We'd like to begin this evening. I'd like to welcome you to the Church History Library Men and Women of Faith lecture series tonight. We are so excited to be able to hold our lecture series in this historic Assembly Hall. This is the second-oldest building on Temple Square. At a priesthood meeting for the Salt Lake Stake held on August 11th, 1877, President Brigham Young proposed to those attending that they tear down the old Tabernacle, which stood on this spot, and that they build a new building that would hold approximately 3,000 individuals. His proposal was passed unanimously, and right after that, they started to dismantle the old Tabernacle and to build this building. This building had all of the most modern conveniences. There were two large boilers placed in the west end under the rostrum, with pipes running the length of the building to take the steam to heat the building. Now, there was a notice in the Deseret News on the 6th of October, 1882. And it stated, "President John Taylor said, 'As the weather continued cold and we were unable to warm the Tabernacle, conference would meet this afternoon in the assembly Hall at 2:00 p.m. If the weather was warmer on Saturday, we would meet in the Tabernacle when all should come." So it's interesting that we had the big Tabernacle, but they met here because it was warm. This building was dedicated by Joseph F. Smith, who was first counselor to President John Taylor. So this building has a lot of history in it, and as an employee in the historical department, it's just an exciting thing to be able to meet here, and to meet with individuals, and to have these lectures here. We're so glad that we've been able to do that. Elder Steven E. Snow was called to serve as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy in March of 2001. He currently is serving as Church Historian and recorder, and is the Executive Director of the Church History Department. He has held a number of supervisory responsibilities within the Quorum of the Seventies through the years. Prior to his call as a General Authority of the Church, Elder Snow was senior partner in the law firm of Snow Nuffer. Elder Snow has been actively involved in the support of education, having served as a member and president of his local school board, chairman of the Utah State Board of Regents, and chairman of the Western States Commission of Higher Education. He is a native of St. George, where he attended Dixie College, and he earned his Bachelor's Degree in accounting at Utah State University and his law degree from Brigham Young University. A few of his Church responsibilities have included serving as an Area Authority for the Utah South Area, bishop, stake president, and the mission president of the California San Fernando mission with his wife, Phyllis, from 1994 to 1997. As a young man he served a mission in the North German Mission. Elder Snow and his wife, Phyllis, are the parents of four sons. We are so pleased that Elder Snow has been able to take time from his busy schedule to speak to us this evening. Elder Snow.

Thank you, and happy Valentine's to you couples who are here this evening on this romantic of evenings of the year. I realize it's free, but really, is this the best you could do?

I'd like to recognize Elder Marcus Nash, who came in just a moment ago. If you'd raise your hand, maybe stand, Elder Nash. Marcus works with me in the Church History Department and a beloved colleague. He's wonderful, and I really enjoy working with Elder Nash. My wife, Phyllis, and my sister, Debbie, are here tonight. I'm grateful for that. One of my sources I'd like to acknowledge tonight, Andrew Carl Larsen of St. George, Utah, who, over 40 years ago, wrote the best book on Erastus Snow, most comprehensive history of Erastus. I've really, over the years, grown to appreciate the research he did on my ancestor and wanted to acknowledge him. And in my years of service as a General Authority, by far the most oft asked question of me is, are you a descendant of President Lorenzo Snow? Now, you Erastus Snow descendants, I think, can appreciate that question. You can relate to that, and while they were contemporaries in Church history, Lorenzo Snow and Erastus Snow really weren't that closely related. Their common ancestor is Richard Snow, who sailed to the New World from England in 1635 and finally made his way to Massachusetts in 1645. Now, to tie Richard with Lorenzo, you'd need to go back seven generations. And with Erastus, you go back six generations before you get to their common ancestor. So in reality, they really were very distant cousins. But in one of the amazing coincidences of Church history, they would take the stage together in the early days of the Church. Born within five years of one another, they would both join the Church in the 1830s. Erastus in Vermont with many of his siblings, and Lorenzo in Ohio with his sibling, Eliza R. Snow. And in one of the remarkable coincidences of history, they would both be called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on the same day in February of 1849. And would sit next to