Show announcement OF THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR more the latter day saints area are called upon to mourn the death of their leader the man who has held the keys of the kingdom King doin of god upon earth PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR departed this bufe ufe at five minutes to eight on the evening of monday july 1887 aged 78 years 8 months band and 25 days in communicating this sad bad intelligence to the church over which he als as so worthily presided for nearly ten years pastie are filled with emotions too deep for utterance A faithful devoted and fearless servant of god the church in his death has haf kostits lost lo its most conspicuous and experienced leader steadfast to and immovable in the truth few men have ever lived who have man manifested such integrity and such Jun unflinching flinching moral mora and nd physical courage as our beloved president who has just gone from us he never knew the feeling of fear con necked with the work of god but in the face of angry mobs meb and at other times when in imminent danger of personal violence from those who threatened bis his life and upon apon occasions when the people were menaced with public peril he never blenched blanched blen ched 4 his knees never trembled his bin hand band never shook every latter day saint always knew beforehand on occasions w when aen firmness and courage were needed where PRESIDENT JOHN would be found and what his bis tones would be he met every issue squarely boldly and in a way to call forth the admiration of all who saw and heard him undaunted courage unyielding firmness were among his most ineat characteristics giving him yom distinction is among men who were distinguished for the same qualities with these were combined an intense love of freedom and hatred of oppression he was a man whom all could trust and throughout his bis life he enjoyed to an extent surpassed by none the implicit confidence of the prophets joseph hyrum and brigham and all the leading men and members of the march church the title of champion of liberty which he received in nauvoo was always alway felt elt to be most appropriate for him to bear but it W was not only in the i possession oj of these qualities TAYLOE was great his judgment was remarkably mar kably sound and clear and through life he has been noted for foi the wisdom of his counsels and teachings his great experience made his suggestions exceedingly valuable for foi t there hire has scarcely been a public movement of any kind commenced carried on en or completed since he joined the church in which he has not taken part tat but it is not hot that we should yen even if time permitted rehearse the events of his long and busy life to do so would only be to give a greater part 0 of f the history of the church for with it his biography is I 1 inseparably interwoven the list last time PRESIDENT IR appeared in public was raaon on auary 1885 on that oc occasion casio he be delly delivered ered a lengthy discourse disco in th the tabernacle in salt lake city rumor bumon had been Il floating around tor for some ulm time that his bis arrest was contemplated in ic fact while ro returning turning from a trip to th the e settlements in arizona he was advisee advised ID california that he was in great grea t danger and it was suggested that peri baas it would be better lor for him not t to return to salt lake city he listened to these cautious cautions but still resolved t to take the risk and came back and fearlessly went about his business fo fox some time but bat on the evening oi of sunday february 1st ast he concluded to withdraw himself from the public performance of his numerous and important duties la in taking this step he did so more to preserve peace and to remove all possible cause of excitement t than h a n from any desire for personal s safety s f alty he perceived that there was a determination on the part oi of men holding official position aare to raise mise an issue and if i possible as sible involve the latter day saints in belr serious trouble he had not broken any law he knew he was innocent and that if he were arrested and could have hav e a fair trial nothing could b be e brought against him he had taken take every precaution that a man could take under his circumstances to make himself invulnerable to attack he was determined that so far as he W was L a concerned he would fur furnish furgust lust no pretext for trouble bit bat would do ev every thing in his bis power to prevent the people over whom he be presided from bein being involved in difficulty from that date upwards of two seara ears and a half ago when he left his K some ome in salt lake city he had not had the 0 opportunity p ort unity of crossing its threshold hresko fd again to home and its joys ica delightful associations and its happy reunions he be has been a stranger he has lived as an exile a wanderer in the land to the development and 9 good government of which he be has contributed tri so much I 1 while living in ID this condition one of his bis wives was wa stricken with disease and though hi hia heart was torn with anguish at th the thought of her condition and with anxiety to see her and minister to hei in her deep distress her residence was closely watched by spies and when she was in a dying condition was even searched with the hope of en trapping him thus she was deprived of the privilege of looking upon hit hii beloved face and he had not even the th sad consolation of witnessing or taki takina any part in her funeral ceremonies during the two years and a half aalf that PRESIDENT TAYLOR hat har been living in this condition lie ie has been cut off from H 11 the society and loving covme ministrations ol of lis his famila family but though this was so sc hard to bear ear at his time of life he h never murmured he was always full ful of courage and hope cheering every one with whom he was brought in contact and lifting his companions by his bis noble example out ou of despondency and discouragement with the same courage with which hi he tood stood a by the prophet of god and wibb a walking cane parried the guns of the th mob when they vomited their sheets sheet of flame and messengers