Today in Mormon History: September 2011

170 years ago today - Sep 30, 1841

[Joseph Smith] Joseph draws up a bill of expenses caused by his trial in Monmouth in June 1841 and sends it to the deputy sheriff of Adams County because he officiated in the arrest initiated by Gov. Boggs. Joseph includes a note asking that the $685 be refunded to him as soon as possible.

[Source: Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

50 years ago today - Sep 30, 1961

[General] Priesthood Correlation program instituted.

[Source: Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550]

30 years ago today - Sep 30, 1981.

[General] Louis C. Midgley of BYU's political science department attacks the New Mormon History and historians for a lack of faith. Joined periodically by David Earle Bohn and Gary Novak, he continues his vigorous assault on "objective" history to the present.

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

120 years ago today - Sep 29, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 29 I signed 26 Recommends. I received 14 Letters. I wrote 2 Letters to Mary & Malinda Hatch.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

145 years ago today - Sep 29, 1866 (Saturday)

[General] Capt. Daniel Thompson's ox train of immigrants, which had left Wyoming July 25th, with 84 wagons and about five hundred immigrants, arrived at G.S.L. City.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

100 years ago today - Friday, Sep 29, 1911

[Second Counselor John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City

I spent the entire day except one hour with the Directors of the Utah National Bank in the office. We read Whitney Article to the Oakland California Tribune. We had quite a number of Callers and we had a most excelent day.

[Source: Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith]

130 years ago today - Sep 28, 1881

[General] Wilford Woodruff preaches, "(God) has had his endowments a great many years ago. He has ascended to his thrones, principalities and powers in the eternities."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

175 years ago today - Sep 28, 1836

[Oliver Cowdery] Lucy Pearce Cowdery, Oliver's half-sister, was married to Phineas Howe Young (brother of Brigham Young) in Kirtland.

[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Oliver Cowdery Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/Cdychrn1.htm]

170 years ago today - Sep 28, 1841, Monday

[William Clayton Writings] On the 28th Brother Tanner brought us some Beef.

[Source: Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries]

45 years ago today - Sep 27, 1966

After considering all the facts presented regarding the desire of a couple who have been sealed in the Temple to have sealed to them two children with Negroid blood, I indicated that I could see no objection to the sealing being done. [David O. McKay diary, Sept. 27, 1966]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

20 years ago today - Sep 27, 1991.

[General] Elder Neal A. Maxwell, speaking at the FARMS annual banquet, tells his listeners, "Joseph [Smith] will go on being vindicated in the essential things associated with his prophetic mission. Many of you here, both now and in the future, will be part of that on-rolling vindication through your own articulation. There is no place in the Kingdom for unanchored brilliance. Fortunately, those of you I know are both committed and contributive. In any case, ready or not, you serve as mentors and models for the rising generation of Latter-day Saint scholars and students. Let them learn, among other things, submissiveness from the eloquence of your example. God bless you!"

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

15 years ago today - Sep 27, 1996

[U.S. Religious History] The Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and hanged the former president Najibullah.

[Source: Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline]

130 years ago today - Sep 26, 1881

[General] Heber J. Grant expresses his disappointment about his racehorse being disqualified from upcoming race in Salt Lake City."I had counted considerable, however, on Hyrum's winning the race and the horse becoming enough of a public favorite that I could sell him for a nice round sum." Heber becomes apostle in 1882, and horse racing remains legal in Utah until 1913.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

5 years ago today - Sep 26, 2006

[Mormon Tabernacle Choir] Release of Wonder of Christmas.

[Source: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=036eb2987ff92110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRDvgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD]

180 years ago today - Sep 26, 1831

Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith completed Matthew 26:123 in his work on the inspired translation of the Bible.

