[President Heber J. Grant]
Dr. Fred Clawson called and asked permission to give a recommend to John A. Groesbeck and his wife to witness the marriage of their daughter. I told him I would give him an answer later in the day. John is a full-tithe-pager and has been for years, but on account of the use of tobacco has never had a recommend to the temple. I think he is a man of absolute honesty and integrity, and personally I have no objection to his witnessing the marriage of his daughter in the temple. [Note: later he, David O. McKay, George F. Richards, and Stephen L. Richards approve the action.]
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
170 years ago today - Oct 31, 1854
Public reading of written revelation to Brigham Young "directing him to sell the Church property here and move south with the Church." Text unavailable.
[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 - 31st [Oct 1844]
[Letter from Govr. Thos. Ford to Lieut Genl Brigham Young State of Illinois]
.... To Lieutenant- General Brigham Young of the Nauvoo Legion
Sir
It may be probable that there may be further disturbances in Hancock County by those apposed to the prosecutions against the murderers of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They may combine together in arms to subvert justice and prevent those prosecutions from going on. They may also attack or resist the civil authorities of the State in that county and they may attack some of the settlements or people there with violence.
The sherriff of the county may want a military force to guard the court and protect it or its officers or the jurors thereof or the witnesses attending court from the violence of a mob.
In all these cases you are hereby ordered and directed to hold in readiness a sufficient force under your command of the Nauvoo Legion to act under the direction of the said sherriff for the purposes aforesaid; and also to suppress mobs which may be collected in said county to injure the persons or property of any of the citizens.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of state the day and year first herein above written. Thos Ford, Governor & Commander-in-Chief.
[Brigham Young Journal # 4 in the handwriting of: William Clayton, Evan Greene, John D. Lee, Willard Richards. First person account kept by others. 'Lieut. Genl Brigham Young's Journal 1844']
.... To Lieutenant- General Brigham Young of the Nauvoo Legion
Sir
It may be probable that there may be further disturbances in Hancock County by those apposed to the prosecutions against the murderers of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They may combine together in arms to subvert justice and prevent those prosecutions from going on. They may also attack or resist the civil authorities of the State in that county and they may attack some of the settlements or people there with violence.
The sherriff of the county may want a military force to guard the court and protect it or its officers or the jurors thereof or the witnesses attending court from the violence of a mob.
In all these cases you are hereby ordered and directed to hold in readiness a sufficient force under your command of the Nauvoo Legion to act under the direction of the said sherriff for the purposes aforesaid; and also to suppress mobs which may be collected in said county to injure the persons or property of any of the citizens.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of state the day and year first herein above written. Thos Ford, Governor & Commander-in-Chief.
[Brigham Young Journal # 4 in the handwriting of: William Clayton, Evan Greene, John D. Lee, Willard Richards. First person account kept by others. 'Lieut. Genl Brigham Young's Journal 1844']
180 years ago today - Oct 31, 1844
Brigham Young (aged 43) marriage to Susanne Snively (1815-1892) (aged 29) her first marriage
[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]
120 years ago today - Oct 30, 1904
[Thomas A. Clawson Diary]
"Came home with Bro Hamilton G. Park and he told me a little incident in his life when he was with Heber C Kimball which gave the key to Henry Lawrence's apostasy. It began by his taking advantage of the people and charging them outrageojs prices for goods making as high a [as] 15 hundred per cent. Heber C Kimball told him what he was doing and that if he did not repent in sack cloth and ashes that he would lose the spirit--apostatize and go to hell. All of which came true."
[Diary Excerpts of Thomas A. Clawson, Signature Books Library, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
"Came home with Bro Hamilton G. Park and he told me a little incident in his life when he was with Heber C Kimball which gave the key to Henry Lawrence's apostasy. It began by his taking advantage of the people and charging them outrageojs prices for goods making as high a [as] 15 hundred per cent. Heber C Kimball told him what he was doing and that if he did not repent in sack cloth and ashes that he would lose the spirit--apostatize and go to hell. All of which came true."
[Diary Excerpts of Thomas A. Clawson, Signature Books Library, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
135 years ago today - Oct 30, 1889 (Wednesday)
In the Third District Court, Salt Lake City, William C. Dunbar was refused citizenship because he believed in polygamy. Elder Dunbar had lost his citizen's papers, which he obtained many years before.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
160 years ago today - Oct 30, 1864
[Brigham Young Sermon]
Some may think the brethren and sisters are backsliding and growing cold, when they do not attend meeting. It may sometimes be just as good and profitable to stay at home as to come to meeting. ... And many who do not attend to the worship of God here may be just as fervent, and humble in their spirits, and trying to live as uprightly before God at home as those who attend religious meetings. I do not think the people are forgetful of God and of their obligations to him because they tarry at home. ... I do not believe that those who stay at home are, in many instances, any worse than those who come to meetings, nor that those who come to meeting are particularly better than those who stay at home...
When any man lifts himself up in his philosophy, and wonders why we do not talk about this, and that, and the other thing that we do not wish to talk about, what does he know of the results that would follow from communicating principles to this people which they are not prepared to receive? I do not know that it would not be as Joseph once remarked:'" Said he, '"If I were to tell the people what I knew of the kingdom of God, there is not a man nor woman that would stay with me.'" Said I, '"Do not reveal anything to me then, I do not wish to apostatize.'" If the Lord were to reveal many things to this people now, which will be made known in the future, they could not abide them,'"they have not capacity at the present to receive them....
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 10:349-352; Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra, Salt Lake City as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
Some may think the brethren and sisters are backsliding and growing cold, when they do not attend meeting. It may sometimes be just as good and profitable to stay at home as to come to meeting. ... And many who do not attend to the worship of God here may be just as fervent, and humble in their spirits, and trying to live as uprightly before God at home as those who attend religious meetings. I do not think the people are forgetful of God and of their obligations to him because they tarry at home. ... I do not believe that those who stay at home are, in many instances, any worse than those who come to meetings, nor that those who come to meeting are particularly better than those who stay at home...
When any man lifts himself up in his philosophy, and wonders why we do not talk about this, and that, and the other thing that we do not wish to talk about, what does he know of the results that would follow from communicating principles to this people which they are not prepared to receive? I do not know that it would not be as Joseph once remarked:'" Said he, '"If I were to tell the people what I knew of the kingdom of God, there is not a man nor woman that would stay with me.'" Said I, '"Do not reveal anything to me then, I do not wish to apostatize.'" If the Lord were to reveal many things to this people now, which will be made known in the future, they could not abide them,'"they have not capacity at the present to receive them....
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 10:349-352; Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra, Salt Lake City as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
45 years ago today - Oct 29, 1979
The first two converts of eastern Africa were baptized in Kenya.
[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]
60 years ago today - Oct 29, 1964
U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson speaks in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
95 years ago today - Oct 29, 1929
The New York Stock Market collapsed in frantic trading, a dramatic beginning of the Great Depression.
[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]
100 years ago today - Oct 29, 1924
[George F. Richards]
M. D. Wells went through the Temple to-day with his son. Bro. Jos. F. Smith Jr. & I spoke to him and told him we thought he better not come any more without first speaking to us and let us speak to the President to learn his attitude. He is one who took a plural wife contrary to direct instructions given him by Pres. Jos. F. Smith and by a Patriarch who had no authority and who was later excommunicated.
[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]
M. D. Wells went through the Temple to-day with his son. Bro. Jos. F. Smith Jr. & I spoke to him and told him we thought he better not come any more without first speaking to us and let us speak to the President to learn his attitude. He is one who took a plural wife contrary to direct instructions given him by Pres. Jos. F. Smith and by a Patriarch who had no authority and who was later excommunicated.
[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 - Oct 29, 1889
[Apostle Heber J. Grant]
Our people came here and opened up the country and I hope and pray that they will always lead in every thing. I shall work to this end to the best of my ability.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Our people came here and opened up the country and I hope and pray that they will always lead in every thing. I shall work to this end to the best of my ability.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
160 years ago today - Oct 29, 1864
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
I attended a trial of Elijah Steers for Lying in the House of the Lord. He was mostly excused through ignorance.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I attended a trial of Elijah Steers for Lying in the House of the Lord. He was mostly excused through ignorance.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
185 years ago today - Oct 29, 1839-4 Mar. 1840
[Joseph Smith]
Travels to Washington, D.C., to present to Congress the redress petitions for the Missouri grievances of the Saints. His visits with both President Martin Van Buren (29 Nov. 1839) and members of Congress prove fruitless.
[Highlights in the Prophet's Life, Ensign, June 1994]
Travels to Washington, D.C., to present to Congress the redress petitions for the Missouri grievances of the Saints. His visits with both President Martin Van Buren (29 Nov. 1839) and members of Congress prove fruitless.
[Highlights in the Prophet's Life, Ensign, June 1994]
50 years ago today - Oct 28, 1974
Missionary companions Gary S. Darley and Mark F. Fischer are murdered in Texas by an LDS convert who had returned to his Pentecostal church. In its most sensational coverage ever, the Church News reports that the "body parts" of the missionaries are discovered on 11/13 and that the murderer is sentenced to death in 1975 for killing the missionaries and "cutting up their bodies with a saw." In 1977, murderer successfully appeals his conviction due to an illegal search, but remains in prison on other charges until his parole in 1988.
[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 )]]
165 years ago today - Oct 28, 1859
[Hosea Stout on the first execution in Utah]
To day the melancholly duty to hang Thos H. Furguson for the murder of A. Carpenter. He was taken to the gallows about eleven a. m and about one p. m. hanged. There was not many spectators present. He had no confession[.] But he reflected very hard on Judge Sinclair for not giving him a fair trial.but said he had been treated well by every one else in Utah only blaming the Gov for not commuting his sentence to imprisonment for life.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
To day the melancholly duty to hang Thos H. Furguson for the murder of A. Carpenter. He was taken to the gallows about eleven a. m and about one p. m. hanged. There was not many spectators present. He had no confession[.] But he reflected very hard on Judge Sinclair for not giving him a fair trial.but said he had been treated well by every one else in Utah only blaming the Gov for not commuting his sentence to imprisonment for life.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
195 years ago today - 1829 Oct 28
Palmyra Reflector: "Knipperdolings"
[Anabaptist Bernhard Knipperdolling taught that the righteous before the day of Judgment, [each person would] have a monarchy on earth and the wicked be destroyed, that men are not justified by their faith in Christ; that there is no original sin; that infants ought not to be baptized, and that immersion is the only mode of baptism; that every one has the authority to preach and administer the sacraments; that men are not obliged to pay respect to magistrates; that all things ought to be in common, and that it is lawful to marry many wives.]
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
[Anabaptist Bernhard Knipperdolling taught that the righteous before the day of Judgment, [each person would] have a monarchy on earth and the wicked be destroyed, that men are not justified by their faith in Christ; that there is no original sin; that infants ought not to be baptized, and that immersion is the only mode of baptism; that every one has the authority to preach and administer the sacraments; that men are not obliged to pay respect to magistrates; that all things ought to be in common, and that it is lawful to marry many wives.]
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
120 years ago today - Oct 26, 1904
Apostle George Albert Smith instructs a Salt Lake stake prayer circle: "Among some women the practice of removing the garment from the neck and arms and tying them behind the back was common. These were serious faults, and might result in the offenders being disfellowshipped."
[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 - Thursday, Oct 26, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson]
Apostle J. H. Smith reported that he had been to Ogden to visit Pres. F. D. Richards and said that he was very seriously ill, being afflicted with nervous prostration. His mind also, he said, seemed to be failing. Apostle A. O. Woodruff made a similar report.
The clerk read a report showing the status of polygamy in Utah, as follows, to wit:
The number of polygamists in 1890—
2450
[2451]
The number of deaths since then—
750
The number removed from the U.S.
63
The number divorced
95
908
Leaving a balance of
1542
[1543]
37%—died, left, or divorced.
Apostle H. J. Grant said that he thought he could get managing control of the Salt Lake Herald, if it were thought advisable. As it is now, the paper is run on anti-Mormon principles, but might be used to favor the church. I moved that Apostle Grant be authorized to do what he could in the matter of securing control. Carried by unanimous vote.
The question of a presidency for the Cache Stake was introduced by Pres. Snow, and he asked the brethren how they felt about it. Apostle Lyman suggested the name of Chas. W. Nibley. ... Apostle A. H. Lund was in favor of a man who would have some influence with the Moses Thatcher faction. He did not think C. W. Nibley would be altogether the most suitable, he being a Republican in politics. Pres. Snow proposed the name of Apostle M. W. Merrill. Seconded and carried by unanimous vote....
[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]
Apostle J. H. Smith reported that he had been to Ogden to visit Pres. F. D. Richards and said that he was very seriously ill, being afflicted with nervous prostration. His mind also, he said, seemed to be failing. Apostle A. O. Woodruff made a similar report.
The clerk read a report showing the status of polygamy in Utah, as follows, to wit:
The number of polygamists in 1890—
2450
[2451]
The number of deaths since then—
750
The number removed from the U.S.
63
The number divorced
95
908
Leaving a balance of
1542
[1543]
37%—died, left, or divorced.
Apostle H. J. Grant said that he thought he could get managing control of the Salt Lake Herald, if it were thought advisable. As it is now, the paper is run on anti-Mormon principles, but might be used to favor the church. I moved that Apostle Grant be authorized to do what he could in the matter of securing control. Carried by unanimous vote.
