A RICH MAN'S HANDICAP—WEALTH NOT ESSENTIALLY BAD—BUT QUALITIES ITS POSSESSION DEVELOPS A BAR TO SALVATION—TYPICAL CASE OF A MAN REARED IN AFFLUENCE—UNPROMISING START IN MARRIED LIFE—HOW HE BECAME INTERESTED IN TEMPLE WORK—WORTHY EXAMPLE IN RECENT YEARS.

It is not an uncommon thing for a poor person to look with envy upon the possessions of the wealthy, and remark how easy it would be for him to be generous, and make sacrifices for a righteous cause, if he were only wealthy. It is hard—perhaps impossible—for such a person to realize it (never having been possessed of wealth,) but wealth is more frequently a bar to the service of the Lord than a help therein. We are informed in the gospel according to Matthew that the Savior said "a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven;" and again, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." Whether we understand from this that the Savior was indulging in hyperbole—the grossest kind of exaggeration, or that the eye of the needle referred to was a specially low gateway in the wall of Jerusalem, through which camels could only pass by crouching down, we must conclude that the rich are less susceptible to the saving influence of the Gospel than the poor. This is confirmed by the declaration that "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," and numerous passages about the deceitfulness of riches, and of "the love of money," being "the root of all evil."

When we come to analyze the question, it is not the wealth itself that is evil, but the avarice and arrogance that its possession is apt to develop, for the more one has the more he is apt to want. The person who in his youth is eager to acquire wealth is apt to grow intensely avaricious if not miserly in his old age. The person who manifests pride and slight regard for others' rights in youth is apt to become unbearably arrogant as he grows older.

Humility is a pre-requisite to the acceptance and practice of those principles upon which salvation depends, and humility is the very opposite of arrogance. Treasures in heaven are apt to look most attractive to the person whose view thereof is not obstructed by treasures upon earth; for "where the treasure is, there will the heart be also." A poor person, seeking salvation, is not so apt to have his attention distracted therefrom, as is one who is full of care concerning his earthly possessions.

Inasmuch as the work done in the Temple is clearly in the nature of seeking treasures in heaven, it is really refreshing to find a wealthy person, and especially one who has been reared in affluence, manifesting much devotion in that line.

One of the most striking examples of this kind noticeable in the Salt Lake Temple in recent years is that of Brother P . . .

His parents were descended from aristocratic families of Old Virginia. His father was the owner of two large mercantile establishments and other valuable property in his native town before the war, but the war broke him up, and left him comparatively poor. However, he was of that class who cannot be kept down. He was ambitious and enterprising, and soon began to accumulate. Coming to Utah in the year 1864, he engaged in school teaching, farming, ran a threshing machine, clerked in, managed and then owned a store, engaged in banking, etc., wringing success out of everything he turned his hand to. By the time the subject if this sketch (who was born in Utah,) was old enough to receive impressions, his was regarded as among the most wealthy, influential and aggressive families in the state.

None of the sons (of whom there were several in the family) ever served as a missionary, until recently, when one of the younger sons filled a creditable mission to Germany. This fact is mentioned because the calling of one son from a household to fill a mission frequently arouses more or less zeal in the whole family.

Nor were they conspicuous workers in the quorum and auxiliary organizations in the church. This fact is mentioned for the same reason. When young people take an active part in these organizations they frequently develop into enthusiastic church members, and occasionally arouse an interest in spiritual matters throughout the whole family.

The eldest son was a successful mining broker, and prominent in political and business affairs, and the second, (the subject of this sketch) studied law, with the intention of becoming a practicing attorney. These facts are mentioned also for the reason that they are generally understood to tend from rather than towards religious devotion.

Another circumstance that would rather indicate backsliding than a growing zeal, was his disregard for the scriptural injunction: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." He married a girl who was not a member of the Church.

In extenuation, it may be said that he indulged in the hope of converting her; in fact, during the days of their courtship they read and discussed "Mormon" literature together, and she manifested an interest therein; but she hadn't faith enough to join the Church before her marriage; nor, indeed, for four years afterwards, the fact of her parents and most of her relatives being non-"Mormons" possibly accounting for her hesitancy.

