Outlines of Ecclesiastical History

by B. H. Roberts

SECTION X.

1. Martyrdom of the Prophets.—The relentless persecution which had followed the Prophet Joseph Smith ever since he first announced that he had received a revelation from God, culminated at last in his and his brother Hyrum's martyrdom, at Carthage jail, Hancock county, Illinois, on the 27th of June, 1844. Religious prejudices and political jealousies, combined with the treason of wicked apostates from the church in Nauvoo, are the forces which led to this sad result. The two brothers were murdered in Carthage prison while awaiting trial on a false charge of treason against the State of Illinois. They were under the immediate protection of the officers of the state, the governor thereof having only the day before pledged the honor of the State for their protection. Notwithstanding all this a mob of from one to two hundred surrounded the prison where they were confined, forced the door, killed the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum, and severely wounded Apostle John Taylor, who, with Willard Richards, was a voluntary inmate of the prison with the brothers Smith.^[[202]]

2. The martyrdom of the prophet has an importance second only to the crucifixion of Messiah; for in his martyrdom he sealed his testimony with his blood, and thenceforth it is made binding on all the world. "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."^[[203]] The Dispensation of the Fullness of Times doubtless required a testimony such as Joseph Smith bore to the world, to be sealed with his blood, else the tragedy at Carthage would not have been permitted.

3. The Twelve Apostles Succeed in Presidency.—After the death of the Prophet Joseph, the Twelve—the quorum standing next to the First Presidency, and equal in authority to that quorum—took charge of the affairs of the church. Sidney Rigdon, who with Hyrum Smith was a counselor in the first presidency, pressed his claims to be recognized as the "guardian" or president of the church, but he was rejected by the Saints, and the twelve were sustained for the time being as the presiding quorum of the church.^[[204]]

4. Expulsion from Illinois.—When the enemies of the Saints in Illinois saw that the killing of the prophet did not destroy the church, they agitated the question of driving them from the state, and such was the influence of the mob, and such the cowardice and weakness of the state officials, that they were entirely successful in the undertaking. The Saints were compelled to leave the state under circumstances of the utmost cruelty, sacrificing very much of their property, the city they had founded and the temple they had built.

5. Flight to the West—Why.—When compelled to leave Illinois, the Saints turned their faces westward. The country west of the Missouri was unoccupied, except by wandering tribes of Indians, and they might look for that peace in the vast wilderness of the west which had been refused them in the Christian, civilized states of the east. But what caused them to look to the west for an abiding place—even more than the fact that the west was unoccupied—was the frequent predictions of the Prophet Joseph that the Saints would yet remove to the Rocky Mountains and become a great people. [See note 1, end of section.] Here, too, in the tops of the Rocky Mountains they could fulfill better than anywhere else the predictions of the ancient prophets. [See note 2, end of section.]

6. Arrival in Salt Lake Valley.—Westward, therefore, they turned their faces; the pioneer company—consisting of one hundred and forty-three men and three women—crossed the plains in 1847, arriving in Salt Lake Valley on the 24th of July of that year. They made their encampment on the present site of Salt Lake City, and soon afterwards laid off the city and began the erection of permanent homes.

7. Reorganization of the First Presidency.—At Winter Quarters, December 5, 1847, the first presidency of the church was reorganized. Brigham Young was nominated and sustained as the president, with authority to choose his two counselors. He selected Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards for first and second counselors, respectively, and they were unanimously sustained by the church.

8. Brigham Young.^[[205]]—Brigham Young acted as the president of the church for thirty years—for thirty-three years, if the three years that the quorum of the twelve (of which he was president) acted as the presiding quorum of the church, be counted. In the course of these thirty-three eventful years this truly great man conducted the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo; led them across the wide extended plains which form the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains; established them in Salt Lake and surrounding valleys, located and laid out many of their settlements, and taught them not only the moral precepts of the gospel, but how to produce from the elements, sterile as they then seemed, the necessaries and comforts of life. Through his wisdom—God-given—he laid the foundation of the present commonwealth of Utah. Just previous to his death he organized the settlements of the church into Stakes of Zion, as we now know them, and set in order the various quorums of the priesthood.

