| Show AN EPISTLE to the members of the church ol 01 jesus christ of latta day saints y introductory DearBrea dear ren and sisters it appears this fifty eighth aerni abou conference ol 01 the church of 0 jesus christ of 0 Latte vday saints a its that an o 0 epistle thorild b bu addressed de se to nbc 1 e m members bers ol 01 the church in con i r it ein with the custom abich which as been observed at 1 the past five Gec Ze cral conferences DEATH of PRESIDENT taylon TAYLOR As Asso some moot of the apostles are ate prevented by circum lances well known to the saints from roin appearing la in public 11 c tile church will naturally look tor for some expression irom from them concern anz aa their feelings and bopes hopes I 1 tho work ol 01 our god nt abu present lime time Is deep inheres t felt in the utterances ol 01 toe the because ol 01 the lon loss lo n which the church las eus talked in the death ol 01 pit JOHN TAYLOR twice before baa has the t be church the and each time the event lias has produced a profound impression upon its era liers bers lu in this instance this fad sad event la is invested with more significance than it would have blen had bad it occurred in the ordinary way ivey taylor aled die I 1 in exile for about two years and u hall he bad been to live in seclusion sad dd to narain ironi from all public association with the people whom tic be lived more than ho he did lite file through bla his decease the church Is called the third time to mourn the de ot of the man who has stood as facture its 9 president and as the prophet beer seer and dd revelator to this generation sener ailon the experience which the saints hav cave kalach in passing through these trials a been sheen ol 01 exceeding value to them they have learned that god can take care of 01 his own worl and that they aced not worry nor yield to anxiety or of doubt concerning after the martyr dum of I 1 th ti 0 P e joseph there were pretenders IV who as belted that they bad the right to take bis his place at the head bead ol 01 the church borne some mere were deceived by their pretensions no not hems theor the order ot ol the TUB desro OF THE APO for some time before his death the i prophet joseph was wag inspired of the lord to anticipate his 0 on n departure irom from earthly scenes this bis was chown in various ways but in the treat t anxiety which he dispi displayed ayed to bestow erea tow ulan upon the twelve ewel apostles all the keys and authority of 01 the holy priesthood wh which ch be he bad had received ue declared in private and in public bat they were equipped wl ped and ully fully qualified and that he er bad rolled the kingdom of ol god on W 0 o the shoulder sot ot the twelve apostles IDENT 1801 TESTIMONY 1 I wilford woodruff belag being the last an living in the flesh who wa was a present apen upen hat that occasion feel it a atai duty I 1 uty I 1 owe to the baurch of 01 jesue jesus christ ot of latter day da saints to the house of israel and to the whole world t to 0 bear this my last testimony to all nations that inthe in the winter of 01 isis 4 jose joseph ath smith the prophet ot of god called tue e twelve apostles together in in the cit city ot of nauvoo and spent many days wilk with us in ushur and as Us those clorious clor gior lous principles which dud god had revealed to him bin and upon one occasion he stood upon bid his agat 0 in o our midst for nearly three hours declaring unto us the pit ast dispensation which god bad had set ills jig band to perform upon the tart h la in three last days the was ailed filled as it with consuming fire arct i the prophet was clothed upon with moab ol 01 the power ol 01 god and his face shone and was transparently cliar clear and lie closed that speech never to be forgotten in time or la to eternity eternit eter nit with the following language languages Bret brethren bren I 1 have bad had treat great sorrow fil of heart for fear lear that I 1 might be taken the earth with the keys of 01 the ol 01 god upon me without them upon the beads heads ol 01 other oen inen god has his scaled sealed upon my head bead all the keys of 0 the 0 god necessary nece eary for or organizing and build ing ne up ol 01 the chereb ZIO ion n and I 1 kingdom ol 01 god upon the earlw arab and to pa prepare the saints tor for the coming ot of the bon son of man juan now breth brethren I 1 hank thank god I 1 have lived to see u the day that I 1 have been enabled to give you your endowments and I 1 have now sealed upon your heads all the powers pi the and priest ef hoods and apostleship with all the keys and powers thereof which god has 43 sealed upon me and I 1 1 now r roll off all the labor jabot burgen and cari cara ol 01 this church and kii kingdom ot of god upon your or shoulders and enow I 1 now COM command maud you 0 IH the 01 name me of the lord jesus to rould up your shoulders shoulder sand anil dear off this church up c and kingdom ol 01 red before heaven and earth and belore f ore god angels and men and if you dont do it you wl ali 1 be damned and the same spirit that filled the room at that time burns in my bosom while I 1 record this testimony and the prophet of god appointed no one tiso else L but the twelve apostles to stand at Ss as ad of the baurch and direct ua its gayers Is jle presidency IN I 1 THE APOSTLES abet the