DEDICATION OF THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE, 1892.
New Home.--Visit of President Eliot to Salt Lake City.--Completing the
Temple.--Amnesty.--Dedication of the Salt Lake Temple.--Visit to the
World's Fair, Chicago.--Liberal Party Disbands.
By the opening of the year 1892 President Woodruff had well in
hand, not only the routine duties of his office, but the general
administrative needs of the Church. He was in good state of health
and grateful for the peaceful conditions which then prevailed. The
prosecution for plural marriage had literally ceased, though the
Liberals still had control of the city.
He had for some time been interested in the completion of his new home
in Waterloo, a home which was to be called the Woodruff Villa. It was a
comfortable brick house, though not at all pretentious. While his home
surroundings in the past had afforded him the needed comforts of life,
they were simple and in harmony with his neighbors' homes, and with his
own unpretentious character.
On the 1st of March he reached his eighty-fifth year, and his wife
Emma her fifty-fourth. That day was selected for the dedication of the
new home, an event to which he looked forward with a large measure of
satisfaction.
On March 6th he made a record of the visit of President Eliot to Salt
Lake City. President Eliot was accompanied by his wife. During the day
President Woodruff dined with them and listened to an address delivered
in the Tabernacle by Harvard's eminent President. Of the occasion
President Woodruff wrote: "He spoke about forty-five minutes in a
beautiful and pleasing manner, and advocated the rights of all people
to the free enjoyment of every religious and political guarantee. I
made a few remarks and then thanked President Eliot for his liberal
views."
It will be remembered that in the course of President Eliot's remarks
he compared the pioneer journey of the Mormon people to Salt Lake
Valley and the hardships of those early experiences with the Pilgrim
Fathers and their early settlement on the New {579} England coast.
This was more than the good people of Puritan descent could endure;
to compare the Mormon people with the Pilgrim Fathers was a specie of
profanity that touched the righteous conscience of many New Englanders
in and about Boston. Many of the newspapers of that city cried out in
loud lamentation against such sacrilege. A few conservative papers,
however, were not so sure about the great disparity between the Pilgrim
Fathers and the Mormons, even in the matter of morals. President Eliot,
however, made no reply. He was accustomed frequently to arouse the ire
of his New England brethren; and conscious that he was on the right
side of a question, he was as loath to yield as he was free to tell
them the naked truth.
About this time, on the 21st of March, President Woodruff expressed
a special interest he felt in the court proceedings that had been
inaugurated in Missouri by the Reorganites for the purpose of ousting
the Hedrickites from their ownership and control of the Temple Block
at Independence, Jackson County. On that day he gave evidence in court
relative to Church authority, and the interests of our people in the
controversy. In the decision of the Supreme court of the State of
Missouri the Hedrickites received a decision favorable to their claims
and thus the Temple Block was left _in statu quo_.
April conference of that year was unusually well attended. It was,
perhaps, the largest that had hitherto assembled in the Church. It was
at that conference that Jonathan G. Kimball, son of President Heber C.
Kimball, was chosen to fill the vacancy created in the First Council
of Seventies, made vacant by the death of Henry Herriman. During this
conference, on April 6, the capstone of the Salt Lake Temple was laid
by President Woodruff, in the presence of a large assembly gathered to
witness the ceremony.
On the 11th of the month President Woodruff, with a portion of his
family, paid a visit to the Salt Lake Temple. They ascended to the
top of the Temple tower, where they deposited some coins in the upper
stone, and then inspected every room in the building.
About this time he made a purchase of the history of Hartford,
Connecticut, the state in which he was born. During that summer Elder
Junius F. Wells obtained for the President portraits {580} of his old
home and of his birthplace, also the homes of some of his kindred and
ancestors.
In May of that year, although now so well advanced in years, he paid a
visit to St. George, holding meetings in the various settlements on the
way. One hundred and twenty miles had to be covered by means of private
conveyances. The road through Washington County was, perhaps, one of
the most difficult to travel in the entire state, but Elder Woodruff
always had in his affections a special fondness for St. George, its
people, and its Temple. During his absence he suffered from a severe
attack of sickness which created some misgivings as to his recovery,
but he was immediately healed by the power of God and returned home in
safety.
