LIFE OF
DAVID W. PATTEN
THE FIRST APOSTOLIC
MARTYR.
LYCURGUS A. WILSON.
1904.
Salt Lake City, Utah.
TO THE MISSIONARIES
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, AT HOME AND ABROAD,
THIS FEEBLE SKETCH OF THE LIFE WORK OF ONE WHOSE
ENERGIES WERE ALL DEVOTED TO THE SAME
WORTHY PURPOSE AS THEIR OWN, IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
Preface.
The writing of this little volume has been a pleasant task. And just as
we find mingled with our regret at parting with a friend, a joy in the
assurance that to whomsoever he comes he will give the same pleasure
he has afforded us, so the author has a feeling in putting out this
brief memoir of David W. Patten that the courage and faith manifested
in his life will not be lost or unfruitful in the lives of those who
contemplate his career.
There remains only the pleasure of thanking those who have taken an
interest in this work, and their name is legion. But first of all
perhaps is the nephew of Apostle Patten, Thomas Jefferson Patten, of
Provo, Utah.
Particular mention should be made of the kindness shown by the late
President Wilford Woodruff, by President Lorenzo Snow, by President
Joseph F. Smith, by the late Apostle Franklin D. Richards and by the
late President Abraham O. Smoot, of Utah Stake. In short, all who knew,
or who have read of, Apostle David W. Patten, have seemed to count it a
pleasure to do whatever they could to assist in perpetuating his memory.
L.A.W.
Salt Lake City, Utah,
February 8, 1900.
OFFICE OF
_The First Presidency_
OF THE
_Church of Jesus Christ_
OF
_Latter-day Saints._
P. O. Box B.
_Salt Lake City, Utah_, February 6, 1900.
_To the Reader:_
_All the circumstances of my first and last meeting with Apostle David
W. Patten are as clear to my mind as if it were an occurrence of but
yesterday, and yet it took place some sixty-four years ago. He appeared
to me then to be a remarkable man, and that impression has remained
with me ever since._
_We traveled together on horseback from my father's home, at Mantua,
Ohio, to Kirtland, a distance of perhaps twenty-five miles, he on his
return from some missionary labor, I to commence a course of studies at
Oberlin College._
_On the way our conversation fell upon religion and philosophy, and
being young and having enjoyed some scholastic advantages, I was at
first disposed to treat his opinions lightly, especially so as they
were not always clothed in grammatical language; but as he proceeded
in his earnest and humble way to open up before my mind the plan of
salvation, I seemed unable to resist the knowledge that he was a man of
God and that his testimony was true. I felt pricked in my heart._
_This he evidently perceived, for almost the last thing he said to me,
after bearing his testimony, was that I should go to the Lord before
retiring at night and ask him for myself. This I did with the result
that from the day I met this great Apostle, all my aspirations have
been enlarged and heightened immeasurably. This was the turning point
in my life._
_What impressed me most was his absolute sincerity, his earnestness
and his spiritual power; and I believe I cannot do better in this
connection than to commend a careful study of his life to the honest in
heart everywhere._
_Lorenzo Snow_
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Early life of David W. Patten--Parentage--Marriage--Joins the
Methodists--Learns of the restoration of the Gospel--Visits his
brother--Resume of Church history--Receives Baptism--First mission.