LYCURGUS A. WILSON.
1904.
Salt Lake City, Utah.
TO THE MISSIONARIES
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, AT HOME AND ABROAD,
THIS FEEBLE SKETCH OF THE LIFE WORK OF ONE WHOSE
ENERGIES WERE ALL DEVOTED TO THE SAME
WORTHY PURPOSE AS THEIR OWN, IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
The writing of this little volume has been a pleasant task. And just aswe find mingled with our regret at parting with a friend, a joy in theassurance that to whomsoever he comes he will give the same pleasurehe has afforded us, so the author has a feeling in putting out thisbrief memoir of David W. Patten that the courage and faith manifestedin his life will not be lost or unfruitful in the lives of those whocontemplate his career.
There remains only the pleasure of thanking those who have taken aninterest in this work, and their name is legion. But first of allperhaps is the nephew of Apostle Patten, Thomas Jefferson Patten, ofProvo, Utah.
Particular mention should be made of the kindness shown by the latePresident Wilford Woodruff, by President Lorenzo Snow, by PresidentJoseph F. Smith, by the late Apostle Franklin D. Richards and by thelate President Abraham O. Smoot, of Utah Stake. In short, all who knew,or who have read of, Apostle David W. Patten, have seemed to count it apleasure to do whatever they could to assist in perpetuating his memory.
L.A.W.
Salt Lake City, Utah,
February 8, 1900.
OFFICE OF
The First Presidency
OF THE
Church of Jesus Christ
OF
Latter-day Saints.
P. O. Box B.
Salt Lake City, Utah, February 6, 1900.
To the Reader:
All the circumstances of my first and last meeting with Apostle DavidW. Patten are as clear to my mind as if it were an occurrence of butyesterday, and yet it took place some sixty-four years ago. He appearedto me then to be a remarkable man, and that impression has remainedwith me ever since.
We traveled together on horseback from my father's home, at Mantua,Ohio, to Kirtland, a distance of perhaps twenty-five miles, he on hisreturn from some missionary labor, I to commence a course of studies atOberlin College.
On the way our conversation fell upon religion and philosophy, andbeing young and having enjoyed some scholastic advantages, I was atfirst disposed to treat his opinions lightly, especially so as theywere not always clothed in grammatical language; but as he proceededin his earnest and humble way to open up before my mind the plan ofsalvation, I seemed unable to resist the knowledge that he was a man ofGod and that his testimony was true. I felt pricked in my heart.
This he evidently perceived, for almost the last thing he said to me,after bearing his testimony, was that I should go to the Lord beforeretiring at night and ask him for myself. This I did with the resultthat from the day I met this great Apostle, all my aspirations havebeen enlarged and heightened immeasurably. This was the turning pointin my life.
What impressed me most was his absolute sincerity, his earnestnessand his spiritual power; and I believe I cannot do better in thisconnection than to commend a careful study of his life to the honest inheart everywhere.
Lorenzo Snow
Early life of David W. Patten—Parentage—Marriage—Join