one another in the Quorum for the next 39 years. Erastus would die in 1888, and Lorenzo, who was just over four years older in age, would go on to preside over the Church from 1898 to 1901. Each left an outstanding legacy in their own right, but those legacies intersected again in a very interesting way in 1900, when the residents of San Pete County wrote President Lorenzo Snow and inquired of him if it would be possible to rename their Stake Academy after him. He consented only if his distant cousin Erastus, then of course deceased, could also be remembered in the name. So today, Snow College, now part of the Utah State system of higher education, honors the name of these two great men. Now to his descendants and to students of Church history, Erastus is usually remembered for four things. First, he and Orson Pratt were the first to enter the Valley in July of 1847 on the 22nd. Two, he was ordained, of course, to the Twelve Apostles, as I mentioned, in February of 1849. Three, he opened the Scandinavia mission in 1850 and assisted in the translation of the Book of Mormon, the first foreign language translation of the Book of Mormon. And fourth, his role as colonizer in establishing St. George and leading the southern Utah mission from 1861 until his death in 1888. His life began simply enough in rural New England. He was born to Levi and Lucena Streator Snow in November 9th, 1818 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He was the eighth child of eleven, having six brothers and four sisters, and like most of their neighbors, the Snows relied and supported themselves primarily through farming. So Erastus learned early the importance of hard work. That trait, together with his yankee practicality, would serve him well in his later years of Church service. He was 13 years old when he learned of a new faith which was being taught by missionaries in the surrounding area. His older brothers, William and Zerubbabel, were in Charleston, Vermont, working some 40 miles away when they first came in contact with elders Orson Pratt and Lyman Johnson. And Zerubbabel reported back home of this wonderful new doctrine that was being taught by these elders and also the miracle of healing, which they had observed. In the summer of 1842, these two elders finally made it to Erastus's neighborhood, and he really resonated to the teachings of the gospel. He wanted to be baptized right away, but his father was hesitant and asked him to study more before he took that big step. And so, he continued to study, and by February of 1833, his father acquiesced to Erastus's baptism. They traveled up to where William and Zerubbabel were in Charleston, and he and William went to Lake Darby nearby, broke out part of the ice on the lake, and William baptized Erastus. This moment ushered in a life of service and devotion to his newfound faith. Shortly after his 16th birthday, he left for what became the first of many missions. He cut his teeth on missionary work in the fields of labor near his home in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. In late 1835, his father, knowing of his desire to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith, took him aside and gave him $15 which he could apply towards his passage to travel to Kirtland, Ohio. Erastus would record in his autobiography, "The day before I was 17, I left my father's house with the blessing of father and mother and the rest of my family and friends, journeying over 700 miles to Kirtland, Ohio, where Joseph Smith, the Prophet, resided. And where the Saints were engaged in the building of the temple." Close quote. Well, Erastus did, in fact, meet Joseph, and found his time in Kirtland to be filled with spiritual growth. He attended the Elder School and was one of the first elders called to the 96 who comprised the first elders quorum. Later, he would be called into the Second Quorum of the Seventy, and he would record in his journal, "I was one of the number which was set apart to be a special witness among the nations." It was in Kirtland he received his patriarchal blessing from the Prophet's father, Joseph Smith senior. In part, his blessing would read, "You have desired to preach the gospel even when you knew it not. Therefore, thou shalt preach it to the ends of the earth." Erastus was also present for the dedication of the Kirtland temple in late March of 1836, and predictably, shortly thereafter, he was called on another mission. The promises of that patriarchal blessing were coming true perhaps more quickly than he realized. He departed for Western Pennsylvania on April 16th, 1836, and he later records, I quote, "I left Kirtland on foot and alone, with a small valise containing a few Church works and a pair of socks with five cents in my pocket being all my worldly wealth." Close quote. During the course of the next two years, he would be called on an additional two missions, serving in Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He would return to Kirtland in early June of 1838 and would find the community and the Church facing many trials and difficulties. And it was for this