9. President Young was a natural leader among men—a master spirit. His genius especially manifested itself in his ability to organize and govern men. He had not only been the president of the church and the first governor of Utah, but he was also the friend of the people. In times of trial and sorrow they turned to him for comfort; in times of danger they looked to him to direct their action; in times of perplexity they went to him for the word of the Lord; and Brigham Young, full of heaven-inspired wisdom, never failed them in any of these things. [See note 3, end of section.]

10. The Twelve again Presiding.—At the death of President Brigham Young, August 29, 1877, the quorum of the twelve apostles again became the temporary presiding quorum of the church, with John Taylor at their head. [See note 4, end of section.] The quorum of the twelve continued to act as the presiding quorum of the church until the October conference of 1880, when the first presidency was again organized. John Taylor was chosen president, and he selected George Q. Cannon for his first, and Joseph F. Smith for his second counselor.

11. John Taylor.—President John Taylor came to the high office of president of the church late in life, in his seventy-second year. He joined the church in his early manhood, in 1836, and two years later was ordained into the quorum of the twelve apostles. He was a trusted friend of the Prophet Joseph, and was in prison with him when he was martyred, and he himself was wounded nigh unto death. He had been prominent in all leading events of the church from the time he was ordained an apostle until he became the president thereof. He was a man of wide experience, profound judgment, and unwavering integrity. [See note 5, end of section.] He entered upon the performance of his high duties with a zeal and vigor only to be expected of a younger man. He was careful to set in order the several quorums of the priesthood, and insist upon each man doing his duty. The seven years of his administration as president of the church will be remembered as among the most eventful in the history of the church. It was during those years that the judicial crusade was inaugurated by the United States and most vigorously carried on against the Saints for the suppression of plural marriage.

12. Wilford Woodruff—His Administration.—President Taylor died on the 25th of July, 1887, and once more the quorum of the twelve apostles became the presiding quorum of the church. They continued to act in that capacity, with Wilford Woodruff as president, until April 7, 1889, when the first presidency was again reorganized, with Wilford Woodruff as president. He retained the counselors of the late President Taylor, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, as his counselors.

13. The persecution which the United States had inflicted upon the church on the pretext of suppressing plural marriage culminated in 1890 in the discontinuance of the practice of that principle. It may be well here to enumerate those circumstances which led to the above result. It has already been stated how plural marriage was introduced and practiced in Nauvoo. After the church settled in Salt Lake valley it was publicly proclaimed as a doctrine of the church in 1852. The practice of it then was public, the whole church—and at that time the members of the church comprised nearly the whole community—approving the principle, which was at once recognized as a proper religious institution.

14. Enactments of Congress Against Plural Marriage.—For ten years the practice in Utah of this system of marriage met with no opposition from the United States. But in 1862 a law was enacted by Congress to punish and prevent the practice of polygamy in the Territories of the United States.^[[206]] The penalties affixed were a fine, not to exceed five hundred dollars, and imprisonment not to exceed five years. For twenty years, however, the law remained practically a dead letter. It was claimed by the Saints that it was an infringement of the religious liberty guaranteed by the Constitution ^[[207]] of the United States, since it prohibited the free exercise of religion. For twenty years no pronounced effort was made by the officers of the general government to enforce the law. In 1882, however, the law enacted twenty years before was supplemented by what is known as the Edmunds Law. In addition to defining the crime polygamy—for which it retained the same penalties as the law of 1862—the Edmunds law also made the cohabiting with more than one woman a crime, punishable by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars, and by imprisonment not to exceed six months. This law also rendered persons who were living in polygamy, or who believed in its rightfulness, incompetent to act as grand or petit jurors; and also disqualified all polygamists for voting or holding office. This law of 1882 was supplemented by the Edmunds-Tucker law—enacted in 1887—which made the legal wife or husband, in case of polygamy or unlawful cohabitation, a competent witness, provided the accused consented thereto; it also enlarged the powers of United States commissioners and marshals, and required certificates of all marriages to be filed in the office of the probate court. The violation of this last provision was a fine of one thousand dollars, and imprisonment for two years. The law disincorporated the church, and ordered the supreme court to wind up its affairs, and take possession of the escheated property.