With this introduction the story may now be given as told by Brother P..., of how he became interested in Temple work:

"On July 20, 1908, Miss H . . . and I were married by an Elder of the Church. Four years later my wife was stricken with hemorrhage of the brain, and her life was despaired of. She was healed in answer to prayer, and the faith exercised by herself and others, and gladly joined the Church soon afterwards. Later on, she was dying of organic Brights disease, and the physician in attendance said there was no possibility of her living. However, after an administration of the Elders, she improved immediately, and lived in peace for four years longer. On April 27, 1908, she died.

"We had not been to the Temple to receive our endowments, and to have the important ceremony performed whereby we could be united for time and all eternity.

"About one month after my wife's death I was impressed to go to the 20th Ward sacrament service; although I did not live in that ward, and it was my first attendance at a meeting there. Brother Samuel W. Jenkinson, a blind man, who was a Temple worker, was the speaker. Twelve years prior to that time Brother Jenkinson had done endowment work in the Temple for some of my wife's relatives, but he and I were not acquainted. I was so much impressed with his remarks, that I inquired and learned his name, and the following morning wrote a letter to this blind brother, telling him how pleased I was with his testimony.

"On receiving the letter, Brother Jenkinson telephoned to me a request to come up and see him. My telephone number was 5279.

"A month passed. One afternoon, on the very day the Temple closed for the summer vacation, as I was sitting at my desk, the telephone rang. Taking down the receiver, I heard the voice of Samuel W. Jenkinson, saying `Your telephone number has been coming to me for a week, especially while I was in the Temple. I did not call you up, as I did not wish to disturb you; but today the number '5279, 5279' came to me so many times that, on leaving the Temple, I have come to a phone. Now I do not know what to say to you.'

"That evening I called at the home of the blind brother, and talked to him awhile, mainly in regard to my departed wife.

"Six weeks passed. Three days before the Temple opened, after the vacation, Brother Jenkinson telephoned to me, saying: 'I am impressed that your wife wants her Temple work done.'

"'All right,' I replied, 'I will see to it.'

"I called upon President Winder, the presiding officer of the Temple, and told him what had occurred. He advised that I wait until a year had passed after the death of my wife. This agreed with my feelings exactly, and I remarked, `I think so too, President Winder. Besides, I would rather take the rest of the year to prepare to enter the Temple.'

"Three days later President Winder sent for me, and, when I responded to the call, said: `I have taken that matter up with President Smith, and we have made an exception in your case; and you can now do the work for your wife any time.'

"I thanked President Winder, but added that I thought there was no hurry, and preferred to wait for awhile.

"However, my wife knew the great importance of attending to this most sacred work without delay. In her life her rule was, not to procrastinate. She used to say, 'Tomorrow has enough duties of its own to attend to. So don't crowd the duties of today on tomorrow.' Besides, being in the spirit world, she had a livelier appreciation of Temple work than I had, with my earthly environment. She knew there was great danger in delaying to do the vicarious work—a fact that all Latter-day Saints should understand who are familiar with the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith upon the subject. He impressed upon the Saints in the strongest terms that there was none too much time left in which to do the work for the dead; and one of the strongest desires that he manifested during the last few weeks of his life was, that the Saints should proceed to get their genealogies and perform the sacred ordinances in behalf of their dead kindred without delay. Delays are dangerous, and the adversary will always give us abundant reasons for procrastination if we are willing to listen to such counsel.

"Ten days more passed. I was sitting at my desk when the telephone rang. Samuel W. Jenkinson's voice sounded in my ear; `You have let ten days go by, and haven't done that work for your wife yet.'

"My answer was: `No, I thought I would wait awhile; but I have permission from the First Presidency to do the work any time now.'

"Then came a short and vigorous sermon from the blind Temple worker, that has since proven to be the moving cause in my life in the matter of Temple work. Brother Jenkinson in plainness and earnestness said: 'I am impressed with the feeling that your wife wants her Temple work done, and I always act on my impressions. If her Temple work is done she will have more happiness and greater freedom, can progress faster and further, and can accomplish much more for herself and for others, and for you right here on earth. But you can do what you want. I hereby clear myself from all responsibility, and leave it wholly to you.'

"'I am convinced, Brother Jenkinson, and will see to it at once.' I answered, and took the next train for Ogden, where I saw my sister and asked her to be proxy for my wife.