reason he chose to join a company that was headed to Missouri, headed by Apostles Orson Hyde and Heber C. Kimball. He would spend the following year in Far West, Missouri, doing farm work, trying a stint at teaching school, and for most of that time, or much of the time, suffering from malaria. It was here, however, he took a most significant step in his life. Ever the master of understatement, he recorded in his journal, I quote, "On the 13th of December, 1838, I was married to Artemisia Beamon." Close quote. He had just turned 20 years of age, and Artemisia was 19. During his time in Missouri, an incident occurred which I really can't omit. I really find it too amusing. In February of 1839, Erastus and five of his companions decided they wanted to try to visit Joseph Smith and the brethren then incarcerated in Liberty, Missouri. Apparently, jail policies in those days were a bit more lax than today, and he and his friends were allowed to take the evening meal with the Prophet in the confines of the Liberty Jail. It was on this very evening the prisoners chose to make an attempted jailbreak, which failed, and as a result of the aborted escape, the prisoners and their visitors faced criminal charges. Erastus felt he was in deep trouble because he lacked the funds to hire an attorney. Several of the brethren had their own lawyers to defend them, but Erastus couldn't afford it. Worried, he went to the Prophet Joseph and asked what he should do. Joseph replied, "Plead your own case." Erastus replied, "But I do not understand the law." "But you understand justice, don't you?" replied the Prophet. He thought maybe he did, and Erastus thought he did. And then "Well then," said Joseph, with the conviction designed to toughen Erastus's conviction, said, "go ahead and plead for justice as hard as you can. And quote Blackstone, and other authors now and then, and they will take it all for law." And as it turned out, Erastus did win his case. And after, the other lawyers crowded around to congratulate him and ask where he had studied law. "We have never heard a better plea," they said. Now, if I had known it was that easy, I would have skipped law school altogether. In April of 1839, Erastus and family would soon be some of the last to leave Missouri. They would eventually find quarters in a rough hewn log cabin in Montrose, Iowa, across the river from Commerce, Illinois, later to be known as Nauvoo. He had only just settled his family there in June before once again leaving for a mission, this time in Illinois. This pattern would repeat itself over and over again for the next few years. He would serve a mission in 1840 to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He would return in October that year, only to be called again to a mission in the eastern states in November. While this mission would last 2 and a half years, thankfully, he would have his young family accompany him for most of the time, which was unusual in all his mission experiences. They would return to Nauvoo in April of 1843 and spend the next year building a house there on the flats in Nauvoo below where the temple would one day stand. Now, it was a productive time, again, for his spiritual growth, and he recorded that "the precious instructions which I received in the councils of the Church during that winter and spring were indeed more than all I had learned before in my life." Close quote. One thing we know he was taught in these councils was the principle of plural or celestial marriage, and while hard for the first wife, Artemisia, to accept, ultimately she and Erastus assented to a second wife joining the family. And Minerva White would be sealed to Erastus by the Prophet Joseph himself on April 2nd, 1844. The following year, he would once again answer the call to serve, again returning to the eastern states in April of 1844. This mission would be cut short, of course, by the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage. Following the death of the Prophet, the Church, of course, was adrift for a time until the Quorum of the Twelve was able to gather once more and proclaim they held the keys to preside over the Church. And once that organization was in place, work began in earnest to complete the temple before the Saints would be required to leave Nauvoo. Erastus worked tirelessly in assisting in the completion of the temple. This would prove to be a great spiritual boost to the members, as over 5,000 would be able to complete their temple work before beginning their long journey west. He would record in his journal that during the last part of 1845 and early 1846, he was almost exclusively involved in temple work in the Nauvoo temple. He records in January of '46, "The spirit, power, and wisdom of God reign continually in the temple, and all felt satisfied that during the two months we occupied it in the endowment of the Saints, we were amply paid for all our labors in building it." Just as a footnote, you realize, of course, that Erastus was involved in the construction of the Kirtland temple, the Nauvoo temple, and, of course, the St. George temple later. In