On the 4th day of January, 1893, President Harrison granted amnesty to
the Latter-day Saints who were under certain political disabilities
in consequence of the Federal statutes prescribing punishment for
polygamy. About that time the President's wife lay at the point of
death. President Woodruff recorded in his journal the following
telegram, received from Bishop H. B. Clawson: "General amnesty will
positively be announced this week." President Harrison asked for the
forebearance and prayers of the Presidency of the Church in his behalf
for himself and wife in their troubles. President Woodruff thought
it not a little remarkable that the President of the nation should
desire the prayers of the Presidency of the Church. Such a friendly
manifestation was indeed to them a touching circumstance, especially
in view of the afflictions that they had undergone. The response was
heartfelt and devout, but in the providence of God it was not ordained
that Mrs. Harrison should recover. When she passed away President
Woodruff sent to President Harrison the following telegram of sympathy:
"President Benjamin Harrison, Washington, D. C.:--The death of your
beloved companion came home to us individually as if it were our own
personal loss. We sincerely and deeply sympathize with you, and appeal
to the Supreme Being, who holds the destiny of us all in His hands, to
bless, comfort, and sustain you in this your hour of great trial and
sorrow."
It was during the year 1892 that political excitement throughout the
Church ran high and gave rise to many animosities which time had great
difficulty in mitigating. There had been a more or less {581} wide
spread opinion that the Latter-day Saints were democratic in their
party sympathies. Such an idea had naturally been the outgrowth of the
favorable consideration given to the Mormon people in the halls of
Congress by democratic leaders. That political preferences should be
based upon religious sympathies was foreign to the minds of most of the
leaders in those days. The Presidency of the Church was, therefore,
beset by partisans of both classes in the contentions of those times.
The Church Authorities had stated in the most unequivocal manner that
men must cast their political lot in response to the dictates of their
own conscience. It was not an easy matter, however, to move politically
in a fixed direction. Church interests and political interests often
ran along cross roads.
In his journal of November 3, 1892, President Woodruff wrote: "I had a
visit today from certain prominent politicians who were not members of
the Church. They seemed anxious to sew up the mouth of the Presidency
so that the latter should have nothing to say in political matters.
Presidents Cannon, Smith, and I answered them." President Woodruff
further expressed his right as an American citizen to exercise his
franchise in the interest of any political party with which he saw
fit to ally himself. He was unwilling to concede that there could be
any circumstance whatever, politically, in which he might not raise
his voice for the protection of the people. He claimed also the right
to warn the people against the rule of the unrighteous. The political
destinies, however, of the state, he did not regard as bound up in
the religious destiny of the Church. He recognized the distinction
between the two; nor did he assume an unfriendly attitude toward those
who did not see as he saw, politically. However, he thought it both
the privilege and the duty of Church men to exercise their political
judgment. He never yielded to the argument that because the political
influence of a Church leader was likely to be too great he should
therefore not be permitted to exercise any political influence whatever.
The year 1893 was specially noted for the dedication of the Salt
Lake Temple on the 6th of April, the sixty-third anniversary of the
organization of the Church. The early part of the year had been
occupied by the Church leaders in the preparations made for that grand
event.
{582} The conference opened on the 4th. It was largely attended, and
there was an inspired joy in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints
who had gathered from all parts of the Church to take part in the
dedicatory services. In his journal President Woodruff wrote: "I
attended the dedication of the Temple. The spirit and power of God
rested upon us. The spirit of prophecy and revelation was upon us, and
the hearts of the people were melted and many things were unfolded to
our understanding." President Woodruff offered the dedicatory prayer at
the first meeting.
On the 7th of the month three meetings were held in the Temple, and
the services were continued from that time until the 24th of April,
in order that the people from every stake in Zion could attend and
participate in the blessings of that occasion President Woodruff
attended twenty-one of those meetings, but before the end of these
daily services had been reached he was obliged to retire, and was
confined to his bed for a number of days, indeed his sickness brought
him to the point of death.
In the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple he witnessed the fulfillment
of a dream recorded in his journal many years before. In his dream
he had received from President Young the keys of the Temple and was
told by him to go in and dedicate it to the Lord and to admit all who
were seeking salvation. The opportunity, therefore, was given to all
who were in the least worthy to attend these services. It is not too
much to say that the dedication of that Temple had an important effect
on the faith and conduct of a great many Latter-day Saints who had
heretofore been indifferent.