[Source: BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://amzn.to/BYUStudies-JSChron]

150 years ago today - Sep 25, 1861

[General] Brigham Young's office journal records: "In the evening Pres. Young discussed with his brother Joseph, the character of a few partly colored brethren The Pres[ident] remarked there are men who have had the dark Skin of Cain partly So, who may have the blood of Abraham in them enough to control themselves in righteousness, and fulfil the requirements of the Gospel as well as many other whites, Some of these partly dark brethren may be shifless, but there are many whites who are also shiftless. The Pres[ident] also spoke favorably of Isaac, a colored man who had worked for him for many years he also remarked he would confer any blessing to him he could, believing him to deserve it."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

170 years ago today - Sep 25, 1841

Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith's nephew Hyrum Smith, son of Hyrum and Jerusha, died at the age of seven.

[Source: BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://amzn.to/BYUStudies-JSChron]

60 years ago today - Sep 25, 1951

[General] Jackson Stewart Horsely, later an Olympic bronze medalist in swimming at the 1968 Mexico City games, is born in Salt Lake City, Utah.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

120 years ago today - Sep 24, 1891

[Apostle Brigham Young Jr. Diary] I can see the necessity of the Presidency and Twelve coming to the front to assure the nation we mean what we say. Pres[iden]t Woodruff said before I left, "we must do something to save our Temples." Some one may ask Can't God save them? I answer yes, & you might even now be redeemed had the people obeyed the counsel our leaders were inspired to give them in the past. I will do whatever my leaders counsel, but, the base thought of taking clemency from U.S.A. that has destroyed the prophets and has thrust us out to perish, pains me more than I can tell. Don't think it hurts me more than it does Joseph F. to surrender [he has just received word of Joseph F. Smith s pardon by President Harrison] and I thank God he is free to go before the people. The First Presidency should be there before all men, and the Twelve follow. Spare me Father; but thy will be done not mine.

[Source: Diary of Apostle Brigham Young Jr., http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

140 years ago today - Sep 24, 1871 (Sunday)

[General] The corner stones of the new Catholic Church, in Salt Lake City, were laid, the ceremonies being conducted Rev. Patrick Walsh.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

155 years ago today - Sep 24, 1856

[General] Due to report that Stephen A. Douglas has called Utah's Mormons "an ulcer on the body politic," DESERET NEWS publishes Joseph Smith's 1843 prophecy: "Judge [Douglas], you will aspire to the Presidency of the United States," with his warning of failure if he turns against Mormons. Douglas is defeated for presidency in 1860; dies next year.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

150 years ago today - Sep 23, 1861 (Monday)

[General] The last Church train of the season arrived in G.S.L. City, under the direction of Capt. Ansel P. Harmon.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

100 years ago today - Sep 23, 1911

[General] Frank E. "Ted" Moss, a Utah member of the U.S. Senate (1959â€"77), is born in Holladay, Utah.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

45 years ago today - Sep 23, 1966

[General] First Presidency letter, "effective immediately," ending "missionary farewells" in LDS meetings. Letter asks local officers "that you counsel families against holding receptions for departing missionaries." Without single reference to war, this letter responds to disparity of holding joyous farewells for young missionaries, while also conducting funerals for young men who are drafted to serve in Vietnam without opportunity to serve mission. LDS missionaries at this time are granted draft deferments for full-time religious ministers.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

More History?

Want more Mormon history? Check out LDS-Church-History, a topical approach to the history of the church. Topics from the past have included Tithing, the Word of Wisdom, Z.C.M.I. and Dreams in Latter-day Saint history. More info can be found here: http://bit.ly/ldshst mh

125 years ago today - Sep 22, 1886

Pres[iden]t J[ohn] D. T. McAllister said, again, brethren and sisters we are permitted to meet in the House of God to labor for mankind and also for ourselves. There are but few here[,] but we can enjoy the Spirit of God. Said this is the straight and narrow path and those who are privileged to enter here are blessed above all others. Said, some time ago, on account of an expected raid by our enemies, the Temple was closed and the records taken away, and transcripts of work done could not be given. He could not lay his hands on them, but they are in a safe keeping. [He] felt the time would soon arrive when we can have access to the records again and accomodate the Saints. Said the word is now given, that those who come into this Temple must keep the Word of Wisdom. Wines, liquors &c are good in sickness and should be kept in the house for medicine but not [as] beverages; they are forbidden. [Temple Minute Book, St. George, Sept. 22, 1886]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

180 years ago today - Sep 22, 1831

[Joseph Smith] Missionary Jared Carter records that he received the non-ordained "authority of an apostle." A revelation a year later contained the last known reference to Mormon missionaries as "apostles."

