Joseph Fielding Smith: Sixth President of the Church

JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH.

SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

When it was announced, on October 17, 1901, that Joseph F. Smith had been by the quorum of the Twelve sustained and set apart as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had chosen as his counselors in the First Presidency, Elders John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund, there was a universal sentiment of approval arising from all parts of Zion, and it was generally real- ized that the Saints felt in their hearts to say, amen. This was verified when, on Sunday, November 10, the special conference and solemn assembly of the Priesthood ratified, without dissenting voice, the choice made by the apostles. Every stake of Zion, except one —Uintah—was represented either at the assembly or by letter transmitting action taken in local conference by the people. All the general authorities were sustained, including Hyrum Mack Smith as a member of the quorum of Twelve Apostles. It was a most impressive scene to witness the Priesthood, occupy- ing the elevated stands and the central parts of the great taber- nacle, rise to their feet, and, with uplifted hands, each quorum in order, covenant to sustain and uphold the authorities as presented. This action was followed by the whole congregation, the whole body of the Church, likewise rising to their feet and making in the same manner a like covenant. The voting was done in the follow- ing order. President Joseph F. Smith himself presenting all the names to be voted for: First Presidency, Apostles, Patriarchs,

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Presidents of Stakes and their counselors and High Councillors, High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Bishops and their counselors, the Lesser Priesthood, (Priests, Teachers, and Deacons,) and the members of the Church including the Priesthood. The unity manifested among the ten thousand people was something wonderful to behold; while it must have been as astonishing to the stranger, as it was a means of thrilling joy to the authorities and the true lover of the work of God. Surely such a manifestation of unity must have its power for good both in the heavens and upon the earth. With special reference to our Mutual Improvement Associa- tions, it will delight the young men of Zion to learn that already on October 23, 1901, President Smith consented, at the solicita-

tion of the General Board, to become, and was sustained on that day. General Superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. in all the world. He chose as his assistants Heber J. Grant and B. H. Roberts, and this action was also ratified by the solemn assembly. From a sketch of President Joseph F. Smith, of whom the Era presents in this number his favorite portrait, written by Edward H. Anderson a year ago, the following excerpts are taken which give some idea of the active life and staunch character of our new President and Superintendent: It was John Locke, the great characteristic English philoso- pher, who,' at the age of thirty, wrote: "I no sooner perceived myself in the world, but I found my- self in a storm which has lasted hitherto." To Joseph F. Smith, who is among the greatest and most unique and notable individualities of that pecuhar people, the Latter- day Saints, this sentence of Locke's is especially applicable. Only his life was enveloped in storm before he could perceive. He is the son of Hyrum Smith, the second patriarch of the Church and brother of the Prophet Joseph. His mother was Mary Fielding, of English origin, a woman of bright and strong mind and of ex- cellent business and administrative qualities. It was during the Missouri troubles. Governor Boggs had issued his order to exterminate the "Mormons." On the first day of November, 1838, through the heartless treachery of Colonel Hinckle, Joseph and Hyrum and several other leaders of the people were betrayed into the hands of an armed mob under General Clark

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They were to be taken prisoners, and confined in jail, and perhaps shot. On the day following, these betrayed leaders were given a few moments to bid farewell to their families. Under a strong guard of militia mobocrats, Hyrum was marched to his home in Far West, and, at the point of the bayonet, with oaths and curses, was ordered to take his last farewell of his wife. For his "doom- was sealed," and he was told that he would never see her again. Imagine such a shock to his companion! It would have over- powered and come near ending the life of an ordinary person. But with the natural strength of her mind, coupled with the sustaining care of God, she was upheld in this fiery trial with its added miseries to follow. It was on the 13th day of the same month of November, 1838, in the midst of plunderings, and scenes of severest hard- ships and persecution, that she gave birth to her first-born who was named Joseph Fielding Smith. In the cold of the following January, leaving four little ones, under the care of her sister Mercy R. —children of her husband by a former wife then dead —she journeyed in a wagon with her infant to Liberty jail in Clay county, where the husband'and father was confined, without trial or convic- tion, his sole ofl^ense being that he was a "Mormon." She was per- mitted to visit him in jail, but was later compelled to continue her flight from Missouri with her children to seek shelter in Illinois.

