But the work the Lord has established in these last days is independent of any man, be he ever so wise, or influential. This has been so frequently demonstrated that it is now accepted as a truism by the faithful. The work, called by the world "Mormonism," is God's work. He is its founder and its Grand Head. Earthly leaders,--Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and others, operate under His directions. They are but instruments in His hands; and as one passes away, He raises up another competent to carry out His purposes. Brigham Young was dead, but the Church of Christ still lived; and its Great Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, though in heaven,--far above the power of death, of mobs or any earthly accident,--was watching over its interests and guiding its destiny. Surely He is able to raise up another earthly leader for Israel! Indeed the man is already at hand. The Saints while weeping for the departure of their late President, recognize him through the mists of their tears. It is the man who in a voice full of power and inspiration that thrills every soul in the vast congregation assembled to pay the last tribute of respect to the remains of Brigham Young--it is the man who is saying: "We are not alone! God is with us, and He will continue with us from this time henceforth and forever. And while we mourn a good and great man dead, I see thousands of staunch and faithful ones around me, and before me, who are for Israel, for God and His kingdom; men who are desirous to see His will done on earth, as angels do it in heaven." We are not alone! God is with us! Israel did not doubt it. How could they? He who proclaimed it knew whereof he spake; and the Spirit of God which penetrated the hearts of the Saints as he uttered those words, bore witness that they were true. It was John Taylor who thus spoke. At the death of President Young, Elder John Taylor was President of the quorum of Twelve Apostles. It is a principle well established now by precedent, that at the death of the President of the Church, the authority of presidency devolves upon the next quorum--the Twelve Apostles: and as Elder Taylor was the President of the Twelve, he became the mouth-piece of the Lord to the people, by virtue of that position so long as that quorum presided over the Church. Not alone by precedent, however, did the Twelve succeed to the presidency of the Church with Elder Taylor at their head, the arrangement was also sanctioned by the spirit of inspiration.