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]

75 years ago today - Sep 22, 1936

Apostle George Albert Smith, historian Andrew Jenson, Wilford C. Wood and John D. Giles of the Utah Trails and Landmark Association visited Nauvoo and inspected the Nauvoo Temple site, apparently with intention of investigating the purchase of the property. .

[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]

150 years ago today - Sep 21, 1861

[General] Brigham Young's "destroying angel" William A. "Wild Bill" Hickman falls down and accidentally shoots himself in the liver when his gun discharges. He lives for twenty-two more years and omits this incident from his memoirs that are written before his execution.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

10 years ago today - 2001 21-Sep

[Hinckley] Along with 27 other religious leaders, attended a private prayer meeting for President George W. Bush at the White House

[Source: LDS Newsroom, Time line of Significant Events as President, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/time-line-of-significant-events-as-president]

120 years ago today - Sep 21, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 21 I signed 25 Recommends. I received 12 Letters. We set apart John Henry Smith to Dedicate prayer Circle Rooms in Arizona And Seal Young people in Marriage who were not able to go to the Temple. We also Blessed him & John Morgan to go on a Mission to Arizona on a preaching tour.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

150 years ago today - Sep 20, 1861

[Black History] Joseph T. Ball dies in Boston,

[Source: http://www.xtimeline.com/events.aspx?q=Bif200802111550260291166]

75 years ago today - Sep 20, 1936

[General] Winter Quarters Monument dedicated at Florence, Nebraska.

[Source: Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550]

10 years ago today - Sep 20, 2001

[General] President Hinckley was among 26 religious leaders who met at the White House in Washington, D.C., with U.S. President George W. Bush regarding the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001.

[Source: Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]

130 years ago today - Sep 19, 1881

[General] Chester A. Arthur becomes U.S. President.

[Source: Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"]

120 years ago today - Sep 19, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19 I went up town & was at the Gardo & heard an interview with Col Trumbo & others.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

80 years ago today - Sep 19, 1931

[General] L. Lionel Kendrick, later a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, is born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

125 years ago today - Sep 18, 1886

[Temple] Enclosed please find the endorsed recommends of the two widows of your father-in law for them to get their Second Anointing; and you are at liberty to act for him and receive this ordinance with them in his behalf. Enclosed is seen a certificate for Marion Brown Arthur. As we suppose this was your wife[,] I have endorsed it for her to receive her second anointing; though you do not mention [it], or ask [for it] in the letter. If this is not your wife, she ought not to receive her second anointing on the strength of this recommend. [John Taylor to Christopher J. Arthur, Sept. 18, 1886]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

170 years ago today - Sep 18, 1841, Friday

[William Clayton Writings] On the 18th Richard Jenkinson died appearantly suffering much. About this time we suffered severly on account of having no fire in the house. The chimney was blown down in March and was not built up again untill George A. Smith one of the twelve and Brother Montague came on the 29th with a load of wood and afterwards built up the chimney for which we felt thankful.

130 years ago today - Sep 18, 1881 (Sunday)

[General] Apostle Orson Pratt delivered his last public discourse, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

120 years ago today - Sep 17, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 17 I signed 25 Recommends. I received 20 Letters. I wrote to Newton Sarah & Mary. I attended a Bank Meeting.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

165 years ago today - Sep 17, 1846

[Joseph Smith] Mobs drive remaining Mormons from Illinois after a week of artillery bombardment in the so-called Battle of Nauvoo.

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]

65 years ago today - Sep 17, 1946

[President George Albert Smith Journal] "Wilford Wood Met Presidency to report on purchase of Jos Smith home at harmony (Sic) Penni."

