20 years ago today - Dec 31, 1999
Jerold Ottley retires from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir after a long and distinguished career as director. He is replaced by Craig Jessop, who had been an assistant director since June 5, 1995.
45 years ago today - Dec 31, 1974-Tuesday
[Leonard Arrington]
Boyd Packer repeated very strongly his concerns to Earl [Olsen] and said that we must find some way of preventing the printing of these things from occurring in the future and said that unless we can come to some agreement on it we would have to change the management. I asked Earl what that meantwhether it meant getting a new Church Historian or getting a new Assistant Managing Director or just what. Earl said he was not sure, but he thought he meant that he would seek to have another advisor rather than Brother Hunter or perhaps another Acting Managing Director rather than Brother Anderson. I said to Earl, "Does that mean that Brother Packer himself wants to be our advisor?" Earl said he thought that was the case.
Earl said something about clearing things through correlation. I said that would be the worst thing that could happen. How can they possibly judge us on what is good history and what is bad history. Earl said that we may be forced to it. I said I thought the Twelve [Apostles] would outvote Brother Packer if he made such a suggestion.
At any rate, it seems clear that Brother Packer is making some kind of crusade out of it and will not be satisfied to leave it in the hands of Elder Hunter and Elder McConkie. Earl said as a minimum we ought to bring it up with our advisors at our next meeting and get their counsel of what if anything we should do. Earl says Brother Packer expects some kind of an answer and we need to raise this with the advisors.
Maureen [Beecher] brought Gene England in yesterday and he wanted to talk with me at considerable length about the reasons for withdrawing Maureen's piece from Dialogue. I told him that in my judgment it would not be wise to make an appeal on this. That I wanted to leave it on an ad hoc basis and not force a situation which would establish some kind of a rule that I would have to follow in the future. Gene is looking for a job here. The University of Utah will not hire any committed Mormon in English. BYU would be willing to create a special slot to employ him but Neal Maxwell does not want to go to the board with a special slot bearing his name on account of his former Dialogue association. ...
Jim Allen and Doug Alder returned late in the afternoon yesterday from the American History Association convention in Chicago. They reported a very successful meeting of [session sponsored by] the Mormon History Association. ... There were some all-night meetings of LDS, RLDS, and non-LDS which included Jim and Doug and also Jan Shipps, Paul Edwards, Bob Flanders, Larry Foster, Larry Hunt and some others I don't recall. These were productive, interesting, and inspiring, according to Jim and Doug. ...
I expect to start on a biography of Brigham Young before the end of the year. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Boyd Packer repeated very strongly his concerns to Earl [Olsen] and said that we must find some way of preventing the printing of these things from occurring in the future and said that unless we can come to some agreement on it we would have to change the management. I asked Earl what that meantwhether it meant getting a new Church Historian or getting a new Assistant Managing Director or just what. Earl said he was not sure, but he thought he meant that he would seek to have another advisor rather than Brother Hunter or perhaps another Acting Managing Director rather than Brother Anderson. I said to Earl, "Does that mean that Brother Packer himself wants to be our advisor?" Earl said he thought that was the case.
Earl said something about clearing things through correlation. I said that would be the worst thing that could happen. How can they possibly judge us on what is good history and what is bad history. Earl said that we may be forced to it. I said I thought the Twelve [Apostles] would outvote Brother Packer if he made such a suggestion.
At any rate, it seems clear that Brother Packer is making some kind of crusade out of it and will not be satisfied to leave it in the hands of Elder Hunter and Elder McConkie. Earl said as a minimum we ought to bring it up with our advisors at our next meeting and get their counsel of what if anything we should do. Earl says Brother Packer expects some kind of an answer and we need to raise this with the advisors.
Maureen [Beecher] brought Gene England in yesterday and he wanted to talk with me at considerable length about the reasons for withdrawing Maureen's piece from Dialogue. I told him that in my judgment it would not be wise to make an appeal on this. That I wanted to leave it on an ad hoc basis and not force a situation which would establish some kind of a rule that I would have to follow in the future. Gene is looking for a job here. The University of Utah will not hire any committed Mormon in English. BYU would be willing to create a special slot to employ him but Neal Maxwell does not want to go to the board with a special slot bearing his name on account of his former Dialogue association. ...
Jim Allen and Doug Alder returned late in the afternoon yesterday from the American History Association convention in Chicago. They reported a very successful meeting of [session sponsored by] the Mormon History Association. ... There were some all-night meetings of LDS, RLDS, and non-LDS which included Jim and Doug and also Jan Shipps, Paul Edwards, Bob Flanders, Larry Foster, Larry Hunt and some others I don't recall. These were productive, interesting, and inspiring, according to Jim and Doug. ...
I expect to start on a biography of Brigham Young before the end of the year. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
65 years ago today - Dec 31, 1954
[David O. McKay]
Held a consultation with Elder Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve. We considered the method of presenting the Temple ceremony, having in mind the audience sitting in the same room instead of going to three different rooms.
[David O. McKay diary, Dec. 31, 1954, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Held a consultation with Elder Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve. We considered the method of presenting the Temple ceremony, having in mind the audience sitting in the same room instead of going to three different rooms.
[David O. McKay diary, Dec. 31, 1954, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
125 years ago today - Dec 31, 1894
[Apostle Heber J. Grant]
Had a chat this morning with Gusta and she says that she fears in case we were to get a large amount of money that it would do the children no good. She would prefer to live as we do rather than to have anything happen that would not be for the best. I am glad that she feels this way.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Had a chat this morning with Gusta and she says that she fears in case we were to get a large amount of money that it would do the children no good. She would prefer to live as we do rather than to have anything happen that would not be for the best. I am glad that she feels this way.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
155 years ago today - Dec 31, 1864
"In the fall of [sic, should be spring of 1832], while Joseph was yet at my father's [John Johnson], a mob of forty or fifty came to his house, a few entered his room in the middle of the night, and Carnot Mason dragged Joseph out of bed by the hair of his head; he was then seized by as many as could get hold of him, and taken about forty rods from the house, stretched on a board, and tantalized in the most insulting and brutal manner; they tore off the few night clothes that he had on, for the purpose of emasculating him, and had Dr. Dennison there to perform the operation; but when the Dr. saw the Prophet stripped and stretched on the plank, his heart failed him, and he refused to operate."
["History of Luke Johnson", Millennial Star 26 (December 31, 1864); Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]
["History of Luke Johnson", Millennial Star 26 (December 31, 1864); Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]
160 years ago today - Dec 31, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
31 Dec 1859 This is the last day of the Year and we are approaching 1860, a year which has been looked for with much interest since I was a Boy. In my own mind I do not suppose that it will be much different From the years which will follow. We are standing in the midst of a Generation which is full of interesting Events. We are approaching Revolutions & Changes which will shake kingdoms, Thrones & Republics, from the [Earth?] to circumference and lay them in the dust and open the way for the Esstablishment of the kingdom of God and of more freedom and liberty than now Exists upon Earth. The signs of the times show that 1860 may be the Commencement of the desolution of the American Union and of Bloody European wars. But the Lord will guide the destiny of the world in such a manner that his will will be done and the Prophets Fulfilled.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
31 Dec 1859 This is the last day of the Year and we are approaching 1860, a year which has been looked for with much interest since I was a Boy. In my own mind I do not suppose that it will be much different From the years which will follow. We are standing in the midst of a Generation which is full of interesting Events. We are approaching Revolutions & Changes which will shake kingdoms, Thrones & Republics, from the [Earth?] to circumference and lay them in the dust and open the way for the Esstablishment of the kingdom of God and of more freedom and liberty than now Exists upon Earth. The signs of the times show that 1860 may be the Commencement of the desolution of the American Union and of Bloody European wars. But the Lord will guide the destiny of the world in such a manner that his will will be done and the Prophets Fulfilled.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
175 years ago today - Before Dec 31, 1844
Martin Harris joins the Shakers and a becomes a follower of Anne Lee.
[Mormon Chronology, N. R. Tidd, http://www.exmormon.org/mhistory.html]
[Mormon Chronology, N. R. Tidd, http://www.exmormon.org/mhistory.html]
175 years ago today - Dec 31, 1844
[Brigham Young]
He also spoke of the relation we held to our Father in Heaven and to our Mother, the Queen. If we are faithful we will come in their presence and learn of our first estate. He also spoke of the children of Promise, what they were, that they were very scarce, there is not two or three at present but we should know more about it when the temple was completed. ... Hence, he said a man who cannot preside over a wife and children, much more over a quorum. Therefore, it was our indispensible duty to set ourselves in order that we might become as saviors unto the children of men, for we were placed in high and responsible positions. ... If we were faithful it would be but a short time before we could come up in the same places that the Twelve are and so on until we were very great men, so therefore, we must treasure up knowledge while it is a good time. He also said that in order for a man to save his dead friends he would have to go through the same ordinances to save himself. Hence, it was a great thing to come up in such a responsible place. In the work for the dead the man would act as proxy for the male friends and his wife for the females, by so doing they became a king and queen. He concluded that we had done well in building a house to meet in and God would bless us. -- Nauvoo, Illinois
[Joseph G. Hovey Autobiography as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
He also spoke of the relation we held to our Father in Heaven and to our Mother, the Queen. If we are faithful we will come in their presence and learn of our first estate. He also spoke of the children of Promise, what they were, that they were very scarce, there is not two or three at present but we should know more about it when the temple was completed. ... Hence, he said a man who cannot preside over a wife and children, much more over a quorum. Therefore, it was our indispensible duty to set ourselves in order that we might become as saviors unto the children of men, for we were placed in high and responsible positions. ... If we were faithful it would be but a short time before we could come up in the same places that the Twelve are and so on until we were very great men, so therefore, we must treasure up knowledge while it is a good time. He also said that in order for a man to save his dead friends he would have to go through the same ordinances to save himself. Hence, it was a great thing to come up in such a responsible place. In the work for the dead the man would act as proxy for the male friends and his wife for the females, by so doing they became a king and queen. He concluded that we had done well in building a house to meet in and God would bless us. -- Nauvoo, Illinois
[Joseph G. Hovey Autobiography as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
120 years ago today - Saturday, Dec 30, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson]
2 p.m. Continuation of the meeting of the brethren on Friday. The principal topic of discussion was the attitude of the brethren when arrested and found guilty of unlawful cohabitation. Would it be proper for them to promise to obey the law—or rather express their intention to do so?
President Snow said, he did not see how we could very well do otherwise, in order to satisfy the honorable people of the nation, who are willing to send their sons into battle for the defense of our country, and when they fall in battle it is looked upon as an honor. They are willing to make this sacrifice for their country. They look upon the United States as the greatest nation on the earth and feel that its laws are supreme—and that when it comes to a question of law, the Latter-day Saints should bow. It is necessary sometimes for the saints to make sacrifices for the good of their fellowmen, that the honorable ones of the earth perchance may be saved. This is one of those times. There are, he said, about 300 plural wives among the saints who are bearing children, as against the body of the church—say 350,000—who are not in polygamy. These 300 women for the good of the nation and of the church should be willing for a time to refrain from having children. They would lose nothing
by it, for the Lord would reward them abundantly.
Though no formal vote was taken the brethren generally seemed to endorse the views of President Snow. Meeting adjourned sine die.
[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]
2 p.m. Continuation of the meeting of the brethren on Friday. The principal topic of discussion was the attitude of the brethren when arrested and found guilty of unlawful cohabitation. Would it be proper for them to promise to obey the law—or rather express their intention to do so?
President Snow said, he did not see how we could very well do otherwise, in order to satisfy the honorable people of the nation, who are willing to send their sons into battle for the defense of our country, and when they fall in battle it is looked upon as an honor. They are willing to make this sacrifice for their country. They look upon the United States as the greatest nation on the earth and feel that its laws are supreme—and that when it comes to a question of law, the Latter-day Saints should bow. It is necessary sometimes for the saints to make sacrifices for the good of their fellowmen, that the honorable ones of the earth perchance may be saved. This is one of those times. There are, he said, about 300 plural wives among the saints who are bearing children, as against the body of the church—say 350,000—who are not in polygamy. These 300 women for the good of the nation and of the church should be willing for a time to refrain from having children. They would lose nothing
by it, for the Lord would reward them abundantly.
Though no formal vote was taken the brethren generally seemed to endorse the views of President Snow. Meeting adjourned sine die.
[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]
120 years ago today - Dec 30, 1899; Saturday
[Apostle Brigham Young Jr.]
Meeting of Pres[idency]. & 12 Bishoprick. Question shall we when bro[ugh]t. to the or before the Court promise to obey the law. Unanimous decision that we must acknowledge its suprem[ac]y. Brethren must not have children born to them by their wives here in this state. ...
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary]
Meeting of Pres[idency]. & 12 Bishoprick. Question shall we when bro[ugh]t. to the or before the Court promise to obey the law. Unanimous decision that we must acknowledge its suprem[ac]y. Brethren must not have children born to them by their wives here in this state. ...
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary]
120 years ago today - Dec 30, 1899
[Abraham Owen Woodruff]
Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow gave me about the most complete sitting down I ever got in my life because he misunderstood me.
[Abraham Owen Woodruff Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow gave me about the most complete sitting down I ever got in my life because he misunderstood me.
[Abraham Owen Woodruff Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
165 years ago today - Dec 30, 1854
Colonel Steptoe, who had been offered the governorship of Utah by Pres. Pierce but declined, along with leading officials and business men of SLC signed a petition and sent it to Washington recommending Pres. Pierce reappoint Brigham Young as Governor of Utah Territory.
[Hale, Van, Mormon Miscellaneous, Utah War Chronology, http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/utahwar/id2.html]
[Hale, Van, Mormon Miscellaneous, Utah War Chronology, http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/utahwar/id2.html]
175 years ago today - Dec 30, 1844
[Wilford Woodruff]
I was in dreams nearly all of last night. Saw A large fire, A field of green corn, repaird old tubs to hold water, ground grain for the Saints Among other things I had an interview with the Patriarch Hyrum Smith who was martered. He wished me to get a plain gold ring made of fine gold set a stone in it & put some of his hair in it & wear it, & also some of Joseph Hair. ...
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
I was in dreams nearly all of last night. Saw A large fire, A field of green corn, repaird old tubs to hold water, ground grain for the Saints Among other things I had an interview with the Patriarch Hyrum Smith who was martered. He wished me to get a plain gold ring made of fine gold set a stone in it & put some of his hair in it & wear it, & also some of Joseph Hair. ...
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
175 years ago today - Dec 30, 1844
[Wilford Woodruff]
A dream on the night of the 30th Dec 1844 (WWJ 2:492): Behold and lo in a dream I was in Council with the Martered Prophet & Patriarch & the quorum of the Twelve Apostles in America. I thought we had all got to be ordained for some purpose. I was called upon by Br Young & another person to assist in administering the ordinances. In the midst of the Council, Sidney Rigdon Came in & was objected to by Hyrum Smith.
I awoke & again fell asleep & dreamed of being in council with the Twelve & others. I made an address to them. John E. Page arose to address the meeting but was stoped by some female & was followed by Elder Willard Snow
I have recorded this dream yet I Pay but little attention to dreams that I have on ship board for I am nearly all the while in some dream while asleep on board of the ship.
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
A dream on the night of the 30th Dec 1844 (WWJ 2:492): Behold and lo in a dream I was in Council with the Martered Prophet & Patriarch & the quorum of the Twelve Apostles in America. I thought we had all got to be ordained for some purpose. I was called upon by Br Young & another person to assist in administering the ordinances. In the midst of the Council, Sidney Rigdon Came in & was objected to by Hyrum Smith.
