Discourse 1891-03-29 [D-95]

President Wilford Woodruff. spoke as follows:

In the providence of God we are again called to pay our last respects and to attend to the burial of another one of the Apostles of the Lamb of God, raised up in the last dispensation and fulness of times. In the few remarks which I shall make this morning I shall not attempt to enter into the history or life, particularly, of Counselor Wells. This has already been presented through the press, and will be fully perhaps by those who may follow me. It is sufficient for me to say that Brother Wells has been in this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over forty-five years. He has been closely allied and connected with all the Prophets and Apostles that have been identified with this Church during that period of his life. He has been true and faithful to the Church, to the Kingdom of God, to the inhabitants of the earth, to the Presidencies of the Church and to the Apostles during this period of his life. It is known to the Latter-day Saints— many of them, at least—of the diligent labor which he has been called to pass through during his sojourn in the Church and Kingdom of God.

This Church has been organized sixty-one years the sixth of the coming month. During that period the Lord has raised up Prophets and Apostles, Elders and Saints, many of whom have laid the foundation of the Church and Kingdom of God on the earth and have labored therein. But time has called them to the other side of the veil. After finishing their work here in the flesh, the Lord has called them home; and when they pass to the other side of the veil their missions are not closed; they have a work to perform there, as well as they have while tabernacling in the flesh on the earth. For some cause or reason unbeknown to me, I have lived to attend the funerals and follow to the grave a great share of the Prophets and Apostles and many of the Saints who have labored in this Church in their day and generation.

I will express myself here to my friends, as I have done on many occasions, with regard to funerals, with regard to death, and with regard to going into the spirit world. I have never felt to mourn in my spirit to follow any Prophet, any Apostle, any Saint of the living God to the grave who has been true and faithful to God, who has been true and faithful to His covenants, who has received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the ordinances thereof, and the holy Priesthood. Such men and women have filled their mission here upon earth with honor, with labor, with love, until they have been called home. They have died in the faith, and they will receive a crown of glory. Those have been my feelings in the death of President Young, Brother Kimball, Brother Taylor, the Twelve Apostles, and all men who have received the Gospel of Christ and been true and faithful in that mission. There is an eternal reality—which the whole world will find out—in life. There is an eternal reality in death. There is an eternal reality in the resurrection, and in the future judgments, and in God's dealing with all men in the future according to the deeds done in the body; and when a man or a woman who has entered into covenant with the Lord, who has received the Gospel and the ordinances thereof, and been true and faithful in his or her day and generation, has been called home into the spirit world, where is the man who comprehends these principles that can mourn for that brother or sister? Here lies before us the tabernacle of Counselor Daniel H. Wells. His death has been sudden to us. I did not know that he was sick, or that he was in the city,

till about two days before his death. Well, we mourn his loss. We feel his loos. All those associated with him do. We feel the loss of men occupying such positions as he has done. His position has been very responsible. He has magnified it unto the end. Now, when Brother Wells' spirit left his body, what was his condition? Well, I have my faith and my views with regard to it. When his spirit left his body he met with a corps of friends ready to receive him—those friends with whom he has dwelt, with whom he has labored, with whom he has toiled in building up the Church and Kingdom of God on the earth. There is rejoicing when the spirit of a Saint of the Living God enters into the spirit world and meets with the Saints who have gone before him.

Brethren and sisters, we are not here in the flesh upon uncertainty. We are here upon a mission. We have been kept in the spirit world until the day and generation in which we live, and we have been called forth to tabernacle here in the flesh. We have heard the Gospel. We have believed it. We have received it. We have received the ordinances thereof. We have a testimony before high heaven of the truths of these eternal principles. All the unbelief of wicked men or devils on the face of the earth cannot take these things from our hearts. We know they are true by the revelations of God and by the inspiration of the Almighty, through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. Therefore, we have a great deal to encourage us and to comfort us. Of course, the family of Brother Wells —his wives, his sons and his daughters, his relatives—all feel his loss. But when we contemplate and look forward to the future, and realize the day is not far distant when Jesus Christ himself will come in the clouds of heaven to reward every man according to the deeds done in the body, then will come forth the resurrection of the just, and this man whose tabernacle is here today will come forth out of his grave, his body will become immortal, and he will stand in the midst of the Gods—in the midst of God the Father, God the Son, and all the righteous and holy beings who have kept the same law, no matter what age of the world they may have lived in. Then will come forth the reward that the veil hides from your faces and mine today— the reward of those men and women who have entered into covenant with the Lord, and who have received the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Brother Wells is happy. He would not come back here if he had the privilege. He has lived to a good old age, and has gone down into the grave like a shock of corn fully ripe, and with the harness upon him. He and President Young were about the same age at death. Well, we feel many times as we did in the days of Joseph. The Church felt then as though they could not live without him. But these things are in the hand of God.

I would say to the family and to the friends of Brother Wells, let your hearts be comforted. All is right. Brother Wells has as much power to work and labor for your interest the other side of the veil as he has been able to do here. He has performed a work here for the living and for the dead. He has gone to the other side of the veil to receive his reward. So I say to the Latter-day Saints, let us be true and faithful to God and our covenants. We are here upon a mission. Some are taken; some are left. I have never seen a year that I know of in this Church when there have been as many aged men called away, many of them suddenly, as in the year that has passed and gone. Of course it only remains for those of us who are left to try to do our duty the remaining days that we have to spend here. But I want to say to all the Latter-day Saints, have no fears with regard to the Kingdom of God, nor the Church of Christ, nor the work of God. It is true. Zion is true. The dispensation is true. The Holy Priesthood is true. Therefore, let us be true in our labors, and labor while the day lasts; keep the commandments of God, and prepare ourselves for that which is to come. Our brethren are busy on the other side of the veil, and they have a work to do to prepare themselves for the coming of the Son of Man. All men who go into the spirit world, and who bear the holy Priesthood, will continue their labors. Their works will follow them. Their work will not cease when they lay their tabernacles down here in the tomb. Their spirits in the spirit world mingle with those whom it is their right and privilege to mingle with, and the work will continue. Therefore, I say to the family and to the Latter-day Saints, God bless you all. Let us be true. Let us be faithful. Let us keep the commandments of God. Let us labor while the day lasts, for soon night may come when no man can work.

My brethren that follow me will occupy the time to enter into these things more fully with regard to Brother Wells, as they shall be led by the Holy Spirit. I felt I could not do justice to my feelings without making a few remarks upon this occasion; but I do not feel to spend a great deal of time in talking to the Latter-day Saints. I ask God my Heavenly Father to bless you —to bless the family, bless the Elders of Israel, bless the Apostles, and all the quorums and Saints. As I said before, let us be true to our covenants, true to God and true to the work we are engaged in; for we ourselves will soon be called home, to follow in the same path; our bodies will be laid in the tomb, as Brother Wells is going to be today, and we will get through with our mission unto which we have been sent here. I thank God for the Gospel. I thank God for the light of heaven, and for the truths of eternal life which have been revealed from heaven for the exaltation, glory and salvation of the children of men. I pray God, my Heavenly Father, that His blessings may attend us, that we may be sustained until we get through with our labor in the flesh, that we may inherit eternal life; for Jesus' sake Amen.