February of 1846, the exodus from Nauvoo began in earnest, and President Young directed Erastus to provide for the immediate evacuation of his families. They struggled with the rest of the Saints across Iowa, finally reaching Mount Pisgah where they rested for a few days, then pressed on to Council Bluffs, crossing the Missouri River, and arriving at Cutler's Park in September. The next several months were a very trying time of suffering for the Saints. Exposure to the elements and disease caused many deaths. Two of Erastus's children would perish that cruel winter. Artemisia's youngest boy, Charles Henry, only 2 and a half years old, would die soon after their arrival. They buried him at Cutler's Park before moving on to Winter Quarters. Their sorrow would be relieved somewhat when Minerva gave birth to a baby girl on October 1st. Sadly, Mary Minerva would not live to be a year old. Now 25 years of age, Erastus was chosen to accompany Brigham Young and the vanguard company to come west to the Salt Lake Valley. On April 8th, he bid his family farewell and began the first of what was many crossings of the plains. This first journey went relatively well, and the Saints arrived in the Valley, of course, in late July of 1847. Prior to their arrival, however, a couple of days prior to that, he left camp early, caught up with Orson Pratt, the same missionary who had brought him the gospel 15 years earlier. And together, those two, Elder Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow, were the first to enter the Salt Lake Valley on July 22nd, 1847. Now, during his time here in the Valley, he was very busy, of course, doing farm work, helping explore the area, and beginning some homes for his family. He was not to stay here long, however, because he returned with Brigham Young and the company that returned to Winter Quarters later that year. They departed just in August, and by October 31st, were back in Winter Quarters. And he was reunited with his families. Predictably, this reunion would not last long. Two months later, he departed for another mission to the east. Before he left, however, he married Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby on December 19th, 1847. She was 16 years of age. Erastus returned from his mission to St. Louis in time to assist in preparations for the entire family to travel west to the Salt Lake Valley, and by September of 1848, they had reached the old fort and were prepared to begin their new life together as a family here in the Rocky Mountains. The first winter, they lived in the old fort not far from here, of course, just a few blocks, sleeping in their wagon boxes. With the experience of this winter, it's difficult for me to relate how folks used to do that. By summer, he had moved his family onto their lot here in the city. He'd built two homes, one out of adobe, one out of logs, to accommodate his families. But they continued to use the wagon boxes as sleeping quarters. Much of his time was spent in Church service. He served as a counselor in the Salt Lake Stake presidency to President Charles C. Rich, and then, of course, in February, he, along with Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, were called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Now, missionary service was a hallmark of Erastus's life in the Church. Depending on how you count them, he served no less than a dozen missions, being engaged in full-time missionary work for over 14 years. These calls to serve came at times which were not convenient, often in times of great personal and family hardship. He never murmured and always answered the call. The missionary call, however, which would become a highlight of his life and which he would look back on in many, many years into the future, was his call to open the Scandinavia mission. Despite the painful separation from his family for almost three years, the experience would remain a satisfying memory to him the rest of his life. In October 1849 general conference, Elder John Taylor was called to a mission in France, Elder Lorenzo Snow was called to open Italy, and Elder Erastus Snow was called to open Denmark. They would all depart for their missions within three weeks of their call. The Church now had been established in the British Isles for some years, but this was the first serious missionary effort on the European continent and in Scandinavia. Erastus found the people of Denmark not as prepared as those he had found in his stateside missions in the east. Freedom of religion was new in Scandinavia or even nonexistent, and he and many of his missionaries faced hardship. They endured even imprisonment. Nonetheless, significant progress was achieved, and the Church gained a foothold in that part of the world. Many of the early converts would emigrate to Utah, reinforcing the young settlements in Utah, particularly those in San Pete County. One of the miracles of his time in Denmark was the translation of the Book of Mormon into the Danish language. As I said, this was the first time the Book of Mormon was translated into a foreign language, and the first copies