Sir: By vote of the members I furnish you for publi-
cation the minutes of organization, constitution, and
rules of the Society, with the introductory address of
President Wilford Woodruff.
Great Salt Lake City, Tuesday evening, Dec. 19, 1854,
pursuant to public notice, a meeting was held in the 16th
Ward School House, Elder W. Woodruff presiding. Tho-
mas R. Hawkins stated the object and design of the
meeting, the benefits that would result, &c., and also
that it was designed to form a museum, library, and a
reading room. Elder Woodruff then spoke upon the prin-
ciples, and importance of education, and was followed by
several others, who spoke highly of the benefits that would
accrue from such a society. It was then resolved to or-
ganize a Philosophical Society, and Thomas R. Hawkins,
A. McDonald, George B. Wallace, James Cowdy, and James Galley were appointed to draw up a constitution
and by-laws.
Monday evening, January 8, 1855, the committee met
according to notice at President Brigham Young's offce.
Many useful hints in regard to establishing the Society
were given by President Young, who suggested that the
name be changed from "Philosophical Society" to "Uni-
versal Scientific Society," that its name might be appli-
cable to the universal diffusion of knowledge and science,
and requested the Society to be blended with the Board
of Regents, and act in concert with them. He very much
approved of a reading room, and a museum, and said,
"Go a-head," and gave every encouragement to the com-
mittee to persevere, and organize the Society, elect active
officers, and have lectures on every branch of science.
Saturday evening, February 3, 1855, the Society met in
the Council House, Elder Wilford Woodruff in the chair,
when the following constitution and rules were read:
CONSTITUTION.
Inasmuch as the inhabitants of these vallies have been
blessed by the Almighty, and surrounded with the com-
forts of life, and that many have been inspired to reflect
on the importance and necessity of an institution for the
diffusion of useful knowledge in every branch of art and
science: also believing that such an institution can now
be advantageously organized, we hereby adopt the follow-
ing constitution:
ARTICLE II.—Object—The improvement and elevation
of the intellectual powers and pursuits of its members.
1. By having lectures and essays on every branch of
useful arts and sciences.
2. Through the use of a good library and reading room.
3. By collections in every department to form an ex-
tensive museum.
4. By obtaining instruments and apparatus to illustrate
and advance the arts and sciences, and by every other
laudable means within their reach.
ARTICLE III.—The Society to be governed by a pre-
sident, seven vice-presidents, secretary and assistant se-
cretary, a corresponding secretary and an assistant, a
treasurer, two auditors, and two reporters, who shall
hold their office for the term of one year, or until their
successors are duely elected and qualified.
ARTICLE IV.—The above-named officers shall consti-
tute a board of managers, empowered to elect all other
officers, make all other laws and regulations, and do all
other things that may appear to them advisable to pro-
mote the interests of the Society.
ARTICLE V.—The officers to be elected annually by
the majority of members present. The first annual meet-
ing to be held on the 7th day of April, 1855, at which
financial and general reports will be given.
ARTICLE VI.—Regular meetings to be held weekly for
lectures, &c., unless otherwise ordered by the board of
managers.
ARTICLE VII.—Persons desirous to become members
may be admitted to membership by the majority of mem-
bers present at any regular meeting of the Society.
ARTICLE VIII.—Each member to pay a quarterly sub-
scription of one dollar in advance.
ARTICLE IX.—The treasurer shall be required to give
bonds with approved security to the amount of $5,000,
payable to the said society, said bonds to be filed in the
secretary's office of the University of the State of Deseret.
RULE I.—Any officer refusing to fulfil the duties of his
office, shall be liable to be removed by a majority of the
board of managers.
RULE II.—Any member shall be liable to be expelled
from the Society by the board of managers for immoral
and unchristian-like conduct.
After some remarks from Elders Woodruff, L. Snow,
G. B. Wallace, and James Cowdy, the constitution and
rules were unanimously adopted. Voted unanimously
that the Chancellor and Boards of Regents of the Univer-
sity of the State of Deseret be solicited to extend their aid
and guardianship to this Society, in consonance with their
chartered rights and privileges. The following officers were
unanimously elected, viz: Wilford Woodruff, president; John Taylor, E. T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Orson Spencer,
Albert Carrington, S. W. Richards, and John Lyon, vice-
presidents; Robert L. Campbell, secretary; George D.
Watt, assistant secretary; Geo. A. Smith, corresponding
secretary; W. W. Phelps, assistant corresponding secre-
tary; David Fulmer, treasurer; George B. Wallace and
A. F. McDonald, auditors; J. V. Long and Walter
Thompson, reporters; T. R. Hawkins, secretary pro. tem.
ADDRESS
Of WILFORD WOODRUFF, President of the Universal
Scientific Society, delivered in the upper room of the
Council House, on Saturday evening, Feb. 18, 1855.
