Introductory letter to this publication by President George Albert Smith, urging that the Scouting program be extended to every boy in the Church.
[Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
120 years ago today - Thursday, Mar 31, 1904
[Rudger Clawson]
The brethren indulged in a little informal discussion of the present situation as to the investigation under way by the senate committee [Smoot hearings] and agreed that it is pretty serious—especially in view of the fact that some of the brethren are wanted as witnesses and cannot be found. While it was conceded that the church is under no obligation to furnish evidence for the committee, the fact remains, if the witnesses are not produced, the verdict of guilty will be pronounced by our enemies. ...
Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Elder Clawson attended the meetings referred to by Elder Geo. A. Smith. Elder Clawson here remarked that he thought one lesson had been learned from the method of procedure followed in the organizing [of] the new stakes, viz.: that it is unsafe to call for nominations, or rather for names, from the body of the priesthood for the reason that while you are pretty certain to get the best names, you will also get the names of brethren who are unsuitable for any office in the church; and further it becomes a humiliation to the brethren whose names are not considered, or rather accepted, after having been named in a public meeting; and furthermore this method of procedure somewhat detracts from the idea of inspiration as the guiding principle. ...
[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]
The brethren indulged in a little informal discussion of the present situation as to the investigation under way by the senate committee [Smoot hearings] and agreed that it is pretty serious—especially in view of the fact that some of the brethren are wanted as witnesses and cannot be found. While it was conceded that the church is under no obligation to furnish evidence for the committee, the fact remains, if the witnesses are not produced, the verdict of guilty will be pronounced by our enemies. ...
Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Elder Clawson attended the meetings referred to by Elder Geo. A. Smith. Elder Clawson here remarked that he thought one lesson had been learned from the method of procedure followed in the organizing [of] the new stakes, viz.: that it is unsafe to call for nominations, or rather for names, from the body of the priesthood for the reason that while you are pretty certain to get the best names, you will also get the names of brethren who are unsuitable for any office in the church; and further it becomes a humiliation to the brethren whose names are not considered, or rather accepted, after having been named in a public meeting; and furthermore this method of procedure somewhat detracts from the idea of inspiration as the guiding principle. ...
[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 - Mar 31, 1884
At 3 p.m President Taylor had a lengthy interview with President Joseph F. Smith and Patriarch John Smith. Memo. by President Taylor: 'There has been considerable dissatisfaction and complaint in regard to Patriarch John Smith. As it has become necessary that all of our officers and authorities should be placed in proper position, he as Patriarch, holding a very important position in the Church, should place himself right with regard to any matter that might be considered out of order. ... I told him then that one thing I had noticed about his affairs was that while he had taken a second wife a great many years ago, who so far as I know or had been informed was an honorable, virtuous and upright woman, he had neglected and seemed to treat lightly the covenant he had entered into with her. 'President Joseph F. Smith also bore testimony to the same thing, whereupon he tried to excuse himself, which excuses were satisfactory neither to myself nor Brother Joseph F. Smith. The latter
also stated to him that he set a very bad example in smoking, thus breaking the Word of Wisdom.'
[Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
also stated to him that he set a very bad example in smoking, thus breaking the Word of Wisdom.'
[Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
160 years ago today - Mar 31, 1864 (Thursday)
Apostle Lorenzo Snow had a very narrow escape from drowning while attempting to land at Lahaina, Maui, Hawaiian Islands, with other Elders.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
175 years ago today - Saturday, Mar 31, 1849
The meeting having been called to order by the Pres. [Brigham Young], [he] arose & Said that a member of the council had been guilty of devulging the secrets of this council & that John Pack was charged with it & related that Jackson Redin had been to H. C. Kimble, O[rrin] P. Rockwell, & others & told that John Pack had warned him to leave this place fourth with or he would not have the liberty, intimating that his Life was in danger. O. P. Rockwell, H. C. Kimble & other[s] bor[e] record to the same.
Counsellor John Pack pled innocence so far as revealing anything to Reding that belonged to this Council. Said that he had some conversation with Redding about a debt that owed him, in which he told Jack that his past Life was so dishonest that it had rendered his Person unsafe.
After counsellor [Isaac] Morley & others had Spoken, Pres. B. Y[oung] took the Floor. Said that Bro. Pack had not wisdom enough to keep the Secrets of this Council locked up in his own Breast & there was others. ["]Cahoon's Fath[er] is another man that is not fit to Sit in the councils of the Gods. Members of this council should be men of firmness and integrity, that when they leave this council Room that the things that belong to this council should be as safe as though it was locked up in the silent vaults of Eternity, but such things must be overcome or the men who indulge in them will be droped from this council. I mean Just what I say.["] J. Pack pled for Forgiveness, Said ["]try me a little longer. Then if I don't prove true, deal with me as you think proper, if it is to cut off my head,["] & [he] wept biterly like a child. His request was granted. ...
[John D. Lee diary, 103-04, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
Counsellor John Pack pled innocence so far as revealing anything to Reding that belonged to this Council. Said that he had some conversation with Redding about a debt that owed him, in which he told Jack that his past Life was so dishonest that it had rendered his Person unsafe.
After counsellor [Isaac] Morley & others had Spoken, Pres. B. Y[oung] took the Floor. Said that Bro. Pack had not wisdom enough to keep the Secrets of this Council locked up in his own Breast & there was others. ["]Cahoon's Fath[er] is another man that is not fit to Sit in the councils of the Gods. Members of this council should be men of firmness and integrity, that when they leave this council Room that the things that belong to this council should be as safe as though it was locked up in the silent vaults of Eternity, but such things must be overcome or the men who indulge in them will be droped from this council. I mean Just what I say.["] J. Pack pled for Forgiveness, Said ["]try me a little longer. Then if I don't prove true, deal with me as you think proper, if it is to cut off my head,["] & [he] wept biterly like a child. His request was granted. ...
[John D. Lee diary, 103-04, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
180 years ago today - Mar 31, 1844
[Joseph Smith]
At home this morning. At 9 [A.M.] went to my reading room and signed a Memorial to Congress for the privilege of raising 100,000 volunteers to protect the Texas, Oregon, &c. dated 26th. Also a Memorial to the Presi[dent] for the same purpose if the other fail and an introductory letter to Orson Hyde who was going to car[r]y the Memorials to Washington.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
At home this morning. At 9 [A.M.] went to my reading room and signed a Memorial to Congress for the privilege of raising 100,000 volunteers to protect the Texas, Oregon, &c. dated 26th. Also a Memorial to the Presi[dent] for the same purpose if the other fail and an introductory letter to Orson Hyde who was going to car[r]y the Memorials to Washington.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
180 years ago today - Mar 31, 1844
William Clayton, Joseph Smith's personal secretary, writes that his two wives "received their anointing for which I feel thankful . . . my greatest desire is to so live that I may secure for myself and mine the highest degree of exaltation and glory which is possible for me to obtain, and to be with my friend Joseph smith in the eternal world." The "anointing" Clayton speaks of is the endowment. They didn't receive their second anointing until Jan 26, 1846. Joseph Smith signs his petition to the U.S. Government to allow Joseph "the privilege of raising 100,000 [military] volunteers to protect the Texas, Oregon, &c."
190 years ago today - Mar 31, 1834
Brigham Young (aged 32) marriage to Mary Ann Angell (1808-1882) (aged 27) first marriage This was not a plural marriage, as Young was a widower at the time; 6 children; mother of Brigham Young, Jr., John Willard Young and Joseph Angell Young.
[Wikipedia, List of Brigham Young's Wives, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brigham_Young%27s_wives]
[Wikipedia, List of Brigham Young's Wives, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brigham_Young%27s_wives]
110 years ago today - Mar 30, 1914
Patriarch John W. Woolley is excommunicated for performing unauthorized plural marriages. Although he advances no schismatic claims, the Fundamentalist movement will eventually look to him as one of its founders.
[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 )]]
125 years ago today - Mar 30, 1899; Thursday
President Snow [remembered ...] a remark once made to him by President Brigham Young, which he quoted ... President Young's remark was to the effect that he, President Snow, would some day build a Temple at Chariton [Ohio, near Kirtland]. ...
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
125 years ago today - Mar 30, 1899
[Brigham Young Jr.]
How I have prayed that our Council meeting today may prove peaceful & happy.
Disturbing elements are at work in our quorum but I do pray mild currents will prevail. Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow asserted to day that, he did not bel[ie]ve, that Amasa M. Lyman formerly an apostle and since an apostate denying the mission of the Saviour would go to hell but that salvation would reach him. God is merciful and He knows I can only wait and see His salvation.
Bro[ther]. Jno. [John] H[enry]. S[mith]. pronounced things that Frank Cannon stated in his spe[e]ch in the Theatre as lies. Bro[ther] H[eber] J Grant was also a little excited but things passed smoothly and council adjourned.
[Brigham Young Jr. 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]
How I have prayed that our Council meeting today may prove peaceful & happy.
Disturbing elements are at work in our quorum but I do pray mild currents will prevail. Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow asserted to day that, he did not bel[ie]ve, that Amasa M. Lyman formerly an apostle and since an apostate denying the mission of the Saviour would go to hell but that salvation would reach him. God is merciful and He knows I can only wait and see His salvation.
Bro[ther]. Jno. [John] H[enry]. S[mith]. pronounced things that Frank Cannon stated in his spe[e]ch in the Theatre as lies. Bro[ther] H[eber] J Grant was also a little excited but things passed smoothly and council adjourned.
[Brigham Young Jr. 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]
145 years ago today - Mar 30, 1879
[Wilford Woodruff]
We had a Meeting with the lamanites at 2 oclok and presented before them a Panorama of Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden Cain killing Abel, Noah flood, Nephi return from Laban with the Brass Plates, Lehi Crossing the Ocean, landing and offering up sacrafice & dedicating the Land to the Lord, Christ Crucifixion & resurrection, his Baptism, &c. The Navajoh Chief interpeted to his people what I said to them. They seemed much interested. We met again in the Evening. I followed Br Gibbons. I gave a history of my Experiences & revelations given in the Temple. I spoke upon the principle of Revelation.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
We had a Meeting with the lamanites at 2 oclok and presented before them a Panorama of Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden Cain killing Abel, Noah flood, Nephi return from Laban with the Brass Plates, Lehi Crossing the Ocean, landing and offering up sacrafice & dedicating the Land to the Lord, Christ Crucifixion & resurrection, his Baptism, &c. The Navajoh Chief interpeted to his people what I said to them. They seemed much interested. We met again in the Evening. I followed Br Gibbons. I gave a history of my Experiences & revelations given in the Temple. I spoke upon the principle of Revelation.
[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 - Mar 30, 1859
[Wilford Woodruff]
It is rumoured to day that Col Johnson has 100 deserters in Irons in his Camp and he had one man whiped 120 lashes on the bare back who swore he would kill the man who sentenced him to be whiped as soon as he got a Chance. ...
I had two dreams last night. I dreamed of having a terrible + battle with a rattle snake. He tried to bite me all over but did not seem to hurt me. After I awoke I again fell * asleep and dreamed that I had an orchard of several acres of Apple trees and I thought the ground was Covered with vary large red ripe Apples. I thought there were hundreds of Bushels so ripe that they must be used up in order to save them. I was making preperations to make them into Cider when I awoke.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
It is rumoured to day that Col Johnson has 100 deserters in Irons in his Camp and he had one man whiped 120 lashes on the bare back who swore he would kill the man who sentenced him to be whiped as soon as he got a Chance. ...
I had two dreams last night. I dreamed of having a terrible + battle with a rattle snake. He tried to bite me all over but did not seem to hurt me. After I awoke I again fell * asleep and dreamed that I had an orchard of several acres of Apple trees and I thought the ground was Covered with vary large red ripe Apples. I thought there were hundreds of Bushels so ripe that they must be used up in order to save them. I was making preperations to make them into Cider when I awoke.
[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 - Mar 30, 1849
[Wilford Woodruff]
There is A report in this days papers that Col Freemont lost 120 Mules in one night with the cold & snow on the Mountains, which left him on foot And All his party perished & eat each other up. All died but himself & he vary badly frost bitten.
This is the second party of Missourians who have died A miserable death & each eats [the] other up. What is the cause of this? The measure they meet is measured unto them again. They one put the prophets patriarchs & Apostles in Chains in prision & fed them on human flesh even the flesh of their brethren. That state with this Nation has some heavy bills to pay & serious things to Meet. So prepare for it.
It has since been ascertained that all of the Company did not perish but 120 Mules died in one night & all baggage was lost except one trunk. 11 men perished in trying to get to the settlements.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
There is A report in this days papers that Col Freemont lost 120 Mules in one night with the cold & snow on the Mountains, which left him on foot And All his party perished & eat each other up. All died but himself & he vary badly frost bitten.
This is the second party of Missourians who have died A miserable death & each eats [the] other up. What is the cause of this? The measure they meet is measured unto them again. They one put the prophets patriarchs & Apostles in Chains in prision & fed them on human flesh even the flesh of their brethren. That state with this Nation has some heavy bills to pay & serious things to Meet. So prepare for it.