15. The laws were rigorously enforced by the United States officials, special appropriations being made by Congress to enable them to carry on a judicial crusade against the Saints. The prominent church officials were driven into retirement; others into exile. Homes were disrupted; family ties were rent asunder. Upwards of a thousand men endured fines and imprisonment in the penitentiary rather than be untrue to their families. Every effort of the government to deprive the people of what was considered their religious liberty was stubbornly contested in the Courts until the decision of the supreme court of the United States was obtained. While some of the proceedings of the courts in Utah in enforcing the anti-polygamy laws were condemned, the laws were sustained as constitutional. The court also held that the first amendment to the Constitution, which provides that Congress shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion, cannot be invoked against legislation for the punishment of plural marriages. Meantime government was relentless, and still more stringent measures than those already enacted were threatened.

16. Discontinuance of Plural Marriages.—In the midst of these afflictions and threatening portents President Wilford Woodruff besought the Lord in anguish and prayer and the Lord inspired him to issue the manifesto which discontinued the practice of plural marriages. At the semi-annual conference in October following, the action of President Woodruff was sustained by unanimous vote of the conference and plural marriages are discontinued in the church. [See notes 6, 7, 8, end of section.]

17. In this matter of plural marriage the Latter-say Saints are neither responsible for its introduction nor for its discontinuance. The Lord commanded its practice, and in the face of the sentiment of ages, and in opposition to the teachings of their own traditions, many of the Saints obeyed the commandment, and in the midst of weakness, difficulties and dangers sought to carry out the law as revealed to them. For about half a century they maintained its practice in the face of opposition sufficient to appall the stoutest hearts. They defended it in the public press proclaimed it from the pulpit, debated it on the platform with all those who chose to assail it, and practiced it in their lives, notwithstanding fines and imprisonments threatened; and when the power of the government was vigorously employed to enforce its laws against this institution, hundreds of men cheerfully endured both fines and imprisonment rather than be untrue to it. A whole generation had been grown and had grown to manhood and womanhood in this marriage system, and the affections of family ties were entwined with it. Then, under the pressure of suffering brought upon the people through the laws of the United States, the Lord inspired the president of the church to proclaim its discontinuance, and the people, with hearts bursting with grief submitted to the will of heaven, and there the matter rests. If the labors and sufferings of the church of Christ for this principle have done nothing more, this much at least has been accomplished—the Saints have borne testimony to the truth. And it is for God to vindicate his own law and open the way for its establishment on the earth, which doubtless he will do when his kingdom shall come in power, and when his will shall be done in earth as it is in heaven.

18. Laying of the Cap-Stone of the Salt Lake Temple.—One of the most pleasing and at the same time one of the most important events in the history of the church during the administration of President Woodruff, was laying the cap-stone of the Salt Lake Temple, on the 6th of April, 1892. It was laid by President Woodruff amid the rejoicing of thousands of the Saints; and a resolution was adopted to complete the sacred edifice and dedicate it on the 6th of April, 1893—forty years from the time the corner-stones thereof was laid.

19. The Growth and Present Condition of the Church (1892).—Since the Saints settled in the valleys of the Rocky mountains the church has been making steady growth in numbers, and its territorial boundaries are constantly extending. The church is no longer confined within the boundary lines of the territory of Utah. It has five stakes organized in the state of Idaho, one in the state of Colorado, one in Wyoming, four in the territory of Arizona, and colonies in Mexico and Canada. The settlements of the Saints are noted for peace and good order; for the cleanliness, thrift, sobriety and the comfortable circumstances of the people. But few individuals in the church can be considered wealthy, yet as a whole the community is rich, most of the people owning their homes, the lands they cultivate and the flocks and herds they tend. The land has been blessed for their sakes, and made to yield in its strength. They are a contented, happy, and fast becoming a mighty people. They are diligently preaching the gospel to the world, having sent missionaries to nearly all the nations of the earth. In the British Isles, and among the Scandinavian and German people the missionaries have been especially successful. Of late years great progress has been made also among the natives of New Zealand, Sandwich Islands, and other islands of the Pacific, notably in Samoa.