[Source: Journals of George Albert Smith]

100 years ago today - Sep 16, 1911

[General] Public report concerning man who attempts to extort $100,000 from church president to prevent publication of covertly obtained interior photographs of Sale Lake temple. Two days later First Presidency commissions James E. Talmage to write THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. Published a year later its photographs omit tobacco spittoons from Council Room of First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, but include Holy of Holies (photograph deleted from later editions). Ordinance of second anointing is performed for couples in Holy of Holies.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

120 years ago today - Sep 16, 1891 (Wednesday)

[General] The Irrigation Congress was addressed by Presidents Wilford Woodruff and Geo Q. Cannon.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

20 years ago today - Sep 16, 1991

[General] Monroe G. McKay, a former J. Reuben Clark Law School faculty member, is invested as chief judge of the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

130 years ago today - Sep 15, 1881

[J.D.T. McAllister Diary] Received news that Pres. Garfield was dead

about 9 O. Clock news came that President Garfield was dead all the bells in the city tolled about an hour.

[Source: Diary Excerpts of J.D.T. McAllister, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

10 years ago today - Sep 15, 2001

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs in a nationally broadcast church service on the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for September 11 victims.

70 years ago today - Sep 15, 1941

[General] The Western Canadian Mission is organized.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

40 years ago today - Sep 14,1971

Apollo 15 astronauts present to President Joseph Fielding Smith a Utah state flag that has traveled with them to the moon.

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, Appendix 5, Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996, http://amzn.to/extensions-power]

20 years ago today - Sep 14, 1991.

[General] The Salt Lake Tribune reports that David Knowlton, a social anthropologist at BYU, was called in by his stake president "less than a week" after his presentation in Sunstone in Salt Lake City about why leftist terrorists in Latin America target the church. He protests the "intimidation" in writing to his academic officers with copies to President Ezra Taft Benson. Rex Lee, president of BYU, comments, "This is just not a BYU matter."

Ca. 22 September 1991. The long-awaited Encyclopedia of Mormonism appears. Such periodicals as Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Sunstone, and Exponent II, though separately indexed, are discussed only in an article entitled "Societies and Organizations" (3:1387-90).

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

10 years ago today - Sep 14, 2001

[General] President Gordon B. Hinckley appears a third time on â€•Larry King Live.

[Source: Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]

170 years ago today - Sep 13, 1841

Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith received an invitation from the militia of Lee County, Iowa, to attend a military parade on September 14 in Montrose, Illinois.

[Source: BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://amzn.to/BYUStudies-JSChron]

80 years ago today - Sep 13, 1931

[U.S. Religious History] Still recovering from a nervous breakdown, Foursquare Gospel founder Aimee Semple McPherson married David Hutton; they divorced only four years later.

[Source: Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline]

5 years ago today - Sep 13, 2006

[Hinckley] Dedicated new home for the 120-year-old LDS Business College at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City

[Source: LDS Newsroom, Time line of Significant Events as President, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/time-line-of-significant-events-as-president]

30 years ago today - Sep 12, 1981

[General] First Presidency announces standardized "Sage Plan" for small meeting houses, further evidence of financial strains of church growth since 1960's.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

180 years ago today - Sep 12, 1831

Ezra Booth: Officially denounced Mormonism 12 September 1831. Considered first Mormon apostate to publish anti-Mormon literature.

[Source: Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]

60 years ago today - Sep 12, 1951

[General] James E. Talmage's classic book, The Articles of Faith, is published in Spanish.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

140 years ago today - Sep 11, 1871

[General] Counselor Daniel H. Wells tells Grantsville School of the Prophets that "a great many of our young men are abusing themselves by the habit of self-pollution: or self abuse, or as the Bible terms it, Onanism," which he regards as "one great cause why so many of our young men were not married, and it was a great sin, and would lead to insanity and a premature grave." Polygamy is likelier cause for prevalence of bachelorhood in nineteenth-century Utah. First, every national census lists more males than females in Mormon population. Second, 20 - 40 percent of Mormon men marry polygamously which demographically requires bachelorhood in Utah's majority population of males.