It has since been ascertained that all of the Company did not perish but 120 Mules died in one night & all baggage was lost except one trunk. 11 men perished in trying to get to the settlements.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Mar 30, 1844
[Joseph Smith]
This morning I heard there was some disturbance on the hill. Rode up and found it reported a robbery had been committed at the Key Stone Store. Mr Rollosson [had been robbed] of some $14100 or [$] 1,500 and some goods and they were suspicious of a certain black man. I issued a general search warrant and returned to my office where I found the black man Chism [was in distress] with his back lacerated from his shoulders to his hips with 20 or more lashes. My clerk, Dr. Richards, kept him secreted and called Aaron Johnson a justice who issued his warrant for [blank] a Missourian who had boardered at my house a few days and on testimony fined him five dollars and cost for whipping Chism. One Easton a witness said he could not testify without implicating himself and he was apprehended and held in custody.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
This morning I heard there was some disturbance on the hill. Rode up and found it reported a robbery had been committed at the Key Stone Store. Mr Rollosson [had been robbed] of some $14100 or [$] 1,500 and some goods and they were suspicious of a certain black man. I issued a general search warrant and returned to my office where I found the black man Chism [was in distress] with his back lacerated from his shoulders to his hips with 20 or more lashes. My clerk, Dr. Richards, kept him secreted and called Aaron Johnson a justice who issued his warrant for [blank] a Missourian who had boardered at my house a few days and on testimony fined him five dollars and cost for whipping Chism. One Easton a witness said he could not testify without implicating himself and he was apprehended and held in custody.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
190 years ago today - Mar 30, 1834
Joseph Smith writes to Edward [Partridge] and William [W. Phelps], we have run into debt for the press," and that they "have received but very few dollars for the Star and printing" (Joseph Smith to Edward, William and others of the firm, 30 Mar. 1834, CA). The business continued to struggle throughout 1834-35. Samuel H. Smith and David Whitmer were appointed agents for the Literary Firm in September 1835, and their collection of subscriptions help stave off collapse of the enterprise at that time.
[Lisle G Brown, "Chronology of the Literary Firm"]
[Lisle G Brown, "Chronology of the Literary Firm"]
40 years ago today - Mar 29, 1984
Anti-Mormon publishers Jerald and Sandra Tanner take a three-quarter-page advertisement in the DESERET NEWS. The LDS-owned newspaper usually doesn't accept anti-Mormons advertisements but this is court-ordered to compensate for the NEWS having falsely accusing the Tanners of stealing documents.
95 years ago today - Mar 29, 1929
[James E. Talmage]
Attended my Prayer Circle'for the last time! The matter of discontinuing the special or private Prayer Circles in the Temple has been given attention by the Council, and by action taken at yesterday's session all such circles are to be disbanded. The official circles, such as those comprising Stake Presidencies with their High Councils will continue; but the circles that have been presided over by members of the Twelve individually will no longer be held. This change came as a complete surprise to all the members of my circle, and a feeling of sorrow was manifest; indeed the occasion was not without tears. As to the cause for this change it may be said that such special or individual circles were called into existence many years ago when facilities for engaging in Temple service were very few. For years following the opening of the Salt lake Temple but one service per day, three days in a week, was held; whereas now there are six services daily for five days in the week. Another
element considered was that of discrimination, in that a few brethren'a very few indeed as compared with those who were eager to join Prayer Circles and who are worthy'had the privilege of this sacred association. My circle comes to a close in a time of very marked prosperity, in that it has been composed largely of returned missionaries, all of whom have exhibited the greatest devotion and most fervent interest in the Circle. Individual absence from the Circle meetings has been the exception.
[James E. Talmage 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]
Attended my Prayer Circle'for the last time! The matter of discontinuing the special or private Prayer Circles in the Temple has been given attention by the Council, and by action taken at yesterday's session all such circles are to be disbanded. The official circles, such as those comprising Stake Presidencies with their High Councils will continue; but the circles that have been presided over by members of the Twelve individually will no longer be held. This change came as a complete surprise to all the members of my circle, and a feeling of sorrow was manifest; indeed the occasion was not without tears. As to the cause for this change it may be said that such special or individual circles were called into existence many years ago when facilities for engaging in Temple service were very few. For years following the opening of the Salt lake Temple but one service per day, three days in a week, was held; whereas now there are six services daily for five days in the week. Another
element considered was that of discrimination, in that a few brethren'a very few indeed as compared with those who were eager to join Prayer Circles and who are worthy'had the privilege of this sacred association. My circle comes to a close in a time of very marked prosperity, in that it has been composed largely of returned missionaries, all of whom have exhibited the greatest devotion and most fervent interest in the Circle. Individual absence from the Circle meetings has been the exception.
[James E. Talmage 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]
120 years ago today - Mar 29, 1904
Last plural marriage performed by stake president Anthony W. Ivins in Mexico. The couple had been asked to move their marriage date up because a statement might be forthcoming in Apr Conference. U.S. Senator and LDS apostle Reed Smoot is informed by one of his staff that his letter to church leaders asking for another anti-polygamy manifesto "was rubbing the fur the wrong way" and that President Smith "sets forth that enough manifestoes have been already issued, and you cannot expect more at the present state of feeling." Joseph F. Smith, however, issues a carefully-worded "Second Manifesto" during Apr Conference.
125 years ago today - Mar 29, 1899; Wednesday
Elder Seymour B. Young reported that on Wednesday [i.e., March 29, 1899] last he visited the First Presidency of the Church and laid before them the matter of the ordination of Elder Joseph W. McMurrin as one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies; Elder Young read to the brethren of the First Presidency the resolution heretofore passed by this Council and approved by the president, providing that the following form should be used: "We ordain you a president of Seventy and set you apart to preside in the _______ Quorum of Seventy," etc., and called their attention to the fact that at the time Elder Anthon H. Lund officiated in the case of Elder McMurrin he set him apart as a president in the First Council of Seventy but did not ordain him. President [Lorenzo] Snow's answer to this statement was in effect that Elder McMurrin should be ordained. Elder Young was authorized to accompany Elder McMurrin to the office of the First Presidency and have the ordination attended to.
[Excerpt from the Minutes of the First Council of the Seventy, April 4, 1899]
[Excerpt from the Minutes of the First Council of the Seventy, April 4, 1899]
145 years ago today - Mar 29, 1879
[Wilford Woodruff]
29 I visited a small lake 1/2 a mile from Camp and shot ten Teal Ducks. My Dog Bobby went into the Lake and Brought them to me. I returned to Camp took dinner and read in the Afternoon a work Entitled Poligamy and Monogamy By a Christian Philanthropist which is an excellent work.
A good many Navajos Came in several Chiefs. P[eocon?] the Chief that had made so many raids upon our people in former days was among the number. He was the one that tried to Burn Br Hamblin But was now friendly to the Mormons.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
29 I visited a small lake 1/2 a mile from Camp and shot ten Teal Ducks. My Dog Bobby went into the Lake and Brought them to me. I returned to Camp took dinner and read in the Afternoon a work Entitled Poligamy and Monogamy By a Christian Philanthropist which is an excellent work.
A good many Navajos Came in several Chiefs. P[eocon?] the Chief that had made so many raids upon our people in former days was among the number. He was the one that tried to Burn Br Hamblin But was now friendly to the Mormons.
[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 - Mar 29, 1874 (Morning)
President Brigham Young arose and said if the people wanted the word of the Lord written, he could give it to them in this way. He had the feeling in his heart to avoid giving the will of God with a '"Thus saith the Lord.'" In this latter case, the curse of God would the more directly and speedily come upon those who would not obey. Where God gives His law, and it is not observed, the penalty must be paid. He concluded by saying when we are fully organized in the Order of Enoch, and partake of its spirit, we will bring everything we have on earth, and deed it over to our Father who is in Heaven. Be one, that you may indeed be the sons of God. -- St. George, Utah
[James G. Bleak. "Annals of the Southern Utah Mission," Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[James G. Bleak. "Annals of the Southern Utah Mission," Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 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 - Mar 29, 1859
[Wilford Woodruff]
Governor ALFRED CUMMING Has issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Utah protesting against the proceding of the United States Courts in Calling out the Army to protect his Court or to intimidate the witnesses Jurors & Citizens of this territory. ...
Their was a Row in the main street about 2 oclok Mr Hart the Chief Gambler drew his pistol swareing he would shoot some mormon. A young sprouse followed his example & swore he would shoot a mormon. He mounted his mule & shot 3 Balls into the Croud & run. The Croud shot 6 Balls at him while running. Shot one ball into his mules neck. Hart also run away.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Governor ALFRED CUMMING Has issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Utah protesting against the proceding of the United States Courts in Calling out the Army to protect his Court or to intimidate the witnesses Jurors & Citizens of this territory. ...
Their was a Row in the main street about 2 oclok Mr Hart the Chief Gambler drew his pistol swareing he would shoot some mormon. A young sprouse followed his example & swore he would shoot a mormon. He mounted his mule & shot 3 Balls into the Croud & run. The Croud shot 6 Balls at him while running. Shot one ball into his mules neck. Hart also run away.
[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 - Mar 29, 1854 (Wednesday)
Under the administration of Elders John S. Fulmer and David B. Dille, Halsden Marsden, 18 years old, who was born deaf and dumb, was miraculously healed from his deafness, at Rochdale, England.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
95 years ago today - Mar 28, 1929
Ruth May Fox is called as the third general president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association (the predecessor of the Young Women program), with Lucy Grant Cannon and Clarissa A. Beesley as counselors.
95 years ago today - Mar 28, 1929
The First Presidency and Twelve decide to disband the private prayer circle organizations which meet weekly or monthly in temples. Until 1978 local stakes continue to have prayer circle meetings in temples or in special rooms of stake meeting houses.
[https://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/19.1QuinnLatter-day-dd60c2d0-159f-4238-84c7-42658a35d6ce.pdf Latter-day Saint Prayer Circles, BYU Studies 19 no. 1 (1978) by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[https://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/19.1QuinnLatter-day-dd60c2d0-159f-4238-84c7-42658a35d6ce.pdf Latter-day Saint Prayer Circles, BYU Studies 19 no. 1 (1978) by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
125 years ago today - Mar 28, 1899
[Birth of Harold B. Lee]
He was born on 28 March 1899 in Clifton, Oneida County, Idaho, to Samuel Marion Lee and Louisa Emeline Bingham. He was the second son in a family of six children, growing up in impoverished, rural conditions. He started school a year earlier than was the normal practice in his farming community because he could already write his name and knew the alphabet. As a young boy he was large for his age, and when his friends were ordained to the Mormon priesthood, he became a deacon also, although technically he was not old enough for the honor.
[Utah History Encyclopedia: Harold B. Lee, http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/]
He was born on 28 March 1899 in Clifton, Oneida County, Idaho, to Samuel Marion Lee and Louisa Emeline Bingham. He was the second son in a family of six children, growing up in impoverished, rural conditions. He started school a year earlier than was the normal practice in his farming community because he could already write his name and knew the alphabet. As a young boy he was large for his age, and when his friends were ordained to the Mormon priesthood, he became a deacon also, although technically he was not old enough for the honor.
[Utah History Encyclopedia: Harold B. Lee, http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/]
130 years ago today - Wed., Mar 28, 1894
I (Pres. Woodruff) was sealed to my father, and then had him sealed to the Prophet Joseph. Erastus Snow was sealed to his father though the latter was not baptized after having heard the Gospel. He was, however, kind to the Prophet, and was a Saint in everything except baptism. The Lord has told me that it is right for children to be sealed to their parents, and they to their parents just as far back as we can possibly obtain the records; and then have the last obtainable member sealed to the Prophet Joseph, who stands at the head of this dispensation. It is also right for wives whose husbands never heard the Gospel to be sealed to those husbands, providing they are willing to run the risk of their receiving the Gospel in the Spirit world. There is yet very much for us to learn concerning the temple ordinances, and God will make it known as we prove ourselves ready to receive it. In searching out my genealogy I found about four hundred of my female kindred who were never married. I
asked Pres. Young what I should do with them. He said for me to have them sealed to me unless there were more than 999 of them. The doctrine startled me, but I had it done.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
asked Pres. Young what I should do with them. He said for me to have them sealed to me unless there were more than 999 of them. The doctrine startled me, but I had it done.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
175 years ago today - Mar 28, 1849
At organzation of Utah's Nauvoo Legion, Hosea Stout notes: "John Pack & John D. Lee were each put in nomination for Majors by regular authority & both most contemptuously hissed down. When any person is thus duly nominated I never before knew the people to reject it [-] But on this occasion it appears that they are both a perfect stink in every body's nose."
[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 )]]
30 years ago today - Mar 27, 1994
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE article, "The Ups and Downs of Prozac-Utah's Favorite Drug." The reporter quotes a distinguished psychiatrist as saying: "the typical Utahn taking Prozac frequently is a housewife overwhelmed with a lot of children. She's not able to deal with an unresolved problem with a marriage, and wants a solution. She will say to her doctor that she is kind of depressed and they will prescribe it. What she really needs is family counseling or therapy." The psychiatrist later claims he was misquoted.
40 years ago today - Mar 27, 1984
Official statement that First Presidency "are disturbed and saddened at the presence of anti-Catholic posters being placed in areas within Salt Lake City."
BYU bookstore director Roger Utley explains why records of the British group Culture Club have been removed from bookstore shelves pending an investigation of the sexual behavior of the group's lead singer, Boy George: "It's more an evaluation of the artist than of his music.". Ryan Thomas, Director of Student Programs, adds that Boy George, whose penciled eyebrows, heavy makeup, and ankle-length smocks had become his band's trademark, are a "well-recognized symbol" of transvestism and homosexuality. Almost immediately, some students pen sarcastic responses such as "Is there any real difference between a man who dresses as a woman in order to sell records and a parochial school that masquerades as a university in order to sell a church?"
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
BYU bookstore director Roger Utley explains why records of the British group Culture Club have been removed from bookstore shelves pending an investigation of the sexual behavior of the group's lead singer, Boy George: "It's more an evaluation of the artist than of his music.". Ryan Thomas, Director of Student Programs, adds that Boy George, whose penciled eyebrows, heavy makeup, and ankle-length smocks had become his band's trademark, are a "well-recognized symbol" of transvestism and homosexuality. Almost immediately, some students pen sarcastic responses such as "Is there any real difference between a man who dresses as a woman in order to sell records and a parochial school that masquerades as a university in order to sell a church?"
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
95 years ago today - Mar 27, 1929
[George F. Richards]
We excused Isaac D. Cooper from coming to the Temple. He does not sustain the Authorities of the Church in their attitude toward the practice of Plural marriage and he is loud mouthed about it and determined in his way.
[George F. Richards 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]
We excused Isaac D. Cooper from coming to the Temple. He does not sustain the Authorities of the Church in their attitude toward the practice of Plural marriage and he is loud mouthed about it and determined in his way.