20. The church is also devoting much of its energies to the work for the dead. Four magnificent temples have been reared by the Saints. One in St, George, dedicated January 1st, 1877; one in Logan, dedicated 17th of May, 1884; another in Manti, dedicated 21st of May, 1888; and one in Salt Lake, dedicated on the 6th of April, 1893. In these temples the faithful Saints are doing a noble and a mighty work for their ancestors, as well as a very important work for the living.

21. A Preparatory Work.—The work of God, as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, has a peculiar significance to this generation. It is essentially a preparatory work; its direct mission is to prepare for the glorious coming of the Son of God to reign over the earth. Nothing can be more explicitly stated in the scripture than the fact that the Son of God will come to the earth in the glory of his Father, to reward the righteous with a speedy resurrection from the dead, and destroy the wicked by the judgments of famine, pestilence and war; to establish his kingdom in power, bringing in a reign of peace, liberty and righteousness. In proof of this let the student consider the following scripture:

I. Promise of Messiah's Glorious Return:—"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And, while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men [angels] stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."^[[208]]

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."^[[209]]

II. Messiah to Come to Judgment:—"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."^[[210]]

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."^[[211]] "For the Son of Man cometh at an hour when we think not."^[[212]] [See note 9, end of section.]

III. The World to be Warned of Coming Judgments:—To a number of elders in Kirtland, in 1832, who had been called to the ministry, the Lord gave these instructions, and, of course, they apply to all elders called to the same ministry:—"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that is expedient for you to understand. * * * That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor. Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads. * * * Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that ye may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and the world to come. * * * Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord come; for not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed in blood, and the stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.

"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people; for after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground, and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of the tempest, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people; and angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying, Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come; behold and lo! the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."^[[213]]

IV. The Coming of the Kingdom of God from Heaven:—"Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one from on high. * * * Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountains without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth; yea, a voice crying—Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom; pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people; call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in which the Son of Man shall come down from heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth."^[[214]]

V. A Prayer:—"Wherefore may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thy enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever. Amen."^[[215]]

22. Conclusion.—Such then is the work of God in the great Dispensation of the Fullness of Times—a preparatory work for the glorious coming and reign of Messiah. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth through the ministration of angels to Joseph Smith and others whom the Lord called to the work. In it are found all the principles, ordinances, authorities, powers, gifts, graces, callings and appointments necessary to accomplish the eternal salvation of the living and the dead—it is the fullness of the gospel; and has or will gather into it all that has ever been revealed concerning the redemption of the earth and the human race. This great work of God, as we have seen, contemplates the gathering of Israel and the restoration of the "lost tribes;" the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, which city they will rebuild; the redemption of the Lamanites and the building of a glorious city upon the American continent to be called Zion; the advent of Messiah in power and glory to reign in righteousness over the earth for a thousand years, with all the ancient Saints and those of modern days who are worthy; it contemplates the final redemption of the earth, and teaches that it will become a celestial sphere, the abode of resurrected celestial beings forever. This work of God accepts and includes within its boundary lines all truth. It is progressive and is destined to become the religion of the age. Within it is scope for all the intelligence that shall flow unto it—"within its atmosphere is room for every intellectual wing." It does not, as some have supposed, thrive best where ignorance is most profound; nor does it depend upon superstition for its existence or perpetuity; but it possesses within itself principles of native strength that will enable it to weather every storm, outlive all hatred born of ignorance and prejudice, and will yet prove itself to be what indeed it is—the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey it.

NOTES.

1. Prophecy that the Saints would Remove to the West.—I passed over the river to Montrose, Iowa, in company with General Adams, Colonel Brewer and others, and witnessed the installation of the officers of the Rising Sun Lodge of Ancient order of Masons, at Montrose, by General James Adams, deputy grand master of Illinois. While the deputy grand master was engaged in giving the requisite instructions to the master-elect, I had a conversation with a number of the brethren in the shade of the building on the subject of our persecutions in Missouri, and the constant annoyance which has followed us since we were driven from that state. I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by their persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.—Joseph Smith's journal for 6th of August, 1842.

