"Now, before I close, I will again bear my testimony that this work is of God. This Tabernacle that you are in today was seen by the Prophet Isaiah and other prophets, and they spoke of it, as well as the temples that are built in the Valleys of the Mountains. All have been pointed out by the prophets of God, and the Lord revealed to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many other prophets, our day, our history, our lives, our position in this immense barren desert which has been occupied by the Latter-day Saints, and is as we see it today through the blessings of God. I will bear my testimony to the world, to my friends of the Church and the State, and to all men under heaven, that this is the truth of God. The Lord Almighty has set His hand to accomplish this work. Joseph Smith was raised up by the power of God and the revelations of Jesus Christ to organize this Church and kingdom in the dispensation of the fulness of times. His life was short, as was the Savior's. But it was a great work that he performed in the flesh. The Savior lived about three and a half years after He entered the ministry. Joseph Smith lived some fourteen years from the time he received the plates and translated them into the English language. He laid down his life, as did Christ and His Apostles, for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. He will rise in his glorified celestial body and meet again with his brethren the apostles and elders of Israel, and will stand in days to come as the leader among us in celestial glory. I feel to bear my testimony to this. It matters not about the unbelief of men. They cannot turn away the work of Almighty God. The Lord has set His hand to carry out these great principles which He has revealed, the establishing of the Zion of God and the preparation for the coming of the Son of Man. What has been said about the mountains of Israel will have its fulfillment. The judgments of God will follow in the earth in fulfillment of what has been said, and no power on earth can stay them. I am anxious, although my life has been preserved to this great age, I still am anxious that we as a people may do our duty, may live our religion, may keep the faith, may so walk before the Lord that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion to lead us in the days that lie before us. This is my prayer and my desire, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
The choir and congregation sang, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," which was followed by a short address by President Lorenzo Snow.
President Snow bore testimony to the truthfulness of the remarks of President Woodruff. He had been acquainted with him sixty years, commencing in Kirtland. President Woodruff was a man who had always acted in harmony with the leaders of the Church, never taking exceptions to the instructions promulgated by those who were in authority. The Church had never acted in hostility to people of outside denominations. It had always encouraged settlement in our midst and had attempted to treat all with fairness and respect. The audience to which he spoke was one made up of nearly all classes of people. They had gathered on invitation in order to participate in honoring President Woodruff on the ninetieth anniversary of his birth.
All people had a perfect right to worship whom they pleased, but they should do so conscientiously. They could take a lesson from the example set by President Woodruff, as he had lived a life of purity and holiness, always trying to make the world better for his having lived.
Held's band, under the direction of Professor John Held, rendered in fine style a medley of beautiful airs.
President George Q. Cannon addressed the assemblage. He said that in standing before such a vast audience one was led to feel keenly the insignificance of man. The assemblage recalled to his mind an occasion of great joy which took place here in 1849, the purpose being to celebrate the advent of the Pioneers into this Valley. At that time feasting, dancing, etc., was indulged in, and thanks was given to God for the bounteous blessings He had bestowed upon His people.
A great change had taken place since then. The inter-mountain country, then a barren desert, had been quite thickly populated and now blossomed as the rose through the efforts of the sturdy, God-fearing men and women who first settled this Valley, coupled with the blessings of the Father. President Woodruff had been a husbandman in his day, and to him belonged the credit of planting the first potato in the Valley. This was a most momentous period, and through the ninety years of PresidentWoodruff's life, he had witnessed many scenes and had seen a great many changes take place. The gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, had made great strides in the years of its organization, and it would continue to grow and flourish in the earth until God's purposes had been accomplished. It was destined to revolutionize the whole world, and, if lived up to by the people of the earth, would make mankind happier, and give them a hope and a knowledge of that which would greet them in the life to come.
The entrance of the Pioneers into this Valley would be dwelt upon more and more as the years rolled on. The day would come when it would mark an epoch in the world's history, and one of the central figures thereof would be President Woodruff, who was being honored to-day. A more honest man it would be hard to find. Always quiet and unassuming, he held a love in his heart for all his fellowmen, and his love had been reciprocated by the many friends which he had made while on this mortal sphere.
The speaker felt that the sound of President Woodruff's voice should be engraved upon the cylinders of a phonograph, that in after years the young and rising generation might enjoy its sweet and loving vibrations. He was a man of the utmost integrity, and as such he would forever be held in loving remembrance.
President Cannon, in conclusion, felt not to praise too highly mankind, for he feared that the Saints by so doing would almost become man worshipers. But the words which had been spoken concerning President Woodruff were true, and his devotion and fealty to the work of God brought out a desire among the Saints to do him honor. He was the only living apostle that had acted in such capacity with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and as such he was looked upon as a rare treasure. The speaker's desire was that God would spare President Woodruff's life among us, that he might live many years more to be a comfort and a consolation unto the Latter-day Saints. This, said he, would undoubtedly be the prayer of all the Latter-day Saints upon the earth.
The choir sang the anthem, "Let the Mountains Shout for Joy," directly followed by the congregation arising and joiningin singing the Doxology. Benediction was pronounced by Elder Brigham Young.
At the conclusion of the exercises the reception was begun, President and Mrs. Woodruff being seated on arm chairs beneath a canopy of bunting and surrounded by masses of beautiful flowers. The first to shake hands with the venerable President and his wife was Governor Heber M. Wells. Then followed members of the Legislature, the lady members first, and the gentlemen afterwards. Then came the general public, the reception lasting upward of an hour.
An elegant bed spread was presented to President Woodruff from the ladies of Millville, Cache County. The material of which it was made is mostly Utah silk, and the spread was made by the ladies of Millville, the design being artistically executed with crochet work. The spread was accompanied by a note of presentation, which read as follows:
"To Wilford Woodruff, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
"DEAR BROTHER:—We, the sisters of Millville ward, Cache Valley Stake of Zion, in token of the high esteem, honor and respect in which you are held by us, embrace this opportunity, on the 90th anniversary of your birth, to present to you a spread, the workmanship of which is that of our own hands. It was made for the World's Fair, sent to Chicago, received first prize, and returned to us. We now present it to you. We also congratulate you on your reaching the ninetieth milestone, on the road of experiences and usefulness, in leading the Saints along the lines of faithfulness and truth, in the worship of our Heavenly Father. We extend to you our faith and prayers, that you may continue to live, to be our leader in the cause of Christ, and to this end we will ever pray. Yours truly, Rose Woolf, chairman, Esther Hammond, Sarah H. Hammond, Ida Hammond, S. M. Yates, Rhoda Holt, Hennett Olson, Miranda Biglow, committee."