[George F. Richards 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 - Mar 27, 1889
Establishment of Sugar industry in Utah-- With L.D.S. Church encouragement and approval, Arthur Stayner, a Mormon horticulturist, experimented with sugar cane and sugar beets for the manufacture of sugar locally through the 1880's. In the spring of 1889 a prospectus was drawn up for the establishment of the Utah Sugar Company with the hopes of re-establishing a domestic sugar industry in the intermountain region. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles supported the fund-raising drive .... It was from this beginning that there eventually developed the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company in which the L.D.S. Church became so heavily interested and involved during the later administration of President Heber J. Grant. ...
[Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
[Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
155 years ago today - Mar 27, 1869
[Hosea Stout]
Indians made a raid in Round Vally [Scipio,] captured 100 horses
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Indians made a raid in Round Vally [Scipio,] captured 100 horses
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
165 years ago today - Mar 27, 1859 (Sunday)
About this time it was reported that certain U.S. officials had entered into a conspiracy to secure the arrest of Pres. Brigham Young, and that Col. Johnston had promised the assistance of U.S. troops under his command to effect the arrest. As a consequence Gov. Cumming notified General Daniel H. Wells to hold the militia in readiness to prevent the outrage, should it be attempted; 5,000 troops (militia) were placed under arms.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
175 years ago today - Mar 27, 1849
Apostles Orson Hyde, George A. Smith, and Ezra T. Benson write Young that Council of Fifty member Peter Haws complains that "Twelve men had swallowed up thirty eight." Council members George Miller, Lyman Wight, and Lucien Woodworth also claim that Quorum of Twelve usurped Fifty's theocratic prerogatives after 1844. Today Smith retorts that Council of Fifty is "nothing but a debating School."
[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 - Mar 27, 1844
[Nauvoo Neighbor]
- Story: "Coffee Drinkers" -- Describes how to grow coffee beans.
- Story: "The Oregon Question" -- Describes a debate by Presidential Candidates regarding Oregon and Texas, and then describes Joseph Smith's Platform.
- Announcement: Deserting Wife -- W.W. Rust -- Wealthy W. Rust has abandoned W.W. Rust, and should not be harbored or offered credit in the town.
[http://boap.org/LDS/Nauvoo-Neighbor]
- Story: "Coffee Drinkers" -- Describes how to grow coffee beans.
- Story: "The Oregon Question" -- Describes a debate by Presidential Candidates regarding Oregon and Texas, and then describes Joseph Smith's Platform.
- Announcement: Deserting Wife -- W.W. Rust -- Wealthy W. Rust has abandoned W.W. Rust, and should not be harbored or offered credit in the town.
[http://boap.org/LDS/Nauvoo-Neighbor]
180 years ago today - Mar 27, 1844
Several affidavits are filed that testify that secret meetings were held about March 15 for the purpose of formulating an opposition to Joseph Smith.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
45 years ago today - Mar 26, 1979-Monday
[Leonard Arrington]
Further on Second Anointings
In conversation with a number of [Historical Department] staff members about Second Anointings, this morning, I learned the following things:
1. There were a considerable number of Second Anointings given in the Nauvoo Temple in 1846, also a number that were given by the Prophet [Joseph Smith] outside the Nauvoo Temple before it was completed, presumably in the upper story of his store. By the time of the departure from Nauvoo in February 1846, there were probably several dozen persons who had received Second Anointings. Then there was a hiatus and no Second Anointings were performed until 1866-67. Likewise, no adoptions were performed during that period. It is quite probable that Brigham Young took the attitude that these ordinances could be performed only in a completed, dedicated temple and he was awaiting the completion of the Salt Lake Temple. Then for some reason there was a decision to begin conferring them again in the Endowment House [in Salt Lake City], because the completion of the temple was too far away and there were a number of new apostles who had not received Second Anointings and should have
them-examples, Joseph F. Smith, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., etc. But they still held off any adoption ordinances, awaiting the completion of the temple. Then finally there was Wilford Woodruff's revelation of the 1890s that no more adoptions should be performed.
2. In the original ceremony they conferred the sealing power, which they spoke of in shorthand terms as "the fullness." In the 1920s when we began to have trouble with the [Mormon] Fundamentalists, President [Heber J.] Grant changed the ceremony to the extent of leaving out "the fullness" or the conveying of this, which might have given authority to those receiving it (some of whom might be or might become Fundamentalists) to have this power.
3. There have been few Second Anointings granted in the present generation, but a temple worker told one of the staff that President [Spencer W.] Kimball recently revived the practice and has been administering Second Anointings to selected people.
4. The ceremony involved both women and men; originally it was given to the men in the temple and then they went through the second part of the ordinance in their own homes in a sacred room set aside for the purpose. In Utah it appears to have been performed only in temples and the Endowment House, with the husband and wife together. The ceremony involves making priests and priestesses equal to gods and goddesses of the recipients. The husband is anointed by the presiding official-almost always the president of the Church-and then there is a portion of the ceremony in which the wife goes through a symbolic ceremony of preparing the husband's body for burial and for resurrection, and she uses her equivalent to the priesthood to anoint him and to seal him up for the resurrection. Because of this portion, some women in pioneer Utah, on the basis of their diaries and histories, apparently thought that the priesthood was being conferred upon them. This is apparently not
something which women in this century have assumed. But there must be something to the idea, since they are not only sharing in the symbolic ceremony as recipients but also actively performing an ordinance which involves sealing-performing this on authority which they receive during the ceremony.
5. It is my understanding that this is one of the most sacred of all ordinances performed in the temple-that it is comparatively rare-and that it is a most secret ceremony. I am told the Church officials do not wish the term Second Anointings to appear in print. If it needs to be spoken of in some context, then the shorthand term "the fullness" is usually referred to, and that might appear in print occasionally, although rarely.
6. It is my understanding that much of the trouble between Brigham Young and [Joseph Smith's brother] William Smith was over the issue of the authority which William Smith had been given in his Second Anointing. He thought he had the sealing power and wanted to seal people on his own authority. Brigham Young responded to him in a letter in our possession which recalls to him a conversation on the second floor of Joseph's store about the matter, in which Joseph said that there was a difference between being granted a potential power as gods and goddesses, and being granted the keys of Elijah; only one person on earth, the prophet, has the keys of Elijah-this is not shared by a number of people and is not conveyed except potentially in the Second Anointing ceremony. And even the potential authority and power, which often could lead to misunderstanding, was removed in the 1920s by President Grant.
I asked Ron Walker, who is a bishop, if Second Anointings are mentioned in the bishop's handbook. He said no. He said it was his understanding that neither a bishop nor a stake president may recommend persons to receive Second Anointings-this must come from a General Authority, and the only instances he knows of have come from the president of the Church. He said that in his ward there are probably no more than six who have received Second Anointings. Of these, two are General Authorities; one is the surviving widow of a former stake president who was a personal friend of one of the presidents of the Church; another is the surviving widow of a person who is a personal friend of another president of the Church. He said there may be two others, but he's not completely sure. That's out of a ward of 500 or 600 people. He said he had the impression that there were not many granted during the last 30 years but that there is some slight resumption since President Kimball
became president.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Further on Second Anointings
In conversation with a number of [Historical Department] staff members about Second Anointings, this morning, I learned the following things:
1. There were a considerable number of Second Anointings given in the Nauvoo Temple in 1846, also a number that were given by the Prophet [Joseph Smith] outside the Nauvoo Temple before it was completed, presumably in the upper story of his store. By the time of the departure from Nauvoo in February 1846, there were probably several dozen persons who had received Second Anointings. Then there was a hiatus and no Second Anointings were performed until 1866-67. Likewise, no adoptions were performed during that period. It is quite probable that Brigham Young took the attitude that these ordinances could be performed only in a completed, dedicated temple and he was awaiting the completion of the Salt Lake Temple. Then for some reason there was a decision to begin conferring them again in the Endowment House [in Salt Lake City], because the completion of the temple was too far away and there were a number of new apostles who had not received Second Anointings and should have
them-examples, Joseph F. Smith, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., etc. But they still held off any adoption ordinances, awaiting the completion of the temple. Then finally there was Wilford Woodruff's revelation of the 1890s that no more adoptions should be performed.
2. In the original ceremony they conferred the sealing power, which they spoke of in shorthand terms as "the fullness." In the 1920s when we began to have trouble with the [Mormon] Fundamentalists, President [Heber J.] Grant changed the ceremony to the extent of leaving out "the fullness" or the conveying of this, which might have given authority to those receiving it (some of whom might be or might become Fundamentalists) to have this power.
3. There have been few Second Anointings granted in the present generation, but a temple worker told one of the staff that President [Spencer W.] Kimball recently revived the practice and has been administering Second Anointings to selected people.
4. The ceremony involved both women and men; originally it was given to the men in the temple and then they went through the second part of the ordinance in their own homes in a sacred room set aside for the purpose. In Utah it appears to have been performed only in temples and the Endowment House, with the husband and wife together. The ceremony involves making priests and priestesses equal to gods and goddesses of the recipients. The husband is anointed by the presiding official-almost always the president of the Church-and then there is a portion of the ceremony in which the wife goes through a symbolic ceremony of preparing the husband's body for burial and for resurrection, and she uses her equivalent to the priesthood to anoint him and to seal him up for the resurrection. Because of this portion, some women in pioneer Utah, on the basis of their diaries and histories, apparently thought that the priesthood was being conferred upon them. This is apparently not
something which women in this century have assumed. But there must be something to the idea, since they are not only sharing in the symbolic ceremony as recipients but also actively performing an ordinance which involves sealing-performing this on authority which they receive during the ceremony.
5. It is my understanding that this is one of the most sacred of all ordinances performed in the temple-that it is comparatively rare-and that it is a most secret ceremony. I am told the Church officials do not wish the term Second Anointings to appear in print. If it needs to be spoken of in some context, then the shorthand term "the fullness" is usually referred to, and that might appear in print occasionally, although rarely.
6. It is my understanding that much of the trouble between Brigham Young and [Joseph Smith's brother] William Smith was over the issue of the authority which William Smith had been given in his Second Anointing. He thought he had the sealing power and wanted to seal people on his own authority. Brigham Young responded to him in a letter in our possession which recalls to him a conversation on the second floor of Joseph's store about the matter, in which Joseph said that there was a difference between being granted a potential power as gods and goddesses, and being granted the keys of Elijah; only one person on earth, the prophet, has the keys of Elijah-this is not shared by a number of people and is not conveyed except potentially in the Second Anointing ceremony. And even the potential authority and power, which often could lead to misunderstanding, was removed in the 1920s by President Grant.
I asked Ron Walker, who is a bishop, if Second Anointings are mentioned in the bishop's handbook. He said no. He said it was his understanding that neither a bishop nor a stake president may recommend persons to receive Second Anointings-this must come from a General Authority, and the only instances he knows of have come from the president of the Church. He said that in his ward there are probably no more than six who have received Second Anointings. Of these, two are General Authorities; one is the surviving widow of a former stake president who was a personal friend of one of the presidents of the Church; another is the surviving widow of a person who is a personal friend of another president of the Church. He said there may be two others, but he's not completely sure. That's out of a ward of 500 or 600 people. He said he had the impression that there were not many granted during the last 30 years but that there is some slight resumption since President Kimball
became president.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
120 years ago today - Mar 26, 1904
President John R. Winder of the First Presidency dedicates the Bureau of Information, the first visitors' center on Temple Square. The building is an octagonal frame structure about twenty-five feet across, costing $500; it serves as the base for the seventy-five guides called to answer tourists' questions about Salt Lake City and the Church.
180 years ago today - Mar 26, 1844 - Tuesday
A significant event likely occurred in this meeting ... about which the minutes are silent but which council members discussed a year later ... referred to as JS's "last charge." This may have been an extension of the charge relating the history, purpose, and rules of the council that was typically given to new members and that JS may have delivered in this meeting. The most complete recorded version of this charge was written down by Thomas Bullock in December 1846. On that occasion William Clayton related that at the organization of the Council of Fifty, JS stated that the council served two purposes: it was to establish "the Kingdom spoken of by Daniel" and "to take from his [JS's] shoulders a great weight of responsibility & place it in others." Hyde's description of the late March 1844 event, discussed in the council on 25 March 1845, indicates that JS told the council, "I roll the burthen and responsibility of leading this church off from my shoulders on to yours. Now,
round up your shoulders and stand under it like men; for the Lord is going to let me rest a while."
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
round up your shoulders and stand under it like men; for the Lord is going to let me rest a while."
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
180 years ago today - Mar 26, 1844 - Tuesday
[Council of Fifty]
.... The chairman [Joseph Smith] then introduced the following persons for admission ... gave some instructions pertaining to the kingdom of God. ...
The Those brethren who were admitted members took their seats in order.
The title of the Council was read to the new members and unanimously accepted.
On motion the committee appointed at the last council to draught a memorial to send to congress [to commission Joseph Smith to a U.S. army officer and enlist 100,000 armed volunteers to patrol the western territories]....
... Prest. Joseph Smith motioned that a memorial be likewise sent to the Prest. of the United States with a similar request, which was seconded by Er Hyrum Smith & carried unanimously. ...
Er Orson Hyde addressed the council on the subject before them and also on the present prospects of the kingdom. He felt as though he could prophecy that Congress would grant our memorial. ...
Er Rigdon addressed the council on the subject of the kingdom of God. inasmuch as there was no business before the house. He entered into the subject in a most spirited & animated manner, showing the glory and joy which will exist when God reigns over the nation, when oppression shall cease, and the righteous enjoy the blessings of the kingdom.
Er O. Hyde spake of the fulfilment of prophecies and illustrated the establishment of the kingdom of God in a pleasing manner. ...
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
.... The chairman [Joseph Smith] then introduced the following persons for admission ... gave some instructions pertaining to the kingdom of God. ...
The Those brethren who were admitted members took their seats in order.
The title of the Council was read to the new members and unanimously accepted.
On motion the committee appointed at the last council to draught a memorial to send to congress [to commission Joseph Smith to a U.S. army officer and enlist 100,000 armed volunteers to patrol the western territories]....