of death in n carthage jail he be confronted the biffi curties and the trials which he be had to t meet when compelled to leave hn his lorae home and the society of those whom hi he loved his demeanor throughout this long ordeal has been most admirable every one who has seen him has been impressed by his equanimity and an stately bearing always distinguished for eor his courtesy and dignity of character at no period of his life did he eve exhibit those traits to greater addan tage age than he has during daring ms his exile H has las never descended condescended con even to speak ivil evil of those who so cruelly persecute a him urn bythe by the miraculous power ot of god PRESIDENT TAYLOR escaped the death which the assassins of carthage jail jai designed le signed for him his alood was then mingled with the blood of the mar byred prophet and patriarch he hak hai stood since then as a living martyr foi fo the he truth but today to day he occupies thi the place elace of a double martyr PRESIDENT IDENT JOHN TAYLOR has ha been een killed by the cruelty 0 of officials who have in this territory misrepresented the govern nent ment of the united states then Is a no room to doubt that if he had hac seen been permitted to enjoy the comforti com forli of f home the ministrations of his family the exercise to which he had been accustomed but of which no he was de prided he might have lived for man years yet his blood stains thi the clothes of the men who with insensate hate have offered rewards for hi arrest and have hounded him to the th grave history will yet call deeds by their right names but ONE greater re L t aban the e combined voices oi 0 1 all I 1 I h historians i oria w will I 1 11 yet pronounce dreadful sentence it is now some months since DENT TAYLOR was attacked by disease it came upon him by degrees manifesting itself in the beginning by a swelling of the limbs for the want 0 oi proper exercise he fought dismas with his characteristic pluck and de termination he would not yield lit H would neither allow himself noi no anyone else to think that his sickness was serious he would not permit pe mit hi family to know his bis real condition a lie he did not wish them to have any acx bety on his bis account and it was almost against his express wishes they were told how sick he was when message were sent sent by him to them they were always of a reassuring assuring re character charac tei up to the last day ortho lie he was able abl to sit in his chair and until quite re bently he was able to assist himself ir i getting in ia and out of bed the strength he ae has exhibited and his tenacity of c life have been very wonderful foi fo though so strong he had partaken partaker par taken of 0 scarcely any nourishment tor for the past pas six weeks so peacefully did he pas a way away and so like a babe falling aslee that a brief period elapsed bedfor those who stood around his bed were sure that his spirit had taken its flight As the sad intelligence which we now no communicate will spread through these valleys and mountains sorro will fill the hearts of all at hearing 0 the last days of their beloved an venerable president we know ho deep has been the sympathy that has ha filled the hearts of the saints for hir him in his advanced years in thinking of hi his condition and of his being compelled com pelle to co live as an exile from his family and an the die people the expressions of es teem and love which have come to him hii from boffl all parts of the land have dee deehl I 1 touched him and caused him g area t pleasure in thinking how much hica he wa beloved and how much his welt beltar r was desired by all the saints through out the earth his constant desire was to do every thing in his bis power to relieve the latter day saints arom the oppression under which they suffer every pal pu bation of his heart beat with a love of c alon ton and a desire tor for her redemption we 10 de si redland the desire was general genera V we be believe lieve throughout the church that I 1 k he e might live to emerge fr from hi exile and be once more a ix free e ma a amon imong the people whom he loved but this hi jas has been denied us he has gone cone to mingle with the holy and the pure ind and to quote his own eloquent words written concerning his dear friend oseph joseph the seer beer beyond the reach of mobs and strife lie he rests unharmed in endless life lais his homes in in the sky he dwells with the gods far from tile the fanous rage of mobs and though we chave have lost his presence here his influence will still be felt elt such men may pass pabs from this life to another but the love which beats in their hearts for righteousness and for truth cannot die they go to ia an enlarged sphere oi of usefulness their influence Is is extended and will be more mere widely felt and zion will teel the benefit of his bis labors as it has the labors of others have gone before him the work 0 of god will roll forth one after another of the mighty men the men who have spent their lives in the cause of god may pass away but this will not affect the purposes of our great creator concerning his latter day work he will raise up others other sand and the work will go on increasing in power in influence and in all true greatness until it will accomplish all that god has predicted concerning it we feel to say to the latter day saints be comforted the same god who took care of the work when oseph joseph was D martyred marty red who has watched over and guarded and upheld it through the long years that have since elapsed and who has guided its destinies bince tile the departure of Brigham still wt watches tae over it and makes it the object of his care john has gone but god lives he has founded zion he has given his people a testimony ol of this cherish it in your heart of hearts andave and jive so each day that when the eno end of your mortal lives shall come you may be counted worthy to go where m and JOHN have gone and mingle ming I 1 e with that glorious ahr throne ong whose robes have been washed white in the blood of the lamb this is the earnest prayer for all saints and for all the honest in n heart of your unworthy servants in christ GEORGE Q CANNON JOSEPH F SMITH |