With the presentation of a beautiful bouquet, the Latter-day Saints' College, by Miss Bertha Wilcken, submitted the following:
March 1st, 1897.
"To President Woodruff and Wife:
"All Israel sends greetings to their leader and companion. As one branch of the great cause in which you have labored so long and so well, we join in the general acclamation. "As cold water to a thirsty soul," so have been your faithful ministrations to the people of God. May the sands of your life run slowly and calmly to the end, the snows of age's winter following safely and protectingly upon you. May He who is the Father of all be a Parent and Protector in your declining years.
"With deepest affection,
"Your Brethren and Sisters,
"The Teachers and Students of the Latter-day Saints College."
A beautiful silver mounted cane was presented by the Temple workers.
The anniversary exercises were attended by several persons who were baptized by President Woodruff in Great Britain nearly sixty years ago, while he was filling a mission there which lasted from 1837 to 1841. There were also some present who accompanied President Woodruff home from Great Britain in the year 1841, crossing the sea in the ship Rochester.
Writing afterwards of that great day in his life, in his journal, he said: "The scene completely overpowered me. The events of my childhood and early manhood came to my mind. I remembered vividly how I prayed to the Lord that I might live to see a prophet or an apostle who would teach me the gospel of Christ. Here I stood in the great Tabernacle filled with ten thousand children, with Prophets, Apostles, and Saints. My head was a fountain of tears; still I addressed the mighty congregation of pure, innocent children."
Such a celebration naturally made its demands upon his health and it was generally noticed that he was growing weaker and that he could not much longer tabernacle in the flesh. On the 6th of April, he entered the Tabernacle and spoke to the congregation for about ten minutes. Upon entering the buildingthe vast congregation waved their handkerchiefs as an expression of their joy in beholding their enfeebled, but venerable President. He struggled on in his efforts to perform as far as possible the duties of his office.
July 19th, 1907, President Woodruff received a visit from Judge J. F. Kinney, a former United States justice of the Territory, and a friend to the people. Of this meeting the President says:
"Our greeting was mutual. We both wept. As soon as I could speak, I said, 'Judge Kinney, you have done more for the 'Mormon' people in your official capacity than all the other federal officials sent here by the government.' He thanked me and said he had always endeavored to do his duty as he understood it. We had a pleasant conversation for an hour, when we parted, expecting to meet again."
Of July 20th, 1897, President Woodruff remarks:
"This is the first day of the proceedings in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the entrance of the Pioneers into the valley of the Great Salt Lake—the year of jubilee. Great preparations have been made. This morning I drove to the stand erected near the Brigham Young Monument, where most of the ceremonies of the day are to be held. After the firing of cannon and so forth, the ceremonies commenced. I had prepared a prayer, but not being able to deliver it, Bishop Orson F. Whitney did so for me. During the proceedings I unveiled the monument amid acclamations of the people. I also attended the proceedings at the Tabernacle in the afternoon and received a beautiful gold badge, as did also all the surviving Pioneers of 1847. There was also a grand concert at the Tabernacle in the evening. Being too weary, I did not attend."
He continued to attend each day of the celebration and on the twenty-fourth, seated in a carriage with President Joseph F. Smith and Apostle F. D. Richards, he headed the great Pioneer parade.
Of July 22, 1897, he writes, "I attended a part of the services of the Jubilee on children's day in the Tabernacle. At twelve-thirty, after being seated on a chair provided for me, I had a laurel wreath placed upon my head by a beautiful little girl, daughter ofJohn and Ida Taylor Whittaker, and granddaughter of President John Taylor. I kissed her, saying, 'God bless you.' This was in the presence of some twelve thousand children, seated in the Tabernacle, a most beautiful sight."
August 14, 1897, President Woodruff signed a letter, prepared by Brother David McKenzie, and addressed to the King and Queen of Sweden. It was to be accompanied by a beautiful Utah onyx box, containing an artistically bound Book of Mormon, to be presented by the Swedes and Norwegians of Utah to the King and Queen on the twenty-fifth anniversary of their coronation. Elder J. M. Sjodahl was to make the presentation. The King and Queen accepted the present with gratitude and respect. Following is the text of the letter:
LETTER FROM THE FIRST PRESIDENCY.
"To Whom These Presents May Come,
"GREETING:
"Elder Janne Matson Sjodahl, the bearer of this letter, is a gentleman of education and distinction, a Swede by birth, who has traveled extensively in the Orient as well as in Europe and America. His present residence is Salt Lake City, Utah, where he is well and favorably known and highly esteemed by all who know him.
"Elder Sjodahl has been selected by his fellow-countrymen—natives of Sweden and Norway, a large body of whom reside in and are citizens of the State of Utah—to proceed to the court of theirMajesties, King Oscar II and Queen Sophia, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of their ascension to the throne, for the purpose of presenting in their name and behalf, to their Majesties, a casket, made of Utah onyx, containing a copy of the Book of Mormon, as an expression of the high esteem, affection, and love which the Scandinavians of this inter-mountain region entertain for their Majesties, with the hope and earnest desire that their Majesties will live to witness many happy returns of this most auspicious event.
"And we ourselves, though not of the Scandinavian race, do most heartily join with our Scandinavian friends and fellow citizens in desiring long life, peace, prosperity, and happiness for their Majesties, King Oscar II and Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway.
"WILFORD WOODRUFF,
"GEO. Q. CANNON,
"JOSEPH F. SMITH,
"First Presidency of the Church of
"Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"SALT LAKE CITY, U. S. A., August 20th, 1897."
That the king was very much pleased with the congratulations and gifts of the Scandinavians in Utah and the address from the First Presidency may be inferred from the fact that the bearer received a cordial invitation to the grand banquet in the palace, and later a copy de luxe of the proceedings of the jubilee.
On the 9th of the following September, he again started for the Pacific coast where he had formerly found relief as well as recuperation. He first went to Portland and then to San Francisco, and reached home on the 25th of the same month.
