115 years ago today - Wednesday, Jun 25, 1902

[Rudger Clawson]
Apostle Teasdale. ... The union of the apostles and the love they bear each other is productive of good in the midst of the people. He had suggested sometime ago that Saturday of each week be set apart as a holiday for the Presidency, because he felt that the President was overworked. Desired to be a minute man. Every blessing pronounced upon his head in taking various missions had been realized. With regard to Bro. Smoot, felt just as he did some time ago. If the Lord wants him in congress, he will open the way.... Said he knew there would be great rejoicings among our people when plural marriage is restored, but that time will never come so long as the saints rob the Lord of tithes and offerings.

Apostle Jno. H. Smith said ... There was one thing that rather perplexed him and that was this: in a sermon of Pres. Young's published in the Times and Seasons it was stated that if Hyrum Smith had survived the Prophet, he would have become President of the church, but afterwards and later Pres. Young took a different view. He understood that Patriarch John Smith feels that his name should by right follow the Presidency. The question is this, "Do the spirit and letter of the gospel indicate that anything or anybody can come between the Presidency and Twelve." His own judgment, shorn of the spirit of revelation, was that the Almighty when he named the presidency of Three and council of Twelve fixed the order of government for all time to come, and that nothing should come between them. ...

Pres. Young said that the matter was plain to his mind. The succession to the Presidency had been fully determined, and no matter where the patriarch's name was presented, nothing could come between the Presidency and Twelve. Apostle Hyrum M. Smith took a little different view to some of the brethren. He understood that Brother [Patriarch] John Smith lost his place in the line of presentation because of a failure to magnify his calling. If that be true, and he repents, should he not be brought back into line?

...

Pres. [Brigham] Young [Jr.] said that when Pres. Smith, the head, indicated what is right in this matter we would be ready to sustain him. Nevertheless, if he desires our views upon the subject, we will give them. Said, "If I were John Smith, I would work where I am until the Lord calls me to stand before the Twelve. By urging his own claims, he only hurts himself and lessens rather than strengthens his influence." When the matter comes up and Pres. Smith indicates what is right, let us accept the decision and be one.

[Source: Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]

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