Passing of a Saint

George Albert Smith was born poor and grew up proud. As a plain, gawky kid in Salt Lake City, he always remembered that he bore one of the most illustrious names in Mormonism: his grandfather had been a cousin of Founder Joseph Smith. George worked hard to live up to his name. His father's house had no front lawn and he labored to put one in, then toted water for it from an irrigation ditch every night. He started to work making overalls, later on he became a successful salesman.

When he was only 33, Mormon Smith was shaken to learn that he had been elected to serve on the church's potent Council of Twelve Apostles. Oppressed with a sense of unworthiness, he lay awake for nights. "But then I got my confidence back," he said once, "and I've never been afraid since." Forty-two years later, in 1945, Smith became president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served it well. Said one Salt Lake City businessman: "If I were looking for the best public-relations man in this part of the country, I'd take him."

Last week, on the eve of Mormonism's 121st annual conference, 81-year-old

George Albert Smith died. The saddened Saints, 18,000 strong, rearranged their conference schedule to devote a full day to his funeral. Then they "sustained" a new president--David Oman McKay.

President McKay, big and still buoyant at 77, was a schoolteacher at 15. In 1897 he graduated from the University of Utah, then served a two-year mission term in Scotland, the land of his ancestors. Since 1934, as second counsellor to the president, he has had world missions under his special care. Gentle David McKay has long been considered Mormonism's most spiritual leader, but Mormons know his administration is likely to be as practical as it is saintly. President McKay's one hobby: training riding horses to the saddle and draft horses to work.

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