| Show eath death of our beloved brothe brothed WILLARD RICHARDS it becomes a duty to announce to the church nd d public at large the death of WILLARE WILLAR RICHARDS ICHARDS he died of dropsy at his re residence on i the morning of the I 1 ith instant in stat 23 minutes ans the last time that he ever loft left his house bouse was as in in order to discharge his public duty as pres went ent of the legislative Con council neil on the last day 0 ol 01 ts i session he hud had often fet and expressed to i portion artion of liis his friends a manifest premonition oj his s approaching change in his last effort to wall wal few yards to the jie council chamber of the log legis i w lure lie said to one standing by 11 1 I will go an perform inform this last duty if like john Q adams die e in the attempt but he added at the sain ne me no one knows kaehs the aggravated extent of MY mj bodily dily malady from that day the ry 1854 he never left his house bouse again ln in hii hi rewell adewell addreal to the legislature lie remar kec to this effect death stores stares me in the face gaitin for r his prey the palsy which had followed lih him in order to make a spoil of this noble champion 0 truth nth ever since he began to investigate tho the bool boo of mormon and the gospel of litter day saints at length it iu conjunction with dropsy fillis bed ilis s mortal career in the th presence of a numerous and id affectionate family circle and friends whoa who diction is shared by the church of jesus jeans chris bot iu in the territory of Utah but throughout ghou all I 1 nations whore where the saints are un furling the ban bai nor r of truth the following extract from church history wil show low the period of his birth and place of nativity and id his bis ever wakeful and untiring desire to fin nn OU it t gospel truth and also the time of his bis admission n to the church by baptism ai page on the 31 at of Dac december embert at the setting ti n of th UK in doctor willard richards was baptize 1 a nir inland daud under the hands of president brihan brichan yonn oung I 1 in u p presence rese ice of heber C kimball Kiin ball and oth erg s wt ano h had d sp spent aut the afternoon in cutting ice t ebare for the baptism doctor wui wu born rn tit at county MW etts Us june jnue 1804 and abid bom the religion of his parents joseph Joaeph and aud rhoda rich ic h ads ds lie was the of religious impression from om lib earliest ino ments although careless at am different t in his bis external deport deportment men t at Att the 0 f 10 years lie he removed with his fathers family to i in tile the same state where he wit ceased ased several sect revivals and olfred off rei myself to the congregational chu church ach in ilia place ace at the age of 0 17 having previously passe ie painful ordeal of conviction and conversion to that order even to the belief brief that aliat h had id committed the tin unpardonable pardonable em da but the tola toa diere bregard d of that church to his request tor for adars ion on rr led d him to a more thorough investigation ol of he ie principles of religion when he became eon con need that the sects were all wrong and thal thai go ad id no church on earth but that he would soo booi have ive a church whose creed would be the truth he ie whole truth and nothing but the truth a am om that time kept himself aloof from se etalia of fluence luence boldly declaring bis belief to all wh wished dished to ie learn his views u until the ail lynK loaa 0 o vm ii iv p iff r e fe ine n near ear cos ton n the ane book of mormon which president brig ham nn young had left with his cousin lucius pa pr ir er at orough accidentally or providential ly fell in his way anich was the first he had see r heard of the letter later day saints except the rillous lions reports of the public prints which amonn d to nothing more than that a boy named J T smith somewhere out west wert had found a gold bi le e he opened the book without regard t ace and totally ignorant of its devign or con touts ants and before reading half a page declare that lat gov GOD OR OIL tim THE HAS HAD A HAND IN TH H K bior FOR MAN NEVER WROTE IT read it iwic rough in about ten days and so firm was a hv acom conviction of the truth that he immediately corn 6 encee eed settling his accounts selling his medicine iolue ild id freeing himself from every ever hocumb incumbrance et tha a he might go to kirtland miles w west t the near st t point he could coald hear of a saint and give th tb ork a thorough investigation firmly b believing heeln hat at if the doctrine was true god had so some e grea reu er r work for him to do than peddle pills but ut no n loner boner did he commence a settlement than an he wai wa ditten with the palsy from which he suffered ex ee and was prevented executing his dom u until unoji october 1836 when he arrived at a land in company with his brother doat le rich Richards who attended lum him as physician when was most cordially and hospitably received an pertained by his cousin president Preside ut brig brichan a oung with whom he tarried and rave gave the worl n i unceasing and untiring investigations investigation until tin ay y of ofhie his baptism that ardent love of truth and intuitive ion n of the same which impelled him to invest investigate igat he e claims chums of the