... Prest. Joseph Smith motioned that a memorial be likewise sent to the Prest. of the United States with a similar request, which was seconded by Er Hyrum Smith & carried unanimously. ...
Er Orson Hyde addressed the council on the subject before them and also on the present prospects of the kingdom. He felt as though he could prophecy that Congress would grant our memorial. ...
Er Rigdon addressed the council on the subject of the kingdom of God. inasmuch as there was no business before the house. He entered into the subject in a most spirited & animated manner, showing the glory and joy which will exist when God reigns over the nation, when oppression shall cease, and the righteous enjoy the blessings of the kingdom.
Er O. Hyde spake of the fulfilment of prophecies and illustrated the establishment of the kingdom of God in a pleasing manner. ...
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
40 years ago today - Mar 25, 1984-Sunday
[Leonard Arrington]
During the past few days a trial took place in Salt Lake City which had great significance for Mormon historiography. For years [anti-Mormon publishers] Jerald and Sandra Tanner have published documents which were stolen or surreptitiously removed from the Church Archives or xeroxed without permission. On the one hand the scholars were delighted to have access to documents which were restricted. On the other hand they could hardly condone the unethical if not illegal practice. In every instance, no matter how flagrant the theft or unwelcome the publication, the Church has chosen to overlook the action and simply to deny use to Tanner and his friends.
A few months ago Andy Ehat, graduate student at BYU, completed a thesis which traced certain sacred ceremonies in early church history-endowments, ordinances, etc. For this purpose he managed to obtain access to certain restricted documents, among them the diary of William Clayton which has been kept in the vault of the First Presidency. Jim Allen also obtained access to this document for use in preparing his biography of Clayton. Ehat and Allen exchanged notes and xeroxes of documents. Some eighty pages of the Clayton diary were filed in Jim Allen's office at BYU. The bishop of one of the BYU wards was allowed to use Jim's office on Sundays and one evening each week. One of his counselors was looking through his files out of curiosity, saw the Clayton diary material, read some of it, was fascinated, and removed it long enough to make a xerox copy. He showed it to friends, among them Richard Van Wagoner, who in turn shared it with others and a copy ended up with the
Tanners. [[The religion professor who had the copy of the typescript from Ehat was Lyndon Cook, so Arrington's account is a little confused.]] They quickly published it and to this date have sold something like 1800 copies.
Ehat felt crushed. For one thing, he was blamed for the leakage. For another, he had expected to publish his thesis and felt that it was now unpublishable because the heart of it, what came from the Clayton diary, had been published. He had been ordered by BYU to buy up the copies previously distributed, had been denied access to other documents, and otherwise lost some of his credibility. He decided to sue the Tanners and obtained the willing services of Gordon Madsen as attorney. Gordon talked with the Church lawyers in the attempt to get their support and help. Conferences were held and the church decided to stay out of it. Representing the Tanners was Brian Barnard. On Wednesday, March 21, the trial was held ... Judge Christensen gave his decision. He found for the plaintiff [Ehat]. He apparently delivered quite a lecture to the Tanners, put an injunction against further sales of the Clayton book, and fined the Tanners as follows: to be paid to Ehat: $900 representing
the profit from the Clayton book; $3,000, representing what Ehat thought he would make from the publication of his thesis; $11,000, representing compensation for the loss of reputation, damage to character, etc. of Ehat. [[A year later the judgment would be overturned on appeal. ...]]
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
During the past few days a trial took place in Salt Lake City which had great significance for Mormon historiography. For years [anti-Mormon publishers] Jerald and Sandra Tanner have published documents which were stolen or surreptitiously removed from the Church Archives or xeroxed without permission. On the one hand the scholars were delighted to have access to documents which were restricted. On the other hand they could hardly condone the unethical if not illegal practice. In every instance, no matter how flagrant the theft or unwelcome the publication, the Church has chosen to overlook the action and simply to deny use to Tanner and his friends.
A few months ago Andy Ehat, graduate student at BYU, completed a thesis which traced certain sacred ceremonies in early church history-endowments, ordinances, etc. For this purpose he managed to obtain access to certain restricted documents, among them the diary of William Clayton which has been kept in the vault of the First Presidency. Jim Allen also obtained access to this document for use in preparing his biography of Clayton. Ehat and Allen exchanged notes and xeroxes of documents. Some eighty pages of the Clayton diary were filed in Jim Allen's office at BYU. The bishop of one of the BYU wards was allowed to use Jim's office on Sundays and one evening each week. One of his counselors was looking through his files out of curiosity, saw the Clayton diary material, read some of it, was fascinated, and removed it long enough to make a xerox copy. He showed it to friends, among them Richard Van Wagoner, who in turn shared it with others and a copy ended up with the
Tanners. [[The religion professor who had the copy of the typescript from Ehat was Lyndon Cook, so Arrington's account is a little confused.]] They quickly published it and to this date have sold something like 1800 copies.
Ehat felt crushed. For one thing, he was blamed for the leakage. For another, he had expected to publish his thesis and felt that it was now unpublishable because the heart of it, what came from the Clayton diary, had been published. He had been ordered by BYU to buy up the copies previously distributed, had been denied access to other documents, and otherwise lost some of his credibility. He decided to sue the Tanners and obtained the willing services of Gordon Madsen as attorney. Gordon talked with the Church lawyers in the attempt to get their support and help. Conferences were held and the church decided to stay out of it. Representing the Tanners was Brian Barnard. On Wednesday, March 21, the trial was held ... Judge Christensen gave his decision. He found for the plaintiff [Ehat]. He apparently delivered quite a lecture to the Tanners, put an injunction against further sales of the Clayton book, and fined the Tanners as follows: to be paid to Ehat: $900 representing
the profit from the Clayton book; $3,000, representing what Ehat thought he would make from the publication of his thesis; $11,000, representing compensation for the loss of reputation, damage to character, etc. of Ehat. [[A year later the judgment would be overturned on appeal. ...]]
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
40 years ago today - Mar 25, 1984
Wards and branches are allowed to have microform facilities for genealogical research.
[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 - Mar 25, 1949
[J. Reuben Clark]
Bp. Isaacson said that Pres. McDonald had indicated unhappiness at the BYU situation, the negro question, and others.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
Bp. Isaacson said that Pres. McDonald had indicated unhappiness at the BYU situation, the negro question, and others.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
120 years ago today - Mar 25, 1904
Anthony W. Ivins performs a plural marriage sealing Rangmilda Bluth to Heber Erastus Farr as his second living wife. Ivins is ordained an apostle in 1907 and becomes Second Counselor to his cousin, President Heber J. Grant, in 1921.
130 years ago today - Sun., Mar 25, 1894
[Abraham H. Cannon]
Bro. Roskelly of the Logan temple is having a considerable number of persons who are dead sealed and adopted to him. This is right where people request it, but he should not try to induce them to take this course through their surviving relatives, or in their own cases, if alive. Pres. Woodruff will write him to not try to get people to be thus sealed to him, but where they ask it of their own free will it will be proper.
. . . I also encouraged love in the family. Bro. Grant spoke the remainder of the time. He said in the course of his remarks that it is said truly in family affairs that "Men hold the lines, but women tell them where to drive;" this was said to show the sisters that their influence over the men is very great, either for good or evil. We returned home in the evening.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
Bro. Roskelly of the Logan temple is having a considerable number of persons who are dead sealed and adopted to him. This is right where people request it, but he should not try to induce them to take this course through their surviving relatives, or in their own cases, if alive. Pres. Woodruff will write him to not try to get people to be thus sealed to him, but where they ask it of their own free will it will be proper.
. . . I also encouraged love in the family. Bro. Grant spoke the remainder of the time. He said in the course of his remarks that it is said truly in family affairs that "Men hold the lines, but women tell them where to drive;" this was said to show the sisters that their influence over the men is very great, either for good or evil. We returned home in the evening.
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
135 years ago today - Mar 25, 1889
[Heber J. Grant]
Upon my arrival home I found my wife Lucy quite worked up on account of my having sold my home to Byron Groo as he was not a member of the Church and people were talking about it and making remarks that were anything but complimentary. I told her that I would get Pres Woodruff to approve the sale as there was never a rule that there were no exceptions to, and as Byron Groo was a friend of our people and was employed in writing in their defence there would be no objections to my selling to him. I called at the Gardo House where I met Bros Woodruff and Cannon, J. F. Smith, and F. D. Richards and they approved of my sale to Byron Groo, although they said that if I had not sold that it would have been better on account of the talk of the people not to have done so, but they thought that there was not the least wrong in the sale that I had made.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
Upon my arrival home I found my wife Lucy quite worked up on account of my having sold my home to Byron Groo as he was not a member of the Church and people were talking about it and making remarks that were anything but complimentary. I told her that I would get Pres Woodruff to approve the sale as there was never a rule that there were no exceptions to, and as Byron Groo was a friend of our people and was employed in writing in their defence there would be no objections to my selling to him. I called at the Gardo House where I met Bros Woodruff and Cannon, J. F. Smith, and F. D. Richards and they approved of my sale to Byron Groo, although they said that if I had not sold that it would have been better on account of the talk of the people not to have done so, but they thought that there was not the least wrong in the sale that I had made.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
175 years ago today - Mar 25, 1849 (Sunday)
The first public meeting was held on the Temple Block, G.S.L. [Great Salt Lake] City.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
175 years ago today - Mar 25, 1849
Pres. Brigham Young remarked: I promise you, if you do this [pay tithing], you will build your fence as easy as not to do it, and your grain will grow. I know that it is the Lord that gives the increase after you have planted. If he does not, your labor will be in vain. -- SLC Bowery
[Journal History of the Church, Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 2 (2002), in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[Journal History of the Church, Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 2 (2002), 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 - Mar 25, 1844
[Joseph Smith]
Called at my office on my return and read Memorial to Congress [requesting authorization to raise an army of 100,000 to explore and protect settlers in Oregon and Texas,] which my clerk had been writing as committee of council [of Fifty] of Thursday last. Was pleased with the instrument.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
Called at my office on my return and read Memorial to Congress [requesting authorization to raise an army of 100,000 to explore and protect settlers in Oregon and Texas,] which my clerk had been writing as committee of council [of Fifty] of Thursday last. Was pleased with the instrument.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
185 years ago today - 20-Mar 25, 1839
[Joseph Smith]
While a prisoner, receives D&C 121, D&C 122, D&C 123.
[Highlights in the Prophet's Life, Ensign, June 1994]
While a prisoner, receives D&C 121, D&C 122, D&C 123.
[Highlights in the Prophet's Life, Ensign, June 1994]
30 years ago today - Mar 24, 1994
Jane Partridge, president of her high school seminary class, testifies before the U.S. Congress in support of reducing the legal limits for the blood-alcohol level of teenage drivers.
[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 )]]
45 years ago today - Mar 24, 1979-Saturday
[Leonard Arrington]
Second Anointings I have been seeing what references there might be in my library about Second Anointings. Nothing in Mormon Doctrine by Bruce McConkie. Nothing in Carter, LDS Encyclopedia. Nothing in the indexes to Joseph Smith, History of the Church; [B. H.] Roberts, Comprehensive History; and Journal of Discourses. Mike Quinn's article on Prayer Circles in BYU Studies, Fall 1978, mentions them. Suggests they were first given shortly before the completion of the Nauvoo Temple, shortly before Joseph Smith's death. Suggests that those who belonged to the Holy Order or Anointed Quorum had all received their Second Anointings. Perhaps those who received the Second Anointings were all invited into the Holy Order, and that the Anointed Quorum consisted of all and only of all who received their Second Anointings. This was the original Prayer Circle. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, III, p. 228, has a letter to Presidents of Stakes and Bishops of Wards, Nov. 6, 1891, which states
that the approval of the President of the Church was required for those receiving Second Anointings, but presumably they are initiated by bishops and/or stake presidents. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, V, p. 112, had a Circular with temple instructions to bishops, dated 1918, which states that bishops are not to issue recommends for second anointings. That is the province of stake presidents and must have the endorsement or approval of the President of the Church, and individuals are not to be informed until the latter is approved. "As a general rule, such recommends are issued only in behalf of those who have had endowments in lifetime, and have been sealed and lived together faithfully as husband and wife, and who have been valiant in the defense of truth and active in all good works."
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Second Anointings I have been seeing what references there might be in my library about Second Anointings. Nothing in Mormon Doctrine by Bruce McConkie. Nothing in Carter, LDS Encyclopedia. Nothing in the indexes to Joseph Smith, History of the Church; [B. H.] Roberts, Comprehensive History; and Journal of Discourses. Mike Quinn's article on Prayer Circles in BYU Studies, Fall 1978, mentions them. Suggests they were first given shortly before the completion of the Nauvoo Temple, shortly before Joseph Smith's death. Suggests that those who belonged to the Holy Order or Anointed Quorum had all received their Second Anointings. Perhaps those who received the Second Anointings were all invited into the Holy Order, and that the Anointed Quorum consisted of all and only of all who received their Second Anointings. This was the original Prayer Circle. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, III, p. 228, has a letter to Presidents of Stakes and Bishops of Wards, Nov. 6, 1891, which states
that the approval of the President of the Church was required for those receiving Second Anointings, but presumably they are initiated by bishops and/or stake presidents. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, V, p. 112, had a Circular with temple instructions to bishops, dated 1918, which states that bishops are not to issue recommends for second anointings. That is the province of stake presidents and must have the endorsement or approval of the President of the Church, and individuals are not to be informed until the latter is approved. "As a general rule, such recommends are issued only in behalf of those who have had endowments in lifetime, and have been sealed and lived together faithfully as husband and wife, and who have been valiant in the defense of truth and active in all good works."
