Show E P 1 S T L E TWELVE APOSTLE AN AND ID counselors TO THE CHURCH OF or JESUS CHRIST W lattee LATTER DAY SAINTS IN 0 ALL aall THE WORLD I 1 B LOVED noved SA INTS A j i time lime of mourning has fallen upon alon and it Is with feelings of if propound proTo t mound und sadness that we address this epistle unto you our beloved br otner guide and counselor our pr pro ghet seer and revelator president brigham bigham young has been from froin our midst by death by his family and 4 ends ri and add in lit his own house and 10 lo n the city of which under the ikird it 1 ord ird he wais was the founder his spirit peacefully passed from this mortal exist enoe into that state of rest prepared for the righteous though harassed and bitterly persecuted 1 osibe especially bally of late years his ene miek were I 1 not permitted to take his life he has not been called by the lord to die a martyrs death yet hi life has proved his wll wil 11 liu ilu gnesa gness to endure even that ordeal I 1 if jr it had bad been the rood good pleasure of thetford thet Lord nord to require it of him he hs shrunk from no issue and has 3 bee uee been it willing to risk liberty and ond ilfe life ht the call of duty eve even when his hia ends trembled for his s safety a at a ripe rips old age in the quiet of his hia awn own home he has passed to his rest this is a consolation to us W abc b survive ur vive him nothing that has laa occurred to ua us since we came to these valleys has touched ch he e learis learia of the saints like this sad V he ele not only has been the president of the church but a to the people their welfare and prosperity their preservation rum evil and their advancement lu tik everything holy and pure has abw always y s uppermost thought fend fehd desire df of his heart jn in walove his love iove devotion to the work of god he has never wavered during lie ike thirty three years that he has n elai esad ed over the church since gince the P of the prophet joseph hii his bla hia knees have never trembled his unda have never shook he has n naver faltered or quailed qu ailed lio iio however wever the surroundings or pio plo prospects may have been he has liver wiver been dismayed but at those kinles sima he be has exhibited ted such serene and faith and uttered such words of encouragement as to comfort and sustain all the people pie and to call forth their love and admiration the lord however not nut univ only bles ed him with valor but ha he endowed him with great wisdom his counsels when obeyed have hav i e buen bien attended with salva tiou and und as an organizer and ad he be has no superior ot of this tle the tie people of the entire church sra igra his witnesses and our territory ams 1 well wall as the many settlements in the adjacent territories are his lu monuments he always had the tiu of the lord and none ever bought ithrom him in vain beloved saints we wo have bee been beel favored of the lord in heing being permitted to live la in this dispensation and in having been led by two uch such ihbe ibbe men ifie n as the prophets joseph mud dud brigham of 01 joseph Josei ih the prophet and seer of the lord jord it has lim truthfully saida said sald that at ill lit his a death he had done more lave save J beaud baus only for the development bof of the ahe she principles of ilfe life and the djon yf men in irl this world for the thu paco time in which be was on oarth barth irth than thau any ads other man that ever jived upon it the prophet it brig liam llam has proved himself worthy to be his the lord has crowned remarkable success his u he has honored and fulfilled hild hud those who have obeyed his hia counsel he has blessed and upheld tha time will yet come when t his pros pres presidency leney lency over the church of jesus cil Cli fist 1 of latter day saints faints will be pointed to as an e epoch bolh of wonderful events lu ju the providence of the lord however he has been taken from us grat great gr at efforts in prayer have been made I 1 and constant administration of the tb gospel ordinance for the sick bick to costill still keep him here but the tiie lord alss alks ordered otherwise we must bere here acknowledge idge that it is the lord to whom he was indebted deb for tor the wisdom and intelligence displayed by him the bestowal of these gifts manifests the care and supervision which he over his people for these blessing blessings sare are all the gift of god and all emanate from him the prophets joseph smith and brig ham young have bave been and now dow aze aae in his hands as his instruments in doing his work and so 80 are we we have the same consolation however in this our tim time e of 0 grief aud and deep aMle affliction tion that the prophet brigham had upon hearing ng of the cruel ruel 6 martyrdom of the p prophets joseph and hyrum lithe the keys reys eyb of the kingdom are still right here ere w with I 1 th the church joseph may be martyred marty red brigham may die ao so far as this life ia is concerned but our elea Flea heavenly venly father still lives the holy priesthood and apostleship which lie he restored to the earan still remain to guide and govern I 1 and to administer ordinances to the church which he has established our beloved brother Brigha mYoung has gone from us to join the prophet joseph and the host of the holy and the