The following October conference brought to his life an event which gave him the deepest satisfaction. His joy is abundantly expressed in the call which his son Owen received to be one of the Twelve Apostles. At this conference, Matthias F. Cowley, as well as Owen Woodruff, was called to be an apostle, and Joseph W. McMurrin to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of President Edward Stevenson of the First Council of Seventy.
November 16th, 1897, President Woodruff performed the marriage ceremony which united his daughter Alice to William McEwan. After bestowing upon them his benediction, he spoke to them as follows: "You are now husband and wife, having entered into a mutual covenant. Promises for time and eternity have been made to you. If you, yourselves, honor God and your parents, and keep His commandments and the covenants you have entered into, you will be true and faithful throughout all eternity; and I will tell you why. While we are here we are surrounded by temptations because we are where devils dwell. They are around us and have power to tempt us; and here is the place they work. But there is no man or woman who has been true and faithful here until death that will ever be disturbed or annoyed bythem after death, for the reason that when faithful Saints receive their resurrected bodies they will occupy a place in the celestial kingdom, and there devils do not dwell. In that kingdom there will be no one to tempt you or lead you astray. If you are true and faithful here you will be true and faithful there, and be so throughout all eternity.
"When those who are guided by these evil spirits die they go where the evil spirits are, and they will continue to have power over them. Those who resist such spirits in the flesh will be free from their power hereafter."
At April conference in 1898, he was present and spoke for a few moments, but this was the last conference he ever attended. He continued feeble throughout the spring and summer of that year, but struggled to attend the duties of his office.
The last appearance of President Woodruff in a public capacity in Salt Lake City was at the ceremonies connected with the dedication of historic Pioneer square for a public park. This was on July 24th, the fifty-first anniversary of the arrival of the pioneers in the Valley. But of the one hundred and forty-eight who entered the Valley on that hot summer day in 1847, only two, President Woodruff, and W. C. A. Smoot, were present to see their former camping ground dedicated to the public use. Upon this occasion the venerable Church president delivered an interesting address. He indulged in a number of reminiscences of the entrance of the pioneers on July 24th, 1847. The pioneers, of which he was one, President Woodruff said, emerged from Emigration canyon at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, and driving down into the Valley, camped near where the Knutsford hotel now stands. He was driving in President Brigham Young's carriage, at the time, and several members of the party preceded them. The forerunners had already broken ground in which to plant potatoes, "and," the speaker added, "we planted them before we either ate or drank. We planted them in the earth, too, because Orson Pratt objected to planting them in the moon." (Laughter.) The carriage in which President Young entered the Valley, President Woodruff said, was built by a man in Nauvoo. The box was twelve feet long and was entered from the side by a door.
President Woodruff then told of the walk which PresidentYoung took over the present site of the city the day after his arrival, and of how he stuck his cane in the ground where the Temple now stands, and made the historic declaration: "Here will be the Temple of our God." "I didn't ask him," continued President Woodruff, "who told him the Temple would be there. I didn't care. I put a stake there and the Temple is there, a monument to President Young's foresight and prophetic accuracy."
President Woodruff also told of the first trip to the Lake, and of the bath which he and the other members of the party took at that time. "One of our number," he said, "was a negro, and when he came out and the salt water had dried upon him he was almost white. Porter Rockwell declared that the sudden change in the negro's color was the first miracle that had been performed in this part of the country. (Laughter). But as soon as the salt came off he was as black as ever. (Laughter)."
Reference was then made to the efforts of a Californian to induce President Young to journey on to California, and his refusal to consider such a proposition. He declared his intention at that time of remaining here and building a temple, a city and a country, "and you can judge for yourselves," President Woodruff added, "whether he did it or not."
President Woodruff predicted that the population of the State would increase as rapidly during the coming fifty years as it had in the past fifty; and in connection with the past progress, he declared that he was in duty bound to give President Young full credit for what he had done. President Young, he said, had been inspired by God to do all these things, and had done them well. In closing he admonished the people to live their religion and do honor to God in order that they might join President Young and the other pioneers in the world above.
He again sought relief in a change of atmosphere and surroundings. On the 13th of August, he left for the Pacific coast. He was accompanied by his wife, Emma, by George Q. Cannon, and Bishop Clawson. Upon their arrival in San Francisco, they were welcomed at the home of Col. Isaac Trumbo. As late as August 27 he addressed the Bohemian Club, and the next day spoke in the meeting of the Saints in San Francisco. This was his last public address. His life was gradually ebbing away, and within a couple of weeks after reaching the coast he beganto fail rapidly, and passed from this life at 6:40 Friday morning, September 2nd, 1898.
Of his last moments, George Q. Cannon, who was at his bedside, wrote in his journal: "I arose about 6 o'clock. The nurse told me he had been sleeping in the same position all the time. I took hold of his wrist, felt his pulse and I could feel that it was very faint. While I stood there it grew fainter and fainter until it faded entirely. His head, his hands, and his feet were warm and his appearance was that of a person sleeping sweetly and quietly. There was not a quiver of a muscle nor a movement of his limbs or face; thus he passed away.
"I cannot describe the feelings I had. The event was so unexpected, so terrible—and away from home. I could not understand it. I felt that I had lost the best friend I had on earth. The suddenness of his sickness and death was a blow to all of us. I have known President Woodruff since I was a boy twelve years of age, when he came to my father's house. I have loved him with great affection. During my association with him as a counselor, our relations have been of the most pleasant character. He has treated me with the greatest consideration and kindness and has honored me beyond my deserts. He has deferred to me many times when I felt that he was paying me too much respect. He has sought to know my mind upon every question of any importance that has been submitted to us. Very frequently when I have been absent, he has deferred action until I could be present. No man that ever lived could have honored a counselor more than President Woodruff has honored me. He was a man entirely free from jealousy and from every feeling that would make it unpleasant for his associates. He has been angelic in his nature. A pure woman could not have been more lovely and interesting to associate with than he has been."
The remains of the deceased leader were conveyed from San Francisco to Salt Lake City in a special car. As many of the members of the Twelve as were in the city, together with a number of the President's family, met the party accompanying the body, at Ogden on the morning of September 4, and joined them for the remainder of the journey to the capital. From the railway station the casket and its contents were carried to the Woodruffresidence, where they remained until the 8th inst.—the day of the funeral.