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
60 years ago today - Mar 24, 1964
President Lyndon B. Johnson explains his plan to restructure the budgeting of government agencies without raising taxes: "we will take from the haves and give to the have nots." Two years later in a general conference address Apostle Marion G. Romney uses this quote out of context as evidence that Johnson advocates socialism.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
65 years ago today - Mar 24, 1959
[J. Reuben Clark]
[When asked about administering to a woman, LeGrand Richards had already administered to, Clark replies:] ... there was no more spiritual man than Brother Richards.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
[When asked about administering to a woman, LeGrand Richards had already administered to, Clark replies:] ... there was no more spiritual man than Brother Richards.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
140 years ago today - Mar 24, 1884
Apostle John Henry Smith dreams "that President Young and my Father were still alive but that they had been away from the people and returned not satisfied with the way President Taylor was doing. I saw Pres[iden]t. Taylor moving from the yard into his own home, and he seemed to be much troubled in his mind. J. W. Young and my brother Charles seemed to be mixed up in the affair. My conversation with my Father was as real as in life. I enjoyed it very much. President Taylor came to where Father and I stood and they both disappeared."
165 years ago today - Mar 24, 1859
[Wilford Woodruff]
24th We packed up a Box of Journals Books & Records for safe keeping in Case of war. ...
A messenger arived from Rush valley informing us that after Spencer was knocked down they sent for an army Surgeon who examined his head. Found his skull was broaken & one part laped on the top of the other. He sawed a peace of the Skull out & placed it together and they think there is a Chance for him to get well.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
24th We packed up a Box of Journals Books & Records for safe keeping in Case of war. ...
A messenger arived from Rush valley informing us that after Spencer was knocked down they sent for an army Surgeon who examined his head. Found his skull was broaken & one part laped on the top of the other. He sawed a peace of the Skull out & placed it together and they think there is a Chance for him to get well.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Mar 24, 1844
[Joseph Fielding]
.... our Prophet told us from the stand, by the wall of the partly built [Nauvoo] temple, that a conspiracy was formed by the two Fosters, the Laws, C. Higby, and J. H. Jackson and others against himself and all the Smiths. By some of them it was declared that there should not be one of the Smith family alive in a few weeks. ...
They object to the doctrine of plurality of wives and of gods. I was present when the two [William and Wilson Law] Laws, the wife of William and R. D. Foster, were cut off from the Church. The feeling as to their conduct was very unanimous except that Brother [William] Marks did not raise his hand [to vote] against Sister Law. Their principle charge against Joseph is that he has and seeks to obtain other women or wives and has taught the same to others who have done the same. [A marriage had been considered between Joseph Smith and Jane Law, as well as between Emma Smith and William Law]
As to me, I have evidence enough that Joseph is not fallen. I have seen him after giving as I before said, the origin of Masonry, organize the kingdom of God on the earth and am myself a member of it. ...
[Joseph Fielding, Diary (1843-1846), Church Archives in "They Might Have Known That He Was Not a Fallen Prophet"--The Nauvoo Journal of Joseph Fielding," transcribed and edited by Andrew F. Ehat, BYU Studies 19 (Winter 1979), http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/JFielding.html]
.... our Prophet told us from the stand, by the wall of the partly built [Nauvoo] temple, that a conspiracy was formed by the two Fosters, the Laws, C. Higby, and J. H. Jackson and others against himself and all the Smiths. By some of them it was declared that there should not be one of the Smith family alive in a few weeks. ...
They object to the doctrine of plurality of wives and of gods. I was present when the two [William and Wilson Law] Laws, the wife of William and R. D. Foster, were cut off from the Church. The feeling as to their conduct was very unanimous except that Brother [William] Marks did not raise his hand [to vote] against Sister Law. Their principle charge against Joseph is that he has and seeks to obtain other women or wives and has taught the same to others who have done the same. [A marriage had been considered between Joseph Smith and Jane Law, as well as between Emma Smith and William Law]
As to me, I have evidence enough that Joseph is not fallen. I have seen him after giving as I before said, the origin of Masonry, organize the kingdom of God on the earth and am myself a member of it. ...
[Joseph Fielding, Diary (1843-1846), Church Archives in "They Might Have Known That He Was Not a Fallen Prophet"--The Nauvoo Journal of Joseph Fielding," transcribed and edited by Andrew F. Ehat, BYU Studies 19 (Winter 1979), http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/JFielding.html]
45 years ago today - Mar 23, 1979-Friday
[Leonard Arrington]
I learned today some things about Merv Hogan and his work on the Masons. He told me this morning that one reason he had been impelled to make such a thorough study of Masonry and the Mormons is that he had been the recipient of four visits of heavenly beings which had urged him on in doing this assignment. Of course his primary goal has been to get the recession [abolishment] of the Utah Masons' rule that no Mormon can be admitted as a Mason. He said that about 1956 when he was getting ready to move his family to Syracuse, New York, to work for GE [General Electric], he had one evening a visit from an elderly gentleman in his 70s or 80s with black hair with white streaks and graying at the temples and dark eyes, a rather tall personage. This personage knocked on his door, talked with him a few minutes; Merv ushered him in and introduced him to the family, and after chatting for a little while said he needed to go and Merv ushered him out, but before leaving he had told Merv, "You
and I know that you have an important job to do, and you must carry on. If you persevere you will be blessed." Merv said that he was witness to the manifestation but his family were not. Since his family had not witnessed it, he began to wonder if he had dreamed it up, and at that stage he was walking down the street in Salt Lake City and saw this person again, and the person came up to him and said, "I hope you will remember my visit to you at your house. Remember if you persevere in this important work, you will be blessed."
Several years later when he was in Phoenix he was visited by a young pleasant person two different times with a very similar message. So Merv believes that he is an instrument in the hands of the Lord and that the Lord is manipulating things to help accomplish a desirable job. ... Merv says he has been told by some member of the Quorum of the Twelve that they wanted to have him publish this, and there were two others who were vehement that he must not publish it. Merv knows that this was discussed formally in the Quorum of the Twelve, with this division of opinion, and he thinks that perhaps President Kimball wished to keep that division down by urging him not to publish. Anyway, he published it. I told him that I would feel sure one of those two members of the Quorum was Elder Peterson, and he reluctantly admitted that was the case. He said another member of the Quorum of Twelve who was against any mention of the Mormons in connection with Masonry was President Joseph
Fielding Smith. He said that both Brother Peterson and President Smith would prefer that no Mormon history book contained any mention that Joseph Smith was a Mason, that many of the leaders of the Church were Masons, that they had a lodge in Nauvoo, and so on. He said President Kimball does not personally object to it but had played the role of peacemaker.
Maureen [Beecher] came in to say that she had received a telephone call from John Madsen. John said that the First Presidency and "the Brethren" had decided that the Relief Society needed more visibility and that he had been assigned to provide additional input into the Church given to the Relief Society by the Brethren in past periods. He has had Tom Truitt and Anna Mae Robison101 working on it and he asked for additional help from Maureen. He wants the material by next Tuesday. I told Maureen to furnish him some good quotations that she can get quickly and that in addition she should telephone him and suggest he write a letter to Elder Durham suggesting a more detailed research project to be done by us on women and their role in Church history. Maureen said he emphasized several times that the biggest single problem in the Church is the problem of women and the image of women and that the Church is determined to do everything they can to help everyone understand more
fully the importance we attach to women and their work. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
I learned today some things about Merv Hogan and his work on the Masons. He told me this morning that one reason he had been impelled to make such a thorough study of Masonry and the Mormons is that he had been the recipient of four visits of heavenly beings which had urged him on in doing this assignment. Of course his primary goal has been to get the recession [abolishment] of the Utah Masons' rule that no Mormon can be admitted as a Mason. He said that about 1956 when he was getting ready to move his family to Syracuse, New York, to work for GE [General Electric], he had one evening a visit from an elderly gentleman in his 70s or 80s with black hair with white streaks and graying at the temples and dark eyes, a rather tall personage. This personage knocked on his door, talked with him a few minutes; Merv ushered him in and introduced him to the family, and after chatting for a little while said he needed to go and Merv ushered him out, but before leaving he had told Merv, "You
and I know that you have an important job to do, and you must carry on. If you persevere you will be blessed." Merv said that he was witness to the manifestation but his family were not. Since his family had not witnessed it, he began to wonder if he had dreamed it up, and at that stage he was walking down the street in Salt Lake City and saw this person again, and the person came up to him and said, "I hope you will remember my visit to you at your house. Remember if you persevere in this important work, you will be blessed."
Several years later when he was in Phoenix he was visited by a young pleasant person two different times with a very similar message. So Merv believes that he is an instrument in the hands of the Lord and that the Lord is manipulating things to help accomplish a desirable job. ... Merv says he has been told by some member of the Quorum of the Twelve that they wanted to have him publish this, and there were two others who were vehement that he must not publish it. Merv knows that this was discussed formally in the Quorum of the Twelve, with this division of opinion, and he thinks that perhaps President Kimball wished to keep that division down by urging him not to publish. Anyway, he published it. I told him that I would feel sure one of those two members of the Quorum was Elder Peterson, and he reluctantly admitted that was the case. He said another member of the Quorum of Twelve who was against any mention of the Mormons in connection with Masonry was President Joseph
Fielding Smith. He said that both Brother Peterson and President Smith would prefer that no Mormon history book contained any mention that Joseph Smith was a Mason, that many of the leaders of the Church were Masons, that they had a lodge in Nauvoo, and so on. He said President Kimball does not personally object to it but had played the role of peacemaker.
Maureen [Beecher] came in to say that she had received a telephone call from John Madsen. John said that the First Presidency and "the Brethren" had decided that the Relief Society needed more visibility and that he had been assigned to provide additional input into the Church given to the Relief Society by the Brethren in past periods. He has had Tom Truitt and Anna Mae Robison101 working on it and he asked for additional help from Maureen. He wants the material by next Tuesday. I told Maureen to furnish him some good quotations that she can get quickly and that in addition she should telephone him and suggest he write a letter to Elder Durham suggesting a more detailed research project to be done by us on women and their role in Church history. Maureen said he emphasized several times that the biggest single problem in the Church is the problem of women and the image of women and that the Church is determined to do everything they can to help everyone understand more
fully the importance we attach to women and their work. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
140 years ago today - Mar 23, 1884
The day after he took 3 "doses" 5 grains each of Hashish (Cannibas Indica) James E. Talmage writes in his journal: "Sunday. Spent quietly. Have had no result to be noted of my physiological experiment yesterday. I do not feel inclined to try again till the end of next week-as the realization of the effects of the drug are not desirable on working days."
180 years ago today - Mar 23, 1844
[William Clayton]
A.M. rode with Pres. J. and bro. Neibaur to Doctor Fosters. He was gone to Appanoose & his wife was at Mr Gilmans. We went down their and saw her. Prest. J. asked sister Foster if she ever in her life knew him guilty of an immoral or indecent act. She answered no. He then explained his reasons for asking and then asked if ever he had used any indecent or insulting language to her, she answered, never. He further asked if he ever preached any thing like the spiritual wife doctrine to her only what he had preached in public-She said no! He asked her if he ever proposed to have illicit intercourse with her and especially when he took dinner during the Docters absence. She said no. After some further conversation on the subject we left. Mrs Gilman was present all the time.
[The Nauvoo Diaries of William Clayton, 1842-1846, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
A.M. rode with Pres. J. and bro. Neibaur to Doctor Fosters. He was gone to Appanoose & his wife was at Mr Gilmans. We went down their and saw her. Prest. J. asked sister Foster if she ever in her life knew him guilty of an immoral or indecent act. She answered no. He then explained his reasons for asking and then asked if ever he had used any indecent or insulting language to her, she answered, never. He further asked if he ever preached any thing like the spiritual wife doctrine to her only what he had preached in public-She said no! He asked her if he ever proposed to have illicit intercourse with her and especially when he took dinner during the Docters absence. She said no. After some further conversation on the subject we left. Mrs Gilman was present all the time.
[The Nauvoo Diaries of William Clayton, 1842-1846, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
180 years ago today - Mar 23, 1844. Saturday.
[William Clayton]
A.M. rode with President Joseph and brother Neibaur to Doctor [Robert] Fosters. He was gone to appanose and his wife was at Mr. Gilmans. We went down there and saw her. President Joseph asked Sister Foster if she ever in her life knew him guilty of an immoral or indecent act. She answered no. He then explained his reasons for asking and then asked if ever he had used any indecent or insulting language to her, she answered, never. He further asked if he ever preached any thing like the spiritual wife doctrine to her only what he had preached in public. She said no! He asked her if he ever proposed to have illicit intercourse with her and especially when he took dinner during the Doctors absence. She said no. After some further conversation on the subject we left. Mrs. Gilman was present all the time.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://bit.ly/WilliamClayton]
A.M. rode with President Joseph and brother Neibaur to Doctor [Robert] Fosters. He was gone to appanose and his wife was at Mr. Gilmans. We went down there and saw her. President Joseph asked Sister Foster if she ever in her life knew him guilty of an immoral or indecent act. She answered no. He then explained his reasons for asking and then asked if ever he had used any indecent or insulting language to her, she answered, never. He further asked if he ever preached any thing like the spiritual wife doctrine to her only what he had preached in public. She said no! He asked her if he ever proposed to have illicit intercourse with her and especially when he took dinner during the Doctors absence. She said no. After some further conversation on the subject we left. Mrs. Gilman was present all the time.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://bit.ly/WilliamClayton]
180 years ago today - Mar 23, 1844
Joseph Smith is warned by two non-members concerning plans laid by William and Wilson Law, R. D. Foster, Chauncey L. Higbee, and Joseph H. Jackson. The Warsaw Signal publishes "The Buckeye's First Epistle to Jo, probably penned by Wilson Law.
[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)]
105 years ago today - Mar 22,1919
"The Nigger" is the new production to be given at the Social Hall, proclaims Deseret News with explanation: "The Nigger" is distinctly Southern. It is a romance based on Southern ideals and the race problem.