I awoke & again fell asleep & dreamed of being in council with the Twelve & others. I made an address to them. John E. Page arose to address the meeting but was stoped by some female & was followed by Elder Willard Snow
I have recorded this dream yet I Pay but little attention to dreams that I have on ship board for I am nearly all the while in some dream while asleep on board of the ship.
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
175 years ago today - About Dec 30, 1844
[Wilford Woodruff]
... Joseph Smith visited me a great deal after his death, and taught me many important principles. The last time he visited me was going on my last mission to preside in England. My companions were Brother Leonard W. Hardy, Brother Milton Holmes, Brother Dan Jones, and another brother, and my wife and two other women. ...
We had been traveling three days and nights in a heavy gale, and were being driven backwards. Finally I asked my companions to come into the cabin with me, and I told them to pray that the Lord would change the wind. I had no fears of being lost; but I did not like the idea of being driven back to New York, as I wanted to go on my journey. We all offered the same prayer, both men and women; and when we got through we stepped on to the deck and in less than a minute it was as though a man had taken a sword and cut that gale through, and you might have thrown a muslin handkerchief out and it would not have moved it.
... Joseph and Hyrum visited me, and the Prophet laid before me a great many things. Among other things, he told me to get the Spirit of God; that all of us needed it. He also told me what the Twelve Apostles would be called to go through on the earth before the coming of the Son of Man, and what the reward of their labors would be; but all that was taken from me, for some reason. Nevertheless I know it was most glorious, although much would be required at our hands.
Joseph Smith continued visiting myself and others up to a certain time, and then it stopped. The last time I saw him was in heaven. In the night vision I saw him at the door of the temple in heaven. He came and spoke to me. He said he could not stop to talk with me because he was in a hurry. The next man I met was Father Smith; he could not talk with me because he was in a hurry. I met half a dozen brethren who had held high positions on earth, and none of them could could stop to talk with me because they were in a hurry. I was much astonished.
By and by I saw the Prophet again, and I got the privilege to ask him a question, "Now," said I, "I want to know why you are in a hurry. I have been in a hurry all through my life; but I expected my hurry would be over when I got into the kingdom of heaven, if I ever did."
Joseph said:
I will tell you, Brother Woodruff. Every dispensation that has had the Priesthood on the earth and has gone into the celestial kingdom, has had a certain amount of work to do to prepare to go to the earth with the Savior when He goes to reign on the earth. Each dispensation has had ample time to do this work. We have not. We are the last dispensation, and so much work has to be done, and we need to be in a hurry in order to accomplish it.
Of couse, that was satisfactory to me, but it was new doctrine to me.
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
... Joseph Smith visited me a great deal after his death, and taught me many important principles. The last time he visited me was going on my last mission to preside in England. My companions were Brother Leonard W. Hardy, Brother Milton Holmes, Brother Dan Jones, and another brother, and my wife and two other women. ...
We had been traveling three days and nights in a heavy gale, and were being driven backwards. Finally I asked my companions to come into the cabin with me, and I told them to pray that the Lord would change the wind. I had no fears of being lost; but I did not like the idea of being driven back to New York, as I wanted to go on my journey. We all offered the same prayer, both men and women; and when we got through we stepped on to the deck and in less than a minute it was as though a man had taken a sword and cut that gale through, and you might have thrown a muslin handkerchief out and it would not have moved it.
... Joseph and Hyrum visited me, and the Prophet laid before me a great many things. Among other things, he told me to get the Spirit of God; that all of us needed it. He also told me what the Twelve Apostles would be called to go through on the earth before the coming of the Son of Man, and what the reward of their labors would be; but all that was taken from me, for some reason. Nevertheless I know it was most glorious, although much would be required at our hands.
Joseph Smith continued visiting myself and others up to a certain time, and then it stopped. The last time I saw him was in heaven. In the night vision I saw him at the door of the temple in heaven. He came and spoke to me. He said he could not stop to talk with me because he was in a hurry. The next man I met was Father Smith; he could not talk with me because he was in a hurry. I met half a dozen brethren who had held high positions on earth, and none of them could could stop to talk with me because they were in a hurry. I was much astonished.
By and by I saw the Prophet again, and I got the privilege to ask him a question, "Now," said I, "I want to know why you are in a hurry. I have been in a hurry all through my life; but I expected my hurry would be over when I got into the kingdom of heaven, if I ever did."
Joseph said:
I will tell you, Brother Woodruff. Every dispensation that has had the Priesthood on the earth and has gone into the celestial kingdom, has had a certain amount of work to do to prepare to go to the earth with the Savior when He goes to reign on the earth. Each dispensation has had ample time to do this work. We have not. We are the last dispensation, and so much work has to be done, and we need to be in a hurry in order to accomplish it.
Of couse, that was satisfactory to me, but it was new doctrine to me.
[Wilford Woodruff Dreams and Visions, Saints Without Halos, Scott Kenney (http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/n/dreams_ww.phtml)]
190 years ago today - Dec 30, 1829
Ethan Smith offers opening prayers and heads a committee at the three-day Antimasonic State Convention of Massachusetts. The committee was appointed "to inquire how far Free Masonry and French Illuminism [the Illuminati] are connected." Their report finds a '"two-fold ... horrid scheme" to destroy Christian government and religion "... they soon began to boast among themselves of the power of secret societies ... and Speculative Masonry ... as a most fit cover for [Illuminism's] occult operations."' Ethan Smith feels Voltaire's goal was to destroy Christianity through philosophy.
A Mr. Bowman suggests "secret and selfish combinations, with the spirit and principles of Masonry, had existed in all ages."(Moses 5:31, 35; Alma 37:30-31; Ether 8:19, 22; 14:8, 10; 9:1; 13:18; 2 Ne. 9:9; 26:22; Hel. 3:23; 3 Ne. 4:29; Morm. 8:27; D&C 42:64)
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
A Mr. Bowman suggests "secret and selfish combinations, with the spirit and principles of Masonry, had existed in all ages."(Moses 5:31, 35; Alma 37:30-31; Ether 8:19, 22; 14:8, 10; 9:1; 13:18; 2 Ne. 9:9; 26:22; Hel. 3:23; 3 Ne. 4:29; Morm. 8:27; D&C 42:64)
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
120 years ago today - 115 years - Dec 29, 1899
[Minutes of the Apostles]
Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith was asked to explain the object of the meeting. He said there was a scheme on foot to disfranchise the Mormon people through an amendment to the Constitution. ...
Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith again remarked that the effect upon the people would be of extreme moment, that is, upon those liable to arrest. ... He closed by saying that it was his unqualified opinion that the church should not directly nor indirectly be found bearing the burdens of polygamists; and as for himself, he was willing to declare to a tabernacle congregation that he held himself amenable to the laws of this country, and that every man should bear his own burden, and that the fact of himself and other polygamists having lived with an maintained their plural families should not in any sense affect the liberties of the people who are not polygamists.
... Pres[iden]t. [George Q.] Cannon now remarked that he was impressed witho ne things, that is the sentiment of the brethren who had spoken could be discerned in his politics. (Bro[ther]. Grant here took exceptions to this remark.) Pres[iden]t. Cannon thought there was a question deeper than anything yet touched upon, that is, the policy the church was going to pursue in regard to our marital relations; that is, whether we should take the course suggested by Bro[ther]. John Henry, and eat humble pie; whether we will obey the law, or go on as we are now going and defend violations of the law. He thought it was bad ground for us to occupy to justify ourselves in having children by our plural wives; he thought it right and proper however for us to have children by them, but did not think it wise for us to claim the right to do so when the laws of the state were against it. Plural wives bearing children should, he thought, be placed beyond the power of the law. He believed that public feelings would be placated if we were not called upon to defend violations of the law, but regard such cases as sporadic cases. The speaker said he was satisfied that we should not come out and say we are not going to have children by our plural wives, and that nation would not expect this at our hands; and he did nto think that anything would have such a tendency to quiet public feeling so much as for men to go into court and promise to obey the law and not equivocate. He said that from the beginning he his mind was clear on this point, that we should not show the least feeling of defying the law. While we feel keenly the justice of our cause, in Washington [D.C.] that feature figures but little. Prejudice has weight. He did not think it would be a good thing for Bro[ther]. John Henry to make the public utterance suggested by him; but he did think that a course might be taken to placate the leading men of the nation. He differed from some of the speakers that we could not be disfranchised without a constitutional amendment. We were given statehood on certain conditions; and he believed prejudices could be worked up to such a pitch as to cause Congress to act by a short cut. It must be admitted by all that we have disappointed the Republican party. They admitted us with the idea that we would be at least part fo the time a Republican state. By giving the women the franchise destroyed the Republican chances in the State. Pres[iden]t. Cannon closed by saying that there certain was an impression abroad that the News was a Democratic paper, and President Snow's name as its publisher, has been used to the injury of the Republican party.
Adjourned until tomorrow.
[Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith was asked to explain the object of the meeting. He said there was a scheme on foot to disfranchise the Mormon people through an amendment to the Constitution. ...
Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith again remarked that the effect upon the people would be of extreme moment, that is, upon those liable to arrest. ... He closed by saying that it was his unqualified opinion that the church should not directly nor indirectly be found bearing the burdens of polygamists; and as for himself, he was willing to declare to a tabernacle congregation that he held himself amenable to the laws of this country, and that every man should bear his own burden, and that the fact of himself and other polygamists having lived with an maintained their plural families should not in any sense affect the liberties of the people who are not polygamists.
... Pres[iden]t. [George Q.] Cannon now remarked that he was impressed witho ne things, that is the sentiment of the brethren who had spoken could be discerned in his politics. (Bro[ther]. Grant here took exceptions to this remark.) Pres[iden]t. Cannon thought there was a question deeper than anything yet touched upon, that is, the policy the church was going to pursue in regard to our marital relations; that is, whether we should take the course suggested by Bro[ther]. John Henry, and eat humble pie; whether we will obey the law, or go on as we are now going and defend violations of the law. He thought it was bad ground for us to occupy to justify ourselves in having children by our plural wives; he thought it right and proper however for us to have children by them, but did not think it wise for us to claim the right to do so when the laws of the state were against it. Plural wives bearing children should, he thought, be placed beyond the power of the law. He believed that public feelings would be placated if we were not called upon to defend violations of the law, but regard such cases as sporadic cases. The speaker said he was satisfied that we should not come out and say we are not going to have children by our plural wives, and that nation would not expect this at our hands; and he did nto think that anything would have such a tendency to quiet public feeling so much as for men to go into court and promise to obey the law and not equivocate. He said that from the beginning he his mind was clear on this point, that we should not show the least feeling of defying the law. While we feel keenly the justice of our cause, in Washington [D.C.] that feature figures but little. Prejudice has weight. He did not think it would be a good thing for Bro[ther]. John Henry to make the public utterance suggested by him; but he did think that a course might be taken to placate the leading men of the nation. He differed from some of the speakers that we could not be disfranchised without a constitutional amendment. We were given statehood on certain conditions; and he believed prejudices could be worked up to such a pitch as to cause Congress to act by a short cut. It must be admitted by all that we have disappointed the Republican party. They admitted us with the idea that we would be at least part fo the time a Republican state. By giving the women the franchise destroyed the Republican chances in the State. Pres[iden]t. Cannon closed by saying that there certain was an impression abroad that the News was a Democratic paper, and President Snow's name as its publisher, has been used to the injury of the Republican party.
Adjourned until tomorrow.
[Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
120 years ago today - 115 years - Dec 29, 1899; Friday
[First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve minutes]
Brother Richard M. Robinson, of Grantsville [Utah], called, having just returned from a mission to Florida. He exhibited a gold coin, a little larger though a little thinner than our ten cent silver coin, and containing well marked characters. He stated that this coin had been found by Brother I. N. Carlton of Casey Settlement, Camden County, Georgia, while plowing in his field at that place. It was situated on the St. Mary River, which divides Georgia from Florida. The coin was plowed up last spring, and was given to Brother Robinson in the latter part of August. He now presented it to President Snow, as head of the Church, hoping that it might be found useful in helping to establish the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, or for some other sacred purpose.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
Brother Richard M. Robinson, of Grantsville [Utah], called, having just returned from a mission to Florida. He exhibited a gold coin, a little larger though a little thinner than our ten cent silver coin, and containing well marked characters. He stated that this coin had been found by Brother I. N. Carlton of Casey Settlement, Camden County, Georgia, while plowing in his field at that place. It was situated on the St. Mary River, which divides Georgia from Florida. The coin was plowed up last spring, and was given to Brother Robinson in the latter part of August. He now presented it to President Snow, as head of the Church, hoping that it might be found useful in helping to establish the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, or for some other sacred purpose.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
125 years ago today - 120 years - Dec 29, 1894
[Apostle Heber J. Grant]
And now that the prospects are thin I am going to make some money I feel as desirous of the wisdom as ever, and I only want the success with the wisdom and I pray for failure with all my heart if success is not for the best in the sight of my Father in Heaven, but I will indeed be thankful if He is willing to bless me with some means. I would also be thankful if He is willing to have my brother make enough to free himself from debt.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
And now that the prospects are thin I am going to make some money I feel as desirous of the wisdom as ever, and I only want the success with the wisdom and I pray for failure with all my heart if success is not for the best in the sight of my Father in Heaven, but I will indeed be thankful if He is willing to bless me with some means. I would also be thankful if He is willing to have my brother make enough to free himself from debt.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
165 years ago today - 160 years - Dec 29, 1854
[Hosea Stout]
This evening at 6 I attended a social party at Br Lorenzo Snows[.] He has a Hall spendidly fitted up for the purpose of social entertainment where his friends assemble about once a week.
The Evening from 6 to 10 is spent in music, public speaking songs, Essays & the like in all well calculated to elevate the mind & promote a high toned feeling in society.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
This evening at 6 I attended a social party at Br Lorenzo Snows[.] He has a Hall spendidly fitted up for the purpose of social entertainment where his friends assemble about once a week.
The Evening from 6 to 10 is spent in music, public speaking songs, Essays & the like in all well calculated to elevate the mind & promote a high toned feeling in society.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
175 years ago today - 170 years - Dec 29, 1844
[Brigham Young]
Now concerning the organization of the kingdom of God that is brought to pass. The Savior told his disciples, as he has seen the Father do so does he, and as Joseph Smith seen Jesus Christ do so does he, and as I have seen Joseph do so do I. Then follow me and I will lead you into the kingdom and if I do not then I'll give my soul for yours. All I want you to do is to obey my council and do what I tell you. ...
Before God and Jesus was the first born, or begotten of the Father, and we were sent here upon this earth to choose bodies and dwell in the flesh as our Father who is in heaven. God sent Adam first and Eve. ...
But the devil being one of the organization of the heavenly body, third in power, prince of the air, he had a spirit like Cain. He saw that Jesus was the most acceptable before the Father; he loved righteousness and hated iniquity. This gave a jealousy to him and he began to accuse the brethren which soon hurled him. Adam and Eve then being sent to this earth, Satan then went forth and told Eve that she should know good and evil if she eat of it. And she did so, for he told her many truth and some lies. ...
And now we are to be saviors of men of our brethren to redeem our dead friends and the friends of those who will not save their own friends, to exalt ourselves until we are all linked together again. ...
Then we shall have power to create worlds ourselves and rule them as Jesus did. ...
