Show PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR THE death of president john taylor officially announced BOunced an in this issue 0 of the DESERET NEWS although not un expected will cause a shock that wll will be felt in every fibre fabre of the body of 0 the church throughout this terri tern tory the mourning will be general apart from the position which ou our brother occupied in which he received the respect and honor which was due to co him he was enshrined in the hearts of the people as a great fearless talented and honorable hori brable man whose life has been devoted ito to the cause that is first in every faithful heart who ha never faltered and never swerved from the path of duty whose blood was mingled with that of the latter day martyrs and who has passed away in exile into which he was driven by th the relentless hand J f persecution directed against the trutas for which he lived suffered ered struggled and died john was born in county england nov 1808 he was educated in his native country and being naturally devotional he was impressed early with religious influences and became a cons consistent isten member of the method istAs hurch in 1830 his parents Jam Jame egand arand agnes taylor raylor emigrated to canada and tw two years later lie he joined them there and making I 1 the acquaintance of miss his leonora leono ra cannon daughter of captain cannon of the isle of man he married marrie and settled in toronto engaging in the business of wood turner here he became associated with a number of progressive progress iye Methodist sand being g convinced by study of the th sar scriptures tures that modern christendom had departed from th the primitive simplicity power and an livin ity of apostolic times he be and mother preacher boldly proclaimed these hese views and pointed out prevailing errors those utterances orough r them hem into conflict with the M methodism t 0 is authorities but tile reformers reformer would not lot when brought brough tto to trial swerve on one ota iota from their conscientious condic eions ions A little body of devout wor shippers hip pers met from time to time read deac the he scriptures exhorted to lives 1 f morality nora lity and obedience to god and rayed prayed for the restoration of primitive primitiv christianity mr taylor was a prominent worker in this preparatory movement in 1836 elder parley P pratt who had been een sent on a mission to Canada Cana dawit with the he prophecy that he be would fi find a peole eo in toronto prepared to r receive eive his is message nes sage called at the tha house hous of f mr r taylor caylor and was afterwards I 1 introduced tr ce to 0 the little congregation of enquirers mr taylor and his bis wife and several severa others received the gospel after dili gent ent in investigation esti gation and were baptized in n 1837 he went to kirtland where h he stood food up valiantly against the defamers def amers of if the prophet joseph and after pur chasing basing some land returned to toronto on n the ath of july 1838 a revel revelation atio brough ugh the prophet joseph smith name lame john djohn taylor john E pages page willford yil lford woodruff and willard 1 richards to be ordain edl postles apostles to fill AU vacancies in the council of the twelve brother rother taylor therefore left canada and moved to missouri where on the of december 1838 he was ordained to the apostleship iche fall of 1839 in company witt with elder wilford woodruff elder started on a mission to england the were both sick with fever and ague elder taylor being nigh unto death but they proceeded nevertheless arriving iva im liverpool on the alth 0 ol 01 january 1840 he labored with great success in ia that seaport town bringing many to a knowledge of the truth in july of the same year he went to ireland preached in several places and baptized the firs convert in ireland a larmer farmer 3 by the name of he then went to scotland cot preaching in ia paisley and glasgow and returning to liverpool li proceeded to the isle of man where h he preached the gospel debated with an and replied to printed attacks by sect sectarian nectaria aria ministers and succeeded in establishing the church upon that island before returning return mg to nauvoo he had the satisfaction of testify testifying in that thai he had traveled miles without purse or scrip besides his journeys in the breash british lales isles on railroads steamboats coaches on foot and horseback had never lacked for anything nor asked anyone for a farthing after filling this mission he became becam the editor of the times and seasons 8 and also of the nauvoo neighbor a member of the nauvoo city council cou cai and a trusted adviser of the prophet joseph when the prophet and patriarch joseph and hyrum went to carthage under the pledged protection 0 of governor ford elder taylor voluntarily shared in their captivity and when they were murderously assailed by the mob with blackened laces faces and cruelly shot to death he struck down the loaded weapons with his bis cane and received four balls in his body his life was saved by another bullet which struck his watch and hurled him from the window back into the room and elder willard willar richards covered him up with a mattress at in company with the twelve he helped to take charge of the affairs ol of the church after the martyrdom and was with the saints in the great exodus from nauvoo but was sent to england aith elders parley P pratt prat and orson hyde to regulate affairs in IE the british mission returning to winter quarters just as the pioneers were departing aud aad following quickly I 1 in their rear in 1849 he went on a mission to prance france where he be engaged in the th famous debate with several win Boinis aisters at boulogne sur sar mer while in france tie lie studied the language and published the book of mormon in french and to hamburg published