Today in Mormon History - Feb 15

Today in Mormon History ...

In Kirtland Oliver Cowdery contintues ordinations and blessings of original Twelve Apostles chosen the previous day. Though he never spoke to his associates about his ethnic heritage, William E. McLellin, whose mother was Cherokee, is ordained an apostle to become the first general authority of native American extraction. McLellin is blessed: "his days may be prolonged until the coming of the Son of Man. He shall be wafted as on eagles wings from country to country and from people to people and be able to do wonders in the midst of this generation, . . ." Twenty-three-year-old John F. Boynton is ordained to the apostleship as the first and only never-married bachelor in the hierarchy. He remains a bachelor eleven months. Boynton is blessed: "Thou shalt see the face of thy Redeemer in the flesh." Orson Hyde is blessed: "He shall be equal with his brethren in holding the keys of the kingdom; that he may stand on the earth and bring souls till Christ comes." David W. Patten is b
lessed: "May he have power to smite his enemies before him with utter destruction. May he continue until the Lord comes." Luke Johnson is blessed: "The nations shall tremble before him. He shall hear the voice of God, he shall comfort the hearts of the saints always. The angels shall bear him up till he shall finish his ministry." William Smith is blessed: "He shall be preserved and remain on earth until Christ shall come to take vengeance on the wicked." (1)
-- 175 years ago - Feb 15, 1835

Oliver Cowdery's widow, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery Johnson, a daughter of David Whitmer, made a statement regarding the translation of the Book of Mormon. "I cheerfully certify that I was familiar with the manner of Joseph Smith's translating the book of Mormon. He translated the most of it at my father's house. And I often sat by and saw and heard them translate and write for hours together. Joseph never had a curtain drawn between him and his scribe while he was translating. He would place the director in his hat, and then place his face in his hat, so as to exclude the light, . . ." (1)
-- 140 years ago - Feb 15, 1870

HOLLYWOOD CITIZEN article about actress Laraine Day: "Wonders never cease and today we met in the center of Hollywood a movie actress, and a beautiful one, too, who never has tasted a cocktail nor smoked a cigarette. Her name is Laraine Day, and lips that touch liquor shall never touch hers, and if there is any other movie star with a record like that, we'll put it in our pipe and smoke it. We're not trying to spoof Miss Day, either. She is a member of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, she's engaged to a missionary, and we have the greatest of respect for her. Only we're a little surprised that a girl of her temperament and background is in the movies. . . .Miss Day, who is hazel-eyed, barely 20, and one of the brightest of M-G-M's younger stars, likes night clubs, where she drinks either soda pop or milk." (1)
-- 70 years ago - Feb 15, 1940


1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html


-- Tour through Mormon history: http://mormon-church-history.blogspot.com

1 comment:

  1. There's an error:

    "Oliver Cowdery's widow, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery Johnson, a daughter of David Whitmer..."

    Should be "daughter of Peter Whitmer Sr."

    ReplyDelete