ELEVATION TO PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH, 1889.

Arrest of George Q. Cannon.—Governor Murray's Dismissal.—Death of President Taylor.—President Woodruff Appears in the Tabernacle.—Change in Federal Officers.—April, 1889, Wilford Woodruff Became President of the Church.—Visit to California.—M. W. Merrill, A. H. Lund, and Abraham H. Cannon Called to Apostleship.—Senator Morgan Visits President Woodruff.

The highest point of intensity in the crusade against the Latter-day Saints was reached during the year 1886. Although President Woodruff had been in exile previous years he had always enjoyed in some measure the privilege of meeting with the Saints and of exercising himself in the vindication of his calling as an Apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Persecution became most bitter, the whole atmosphere of anti-Mormon association was charged with intense hatred. Hundreds were in prison and in exile and leading men were hunted down with a fury perhaps unsurpassed by the Roman persecutions in the days of the early Christians. During that year he did not appear once in public nor did he preach a single discourse. He passed some time in Ashley Valley and enjoyed such diversion in fishing and hunting as his circumstances would permit. At the opening of the new year he recounted the experiences of the past year and prophecied concerning the year to come. He felt that the Lord would fight the battles of the Saints and that those who were prominent in the persecution would be humiliated. On the 13th of February that year President George Q. Cannon was arrested in Nevada. A few days later he was brought to Salt Lake City in the custody of United States officers. To intensify excitement abroad and to make it appear that the Territory was on the verge of revolt, Governor Murray sent troops to guard the prisoner to Salt Lake City. Upon George Q. Cannon were heaped various indignities and on his arrival in Utah he was placed under forty-five thousand dollar bonds. John Sharp and Feramorz Little went on his bonds for twenty-five thousand, and Francis Armstrong and H. S. Eldredge for twenty thousand. In view of the extreme bitterness then manifested toward him and in view of the fact that offenses might be segregated to imprisonment for life, President Cannon decided to forfeit the bonds. Sharp and Little paid promptly the twenty-five thousand, while Armstrong and Eldredge declined to pay until the question of excessiveness of bail should be determined by the courts. When the case was carried to the supreme court at Washington it was finally dismissed. Later, by action of Congress, the 25,000 dollars was returned.

Governor Murray was removed from office, and under the restraining influence at Washington, the persecution in Utah became less offensive. Murray's conduct had for some time been unsatisfactory to President Cleveland, especially in view of the misrepresentation of conditions in Utah. When Murray vetoed the general appropriation bill passed by the Territorial Legislature the President of the United States decided to remove him. The President further considered Murray's effort to coerce legislation wholly unjustifiable, and his attempt to appoint officers by proclamation as revolutionary. He also remembered that he had been twice deceived by Murray on the "Mormon Uprising."

While the close of the year did not by any means witness the end of the crusade, the hand of God was visible in defeating certain purposes of the enemy. President Taylor and his associates were vindicated. The course taken by them and the changed attitude of the general government marked the fulfillment of prophecy uttered by President Woodruff at the beginning of the year.

At the close of the year Edward M. Dalton of Parowan was shot and killed by Deputy Marshal Thompson. The feelings of resentment among the people were high. They felt more and more the force of President Taylor's words at the beginning of the crusade when he informed the people that nothing was to be done except to turn up their coat collars and as much as possible turn their back to the storm until it passed over. Outrages were daily increasing and there was an evident determination on the part of the federal officers to stand by one another and manipulate the machinery of government for their own protection as well as for the oppression of the Mormons. However, federal zeal in Utah exceeded so far the bounds of all propriety that the authorities in Washington determined to exercise some restraint over their agents in Utah. General McCook was transferred to another post. Marshal Ireland and Judge Powers went out of office.

On the 8th of February, 1886, a circumstance transpired by which President Woodruff and Apostle Erastus Snow escaped arrest. President Woodruff thought the circumstance worthy of a place in history. Early in the morning of that day he and Erastus Snow went to the Historian's office in pursuance of an appointment to meet a number of the brethren there. Before he had been long in the building it was surrounded by deputy marshals. He and Elders Snow and Richards had been watching the officers from the windows as they searched the Gardo House. They had also observed the raid made upon the President's office and the tithing office. When the marshals, however, came to the Historian's office, President Woodruff offered a silent, fervent prayer in his heart that the Lord would blind his enemies. He then, in company with Andrew Jenson, went into the street in the midst of nearly twenty officers. They were apparently dazed as he walked before them and he attracted no attention. He crossed the street to the President's office, passed through the east gate, entered a buggy with Seymour B. Young, and was driven to the home of Elder Young's mother. In the evening he made his way to his home in Farmers Ward, then took his departure for a year of exile from his family and associates in office. During the year he traveled about sixteen hundred miles and closed the year in the city of St. George, accompanied by his wife Emma and some of her children.

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.

From the President's office Wilford Woodruff watched the procession as it passed. President Woodruff says that to himself he remarked, as he stood in silent gaze, "There goes to his final rest the third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Immediately President Woodruff and the Twelve entered upon the duties of the presidency. These duties were numerous and pressing. President Woodruff was not yet free from the probability of arrest and therefore did not appear in public. He signed hundreds of recommends to the Temple as they came to him from day to day. On the 9th, however, of October, at the general semi-annual conference of that year, in company with Lorenzo Snow and Franklin D. Richards, he entered the building at the afternoon session. As the people recognized their venerable President they greeted him with a round of hearty applause which did not cease until he arose and waved his hand in salutation. He addressed the multitude for thirty minutes and then quietly retired before the singing, as he deemed it unwise to expose himself to arrest. During the rest of the year he remained quietly at his home.