The question of a presidency for the Cache Stake was introduced by Pres. Snow, and he asked the brethren how they felt about it. Apostle Lyman suggested the name of Chas. W. Nibley. ... Apostle A. H. Lund was in favor of a man who would have some influence with the Moses Thatcher faction. He did not think C. W. Nibley would be altogether the most suitable, he being a Republican in politics. Pres. Snow proposed the name of Apostle M. W. Merrill. Seconded and carried by unanimous vote....
[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]
155 years ago today - Oct 26, 1869
[Letter to bishops]
Our attention has been called of late to several articles which have appeared in the [Godbeit publication] Utah Magazine, a weekly periodical, published in this city. An examination of them has convinced us that they are erroneous, opposed to the spirit of the Gospel, and calculated to do injury. According to the practice in the Church, teachers were sent to labour with the editor and publishers, to point out to them the evil results which would follow a persistence in the course they were pursuing. This did not have the desired effect, and they have since been tried before the High Council, and after a thorough and patient investigation of the case, it was found they had imbibed the spirit of apostacy to that degree that they could not any longer be fellowshipped, and they were cut off from the Church.
The Utah Magazine is a periodical that, in its spirit and teachings, is directly opposed to the work of God. Instead of building up Zion, and uniting the people, its teachings, if carried out, would destroy Zion, divide the people asunder, and drive the Holy Priesthood from the earth. Therefore we say to our brethren and sisters in every place, the Utah Magazine is not a periodical suitable for circulation among or perusal by them, and should not be sustained by Latter-day Saints.
We hope this will be sufficient, without ever having to refer to it again. Your Brethren, BRIGHAM YOUNG, WILFORD WOODRUFF, GEORGE A. SMITH, GEORGE Q. CANNON, DANIEL H. WELLS, JOSEPH F. SMITH. ORSON PRATT
[To President Charles C. Rich and David P. Kimball,To all Bishops; Deseret News, Oct. 26, 1869; MS 31:770 (November 24, 1869) as quoted in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
Our attention has been called of late to several articles which have appeared in the [Godbeit publication] Utah Magazine, a weekly periodical, published in this city. An examination of them has convinced us that they are erroneous, opposed to the spirit of the Gospel, and calculated to do injury. According to the practice in the Church, teachers were sent to labour with the editor and publishers, to point out to them the evil results which would follow a persistence in the course they were pursuing. This did not have the desired effect, and they have since been tried before the High Council, and after a thorough and patient investigation of the case, it was found they had imbibed the spirit of apostacy to that degree that they could not any longer be fellowshipped, and they were cut off from the Church.
The Utah Magazine is a periodical that, in its spirit and teachings, is directly opposed to the work of God. Instead of building up Zion, and uniting the people, its teachings, if carried out, would destroy Zion, divide the people asunder, and drive the Holy Priesthood from the earth. Therefore we say to our brethren and sisters in every place, the Utah Magazine is not a periodical suitable for circulation among or perusal by them, and should not be sustained by Latter-day Saints.
We hope this will be sufficient, without ever having to refer to it again. Your Brethren, BRIGHAM YOUNG, WILFORD WOODRUFF, GEORGE A. SMITH, GEORGE Q. CANNON, DANIEL H. WELLS, JOSEPH F. SMITH. ORSON PRATT
[To President Charles C. Rich and David P. Kimball,To all Bishops; Deseret News, Oct. 26, 1869; MS 31:770 (November 24, 1869) as quoted in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
155 years ago today - Oct 26, 1869
Brigham Young writes to Thomas L. Kane in that the constitution of the State of Deseret had been amended so that "all male citizens of the United States over 21 years of age having residence of 6 months in this state (State of Deseret) shall be entitled to vote; the words 'free, white male,' having been struck out. The number of votes polled on this amendment was 14,000 for, and 30 against."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
170 years ago today - Oct 26, 1854
Bishop publishes notice in DESERET NEWS that Enoch M. King is disfellowshipped "for repeatedly refusing to conform to the rules of said Church, in the law of Tithing."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
170 years ago today - Oct 26, 1854
Bishop publishes notice in Deseret News that Enoch M. King is disfellowshipped "for repeatedly refusing to conform to the rules of said Church, in the law of Tithing."
[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 - Oct 21, 1979
Elizapan and Ebisiba Osaka and their children, the first African converts in Kenya, are baptized.
125 years ago today - Oct 21, 1899
Brother Samuel Thatcher, of Logan [Utah], called upon President Snow. He had recently married a woman who was not a member of the Church, and was living with her, notwithstanding that he had had a wife (since dead) sealed to him under the covenant of the priesthood. His Bishop (Brother Lewis) had refused to give him a transfer to another Ward, as being in full fellowship without the case being stated to the President of the Church. President Snow, after some conversation with Brother Thatcher, who signified his willingness to make amends, wrote to Bishop Lewis, asking him to permit Brother Thatcher to appear before the Ward priesthood meeting, confess his error, and ask to be forgiven. This done, and forgiveness granted, he would be entitled to the desired certificate.
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
135 years ago today - Oct 21, 1889
[Apostle Abraham H. Cannon]
About 5 p.m. Bro. Jorgason of Sevier Co[unty] desired my counsel as to what course he should take. He was arrested two weeks since on a bench warrant on a charge of polygamy. His first wife died 18 months ago and he has since married his plural wife before a justice of the peace. I advised him to keep his wife out of the way until after his trial, and when his case came up, he should prove the death of his first wife and subsequent marriage to his second. The date of his union with the latter, however, in the house of the Lord, he should not reveal, as it has occurred within three years.
[Diary of Apostle Abraham H. Cannon, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
About 5 p.m. Bro. Jorgason of Sevier Co[unty] desired my counsel as to what course he should take. He was arrested two weeks since on a bench warrant on a charge of polygamy. His first wife died 18 months ago and he has since married his plural wife before a justice of the peace. I advised him to keep his wife out of the way until after his trial, and when his case came up, he should prove the death of his first wife and subsequent marriage to his second. The date of his union with the latter, however, in the house of the Lord, he should not reveal, as it has occurred within three years.
[Diary of Apostle Abraham H. Cannon, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
140 years ago today - Oct 21, 1884 (Tuesday)
The jury, which could not agree on a verdict in [future First Presidency member] Rudger Clawson's case, was discharged, and preparations were made for a new trial.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
145 years ago today - Oct 21, 1879
Thomas Edison tested an electric incandescent light bulb in Menlo Park, N.J., that burned for 13 1/2 hours, marking the beginning of a new era of electric lighting.
[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]
150 years ago today - Oct 21, 1874
[Assistant First Presidency counselor] G[eorge] Q. Cannon was arested to day on a warrant for Lacivious Cohabitation. This was got up by the miserable wicked ring of Judges & Marshals who profess to be Executing the Law. It is done to keep him from Going to Congress.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
150 years ago today - Oct 21, 1874
Polygamist George Reynolds is approached by First Presidency Counselor George Q. Cannon and told he has been selected to be a test case on the legality of polygamy. Reynolds is arrested, charged, convicted and sentenced to one year in prison. On appeal his conviction is set aside on a technicality, Reynolds's case is re-tried. He is convicted in the re-trial and is sentenced to two years in prison.. His case goes to the U.S. Supreme Court where his conviction, and the legality of the anti-polygamy laws are upheld but the hard labor part of his sentence is overturned as being excessive. With time off for good conduct he serves one year and seven months in prison. In 1890, he is sustained as one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
180 years ago today - Oct 21, 1844
Apostle Orson Hyde, then husband of three wives, writes: "I will now venture a prediction, that since Nauvoo has thrown off so much bile from its stomach [i.e., Sidney Rigdon] it will be more healthy, and less complaints about spiritual wives, adultery, bogus making, &c. &c." The letter is published two months later in a Mormon newspaper.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
180 years ago today - After Oct 21, 1844
Alice Felt Tyler describes William Miller's failed prediction of the end of the world:
' ... Preparations for the end were made by countless hundreds of joyous or desperate souls. White cloth was purchased and made into ascension robes. Nearly all secular business was neglected ... Voting was light ... Tents were put up outside cities ... and hundreds of people assembled on the night of October 21 [1844] to keep their vigil together. No provision was made for food ... the tension was intolerable ... There were several suicides, and as the dawn of October 23 served notice that "time continued" regardless of prophecy, some heart-broken Millennialists were led away insane. '
[Joseph Smith had denounced Miller's prophecies]
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
' ... Preparations for the end were made by countless hundreds of joyous or desperate souls. White cloth was purchased and made into ascension robes. Nearly all secular business was neglected ... Voting was light ... Tents were put up outside cities ... and hundreds of people assembled on the night of October 21 [1844] to keep their vigil together. No provision was made for food ... the tension was intolerable ... There were several suicides, and as the dawn of October 23 served notice that "time continued" regardless of prophecy, some heart-broken Millennialists were led away insane. '
[Joseph Smith had denounced Miller's prophecies]
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
55 years ago today - Oct 20, 1969
While BYU's basketball team is playing University of Wyoming in Laramie, fourteen African-Americans are disqualified from Wyoming's team for wearing black armbands in protest of LDS church's priesthood restriction. Game continues despite objects thrown by spectators at playing floor and audience shouting accusations of racism against BYU's athletes. Wyoming defeats BYU by 33 points.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
90 years ago today - Oct 20, 1934
[President Heber J. Grant]
Joseph M. [?] Cannon called and said that a couple of editorials had been handed to him by the direction of the First Presidency.
I said, 'We have not sent any editorials over for you, Joseph.'
He said, 'I was told you did.'
I said, 'Who wrote them?'
He said, 'Joseph Fielding Smith wrote one of them.' Broyher (sic) Joseph Fielding Smith happened to come into the office at the time and he said Brother Bennion requested a couple of editorials from Brother Widtsoe and himself and that he wrote them.
Joseph Cannon doubted the wisdom of having Church editorials, as we rely on Gentile patronage, etc., and thought that everything of a Church nature should be in the Church Section.
We told him we did not think it would hurt our subscriptions if we had some good Church editorials.
He said of course anything we wanted he wanted. He stayed quite awhile.
I could not help feeling that perhaps he had heard we had decided to release him, but we did not tell him so. ...
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Joseph M. [?] Cannon called and said that a couple of editorials had been handed to him by the direction of the First Presidency.
I said, 'We have not sent any editorials over for you, Joseph.'
He said, 'I was told you did.'
I said, 'Who wrote them?'
He said, 'Joseph Fielding Smith wrote one of them.' Broyher (sic) Joseph Fielding Smith happened to come into the office at the time and he said Brother Bennion requested a couple of editorials from Brother Widtsoe and himself and that he wrote them.
Joseph Cannon doubted the wisdom of having Church editorials, as we rely on Gentile patronage, etc., and thought that everything of a Church nature should be in the Church Section.
We told him we did not think it would hurt our subscriptions if we had some good Church editorials.
He said of course anything we wanted he wanted. He stayed quite awhile.
I could not help feeling that perhaps he had heard we had decided to release him, but we did not tell him so. ...
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
110 years ago today - Oct 20, 1914
Spencer Woolley Kimball: Mission to central states 20 October 1914-14 December1916.
[Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]
[Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]
120 years ago today - Oct 20, 1904
A meeting of the First Presidency and Apostles was held this morning as usual. ... President [Joseph F.] Smith said that he had been reliably informed that some of our people were in the habit of sending their garments and, in some instances, their temple robes, to laundries to be washed; and that laundry employees had been known to dress themselves in temple clothing for the purpose of ridicule and making sport among other employees of the laundry. The Apostles were asked to take this matter up with the several Bishops of this city, Ogden [Utah] and other places where laundries operate, with a view to having our people instructed not to send their temple clothing to laundries, but have it washed at their own homes or by latter-day Saints. In this connection President Smith also related to the Council the efforts which had been made by the First Presidency to maintain a uniform pattern of the knitted garment, by furnishing samples of the approved garment to factories, and issuing
what is known as the approval label, which label is attached by the manufacturer to all such garments; that since then other factories had come into existence, and the result is that garments are being hawked about by drummers, and sold over the counter in Gentile stores. He felt that such things should be corrected.
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
what is known as the approval label, which label is attached by the manufacturer to all such garments; that since then other factories had come into existence, and the result is that garments are being hawked about by drummers, and sold over the counter in Gentile stores. He felt that such things should be corrected.
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
135 years ago today - Oct 20, 1889
President Woodruff says church not performing plural marriage.
The Salt Lake Tribune quoted President Woodruff as saying, "I have refused to give any recommendations for the performance of plural marriages since I have been President ... and have instructed that they should not be solemnized." Woodruff had only been sustained President for 6 months before making this statement. President Woodruff authorized the destruction of the Endowment House because the new temples could perform marriages and he needed those doing the demolition to become Mormon voters to vote against the anti-Mormon party in the upcoming city elections.
["Mormon Polygamy a History", Richard S. Van Wagoner, 1986, p. 138. as quoted in Tungate, Mel, Mormon Polygamy, http://www.tungate.com/polygamy.htm]
The Salt Lake Tribune quoted President Woodruff as saying, "I have refused to give any recommendations for the performance of plural marriages since I have been President ... and have instructed that they should not be solemnized." Woodruff had only been sustained President for 6 months before making this statement. President Woodruff authorized the destruction of the Endowment House because the new temples could perform marriages and he needed those doing the demolition to become Mormon voters to vote against the anti-Mormon party in the upcoming city elections.