te prophet joseph oseph had passed asse ILIA war V by joul assassination nose choso who possessed the spirit of 0 god and to d in close communion 1 with it linew new the voice ot the true and find were not deceived by the men pien who pretended to leave authority tho ritY the boak body 91 the church flowed followed the leaders leadership lp of those whom god bd chosen and whom ilia ser 7 yant joseph nad dad been instructed to prepare r pare for this great responsibility the ettive eT twelve apostles Apos Uee with president young as their heed head became the he presiding council of the coulch the lessons which the church charch then d I 1 regard in to tp the priesthood of 1 the priesthood have never ever tree n t young y iron roin us there va vas s n nor 0 ju 0 n flor 0 r division of sentiment ent among lue the apostles apostle s and abong a th the e people bero wasp was arcely arcey a question as cople lo 10 where the richt right ol 01 presidency virt at dancy r rested e st president it john taylor look took tae the position which belonged to him and the in work ol 01 god moved forward without interruption and with a union and bur morly 0 on thep abe part artof ol 01 all connected with it most delightful to wit ices iness lie ile has stood at our bead head nearly ten years and durio durin u that 1 period be bus I 1 ms possessed the allta and which belonged to bis big agh office and calling ills entire car career ceris is 0 one that can be contemplated with the u t mo at satisfaction and picas pleas ure by all who love toe truth and ad mire ire integrity in those who are called to be servants eer rante ot of god from the time that he was baptized a member ot of the chuich until his spirit took ook t its flight 1 horn from earth he never wavered in his ad 1 fact and defense 0 of the principles principles ot of righteousness under ai all the varied circumstances through which c it lie be and the people ol 01 god were railed calle d to pass in to the midst ol 01 the deepest t trials and i bis voice was always raised 1 in intone tones ot encouragement and hope and when the he storms were the fiercest tod he we poe PO e to the occasion ion aad sad always displayed undaunted and un L j pinch lax devotion to theion the Z on ot of god in 11 the too providence ol 01 god it lell fell to his big 10 lot t to oe be with W ith the prophet joseph and 1 larch when the they y were lor for the truth and he lie mingled pis is own blood with theirs though i severely wounded on oil that occasion pe e naireen miraculously escaped death M ito was a man MILD whom the lord loved i the evidence ot of this is to be found in abe fact that iio to preside over ills HIS church at tb abe e 1 departure I arture ol 01 ilia servant ir ham we ajol acel thank tb k ul I 1 to toGo god dour our heinal fite iosi father fattier that we nave nave been permitted to live with and aloy the society ol 01 president john tay or and ad be hia his lellow laborers our association with bira him and the r es to and apostles who have bare gone be before fore him into the spirit world we esteem at as a s a great honor we take i the rejoicing that we shall bavo have when aben we shall bo be permitted to bingly in their r society t once more the 1 of 0 1 presiding over the church ins has alien allen upon the toe council ol 01 the twelve apostles the counselors ol 01 preal t dent taylor brothers george Q cannon aad aid joseph fsmith S being members 0 ot the council ot the twelve apostles at the I 1 time they were chosen to be members of the first presidency have at since nee bis his death take taken n their alices places eftin in as members of of that coonc council I 1 T i years aud and a hill halt have elapsed since the church was orton organized aze in looking around among 1 those ose wita with whom we associate to today day how few there are left ol 01 those wh who 0 under the lord helped to isy joy the U dation ol 01 this wo k ai and ad were the yin anos lons ol 01 tbt ati prophet lo 10 the ahe ars rs wUa all glory and icv w prophet joseph have all pissed passed behind tie vail bince since the death ot of president young four our baye have joined bim him in the other world and la IQ the bame period six have been ordained aa as members ol 01 the council ot of the theT wehe Twelve apostles this gives borne some idea ol 01 the changes which are occurring and how rapidly a new is taking an active part in the building up ol 01 zion ion TUB LABORS OP OF TUB THE APOSTLES AlOST LES those ot of us who have been at liberty to travel hae have devoted our lima tima to visiting the various stakes Staf cef and la in meeting with them at their quarterly conferences some ot of us have been laborin fa mexico others la in arizona besides visiting tile the stakes in idaho andin and in utah these quarterly conferences ferencek ces es are attended atle oded witti with c excellent results the people come together and recelle instructions and counsel upon leading topics and much good I 1 a derived though it involves considerable labor lor for the apostles to visit them yet we are encouraged ed in to doing so ro by the advantages van which those bring 1 to the people in keeping thara informed concerning general movements movi move ments and counsel in these labors we have had bad much joy and satisfaction atis