13, 1838, in Far West, Missouri, a few days after the time when his father
Hyrum Smith was taken by the mob and ordered to be shot. As a nine-year-old
boy he drove his mother's yoke of cattle across the plains with an emigrant
train. President Smith has filled many missions to Europe, to the Sandwich
Islands and to various parts of the United States.

He was ordained as one of the Twelve Apostles July 1, 1866.

During the first few years that Wilford Woodruff was president of the
Church, the persecution against those who had more than one family
continued to rage; yet the enemies of the Saints were not satisfied. Though
many of the people had been deprived of the right to vote and hold office,
yet there were enough left to outvote the anti-"Mormons," many of whom were
eager to get into some office. These kept urging Congress to pass other
laws against the "Mormons," and at last a number of bills were introduced
in Congress for the purpose of disfranchising the "Mormons," that is,
taking away from them the right to vote and to hold public office.

During all this trouble the authorities of the Church were asking the Lord
to show them the right thing to do. In answer to these pleadings, the Lord
inspired President Woodruff to issue what is called the manifesto. In this
document President Woodruff, among other things, said:

"Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural
marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of
last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to
use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to
have them do likewise.

"... And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is