by the leading citizens of the
place. It began its career here with a list of three
liundred subscribers, manj^ of them free; and some
of them taking several copies. It had a press and

54 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

fixtures costing about two hundred and seventy-five
dollars; and occupied one room about eighteen by
twenty feet square. It had Brother Isaac Sheen for
its editorial force, and Brother William D. Morton,
sr., as its foreman, compositor, and pressman; with a
Washington Medallion number 4 hand press as its
machinery.

"It will reach Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa, and
begin a new departure (on the old way) with an eight
horse power engine, two cylinder power presses, and
a jobber press, with type and other fixtures to match,
and office two stories high, thirty by sixty-five feet in
size, (engine room attached), an editor, bookkeeper,
superintendent, and five compositors."^

On November 1, the first number of the Herald ,
issued from Lamoni, Iowa, reads thus :

"greeting.

"We sit down amid the debris of building, and the
unorganized chaos of an office removed, to greet our
readers from our new home in Iowa. We bid our
contributors and correspondents a hearty welcome to
our new quarters.

"We have not yet succeeded in getting things into
order, but shall do the best we can to keep the Herald
in motion. The weather at our arrival in Lamoni was

^Editor, Joseph Smith; superintendent, John Scott; bookkeeper, Law-
rence Conover; Carrie L. Smith, Zaide Smith, Anna Scott, Will Deani,
Will Crick, compositors.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

horrible ; the elements having organized for a ten days'
rain, which was fairly fulfilled. We succeeded, how-
ever, in transferring machinery and office furniture
with but little delay and loss by breakage, and shall
soon be turning the press wheels again, merrily as
ever. Send in the subscribers."

And how smoothly it seems to have been done. The
editor speaks often of the pleasant situation of the
new office, its completeness of detail, and how suitably
it was all arranged, what comfort he derived from it.
Yet the town was "raw," the mud deep and rich, and
no sidewalks. He joined in all the victory of accom-
plishment against these things.

Look at the Herald for 1874 ; what a change from
the little Herald that for years went like messengers
with folded wings into the homes of thousands. Now
it measures sixteen by ten and a half inches, and this
was necessary because the church was growing, not
alone in numbers, but in many other ways. The in-
crease in members was seven hundred and fifty-two in
the year just gone.

The Bishop was appointing agents and the church
was fast becoming orderly and settled in the plan of
tithes, which the church had been trying to have ear-
nestly taught and made plain to the people. Every-
where the people were learning that the Reorgan-
ized Church was an honorable and truth-loving people.
EfVen the people of Nauvoo were being converted.

YOUxXG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

They entreated President Smith to bring his church
to Hancock County, even Xauvoo. They presented
a petition with a list of signers three and one half
yards long, some of them in double rows. They had
lieard how the church was going to move from Piano
and they desired them to come to Xauvoo. Beautiful,
but lonely and sleeping old city, doomed to fall asleep
in its own ruin.

At the conference of April, 1878, William B.
Smith, the only living brother of Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, united with the church. He was now an old
man. As he took a place with his nephew there seemed
to be something very close and near between the Re-
organized Church and the church as it was when this
man was young, back in Xew York in 1830. As the
years went by there were branches organized, east
and west, north and south, and where there were a
number of branches in a certain county or State they
were organized into districts.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 14

In Missouri

THE return of the Saints to Missouri seemed as-
sured when on July 6, 1884, the little brick
church in east Independence was dedicated.
In this building had been held the first General Con-
ference of the Reorganized Church in Jackson
County, jNIissouri, in 1882/ and here was the starting
point of the Sunday school and choir movement in In-

Brick Chiii-ch at Independence

dependence. Here the church people gathered for all
services until the branch was too large, and that was
not long, for January 3, 1887, the committee on the
new church reported and at once began working to-
ward a church in a new place. This finally resulted

^The first General Cont'ci'ciK'<' lu-ld in MissonrL was in Saint I.oiiis
in 18fi9.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

in the stone church in Independence, and soon after
the Saints disposed of the old church, it burned.

It is pleasant to read of the many church buildings
rising in all parts of the land. ^lany of them were

Old Gravel Road over which
the elders traveled in early days
to Saint Louis

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

small, but showing that the church was spreading and
growing and prospering; but in many cities the
branches were forced to meet in halls, renting them
from societies or orders, who of course had first right
to use them.

While the Lord accepts our worship and praise
from any place, there is more delight in a place made
and kept sacred to his service.

The years brought these houses for Sunday school
and church and with them organs and many beautiful
and comfortable additions to the churches.

Sometimes the elders out in new fields were perse-
cuted, but there was a better understanding every
year of the belief of the church. The Saints were
happy and the terrible things suffered by the church
in Missouri and Illinois seemed to have happened
long ago.

The men who had been leaders in the old church
were many of them dying. The three witnesses to the
Book of Mormon are always of interest to the people,
and when Martin Harris died, in 1875, faithful to
his testimony, many wondered if the remaining one
would be faithful to the Book of Mormon. Several
men of importance in the church visited David Whit-
mer at his home in Richmond, Missouri, and every
one of them felt that he was "an honest man." Some
of these became eloquent, and all felt the wonderful
power of the Spirit when he testified to the truthful-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

ness of the Book of Mormon. We quote from one
of these, Elder E. C. Briggs, to wliom he told the
story of seeing the angel:

" 'In June, 1829, I saw the angel by the power of
God; Joseph, Oliver, and I were alone, and a light
from heaven shone around us, and solemnity pervaded
our minds. The angel appeared in the light, as near
as that young man. [Within five or six feet.] Be-
tween us and the angel there appeared a table, and
there lay upon it the Sword of I^aban, the Ball of Di-
rectors, the Record, and Interpreters. The angel took
the Record, and turned the leaves, and showed it to
us by the power of God. They were taken away by
the angel to a cave, which we saw by tlie power of
God while we were yet in the Spirit. JNIy testimony
in the Book of Mormon is true; I can't deviate from
it. I was troubled with so many by letter and other-
wise, all over the United States, and some from Eu-
rope, that I made my proclamation of ^larch 19, 1881.
In this way thousands read it, who would never have
done so otherwise. I have the original manuscripts.
They have tlie printer's marks. The printers here
have examined them, and say they are genuine. When
})eing printed, Oliver Cowdery would take about a
dozen pages of them at a time, and remain and proof
read and see that the work was done properly, and
continued his vigil to the end.'

"Brother in Christ, after a visit with Brother David

YOUNG l'EOPl-E"S HIST()H^

Whitmer, one of the chosen witnesses of the Book of
JMormon, I want to say that I felt to admire the man ;
his humble, meek manner is wonderful to behold, in
comparison with the self-called ministry of the present
age. He is a devout Christian, and speaks of Brother
Joseph, and the rise of the latter-day work with en-
dearing words of love. As he said:

" 'The boys, Joseph and Oliver, worked hard, early
and late, while translating the plates. It was slow
work, and they could \\ rite only a few pages a day.'

"Of Joseph he continued:

" 'He could not do a thing except he was humble,
and just right before the Lord.'

"I said, 'Why not?'

"He replied:

" 'The Urim and Thummim would look dark; he
could not see a thing in them.'

" 'How did it appear in them?' we asked.

"His answer was:

" 'The letters appeared on them in light, and would
not go off until they were written correctly by Oliver.
When Joseph could not pronounce the words he
spelled them out letter by letter. Ah! Joseph was a
good man, but he had a hard task to manage with the
people in the early days of the church. They were
sectarian (Brigham Young was only a sectarian) and
came in with all of their own views, and were hard to
manage. In fact, they sought office in the church.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

and when they were ordained it was only putting new
wine into old bottles in many cases.'

"I asked him why he did not go with the church.

"He replied:

" 'I had good reasons, but do not wish to speak of
them now. I was directed to remain here in Rich-
mond.' "—The Saints' Herald, vol. 31, pp. 396, 397.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 15

Manuscript and Authorized Version of Book of Mormon

DID you ever wonder what became of the manu-
script of the Book of jNIormon and what it
would look like? And would yo unot like to
sometime see the original manuscript of the Inspired
Translation of the Scriptures?

One time the Utah faction of the church sent men
to David Whitmer to get the manuscript of the Book
of JNIormon, but the good old shepherd of the yellow-
ing manuscript would not part with it for any consid-
eration. He said, "There is not enough gold in the
world to purchase this." He guarded it as carefully
as Emma Smith did the manuscript of the Bible.

Sometimes the missionaries of our church went, as
did people from many churches, to visit David Whit-
mer; but in 1884 there was a remarkable visit made
in the old town of Richmond, ]\Iissouri, where the
Whitmers lived. The Reorganized Church had asked
Mr. Whitmer if a committee could come to his house
and with him compare the old manuscript of the Book
of INIormon with the printed Book of jNIormon, and he
consented, with the stipulation that Joseph Smith be
one of that committee. On the 8th of July the com-
mittee stood in the upper room of the Whitmer home,
in Richmond, ^Missouri. The main figure in the room
was David A^^litmer, the last of the three witnesses.

>Y^ ^'Ol XG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Almost fourscore of years had he hved; his eye was
bright and his faculties good, but liis hair was thin,
and white as wool.

The men of the committee were Joseph and Alex-
ander H. Smith, William H. Kelley, and Thomas W.
Smith.

Sons of the early witnesses to the Book of ISIormon
mingled with this company in that little upper room
in the days that they spent there.

Since the first Book of ]Mormon was printed in
Palmyra, Xcw York, there had been many editions
printed in otlier places and in other languages, and
changes might have crept into the book. The Reor-
ganized Church was determined to restore, so far as
possible, the church to its most perfect condition.
There was no doubt that David AVhitmer had the
original writing of the Book of ^Mormon, and the other
old copy made by Oliver Cowdery had been ruined and
lost because of lying in the corner stone of the Xauvoo
House, where it became water-soaked and soon crum-
bled when exposed to the air. The men gathered
about the old sheets of foolscap paper, felt very rev-
erent, and were very careful as one read word by w^ord
from the paper and one followed and made notes in
the book. They used the old Palmyra edition of 1830,
and the one printed by the Reorganized Church in
Piano, 1875.

When they had finished they published this state-
ment :

YOUNG PEOPLF'S HISTORY

"Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, July 17, 1884.
"To zchoin it may concern: This may certify that
^ve were present from time to time at the 7-esidence
of David Whitmer, sr., during the examination and
comparison of the Pahnyra and subsequent editions
of the Book of ^Mormon, with the manuscript of that
book now in the hands of said David Whitmer, and
that examination was conducted openly, and as we
believe fairly; by W. H. Kelley, A. H. Smith, and
T. W. Smith for the Reorganized Church; and Jos-
eph Smith and Philander A. Page for David AVhit-
mer; that said examination began Tuesday, July 8,
and was concluded July 17, 1884.

"Wm. H. Kelle\% Chairman of Committee,

"Alex. H. Smith.

"Thos. W. Smith, Secretary of Committee.

"D. J. Whitmer.

"Geo. Schweich.

"John Short.

"John C. Whitmer.

"Joseph Smith.

"P. A. Page."

Twenty-two years later there was another edition
of the Book of ^Mormon provided for, known as
the Authorized Edition. This edition was brought
about by the action of the General Conference, and
its history is quite clearly stated in the following state-
ment taken from the preface of the book :

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

"At a General Conference of the Reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in
April, 1906, the following preamble and resolution
were adopted :

" 'Whereas, There are several editions of the Book
of Mormon extant, differing in divisions of chapters
and paragraphs, thereby rendering it impossible to
prepare concordance and works of reference, there-
fore,

" 'Resolved, That we recommend . . . the appoint-
ment of a committee ... to investigate and prepare a
uniform plan for the divisions of chapters and verses,
and, if thought advisable, to prepare or adopt a sys-
tem of references.'

"Frederick M. Smith, Heman C. Smith, Richard
S. Salyards, Francis M. Sheehy, Columbus Scott,
Edmund L. Kelley, and Frederick B. Blair were ap-
pointed.

"The committee appointed Frederick M. Smith,
Heman C. Smith, and Richard S. Salyards as a sub-
committee to do the work of reversification, etc., with
instructions to use the large type, Lamoni edition as
a basis; to leave the chapters as in the original Pal-
myra edition.

"The sub-committee completed the work of reversi-
fication, and in so doing made 'all verses from the
Book of Isaiah to correspond in their divisions' to the
versification of the Inspired Translation of the Holy

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^^

Scriptures, and indicated such matter by reference
notes.

"The general committee indorsed the work of the
sub-committee. It concluded to broaden the scope
of its work hj making provision for comparison of
the Lamoni edition with the original manuscript and
the Kirtland edition. It adopted the following as
instruction to the sub -committee for the completion of
the work :

" 'Resolved, That it be the sense of this committee
that in the publication of the new work we follow the
corrections of the Book of Mormon so as to make the
new work in accordance with the original manuscript
and the Kirtland edition of the Book of Mormon, pub-
lished by Pratt and Goodson, of 1837, that the work
may be completed as corrected by Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery.'

"The sub-committee were authorized to 'examine
proofs and corrections' according to the foregoing
resolution ; to proof read the matter as published ; and
to prepare a suitable index. They were also instructed
to indicate by paragraph signs the divisions into para-
graphs according to the Palmyra edition, and to hand
over the work for publication.

"The sub-committee carefully compared the orig-
inal manuscript with the Kirtland and the large type
editions. One member of the committee read from the
manuscript, one followed the Kirtland edition, the
other recorded all corrections in the large type edi-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

tion. The manuscript is legible ; there was little diffi-
culty in reading it. They also referred to the Pal-
myra edition in the examination of the text. There is
very little difference in the paragraphs in the Palmyra
and the Kirtland editions.

"The preface to the Kirtland edition contains the
following paragraph:

" 'Individuals acquainted with book printing, are
aware of the numerous typographical errors, which
always occur in manuscript editions. It is only neces-
sary to say, that the whole has been carefully reexam-
ined and compared with the original manuscripts, by
Elder Joseph Smith, jr., the translator of the Book
of Mormon, assisted by the present printer, Brother
O. Cowdery, who formerly wrote the greatest portion
of the same, as dictated by Brother Smith.'

"The committee found errors, including omissions,
in the Lamoni edition; also some matter in the orig-
inal manuscript omitted in the Palmyra or the Kirt-
land edition, or in both those editions ; such omissions
evidently being overlooked in proof reading.

"Where differences occurred betwxen the manu-
script and the Kirtland edition, the committee were
governed by the subject matter of the context. There
were no material differences in the sense of the text
of the manuscript and of the Kirtland edition.

"Numerous minor changes were made, many of
which have improved the subject matter."

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTOUY

The committee concluded that instead of marginal
references it would be better to have a concordance
to the Book of Mormon provided. They finished
their work July, 1908, and the book was published that
year. The committee on a concordance is at work as
we write.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 16

Burning of the Herald Publishing House

THE Herald Office building, in which President
Smith took such evident pleasure in 1881, was
burned January 5, 1907. The girls in the
mailing room of the old Herald Office building (this
room was just above the press room) discovered fire
at about twenty minutes to eight o'clock in the morn-
ing. Within fifteen minutes the rooms were filled
with dense smoke and in about an hour the walls had
fallen, the house was in ruins.

The fire started in the press room, possibly from a
gasoline engine. Every effort was made to save the
contents of the building. The loss was heavy and the
insurance light. Such things as w ere in the fireproof
vault were saved, but many valuable church papers
and documents were lost. The loss of old books, pa-
pers, and relics was inestimable, but there was no loss
of life and no injury to body, and by ten o'clock head-
quarters were established down tow^n and the various
departments were moving into improvised quarters.
Editors were seeking copy in the morning mail
(which had not yet been delivered at the time of fire)
and at one o'clock in the afternoon the compositors
w^ere at work in the office of the local newspaper.
The Chronicle, on the Herald. Neighboring towns
loaned type, and other needed furnishings were se-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY g]^

cured, and the office work proceeded under many dis-
advantages, but splendid courage and good spirit.

At eleven o'clock a citizens' meeting was held and
plans of helping formulated. On Sunday morning,
January 6, in a mass meeting held in the brick church,
$13,045.50 was subscribed towards building a new
office. This came from children and grown people,
from members and nonmembers. This was increased
to $17,467, and a new Herald Office was planned
which was finished and occupied by November of the
same year. This is commodious and practically fire-
proof, heated with steam, lighted and empowered witli
electricity.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 17

The Church in the Islands of the Sea

OX November (>, 1873, Elders Glaud Rodger
and Charles AV. AVandell sailed from San
Francisco, California, on the vessel Domingo.
These men were going to Australia to preach the gos-
pel of Jesus, but on the way the vessel began to leak.
The crew made such repairs as they could and then
the captain tin*ned the vessel toward the harbor of

[ ^^

.^ -^^~. ■>l.^P^^^^B^^^HH

IX/.L ^. _

Harbor of Papeete

Papeete, on Tahiti, one of the group of Society Is-
lands. Here Elders Rodger and Wandell spent some
time waiting for the repair of the ship.

As they strolled along the Queens Road, two mid-
dle-aged men spoke to them and wanted to know if

YOirXC; PEOPLE'S HISIORV

they were missionaries. They assured them that this
was their mission and that they were on their way
to Sydney, Austraha ; hut the natives could not speak
Knghsh. They ehmg to the elders, frequently using
the name Parato.

The elders thought they were spies and got away
from them, hut really they were Saints who seemed to
be led to these strange missionaries to ask for Addison
Pratt, a missionary sent to these islands by Joseph the
Seer.

As the brethren continued on their walk they met
the Queens Road overseer, who spoke English. Of
him they learned that there was a settlement of Saints
at Tiona, five miles west of town.

Then the missionaries began to feel sorry because
the ship was going to sail the next day. Before this
they had been glad of it, but now, well, they prayed
earnestly that the ship would be detained, and the
next morning without breakfast started for Tiona.

By inquiring they found David Brown, an East
Indian who spoke good sailor English, and he led
them to the Saints. What a joyful time ensued. A
meeting was appointed for three o'clock and the good
missionaries were soon seated at a royal feast of fried
chicken, boiled bread fruit, and cocoanut milk. Every-
thing was neat and comfortable.

The church was built of bamboo, seated neatly ; had
a bell and pulpit and communion table; had a good

34 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

choir, led by Sister Pipi. The missionaries then told
them about the death of Joseph and Hyrum and of
the rejection of the church, and then of the Reorgan-
ization and young Joseph. Of course this had to be
done through an interpreter.