everlasting corpel in the begin ing g grew with his passing years and becam more ore and more manifest by his unwavering and am in inching abbe adherence relice to it in the roost most merilou per ikui nd id troublesome times of the churchs churche history I 1 u after fter ter life possessing a calm and even mind and I 1 yet ret rath r reserved and naturally diffident of his own on an bior ability this diffidence may have caused canoed ed th arly part of his ministry to be undervalued when the e revelations of eternity lifted up to his astonish d and enraptured understanding thet that veil which id long bung bang over the inhabitants of the earth tart he reflection of such light and intelligence u apoi n 3 mind unfolding in unmistakable characters thi irruption and deep ignorance of all men withof e light of immediate revelation and so deehl i be feel the folly of his own wisdom that he sail said often hoften conceived himself thrown back into anther childhood where he had to unlearn w wha e i had previously subscribed to and commencie bommen com r sh h and entirely new the science of life and sal tion aaion from being familiar with the minutia of th edical and a careful observer of cler al d deportment and a handsome proficient i ii fence generally the change that swept over his hii put st attainments and brought him down to t thi tar ar of revelation by the holy ghost showe show forth th the reality of a new birth personified in all hii subsequent life on great and rare occasions hii terly energies came forth like a well di discipline ad d invincible troop that know knew their place a anc to act in defence of the truth troth such a manso teachable so humble and endow with so 0 o many natural gifts which he ever cwb con rated with a full fall sohl to bunding up the king i om m of god could not escape the notice and w eim teem of the late and departed prophet he ha was wai a intimate friend and close companion of domph was in the same pir prison lson side by si aide dewith with th 9 martyred marty red proto prophets wh enthey fell under ower of bullets ballets and a bare baj e drop of his bis own lod mingled with theirs on that nae morable oe as wr cis lasion fon the hie blood of hir bret brethren bron that clowd bouly piously a round him and the gri mangled angled body of his hi ellott in survivor alvor elder john taylor and the die if bido 0 ui spectacle of painted and nd armed murder murderer ft aund in doctor bulard richards illch ards on that bec sion don an embodiment of priesthood of presence of naud of quickness of conception and boldness of f execution that will never be forgotten during durin that hat catastrophe of joseph and hiruma deat dea haan thaud the he emergency into which the church was sud sod lenly berdy thrown doctor richards felt the burden of giving to ilie he affairs of the die church ia m hancock county in consequence of the absence rf of the twelve apostles though standing in the midst of the murderous mob at carthage with the mangled bodies of his martyred marty red friends and thill that of f elder taylor under his charge his letters am counsels oun sels at that t time indicated great self ind and judgment his ability was happily commes to such an occasion in the spring of 1848 he was unanimously elee ted ed by the voice of the whole church as secord counsellor to the first president eleven yean previous he was chosen by revelation through the he prophet joseph to be one of the twilit twel apostles and ordained ord ordo dined ineil accordingly at Pres preston too england while loons on a mission to that country in the spring of 1847 he was wag enrolled in the m ne emo morable rable band of Plon pioneers sers under president freakiest Frea kiest deat young seoung that first marked out oat an highway for tin emigrating saints to the great salt take lake he H submitted to the liard hardships ships and privations of that rugged bugged enterprise enter prize iu in common with his associates As a civil officer he served as secretary to the tt government of the state of deseret and did the th greatest share ohm of the die business of the secretary of the he territory of utah after its organization BS territory and prodded presided over the council of the legislative assembly for about the same perl period ocl he was also postmaster for great salt lake chiq aib up ip to the time of his death and enjoyed the ful confidence of the postmaster general who no r reeled his judgment touching postal Arran gemei throughout the mountain territories he was at e efficient member of the Em emigrating igniting fund compo compi ny whose duties effect the interests and gather ga therin 14 of if tens of thousands in the I 1 of the I 1 first fint presidency demag be mag lifred his high t the day of his bis death ver iver shedding light and consolation in his sphere upon the minds of thousands and tens of thou sands to whom he ministered his might be called emphatically the pen apen oft ready writer 1 and though long afflicted with i torturing disease that could with difficulty be fl led ed iu in its ravages as long as it was still he had faith aith to struggle against it because he loved to up lold hold the hands of his superiors for to them hir absi yes were ever directed in dohig good as the eyes eye of f a servant towards his