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

He found St. George a comparatively safe place, as the people there were almost wholly Latter-day Saints and offered him every opportunity to visit his friends and to enjoy immunity from arrest. The sufferings of those times were enhanced by the constant threats of more drastic legislation and the confiscation of Church property.

While in St. George and on the 4th of February, 1887, he wrote an eight page letter to David Whitmer, one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, and bore to the latter a strong testimony to the continuance of the work of God under the administration of Presidents Young and Taylor.

A considerable time before the death of President John Taylor his demise was shown to Wilford Woodruff in a dream. When, therefore, word came to him in St. George from President George Q. Cannon and Elder John Jacques on the 16th of July that President Taylor's condition afforded no hope of recovery he at once set out on the following day for Salt Lake City. He traveled most of the way by team and while at a Brother Bartholomew's in Fayette, Sanpete County, on the 26th, he received the sad news of John Taylor's death which had occurred the day before at about eight p. m. That night he lay awake sorrowing over the mourning that had come to all Israel in the departure of their great leader. Elder Woodruff's mind was greatly troubled by the responsibilities which he felt crowded upon him. In his journal he wrote of President Taylor as follows: "Thus another President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has passed away. President John Taylor is twice a martyr. He was shot four times in Carthage Jail when Joseph and Hyrum were slain, and there he mingled his blood with the marytrs; this was in 1844. Now, in 1887, driven into exile by United States officers in consequence of his religion, he lays down his life for the truth. All honor to the name and memory of President John Taylor. 'Leave judgment with me for it is mine and I will repay,' saith the Lord, God."

Continuing, he wrote: "President John Taylor's death places the chief responsibility and care of the Church of Latter-day Saints upon my shoulders, in connection with the Twelve, which now become the presiding authority of the Church. This places me in a very peculiar situation. It is a position I have never looked for, but in the providence of God this new responsibility is thrown upon me. I pray God, my heavenly Father, to give me grace equal to my day. It is a high responsibility for any man and it is a position which requires great wisdom. I never expected to outlive President Taylor, but God has ordained otherwise.

"Bishop Hunter said on several occasions that I would outlive President Taylor and become President of the Church. On these occasions I rebuked the Bishop and asked him not to prophesy of me such a thing. Each time he answered, 'Nevertheless it is true and will come to pass.' It certainly has come to pass. I can only say, Marvelous are Thy ways, O Lord Almighty, for Thou hast truly chosen weak instruments to perform in Thy hand Thy work on the earth. May Thy servant, Wilford, be prepared for whatever is required at his hands by the God of heaven. I ask this blessing of my heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, even so, Amen."

Those acquainted with the modesty and humility of President Woodruff can easily understand his feelings of grave concern and deep anxiety at such a time. While he sought no honors for himself and would always "prefer his brethren to him," he was nevertheless quick to maintain himself or any other man in the calling to which the Lord by revelation, or by the order established in the priesthood, placed upon him.

On the 28th of March, 1887, he wrote to one of the brethren in answer to these questions: "Do you know of any reason in case of the death of the President of the Church why the Twelve Apostles should not choose some other person than the president of the Twelve to be the President of the Church," as follows: "I know several reasons why he should not. First, at the death of the President of the Church the Twelve Apostles become the presiding authority of the Church, and the president of the Twelve is really the President of the Church by virtue of his office as much while presiding over the Twelve Apostles as while presiding over his two counselors. In the appointment of Brigham Young and John Taylor to the presidency of the Church it never entered the heart of any one of the Twelve Apostles to claim the right to preside over Brigham Young or John Taylor, as they were all the presidents of the Church, and if they were not fit to preside over the Church they were not fit to preside over the Twelve Apostles. Second, in case of the death of the President of the Church it takes the majority of the Twelve Apostles to appoint the President of the Church, and it is very unreasonable to suppose that the majority of that Quorum could be converted to depart from the course marked out by inspiration and followed by the Apostles at the death of Christ and by the Twelve Apostles at the death of Joseph Smith. I see no reason for discussing this subject until there is some reason for it."

Whether or not this statement of President Woodruff is taken as doctrine, it shows very clearly his sentiment of respect for the line of action which had been taken and his determination not to depart from it as a matter of policy. He felt that man was at best but a weak instrument in the hands of God. As this was God's work the man that lived most humbly and contrite before his Maker was most entitled to divine guidance. He had striven in the humility of his heart to gain divine favor. He had been the recipient of that favor and had done nothing of which he was conscious to forfeit it.

On the 12th of March he recorded the following in his journal: "I dreamed last night that the Latter-day Saints were holding a great conference in the Salt Lake Temple. I saw a great rush to finish the Temple. I was called upon to open the conference, and I was given the keys of the Temple to open it. I saw thousands assembling and I met President Young, who asked me what was the matter with the great multitude at the door. Some one answered that the elders did not want to let the people into the Temple. He exclaimed, 'Oh, oh, oh;' he then leaned over to me and said, 'Let all come into the Temple who seek salvation.' I saw several who were dead, among them my wife, Phoebe. I believe there is some special meaning in this dream." The dream is explained by what happened when the Temple was dedicated.

On the 29th of July the funeral of President Taylor was held in the Tabernacle. As most of the elders were in exile, only a few were in attendance. These were Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Heber J. Grant of the Twelve. Also President Daniel H. Wells, A. O. Smoot, Lorenzo D. Young, Joseph B. Noble, and Angus M. Cannon. One hundred and two carriages followed the remains to their final resting place. There were several bands of music in attendance. The occasion was indeed solemn, mourning was silent and deep; men with bowed heads and in the deepest sorrow wondered at God's providences and prayed for deliverance.