I will now give an account of the cause of the power of Satan reigning in the hearts of the children of men. They do not understand that he is the prince and power of the air. Therefore he is continually going about to seek to destroy the peace of the righteous and to gain them into his kingdom to reign with him, for if any man gives place or cause for him he will enter into him until that man or woman spews him out and casts him away from them, for Satan is a disembodied spirit who was cast out of heaven because of accusing their brethren. ...
And he gets into beasts and all because they have no bodies. No, nor never will get bodies to be exalted because they kept not the first, or their first estate. Now we see if there are any possessed with devils they will froth and foam and cut themselves for they do not know what aileth them, for these spirits strive against one another trying to see who will be the greatest of them for they have no order nor organization that can reign in peace or order. Now the office of the Holy Ghost concerning the speaking in tongues and prophesying we know these things are brought to us to know that there is such a thing but we cannot tell how we know or whence they came for it is utterly impossible for us to speak these in our natural tongue. But they can be uttered by the spirit and also the interpretation is given in the same way.
[ George Laub Journal as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
Now concerning the organization of the kingdom of God that is brought to pass. The Savior told his disciples, as he has seen the Father do so does he, and as Joseph Smith seen Jesus Christ do so does he, and as I have seen Joseph do so do I. Then follow me and I will lead you into the kingdom and if I do not then I'll give my soul for yours. All I want you to do is to obey my council and do what I tell you. ...
Before God and Jesus was the first born, or begotten of the Father, and we were sent here upon this earth to choose bodies and dwell in the flesh as our Father who is in heaven. God sent Adam first and Eve. ...
But the devil being one of the organization of the heavenly body, third in power, prince of the air, he had a spirit like Cain. He saw that Jesus was the most acceptable before the Father; he loved righteousness and hated iniquity. This gave a jealousy to him and he began to accuse the brethren which soon hurled him. Adam and Eve then being sent to this earth, Satan then went forth and told Eve that she should know good and evil if she eat of it. And she did so, for he told her many truth and some lies. ...
And now we are to be saviors of men of our brethren to redeem our dead friends and the friends of those who will not save their own friends, to exalt ourselves until we are all linked together again. ...
Then we shall have power to create worlds ourselves and rule them as Jesus did. ...
I will now give an account of the cause of the power of Satan reigning in the hearts of the children of men. They do not understand that he is the prince and power of the air. Therefore he is continually going about to seek to destroy the peace of the righteous and to gain them into his kingdom to reign with him, for if any man gives place or cause for him he will enter into him until that man or woman spews him out and casts him away from them, for Satan is a disembodied spirit who was cast out of heaven because of accusing their brethren. ...
And he gets into beasts and all because they have no bodies. No, nor never will get bodies to be exalted because they kept not the first, or their first estate. Now we see if there are any possessed with devils they will froth and foam and cut themselves for they do not know what aileth them, for these spirits strive against one another trying to see who will be the greatest of them for they have no order nor organization that can reign in peace or order. Now the office of the Holy Ghost concerning the speaking in tongues and prophesying we know these things are brought to us to know that there is such a thing but we cannot tell how we know or whence they came for it is utterly impossible for us to speak these in our natural tongue. But they can be uttered by the spirit and also the interpretation is given in the same way.
[ George Laub Journal as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
180 years ago today - 175 years - Dec 29, 1839
The Nauvoo high council votes to print 10,000 copies of a new hymnbook and a new edition of the Book of Mormon.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
190 years ago today - Winter 1829
Smith received revelation via his seer stone to sell copyright of the Book of Mormon. When effort fail, Smith declares revelation was not from God.
[Chronology of Mormon History, http://followtheprophets.com/chronology-of-mormon-history/]
[Chronology of Mormon History, http://followtheprophets.com/chronology-of-mormon-history/]
40 years ago today - 35 years - Winter 1979-80.
A survey of Exponent II readers shows that 66 percent rate themselves "very active" with an additional 18 percent reporting themselves as "above average" in activity; 43 percent are employed; 95 percent have attended college; 95 percent subscribe to the Ensign, 35 percent subscribe to Dialogue, and 22 percent subscribe to Sunstone. They average 3. children.
[Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]
[Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]
85 years ago today - 80 years - Dec 28, 1934
[Heber J. Grant letter]
Musser and Broadbent, to whom you refer in your letter of December 19, have both been excommunicated from the Church for conduct in violation of the teachings of the Church pertaining to plural marriage.
At the time when polygamy was taught by the leaders of the Church and members of the Church entered into that relationship in honor and good faith, the Government saw fit to send many of our people to the penitentiary for cohabiting with more than one wife, but the officers of the law seem to pay no attention whatever to men who are committing adultery. My only hope of crushing this pretended plural marriage activity is for the law to send some of these people to the penitentiary.
[Heber J. Grant, Letter to Alonzo A. Hinckley, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Musser and Broadbent, to whom you refer in your letter of December 19, have both been excommunicated from the Church for conduct in violation of the teachings of the Church pertaining to plural marriage.
At the time when polygamy was taught by the leaders of the Church and members of the Church entered into that relationship in honor and good faith, the Government saw fit to send many of our people to the penitentiary for cohabiting with more than one wife, but the officers of the law seem to pay no attention whatever to men who are committing adultery. My only hope of crushing this pretended plural marriage activity is for the law to send some of these people to the penitentiary.
[Heber J. Grant, Letter to Alonzo A. Hinckley, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
125 years ago today - 120 years - Dec 28, 1894
[President Wilford Woodruff]
At 3 oclock I Attended the Dedication of the Joint City & County Building. I Offered the Dedicatory Prayer. We had an interesting day.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
At 3 oclock I Attended the Dedication of the Joint City & County Building. I Offered the Dedicatory Prayer. We had an interesting day.
[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 - 125 years - Dec 28, 1889
[Apostle Heber J. Grant]
I called at the Gardo and the brethren were anxious that I should get up a letter from the business men endorsing the [Blood Atonement] Manifesto of the Apostles.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I called at the Gardo and the brethren were anxious that I should get up a letter from the business men endorsing the [Blood Atonement] Manifesto of the Apostles.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
160 years ago today - 155 years - Dec 28, 1859
Brother Carrington read a Letter to us From Capt Hooper who said "This union will be disolved within 18 month." He also read the message of the Govornor of Missippi whos recommendation to his state is that they Call a state Convention and Call upon all the Slave holding State to Form a Southern Union and seced from the North if their was a Republican President Elected in the United States.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
190 years ago today - 185 years - Dec 28, 1829
[Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith]
... Your great anxiety will probably be to know of the progress of the work in the which we are <<so deeply>> engaged and possibly our souls wellfare all of which Father can make known unto you[.] it may [-] look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer ...
{Editorial Note:
... Cowdery's letter followed the discovery earlier in the month of Abner Cole's plan to publish extracts from the Book of Mormon in his Palmyra Reflector. Cowdery's mention that Joseph Sr. was planning to go "directly" to Harmony for the purpose of bringing Joseph Jr. to Palmyra/Manchester to settle the matter with Cole... Joseph Sr.'s trip, however, must have been delayed because Cole continued to publish extracts in his paper ...
[Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, 28 December 1829, Joseph Smith Letterbook, 1:4-5, Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: Oliver Cowdery To Joseph Smith]
... Your great anxiety will probably be to know of the progress of the work in the which we are <<so deeply>> engaged and possibly our souls wellfare all of which Father can make known unto you[.] it may [-] look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer ...
{Editorial Note:
... Cowdery's letter followed the discovery earlier in the month of Abner Cole's plan to publish extracts from the Book of Mormon in his Palmyra Reflector. Cowdery's mention that Joseph Sr. was planning to go "directly" to Harmony for the purpose of bringing Joseph Jr. to Palmyra/Manchester to settle the matter with Cole... Joseph Sr.'s trip, however, must have been delayed because Cole continued to publish extracts in his paper ...
[Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, 28 December 1829, Joseph Smith Letterbook, 1:4-5, Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: Oliver Cowdery To Joseph Smith]
120 years ago today - Dec 27, 1899
When Salt Lake temple worker Joseph H. Dean visits President Snow at home, he "brot me a glass of wine also and some cake."
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
120 years ago today - 115 years - Wednesday, Dec 27, 1899
[Apostle John Henry Smith]
Francis M. Lyman and I spent the evening at the residence of H. B. Clawson with chief Justice Bartch. We had a long talk over the situation at Washington. Bartch says an effort will be made to disfranchise all of the Mormon people.
[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]
Francis M. Lyman and I spent the evening at the residence of H. B. Clawson with chief Justice Bartch. We had a long talk over the situation at Washington. Bartch says an effort will be made to disfranchise all of the Mormon people.
[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]
140 years ago today - 135 years - Dec 27,1879
Apostle Wilford Woodruff tells stake conference in Snowflake, Arizona, "There will be no United States in the year 1890."
[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]
[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]
145 years ago today - 140 years - Dec 27, 1874
[Brigham Young Jr.]
Spent the evening with Father [Brigham Young][.] Had a splendid time. He seems to feel well and talked over the plan for [the] next temple which he proposes building somewhere in Sanpete; and the next one in Logan[.] He says the next plan will be more expressly adapted to the labors of sealing men to men; men to women, baptisms, anointings, washings and other ordinances.
[Brigham Young Jr. diary, Dec. 27, 1874 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Spent the evening with Father [Brigham Young][.] Had a splendid time. He seems to feel well and talked over the plan for [the] next temple which he proposes building somewhere in Sanpete; and the next one in Logan[.] He says the next plan will be more expressly adapted to the labors of sealing men to men; men to women, baptisms, anointings, washings and other ordinances.
[Brigham Young Jr. diary, Dec. 27, 1874 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
155 years ago today - 150 years - Dec 27, 1864
[Heber C. Kimball Revelation]
I was told by the Lord that those that had Saught my hurt and had caused me to be cast off by His Servent Brigham should see sorrow and be removed out of their place. Daniel H. Wells, Albert Carrington, Joseph A. Young and others and they should be spoiled in all there Evil designs.
["H. C. Kimball Memorandum" book, On the Potters Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball, Stanley B. Kimball, editor, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I was told by the Lord that those that had Saught my hurt and had caused me to be cast off by His Servent Brigham should see sorrow and be removed out of their place. Daniel H. Wells, Albert Carrington, Joseph A. Young and others and they should be spoiled in all there Evil designs.
["H. C. Kimball Memorandum" book, On the Potters Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball, Stanley B. Kimball, editor, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
160 years ago today - 155 years - Dec 27, 1859
Had a discussion with the Pres. [Brigham Young] upon the organization of the world. President alluded to the doctrine of the resurrection. The resurrection would bring particles of our bodies together; however much they might be scattered. The Almighty could speak the word and these scattered particles of our bodies would come together. Pres. observed that naturalists have divided the kingdom into parts. This is not so, as the human species are linked to the animal and the creation to all one according to its several gradations. It is the design of the Father to continually protect us through numerous gradations to increase the intelligence of the human family for their enjoyment, even all those who yield to the teachings of the spirit and obey the law of their probation. Those who deny the Holy Ghost will return to native element and lose their identity. -- Salt Lake City
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM], in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM], in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
175 years ago today - 170 years - Dec 27, 1844. Friday.
[William Clayton]
...After meeting I asked Brother [Winslow] Farr if he had come to a conclusion and he gave assent to my request [to marry his daughter Diantha] and seemed to feel well.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
...After meeting I asked Brother [Winslow] Farr if he had come to a conclusion and he gave assent to my request [to marry his daughter Diantha] and seemed to feel well.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
190 years ago today - 185 years - Circa Dec 27, 1829
Hyrum Smith and Oliver Cowdery discover Abner Cole in Grandin's print shop on a Sunday planning to publish extracts from the Book of Mormon . It is decided that Joseph Sr. should go to Harmony to get Joseph Jr. . This event occurred before Cowdery wrote his letter of 28 December , and, at the earliest, on 6 December when Cole set the type for the 9 December issue of the Reflector, in which he promised to publish excerpt from the Book of Mormon. Cole published two issues of his paper before including a Book of Mormon extract (1 Nephi 1:1-2:3) in the 2 January issue. He probably set the type for this issue on Sunday, 27 December, which is the most likely date of his confrontation with Hyrum. Extracts from the Book of Mormon continued to appear in the Reflector on 13 and 22 January 1830.
[Vogel, Dan, Early Mormon Documents, Appendix B: Chronology, 1771-1831, http://amzn.to/T5nY8w]
[Vogel, Dan, Early Mormon Documents, Appendix B: Chronology, 1771-1831, http://amzn.to/T5nY8w]
15 years ago today - Dec 26, 2004
President Gordon B. Hinckley appears a fourth time on ―Larry King Live.
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
65 years ago today - Dec 26, 1954
Hugh B. Brown delivers the first of five testimonial addresses ―Whom say ye that I am? on the divinity of Christ over KSL radio (last broadcast is on January 30, 1955).
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
105 years ago today - Dec 26, 1914; Saturday
[Apostle Anthony Ivins]
Tooele. In Australia recruits were asked to take the oath. No one [had] a bible. One of our church members w[ho] had enlisted had a Book of Mormon, which was used.
[Anderson, Elizabeth Oberdick, editor, Cowboy Apostle: The Diaries of Anthony W. Ivins: 1875-1932, Signature Books, Salt Lake City in association with the Smith-Pettit Foundation (2013) - http://bit.ly/AnthonyIvins]
Tooele. In Australia recruits were asked to take the oath. No one [had] a bible. One of our church members w[ho] had enlisted had a Book of Mormon, which was used.
[Anderson, Elizabeth Oberdick, editor, Cowboy Apostle: The Diaries of Anthony W. Ivins: 1875-1932, Signature Books, Salt Lake City in association with the Smith-Pettit Foundation (2013) - http://bit.ly/AnthonyIvins]
115 years ago today - Dec 26, 1904
[Joseph Eckersley]
Bro[ther]. G. S. Bastian came to our house at night. We lunched and talked about the Lord's work until a late hour. He told me before I was called into the Presidency of the Stake, Pres[iden]t. Robison wrote to the First Presidency in regard to the matter, they sent apostle [Matthias F.] Cowley to our Conference. And the purpose of the latter's talk with me was was on the subject of polygamy, was to inform me of the feeling of the authorities respecting the '[Wilford] Woodruff Manifesto,' and that Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman stood alone on his construction of its meaning and was not in harmony with the rest of the Apostles upon that subject.
[Joseph Eckersley, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Bro[ther]. G. S. Bastian came to our house at night. We lunched and talked about the Lord's work until a late hour. He told me before I was called into the Presidency of the Stake, Pres[iden]t. Robison wrote to the First Presidency in regard to the matter, they sent apostle [Matthias F.] Cowley to our Conference. And the purpose of the latter's talk with me was was on the subject of polygamy, was to inform me of the feeling of the authorities respecting the '[Wilford] Woodruff Manifesto,' and that Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman stood alone on his construction of its meaning and was not in harmony with the rest of the Apostles upon that subject.
[Joseph Eckersley, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
175 years ago today - Dec 26, 1844
In "A Voice From the Prophet. 'Come to Me,'" recently-slain Joseph Smith beckons Latter-day Saints to join him in heaven (compsed by William W. Phelps for the dedication of the Seventies Hall at Nauvoo where they were sung by a choir on the day after Christmas, 1844). Compare to "O My Father," composed several months later, and to the Adam-God doctrine.
Come to me, here are Adam and Eve at the head
Of a multitude quicken'd and rais'd from the dead:
Here's the knowledge that was, or that is, or will be
In the gen'ral assembly of worlds: Come to me.
