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Show Woman Exponent 9 The Ballot in the Hands oj the Women of Utah should be a Poiver to better the Home, the Slate and the Nation. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,. MAY, Vol. 31 CONTENTS. White-winge- Beloved Mother in Israel Anniversary Celebration Lyman, A E. B. V. 89 Idaho... Marintha Atkinson Archer, Idaho : Sarah S. Briggs History of the Relief Society Com. Items From Nibley, Oregon General Conference Relief Society... E. B. V. Mothers' Work Obituaries A. E. F. Life. Marriage and Death Relief Society Reports 90 Anniversary Celebration Editorial Thirty-on- e Volumes 92 94 95 95 96 92 92 Poetry Life's Labor Won. ..Orion Thirteen Today. . .L. W. Snow S9 Alder 91 1). LIFE'S LABOR WON. Aimless, wandering, purposeless, alone, No flaming beam from heaven's resplendent throne Ilium' d his way; e'en so our father went, as some predestined star as yet unsent To its exalted orb. The day. the hour Propitious came; the Holy Ghost in power Bore record to his soul of wondrous things, Of realms of glory, whence eternal springs The fount of truth; of mansions shining bright, How J,esus loved, how to dispel the night All earthly sufferings He in patience bore And on the cross His bleeding members tore; Then could a mortal through obedience trace From earth a pathway to the throne of grace. The Spirit spoke: "Now, Wilford. know the voice, You're called and chosen." 'Tw'as enough; his choice Was made; a power from heaven's high source Dispelled ail doubt, and mapped his future course. When on a troubled sea, the surf rolled high. And angry tempests swept the raging sky. The good ship Zion laboring on the wave, 'Peared as if destined to a watery grave; For o'er her damaged decks the billows rushed, And in the strain her yielding timbers crushed. d "A leak !" the cry arose. While fiercely raged her elemental foes. In the dark time when powers of earth and hell Seemed doubly linked the cause of truth to fell, So ne men's hearts failed them, some in anger cried, "There is no God to stay the surging tide; For if in Zion now there was a God, Upon her foes would fall His chastening rod." Calm and unruffled, undismayed and proved, Firm as the mount, as adamant unmoved, Wilford the Faithful stood, with radiant hope, As tempered steel with powers to cope, With every foe; his strength injected arm Sustained his Chief. When duty struck the alarm, He cheerful went; where'er the battle raged, There were his burnished arms of faith engaged. He who had on his kindred soil proclaimed Heaven's brilliant truths, in foreign realms had terror-ladene- keen-edge- d named What deeds sanctify and what denies; isles And from old ocean's lonely, storm-sweHad called the wanderers home to Zion s told. And when the pious Christian world had told The Saints of God 'mong them they ne'er could live, The Wilds proffered what Christians would not give. He who had braved the untamed, pathless West Felt the great heart pulse in fierce nature's breast; And saw a commonwealth invade a land, Barren and parched, untouched bv human hand; Had seen blessings showered from on high, Impregnate soils, ,and temper earth and sky, That bounteous harvests to man's toil could yield, And golden plenty deck the well tilled field. Had seen devouring pests their all invade; In the dread battle swarming to their aid, pt other. 23-- 24 May the Lord bless us in this Wonder of wonders crowned his every hour Till Zion grew and formed a mighty power. A restless, longing soul his clay contained That ever toiled for souls; that ne'er refrained From his full duty to his fellow man;. To teach, exhort, expound the Gospel plan, And in the vision of his mind could see The dungeons of eternity; Where prisoner souls for ages longing wait Till works ordained by God, shall ope' the gate, Here in the sacred Temples labored long To free a portion of that captive throng. And on each eve, when twilight fades away, Records the labors of the passing day; For half a century this faithful man Fulfilled the details of his daily plan, And now his Journals form a wondrous store Of facts, of data and of priceless lore. Honor the man, so faithful, whom we love, Who built his hopes far in the redms above, Whose thoughts and acts and constant efforts tend To aid the powers above and truth defend. Who labored up the heights of heavenly fame Till on the topmost pinnacle his name He carved. To us it stands a shining ray To brighten, cheer and light us on our way. con-ference- ." In the afternoon, services were held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and there was a very large attendance when President B. W. Smith spoke again to the larger