vure pure who are behind the vail vat but we do not therefore lose the benefit of his labors he is now in a position to do more for that work which he lovd loved BO so well and for which he be labored so ardently than he could JOs possibly sibly do in the flesh and that work will roll onward with increased power and accelerated 1 1 1 speed the president bof of the church having been taken t from Us by death the church ia is now placed in the same position that it maa mas waa vaa at tat the martyrdom of the prophet joseph there bisno is no quorum of first presidency speaking in kirtland upon the relationship of the first presidency to the twelve apostles the prophet joceph joseph said millennial star vol XV page the twelve are not dot subject to any other than the first presidency viz v az i myself sidney rigdon and frederick Q G williams who are now my counselors and aud aud and where I 1 am not were theto is no first presidency over the twelve y after thir the death ol 01 the prophet joseph josephl president young lu in speaking to td the sai sal saints n tr said por for the fint tint lime time in ih the kingdom 0 of f god aliet the Twelve weli apostle apostles of the lamb chosen chogen by t in 11 h this last dis dib dispa pm tion bof iff the gospel for the winding up tip scene present themselves bf before the saints to stand in their lot cording according ae to appointment JI 1 here elere are the twelve ap appointed 0 1 anted by thae the finger of god ea who w 0 hold the keys of the priesthood and the authority to set in order and regulate the ehu thU church relf reif in all uhe he world here is lelder moler amasa lyman and elder sidney rigdon they were councillors councilors counci lors in ti tio the tie e first presidency 11 and they are 0 to o the twelve still if they hey keep kiep their place places but if either wishes to pet as lipo spokesman kesman for the prophet joseph he must go behind the vail where joseph Is t timo and seals seasons vol 5 page once more the necessity for the twelve apostles to step forward and take uke the presidency of the church of jesus christ of latter batter day flay saints has arisen the same spirit which rested upon the prophet joseph before his martyrdom in instructing the twelve apostles as to their duties and responsibilities and the necessity of their bearing beating off the kingdom hab bag rested upon the prophet aru atu durf durl during ug this pash past spring and blimmer glimmer s he ue released all of the twelve T elye elve presiding over stakes from those du duties tips tirs selected others to fill those post tion tionne nd the church that the twelve apostles were call eail called ed by their priesthood lo 10 act in ilk a wider and more sphere than to be bia presidents of stakes all his te teachings L h ga and aad cou counsels n J sels seis plainly iud catte that there would be an increase of and jurisdiction die dle aaion resting testing upon them and that they would be held heid to a stricter accountability than they had been we can now understand and attach an import anca and signi flance fiance to these theme teaching and C counsels which we could not at the time they were given on tuesday last jast september Ath the two counselors of president young and ten of the twelve apos 1 ties two of the twelve brothers orson oreon pratt and joseph P 3 smith boing abent in england held heid a meeting and waited apon upon the lord with humble contrite and saddened hearts we ea earnestly rn estly sought to learn his mind and will concerning u m i and his chu church ach the lord blessed us ivl ivi with th tap the spirit spik t of union nand and condescended descended con to raveal reveal to na us what blev stepa we should take eiden elder john taylor aylor the senior apostle and who has acted as the pre president of the twelve was unanimously sustained in that position with the same unanimity also it was voted that the quorum of the twelve 0 apostles is the presiding quorum quo ruila and authority in tb the church these things are so plainly indicated by the revelations nud and in the pa past 8 t history of the church that they could not be ignored either by the twelve apostles or by the presidents president counselors hence again as a similar course was adopted on th the death of the prophet joseph the two counselors of president young presidents john wj W young and daniel H wells were unanimously sustained as one with counselors to and associated in action with the twelve apostles to facilitate the transaction of bt business ulness it was voted unanimously that for the present president john taylor be assisted by brothers john W young daniel H wells and george Q cannon in attending to business connected with the temples the public works and other church affairs of a financial character inquiries have arisen respecting the brethren who have been employed by the various quorums to work on the temple upon this we desire to bay eay that it ia is not intended in m making aking the change that has been sug suggested gest northe forthe nor for the pay of the brethren to come through the bishops instead of the quorums to release those who have subscribed through the quorum qu at but only to put it in another shape it is expected that the members of the quorums will still continue to do what they have