were printed in May of 1851. While much of the work of translation was accomplished by others, including Peter Hansen, a native Danish speaker who accompanied Erastus on his mission from Utah, Erastus was a devoted student to the language and within six months was speaking and writing Danish. He would review every page of the translation. He did not permit the printing until he had become quote, "Sufficiently acquainted with the language to detect any error in sentiment and had given it a thorough review." Close quote. During that same year, he oversaw the publication of various tracks into Danish and compiled a collection of hymns in that language. It was indeed a remarkable mission, a remarkable experience for him, full of hard work and miracles. Many of those early Danish converts who came to Utah would become lifelong friends, and he relished being able to visit them. During his absence, however, his oldest son, James, would pass away at seven years of age. His wife Artemisia would also lose two of her sisters while he was away. In depths of despair, she would write him on March 23rd, 1851. "I feel sometimes that I am left almost alone or stripped of those who are nearest and dearest to my heart. Since I parted with you, which was like tearing my heartstrings almost, and not only to part with my son, but the only two sisters I have in this region of country. All the relatives I have that belong to the Church. I feel to say sometimes that it is hard." Erastus would finally return to his family in Utah after being gone for almost three years. The next several months found him on assignments in southern and central Utah, in Cedar City with the effort there to develop the iron industry, and strengthening settlements in the area. But in April general conference, he would receive yet another mission call, which would separate him again from his family for much of the next three years. He was called to organize a Stake in St. Louis and to supervise the migration of European Saints to Utah. Now, this assignment would end up testing his skills to the utmost. The number of converts from Europe making their way to Utah was increasing, and financial resources were always in short supply. He was able to return to Utah for a short time during the winter of 1855, '56. While home, he was again busy with assignments as a member of the Twelve, and during this time, he would marry his fourth wife, Julia Josephine Spencer, on April 11th, 1856. He would leave his growing family 11 days later and return to St. Louis. It would be more than a year before he would return home to his loved ones. When he did get home, his arrival in Utah was a time of great turmoil. It was 1857. Johnston's army was on its way, and Church leaders were preoccupied with these challenges. Erastus engaged himself with Church and family responsibilities for the next few years. Again, he would respond to a call to the eastern states in the fall of 1860. This would be his last mission call, and he would return from his labors on September 6th, 1861. The next chapter of his life would begin later that same year with the call to southern Utah to establish the community of St. George and preside over the Southern Utah mission. The next 27 years would be principally dedicated to colonization and settlement of southern Utah, southeastern Nevada, northern and central Arizona, and even into Mexico. This experience would clearly establish him as one of the great colonizers of the LDS Church. Now, the first half of Erastus's life had taken him away from his family for long periods of time for missionary service. The last decades of his life, he would be with his family in his new role as colonizer. The heavy responsibilities of this assignment, however, would weigh him down and cause him to travel often to outlying settlements to attend to the business and ecclesiastical affairs of the southern mission. Erastus's role as missionary and colonizer created unique challenges in his family life. Through it all, however, his four wives, Artemisia, Minerva, Elizabeth, and Julia, carried on in an admirable way, dealing with his many absences due to his responsibilities. Together, his wives would bear 36 children, 25 of whom would reach adulthood. Living the principle was obviously a challenge. Through the lens of today, the trials and challenges of plural marriage seem difficult to understand. The Snow family, however, was committed to the practice and always believed they were following the Prophet's directives. Erastus often preached sermons on the importance of living the principle. In the current edition of BYU Studies Quarterly, three articles appear, which addressed the percentage of polygamous households in St. George from the time of its founding until the census of 1880. Now, I grew up in St. George, and later, while serving as a missionary in the North German Mission, I remember being taught that only a small percentage of members of the Church, perhaps 2% or 3%, actually practiced plural marriage. At the time, I remember mentally going around some of the blocks in St. George, identifying the