[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]
120 years ago today - Mar 22, 1904
Carl A. Badger, secretary to apostle and embattled U.S. Senator Reed Smoot writes in his diary: "I am afraid I believe more in the inspiration of the Manifesto than of the selection of the D&C which says we 'must' practice that principle." Badger records Joseph F. Smith's response after his own testimony before the Senate committee: "I am sorry for Reed. I am sorry for Reed." Reed Smoot writes in a letter: "[W]e have not as a people, at all times, lived strictly to our agreements with the Government, and this lack of sincerity on our part goes farther to condemn us in the eyes of the public men of the nation than the mere fact of a few new polygamy cases, or a polygamist before the manifesto living in the state of unlawful cohabitation." Smoot writes in another letter that he wished "President Joseph F. Smith would see his way clear to announce at this coming Apr Conference that since his visit to Washington he had learned that public sentiment outside of the State of Utah is
opposed to a man living in unlawful cohabitation." Smoot hoped "that hereafter" President Smith's "advice would be to the Mormon people to arrange their affairs so as to obey the law, and further, that he himself intends to do so. It is my opinion that if this is not done that there will be considerable trouble ahead for our people." Joseph F. Smith had testified that he was living with his plural wives in violation of the laws of the land and the laws of the church.
opposed to a man living in unlawful cohabitation." Smoot hoped "that hereafter" President Smith's "advice would be to the Mormon people to arrange their affairs so as to obey the law, and further, that he himself intends to do so. It is my opinion that if this is not done that there will be considerable trouble ahead for our people." Joseph F. Smith had testified that he was living with his plural wives in violation of the laws of the land and the laws of the church.
140 years ago today - Mar 22, 1884
[James E. Talmage]
"This being Saturday, was the day I selected to study practically the effects of Hashish. This evening, after work and all was over, I took at 3 doses each hour after the preceding, 5 grains solid extract Cannabis Indica. At this writing â midnight â 5 hours since last does, I have experienced no effect whatever. The effect is said to be widely different in different people."
[The Essential James E. Talmage, James P. Harris editor, Classics in Mormon Thought Series No. 5, Signature Books, Inc., 1997 pp. 11‐12]
"This being Saturday, was the day I selected to study practically the effects of Hashish. This evening, after work and all was over, I took at 3 doses each hour after the preceding, 5 grains solid extract Cannabis Indica. At this writing â midnight â 5 hours since last does, I have experienced no effect whatever. The effect is said to be widely different in different people."
[The Essential James E. Talmage, James P. Harris editor, Classics in Mormon Thought Series No. 5, Signature Books, Inc., 1997 pp. 11‐12]
165 years ago today - Mar 22, 1859 (Tuesday)
Howard O. Spencer, a Mormon youth, was assaulted and brutally beaten on the head by Sergeant Ralph Pike, of the U.S. army, in Rush Valley, Utah.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
185 years ago today - Mar 22, 1839
Joseph Smith writes in a letter: "the first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same."
20 years ago today - Mar 21, 2004
At Stake Conference in Kuna, Idaho Apostle L. Tom Perry speaks of the human qualities of his fellow apostles. Someone in the congregations keeps notes of the talk and they later flood the internet as members forward copies of the comments to friends. On Apr 21 a memorandum concerning the notes is sent to CES area directors: "Delete or destroy them. Inform the person who sent them to you that the remarks are not an accurate recollection of Elder Perry's remarks. Do not use or refer to them in class. Do not spread or refer to them in any way except to discourage their use when someone else brings them up in conversation." The First presidency responds to the church as a whole by issuing a statement limiting the sharing of personal notes: "Any notes made when General Authorities, Area Authority Seventies, or other general Church officers speak at regional and stake conferences or other meetings should not be distributed without the consent of the speaker. Personal notes are for
individual use only."
individual use only."
30 years ago today - Mar 21, 1994
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives an Oscar to LDS Gerald R. Molen as co-producer of Schindler's List. Because the film is "R-rated," BYU refuses to show this dramatization of the Jewish Holocaust even though public high school students throughout Utah have seen this film in special screenings as a school activity with parental permission.
[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 )]]
90 years ago today - Mar 21, 1934
[Heber J. Grant]
Had a nap at the office.
Josiah Hickman called, and President Ivins and I authorized him to be baptized for his uncle, William A. Hickman, and to have his former blessings restored. Hickman was a first-class cattle thief.
Two colored ministers called and wanted a donation. We told them we would take the matter under advisement.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
Had a nap at the office.
Josiah Hickman called, and President Ivins and I authorized him to be baptized for his uncle, William A. Hickman, and to have his former blessings restored. Hickman was a first-class cattle thief.
Two colored ministers called and wanted a donation. We told them we would take the matter under advisement.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
100 years ago today - Mar 21, 1924
A First Presidency statement answered criticism of unauthorized plural marriages by once again confirming the Church's policy against the practice. Polygamists within the Church were excommunicated when discovered.
[Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
[Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
120 years ago today - Mar 21, 1904
Carl A. Badger, secretary to Apostle and U.S. Senator Reed Smoot writes to a friend: "I hope our people will look at this matter in its true light; we have got to learn our lessons, and instead of shouting about the opportunity which we have had of teaching our faith to the world, we ought to dot down the unpleasant but obvious fact, that the lesson which the world is learning from the testimony thus far given is, that we have failed to keep our word [regarding the Manifesto]. I wish our people could come to the conclusion that this investigation has not been wholly creditable to us"
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
[Wilford Woodruff]
The salt Lake Tribune /Editors/ Forged a sermon which they Published on Sunday Morning March 16/84 and Published it as a verbatim report of a Discourse delivered at Juab School House on Sunday March 9, 1884 by Bishop West. There was no meeting held on that day there at all and there was no Bishop West in the Church, and No bishop by any name there. It was the most infamous forgery Concocted Either by Man or Devils all got up by the Editor of the Tribune to injure the Saints and Govornor Eli H Murray took a Bundle of them to washington to Circulate among the Members of Congress to help destroy the Saints. The Deseret News of March 19 has the whole account in it and Comments upon it and the Tribune of the 20 Came out and recalled it. Said they were imposed upon, and Men Carrying on such a game as that ought & will be damed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The salt Lake Tribune /Editors/ Forged a sermon which they Published on Sunday Morning March 16/84 and Published it as a verbatim report of a Discourse delivered at Juab School House on Sunday March 9, 1884 by Bishop West. There was no meeting held on that day there at all and there was no Bishop West in the Church, and No bishop by any name there. It was the most infamous forgery Concocted Either by Man or Devils all got up by the Editor of the Tribune to injure the Saints and Govornor Eli H Murray took a Bundle of them to washington to Circulate among the Members of Congress to help destroy the Saints. The Deseret News of March 19 has the whole account in it and Comments upon it and the Tribune of the 20 Came out and recalled it. Said they were imposed upon, and Men Carrying on such a game as that ought & will be damed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
125 years ago today - Mar 21, 1899; Tuesday
President [Lorenzo] Snow was called upon by Sisters Emmeline B. Wells and Susa Y. Gates, who read a letter addressed to them by madame [Lydia Von Finklestein] Mountford, who is now in England lecturing on the new and the Old Zion. She desired to establish an institution in Jerusalem to help the Mohammedan children, and expressed the hope that the Woman's Relief Society in Utah would take an interested part in the movement. These sisters also informed the Presidency that there was an opportunity for one of our sisters to become a patron of the International Woman's Council, and they suggested that Inez Knight, now laboring in London [England] as a missionary, be advised to become that patron, a member of that Council, her father, Jesse Knight, having intimated his willingness to advance his daughter the necessary means. The Presidency had no objection to this being done.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
[James E. Talmage]
The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Hashish eating experience—and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Hashish or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves.
Of course, such a course is the proper one for the study of the effects of the drug, though I very much disliked the idea of doing such a thing, for as yet I have never known what it is to be narcotized either by tobacco, alcohol, or any drug ...
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Hashish eating experience—and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Hashish or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves.
Of course, such a course is the proper one for the study of the effects of the drug, though I very much disliked the idea of doing such a thing, for as yet I have never known what it is to be narcotized either by tobacco, alcohol, or any drug ...
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
Future apostle James E. Talmage writes in his journal: "Mar 21. The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Haschich eating experience- and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Haschich or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves"
165 years ago today - Mar 21, 1859
[Wilford Woodruff]
We have an express this morning saying that their is 800 Men on the way from Camp Floyd to Provo, and Levi Stewart reported that their was one Redgment & a Battery ordered to Salt Lake City. If this is true it seems they are determined to have a fuss with this people. They seem determined to provoke a war.
... The fore part of the night was spent with the regency upon the subject of the large dictionary writing in the Deseret Alphabet. It was abandoned & Juvenile works are to be written instead. The latter part of the time was spent in Conversing upon the state of affairs at Camp Floyd & Provo & the sending of troops into our Cities to slay the People. An express Came in saying that the Troops had arived at Lehi.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
We have an express this morning saying that their is 800 Men on the way from Camp Floyd to Provo, and Levi Stewart reported that their was one Redgment & a Battery ordered to Salt Lake City. If this is true it seems they are determined to have a fuss with this people. They seem determined to provoke a war.
... The fore part of the night was spent with the regency upon the subject of the large dictionary writing in the Deseret Alphabet. It was abandoned & Juvenile works are to be written instead. The latter part of the time was spent in Conversing upon the state of affairs at Camp Floyd & Provo & the sending of troops into our Cities to slay the People. An express Came in saying that the Troops had arived at Lehi.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Mar 21, 1844
The end of the world does not occur as predicted by William Miller during the past year. He changes the date to April 18, 1844
[Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. p.276]
[Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. p.276]
180 years ago today - Mar 21, 1844 - Thursday
[Council of Fifty]
The council decided to petition Congress to make JS a member of the U.S. Army, with authority to take volunteers into the western borderlands to protect Oregon and Texas from foreign invasion. A committee was appointed to draft the petition, and Orson Hyde was chosen to carry it to Washington. The council also decided to send James Emmett on a mission "to the Lamanites to instruct them to unite together." JS recommended that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles select men to travel throughout the states to electioneer for his presidential campaign.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
The council decided to petition Congress to make JS a member of the U.S. Army, with authority to take volunteers into the western borderlands to protect Oregon and Texas from foreign invasion. A committee was appointed to draft the petition, and Orson Hyde was chosen to carry it to Washington. The council also decided to send James Emmett on a mission "to the Lamanites to instruct them to unite together." JS recommended that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles select men to travel throughout the states to electioneer for his presidential campaign.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
190 years ago today - Mar 21, 1834
Nathaniel Lewis states, in a sworn affidavit: "I have been acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. for some time: being a relation of his wife, and residing near him, I have had frequent opportunities of conversation with him, and of knowing his opinions and pursuits. From my standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church, I suppose he was careful how he conducted or expressed himself before me. At one time, however, he came to my house, and asked my advice, whether he should proceed to translate the Book of Plates (referred to by Mr. Hale) or not. He said that God had commanded him to translate it, but he was afraid of the people: he remarked, that he was to exhibit the plates to the world, at a certain time, which was then about eighteen months distant. I told him I was not qualified to give advice in such cases. Smith frequently said to me that I should see the plates at the time appointed. After the time stipulated, had passed away, Smith being at my house was asked why he did not fulfil
his promise, show the Golden Plates and prove himself an honest man? He replied that he, himself was deceived, but that I should see them if I were where they were. I reminded him then, that I stated at the time he made the promise, I was fearful "the enchantment would be so powerful" as to remove the plates, when the time came in which they were to be revealed."
his promise, show the Golden Plates and prove himself an honest man? He replied that he, himself was deceived, but that I should see them if I were where they were. I reminded him then, that I stated at the time he made the promise, I was fearful "the enchantment would be so powerful" as to remove the plates, when the time came in which they were to be revealed."
20 years ago today - Mar 21, 2004
At Stake Conference in Kuna, Idaho Apostle L. Tom Perry speaks of the human qualities of his fellow apostles. Someone in the congregations keeps notes of the talk and they later flood the internet as members forward copies of the comments to friends. On Apr 21 a memorandum concerning the notes is sent to CES area directors: "Delete or destroy them. Inform the person who sent them to you that the remarks are not an accurate recollection of Elder Perry's remarks. Do not use or refer to them in class. Do not spread or refer to them in any way except to discourage their use when someone else brings them up in conversation." The First presidency responds to the church as a whole by issuing a statement limiting the sharing of personal notes: "Any notes made when General Authorities, Area Authority Seventies, or other general Church officers speak at regional and stake conferences or other meetings should not be distributed without the consent of the speaker. Personal notes are for
individual use only."
individual use only."
30 years ago today - Mar 21, 1994
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives an Oscar to LDS Gerald R. Molen as co-producer of Schindler's List. Because the film is "R-rated," BYU refuses to show this dramatization of the Jewish Holocaust even though public high school students throughout Utah have seen this film in special screenings as a school activity with parental permission.
[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 )]]
90 years ago today - Mar 21, 1934
[Heber J. Grant]
Had a nap at the office.
Josiah Hickman called, and President Ivins and I authorized him to be baptized for his uncle, William A. Hickman, and to have his former blessings restored. Hickman was a first-class cattle thief.
Two colored ministers called and wanted a donation. We told them we would take the matter under advisement.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
Had a nap at the office.
Josiah Hickman called, and President Ivins and I authorized him to be baptized for his uncle, William A. Hickman, and to have his former blessings restored. Hickman was a first-class cattle thief.
Two colored ministers called and wanted a donation. We told them we would take the matter under advisement.
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
100 years ago today - Mar 21, 1924
A First Presidency statement answered criticism of unauthorized plural marriages by once again confirming the Church's policy against the practice. Polygamists within the Church were excommunicated when discovered.
[Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
[Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
120 years ago today - Mar 21, 1904
Carl A. Badger, secretary to Apostle and U.S. Senator Reed Smoot writes to a friend: "I hope our people will look at this matter in its true light; we have got to learn our lessons, and instead of shouting about the opportunity which we have had of teaching our faith to the world, we ought to dot down the unpleasant but obvious fact, that the lesson which the world is learning from the testimony thus far given is, that we have failed to keep our word [regarding the Manifesto]. I wish our people could come to the conclusion that this investigation has not been wholly creditable to us"
125 years ago today - Mar 21, 1899; Tuesday
President [Lorenzo] Snow was called upon by Sisters Emmeline B. Wells and Susa Y. Gates, who read a letter addressed to them by madame [Lydia Von Finklestein] Mountford, who is now in England lecturing on the new and the Old Zion. She desired to establish an institution in Jerusalem to help the Mohammedan children, and expressed the hope that the Woman's Relief Society in Utah would take an interested part in the movement. These sisters also informed the Presidency that there was an opportunity for one of our sisters to become a patron of the International Woman's Council, and they suggested that Inez Knight, now laboring in London [England] as a missionary, be advised to become that patron, a member of that Council, her father, Jesse Knight, having intimated his willingness to advance his daughter the necessary means. The Presidency had no objection to this being done.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
[Wilford Woodruff]
The salt Lake Tribune /Editors/ Forged a sermon which they Published on Sunday Morning March 16/84 and Published it as a verbatim report of a Discourse delivered at Juab School House on Sunday March 9, 1884 by Bishop West. There was no meeting held on that day there at all and there was no Bishop West in the Church, and No bishop by any name there. It was the most infamous forgery Concocted Either by Man or Devils all got up by the Editor of the Tribune to injure the Saints and Govornor Eli H Murray took a Bundle of them to washington to Circulate among the Members of Congress to help destroy the Saints. The Deseret News of March 19 has the whole account in it and Comments upon it and the Tribune of the 20 Came out and recalled it. Said they were imposed upon, and Men Carrying on such a game as that ought & will be damed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The salt Lake Tribune /Editors/ Forged a sermon which they Published on Sunday Morning March 16/84 and Published it as a verbatim report of a Discourse delivered at Juab School House on Sunday March 9, 1884 by Bishop West. There was no meeting held on that day there at all and there was no Bishop West in the Church, and No bishop by any name there. It was the most infamous forgery Concocted Either by Man or Devils all got up by the Editor of the Tribune to injure the Saints and Govornor Eli H Murray took a Bundle of them to washington to Circulate among the Members of Congress to help destroy the Saints. The Deseret News of March 19 has the whole account in it and Comments upon it and the Tribune of the 20 Came out and recalled it. Said they were imposed upon, and Men Carrying on such a game as that ought & will be damed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
[James E. Talmage]
The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Hashish eating experience—and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Hashish or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves.
Of course, such a course is the proper one for the study of the effects of the drug, though I very much disliked the idea of doing such a thing, for as yet I have never known what it is to be narcotized either by tobacco, alcohol, or any drug ...
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Hashish eating experience—and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Hashish or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves.
Of course, such a course is the proper one for the study of the effects of the drug, though I very much disliked the idea of doing such a thing, for as yet I have never known what it is to be narcotized either by tobacco, alcohol, or any drug ...
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
140 years ago today - Mar 21, 1884
Future apostle James E. Talmage writes in his journal: "Mar 21. The result of our work in research upon Narcotics has been tolerably satisfactory. We utilize my friend referred to above, with his Haschich eating experience- and find four or five others whom he knows have also an experience upon the subject. But the effects experienced by the different ones are so widely different that we can scarcely draw a conclusion. The opium habit is well explained by books, and the bad after effects of the same are sufficiently appalling to keep down experimentation upon the subject. But, the ill effects are reported very low in the Haschich or Hemp administration; and we have concluded to try effect of small dose upon ourselves"
165 years ago today - Mar 21, 1859
[Wilford Woodruff]
We have an express this morning saying that their is 800 Men on the way from Camp Floyd to Provo, and Levi Stewart reported that their was one Redgment & a Battery ordered to Salt Lake City. If this is true it seems they are determined to have a fuss with this people. They seem determined to provoke a war.
... The fore part of the night was spent with the regency upon the subject of the large dictionary writing in the Deseret Alphabet. It was abandoned & Juvenile works are to be written instead. The latter part of the time was spent in Conversing upon the state of affairs at Camp Floyd & Provo & the sending of troops into our Cities to slay the People. An express Came in saying that the Troops had arived at Lehi.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
We have an express this morning saying that their is 800 Men on the way from Camp Floyd to Provo, and Levi Stewart reported that their was one Redgment & a Battery ordered to Salt Lake City. If this is true it seems they are determined to have a fuss with this people. They seem determined to provoke a war.
... The fore part of the night was spent with the regency upon the subject of the large dictionary writing in the Deseret Alphabet. It was abandoned & Juvenile works are to be written instead. The latter part of the time was spent in Conversing upon the state of affairs at Camp Floyd & Provo & the sending of troops into our Cities to slay the People. An express Came in saying that the Troops had arived at Lehi.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Mar 21, 1844
The end of the world does not occur as predicted by William Miller during the past year. He changes the date to April 18, 1844
[Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. p.276]
[Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. p.276]
180 years ago today - Mar 21, 1844 - Thursday
[Council of Fifty]
The council decided to petition Congress to make JS a member of the U.S. Army, with authority to take volunteers into the western borderlands to protect Oregon and Texas from foreign invasion. A committee was appointed to draft the petition, and Orson Hyde was chosen to carry it to Washington. The council also decided to send James Emmett on a mission "to the Lamanites to instruct them to unite together." JS recommended that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles select men to travel throughout the states to electioneer for his presidential campaign.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
The council decided to petition Congress to make JS a member of the U.S. Army, with authority to take volunteers into the western borderlands to protect Oregon and Texas from foreign invasion. A committee was appointed to draft the petition, and Orson Hyde was chosen to carry it to Washington. The council also decided to send James Emmett on a mission "to the Lamanites to instruct them to unite together." JS recommended that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles select men to travel throughout the states to electioneer for his presidential campaign.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
190 years ago today - Mar 21, 1834
Nathaniel Lewis states, in a sworn affidavit: "I have been acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. for some time: being a relation of his wife, and residing near him, I have had frequent opportunities of conversation with him, and of knowing his opinions and pursuits. From my standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church, I suppose he was careful how he conducted or expressed himself before me. At one time, however, he came to my house, and asked my advice, whether he should proceed to translate the Book of Plates (referred to by Mr. Hale) or not. He said that God had commanded him to translate it, but he was afraid of the people: he remarked, that he was to exhibit the plates to the world, at a certain time, which was then about eighteen months distant. I told him I was not qualified to give advice in such cases. Smith frequently said to me that I should see the plates at the time appointed. After the time stipulated, had passed away, Smith being at my house was asked why he did not fulfil
his promise, show the Golden Plates and prove himself an honest man? He replied that he, himself was deceived, but that I should see them if I were where they were. I reminded him then, that I stated at the time he made the promise, I was fearful "the enchantment would be so powerful" as to remove the plates, when the time came in which they were to be revealed."
his promise, show the Golden Plates and prove himself an honest man? He replied that he, himself was deceived, but that I should see them if I were where they were. I reminded him then, that I stated at the time he made the promise, I was fearful "the enchantment would be so powerful" as to remove the plates, when the time came in which they were to be revealed."
15 years ago today - 3/20/2009
[Same-Sex Marriage]
Fred Karger and Californians Against Hate ask for expansion of FPPC investigation into LDS Church Prop 8 involvement. Expansion is based on new information Karger receives, some of which includes several letters between Loren C. Dunn and other Church officials during the Hawaii marriage campaigns. Karger posts the scanned letters at mormongate.org.
[Mormons for Marriage: A Prop 8 Timeline, http://mormonsformarriage.com/?page_id=68]
Fred Karger and Californians Against Hate ask for expansion of FPPC investigation into LDS Church Prop 8 involvement. Expansion is based on new information Karger receives, some of which includes several letters between Loren C. Dunn and other Church officials during the Hawaii marriage campaigns. Karger posts the scanned letters at mormongate.org.
[Mormons for Marriage: A Prop 8 Timeline, http://mormonsformarriage.com/?page_id=68]
80 years ago today - Mar 20, 1944
[Marion G. Romney]
President Clark called again, and cautioned me about taking care of my health. He said that he was calling me pursuant to the instructions of the 121st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which says:
"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion ...."
Evidently, he thought he had spoken harshly last night when he called me.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015, Appendix 2, The Diaries of Marion G. Romney, 1941-1961, Abridged]
President Clark called again, and cautioned me about taking care of my health. He said that he was calling me pursuant to the instructions of the 121st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which says:
"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion ...."
Evidently, he thought he had spoken harshly last night when he called me.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015, Appendix 2, The Diaries of Marion G. Romney, 1941-1961, Abridged]
140 years ago today - Mar 20, 1884
[James E. Talmage]
Attended a lecture at the Academy of Music on the Negro and Indian Problem.
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
Attended a lecture at the Academy of Music on the Negro and Indian Problem.
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
180 years ago today - Mar 20, 1844
[Nauvoo Neighbor]
Reprinted Story: "A New Candidate for the Presidency" -- Several Newspapers -- Articles announcing the candidacy of Joseph Smith for President.
- Story: "Virtue Will Triumph" -- Emma Smith -- Preamble and resolution read and accepted by the Relief Society, includes disdain for polygamy and "Spiritual Wifery"
[http://boap.org/LDS/Nauvoo-Neighbor]
Reprinted Story: "A New Candidate for the Presidency" -- Several Newspapers -- Articles announcing the candidacy of Joseph Smith for President.
- Story: "Virtue Will Triumph" -- Emma Smith -- Preamble and resolution read and accepted by the Relief Society, includes disdain for polygamy and "Spiritual Wifery"
[http://boap.org/LDS/Nauvoo-Neighbor]
180 years ago today - Mar 20, 1844
Articles begin to appear in several newspapers commenting on Joseph's candidacy for the U.S. Presidency.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
185 years ago today - Mar. 20-25, 1839
Between these dates Joseph writes a long letter to Bishop Edward Partridge in particular and the Saints in general. Parts of the letter are later extracted and form what is now D&C 121, 122, and 123. Besides these sections, the letter also encourages the Saints to have love, fellowship, and compassion on the orphans and the widows; expresses thanks for the letters he (the Prophet) has received; explains the reasons why the Lord tries his Saints; warns the Saints against pride; encourages the Saints to become friends with Isaac Galland; encourages abiding the law.
[He prophecies that "not many years hence ... [his enemies] and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall". D&C 121:11]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[He prophecies that "not many years hence ... [his enemies] and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall". D&C 121:11]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
190 years ago today - Mar 20, 1834
Took dinner at Brother Joseph Holbrook's. [At] night we tryed three times to git keept in the name of Deciples and could not be keept. After night we found a man who would keep us for mon[e]y. Thus we see that there /is/ more place for mon[e]y than for Jesus' /Deciples or/ the Lamb of God.
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1832-34, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
[Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1832-34, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
45 years ago today - Mar 19, 1979-Monday
[Leonard Arrington]
Saturday night at James's party I had a conversation with Phyllis Phillips, Lora's mother ... after Joseph Smith's death, Emma Smith was trying to get her hands on the records of the Church. Brigham Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and Spencer W. Kimball.
Young had obtained the records and had them in one of his homes. Knowing that Emma might come to get them, Brigham left instructions with all concerned about not letting Emma have these records. On one occasion when he was gone, Emma did come to get the records. She insisted that they were hers. The person who let her into the house was about ready to give them to her when there appeared at the top of the stairs Harriet Cook, one of Brigham Young's plural wives. Harriet said she had heard what Emma said and that she knew that these were Church records, not private records, and that they belonged to the Church. She said she would see to it personally that they were kept in the possession of Brigham Young, representing the Twelve and the Church. Emma is then said to have remarked: "I guess I might as well give it up; I'm more afraid of Harriet than I am of the sheriff!"
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Saturday night at James's party I had a conversation with Phyllis Phillips, Lora's mother ... after Joseph Smith's death, Emma Smith was trying to get her hands on the records of the Church. Brigham Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and Spencer W. Kimball.
Young had obtained the records and had them in one of his homes. Knowing that Emma might come to get them, Brigham left instructions with all concerned about not letting Emma have these records. On one occasion when he was gone, Emma did come to get the records. She insisted that they were hers. The person who let her into the house was about ready to give them to her when there appeared at the top of the stairs Harriet Cook, one of Brigham Young's plural wives. Harriet said she had heard what Emma said and that she knew that these were Church records, not private records, and that they belonged to the Church. She said she would see to it personally that they were kept in the possession of Brigham Young, representing the Twelve and the Church. Emma is then said to have remarked: "I guess I might as well give it up; I'm more afraid of Harriet than I am of the sheriff!"
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
50 years ago today - Mar 19, 1974-Tuesday
[Leonard Arrington]
Reed Durham was in the office this morning to see my Mormonism and Masonry file. It turned out that he has seen everything that is in my file. He is giving his presidential address to the Mormon History Association at Nauvoo [Illinois] on the subject of Mormons and Masonry. He says the whole Kingdom of God concept elaborated by Klaus Hansen is a Masonic concept and that the flag of the Kingdom of God about which Mike Quinn wrote his article is a Masonic flag. He thinks the whole political Kingdom of God developed in Nauvoo in 1842 and 1843 and stems from Joseph Smith's Masonic associations.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Reed Durham was in the office this morning to see my Mormonism and Masonry file. It turned out that he has seen everything that is in my file. He is giving his presidential address to the Mormon History Association at Nauvoo [Illinois] on the subject of Mormons and Masonry. He says the whole Kingdom of God concept elaborated by Klaus Hansen is a Masonic concept and that the flag of the Kingdom of God about which Mike Quinn wrote his article is a Masonic flag. He thinks the whole political Kingdom of God developed in Nauvoo in 1842 and 1843 and stems from Joseph Smith's Masonic associations.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
130 years ago today - Mar 19, 1894
[Wilford Woodruff]
I had a Dream in the night. I met with Benjamin Franklin. I thought He was on the Earth. I spent several hours with him And talked over our Endowments. He wanted some more work done for him than had been done which I promised him He should have [.]) (2d <anointing>). I thought then He died and while waiting for burial I awoke. I thought vary strange of my Dream. I made up my mind to get 2d Anointing for Benjamin Franklin & George Washington.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I had a Dream in the night. I met with Benjamin Franklin. I thought He was on the Earth. I spent several hours with him And talked over our Endowments. He wanted some more work done for him than had been done which I promised him He should have [.]) (2d <anointing>). I thought then He died and while waiting for burial I awoke. I thought vary strange of my Dream. I made up my mind to get 2d Anointing for Benjamin Franklin & George Washington.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
135 years ago today - Mar 19, 1889
[Wilford Woodruff]
Your letter of Feb. 27th, asking certain questions pertaining to Temple ordinances, has been received and considered. In regard to your last question, pertaining to a woman having been sealed and anointed [second anointing] to her husband, but subsequently divorced from him, he continuing a faithful, good man, etc, is she to be anointed to a second good man as though she never had been anointed? I answer, No. In such a case it will not be proper for the sister to be again anointed. Your second question as to my having any word for you in relation to adoption I would say it will be well to leave the matter of adoption for the present as they have been, and not make any changes. This will also answer your question in regard to going back as far as records can be obtained correctly in adoptions.