Come to me; here's the myst'ry that man hath not seen;
Here's our Father in heaven, and Mother, the Queen,
Here are worlds that have been, and the worlds yet to be,
Here's eternity,—endless; amen: Come to me.
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
Come to me, here are Adam and Eve at the head
Of a multitude quicken'd and rais'd from the dead:
Here's the knowledge that was, or that is, or will be
In the gen'ral assembly of worlds: Come to me.
Come to me; here's the myst'ry that man hath not seen;
Here's our Father in heaven, and Mother, the Queen,
Here are worlds that have been, and the worlds yet to be,
Here's eternity,—endless; amen: Come to me.
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
120 years ago today - 115 years - Dec 25, 1899
Malissa Lott said: "The Prophet ... explained it to her, that it was not for voluptuous love"--yet when asked decades later if she had been his wife "in very deed," Malissa affirmed that she was. ["In Honor of Joseph Smith: An Anniversary of his Birth Celebrated in the Sixteenth Ward," Deseret Evening News, 25 December 1899, 2]
["Evidence For The Sexual Side of Joseph Smith's Polygamy," Comments by D. Michael Quinn on Session #2A "Reconsidering Joseph Smith's Marital Practices," Mormon History Association's Annual Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 29 June 2012 (unabbreviated version, revised during July)]
["Evidence For The Sexual Side of Joseph Smith's Polygamy," Comments by D. Michael Quinn on Session #2A "Reconsidering Joseph Smith's Marital Practices," Mormon History Association's Annual Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 29 June 2012 (unabbreviated version, revised during July)]
135 years ago today - 130 years - Dec 25, 1884
Revelation to John Taylor at Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, on 25 December 1884
A Revelation given through President John Taylor, Salt Lake City, 25th Dec., 1884.
There are some things that ought to he put right. Some time ago there was word given for the brethren and their families to put themselves in order before the Lord; and it is necessary that these things should be carried out, for there has been a negligence in some of these matters; and if my people and Priesthood desire my blessing and guidance, and protection they must and shall be subject to my law.
And it is necessary that the various quorums of the Priesthood should place themselves right before me, saith the Lord; And that as individuals they should place themselves in that position, for if they do not they have no claim upon my blessing or my protection.
A day of trouble, and anxiety and sorror [sorrow], and judgment will soon overtake this nation and other nations; it is nigh at hand, and the inhabitants of Zion must purge themselves from iniquity, folly, confusion, confusion, and vanity, and listen to and obey my laws, or they cannot have my protection, For I, the Lord, will not be mocked, but the wrong doer shall recinde [receive] the just recompense of regard [reward]; and the sinners in Zion shall be afraid; and carefulness [fraefulness] shall also take hold of the wicked and ungodly, that are in your midst.
And if you, my people, obey my law and keep my Commandments, to do them, not in name only, but in reality, I will be your shield and protector, and your strong forever [tower] and no man shall be able to hurt you, for I will be your defense.
Therefore, humble yourselves before me, and purify yourselves, that your acts and doings may be acceptable before me. For it [if] you do not you will share in the Condemnation of the wicked. Wherefor[e], listen to the Counsels of those whom I have appointed, and seek not your own will and way, But the will of the Lord your God; for by him only can you be sustained in time of trouble which is fast approaching, Even so, Amen
(Manuscript in John Taylor Papers, LDS archives, typed copy)
[Marquardt, H. Michael, http://www.xmission.com/~research/central/revel2.htm]
A Revelation given through President John Taylor, Salt Lake City, 25th Dec., 1884.
There are some things that ought to he put right. Some time ago there was word given for the brethren and their families to put themselves in order before the Lord; and it is necessary that these things should be carried out, for there has been a negligence in some of these matters; and if my people and Priesthood desire my blessing and guidance, and protection they must and shall be subject to my law.
And it is necessary that the various quorums of the Priesthood should place themselves right before me, saith the Lord; And that as individuals they should place themselves in that position, for if they do not they have no claim upon my blessing or my protection.
A day of trouble, and anxiety and sorror [sorrow], and judgment will soon overtake this nation and other nations; it is nigh at hand, and the inhabitants of Zion must purge themselves from iniquity, folly, confusion, confusion, and vanity, and listen to and obey my laws, or they cannot have my protection, For I, the Lord, will not be mocked, but the wrong doer shall recinde [receive] the just recompense of regard [reward]; and the sinners in Zion shall be afraid; and carefulness [fraefulness] shall also take hold of the wicked and ungodly, that are in your midst.
And if you, my people, obey my law and keep my Commandments, to do them, not in name only, but in reality, I will be your shield and protector, and your strong forever [tower] and no man shall be able to hurt you, for I will be your defense.
Therefore, humble yourselves before me, and purify yourselves, that your acts and doings may be acceptable before me. For it [if] you do not you will share in the Condemnation of the wicked. Wherefor[e], listen to the Counsels of those whom I have appointed, and seek not your own will and way, But the will of the Lord your God; for by him only can you be sustained in time of trouble which is fast approaching, Even so, Amen
(Manuscript in John Taylor Papers, LDS archives, typed copy)
[Marquardt, H. Michael, http://www.xmission.com/~research/central/revel2.htm]
140 years ago today - 135 years - Dec 25, 1879
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
25 We drove to Woodruff & Stoped with Brother Hatch. We held a Meeting and Br Lot Smith, Burnham, Hatch & W Woodruff all spoke & had a good time. W. Woodruff said He did not Believe that any person who lived to see 1890 would be able to see any United States for He believed the Union would be broaken by that time. Let the Historian see if He guessed right.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
25 We drove to Woodruff & Stoped with Brother Hatch. We held a Meeting and Br Lot Smith, Burnham, Hatch & W Woodruff all spoke & had a good time. W. Woodruff said He did not Believe that any person who lived to see 1890 would be able to see any United States for He believed the Union would be broaken by that time. Let the Historian see if He guessed right.
[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 - 145 years - Dec 25, 1869
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
25 Christmas I Called upon President Young & G. A. Smith in the morning. I attended the school of the prophets. Many Questions were asked. Presidet Young answered them.
Lorenzo Young asked if the Spirits of Negroes were Nutral in Heaven. He said someone said Joseph Smith said they were. Presidet Young said No they were not. There was No Nutral spirits in Heaven at the time of the Rebelion. All took sides. He said if any one said that He Herd the Prophet Joseph Say that the spirits of the Blacks were Nutral in Heaven He would not Believe them for He herd Joseph Say to the Contrary. All spirits are pure that Come from the presence of God. The posterity of Cane are Black Because He Commit Murder. He killed Abel & God set a Mark upon his posterity But the spirits are pure that Enter their tabernacles & there will be a Chance for the redemption of all the Children of Adam Except the Sons of perdition.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
25 Christmas I Called upon President Young & G. A. Smith in the morning. I attended the school of the prophets. Many Questions were asked. Presidet Young answered them.
Lorenzo Young asked if the Spirits of Negroes were Nutral in Heaven. He said someone said Joseph Smith said they were. Presidet Young said No they were not. There was No Nutral spirits in Heaven at the time of the Rebelion. All took sides. He said if any one said that He Herd the Prophet Joseph Say that the spirits of the Blacks were Nutral in Heaven He would not Believe them for He herd Joseph Say to the Contrary. All spirits are pure that Come from the presence of God. The posterity of Cane are Black Because He Commit Murder. He killed Abel & God set a Mark upon his posterity But the spirits are pure that Enter their tabernacles & there will be a Chance for the redemption of all the Children of Adam Except the Sons of perdition.
[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 - 155 years - Dec 25, 1859
[Hosea Stout]
Sunday the 25 Dec 59. This was as usual here a very happy Christmas with one exception a renconter ensued between W. A. Hickman Lott Huntington which resulted in a shooting match six men being on the side of Hickman and Lott alone some 60 shots fired[.] Hickman & Lott both wounded in the thigh[.] Hickman thought to be mortally[.] The cause not known.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Sunday the 25 Dec 59. This was as usual here a very happy Christmas with one exception a renconter ensued between W. A. Hickman Lott Huntington which resulted in a shooting match six men being on the side of Hickman and Lott alone some 60 shots fired[.] Hickman & Lott both wounded in the thigh[.] Hickman thought to be mortally[.] The cause not known.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
160 years ago today - 155 years - Dec 25, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
At about 1 oclok there was a fracus in Main Street Between Wm. Hickman & Lot Huntington. They had some difficulty about the division of some money and agreed to meet to day at 1 oclok to settle it. And after they met the difficulty was renewed & William Hickman shot Huntington. Then Huntington returned the fire. The ball struck Hickmans watch glanced down the groin broke a peace from his thigh bone & broke the ball to peaces.
Hickman was surrounded with several friends & they all Chased Huntington and shot some 30 shots at him. They followed him to George Grants House. Huntington run into the House & the rest did not go in. Hickmans Friends gathered around him. Hickman soon grew pale and said He would not give 3 cents for his life. They took him in a slay to But[cher?] House. Many were excited and run to and fro. Surgeons were sent for and they thought it doubtful about Hicksans Living.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
At about 1 oclok there was a fracus in Main Street Between Wm. Hickman & Lot Huntington. They had some difficulty about the division of some money and agreed to meet to day at 1 oclok to settle it. And after they met the difficulty was renewed & William Hickman shot Huntington. Then Huntington returned the fire. The ball struck Hickmans watch glanced down the groin broke a peace from his thigh bone & broke the ball to peaces.
Hickman was surrounded with several friends & they all Chased Huntington and shot some 30 shots at him. They followed him to George Grants House. Huntington run into the House & the rest did not go in. Hickmans Friends gathered around him. Hickman soon grew pale and said He would not give 3 cents for his life. They took him in a slay to But[cher?] House. Many were excited and run to and fro. Surgeons were sent for and they thought it doubtful about Hicksans Living.
[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 - 160 years - Dec 25, 1854
[Hosea Stout]
Monday 25 Dec 1854. This is a merry christmas here warm pleasant & cloudy day. Drunken soldiers were seen strolling the streets at an earley hour who seemed be hunting a fight to gratify the appetite which was created last saturday at the Theatre. After a small knock down with a few soldiers & our people which only served to warm the citizen blod, a large number had assembled in the streets on both sides when a general out break ensued which soon resulted an a regular melee[.] In a few moments the soldiers give ground a short distance leaving two of their number on the ground whether dead or not as yet I do not know
Both sides rallied again with sticks clubs & stonesthe work going on briskly when the soldiers introduced their guns fired some five rounds not hitting any one however at which a large number of sitizens ran home to arm. Every thing bid fair to have a general engagement. The U. S. officers present done every thing in their power to stop the soldiers and The city Marshal meantime rallied the police to restrain and disperse the now enfurriated citizens which was hapily done before many had arrived with arms otherwise it must have proved a serious day to many engaged in it.
The soldiers were immediately but in barracks (and [crossed out]) the remainder of the day. Hopkins[.] Pender, E. Everett & Brigham Young Jr were some hurt but not seriously
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Monday 25 Dec 1854. This is a merry christmas here warm pleasant & cloudy day. Drunken soldiers were seen strolling the streets at an earley hour who seemed be hunting a fight to gratify the appetite which was created last saturday at the Theatre. After a small knock down with a few soldiers & our people which only served to warm the citizen blod, a large number had assembled in the streets on both sides when a general out break ensued which soon resulted an a regular melee[.] In a few moments the soldiers give ground a short distance leaving two of their number on the ground whether dead or not as yet I do not know
Both sides rallied again with sticks clubs & stonesthe work going on briskly when the soldiers introduced their guns fired some five rounds not hitting any one however at which a large number of sitizens ran home to arm. Every thing bid fair to have a general engagement. The U. S. officers present done every thing in their power to stop the soldiers and The city Marshal meantime rallied the police to restrain and disperse the now enfurriated citizens which was hapily done before many had arrived with arms otherwise it must have proved a serious day to many engaged in it.
The soldiers were immediately but in barracks (and [crossed out]) the remainder of the day. Hopkins[.] Pender, E. Everett & Brigham Young Jr were some hurt but not seriously
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
20 years ago today - Dec 24, 1999
President Gordon B. Hinckley appears on CNN's Larry King Live, which is broadcast from the Tabernacle. Also appearing on the program are Reverend Robert Schuller, who was in Bethlehem, and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who was at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
160 years ago today - Dec 24, 1859
[Brigham Young]
In course of conversation the President alluded to the character of Emma Smith (wife of Prophet). He said he liked her now, but he would never be dictated by her. He observed to a person who alluded to her dictating course, and who he knew would tell her again, that he had heard geese cockle or howl before. He observed that Emma had tried to poison Joseph at the table and had sought to injure him in other ways. The President remarked in every instance where women were mentioned in the scriptures to have performed any remarkable thing it was where men ceased to magnify their priesthood, and the women were the smartest of the two. -- Salt Lake City
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
In course of conversation the President alluded to the character of Emma Smith (wife of Prophet). He said he liked her now, but he would never be dictated by her. He observed to a person who alluded to her dictating course, and who he knew would tell her again, that he had heard geese cockle or howl before. He observed that Emma had tried to poison Joseph at the table and had sought to injure him in other ways. The President remarked in every instance where women were mentioned in the scriptures to have performed any remarkable thing it was where men ceased to magnify their priesthood, and the women were the smartest of the two. -- Salt Lake City
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
165 years ago today - Dec 24, 1854
[Brigham Young]
There is nothing good, virtuous, right or any thing good but is incorporated in this religion we believe in. ... I will insure there are 666 religions, then comes the child, the priesthood in the hands of Joseph.
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002) as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
There is nothing good, virtuous, right or any thing good but is incorporated in this religion we believe in. ... I will insure there are 666 religions, then comes the child, the priesthood in the hands of Joseph.
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002) as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
175 years ago today - December 24, 1844. Tuesday.
[William Clayton]
...Evening I went to converse with Brother [Winslow] Farr concerning D[iantha]. He and Sister Farr feels well towards me and are quite willing to give me what I ask [Diantha as a wife]. He wishes to converse with Brother Kimball and D[iantha] before he decides. Thus has my prayer been answered to the full, and my heart is full of joy and gratitude to God for his mercies to me and my house. If my heart was as pure as I desire it should be, no sin nor evil would ever be found there but I am subject to vanity.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
...Evening I went to converse with Brother [Winslow] Farr concerning D[iantha]. He and Sister Farr feels well towards me and are quite willing to give me what I ask [Diantha as a wife]. He wishes to converse with Brother Kimball and D[iantha] before he decides. Thus has my prayer been answered to the full, and my heart is full of joy and gratitude to God for his mercies to me and my house. If my heart was as pure as I desire it should be, no sin nor evil would ever be found there but I am subject to vanity.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
80 years ago today - Dec 23, 1939
[President Heber J. Grant]
I have pledged myself to gamble again $750.00 on Frank Taylor's gold mine in California. I am more anxious, I feel sure, to have this succeed on account of Frank Taylor than I am on account of myself. Frank has been very careless in his money affairs-a great borrower-and by having had misfortune, not able to meet his obligations, but he is a very lovable man and as true to the Gospel in his heart as many of my near and dear friends. I nominated him, when we divided the Salt Lake Stake, which included all of Salt Lake County, into three stakes, creating the Cottonwood and Granite Stakes, I nominated him for the Granite Stake President and he made a decided success of that Stake of Zion.'