["Mormon Polygamy a History", Richard S. Van Wagoner, 1986, p. 138. as quoted in Tungate, Mel, Mormon Polygamy, http://www.tungate.com/polygamy.htm]
170 years ago today - Oct 20, 1854
... Twitch had taken possession of 4 of the horses selling two of them to Levi Abram a mean & contempible Jew who had put them in his stable & refused to deliver them up to Burton on demand Burton called on W[illiam] A. Hickman to assist to recover the horses which had to be done by force. A considerable altercation ensued. The Jew posted to the probate Judge complained that Hickman had drawn a knife also a club on him with intent as he said to take his life. ...
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
175 years ago today - Oct 20, 1849
[Brigham Young Sermon]
.... feel like going to bed more than going to meeting. .... I mean to monopolize the labor here. The Council House walls finished. I have monopolized all the good things of the earth for those who will work for us. I have the right to monopolize.
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002) as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
.... feel like going to bed more than going to meeting. .... I mean to monopolize the labor here. The Council House walls finished. I have monopolized all the good things of the earth for those who will work for us. I have the right to monopolize.
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002) as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
185 years ago today - Oct 20, 1839
The Nauvoo High Council makes Joseph Smith treasurer of the Church, empowered to set prices and to sell real-estate lots in Nauvoo as well as to discharge other business functions.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
200 years ago today - Oct 20, 1824
The First Baptist Church in Palmyra welcomes 8 new converts. This is the first of many for the Baptist Church during the revival of 1824-25. For the one year period from Oct 1824 to the end of Sep 1825 there were a total of 94 persons baptized, by the Baptists and an increase of 87 members. Membership increased from 132 to 219 (65 percent). By comparison in the whole year of 1820 there were only eight new members baptized into the church.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspotcom]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspotcom]
25 years ago today - Oct 19, 1999
BYU and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) sign an affiliation agreement, officially joining the organizations together.
125 years ago today - Oct 19, 1899; Thursday
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
Referring to the inexperience of many, President Smith suggested that some kind of missionary course be provided for the young men, so that they could devote from three to sis months to religious study previous to going, such time to be regarded as part of their missions. He thought that young men prepared in this way would do more good than twice as many without such preparation.
Brother John Henry Smith endorsed President Smith's suggestion, which he considered one of great moment. He added, however, that he thought the young men should receive a year's notice with a view to preparing themselves.
...This matter was dropped without any action being taken.
...President Snow added that the Bishops should not be hard upon the members of their Wards if they did not have faith enough to pay tithing; also that they should use wisdom in refusing recommends to the Temple in case of those who were not tithepayers. ...
Brother Grant also brought up the subject of missionary blessings, stating that our missionaries, as a rule, when being set apart, had their blessings reported, and that it cost them fifty cents each for this service. He proposed that Brother Martin Lindsay, the stenographer, be paid a regular salary by the Church, and that a part of his labor consist of reporting these blessings free. This also was approved by the Council. ...
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
Referring to the inexperience of many, President Smith suggested that some kind of missionary course be provided for the young men, so that they could devote from three to sis months to religious study previous to going, such time to be regarded as part of their missions. He thought that young men prepared in this way would do more good than twice as many without such preparation.
Brother John Henry Smith endorsed President Smith's suggestion, which he considered one of great moment. He added, however, that he thought the young men should receive a year's notice with a view to preparing themselves.
...This matter was dropped without any action being taken.
...President Snow added that the Bishops should not be hard upon the members of their Wards if they did not have faith enough to pay tithing; also that they should use wisdom in refusing recommends to the Temple in case of those who were not tithepayers. ...
Brother Grant also brought up the subject of missionary blessings, stating that our missionaries, as a rule, when being set apart, had their blessings reported, and that it cost them fifty cents each for this service. He proposed that Brother Martin Lindsay, the stenographer, be paid a regular salary by the Church, and that a part of his labor consist of reporting these blessings free. This also was approved by the Council. ...
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
125 years ago today - Thursday, Oct 19, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson]
Pres. J. F. Smith stated that brethren going on missions who were over sixty years of age were instructed that, as the church did not require elders beyond that age to take missions, if they were released on account of sickness or physical disability, they would be obliged to bear their expenses home.
[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]
Pres. J. F. Smith stated that brethren going on missions who were over sixty years of age were instructed that, as the church did not require elders beyond that age to take missions, if they were released on account of sickness or physical disability, they would be obliged to bear their expenses home.
[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 - Oct 19, 1894
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon records that his father, First Counselor in the First Presidency George Q. Cannon: "spoke to me about taking some good girl and raising up seed by her for my brother David." Within days, he has the hearty approval of the two other members of the First Presidency. This polygamous marriage occurs two years later after a long courtship.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
140 years ago today - Oct 19, 1884
President John Taylor, speaking in Ogden two days after testifying in an anti-polygamy case, says he doesn't want to know anything that he might be asked to divulge on the stand someday: "Therefore I tell them to keep their own secrets, and remember what is called the Mormon creed: 'Mind your own business.' . . . I have studiously avoided knowing any more than I could possibly help about such matters."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
180 years ago today - Oct 19, 1844
[William Clayton]
Last night I dreamed I was in a nice building in a very pleasant place. I thought I was married to brother Cutlers youngest daughter & she seemed as happy as an angel and I felt full of joy and peace. I thought I had received Miss Cutler in addition to those I had already got. When I awoke I felt disappointed and felt to pray in my heart O God if it be thy will give me that women for a companion and my soul shall praise thee but they will be done and not mine. ... Sister Booth tells me that Sara Ann is very unhappy and wants to see me. she says Jane Charnock is perfectly unhappy and if there is any way she can be loosed she wants me to take her. Mary Aspen is ready to unite to me as her savior and sister Booth says she shall not risk her salvation in Roberts hands & wants me to interfere. We had considerable conversation on many subjects and felt pretty well.
[The Nauvoo Diaries of William Clayton, 1842-1846, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
Last night I dreamed I was in a nice building in a very pleasant place. I thought I was married to brother Cutlers youngest daughter & she seemed as happy as an angel and I felt full of joy and peace. I thought I had received Miss Cutler in addition to those I had already got. When I awoke I felt disappointed and felt to pray in my heart O God if it be thy will give me that women for a companion and my soul shall praise thee but they will be done and not mine. ... Sister Booth tells me that Sara Ann is very unhappy and wants to see me. she says Jane Charnock is perfectly unhappy and if there is any way she can be loosed she wants me to take her. Mary Aspen is ready to unite to me as her savior and sister Booth says she shall not risk her salvation in Roberts hands & wants me to interfere. We had considerable conversation on many subjects and felt pretty well.
[The Nauvoo Diaries of William Clayton, 1842-1846, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
55 years ago today - Oct 18, 1969
BYU's football team is beaten by the University of Wyoming despite its loss of 14 African-American players (half in the starting line-up) "for wearing black arm bands in protest to BYU's allegedly rescist policies." Less than 24 hours earlier, the 14 were expelled from the team for joining a Laramie "campus protest movement against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which controls BYU."
[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 - Oct 18, 1949
[George Albert Smith]
Ernest L. Wilkinson of Washington, D.C. stopped by for a few minutes and he told me of a plan that he [is] working on at the present time to turn over a fee which may be forthcoming to him to the B.Y.U. He is one his way to Montana to handle a case for the Crow Indians against the United States Government. If he is successful, and he believes that he has a good chance, he will receive one-third of the net proceeds as his fee which should amount to a half million dollars for him. He prefers to have the B.Y.U. receive this amount, since he feels that he does not need it. He has discussed this matter with President Clark and President McKay and they concur in my feeling that it will be all right to go ahead provided first that an advance ruling is obtained from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Washington, D.C. to ascertain whether or not such a procedure will be entirely proper.
[George Albert Smith, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Ernest L. Wilkinson of Washington, D.C. stopped by for a few minutes and he told me of a plan that he [is] working on at the present time to turn over a fee which may be forthcoming to him to the B.Y.U. He is one his way to Montana to handle a case for the Crow Indians against the United States Government. If he is successful, and he believes that he has a good chance, he will receive one-third of the net proceeds as his fee which should amount to a half million dollars for him. He prefers to have the B.Y.U. receive this amount, since he feels that he does not need it. He has discussed this matter with President Clark and President McKay and they concur in my feeling that it will be all right to go ahead provided first that an advance ruling is obtained from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Washington, D.C. to ascertain whether or not such a procedure will be entirely proper.
[George Albert Smith, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
90 years ago today - Oct 18, 1934
[President Heber J. Grant]
Council meeting was held at 10:00. At the regular meeting of the Presidency and Apostles this morning after reading a couple of editorials in last night's News, it was voted to release Brother Joseph J. Cannon as the editor of the Deseret News. There was a general discussion about his attempting to discuss financial and other questions that he knows nothing about in the paper. The general feeling was that while he was a good worker and a very intelligent, fine man, that he had not filled the bill. Brother Stephen L. Richards said it was our own fault that he have been talking about Joseph's editorials not being satisfactory, and he said he was ready to make a promotion to release him. And finally, after some discussion, it was decided to do so and to appoint him President of the British Mission I was very glad for this suggestion; it will be a very nice way to promote him.'
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Council meeting was held at 10:00. At the regular meeting of the Presidency and Apostles this morning after reading a couple of editorials in last night's News, it was voted to release Brother Joseph J. Cannon as the editor of the Deseret News. There was a general discussion about his attempting to discuss financial and other questions that he knows nothing about in the paper. The general feeling was that while he was a good worker and a very intelligent, fine man, that he had not filled the bill. Brother Stephen L. Richards said it was our own fault that he have been talking about Joseph's editorials not being satisfactory, and he said he was ready to make a promotion to release him. And finally, after some discussion, it was decided to do so and to appoint him President of the British Mission I was very glad for this suggestion; it will be a very nice way to promote him.'
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
90 years ago today - Oct 18, 1934
Oliver Cowdery: Proxy endowment 18 Oct. 1934
[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]
95 years ago today - Oct 18, 1929
A First Presidency urges European Mormons not to emigrate to the United States.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
110 years ago today - Oct 18, 1914
Joseph F. Smith and Apostle Francis M. Lyman publicly state that undergarments worn by endowed persons outside the temple must "come high up on the neck and down to the wrists and ankles, for that was the pattern revealed from heaven."
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
120 years ago today - Oct 18, 1904; Tuesday
I took Nichol Hood to the Presidents Office and as I entered the north door in to the private office of President [Joseph F.] Smith, there was the president, brother [Charles W.] Penrose and John R. Winder, his counselors and ten of the apostles. And by the way, Nichol Hood loved Brother Penrose and held him as a perfect democrat, and brother Penrose had done many things for Nichol Hood, I said, "President Smith, this is Nichol Hood, the man who has made the charge against you that you gave your consent for his brother John Hood, to take a plural wife." What a surprize to most of the brethren and what a spirit it at once aroused. President Smith was calm and very gracious to Nichol Hood and said, "Brother Hood, bring your chair close to me and let me talk with you. Who and where is your brother John Hood, and tell me just what he said." Nichol Hood said, "My brother John Hood told me that you personally told him you had no objection for him to take a plural wife." And then
President Smith said, "Nichol I don't know your brother, I never remember of ever having seen him and if he said
such a thing to you, he is a liar and the truth is not in him. The man is not living, or the man is not dead that could say I ever gave my consent for any one to take a plural wife since the Manifesto." He then spent over an hour going over the history of cases in the church and then said: "We learned from reliable sources that John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley and others were writing and making appointments and were performing polygamous marriages in secret places and intercepted two letters written by John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley and I had them come here to my office and asked: "John W. Taylor, did you write this letter," (handing it to him, in which people were instructed to meet him in a certain secret place and he would marry them in polygamy). He said, "yes President Smith, that is my letter." the president then said, "if you wrote that letter, then sit down right here and write out your resignation as an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, right now." And John W. Taylor said, "I have the right to perform such marriages and I will not do anything of the kind." "All right then we will try you, and we tried him for overstepping his authority after the church said such things could not be done and we disfellowshipped him from the church." Then continuing to speak to Nichol Hood, President Smith said, "Brother Matthias F. Cowley did you write this letter," handing it to him, and he said, "Yes President Smith, that is my letter. (in it also were arrangements for certain people to meet him in a certain secret place and he would marry such people in polygamy.) "Then Brother Cowley, sit right down here and write your resignation as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Brother Cowley was tried and DISFELLOWSHIPPED from the church, and that is what we are doing to all who take the law in their own hands."
[John M. Whitaker, Diary]
President Smith said, "Nichol I don't know your brother, I never remember of ever having seen him and if he said
such a thing to you, he is a liar and the truth is not in him. The man is not living, or the man is not dead that could say I ever gave my consent for any one to take a plural wife since the Manifesto." He then spent over an hour going over the history of cases in the church and then said: "We learned from reliable sources that John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley and others were writing and making appointments and were performing polygamous marriages in secret places and intercepted two letters written by John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley and I had them come here to my office and asked: "John W. Taylor, did you write this letter," (handing it to him, in which people were instructed to meet him in a certain secret place and he would marry them in polygamy). He said, "yes President Smith, that is my letter." the president then said, "if you wrote that letter, then sit down right here and write out your resignation as an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, right now." And John W. Taylor said, "I have the right to perform such marriages and I will not do anything of the kind." "All right then we will try you, and we tried him for overstepping his authority after the church said such things could not be done and we disfellowshipped him from the church." Then continuing to speak to Nichol Hood, President Smith said, "Brother Matthias F. Cowley did you write this letter," handing it to him, and he said, "Yes President Smith, that is my letter. (in it also were arrangements for certain people to meet him in a certain secret place and he would marry such people in polygamy.) "Then Brother Cowley, sit right down here and write your resignation as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Brother Cowley was tried and DISFELLOWSHIPPED from the church, and that is what we are doing to all who take the law in their own hands."