2. Why the Church Came West.—"Many living witnesses can testify that we proposed moving to California [then a general name for the great West, including what is now Utah] leaving the land of our oppression, preaching the gospel to the Lamanites, building up other temples to the living God, establishing ourselves in the far distant West. The cruel and perfidious persecutions that we endured tended to hasten our departure, but did not dictate it. It jeopardized our lives, property and liberty, but was not the cause of our removal. Many a time have I listened to the voice of our beloved prophet, while in council, dwell on this subject with delight; his eyes sparkling with animation, and his soul fired with the inspiration of the Spirit of the living God. It was a theme that caused the bosoms of all who were privileged to listen to thrill with delight; intimately connected with this were themes upon which prophets, patriarchs, priests and kings dwelt with pleasure and delight; of them they prophesied, sung, wrote, spoke and desired. to see, but died without the sight. My spirit glows with sacred fire while I reflect upon these scenes, and I say, O Lord, hasten the day! Let Zion be established! Let the mountain of the Lord's house be established in the tops of the mountains!"—a thing, I may add—and which he plainly intimates—could not have been done had the Saints remained in Nauvoo. The Saints did not come to the Rocky Mountain valleys because they were compelled to by their enemies, but came here because it was their destiny to come; because the Lord would have them here; and because there were problems to work out in connection with the work of God which could be worked out nowhere else.—Life of John Taylor p. 179.

3. Character of Brigham Young.—Brigham Young was colonizer, statesman, philosopher, philanthropist, reformer, prophet leader, priestly-king, an honest man, God's noblest work! * * * His greatness shines forth in conduct and leadership and colonization and in the building of a mighty commonwealth in these mountain valleys. * * * On all great occasions promptness and decision were characteristics of his organization; and let a question arise where it might, all Israel felt when it reached God's prophet-leader, it would find proper solution, and when solved would be endorsed by wisdom.—Moses Thatcher.

4. Succession of the Twelve on the Death of President Young.—On the 4th of September, 1877, the two counselors of the late President Young and ten of the Twelve Apostles—Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith, the other two members, were absent in England—held a meeting and waited upon the Lord. With humble, contrite and saddened hearts they earnestly sought to learn his will concerning themselves and the church. The Lord blessed them with the spirit of union, and revealed to them what steps should be taken, and the following is what was done: Elder Taylor was unanimously sustained as the president of the twelve; and with the same unanimity it was voted that the twelve apostles should be sustained as the presiding authority in the church, while the counselors to the late President Young, John W. Young and Daniel H. Wells, were sustained as one with, counselors to, and associated with the twelve apostles. To facilitate the transaction of business it was also voted that for the time being President Taylor should be assisted by John W. Young, Daniel H. Wells and George Q. Cannon, in attending to business connected with the temples, the public works and other financial affairs of the Church.—Life of John Taylor.

5. John Taylor.—There was a beautiful harmony in the character of his mind and the lineaments of his person. If the habitation was splendid, the inmate was worthy of it. His noble form and bearing were but the outward expression of the spirit within. A universal benevolence, powerful intellect, splendid courage, physical as well as moral, a noble independence of spirit, coupled with implicit faith and trust in God, a high sense of honor, unimpeachable integrity, indomitable determination and passionate love of liberty, justice and truth marked the outlines of his character.—Life of John Taylor.

6. The Discontinuance of Plural Marriage.—The clause in President Woodruff's manifesto which discontinued plural marriage is as follows: "Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the church over which I preside to have them do likewise. * * * And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land."

Following is the resolution presented to the semi-annual conference in the October following. It was presented by Lorenzo Snow, the president of the twelve apostles:—"I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24, 1890; and that as a church in general conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriage as authoritative and binding." The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.

