Editors’ Table: In Memoriam

EDITORS' TABLE

In^Memoriam

Joseph Fielding Smith

1838-1918

In the passing of President Joseph F. Smith out of this

world, on the morning of November 19, 1918, the Young Men's

Mutual Improvement Associations mourn the loss of their Gen-

eral Superintendent for the third time since their organization

in 1875 — General Superintendents Wilford Woodruff and

Lorenzo Snow having preceded him into the World of Spirits,

the Paradise of God.

It was in the winter of 1875 that President Smith's interest

was first enlisted in our work; and after the Central Committee

was organized, December, 1876, to stand at the head, he was

engaged as the friendly occasional adviser of its officers. It was

in the autumn of 1877, however, that this interest began to as-

sume the constancy and ever-increasing activity that was most

valuable to the success of the Association, during their formative

period. It was during this period that he prepared, especially

for our benefit, his intensely interesting lecture upon the Life of

Joseph the Prophet, which he delivered scores of times before

many thousands of our members.

By the end of 1879, about two hundred and forty associa-

tions had been organized, with nearly ten thousand members.

Our growing importance, as an anxiliary organization of the

Church, then seemed to demand the appointment of an official

advisory authority, including one of the Twelve Apostles, then

the presiding quorum of the Church. This was asked for and,

because of his exceeding sympathy and abounding interest in our

work, that Elder Joseph F. Smith be so selected from their num-

ber. Our request was met on the 6th of April, 1880, by the

creation of the General Superintendency, and the appointment of

three of the apostles, viz., Wilford Woodruff, Joseph F. Smith

and Moses Thatcher to comprise it.

EDITORS' TABLE 265

Although President Smith was called at the following Octo-

ber Conference, to be a counselor in the First Presidency of the

Church, he continued as First Assistant in the General Superin-

tendency of the Y. M. M. I. A. throughout the administrations of

Presidents John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow.

Immediately following his own succession to the Presidency of

the Church, he became our General Superintendent, in which

office he has been regularly sustained since 1901 — not only sus-

tained in it, but he has most faithfully administered its varied

functions.

It thus appears that, from the first year of our organization,

he has been actively associated with it as adviser and counselor,

during its formative period, and as First Assistant General Super-

intendent, and later as General Superintendent, until his death, a

period of forty-three years.

As his associate officers and members of the General Board,

we are in love and duty bound to record our sorrow in his de-

parture from among us, and our joy in the reflection of his super-

lative service while with us. He was the ideal officer in his place

— never failing in direction, never lacking the word of counsel

and encouragement that we needed. He was the friend and

brother of each of us, severally, and had our unbounded confi-

dence, admiration and love. He was so cordial in his fellowship

and association with us that he was in very deed one of us. He

never seemed to grow old. We never thought of him as being

old.

The abiding consciousness of his comradeship is our precious

heritage from him — the memory of it, an inspiration and com-

fort, while memory lasts — reminding us that we were the inti-

mate companions of a veritable servant of the living God — His

prophet, seer and revelator. The grandeur of his character

shone among us with the deep glow of an effulgent seerstone,

reflecting heights and breadths and depths of Intelligence

that is the Glory of God.

And so we knew and loved him; an inspired leader, a faith-

ful counselor, a worthy exemplar.

Blessed be his memory, forever!

Approved by the General Superintendency and members of

the General Board of the Y. M. M, I. A. this 9th day of Decern-

ber, 1918.