The duties of President Woodruff now called his special attention to the general affairs of the Church so that he remained constantly near headquarters. While the presidency of the Church devolved upon the Twelve, President Woodruff now looked to Presidents Cannon and Smith for information and assistance, on account of their familiarity with Church affairs during the presidency of John Taylor.

While the crusade was by no means at an end, its extreme bitterness was gradually vanishing. During the year Judge Zane was succeeded by Judge Elliott Sanford of New York. Mr. Sanford was a man of refinement and of moral courage. He manifested no personal bias and no excessive zeal in the administration of the law. During his tenure of office George Q. Cannon was sentenced to 185 days' imprisonment and a fine of $450.00. Apostle F. M. Lyman and others were also sentenced by him. Judge Judd, another federal appointee, acted in harmony with Judge Sanford in dealing with the Latter-day Saints.

Those days were trying to President Woodruff, especially in view of the waste of property going on through the process of confiscation. Private individuals were enriching themselves at the expense of the Church, and to the discredit of the government. Men unable to provide for more than the daily wants of life suddenly came into possession of moderate private fortunes. The Latter-day Saints beheld the travesty of this gross injustice as men, under the guise of law and as reformers, showed an unrighteous zeal to lay their hands upon Church property.

During the year 1888 Elder Woodruff records the death of a number of prominent men with whom he had been closely associated for many years. Erastus Snow died May 27th at the age of sixty-nine years. On June the 24th Judge Elias Smith passed away, at eighty-three. Horace Eldredge also died on September 6th at the age of seventy-two. Azmon Wodruff died at the advanced age of eighty-six years. President Woodruff was now eighty-two, but still active. He found pleasure in manual labor whenever he could snatch away some time in which to devote himself to his garden and to his field. One day during the summer of 1888, while hoeing corn by the side of a grandson, who was too swift for his grandfather in the corn field, the latter observed in his journal: "Well, this is the first time in my life that any of my children have beaten me hoeing corn or at any other manual labor."

February 21st of that year President George Q. Cannon was liberated from prison. Gradually the leading men began to obtain their freedom and to appear in the public assemblies of the Saints. On Washington's birthday some fifty Hawaiians met at the President's office for a social reunion. The Tabernacle Choir was present and rendered inspiring music. On the Sunday following ten thousand people were gathered in the Tabernacle and were addressed by Presidents Cannon and Woodruff.

On the 1st of March Elder Woodruff's birthday was celebrated. On a cake presented to him by Elder John Gallagher the following sentiment was given and a copy of it taken from President Woodruff's journal. It reads as follows:

"Fourscore years and two have fled in the work for Zion's cause
on earth.
This day we greet our honored head to show our love and tell his
worth.
We pray that heaven may long extend your life to testify unmoved,
As with your family, in the end find welcome by God approved."

At the April conference of 1889 and on the seventh of the month, Wilford Woodruff was sustained as President of the Church, with George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith as his counselors. "This 7th day of April, 1889," he said, "is one of the most important days in my life, for I was made President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the unanimous vote of ten thousand of them. The vote was first taken by quorums and then by the entire congregation as in the case of President John Taylor. This is the highest office ever conferred upon any man in the flesh. It came to me in the eighty-third year of my life. I pray God to protect me and give me power to magnify my calling to the end of my days. The Lord has watched over me until the present time. I wish to counsel my wives and my children and whoever may read this journal to honor God and keep His commandments to the end of their lives that they may receive eternal life and celestial glory in the presence of God and the Lamb."

About the middle of April President Woodruff, accompanied by his wife, Emma, and President Cannon, Charles H. Wilcken, H. B. Clawson and his daughter, and President Woodruff's daughter, left Salt Lake City on a trip to California. Their purpose was twofold. One, to look after the interest and welfare of the people, and the other to obtain recuperation after a long exile. Here the party met old-time friends who received them cordially and extended to them the hospitality of their homes. Senator Stanford had long been friendly to the Mormon people and their leaders. On this occasion they met a Doctor McDonald, formerly of Nauvoo and a friend to the Latter-day Saints.

They returned to Salt Lake City on the 26th of April, when President Woodruff took up his labors and began a visit to a number of stakes of Zion. At the October conference of that year Elder M. W. Merrill and A. H. Lund and Abraham H. Cannon were chosen to fill the vacancies created in the Quorum of the Twelve.

On the 12th of that month President Woodruff records an interesting interview which he had with Senator Morgan of Alabama. The Senator was passing through Utah and asked President Woodruff, who was then at Provo, to meet him at the station there. The invitation was complied with, and the Senator held the train for an hour while in conversation with Presidents Woodruff and Cannon. Mr. Morgan was very friendly. He was one of those who, in the United States Senate, had taken a strong stand against the Edmunds-Tucker Law. He was pronounced not only in his opposition to the law itself, but against the manner of its enforcement.

On the 21st of October that year President Woodruff again made a tour of the Pacific Coast and to Canada.

Notwithstanding the improved condition of the people with respect to the crusade which began in the most drastic manner in 1884, there were those who urged some compromise that would ensure, as they believed, the favor of the government and the complete cessation of hostilities by the enemies of the Church. Appeals were therefore made to President Woodruff to exercise the authority conferred upon him by revelation and suspend thereby the further extension of plural marriages.

In concluding his journal for the year 1889 he wrote: "This ends the year. The word of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, has been fulfilled wherein he declared that the whole nation would turn against Zion and make war upon the Saints. The nation has never been so full of lies against the Saints as it is today.