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Show OBSEQUIES OF APOSTLE ORSEN PRATT, AND ELDER F. L. YOUNG. The semi-annual conference opened on Thursday morning of last week at 10 o'clock. After a brief session, the conference adjourned to assemble at 1 p. m. when the obsequies of Apostle Orson Pratt and Elder F. L. Young, who died at sea while returning from his mission to Mexico, were held. During the intermission, all who desired were permitted to view the remains of Elder Pratt. A vast number of people did so. The funeral services were opened by singing and prayer by Pres. Jos. F. Smith. APOSTLE WILFORD WOODRUFF was the first speaker. He read a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to Orson Pratt, given November 4th, ??, and said if he was to express his desire to the Lord it would be, O Lord give us grace that we may be able to accomplish the work required of us. But O, the chains that bind this immortal spirit. Sometimes he felt, O that he could break the bonds of mortality and open his eyes to the spirit world to receive that which Orson Pratt is now enjoying. But we must be patient and be willing to abide our time. It would be impossible to give the history of that great man or to ?? the glory that awaits him. It would take the trump of the sixth angel to do that. He had been associated with Brother Pratt many years; the first testimony he ever heard from him was in a house in Kirtland, in April, 1834. He went with him to Missouri, to Zion's Camp. In traveling a thousand miles with the Prophet, many who were in that company received an experience that they can never forget. Men were reduced to mere skeletons with the cholera and many died. Bro. Pratt, while suffering from its effects manifested that indomitable will which has since been many times exhibited. He struggled with death and overcame by faith in God. Brother Pratt had lived longer in this Church traveled more miles and preached more sermons than any man in it. He had baptized thousands, and fulfilled the revelation just read. His garments were clear from the blood of this generation. He had studied and written more upon the gospel and upon science than any man in the Church. He had now gone home. It was all right. This event the speaker had expected for some months. Before he left on his late visit to St. George he laid his hands upon Bro. Pratt and blessed him. This was recorded in his journal which the historians could read after the speaker's death. If Bro. Pratt could speak to this assembly after meeting with the Prophet Joseph and his brethren in the spirit world, he would say to the Apostles, the Seventies, the High priests, the Elders, the Lesser Priesthood, and the saints, can you afford to spend one hour in neglect of this great work, upon the things of this world?" The spirit of Bro. Pratt is alive to-day and will live as long as our Heavenly father lives. His testimony is closed, his voice is hushed in death, but it will not be a great while for some of us before we hear it in the spirit world. Let the living work while the day lasts. Bro. Pratt makes the ninth Apostle that had left us who came through Emigration Canyon in 1847. This enjoined us to be also ready, to be faithful unto God and the responsibility resting upon us. The speaker thanked God for the Gospel and Priesthood revealed, and exhorted all to be faithful as saviors on Mount Zion "Sleep on Brother Orson, then with thy quorum thou shalt meet in bliss and spend eternal day. Amen." APOSTLE LORENZO SNOW said his feelings were very similar to those expressed by Bro. Woodruff. There was not occasion to mourn when those who had received the Gospel and magnified the Priesthood passed away as had Brother Pratt. The Gospel opened to view a hope, faith and satisfaction that was a comfort in occurrances like these. It was well for all wise Latter-day Saints to have before them a full view of the glory that awaits those who are faithful in this important cause. We ought to have a proper sense of the glory that had been promised and that resurrection for which we fondly hoped. Could Bro. Pratt have the privilege to communicate with us be would say ?? act for me. I have passed through the fiery ordeal, I have, through the blessing of God, obtained the victory and there is secured to me the privilege of receiving a body glorified. That body through which I have ministered shall be made glorious. I have been able to pass through affliction and temptation and obtained the victory." The promise is that as we are now the sons of God, when the Lord appears we shall, if faithful, be like him and see him as he is. Jesus when he appeared to his deciples [disciples] after his death, came in his glorified body. He also appeared to Joseph and Oliver in the Temple at Kirtland. He was glorious in appearance. And when he shall be revealed from heaven those who over come and are worthy shall be like him. It was necessary for us to endure the fiery ordeal of this life, to pass through this probation, that we might attain to an exaltation. We agreed to this in the spirit world before coming here. Bro. Pratt had endured and overcome. It was indeed a satisfaction when a man could pass through temptations for so many years and not lose his right to a crown. Bro. Pratt has sustained no loss. His exaltion [exaltation] was sure. And he believed that in the spirit world Bro. Pratt could do as much good for his family as here and also for this great work. It was now our duty to imitate his faithfulness which he had maintained in traveling from land to land and from sea to sea. The spirit of inspiration had remained with him from the day he received the revelation that had been read, until he departed, and he would attain to the glory of a son of God. The speaker trusted that the family of the deceased would be comforted, and be able to take that course that they might meet him and enjoy that glory which he had secured. Also that all might overcome and receive that reward which was prepared for those that are worthy. PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR said, it would be impossible during the limited time allotted to this meeting to do justice to the life and labors of Brother Orson Pratt. That must be left to history. In paying respects to the departed we felt that though we had to do with death, we had also relation to life. We had an existence