heretofore done don but the pay they have to make will be made to the bishops of their respective Wards who should as early as possible ascertain from the various members of quorums in their wards that which each one has been paying and collect the same fiame so that they juas be lor tor prepared e p redby by thi this means to mee meet t the b payments to the hands who are employed as they come due we hope that instead of slackening blackening in our efforts to push the temples forward there will be an Id increase crease of zeal and energy on the part of all from the apostles through all the ranks of the priesthood to the youngest young t member of the church the in all the stakes of zion should make maue arrangements to have a ine eting of the lesser priesthood in their wards once every week these meetings they should attend personally with their counselors so as to give necessary instruction st and counsel and also that they may learn the true bondi condition tion of the flock which they are called to preside at 11 a m on the thy first saturday in every month there should be heid held in each stake a general priesthood meeting of all the of ficera of the church these meetings should be held beld at the place in each stake most convenient for this purpose and full reports of the condition of the various wards should be made to these meetings by the bishops instruction and counsel can then be kiven sven that will have the efm eff act to prod produce uce uco con eon concert cert ef of action in all matters of a public character in the diff different arenc 1 stakes and that will I 1 n the spread of the principles of the gospel among the people and the more perfect development of the church blat that ther the remay e may be a correct understanding der standing among nil nii all tall the stakes bf of zion zinn respecting the time for holding the quarterly conferences in the iho bifi rent reut stakes and tind the presidents bo be enabled to make preparations pa rations there therefore forWe ve have deem ed it best to make the following appointments for the conferences during the next half year it wig win be seen that thai in most instances they will be held I 1 in u two stakes upon ahe same days this is unavoidable in cons consequence equen ce 0 of f the great number of stakes salt lake stake e oct jan jam 5 and 0 1878 1 davis davia and utah stakes stages oct 13 and hind jsn jan 12 and 18 1878 weber and jua juab b stakes oct 20 and 21 1877 jan 19 and antl 20 1878 tooele and box elder eider oct 27 ami 2 28 1877 1577 jan 20 26 and 27 1878 1873 and cache Stakes slakes nov a and 4 1877 feb 2 and 3 1878 i I 1 summit and bear lake stakes no nov v 11 1 ie feb keb b gand olind morgan fi Stakes Nov 17 1877 feb fel 16 and 17 1 1878 sevier sevi Sovi erand and millard stakes nov 24 and 25 1877 feb 23 and 24 04 1878 and beaver stakes dm dec 1 and 2 1677 march 2 and kaneb and iron stakes slakes dec 8 and 9 1877 march 9 and 10 1878 SL suc george stake dee dec 15 and 16 1877 march 16 and 17 1878 As the time for holding our general semiannual semi annual conference ia is approaching pro aching it is very desirable that complete reports le be prepared by those whose duty it is to make reports the circular issued recently by the first presidency explains the necessity forand for and character of these reports blank forms have bave also been prepared and have been published by the deseret NEWS for reports of bishops and presidents ot of stakes immediate steps should be taken by the bishops opi of the various wards and by others who are presiding over brn brAn chesto obtain full reports upon all the poin points ts inc ine included eluded in the biank forms these when completed should be pent to the presidents of stakes who should from reports draw up their reports ln including luding as complete a financial ex exhibit furd bi as practicable and either elther forward or bring them to the conference in this city before president youngs sickness he arranged forr fori the monthly priesthood meeting of odthe the tho salt lake stake of zion to be bield in the new Taber tabernacle naci 0 on wednesday October of general meetings will be held oia oa the jtb and ath to which all the priesthood an antl anil saints are invited preparatory to the ibe general semiannual semi annual conference which will commence on saturday the ath of october and now brethren and bisters sisters wo wt exhort you to arouse yourselves anh and seek unto the lord in fervent faith and prayer we know that our father in heaven Is a god of ot revelation he is ready and willing to pour out his blessings and gifts upon those who seek unto him for them we need them as individuals and as a people to qualify quality us for the duties which devolve upon onus us we should remember and carry carpy in into to practical effect the counsels and instructions we have so liberally received from our departed president he has go gone no from us but the flock is not lett left without a shepherd latter day saints should so live that they will know the voice of the trae shepherd and not be deceived by pretenders this is the privilege of every member of the church and the latter day saint who does not live jive so as to have the revelations of jesus constantly with him stands in great danger of being deceived and falling |