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Show I , APOSTLE EZRA T. BENSON I HONORED BY DESCENDANTS i" REVIEW OF LIFE OF GREAT MISSIONERY i' PIONEER AND HOME BUILDER B PROGRAM OF REUNION HELD IN THE FOURTH WARD j HALL LAST WEDNESDAY PPPJ' 'J'lio family niul it few Intimate PPPJj friends of the Into Ezra Tuft llotiBon, PPPJ. ' met In tho Fourth wnrd meeting house PPH on Feb. 22nd, 1911, in cominoinoratlon PPHi of the ono lmtHlrctli anniversary or PPPj! hid birth. Thcro were present his wife, PpH nine sons, seven daughters, thirty- PpH three grnnd hous, twenty-eight grand K daughters, two grent grnnd sons, four ' great grand dnughtcrs and fifteen PPH K friends: The following lirogram was PPV carried out: PpHy 1. Song, Memorabilia, cougrcgntlon, PpHf to tune of America, composed by B, a member of tho family. B', 2. Prayer by Urlgham Y. Ilenson. i 3. Welcome address by Pros. Geo, PpH PPB, 4- Ladles chorus' by soventecn PH grand daughters, c PH! G. I'lano so'.o, Vera Parkinson. m' J (J. Heading, Jenny Benson. H 7 Ten minutes speech, Reminls- Hl censes of the lato Apostle Ilenson PPJ- by F. A. Mltcholl. H 8. Vocal solo, Ore ttu Ilenson. H, 10. Sketch of tho I.lfo of Apostlo H, I-zru T. Ilonson by Josoph Ilenson. PpV 11. I'lano duet, Illancho and Elnorn PBj Denson. H' 12. Address, Proper Training of Chll- H; drcn, Wnltor Ilenson. Hj 33. Vocal solo, E. Ilonson Parkinson. HJ 14. Reading, Edna DenBon. H !" Stump speech, Sorgo Ilenson. PH; 1G. Vocal solo, I .on Parkinson. PH IS. Ten minutes speech by Pros H i Wm. Dudgo. PHj lit. Solo and chorus, "God lie With ' You Till We .Meet Again," by PR Carmen Ilenson nnd congregation. PH Henedcitlon by Frank A. Ilenson, PB after which refreshments were served PPJ: rnd dancing was participated in until PB n lato hour when all lepalrcd to their H' homes feeling that hey had spent ono B, of the most pleasant times of their PB pHt Sketch of the Life of Apostle Ezra Hb j Taft Benton. HLI Kz"a T. Ilenson was born 'on tho an- Bl nlversary of Washington's birthday, B Feb. 22. 1 SI 1, in Worcestor county, B Mass. Ho was tho eldest son of John fl I nnl Cliloo IleiiBon. Ills father was a f fiiimer and Ezra, who, liko his father. Bj os extremely Industrious, worked Bj "I'on his rnlhor'H farm until ho was L sixteen years of ago, when ho went i reside with his sister and her bus- Bi l-'ftnd, who kept a hotel In tho city of Hh Uxbrldgo. Ills grandfather Ilenson Bj tiled suddenly while at work In tho M- "old. after which Ezra T. was placed H '( ' charge of tho farm, which ho man- B aged successfully. Hi At tho ago or twenty ho lecelved in M marriage I'amelia Andrus, of North- 1 bridge, Woicehtrr county, Mass. Soon M j 'ter this lie moved to Uxbrldgo, H j bought out his brother-in-law and be- h cn"io liotel keeper. Ho was engaged H ' tills business two years, In which H time ho mode considerable means, H wliicli he Invested with his wire's Hi brother in tenting a cotton mill, and ,1 commenced the in.inufnctuio of cnt-H cnt-H ton In Holluud, Mhbh. A combination Hi or circumstance which ho could not H': control rendered him unbuccossful in H' tills business. He lost money and, if-HI if-HI tiring from It, went to hotel keeping, HI n"d was iiIko postmaster In the samo U town. H Ho was very prosperous In this v HO - ocntlon, rapidly muklng means, but a Hf' siiong, unexplainnblo desire canio HJj over him to visit tho west. He know Hfi '' . "ot why, and yet ho could not shako I I off the feeling. H larly In 1837 he and his fiunil) left l for the west. In Phlladeljihia a gen- Hfi tlemnn whoso acquaintance he fotm- Hf ed spoke against tho west and per- He ' suaded him to locate in Salem and ho Hll would assist him with means to cstab- HE llsh himself In business. Ho nctcd up- ID on this suggestion and spent one year Hfj' :; i .1" the place. In tho meantime this H l i ' great desire to go west remained with Hjv lilin. and ho could not rid himself of HI." "l0 feeling. His .'rlonds offered him Hjn money and tried to porsuado him to HAjf s turr nlld locato w,Ul tuom uut to Blfef'S,. " purpose; ho longed for tho west Hjv'V u,"l ' that direction ho started. Hll i falling at St. I.ouls, ho purchased H, ' i . a