families who had practiced plural marriage in previous decades. The percentage seemed much higher to me than 2% or 3%. The research in BYU Studies Quarterly places the percentage of the population of St. George in polygamous households at just under 50%. It has been suggested the faithfulness of Erastus Snow and, of course, the later construction of the St. George temple, were or could have been contributing factors to this high percentage. To an outsider, this lifestyle was, to say the least, interesting to observe. And we have a very wonderful insight to that. During the winter of 1872-73 Colonel Thomas and Elizabeth Kane, nonmembers, of course, traveled to St. George to spend the winter in hopes of improving Thomas's health. Now, Colonel Kane, as you know, had been a great friend of the Mormons for many years, and so he was hosted-- He and Elizabeth were hosted by Erastus Snow and his family in the big house. Elizabeth kept an excellent journal account of this experience, and she describes meeting Erastus and his wives after they first arrived. And I quote, "Our host, Erastus Snow, called upon me just now with his wife. We exchanged the usual commonplace remarks, and they departed. In about five minutes more, there was a knock at the parlor door. "Come in," I said, and my host re-entered with another lady, whom he presented with grave simplicity and in precisely the same form of words, as his wife. I am not yet used to polygamy, and I'm always taken by surprise. Perhaps it is because the Mormons do not say "one of my wives" but "my wife." Still, I imagine there is but one. I rallied myself, and we discoursed on the weather, our late journey, and the prospect of my liking St George while I secretly wondered whether Bishop Snow was remembering that I had used the same phrases in answering the same remarks a few minutes before. I had now seen Artemisia and Minerva, and after the bishop had escorted Minerva out, I reseated myself and began talking to the children. But in two minutes more, there he was back again, this time with another lady. She was presented with the same gravity, and we assayed the same remarks. Fortunately, there was a new subject to introduce. Mrs. Elizabeth is my hostess, and she had kind inquiries to make relating to our comfort. She is a gentle-looking, pale woman with dark eyes and hair and is the mother of many of the 35 young Snows. When the pair rose to depart, the bishop apologized for the infirm health of his wife, which would prevent Mrs. Julia Josephine from paying her respects to me." Clearly, Erastus had learned the art of diplomacy while presiding over a polygamous household. Now, the pangs of loneliness were evident in the family letters exchanged during periods of long separation. Often, Erastus's absences became rather unexpected because of pressing Church business. The family would soldier on at such times. One example was in December of 1877. On the 6th, he departed from St. George for a conference in Kanab on the 8th. While en route, he received an urgent message from President of the Quorum of the Twelve John Taylor, to come to Salt Lake immediately to attend to some urgent business involving the settlement of the estate of Brigham Young. Without returning to St. George, he left for Salt Lake immediately following the conference. On the 20th of December, he finally wrote to his family to explain his absence. "I regretted the necessity of my unceremonious departure without returning home to kiss a goodbye or finish up necessary business at home, but you know such has been my life. Always a minute man and never allow myself to offer excuses when my superiors call." Close quote. Now, it's been reported by family members that Erastus had a few idiosyncratic traits. During his time in St. George, he was constantly approached for temporal and ecclesiastical counsel. He was consulted at home during his meals, while he was on the street walking toward appointment, even during Church meetings. As the leader of the entire mission, his portfolio of responsibilities included everything from struggling marriages to failing dams on the Virgin River. He never complained of such encounters or attempted to cut short those who sought his counsel. As a result, he was often tardy to meetings and appointments, and therefore became known as the late Erastus Snow. The press of business also kept him preoccupied. This led to stories about his absentmindedness. A favorite was related by Minerva, his second wife. She and Erastus and their family were just about to kneel for family prayers when she asked, "Mr. Snow." She always addressed us formally, claiming she did not like the name Erastus. "Do you plan to attend meeting at Washington next Sunday?" He never replied, but got down on his knees and went through the regular routine of family devotions. He said nothing when he got up, but proceeded with his breakfast. Knowing his ways very well, Minerva did not press him for an answer. Next day, as he arose from that morning's prayers, he answered soberly, as if the question had just been made. "Yes, Minerva, that is my intention."