congregation, her subject being the Word of Wisdom and the paying of tithes and donations and urged them to live their religion. The next event of importancewas the birthday anniversary of President Bathsheba W. Smith, which marked her four score years of life, May 3, 1902, and was celebrated at the historic Bee Hive house in Salt Lake City. The handsome old parlors were filled with guests anxious to honor the woman and the occasion. Floral gifts in abundance were showered upon her and a fine gold chain was presented to her by the sisters who were her in the Temple. associates and also presented Farns M. P. worth Sister J. a dress and trimher with very elegant to dedicated Wilford President Affectionately mings. Woodruff, on the occasion of the commemoration President Joseph F. Smith and his counof his ninety-fiftbirthday, by his grandson, Orion selors were present and members of tneir W. Snow. families, Patriarch John Smith and wife, Apostles John Henry and Hyrum Smith and wives, also Presiding Bishop Wm. B. PresA BELOVED MOTHER IN ISRAEL. ton and wife and many others, including a number of veteran sisters, leaders and (Continued.) in the Relief Society. MRS. BATHSHEBA W. SMITH, PRESIDENT Sister Smith's only daughter, with her OF THE RELIEF SOCIETY IN ALL THE husband and family, her married daughWORLD. ters bringing to this memorable gathering The sketch of Sister Bathsheba W. Smith great grandchildren. An impromptu program of speeches, recipublished in the last two numbers of the Exponent has reached the time of her be- tations and music was given after the sumping called to preside over the General Relief tuous banquet which all present enjoyed Society of the Church of Jesus Chiist of heartily. President Joseph F. Smith presided durLatter-daSaints, and certainly since that time her labors have multiplied accordingly. ing the exercises and called upon most of Sister Smith took upon herself this added those present to express themselves briefly, and with music, vocal and instrumental, responsibility as a religious duty, having there was sufficient variety to make the been called by the President of the Church. time pass pleasantly. The first general conference held in her Looking upon this veteran mother in administration convened in the spring of Israel crowned with her four score years, 1902, and opened in the assembly hall of the L. D. 5. University Building in this one cannot help feeling time has touched her very gently; although in reality her life city, on Monday, April 7, at ten a. m made W. the B. Smith President opening has not been all a midsummer dream. first her On the 13th of May the New York deleaddress of welcome, public speech she after her call to the position, although gation of women who had been attending had been for years accustomed to public the Federation in California paid a flying speaking. She said: "I am happy to meet visit to Utah on their return trip and Sister with you this morning, glad to see so large Smith was expected on account of her posia congregation assembled and I feel we are tion to take the principal part as hostess in engaged in a glorious work. Being crowded assisting to entertain these distinguished together as we are here in this room, will guests of the city of Salt Lake. She proved perhaps make us feel more the need of a herself quite equal to the occasion, going place of our own and encourage us to bring herself to the station to meet them, accomour mites together for a building such as panying them to the recital at the TaberI nacle and afterwards to Saltair and taking we have been talking of for some time. to Memorial a Hall the lead in receiving the ladies while standto is be there will say this on erected Smith the Prophet Joseph ing at a reception given in their honor in to have be the evening of the same day. Sister Smith block, and it will large enough of the is by virtue of her office as president of the offices for all the general authorities of the their Relief Society third Church, the Relief Society will have of the Women of building with this, as will also the Young great National Council numbers Ladies and Primary association0, and it will United States, which organization be better for us than any other way. The more than a million and a half of women. In July Sister Smith attended the Relief Prophet Joseph organized the Relief Society and gave us many instructions how to carSociety Conference in Davis Stake at Farm ry on our meetings and how to treat each ington where she addressed the congregasin-bou- 91 92 In Memoriam... Editorial Notes Florence 90 91 angels of hope by legions came, d Thus in his day could many a blessing name. JSTos. 1903 h 1 y vice-preside- nt |