[John M. Whitaker, Diary]
125 years ago today - Oct 18, 1899; Wednesday
Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith were at the office.
...The sum of $41.25 was appropriated to pay the travelling expenses to Utah of Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, whose services in behalf of this community, as a newspaper correspondent and a prominent political leader, our friend judge [George C.] Bartch has been interesting himself to secure. The design is to have her write up the present situation in Utah as an offset to the misrepresentations and lying communications sent to Eastern papers and published throughout the country respecting the polygamous relations of the Mormon people; also to use her influence with prominent Republicans against the proposed constitutional amendment. The lady having signified her willingness to come, the amount named was appropriated to pay her expenses.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
...The sum of $41.25 was appropriated to pay the travelling expenses to Utah of Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, whose services in behalf of this community, as a newspaper correspondent and a prominent political leader, our friend judge [George C.] Bartch has been interesting himself to secure. The design is to have her write up the present situation in Utah as an offset to the misrepresentations and lying communications sent to Eastern papers and published throughout the country respecting the polygamous relations of the Mormon people; also to use her influence with prominent Republicans against the proposed constitutional amendment. The lady having signified her willingness to come, the amount named was appropriated to pay her expenses.
[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]
130 years ago today - Oct 18, 1894
[Apostle Francis M. Lyman]
I talked with Pres[ident] Snow upon the Word of Wisdom. He does not seem to look upon it so seriously as some of us do.
[Excerpts of Apostle Francis M. Lyman Diaries, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I talked with Pres[ident] Snow upon the Word of Wisdom. He does not seem to look upon it so seriously as some of us do.
[Excerpts of Apostle Francis M. Lyman Diaries, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
135 years ago today - Oct 18, 1889
After consideration Elder B[righam]. Young moved that the Endowment House be taken down, but that the Font with the dressing rooms be preserved for baptismal purposes. Sec[onde]d & carried. Pres[iden]t. Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon, moved that B[isho]p. R[obert]. T. Burton be instructed to emply 50 men and set them to work at places where their labor will not attract attention. sec[onde]d. & Carried.
[First Presidency Office Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[First Presidency Office Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
180 years ago today - 18 October 1844, Friday
[William Clayton]
Saturday 19th. ... Last night I dreamed I was in a nice building in a very pleasant place. I thought I was married to brother Cutlers youngest daughter & she seemed as happy as an angel and I felt full of joy and peace. I thought I had received Miss Cutler in addition to those I had already got. When I awoke I felt disappointed and felt to pray in my heart O God if it be thy will give me that women for a companion and my soul shall praise thee but they will be done and not mine ... Sister Booth tells me that Sara Ann is very unhappy and wants to see me she says Jane Charnock is perfectly unhappy and if there is any way she can be loosed she wants me to take her. Mary Aspen is ready to unite to me as her savior and sister Booth says she shall not risk her salvation in Roberts hands & wants me to interfere We had considerable conversation on many subjects and felt pretty well.
[Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries]
Saturday 19th. ... Last night I dreamed I was in a nice building in a very pleasant place. I thought I was married to brother Cutlers youngest daughter & she seemed as happy as an angel and I felt full of joy and peace. I thought I had received Miss Cutler in addition to those I had already got. When I awoke I felt disappointed and felt to pray in my heart O God if it be thy will give me that women for a companion and my soul shall praise thee but they will be done and not mine ... Sister Booth tells me that Sara Ann is very unhappy and wants to see me she says Jane Charnock is perfectly unhappy and if there is any way she can be loosed she wants me to take her. Mary Aspen is ready to unite to me as her savior and sister Booth says she shall not risk her salvation in Roberts hands & wants me to interfere We had considerable conversation on many subjects and felt pretty well.
[Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries]
25 years ago today - Oct 17, 1999
Jerold Ottley, conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for twenty-five years, conducts his last broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word.
135 years ago today - Thurs. Oct. 17th, 1889
[Apostle Abraham H. Cannon]
"Pres. W., Father, H.J. Grant, John W. Taylor and myself dressed in our robes, and President Woodruff prayed to open and Father in the circle. This is my first meeting with a prayer circle, and I felt the solemnity of the occasion."
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
"Pres. W., Father, H.J. Grant, John W. Taylor and myself dressed in our robes, and President Woodruff prayed to open and Father in the circle. This is my first meeting with a prayer circle, and I felt the solemnity of the occasion."
[Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
165 years ago today - Oct 17, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
I received a letter from G.A.S [George A. Smith] in Deseret Alphabet. Informed me there would be a Council with the Presidency Twelve, & the presidency of the Seventies in order to fill up those Quorums.
A man was shot through the head on saturday night. He was found dead in the morning.
I met with the Twelve in the evening at the upper room of the Historians office. The evening was spent in speaking upon the subjects of the Twelve keeping Gentiles Boarders of Having them associateing with our families. Elders E. T. Benson & F. D. Richards Both were keeping Boarders. They both expressed there willingness to dismiss there Boarders as soon as they Could without temperal loss to themselves.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I received a letter from G.A.S [George A. Smith] in Deseret Alphabet. Informed me there would be a Council with the Presidency Twelve, & the presidency of the Seventies in order to fill up those Quorums.
A man was shot through the head on saturday night. He was found dead in the morning.
I met with the Twelve in the evening at the upper room of the Historians office. The evening was spent in speaking upon the subjects of the Twelve keeping Gentiles Boarders of Having them associateing with our families. Elders E. T. Benson & F. D. Richards Both were keeping Boarders. They both expressed there willingness to dismiss there Boarders as soon as they Could without temperal loss to themselves.
[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 - Oct 17, 1849
Frontier editorial "Dancing" observes: "Among the Saints, it is regarded not only as a civil recreation, but a religious exercise when conducted by the sanction and under the government of the Church."
[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 )]]
190 years ago today - Oct 17, 1834
En route to Michigan. While on board the steamer Monroe, a man called Ellmer claimed to know about -"Joe Smith-" and insisted, even in the Prophet's presence, that Joseph Smith was a liar and that he was dead.
[BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu]
[BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu]
75 years ago today - Oct 16, 1949
[George Albert Smith]
[In a meeting with Lord Otani of Japan, head of a branch of the Buddhist Church in Japan with 60 million members:] I then presented to Lord and Lady Otani some tracts, a copy of The Book of Mormon, my own book, Sharing the Gospel with Others and a book What of the Mormons. They seemed very happy to receive these and made several favorable comments. They said we know that during and since the war there was and has been a great anti-Japanese feeling throughout the United States and other parts of the world, but in Utah this feeling has not existed, but there has been one of tolerance and charity and respect, and they are confident that this fine feeling and expression of brotherly love in Utah is a direct result of the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upon the people of that state.
[George Albert Smith 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]
[In a meeting with Lord Otani of Japan, head of a branch of the Buddhist Church in Japan with 60 million members:] I then presented to Lord and Lady Otani some tracts, a copy of The Book of Mormon, my own book, Sharing the Gospel with Others and a book What of the Mormons. They seemed very happy to receive these and made several favorable comments. They said we know that during and since the war there was and has been a great anti-Japanese feeling throughout the United States and other parts of the world, but in Utah this feeling has not existed, but there has been one of tolerance and charity and respect, and they are confident that this fine feeling and expression of brotherly love in Utah is a direct result of the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upon the people of that state.
[George Albert Smith Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
130 years ago today - Oct 16, 1894
[President Wilford Woodruff]
We had Meeting with several individuals among the rest Black Jane [Manning] wanted to know if I would not let her have her Endowments in the Temple. This I Could not do as it was against the Law of God. As Cain killed Abel All the seed of Cain would have to wait for Redemption untill all the seed that Abel would have had that may Come through other men Can be redeemed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
We had Meeting with several individuals among the rest Black Jane [Manning] wanted to know if I would not let her have her Endowments in the Temple. This I Could not do as it was against the Law of God. As Cain killed Abel All the seed of Cain would have to wait for Redemption untill all the seed that Abel would have had that may Come through other men Can be redeemed.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
145 years ago today - Oct 16, 1879
[Rudger Clawson]
Attends trial in Georgia of the three men accused of Standing's [a Mormon missionary] murder, resulting in verdict of not guilty.
[Larsen, Stan (editor), A Ministry of Meetings:The Apostolic Diaries of Rudger Clawson, Significant Mormon Diaries Series No. 6, A Rudger Clawson Chronology, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]
Attends trial in Georgia of the three men accused of Standing's [a Mormon missionary] murder, resulting in verdict of not guilty.
[Larsen, Stan (editor), A Ministry of Meetings:The Apostolic Diaries of Rudger Clawson, Significant Mormon Diaries Series No. 6, A Rudger Clawson Chronology, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]
155 years ago today - 1869. October 16
(William S. Godbe) : Disfellowshipped for "irregular attendance" at the School of the Prophets. Godbe and Harrison continued to argue for "the right of, respectfully but freely, discussing all measures upon which we are called to act. And, if we are cut off from this Church for asserting this right, while our standing is dear to us, we will suffer it to be taken from us sooner than resign the liberties of thought and speech to which the gospel entitles us." They were excommunicated within the week for "apostasy."
President George Q. Cannon editorialized in the Deseret News, "We could conceive of a man honestly differing in opinion from the authorities of the church and yet not be apostate; but we could not conceive of a man publishing those differences of opinion, and seeking by arguments, sophistry and special pleading to enforce them upon the people to produce division and strife, and to place the acts and counsels of the church, if possible, in a wrong light, and not be apostate; for such conduct was apostasy as we understood the term."
[Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
President George Q. Cannon editorialized in the Deseret News, "We could conceive of a man honestly differing in opinion from the authorities of the church and yet not be apostate; but we could not conceive of a man publishing those differences of opinion, and seeking by arguments, sophistry and special pleading to enforce them upon the people to produce division and strife, and to place the acts and counsels of the church, if possible, in a wrong light, and not be apostate; for such conduct was apostasy as we understood the term."
[Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Oct 16, 1844
[Letter: William Smith to Brigham Young]
[Regarding George J. Adams:] the mantle of the Prophet is upon him in his Place Joseph told me last Spring that Adams was ap[p]ointed in the place of Paul as one of the two witnesses raised up to do a great work in Jerusalem not however as one of the 12 but as the 13 apostle
[Letter: William Smith to Brigham Young]
[Regarding George J. Adams:] the mantle of the Prophet is upon him in his Place Joseph told me last Spring that Adams was ap[p]ointed in the place of Paul as one of the two witnesses raised up to do a great work in Jerusalem not however as one of the 12 but as the 13 apostle
[Letter: William Smith to Brigham Young]
40 years ago today - Oct 15, 1984
Steven F. Christensen is killed by Mark Hofmann.
[Palmyra Magic Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/palmyra-magic-timeline/]
[Palmyra Magic Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/palmyra-magic-timeline/]
65 years ago today - Oct 15, 1959
Howard W. Hunter is ordained an Apostle, replacing Henry D. Moyle, who had been called to the First Presidency.
180 years ago today - Oct 15, 1844
[Wilford Woodruff]
"I visited Lowel and held a meeting with the Lowell branch, It was rather a squally time dificulties appear to be rising in this quarter - some dissatisfaction, after I closed I was followed by Elder Wm Smith" (... it was on this day that all the men in the branch resigned from their priesthood offices, with the exception of [African-American] Elder Walker Lewis.)'
[Wilford Woodruff Journal as quoted in LDS (or related) Documents on Walker Lewis, the Lowell, Mass. Branch of the Mormon Church and its missionaries and members, and the Priesthood Ban against Blacks, Compiled by Connell O'Donovan, http://people.ucsc.edu/~odonovan/Mormon_Chronology.html]
"I visited Lowel and held a meeting with the Lowell branch, It was rather a squally time dificulties appear to be rising in this quarter - some dissatisfaction, after I closed I was followed by Elder Wm Smith" (... it was on this day that all the men in the branch resigned from their priesthood offices, with the exception of [African-American] Elder Walker Lewis.)'
[Wilford Woodruff Journal as quoted in LDS (or related) Documents on Walker Lewis, the Lowell, Mass. Branch of the Mormon Church and its missionaries and members, and the Priesthood Ban against Blacks, Compiled by Connell O'Donovan, http://people.ucsc.edu/~odonovan/Mormon_Chronology.html]
180 years ago today - Oct 15, 1844
Signey Rigdon returns to Pittsburgh, PA; 500 secessionists follow him.