During the meeting an old man arose and said,
"These are Josephites," and the people were full of
joy. They had heard of the false teaching of those
who departed from the faith ; they had compared such
teachings with the books with which they were very
familiar, and with Elder Pratt's teaching, and in open
conference had rejected it.

It had been eighteen years since a white elder had
been with them and they had suffered many things
because they would not go into the ruling church in
Tahiti. Six of their men were killed rather than for-
sake their faith. They had gathered thus, far from
the city, in order to keep their children in the faith of
the church, which they believed required them to be
pure and clean and honest and of good thoughts.

The ship was detained, and fifty-five of these noble,
brown Saints were baptized by Elder Rodger in the
blue water of the Pacific. Some were ordained and
sent to tell the good news to other islands. It is one
of the most cheering and interesting stories in the
whole church history; told by Elders Wandell and
Rodger, it holds one in a spell, for these men were
cultured gentlemen, of refined manners and pleasant.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY g5

affectionate natures; and well read, deeply religious
missionaries for Christ.

When they left, the Tiona Saints were in an organ-
ized condition, but sorrowful at their going. They
followed them, weeping, and they wanted young Jos-
eph to write to them. They called him a great latter-
day missionary to whom Atua (God) spoke good
words, like he had to Joseph's father. Indeed they
found great comfort in the thought, "Atua speaks
again." .They had known no white elder since Addi-
son Pratt had been compelled by the French author-
ities to leave them.

This was the beginning of the Reorganized Church
in the islands of the sea. These simple children of
the south sea knew that this church was the one after
the right pattern. It seemed to the Saints that God
had directed the ship Domingo and permitted all
things that contributed to this happy discovery of the
brown Saints.

gg YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 18

In Australia

WHEX the missionaries left Tahiti they jour-
neyed straight to Sydney, Australia, whence
they were going when the Domingo began
to leak. Here they "set up the gospel standard."
You know when men discover new countries they set
up the standard or banner of the country they repre-
sent. So men who represent Jesus and his gospel,
when they come to a place where his church is un-
known, will pray and preach and introduce the church
of Christ to that people. This is the meaning of the
saying, Set up, or raise, the standard, or banner of
the gospel.

Elder Wandell \\sis ill much of the time, but was
able to do much good. He was greatly interested in
music and gave attention to it in his missionary work.
He was a noble and intelligent worker.

]March 2, 1875, he ^\Tote in his diary directing the
disposal of his books and clothing and bearing his
testimony of his unlimited faith in Jesjus and his be-
lief that Joseph Smith was the true leader and pres-
ident of the church. He knew that he was soon going
to die. He felt calm and serene and had heard the
angels sing a beautiful song. On JNIarch 14 he died,
far from liome and native land, but unafraid, and he
said the future looked bright.

The Saints in Australia buried him and put up a

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HKSTOKV

nice moiiunieiit to his memory. During his ilhiess
he had excellent care, and everything was done to
make him comfortable. His life was an interesting-
one; for a time he was employed in the historian's
office in Nauvoo in 1845.

Scene in Australia

This death left Elder Gland Rodger alone in his
charge of the Australian mission, which now had the
care of the Society Islands or Tahitian Saints. Plow
these men would have rejoiced had they seen the little
gospel boat EvaucUa in the waters of the south seas.
Elder Rodger returned from his mission to the Land
of the Southern Cross in 1879. He died far from
home, in Elko, Nevada. August 3, 1884, with none of

gg YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

his family near him. The Saints buried him in the
cemetery at Elko, where his grave has been visited by
some of those who loved him, including his youngest
daughter, Mrs. Dollie Olsen, of Lamoni, Iowa.

The work in Australia grew rapidly. They have
their own publishing house at Sydney, New South
Wales, and the church is firmly planted in that won-
derful island. Many missionaries have gone there
since the work was established by Eflders Rodger and
Wandell, and many carry sweet and beautiful mem-
ories of their pilgrimage there. Some have remained
and made that Land of the Southern Cross their home.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 19

Metuaore Asleep in the South Seas

IN 1901 there was a distinguished visitor at the Gen-
eral Conference in Independence, Missouri. His
name was Bishop Metuaore, of the South Sea Is-
land Mission. Bishop INIetuaore was a native of the

BISHOP METUAORE

Society Islands, born in 1847, and while Elder Thom-
as W. Smith was in the islands, in 1885, he baptized
this brown brother and ordained him. When Patriarch
Alexander H. Smith visited the islands in 1901 he
ordained him a bishop. During his visit to America

90 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

he made many warm friends. Everywhere he made
speeches which were interpreted by Elder Joseph Bur-
ton, with whom he traveled. His account of his re-
ception and the conditions in America was such that
it made stronger than ever the love of the island people
for the church. He had an even, pleasant tempera-
ment, but was honest and firm in his ideas of right.
He was among the number on whom fell the "shadow
of the sable wing" . in 1909, and greatly was he
mourned.

Of the many missionaries sent by the Reorganized
Church to the South Sea Islands, all have returned to
their native land excepting Elder Charles H. Lake.
His spirit left his body in those far-off islands June
15, 1913. He was watched over and cared for by his
faithful wife. There was not another white woman
near her. Though she was beloved of the brown
Saints, her heart was heavy when she left the loved
form on the lonely island of Amanu in the Tuamotuan
Islands, and who can guess of her loneliness in that
sad hour. JNIany have returned from that far field
with broken and shattered health, but Elder I^ake was
the only one left there, and his wife the only one who
returned in bereavement and alone to her native land.
Elder Eake, like Elder Wandell, was under heavy af-
fliction when he accepted the mission to the islands,
but he preferi-ed to spend what time was left to him in
active service foi- the church.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY q-.

His wife, Alberta, not only left his body in the far-
off, lonely islands, but she buried there her adopted,
but greatly beloved little son, a native child of great
beauty and intelligence.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 20

The Gospel Boat

THE missionaries in the Society Islands suffered
many hardships, sickness, and distress because
they had to travel from island to island in
small boats.

In 1884 Elder T. W. Smith and his wife, Helen,
went to those islands, in which they found the people
faithful and gentle, but the food and climate much
different from that of more northern lands. Mrs.
Smith was a frail, gentle, little woman, who would
suffer much for a good cause without complaint. She
was intensely spiritual and had spent many years as
the wife of a missionary in various parts of the United
States, but the five-year stay in the south seas com-
pletely shattered her health.

In his report to conference in 1886, after spending
about one and one half years there. Elder Thomas
W. Smith said, "What is needed here is a small
schooner, belonging to the church, but I have no hope
of receiving gifts from America for that purpose."
There were a number of sailboats belonging to mem-
bers of the church, but they were not large enough for
a long distance journey; just good for daylight trips.

Mrs. Smith, known as "Sister Helen," had started
a little school in the islands, and did much good in a
pioneer way. Elder Smith was determined that Lu-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 93

ther R. Devore and wife should be sent to that mission
and he continually urged his wish upon the authorities.

Finally, in 1891, in company with J. W. Gilbert
and wife, Luther R. Devore and wife went to the is-
lands, from whence he wrote urging the need of a boat
of their very own, to be used by the missionary people
to go from island to island, for the big boats would
often refuse to take them and the smaller boats were
uncomfortable and even dangerous.

Mrs. M. Walker and Elder James Caffall imme-
diately took up the plea of Elder Devore. Bishop
Kelley and the church editors joined with them. Mrs.
Walker opened a subscription list in the Mothers'
Home Column of the Saints' Herald, of which she
was editor. She, with the assistance of her niece, Mrs.
Lucy L. Lyons, and others, edited, and the church
published a book of selected poems called "After-
glow." The money from its sale went to the boat
fund. Sunday schools joined in the movement and
sent money.

Elder Devore thought three thousand dollars would
build the boat. All through the years 1892 and 1893
the bits of money were piled up for the boat fund. In
the opening of the spring of 1894 the Joint Council of
First Presidency, Twelve, and Bishopric sent Bishop
Kelley to San Francisco to secure the boat.

Not finding one just suited to the work, in consul-
tation with Captain Joseph F. Burton they resolved
to build a boat.

1)4.

^f)I'XG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

.The work was done with much care; nothing but
the very best material was used. The whole of the
vessel presented a unique and interesting appearance.
It was neat, strong, and graceful. Loving hearts had
furnished it with up-to-date comfort. From it floated

EVANELIA

a beautiful American Flag. The gifts of Sunday
school children and aid societies were everywhere seen.

Among the ones w^ho volunteered to accompany
Captain Burton and his wife as missionaries to the
islands were Elder Hubert Case and his bride, Alice
Montague.

The storv of the little boat is full of interest as told

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

in the Autumn Leaves. The Bishop had in hand
three thousand dollars, but the final eost was $3,787.34.
The boat was going to the south seas, where nearly
two thousand brown Saints and three missionaries
waited for it with eagerness.

Evanelia, a name meaning Ship of Zion in the Ma-
orian tongue, was given the little craft.

On September 14, 1894, she was launched at San
Francisco. September 22, the boat was dedicated with
singing and prayer, and October 23 she sailed away
toward the distant land of the brown Saints. Elder
Joseph F. Burton captain, Jeptha Scott mate, Fred-
erick Nieman, William JNIcGrath, sailors.

She was a little boat for such a large undertaking,
but she anchored in the harbor of Papeete, November
30, thirty-five days from that, all souls aboard, seven
in all, well and safe, and they met a welcome from the
Saints, first of all Elder Gilbert and Metuaore. A
little more than two and one half years had elapsed
since the plea from Elder Devore was first published.

This boat fund was continually kept before the
people by its friends, especially Mrs. Walker, and the
joy that all felt when it was at last helping in the
wonderful work of the gospel in the beautiful islands
of the south seas was universal.

Captain Burton and wife returned after seeing the
little ship properly introduced into the waters of the
south, and left the boat for two years a white-winged

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

messenger for truth. Then some of the people of the
south seas began to carry merchandise on her. They
loaded the httle boat with shell and dried, cocoanut.

Bishop Kelley had spoken almost prophetically in
warning against such a thing, urging that the beloved
little craft be kept for the gospel u,se, as she had been
dedicated by prayer and consecrated to it by the sac-
rifice of thousands who sent money to help build her.
But the warning was unheeded, and on July 26, 1896,
at five in the evening, the little gospel ship went qui-
etly down into the southern seas. She was absolutely
sunk with her tremendous load.

Song and poem and sacrifice and prayer for the
little gospel boat make quite a long story, but her life
was very short and her loss was caused by mistaken
ideas of service.

VOIJXG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 21

The Seven Resolutions

Ix\ JULY OF 1878, on the eleventh day. John
Whitmer, one of the eight ^vitnesses to the ]^ook
of JNlormon, died at his home in Far A'^'est, Mis-
souri. He kept his own farm and hved on it near the
Temple Lot all the years from the fall of Far AV'est
until death came to him there.

Sometimes it seemed necessary for the church to
repeat again and again its belief. So we find at the
Semiannual Conference of 1878, at Gallands Grove,
Iowa, they passed a set of seven resolutions :

"Resolved, That the law of tithing as given in the
revelation of 1838, and referred to in the revelation of
1861, is applicable to the church in its present con-
dition, and should be observed.

"Resolved, That the building of houses of worship
in the various branches of the church is in keeping
with the law, and an excellent aid to the preaching of
the word.

"Resolved, That all baptisms, in order to be legal,
must be done by both the administrator and the can-
didate going down into the water, according to the
instructions in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doc-
trine and Covenants; and if there are any now num-
bered with the church who have received the ordinance
with any less than the above requirements, that they

gg YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

are hereby required to receive the administration of the
ordinance in the above form.

"Resolved, That this body, representing the Reor-
ganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
does hereby authoritatively indorse the Holy Scrip-
tures as revised, corrected, and translated by the Spirit
of revelation, by Jose^Dh Smith, jr., the Seer, and as
published by the church we represent.

"Resolved, That this body, representing the Reor-
ganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
recognize the Holy Scriptures, the Book of Mormon,
the revelations of God contained in the Book of Doc-
trine and Covenants, and all other revelations which
have been or shall be revealed through God's ap-
pointed prophet, which have been or may be hereafter
accepted by the church as the standard of authority on
all matters of church government and doctrine, and
the final standard of reference on appeal in all con-
troversies arising, or which may arise in this Church
of Christ.

"Whereas, We accept the revelations heretofore
given to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, through the present presiding of-
ficer thereof, as being the word of the Lord to his
church, equally with those published in the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants; therefore, be it

"Resolved, That the revelations received by the
President of the church in 1861, 1863, and 1865, be

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

received as from God, authoritative and binding on
us as a body ; and in connection with the revelation of
1873, that they be hereafter compiled with that book.

"Resolved, That this body declares that the use of
tobacco is expensive, injurious, and filthy, and that
it should be discouraged by the ministry." — The
Saints Herald, vol. 25, pp. 294-, 295, 296.

These are all important, but a casual observer would
deem some of them unnecessary, and yet the con-
stantly shifting scenes of church life made them im-
perative.

Pathetic is the turn of history now in the case of
Jason W. Briggs, that brave defender and magnifi-
cent builder of church work. We find him no more
a part of the church and work he so gallantly and
unfalteringly served for many years.

The year 1878 had been one of unusual sorrow
because of the ravages of yellow fever in the South.
Men's hearts grew sick with the fatal work of the
pestilence, and some of the leading men of Philadel-
phia wrote to the President of the United States, urg-
ing a national day of fasting and prayer. In this the
church season of prayer the church joined.

Many things were said of this gospel restored to
earth in the church of 1830. The doctrines it taught
were old, but the people at first thought them strange.
But as the years went by, in every place where it was
preached men found something they liked, and here

100

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

a little and there a little they adopted some of these
"new" ideas; for when they really looked into their
Bibles they found these new things were old — and
churches began to adopt them. It was the little leaven
that was leavening the whole Christian world.

Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the
Book of Mormon, died in July, 1875, the farmer of
Palmyra, who never faltered in his testimony to the
truth of the Book of Mormon. His last words were
in confirmation of the Book of Mormon and the three
witnesses. He died of old age, being ninety-two years
old, at the home of his son, Martin Harris, jr. Often
then news came of the death of some old veteran of
the early church days.

More and more the church felt that they must let
all men know that they did not approve of the work
of the church in Utah and other factions, and that
they were anxious to have the rule of that church
broken, that the good and holy things of Christ's
teachings might be taught to and accepted by the in-
nocent and the honest. They drew up a document
telling of their faith and belief, and this document is
filed in the office for such papers in Washington, Dis-
trict of Columbia, signed with the names of those who
prepared it, viz: Henry J. Hudson, Phineas Cadwell,
and Jason W. Briggs.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

101

CHAPTER 22

In Decatur County, Iowa, and Piano, Illinois

WE WILL go back a little now for some
items. After the fall conference at Council
Bluffs in 1875, a trip was made by a
party in which were Bishop Israel L. Rogers,
David Dancer, Elijah Banta, Henry A. Stebbins,
Wilham W. Blair, David H. Smith, Duncan Cartip-

A GROUP OF ELDERS OF 1875.

bell, Samuel V. Bailey, Norman W. Smith, Stephen
Stone, Alvin Hayer, Ole Elefson, and Joseph Smith,
all of whom went to view the country, see the people,
and attend the Decatur District conference. This

102 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

party reported excellent land, agreeable people, and
a deliglitful country in which to live.

There were one hundred and fifty-three members in
the Lamoni Branch at that time. They had no meet-
inghouse, but one was under contemplation. There
w^as not a justice of the peace or constable in the
township, and in the five years during which the peo-
ple had been gathering they had never had a lawsuit.

Believing that there was inspiration in the choice
of Lamoni for a settlement, they urged it upon the
people at the headquarters of the church in Piano.

There were always things of interest to the student
in Piano, for the publishing house was printing the
Herald and the Hope and much else of interest.
Among the rest, the volume of poems by David H.
Smith, called "Hesperis," but the talented and be-
loved author was too ill to occupy in his church offices
and was compelled to rest in quiet old Nauvoo with
his wife, Clara, and little son, Elbert A.

At the beginning of every j^ear President Smith,
as editor of the Saints' Herald, wrote some cheering
words, urging the Saints to go on and be true and
patient. These new year messages are like illumi-
nated milestones on the journey of the church, and
1876 was not without its message.

President Smith this year resigned as member of
the Board of Publication and Elder Henry A. Steb-
bins was chosen to fill his place.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY jqq

While the church of 1876 was busy performing du-
ties and planning others, the men of 1830 and 1840
were finishing life's work, and among them we find
the name of Sidney Rigdon. The work of this man
in the early church times was important. You will
remember him best in the good work in the time of
building the Kirtland Temple, and his help in the
translating of the Scriptures by Joseph Smith, the
JNIartyr. He died at Friendship, Allegheny County,
New York, July 14, 1876.

In the fall of this year the Semiannual Conference
was held near Council Bluffs. President Smith was
absent, so President William W. Blair presided. This
time the people declared they were true to the action
of the conference of 1871 that said the Sunday school
cause formed an important part in the work of the
last days, and the officers and teachers were sustained.
They passed this resolution :

"Resolved, That this conference reaffirm a resolu-
tion passed by the annual conference of 1871, touch-
ing the Sunday school cause, which reads. That the
Sunday school cause forms an important feature in
the work of the last days, and the officers and teachers
thereof are hereby sustained; and furthermore it is
hereby

"Resolved, That we request the presidents of
branches, throughout the world, to use their utmost
endeavors to organize Sunday schools in their respec-

lOJ-

YOUNG PEOPLES HISTORY

tive branches, and to make reports to their several
district conferences of the condition and progress of
said schools; and that districts make reports to the
annual conference ; and that presidents of districts and
the traveling ministry be also requested to use their
influence to establish and sustain Sunday schools."

The church music was again talked of and the
church api^ointed ]Mark H. Forscutt chairman of a
committee on church music, with power to choose his
two assistants, who later proved to be Norman W.
Smith and David H. Smith. These men were each
blessed with the gift of music. Each left to the church
words or music, or both, that have become dear to the
heart of every Saint and moved the hearts of many
not in the church.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

105

CHAPTER 23

The First Missionaries to the West

AjNIONG the people who went west after the re-
jection of the church were many who were lost
in the confusion of the changes during the ex-
odus from Nauvoo to the valleys of Utah. They were
lost in the tumult of strange doctrine, and some of
them found too late that they had been following men
whom they thought were good and true; hut condi-
tions proved that there were many unhappy because
they were being taught erroneous doctrines.