"On seeing me, she exclaimed: 'I have been wanting to see you, and was going to write to you. I had a wonderful dream about your wife this morning.' She then proceeded to relate the dream, which was in line with my wife's wish, as expressed by Brother Jenkinson, that her Temple work should be done.

"Two days thereafter the Temple work was done, and it was the most glorious day of my life. No joy that I had previously felt could compare with the heavenly happiness that I experienced. Tears came to my eyes, and I rejoiced in a spirit of thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father for being permitted to enter His holy house and partake of the blessings therein bestowed.

"Since then I have felt that my main mission on earth is to have Temple work done for as many spirits as possible; thereby aiding in the release of those departed spirits from their prison houses. I have also taken the opportunity to encourage others to search out their genealogies and do Temple work for their kindred dead."

That is his story, briefly told. Others can testify to the fidelity with which he has fulfilled what he conceived to be his mission. He frequently goes to the Temple himself and receives ordinances in behalf of his dead kindred, and he is constantly employing others to do likewise, so that the work for his kindred dead goes on apace. Being asked how many he had now had the work done for, he replied that he did not know—he had not taken time to count—but some thousands.

In addition to all this, he has for the past five years been a worker on the Temple Block in connection with the Bureau of Information, spending much of his time there, and with good effect if the volunteered opinion of hundreds who have listened to him are a fair criterion by which to judge. Though he never filled a foreign mission, he has enjoyed privileges that seldom come to foreign missionaries. He has explained "Mormon" history and doctrine and borne his testimony to thousands who, as strangers thereto, were seeking the information he had to offer (and many of them willing listeners,) and who could never afterwards deny having heard the truth.

It may be inferred from this that he is working under high pressure, to spare so much time from his own absorbing affairs to devote to this charitable work, as well as to be under the financial tribute that he is in this connection, and indeed he is. He probably inherits from his father (who was a man of unusual energy, mental and physical,) his capacity for work. There is no doubt about his feeling better for the strenuous life that he is leading, and especially for his gratuitous work. He has been heard to remark that he has found no good and safe place to stop at, as any lessening of his efforts in the voluntary work for the good of others that he has undertaken, results in a perceptible diminution in the good spirit that he has enjoyed in recent years, and in his growing worldly-minded in a corresponding degree. His is a nature that is not satisfied with anything mediocre. He craves the best, and is naturally thorough and whole-hearted in that which he does, and has a keen sense of both enjoyment and suffering.

He has learned what many others fail to learn: that happiness depends less upon what we receive than what we give, less upon what we have than upon what we do; less upon what others do for us than upon what we do for them; and that we can adopt no more certain means of securing happiness for ourselves than that of seeking to make others happy. Life never was so full and rich and satisfying to him before as it has been in recent years, for he never did so much for others, and never before exhibited so much unselfishness.

He objects to being classed as a rich man, because, notwithstanding his interests are rather extensive, he has invested a large amount of borrowed money in an industry which involves a good deal of risk, and yet, with good fortune in his favor, may yield a handsome profit.

Well, if he is not rich he is certainly enterprising, and deserves to be rich, and never was in less danger from being rich.

Wealth is a comparative term, anyhow. If he is not rich compared with some who are very wealthy, he is compared with those who have little or none of this world's goods.

If, with the risk he is taking, he still finds time to devote so much unselfish attention to others, dead and living, how much more creditable than if he labored for selfish ends! And how much more of a sacrifice he is making than if he had converted all his surplus property into government bonds, the income from which would insure him a living without care on his part, and then only gave his time to the cause of humanity.

He has again married—this time in God's own appointed way, to one who is full of faith—and two lovely children have come to grace his home—the first living children he has had. He takes an optimistic view of life, and never felt that he had so much to live for.

It may be appropriately mentioned here that six years before his former wife died (a. already related,) she wrote a letter to her husband, with a request that it be opened and read after her death. His present wife chanced to read that letter some time after her marriage, and learned from it that the expressed desire of the deceased wife was that her husband should marry again, and that some time there would be a little Luacine (that being the first wife's name.) The first child was a boy. The second was a girl, and the mother, on her own volition, chose for her the name of Luacine.

Consider this case from whatever angle we may, Brother P . . . is an exception in his class, and a most praiseworthy exception, whose example in recent years is well worthy of emulation.