To me, Erastus Snow's great faith and humility is best measured by his willingness to accept correction and even chastisement. I find this particularly moving in his Church service, given what he did during his time of leadership in the Church. Early on, Brigham Young recognized Erastus's great strengths and his devotion to the gospel. In minutes of a meeting of the Quorum of the Twelve on Christmas day, December 25th, 1847, the Brethren were discussing possible candidates to fill the vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve. And during that meeting, Brigham Young proclaimed, quote, "When Erastus Snow goes, he is right. Can't be beat." Close quote. Indeed, President Young would name Erastus to the Quorum of the Twelve just over one year later, but it would be a rare Church leader in those days who did not occasionally incur the wrath of Brigham Young. It was perhaps a weakness of Brigham, or maybe it was necessary in a time of hardship on the frontier. President Young would himself say, "I have never hurt any person, any other way except with this unruly member, my tongue." The first such rebuke occurred on the plains as the advance party headed to the Salt Lake Valley in the spring of 1847. Large herds of buffalo were encountered on the journey, and this presented some threat to the cattle being driven by the pioneers. They would literally get swept away by these moving herds of buffalo. On this particular day, Erastus was in charge of the cattle detail and was negligent, allowing the cattle to mingle with the buffalo. In the commotion which followed, Brigham Young lost a valuable spyglass, which caused him undue frustration. He lashed out at Erastus, dressing him down thoroughly. Erastus tried to defend himself, but that only brought a stronger rebuke. It made such an impression, several of the Brethren recorded it in their journals. Speaking of the severe reprimand, Erastus himself recorded, "It is the first I have had since I have been in this Church, which is nearly 15 years, and I hope it may last me 15 years to come." It didn't. Financial challenges, for example, with the cotton factory in Washington, Utah, and the difficulty in raising cotton were also a source of contention between the prophet and his Apostle. President Young had loaned the association which operated the cotton factory a sum of money, and Erastus and others had signed personally on the note. In spite of their best efforts, the cotton production in southern Utah would never be profitable, making it impossible for the money to be fully repaid. This was a source of worry to Erastus and caused tension at times between the two leaders. On another occasion, Erastus was traveling to Cedar City to attend a conference with President Young. During the trip, he had an accident with his buggy, which delayed his arrival. The meeting was nearly over when the late Erastus Snow walked in. President Young was clearly annoyed, no doubt believing that Erastus had delayed his departure, causing his tardiness. "Erastus," he said crossly, "Get up and preach the people to sleep."

John Henry Smith, who was with the party, and who later related this experience, said that Elder Snow rose, without reference to President Young's unkind remark or his trouble with the buggy, delivered one of the most wonderful sermons he had ever heard in his life. Perhaps one of the most stinging rebukes came at an otherwise joyous occasion, the dedication of the St. George temple on April 6th, 1877. Now, Brigham Young by this time was feeble and obviously was not feeling well. And as he rose to address the Saints, he was frustrated over the lack of success in St. George with the people living the United Order and the difficulties with the cotton factory. He criticized the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, and he singled out Erastus Snow. According to the diary of Charles H. Walker, he records, "Brigham Young said that the First Presidency and the Twelve had stood in the way of the people entering the United Order, and that Erastus Snow had said that the factory at Washington had been a curse to the community. Brother Snow spoke up, saying he thought it a blessing now. Brother Brigham whipped and scolded almost everybody and everything." According to his son Edward H. Snow, these occasions of public criticism stung Erastus and tested his self-control and humility. At such times, he would check his rising resentment by walking the floor all night long, repeating to himself the scripture, "Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth." There was one time, though, when Erastus did push back a bit. I learned this story as a young boy. Brigham had come to town and chastised Erastus about the amount of tithing he was using to support his family and informed him that he needed to work more to support his family. The next morning, there was a meeting, and Erastus Snow did not appear. Of course, they thought he would be a little late, but after the time had passed, he still wasn't there. So Brigham, President Young, sent someone to find him. He found him at his corral, shoveling manure with the pitchfork, and he said he was wanted at the meeting. He asked, "Why aren't you at the meeting? Brother Brigham wants you there." Erastus answered mildly enough. "You tell Brother Brigham that if he wants me, he knows where to find me." Now President Young came in a flash. "What are you doing here?" He demanded brusquely. Erastus gave a vigorous shake of the pitchfork to free it of the manure, then he said, "I'm doing what you said I should be doing: working to support my family." Well, that ended it. There was never, ever another remark about using tithing funds to care for his family. While