On May 18, 1882, President Woodruff wrote the following directions as to his burial, which he wished carried out by his friends when he should pass away:
"CONCERNING MY DEATH AND BURIAL.
"I wish to say that at my death I wish the historian of the Church to publish a brief account of my life, labors, and travels as an Elder and an Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wish my body washed clean and clothed in clean white linen, according to the order of the Holy Priesthood, and put into a plain, decent coffin, made of native wood, with plenty of room. I do not wish any black made use of about my coffin, or about the vehicle that conveys my body to the grave. I do not wish my family or friends to wear any badge of mourning for me at my funeral or afterwards, for, if I am true and faithful unto death, there will be no necessity for any one to mourn for me. I have no directions to give concerning the services of my funeral, any further than it would be pleasing to me for as many of the Presidency and Twelve Apostles who may be present to speak as may be thought wisdom. Their speech will be to the living.
"If the laws and customs of the spirit world will permit, I should wish to attend my funeral myself, but I shall be governed by the counsel I receive in the spirit world.
"I wish a plain marble slab put at the head of my grave, stating my name and age, and that I died in the faith of the Gospel of Christ and in the fellowship of the Saints.
"WILFORD WOODRUFF.
"President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles."
FUNERAL SERVICES.
(From the Deseret News.)
After more than ninety-one years of incessant activity and immeasurable usefulness upon the earth, the mortal tabernacle of President Wilford Woodruff was to-day laid to rest in the silent city above the metropolis that he helped to found and to build. The final offices associated with the consignment of his remains to the plain and substantial tomb in which they were deposited were most kindly and reverently administered. Never was a great and good man more loved by his people than he, and perhaps a people never exhibited the love and respect they held for a leader to a greater extent than did the tens of thousands who attended his obsequies and witnessed the funeral cortege as it passed through the streets to the cemetery. Bared and bowed heads were everywhere in the multitude upon the streets. When words were spoken it was with subdued voices, and all that was said was said with respect and honor for the departed pioneer, builder, and statesman.
Probably not for years to come will such a spectacle as that which was presented this morning be again witnessed. Long before 8 o'clock anxious throngs had congregated in groups around the Temple square, awaiting the opening of the outer gates that seats might be obtained; for well was it anticipated that mighty hosts would throng the sacred precincts of the Tabernacle to pay by their presence the last sad token of respect to the dead leader in Israel. Therefore the scene was a remarkable one. Nothing, however, occurred to mar the solemnity of the great occasion. The hush of expectation was felt by all as they stood in the shade of the Temple block walls, and all around under the sheltering trees, and one could not but feel that, with the deep solemnity prevailing and the tremor of sunshine that some sweetly solemn thought brought to mind as the moments passed, he was standing on the verge of the valley of Death.Not, however, with any feeling of gloom, because of the great bereavement the people felt that they sustained in the demise of their beloved President, but because of the joy that emanated from their hearts and beamed from their eyes.
It was more than an hour and a half before the services in the Tabernacle began. When the doors were opened the great auditorium was almost filled. The people continued to pour in by every door; nearly every seat was taken before ten o'clock, except those reserved for the family of the deceased and the families and friends of the highest officials of the Church. These, however, were all occupied before the appointed time for the services to begin.
Outside the building, while the crowds were pressing forward, Marshal Burton and his aids, mounted on magnificent horses, were busy directing the movements of the attendant hosts. Without and within, the scene was the same, and when all who could obtain sitting or standing room in the great building were at length in position, one could not help but revert in his mind to similar occasions in the past. Perhaps no similar scene ever surpassed this of to-day even in the camps of ancient Israel, or in the gatherings that have been depicted by historic pen from the days when Greece and Rome paid tribute to their dead. There was no pageantry or panoply of strange device; no pomp of show or bombastic sorrow; nothing but united homage and love.
It was just 10 o'clock when the body of President Woodruff was borne into the confines of the square and thence carried down the north aisle of the Tabernacle to its central position on the dais before the stand. As the procession entered, fully ten thousand people with uncovered heads, rose in respect, as the casket passed along its way, and so quiet was the rising that it seemed like the gentle rustling of autumn leaves.
Thousands unable to gain admittance to the Tabernacle thronged and pressed around the entrances and walls in hope of hearing a word of sound from the hallowed precincts within, that would touch a sympathetic chord in their responsive hearts, while thousands more lingered for hours under the kindly shelter of the numerous trees that ornament the spacious grounds within the square, that they might, when opportunity arrived, join in the procession to the grave.
The scenes around the late home of the venerable President were such as are usual in the presence of death. The family of the deceased and the general authorities of the Church were gathered around the bier, and gentle, loving hands bore the casket to the waiting hearse. Woodruff Villa was left by the cortege at twenty minutes past nine, and the procession wended its way from Fifth East to Sixth South, thence to State Street, thence north to South Temple, thence west to East Temple, and proceeding round the Temple block reached the north gate of the square at five minutes past ten. The casket was then borne into the Tabernacle by six bearers, whose names are as follows: Dr. L. W. Snow, Dr. M. W. Snow, Wilford S. Woodruff, James Woodruff, Jr., Georges Scholes, and Wilford Woodruff Beatie. The family of the President followed immediately behind and then came the general authorities of the Church, the Twelve Apostles, and others, and the casket was placed upon the dias in front of the stand where it could be seen by the assembled thousands, who rose en masse during the proceeding.
At 10:35, the Tabernacle being then crowded to its utmost capacity, Professor Joseph J. Daynes rendered on the organ a march composed especially for the occasion. Its rendition was the signal for reverential attention, all seeming to feel to the greatest extent the utter solemnity of the occasion.
Of the general authorities, there were present on the stand:
Counselors to the late President Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith.
Of the Twelve Apostles: Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Mariner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, and Abraham O. Woodruff.
Presiding Patriarch, John Smith.
Of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies: Seymour B.Young, Christian D. Fjeldsted, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds, and J. Golden Kimball.
The Presiding Bishopric: Wm. B. Preston, Robert T. Burton, and John R. Winder.
The Presidency of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion.
President George Q. Cannon announced the opening hymn, on page 357 of the L. D. S. Hymn book, commencing as follows:
"Thou dost not weep, to weep alone;The broad bereavement seems to fallUnheeded and unfelt by none;He was beloved, beloved by all."