before we came here; God is our heavenly Father; Jesus is our elder brother, and they with the priesthood in the heavens dictated our positions while in the flesh, and the conditions that await us in the future. We came here to fulfil a work that God designated before "the morning stars sang together, or the sons of God shouted for joy." From the time of the first promulgation of the gospel by holy angels to Joseph, until to day, the affairs of this church had been dictated by the heavens through the priesthood upon the earth. And we were indebted to our heavenly Father for all things. We were all fallible, erring creatures, and could do nothing without the sustaining hand of God. No one, Apostle or Prophet, could accomplish anything in this work except God be with him. To Him we are indebted for all blessings we enjoy. Do we feel sorrowful when a good man goes back to God who gave him life? No. Not if we understand the truth. The scripture says, "he that hath eternal life is rich." (Pointing to the coffin.) There lies a rich man. He has fought the good fight and he is all right. Brother Pratt was fore ordained from eternity to hold the priesthood which was given to him and he came at the right time. Would I wish to retain fro a moment a man whose services were required behind the vail? No I would not. There is a work to be done there a thousand times as great as here, and what have I to say against his departure? Nothing whatever. The priesthood minister in time and in eternity. It was said in one of the revelations that Father Joseph Smith was with Abraham. Why? Because he was a patriarch as was Abraham, and he had gone to his own quorum. So with others who had departed. President Taylor related an incident on the plains when a brother was supposed to have died, but when hands were laid upon him he spoke and said he had been in vision, had seen Joseph and Hyrum, had received a mission to the spirit world, and did not want the brethren to keep him back from his mission. The speaker felt that this was right. Bro. Pratt had gone to labor behind the vail. He had gone to join his quorum, and we should not be sorrowful. It is the Lord's will, let Him do as seemeth Him good. And if another and another is wanted, all right, and we should seek to know God and bow to His will in all things. Let us try to imitate the examples of Brother Orson wherein they were good. God is at the head of this kingdom. He will do as seemeth Him good, and we will say Amen to it. Although it was painful to the friends of Bro. Feramorz L. Young to think they should see him no more, yet there was this assurance that the time was coming when all that were in their graves should be called forth by the voice of the Son of God, and we should meet with those who had departed. President Taylor closed by invoking the blessing of God upon the friends of the deceased and upon all the faithful in Israel. PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON said this week had been one of sadness. If it were not for the hopes of the gospel we might say these were days of gloom. But the consolation of the gospel dispelled the gloom and brought joy and comfort instead. Brother Cannon spoke of his feelings on hearing soon after the death of Orson Pratt, of the demise of Brother Feramorz L. Young. While preparing on the same day for these services the tidings came of the death by accident of Bro. Cullen who fell from the Temple to the ground. He felt sad indeed at the news, as his sympathies had been greatly exercised in witnessing the grief of the mother and brothers and sisters of Bro. Young. The speaker expressed his regret that we had not the remains of Bro. Young with us. But it was right that we should mourn with the bereaved, and express our feelings of sorrow at this affliction and say words of comfort to them. There was probably no young man of his age who was better fixed to go hence than Feramorz L. Young. After living 23 years and 11 days; his mother had the satisfaction of saving that she had never known him to do wrong. He was a pure, obedient and, loving boy, rejoicing in God's truth. His life was exemplary; mingling with the world since he was sixteen years of age, he was yet a true Latter day Saint. He kept the Word of Wisdom, while many of those older than he violated it. He was firm in that which he considered proper. At the age of 16, there being a vacancy for a cadet at Annapolis, he had a desire and an assurance that he would go, although obstacles seemed to interfere. He went, passed a good examination and entered as a cadet. The speaker met him at the Academy and was gratified at the influence he exercised there. He stood well in his class. His father seemed to have a dread of his going to sea as a naval officer, and, contrary to his own wish, he was released, he submitting, however, without complaint. He afterwards graduated at Troy, and when he came back and was sent on a mission to Mexico, he went gladly, being full of fidelity and desiring ardently to magnify the holy priesthood in the labors of the ministry. The speaker related incidents, allowing his unselfish character, and read extracts from some of his letters while in Mexico, showing his strong convictions of the truth of this work and his desires to be useful on it, some of them containing facts gleaned in Mexico, strongly corroborating the Book of Mormon, others showing that he had no fears of death and the bright hopes of the life to come. President Cannon said though his body sleeps in the sea, yet those who were in the deep as well as those in their graves shall come forth at the voice of God. The speaker's own mother was committed to the deep in his boyhood, much to his grief, and therefore he could sympathize with the bereaved. But death was nothing to a life of dishonor. This young man had received a glorious transition to the life beyond the tomb, where sorrow is not, and the power of Satan cannot come. Glorious thought! That there is a time when the Evil One shall have no power over us, but we shall enter into rest and rejoice in the glory of the Father Bro. Cannon closed by expressing the hope that the example of the deceased might be imitated by the young, and by invoking the blessing of God upon all the congregation. President Cannon's remarks were followed by singing and benediction, and the conference adjourned till Friday at 10 a. m. |
