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PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF
then arose and said: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." [##Revelation 14:13##]
If there is a spirit on earth who will rest from his labors it is Brother Abraham Hoagland Cannon, whose body lies before us this afternoon; and his works will surely follow him. I have almost felt that his labors were too much. He was overwhelmed with labor and care. He labored for the benefit of Israel, for his brethren, for the work of God; and certainly his departure from us is a heavy blow to us all. It is not confined to his wives and children, his father, his friends and relatives; but it rests upon us all; we all feel the weight and force of it. I want to say a few words to his family and friends in relation to this blow that has fallen upon us as a Church, as a people, as well as upon his family. I will say that his father, President George Q. Cannon, has received this with all that patience and humility that belong to his character. I have hardly ever seen a man called to part with a son as he has exhibit the same composure and reconciliation to the will of God as Brother Cannon has. As to his brothers and sisters, it is a blow to them all. It has come suddenly upon them—unexpected, we may say; and, of course, it is a trial. But there are two sides to this question. With regard to his wives and children, I want to say a few words upon that subject. I do not intend to talk long; but in order to answer my mind with regard to his family I have to pursue a course. I have never pursued before this people or before the world appertaining to this subject. I want to refer to the plurality of wives and to the plurality of families that men possess in this Church. It is a subject I have left alone as a general thing in all my observations and instructions before the public. I refer to it now because I want to allude to Brother Abraham's character.
The course he has pursued has been before the world and the people. It has not been hid behind a bushel. Nor has been the course that the Latterday Saints have pursued. It has been different in a great measure, from that of the inhabitants of the earth in our day and generation. We have had a plurality of wives and families. The principle was introduced to this people by the revelation of God through the Prophet Joseph Smith. This was carried out and practiced by a small percentage of the Latter-day Saints, until the time came when the law of the land forbade our carrying out that principle, and we submitted to the laws of the land, as a body and as a people, with regard to this principle. But I want to say this—and I want you to hear it; there is not one particle of law on any statute book of the United States, or a ruling of any court, from the district court to the Supreme court of the United States, or by the President of the United States, or his cabinet, or the Congress of the United States, wherein a man who has received wives and children under the law of God is required to cast those wives and children into the street and make vagabonds of them. No such law as this had been given, and if there were such a law it would be a very cruel one. Inasmuch as these women have been taken under the law, and have given themselves to our care, and have done so righteously, in virtue of holiness and uprightness before the Lord, is any man justified in casting these women and children into the streets? No. And any man in this Church who has got a plurality of wives, given to him under the law of the Lord, who will not feed and clothes those wives and children, and educate, and take care of them, he is under condemnation before God. No man is justified in that. If I have any wives given to me of the Lord, it is my duty to take care of them, and to take care of their children, feed and clothe and educate them, and do what I can for their benefit. Why? Because they belong to me. They do not belong to anybody else, but will be mine in time and in eternity, if I do my duty and keep the commandments of God. And so it is with you. I hope there is not a man in this Church that will feel to cast off his wives and children because of the laws that have been enacted for our benefit.
Brother Cannon has carried this principle out to perfection. He has thoroughly provided for his wives, as far as I know, all alike. He has done all in his power to lay a foundation to make them comfortable after his departure. He has done the same by his children. And he has been blessed in this principle. Therefore, I consider he is justified. He has finished his work here. He has gone into the spirit world. His mother is there, and, I suppose with him now. I have no doubt that they are rejoicing together. But he has left a family. He has done all a mortal man could do to leave them comfortable after his departure. Brother Cannon has been a very peculiar man. He has been a man that never has complained scarcely of anything on earth. He has been willing to take a great load upon him, and to do all that he could for the benefit of the Church and of his brethren wherever he has been. Of course, his labors are cut short, suddenly. But he awaits the morning of the resurrection, the coming forth with his wives and children, his father and mother, family and friends, to be united with them upon that occasion.
I want to say to the children of Brother Abraham Cannon: It will be but a little while till your father will be with you, standing in his immortal body and glory, that death cannot destroy nor affect. When I look and reflect upon this Church, upon the blessings and revelations of God, upon the salvation of God, I consider that of all men and women under heaven we have the greatest reason to rejoice before the Lord. We have had a good deal to do in our day and time; but the Lord has assisted us in performing this work. One goes, and another comes. I look around me, and how many there are departed from us! Yes, a large host have left this Church here and gone to the grave with their bodies, while their spirits are in the spirit world preparing to return with the Lord Jesus Christ when He shall come in the clouds of heaven to reward every man according to the deeds done in the body. When I reflect upon this, and realize what a little time will elapse before Abraham Cannon will stand with his family and friends and the Saints of God in glory, In immortal bodies, I think these things should comfort us, and comfort our children and our families.
Brethren and sisters, I find myself hoarse, and I do not feel that I can talk much. But I felt I wanted to say so much to my friends and to my brethren and sisters. I say, God bless you. May God bless the father of Brother Abraham, and bless his wives and his children, his brothers and sisters, and all the family. They are a family that have been united in love. They have had a good example set them. The blessings of God have been over them. I hope and trust we may all pursue that course that we may be justified and be prepared to pass to the other side of the veil as he has done. God grant it, for Christ's sake. Amen.