"Thou dost not weep, to weep alone;The broad bereavement seems to fallUnheeded and unfelt by none;He was beloved, beloved by all."
The hymn was sung with much pathos and feeling by the Tabernacle choir, after which Elder F. D. Richards, of the Quorum of the Apostles, offered prayer. It was a fervent offering, replete with thankfulness to God the Father for His many blessings unto the Latter-day Saints; for His having raised up such a faithful and devoted servant as President Wilford Woodruff, and for the great good that he was enabled to do while sojourning here upon the earth. Elder Richards invoked the blessings of God upon the bereaved family and especially upon President Woodruff's son Owen, who had been called to the holy Apostleship, and asked that he might be a man of God, like his father, unto the family.
Elder George D. Pyper and the choir sang the hymn:
"O my Father, Thou that dwellestIn the high and glorious place,When shall I regain Thy presence,And again behold Thy face?In Thy holy habitationDid my spirit once reside,In my first primeval childhoodWas I nurtured near Thy side."
"O my Father, Thou that dwellestIn the high and glorious place,When shall I regain Thy presence,And again behold Thy face?In Thy holy habitationDid my spirit once reside,In my first primeval childhoodWas I nurtured near Thy side."
During the musical exercises, the inscription, "Being Dead Yet Speaketh," was displayed by means of electric lights, the sameappearing just over a life-size likeness of President Woodruff, and having an excellent effect.
was the first speaker. He said in substance: It would be superfluous for me to attempt to enter into an historical relation of the great events of the life of our own great President, Wilford Woodruff. It would also seem unnecessary for me to attempt to eulogize his character, and labors as a husband, a father, and a servant of God, because his life was so well known to the people. President Woodruff was the fourth in succession who has occupied the exalted position of President, Seer, and Revelator to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upon the earth. It was my privilege, when a child, to witness the funeral services over the remains of the first President, Joseph Smith, and to know him as a child may know a man. He was absent in England on a mission at the death of President Young, and was unable to attend the services of John Taylor. But he was glad to be present on this occasion, and to have the privilege of mingling his words and tears with those of his brethren over one of the late Presidents, whose labors had been so blessed to the people of God. He was thankful for the privilege of associating from his youth to his manhood with the four Presidents of the Church. He was intimately associated with Brigham Young, and had the benefit of his wise counsel; and in his intimate associations with Presidents Taylor and Woodruff, he had experienced great joy, and had found them to be all that the people of God held them up to be before the world. Those who thought that these men had sinister motives and were not actuated by the purest desires, had been greatly deceived, or exceedingly ignorant. No men with whom he had been associated had lived purer lives. They had not sought to build themselves up, but to save souls and to establish truth in the earth. They had been sincere in their convictions, and in the inspiration they had received from God. He was a living witness that Joseph Smith had been raised up to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times. President Woodruff had shown his greatness in giving outhis life's labor for the establishment of this testimony in the earth. The day would soon be passed when infidel tongues would ridicule the claims of the Church of Christ, and the work of such men as President Woodruff would soon be established and acknowledged in the world; for he had exemplified all its truths and principles in his life, manifesting his faith and knowledge by his works. He had recognized the fact that in the light of this knowledge his whole trust and duty was to show his faithfulness to it.
Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was misunderstood by the world, and was not permitted to live beyond his young manhood, but his name was worthy of all honor; for he was raised up of God, and was not an imposter, a deceiver, or deceived. Men might imagine what they would, but there were many thousands of people who could testify of their own knowledge, through the testimony of the Holy Ghost, that he was raised up by the Lord to usher in the glorious coming of the Kingdom of God. This he did in order that men might be enlightened; for the glory of God is intelligence, that men and women might be brought to a knowledge of the truth. This perfect knowledge was to be brought to their souls through the ministration of the Holy Spirit, which bears record of the things of God; by which even the ignorant fishermen who followed our Lord, might know that Jesus is the Christ. Only by this means could such a knowledge be obtained.
The speaker paid a strong tribute to President George Q. Cannon, Lorenzo Snow, and Franklin D. Richards, and their faithfulness to the Presidents who had passed away. Of President Woodruff, he said he did not think he had any feeling in his heart to injure any man, but he had labored to do good in the world. No greater work had he done than in the exemplification, in his life, of all the principles he had espoused, and in his integrity to his brethren in all conditions. He was made of the material of which martyrs are made; for he faced death many times for the sake of his brethren and the cause of Zion, and never quailed in the face of danger, no matter who of his associates may have proved themselves traitors.
President Smith hoped that he and all others might follow in all their lives the path marked out by the deceased President.He prayed for the blessings of God on the bereaved family, that they might follow the life work of their great leader, in which case their salvation would be sure.
A solo and chorus entitled, Beautiful City, was then sung by Sister Maggie C. Hull and the Temple choir, under the leadership of Professor C. J. Thomas.
President Lorenzo Snow then spoke. He said he was very much pleased and delighted to see such a vast multitude assembled for the purpose of honoring President Woodruff. He had been acquainted with President Woodruff sixty-two years, a good portion of the time quite intimately. All that has been said of him was fully worthy of the life which he had led. President Snow did not feel as some perhaps felt, that the passing of one into another sphere of action was a disaster. Such a change had been decreed from the beginning. There were periods in the lives of people that were highly important and one was the preparation for entrance upon this sphere of action. President Woodruff had fulfilled his calling. His sojourn here upon earth had been as near perfection as it was possible for mankind to make it so. It was the duty of every individual to do all he could to rectify the mistakes common to humanity. All were born subject to error and therefore perfection could not be expected of the human family. It was possible for mankind so to order their lives as to gain for themselves an exaltation in the Kingdom of God, and to be proud of the record made when they were called into another world. President Woodruff had had such an object in view from his early manhood. He had become acquainted with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and sought to live a life such as would entitle him to all the blessings in store for the faithful. This was a satisfaction to his family, as he had left behind him an example that would make of them honored and useful instruments in the hands of God, if they followed it.