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I have pledged myself to gamble again $750.00 on Frank Taylor's gold mine in California. I am more anxious, I feel sure, to have this succeed on account of Frank Taylor than I am on account of myself. Frank has been very careless in his money affairs-a great borrower-and by having had misfortune, not able to meet his obligations, but he is a very lovable man and as true to the Gospel in his heart as many of my near and dear friends. I nominated him, when we divided the Salt Lake Stake, which included all of Salt Lake County, into three stakes, creating the Cottonwood and Granite Stakes, I nominated him for the Granite Stake President and he made a decided success of that Stake of Zion.'
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
130 years ago today - Monday, Dec 23, 1889
[Apostle Abraham H. Cannon]
This is the anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith's birthday, and has been set apart as a day of fasting and prayer for all the Saints throughout the Church. ... At 10 a.m. met at the Gardo House with Presidents Woodruff, Cannon, and Smith. Apostles John H. Smith, H. J. Grant, and John W. Taylor; Counselors J. W. Young, and D. H. Wells. All but the two latter dressed in their temple robes. We then kneeled down, and commencing with Bro. Wells, each of us prayed until Pres. Woodruff had his turn. Bro. Jos. F. was strongest in his prayer and urged that Baskin should be made blind, deaf and dumb unless he would repent of his wickedness. In this prayer we all kneeled with out faces in.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
This is the anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith's birthday, and has been set apart as a day of fasting and prayer for all the Saints throughout the Church. ... At 10 a.m. met at the Gardo House with Presidents Woodruff, Cannon, and Smith. Apostles John H. Smith, H. J. Grant, and John W. Taylor; Counselors J. W. Young, and D. H. Wells. All but the two latter dressed in their temple robes. We then kneeled down, and commencing with Bro. Wells, each of us prayed until Pres. Woodruff had his turn. Bro. Jos. F. was strongest in his prayer and urged that Baskin should be made blind, deaf and dumb unless he would repent of his wickedness. In this prayer we all kneeled with out faces in.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
165 years ago today - Dec 23, 1854
[Hosea Stout]
This evening a considerable melee happened at the Theatre between a policeman (Thos Hall) and a soldier in which quite a number of soldiers participated and about as many on our side[.] It commenced immediately after the curtain droped.
The soldier who began it was put in the lock-up. Several attempts were made by soldiers to rescue him which however proved unseccesful and several of them were knocked down but no material injury was done to either side
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
This evening a considerable melee happened at the Theatre between a policeman (Thos Hall) and a soldier in which quite a number of soldiers participated and about as many on our side[.] It commenced immediately after the curtain droped.
The soldier who began it was put in the lock-up. Several attempts were made by soldiers to rescue him which however proved unseccesful and several of them were knocked down but no material injury was done to either side
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
40 years ago today - Dec 22, 1979
The first female LDS missionaries to be murdered are sixty-six-year-old Elizabeth W. King and sixty-five-year-old Jane Ruth Teuchner in North Carolina.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
75 years ago today - Dec 22, 1944
[Ezra Taft Benson]
Had long conference with Bro. Geo[rge] F. Richards re. temple work, temple rulings and the importance of the second or higher blessings. I am very grateful that my faithful and devoted wife and I have recently received these rich blessings. I wish more of the Latter-day Saints could receive these blessings. I feel sure there are hundreds who are worthy.
[Ezra Taft Benson diary, Dec. 22, 1944 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Had long conference with Bro. Geo[rge] F. Richards re. temple work, temple rulings and the importance of the second or higher blessings. I am very grateful that my faithful and devoted wife and I have recently received these rich blessings. I wish more of the Latter-day Saints could receive these blessings. I feel sure there are hundreds who are worthy.
[Ezra Taft Benson diary, Dec. 22, 1944 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Dec 26, 1904
[Joseph Eckersley]
Bro[ther]. G. S. Bastian came to our house at night. We lunched and talked about the Lord's work until a late hour. He told me before I was called into the Presidency of the Stake, Pres[iden]t. Robison wrote to the First Presidency in regard to the matter, they sent apostle [Matthias F.] Cowley to our Conference. And the purpose of the latter's talk with me was was on the subject of polygamy, was to inform me of the feeling of the authorities respecting the '[Wilford] Woodruff Manifesto,' and that Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman stood alone on his construction of its meaning and was not in harmony with the rest of the Apostles upon that subject.
[Joseph Eckersley, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Bro[ther]. G. S. Bastian came to our house at night. We lunched and talked about the Lord's work until a late hour. He told me before I was called into the Presidency of the Stake, Pres[iden]t. Robison wrote to the First Presidency in regard to the matter, they sent apostle [Matthias F.] Cowley to our Conference. And the purpose of the latter's talk with me was was on the subject of polygamy, was to inform me of the feeling of the authorities respecting the '[Wilford] Woodruff Manifesto,' and that Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman stood alone on his construction of its meaning and was not in harmony with the rest of the Apostles upon that subject.
[Joseph Eckersley, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
115 years ago today - Dec 22, 1904; Thursday
[Carl Badger]
James H. Anderson has been telling me a story that for strangeness to moral straightness is a prize one. It began by my observing that these new cases of polygamy should be tried. James says that they should not ... The law of the Church, which is the law of God, is not against polygamy, and the Church will not punish polygamy. If you are forced to do wrong, it is not you who do wrong, but the one who forces you.
Reed [Smoot] received a letter, which I did not see from the Presidency, in answer to the one he sent asking that unlawful cohabitation be given up, in which he was told that he was to leave these things alone.
[Carl A. Badger, Diary]
James H. Anderson has been telling me a story that for strangeness to moral straightness is a prize one. It began by my observing that these new cases of polygamy should be tried. James says that they should not ... The law of the Church, which is the law of God, is not against polygamy, and the Church will not punish polygamy. If you are forced to do wrong, it is not you who do wrong, but the one who forces you.
Reed [Smoot] received a letter, which I did not see from the Presidency, in answer to the one he sent asking that unlawful cohabitation be given up, in which he was told that he was to leave these things alone.
[Carl A. Badger, Diary]
120 years ago today - Dec 22, 1899
Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were at the office. The sums of $30 and $100 were appropriated, the former in favor of the St. George [Utah] Indians, and the latter in favor of Lees Ferry.
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
120 years ago today - Friday, Dec 22, 1899
[Apostle John Henry Smith]
I bot four sets of Knives and Forks, paid $15.00. Z.C.M.I. gave one hundred tons of coal to the poor as a Christmas present.
[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]
I bot four sets of Knives and Forks, paid $15.00. Z.C.M.I. gave one hundred tons of coal to the poor as a Christmas present.
[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]
135 years ago today - Mon. Dec. 22nd 1884
[General Authority Abraham H. Cannon]
Abram & Geo. Q. go to Ogden to stop & visit Frank (first Utah senator). "Frank was not in the store when we entered but came in soon afterwards, and, judging from his strange actions and the smell of his breath, he had been drinking . . . my confidence in Frank received a severe shock this evening."
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
Abram & Geo. Q. go to Ogden to stop & visit Frank (first Utah senator). "Frank was not in the store when we entered but came in soon afterwards, and, judging from his strange actions and the smell of his breath, he had been drinking . . . my confidence in Frank received a severe shock this evening."
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
175 years ago today - December 22, 1844. Sunday.
[William Clayton]
[Young reconvenes the Quorum of the Anointed which begins initiating new members into the endowment ceremony]. "Met with the brethren of the first quorum to pray and counsel. My wife and O[rson] Pratts wife, P[arley] P. Pratts wife and A[masa] Lymans wife was voted in [but not endowed]. We have to use the greatest care and caution and dare not let it be known that we meet."
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton; 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]
[Young reconvenes the Quorum of the Anointed which begins initiating new members into the endowment ceremony]. "Met with the brethren of the first quorum to pray and counsel. My wife and O[rson] Pratts wife, P[arley] P. Pratts wife and A[masa] Lymans wife was voted in [but not endowed]. We have to use the greatest care and caution and dare not let it be known that we meet."
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton; 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]
190 years ago today - 1829 Dec 22
Palmyra Reflector announces it will start publishing extracts from the Book of Mormon next week
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
50 years ago today - Winter 1969
[Bibliography on the Negro Doctrine]
[p.230] Bush, Lester E., Jr. "A Commentary on Stephen G. Taggart's Mormonism's Negro Policy: Social and Historical Origins." Dialogue 4 (Winter 1969): 86-103.
[Neither White nor Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue in a Universal Church: Chronological Bibliography on the Negro Doctrine [1900-1983], Edited by Lester E. Bush, Jr., and Armand L. Mauss, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[p.230] Bush, Lester E., Jr. "A Commentary on Stephen G. Taggart's Mormonism's Negro Policy: Social and Historical Origins." Dialogue 4 (Winter 1969): 86-103.
[Neither White nor Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue in a Universal Church: Chronological Bibliography on the Negro Doctrine [1900-1983], Edited by Lester E. Bush, Jr., and Armand L. Mauss, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
120 years ago today - Dec 21, 1899; Thursday
Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith were at the office.
President Cannon informed President Snow that he desired to pay a certain amount on account of tithing, but he did not have the money, and therefore proposed to pay it in Grand Central Mining stock at six dollars a share.
President Snow hesitated, for the reason that he did not know the value of such stock.
President Cannon remarked that he did not have to pay it, perhaps, but in order to satisfy his feelings he felt that he ought to do so.
President Snow answered that he did not see why President Cannon should pay tithing unless it was a tenth of his income.
President Cannon explained that his practice had been, whenever he was in a tight place, to overpay his tithing, and he had found that in doing this he had been prospered.
President Snow: "Then, President Cannon, you make the Lord your debtor, and obligated to you".
President Cannon: "No, not in that light."
After further talk on the subject President Snow said that he should leave such matters to President Cannon himself, as he knew what to do, and did not need any counsel from him.
President Smith, however, saw no reason why the Church should not receive President Cannon's tithing in this stock.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
President Cannon informed President Snow that he desired to pay a certain amount on account of tithing, but he did not have the money, and therefore proposed to pay it in Grand Central Mining stock at six dollars a share.
President Snow hesitated, for the reason that he did not know the value of such stock.
President Cannon remarked that he did not have to pay it, perhaps, but in order to satisfy his feelings he felt that he ought to do so.
President Snow answered that he did not see why President Cannon should pay tithing unless it was a tenth of his income.
President Cannon explained that his practice had been, whenever he was in a tight place, to overpay his tithing, and he had found that in doing this he had been prospered.
President Snow: "Then, President Cannon, you make the Lord your debtor, and obligated to you".
President Cannon: "No, not in that light."
After further talk on the subject President Snow said that he should leave such matters to President Cannon himself, as he knew what to do, and did not need any counsel from him.
President Smith, however, saw no reason why the Church should not receive President Cannon's tithing in this stock.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
120 years ago today - Dec 21, 1899
Last Thursday [i.e., December 21, 1899] I went to Salt Lake and had the pleasure of laying before President [Lorenzo] Snow my ideas regarding a trip to South America. ... appointed another meeting with me at 3 p.m. At this second meeting there were present Presidents Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith, and Apostles [Francis M.] Lyman Brigham Young [Jr.] and John Henry Smith. After fully explaining matters and answering the many questions put to me, I was authorized by vote to organize my party.
[Benjamin Cluff Jr. Diary, December 24, 1899, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
[Benjamin Cluff Jr. Diary, December 24, 1899, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
120 years ago today - Thursday, Dec 21, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson]
There was some talk as to the propriety of the brethren of the Twelve being authorized to marry our people by the sealing ordinance in Mexico. It was the mind of the President, and the sense of the meeting that it be done. It seemed to be the mind of President Snow that an endowment house be provided for Mexico and points in the south.
[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]
There was some talk as to the propriety of the brethren of the Twelve being authorized to marry our people by the sealing ordinance in Mexico. It was the mind of the President, and the sense of the meeting that it be done. It seemed to be the mind of President Snow that an endowment house be provided for Mexico and points in the south.
[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]
140 years ago today - Sunday, Dec. 21st 1879
[Abraham H. Cannon]
I slept very well during the night. On arising I found my foot so sore that I could not wear my shoe; it is a gathering on the heel of my left foot, and together with the gathering I have on my left hand, which is still very bad, makes me think of the afflictions of Job, and wonder if these things are on purpose to try me; if so I hope I will be able to endure them.
[Abraham H. Cannon Mission Journal]
I slept very well during the night. On arising I found my foot so sore that I could not wear my shoe; it is a gathering on the heel of my left foot, and together with the gathering I have on my left hand, which is still very bad, makes me think of the afflictions of Job, and wonder if these things are on purpose to try me; if so I hope I will be able to endure them.
[Abraham H. Cannon Mission Journal]
160 years ago today - Dec 21, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
President Young said a Letter was received by Musser by the last Mail from Brother Gibson who was on his mission to England saying while travelling on a rail road they had a Collission with another train and mashed up the engine and care that he was in & yet not a soul was hurt. As they walked out of the ruins one man said there must be some man of God on that Care by which they were saved. Brother Gibson remarked it was in fulfillment of prophecy for Brigham Young said when He Blessed me that I should go in safety by rail road & steemboat and this is in fulfillment of his Blessing.
The question was asked Presidet Young if he did not think the Nations were inspired to go North as Columbus was to find this Continent. President Young said they have had vary bad luck at it. No they are not inspired ownly by there own desire to open a North west passage to China. Some think it is to open the way for the 10 tribes but it is not so. The Nations will have Nothing to do with preparing the way for there return. But when the time has Come for there return the Lord will do the work. They are on a portion of Earth seperated from this globe in the North which Cannot be seen from this Earth and when the time Comes the Lord will unite their land with ours & prepare the way for there return.
President Young said there was an exertion made to separate the union without war but it Cannot be done. The union Cannot hold together but a few years. It must soon part. The southern people have more fears of there own servants than anybody els. Many other remarks were made.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
President Young said a Letter was received by Musser by the last Mail from Brother Gibson who was on his mission to England saying while travelling on a rail road they had a Collission with another train and mashed up the engine and care that he was in & yet not a soul was hurt. As they walked out of the ruins one man said there must be some man of God on that Care by which they were saved. Brother Gibson remarked it was in fulfillment of prophecy for Brigham Young said when He Blessed me that I should go in safety by rail road & steemboat and this is in fulfillment of his Blessing.
The question was asked Presidet Young if he did not think the Nations were inspired to go North as Columbus was to find this Continent. President Young said they have had vary bad luck at it. No they are not inspired ownly by there own desire to open a North west passage to China. Some think it is to open the way for the 10 tribes but it is not so. The Nations will have Nothing to do with preparing the way for there return. But when the time has Come for there return the Lord will do the work. They are on a portion of Earth seperated from this globe in the North which Cannot be seen from this Earth and when the time Comes the Lord will unite their land with ours & prepare the way for there return.
President Young said there was an exertion made to separate the union without war but it Cannot be done. The union Cannot hold together but a few years. It must soon part. The southern people have more fears of there own servants than anybody els. Many other remarks were made.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
170 years ago today - Winter 1849
The first Sunday School in the Rocky Mountains is organized by Richard Ballantyne. (Church-wide Sunday School is established in the 1860's.)
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
[Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984]
180 years ago today - Dec 21, 1839
Joseph Smith arrives in Philadelphia, returning to Nauvoo in February. Benjamin Winchester would later accuse the Prophet of fathering a child with a "Miss Smith (Hannah Dubois Smith) during his stay. Winchester alleged that Joseph arranged for her to marry Philo Dibble to cover it up. However that marriage didn't occur until twelve months after Joseph left the East and Hannah and Philo's first child was not born until eleven months after the marriage.
[Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)]
[Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)]
40 years ago today - Dec 20, 1979-Thursday
[Leonard Arrington]
Today there was a gathering of LDS women scholars to coordinate some of their work relating to women's studies. ... I happened by just as they were gathering to go out to lunch, and thus had an opportunity of meeting for the first time Margaret Woodworth. ... She is obviously very brilliant and analytical. She is also a courageous speaker and conversationalist. ...
Several months ago she had been in contact with Teddy Wood, Sonia Johnson, and other Mormons for ERA. She felt they were misguided; and eventually was invited back to speak to them. Apparently she spoke to them very straightly and candidly. The conversation went on for nearly all night. She was defending the Church's point of view with them, as I understand it. While she was effective and felt good about her presentation, the women went ahead with the program they had already planned on. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Today there was a gathering of LDS women scholars to coordinate some of their work relating to women's studies. ... I happened by just as they were gathering to go out to lunch, and thus had an opportunity of meeting for the first time Margaret Woodworth. ... She is obviously very brilliant and analytical. She is also a courageous speaker and conversationalist. ...
Several months ago she had been in contact with Teddy Wood, Sonia Johnson, and other Mormons for ERA. She felt they were misguided; and eventually was invited back to speak to them. Apparently she spoke to them very straightly and candidly. The conversation went on for nearly all night. She was defending the Church's point of view with them, as I understand it. While she was effective and felt good about her presentation, the women went ahead with the program they had already planned on. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
105 years ago today - Dec 20, 1914
[President Joseph F. Smith]
...You all know that your fathers are indeed your fathers and that your mothers are indeed your mothers you all know that don't you? You cannot deny it. Now, we are told in scriptures that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. Well, now for the benefit of the older ones, how are children begotten? I answer just as Jesus Christ was begotten of his father. The Christian denominations believe that Christ was begotten not of God but of the spirit that overshadowed his mother. This is nonsense. Why will not the world receive the truth? Why will they not believe the Father when he says that Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son? ...
Now, little boys and girls, when you are confronted by infidels in the world who know nothing of how Christ was begotten, you can say he was born just as the infidel was begotten and born, so was Christ begotten by his Father, who is also our Father-the Father of our spirits-and he was born of his mother Mary.
... Now, my little friends, I will repeat again in words as simple as I can, and you talk to your parents about it, that God, the Eternal Father is literally the father of Jesus Christ.
Mary was married to Joseph for time. No man could take her for eternity because she belonged to the Father of her divine Son.
[1914-December 20-The Box Elder News, January 28, 1915 as quoted in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
...You all know that your fathers are indeed your fathers and that your mothers are indeed your mothers you all know that don't you? You cannot deny it. Now, we are told in scriptures that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. Well, now for the benefit of the older ones, how are children begotten? I answer just as Jesus Christ was begotten of his father. The Christian denominations believe that Christ was begotten not of God but of the spirit that overshadowed his mother. This is nonsense. Why will not the world receive the truth? Why will they not believe the Father when he says that Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son? ...
Now, little boys and girls, when you are confronted by infidels in the world who know nothing of how Christ was begotten, you can say he was born just as the infidel was begotten and born, so was Christ begotten by his Father, who is also our Father-the Father of our spirits-and he was born of his mother Mary.
... Now, my little friends, I will repeat again in words as simple as I can, and you talk to your parents about it, that God, the Eternal Father is literally the father of Jesus Christ.
Mary was married to Joseph for time. No man could take her for eternity because she belonged to the Father of her divine Son.
[1914-December 20-The Box Elder News, January 28, 1915 as quoted in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
115 years ago today - Dec 20, 1904
[Carl A. Badger]
Last night I had a talk with F[ranklin]. S. Richards and asked him to give me a reason why I should not go outside of the Church, if I doubted, disbelieved in things that all orthodox Mormons considered essential. He said he would illustrate his reasons. In 1877 he went on a mission to the Sandwich Islands with Jos[eph]. F. Smith. Up to that time no one had thought that polygamy was not mand[a]tory upon all the Church; one would have lost his standing if he had voiced other sentiments. In 1887 he was here in Washington [D.C.] with Jos[eph]. F. Smith who was on the underground. He thought he must argue before the senate committee that polygamy was not mand[a]tory upon the Church. Jerry Wilson agreed with him; Jos[eph]. F. opposed it strongly; he believed it was mand[a]tory, but Richards got him to consent that the argument be made'it would not hurt the Church anyway. When Richards got home he came near to loosing his fellowship. On the witness stand before the committee in 1904 Pres[ident]. J[oseph]. F. Smith testified that the doctrine never had been mand[a]tory. 'Now why not stay with the Church, there is good here, and truth, and noble men and women. 'I have done more for those who I love by staying with them than I could have done by fighting what I considered their faults.' Richards says that Pres[ident]. Jos[eph]. F. Smith told him recently ... that in the event of the divulgence of the temple ceremony, 'if there was anything in the Church which the Lord desired removed, he hoped he would remove it.'
[Carl A. Badger Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Last night I had a talk with F[ranklin]. S. Richards and asked him to give me a reason why I should not go outside of the Church, if I doubted, disbelieved in things that all orthodox Mormons considered essential. He said he would illustrate his reasons. In 1877 he went on a mission to the Sandwich Islands with Jos[eph]. F. Smith. Up to that time no one had thought that polygamy was not mand[a]tory upon all the Church; one would have lost his standing if he had voiced other sentiments. In 1887 he was here in Washington [D.C.] with Jos[eph]. F. Smith who was on the underground. He thought he must argue before the senate committee that polygamy was not mand[a]tory upon the Church. Jerry Wilson agreed with him; Jos[eph]. F. opposed it strongly; he believed it was mand[a]tory, but Richards got him to consent that the argument be made'it would not hurt the Church anyway. When Richards got home he came near to loosing his fellowship. On the witness stand before the committee in 1904 Pres[ident]. J[oseph]. F. Smith testified that the doctrine never had been mand[a]tory. 'Now why not stay with the Church, there is good here, and truth, and noble men and women. 'I have done more for those who I love by staying with them than I could have done by fighting what I considered their faults.' Richards says that Pres[ident]. Jos[eph]. F. Smith told him recently ... that in the event of the divulgence of the temple ceremony, 'if there was anything in the Church which the Lord desired removed, he hoped he would remove it.'
[Carl A. Badger Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
135 years ago today - Dec 20, 1884
[J.D.T. McAllister Diary]
Man disfellowshipped for claiming Revelations
10 A.M. at High Council. preferred a charge against Elder Herman Lascher for unchristian like conduct in presuming to give revelation in the name of the Lord without Authority Prest E. Snow with us. Herman was suspended from the functions of the Priesthood, and disfellowshipped from the Church.
[Diary Excerpts of J.D.T. McAllister, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Man disfellowshipped for claiming Revelations
10 A.M. at High Council. preferred a charge against Elder Herman Lascher for unchristian like conduct in presuming to give revelation in the name of the Lord without Authority Prest E. Snow with us. Herman was suspended from the functions of the Priesthood, and disfellowshipped from the Church.
[Diary Excerpts of J.D.T. McAllister, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
165 years ago today - Dec 20, 1854
Polysophical Society organizes with Apostle Lorenzo Snow as president. Women and men lecture and participate in discussions on equal basis. Brigham Young soon organizes male-dominated Deseret Theological Institute as competition.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
180 years ago today - Dec 20, 1839
[Brigham Young]
I told them that Baptistism, Methodism, Presbyterianism, Quakerism, Shakerism, and every other ism I had studied and learned, for I desired to know the truth, and found I could put all their doctrines, when simmered down to truth, into a snuffbox of the smallest class, put it into my vest pocket and go on my way; but, when I found "Mormonism," I found that it was higher than I could reach with my researches, deeper than I was capable of comprehending, and calculated to expand the mind and lead mankind from truth to truth, from light to light, from grace to grace, and exalt him in the celestial kingdom, to become associated with the Gods and the angels. I bade them goodnight, and went over the hill to Hamilton, and stayed at Brother Murdock's.
[Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
I told them that Baptistism, Methodism, Presbyterianism, Quakerism, Shakerism, and every other ism I had studied and learned, for I desired to know the truth, and found I could put all their doctrines, when simmered down to truth, into a snuffbox of the smallest class, put it into my vest pocket and go on my way; but, when I found "Mormonism," I found that it was higher than I could reach with my researches, deeper than I was capable of comprehending, and calculated to expand the mind and lead mankind from truth to truth, from light to light, from grace to grace, and exalt him in the celestial kingdom, to become associated with the Gods and the angels. I bade them goodnight, and went over the hill to Hamilton, and stayed at Brother Murdock's.
[Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
65 years ago today - Wednesday, Dec 19, 1954
Shortly after the 1954 publication of Joseph Fielding Smith's Man, His Origin and Destiny, BYU History professor Richard D. Poll and his wife were invited to discuss the book with the author. Knowing that President McKay disagreed strongly with the book, they managed to arrange a meeting with him on the same day. According to the Polls' combined notes, made immediately afterwards, President McKay, "striking the desk for emphasis ... repeated that [Man, His Origin and Destiny] is not the authoritative position of the Church."
[Ben Spackman, "David O. McKay, Genesis, and Evolution: Part 2.", http://www.patheos.com/blogs/benjaminthescribe/2016/08/david-o-mckay-genesis-and-evolution-part-2/; Richard D. Poll, "The Swearing Elders, Some Reflections: A Response to Thomas Blakley, Sunstone Magazine, 10:9, https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/053-14-17.pdf]
[Ben Spackman, "David O. McKay, Genesis, and Evolution: Part 2.", http://www.patheos.com/blogs/benjaminthescribe/2016/08/david-o-mckay-genesis-and-evolution-part-2/; Richard D. Poll, "The Swearing Elders, Some Reflections: A Response to Thomas Blakley, Sunstone Magazine, 10:9, https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/053-14-17.pdf]
130 years ago today - Dec 19, 1889
[Apostle John Henry Smith]
The following brethren met in Council: W. Woodruff, J. F. Smith F. D. Richards, H. J. Grant, J. W. Taylor, A. H. Cannon, J. W. Young and myself. We had prayers and Bro. Woodruff had Bro. L.J. Nuttall read a revelation the Lord had given him in which we his servants were told to remain true to our coilors and he would protect his little flock. How happy I am.
[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]
The following brethren met in Council: W. Woodruff, J. F. Smith F. D. Richards, H. J. Grant, J. W. Taylor, A. H. Cannon, J. W. Young and myself. We had prayers and Bro. Woodruff had Bro. L.J. Nuttall read a revelation the Lord had given him in which we his servants were told to remain true to our coilors and he would protect his little flock. How happy I am.
[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 - Dec 19th, 1889
[Apostle Abraham H. Cannon]
During our meeting a revelation was read which Pres. Woodruff received Sunday evening, Nov. 24th. Propositions had been made for the Church to make some concessions to the Courts in regard to its principles. Both of Pres. Woodruff's counselors refused to advise him as to the course he should pursue, and he therefore laid the matter before the Lord. The answer came quick and strong. The word of the Lord was for us not to yield one particle of that which He had revealed and established. He had done and would continue to care for His work and those of the Saints who were faithful, and we need have no fear of our enemies when we were in the line of our duty. We are promised redemption and deliverance if we will trust in God and not in the arm of flesh. We were admonished to read and study the Word of God, and to pray often. The whole revelation was filled with words of the greatest encouragement and comfort, and my heart was felled with joy and peace during the entire reading. It sets all doubts at rest concerning the course to pursue.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
During our meeting a revelation was read which Pres. Woodruff received Sunday evening, Nov. 24th. Propositions had been made for the Church to make some concessions to the Courts in regard to its principles. Both of Pres. Woodruff's counselors refused to advise him as to the course he should pursue, and he therefore laid the matter before the Lord. The answer came quick and strong. The word of the Lord was for us not to yield one particle of that which He had revealed and established. He had done and would continue to care for His work and those of the Saints who were faithful, and we need have no fear of our enemies when we were in the line of our duty. We are promised redemption and deliverance if we will trust in God and not in the arm of flesh. We were admonished to read and study the Word of God, and to pray often. The whole revelation was filled with words of the greatest encouragement and comfort, and my heart was felled with joy and peace during the entire reading. It sets all doubts at rest concerning the course to pursue.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
150 years ago today - Dec 19, 1869 (Sunday)
The "Godbeite Movement" began to take definite shape.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
150 years ago today - Dec 19, 1869
Orson Pratt taught:"By and by an obscure individual ... proclaimed the startling news that God had sent an angel to him ... This young man, some four years afterwards, was visited again by a holy angel."
["Journal of Discourses", Vol.13, pp.65-66 as quoted in A Documented History of Joseph Smith's First Vision, http://beggarsbread.org/2013/04/01/a-documented-history-of-joseph-smiths-first-vision/]
["Journal of Discourses", Vol.13, pp.65-66 as quoted in A Documented History of Joseph Smith's First Vision, http://beggarsbread.org/2013/04/01/a-documented-history-of-joseph-smiths-first-vision/]
160 years ago today - Dec 19, 1859
[Brigham Young ]
said if a man met you with drawn sword, if you throw your sword away, in nine cases out of ten it would bring about reconciliation.
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
said if a man met you with drawn sword, if you throw your sword away, in nine cases out of ten it would bring about reconciliation.
[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
175 years ago today - Dec 19, 1844. Thursday.
[William Clayton]
...Read 2 letters from Elder Woodruff to President Young concerning [apostle] W[illia]m Smith and G[eorge] J. Adams showing that they are in opposition to the Twelve and have collected money in the east for the Temple and have used it. There are warrants out for them in N[ew] York and Boston and all seems confusion and sorrow wherever they go.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
...Read 2 letters from Elder Woodruff to President Young concerning [apostle] W[illia]m Smith and G[eorge] J. Adams showing that they are in opposition to the Twelve and have collected money in the east for the Temple and have used it. There are warrants out for them in N[ew] York and Boston and all seems confusion and sorrow wherever they go.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
45 years ago today - Dec 18, 1974-Wednesday
[Leonard Arrington]
In the meeting with the advisors neither Brother Hunter or Brother McConkie brought up the matter of us giving any response to Elder Packer's letter to the First Presidency about our work. ... We are in no sense to regard his suggestions as binding or as causing us to change our policies duly arrived at in the past. This is comforting. I feel that we have the full confidence of both Brother McConkie and Brother Hunter and as long as our division and its work has the united support of Earl and Brother Anderson and as long as we keep Brother Hunter and Brother McConkie reasonably well informed on what we are doing, we will be able to carry out the policies which we have desired and wish continued. ...
President [N. Eldon] Tanner has been working with Brother [Lee] Bickmore on restructuring the organization of the Church in the central level. Specifically they are going to make new committee assignments to representatives of the Quorum of the Twelve and it is their purpose to reduce the administrative responsibilities of the General Authorities. Specifically they will probably reduce the number of advisors from the Quorum of the Twelve on any committee to two and they will probably avoid members of the quorum being administrators of any agency, division or chairman of any committee or department. This will leave them freer to move about the Church counseling, reorganizing and so on. This will also leave time freer in counseling strong department heads, who will be appointed. As a part of this President Tanner has asked Brother Hunter to have us do a historical study of the [organizational structure of the] First Presidency and Twelve in the history of the Church ... That they are asking us for these historical studies shows confidence and awareness of our work. They have also asked us to do a study of the understanding Church leaders have had about what kind of temples should be built. There is apparently a feeling that the day of building temples as monuments for eternity is at an end. We are spread all over the world and it will be too expensive to build monuments all over. Thought is therefore being given to building endowment rooms where the [liturgical] film will be used in connection with ward chapels, stake centers and nice homes. In that way they would be able to do ordinance work in many parts of the world convenient to the habitations of members without an inordinate expense. ... In connection with Church organization one basic question they want answered is whether the Presiding Bishopric report to the Twelve or to the First Presidency and some suggestion on that will need to be made by whoever does the study.