The Reorganized Church sent missionaries to Utah
as early as 1863, but the leaders of the people forbade
them to preach or speak and that organization was
the power there. The United States kept troops of
armed soldiers near Salt Lake City; to them the peo-
ple might appeal and be protected from the perse-
cution.

Among the first to visit the city was the daring
young elder, Edmund C. Briggs, and his more mature
companion, Alexander JNIcCord. They went to the
leading men of that church and asked to be allowed to
preach. They denied them everything, and one day
they attended the meeting in the big tabernacle and
Elder Briggs stood up to defend the church against
the slanders of Brigham Young. President Young
cried, "Young man, sit down"; but the young man

lOO

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

continued to stand and talk. After much show of
anger Brigham Young said, "Let the pohce take care
of that young man." Then Elder Briggs said to the
jDoliceman, "All right! I recognize your authority,
but I do not recognize that man up there," meaning
Brigham Young. This story is told by General Con-
nor, U. S. A., stationed in Utah at that time.

People all over the United States were troubled
by the false teaching and the wrong conditions caused
by those who had departed from the true faith, and a
public meeting was held in Chicago to discuss ways
and means to correct such evils. President Joseph
Smith, of the Reorganized Church, was especially in-
vited to address this meeting, which he did. Every
kind and sort of reformer was planning to reach the
heart of the pure and good and lead them into some-
thing better. The Reorganized Church knew that the
great mass of those deceived people loved the church
as it existed in 1830, and that no other faith would
satisfy the honest-hearted, and for this cause there
was much time and love and prayer given to the pros-
ecution of the work among them in the West.

Following Elders E. C. Briggs and Alexander
McCord to the West was a small company of mission-
aries sent out in 1869 to Utah and California. There
were three men in this expedition, Alexander H.
Smith, James W. Gillen, and William Anderson (of
Montrose, Iowa) . These men risked their lives many

YOUKG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

107

times on the journey, with their simple outfit of cov-
ered wagon, span of mules, and one riding pony.
There were dangers from Indians, white man, and
animals and illness, but they made the trip without
serious molestation into Utah, where they preached
and prayed and did missionary work, then drove on to
California.

This was a wonderful experience, and it reads like
a romance to the boys of to-day. The story of a ride
from Nebraska City to the other side of the Rockies
to-day, in a Pullman coach, over steel rails, cannot
have the thrill that such a journey would hold, made
in 1869, behind two little army mules. But these
pioneer missionaries did not accept the manner of
travel from choice, and they returned in a couple of
years over the shining new track of the Union Pacific
Railway. Their way was opened thus across the great
American Continent, and missionaries went each year
to the AVest, and North, and South, and the wonderful
East, that held so much of history for cliurch and

state.

_ -^~2*-^-#:-?C

- »0

108

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 24

"Autumn Leaves" and Foreign Papers

THE Saints' Herald was the original literatiiix'
of the church. It was the root or starting phice
for all the church literature. If any new book
or magazine or paper was considered, the church peo-
j)le got acquainted with it through the Herald. Jan-
uary 23, 1886, Lucy Lloyd made a plea for a depart-
ment for domestic culture, in the Herald. The Herald
editor visited Mrs. M. Walker at her home in Lamoni,
asking her to take charge of the department, and she,
with her usual spirit of love and service, agreed, and
there has been from that last week in January, 188G,
the Mothers' Home Column in the Herald. Few
changes have occurred. Mrs. Marietta Walker, or
"Frances" as she is called by her readers, held the
place of editor of the Home Column until 1911, when
her time and strength being devoted to much else, she
relinquished the charge, and Mrs. Christiana Salyards
became the editor.

For many years Mrs. Walker had thought on the
plan of starting a magazine for the young people of
the church. The children had a paper and the parents
had the Herald with a column especially for the
mothers, and there was Sandhedens Banner for the
Scandinavian Saints, and the Vindicator of Truth for
the English Saints, published in England, and the

YOUNG TKOPI-E'S HISTORY

109

Advocate in Salt Lake City for the Reorganized
Church out there, but the young people needed a
paper. jNIrs. Walker sent out a cry through the Her-
ald. She wanted fifteen hundred subscribers to start
with. Suppose you read her own words:

"During the session of General Conference at this
place last spring, it was suggested to us that the
church needed a publication for our young people,
which should be intermediate between the Herald and
Hope. This suggestion came from more than one
elder actively engaged in the work, and men whose
judgment the church respects. Again the plea was
often presented when ^ye were trying to enlarge the
Hope, and letters to that effect were published in the
Home Column, until we are constrained to believe
the want is a wide-felt and almost an imperative one.

"Under a pressure of feelings such as these, when
the Board of Publication met at this place on the 10th
of Januar}^ 1887, we laid the matter before them in
the form of a proposition, that we ourselves would
edit such a periodical, assuming all financial respon-
sibility, provided it met their approval. The answer
was favorable, and having taken time to consider the
matter, we now present it to you. If indeed this want
is felt, the chyrch is abundantly able to supply it to
themselves, and we are willing to devote our time to
it. That w^e cannot do this without obtaining a sup-
port from it, will be evident to all when we tell them

jjQ YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

that at least one half of our time is now given to
church work (which we do not propose to relinquish) ,
and the other half is given to just such cares as Martha
complained of, and which for the sake of the church
we are willing to lay down." — The Saints' Herald,
vol. 34, p. 183.

The first magazine for the young people was re-
ceived by them in January, 1888. Mrs. Walker was
editor and publisher, with the consent and approval of
the Board of Publication. The magazine came with
church authority back of it, and it was a splendid
treasure for the people, both old and young. Every-
one enjoyed it. After some years, Mrs. Walker pre-
sented it to the church, but still was editor and for-
tunately for the young people was able to hold that
place until 1904, when she was constrained to yield it
to the young hands and brilliant mind of Elbert A.
Smith, whose artistic soul finds various ways of pre-
senting its name, A utnmn Leaves, and filling its pages
for the young and aged.

One of the very first Autumn Leaves printed was
destined to a place of honor when the corner stone of
the stone church at Independence, Missouri, was laid
April 6, 1888.'

"The first day of the conference, April 6, the corner stone of the In-
dependence Chapel was laid under the direction of President Joseph
Smith. Prayer was offered by President W. W. Blair, and addresses were
made by President Joseph Smith, A. H. Smith, E. C. Brand, Charles
Derry, E. I.. Kelley, I. N. White, and the Reverend Mr. Palmore, of the
M. E. Church, of Independence. The mechanical work of laying the

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

111

stone was superintended by A. Jessiman, J. A. Kennedy, and John Earn-
shaw. The box in the corner stone contained copies of tlie Holy Scrij)-
tures, Booiv of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Saints' Harp, Joseph
the Prophet by Tullidge, Joseph the Seer by Blair, Manuscrijjt Found,
Report of the First Building Committee, Herald, Hope. Autumn Leaves,
Jiidi pendencc Gazette, Independence Daily Sentinel, Independence
Weekly Sentinel, Kansas City Times, Kansas City Joitrnal. Lamoni Ga-
zette, photographs of Joseph the Seer, President Joseph Smith, W. W.
Blair, G. A. Blakeslee, I. L. Rogers, A. H. Smith, W. H. Keiley, J. H.
Lake, Heman C. Smith, G. T. Griffiths, R. J. Anthony, and I he building
committee; a copper cent, l>earing the date of 1817, taken from the
corner stone of the Kirtland Temple, deposited by G. A. Blakeslee.

112

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 25

' ' Plea for the Little Ones ' '

IT IS nearly fifty years since a woman signing the
name "Frances" ventured into the realm of church
literature Avith a plea for the young. Church liter-
ature was not extensive, nor were its contributors
many, and this gifted and cultured woman came with
some degree of timidity before the readers of the Her-
ald asking for a great gift, an undying, unfailing,
unprecedented something from the men who had
charge of the church periodical, the Herald, then a
semimonthly magazine of twelve or fourteen pages,
six by ten inches in size, printed in small type.

Looking lately into her animated, eager face, and
listening to her enthusiastic ringing fire of words, I
could but think that for forty-seven years she had been
contending, planning, hoping, praying, working for
the reading and advancement of the young people of
the church. Xot once since her pen flew over the page
that carried the "Plea for the little ones," back in
1867, has she laid down the weapon of their defense,
her pen, for long at a time.

She claims she has trembled sometimes at her own
temerity, and felt fear lest she fail when some loved
project for the young has been pushed to open work,
but she set her face to the task and from one point
of vantage went forward to the next.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

113

She had education and abihty, but she had also an
abiding faith in the power of the gospel of Jesus, and
she had faith in the young people. She believed they

MRS. M. WALKER (FRANCES)

would appreciate their opportunities and improve
upon them.

A corner of the Herald was given up to the chil-
dren. It was but the beginning, and it was supported

114

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

by Frances and Wilde-R-Muth and one signing the
single letter "Y" and another "E."

Once there was an omission of the corner for sev-
eral months, then came another "Plea for the little
ones" from Sister Frances. Then came stories and
poems from "Abel" and Daniel F. Lambert and his
brother Joseph, and another signed "Eliza."

After November, 1867, the corner is not occupied
until March 13, 1868, when Frances again comes witli
a story about "Good manners," and there is a con-
tribution from "A," and later one from "Wilde-R-
Muth," then comes some one signing "U & I." Would
it not be interesting to know just who they were who
wrote thus under these chosen names?

We notice a serial story running through this chil-
dren's corner called "Worms in the bud," written by
Frances, and she follows it with Bible stories, which
continue until the end of the year 1868.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

115

CHAPTER 26

The "Zion's Hope"

WITH the advent of the year 1869 the Sairits"
Herald doubled in size, thus having more
room, but there was often nothing for the
children in their corner. In May following the Gen-
eral Conference of 1869, held at Saint Louis, Missouri,
there appeared in the Herald this notice:

"Our child's paper would take better with both par-
ents and children, if it were neatly and appropriately
illustrated; but to do it now is to do it by the labor
of those not of the faith; to which we can make only
this objection, that it is employing talents that should
be in the church."

This is the first public notice of any kind regarding
the children's paper ; but there must have been, some-
where, some one at work for its accomplishment, for
on page 274 of the same Herald it gets further notice:

"It has been decided to issue from the Herald Of-
fice a child's paper. We now think that we can have
the first number ready by the beginning of the next
volume of the Herald.

"Sunday school superintendents and teachers are
requested to canvass for the paper.

"Specimen numbers will be sent to anyone upon
request.

"The price will be at present fifty cents per year.

116

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

It will be published semimonthly until such time as
it warrants a weekly issue."

These notices appear in the first Herald worked off
by steam on the new Taylor cylinder press, and no
doubt everything in the line of publications seemed
easier to do than before. The little child's paper gets
more notice in the Herald for June 1, 1869:

"Those desiring that our child's paper may be a
good one, will please assist us, by the contribution to
its columns of such articles as they feel assured will
make it interesting and useful.

"To prove a success, it should be a good paper.

"We have not altogether decided, whether it will
be practicable to profusely illustrate the child's paper,
or not. Wood cuts are quite high. We shall make
such inquiry as may be necessary, and if at all within
reach, we shall try it."

You will notice that it is yet without a name, but
the very next time the Herald comes out it calls it by
name :

"For Z ion's Hope, we also ask a strong effort.
Every friend of progress in the church, every lover
of the truth, every father, every mother, every brother,
every sister, is materially affected ])y the teaching and
training of the children of the liousehold to which each
separately belongs.

"A corner, or column in the Herald, is not sufficient
to meet the great want felt in this direction, and to

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

117

give success to aii}^ new enterprise engaged in by us
as a people, it is requisite that the object for which
we especially strive in that enterprise be worthy; and
the effort persistent.

"The terms for the Sunday school paper will be
fifty cents per volume, until further notice. It will be
published semi-monthly, the first number to be issued
on the 1st of July, 1869. ,To clubs of ten and upwards
to one address, or of fifteen and upwards to separate
addresses, we will allow a discount of ten per cent.

"Specimen copies will be furnished on application,
when published. To those who have applied, we will
send as early as possible.

"Contributions and subscriptions are both required,
and are confidently looked for in such supplies as
shall justify our efforts in behalf of 'Z ion's Hope/
— our rising generation."

Who christened the little paper I do not know, but
it was well named, and proved itself as the years went
by. The new paper was at first edited by Joseph
Smith, with Mark H. Forscutt' assistant. His name
did not appear on the paper, however, until ^lay,
1870.

With the first number of the Herald, volume 16,
came this for the Hope:

"We have forwarded prospectuses for the new vol-
ume of the Herald and for Zions Hope, through the

^Familiarly known throughout the church as "Uncle Mark."

118

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

mail, to a great number of the Saints, hoping they
will interest themselves to obtain subscribers.

"Subscriptions for Zion's Hope come in from some
quarters very encouragingly — from others very mea-
gerly."

After this, words of praise and delight began to
come back to the editors and publishers, and each
year the Hope grew more beloved by child and parent.
One individual sent five dollars to be used sending the
Hope to children who were not able to subscribe for
it, and the missionaries and Sunday school, and in
fact nearly everybody helped by getting up clubs for
it, or writing something for it, or telling of its virtues
to others.

In June, 1872, "Uncle Mark's" name appeared for
the last time as assistant, as he went to England on a
mission. This left President Joseph Smith sole ed-
itor of the Hope until 1874, then Elder M. B. Oliver
was chosen assistant editor.

Elder Henry A. Stebbins^ says:

"During those years the work on the Hope was a
special part of the labor of the assistant editor, pre-
jDaring copy, seeing to the puzzles column, and writing
editorials if they were needed, but all under the su-
pervision of the editor in chief," and we accept Elder
Stebbins' version of this question, for he served as

'Called by nearly all the young people of those times by the endear-
ing title of "Uncle Henrj\" The Saints were like a big family then.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

119

assistant editor of the Hope from April, 1876, until
October, 1880. Then the chief editor was alone until
1882, when Elder Daniel F. Lambert took the place
of assistant and occupied until 1885. After his serv-
ice ended,. W. W. Blair was with President Smith.

Sometime in 1887 the whole care of the Hope came
into the hands of JNIrs. M. Walker. Then began a
long time of service, for she was editor until 1907,
when her assistant. Miss Estella Wight, became edi-
tor. But ]\liss Wight always counseled with Mrs.
Walker and was happy to do so.

The Hope has been changed in size several times.
It has supported different departments, with editors
for the various departments. There were "The little
tots," "The fold," the "Sunshine column," and other
titles. There have been at times sub-editors: Mrs.
Walker, Anna Stedman, Ella J. Green, Miss Morri-
son, Mrs. Hortense Cramer, and finally jNIiss Ethel
I. Skank.

When the Stepping Stones was launched in 1913,
with Miss Estella Wight editor, the Hope was made
the paper for the "littlest ones" and INIiss Ethel I.
Skank became editor. Both it and the Stepping
Stones, which is the paper between the Hope and
Autumn Leaves, are finely illustrated and fully up-
to-date.

;£20 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 27
The First Foreign Missions

VERY early in the history of the Reorganized
Church missionaries were sent to other lands.
It was only justice to remember the people of
God who might be waiting for Joseph, the young
prophet, in lands far from America.

As early as 1861 the church had appointed mission-
aries to England and Wales, but in October, 1862, at
the General Fall Conference held in Gallands Grove,
Iowa, after much discussion the English mission was
sustained. This consisted of the men before ap-
]3ointed; namely, Jason W. Briggs and Samuel
Powers, and at this conference Charles Derry was
associated with them.

Little Denmark was also remembered, and Jens
Jorgenson was to carry the message to Denmark.
But later we find Jeremiah Jeremiah appointed to
labor with Jason W. Briggs in England. Elder
Briggs was given considerable privilege, having the
power to print and reprint anything he thought best
for the M ork, and the church agreed to furnish the
money for the effort. You will recall his great work
in calling together the scattered Saints and encour-
aging them to wait for "Little Joseph," and that he
was president of the Quorum of Twelve. The last
men appointed to the English mission were the first

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

121

to reach it. In October, 1862, Elder Charles Derry,
then a seventy, was appointed to a mission in England,
and on December 6, 1862, he started for his field, leav-
ing his wife and children in a little log house, twelve
feet square. Certain brethren had promised to care
for them and provide things needed.^

Elder Derry says, "Bishop Rogers gave me sev-
enty-five dollars to carry me across the sea to I^iver-
pool," and after a season of prayer with him, he bade
him farewell.

It was January 20 when Elder Derry arrived in
New York. The beginning of 1863 he secured pas-
sage on a steamer called The City of Baltimore, of
the Inman Line. He traveled the very cheapest way
and lived on the most inexpensive food, using it Avith
great frugality. He had just ten dollars left when
he landed in Liverpool, for he had sent forty dollars
of his money back to his family. His big, tender heart
was WTung with the memory of them, and although he
was a messenger for Christ, he was also a husband and
a father.

He had left home with just 'fifty cents in his pocket
and traveled from western Iowa to the home of Bishop
Rogers by slow stages.

It was January 24 before his ship sailed, and Feb-
ruary 4 he landed in Liverpool. Elder Derry had
come from England to America nine years before this.

*Jairus Piitnev.

122 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

He suffered much from exposure and ill health and
loneliness, for he was a refined, sensitive, affectionate
man, and missed the comradeship and association of
loved ones, and the peace of home life.

One day he heard that there were four Heralds in
the post office for him, but he would need to pay four
shillings and nine pence before he could get them. He
had no money, so he took his overcoat and pawned it
for money. Then he feasted on church news, but was
disappointed on reading the conference news that no
mention was made of him, the one lonely missionary
of the church in England.

There is a new note in his writings after Elders J.
W. Briggs and Jeremiah Jeremiah reached him on
the 16th of May. He says: "I am no longer alone. I
have two able-bodied men to bear the burden with me
and my hopes for the future are greatly enlarged."

On the very next day after their arrival they organ-
ized the first branch of the Reorganized Church in
England, with six members. It was called the West
Bromwich Branch. This was the beginning of the
Reorganized Church in Europe.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISIOUV

123

Chapter 28
The Work in Wales

ELDER JERE:MIAH went into Wales and El-
der Briggs soon joined him there, but not until
they had each donated money and released El-
der Derry's overcoat from the pawnshop. Sometimes
these three united their labor, but more often they
labored one in a place.

The first branch started in Wales was at Merthyr
Tydfil. They translated the "Word of Consolation"
and published it in the Welsh language; probably the
first translation done in the Reorganized Church.