President Snow spoke of the vacancy in the Presidency caused by the death of President Woodruff. Many people, said he, had been led to wonder and imagine how the affairs of the Church were to be carried on. The gospel in its completeness,said the speaker, made provision for these changes. The work would roll on uninterruptedly as it had done, succeeding the death of the Prophet Joseph and the death of President Brigham Young and John Taylor. On the death of the President of the Church, the responsibility fell upon the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and so it would, on this occasion. The Quorum of Apostles, said President Snow, was never as able to handle such a responsibility as it was at the present time. It was fully organized, and the brethren were in perfect union and accord with one another, and faithful and devoted to the trust reposed in them. Presidents Cannon and Smith were men of God, full of faith and devotion to the cause, and their work in rolling on the kingdom would be greatly appreciated and felt. There was no danger as to the outcome of the work of God. It had been established for a purpose, and that purpose would be accomplished, and the Church progress and increase in the earth, no matter how many of the authorities were called to another sphere.
of the Council of the Apostles, followed. So far as one man could enter into the feelings of another, he felt to adopt as his own the words of his brethren regarding the greatness and goodness of his late President. He spoke of the first time he met Wilford Woodruff, and stated that he was impressed very strongly with the directness and simplicity of his character, and his prefect guilelessness. He had been a great exemplar of the work in which he had been engaged, by his implicit obedience to the dictates of the spirit. This had been one of the great features of his life. Another had been the keeping of a diary of his actions and the history of the Church, from his first connection with it to the day before his death, which would be most valuable as a compendium of the progress of the work. Elder Richards urged the elders to follow the example of President Woodruff in this regard. His healing power had been strongly manifested on many occasions, one striking instance being related by the speaker.
Although at the death of the three former Presidents not all the Apostles had been permitted to be present, yet on this occasion,the speaker was pleased to announce, all the members of the Quorum were present.
President Woodruff's enemies had been led to become his friends. He had assisted in the building and dedication of the temples, had established an honorable family in the earth and had performed great missionary labors in different parts of the world. He had been a mighty fisher of men bringing into the Church almost two thousand persons. He and Heber C. Kimball had established the greatest records, in this respect, in the Church. The speaker closed expressing the hope that the Saints would emulate the worthy example of the departed, and that their works might be as honorable and their end as blessed as his.
President George Q. Cannon began his remarks by reading a portion of the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants concerning the resurrection of the just. In standing up to address the Saints, said he, it was only because he knew he would have the faith and prayers of those assembled. In the passing away of President Woodruff, a man had gone from our midst whose character was probably as angelical as that of any person who had ever lived upon the earth. We shall ever miss him, said President Cannon. His family will ever miss him, as to them he was the all in all, an honored and respected husband and father.
In the death of such men, said President Cannon, it was a consolation to know that they left behind them the keys of the priesthood which they held, thus permitting the rolling on of the work of God. President Woodruff was an unassuming man, very unaffected and childlike in his demeanor. He did no man an injury, nor was he too proud, even in his Apostolic calling, to toil as other men toiled. His traits and characteristics were ennobling, and so energetic was he that nothing was too burdensome for him even in his advanced years.
President Cannon felt that too much could not be said in praise of President Woodruff. He was of a sweet disposition and possessed a character so lovely as to draw unto him friends in every walk of life. He would no more do a wrong than hecommit suicide. He was straightforward in all his dealings with his fellow man, and never shirked an obligation. He was free, sociable, and amiable in every respect. No jealousy lurked in his bosom. He looked upon all mankind as his equals and was one who cherished the most profound respect for all with whom he associated. He was gentle as a woman and his purity was like unto that of the angels themselves. In spite of his high and holy calling, he displayed no dignity, was unpretentious, unassuming, and his character and life were as transparent as glass. He hid nothing from his brethren, but was candid, outspoken, and free to all.
President Cannon spoke of a remark made by President Woodruff some time ago. In his office one morning he remarked. "I'm growing old," the statement being occasioned through the greater ability of a strong, wiry grandson in hoeing potatoes. So industrious was President Woodruff, that he felt he was growing old because those stronger and younger could outdo him in cultivating the garden. President Woodruff labored freely and gratuitously in the ministry. With him it was a labor of love, his only hope of reward being in the hereafter when he would be called upon to give an account of his stewardship. For years he lived on his 20-acre farm and took pleasure in beautifying his surroundings and wresting from the earth, the elements to sustain life. He was a great correspondent, and his children and grandchildren loved to write to him. He kept a complete account of his life's doings, and even up to the day he was stricken down, his journal told of his work of the day before.
In the ministry, said President Cannon, President Woodruff had accomplished a great deal. He had traveled thousands of miles, preached the gospel to thousands of people, and succeeded in bringing a great many into the Church. He had left behind him a monument of good that time could not efface or obliterate. His was a life well spent, fraught with good deeds, actuated by a noble purpose.
President Cannon referred to the last days of President Woodruff on the earth. He was pleasant and cheerful to the end. With the speaker he attended a banquet given by the Bohemian club of San Francisco to one of its members. At it he was askedto speak and did so. This was on Saturday, the 27th inst. On Sunday he attended meeting in San Francisco, and Monday went out riding. Tuesday and Wednesday he spent writing, and on Thursday the fatal attack came on, which ended in his death on Friday morning. His end was calm and peaceful. He passed away as one sleeping.
Referring to the death of President Woodruff away from home, President Cannon stated that it was his desire to go away. He was so concerned in the speaker's health that he thought such an outing was necessary. He himself had been benefitted previously in going to the seacoast, and it was his desire to accompany President Cannon on this occasion. His passing away, though quite unexpected, was a gradual sinking into an eternal sleep.
President Woodruff was a man of God. He had finished the fight and had been called hence to mingle with his brethren, and to receive his well-earned reward. He was a heavenly being. It was heaven to be in his company, and his departure from this sphere of action, robs the community of a great and good man, and one who fully merited all the blessings promised to those who remain true and steadfast unto the end. The speaker had been privileged to witness the departure from earth of Presidents Young and Taylor. They, too, were righteous men, entitled to a full bestowal of heavenly blessings.
Concluding, President Cannon invoked the blessings of God upon the Twelve Apostles and upon all who held responsible positions in the Church, that their lives might be fraught with good deeds and noble examples, such as those characterizing the life and labors of President Wilford Woodruff.
The choir sang President Woodruff's favorite hymn:
"God moves in a mysterious way."
"God moves in a mysterious way."
The closing prayer was offered by Elder Brigham Young of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the immense audience dispersed to take up their places in the order of procession, the congregation marching out in order to a selection on the organ by Professor J. J. Daynes.