Such were the stormy environments of birth, and such was the first pilgrimage of the infant Joseph who has since compassed the earth and the islands of the sea, promulgating and defending the principles for which his father endured imprisonment and later martyrdom, and for which his mother suffered untold persecution and distress. Joseph's early years were spent amid the agitations which culminated in the martyrdom of his uncle and his father on the memorable 27th day of June, 1844. After the abandonment of the city by the Twelve, and when the majority of the Saints had been driven from Nauvoo, in September, 1846, his mother fled from the city and camped on the west side of the Mississippi river, among the trees on its banks, without wagon or tent, during

the bombardment of the city by the mob. Having later succeeded in making exchanges of property in Illinois for teams and an out-

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fit, she set out for Winter Quarters, on the Missouri river. Joseph, a lad of only about eight years, drove a yoke of oxen and a wagon most of the distance through the state of Iowa to Winter Quarters, and his other occupation, after leaving Nauvoo, was principally that of herd boy. On these western plains he drank in the freedom of the spirit of the West, and developed that physical strength which, notwith- standing his later sedentary occupation, is still observable in his robust, erect and muscular form. He is a lover of strength and a believer in work. "Labor is the key to the true happiness of the physical and spiritual being. If a man possesses millions, his children should still be taught how to labor with their hands; boys and girls should receive a home training which will fit them to cope with the practical daily affairs of family life, even where the conditions are such that they may not have to do this work themselves; they will then know how to guide and direct others," said he, in a recent conversation with the writer. The great and overpowering desire of all the Saints was to obtain means to gather to the valley. For this purpose, various kinds of labor was sought in Iowa and neighboring states, from farming to school teaching. In the fall of 1847, he drove a team for his mother to St. Joseph for the purpose of securing provisions to make the coveted journey to the Salt Lake valley, in the spring following. The trip was successfully made. * * * * Leaving Winter Quarters in the spring of 1848, they reached the Salt Lake valley on September 23, Joseph driving two yoke of oxen with a heavy loaded wagon the whole distance. He performed all the duties of a day-watchman, herdsman and teamster, with other requirements imposed upon the men. Arriving in the valley, he again had charge of the herds, in- terchanging with such labors as plowing, canyon work, harvesting and fencing. During this whole time, he never lost an animal en- trusted to his care; this notwithstanding the numerous large wolves, abounding in the valley. His education was obtained from his mother, who early taught him, in the tent, in the camp, on the prairie, to read the Bible. He has had no other save that sterner education gathered from

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the practical pages of life. But his opportunities in later years have not gone unused, and there are few college-bred men who delight more in books than Joseph. He is, too, a fair judge of the manner and matter of books. His leisure for reading is limited, owing to his constant employment in the affairs of the Church; but he loves to read books of history, philosophy, science; and has specially delighted in such authors as Seiss and Samuel Smiles, who may be said to be his favorites. He is fond of music, of which, though not a judge, he is a great lover, especially enjoying the music of the human voice. In 1852, his mother died, leaving him an orphan at the age of fourteen. When fifteen years of age, he, with other young men, was called on his first mission to the Sandwich Islands. The in- cidents of the journey to the coast by horses, his work in the moun- tains at a shingle mill for means to proceed, and the embarkment and journey on the Vaquero for the islands, are sufficient for a long article in themselves; while his labors in the Maui conference, under President F. A. Hammond, his efforts to learn the language in the district of Kula, his attack of sickness, the most severe of his life, caused by Panama fever, and his other labors, and varied, trying experiences while there, would fill a volume. He says, "Of the many gifts' of the Spirit which were manifest through my ad- ministration, next to my acquirement of the language, the most prominent was perhaps the gift of healing, and by the power of God the casting out of evil spirits, which frequently occurred." * * *

Returning in 1858, he joined the militia which intercepted Johnston's army, serving, until the close of hostilities, under Colonel Thomas Callister. He was later chaplain of Colonel Heber P. Kim- ball's regiment, with the rank of captain. He took part in many Indian expeditions, and was in every sense a minute man in the Utah militia. In the spring of 1860, he was sent on a mission to Great Brit- ain, driving a four-mule team over the plains for his passage. On this mission he served nearly three years, returning in the summer of 1863; it was here that the intimacy between President George Q. Cannon, who presided over the mission, and Joseph F. Smith be- gan; friendship and love for each other were engendered, which have since grown stronger through- the intimate careers of two

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beautiful lives. On his return, President Young proposed at a priesthood meeting that Joseph and his cousin, Samuel, each be given a present of $1,000 to begin life with. President Smith re- alized in the neighborhood of $75.00, in provisions and merchan- dise, but mostly a legacy of much annoyance from certain people who entertained the current belief that he had thus obtained a small fortune. With the exception of the cost of his passage and stage fare home, which was sent him by his aunt, Mercy E. Thomp- son, amounting to about $100, he paid his own expenses through- out, as he had done on previous missions. President Smith has been too busy with his work to make money, and his temporal af- fairs are a strong testimony to his exclusive devotion to the pub- lic good. He had only been home a short time, when, in the early spring of 1864, he was called to accompany Ezra T. Benson and Lorenzo Snow on a second mission to the Sandwich Islands to regulate the affairs of that mission, which had been greatly disarranged by the well-known shrewd and covetous actions of Walter M. Gibson. In this mission he acted as principal interpreter for the Apostles. After Gibson was excommunicated from the Church, Joseph was left in charge of the mission, with W. W. Cluff and Alma L. Smith as his fellow-laborers. It was many months after Gibson had been

cut oif before his people left his jurisdiction and returned to the standard of the Church. Among the works accomplished by Joseph and his associates on this mission was the selection of the Laie plantation as a gathering place for the Saints, which was after- wards, on their recommendation, purchased by a committee sent for that purpose by President Young, and which has proven a val- uable possession for the mission, and for the Church in a general way. Joseph and his aids returned in the winter of 1864-5. * *