In March, 1864, these elders launched the first num-
ber of a little paper called the Restorer, a magazine
of sixteen pages, published monthly by the church,
with Jason W. Briggs, editor. The place of its pub-
lication was Number 305, Pennydaren, Merthyr Tyd-
fil, Wales. Part of it was printed in English and
part in the Welsh language. These were the inter-
ests the conference was preparing for when it gave
to Elder Briggs so much freedom with finances.

The elders in England were meeting much trouble
caused by the Utah Church. This seemed to be the
handicap of the elders everywhere ; to teach the people
the truth about the church was most delightful and
comforting, but the people had heard of the bad things
taught by the Utah people, and if they loved the good

]21. YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

and lovely and Christlike things in the church of Lat-
ter Day Saints, they hated the bad things that these
people claimed for the church faith, and so many re-
jected everything and would not listen to the elders.

You will see it was necessary for them to show that
they were not teaching or in any way a part of the
Utah people. You know Christ said the time would
come when Satan would have power to deceive even
the chosen and beloved of God. Our elders had to
meet reproach because of the rejected church every-
where, and always have suffered many things because
of the falling away of the church.

Among the people who had gone to Utah before
they discovered the evils out there, were many who
afterward came into the true church. Among them
was Elder Deny, and he felt that he could sympa-
thize with these disappointed ones.

New missionaries began to arrive in Europe, El-
ders J. T. Phillips and Thomas Jenkins both for
Wales. The mission was divided into districts and
the work arranged with method and order. Elder
Briggs endeavored to get the Utah people to meet
him in open discussion.

Elder Derry turned his face homeward, and on
June 21, 1864, sailed for home on the James Foster,
Junior, and on October 6, 1864, Elder Briggs issued
his farewell address in the Restorer and sailed for
America, and on the 19th landed in New York.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

1-25

In this way was started the work of the Reorgan-
ized Church in Europe. Beginning in England and
Wales, which now had eight organized branches of
the church, with a good working local force, in the
beginning of the year 1865.

126 YOL Nt; TEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 29

Emigration Fund and Scotland

FROJNl this work of the missionary done in Eu-
rope, arose the possibihty of doing something
for the poor in Europe who were eager to come
to America, where they hoped to better themselves.

When the conference convened at Piano, Illinois,
on April 6, 1865, there was much interest in the mis-
sion in Europe, and the conference decided that all
the conferences of districts should be advised to recom-
mend the branches to receive donations monthly from
members of the churches for the purpose of assisting
poor Saints to emigrate from Europe to this country,
and to send such donations to the Bishop. This fund
or supply of money was called the Emigration Fund,
and was to remain in the Bishop's keeping until called
for by a conference of the church in Europe and
agreed to by action of the General Conference of the
church in America.

The name of the man who opened the work of the
church in Scotland was George jNI. Rush, who en-
dured many trials because of the rejected church.
He made a report of his work on August 20, 1868.
He felt very keenly the persecution heaped upon him
by the Utah people in Scotland, but remained there
until released by the General Conference of 1871.

In 1866 the English Saints and those of Wales

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

127

met in conference at Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, and re-
solved to publish the Bestorer as before, in two lan-
guages. They earnestly besought the people to sup-
port it and try to increase its list of subscribers so
that it could grow cheaper and better. It was a little
paper to serve such a large purpose.

At their conference in October, 1866, they reported
the attendance of one seventy, thirty-five elders, and
several of the Aaronic priesthood. That was an en-
couraging report, for the European ^Mission had many
extraordinary difficulties to meet. At this time T. E.
Jenkins and J. D. Jones were presiding in the Welsh
mission.

]Missionaries were going to and from the European
mission now, and the work w^as well established there
and there was a demand for the money held by Bishop
Rogers, for the use of the European Saints who
wished to come to America. At a conference held in
Birmingham, England, in September, 1868, the fund
was named "The perpetual emigration fund." They
decided also to call for the money and use it.

Jason W. Briggs had come again to Europe and
with Elder Josiah Ells w^as present at the conference,
and Elder Briggs was made treasurer for the emigra-
tion fund, and wath Elders Ells, Taylor, Jenkins, and
Morton acted as a committee to dispense it. If per-
sons were considered worthy by this committee, their
way was paid to America.

228 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

This was more like a loan to the people, so they
would feel better about receiving it. Whenever able
to pay back the sum of money used, they were ex-
pected to do it. This was the very best way to help
men and women. Aside from preserving their self-
respect, which every man and woman desires to keep,
it made the emigration fund perpetual — always some-
thing there for the next man mIio wished to use it.

At the fall conference held at Park's Mills, near
Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1873, Bishop Israel L. Rogers
reported $93.35 of the perpetual emigration fund in
his hands. This was ordered turned over to the gen-
eral church fund, subject to be drawn upon at any
time for the purpose of its creation.

Bishop Rogers stated that most of the fund was
given by Saints in America, and that most of it had
been used for emigration purposes. He held notes
for some of the money and would have been glad if
some measures could be taken to have the sum repaid,
and thus it stands, awaiting the time that had been
hoped by Bishop Rogers, when the church would
have thousands of dollars to devote to that purpose.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

129

CHAPTER 30

Kirtland Temple

WHEN President Smith returned from his
visit to Washington in the interests of the
church, in 1866, he stopped for a short visit
in Kirtland, Ohio, the place of his birth. He spoke
in the temple. He felt impressed with the purity of
the church when the temple was built. He said, "The
temple is in tolerable repair, so far as the outside is
concerned, but the inside has become the prey of the
despoiler. All the ornamentation, moldings, letters,
and carved work have been broken up by curiosity
hunters, until the two upper rooms are stripped. It
is in charge of Uncle Robert Greenough, who is try-
ing to keep it from receiving further damage. How
mankind can give way to such a spirit of vandalism is
quite a mj^stery."

The old temple at Kirtland was remembered by
many in the church. There was a small branch who
met in the temple. The church decided to obtain
the deed or title to the temple, so that it would be se-
curely and forever the church property. Accordingly
lawful proceedings were had and the deed secured,
making the lovely old temple the property of the
Reorganized Church. The findings of the court and
the decision of Judge Sherman are interesting in this
case, and important items of history because they vin-

130 YOUNG PEOPLES HISTORY

dicate the claim of the Reorganized Church that it is
the original church, organized in Fayette, New York,
in 1830.

On February 23, 1880, it was decided in the Court
of Common Pleas, Lake County, Ohio, L. S. Sher-
man, judge, that the title of the Ivirtland Temple was
in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints. The following is a copy of the findings :

"In Court of Common Pleas, Lake County, Ohio,
February 23, 1880. Present: Honorable L. S. Sher-
man, judge; F. Paine, jr., clerk; and C. F. Morley,
sheriff.

"Journal Entry, February Term, 1880.

"The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter Day Saints: Plaintiff. Against

"Lucien Williams, Joseph Smith, Sarah F. Videon,
]Mark H. Forscutt, the church in Ltah of which John
Taylor is president and conmionlj^ known as the ]\Ior-
mon Church, and John Taylor, president of said Utah
church: Defendaiits.

"Xow at this term of the court came the plaintiff
by its attorneys, E. L. Kelley, and Burrows and Bos-
worth, and the defendants came not, but made default ;
and thereupon with the assent of the Court, and on
motion and by the consent of the plaintiff a trial by
jury is waived and this cause is submitted to the Court
for trial, and the cause came on for trial to the Court
upon the pleadings and evidence, and was argued by

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ;£3|

counsel; on consideration whereof, the Court do find
as matters of fact :

"(1st). That notice was given to the defendants in
this action by publication of notice as required by
the statutes of the State of Ohio; except as to the de-
fendant, Sarah F. Videon, who was personally served
with process.

"(2d). That there was organized on the 6th day
of April, 1830, at Palmyra, in the State of Xew York,
b}'' Joseph Smith, a religious society, under the name
of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints," which in the same year removed in a body and
located in Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio; which said
church held and believed, and was founded upon cer-
tain wxll-defined doctrines, which were set forth in the
Bible, Book of ]Mormon, and book of Doctrine and
Covenants.

"(3d). That on the 11th day of February, A. D.
1841, one William ^larks and his wife, Rosannah, by
warranty deed, of that date, conveyed to said Joseph
Smith as sole trustee in trust for the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, being the same church
organized as aforesaid, the lands and tenements de-
scribed in the petition, and which are described as
follows:"

[The description of the land is omitted. — Editors.]

"And upon said lands said church had erected a
church edifice known as the temple, and were then in

132

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

the possession and occupancy thereof for rehgious
purposes, and so continued until the disorganization
of said church, which occurred about 1844. That
the main body of said rehgious society had removed
from Kirtland aforesaid, and were located at Nauvoo,
Illinois, in 1844, when said Joseph Smith died, and
said church was disorganized and the membership
(then being estimated at about 100,000) scattered in
smaller fragments, each claiming to be the original
and true church before named, and located in different
States and places.

"That one of said fragments, estimated at ten
thousand, removed to the territory of Utah under the
leadership of Brigham Young, and located there, and
with accessions since, now constitute the church in
Utah, under the leadership and presidency of John
Taylor, and is named as one of the defendants in this
action.

"That after the departure of said fragment of said
church for Utah, a large number of the officials and
membership of the original church which was disor-
ganized at Xauvoo, reorganized under the name of
the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints, and on the 5th day of February, 1873,
became incorporated under the laws of the State of
Illinois, and since that time all other fragments of said
original church (except the one in Utah) have dis-
solved, and the membership has largely become in-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

133

corporated with said Reorganized Church which is the
plaintiff in this action.

"That the said plaintiff, the Reorganized Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a religious
society, founded and organized upon the same doc-
trines and tenets, and having the same church organ-
ization, as the original Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter Day Saints, organized in 1830, hy Joseph Smith,
and was organized pursuant to the constitution, laws
and usages of said original church, and has branches
located in Illinois, Ohio, and other States.

"That the church in Utah, the defendant of which
John Taylor is president, has materially and largely
departed from the faith, doctrines, laws, ordinances,
and usages of said original Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, and has incorporated into its sys-
tem of faith the doctrines of celestial marriage and a
plurality of wives, and the doctrine of Adam-god wor-
ship, contrary to the laws and constitution of said
original church.

"And the Court do further find that the plaintiff,
the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints, is the true and lawful continuation of,
and successor to the said original Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized in 1830, and
is entitled in law to all its rights and property.

"And the Court do further find that said defend-
ants, Joseph Smith, Sarah F. Videon, and Mark H.

134 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Forscutt, are in possession of said property under a
pretended title, derived from a pretended sale thereof,
made by order of the probate court of Lake County,
on the petition of Henry Holcomb, as the adminis-
trator of said Joseph Smith, as the individual property
of said Smith; and the Court finds that said Smith
had no title to said property, except as the trustee of
said church, and that no title thereto passed to the
purchasers at said sale, and that said parties in pos-
session have no legal title to said property.

"And the Court further finds that the legal title to
said property is vested in the heirs of said Joseph
Smith, in trust for the legal successor of said original
church, and that the plaintiffs are not in possession
thereof."

With the deed safely lodged in the hands of the
Bishop, the church proceeded to complete the restor-
ation of the house, as nearly as possible, appointing
a committee to make repairs and advancing the money
which Mas afterwards raised by donation. The com-
mittee, who were William H. Kelley and George A.
Blakeslee, brought in a final report in 1887 as follows :

"1. The 2)lastering on the outside walls of the build-
ing has been rej)laced where needed, in order to pro-
tect and preserve the house.

"2. The building has been newly plastered through-
out except that part of the walls where the plastering

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^g^

was put on the stone wall, and this was pecked and
a new putty coat put on.

"3. The doors, windows, and partitions are restored
in the third story and doors in the second.

"4. The pulpits, seats, and ornaments in the second
audience room have been restored, and the room
painted and finished, except the gold leaf on the
pulpits.

"5. The stairway has been fully restored, with its
ornaments, and newly painted.

"6. A furnace has been placed in the building,
ample to warm it, and pipes and flues and registers
arranged for use.

"7. New chimneys were built, and out of new ma-
terial.

"8. Glazing of all the windows in the building.

"9. Ten dozen chairs for seating it."

The church keeps an elder always in attendance at
the temple. Hundreds visit it and are told its story
by the attendant and so receive the gospel story. This
is a pleasant and important position. The temple is
open every day and all seasons of the year.

•^QQ YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 31

Sunday School Association

A FEW days previous to the thirty-ninth yearly
or spring conference of the church, since its
reoi'ganization, the Sunday school workers of
the Reorganized Church met in convention in the
wonderful old temple at Kirtland. It seemed a great
privilege to worship God in this temple, built by di-
rect command of God, and although it had been neg-
lected and abused, yet it was now finally redeemed
and preserved by this people, whose fathers had helped
to build it so many years before. It was a fitting
place for such work as awaited the Sunday school
people.

The Sunday school had received attention in the
conference as early as 1871, and again in other years
it was sustained.

In 1876 a resolution prevailed that brought about
improvement by the school reporting to the districts in
which they were located. Gradually they became so
important that in April, 1881, they appointed a com-
mittee'^ to make out some plan for conducting Sunday
schools so that all the schools in the church might have
the same general plan ; but the report of this commit-
tee to the General Conference was tabled. Then the
districts set to work and the first was the Southern

9E. Robinson, J. F. Mintun, and William Clow.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

137

California District, in March, 1888, and Gallands
Grove, Iowa, in June following, to form associations
and elect officers; and in jNIarch, 1889, at the district
conference of Decatur County, Iowa, the Decatur
District fell into line and organized with officers, and
the march of the organized Sunday school began. The
results of this action spread, and when the work came
before the church in the conference of 1890 it ap-
pointed a committee to devise ways of making the
Sunday school a part of the regular church work. By
the next year the committee^" had done such effectual
work that on April 4, 1891, they held this convention
of delegates sent from Sunday schools of the church
out in the dear old temple in Kirtland.

They elected superintendent Edwin Blakeslee, and
assistant Marietta Walker, secretary Gomer Wells,
and treasurer, Callie B. Stebbins, and committees on
lessons leaves and song books, and made a complete
organization for systematic work, in Kirtland, at this
convention. Back in the sacred place where the early
church people beheld glorious visions and heard the
voice of angels, our Sunday School Association was
born. The committee expected slow growth of this
new institution, but it has been almost as surprising
in its growth as the legend of Jack and the Bean
Stalk, until there is now an association numbering

"F. M. Sheehy, R. S. Salyards, M. Walker, Belle Robinson, S. B.
Kibler.

138 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

about 35,900 members, 77 districts, 690 schools, and
2,836 teachers.

The young people were not content with just the
work of the Sunday school; they wanted more time
together in study. In various places they were meet-
ing in literary societies of one kind or another. It
was the Saint Joseph, Missouri, Young People's Im-
provement Society that made the first movement to
unite the interests of these student bodies. In 1892
they sent, by Elder Mark H. Forscutt, a paper to
General Conference asking that the authorities give
sanction to the organization of a society uniting all
the young people's societies in one general body. Out
of this action grew the society known as Zion's Re-
ligio-Literary Society.

The Lesson Helps or Quarterlies have had many
changes since they were first started by the Sunday
School Association in 1892, with Christiana Stedman
Salyards as editor. She remained editor of the senior
until 1913, when they were edited by Heman C. Smith
and Vida E. Smith for one year, when Mrs. Salyards
again became editor. The Intermediate she edited
until 1897, when Elder Duncan Campbell was editor
and assistant editor until 1900, when the intermediate
reverted to the sole care of Mrs. Salyards.

The first primary Quarterlies were left in the hands
of a committee consisting of Christiana Salyards,
Lucy L. Resseguie, and Viola Blair, and were edited

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

139

by Mrjs. Salyards and Mrs. Blair as joint editors. In
1897-98 JNIrs. Vida E. Smith was editor; then Mrs.
Salyards and Duncan Campbell; and in 1912 j\Irs.
Salyards again.

These lessons were intended to be the same lessons
had by older people, but simplified for the very small
children, and were called lessons with uniform text.

In 1900 an effort was made to secure for the little
people something better suited to childish needs.
More about Jesus and his life. A committee of Mrs.
L. L. Resseguie, Mrs. Audentia Anderson, and Miss
Dora Young was given the work and they conducted
the Study Hour for one year; a bright, progressive
little quarterly that only lived a year, but left such a
strong influence that primarj^ quarterlies since have
been affected by it very greatly

In 1903 the committee of five'^ on work for the
beginners of first primary Quarterly were appointed.
Their lessons were used until the association adopted
graded lessons in 1913, when a new set of editors was
chosen. Intermediate, Miss Lucie Sears; junior, Mrs.
Margaret oNIacgregor; primary. Miss Anna Zimmer-
mann; beginner, Mrs. Hattie Griffiths.

The Religio Quarterlies are also entitled to mention,
though not so long in the field of history. These
editors have been Elder Ralph W. Farrell for senior

"Christiana Salyards, Ruth L. Smith, Margaret Blair, Viola Blair,
and Eva M. Bailey.

240 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Quarterlies and Elder Charles B. Woodstock, the
junior Quarterlies. The "Religio's Arena," a depart-
ment in Autumn Leaves, edited by Elbert A. Smith
and Estella Wight.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

141

CHAPTER 32

Debates and Reunions

A FAVORITE way of getting its doctrines and
history before the people during the early
years of the Reorganized Church was by de-
bate or discussion. Much good was done by this

Scene near Saints' reunion ground^ Onset, Massachusetts

method at the time, for it brought out the differences
between the two churches, the true church and the re-
jected one. Sometimes, as in the case of the^" Scotts,
in Indiana, or that of James W. Gillen, in San Ber-
nardino, California, enough people would be converted

"The work of Elders Banta and Blair.

142

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

to make a good branch. Excitement often was great
and sometimes there were harsh and bitter words, and
sometimes it was fair and gentlemanly. Some of the
most refreshing anecdotes of these years are connected
with these debates, and men and women were well
tested before their neighbors on both sides of the ques-
tion. Some men were especially clever, successful,
blessed, or what it may have been, in this method of
spreading the gospel.

In 1883 preamble and resolutions were presented
by Charles Derry and John Hawley, providing for
the holding of reunions. This was discussed at length
and finally referred to a committee consisting of W.
W. Blair, Charles Derry, and John Hawley. This
committee subsequently reported as follows:

"The committee to whom was committed the papers
in respect to reunion meetings by the church, beg
leave to report that they respectfully recommend that
this conference advise that mission and district author-
ities arrange for such reunions for religious services,
when and where it may be by them deemed best."