[Wilford Woodruff to John D. T. McAllister, Mar. 19, 1889, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Your letter of Feb. 27th, asking certain questions pertaining to Temple ordinances, has been received and considered. In regard to your last question, pertaining to a woman having been sealed and anointed [second anointing] to her husband, but subsequently divorced from him, he continuing a faithful, good man, etc, is she to be anointed to a second good man as though she never had been anointed? I answer, No. In such a case it will not be proper for the sister to be again anointed. Your second question as to my having any word for you in relation to adoption I would say it will be well to leave the matter of adoption for the present as they have been, and not make any changes. This will also answer your question in regard to going back as far as records can be obtained correctly in adoptions.
[Wilford Woodruff to John D. T. McAllister, Mar. 19, 1889, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
170 years ago today - Mar 19, 1854
[Brigham Young]
The people need instructing on the things around them. I wish to cheer the saints. I can give you revelation now and say: Verily, Verily, thus saith the Lord: Cease you wickedness. Cease speaking evil one of another. Love the things of God. Go to now with all your might and love his kingdom better than anything else. The people want chastisement and will get it. ...
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
The people need instructing on the things around them. I wish to cheer the saints. I can give you revelation now and say: Verily, Verily, thus saith the Lord: Cease you wickedness. Cease speaking evil one of another. Love the things of God. Go to now with all your might and love his kingdom better than anything else. The people want chastisement and will get it. ...
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, 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 - Mar 19, 1849
William Smith: Began ordaining apostles 19 Mar. 1849
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 6, Biographical Sketches of General Officers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 6, Biographical Sketches of General Officers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]
180 years ago today - Mar 19, 1844 - Tuesday
[Council of Fifty]
E[lde]r Hyrum Smith followed the chairman and said that the time was at hand when the prophecies should be fulfilled, when the nations were ready to embrace the gospel and when the ensign should be lift up and the standard to the people and he believed if we will set up the standard and raise the ensign the honest in heart of all nations will immediately begin to flock to the standard of our God. ...
The name of the council was also read and unanimously accepted. after which Er John Taylor addressed the council ... [with] a view of the positions and prospects of the different nations of the earth. He referred especially to the United States England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Poland, Switzerland, Germany &c. ...
Er Willard Richards presented the following resolution for the consideration of the council— "Resolved that a "communication be made immediately to the General Government through our representative, Mr [John] Wentworth, specifying that General Joseph Smith will protect the Texas and Oregon from all foreign invasion if the General Government will authorise him to raise volunteers in the United States for that purpose" ...
On Monday the 11th. it was Resolved to draft a constitution which should be perfect, and embrace those principles which the constitution of the United States lacked, and on motion John Taylor Willard Richards, Wm W. Phelps and Parley P. Pratt were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and present it to this council for their approval or disaproval.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
E[lde]r Hyrum Smith followed the chairman and said that the time was at hand when the prophecies should be fulfilled, when the nations were ready to embrace the gospel and when the ensign should be lift up and the standard to the people and he believed if we will set up the standard and raise the ensign the honest in heart of all nations will immediately begin to flock to the standard of our God. ...
The name of the council was also read and unanimously accepted. after which Er John Taylor addressed the council ... [with] a view of the positions and prospects of the different nations of the earth. He referred especially to the United States England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Poland, Switzerland, Germany &c. ...
Er Willard Richards presented the following resolution for the consideration of the council— "Resolved that a "communication be made immediately to the General Government through our representative, Mr [John] Wentworth, specifying that General Joseph Smith will protect the Texas and Oregon from all foreign invasion if the General Government will authorise him to raise volunteers in the United States for that purpose" ...
On Monday the 11th. it was Resolved to draft a constitution which should be perfect, and embrace those principles which the constitution of the United States lacked, and on motion John Taylor Willard Richards, Wm W. Phelps and Parley P. Pratt were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and present it to this council for their approval or disaproval.
[Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844-January 1846]
140 years ago today - Mar 18, 1884
[James E. Talmage]
My Hashish eating friend gave me further details at odd times today. Three of us in the University have entered upon the study of the Narcotics in use..
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
My Hashish eating friend gave me further details at odd times today. Three of us in the University have entered upon the study of the Narcotics in use..
[The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/]
175 years ago today - Mar 18, 1849
[Hosea Stout]
.... John Taylor who in the course of his remarks deprecated the practice of swearing & called on all who would agree to flog any one whom they heard to swear to raise their hands whereupon many did while many did not vote either way. I suppose they rightly considered that it would be rather a fast way of getting into business. This was my feelings.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
.... John Taylor who in the course of his remarks deprecated the practice of swearing & called on all who would agree to flog any one whom they heard to swear to raise their hands whereupon many did while many did not vote either way. I suppose they rightly considered that it would be rather a fast way of getting into business. This was my feelings.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
190 years ago today - Mar 18, 1834
Joseph Smith secretly ordains Lyman Wight as "Baneemy" which Wight understands as a military calling.
[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]
[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]
10 years ago today - 2014-03-17
Church PR Department rejected Ordain Women's Ticket Request
The Church PRDepartment published a letter in the Deseret News rejecting Ordain Women's request for 250 tickets to the Priesthood Session of Conference. The letter states that the press will be barred from Temple Square and states the Ordain Women should be relegated to the "Free Speech Zones" located outside of Temple Square. "
[Mormon Women's History Timeline, http://www1.chapman.edu/~remy/MoFem/mormonwomen.html]
The Church PRDepartment published a letter in the Deseret News rejecting Ordain Women's request for 250 tickets to the Priesthood Session of Conference. The letter states that the press will be barred from Temple Square and states the Ordain Women should be relegated to the "Free Speech Zones" located outside of Temple Square. "
[Mormon Women's History Timeline, http://www1.chapman.edu/~remy/MoFem/mormonwomen.html]
45 years ago today - Mar 17, 1979
In one of his nationally syndicated essays, political conservative William F. Buckley praises the LDS missionary program as "a kind of privately financed peace corps."
[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 )]]
125 years ago today - Mar 17, 1899
[Brigham Young Jr.]
God is blessing the people. I pray Him earnestly to open the way the Pres[ident] [George Q.] Cannon may go to the Senate for I believe he is the man that God wants there to defend His people from the assaults of of lunatic religionists and people here who are robbers and have one desire to drive us out & have our warm places.
[Brigham Young Jr. 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]
God is blessing the people. I pray Him earnestly to open the way the Pres[ident] [George Q.] Cannon may go to the Senate for I believe he is the man that God wants there to defend His people from the assaults of of lunatic religionists and people here who are robbers and have one desire to drive us out & have our warm places.
[Brigham Young Jr. 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]
55 years ago today - Mar 17, 1969
First Presidency Letter: "Where the military regulations are of a character that "hinders", that is, makes impossible the wearing of the regulation garments, either in training on the drill grounds or in combat zones, effort should be made to wear underclothing that will approach as near as may be the normal garment. Where military regulations require the wearing of two-piece underwear, such underwear should be properly marked, as if the articles were of the normal pattern. If circumstances are such that different underwear may be turned back to the wearer from that which he sends to the laundry, then the marks should be placed on small pieces of cloth and sewed upon the underwear while being worn, then removed when the underwear is sent to the laundry, and resewed upon the underwear returned. . . . Every effort should be made to protect the garments from the gaze and raillery of scoffers. . . . If the scoffing became unbearable and the wearer should decide that the Lord would
consider he was really "hindered" by the scoffers from wearing the garments, and if he should therefore lay them aside, then the wearer should resume the wearing of the normal garment at the earliest possible moment. A certain amount of curiosity and light comment may be frequently expected, wherever, for one cause or another, the garments are brought into view, but this is not the "hindering" of which the Lord spoke as excusing obedience."
consider he was really "hindered" by the scoffers from wearing the garments, and if he should therefore lay them aside, then the wearer should resume the wearing of the normal garment at the earliest possible moment. A certain amount of curiosity and light comment may be frequently expected, wherever, for one cause or another, the garments are brought into view, but this is not the "hindering" of which the Lord spoke as excusing obedience."
175 years ago today - Mar 17, 1849
Brigham Young instructs Council of Fifty regarding two imprisoned men: "He would show them he was not afraid to take their Head but do as you please with them." Council allows them to live.
140 years ago today - Mar 17, 1884
Future apostle James E. Talmage, at Johns Hopkins University, writes in his journal: "Mar 17. I have been engaged some time in the study of the effects of Narcotics upon the system, i.e. studying the same theoretically only. Today I found a gentleman who works in the same Laboratory as I, and who has for 2 years been addicted to the habit of eating Haschich or extract of Cannabis Indica. He was very willing to give me any data from his own experience; and gave me such." Five days later he includes himself as a subject by taking "Cannabis Indica" himself.
60 years ago today - Mar 16, 1964
Sharlene C. Wells (Hawkes), later the second Latter-day Saint to be crowned Miss America (1985), is born in Asuncion, Paraguay.
75 years ago today - Mar 16, 1949
The Church News reports that a paraplegic convert Mrs. Luett J. Standliff has been baptized while strapped to a stretcher in the Salt Lake Tabernacle baptistery.
[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 - Mar 16, 1909; Tuesday
[Heber J. Grant]
4:20 had a long talk with Brother A[lpha]. J. Higgs regarding the manifesto issued by the Church. I learned that some people think that there is a chance for plural marriages to be performed, notwithstanding this manifesto and all the declarations that have been made by the Presidency and the Apostles. Brother Higgs assured me that he would use his influence to correct any such impression as this.
[Heber J. Grant, Diary]
4:20 had a long talk with Brother A[lpha]. J. Higgs regarding the manifesto issued by the Church. I learned that some people think that there is a chance for plural marriages to be performed, notwithstanding this manifesto and all the declarations that have been made by the Presidency and the Apostles. Brother Higgs assured me that he would use his influence to correct any such impression as this.
[Heber J. Grant, Diary]
120 years ago today - Mar 16, 1904
[John W. Taylor to Joseph F. Smith]
I received telegram and letter about going to Washington [D.C.] for the purpose of testifying in the [Reed] Smoot case [Senate hearings], and I think I fully appreciate what you say upon the subject, and, I must ask you to excuse me from complying with your request in this respect, both on account of my business interests and my own positive disinclinations to do so. ...
[John W. Taylor, Letter to Joseph F. Smith, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
I received telegram and letter about going to Washington [D.C.] for the purpose of testifying in the [Reed] Smoot case [Senate hearings], and I think I fully appreciate what you say upon the subject, and, I must ask you to excuse me from complying with your request in this respect, both on account of my business interests and my own positive disinclinations to do so. ...
[John W. Taylor, Letter to Joseph F. Smith, 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 - Mar 16, 1904
Carl A. Badger, secretary to Apostle and U.S. Senator Reed Smoot writes a letter to a friend: "The people at home may be proud of the showing we have made here, but I am not. It was with humiliation that I heard the brethren acknowledge that the[y] had broken the law of God and of their country. I know that it is folly to condemn individuals when we all are in the same muddle. Public sentiment, the sentiment that you and I have helped create, has sustained them in what they have done. The great wrong is in an attempt to continue what we have promised to give up [polygamy]. I for one hope that the whole truth will come out; I am not in a mood to hide a thing."
125 years ago today - Thursday, Mar 16, 1899
Pres. Jos. F. Smith said a question had been asked in reference to baptism for the dead. Read from Alma (Book of Mormon), Chap. 34, Verses 32, 33, 34, and 35. How can these passages, it was asked, be reconciled with [the] principle of the baptism for the dead? After a few moments of animated discussion, the idea seemed to prevail among the brethren, that, at the time of uttering those words, Amulek could not possibly have been acquainted with the principle of baptism for the dead.
[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]
[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]
130 years ago today - Mar 16, 1894
[James E. Talmage]
After the Legislature cuts the University of Utah's allocated budget by half, Talmage writes the following in his journal:
Personally, I have never had a desire for the presidency of the institution, and I am loath to step on deck just in time to marshal all hands as the vessel goes down. […] Did I think that the actions of the last Legislature represented the voice and wishes of the people, I should despair of the University's life; but I am convinced that the people have its interests at heart. the University of Utah, under name of the University of Deseret, was founded by Latter-day Saints in the earliest days of the settlement of Utah, in the days of the people's direst poverty. I have faith that it will live. [Journal]
[Chronology of the Life and Work of James E. Talmage, J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJsHY83JZL_n6CjWq11y1trT_CVXMMXAx2uYOWAwn0c/edit#heading=h.2zfdaoa]
After the Legislature cuts the University of Utah's allocated budget by half, Talmage writes the following in his journal:
Personally, I have never had a desire for the presidency of the institution, and I am loath to step on deck just in time to marshal all hands as the vessel goes down. […] Did I think that the actions of the last Legislature represented the voice and wishes of the people, I should despair of the University's life; but I am convinced that the people have its interests at heart. the University of Utah, under name of the University of Deseret, was founded by Latter-day Saints in the earliest days of the settlement of Utah, in the days of the people's direst poverty. I have faith that it will live. [Journal]
[Chronology of the Life and Work of James E. Talmage, J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJsHY83JZL_n6CjWq11y1trT_CVXMMXAx2uYOWAwn0c/edit#heading=h.2zfdaoa]
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