Remarks

As the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, of which Brother Thatcher is a member, I want to say a few words in connection with this subject that has been introduced by President Woodruff. I feel it my duty, however unpleasant that duty may be to me, to testify to the truth of what President Woodruff has said in reference to the fellowship existing between Brother Thatcher and our quorum. I think it was seven years ago when the present Presidency of the Church was organized, and I then was appointed to preside over the quorum of the Apostles—a duty and an obligation that I felt the utmost incompetency to discharge; and yet believing and knowing that it was my duty to accept that position, I was satisfied that the Lord would aid and assist me in accomplishing the duties pertaining to that sacred office. I have labored actively from that day to the present to do that which I considered my duty, to accomplish a perfect union between every member of that quorum, and a perfect union also with the First Presidency. I felt the importance of this when I took the position as President of the Twelve, and I asked the Lord to let me live until these duties were accomplished—until I could see and feel that every member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles was in perfect fellowship with each other and with the First Presidency. The brethren of the Twelve can answer now whether that has been accomplished, and how far it has failed. It has failed in only one single instance, and that has been presented to you by President Woodruff. There are now of the quorum of the Twelve ten members sitting here upon these stands. With these ten brethren there is now perfect union between themselves and with the First Presidency. ¶

I distinctly remember a peculiar circumstance in connection with this subject. It was when perhaps 150 brethren were assembled in the upper hall of the Temple. The object of that assembling was to gather means to accomplish the completion of the Temple, and that speedily. I do not remember now how much we raised there, but it was a large sum, contributed by the brethren present. On that occasion President George Q. Cannon arose and spoke very feelingly in reference to the perfect union that then existed with the First Presidency, (this was about one year before the dedication of the Temple,) in all matters pertaining to the interest of the Church, both spiritual and financial. After he got through, I dare say that the people there—I thought so at least—expected that I would arise and say something in reference to the union of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I did not do it. I sat there in silence. And I never explained the reason to the quorum of the Twelve, that I have any remembrance of, why I sat there in silence. I am now going to explain it. I thought my brethren had reasons to expect that I would arise and speak in reference to union. I could have spoken as loudly and as reflectively in reference to the union of our quorum as Brother Cannon in reference to the union of the First Presidency, with but one single exception. That exception, I regret to say, was Brother Moses Thatcher. The brethren of the quorum will now understand why I sat there in silence. ¶

The next day, I think it was, in going up to Brigham City on the train, Brother Thatcher and I sat together. I there told him this circumstance that I have just told you. I said to him that it was on his account—the love and respect that I had for him—that I did not arise and make him an exception. I would have been compelled at that time to have mentioned Brother Moses Thatcher as an exception. There were eleven of us that were in perfect union, which we had labored and toiled to reflect completely and strongly and abundantly. But I would not place him in an unpleasant attitude before the people. I explained this to him. ¶

But that was not the only time. The night previous to the dedication of the Temple we felt that the quorum of the Twelve ought all to be united, or perhaps there would be something arise that would prove of a disagreeable character. We called the quorum together. Every member was present. We labored and toiled at that meeting to bring Brother Thatcher into a union with us, hour after hour, till about two o'clock in the morning. I labored diligently. I always thought a good deal of Brother Thatcher. He and I always got along lovingly together; and he knows and will state it if he ever comes to address the people, that Brother Snow was one of his particular friends and felt an interest for him as deep as any man in the quorum. We labored there with only one object in view—to bring one member of our quorum into a perfect union with ourselves and with the First Presidency. At last I repeated to Brother Thatcher what I have been telling you. I told him of the sacrifice I made in my feelings when I had to keep silence, and I said I could not do it any more; I should be obliged to get up before the gathering in the Temple and state that our quorum was in perfect union—that is, if the subject came up, which it probably would—except in the case of Brother Thatcher. Well, we patched the thing up, and he came to a conclusion that we accepted at that time. How far that was really a conclusion made in his heart, I am not prepared to say. ¶

There was another time, perhaps a year or a year and a half ago, when we sought to effect a union with Brother Thatcher and the quorum. We had a pretty difficult time, and failed. None of us felt satisfied. ¶