small stock or goods and went up H the Illinois river, not knowing where H' t a 'lc' Bhould land. H VHHHBt While on tho river ho became uc- HLi ' aVKHHa nualntod with a gentleman who proved pBj-i'PPJPBVf BBnBBBBSBBBk"3 to be his father's cousin. He lived nt Grlggsvlllo, Illinois, whoro Kzra concluded con-cluded to stop. He was still unsettled in his feelings feel-ings nnd only remained a short tlmo when ho moved to Lexington, 111., thenco to tho mouth of Llttlo Illuo rlvor, whoro ho and a man by tho name ot Isaac Hill located and laid out a town and named It Pike. At this placo ho built a dwelling and a warehouse but the placo was sick ly and his restless spirit led him to inovo onward. In 1839, early in tho year, ho was led by his impression to Qulncy In search of a home. Soon after af-ter ho heard of tho placo ho was Impressed Im-pressed to move theme, and hero for tho first tlmo In his life ho met tho Latter-day Saints, who 'had Just boon exiled from their homos in Missouri. Becoming acquainted with their history and sutferings, his sympathies woro enlisted. Ho heard they were vory peculiar In their vJows, yet in conversation with them and listening to tholr public discourses ho was very favorably impressed. During the winter ho boarded with a family of the Saints, whoso faith nnd deportment in tho walks of life led Hrothor Ilenson to hold them In high esteem. About this tlmo a public debato wns held In Qulncy, in which a Dr. Nelson opposed tho doctrines of tho Latter-day Latter-day Saints. The Prophet Joseph was In attendance nnd Kzra T. Ilenson Us-toned Us-toned with honest attention to botli sides.. At tho conclusion of this debato ho was fully convinced that tho principles princi-ples of the Saints wore superior to those or tholr opponents and In perfect per-fect harmony with tho Illblo. While re-Jolclng re-Jolclng In their victory over tho opponent, op-ponent, Kzra had no Idea at that time of Joining tho church. Ho nnd his wife continued to hear them anil their doctrines wero tho chief topic or conversation. His wiro declared tho faith In tho doctrines, nnd when tho people who knew them learned of their belief In "Mormonlsm" they mado a determined effort to get them Identified with a sectarian church. About this tlmo Elders Orson Hyde and John 10. Pago, on their way to Jerusalem, pi cached lu Qulncy, and all doubts, If any Btlll existed In tho mind or Kzra T. Ilenson, wero remov ed. Ho and his wire wero baptized by the President or tho Qulncy branch, July lUth, 1810. From tho tlmo he reached Qulncy all desire to inovo left him. He wns content, nnd when the light of tho Gospel was given to him thiough obedience to tho same ho knew why he wanted to go wobI and! why discontent nttonded him In evory placo until ho reached Qulncy, tho homo of the Latter-day SalntB. Tho! Lord led him by his own right hand, and prepared his heart anil that ot his wlfo to obey the truth and accomplish accom-plish the great work which Kzra T. Ilonson subsequently performed as a servant of God, In tho fall of 1810 at conference In Nauvoo, ho was ordained ordain-ed an elder. Soon after his return to Qulny he was honored with a visit fiom President llyrum Smith, who ordained or-dained him a high priest and appointed appoint-ed him second counsellor lu tho presidency pres-idency or tho stako recontly organized I by President Hyrum Smith in that place. In April, 1811, ho moved to Nauvoo, purchased a lot, built n homo and was lu every way active In promoting tho Kiowth or tho church and tho city of Nauvoo. Juno 1st, 1842, ho went on a mission to his native eastern states, performed a good work and returned lu the fall of 1843. In tho month of .May, 1844, ho wont east with Kldor John Pack and was absent until they learned ot tho martyrdom mar-tyrdom ot Joseph and Hyrum Smith, whon they returned to Nauvoo. Iu thu fall of 1844 bo was called to bo a member of tho high council In Nauvoo, Nau-voo, and soon after was sent on another an-other mission to tho Kastern states. Ho presided over tho Iloston conference confer-ence until May, 1845, whon ho was counseled by tho authorities of the church to gather up tho s.ilnts In that region and lead them