ELVER ELDER deach the df d miss of elder edward steven son flou on tuesday ul vihti hi january removes from this stage of existence one of the pioneer settlers of utah one who pr primious ivious to his entry into this valley in 1847 already bad his bla firm adherence to the right and who as a young mar bad Kl d well along on the be way to a career that brought to him the confidence and esteem eater m of his hie tel fel lowman and the blessings of the lord for whose cadee to in the earth he be was a most moat devoted and zealous advocate by his death there to la created a in one of the quor tims of the general authorities of 01 the church be having been a member of the first council of seventies for more than three years beare pas elder bidet Steve steventon neon has baa spent much of his hie lire life in missionary labore labor both al a home bows and abroad he bus baa traveled extensively la in this notion nation und and in foreign besides the home mis mie duties be boo baa performed ner formed among the people in these valleye valley and hi he never abrana from his bla duty as a of the lord in declaring the snared message of the restoration of the gospel in this bis dispensation nor has bag there been any wavering in his bis of that bat glorious glor lona lous fact it was his hie delight to not act as a special messenger meu enger of the ard ali binl to declare hlo his gospel lor for the salvation of mankind in ID the course louree of his experience folder elder stevenson Bi evenson made himself bina self familiar with many of the scones 0 of early church history and bak given much information to the be public io in relation thereto he was waa also associated witti many of the early members member of the church anki and took a deep interesting Inte in the notable events with which they were connected among with whom he be discussed events of vital importance in church history in this hie dispensation were the witnesses of the book of mormon and his record ot of what those witnesses tes testified to him was given wide publicity so that all might know thereof and verify the accuracy of his bia regarding the three witnesses of the book ol of mormon illustration may be made in their case as ae to elder Steven sons record ot of them by brief quotations from his extended extended exten jed mention thereof he says of oliver cawdery I 1 have often heard him bear a faithful fai tifful testimony to the restoration of the gospel by the visitation of an angel in whose presence he stood in company with the prophet joseph smith and david whitmer he testified that he beheld the plates plat esthe the leaves leave being turned over by the angel whose voice he heard and that they were commanded as witnesses to bear a faithful testimony to the world of the vision that they were favored ta to behold and that the translation from the plates of the book of mormon ww was accepted of the lord and that it would go forth to the world and no power on earth should stop atop its progress lie he said of david whitmer in 1886 after recounting previous he bedad had listened to frum him david whitmer I 1 is now just past 81 years of age in this his hia last testimony be said to me As sure as the sun and I 1 live just so sure did the angel appear to me and jose joseph h smith and I 1 heard beard his voice and did T d see the angel standing before us and on a table were the plates the sword of laban and the ball or compass concerning martin harris killer elder stevenson wrote in the year 1869 1 I was appointed on a mitrion to the united states having visited several of the eastern states I 1 called at af kirtland ohio to see the first temple tem ve that thai was built by our people eople in ihn r generation while there 1 met martin harris 1 soon after coming out of the T temple empl he took from under his arm a copy ot of the book of mormon the first edition I 1 believe and bore a fui fat ahful testimony just the same its as that I 1 heard him bear thirty six aix years previous august 19 1870 in company v w ith martin harrip harrio I 1 lett kirtland for utah tab and on the he a was with me in chicago chi go and at the american hotel bore testimony to a large number of people of the visitation of the angel eto etc elder Bleve 13 evenson noon has baa gone to meet his bia toward reward that of an earnest humble bumble diligent worker in the cause 0 humanity the gospel of the lord we regret to miss his bis presence to realize that in mortality there be beard no more his bla voice in firm mony and we sympathize deeply with the family who have hare lover loveo honored and revered him as their head for the virtues he possessed and exemplified in ia hla his lie ile but we rejoice that in passing through the gate to the spirit world be is ia attended by the record 01 0 a noble righteous life which will give t him the maeteria Ma etera welcomes welcome well done good and faithful servant 0 may the comforting iL it fluence of the holy spirit rest reat upon the bereaved onee bud and way may the testimony and example of the departed onu be an inspiration and encouragement to them to emulate his bie good w wirke rk and a bless log to those who learn and love the truth