[Mormon Chronology, N. R. Tidd, http://www.exmormon.org/mhistory.html]
[Mormon Chronology, N. R. Tidd, http://www.exmormon.org/mhistory.html]
185 years ago today - Oct 15, 1839
Joseph heads a hundred men from Far West to defend Saints at Di-Ahman
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
185 years ago today - Mid-Oct. 1839
King Follett, the last prisoner in Missouri, is finally freed.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
30 years ago today - Oct 14, 1994-Friday
[Leonard Arrington]
What's happening to Janice Allred is terrible. [[Janice Merrill Allred (1947-) was given a sentence of church "probation" on October 13, 1994, and excommunicated on May 9, 1995, for her publications on a heav- enly Mother. See Vern Anderson, "LDS Church Leaders to Decide Discipline for Feminist Writer," Salt Lake Tribune, Oct. 11, 1994; Lindholm, Latter-day Dissent, 131-55. Her hus- band, David D. Allred, taught physics at BYU.]] Mother of nine, a life-long active member and temple-goer, she faced a disciplinary council Wednesday night. Her daughter was married in the temple, she has one returned missionary son and a second in the MTC [Missionary Training Center]. She is far more orthodox than half the men in our High Priests Group. Yet because she published an article expressing some speculations the Brethren didn't like, she is called on the carpet. She thinks the Holy Ghost might be a woman. Terrible thought! Kill her! Anyway, they put her on probation for two weeks, told her
not to talk to anybody about anything, told her not to take the Sacrament, etc. etc. I don't know what we can do to help her; we are indignant, even angry, we express our sympathy, but what else can we do? The search for truth is going down the cracks. Express an opinion that one apostle doesn't like and you are out; that is, if you publish it.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
What's happening to Janice Allred is terrible. [[Janice Merrill Allred (1947-) was given a sentence of church "probation" on October 13, 1994, and excommunicated on May 9, 1995, for her publications on a heav- enly Mother. See Vern Anderson, "LDS Church Leaders to Decide Discipline for Feminist Writer," Salt Lake Tribune, Oct. 11, 1994; Lindholm, Latter-day Dissent, 131-55. Her hus- band, David D. Allred, taught physics at BYU.]] Mother of nine, a life-long active member and temple-goer, she faced a disciplinary council Wednesday night. Her daughter was married in the temple, she has one returned missionary son and a second in the MTC [Missionary Training Center]. She is far more orthodox than half the men in our High Priests Group. Yet because she published an article expressing some speculations the Brethren didn't like, she is called on the carpet. She thinks the Holy Ghost might be a woman. Terrible thought! Kill her! Anyway, they put her on probation for two weeks, told her
not to talk to anybody about anything, told her not to take the Sacrament, etc. etc. I don't know what we can do to help her; we are indignant, even angry, we express our sympathy, but what else can we do? The search for truth is going down the cracks. Express an opinion that one apostle doesn't like and you are out; that is, if you publish it.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
50 years ago today - Oct 14, 1974
[Leonard J. Arrington]
Packer writes a four-page letter to the First Presidency about inappropriate material in Brigham Young's Letters to His Sons: (1) the use of tobacco and (2) conflict over Young's will. Hunter informs him that the letter should have come to him and was a breach of church protocol, but Packer becomes more outspoken in opposing publication of any uncomplimentary details about church history.
[Chronology, in Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, chronology by Joseph Geisner, and Lavina Fielding Anderson]
Packer writes a four-page letter to the First Presidency about inappropriate material in Brigham Young's Letters to His Sons: (1) the use of tobacco and (2) conflict over Young's will. Hunter informs him that the letter should have come to him and was a breach of church protocol, but Packer becomes more outspoken in opposing publication of any uncomplimentary details about church history.
[Chronology, in Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, chronology by Joseph Geisner, and Lavina Fielding Anderson]
75 years ago today - Oct 14, 1949
[Spencer W. Kimball]
Had interviews with Pres. Clark and Pres. Smith on various important matters. Pres. Clark said he had read my doctor's certificate and he urged me to take an hour off every day to rest and some days off every once in a while to keep caught up with my health conditions. He was very kind but quite insistent. Later on he told Camilla as he passed her in the hall, how important they felt it was that I should take care of myself and not have recurrences of my heart affection.
[Spencer W. Kimball 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]
Had interviews with Pres. Clark and Pres. Smith on various important matters. Pres. Clark said he had read my doctor's certificate and he urged me to take an hour off every day to rest and some days off every once in a while to keep caught up with my health conditions. He was very kind but quite insistent. Later on he told Camilla as he passed her in the hall, how important they felt it was that I should take care of myself and not have recurrences of my heart affection.
[Spencer W. Kimball 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]
115 years ago today - Oct 14, 1909
"The [First] Presidency read the article on the origin of man written by O.F. Whitney... As it will go out under our names the Presidency made a few changes." Published in Nov., the statement responds to the theory of organic evolution by affirming that Adam was the first man and progenitor of the human race. The statement does not deny the possibility of biological evolution preceding Adam. Its author believes in reincarnation.
[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 - Oct 14, 1899
Salt Lake County attorney declines to issue warrant for President Lorenzo Snow due to insufficient evidence of unlawful cohabitation.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
140 years ago today - Tuesday, Oct 14, 1884
[Law of Adoption - Apostle John Henry Smith]
Liverpool
I received a letter from Clarence Merrill yesterday asking me to permit his Father to be adopted into my Fathers family. I wrote to him, yes!
[Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith]
Liverpool
I received a letter from Clarence Merrill yesterday asking me to permit his Father to be adopted into my Fathers family. I wrote to him, yes!
[Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith]
175 years ago today - Oct 14, 1849 (Evening)
[Brigham Young]
When 8 or 12 went into England we took same course [as preceding missionaries] - we were there one year and sixteen days - we baptized about 8000 persons - it spread from one end to other of England ...
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; Leonard J. Arrington Papers, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.. (A reference reading LJA 12-55-5, 10, means LJA Series 12, Box 55, Folder 5, page 10.) 9-12-5, 57-59 as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
When 8 or 12 went into England we took same course [as preceding missionaries] - we were there one year and sixteen days - we baptized about 8000 persons - it spread from one end to other of England ...
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, LJA; Thomas Bullock—LDS Church Reporter, 1844-56.C, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; GCM, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah..; Leonard J. Arrington Papers, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.. (A reference reading LJA 12-55-5, 10, means LJA Series 12, Box 55, Folder 5, page 10.) 9-12-5, 57-59 as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
180 years ago today - Oct 14. [1844]
[Brigham Young]
Went away in company with Elders H. C. Kimball and P. P. Pratt the distance of two hundred miles and located another place of gathering for the saints of God in a short time, but Nauvoo will be the head stake for the Saints to come to and receive their endowment, their anointings, washings &c &c in the house of the Lord which he has commanded to be built unto his holy name; there will also be many more stakes or places of gathering for the Saints of God.
[Brigham Young Journal # 4 in the handwriting of: William Clayton, Evan Greene, John D. Lee, Willard Richards. First person account kept by others. 'Lieut. Genl Brigham Young's Journal 1844']
Went away in company with Elders H. C. Kimball and P. P. Pratt the distance of two hundred miles and located another place of gathering for the saints of God in a short time, but Nauvoo will be the head stake for the Saints to come to and receive their endowment, their anointings, washings &c &c in the house of the Lord which he has commanded to be built unto his holy name; there will also be many more stakes or places of gathering for the Saints of God.
[Brigham Young Journal # 4 in the handwriting of: William Clayton, Evan Greene, John D. Lee, Willard Richards. First person account kept by others. 'Lieut. Genl Brigham Young's Journal 1844']
180 years ago today - Oct 14, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
I spent the night at Br Phelps, And dreamed of being in the midst of rattle snakes. I had power to kill them. A few nights previous I saw a monster of a serpent. Tried to kill me but had no power.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I spent the night at Br Phelps, And dreamed of being in the midst of rattle snakes. I had power to kill them. A few nights previous I saw a monster of a serpent. Tried to kill me but had no power.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
190 years ago today - 1834 14 Oct.
Joseph Smith is defeated in his first attempt for elective office, coroner of Kirtland.
[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]
65 years ago today - Oct 13, 1959
Marie Osmond, later an entertainer, musician, and member of the famous Osmond family performing group, is born in Ogden, Utah.
145 years ago today - Oct 13, 1879
[J. L. Traughber]
"I personally heard him [David Whitmer] state, in January, 1877 [1876], in his own house in Richmond, Ray county, Mo., in most positive language, that he did truly see, in broad day-light, a bright and most beautiful being, an `angel from heaven,' who did hold in his hands the golden plates, which he turned over leaf by leaf, explaining the contents here and there." I have heard the same from the mouth of Father Whitmer, more than once; and every time I ever heard him tell the particulars of that glorious scene, he always told it just the same; and as far as I have ever heard, from reliable witnesses, he has always told the same story--"straight as a nail." Had Elder Smith stopped at the end of the above quoted sentence, I would have had no ground for bringing his name into this article; but he did not. He further adds: "He also described the size and general appearance of the plates, and he further said that he saw Joseph translate, by the aid of Urim and Thummim, time and again,
and he then produced a large pile of foolscap paper closely written in a very fair hand, which he declared was the manuscript written mainly by Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, as the translation was being read by the aid of the Urim and Thummim of the characters on the plates by Joseph Smith, which work of translation and transcription he frequently saw." I, too, have seen the "manuscripts" and examined them. I, too, have heard Father Whitmer say that he was present many times while Joseph was translating; but I never heard him say that the translation was made by aid of Urim and Thummim; but in every case, and his testimony is always the same, he declared that Joseph first offered prayer, then took a dark colored, opaque stone, called a "seer-stone," and placed it in the crown of his hat, then put his face into the hat, and read the translation as it appeared before him. This was the daily method of procedure, as I have often heard Father Whitmer declare; and, as it is
generally agreed to by parties who know the facts, that a considerable portion of the work of translation was performed in a room of his father's house, where he then resided, there can be no doubt but what Father David Whitmer is a competent witness of the manner of translating. I am aware of the fact that the "Urim and Thummim" story has long been foisted upon the world as the true account of the origin of the Book of Mormon; but the times demand, and, the interest of truth demands, that the truth should be told. We need not be afraid of truth; and I greatly doubt if anybody will be ultimately benefitted by the perpetuation of a falsehood, which was invented for the purpose of gaining prestige, in the minds of the people, for ambitious leaders. The proofs are clear and positive that the story of Urim and Thummim Translation does not date back, for its origin, further than 1833, or, between that date and 1835; for it is not found in any printed document of the Church of Christ up
to the latter part of the year 1833, or the year 1834. The "Book of Commandments" to the Church of Christ, published in Independence, Mo., in 1833, does not contain any allusion to Urim and Thummim; though the term was inserted in some of the revelations in their reprint in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835. Who originated the Urim and Thummim story, I do not know; but this I do know, that it is not found in the first printed book of revelations to the Church of Christ, and there is other testimony to show that it is not true. It is proper to notice what it is claimed the Urim and Thummim was. P[arley]. P. and O[rson]. Pratt both say it was an instrument composed of two clear or transparent stones set in the two rims of a bow. It is also confounded with the "Interpreters," which were shaped something like a pair of ordinary spectacles, though larger. .... The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face
into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word, while the scribe--Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other, wrote it down." ...
J. L. TRAUGHBER, JR., MANDEVILLE, Mo., Oct. 13, 1879.
[J. L. Traughber to Editor, 13 October 1879, Saints' Herald 26 (15 November 1879): 341., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: J. L. Traughber To Saints' Herald]
"I personally heard him [David Whitmer] state, in January, 1877 [1876], in his own house in Richmond, Ray county, Mo., in most positive language, that he did truly see, in broad day-light, a bright and most beautiful being, an `angel from heaven,' who did hold in his hands the golden plates, which he turned over leaf by leaf, explaining the contents here and there." I have heard the same from the mouth of Father Whitmer, more than once; and every time I ever heard him tell the particulars of that glorious scene, he always told it just the same; and as far as I have ever heard, from reliable witnesses, he has always told the same story--"straight as a nail." Had Elder Smith stopped at the end of the above quoted sentence, I would have had no ground for bringing his name into this article; but he did not. He further adds: "He also described the size and general appearance of the plates, and he further said that he saw Joseph translate, by the aid of Urim and Thummim, time and again,
and he then produced a large pile of foolscap paper closely written in a very fair hand, which he declared was the manuscript written mainly by Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, as the translation was being read by the aid of the Urim and Thummim of the characters on the plates by Joseph Smith, which work of translation and transcription he frequently saw." I, too, have seen the "manuscripts" and examined them. I, too, have heard Father Whitmer say that he was present many times while Joseph was translating; but I never heard him say that the translation was made by aid of Urim and Thummim; but in every case, and his testimony is always the same, he declared that Joseph first offered prayer, then took a dark colored, opaque stone, called a "seer-stone," and placed it in the crown of his hat, then put his face into the hat, and read the translation as it appeared before him. This was the daily method of procedure, as I have often heard Father Whitmer declare; and, as it is
generally agreed to by parties who know the facts, that a considerable portion of the work of translation was performed in a room of his father's house, where he then resided, there can be no doubt but what Father David Whitmer is a competent witness of the manner of translating. I am aware of the fact that the "Urim and Thummim" story has long been foisted upon the world as the true account of the origin of the Book of Mormon; but the times demand, and, the interest of truth demands, that the truth should be told. We need not be afraid of truth; and I greatly doubt if anybody will be ultimately benefitted by the perpetuation of a falsehood, which was invented for the purpose of gaining prestige, in the minds of the people, for ambitious leaders. The proofs are clear and positive that the story of Urim and Thummim Translation does not date back, for its origin, further than 1833, or, between that date and 1835; for it is not found in any printed document of the Church of Christ up
to the latter part of the year 1833, or the year 1834. The "Book of Commandments" to the Church of Christ, published in Independence, Mo., in 1833, does not contain any allusion to Urim and Thummim; though the term was inserted in some of the revelations in their reprint in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835. Who originated the Urim and Thummim story, I do not know; but this I do know, that it is not found in the first printed book of revelations to the Church of Christ, and there is other testimony to show that it is not true. It is proper to notice what it is claimed the Urim and Thummim was. P[arley]. P. and O[rson]. Pratt both say it was an instrument composed of two clear or transparent stones set in the two rims of a bow. It is also confounded with the "Interpreters," which were shaped something like a pair of ordinary spectacles, though larger. .... The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face
into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word, while the scribe--Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other, wrote it down." ...
