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Show CHAPTER II THE HOUR OF DELIVERANCE Brigham Young was fifty-six years old at the onset of the Utah War. In actual fact, he did not appear the part of the religious fanatic his enemies portrayed him to be. Burton says of him: "He shows no signs of dogmatism, bigotry or fanaticism,... there is a total absence of pretension in his manner, and he has been so long used to power that he cares nothing for its display.I!l A Vermont yankee by birth and a farmer by trade, his approach to life, was understandably pragmatic. He had little patience with the idealist; he dealt with realities and wnat he believed were realities. His discourses were typically punctuated with comments dealing with agriculture and stock raising. The temporal necessities of settling the Great Basin received as much or more attention than spiritual matters.2 Young saw man as having a stewardship over the earth, to build it up and take care of it. I His emphasis of the temporal set him apart from his predecessor. Joseph was far more inclined toward spiritual affairs, leaving the pioneering work to his assistants. Brigham Young's devotion to the church and the establishment of the kingdom are unquestionable, however. Of his personal appearance, he was large in stature, thick set, and rather good natured. His stature and mannerisms commanded the attention of friends and strangers alike. Although he had virtually no formal education, he was knowledgeable about a wide range of subjects .arid could converse on an equal footing with any man. He was a man of obvious intelligence and sagacity. 45 |