faction especially la in witnessing the increase of faithful aass on the part of the saints TUB tim PATIENCE OF TUB THE SAL SAINTS though many ot of the leading men have been compelled to be do absent sonic some ol 01 them baving been incarcerated in prison the people have never th eleEs been steadfast strad stead fait fat and have sought with increased diligence to perform their duties the persecution to w which aich thoy they have been L objected has led the people to think and act for themselves aud and not to depend so much muc ti upon others lor for guidance this can no not t felito lall to be attended with good r results it Is necessary that all abe members ot of the church should exercise c ise their powers ot of reason reasoR aad aud bellec tion and understand why they take the course which god polo is out on the pait ol 01 ills I 1 it a salata is desired by our fillier I 1 niico in heaven lica vrn lie ile has given us our agency to t 0 think and ent en t for or ourselves on our own volition to a testimony for ourselves irom from III him ca concerning the truth of the principle s which lie teaches and then do 00 una firm and anti unshaken shaken ua in toe performance perlor mance of all which willett la is biec essaiy for salv salvation ail on ve we have tell felt creat tion in ireat witnessing the dignity and courage nave have through li the trials of the past tan tane e years their conduct has been ad mirable lal rable they have displayed great qualities the forbearance pat patience areat ence anci and fortitude which they y hive exhibited are proofs that god has abvia b een with them outrages which tich would have loaded goaded any other people into acts ol 01 vi violence enee bave have been ol 01 frequent ire quent occurrence in other communities men aud women would bode be dK such treatment bat but the lord has gevea ills ilia people power to control themselves and peace has been main klots and bloodshed he have been avoided and even under strong provocation when blood was sh edthe co community noluo ity restrained itself prejudice may prevent our and Ps 1 rulers from acknowledging at the present how noble the demeanor of 0 the people has been under the abeso se trying circumstance circumstances and wit it the strong w which blich they bate have had hid to indulge in 10 oo 00 ontO yet the time will come when all ail tb abis Is will receive ita its proper recognition and due credit will tie be accorded the latter day saints for or their magnanimity and sell self control throughout this entire po pe cullon se FTC in the organizations which have been established among our people in all our settlements in these mountain the advancement and training and ol 01 all classes arc are amply provided lor for among no of 0 whom w wo know ao anything thing la so ch provisions been made lor for the so salvation lle va tie and care of the members D follety of all ages as among the latter day sa balanta images is it if we and our children do not progress in intelligence and in the knowledge of all principles pertain pertaining lag to life hero bero and lite hereafter it is because ca use we do nt n t avail ourselves ours elvea ol 01 those facilities which are placed within our reach lye have the associations provided for tho the benefit of the y young our church and their I 1 instruction lu to those simple 0 principles c I 1 pies which they can ander we also have sunday schools for or the sr and education of those of 0 larger growth in them they can learn the doctrines ot of salvation aad and the history ol 01 the tile work of 0 god and be prepared eared tor for greater progress s 1 then hea we bave ave the young mons mens and young ladles ladies mutual improvement asso have been organized as their daleb imply for or the development develop mint ol 01 the young people ol 01 both sexes and their a nung vane emerit in every thing that will quality qualify aben for lives ol 01 usefulness and honor but besides these organizations we have the i various arlous conn ci ells a ol 01 the priesthood to some office in which every oung young man who Is worthy can be ordained orual ned lite he young women as no the they y increase in years can call also lad find a ol 01 usefulness in the kellel societies which have been organized lur for the purpose of 0 asi aristio stio the bishops and counselors ana and teachers rea chers ol 01 the wards la cai cading ing lor for the poor and relieving the wants of the suffering and distressed bo SO thai that oy by means ot of these which arc fire ot of vast interest to us as a people every one oue irona from early childhood to maturity can ba be led forward step by step irom from one degree ol 01 knowledge to another soother until lully fully qualified to discharge bithe all the dalles duties of perfected and honorable manhood and womanhood to oara far as swe we know the inters w who 60 have charge ol 01 the primary assoria lions are doing a most commendable work lu in arousing interest in the littie ones and la in teaching them in simple style those lessons which are adapted to their understandings tandi agg we nope hope that in all fill our settlements ettle ments these will rc to ccleo the constant care and attention ol 01 our wise and judicious bister sisters the seed eown sown lo 10 the hearts of the children by |