J. L. TRAUGHBER, JR., MANDEVILLE, Mo., Oct. 13, 1879.
[J. L. Traughber to Editor, 13 October 1879, Saints' Herald 26 (15 November 1879): 341., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: J. L. Traughber To Saints' Herald]
145 years ago today - Oct 13, 1879
--In the Saints' Herald of April 15th, 1879, I notice an article from the pen of Elder T. W. Smith ... in which article the writer makes mention of the testimony of David Whitmer, as published in the Chicago Times, in 1875, and further says: "I personally heard him state, in January, 1877 [1876], in his own house in Richmond, Ray county, Mo., in most positive language, that he did truly see, in broad day-light, a bright and most beautiful being, an `angel from heaven,' who did hold in his hands the golden plates, which he turned over leaf by leaf, explaining the contents here and there." I have heard the same from the mouth of Father Whitmer, more than once; and every time I ever heard him tell the particulars of that glorious scene, he always told it just the same; and as far as I have ever heard, from reliable witnesses, he has always told the same story--"straight as a nail." Had Elder Smith stopped at the end of the above quoted sentence, I would have had no ground for
bringing his name into this article; but he did not. He further adds: "He also described the size and general appearance of the plates, and he further said that he saw Joseph translate, by the aid of Urim and Thummim, time and again, and he then produced a large pile of foolscap paper closely written in a very fair hand, which he declared was the manuscript written mainly by Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, as the translation was being read by the aid of the Urim and Thummim of the characters on the plates by Joseph Smith, which work of translation and transcription he frequently saw." I, too, have seen the "manuscripts" and examined them. I, too, have heard Father Whitmer say that he was present many times while Joseph was translating; but I never heard him say that the translation was made by aid of Urim and Thummim; but in every case, and his testimony is always the same, he declared that Joseph first offered prayer, then took a dark colored, opaque stone, called a
"seer-stone," and placed it in the crown of his hat, then put his face into the hat, and read the translation as it appeared before him. This was the daily method of procedure, as I have often heard Father Whitmer declare; and, as it is generally agreed to by parties who know the facts, that a considerable portion of the work of translation was performed in a room of his father's house, where he then resided, there can be no doubt but what Father David Whitmer is a competent witness of the manner of translating. I am aware of the fact that the "Urim and Thummim" story has long been foisted upon the world as the true account of the origin of the Book of Mormon; but the times demand, and, the interest of truth demands, that the truth should be told. We need not be afraid of truth; and I greatly doubt if anybody will be ultimately benefitted by the perpetuation of a falsehood, which was invented for the purpose of gaining prestige, in the minds of the people, for ambitious leaders.
The proofs are clear and positive that the story of Urim and Thummim Translation does not date back, for its origin, further than 1833, or, between that date and 1835; for it is not found in any printed document of the Church of Christ up to the latter part of the year 1833, or the year 1834. The "Book of Commandments" to the Church of Christ, published in Independence, Mo., in 1833, does not contain any allusion to Urim and Thummim; though the term was inserted in some of the revelations in their reprint in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835. Who originated the Urim and Thummim story, I do not know; but this I do know, that it is not found in the first printed book of revelations to the Church of Christ, and there is other testimony to show that it is not true. It is proper to notice what it is claimed the Urim and Thummim was. P[arley]. P. and O[rson]. Pratt both say it was an instrument composed of two clear or transparent stones set in the two rims of a bow. It
is also confounded with the "Interpreters," which were shaped something like a pair of ordinary spectacles, though larger. .... The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word, while the scribe--Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other, wrote it down." ...
J. L. TRAUGHBER, JR., MANDEVILLE, Mo., Oct. 13, 1879.
[J. L. Traughber to Editor, 13 October 1879, Saints' Herald 26 (15 November 1879): 341., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: J. L. Traughber To Saints' Herald]
bringing his name into this article; but he did not. He further adds: "He also described the size and general appearance of the plates, and he further said that he saw Joseph translate, by the aid of Urim and Thummim, time and again, and he then produced a large pile of foolscap paper closely written in a very fair hand, which he declared was the manuscript written mainly by Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, as the translation was being read by the aid of the Urim and Thummim of the characters on the plates by Joseph Smith, which work of translation and transcription he frequently saw." I, too, have seen the "manuscripts" and examined them. I, too, have heard Father Whitmer say that he was present many times while Joseph was translating; but I never heard him say that the translation was made by aid of Urim and Thummim; but in every case, and his testimony is always the same, he declared that Joseph first offered prayer, then took a dark colored, opaque stone, called a
"seer-stone," and placed it in the crown of his hat, then put his face into the hat, and read the translation as it appeared before him. This was the daily method of procedure, as I have often heard Father Whitmer declare; and, as it is generally agreed to by parties who know the facts, that a considerable portion of the work of translation was performed in a room of his father's house, where he then resided, there can be no doubt but what Father David Whitmer is a competent witness of the manner of translating. I am aware of the fact that the "Urim and Thummim" story has long been foisted upon the world as the true account of the origin of the Book of Mormon; but the times demand, and, the interest of truth demands, that the truth should be told. We need not be afraid of truth; and I greatly doubt if anybody will be ultimately benefitted by the perpetuation of a falsehood, which was invented for the purpose of gaining prestige, in the minds of the people, for ambitious leaders.
The proofs are clear and positive that the story of Urim and Thummim Translation does not date back, for its origin, further than 1833, or, between that date and 1835; for it is not found in any printed document of the Church of Christ up to the latter part of the year 1833, or the year 1834. The "Book of Commandments" to the Church of Christ, published in Independence, Mo., in 1833, does not contain any allusion to Urim and Thummim; though the term was inserted in some of the revelations in their reprint in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants" in 1835. Who originated the Urim and Thummim story, I do not know; but this I do know, that it is not found in the first printed book of revelations to the Church of Christ, and there is other testimony to show that it is not true. It is proper to notice what it is claimed the Urim and Thummim was. P[arley]. P. and O[rson]. Pratt both say it was an instrument composed of two clear or transparent stones set in the two rims of a bow. It
is also confounded with the "Interpreters," which were shaped something like a pair of ordinary spectacles, though larger. .... The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word, while the scribe--Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other, wrote it down." ...
J. L. TRAUGHBER, JR., MANDEVILLE, Mo., Oct. 13, 1879.
[J. L. Traughber to Editor, 13 October 1879, Saints' Herald 26 (15 November 1879): 341., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: J. L. Traughber To Saints' Herald]
175 years ago today - Oct 13, 1849
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
.... I sent A Copy of the New York Herraid Weekly of Oct 13 to Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, Allexander Badlam, & Joseph Russell. This Paper Contained An account of the Saints organizing themselves into An Independent Sovreign State called the state of Deseret And appointing their Govornor & other officers. Brigham Young was Elected Governor. This is certainly an important erie in the History of the Church & kingdom of God.
... they now find us organized into a State Government holding in our hands the Key of the North American Continant And that we will not die but live & rise up in the midst of all our oppressions ...
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
.... I sent A Copy of the New York Herraid Weekly of Oct 13 to Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, Allexander Badlam, & Joseph Russell. This Paper Contained An account of the Saints organizing themselves into An Independent Sovreign State called the state of Deseret And appointing their Govornor & other officers. Brigham Young was Elected Governor. This is certainly an important erie in the History of the Church & kingdom of God.
... they now find us organized into a State Government holding in our hands the Key of the North American Continant And that we will not die but live & rise up in the midst of all our oppressions ...
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
90 years ago today - Oct 11, 1934
[President Heber J. Grant]
At ten o'clock attended the regular weekly Council meeting of the Presidency and Twelve. I blessed Brother Clark and ordained him an Apostle and set him apart as one of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. I then blessed Brother McKay and set him apart to be my second counselor, and ordained Alonzo A. Hinckley an Apostle and set him apart as a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. I first gave an extended talk to Brother Hinckley as to his duties in coming into the Council of the Presidency and the Twelve. He replied, accepting all of the obligations.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
At ten o'clock attended the regular weekly Council meeting of the Presidency and Twelve. I blessed Brother Clark and ordained him an Apostle and set him apart as one of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. I then blessed Brother McKay and set him apart to be my second counselor, and ordained Alonzo A. Hinckley an Apostle and set him apart as a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. I first gave an extended talk to Brother Hinckley as to his duties in coming into the Council of the Presidency and the Twelve. He replied, accepting all of the obligations.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
175 years ago today - Oct 11, 1849
Henry Bigler writes in his diary, "It fills me with sorrow to think of leaving, for I am attached to this place and this people, for they are my brothers and sisters and my friends, and it was with considerable struggle with my feelings that I consented to go." Bigler has been called by Brigham Young to fulfill a mission to California and mine for gold.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
185 years ago today - Oct 11, 1839
[Brigham Young]
We travelled eight miles, and put up with Father Draper for the night. When we went into the house, Brother George A. Smith dropped on to the hearth a bottle containing some tonic bitters, which the brethren had prepared for us because of our sickness. At this Father Draper was very much astonished, and said "You are a pretty set of Apostles, to be carrying a bottle of whiskey with you." We explained to him what it was; this appeased his righteous soul, so that he consented to have us stay over the night.
...In the course of the evening Brother Kimball became very ill. The doctor said he could give him something that would help him, but the old man was so drunk he did not know what he did do, and he gave Brother Kimball a tablespoonful of morphine. His wife saw him pour it out, but dare not say a word, but believed it would kill Brother Kimball. A few minutes after he took it, he straightened up in his chair, and said he felt very strange, and thought he would lie down; and on his making a motion to go to bed, he fell his length upon the floor. I sprang to him, rolled him over on his back, and put a pillow under his head, and began to inquire what the doctor had given him. I learned he had given him morphine. Brother Kimball soon came to, and spoke faintly and said, "Don't be scared, for I shan't die." We got him on the bed, and I nursed him through the night. I changed his underclothing five times, and washed him previous to changing his clothes. I found him covered with
sweat, at first like thin honey. This gradually wore out towards morning, and he sweat naturally. He was scarcely able to speak, so as to be understood, through the night. ...
[Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
We travelled eight miles, and put up with Father Draper for the night. When we went into the house, Brother George A. Smith dropped on to the hearth a bottle containing some tonic bitters, which the brethren had prepared for us because of our sickness. At this Father Draper was very much astonished, and said "You are a pretty set of Apostles, to be carrying a bottle of whiskey with you." We explained to him what it was; this appeased his righteous soul, so that he consented to have us stay over the night.
...In the course of the evening Brother Kimball became very ill. The doctor said he could give him something that would help him, but the old man was so drunk he did not know what he did do, and he gave Brother Kimball a tablespoonful of morphine. His wife saw him pour it out, but dare not say a word, but believed it would kill Brother Kimball. A few minutes after he took it, he straightened up in his chair, and said he felt very strange, and thought he would lie down; and on his making a motion to go to bed, he fell his length upon the floor. I sprang to him, rolled him over on his back, and put a pillow under his head, and began to inquire what the doctor had given him. I learned he had given him morphine. Brother Kimball soon came to, and spoke faintly and said, "Don't be scared, for I shan't die." We got him on the bed, and I nursed him through the night. I changed his underclothing five times, and washed him previous to changing his clothes. I found him covered with
sweat, at first like thin honey. This gradually wore out towards morning, and he sweat naturally. He was scarcely able to speak, so as to be understood, through the night. ...
[Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
90 years ago today - Oct 10, 1934
The First Presidency and newly appointed apostle Alonzo A. Hinckley agree that Heber J. Grant should ask Los Angeles stake president Leo J. Muir to "stop working for [Upton] Sinclair," the Socialist Party candidate for California governor. Grant publicly opposes Sinclair's election.
[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 - Oct 10, 1934
First Presidency and newly apointed apostle Alonzo A. Hinckley agree that Heber J. Grant should ask Los Angeles stake president Leo J. Muir to "stop working for [Upton] Sinclair," Socialist Party candidate for California governor. Grant publicly opposes Sinclair's election.
95 years ago today - Oct 10, 1929
[George Albert Smith et al., Letter to Rudger Clawson and Members of the Council of Apostles]
The sub-committee of the Council of the Apostles appointed to read the manuscript written by Elder B. H. Roberts entitled, THE TRUTH, THE WAY, THE LIFE, makes the following report:
. ... The members of the committee regret to say that there are some objectionable doctrines advanced which are of a speculative nature and appear to be out of harmony with the revelations of the Lord and the fundamental teachings of the Church. Among the outstanding doctrines to which objection is made are: The doctrine that there were races on the earth before Adam; That Adam was a translated being who came to this earth subject to death, and therefore, did not bring death upon himself and his posterity through the fall; That Adam was placed on the earth when the earth was in a desolate condition and before any other life, belonging to the 'dispensation of Adam' was on the earth; That all life preceding Adam was swept off, even to the fishes of the sea, by some great cataclysm so that a new start had to be made; That Go the Father is is still discovering hidden laws and truth which he does not know, but which are eternal.
The members of the committee met with Brother Roberts on two or three occasions and discussed these matters with hm, making the request that he eliminate from his work these objectionable features, but this Brother Roberts has refused to do. At the last interview with hm, he informed the committee that if he could not adjust matters and therefore did not obtain the approval of the committee, he would, perhaps, at some future time publish the work on his own responsibility.
The committee, therefore, recommends to the Council of the Twelve that a report of it findings be laid before the First presidency, with the recommendation that in its present form, the manuscript be not published.
Very respectfully submitted, P.S. a list of objections is here attached. ...
