[George F. Richards]
I have been instrumental during the year in the getting the Patriarchal line changed from the John Smith line to the Joseph F. Smith line, and in getting a patriarch to the Church selected, which released me from being the acting patriarch to the Church, a position I held for four and a half years. I have also been instrumental in reviewing the former practice in the Church of administering Second Anointings to faithful members, the practice having gone practically into disuse, only eight such blessings having been administered in the past twelve years. Up to twelve years ago there had been administered in the Church thirty-two thousand plus of such blessings. The day before Christmas I was instrumental in getting Pres. Grant to sign recommends for thirteen of the general authorities and their wives and the wives of two others of the Council to their husbands; also a recommend for Stephen L. Chipman and wife, he having had his previously. I am sure that the Lord has inspired what I have been able to do along these lines. Pres. Grant, in our council meeting of a few weeks ago appointed me to administer these blessings and at my request appointed Elder Jos. Fielding Smith to assist me. We are the only ones in the Church having this authority by appointment.
[George F. Richards, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
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