[Source: Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower]

170 years ago today - Sep 11, 1841

Hosea Stout, Nauvoo Legion clerk, reports that the Legion totals 1,490 men, and that at a special review Lieutenant General Joseph Smith "delivered a military speech to the troops in his usual energetic style."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

130 years ago today - Sept. 11th 1881

[Abraham H. Cannon Journal] "I was chatting with Pros. Stagner and Donaldson a short time in the morning, and was sorry to hear the complaints they made of Bro. Carrington, They complain of being snubbed and insulted by him very often, and he is indeed a very abrupt man in all his sayings, and it is seldom that he takes the feelings of other persons into consideration; but notwithstanding this, the elders in this mission have no right to criticize his actions, but should rather pray for him."

[Source: Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]

85 years ago today - Sep 10, 1926

[Temple] At five o'clock went to the temple with my wife and did endowment work for and on behalf of Warren Gamaliel Harding and Sister Grant went through for his wife, after which we stood in behalf of President Theodore Roosevelt's father and mother and also stood for President Harding and wife and were sealed for eternity for these two couples, George F. Richards performing the ceremonies. [Heber J. Grant diary, Sept. 10, 1926]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

120 years ago today - Sep 10, 1891

[General] U.S. President Benjamin Harrison grants pardon to fellow Republican and second counselor Joseph F. Smith for outstanding warrants for his arrest on polygamy. Thirteen years later then President Joseph F. Smith testifies under oath that he is still living polygamously in violation of the of both "the laws of the church and the laws of the land."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

50 years ago today - Sep 10, 1961

[General] The Berlin Stake, the first stake in Germany, is organized, with Rudi Seehagen as president.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

80 years ago today - Sep 9, 1931

[General] Apostle (and trained scientist) John A. Widsoe writes from England that he thinks James E. Talmadge's speech "The Earth and Man" should be published by the Church as it is. The speech accepts geologist's determination of the age of the earth and that fossils are remnants of life that lived and died before Adam. A group of three apostles, including Joseph Fielding Smith, is adamantly against publication of the speech. After two months of meetings (one lasting seven hours) the speech is published and later issued as a pamphlet.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

10 years ago today - Sep 09, 2001

[U.S. Religious History] Jerry Falwell stated: "Since the Antichrist will not be revealed before Jesus comes, I believe conditions are falling in place, i.e., one-world government, so he can rule the world after Jesus comes. But we're moving toward a one-world government through the United Nations, through the world court and a growing world opinion. The problem is that the one-world opinion is taking the side of the Palestinians, not the side of Israel."

[Source: Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline]

120 years ago today - Sep 9, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] Sept 9, 1891 I signed 60 Recommends. I received 30 Letters. I met with the Bank board. We had a hard rain at Night.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

130 years ago today - Sep 08, 1881

[General] David O. McKay is baptized in Spring Creek near Huntsville, Utah; he is the first future President of the Church to be baptized on his eighth birthday.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

140 years ago today - Sep 8, 1871 (Friday)

[General] After several days' preliminary examination before Associate Justice C. M. Hawley, Marshal McAllister and Warden Rockwood (Salt Lake City) were held to bail in $1,000 each to await the action of the grand jury.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

120 years ago today - Sep 8, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 8 I signed 66 Recommends. I received 31 Letters. I wrote 2 letter.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

130 years ago today - Sep 7, 1881

[Deseret] a game of chess by telephone was played between Salt Lake and Ogden on Sunday. Salt Lake won. This is probably the first instance of telephonic chess on record.

[Source: History to Go, Statehood, http://historytogo.utah.gov/timeline/statehood.html]

10 years ago today - Sep 7, 2001-8

[General] The first two meetinghouses built by the Church in the Ukraine Kiev Mission were dedicated on consecutive dates in the districts of Livoberezhny and Svyatoshinsky.

120 years ago today - Sep 7, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 7 I spent the day at home. The whole Number of Souls in S L Stake was 27,0026 [27,026].

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

20 years ago today - Sep 6, 1991

[General] LDS leaders give $25,000 to Philippines after eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

150 years ago today - Sep 6, 1861

Erastus Snow: Returned to Salt Lake City 6 September 1861.