master and through hk hig pen eu he loved to sew send out rays of light and truth to the he remotest corners of the habitable earth he was the editor and proprietor of the desor desei et it news for him its pages are now clothed III ID motioning non ming the pen that has hitherto ins inscribe cribei its is pages has ua dropped from his ready hand HI aft fel ell asleep finally without a pang or discovers I 1 lensa tion of pain the number of offices office which he held at the tb time ime of his death indicate the confidence the he church reposed in his great integrity and va I 1 wd ded abilities he was also general historian the whole church and church recorder at t aich offices he was eminently gifted he agrow cyrog clod aided evens dates circumstances and inci deib devis with rare accuracy of judgment and great te yi but he is ii gone A pillar in the church is A i I 1 moved from its mortal tenement and a gret great mg in a israel is gone I 1 the ile great archer has been ered to single out a distinguished victim hk hb numerous and sadly bereaved family should not aliss isis the blessings of the grateful multitude who wh appreciated the great value of the departed wa lard ard but he who suffers not a sparrow to fd to the ground without his notice has hai seen alli aal nd ind he works all things after the counsel of hii bb own will many signal circumstances remind m w that he will hasten his work and cut it short it righteousness therefore brethren let us appreciate the pres pre beney ency that to us through the tender my mop y of af god and uphold them to the end and eve era ard i rd up the loins of our minds and be sober f we know that the end near 1 ORSON SPENCER MARCH 1854 2 ry president WIL WILLAM LAun RICHARDS was into red he died on the alth dinst at 23 nl mar atea past 9 AX AM after 4 a somewhat groua ed ad illness president young being ina I 1 i posed and the day being cold and wet vu I 1 not present president deat heber C kimitt kimi i nd and a the e twelve w ve conveyed the remains of oni ow 1 departed brother to the tomb after the following extempore prayer by elder george L A smith our father who art in heaven wear we approach thee at this time in the name it jesus esus christ to ask thy jbv blessing to rest upon us as as we have assembled to inter our beloved brother who has been taken from ow our midst hy by death we ask thee to let thy holy S spirit irit fill every heart present that the hof hilj G ghost ost may dwell richly in every bosom tw while he we shall deposit these sacred remain in the silent tomb it may be with a lively assurance of meeting him again in the morning of the resurrection to inherit the blessings blessi I 1 I 1 in a of life eternal I 1 ailt wilt thou in tender compassion look upon UM those ose who are called to tg mourn his losa 1088 z upon p the priesthood of the church and u we upon those ose who mourn the loss lose of a near belati relative a counselor a bus husband band a father I 1 brother a preg president ident and i a a chieftains chief chieftain tainI 9 israel I 1 bless br brigham 0 lord heal his b boa mid d comfort his heart abundantly let holy spirit rest upon him plentifully lenti fully t ti be e may never lack the necess necessary wisdom m direct the affairs of thy share church and k kh 11 dom on earth that thy saints may may long leased blessed under his administration i let the sp spirit of willard ll 11 rest s upon H successor cessor that he may have a kindred akl tl ent spirit and power of god to magnify hk h office with the same unabated seal cabena ing iw integrity and firmness of faith look upon thy servant H 0 0 kimball tk 0 associate counselor of 0 our departed brothag iaz iday aay the power of the boly spirit rest u hum him that his body may be at r en g ith I 1 I 1 ind and his life preserved to be a ble ag I 1 srael israel bless tb the widows of thy servant W butari I 1 who are called to part with a dear ear an and w loved lord companion inspire them with t I 1 power ower of we the holy ghost I 1 and wisdom car bear with patience and res resignation ignati on thea als they a were called ll 11 to an and to toll i in 17 a manner 04 to prepare them to e i oy his society in the possession of t p principalities u tes and powers in the io al I 1 V I 1 A 1 I 1 I 1 a we pr pray a t thee de J I 1 0 lord boid to remember his children t the e 0 offspring spring of jus is body especial ly his oldest s son mai may the spirit and bless ing and power of the holy priesthood rest upon heber john that he may be inspired inspire j with all that wisdom necess necessary arv to enable him to stand at the head of his fat fathers house give him in his youth the wisdom of the aged and make him a mighty man in israel let his life be preserved to do much good in hi hia d day in in b building up and es tab lehing zion zion I 1 tle bless all all his brethren mud and sis may they never want for the ries of life but raise up assistance and means for them that they may ever be pro vided aided for let the wisdom of eternity be in them and the light of eternal truth shine esbine in their countenances that they may L be pil 1 lars in israel and brilliant ornaments in the kingdom of god and become as humer namer f ous as the stars in the firmament of heaven we pray thee to remember the br brothers and sisters of |