This was adopted* and thus was inaugurated the
system of holding reunions which has since been so
extensively followed in different parts of the church.

This was at the discontinuance of the semiannual
conferences. The first of these reunions was one great
reunion, but gradually there became many reunions.
With the years came changes, too, in the comforts at-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

143

tending these reunions, each year bringing some im-
provement for the camp equipment.

On Lamoni Stake reunion ground in winter

14.4

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 33

The Inspired Translation and Bookbindery

THE manuscript of the Inspired Translation h^d
been for many years in the keeping of Emma
Smith. Wherever she went, it went with her.
She had found her belongings scattered on several
occasions upon her return home, after she had been
been obliged to be absent. The effect of recent and
hurried search was evident, but whoever had sought
that manuscrijjt had sought it in vain. Serenely she
restored order and kept her own counsel, until the
time came to deliver her trust into other hands. This
came in 1866, when the conference sent a committee
of three, William Marks, Israel L. Rogers, and Wil-
liam W. Blair, to confer with the custodian of the
manuscript. To them she gave up her trust of many
years. She turned it over to the publishing committee
with gladness, and in the very last of the year 1867
they announced that five hundred copies of the In-
spired Translation of the Scriptures were ready to
mail, of the five thousand of the first edition. This
was counted a great event in the church work.

After the publication, the old manuscript was put
carefully away in as nearly as possible a fireproof
place, and is so kept to-day. It was thus preserved,
according to the promise made in 1831.

"Thou shalt ask, and my scriptures shall be given

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

145

as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in
safety ; and it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy
peace concerning them, and not teach them until ye
have received them in full. And I give unto you a
commadment, that then ye shall teach them untg all
men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kin-
dreds, tongues, and people."

The church was forced to send this book away to
have it bound, as it had no bindery of its own. As

HERALD PUBLISHING HOUSE

the occasions became more frequent when they needed
bookbinding done, the question was often discussed,
and thus in February, 1869, this question is asked in
the Saints' Herald.

"Wanted to know: Why some stirring, active young
man, belonging to the church, has not brains and
energy enough to learn the bookbinding business, and

146 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

go to work for the church in a bindery of its own.
Now, boys, is your chance. We want a good binder."
Just as other needs had been met by good and cap-
able powers, so was this one, and in the Herald for
October 24, 1891, appears this excellent story:

".There is now exposed to the passing public from
the top of the Herald Office a huge sign done in white
and glittering glass upon a blue field, containing the
legend, 'Herald Publishing House and Bindery.'
The letters are so large that anyone looking from the
windows of a passing train may see them, and the
wayfaring man, if not a fool, may read them. What
is better than this, there is a bright room in the office
where our foreman, Mr. Apj)leby, is presiding over
a corps of neophyte bookbinders, folders, sewers, and
general utility girls and boys, all busy as bees, in the
new enterprise of doing our own binding. Let the
Saints take notice, and send in their books which they
want bound.

"It is expected that the office will be able to do as
good work, and as cheaply, as we could get it done in
the city ; and it will be a satisfaction to know that the
work in being done by ourselves. Send us your books
to bind."

Pushing into the world of progress with an eye to
beauty and durability, the Pier aid Publishing House
became a scene of wider and more up to date activity
as the years went by.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY I47

The situation of Lamoni, far from large water-
course and as well from city privileges, threw the big
printing establishment onto its own resources very
often. As in the case of electric power for all work,
the only thing to do was to make its own electricity.
This it did, in 1907 installing a plant at the building
of the new Herald Office that improved yearly in
equipment and efficiency.

148

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 34

Some Church Papers

IN NOVEMBER, 1874, the Messenger was sent
out by the church from its home in Salt Lake City,
Utah. It was a daring little paper of four pages,
and its aim was "to be a reliable messenger of good
tidings to all who know or are seeking to know the
truth for the love of it." Elder Jason W. Briggs was
the one who had the care of it, and was its editor; its
price was fifty cents per year.

Every month this little paper went bravely forth
to carry messages of truth to all; especially was its
mission a blessing to those who were not permitted to
hear the elders of the Reorganized Church preach and
show with plainness why the church in Utah was re-
jected of the Lord,

In 1876 the Saints in Salt Lake City were holding
meetings in the home of Joseph Clarke and were mak-
ing efforts to build a little church. In this, with the
help of the whole church they succeeded, and the
church sent missionaries year after year to be there
with the truth for all who would hear, whether of the
rejected church or not.

Some of the ablest men of the church spent such
time and care as was deemed wise in the stronghold of
the church rejected at Nauvoo. The Messenger was
published until 1877.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

149

The Expositor was published in Oakland, Califor-
nia, for the western Saints, in defense against the
rejected church. It had a board of publication: Presi-
dent, T. J. Andrew; treasurer, G. S. Lincoln; secre-
tary, Richard Ferris; Albert Haws; and editor

ENSIGN PUBLISHING HOUSE

Hiram P. Brown. It was an interesting and wide-
awake little magazine, but its career was short. The
first number was issued in January, 188.5, the last in
March, 1888.

Sometimes we think the story of the church papers
would make a good-sized book, as we read of them
coming and going, in the history of the church. In

150

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

fancy, we see the different periodicals trooping past
in their proper place in church movements.

In 1898, November 7, the Board of Publication
adopted the little eight-page weekly, published by
J. A. Robinson and F. G. Pitt at Independence,
Missouri, and named Zions Ensign.

Like the Herald, it has had numerous names on its
editorial staff, but unlike the Herald has retained no
editor in chief for many years at a time, as the name
of Joseph Smith stands on the church paper. It has
a place in the church work, calling itself the mission-
ary newspaper, and is filling it acceptably.

In 1895 these were published in the interests of the
church: Glad Tidings, Grand Rapids, jNIichigan;
Gospel Standard, Australia; Canadian Messenger,
Canada; Sandhedens Banner, Norway; The Watch-
man, Virginia, besides those under the control of the
Board of Publication.

While the movement of time left forever some of
the magazines or papers published for the church in
other lands, it also brought forth others. In Honolulu
the KaElele Evanileo in the Hawaiian language, and
in the south seas Te Orometua in the Tahitian lan-
guage.

The story of the papers, magazines, etc., of the
church would not be complete without the chapter
made by the Saints' Advocate. William W. Blair and
Zenos H. Gurley were the editors, but after the first

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 3^5 1

three numbers, it was published with William W.
Blair as the sole editor for seven years. The first
number apj)eared in July, 1878, printed at the Herald
Publishing House.

Its work was to establish the truth regarding the
church teachings and actions, and the paper was taken
into the editorial hands of Joseph Luff when he
was in charge of the church work in what was called
the Rocky Mountain mission. Elder Blair resigned
in September, 1885, when he returned to his home in
Lamoni. The last number was published in June,
1886.

Tlie Journal of History was a child of the spirit that
swept the church with the appointment of a historian
and the publication of the histories. Its first number
bears date of January, 1908; Historian Heman C.
Smith, Frederick M. Smith of the First Presidency,
and Assistant Historian D. F. Lambert, editors. As
the name implies, it was devoted to matters of his-
torical character or tendency; was issued every three
months by the Board of Publication at Lamoni, Iowa.
In 1912 Heman C. Smith, church historian, appears
as sole editor.

152

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 35

Death of the Last of the Three Witnesses

IN THE year 1888 the last one of the "three wit-
nesses" to the truth of the Book of Mormon died.
This was David Whitmer. Gently, slowly, with-
out pain, he slipped away from earth, but not until he
had called about his bed his family, friends, and kin-
dred, and with almost his latest speech told again about
the angel and "the book"; and as if he stood in the
presence of God and angels, affirmed the truthfulness
of the Book of Mormon, just as ardently, just as
earnestly as he had first told the story more than sixty
years before, and then he fell asleep. It was January
25, 1888, and he was buried at Richmond, Missouri.
His testimony never faltered; although he did not
continue in active association with the church, he
straightened like a soldier at salute when the Book
of Mormon was named to the end of his eighty-three
years of life. An honest man was he, and he died with
the testimony on his lips.

So had Martin Harris done when in 1875 death
drew near; he had asked that a Book of Mormon be
placed in his hands upon his breast, "and let it be
buried there with me," he urged. And back turns time
to 1850, to another scene in Richmond, Missouri.

When Oliver Cowdery felt the breath of death and
called for a Book of Mormon and would be bolstered

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^53

up in bed while he read to family and friends called
to hear, favorite i)assages from the Book of ISIormon,
testified "It is true," and urged these loved ones to
be faithful. David Whitmer was there; and now all
are gone and the gravestones still bear the messages
of those two in Richmond, JNlissouri. Somewhere the
dust holds the forms of all the old advocates of the
church of 1830.

The graves of men, women, and children who loved
and served in the church of 1830, are scattered from
coast to coast of this fair land.

The first president of the Twelve, Thomas B.
Marsh, slept in a neglected, unmarked grave for
twenty-seven years. High up between two sparkling
rivers, at Ogden, Utah, with mountain peaks for sen-
tinels, like thousands of others misled to the West, he
lay among the unnumbered, and then a record was
found of his burial lot, quite by accident, and the
grave was located, and friends, by subscription, raised
a simple little marble marker with this inscription:
"Thomas B. Marsh, First President of the Twelve
Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. Born at Acton, Massachusetts, November
1, 1799. Died January, 1866. Erected by his friends,
July 17, 1893."

And from the sun browned hills of San Bernardino
Valley and the plains of the San Joaquin, back over
the old Mormon Trail, through desert and over moun-

154

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

tains, across the plains of Nebraska's and Iowa's
prairie, through Missouri, back, still back to the far
East, one might go by gravestones to the New Eng-
land States and New York's hill country, and all the

The San Bernardino Valley

way be guided by gravestones, if the graves of the
departed were all marked.

Not all the discouraged and disappointed lingered
in the Mississippi Valley or moved into the beckoning
West when the church was rejected. Some turned
back to the old home near the Atlantic coast. Here
in an old burying ground Elder Hyrum O. Smith,
a missionary to the Eastern States in 1912, found a
little child's grave.

On the gray old tombstone he read a few words, but

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

155

CHARLES E

Son vf

,. A.D.<&:H.M.
BOYNTON.

-^jKodied'mHass.
aged 10 months.!

f^*M^^

Their fragrant white blooms o'er the unknown grave, —

what a volume of sorrow, disappointment, and pain
it tells to one who knows even a portion of the history

156 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

of the church from the time it moved westward until
after the JNIan from Nauvoo took his place and called
the scattered Saints with the voice of a shepherd.

Here is the inscription on the baby's gravestone:
"In memory of Charles E., son of A. D. and H. M.
Boynton, who were driven by a ruthless mob with the
Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints from Nauvoo,
Illinois, February, 1846, who died in Massachusetts,
October 13, 1846, aged ten months."

This little baby was not more than two months of
age when they left Nauvoo, and one can feel that the
parents felt the blame lay in the exposure and priva-
tion that came from the sad time in Nauvoo. While
this little gi'ave, alone, marks the grave of one baby,
it reminds us of the hundreds unmarked.

Reflecting that Joseph and Hyi'um Smith, the Mar-
tyrs, lie in unknown, unmarked graves, we wish it
were not so, and yet there is a strangely sad bit of
sentiment in the thought that they are but sharing in
a sense the fortune of thousands of their brethren.

Over these unknown graves the voice of David H.
Smith, the young poet, could well linger as he sang his
tender plaint over his own father's unmarked tomb.

There's an unknowTi grave in a green, lowly spot, —
The form that it covers will ne'er be forgot.
Where haven trees spread and the wild locusts wave
Their fragrant white blooms o'er the imknown grave, —
Over the unknown grave.

And near by its side does the wild rabbit tread.
While over its bosom the wild thistles spread

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY X57

As if in their kindness to guard and to save
From man's footstep intruding the unknown grave, —
Guarding the imknown grave.

The heavens may weep and the thunders moan low,
Or the bright sunshine and the soft breezes blow, —
Unheeding the heart, once responsive and brave,
Of the one who sleeps there in the unknown grave, —
Low in an unknown grave.

The prophet whose life was destroyed by his foes,
Sleeps now where no hand may disturb his repose,
Till trumpets of God drown the notes of the wave
And we see him arise from his unknown grave, —
God bless that unknown grave.

The love all embracing that never can end.
In death, as in life, knew him well as a friend.
The power of Jesus, the mighty to save.
Will despoil of its treasure the unknown grave, —
No more an unknown grave.

258 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 36

Music in the Reorganized Church

A CHURCH without music would be dreary
indeed. The church in Zarahemla early in
1853 began reconstructing a hymn book. The
history of her music is rather pathetic. What was
lacking in classical production was gloriously made
up to it in the visitation of the Spirit.

Into the church came souls won to it by the
simple, sweet, heaven-inspired songs of the early
church. To some who knew not the American
language, was given as a gift of the Spirit from God
the interpretation of her songs. Committee after
committee was appointed. The best they could do for
those days was to select tunes from other sources and
fit chosen words to them, and from her own ranks the
church produced at times beautiful words that we love
to this day, and a few heaven-inspired melodies. But
not until 1889 did the church print music of its own
producing. Then the Saints' Harmony" was hailed
with delight; but, alas, it was too expensive, and in
its arrangement too intricate, for a people of meager
means and little trained talent. But it held the har-
monized melodies that had drifted from tongue to

"Harmony Committee: M. H. Forscutt, X. W. Smith, David H.
Smith, J. A. Scott, J. T. Kinnaman, William Roberts, Phineas Cadwell,
James McKiernan, J. V. Roberts, and Sherman I. Smith.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY I59

ear until many of them had to be learned anew when
the measured notes were set before them because of
misinterpretation in transmission. In 1895 a com-
petent committee acting under the direction of con-
ference compiled from the large and precious pages of
the Harmony a collection of familiar and desirable
hymns with music that became universal in church use,
and is known as The Saints' Hymnal/* This was
good for church service, but a Sunday school songbook
was needed, and it, like all other necessities, in time
became possible when in 1903 Zion's Praises^'' was
floated into the musical sea, and in turn occupied in
school and Religio and camp meeting, side by side
with the dignified and clerical Hymnal.

Then matters moved quickly, and in 1912 Albert
N. Hoxie, jr., was appointed official chorister for the
church, and Mrs. Audentia Anderson and Edward C.
Bell were assistants in the general choir work. This
movement was followed by intense activity. Already
the church was producing gifted and educated singers
and those who performed on instruments of string and
brass and reed, and the commandment to praise the
Lord with understanding and the Spirit was moving
upon the hearts of men like a searchlight on the face
of the great deep.

"Hymnal Committee: Ralph G. Smith, Lucy L. Resseguie, Arthur
H. Mills.

'^Zion's Praises Committee: F. G. Pitt, Audentia Anderson, Viola
Blair, Vida E. Smith, and Aletha May White.

160

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

In 1913 the interest in music was so great that a
music department was sustained in the Herald. This
was called "The Staff," and was edited by Mrs. Au-
dentia Anderson.

Missionaries in Picturesque Hawaii

VUUXG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

161

CHAPTER 37

The Church in the Sandwich Islands

ALL the years of work of the Reorganized
Church, there had been nothing done in the
group of islands lying but five days journey
from the coast of California. Beautiful Paradise of
the Pacific, how could it have been eglected so long,
for it was not until 1890 that the church made any in-
vasion into the Sandwich Island group. Then it sent
Elder Albert Haws into the flowery kingdom of Ha-
waii. He arrived in Honolulu September 19, 1890.
The one member of the church in the whole kingdom
^vas Gilbert J. Waller, a business man of the city, who
had met the work in California and at the home of
Elder H. P. Brown, of Oakland, accepted it in 1889.
On the steamer that carried Elder Haws to Hono-
lulu were a Mr. and Mrs. Luther, church people from
California. This made four church members in the
wonderful land of flowers. They had much trouble
securing places of meeting.

G. J. Waller was a man of splendid business qual-
ities, and time soon developed that he was also pos-
sessed of the very best of qualifications for a resident
missionary. His time, strength, and money were al-
ways at the service of the mission. He esteemed El-
der Haws as the very best man for the mission at the
time.

162

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Elder Haws was capable, well versed in history of
the church, and acquainted with the ways of the Jap-
anese and Chinese elements of the mission. He was
not a robust man, being also a little lame, and he suf-
fered much from the change of climate. None of
these things deterred him from valiant service.

Walkiki
From <a missionary's album

A native of the kingdom invited the church men to
preach in his office. This was the first sermon preached
for the church in the Kingdom of Plawaii, although
there had been Bible class work.

When preaching to the Hawaiians thej'- spoke with
an interpreter. Joseph Poepoe filled this office.

They soon began to print tracts and then the Doc-
trine and Covenants, and finally the Quarterlies and

IQ^ YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Book of Mormon in the Hawaiian tongue, Elder
Waller paying for them.

Mr. and Mrs. Luther helped in every way possible.
Very reluctantly Elder Haws left the mission because
of ill health. He had done a good work. In the year
1891, at the close of which he was forced to leave,
thirty-nine persons had been baptized and some or-
dained to the priesthood, G. J. Waller, among the
number, having been ordained an elder. The years
brought many trials and much sickness, persecution,
falling away of brethren, disappointments, but Elder
Waller kept steadily and lovingly at the work for
these people.

From the time of sending Elder Haws, the mission
received constant attention and proved most interest-
ing. Sunday schools and Religios were organized.
In this work the missionaries and Elder Waller re-
ceived help and kindest consideration from members
of Elder Waller's family; although they were not at
that time any of them church members. Not only did
the work spread into the Hawaiian race, but Japanese
and Chinese became working members of the church in
the Sandwich Islands, until in 1914 the membership
of the island was calculated as 246.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ;j^g5

CHAPTER 38

Organized Woman's Work

IN .THE history of woman's work in the Reorgan-
ized Church, the Prayer Union holds the place as a
pioneer in united or combined effort, although it
was not an organization. The sisters throughout the
church meeting on each Thursday, if possible, and
uniting in prayer for some special object before time
arranged for and published in the Home Column of
the Saints' Herald. This work began in the summer
of 1888 and was introduced by Mrs. Eleanor Kearney.
It was taken over in the organization called the
United Daughters of Zion. This was the first general
organization of women in the Reorganized Church.
It had its origin in the spring of 1893 when meetings
were held in Lamoni.