...This morning coming on the bus I sat with John Talmage who told me a little about management of the Deseret News during the period he was associated with it. Brother Talmage says that in 1934 [1914] when his father [apostle] James E. Talmage became more closely connected with the Deseret News the News literally had twenty-six bosses, all of the General Authorities of the Church. Each one felt free to phone up and tell them what to do both on policy and procedure matters and often did so even to the extent of requiring them to run a picture or article on some relative leaving on a mission or something of that order. Elder Talmage felt that this was a hopeless situation and tried to get it altered. The chief obstacle was President [J. Reuben] Clark who hated newspapers, did not trust them, and wanted to have the right to interfere and make suggestions whenever he wished. Finally sometime between 1934 and 1939 [1937] Albert Bowen of President Clark's law firm was chosen to be an apostle and was made the contact man among the General Authorities and since that date there has been one General Authority who has been more or less a representative through whom all matters pertaining to the Deseret News were channeled by Church matters. That man today is Gordon Hinckley. Brother Talmage reminisced a little and mentioned the time when President [Charles W.] Penrose as editor of the News wrote an editorial about [J. T.] Goodwin, son of C. C. Goodwin. The editorial went something like this: Many years ago there came a person into our community who was not exactly one of us but who was received well by the community. He enjoyed writing nice things about people and he was regarded as having a particular talent in writing obituaries. He was assigned to write obituaries for many people and people came to have such affection for him that as a term of affection they called him Obituary Goodwin. He reared a son who followed in his footsteps in the newspaper game, [J. T.] Goodwin, but the son grew up in an atmosphere of anti-Mormonism and hatred for the Mormons and their institutions. The editorial went on, "This son of Obituary Goodwin ..." Brother Talmage regarded that as one of the nicest ways of calling a man a son of a bitch that he had ever read in the Church newspaper.
Brother Talmage mentioned the period when [Ralph] Jordon came in, a kind of apostate Mormon-not a good Mormon at all-free thinking. If a General Authority told him to do something, he would do the opposite twice as strongly. He mentioned [Earl] Hawkes coming in and insisting upon a good strong contract under which he could more or less run the paper the way it should be run but the people kept trying to interfere and use influence and persuasion and finally after some years according to Brother Talmage he caved in and gave up the struggle and more or less did what they asked him to do.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
In the meeting with the advisors neither Brother Hunter or Brother McConkie brought up the matter of us giving any response to Elder Packer's letter to the First Presidency about our work. ... We are in no sense to regard his suggestions as binding or as causing us to change our policies duly arrived at in the past. This is comforting. I feel that we have the full confidence of both Brother McConkie and Brother Hunter and as long as our division and its work has the united support of Earl and Brother Anderson and as long as we keep Brother Hunter and Brother McConkie reasonably well informed on what we are doing, we will be able to carry out the policies which we have desired and wish continued. ...
President [N. Eldon] Tanner has been working with Brother [Lee] Bickmore on restructuring the organization of the Church in the central level. Specifically they are going to make new committee assignments to representatives of the Quorum of the Twelve and it is their purpose to reduce the administrative responsibilities of the General Authorities. Specifically they will probably reduce the number of advisors from the Quorum of the Twelve on any committee to two and they will probably avoid members of the quorum being administrators of any agency, division or chairman of any committee or department. This will leave them freer to move about the Church counseling, reorganizing and so on. This will also leave time freer in counseling strong department heads, who will be appointed. As a part of this President Tanner has asked Brother Hunter to have us do a historical study of the [organizational structure of the] First Presidency and Twelve in the history of the Church ... That they are asking us for these historical studies shows confidence and awareness of our work. They have also asked us to do a study of the understanding Church leaders have had about what kind of temples should be built. There is apparently a feeling that the day of building temples as monuments for eternity is at an end. We are spread all over the world and it will be too expensive to build monuments all over. Thought is therefore being given to building endowment rooms where the [liturgical] film will be used in connection with ward chapels, stake centers and nice homes. In that way they would be able to do ordinance work in many parts of the world convenient to the habitations of members without an inordinate expense. ... In connection with Church organization one basic question they want answered is whether the Presiding Bishopric report to the Twelve or to the First Presidency and some suggestion on that will need to be made by whoever does the study.
...This morning coming on the bus I sat with John Talmage who told me a little about management of the Deseret News during the period he was associated with it. Brother Talmage says that in 1934 [1914] when his father [apostle] James E. Talmage became more closely connected with the Deseret News the News literally had twenty-six bosses, all of the General Authorities of the Church. Each one felt free to phone up and tell them what to do both on policy and procedure matters and often did so even to the extent of requiring them to run a picture or article on some relative leaving on a mission or something of that order. Elder Talmage felt that this was a hopeless situation and tried to get it altered. The chief obstacle was President [J. Reuben] Clark who hated newspapers, did not trust them, and wanted to have the right to interfere and make suggestions whenever he wished. Finally sometime between 1934 and 1939 [1937] Albert Bowen of President Clark's law firm was chosen to be an apostle and was made the contact man among the General Authorities and since that date there has been one General Authority who has been more or less a representative through whom all matters pertaining to the Deseret News were channeled by Church matters. That man today is Gordon Hinckley. Brother Talmage reminisced a little and mentioned the time when President [Charles W.] Penrose as editor of the News wrote an editorial about [J. T.] Goodwin, son of C. C. Goodwin. The editorial went something like this: Many years ago there came a person into our community who was not exactly one of us but who was received well by the community. He enjoyed writing nice things about people and he was regarded as having a particular talent in writing obituaries. He was assigned to write obituaries for many people and people came to have such affection for him that as a term of affection they called him Obituary Goodwin. He reared a son who followed in his footsteps in the newspaper game, [J. T.] Goodwin, but the son grew up in an atmosphere of anti-Mormonism and hatred for the Mormons and their institutions. The editorial went on, "This son of Obituary Goodwin ..." Brother Talmage regarded that as one of the nicest ways of calling a man a son of a bitch that he had ever read in the Church newspaper.
Brother Talmage mentioned the period when [Ralph] Jordon came in, a kind of apostate Mormon-not a good Mormon at all-free thinking. If a General Authority told him to do something, he would do the opposite twice as strongly. He mentioned [Earl] Hawkes coming in and insisting upon a good strong contract under which he could more or less run the paper the way it should be run but the people kept trying to interfere and use influence and persuasion and finally after some years according to Brother Talmage he caved in and gave up the struggle and more or less did what they asked him to do.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
85 years ago today - Dec 18, 1934
[Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay]
1. 'Should a person who is sick be anointed with oil more than once a day?' No.
2. 'If the Elders are called in several times a day during severe illness, what should be the procedure when they have been called to administer to them?' The Elders should bless them by virtue of their Priesthood, but frequent administrations are not necessary.
3. 'Should oil be drunk that has been consecrated; if not, what are the objections?' There is no objection to one who is ill taking consecrated oil internally if he or she desires to do so. The drinking of the oil has no connection whatever with the administration ordinance, however.
4. 'Is it advisable to drink olive oil that has not been consecrated, as a cure or help in sickness?' Olive oil, whether consecrated or not, is generally considered a very good remedy. Many people claim to have avoided surgical operations by drinking olive oil. However, in cases of severe illness one should not drink olive oil except upon the prescription of a physician.
[Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay, Letter to Alfred Fallows, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
1. 'Should a person who is sick be anointed with oil more than once a day?' No.
2. 'If the Elders are called in several times a day during severe illness, what should be the procedure when they have been called to administer to them?' The Elders should bless them by virtue of their Priesthood, but frequent administrations are not necessary.
3. 'Should oil be drunk that has been consecrated; if not, what are the objections?' There is no objection to one who is ill taking consecrated oil internally if he or she desires to do so. The drinking of the oil has no connection whatever with the administration ordinance, however.
4. 'Is it advisable to drink olive oil that has not been consecrated, as a cure or help in sickness?' Olive oil, whether consecrated or not, is generally considered a very good remedy. Many people claim to have avoided surgical operations by drinking olive oil. However, in cases of severe illness one should not drink olive oil except upon the prescription of a physician.
[Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay, Letter to Alfred Fallows, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
115 years ago today - Dec 18, 1904
[Carl A. Badger]
I just told the Senator [Reed Smoot] that I was discouraged with the Church leaders, and that unless something was done I did not know what the effect would be upon the young people'that is, something must be done with those who have violated the pledge against the taking of new wives. The Senator answered, 'Nothing will be done; I believe they were authorized to take the wives.'
[Carl A. Badger Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
I just told the Senator [Reed Smoot] that I was discouraged with the Church leaders, and that unless something was done I did not know what the effect would be upon the young people'that is, something must be done with those who have violated the pledge against the taking of new wives. The Senator answered, 'Nothing will be done; I believe they were authorized to take the wives.'
[Carl A. Badger Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
130 years ago today - Dec 18, 1889 (Wednesday)
Judge Zane denied the People's Party [of the church] mandamus against the Salt Lake City registrars, some of whom were charged with crooked work in their official capacity, calculated to harm the People's Party and favor the Liberals at the approaching election.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
15 years ago today - Dec 17, 2004
ACLU submits its appellants' reply brief to the Tenth Circuit Court. Oral arguments are scheduled for May 4, 2005.
[The Main Street Plaza Time Line: http://www.mormonlawyers.com/2008/07/main-st-plaza-mormons-1-aclu-0.html]
[The Main Street Plaza Time Line: http://www.mormonlawyers.com/2008/07/main-st-plaza-mormons-1-aclu-0.html]
85 years ago today - Dec 17, 1934
In response to your request, I am pleased to furnish the following explanation:
The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a corporation sole, organized under the laws of the State of Utah for religious and charitable purposes. The President of the Church is the corporation. It has no Board of Directors nor other officers. Since my official position as President of the Church constitutes me the Corporation of the President, I am therefore fully empowered to conduct the business of the Corporation, which includes depositing funds at any bank and withdrawing same by check or order.
[Heber J. Grant, Letter to W. H. Hayne, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a corporation sole, organized under the laws of the State of Utah for religious and charitable purposes. The President of the Church is the corporation. It has no Board of Directors nor other officers. Since my official position as President of the Church constitutes me the Corporation of the President, I am therefore fully empowered to conduct the business of the Corporation, which includes depositing funds at any bank and withdrawing same by check or order.
[Heber J. Grant, Letter to W. H. Hayne, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
105 years ago today - Dec 17, 1914; Thursday
While in Rexburg [Idaho], Bro[ther]. Whitney said, a young couple called to see him named Bergner. The young woman had been a plural wife of Bro[ther]. [former apostle] M[atthias]. F. Cowley, whom he married in 1905, the result of this union being one child. She had since left Bro[ther]. Cowley and married Bergner. They told Bro[ther]. Whitney that Bro[ther]. Cowley had spoken to Pres[iden]t. Austin, asking him to see that this child was baptized in his own name, that of Cowley and not Bergner, but Bro[ther]. and Sister Bergner wanted the name of the child changed, and in fact they had had him baptized under the name of Bergner and confirmed under that name, he having been baptized in one ward and confirmed in another. Bro[ther]. Whitney said he told them he could not give any council regard to this matter.
President Smith now raised the question of the right of Bro[ther]. M[atthias]. F. Cowley to claim Sister Bergner's child, she not having been sealed to him by the authority of the Church.
On motion of Bro[ther]. Joseph F[ielding]. Smith Jr., seconded by Bro[ther]. Talmage, the council sustained the claim of the mother, that the child belonged to her, and that she therefore had the right to call it after her name. ....
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
President Smith now raised the question of the right of Bro[ther]. M[atthias]. F. Cowley to claim Sister Bergner's child, she not having been sealed to him by the authority of the Church.
On motion of Bro[ther]. Joseph F[ielding]. Smith Jr., seconded by Bro[ther]. Talmage, the council sustained the claim of the mother, that the child belonged to her, and that she therefore had the right to call it after her name. ....
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
130 years ago today - Dec 17, 1889
[President Wilford Woodruff]
The whole City Country & Nation is stired up & moved to Destroy the Latter Day Saints.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The whole City Country & Nation is stired up & moved to Destroy the Latter Day Saints.
[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 - Dec 17, 1889
Apostle H[eber]. J. Grant submitted the propriety of the leading businessmen of our city signing a resolution approving the Manifesto or the Official Declaration [regarding blood atonement] of the First Presidency and Twelve, and that this be done soon. This was approved and Brother Grant was requested to see that the matter is gotten into shape and attended to without delay. It was also suggested that the People's party manager get up their meetings and pass suitable resolutions as suggested at a previous meeting by Brother J. W. Pike, and that the mass meetings of the citizens on this same subject should be held.
[First Presidency Office Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
[First Presidency Office Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
135 years ago today - Wednesday, Dec 17, 1884
[Apostle John Henry Smith]
Bern, Switzerland
Pleasant. I found Bros. Schoenfeld, J. A. Smith and several other brethren at the office well. I wrote letters to both of my wives. I visited the Swiss Congress and enjoyed myself very much.
[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]
Bern, Switzerland
Pleasant. I found Bros. Schoenfeld, J. A. Smith and several other brethren at the office well. I wrote letters to both of my wives. I visited the Swiss Congress and enjoyed myself very much.
[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]
165 years ago today - Dec 17, 1854
[Wilford Woodruff]
I met with the presidency & Twelve in an upper room in President Young office. The room was dedicated for prayer & the sick prayed for & oil consecrated.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I met with the presidency & Twelve in an upper room in President Young office. The room was dedicated for prayer & the sick prayed for & oil consecrated.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
55 years ago today - Dec 16, 1964
Reed Benson becomes John Birch Society coordinater of washington D.C.
["Utahn Heads Birch Office in Capital," Deseret News, 16 Dec. 1964, A-13. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
["Utahn Heads Birch Office in Capital," Deseret News, 16 Dec. 1964, A-13. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
75 years ago today - Dec 16, 1944
A Deseret News Church Section article from New Orleans: "Negro Members of The Church Display Great Faith."
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
110 years ago today - Dec 16, 1909; Thursday
[George F. Gibbs to Bishop Lorin Merrill]
[S]hould another such case arise in your ward, or come within your personal knowledge, they hope you will be emphatic in warning against it, in the understanding that there can be but the one way of dealing with such a violation of the action of the Church on the question under consideration, namely, contraction of plural marriages, and that is excommunication.
[George F. Gibbs, letter to Bishop Lorin A. Merrill, Kenney Papers, original in LDS Archives]
[S]hould another such case arise in your ward, or come within your personal knowledge, they hope you will be emphatic in warning against it, in the understanding that there can be but the one way of dealing with such a violation of the action of the Church on the question under consideration, namely, contraction of plural marriages, and that is excommunication.
