[sideways text] Rec'd May 29, 1888
ans'd [May] 30, —[1888]— [end of sideways text]
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE,
Salt Lake City, Utah, .
President Joseph F. Smith,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Brother Joseph F.:
Your esteemed favor of the 12th. inst. we received
upon our return from Manti, whither we went on the evening of the 13th. by special
train to Nephi and from Nephi by carriage to Manti. Our purpose in going to Manti
was to hold a private dedication of the Temple on the 17th. We reached there on Tues-
day morning about four o'clock, and were occupied in attending to business, making
preparations and in meetings until Thursday, when we met at ten o'clock and had a
prayer circle, and at twelve I -[President Woodruff]- read the dedication prayer, there
being twenty-nine persons present, including all the Apostles in the Territory except-
ing Brothers Erastus Snow, Moses Thatcher and John W. Taylor. We had a very delightful
season, and everyone enjoyed himself exceedingly. We remained there until Friday at
noon and then returned, leaving the brethren who could appear above ground to attend
to the public dedication. The Temple is beautifully finished and reflects great cred-
it upon all engaged in the labor of constructing it, and also those who furnished the
means. It is a cause of unbounded joy to think that the privilege has been granted to
us of completing another structure like this, in which the servants of God can enter
to attend to the ordinances for the living and the dead. Brother Daniel H. Wells has
been appointed by the Council to preside, with Brother Anton H. Lund as his assistant,
and Brother M. F. Farnsworth as Recorder. Brothers J. D. T. McAllister, D. D. McArthur and
James G. Bleak came up from St. George to attend the dedication, and they will remain
to assist for a short time until everything is got into working order. The Temple
will pe opened for ordinances on the 28th. of May.
In my other letter to-day I expressed my feelings con-
cerning the return of Brother Richards and your visit to St. Louis to attend the Con-
vention. I need not therefore repeat in this letter respecting that matter. Whether
Brother John W. Young will attend or not we do not know. He would like to be appointed
to go there, but we have not said anything to him upon the subject. If he should go,
it will be because he desires to himself.
Upon receiving your dispatch for the umi tausani we
telegraphed you that elima tausani had been given to C. for the same purpose with
elima haneri for his private use. We thought it better to send you this information
that you might be fully aware of what was being done and be able to represent the
same to No. 3. We think you did well in putting the responsibilitu^y^ on them.
We hope that we shall get a good Chief Justice. We
have heard of Roger Sherman before. The Bowers concerning whom you write, me think,
must be Powers, who, we hear, is being favored by Don Dickinson. We sincerely trust
that he will never obtain another appointment to the bench or any other office in
our Territory; for he is a most dangerous man because of his want of principle.
Brother George Teasdale has been terribly exercised
over emigration matters, and his letters are full of descriptions of the anguish
which he has suffered in consequence of the attempt to change the route. He seems to
think that our attempt on this side to do business is a reflection on him, and that
we have not that confidence in him that we have had in others at the same place. I
hope you will write fully to him on this subject and keep him thoroughly advised, as
a good deal of the feeling that he has is due, we think, to misapprehension.
The health of Brother Erastur^s^ Snow is very precarious.
We visited him last night and administered to him; but the description that we got
from his wives of his condition and urine is really alarming. However, we exercise all
the faith we can, and shall struggle for him to be spared to us. The presence and la-
bors of such men are of exceeding value to us.
It seems that the Receiver is determined to get pos-
session of everything that ever belonged to the Church, and they are pursuing their
work with great vigor and an apparent determination to strip us of all they can.
We are having delightful weather at the present time,
and the health of the people generally is good. With love and praying the Lord to
bless you and preserve you from the hands of your enemies,
We remain, Your Brethren,
Wilford Woodruff
Geo. Q. Cannon
[sideways text] Committee [end of sideways text]
[sideways text] Committee
Rec'd May 29th 1888
ans'd [May] 30, —[1888]— [end of sideways text]