The ceremonies in the Tabernacle ended, the great audience filed out into the street and, diverging in all directions, a vast host, mingling with those who had lingered outside, sought their carriages and other conveyances ready to fall into line when the procession to the grave should be formed. Thousands thronged the streets in anticipation of witnessing the departure, and yet everything was orderly and all arrangements skilfully carried out. The marshal of the day, with his numerous efficient aids, and the detachment of police, rendered signal service in executing the plans so carefully arranged. Hundreds of conveyances lined the adjacent streets and were brought up in line in seemly order, and, in fact, everything attested the prevalent reverence in which the occasion was held, so that nothing might occur to mar or delay the marshaling of order out of seeming chaos. The services in the Tabernacle being finished at 1:30, the formation of the procession was begun on the west and north sides of Temple square, and at 1:45 p. m. the order was given to advance on the way to the beloved President's last resting place. Slowly and impressively the journey to the grave was begun.
As the procession passed into public view, many an eye became dim with tears, and a last farewell was breathed from many a life-time friend and brother pioneer. Thousands stood with uncovered heads as all that remained of him whose life and work had crystallized into the brightest gem of immortal setting passed them by, and yet thousands more made up the cavalcade and retinue which followed at the shrine of death. This was the order formed and maintained on the way to the grave:
1. Marshal of day and aides.
2. Held's band.
3. Harmony glee club.
4. Pall-bearers.
5. Hearse.
6. Flowers.
7. Carriages one to twelve inclusive—family.
8. Carriages thirteen to eighteen inclusive, General Church Authorities.
9. Ogden band.
10. Presidents of Stakes and counselors.
11. General organization Relief Societies.
12. Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement associations.
13. Young Men's Mutual Improvement associations.
14. Deseret Sunday School Union.
15. Primary associations.
16. Church Board of Education.
17. Faculty and students of Brigham Young academy and representatives of different Church colleges and academies.
18. First Regimental band and Utah National Guard.
19. State and city officials.
20. General public.
The line of march all along South Temple Street was densely packed with a mass of humanity, as far as M Street, and from there to the cemetery people were out in hundreds awaiting the approach of the procession. Thousands of people also accompanied the remains of the dead Prophet to the place of interment, and it was a spectacle long to be remembered. "The Dead March in Saul," by Held's band, and other funeral dirges, were played, while the Ogden and First Regimental bands discoursed their sweet, sad music all the way. A wave of harmony rolled down the line from beginning to end, and surely it must have arisen as sweet incense to the spheres above. Slowly and stately the procession moved on its solemn way, and when the cemetery was reached a great concourse of people was already there. The various organizations and representative bodies disbanded at the gates of the cemetery and the simple white hearse bearing the remains of the departed leader was driven to the side of the grave, where it was followed by the private carriages of the members of the deceased's family and the general authorities of the Church. At 2:45 p. m. the casket was taken from the hearse and carried by the pall-bearers to the grave into which it was consigned whileall the people stood with uncovered heads. Countless flowers in bouquets and designs of exquisite beauty were laid upon the sward by sorrowing friends, and when all was ready the members of the President's family and other friends gently laid some floral tokens upon the departed's bier in last farewell. Then the authorities of the Church, who had gathered on the northwest corner of the plot of ground signified that the final ceremonies begin, and the Harmony glee club sang with exquisite pathos and tenderness, the selection: "Not Dead but Sleepeth." President Cannon then called upon Apostle F. M. Lyman to offer the dedicatory prayer.
In opening his invocation Apostle Lyman asked that grace and strength be vouchsafed to those who were bereaved, to bear up under the burden of grief their loss had entailed, and asked the blessings of the Almighty in the duty which had devolved upon him in dedicating the last resting place of him, who for so many years had been identified with the work of the Lord in the earth. He prayed that President Woodruff's life and record might stand as an example to the hosts of Israel throughout the world, one which they would emulate if possible; and further asked that the widows and children might be comforted in the knowledge that their beloved father had gone to a glorious reward. It was his desire that the Almighty bless the ground where so many had tender hopes and affection laid away, that it would ever be sacred and holy to the people. He prayed for the prosperity of the work of building up Zion in the earth; for the blessings of the Lord to rest upon the Church and the authorities upon whom its guidance would now devolve, and in conclusion asked that the dedication might be accepted of the Almighty in the name of Jesus Christ.
At the close of the prayer, flowers were laid upon the grave by loving hands, and the vast concourse of people dispersed to their homes and various pursuits, feeling that this day would be accounted, while time and memory should last, as one of the most notable in the present dispensation, and would be hallowed forever.
The place where the body of President Woodruff will rest until the day the grave shall give up its dead, is situated near the original entrance at the old stone gate through the antiquatedwall that formed the western boundary of the city cemetery, and is about half way up on the western side. The seventh cemetery avenue forms the northern boundary of the plat, which lies about seventy-five yards from the old stone wall. On the south, is the plat of the late Apostle Erastus Snow, whose monument, entwined with honeysuckle, towers over the new-made grave. Over on the hill a stone's throw distant, the granite shaft that marks the resting place of the late President John Taylor, points silently toward heaven. Just to the west, across the drive, is the Noble plat, where rests Lucien Noble, who was born the same year as President Woodruff, who, too, lived to a great age, dying in 1891. President Woodruff's grave is in the extreme south-eastern corner of the plat, and is made alongside of his wife, the late Phoebe Carter Woodruff. Just across, in the Snow plat on the south, rest the bodies of two children. The Woodruff plat is simple and plain; a substantial stone wall raises it above the drive and the closely cut green grass covers it over. The open grave this morning was dug into the hard soil of the mountain which was as solid in its formation as the character of the man whose body it was to contain, only a few planks were placed to keep the loose earth from falling in, and a plain box of white wood at the bottom to contain the casket. Nothing about the grave was intended for ornament or show; all was plain and substantial as the dead President wished it to be. From the grave where he rests there is a fine view of the city he helped to found, and the valley stretched away to the south in its beauty until shut in from the sight by the September haze. Around him rest those who fought the battle of life with him, but who laid the burden down, wearied before the load fell from his own shoulders, and who will welcome him in death as they honored him in life.