During the days of the conference of that year the
first public call for meetings was made for April 12,
in the evening in the lower room of the brick church,
but bax?k of that meeting lay much w^ork, of which the
hurrying throng knows very little. Indeed it is a long
story that we cannot here relate. The w^omen organ-
ized, with Mrs. Catheryn B. Kelley, chairman; Mrs.
Calhe B. Stebbins, secretary; and Mrs. M. Walker,
corresjionding secretary. They made provision for
governing and controlling and developing the society,
and chose for a motto, "Our aim, mankind to bless."

166

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

This organization remained much the same, making
some changes in names of officers and methods of
work ; growing steadily, but slowly until the year 1911,
when the name was changed to the Woman's Auxil-
iary for Social Service of the Reorganized Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This became
practically a new^ order.

In its name and w^ork it intended to unite all so-
cieties of women's work in the church, whether these
be works of charity for church or school; sewing so-
ciety, or study classes, all were to be bound up under
the general society and united in the great purpose of
service. They have occupied with various editors in
departments in Autumn Leaves, Zions Ensign, and
the Saints' Herald.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

167

CHAPTER 39

The Tidal Wave of the South Seas

AJNIONG the romantic stories of the South Sea
Islands, there is nothing so fascinating and
yet terrible as the story of the tidal wave of
January, 1903.

Elders Burton and Gilbert, with their wives, were
laboring in the mission then. Elder Burton and w'ife
M ere at Papeete, but Elder Gilbert and wife were at
Hikueru and passed through the three days of horror
of wind and water. High in a cocoanut tree they found
shelter from the water, but the wind lashed them
furiously until the tree fell; then, w^ading in water
waist deep, they climbed into the high stump of a
booran tree. The wind threatened to tear them from
this, but by morning the waters were gone down, and
their eyes beheld a scene of horror.

Everywhere were the dead and dying, wounded and
suffering. Out on the sea the sharks were devouring
bodies, and on the land there was sorrow and suffer-
ing. Of food, there was almost none, nor drinking
water. To partake of what there was, was fatal under
the conditions.

Of sixty-six sailboats in the harbor, all but one or
two were destroyed. There was no shelter nor cloth-
ing. About one thousand people w^ere desperate from

IQg YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

thirst ; weak and discouraged. There was good order,
in spite of all the calamities.

Elder Gilbert, by the use of very primitive methods,
distilled water for the people, and the stronger cared
for the weak until help came. This was only on one
island. The sorrow and loss to the church was great.

When at last Elder Gilbert and wife and some of
the island Saints reached Papeete, the joy of Elder
Burton and wife was great, for all might have been
lost. Soon nothing but sorrow seemed all about them,
for nearly every family was broken by death.

Elder Gilbert and wife suffered much of heart and
body in this experience, and with Elder Burton and
wife mourned with those that mourned of the brown
brethren, for more than five hundred persons had
perished and thousands were left destitute.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

169

CHAPTER 40

The College

THE hope of a church college grew with the
years. As the church was driven from place to
place the need strengthened, but the hope grew
faint. When the Reorganized Church had ma.de the
first necessary movements for general work a school
was proposed. This honor rests with the conference
in Saint Louis in 1869, the first General Conference
held in ^Missouri, and the question was before the Semi-
amiual Conference again at Galland's Grove, Iowa,
in the same year; but at the General Conference in
Piano in 1870, after much talk the matter was voted
down.

Xot until 1888, in Lamoni, Iowa, was there any-
thing definite accomplished. Then the church people
in Lamoni tried to start a company, and appointed
a committee to ask for money to build a college.

In 1889 the committee Avas changed, but reported
the receipt of promises to a considerable amount.
The Annual Conference of 1890 then took up the mat-
ter and appointed a committee to do the first work of
starting a college. This took first place and the pro-
posed Joint Stock Company left it with them.

The Quorum of Twelve and the Bishopric favored
the school. From this time the school seemed to be
on the way, but there were already many things de-

170

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

manding the money of the people. There was the
Saints' Home Fund, and the Gospel Boat Fund, and
the Missionary Fund, beside the tithing of the peo-
ple. No wonder the committee moved slowly, and
not until 1895 did they report to the church.

Some beautiful land lying southeast of Lamoni had

Graceland College

been given by ^Irs. M. Walker, ^linnie Wickes, and
W. Alexander Hopkins for the college. This, with
some purchased, made about sixty-six acres in all.

The college was incorporated, like the church, under
the laws of Iowa and named Graceland, and the cor-
ner stone laid November 12, 1895, a warm, sunny,
autumn day ; but the college began holding school in a
rented building in the town of Lamoni in September,
1895.

The artistic looking main building was dedicated

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

171

January 1, 1897. Sometimes the college had a hard
time to live, but her attendance grew, and in 1907 the
first dormitory was built and christened Marietta
Hall, in honor of Mrs. Marietta Walker.

This building became the home for the boys when in
1909 the new hall for girls was built and named for
Graceland's benefactors, Patroness Hall. This is not
Graceland history. That is not made yet; some day
it will have a long story for its students to write.

272 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 41

Under the Shadow of the Sable Wing
1909

EVERY j'^ear when the conference gathers on tlie
historic date of April 6, there is a little change
in the looks of the body of men. Some have oc-
cupied so many years in one place that if they are not
there they are quickly missed; but time brings
changes, and 1909 was a memorable year, from the
first meeting in the brick church in Lamoni.

The president had been ill much of the previous
year, but was able to take his place at the desk and
preside, assisted by his counselors, Frederick M. Smith
and Richard C. Evans. On Wednesday, April 14,
he returned to the body the gavel which he had used
for thirty years. Only one spring conference and two
fall conferences in the thirty years had that gavel
failed to call the Saints to order in the times of yearly
meetings. The return of the gavel was accompanied
with a speech in which the president said he might
never wield it again. He was growing old. There
was much sadness, for the people knew that sometime
his work would be finished and they would see another
in his place. The gavel was placed in the safe place
where other church relics are kept. It had been pre-
sented to him thirty years before by Elder Davis H.
Bays, sent by the Saints of Texas and made of native
Texas wood.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

173

When President Smith resigned the chair to his
counselor, Frederick M. Smith, it was to a naturally
good chairman and one who studied to become better
fitted for it.

Brick Church in Lamoni

It was one of President Smith's expressed hopes
that he would leave the church in such working order
that no confusion should occur when he should no
longer be with it. At the conference of 1909 the spirit
of the Seer seemed to rest upon him when in a mass
meeting of the elders, April 17, he predicted that the
year would be one of activity, but the "pale reaper"
would carry away some that the church would feel
they could "ill afford to lose."^''

''John Hawley, April 17, Missouri; Metuaore, April 18, Society Is-
lands; A. E. Mortimer, Canada, May 8; Daniel S. Crawley, May 5, Can-
ada; Johnie Hay, June 16, Texas; Frank Steffe, April, former mission-
ary to Germany; Amazon Badham, November 16, Iowa; Edgar H.

174

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

"Our aged veterans have fought a good fight. They
have helped to make the name of the church honor-
able. They go to a bright reward. Let those who
follow them fill up the ranks and press onward. We
know not on whom the shadow of the sable wing may
rest even now; but whether we are to die or to live
may it be honorably and to the glory of God."

The death of Elder John Hawley on that day had
led thought to this possible outlook, for the man had
remembered his boyhood in the chiu'ch in Nauvoo and
that he was a faithful friend and advocate of the truth.

The year moved on; church workers were active.
The First United Order of Enoch was duly organ-
ized and provided for according to the revelation and
order of the conference of 1909. The object was to
help the poor and sick and afflicted and promote tem-
perance and morality and equality, the final adjust-
ments being made October 26, 1909.

The Sanitarium was finished in this year and ded-
icated December 15, 1909. It had been four years
since the especial instruction to build it had been given.
This seems a long time, but you Avill consider the fact
that they were admonished not to go in debt, so they
had to move slowly; but how pleasant and comfort-
ing it was to know that this building, with its modern
equipment and comfortable furnishing was their own,

Durand, November Iti, Michigan; John Avondet, February 28, 1910,
missionary to Italy; Henry Southwick, March 9, 1910, Illinois; these
were all missionaries at some time.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

175

a beautiful home for a beautiful mission, to the sick
and afflicted. One of the many unusually good pro-
visions of this building was to be always true and loyal

276 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

to the doctrines of the churchy faith and prayer and
administration for healing of the sick.

When the year had closed the prophecy of Presi-
dent Smith had been fulfilled. Many men of note
and importance had died. The presiding patriarch,
Alexander H. Smith, being prominent among them.

Years before the Herald had published a little poem
about three remaining pillars of the temple at Nauvoo,
and said that the three living sons of Joseph the
Martyr M^ere like that ; but now David and Alexander
were both gone and Joseph stood alone.

Patriarch Smith died in Nauvoo while on a visit to
the old town, in the Mansion House where he had
spent his boyhood and early married life, and that he
loved as boys often do the home of their childhood.
He was a great friend to young people, jovial and
tender-hearted. Never having forgotten the feelings
of youth, he made an ideal companion and friend for
the young. He was known in this and other lands
where he had traveled as "Uncle Aleck."

Close to his death was that of one of his dearest
friends and companions, Elder Joseph F. Burton.

Known as Captain Burton, a pleasant, sunny tem-
pered, and delightful man. These men had labored
for a lifetime in church work and their life stories are
interesting, ennobling, and like their characters, clean
and virtuous.

Unusual was the list of deaths in the active minis-

PATRIARCH ALEXANDER HALE SMITH

178 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

try that year, as the chronicle of the next conference
will show. When the people looked backward for a
little while to hear the names.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

179

CHAPTER 42

The Jubilee Meeting, 1910

SO]\IETI]MES the birthday of the church is
marked with some very unusual incidents that
make that particular birthday easy to remem-
ber, as the one of 1860 when young Joseph came to
take his place, or that of 1883 when the conference
was held in the Kirtland Temple.

The one of 1910 was noted as the fiftieth an-
niversary of young Joseph's leadership. The stone
church in Independence was the scene of this confer-
ence jubilee. It was appropriately decorated and
there were speeches and poems and songs especially
prepared for the day, but the all-important fact was
the presence of President Joseph Smith. Grown gray
in the church work, he received the congratulations of
the hundreds who crowded about him with dignity and
the evidence of love and trust and equal privilege that
bound their affection to him forever. There were pres-
ent a very few who had witnessed his reception in Am-
boy fifty years before. These were given a place on the
platform," some of them participating in the speeches.
One, Edmund C. Briggs, a noted figure in the early
days of the church ; you will remember him as the un-
daunted young missionary to Utah in 1863, in com-

"E. C. Briggs, Davis Rogers, Mrs. W. W. Blair, Charles E. Blair, W.
S. Taylor, Mrs. McFarland, Mrs. Strickland, and Mrs. George Burton.

180 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

pany with Elder Alexander McCord, and one by
Elder Walter S. Taylor. At this conference of 1910
were other notable events. It was the first time that
the beloved President had stood unsupported by his
brother. Read the speech of President Smith on this
occasion and picture the straight, upright figure, with

stone Church at Independence

its flowing beard of white. The vision of his wonder-
ful, dark eyes, almost gone, but his voice ringing like
a triumphant bugle before he had uttered many sen-
tences.

"The time has been well employed and, as is the
custom of time, has had no regard to men and women.
I might speak at considerable length. Time again

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^^^

admonishes me that there is a fitness on such occa-
sions as these to observe what time admonishes us of,
the brevity of human life. I find myself in the posi-
tion of the apostle who, standing before the king, said
he counted himself happy to represent the cause of
which he was a representative.

"I count myself happy to-day that my friends have
not waited until I was deposited in the grave before
placing flowers ujDon it to manifest their good will and
the love and regard which they had for me while I
was living. They have ofi^ered me a tribute to-day
that surpasses all these floral offerings ever placed
upon the tomb of any man, who had lived and died;
and I would be unworthy of the name I bear, un-
worthy of the association in which I have spent my
life, unworthy of any tribute that any heart had of-
fered to-day, if I would not say to you I appreciate
what you have done.

"It has not been the fortune of many men to sit and
listen to such encomiums as have been passed upon me
and receive such tribute for the feeble efforts which I
was able to make, as I have been permitted to hear
this day. Sitting in your midst and listening to that
which has been said, retracing the history of the past,
the work which we have been striving to do, I feel a
sense of unw^orthiness so complete that I am almost
tempted to put my hand upon my mouth and say, 'Un-
clean'; and yet, in harmony with the statement that

232 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

was made by two of those ^^ho have spoken, as I had
stated it at the Amboy conference, I feel the assur-
ance that the spirit which dictated my reception at
that time has borne witness all the way along, and I
believe before God it will continue to do so; hence I
have confidence in saying that when this spirit fails
to testify, men fail to receive the knowledge which has
been promised by Jesus Christ, the Great Mediator,
the Great Ambassador, one upon whom alone we can
trust for the complete establishment of that rule and
that reign which shall bring peace, universal peace to
mankind.

"I congratulate you this day, not upon the fact
that I have lived to meet with you, but that God has
been pleased to add such a representative assembly of
witnesses to bear testimony to these few and myself of
what was done fifty years ago; and as the Spirit has
testified to these, as you have had from the lips of
Brother E. C. Briggs, so has the Spirit testified to
you ; and I bear you this tribute that in all my labors,
in all my journeying, I know not a place among the
people called Latter Day Saints where I have not and
I am not now welcome as a coworker and as an asso-
ciate. I claim no greatness in myself. I know how fee-
ble I am. I know^ how weak are the efforts which have
been made; but I have been pleased to put myself at
the dictation of the forces that must govern those who
appreciate the truth, and I feel the consciousness
with me that my motive has always been correct and

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

183

good. My effort may have been feeble; I may have
made mistakes, but I feel absolved from blame so
far as the motives underlying it are concerned ; and I
conclude by quoting a portion of a poem which I
remember hearing Brother Zenos H. Gurlej'' repeat,
at times, expressing the peculiarity of the judgments
of men :

Cruel and cold are the judgments of men,

Cruel as winter, cold as the snow;
But by and by will the deed and the plan

Be judged by the motive that lieth below.

"May God's peace be with us and his Spirit con-
tinue until the last effort has been made, until there
shall come the glad sound, 'Return, thy work is done,'
and the reign of righteousness and peace be ushered
in for evermore."

184

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 43

The Standing High Council-

WHILE the church at Amboy was waiting for
young Joseph, thej^ made every effort to
get the church in readiness. They were
commanded of the Lord to select twelve men and or-
dain them a high council. These were the church
jurjTnen. AVhen they met they numbered and there
divided into odds and evens. The odd numbers al-
ways acted for the church, the even numbers for th?
people who were accused of doing wrong. At tlie
conference in which young Joseph came to the church
the first high council was organized.^^

As the years passed there occurred changes by death
and in other ways until there was but one of this first
high council left, and that was Winthrop H. Blair.
In the spring of 1890, April, the joint council of
Presidency and Quorum of Twelve fasted and prayed
for the Lord to speak and he remembered them and
told them how to organize the standing high council,
and on April 16 the council was organized. The nom-
inating committee were: William W. Blair, of the
First Presidency; Alexander H. Smith and William
H. Kelley, of the Twelve; Charles Derry, Mark H.

^«First High Council: April 6, 1860; John C. Gaylord, William
Aldrich, George Morey, Ed\\in Cadwell, Calvin Beebc, Jacob Doan,
Oliver P. Dunham, Zenos Whitcomb Lyman Hewitt, Dwight Webster,
W'inthrop H. Blair, Andrew G. Jackson.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^35

Forscutt, high priests. They chose the men named
below.

These men, with the exception of Calvin A. Beebe,
met in the student's room in the brick church and were
ordained, and with President Smith for president, and
Robert M. Elvin secretary, organized the high council
of the church. Calvin A. Beebe was ordained later.

The high council of 1890: Winthrop H. Blair,
Frederick G. Pitt, J. C. Crabb, Asa S. Cochran, Wil-
liam Anderson, David Chambers, J. H. Peters, R.
M. Elvin, David Dancer, Charles Deny, J. A. Robin-
son, Calvin A. Beebe (son of Calvin Beebe of former
high council) .

18(5 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 44

Library

IX INI AY, 1896, the First Presidencj^ and the Quo-
rum of Twelve held a joint council in Sandwich,
Illinois, the home town of Bishop Israel L.
Rogers. At this meeting Isaac Sheen was chosen
librarian, and he held the office until his death in 1874,
when John Scott was elected. This part of the church
work grew slowly, for the report of John Scott, still
librarian in 1880, tells us there were but 405 books in
the library. In 1895 there were something over six
hundred, but many of these were "pamphlets and
documents, reports, etc.," donated ])y the Iowa I^egis-
lature, according to the report of the librarian.

In 1897 Frederick M. Smith reported that he had
been called to act, because of the resignation of John
Scott. This young librarian says in his report: "A
church of over thirty-eight thousand members and
with a library of only about six hundred volumes!
Think of it; what is wrong?" The young man was
enthusiastic and asked for larger appropriation, for
the church had made some appropriations, and he got
it, and also received election to office of librarian, and
by 1900 there were more than 1,650 books, all shelved
and accessioned.

In 1900 Frederick M. Smith resigned, and being
requested to do so, he nominated his successor. He

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

187

named Elder Frank E. Cochran, of Lanioni. Elder
Cochran had acted as assistant since the departure of
assistant Israel A. Smith, December, 1898.

In 1901 Elder Cochran asked for a special appro-
priation of seventy-five dollars, available to the libra-
rian for the purpose of repairing, rebinding, and bind-
ing. Heretofore the yearly appropriation had been
used to purchase books and fixtures, under advice and
consent of the First Presidency. The request of
Elder Cochran was granted.

In August, 1902, the librarian appointed W. B.
Paul assistant. Elder Cochran asked for one hundred
dollars this year, to be used for library purposes. Dur-
ing the year 1904 Elder Cochran resigned and Israel
A. Smith was appointed by the President to fill the
unexpired term. At the conference Elder C. I. Car-
penter was elected, but he resigned in June and F.
]M. Sprague was appointed by the Presidency. At
the April conference of 1905 Heman Hale Smith was
elected librarian. In 1907 he reported 2,800 volumes
upon the library shelves when the Herald Office fire of
January, 1907, consumed all but fifty-two volumes.

The friends of the library rallied to the call sent
out by Inez Smith, assistant librarian, and donated
so liberally that in April, 1907, there had been donated
565 volumes from old and young.

