The Applause of the Multitude

The Applause of the Multitude By Preston Nibley

The following paragraph appeared in the Outlook, under date of August 15, 1917. It was written by a person who signs himself "Spectator," and is part of an article describing a trip through the Western States.

The Easterner can learn much from the cities of the West. One of the most notable of these is the capital of Utah. Salt Lake City is a monu- ment to the practical sagacity of Brigham Young. That a Vermont farmer's hoy should have developed a new religion is remarkable enough, but that lie should have planned a city that is one of the most beautiful in America is astonishing. Streets a hundred and thirty-two feet wide, many of them with lawns in the center; a convenient scheme by which these streets spread in all directions from a central Temple; fine trees in almost every part of — the city the solitary tree that was here when the pioneers came in 1847 is preserved as a priceless relic; an admirable water system, with abundant water for flushing the streets and for fountains; fine pavements; handsome residences; cooperative stores; a Tabernacle that is wonderful in its acous- tics, though built by pioneers who fastened it together with strips of raw- hide in lieu of nails (the Spectator actually heard a pin drop on the pulpit two hundred feet from where he sat) ; a general air of thrift and comfort.

All these things are remarked by the visitor. So great is the Spectator's admiration of the practical genius that planned this delightful city that he found himself saying:

The most astonishing thing about the shrewd founder of this fine city is that heshouldn't have been a bit shrewder and seen that the peculiar insti- tution of 'Mormonism' was impossible in our time and must be abandoned. If he had, his name would be honored as one of the greatest of American pioneers. As it is, it is held in abhorrence by multitudes, and even the gov- ernment of the city he founded has passed into the hands of the Gentiles.

So much for the "Spectator." He regrets that "the Ver- mont farmer's boy" should not have been "a bit shrewder" and abandoned "Mormonism" altogether, shaping out some other career for himself; probably city-planning, or the like. Really this something new regarding Brigham Young. It is a view is of him we have never heard expressed before. Those who knew President Young may for a moment contemplate his answer to such a proposition. Brigham Young, if we know anything about him, did not care "the snap of his finger" for any city on the globe, com- pared with the great purpose he set out to perform. His grand

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task, that he held ever before himself, was to save and exalt the eternal souls of mankind. The founding of Salt Lake City, with "streets a hundred and thirty -two feet wide; fine trees; hand- some residences ; a Tabernacle that is wonderful in its acoustics," was merely an incident in his wonderful and varied career. The purpose of his whole life, from the time he joined the Church until the day of his death, was one of labor and sacrifice for a divine principle, and not the achievement of any worldly suc- cess whatsoever. If cities were to be built, then let them be built to the honor of God, and for no other purpose. The eternal trouble with the critics of Brigham Young, or "Mormonism" throughout, is that they cannot comprehend the spirit which animated him; cannot understand the spirit or pur- pose of the Church. President Young once said himself:

"This is the Kingdom of God, and no man can understand it, except by the Spirit of God. We are enjoying the blessings of our Father in heaven. No person can understand these blessings, except by the Spirit of revelation."

To this day not one in ten thousand of the tourists who visit Salt Lake City has the slightest notion of the great motive that impelled President Young to lead the Saints to this valley. Had our worthy "Spectator" lived in President Young's day and placed the question before him, he would undoubtedly have received the answer I find in a sermon, delivered August 31, 1856:

"I do not wish men to understand I had anything to do with our being moved here; that was the Providence of the Almighty; it was the power of God that wrought out salvation for this people; I never could have de- vised such a plan."

As for his name being "held in abhorrence by the multi- tudes" on account of "Mormonism": of what consequence is that? I say the more pity for the multitudes. The value of Brigham Young's soul in the eyes of his Maker was worth more to him than any applause or sanction from the multitudes. Alas, how long must we wait before the true character and purpose of our great Latter-day work penetrate the minds and understandings of the people, and before the names of the noble men who gave the efforts of their lives in advancing it, shall be held in honor? That time may be far distant, but it will surely come; and in that day the name of Brigham Young will be held by "the multitudes" in honorable remembrance.

"What has happened to your chauffeur?" "Oh, he was with a regiment down in Texas, and crawled under an army mule to see why it wouldn't go!"