About the last conversation I had with Brother Thatcher was in the Temple, either at the last spring or fall conference. We had prayed for him, and we had sent some of our most experienced brethren to talk with him privately and beg of him to make thing satisfactory. I called on Brother Brigham Young, because I knew he felt an interest in Brother Thatcher, and was a wise man, to go and see him and plead with him to make things satisfactory. But he failed. He came and reported to me that a spirit of darkness seemed to reign in Brother Thatcher's heart, and he could not reach it. I still thought, however, that he would come and make things right before he returned to his home in Logan; and about the second or third day after this, I was visited by him in the Temple. I never felt to rejoice more in my heart than when I saw him enter my room. I thought he had made up his mind to do that which we requested him to do and to place himself in perfect fellowship with the brethren of the quorum. I talked with him. I did most of the talking myself. I felt the spirit of it, as I always did when I spoke to him, because my heart was warm towards him, and the Lord seemed to help me so that I felt perfectly at home in telling him just what the Lord dictated to me. On a previous occasion in the Temple, I laid my hands upon his head, according to his request and my own feelings, and blessed him. My heart went out for him. But I could not fellowship Brother Thatcher, although I loved him. Did I love that man? No man, it seems to me, could love another man more that I loved Brother Thatcher; and I labored for him, toiled for him, and prayed for him, and still shall do. I have not given up my hopes, and I will not give them up. My principle has ever been, when called upon to administer to the sick, who were perhaps at the point of death, without seemingly any hope whatever, to not give them up until I saw they were actually dead. So I am with Brother Thatcher, whose voice has been heard from this stand time after time, and we have loved to listen to his beautiful and inspiring words. But he is a different man now altogether—different in spirit, and of course, his physical condition is very bad, although, I understand now, he is improving very rapidly. President Woodruff has explained to you the reason why we have not had him before our quorum and the matter investigated. His low physical condition is the reason. But, as I was saying, I thought he had come to my room with his mind made up to take a course to come into fellowship with his quorum. I was disappointed, however. I felt like shedding tears when he left the room. There was not that disposition existing in him that I hoped there would be when he came. ¶

Now, there is a certain document that you have heard talked about a good deal. Brother Young and myself took that document to Brother Thatcher. His physical condition was not very promising and I asked him if I should read it to him. He said he preferred to read it himself, and he read it—read it very deliberately. He said he did not feel then to approve of it altogether; he wished it to remain for awhile. We accorded him his wish. As President Woodruff had said, not half the trouble is in relation to that document—not one hundredth part that is talked about. Of course, it was rather singular. There were appended to that document the names of the First Presidency, of the Apostles, (with the exception of Brother Lund; who was then in England) of the first seven Presidents of the Seventies, of the Patriarchs, and of the presiding Bishopric—twenty-four names in all, representing the authorities of the Church; but he did not feel inclined, he said, to put his name to the document. ¶

I am reminded of a little anecdote I heard of Brother Erastus Snow, which illustrates a principle. Brother George A. Smith was speaking to an "outside" audience one night, and Brother Erastus fell asleep. When he got through preaching he sat down and elbowed Brother Erastus, and requested him to bear his testimony. It was thought that Brother Erastus had scarcely heard a word; but he arose and said, "My friends, every word that my brother here has said is God's truth." Now, why did he say so? There was a reason for this. Why, he knew Brother George A. Smith; he had heard him preach a hundred times, and he knew that he was a man of inspiration, and that he would never say anything but that was true. Well, I think when a man is so well-acquainted with the First Presidency, with the Apostles, with the Patriarch, with the Presidents of Seventies, and with the presiding Bishops, he ought to have some confidence in the position of these brethren; and if that brother is rather low in his mind and does not really feel competent to judge of the matter, he ought to have confidence in his brethren. Still, this matter does not amount to very much anyway. It is the general tenor of the course that Brother Thatcher has been pursuing since even before the organization of the First Presidency or before I was called to be the President of the quorum. Many other things might be said, but I do not want to occupy the time. ¶

Brethren and sisters, these are solemn truths that I have told you and what President Woodruff has stated. I wanted you all to pray for Brother Thatcher. As soon as his physical abilities will allow, we shall have him before our quorum, and he will be treated by his friends. But there are certain rules and regulations that we, as the servants of God must conform to, and we are not responsible for them. ¶