[George F. Gibbs, letter to Bishop Lorin A. Merrill, Kenney Papers, original in LDS Archives]
125 years ago today - Dec 16, 1894
[Patriarchal Blessing of Samuel RosKelley by James G. Willie]
... thou art of Ephriam through the loins of ElKanah, and Ephrathite, and of Samuel his son. And inasmuch as thy great grogenitor [progenitor] was called upon to administer unto the Great High Priest so that great influence which he enjoyed to administer unto the Holy of the Holies and wait upon Eli the great High Priest and became great and mighty in the things of God, that has descended unto thee for his blood permeates in thy veins. ... the Lord will bless thy progenitors, they have a watchful eye over thee, and the day will come, and that not very long, when your progenitors will visit you, when they will reveal unto thee the full links of thy ancestry, according to the geneology [genealogy] of the Priesthood as it has been handed down from the days of Adam. And those eho have not had the opportunities that you and I have had to live in this great gospel day, they shall be redeemed, they shalt stand forth upon Mount Zion as a Saviour, of the true and living God. ... for thy eyes shall sparkle as living diamonds, that every power within its grasp shall fall before thee. ... and some must "bite the dust" and lay down their lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ as they have done in ancient days. ...
... thou art of Ephriam through the loins of ElKanah, and Ephrathite, and of Samuel his son. And inasmuch as thy great grogenitor [progenitor] was called upon to administer unto the Great High Priest so that great influence which he enjoyed to administer unto the Holy of the Holies and wait upon Eli the great High Priest and became great and mighty in the things of God, that has descended unto thee for his blood permeates in thy veins. ... the Lord will bless thy progenitors, they have a watchful eye over thee, and the day will come, and that not very long, when your progenitors will visit you, when they will reveal unto thee the full links of thy ancestry, according to the geneology [genealogy] of the Priesthood as it has been handed down from the days of Adam. And those eho have not had the opportunities that you and I have had to live in this great gospel day, they shall be redeemed, they shalt stand forth upon Mount Zion as a Saviour, of the true and living God. ... for thy eyes shall sparkle as living diamonds, that every power within its grasp shall fall before thee. ... and some must "bite the dust" and lay down their lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ as they have done in ancient days. ...
140 years ago today - Dec 16, 1879
obtained my Second Anointings Sept. 23, 1867 at 9 a.m. also my wife Elizabeth.
"Adam-ondi-Ahman" The Valley of God where Adam dwelt- so say O Pratt Sr Oct/80
[Loose papers at end of book on inside back cover:]
Pres Taylor said I heard Jan 13/80
Joseph Smith say that Adam was the Ancient of Days spoken of by Daniel ... you do not give up your priesthood Adam heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden. Adam had a God then...
Cain heard the voice of the Lord who enquired after Abel-
referred to Peter Jas & John conferring the Mel Prt on Jos Smith Moses who conferred the spirit of gathering - Elijah the sealing of the fathers & when we get to God our Father we are told to approach him in the name of Jesus Adam is the father of our bodies who is to say he is not the Father of our spirits.
Present Pres Taylor CCR. F. D. R. & W L Johnson Jr.
[L. John Nuttal Papers; BYU Special Collections, Mss 188, Container #1, File Folder #1, Red book with gold lining, front and back covers, with the title "Records" on front cover in gold. 19.5 cm x 12.5 cm, 240 pages, Thursday June 19, 1879-Tuesday December 16, 1879 : journal [Inside front cover fly leaf: Not in BYU Typescript of Diaries:] as quoted in "Quotations Dealing with the Relationship of Our First Earthy Parents to Our Heavenly Parents (1830-1978)"]
"Adam-ondi-Ahman" The Valley of God where Adam dwelt- so say O Pratt Sr Oct/80
[Loose papers at end of book on inside back cover:]
Pres Taylor said I heard Jan 13/80
Joseph Smith say that Adam was the Ancient of Days spoken of by Daniel ... you do not give up your priesthood Adam heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden. Adam had a God then...
Cain heard the voice of the Lord who enquired after Abel-
referred to Peter Jas & John conferring the Mel Prt on Jos Smith Moses who conferred the spirit of gathering - Elijah the sealing of the fathers & when we get to God our Father we are told to approach him in the name of Jesus Adam is the father of our bodies who is to say he is not the Father of our spirits.
Present Pres Taylor CCR. F. D. R. & W L Johnson Jr.
[L. John Nuttal Papers; BYU Special Collections, Mss 188, Container #1, File Folder #1, Red book with gold lining, front and back covers, with the title "Records" on front cover in gold. 19.5 cm x 12.5 cm, 240 pages, Thursday June 19, 1879-Tuesday December 16, 1879 : journal [Inside front cover fly leaf: Not in BYU Typescript of Diaries:] as quoted in "Quotations Dealing with the Relationship of Our First Earthy Parents to Our Heavenly Parents (1830-1978)"]
140 years ago today - Dec 16, 1879
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
I dreamed at night that President Taylor was sealing all in the Church Plural marriages to them that wished it. We met in the Council of the 12. I thought the glory of God rested upon us and we done all our work openly and the government had no power over us and we rejoiced together.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I dreamed at night that President Taylor was sealing all in the Church Plural marriages to them that wished it. We met in the Council of the 12. I thought the glory of God rested upon us and we done all our work openly and the government had no power over us and we rejoiced together.
[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 - Dec 16, 1854
[Hosea Stout]
Met with the Regents in the evening Subject the New [Deseret] Alphabet which is now becoming a subject of interest in the primary schools in the Territory
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Met with the Regents in the evening Subject the New [Deseret] Alphabet which is now becoming a subject of interest in the primary schools in the Territory
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
40 years ago today - Dec 15, 1979
Two piece garment introduced. The most dramatic recent change was the two-piece garment in 1979. In a letter to Church leaders dated December 15, 1979, the First Presidency announced the introduction in February 1979 of two-piece temple garments. The new style garments were offered in addition to, and priced about the same as, the regular one-piece variety. No explanation for or description of the new garments was given.
[The Temple Timeline (Masons, Ancient Temples, Garments and a Lot More), http://www.exploringmormonism.com/the-temple-timeline-masons-ancient-temples-garments-and-a-lot-more/]
[The Temple Timeline (Masons, Ancient Temples, Garments and a Lot More), http://www.exploringmormonism.com/the-temple-timeline-masons-ancient-temples-garments-and-a-lot-more/]
50 years ago today - Dec 15, 1969
First Presidency Statement on blacks. The statement came amid newspaper reports of first counselor Hugh B. Brown's statements about an imminent change in the church's policy toward blacks and the priesthood. Apostle Harold B. Lee reversed the Twelve's amenability to such a change and drafts this reaffirmation of the policy. Brown reluctantly signs it after he adds an edorsement of civil rights for African-Americans. It is published on 10 Jan. 1970. In response, Roy Wilkins of the NAACP writes a guest editorial for the Los Angeles Times on 26 Jan, which concludes: "The Mormon walls on race will come tumbling down," a prophecy fulfilled in eight years.
"In view of confusion that has arisen, it was decided at a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to restate the position of the Church with regard to the Negro both in society and in the Church. "
"First, may we say that we know something of the sufferings of those who are discriminated against in a denial of their civil rights and Constitutional privileges. ... "
"In revelations received by the first prophet of the Church in this dispensation, Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the Lord made it clear that it is "not right that any man should be in bondage one to another." ... "
"It follows, therefore, that we believe the Negro, as well as those of other races, should have his full Constitutional privileges as a member of society, and we hope that members of the Church everywhere will do their part as citizens to see that these rights are held inviolate. ... "
"However, matters of faith, conscience, and theology are not within the purview of the civil law. The first amendment to the Constitution specifically provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
"The position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affecting those of the Negro race who choose to join the Church falls wholly within the category of religion. It has no bearing upon matters of civil rights. In no case or degree does it deny to the Negro his full privileges as a citizen of the nation."
"This position has no relevancy whatever to those who do not wish to join the Church. Those individuals, we suppose, do not believe in the divine origin and nature of the church, nor that we have the priesthood of God. Therefore, if they feel we have no priesthood, they should have no concern with any aspect of our theology on priesthood so long as that theology does not deny any man his Constitutional privileges. "
"A word of explanation concerning the position of the Church."
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owes its origin, its existence, and its hope for the future to the principle of continuous revelation. ... "
"From the beginning of this dispensation, Joseph Smith and all succeeding presidents of the Church have taught that Negroes, while spirit children of a common Father, and the progeny of our earthly parents Adam and Eve, were not yet to receive the priesthood, for reasons which we believe are known to God, but which He has not made fully known to man. "
"Our living prophet, President David O. McKay, has said, "The seeming discrimination by the Church toward the Negro is not something which originated with man; but goes back into the beginning with God…. "
"Revelation assures us that this plan antedates man's mortal existence, extending back to man's pre-existent state."
President McKay has also said, "Sometime in God's eternal plan, the Negro will be given the right to hold the priesthood."
Until God reveals His will in this matter, to him whom we sustain as a prophet, we are bound by that same will. Priesthood, when it is conferred on any man comes as a blessing from God, not of men.
... We have no racially-segregated congregations.
... But we believe that this work is directed by God and that the conferring of the priesthood must await His revelation. To do otherwise would be to deny the very premise on which the Church is established.
We recognize that those who do not accept the principle of modern revelation may oppose our point of view. We repeat that such would not wish for membership in the Church, and therefore the question of priesthood should hold no interest for them. Without prejudice they should grant us the privilege afforded under the Constitution to exercise our chosen form of religion just as we must grant all others a similar privilege. They must recognize that the question of bestowing or withholding priesthood in the Church is a matter of religion and not a matter of Constitutional right.
... Meanwhile we must strive harder to emulate His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose new commandment it was that we should love one another. In developing that love and concern for one another, while awaiting revelations yet to come, let us hope that with respect to these religious differences, we may gain reinforcement for understanding and appreciation for such differences. They challenge our common similarities, as children of one Father, to enlarge the out-reachings of our divine souls.
Faithfully your brethren,
The First Presidency
By Hugh B. Brown
N. Eldon Tanner
[Neither White nor Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue in a Universal Church: Chronological Bibliography on the Negro Doctrine [1900-1983], Edited by Lester E. Bush, Jr., and Armand L. Mauss, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
"In view of confusion that has arisen, it was decided at a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to restate the position of the Church with regard to the Negro both in society and in the Church. "
"First, may we say that we know something of the sufferings of those who are discriminated against in a denial of their civil rights and Constitutional privileges. ... "
"In revelations received by the first prophet of the Church in this dispensation, Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the Lord made it clear that it is "not right that any man should be in bondage one to another." ... "
"It follows, therefore, that we believe the Negro, as well as those of other races, should have his full Constitutional privileges as a member of society, and we hope that members of the Church everywhere will do their part as citizens to see that these rights are held inviolate. ... "
"However, matters of faith, conscience, and theology are not within the purview of the civil law. The first amendment to the Constitution specifically provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
"The position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affecting those of the Negro race who choose to join the Church falls wholly within the category of religion. It has no bearing upon matters of civil rights. In no case or degree does it deny to the Negro his full privileges as a citizen of the nation."
"This position has no relevancy whatever to those who do not wish to join the Church. Those individuals, we suppose, do not believe in the divine origin and nature of the church, nor that we have the priesthood of God. Therefore, if they feel we have no priesthood, they should have no concern with any aspect of our theology on priesthood so long as that theology does not deny any man his Constitutional privileges. "
"A word of explanation concerning the position of the Church."
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owes its origin, its existence, and its hope for the future to the principle of continuous revelation. ... "
"From the beginning of this dispensation, Joseph Smith and all succeeding presidents of the Church have taught that Negroes, while spirit children of a common Father, and the progeny of our earthly parents Adam and Eve, were not yet to receive the priesthood, for reasons which we believe are known to God, but which He has not made fully known to man. "
"Our living prophet, President David O. McKay, has said, "The seeming discrimination by the Church toward the Negro is not something which originated with man; but goes back into the beginning with God…. "
"Revelation assures us that this plan antedates man's mortal existence, extending back to man's pre-existent state."
President McKay has also said, "Sometime in God's eternal plan, the Negro will be given the right to hold the priesthood."
Until God reveals His will in this matter, to him whom we sustain as a prophet, we are bound by that same will. Priesthood, when it is conferred on any man comes as a blessing from God, not of men.
... We have no racially-segregated congregations.
... But we believe that this work is directed by God and that the conferring of the priesthood must await His revelation. To do otherwise would be to deny the very premise on which the Church is established.
We recognize that those who do not accept the principle of modern revelation may oppose our point of view. We repeat that such would not wish for membership in the Church, and therefore the question of priesthood should hold no interest for them. Without prejudice they should grant us the privilege afforded under the Constitution to exercise our chosen form of religion just as we must grant all others a similar privilege. They must recognize that the question of bestowing or withholding priesthood in the Church is a matter of religion and not a matter of Constitutional right.
... Meanwhile we must strive harder to emulate His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose new commandment it was that we should love one another. In developing that love and concern for one another, while awaiting revelations yet to come, let us hope that with respect to these religious differences, we may gain reinforcement for understanding and appreciation for such differences. They challenge our common similarities, as children of one Father, to enlarge the out-reachings of our divine souls.
Faithfully your brethren,
The First Presidency
By Hugh B. Brown
N. Eldon Tanner
[Neither White nor Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue in a Universal Church: Chronological Bibliography on the Negro Doctrine [1900-1983], Edited by Lester E. Bush, Jr., and Armand L. Mauss, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
50 years ago today - Dec 15, 1969
A First Presidency letter giving stake presidents the authority to set apart full-time missionaries. Previously only general authorities did this.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
105 years ago today - Dec 15, 1914
George J. Taylor dies "at his home," according to the Deseret News, but actually in the Utah Insane Asylum, according to its records. The oldest son of LDS president John Taylor, George was also a member of the theocratic Council of Fifty. He is the first prominent Utah Mormon to die in a mental asylum (he has been a patient since February).
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
115 years ago today - Dec 15, 1904; Thursday
[Thomas Clawson]
The [Reed] Smoot investigation was resumed in Washington [D.C.] on Monday. Brother George Reynolds Mrs. Mina Cannon Ellis J. H. Wallis August Lundstrom and John Nicholson have testified. Wallis and Lundstrom are both Apostates and they have revealed the signs, tokens and pen[a]lties of the Temple. It is most shocking to read of these things but he devil has his agents who are working as hard as they can to destroy the work of the Lord but in this they will fail.
[Thomas A. Clawson, Diary]
The [Reed] Smoot investigation was resumed in Washington [D.C.] on Monday. Brother George Reynolds Mrs. Mina Cannon Ellis J. H. Wallis August Lundstrom and John Nicholson have testified. Wallis and Lundstrom are both Apostates and they have revealed the signs, tokens and pen[a]lties of the Temple. It is most shocking to read of these things but he devil has his agents who are working as hard as they can to destroy the work of the Lord but in this they will fail.
[Thomas A. Clawson, Diary]
120 years ago today - Dec 15, 1899
[Benjamin Cluff, BYA (BYU) President]
Last Friday [i.e., December 15, 1899] we held a special fast day in behalf of the school [i.e., Brigham Young Academy]. .... talked to them about a proposed scientific tour or expedition through Mexico, Cenetral America and South America [to search for Book of Mormon evidence]. They were much interested and wanted me to bring the matter up before Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow.
[Benjamin Cluff Jr. Diary, December 17, 1899, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Last Friday [i.e., December 15, 1899] we held a special fast day in behalf of the school [i.e., Brigham Young Academy]. .... talked to them about a proposed scientific tour or expedition through Mexico, Cenetral America and South America [to search for Book of Mormon evidence]. They were much interested and wanted me to bring the matter up before Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow.
[Benjamin Cluff Jr. Diary, December 17, 1899, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
185 years ago today - Mid-Dec. 1834
A letter from Gov. Dunklin rekindles the hopes of the Missouri Saints. He says he will not reinstate them to their lands by force, but that they must go through the local courts.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
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