President Brigham Young's Counsel and Reproof to Bishop Archibald Gardner
From NeilDocs
Janet Gardner, daughter of Mark Barclay Gardner, son of Brigham Evenson Gardner, son of Neil Gardner, son of Archibald Gardner
When instructing him for his duties as bishop, President Brigham Young said, “Archie, you are going over to Jordan to be a father to the people. They are good sturdy pioneers, but they have their faults. You must lead, not drive them. Do not expect them to be all alike. If one is too tall, don’t chop his head off to make him the desired height or stretch one’s neck out of joint if he is short to make him taller,” meaning, of course, that he must take men as he found them and be patient with their imperfections.
. . . “Blessed are the meek.” Archibald Gardner was meek, yet he could take chastizement. His faith in the Gospel was founded on a rock. Nothing men said or did affected it even though it be the President of the Church and he thought the reprimand unjustified.
Susan [sic] Young Gates in her biography of her father related an incident to this effect. Her father on some provocation rebuked a bishop before a public gathering. That bishop was Archibald Gardner. After his scathing reproof he said, “Now, Bishop Gardner, I don’t want you to go and apostatize because of what I have said.” The bishop arose and in stentorian tones (his voice could be heard two blocks away) replied, “Don’t worry, Brother Brigham. This is my Father’s kingdom and I have just as much right in it as you have.” At this remark the Leader chuckled.
Source: Delila Gardner Hughes. The Life of Archibald Gardner. West Jordan, Utah: The Archibald Gardner Family Genealogical Association, 1939, pp. 73, 145.