to Nauvoo. Upon his return ho wout to work on the Nauvoo temple, working hard by day and many times by night standing guard to provent the onslaught on-slaught of fiendish mobocrats. At the exodus from Illinois, Kzra T. Ilenson und family moved out with tho first company In 184C. William I H,unMngton presided nt Mt. Plsgah, I nnd to him Kzra T. Ilenson was appointed ap-pointed a counsellor. Whilo at Plsgah ho wns notified of his appointment to tho Apostlcshlp to fill tho vacancy in tho Council of the Twelve mndo by, tho npostacy of John 10. Page. Ho moved on to tho main ramp of the saints In Council Uluffs, nnd at this placo was ordained to thu upostleshlp, July ICth, 184G. From Council Uluffs ho went on n brief mission to the oast, returning November 27th, 184C. In tho following spring ho was selected by President Young as ono of the honored company of 143 to pioneer the great west and find tho homo which God had held in resorvo for his people. When Brother Ilenson, years before, felt the spirit urlng him westwnrd llttlo did he dream how great the Import of 'such Impression. That In tho west ho should find tho truo plan ot salvation and carry tho standard of tho gospel still westward 1,500 miles, plant tho stars and stripes on Mexicnn soil, and be himself ono of the first men In founding the greatest commonwealth of people ever founded In our great republic Soon after his arrival In tho valley val-ley ho returned to meet the compan ies of Saints enrouto and Inform them that a placo ot location had been found. Ho accompanied them to their destination and then returned to Winter Quarters with tho pioneers. He next performed n successful mis slon in the east, being absent several months. On January 14th, 1847, ho with others oth-ers was named In a revelation to the Prophet Drlgham Young to organlzo companies of Saints for their pllgt Imago Im-ago to tho Far West. "Let my servants, ser-vants, Kzra T. Ilenson and KrastiiB Snow, organlzo a company," was the word of tho Lord to Ills mouthpiece on the earth. Upon returning from his mission to tho east he was appointed to preside In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where ho was associated In tho nvm-ngement nvm-ngement of the church In that reglor. with Apostles Orson Hydo nnd George A. Smith. Concluding his lubou in Iown ,he moved to Salt Lake valley In 1S4U. Kurouto ho was seriously 111,'but by the prayers of tho camp, whilo fasting, the powor of God wns manifested ind he recovered. Again in 1851 ho was sent to Pottawattamie County, lown, to gather up the Snlnts and help move them to the body or tho church. From this mission ho returned In 1852. Whilo nt homo In Utah ho was constantly con-stantly at work either with his hands to improve and devolop tho country, In council with tho Priesthood, or preaching tho gospel among the Saints. In 1850 he went on a mission to IOurope, where ho wns nssoclnted with Apostlo Orson Pratt In tho presidency or tho British mission. He returned homo tho following year. Kldor Ilenson was not considered consid-ered as a great public spoakor, yet ho wao vigorous and earnest. When the weather was oppressively warm It Is said ho would take off his coat while preaching and remark to the congre-.gatlon congre-.gatlon that ho believed In "comfort more than stylo.'' lu )8C0 ho wns called cal-led to presldo over the Saints In Cacho Valley. Ho mado this his homo tho romulnder of his natural llfo, bd-ing bd-ing tho apostlo of tho northern country. coun-try. He was wise In council, Industrious and exemplary, and a source of great strength to tho people In colonizing and building settlements In that valley. val-ley. In the early settlement or Cuche, It wns so cold that It was hardly doomed doom-ed feasible for being occupied. Today It Js tho best watered and has under (ultivatlon n greater percentage of Its land than any othor valley In Utah. He went to tho Sundwish Islands with Apostlo Lorenzo Snow, Elders Josoph F. Smith, Alma L, Smith and Wm. W. Cluff, to regulate tho nffalra or tho Hawaiian mission. He, with President Snow, narrowly escaped drowning whilo nppronchlng tho coast or ono or tho Islands by the capsizing or the boat. This