7. Basis on which the Manifesto was Issued.—Verily, verily I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work; behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings. [Revelation given 19th Jan., 1841, Doc. and Cov., sec. cxxiv.] It is on this basis that President Woodruff has felt himself justified in issuing this manifesto. * * * We have waited for the Lord to move in this matter, and on the 24th of September, President Woodruff made up his mind that he would write something, and he had the spirit of it. He had prayed about it and he had besought the Lord repeatedly to show him what to do. At that time the spirit came upon him, and the document that has been read in your hearing was the result. I know that it was right, much as it has gone against the grain with me in many respects. * * * But when God speaks and when God makes known his mind and will, I hope that I and all Latter-day Saints will bow in submission to it.—Geo. Q. Cannon, in a sermon Oct. 6th, 1890.

I want to say to all Israel that the step which I have taken in issuing this manifesto has not been done without earnest prayer before the Lord. * * * I have done my duty, and the nation of which we form a part must be responsible for that which has been done in relation to that principle [plural marriage.]—President Woodruff, in a sermon Oct.6th, 1890.

8. Testimony from God Promised that the Manifesto was Inspired.—I have received a revelation and commandment from the Lord, which I have not revealed to any man, which I shall reveal to this assembly, and the command of the Lord I shall give to this people, which is this: The Lord has revealed to me that there are many in the church who feel badly tried about the manifesto, and also about the testimony of the presidency and apostles before the master in chancery. The Lord has commanded me to put the following question to the Saints, and those who will give strict attention to it shall have the Holy Ghost to be with them to inspire them to answer that question for themselves, and the Lord has promised that the answer will be to all alike. The question is this: which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of 60,000,000 of people, and at the cost of the confiscation, and loss of all the temples, and the stopping of the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead; and the imprisonment of the first presidency and the twelve, and the leaders of heads of families in the church, and the confiscation of the personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice) or after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle, to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the prophets, apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the church, and also leave the temples in the hands of the Saints so that they can attend to the ordinances of the gospel, both for the living and the dead? Now the inspiration of the Lord will reveal to any person which course wisdom would dictate us to pursue. And the Latter-day Saints throughout all Israel should understand that the first presidency of the church and the twelve apostles are led and guided by the inspiration of the Lord, and the Lord will not permit me nor any other man to lead the people astray.—President Woodruff, at Box Elder quarterly conference, Oct. 25th. 1891. Juvenile Instructor, vol. xxvi: p. 671.

9. Sign of the Coming of Messiah.—I have asked the Lord concerning his coming; and while asking the Lord, he gave me a sign and said: "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and a token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant. * * Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that he would come."—Joseph Smith.

REVIEW.

1. Relate the circumstances connected with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

2. Who succeeded to the presidency of the church after the death of the Prophet Joseph?

3. Give an account of the expulsion of the church from Illinois.

4. State the reasons why the church in its flight went westward.

5. Give an account of the arrival in Salt Lake valley.

6. When and where was the first presidency of the church reorganized?

7. State the leading achievements in the career of Brigham Young.

8. What was the character of President Young? (Note 3.)

9. Who again took the presidency of the church at the death of Brigham Young?

10. When was the first presidency again organized?

11. State what you can of the life and character of John Taylor.

12. For what is John Taylor's administration noted?

13. Who succeeded to the presidency of the church after the death of President Taylor?

14. What led to the discontinuance of the practice of plural marriage?

15. When was plural marriage publicly announced as a doctrine of the Church?

16. Give an account of the enactments of Congress against plural marriage.

17. State in what spirit these laws were enforced.

18. State in what way plural marriage was finally discontinued.

19. What was the basis of this action of the Church? (Notes 6, 7, 8.)

20. Were the Saints responsible either for the introduction or discontinuance of plural marriage?

21. What has been their course in relation to this principle since its introduction?

22. Give an account of the laying of the cap-stone on the Salt Lake temple.

23. Make a statement of the growth and present position of the church.

24. What is the immediate purpose of the work began by the Prophet Joseph Smith?

25. State several promises to be found in the Jewish scriptures respecting the glorious return of Messiah.

26. Quote those that predict Messiah will come to judgment.

27. What hath God decreed concerning the time of his coming? (Note 9.)

28. For what especial purpose hath God sent forth his servants to the world in this dispensation?

29. What will be the crowning event to the work of this dispensation?

30. State what is contemplated by the work of God in the dispensation of the fullness of times.

THE END.