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 next circumstance of importance was the dedication of the Logan Temple, May 17th, 18th, and 19th. The services were attended by thousands of people and were repeated in order to accommodate all who desired the privilege and were entitled to be present. People were admitted to the services by tickets of recommendation given them by their bishops. On that occasion a circumstance happened analogous to that of Annanias and Sapphira who lied to the Lord and to Peter in the days of the ancient apostles. As the hosts of people were climbing the stairs to the assembly room of the Temple, President Taylor discerned in the multitude one woman unworthy of admission. He did not know her but said to President C. O. Card, "Turn that woman back." "Why?" asked President Card, "She has come with a ticket of recommendation as well as all the others." "I don't know why," replied President Taylor, "only that the spirit of the Lord says, 'Turn that woman back.'" President Card observed the instructions to him and upon special investigation learned that the lady was altogether an improper person, and by connivance with another she had procured the ticket for the price of one dollar. In commenting upon this circumstance later, President Taylor said: "You may deceive the bishop, the president of the stake, the apostles, the president of the Church, but you can't deceive the Lord, Jesus Christ, nor the Holy Spirit, and sooner or later the unworthy, the hypocrites and unrepenting transgressors will be found out and separated from the assembly of the righteous." At that time M. W. Merrill was chosen by revelation to preside over the Logan Temple, a place he held up to the time of his death in February, 1906. The first baptisms were performed there by Elder David H. Cannon of St. George, and the first recipients of them were Franklin D. Richards, and Rachael Grant.

In his journal relating to that occasion, Elder Woodruff wrote: "While attending the dedication of this Temple my mind was carried back to the many hours of prayer I had passed in my early manhood days. I prayed that I might see the Church of Christ established on the earth and that I might see a people raised up who would receive the ancient gospel and contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints. The Lord then promised me that I should live to see that day, to find the people of God and have a name and place within His House, a name that should not be cut off. To-day I rejoice in the fulfillment of that promise, I rejoice in the opportunity of assisting in the dedication of another Temple to His most Holy Name, to God and the Lamb. Praises be to His name for ever more."

On the 29th, in company with Heber J. Grant, he left on an extended tour of the settlements in the Snake River and Teton Valleys. In those days that part of Idaho was in process of settlement by the Saints, under the leadership of Thomas E. Ricks, who met Elders Woodruff and Grant and conveyed them by team from Market Lake to Rexburg. When the brethren on that occasion visited those parts not much had yet been done in bringing that district of country under cultivation. In 1884 there was but one stake of the Church extending from Paradise in Cache Valley on the south, to the Montana line on the north. To-day there are ten stakes, six of which are along the Snake River Valley; namely, Pocatello, Blackfoot, Bingham, Rigby, Fremont, and Yellow Stone. To-day there are also in that region of country three large factories in operation.

Congress adjourned that year without passing special bills that were inimicable to the Latter-day Saints. The anti-Mormons of Utah were like hungry wolves clamoring for prey. They wanted all the offices and were constantly importuning Congress to disfranchise in a body the Latter-day Saints. When congress therefore adjourned without further legislation Wilford Woodruff exclaims in his journal, "Thank the Lord for another breathing spell."

Later he attended the Sevier Stake Quarterly Conference held at Fish Lake. Hundreds of teams had conveyed the people to that place. While administering Sacrament there he said it was the first time it had taken place since the ancient Nephites had had a similar feast in those parts. He manifested on this and other occasions a special interest in the material welfare of the people. He examined their farms and orchards, visited their canals, made a critical examination of their water dams and head gates, and it may perhaps be said of him as truthfully as of any man that ever lived, that he subordinated his own personal interests to the general interest of the Church.

Evil days were soon to fall upon the Church. The failure of Congress that year to pass anti-Mormon legislation intensified the rage of the anti-Mormons. A campaign of slander and falsehood was taken up by the anti-Mormon press of Salt Lake City, and press dispatches to embitter the minds of the people in the East were sent; and in making this campaign it was well understood by those who engineered it that Congressmen might be made to fear their constituency and pass laws their own judgment condemned.

The Tribune published and sent out an alleged "Red Hot Address." It purported to be an inflammatory address by Bishop West of Juab. The purport of the address was the recommended assassination of the Governor of Utah. There was no meeting held in Juab on the occasion referred to, there was no Bishop West, and of course no such address. The lie, however, inflamed the public mind abroad; and to those who love a lie and darkness rather than light, it had the desired effect.

On the 10th of August following in Lewis County, Tennessee, Elders Berry and Gibbs, and two members of the local Church their names being James Riley Hudson, and Martin Condor, were shot and killed by a mob as they were about to begin their Sabbath services. Mrs. Condor, the mother of the murdered boys, was also shot but not killed.

The Church was making history during those days and special care was taken to give an exact record of current events. Hubert H. Bancroft was publishing his history of the Pacific Coast and included Utah among his volumes. Elder Woodruff opened to him the records of Church history that he might give both sides of the question and draw fair and impartial conclusions.

September 3rd he visited Provo where he attended the funeral of Margarette T. Smoot. On that occasion he gave it as his opinion that children would grow and develop after the resurrection and obtain all the blessings of adult persons. The visit to Provo was followed by the October conference, which that year was chiefly noted by the call of John Morgan to be one of the presiding seventies. Elder Morgan had been a missionary in the South for twelve years, and for ten years the distinguished president of the Saints in the South. Elder Morgan was a man of strong character, a conspicuous preacher, and a fearless advocate. He was ordained to his new calling on October 7th, 1884.