In 1907 the commission form of library work was
introduced. This new movement did not do away

188

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

with any book privileges of the church, Sunday school,
or Religio, but sought rather to unify the three and
widen the scope of all. The General Commission of
1909 consisted of one member of the Presidency, chair-
man; one from the Bishopric, treasurer; and one
each from church, Sunday school, and Religio. The
first commission composed in personnel, Frederick
M. Smith, E. A. Blakeslee, E. H. Fisher, Heman
Hale Smith. The church library was, during 1909,
under the care of the assistant librarian, Inez Smith.
The library force in the church spread through all
the districts and became more and more important
until there were constantly increasing numbers of
people working with it and the old and young had op-
portunity to read and study whether near city libra-
ries or far from them, for the circulating or traveling
library went everywhere desired, and all under an or-
ganized plan. The church was putting out many
books, and a committee^^ on the geography and ruins
of the Book of Mormon country worked for months
preparing descriptions and outlines, and now the
church has access to maps of the land mentioned in
the Book of Mormon, with probable locations of cities,
rivers, lakes, highways, and many other things de-
sirable and delightful to study.

"F. M. Sheehy, W. H. Kelley, Rudolph Etzenhouser.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

189

CHAPTER 45

The Stakes of Zion

THE Saints of 1853 were eager for the gather-
ing time. They appointed a stake of Zion at
Argyle, Wisconsin, to be known as the Zara-
hemla Stake, with president and counselors, but it
was never heard of further.

The seventh resolution in the old Word of Conso-
lation says that in the opinion of the church "there is
no stake to which the Saints on this continent are
commanded to gather," at that time. This was the
opinion of the church in 1863, but the Saints in foreign
lands were expected to keep their faces turned toward
this continent, the land of America, and all Saints to
]3repare for the time when the Saints would be com-
manded to gather into Zion. Always there was the
hope in the heart of every Saint to go up to Zion. It
is the hope of ages; this gathering of the good and
pure into some place favored of God.

Gradually the people drew together in Missouri,
Iowa, Kansas, and Illinois, as they found opportu-
nity, until the branches in and around Independence,
Missouri, and Lamoni, Iowa, were of goodly umber;
and then in 1901 the word of the Lord came, directing
the organization of two stakes. One with the center
at Independence and including the district of that
name, and one with the center at Lamoni, including

190 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

the Decatur District. These were immediately or-
ganized and there was joy over the movement. These
places continued to grow and make progress. Over
each was a high priest, with counselors, and in each
a high council and a bishop with his counselors ; so in
these stakes there were no longer bishop's agents.
These were the Independence Stake, organized Wed-

Scene in Upper Missouri near Iowa line

nesday, April 24, 1901, at Independence, Missouri,
the Lamoni Stake, organized Friday, April 30, 1901,
at 2.30 p. m., at Lamoni. The account of each is
given in the INIinutes of Conference for 1901.

The original presidency, council, and bishopric of
the Independence Stake were: President, George H.
Hulmes; Counselors, W. H. Garrett, John D. White;
High Counselors, H. R. Mills, W. R. Pickering,
Alexander M. McCallum, James Moler, George
Hawley, A. H. Parsons, B. J. Scott, Frank Criley,
Alfred White, C. G. Gould, W. H. Williamson, and

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

191

Frederick Scarcliff ; Bishopric, Roderick ^Nlay, W. H.
Pease, and W. N. Robinson. D. Robert Winn was
appointed secretary and recorder of the stake:

The Lamoni Stake presidency were: John Smith,

m^M

ISH

B^B

WP M^^

miHr

^^^^*

r^ j.

Lamoni scene

J. A. Gunsolley, and David W. Wight. The High
council: F. A. Smith, J. R. Evans, F. B. Blair, R.
J. Lambert, H. A. Stebbins, M. M. Turpin, J. S.
Snively, 1. N. Roberts, C. H. Lake, R. S. Salyards,
Duncan Campbell, and D. J. Krahl. Bishopric: Wil-
ham Anderson, F. M. Weld, and F. M. Smith. B.
M. Anderson was appointed secretary of the stake.

192

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 46

The Presiding Bishopric

PRIOR to the election of Israel L. Rogers to the
place of bishop the funds of the Reorganized
Church had been cared for by a treasurer. This
office was held by Edwin Cadwell in 1859, having his
appointment before young Joseph took his place.
Bishop Rogers was the first Presiding Bishop, being
appointed at the conference of 1860 in Amboy, Illi-
nois. For counselors he made William Aldrich and
Philo Howard his choice, in 1866. In 1869 Philo
Howard died; and in 1873 Elder Aldrich resigned,
and Bishop Rogers chose Elijah Banta and David
Dancer and they were ordained at the great meeting
of that year when the Spirit rested like a mantle of
light upon the people. Elijah Banta resigned in Sep-
tember, 1874, and Bishop Rogers chose Henry A.
Stebbins, who was ordained in 11875, and in 1882
both Elders Dancer and Stebbins resigned.

When Bishop Rogers resigned his place as presi-
dent of the Aaronic priesthood, the office was con-
ferred upon George A. Blakeslee. Elder Blakeslee's
family had been in the church before it left Nauvoo
and he had been ordained an elder at the Amboy con-
ference of 1860, filling many places of trust in the
years following. He chose as his counselors Elijah
Banta and a young lawyer named Edmund Levi Kel-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

193

ley, a priest, who had done missionary work, but who
was ordained an elder and counselor to Bishop Blakes-
lee at the time the Bishop took his place in Independ-

Hoine of Bishop Rogers, in Sandwich

ence, Missouri, during the session of the first confer-
ence of the Reorganized Church held in Jackson
County, April, 1882.

Bishop Blakeslee traveled through the churches,
teaching the financial law and stirring up the souls

194 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

of men to study and obey the commands of God re-
garding money and property. The law of tithing and
freewill offering became pleasant and just to the peo-
ple: the rejected church had abused this law and made-
it hard and hateful to them. So Bishop Blakeslee and
his young counselor, E. L. Kelley, traveled and
taught the glad and beautiful law of giving.

Bishop Blakeslee was not left to labor long as pre-
siding bishop, for in September, 1^90, he died at his
home in Galien, Michigan. Elder Kelley was ap-
pointed to act as Bishop until the next April. On
the tenth day of that month, 1891, he was ordained pre-
siding bishop of the church, and his counselors, George
H. Hilliard and Edwin A. Blakeslee, were ordained
at the same conference.

Bishop Kelley's service was long, interesting, and
efficient. He occupied during the years of greatest
growth and the constant progression of the church.
A man of unbounded faith, unfailing courtesy, and
an indefatigable worker.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 3^95

CHAPTER 47
The Quorum of Twelve Apostles

IN READING this short sketch you will consider
that men may be apostles and not be members of
this quormii.
The work of the first Quorum of Twelve Apostles
in the Reorganized Church was a work of rebuilding.
They gathered the fragments of a broken organiza-
tion and built a sort of waiting place for the wander-
ers. Their names are not many, seven in the first
quorum. Henry H. Deam and John Cunningham
were members for only a year; George White for six
years; David New^kirk, ten years; John Shippy, eight
years; and Jason W. Briggs member and the presi-
dent of the quorum for thirty- two years; and Zenos
H. Gurley, jr., who served eleven years,* from 1874
to 1885; Reuben Newkirk and Daniel B. Rasey were
enrolled members for twenty years and were released
by the church.

Three from this quorum were ordained to the First
Presidency: They were William W. Blair (1858 to
1873), Alexander H. Smith (1873 to 1897), and
Richard C. Evans (1897 to 1902). Two apostles
resigned: Charles Derry (1865 to 1870), and James
W. Gillen (1887 to 1900). Two: James Caffall
(1873 to 1902), William H. Kelley (1873 to 1913),
were called out to be patriarchs, but declined. Hefnan

296 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

C. Smith (1888 to 1909), called out to act as Histor-
ian, and Joseph Luff released to act as Church Phy-
sician (1887 to 1909) ; and later I. X. White (1897 to
1913), and J. W. Wight (1897 to 1913), were re-
leased and ordained to the order of evangelists, as had
Edmund C. Briggs (1860 to 1902), John H. Lake
(1873 to 1902), and Joseph R. Lambert (1873 to
1902).

These, Zenos H. Gurley, sr. (1853 to 1871), Sam-
uel Powers, (1855 to 1873), James Blakeslee (1860
to 1866) , Josiah Ells (1865 to 1885) , and Thomas W.
Smith (1873 to 1894) , all died while holding place in
the quorum.

Frederick A. Smith, son of A. H. Smith (1902 to
1913), to presiding patriarch. This left in the quo-
rum: Gomer T. Griffiiths, made president in 1909,
(1887) ; Peter Anderson (1901), Francis M. Sheehy
1902), Ulysses W. Greene (1902), C. A. Butter-
worth (1902), John W. Rushton (1902), James F.
Curtis (1909), Richard C. Russell (1909), James E.
Kelley, son of William H. Kelley, (1913), William
Aylor (1913), Paul M. Hanson (1913), James A.
Gillen, son of J. W. Gillen, (1913).

The Reorganized Church has had in its service in
sixty-one years forty-one ordained apostles in this
traveling high council.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY ^q>-^

CHAPTER 48

Story of the Recorder and Secretary

THE earliest account of Church Recorder is the
appointment of Samuel Blair in October, 1852,
at Yellow Stone, Wisconsin. His time of serv-
ice lasted until he was sent to Pennsylvania on a mis-
sion in 1854. At the spring conference of 1855 Zenos
H. Gurley, sr., was appointed Recorder, and he was
succeeded by William W. Blair in 1859, At the fall
conference of 1860 William W. Blair was released and
Isaac Sheen elected. Elder Sheen served for many
years, but had much difficulty impressing the confer-
ence with the importance of his task and with his need
for proper books. In 1873 a committee was appointed
to look into his work and wants and they reported
very much in favor of Elder Sheen. Elder Sheen on
this date took occasion to ask for an outline of his
duties and received some suggestions. Curiously
enough, Henry A. Stebbins and Israel Rogers were
the committee appointed to purchase a new record
book for Elder Sheen. On April 3, 1874, Elder
Sheen died, and was buried April 5, from the Saints'
meetinghouse in Piano. A few days later, April 8,
on motion made by T. W. Smith and W. W. Blair,
Henry A. Stebbins was elected Recorder and was the
one who really used the new record book.

In Piano, 1870, four years previous, the office of

198

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

General Secretary had been created in the following
resolution :

"Resolved, That there be appointed a Secretary of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
whose duty it shall be to sign all documents authorized
by general provisions of General Conference, to sign
licenses and certificates issued by the First Presidency,
and to perform any and all other duties coming prop-
erly within the province of an organized government.

"Resolved, That Mark H. Forscutt be that Secre-
tary."

Elder Forscutt entered into the duties as secretary
with a great deal of ardor, but his appointment to a
mission to England in April, 1872, necessitated his
release, and Henry Goodcell, jr., of California, was
elected to the office, and in April, 1873, he was re-
leased and in 1874, at the election of Elder Henry A.
Stebbins, there was a movement to make the Recorder
also Secretary ex officio. In 1875 this matter was set-
tled by the election of Elder Stebbins to the office of
Secretary-Recorder.

This condition prevailed until 1896, when by action
of the conference the offices were separated, for the
work was growing and was already too heavy under
one management. Elder Richard S. Salyards was
chosen Church Secretary and Elder Stebbins retained
in his original office of Recorder.

After twenty-three years of duty in this office, in

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

199

1897 Elder Stebbins asked that some one be appointed
to assist him and learn the details of the work, as his
health, never really good, was failing by reason of the
close, confinement in the office. He nominated as his
assistant Elder Claude I, Carpenter, who began his
work in the office July, 1900, and continued as assist-
ant until 1906, when Elder Stebbins begged to be re-
leased from the office and Elder Carpenter was duly
elected Church Recorder.

The office of Secretary has resided in Richard S.
Salyards' hands up to the present time.

Recorder's Room and Recorder

200

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 49

Historian

WHEX everything has been done, then the
Historian takes a look backward and tells
us about it. The church was bound to be
prepared for this, for in the early church the Lord
gave command regarding the Historian. The Saints,
while waiting for young Joseph, selected a historian,
naming Jason W. Briggs to that office in April, 1853,
at Zarahemla, Wisconsin. In 1871, eleven years after
Joseph had taken his place, Jason W. Briggs made a
public call for history and data from people who knew
about the church. Years passed and no history came.
Perhaps in the economy of justice the time had not
yet come for it.

Finally, in 1896, the matter having been referred to
the Board of Publication, Frederick M. Smith was ap-
pointed Historian, and acted as such until the next
General Conference. The Board of Publication ap-
pointed President Joseph Smith and Heman C. Smith
to write and compile the history of the church, and the
first volume was published and placed on sale before
the convening of conference in 1897. The action of
the board in making provision for the writing of the
history was approved. Frederick M. Smith reported
as Historian on April 15. Heman C. Smith was
elected Church Historian by the General Conference

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

201

of 1897 and he nominated Frederick M. Smith as his
associate, the conference confirming the nomination.
These relations continued until April, 1901, when the
Assistant Historian resigned.

Volumes one, two, and three of the history were now

Office of Church Historian

in the hands of the people. This j^ear provision was
made for district historians, and in 1902 Elder D. F.
Lambert, nominated by Historian Smith, was made
Assistant Historian. The work of the Historian was
not only to write correct history himself, but to exam-
ine and record the history made by the people not of
the church, and correct their statements concerning
the history of the church. The church had been so

202

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

often misrepresented in school books, magazines, and
encyclopedias that it was a rare thing to find a fair
story of her people. The Historian was to travel and
gain information and give it to others in lectures and
in writings. It was a wonderful opportunity to repre-
sent the church. In 1903 the fourth volume of history
was finished.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 203

CHAPTER 50

Sanitarium and Homes

THE CARE and support of its aged members
was one of the most gracious and beneficent
works of the church. In 1897 it built and
furnished the Saints' Home in Lamoni, Iowa, open-
ing the institution in March, 1898. ^luch of the fur-
nishing, however, was supphed by contribution. The
home has its own orchard, garden, fields, and well-
stocked pastures. Near it is the private home of its
matron, JMiss Alice P. Dancer, pleasant Sunny Side.
Miss Dancer's occupancy in the home has been one of
unbroken devotion, unfailing patience, and remark-
able wisdom.

To the west of Lamoni stands Liberty Home. Lib-
erty Hall was the home of President Joseph Smith
during his j^ears of residence in Lamoni, Iowa. Upon
his removal to Independence, in 1906, the place was
remodeled, some additions were made, and it has ever
since been used as a home for the aged, in addition
to the Saints' Home.

The church also supports two homes for the aged at
Independence. These are considered temporary, as
a hope is entertained of building one modern home
there that shall be adequate for future needs now sup-
plied by the two in use there.

In Kirtland there is also a home for the aged. These

204

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

places are pleasant, homelike, comfortable institutions.
In each is held regular church services of every char-
acter, with music and books and pleasant associations
the waiting time of life is made peaceful and comfort-
able to those who are worthy and desire such abode.

Saints' Home

The homes in Lamoni are intrusted to the supervision
of a committee.

On April 10, 1906, in the conference President Jos-
eph Smith presented the thought of a sanitarium. It
came in a short address, or talk, and in a most pleasing
manner :

"We ought as a people to take this kind of a step,

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 205

to establish here — and I hope these Independence peo-
ple will not go wild over it, because I saw it, and it
was presented to me — what might be called a sani-
tarimn or a hospital — call it whatever word you like —
that shall be under the supervision of some earnest, up-
right, and spiritual-minded officer of the church; and
that this sanitarium shall be a place where our sick
who may not be properly treated at their homes may
be treated by the laying on of hands, by the nursing as
provided for under the law, and by such careful treat-
ment as medical knowledge within the province of
our own membership may give, and thus see whether
or not we may try the spiritual forces for which we
have been so long contending, and at last put our
hands and our sacred honors in juxtaposition and say
to the world, we are willing that it shall be given a
trial, and open trial. And I was assured, in that three
hours of spiritual exaltation, that there would be a
fulfillment of the prophecy that the faces of Jacob's
children shall not wax pale."

And the next day the conference listened to the re-
port of the Daughters of Zion urging a home for the
children :

"By personal observation and inquiry the Daugh-
ters of Zion are convinced that the present condition
of affairs indicate the necessity for a home for children.
There are in the church and in the world to-day chil-
dren without parents, children who have lost one par-

Pi
Q

>-J

t-H

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

207

ent, children who have been deserted by parents, and
children of unfortunate parentage, who are appealing
to us for a home.

"As a result of these observations the Daughters of
Zion present the inclosed petition for a home, recog-
nizing the right of the church proper to establish and
determine the working details of such a home —
whether it shall be a home-finding institution, an in-
dustrial home, a permanent home, or a temporary
home.

"For the past two years the Daughters of Zion have
given especial attention to this work and with the
counsel and cooperation of the Bishop have succeeded
in securing about seven hundred dollars in cash as a
nucleus for this purpose.

"In accordance with this action the Daughters of
Zion present the following petition:

''To the Latter Day Saint Church in Conference
Assembled: We, the Daughters of Zion in convention
assembled, do hereby petition the church to establish
a home for children and to sanction the efforts of the
Daughters of Zion in its behalf.

"Mrs. B. C. Smith.
"Dora Young.
"Amy D. Wells.

"IxDEPEXDExcE, MISSOURI, April 11, 1906."

Both of these new thoughts went at one time to
the council of the President, Twelve, and Bishopric,
and they resolved to ask all to fast and pray for direc-

208 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

tion from the Lord about the Sanitarium and other
church needs. This was done, and on the fourteenth
the President received the message from God so much
desired. It was wonderful to hear these words of in-
spiration that opened the way for these two great
homes, one for the suffering and ill and one for the
homeless children.

The Sanitarium was located at Independence, and
was incorporated in Missouri as the Independence
Sanitarium. The Children's Home was located in
Lamoni, the beautiful estate of Bishop Elijah Banta
was purchased and dedicated. The Home was con-
ducted by the Bishopric and Daughters of Zion until
1912, when the conference placed seven trustees in
charge. Under them it was two years later incorpor-
ated under the laws of Iowa as the Saints' Children's
Home.