[George Albert Smith et al., Letter to Rudger Clawson and Members of the Council of Apostles, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
The sub-committee of the Council of the Apostles appointed to read the manuscript written by Elder B. H. Roberts entitled, THE TRUTH, THE WAY, THE LIFE, makes the following report:
. ... The members of the committee regret to say that there are some objectionable doctrines advanced which are of a speculative nature and appear to be out of harmony with the revelations of the Lord and the fundamental teachings of the Church. Among the outstanding doctrines to which objection is made are: The doctrine that there were races on the earth before Adam; That Adam was a translated being who came to this earth subject to death, and therefore, did not bring death upon himself and his posterity through the fall; That Adam was placed on the earth when the earth was in a desolate condition and before any other life, belonging to the 'dispensation of Adam' was on the earth; That all life preceding Adam was swept off, even to the fishes of the sea, by some great cataclysm so that a new start had to be made; That Go the Father is is still discovering hidden laws and truth which he does not know, but which are eternal.
The members of the committee met with Brother Roberts on two or three occasions and discussed these matters with hm, making the request that he eliminate from his work these objectionable features, but this Brother Roberts has refused to do. At the last interview with hm, he informed the committee that if he could not adjust matters and therefore did not obtain the approval of the committee, he would, perhaps, at some future time publish the work on his own responsibility.
The committee, therefore, recommends to the Council of the Twelve that a report of it findings be laid before the First presidency, with the recommendation that in its present form, the manuscript be not published.
Very respectfully submitted, P.S. a list of objections is here attached. ...
[George Albert Smith et al., Letter to Rudger Clawson and Members of the Council of Apostles, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
125 years ago today - Oct 10, 1899
[J. Golden Kimball]
Was told by Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman that some women thought I was a tyrant because of my speech on Sunday and he replied that he knew of no man that was more completely run by his wife. This was not true, and was not appreciated, notwithstanding it was spoken by one of the Apostles. Lyman is jealous & hit me in a tender spot. His friendship I do not count on.
[J. Golden Kimball, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Was told by Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman that some women thought I was a tyrant because of my speech on Sunday and he replied that he knew of no man that was more completely run by his wife. This was not true, and was not appreciated, notwithstanding it was spoken by one of the Apostles. Lyman is jealous & hit me in a tender spot. His friendship I do not count on.
[J. Golden Kimball, Diary, 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 - Oct 10, 1864
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
The remainder of Zions Camp had a meeting for the first time since their travels to Mo. in 1834, when they went up to redeem Zion. We met in the Social Hall being over fifty of the original 205. It was the most interesting Party I ever attended. ... . President Young in his speech said that if that Company behaved vary well they should be the first Company Chosen to go back to Jackson County. We had a vary interesting time.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The remainder of Zions Camp had a meeting for the first time since their travels to Mo. in 1834, when they went up to redeem Zion. We met in the Social Hall being over fifty of the original 205. It was the most interesting Party I ever attended. ... . President Young in his speech said that if that Company behaved vary well they should be the first Company Chosen to go back to Jackson County. We had a vary interesting time.
[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 - Oct 10, 1844
Brigham Young marries Diana Chase, aged 17
[Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]
[Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]
125 years ago today - Monday, Oct 9, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson]
.... Pres. Snow. Second anointings to be given to faithful brethren. It is not necessary, he said, to wait until they are ready to drop into their graves. ...
[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]
.... Pres. Snow. Second anointings to be given to faithful brethren. It is not necessary, he said, to wait until they are ready to drop into their graves. ...
[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]
135 years ago today - Oct 9, 1889
Salt Lake stake high council excommunicates an elder for having a local bishop perform an unauthorized plural marriage for him four years earlier. Stake authorities had not authorized the marriage because the youn woman has "negro blood in her veins." The first counselor says her father is "about 1/6 Nigger from his appearance."
[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 )]]
135 years ago today - Oct 9, 1889
[Apostle Heber J. Grant]
I find that in reading over what I have written regarding the conference meetings that I have neglected to state that at the Priesthood meeting, Oct 5th, that was held Saturday night that among other things, that Prest. Woodruff spoke of there having been a number of baptisms for the dead in the river and that it was afterwards [sic] revealed to the Prophet that this was not proper and that these would have to be done over in a House of the Lord. He said that there were many things revealed to the Prophet that were not fully understood and that these were changed when there was more light came [sic]. The Prophet had said that little children would grow after the resurrection, this statement was made after he had said that there would be no growth after the resurrection. It was revealed to the Prophet that we would rise as we were laid down. He had seen children on thrones and he had concluded that there would be no growth until it had been revealed to him that this was not the
case. I was pleased to have the President make these remarks as there are so many of the people that have felt badly on account of thinking that their little ones would not grow after they had passed away.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I find that in reading over what I have written regarding the conference meetings that I have neglected to state that at the Priesthood meeting, Oct 5th, that was held Saturday night that among other things, that Prest. Woodruff spoke of there having been a number of baptisms for the dead in the river and that it was afterwards [sic] revealed to the Prophet that this was not proper and that these would have to be done over in a House of the Lord. He said that there were many things revealed to the Prophet that were not fully understood and that these were changed when there was more light came [sic]. The Prophet had said that little children would grow after the resurrection, this statement was made after he had said that there would be no growth after the resurrection. It was revealed to the Prophet that we would rise as we were laid down. He had seen children on thrones and he had concluded that there would be no growth until it had been revealed to him that this was not the
case. I was pleased to have the President make these remarks as there are so many of the people that have felt badly on account of thinking that their little ones would not grow after they had passed away.
[Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
140 years ago today - Oct 9, 1884
Last time Council of Fifty formally convenes; its last surviving member dies in 1945.
140 years ago today - Thursday, Oct 9, 1884
[Abraham H. Cannon]
At 10 a.m. I attended a meeting in the Social Hall with S[eymour] B. Young, John W. Taylor and John Q. [Cannon], and was introduced to [the Council of] 50. "The Kingdom of God and its laws, and the keys thereof and judgment in the hands of His servants, Ahman Christ."
[This is last time the Council of Fifty formally convenes. Its last surviving member dies in 1945.]
[Abraham H. Cannon diary, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
At 10 a.m. I attended a meeting in the Social Hall with S[eymour] B. Young, John W. Taylor and John Q. [Cannon], and was introduced to [the Council of] 50. "The Kingdom of God and its laws, and the keys thereof and judgment in the hands of His servants, Ahman Christ."
[This is last time the Council of Fifty formally convenes. Its last surviving member dies in 1945.]
[Abraham H. Cannon diary, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
155 years ago today - Oct 9, 1869
George A. Smith writes to his cousin, Joseph Smith III, identifying nine plural wives of Joseph Smith.
[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)]
160 years ago today - Oct 9, 1864 (Afternoon, Conference)
[Brigham Young Sermon]
President Brigham Young adverted to the subjects of Prophets in Israel, and remarked that nearly every man who had spoken during the conference had prophesied, and so it would be if a hundred others were to speak, and he would be glad if all the Lord's people were prophets.
[The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
President Brigham Young adverted to the subjects of Prophets in Israel, and remarked that nearly every man who had spoken during the conference had prophesied, and so it would be if a hundred others were to speak, and he would be glad if all the Lord's people were prophets.
[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 - Oct 9, 1859 (Morning, Conference)
[Brigham Young Sermon]
I shall address you this morning upon a subject that is more interesting to me than any other pertaining to the life of man. It is a subject of deep study and research, and has been from age to age among the reflecting and philosophical portions of the human family. ... If the inhabitants of the earth thoroughly understood their own being, their views, feelings, faith, and affections would be very different from what they now are. ... . When people have secured to themselves eternal life, they are where they can understand the true character of their Father and God, and the object of the creation, fall, and redemption of man after the creation of this world. ... Shall I say that the seeds of vegetables were planted here by the Characters that framed and built this world'"that the seeds of every plant composing the vegetable kingdom were brought from another world? ... Here let me state to all philosophers of every class upon the earth, When you tell me that father Adam was made as
we make adobies from the earth, you tell me what I deem an idle tale. ... Mankind are here because they are the offspring of parents who were first brought here from another planet, and power was given them to propagate their species, and they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. ... The Being whom we call Father was the Father of the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was also his Father pertaining to the flesh. ... You read about a first resurrection. If there is a first, there is a second. And if a second, may there not be a third, and a fourth, and so on? Yes; ... From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are'"I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent. He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation'"the keys to rule in the
spirit-world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit-world. He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will exclaim'"'"Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!'" But it is true. ... I told you that the doctrine of election and reprobation is a true doctrine... Adam ... has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was foreordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation, as much so as Pharaoh was fore-ordained to be a wicked man, or as was Jesus to be the Saviour of the world because he was the oldest son in the family. ... The whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt the intelligences that are
placed upon it, that they may live, endure, and increase for ever and ever. ... Adam and Eve are the parents of all pertaining to the flesh, and I would not say that they are not also the parents of our spirits. You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race'"that they should be the '"servant of servants;'" and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the
Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree. How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, and they never can hold the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam's children are brought up to that favourable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the Priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion.
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 7:282-291; Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra, Salt Lake City as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
I shall address you this morning upon a subject that is more interesting to me than any other pertaining to the life of man. It is a subject of deep study and research, and has been from age to age among the reflecting and philosophical portions of the human family. ... If the inhabitants of the earth thoroughly understood their own being, their views, feelings, faith, and affections would be very different from what they now are. ... . When people have secured to themselves eternal life, they are where they can understand the true character of their Father and God, and the object of the creation, fall, and redemption of man after the creation of this world. ... Shall I say that the seeds of vegetables were planted here by the Characters that framed and built this world'"that the seeds of every plant composing the vegetable kingdom were brought from another world? ... Here let me state to all philosophers of every class upon the earth, When you tell me that father Adam was made as
we make adobies from the earth, you tell me what I deem an idle tale. ... Mankind are here because they are the offspring of parents who were first brought here from another planet, and power was given them to propagate their species, and they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. ... The Being whom we call Father was the Father of the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was also his Father pertaining to the flesh. ... You read about a first resurrection. If there is a first, there is a second. And if a second, may there not be a third, and a fourth, and so on? Yes; ... From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are'"I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent. He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation'"the keys to rule in the
spirit-world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit-world. He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will exclaim'"'"Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!'" But it is true. ... I told you that the doctrine of election and reprobation is a true doctrine... Adam ... has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was foreordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation, as much so as Pharaoh was fore-ordained to be a wicked man, or as was Jesus to be the Saviour of the world because he was the oldest son in the family. ... The whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt the intelligences that are
placed upon it, that they may live, endure, and increase for ever and ever. ... Adam and Eve are the parents of all pertaining to the flesh, and I would not say that they are not also the parents of our spirits. You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race'"that they should be the '"servant of servants;'" and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the
Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree. How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, and they never can hold the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam's children are brought up to that favourable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the Priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion.
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 7:282-291; Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra, Salt Lake City as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
165 years ago today - Oct 9, 1859 (Afternoon, Conference)
[Brigham Young Prayer]
I pray my Father in heaven to bless you with His Holy Spirit; with grace to help you in every time of need, under every circumstance, and to let His angels watch over you, to preserve you in your covenants and vows which you have made with one another, and with your God. I also pray you in Christ's stead to hearken to the commandments of heaven, that you may secure unto yourselves eternal lives. I offer this prayer to the great I AM in your behalf...
[Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra. Salt Lake City; 1850-current. 9:249, 256; The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. Also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970. 21:822 as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
I pray my Father in heaven to bless you with His Holy Spirit; with grace to help you in every time of need, under every circumstance, and to let His angels watch over you, to preserve you in your covenants and vows which you have made with one another, and with your God. I also pray you in Christ's stead to hearken to the commandments of heaven, that you may secure unto yourselves eternal lives. I offer this prayer to the great I AM in your behalf...
[Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra. Salt Lake City; 1850-current. 9:249, 256; The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. Also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970. 21:822 as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
170 years ago today - Oct 9, 1854
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff]
I spent the time diging potatoes Drawing corn & choreing to my tears.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I spent the time diging potatoes Drawing corn & choreing to my tears.
[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 - Oct 9, 1844
[Wilford Woodruff Letter to Brigham Young]
"Elder Ball has taught as well as Wm [William] Smith the Lowell girls that is not wrong to have intercourse with the men what they please & Elder Ball tries to sleep with them when he can They have tried to remove a good presiding Elder in Lowell & put in Bro Robins who is in their company, But they would not have this the Lowell Church is shaking."
[Wilford Woodruff Letter to Brigham Young as quoted in LDS (or related) Documents on Walker Lewis, the Lowell, Mass. Branch of the Mormon Church and its missionaries and members, and the Priesthood Ban against Blacks, Compiled by Connell O'Donovan, http://people.ucsc.edu/~odonovan/Mormon_Chronology.html]
"Elder Ball has taught as well as Wm [William] Smith the Lowell girls that is not wrong to have intercourse with the men what they please & Elder Ball tries to sleep with them when he can They have tried to remove a good presiding Elder in Lowell & put in Bro Robins who is in their company, But they would not have this the Lowell Church is shaking."
