Messages of the First Presidency, Volume III, compiled by Dr. James R. Clark of Brigham Young University contains the official statements of the First Presidency, with accompanying explanatory historical notes, during the administrations of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow. The chronological period covered is from 1885 to 1901. The period from 1885 to 1901 is a particularly important one in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a period of great stress as the L.D.S. Church literally struggled for its very existence. That life and death struggle is seen clearly in the Messages and Notes comprising this volume. B. H. Roberts, Church Historian, has written of this period: "Out of the fiery conflict waged came forth settlement of questions that made clear the lines upon which procedure for the Church was practical . . . And hence adjustments were made, demands upon the Church conceded to, so that statehood was won, deliverance from oppression obtained; the relations of the church and state were slowly but surely defined and established . . ." Again in Volume III, as in the previous volumes of this series, the reader will see the image of a dynamic Church with inspired leadership meeting the challenges of changing conditions and relationships.