Biography and family record of Lorenzo Snow/Chapter XLIII

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 319

CHAPTER XLIII. -

Stake Conference in IhighamCily. President B. Young expected. Prepara- tions made. Flags hoisted. Conference in Bowery. Box Elder Stake re-organized. Lorenzo calls the officers of the United Order together. Nominate officers. All are accepted. O. G. Snow to preside. President Young's fatherly counsel and blessing.

S has been narrated in preceding pages, President Brigham Young was in the habit of visiting the various Stakes of Zion as frequently as was consistent with other duties. On the 18th or 19th of August, 1877, he went to Brigham City to attend Stake Conference, which proved to be his last earthly visit beyond the limits of Salt Lake City; his death occurring on the 29th of the same month.

As usual, on the event of a visit from President Young and part}', preparations, such as were not in order on ordinary occasions, preceded his coming so fully had he won the respect and the affections of his people, the Latter-day Saints, that on such occasions 110 labor and no expense was spared for his comfort and to do him honor.

The President and party came: he was in excellent spirits at Brother Snow's table, where he was always entertained on his visits to Brigham City, he leaned back in his chair, and sang in a clear voice, one of his favorite hymns, much to the gratification of all present.

At that time, Brigham City could boast of 110 house suffi- ciently large to accommodate the immense gathering of the people, and the conference was held in a bowery, with a com- modious stand, which was neatly and .tastefully fitted up, and with special regard to the comfort and convenience of the Priesthood, who occupied it. Before the close of conference, President Youno- re-organized the Box Elder Stake of Zion.

320 BIOGRAPHY AND

Previous to the conference, Lorenzo called together the

principal officers of the council of the United Order of

Brigham City, and in connection with them, selected the

various officers for the re-organization of the Stake, with the

exception of the presiding board; and all met the President's

approval. After sanctioning those nominations, he asked

Lorenzo to name the one he wished to fill the position of

' President of the Stake, as Lorenzo's successor, to which Brother

Snow replied, Jhat he had no suggestion to make "we have

- left that entirely to you."

After corresponding remarks by brethren present, President Young proposed Lorenzo's eldest son, Oliver (r., and Lorenzo nominated Elijah Box as his first, and Isaac Smith as his scc-ond, counselor, which was satisfactory. In placing Oliver before the people, President Young said, "Brother Lorenzo Snow has been, for many years, building up and sustaining a system to unite the people in their financial affairs, which I approve, and in order that he may not be embarrassed, or in any way interrupted in that direction, we propose his son Oliver to occupy this position he will take his father's counsel and be one with him."

The conference was in session two days, and after the close it was an almost universal remark, that never before had the people heard President Young speak as on that occasion he seemed so very kind and fatherly, and particularly was his last speech referred to as being impressively soothing; it seemed, as was frequently remarked, as a father giving his last instructions to his children. How little did the Saints who listened to him, as they did, with rapt attention, think he was pronouncing his parting words and blessing.

By a decision of the First Presidency, all of the Twelve Apostles who had been thus officiating were released from presiding in the Stake organizations. This explains the necessity for the re-organization as above described.