Four Ordained: Wilford Woodruff Ordained These Men High Priests

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. . . That's what we said in elementary school when I was young. This was to help us remember when America was discovered. We were taught in school some of the characteristics of Christopher Columbus, such as perseverance, courage, fortitude, and mental inquisitiveness. There was an official Columbus Day, October 12, with remembrance and celebrations. There were cities, schools, streets and universities named after this honored man.Things change abruptly in the year of the 500th anniversary of Columbus day, 1992. All of a sudden, it seemed, Columbus was dishonored, statues were desecrated, streets were renamed, and Christopher's name was besmirched. He became a pariah, an outcast, someone to be shunned. How did this come about? I wanted to know. So I actually studied some history. I found some amazing truths about Columbus-I wanted to share them. It's absurd, but not many wanted to listen.It is interesting to me that John Wesley has a different history. He is acknowledged as the founder of the Methodist Church. He is still held in fairly high esteem. Especially by the Methodists. In spite of this, John's own records show that he didn't intend to start a Church. He wanted to remain loyal to the Church of England. He only wanted to be sure there was a society that would study the scriptures in a "methodical" fashion. Nevertheless he filed papers with the Crown that made certain that his society would continue after his death. It has. But it has become a Church separate from others. Benjamin Franklin has come under the same dishonest scrutiny as Columbus. Now some say he was a theist, an atheist, and even an adulterer. More fake history. In studying his history, I am determined he was faithful to Deborah, his wife. His own writings make it clear he was a true believer in God and Christ. He followed his own project for moral perfection. One of the 13 character traits he worked on during his life was Chastity. He was the most famous man of his time. He was an inventor, a diplomat, a printer, a community leader, and a franchisor in business, perhaps the first. And then there is George Washington. He is the indispensable man. Our nation could not have come into being if he weren't there at the most important times of our history. The Revolutionary War, the Constitutional Convention, and the first Presidential Administration. Now his history is also being besmirched. Was he unfaithful to Martha? Did he hope to become financially enriched by the War? And what about his owning of slaves. There is recently an artistic representation of George's life that is being removed from a school wall because it is offensive. Offensive? From one of history's greatest men. That goes to show you that someone will try to find something to object to or be offended by, in the lives of great, I mean GREAT Men. In August of 1877, the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and other eminent men and women appeared to Wilford Woodruff in the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at St. George, Utah, and requested that their temple work be done. You will be interested to know that at that time, four men were ordained High Priests in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Those four men were Christopher Columbus, John Wesley, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington. I have wondered about that. Why were these men chosen to be so honored? I now feel it is necessary to stand up for these men, and try to set the record straight. Here they are in "Four Ordained."