We do not wish to be understood because we have adopt-
ed this title, "Universal Scientific Society," that we
profess to be in possession of all the truths which apper-
tain to universal science; but we wish to be understood
that we are desirous of learning and possessing every truth
which will exalt and benefit mankind as far as it our
privilege. We wish to be made acquainted as far as pos-
sible with every law, truth, and principle belonging to
art, science, or any subject which has ever proved a benefit
to God, angels, or men. The proverb that knowledge is
power is a truth which cannot be denied. One person is a
cannibal, and will kill and eat his fellow-man, because he
is ignorant; another person is a God, and can organize
worlds and give laws to a universe of intelligent beings,
and rule over them for their good, because he possesses
knowledge and has the art and power to use it. The pa-
triarchs and prophets looked upon their posterity as the
greatest blessing which God could bestow upon them, as
laying the foundation for their exaltation and glory, and
an increase of their seeds to all eternity; while the millions
consider children a curse, and when born wish them dead,
because they have come into the world naked, since they
will have them to clothe. One man believes the earth is
flat, and if it was to turn over his mill-pond would spill
out, and he with his mill be hurled down through space,
while another man well knows that if the earth was to
cease its rotation but one day, the rush of the oceans from
their watery beds, with other convulsions of nature would
destroy both man and beast. The Indian looks upon a
watch, carding-machine, locomotive, or telegraph wire,
with as much astonishment and wonder, as the machinist
or artist would in gazing upon the red-hot billows of a
crater, the raging tornado, or the shower of fire and brim-
stone upon Sodom and Gomorrah [Genesis 19:24]. One will carry a peck
of corn in one end of a bag, with a stone in the other to
balance it, while another will construct a hydraulic press
of some 300 lbs. weight, which will lift 200 tons. The
mower will cut down his fields of herbs and variegated
flowers, but sees in them no materials only for hay, while
the botanist beholds in them a field of knowledge, the
study of which affords him great delight and pleasure.
The mass who cultivate the earth for a living, plant and
sow corn, wheat, rye, barley, cotton, rice, and other grain
and vegetables, promiscuously, without any regard to the
kind of soil made use of, while the chemical practical
farmer would carefully study the component parts of each
kind of grain and vegetables, and understand well the
various qualities and properties of his soil. One looks
upon man as the noblest work of God, wonderfully made,
containing thousands of arteries, veins, muscles, bones,
and joints, with flesh and skin, with its thousand strings,
kept in tune by the great Architect, while he is gazed
upon by others only as a block of wood. The ignorant of
all nations convey their ideas and wishes by making use
of detached words and sentences in a mingled manner,
with their talents like gold in the mine concealed from
human view; while the linguist will hold the souls of men
spell-bound through the well-tuned language by which he
conveys the thoughts and sentiments of his mind. The
question is asked what is a mountain? to some it is to feed
cattle upon; to others it is a deposit of iron, lead, copper,
silver, gold, and other minerals; to others it is trap rock,
slate, quartz, granite, marble, and other strata. One
man will study from the library contained in its bowels,
many truths with great interest; he will seek to trace the
whole life and history of that mountain from its first
organization to its decomposition, with feelings of great
satisfaction; awhile at the same time to most of us it is
nothing but a mountain.
What are the starry heavens? To the astronomer it is a
polar system, containing the sun, moon, planets, comets,
and stars; it is the height of enjoyment to him to study
their appearance, size, shape, arrangement, distance, mo-
tions, physical constitution, and mutual influence upon
each other. He tells us that all the planets revolve in
elliptical orbits, having the sun in one of their foci; that
the radius vector passes over equal spaces in equal por-
tions of time; also, that the squares of the times of the
revolutions of the planets around the sun are proportional
to the cubes of their mean distances from the sun; he
gives us the diameter of each planet, the distance they
are from the earth and each other; he weighs them in his
scales, and explains their forces and the laws by which
they are governed. Thus are the starry heavens to the
astronomer; but to the prophets of God, in every age of the
world, they are an innumerable company of worlds, each
containing a God enthroned in light, intelligence, glory,
and dominion, surrounded with an innumerable company
of intelligent, immortal, and glorified beings, who have
kept the same celestial law given them by their Creator, as
the planet has upon which they dwell, who are filled with
joy and happiness, with a sure hope that their glory will
increase to all eternity; but to the millions the starry
heavens are only clouds, skies, stars, and the milky way.