It was while on this mission that the drowning incident oc- curred, frequently mentioned in sketches of President Snow. That incident, as related by him, who was opposed to the brethren going ashore and who therefore remained on the vessel, notwithstanding he was the youngest of the party, and remained against the pro- test of his brethren, illustrates two predominating traits in his character: When he is convinced of the truth, he is not afraid to express himself in its favor to any man on earth. When he does

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express himself, it is often with such earnestness and vigor that there is frequently danger of his giving offense. On his return home, he labored in the Church historian's office for a number of years; also as clerk in the endowment house, suc- ceeding Elder John V. Long in that capacity; being in charge, after the death of President Young, until it was closed. He had been ordained an Apostle under the hands of President Young, on July 1, 1866, and on the 8th of October, 1867, he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In the year following, he was sent with Apostle Wilford Woodruff and Elder A. 0. Smoot to Utah county, and served one term in the Provo city council. On February 28, 1874, he went on his second mission to England, where he presided over the European mission, returning in 1875, after the death of President George A. Smith. On his return he was appointed to preside over the Davis Stake, until the spring of 1877, when he left on his third British mission, having first witnessed the dedication of the first temple in the Rocky Mountains, at St. George, April, 1877. He arrived in Liver- pool, May 27, and was joined a short time afterwards by Apostle Orson Pratt, who had been sent to pubhsh new editions of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. When news ar- rived of the death of President Young, they were released, arriv- ing home September 27. In August of the following year, he was sent with Apostle Orson Pratt on a short eastern mission, visiting noted places in the history of the Church in Missouri, Ohio, New York and Illinois. It was on this trip that they had their famous interview with David Whitmer. When the First Presidency was organized, in October, 1880, he was chosen second counselor to President John Taylor, who died July 25, 1887. He was chosen to the same position in the Presidency under President Woodruff; and held it under President Snow. It would take too much space to name his various civil positions held in Salt Lake City and in the legislature of the territory, where he served the people long and faithfully. All my readers are familiar with the work of his recent years; it is like an open book to the whole people. So he has been constantly in the service of the public, and by his straightforward course has won the love, confidence and esteem of the whole community. He is a friend of the people, is easily

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approached, a wise counselor, a man of broad views, and, contrary to first impressions, is a man whose sympathies are easily aroused. He is a reflex of the best character of the "Mormon" people — in-

ured to hardships, patient in trial. God-fearing, self-sacrificing, full of love for the human race, powerful in moral, mental and phys- ical strength.

President Joseph F. Smith has an imposing physical appear- ance. He has completed his sixty-third year; he is tall, erect, well-knit and symmetrical in build. He has a prominent nose and features. When speaking, he throws his full, clear, brown eyes wide open on the listener who may readily perceive from their pen- etrating glimpse the wonderful mental power of the tall forehead above. His large head is crowned with an abundant growth of hair, in his early years dark, but now, like his full beard, tinged with a liberal sprinkling of gray. In conversation, one is forcibly impressed with the sudden changes in appearance of his counte- nance, under the different influences of his mind: now intensely pleasant, with an enthusiastic and childlike interest in immediate subjects and surroundings : now absent, the mobility of his features set in that earnest, almost stern, majesty of expression so char- acteristic of his portraits —so indicative of the severity of the con- ditions and environments of his early life. Bravery and fidelity

to trust are indissolubly interwoven with his character. He was never known to shirk a duty or prove recreant to a responsibility. As a public speaker, his leading trait is an intense earnest- ness. He impresses the hearer with his message more from the sincerity of its delivery, and the honest earnestness of his manner, than from any learned exhibition of oratory or studied display of logic. He touches the hearts of the people with the simple elo- quence of one who is himself convinced of the truths presented. He is a pillar of strength in the Church, thoroughly imbued with the truths of the Gospel, and the divine origin of this work. His whole life and testimony are an inspiration to the young. Under him the affairs of the Church are in the care of a wise, able and conservative servant of the Lord, who has the full con- fidence, S5nnpathy and earnest prayers of the Latter-day Saints for a long and prosperous administration, under the inspiration and blessing of God.