was tho Inst mission abroad performed by Apostlo Ilenson. Asldo from his labors abroad ho performed tunny Important missions among the saints. Ho was an active mombor of tho Provisional State of Doseret. Afterwards ho becumo a member of tho house for several sessions ses-sions In tho Territorial Legislature, and tho last ten years of his llfo was olectod and sorved with ability In tho leglslatlvo council. In 1809 ho becamo associated with Kldor Lorln Fair and Wshop Chaun-coy Chaun-coy West In constructing tho Central Pacific railway. They had a large contract of grading on tho promontory. promon-tory. , On September 3rd, 1869, whilo In Ogden City attending to a sick horse he wa suddenly stricken with heart failure and died the samo day. Ills funeral occurred In Lognn a few days later, with a numerous family fam-ily and thousands of saints and friends to mourn his departure. At the tlmo of his death ho was tho father of thirty-six children and had eight grand children. Ho had "fought tho good fight, kepi tho faith and finished his course." Ho went to recelvo the crown of glory , laid up for tho faithful and left to hln sons and daughters tho legacy ot a good character, a faithful record of devotion to God and his cause. Ho gained eternal riches and "Ho that hath .Eternal Llfo is rich." He has living two wives, 14 sons, 10 daughters, 101 grand children, G4 grent grand children. Dead: Fout wives, C sons, G daughters, 18 grand children nnd ono grent grand child. Tribute to Ezra T. Benton. The following tribute to Kzra T. . Ilenson on tho ono hundrcth anniversary anniver-sary of his birth was rend: Onp hundred years a century hns gone Since he came to earth In th' Truth's early dawn. With others sent to usher In this day, Truths then revealed will yet o'er earth hold swny A bulwark in the Cause, both strong and true, As thoso who listened to his volco well knew, ' He told tho simple story ot the Cross, Though vanquished, the Messiah met no loss, l)u t triumphed over death and chains of hell, Won power nnd glory, as the Scriptures Scrip-tures tell. He spoke of thoso who suffered death and pain An exaltation with Him to bbtain. And drew a picturo or tho life to come, Wherein wns meted out that due each one. And gazing on a futuro scene ho told, Of nil tho glory those with him bo-hold; bo-hold; For these had entered into covenant till death, Though violence might still this mortal mor-tal breath. And too ot those who heeded not the voice, "Come, mako of mo your early only choice." He unassuming wrought his work of love, A witness that our Father from tho wor'ds above Again had sent a prophet to tho earth, A man beloved of God e'en from hl3 birth. "Thus sailh the Lord" tho blessed words nre heard That 'thrill men's hearts llko warb- lings ot a bird. In darkness man no longer nee'ds to roam, Uncertainty without and fears at homo. For Joseph saw Christ standing In the HEht, And asked him which ot all the sects was right; Was told that nono was right depart. ed all Were from Him Ho heeded not their call. Thoy served Him with their lips, but not tho heart, aSo In tho restoration had no part. These woro tho times that tried tho souls of men, Ilurned out the dross, then gold vns gold again. And Satan raged with persecution's might, And all tho hostes ot hell rejoiced In tho fight. 'Twas then such men as this ono wo liavo known Engaged to help that Christ might win his own; Showed what was In his hcait and stood Unmoved, though It may cost his life's blood. And Kzra T. Ilenson was Joseph's friends, Of him bore testimony to tho end. Much honored by his friends ho passed pas-sed away, Summoned nt once, no longer here to stay. Thus urgent wns tho call that ho obeyed. Ills will was never 'gnhist God's will ai rayed. Apostlo or the Lord 'tis or greatest worth To bo In unison with Him on earth Or "raven a minute man subject to call, To llvo or dlo and leave his earthly all. When speaketh tho Lord hla servant obejB, I And Oh, tho Joy to know no parting' or tho wnys! ir It bo morn, to rldo upon tho cloud, Or if 'tis oven, that bringoth but a shroud, Tho Lord Is thoro, and they a welcome find Who leavo all fret and care for o'er behind. I |