For what purpose is man placed here, and what is his
life upon the earth? One class of men verily believe and
assuredly know that they existed before they came here,
and were sent here by their Father in heaven, that they
might prove themselves true in a second estate, that they
might search out the laws of God, and obtain a knowledge
of the true and only plan of salvation, whereby man can
be saved and have part in the first resurrection, and be
exalted to a fulness of celestial glory in the presence of
that God whose name th[e]y have honored upon the earth,
by keeping his laws and obeying his will. When that
class of men have obtained a knowledge of the laws of
God and the gospel of Jesus Christs, they have laid hold
of it with all their hearts, and practised it in their lives,
and have ever been ready to seal their testimony with
their blood in its defence. Another class profess to be-
lieve in God, in rewards and punishments, in a future
state, and that some form of religion is necessary, though
not at all essential or particular what that form is, or
how varied or diversified their customs or mode of wor-
ship, or adminis[t]ering of ordinances, may be among men,
if they only sui[t] their traditions, consciences, and cir-
cumstances.
The mass of man[k]ind who inhabit the earth, appear to
think, if we judge by their acts, that the chief end of man
is to obtain pounds, s[h]illlings, and pence, dollars and cents
—to devour each othe[r]—to blaspheme the name of God,
and to worship every other being and thing upon earth,
except that being who alone is the author of every bles-
sing bestowed upon them, and the only being who has
power to save and exalt man to immortality and eternal
life.
Thus we have quoted a few examples of contrast out of
the multitude of cases that present themselves to the re-
flecting mind of man. What causes this vast contrast
with intelligent beings? The difference in a great mea-
sure consists in the different degrees of truth and intelli-
gence which men possess. The mysteries and wonders
which hang over the laws and works of nature, and the
arts of men, all vanish away when we possess a know-
ledge of the laws by which they are governed, and the
principles by which they are constructed. The resurrec-
tion of the dead, the formation of worlds, and the laws by
which they are governed, would be as easily comprehended
and understood by man, if he was now in possession of
that knowledge which he is destined to obtain, as he can
now comprehend the construction of a steamboat or the
organization of a state.
We know that many persons have, by diligent search
and study, sought out and obtained much truth and intel-
ligence which has proved of great benefit to themselves
and their fellow-men. We wish to obtain the same our-
selves: there is a fountain of talent shut up in these
chambers of the mountains, which we wish to call into
requisition. We would be glad to see all Israel unite in
joining this Universal Scientific Society, or branches of the
same, and unlock their trunks, and bring forth their useful
books, and form a universal library, with its branches,
that the whole people may have the privilege of obtaining
out of the best books, by study and by faith, a knowledge
of the arts and sciences, and of kingdoms and countries,
and the laws of nations. A large and useful library could
be collected out of the materials that already exist in these
mountains, which are now lying dormant and doing but
little good.
An interest should be created in the minds of our young
men sufficiently great to inspire them to improve well their
time, and use their talents in a manner that their minds
may be stored with useful knowledge, that they may be
armed with intelligence and power to act well their part
upon the stage of life as husbandmen, mechanics, soldiers,
parents, statesmen, and prophets of God.
We should as soon as possible make a commencement
for the collection of a museum. There are no people who
exist upon earth that have greater resources and facilities
from which to form an interesting and useful library and
museum, than the inhabitants of Deseret. Our represen-
tatives, in the capacity of travelers, statesmen, and mis-
sionaries, will plough every ocean, tread every soil, visit
every clime, mingle with every people, of all languages,
tongues, and dialects upon the face of the whole earth:
they will thereby be enabled to obtain a specimen of every
man and chart, of every art and science, the productions
of every press, a specimen from every mountain, land, and
sea; every beast, fowl, fish, and insect, and every plant and
herb, and instruments for the practical illustration of every
art and science. We should as soon as practicable erect a
good substantial building, divided into suitable apartments
for a library, museum, reading room, with a hall for public
lectures.
These are some of the prominent objects for which this
Society is now formed. Do you ask will it prosper—will it
become a permament institution, or will it fall to the
ground? This, gentlemen, will depend altogether upon
yourselves, who are or may become members of the Society,
and upon the blessings of God. The power is within your-
selves; you have talent and means. If our theologians,
astronomers, geographers, philosophers, mathematicians,
chemists, geologists, mineralogists, botanists, agriculturists,
horticulturists, phonographers, teachers of the Deseret
alphabet, anatomists, surgeons, jurists, political econo-
mists, professors of music, logicians, tacticians, gram-
marians, poets, journalists, historians, linguists, and those
acquainted with any subject which is useful and beneficial,
will come forward and deliver lectures before the Society,
that we may have an exchange of the views and senti-
ments of each other, upon the various subjects with which
men are acquainted, then our time may be spent in a pro-
fitable and interesting manner. If the members of this
Society will contribute of their books and means for the
formation of a library, museum, and reading-room, and
our representatives abroad will take pains for forward ma-
terial to the same, and if all will take a general interest,
then we can lay a foundation which may be permanent,
useful, and beneficial to the inhabitants of these mountains.