140 years ago today - Sep 6, 1871 (Wednesday)

[General] The steamship Nevada sailed from Liverpool, England, with 263 Saints, under the direction of John I. Hart. The company arrived at New York Sept. 18th, and at Ogden Sep. 27th.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

170 years ago today - Sep 5, 1841

[General] Joseph Smith "preached to a large congregation at the Stand, on the Science and practice of Medicine, desiring to persuade the Saints to trust in God when sick, and not in an arm of flesh, and live by faith and not by medicine, or poison, and when they were sick, and had called for the Elders to pray for them, and they were not healed, to use herbs and mild food."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

120 years ago today - Sep 5, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 5 Conference to day. I spent the day at home.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

160 years ago today - Sep 05, 1851

[General] Parley P. Pratt departs en route to Chile as the first missionary to South America.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

170 years ago today - Sep 4, 1841

[Joseph Smith] Apostle Orson Pratt is the first general authority to receive an honorary college degree (M.A. from the University of the City of Nauvoo).

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]

120 years ago today - Sep 4, 1891

[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 4 I am better to day. Am busy about the House.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

145 years ago today - Sep 4, 1866 (Tuesday)

[General] Capt. Thos. E. Ricks' train of immigrating Saints, consisting of 46 wagons and 251 passengers, arrived in G.S.L. City.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

80 years ago today - Sep 3, 1931

[Temple] In the evening I performed the ordinance of sealing Maud May Babcock to President Brigham Young, Willard Young acting for his father. I also administered Seconds [second anointing] to her. [George F. Richards diary, Sept. 3, 1931]

[Source: Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

175 years ago today - early Sep 1836

[General] Joseph Smith commanded Levi Hancock to take Fanny Alger to Missouri.

[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]

5 years ago today - Sep 3, 2006

[Hinckley] Dedicated the Sacramento California Temple

[Source: LDS Newsroom, Time line of Significant Events as President, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/time-line-of-significant-events-as-president]

15 years ago today - Sep 2, 1996

[General] Gordon B. Hinckley receives American Legion's "Good Guy Award."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

170 years ago today - Sep 2, 1841

[Brigham Young] September 2.-- I was elected a member of the city council, in place of Don Carlos Smith, deceased.

On my return from England I found my family living in a small unfinished log cabin, situated on a low, wet lot, so swampy that when the first attempt was made to plow it the oxen mired; but after the city was drained it became a very valuable garden spot.

Although I had to spend the principal part of my time, at the call of Brother Joseph, in the service of the Church, the portion of time left me I spent in draining, fencing and cultivating my lot, building a temporary shed for my cow, chinking and otherwise finishing my house; and as the ground was too damp to admit of a cellar underground, I built one with two brick walls about four or six inches apart, arched over with brick. Frost never penetrated it, although in summer articles would mildew in it.

[Source: Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]

150 years ago today - Sep 2, 1861 (Monday)

[General] A company of settlers left G.S.L. City for the Uintah country, intending to locate a settlement, in which, however, they did not succeed.

[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

75 years ago today - Sep 1, 1936

[General] German mazazine DER STERN reports on a lecture by Dr. Max Haenle from Tubingen, a non-Mormon who visited Utah in the late twenties and became a friend of Anthony W. Ivins, First Counselor to Heber J. Grant. The article says that Haenle made "comparisons ... throughout the whole lecture between the Mormon state founded 86 years ago by Brigham Young in Utah and Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. . . . In its political productivity, its organization forms, and its unswerving successes in the various areas of governmental, social, and communal life," he proclaimed, "Utah bears a really striking similarity to our Germany of today. Here as well as there, the unshakable faith in and willingness to die for their Fuhrer [respective leaders] is the foundation and prerequisite for all further development."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

20 years ago today - Sep 1, 1991

[General] Membership in the Church reached 8 million, about two years after membership hit the 7 million mark in December 1989.

180 years ago today - Sep 1, 1831

Algernon Sidney Gilbert: Arrived before 1 September 1831.