Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints / History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily Journals

by Wilford Woodruff

The following are the words of President Young which give his views of the ball room, and which he gave on the evening of the 2nd: "I consider this a suitable place to give some instructions. The world considers it very wicked for a Christian to hear music and to dance. Many preachers say that fiddling and music come from hell, but I say there is no fiddling, there is no music in hell. Music belongs to heaven, to cheer God, angels, and men. If we could hear the music there is in heaven, it would overwhelm us mortals. Music and dancing are for the benefit of holy ones, and all those who come here to-night who are not holy and righteous and do not worship God have no right to come here."

Men and women were taught that in all they did on the week day as upon the Sabbath they should honor God. If, later on, excesses in dancing and its improper practice were corrected by a Prophet of God, John Taylor, it was because of the excesses and the improprieties of certain classes, and not because of the ball room itself. To him, there was great objection in permitting the dance room to become a financial scheme.

In the year of 1854 President Willard Richards was suffering from palsy, and the attention which he received at the hands of Elder Woodruff was characteristic of the latter's tender regard and loving administration for those whom he esteemed. Besides giving his attention to the sick, he also began the work of teaching and preparing the young men for their duties in the office of the lesser priesthood. He was especially solicitous of the training of his young sons, especially Wilford junior.

Those were days of extreme sociability and neighborly love. In his journal Elder Woodruff writes of a visit to his home of Ann Whitney and Eliza R. Snow: "I read over several of the old sermons of Joseph that were not recorded anywhere except in my journal. We passed a pleasant evening together, and before they left they sang in tongues in the pure language which Adam and Eve spoke in the Garden of Eden. This gift was obtained in the Kirtland Temple through a promise of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He told Sister Whitney if she would rise upon her feet she should have the pure language. She did so, and immediately began to sing in tongues. It was nearer to heavenly music than anything I ever heard." This beautiful gift Sister Whitney retained throughout her life time, and upon appropriate occasions exercised it to the edification and joy of the Saints.

In those days Elder Woodruff found some time in the midst of public duties to devote to the reading of good books, among them was the first volume of the life of Benjamin Franklin, and into his journal he copied Franklin's rules of perfection. Whatever was high-minded, choice, or of value as discipline, Wilford Woodruff cherished.

On the 11th of January of that year President Willard Richards died. He had been a sufferer for many years, but through faith his life had been prolonged. Of him Elder Woodruff writes: "He is the first of the Twelve or of our Presidency who has died in the faith a natural death. All who have gone before in full fellowship have died martyrs." He and President Richards had formed a strong attachment for each other, and they had traveled together quite extensively in their missionary labors and pioneer work. At the time of President Richard's death, President Young was too ill to attend the funeral.

The following month of March Elder Woodruff visited Tooele City, Grantsville, and other places in Tooele Valley, the colonization of which had been largely intrusted to himself and Elders Benson and Maughan.

On the 27th of that month, he returned to Salt Lake City and met with the Twelve at his home. Here, the missionaries who were going to England had been set apart, and Franklin D. Richards was called to preside over the European mission.

The April conference which followed was one of considerable importance. It became necessary to select someone to fill the place made vacant by the death of Willard Richards. President Young asked the Twelve to suggest some man for the place, but they considered it his privilege to choose his own counselor, and so informed him, at the same time promising to endorse his selection. When the authorities were sustained, Jedediah M. Grant was taken into the First Presidency of the Church. He had been a faithful and distinguished elder, and was loved by all the Saints.

It was at this conference that the question of Consecration was presented. Speaking of that subject, President Kimball said: "I want all I have to be secured in the Kingdom of God." They knew the dangers and temptations of wealth, the selfishness which it begets, as well as its destruction of brotherly love.