Promptly at 7:30 a. m., by a prearranged signal with the janitors, aNewsreporter was admitted to the Tabernacle to view the work of the committee on decoration. Silence brooded over the vast auditorium, and also a spirit of awe, which is the invariable accompaniment of solitude in the midst of vastness.
"The primeval desert is slumbering. Only on the easternand western peaks are seen the signs of awakening day. In the Valley the shadows are beginning to lift and dissolve. What is it that the eye beholds? A vast expanse of sun-browned sage and yellow bunch grass. For a moment, we listen and catch the musical ripples of a stream hidden beneath an irregular line of willow and squaw bush, extending from the north of the canyon to the Lake. The sun now breaks over the eastern range. A breeze is stirring down the canyon. Ah, there is that same, never-to-be-forgotten perfume of the desert—so full of freshness, so suggestive of freedom!
"What! the bark of a dog? Surely it is. And now a half-mile distant, in the shadow of a gnarled and crooked grove of cottonwoods, the eye catches sight of a dozen campfires, which send curling wreaths into the morning sky. The sunlight is playing fantastic games with the strands of smoke as they weave themselves into finer fabrics, and finally disappear as gauze. Beneath this spreading halo, we get glimpses of an irregular village of wick-i-ups, smoke-begrimed and tattered, but otherwise quite in harmony with the scene; as if they were in fact so many grotesque plants that had sprung out of the native soil.
"Now, from out these rude habitations, through many a rent and flapping door, the children of the desert are pouring—a curious lot of black-headed, squatty-figured little women and children. Sublime picture of blissful indifference! You do not know that this is your last day of undisputed reign—if your sleepy existence can be called a reign. Before the sun shall have reached the zenith, he, the great white Chief, accompanied by that other great man, young and vigorous then; but since grown old by toil and works of righteousness and today renewed in youth forever—he the leader whose life among us we shall soon meet to commemorate."
But the vision fades. The present has come back. There is still the faint odor of sage-brush and desert flower in the room. The sun has lost none of his old-time splendor, but his rays pour down, not upon the primitive herbage of a desert, but through the dome of a building which might well be taken to epitomize the progress of a jubilee. The eastern half of the auditorium is sombre and unrelieved by a single touch of the artist; but thewestern half is all aglow in hangings of white and fills the soul with a glory as of a better world.
If the departed leader should be present in spirit at his own funeral, according to his own wish, these are some things he would see.
The most prominent object is his own portrait, life-size, as painted by the well known home artist, Mr. Will Clawson. It is a striking likeness of President Woodruff at the full vigor of his manhood. It is placed in front of the great organ against a background of the Stars and Stripes. Above the picture, in brilliant electric light, is the legend:
The front of the organ is so draped as to represent two golden columns, one on each side, surmounted by domes, and joined by a festoon of white cashmere, the folds of which fall down on each side of the organ in graceful curves. Below the portrait is a semicircle of white drapery, forming a frame for the centre piece, which is no less symbolic than beautiful.
"We desired," said Bishop Winder, chairman of the decoration committee, "to get up something unique to distinguish President Woodruff's life—something not used before."
The committee has certainly succeeded. On each corner of the organ stand out in bold figures the date, 1847.
Immediately above are large bunches of sage-brush intermingled with sun-flowers. Further up are the tops of the rugged pine, while below, between the dates, and representing the expanse of valley, are the yellow tops of furze and rabbit-brush. Nothing could give a more realistic idea of Utah as the dead Pioneer found it.
On the right and left of the picture are sheaves of wheat and oats, symbolic both of what Utah is to-day, and of the ripe age of our departed President. But that which is most touching is a bank of flowers all around President Woodruff's feet, which, whether it be taken to symbolize the love of his people, or the new home to which he has gone, is equally effective. When the electric display shall enhance the beauty and harmony of this centerpieceit will make an impression on the audience never to be forgotten.
The stand next attracts attention. All the seats are draped in white; the pulpits, one above another, are gracefully festooned in cream cashmere and white ribbon. The posts at each end, also in white drapery, are each surmounted by a magnificent bouquet. The semi-circular railing on each side the stand has a background of white crape against which, at regular intervals, are folds of cream cashmere, tied by silk cord and tassels below, and fastened above with sprays of oak containing acorns, and with evergreens and sunflowers. A similar method of decoration is followed with the balustrade which crosses the auditorium. The impression of the whole is that of a mighty pair of white wings about to hover over the audience.
The casket and floral decorations come last, but by no means least into consideration. Below the stand on a table slanting east and west, are the last remains of the late beloved leader. The coffin in literally embossed in a tapestry of flowers bearing these words:
"IN LOVING REMEMBRANCEBY THE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OFPHOEBE CARTER WOODRUFF ANDMARY JACKSON WOODRUFF."
"IN LOVING REMEMBRANCEBY THE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OFPHOEBE CARTER WOODRUFF ANDMARY JACKSON WOODRUFF."
On the top of the casket is a bank of carnations, roses and lilies, on which the single word "Father" appears, while at the head is a crown of flowers, the gift of the Relief societies, and at the foot a gigantic fern palm leaf covered with magnificent cut roses, the gift of F. Auerbach and Co. A sheaf of ripened barley is also on the casket, and festoons of smilax unite the whole.
On each side of the casket is a floral column inscribed, "In loving remembrance of the President of Z. C. M. I." Near by is a large circle of cut roses and others flowers, bearing the motto on its face, "The glory of God is intelligence." The circle symbolizes eternity, and a band or bridge crossing it and evidently intended to symbolize time, bear the inscription "Y. M. M. I. A." A large harp of flowers, significant of the divine harmony of President Woodruff's life, is the gift of the Tabernacle choir.
Other gifts of flowers are a basket of asters and cut roses by the Primary association, a basket of flowers by the City Council, a harp by A. C. Brixen, a wreath by Annie Hoglund, an anchor by Mr. and Mrs. John Beck, beautiful floral designs by Mrs. M. M. Barratt, and also by Mr. and Mrs. James C. McDonald, an unusually beautiful bouquet of golden-banded lilies of Japan and cut roses by R. C. Evans, besides many offerings without names.
The effect of the whole is that of simplicity and purity, the distinguished traits of the departed President. While the committee on decoration deserve great praise for the planning of the whole, F. G. F. Huefner and his assistants, Sisters Sarah A. Gill, and Lizzie Ashton, who executed the plans, are not to be forgotten.