many who have studied the life of Erastus Snow view him as the greatest colonizer in all of Mormondom, second only to Brigham Young himself, we who grew up in southern Utah and still have red sand in our shoes have had the privilege viewing close up the results of those remarkable colonizing efforts. His influence was extensive. For almost three decades, his responsibility with the southern Utah mission took him from the colonies, from Nevada, southeastern Nevada, to the colonies in Juarez, Mexico. During all that time, his home was St. George, the community he'd helped settle and which he always felt was home. Now, there are a number of monuments to the Apostle Erastus Fairbanks Snow. You probably are aware there's a life-size bronze of him on the This is the Place monument at the mouth of Immigration Canyon here in Salt Lake City. There are also life-size bronze as well with him and of Lorenzo Snow, his friend and fellow Apostle, on the campus of Snow College. He is found in the relief of a beautiful monument in Snowflake, Arizona, the town named after Erastus and Brother William J. Flake. There's also a beautiful Fairbanks bust of him located in St. George on the grounds of the Tabernacle. The greatest physical monuments to Erastus, however, I believe, are two buildings. They began as public works projects intended to encourage the Saints to remain in one of the tougher if not the toughest mission of the Church. Built at a time of great hardship, the St. George Tabernacle and the St. George temple are wonderful public monuments to the faith, courage, and devotion of these early Saints and their temporal and ecclesiastical leader, Erastus Snow. Now, construction on the St. George Tabernacle began in 1863 at a time when many of the citizens of St. George barely had adequate housing for themselves. Built in New England-style from the red sandstone of the cliffs north of town, it still stands as one of the finest examples of early Church architecture anywhere in the Church. While it took 13 years to construct, they began meeting there as early as 1869, six years after construction began. A fine clock was installed in the tower in the early 1870s, allowing many for the first time to know the exact time of day. This clock is credited with preventing many disputes over irrigation turns in the community. Sometime after the completion of this beautiful building, it came to the attention of Erastus that Father Lawrence Scanlan, the Catholic father in Silver Reef, desired to hold high mass but had no place large enough to do it. Reaching out to him, Erastus invited him to use the Tabernacle and to stay in the big house during his time in St George. He even asked John McFarland, the state choir director, to have the choir memorize the Latin words and music of the ceremony. So it was on May 25th, 1879, the beautiful St. George Mormon Tabernacle hosted its first Catholic high mass. Now, the construction of the St. George temple is an even more remarkable story. Brigham Young was growing older, and it was becoming apparent to him that he would not live to see the completion of the Salt Lake Temple. While in St. George in January of 1871, he was attending a meeting with local Church leaders at Erastus's residence, the big house. In a rather casual way, he inquired of the Brethren, quote, "what they thought of building a temple in St. George." President Erastus Snow responded, "Glory, hallelujah." All the brethren present were overjoyed and surprised their struggling outpost would even be considered as a location for a temple. The groundbreaking took place in November of that year, but it was one year before serious construction began because they had to pound tons of basalt rock into the marshy soil to support the weight of the structure. Obtaining lumber and rock, as well as organizing the crews of workmen, was a complicated and trying undertaking. Foodstuffs came from all over the territory to support the workmen. Workers came from the settlements many miles away to assist in the construction. In less than six years, the Saints completed their temple, and President Brigham Young did, in fact, live to see a temple dedicated in the West. As early as January 1877, ordinances were performed, ordinances for the dead, and baptisms for the dead were performed in the completed basement of the temple. The temple was finally dedicated in April 1877, and President Young would die just a few months later. The construction of the Tabernacle and temple were a source of great satisfaction to Erastus Snow. As construction began on these buildings, it was not a certainty the southern Utah communities would even survive. Their completion, especially the completion of the temple, ensured the Saints were there to stay. Today, they stand as beautifully as they did when they were completed 135 years ago. They are monuments in the desert which will continue to celebrate the southern Utah Saints and their leader, Erastus Snow, for many years to come. Erastus Fairbanks Snow would die at age 69 years on May 27th, 1888, while on a visit here in Salt Lake City. Eulogies were held in Salt Lake City and in St. George. During the funeral service in Salt Lake, President John W. Taylor paid tribute to the Apostle, quote, "When a man of courage was wanted to go to Scandinavia, Brother Snow was called and performed the great labor. When a man who would stand by his post was wanted to go to southern Utah, Erastus Snow was the man chosen. When in more recent years a man of wisdom and experience was wanted in Mexico, he was selected. He has always been with the outpost." Close quote. Always faithful, always to be counted on, always with the outposts, Erastus Snow was indeed a faithful servant.