it also iv in overman german he returned in 1852 assisted in la laying the corner stones of the temple emete empte I 1 in april 1853 1953 in 18 1854 tie lie was placed in in charge of t the branches of the church in tho ea east and in new york city published a vigorous paper called the mormon which speedily acquired a pro prominent reputation both in and out 0 ol 01 the tae church he was also one on of a delegation appointed to present to congress a state constitution and as ask for the admission of utah into the th union after his return to this territory h he was identified with many man important ita enterprise enter pris L fes sand and was I 1 in a ake the front on every important 1 occasion his manly maul an and patriotic a biotic speeches ands and whitin writings during the time of the invasion of t the e ar army y on t the e visits of schuyler colfax and other prominent politicians tic ians and his defence of th the constitutional rights of the people made his name the synonym lor for all that flaat is courageous outspoken liberal and admirable his position in the council of the apostles was gravely considered some time before the decease of president young and it was decided that he belonged of right at the head of tile the quorum this position he occupied when president brigham young departed decarte this life and in connection with the other members of the twelve he conducted the affairs of the church with a w wisdom I 1 adom caution and conser conservatism vatis which gained the approval and admiration 0 of th the people at the october conference of I 1 1880 the first presidency was organized with john taylor as president of the th church of jesus christ of latter day saints in all the world and as prophet seer and revelator with george Q cannon and joseph F smith as his counselors this organization was wa sustained by unanimous vote of th the several quorums of the priesthood esthe in a general assembly president taylor lo 10 labored to set in order all the v various ous organizations of the church at ho home and abroad and traveled in much c in n this territory counseling directing and preaching to the people he received several revelations which were written and distributed amon among the priesthood making known the mind ind and will of the lord in refer ace to important matters on the passage of the edmunds act march 22 1882 president taylor who had aad been voted the use of the gardo ardo house as a family residence made a arrangements range ments with his wives by which chic shey hey were to return to their several severa domi domiciled domiciles ciles as he had determined to t p place ace himself self beyond the charge of violating the t e law so that his usefulness I 1 in its his high I 1 9 calling might not be impaired eais is fa family ily chose this alternative rather ather than ahat ne he should leave the jardo gardo house this arrangement was out president taylor had bad not violated rio the law of 1862 his marital relations having been formed before it was enacted and he did not break the law of 1882 for the reasons specified yet he became an object ox of assault under toe pretended forms of law by the federal officials engaged in the crusade against the latter day saints on the 3rd ard of january 1885 in company with several of his brethren ke jie took a journey to new mexico and arizona by union pacific railway to denver thence to albuquerque he aisted the mormon in the neighborhood of winslow Winslo waud and then thea went to guaymas on the gulf ot of california and thence to hermosillo in fia sonora Mexico where he met I 1 governor torres at his residence who received him and his company with distinguished consideration president taylor visited benson beason and the adjacent settlements of the saints and held meetings there and also on the gila river the party returned byway by way of los angeles and san francisco shortly atter after this learning that it was the intention to arrest him on the false charge of unlawful cohabitation and knowing the disposition to incarcerate leading mormons cormons Mor mons by the aid of packed juries biased courts and vindictive prosecuting officers president taylor left his bis home and retired from the public view an indictment was procured against him although not a particle ot 0 direct evidence could be found and the facts were simply as stated above in his retirement he continued to preside over the church and direct its affairs laboring assiduously for its welfare in all the world he preserved the vigor of his stalwart body and of his intellectual and cultured mind up to within a recent period his decease has come through a gradual breaking down of the forces of life in which a strong constitution resisted the power bower of the destroyer until the great change came and his noble spirit departed in peace president john tJohn ta taylor alor leaves ft a large and intelligent family who bid fair to follow in his footsteps as honorable upright citizens and faithful latter day saints he reached a good old age and his bis upright form and vigorous manner showed despite his bis silvery hair a well preserved and healthy bod body in which no intemperate habits abets of any kind had made inroads the soul of honor 0 of indomitable energy and caling firmness when convinced of the right resident president taylor was the embodiment bo ment of dignity anet and urbane authority his record is without a stain and his name will be inscribed in the archives of heaven among those of the mighty spirits who have helped to sway away the destinies of this world he has as gone to mingle with his bis brethren of the last dis dispensation who laid the foundation of this greats work and with them he will shine in ha eternal splendor as a son ben of god an heir to the he royal r priesthood a ruler in the fathers athers kingdom may peace and comfort rest upon the bereaved |