There had been a general interest among all classes throughout the City
in the completion of the Temple. It had been in process of construction
for more than a generation. The day of its completion was, therefore,
a land mark in the history of the state. Its architecture was striking
and to the non-Mormons the ceremonies and religious devotions of the
people, who would go there to worship, were peculiar. Thousands of
strangers within the city of the Saints would desire to see the great
Mormon Temple. It would thereafter become one of the wonders of the
world, an object of curiosity and wonderment to thousands of people
who in years to come would gaze upon it. There had been in the early
nineties a fraternal interest among all classes. The {583} Gentiles
of Salt Lake City were therefore invited to inspect the Temple just
prior to its dedication. Many prominent men were conducted through its
various rooms and permitted to inspect its internal adornments and
admire its rich architectural designs.
Among the remarks made by President Woodruff at that time was that
the power of the adversary should be broken, and from that time on,
the enemy would have less power over the Saints and meet with greater
failures in oppressing them. He also said that from that time a renewed
interest in the gospel message would be awakened throughout the world.
Lorenzo Snow was appointed as first President of the new Temple. He
selected as his counselors Bishop John R. Winder, and Adolph Madsen.
The Salt Lake Temple now became the most striking and interesting
building in the Church. Its spirit, like that of other Temples, has
had a far reaching influence upon the lives of those who accepted its
sacred teachings. That influence is, of course, incomprehensible to
those not of the Mormon faith.
The 28th of August that year was one of peculiar interest to President
Woodruff and the people generally. On that day he left with the
Tabernacle Choir, which was to take part in a great musical contest in
the World's Fair at Chicago. President Woodruff and his counselors were
provided with a Pullman car and everything was done to make the journey
for him comfortable, as he was in a poor state of health at the time
and hardly fitted for such a journey. En route they visited Denver and
Kansas City. At the former place the Choir sang in one of the churches.
At Independence, Missouri, they were received by the mayor and other
prominent men. On the Temple block the Choir rendered sweet music.
President Woodruff wrote in his journal, as follows: "The mayor of
Independence had lost one arm in the war, but the one he had left was
kindly given to me while I was with him. One striking incident worthy
of record is this: I went through Jackson County with Harry Brown in
1834 on a mission to the Southern States. At that time we traveled
secretly lest our lives should be taken by mobocrats; now in 1893, the
mayor of Independence and hosts of others bid us welcome to the city.
How great the contrast, and we ascribe the honor and praise to God, our
Heavenly Father."
{584} During their stay, and on September 9th, President Woodruff, as
a western pioneer addressed in the festive hall a large assembly. He
spoke with vigor and with a clear, strong voice, and was listened to
with rapt attention. President Cannon also spoke, and the Salt Lake
Choir rendered music for the occasion. President Woodruff reached home
on the 17th of September.
In October of that year, Congress passed a bill restoring the property
of the Church. This act brought some financial relief and was a source
of satisfaction to the Saints generally. Litigation, however, over
Church property had been a source of great waste to it. Many who had
urged the confiscation of Church property had realized some of their
hopes in the dispossession of it as the litigation over the property
had been a source of wealth to them, and although their hopes had been
realized, their motives had been revealed.
The situation, at this time, was further relieved at the November
election by the triumph of a citizen's ticket. The loss of the City
to the anti-Mormon element was a source of great disappointment. It
did much, however, to check the opposition and bring about a greater
measure of peace.
On the 7th of December President Woodruff recorded the visit of
Alexander Nickelsen, a dignitary of the Russian government. President
Woodruff gave him a photo of himself and two volumes of the history of
Utah. On this occasion he wrote: "We are being visited by the great men
of the earth. The revelations of God are being fulfilled concerning
Zion."
On the 19th of December the Liberal party of Utah dissolved, a
circumstance which gave further assurances of peace and good will in
the Territory. This action, no doubt, was brought about by the recent
action of the House of Representatives in passing a bill for the
admission of Utah as a state. The Ministers of Utah, by a decision of
the majority, discontinued their opposition to Utah's statehood. In
summing up the events of the year 1893, he wrote in his journal: "The
greatest event of the year is the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple.
Great power was manifest on that occasion. Nearly fifty years ago while
in the City of Boston I had a vision of going to the Rocky Mountains to
build a Temple there and to dedicate it to the Lord."
{585}