John Tanner and his family

Page 165

154 John Tanner and His Family various ways: To redeem the temple lot, loaned to the Temple Com­ mittee, and to buying up the depreciated paper of the Kirtland Safety Society in the vain attempt to save that floundering institution. Com­ ments of Nathan and Elizabeth show how completely John Tanner Nathan gave his all. After a hasty explanation of what happened and speaking of his concludes, "This left Father without anything." situation Nathan says, "I sold my last team and wagon, my last cow, and my watch out of my pocket." own Elizabeth's comments are even more revealing: Our substance was divided from time to time for church purposes and to assist the needy, even my own personal clothing. I divided until we were in very destitute circumstances and lived as poor as it was possible to get along with, our large family many times lacking as I felt the need of, to sustain myself through sickness and hard labor. I had two children during our residence there. Our home was always open for the accommodation of the people, as Mr. Tanner was much given to hospitality and never refused its demands nourishment, as long as we had a crust to divide." little note of bitterness in Elizabeth's comment she What woman, who has had everything, wants to part with most of her wardrobe and find herself reduced to threadbare housedresses. Or listen to her children asking for food which was so If there is can a be excused. their New York home, but which she can no longer supply. However generous Mother Elizabeth may have been, the change from riches to rags must have been a tremendous shock. And then to have her home practically taken over by hungry and needy people, "Because Mr. Tanner was much given to hospitality and never refused plentiful in its demands." One of Myron's comments about his father's generosity indicates that Father Tanner may have gone beyond what might be considered as "loving your neighbor as yourself." Myron says, "Father was in­ tensly devoted to the Prophet. Compared with the necessities of the Church and the financial relief of the Prophet in the hours of his "21 distress, money to him was mere dross. If this had been the days of "Women's Lib." Elizabeth might have done something about it. Besides the large family of stepchildren who she was mothering, she had five children of her own, all under ten years of age. And a mother's instinct to protect her own is one of the strongest. She probably thought John was going a little too far