You will notice how carefully the church has grown.
It is moving along with the State laws all the time,
and these two new homes or places are guarding
against debt in the beginning of their career.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

200

CHAPTER 51

Seventies and Council of Seven

IT IS futile to endeavor to give personal mention
here of members of the quorum of seventy, elders,
priests, teachers, deacons, and yet in the history of
these men lie some of the most thrilling and wonder-
ful stories in all the history of the church. Some of
the finest minds and noblest hearts in the church were
with these quorums, and some of the grandest work
done in the church of God on earth has been done by
these men. The greatest sacrifice, the humblest, the
most difficult mission, the lowliest tasks were glorified
in the service of these men, and there is no grander
sight in the General Conferences than the personnel
of the seventies, seated as they are, directly in the
heart of the assembly. They carry the action of the
church many times by their vote, and they hold some
of the greatest orators of the church in their midst.

The quorum has held in its membership many men
whose career has been marked with distinction. The
presidency of this quorum is of composite order, being
seven in number. These are selected by the body of
seventy from their number, with reverence and deep
concern. If in time there shall be seven quorums of
seventy, there shall be a president from each. At
present there are three quorums.

The record for the Presidents of Seventies begins

210

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

with that auspicious day, April 6, 1860, at Amboy,
Illinois. Their names were: James Blakeslee, Ed-
mund C. Briggs, Crowell G. Lanphear, William D.
Morton, and Archibald M. Wilsey were ordained
Presidents of Seventy, by Eflders William Marks and
Zenos H. Gurley, sr. ; George Rarick and John A.
Mcintosh were chosen Presidents of Seventy and
subsequently ordained.

Archibald Wilsey, William Morton, George
Rarick, John A. Mcintosh, and Crowell G. Lanphear
afterwards were ordained high priests (for a seventy
may not be a high priest) and James Blakeslee and
Edmund C. Briggs became members of the Quorum
of Twelve Apostles. Upon that occasion Elders E.
C. Brand, Duncan Campbell, and Charles W. Wan-
dell were called to be "special witnesses of the
seventy," or presidents of seventy.

Charles Wandell died while on a foreign mission
field in Australia in 1875; Edmund C. Brand, Octo-
ber 12, 1890.

Duncan Campbell was ordained a high priest and
later a member of the Lamoni Stake Council.

When Crowell G. Lanphear was ordained a high
priest. Elder Glaud L. Rodger was ordained a presi-
dent of seventy and held the office at the time of his
death and his mission in Nevada.

In April, 1885, at the home of John C. Foss, in In-
dependence, Missouri, John S. Patterson, John T.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

211

Davis, James W. Gillen, Heman C. Smith, and
Columbus Scott were chosen to occupy as presidents.
There were then, in office, Edmund C. Brand and
Duncan Campbell. When the Presidents of Seventy
were called in council in 1886 there were Edmund C.
Brand, senior president; John S. Patterson, James
W. Gillen, Heman C. Smith, and Columbus Scott
present. Duncan Campbell and J. T. Davis were
absent. Heman C. Smith was chosen permanent sec-
retary.

The proceedings of this council grew more method-
ical and systematic. There is apparent from this time
progression to a marked degree; prayerful watching
of elders and priests, in consideration of the possible
selections for membership in the seventies, and more
attention given to record interesting data.

Up to this time the Quorum of Twelve had been
selecting seventies ; now the council took up this duty.
The year 1888 their record shows a loss of three;
Heman C. Smith and James W. Gillen to the office
of apostles. The record showed an enrollment of
fifty-six seventies. Isaac N. White and John C. Foss
were made prominent at the conference on April 14.
The next year, 1889, April 9, Robert J. Anthony w^as
ordained a member of the council. Elder Anthony
died in his mission field May 26, 1899, and his body
was sent to his widow at Lamoni, Iowa, where it was
buried in Rose Hill May 31.

212

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

In 1890 the first quorum was filled the first time
in the Reorganized Church, the work of thirty years.
In the temple at Kirtland, during the conference of
1891, Duncan Campbell was ordained senior presi-
dent because of the death of Senior President Brand
the fall previous. On the same day that Elder Camp-
bell was made senior president. Elder James Mc-
Kiernan was ordained to the council.

In Independence, 1892, provision was made for
organizing the Second Quorum of Seventy. It was
at this meeting that George H. Milliard was released
as a seventy to receive ordination as Bishop Kelley's
counselor. On April 14 the Second Quorum of
Seventy became fully organized with Columbus Scott,
president, and T. W. Williams, secretary. In 1897
Francis M. Sheehy was ordained to the Council of
Seven Presidents, to fill the vacancy of I. N. White
who had been ordained to the Quorum of Twelve. In
1900, April 17, Francis M. Sheehy and John T. Davis
were chosen to be ordained high priests, and as Presi-
dent R. J. Anthony had died the previous autumn
there were places vacant in the Council of Seven
Presidents. On the 20th Hyrum O. Smith, James F.
Mintun, and Warren E. Peak were chosen to fill the
vacancies.

In 1901 at Lamoni, on April 30, President
Duncan Campbell was ordained a high priest. This
left the office of senior president vacant, and in 1902

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

213

Elder Columbus Scott, who had been the secretary
for many years, was ordained senior president, and in
his place as president of the First Seventy, Elder
James McKiernan was made president and Elder
James F. Mintun, secretaiy. The vacancy in the
council was filled by Romanan Wight in 1905, at
Lamoni, Iowa. April 17, the Third Quorum of
Seventy was organized, with Hyrum O. Smith, pres-
ident, and David A. Anderson, secretary. It was
during this year that Elder John B. Lentz, one of the
seventy, was instantly killed by a stroke of lightning
while he was preaching in the pulpit at Carson, Iowa ;
and Romanan Wight, one of the council, was stricken
with palsy and completely incapacitated for his work
physically, although retaining a deep interest and
constant concern for all church activities.

In 1906 Elder John C. Foss retired from the active
work of the council because of age, but was con-
stantly engaged in local work. He was the first of
the quorum to claim the privilege and consequent com-
fort of the movement to grant superannuated con-
siderations to the older members of the ministry. The
vacancy left by this movement was filled by the or-
dination of Thomas C. Kelley that same year. In
the year that followed there were many superannuated
from the seventy. In 1909 President Romanan
Wight submitted his resignation and John Arthur
Davies was ordained a president of seventies.

214

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

In 1911 J. Charles May was chosen a seventy. The
situation was unique, Elder May being in the South
Sea Islands with his family on a mission. The ordi-
nation was of necessity deferred, as no one was sent
there with authority to ordain him, and his ordination
was not performed until two years later.

Hyrum O. Smith was ordained a high priest in
1913. This left a vacancy in the council which was
filled by the ordination of Arthur B. Phillips. Thus
the Council of the Presidents of Seventy stood when
the work of the quorum was outlined for 1914.
Columbus Scott, senior president, and president of
second quorum, James F. Mintun, secretary; James
McKiernan, president of first quorum; Warren E.
Peak; Thomas C. Kelley, president of third quorum;
J. Arthur Davies, and Arthur B. Phillips.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 215

CHAPTER 52

High Priests and Patriarchs

THE HIGH PRIESTS' QUORUM is one of
the most venerated organizations of the church.
Dating back to June, 1852, the quorum has had
an extensive enrolhnent, three hundred and four mem-
bers up to 1914. Few are called from the quorum ex-
cept by death, so the enrollment is not often changed.
During its sixty-two years, but eight have been called
to other offices, and only four have been expelled. One
dropped out and one hundred and twenty died in
full membership. There remains upon the records of
the quorum one hundred and seventy-one names.
Elder Charles Derry holds the honor of years in tliis
quorum, as he was born July 25, 1826. He is still
bright and active, although he has spent years of sac-
rifice and labor in the church. The youngest member
is Elder INIark H. Siegfried, born August 16, 1881.

The man who has been the longest in the quorum
is Elder James Anderson, of Lamoni, Iowa, who was
ordained February 18, 1864, and Ephraim Squires of
Brooklyn, New York, was the latest to receive ordi-
nation, July 19, 1914.

The first president of the quorum was chosen in
1860 at the memorable conference of that year at
Amboy, Illinois, Isaac Sheen receiving ordination to
the office at that time. After the death of Elder

216

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Sheen, Elder Charles Deny became president, oc-
cupying until 1901, when upon his resignation Fred-
erick G. Pitt was ordained to the office, in the con-
ference of the same year, and served until called into
the Evangelical order in 1910 when Elder Joseph
A. Tanner was ordained president.

In 1914 the quorum officers were Joseph A. Tan-
ner, president; Vinton ^I. Goodrich, counselor;
Charles Fry, counselor; Robert M. Elvin, secretary
and treasurer; Thomas J. Elliott, assistant secretary.

The Reorganized Church had no patriarchs in office
until April, 1897, when Alexander Hale Smith re-
ceived a call to that office. He almost immediately
began to travel in the interests of that work. He
was Presiding Patriarch and Evangelical Minister to
the whole church. Like his- gi-andfather, Joseph
Smith, sr., he was well suited to this office. He was
affectionate and friendly, at the same time unafraid
to counsel the careless and unfaithful. He visited
Australia, the South Sea Islands, the Sandwich Is-
lands, Canada, and nearly the whole of United States.

The quorum or body of patriarchs or evangelists
is called the Order of Evangelists and contains some
of the greatest men baptized into the church. Their
work of counseling, guiding, comforting^ and instruct-
ing, is very important.

After the death of Elder Alexander H. Smith in
1909, Elder Joseph R. Lambert, a brother evangelist,

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

217

was appointed president pro tempore of the order
and Charles E. Butterworth, Secretary. In 1913
Elder Frederick A. Smith was ordained Presiding
Patriarch and Evangelical member, and Hyrum
O. Smith became secretary of the order.

22g YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

CHAPTER 53

The Story of the Presidency

THE OFFICE of President of the Reorganized
Church was first held by Jason W. Briggs.
From 1853 until 1860 he acted as president ])ro
tempore, simply holding the place in trust for the son
of Joseph the Martyr, for whose coming he prayed
with unbroken faith and to whom he delivered the
trust in 1860. President Briggs claimed no right
but that given to him by the people who waited with
him for young Joseph. His presidency was very im-
portant and deserves consideration and gratitude.
His official signature for those years of waiting was
"Jason W. Briggs, Representative President of the
Church and Priesthood.

The story of the Presidencj^ or First Quorum of
the Reorganized Church contains the names of many
loved ones; first, that of President Joseph Smith,
who was given his first counselor, William INIarks, in
the revelation of March, 1863. He was at the time
seventy-one years of age. Joseph Smith saj'^s he was
a man of clear-headed wisdom, noble, useful, kind
and upright, faithful and steadfast, a wise counselor,
and "finally his integrity was incorruptible." He died
May 22, 1872, and the following year, on March 3,
1873, the Lord gave a revelation calling William W.
Blair and David H. Smith to be counselors for Joseph

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 219

Smith in the First Quorum of the church. William
W. Blair was forty-five years of age and the other
counselor but twenty-nine. David Smith was released
from the office because of continued ill health. The
release came in the voice of the Spirit saying, "The
voice of the Spirit is 'let David H. Smith be released.
He is in my hands.' " This was in 1885, at the April
conference of that year. William W. Blair was active
in this office, as in all others. He was a man who was
always affable, earnest, and constant in his work ; serv-
ing faithfully until April 18, 1896, when he expired
on a train near Chariton, Iowa. His death due to
cold contracted while traveling to Kirtland for the
conference of April. He was sixty-seven years old,
universally beloved, and widely known. His death left
the President again without counselor. To meet the
emergency, a counsel of seven men was held in La-
moni: Joseph Smith, Bishop E. L. Kelle}^ Alexan-
der H. Smith, James W. Gillen, Joseph R. Lambert,
Heman C. Smith, and Joseph Luff. The president of
the Quorum of Twelve, Alexander H. Smith, was di-
rected to act as counselor until such time as the Lord
should appoint.

This situation was not changed in the following
year, 1897, at the General Conference, when the
Lord directed that Alexander Hale Smith be set
apart as counselor to his brother. President Joseph
Smith. The same revelation appointed Edmund

220 YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

L. Kelley to act as counselor also for the confer-
ence year, but in no way changed his work or office

FREDERICK M. SMITH

as bishop, his tenure of office lasting until one should
be chosen to succeed William W. Blair (Doctrine and
Covenants, section 124).

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY 221

On April 18, 1902, President Smith received such
"light and information" in a vision given him in the
night that the First Presidency was again reorganized
with Frederick ^I. Smith and Richard C. Evans as
counselors to President Smith.

Alexander Smith had received a call to be patriarch
of the whole church at the same time that he was set
apart as counselor to the President. He was absent
in Australia performing his duties as Patriarch when
the new Presidency were ordained, and was notified
by cable *to ordain a new member of the Quorum of
Twelve, C. E. Butterworth, at that time a resident
missionary in Australia. Frederick INI. Smith, the
eldest son of President Smith, was at the time twenty-
eight years of age and held the office of elder ; Richard
C. Evans was a young Canadian, an apostle, forty-
one years of age. Seven years later, April, 1909, he
was released from his place in the First Quorum and
made bishop of Canada, and Elbert A. Smith, the
only child of David H. Smith, was called to his
father's place in the Presidency. He was still younger
than Elder Evans, being thirty-eight j^ears of age at
this time.

The quorum stood this way until the death of Pres-
ident Joseph Smith at Independence, December 12,
1914. In a revelation given April 14, 1906, at Inde-
pendence, Missouri, it was declared that in case of the
removal of President Joseph Smith, the eldest living

222

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

son of the President should be chosen to preside in
accordance with the revelations that had been given
before concerning the priesthood. For a number of
years the young man had been assisting, and in the
last years of his father's life was practically president
of the conference, a position for which he was in many
ways preeminently qualified.

Maple shaded walk in Lamoni near church

Joseph Smith's presidency lasted for a term of
fifty-four years. He had much sorrow; in 1896 he
buried his wife Bertha, and in 1898 he married Ada
Clark, of Canada. They had three sons born to them.
This good woman was faithful and competent in car-

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

228

ing for him through his years of bhndness, until his
death.

He made a remarkable record as a chairman and
a president, unexcelled in his charity, unprecedented
in his memory of names, faces, voices, a gift that did
not fail him even when blindness in his last years laid
her hands on his exceptionalh^ fine, dark eyes. He
seldom failed to recognize the voice of friends, al-
though years may have passed since hearing them.
His long, faithful, undivided, and sincere service as
prophet, seer, and revelator left his place in the hearts
of the people full of loving and deserved memories.
He left a well-organized, well-ordained, love-directed
body of devoted Saints to his successor's support.

224 yol'xg people's history

Illustrations

Joseph Smith (Frontispiece) 1

Mechanics Hall, Amlwy, Illinois 8

Piano church 43

Church seal 45

Map of disputed strip 53

Scene on Fox River, near Piano 63

Brick Church at Independence 67

Old gravel road over which the elders traveled to Saint Louis 68

Harbor of Papeete 82

Scene in Australia 87

Metuaore 89

Evanelia 94

A group of elders of 1875 101

Mrs. M. Walker ( Frances ) 113

Scene near Saints' i-eunion ground, Onset, Massachusetts IH

On Lamoni Stake reunion ground in winter 143

Herald Publishing House 145

Ensign Publishing House 14:)

The San Bernardino Valley 154

Their fragrant white blooms o'er the unknown grave 155

Missionaries in picturesque Hawaii 160

Waikiki (From a missionary's album) 162

Missionary house in Hilo 163

Graceland College 170

Brick Church in Lamoni 173

Sanitarium at Independence, Missouri 175

Patriarch Alexander Hale Smith 177

Stone Church at Independence 180

Scene in Upper Missouri near Iowa line 190

Home of Bishop Rogers, in Sandwich 193

Recorder's Room and Recorder 199

Office of Church Historian 201

Saints' Home 204

Children's Home at Lamoni 206

Frederick M. Smith 220

Maple shaded walk in I^amoni, near church 222

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Index

225

Chapter 1. Young Joseph at Nauvoo 3

Chapter 2. Young Joseph Takes His Place 7

Chapter 3. First Works of President Smith 15

Chapter 4. Special Work of First Years 22

Chapter 5. The Spirit of Contentment 24

Chapter 6'. First General Epistle of the Twelve 27

Chapter 7. The First Press and the Zion Movement 31

Chapter 8. The Hercdd of a Coming Day 35

Chapter 9. Tithing and Missionaries 38

Chapter 10. The Work in Piano 42

Chapter 11. The First Long Revelation 47

Chapter 12. Death of Emma Smith Bidamon and Story of a New

Land 51

Chapter 13. The Herald in Its New Home 63

Chapter 14. In Missouri 67

Chapter 15. Manuscrijit and Authorized Version of Book of Mormon 73

Chapter 16. Burning of the Herald Publishing House 80

Chapter 17. The Church in tlie Islands of the Sea 82

Chapter 18. In Australia 86

Chapter 19. Metuaore Asleep in the South Seas 89

Chapter 20. The Gospel Boat 92

Chapter 21. The Seven Resolutions 97

Chapter 22. In Decatur Coimty, Iowa, and Piano, Illinois 101

Chapter 23. The First Missionaries to the West 105

Chapter 24. Autumn Leaves and Foreign Papers 108

Chapter 25. "Plea for the Little Ones" 112

Chapter 26. The Zion's Hope 115

Ciiapter 27. The First Foreign Missions 120

Chapter 28. The Work in AVales 123

Chapter 29. Emigration Fund and Scotland 126

Chapter 30. Kirtland Temple 129

Chapter 31. Sunday School Association 136

Chapter 32. Debates and Reunions 141

Chapter 33. The Inspired Translation and Bookbindery 144

('hapter 34. Some Church Papers 148

Chapter 35. Death of the Last of the Three Witnesses 152

Chapter 36. Music in the Reorganized Church 158

Chapter 37. The Church in the Sandwich Islands 161

Chapter 38. Organized Woman's A\'ork 165

Chapter 39. The Tidal AVave of the South Seas 167

Chapter 40. The College 169

Chapter 41. Under the Shadow of the Sable Wing, 1909 172

Chapter 42. The Jubilee Meeting. 1910 179

Chapter 43. The Standing High Council 184

Chapter 44. Library 186

Chapter 45. The Stakes of Zion 189

Chapter 46. The Presiding Bishopric 192

Chapter 47. The Quorum of Twelve .\postles 195

226

YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY

Chapter 48. The Stor\- of the Recorder and Secretary 197

Chapter 49. Historian* .' 200

Chapter 50. Sanitarium and Homes 203

Chapter 51. Seventies and Council of Seven 209

Chapter 52. High Priests and Patriarchs 215

Chapter 53. The Story of the Presidency 218

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