[Wilford Woodruff Letter to Brigham Young as quoted in LDS (or related) Documents on Walker Lewis, the Lowell, Mass. Branch of the Mormon Church and its missionaries and members, and the Priesthood Ban against Blacks, Compiled by Connell O'Donovan, http://people.ucsc.edu/~odonovan/Mormon_Chronology.html]
180 years ago today - Oct 9, 1844
Brigham Young (aged 43) marriage to Rebecca Holman (1824-1849) (aged 20) first marriage
[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]
45 years ago today - Oct 8, 1979-Monday
[Leonard Arrington]
According to a report in the Salt Lake Tribune, some persons connected with Mormon women for ERA [Equal Rights Amendment] had arranged to have a plane flying above Temple Square for about 30 minutes, carrying a banner stating, "Mother in Heaven Loves Mormons for ERA." But I did not see it nor did I see anyone looking at the sky, nor did I hear anyone make any remark about it. ...
[In General Conference] Six regional representatives in other countries were called full time. This represents a departure. ... In between sessions we had interesting conversations. The Latin American brethren have a couple of hangups. One of these is the preoccupation of North Americans with Indians-with an assumption that most of the members of the Church in Latin America are Indians or of Indian ancestry. They assert that the percentage of Indians in Central and South America is perhaps as small as the percentage of Indians in the United States. ... They were especially incensed with the illustrations-on the cover-in the special Latin American edition of the Ensign which had so many pictures of Indians. These were not at all representative and the members of the Church in Latin America didn't like this. The second hangup is the constant emphasis of some General Authorities on aspects of white culture which are really not part of the basic gospel but which are sometimes
presented as if they were. Jeff Allred says that an overwhelming proportion of the members of the Church in Central America are people in urban areas who have rebelled against the conservative establishment of North American business, the Roman Catholic Church, and the military. They tend to be leftist in their political orientation, not Communist, but with certain liberal-Marxist leanings. Their vocabulary is anti-establishment and would sound leftist to conservative Americans. We must somehow understand them-and why they are that way-and take means to provide a proper reconciliation between gospel basics and the necessities of our own country. ...
The other important change was the transfer of Patriarch Eldred G. Smith from Patriarch to the Church to Patriarch Emeritus. The only explanation was that since we now have a large number of patriarchs in the various wards and stakes and missions, there is no longer a need for a patriarch to the Church. The position has long ceased to be one which directs and counsels the patriarchs of the Church. I think that changed in the 1870s, but I am not sure. And there have been two or three occasions when the Church has gone without a patriarch to the Church. We are now entering upon another such period, and it remains to be seen whether sometime in the future we will sustain a Patriarch to the Church. Eldred does have a son, [E.] Gary Smith, who is an attorney in Los Angeles and who at one stage might have been in line to succeed his father, but he and his wife were divorced not long ago and that may have been one consideration. He is loyal to the Church and worthy in other
respects, but the Brethren may have balked at sustaining a patriarch to the Church at this time who was recently divorced. I do not know any of the details, as to whether the divorce involved any dereliction on his part. A number of persons asked me afterward if I had an explanation for this action-it puzzled people. I simply responded that there was good historical precedent for it and that it did not surprise me. ... [[On the decline of the churchwide office of patriarch, see Bates and Smith, Lost Legacy, 201-20; and Quinn, Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, 128-31.]]
... Another observation: I keep being embarrassed for the sisters. The wives of the General Authorities are back in a kind of balcony to the side of the stand where the Brethren sit. One can hardly see them. They are in a place that in the Southern theaters in the 19th century would have been referred to as "nigger's heaven." I don't see any solution to this, but they must feel something like second-class observers of the conference sessions. In a way the same thing may be said of the women presidencies and board members of auxiliaries. They sit near the front on the farthest right side facing the stand. Why couldn't those sisters be placed in the central behind the regional representatives and in front of stake presidents? Why do they have to be shunted over to the far right? Or why not find a place for the three presidents-Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary-on the stand or front row? Another thing that must seem peculiar to some observers is that all of the
special guests on the first two rows all the way across the Tabernacle are men. Don't we ever have any special guests who are women? If not, why not? And why wouldn't it be a nice thing to have at each conference session one or two of the women presidents speak? Among those attending conference (outside of stake presidents and bishops) there are probably more women than men, so that all told women would probably make up at least 30% of the total audience. And of course the TV audience would probably include more women listeners than men. So why not have a couple of women speakers?
I had a chance to talk this afternoon with Michael Quinn about the patriarch's position. Mike says that a crucial date is in 1932 upon the death of [patriarch] Hyrum G. Smith. The General Authorities were not united on whether to have a presiding patriarch-one who presided over the other patriarchs-and who was an active General Authority, or whether they ought to have only a patriarch to the Church. A group of apostles appointed to study the matter recommended to President [Heber J.] Grant that they appoint Eldred G. Smith in the [Joseph Smith's uncle] John Smith line, and that he be appointed patriarch to the Church. He was a young person, only 25 years old, and for that reason they did not believe they ought to make him a presiding patriarch, and he shouldn't visit conferences, speak, set apart people, attend meetings of the Quorum of Twelve and First Presidency in the temple, etc.
President Grant had not been especially impressed with the John Smith family and he thought Eldred Smith was too young and inexperienced. And he had a strong preference for the presiding-patriarch type. With a strong difference of opinion between Pres. Grant and the committee of the Twelve, they simply let it go for ten years.
In 1942 they finally reached a decision to appoint a person from the [President] Joseph F. Smith family, not the John Smith family; namely, [patriarch] Joseph F. Smith, the professor of speech at the University of Utah. They made him a presiding patriarch in the sense that he not only gave blessings but visited quarterly conferences in stakes, set persons apart, attended meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency in the temple, and voted in those meetings. Then there was the trouble that occurred under Joseph F. Smith and he finally resigned.
After that, in 1946, they sustained Eldred G. Smith. He immediately did something that infuriated some of the brethren of the Twelve, namely in his first talk in conference after being sustained, he made a half-humorous, half-bitter remark that he had thought first of reading the talk he had written back in 1932 when he thought he was going to be sustained and wasn't. They sustained him only as patriarch to the Church, not as presiding patriarch as Joseph F. Smith and most predecessors had been. He was not invited to meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency, nor to stake conferences, nor allowed to sustain stake officers. After he had been in for several years, members of the Quorum of the Twelve recommended that he be invited to their meetings and he was, for a brief period. Then he was told not to attend any more. For a brief period they also invited him to attend stake conferences and then after a period he was told that they didn't need him to do
that any longer. At one point a committee of the Twelve was appointed to look over his patriarchal blessings to see if he had been saying things he shouldn't be saying. Apparently they did things that were very demeaningthey warned him on his grammar, telling him he should not say "each and every one," for example. Mike has no idea why they should have released him now rather than say last year or next year. He is 72 years old. Mike knows the family quite well and thus it is obvious they would never sustain [E.] Gary [Smith] after his having been divorced. Mike says he understands that Gary was the victim or the injured party in the divorce, but thinks they would never sustain as patriarch to the Church or presiding patriarch a person who has been divorced. Mike suggests that they may go some time before they get a new person in that position-and Mike does think they will eventually appoint someone. It is too strongly based on revelation and scripture and historical tradition. He
thinks that this opens up a very real question as to whether the person should be sustained as a presiding patriarch or as a patriarch to the Church, whether the person ought to come through the Joseph Smith line or the Joseph F. Smith line, or perhaps through the family of Joseph Smith, Sr.through one of his brothers: the Silas Smith line, the John Smith line, and so on. And whether the person must bear the surname of Smith or whether he might have another name, having come down through one of the daughters. [[The office has remained vacant since Eldred Smith's release.]] Mike says that Eldred has been very open in expressing his own bitterness. To many General Authorities, he has an abrasive personality which has been irritating to them and to ordinary members of the Church as well. This is perhaps one reason why they've had investigation committees. When they were presenting to the General Authorities the two new revelations which were sustained a couple of years ago to be put
in the Pearl of Great Price-the revelations of Joseph Smith and Joseph F. Smith-Eldred was sitting next to Sterling Sill, who leaned over and whispered to Eldred a question: "Why don't they put it in the D&C instead of in the Pearl of Great Price?" Eldred replied, "That's something you'll have to ask them; they don't trust me." So Sterling Sill asked President Kimball the question, and he replied he didn't know, and asked Bruce McConkie to explain. Eldred thought that was a dangerous thing for the First Presidency to yield to Bruce on matters of doctrine and scripture like that. [[In 1976 two visions of heaven by Joseph Smith and Joseph F. Smith were added to the Pearl of Great Price, then moved three years later to the Doctrine and Covenants as sections 137 and 138, along with the 1978 statement on race, which was called Official Declaration 2, following the 1890 Manifesto ending polygamy, renamed as Official Declaration 1.]]
I suppose I should have added that there was one jarring note in conference-the talk of Elder Benson, which was to a large extent a political talk. I was told this morning that even Wallace Bennett, who is a loyal Churchman in every respect and a conservative Republican-even he thought the talk was inappropriate. I am told that he was really angry, furious. I also understand that many European and Latin American people found it hard to take. Latinos have always complained above all of the Monroe Doctrine, and Brother Benson placing the color of the gospel on the Monroe Doctrine did not sit well with them.
John Cox, DTA in Birmingham, England, says he has materials on the histories of Ghana and Nigeria, which are within his district. In fact, he had the entire continent of Africa in his district, presumably because English is their official language, and they have had a heritage of British rule.
John says that there are about 3000 baptized members of the Church in those countries, and they are continuing to process and baptize at the rate of about 100 or 200 per month. He thinks membership will run up to 10,000 within 2 or three years. The woman who was the leader of the self-organized branch of the Church in Nigeria and Ghana, Mrs. [Rebecca] Mould, [[Rebecca Mould founded a Mormon-like congregation prior to 1978. When mis- sionaries arrived, she submitted to baptism and male authority, but later left the church. See Russell Stevenson, "The Prophetess: Rebecca Mould and the Origins of Mormonism in Ghana," June 24, 2013, Juvenile Instructor blog, www.juvenileinstructor.org.]] a black woman, called herself a prophetess. She has now switched her allegiance to our Church and is now the president of the Relief Society in the Sekondi Branch in Nigeria. She donated land to the Church and also built a chapel, a rather makeshift affair, in which the branch meets.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
According to a report in the Salt Lake Tribune, some persons connected with Mormon women for ERA [Equal Rights Amendment] had arranged to have a plane flying above Temple Square for about 30 minutes, carrying a banner stating, "Mother in Heaven Loves Mormons for ERA." But I did not see it nor did I see anyone looking at the sky, nor did I hear anyone make any remark about it. ...
[In General Conference] Six regional representatives in other countries were called full time. This represents a departure. ... In between sessions we had interesting conversations. The Latin American brethren have a couple of hangups. One of these is the preoccupation of North Americans with Indians-with an assumption that most of the members of the Church in Latin America are Indians or of Indian ancestry. They assert that the percentage of Indians in Central and South America is perhaps as small as the percentage of Indians in the United States. ... They were especially incensed with the illustrations-on the cover-in the special Latin American edition of the Ensign which had so many pictures of Indians. These were not at all representative and the members of the Church in Latin America didn't like this. The second hangup is the constant emphasis of some General Authorities on aspects of white culture which are really not part of the basic gospel but which are sometimes
presented as if they were. Jeff Allred says that an overwhelming proportion of the members of the Church in Central America are people in urban areas who have rebelled against the conservative establishment of North American business, the Roman Catholic Church, and the military. They tend to be leftist in their political orientation, not Communist, but with certain liberal-Marxist leanings. Their vocabulary is anti-establishment and would sound leftist to conservative Americans. We must somehow understand them-and why they are that way-and take means to provide a proper reconciliation between gospel basics and the necessities of our own country. ...
The other important change was the transfer of Patriarch Eldred G. Smith from Patriarch to the Church to Patriarch Emeritus. The only explanation was that since we now have a large number of patriarchs in the various wards and stakes and missions, there is no longer a need for a patriarch to the Church. The position has long ceased to be one which directs and counsels the patriarchs of the Church. I think that changed in the 1870s, but I am not sure. And there have been two or three occasions when the Church has gone without a patriarch to the Church. We are now entering upon another such period, and it remains to be seen whether sometime in the future we will sustain a Patriarch to the Church. Eldred does have a son, [E.] Gary Smith, who is an attorney in Los Angeles and who at one stage might have been in line to succeed his father, but he and his wife were divorced not long ago and that may have been one consideration. He is loyal to the Church and worthy in other
respects, but the Brethren may have balked at sustaining a patriarch to the Church at this time who was recently divorced. I do not know any of the details, as to whether the divorce involved any dereliction on his part. A number of persons asked me afterward if I had an explanation for this action-it puzzled people. I simply responded that there was good historical precedent for it and that it did not surprise me. ... [[On the decline of the churchwide office of patriarch, see Bates and Smith, Lost Legacy, 201-20; and Quinn, Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, 128-31.]]
... Another observation: I keep being embarrassed for the sisters. The wives of the General Authorities are back in a kind of balcony to the side of the stand where the Brethren sit. One can hardly see them. They are in a place that in the Southern theaters in the 19th century would have been referred to as "nigger's heaven." I don't see any solution to this, but they must feel something like second-class observers of the conference sessions. In a way the same thing may be said of the women presidencies and board members of auxiliaries. They sit near the front on the farthest right side facing the stand. Why couldn't those sisters be placed in the central behind the regional representatives and in front of stake presidents? Why do they have to be shunted over to the far right? Or why not find a place for the three presidents-Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary-on the stand or front row? Another thing that must seem peculiar to some observers is that all of the
special guests on the first two rows all the way across the Tabernacle are men. Don't we ever have any special guests who are women? If not, why not? And why wouldn't it be a nice thing to have at each conference session one or two of the women presidents speak? Among those attending conference (outside of stake presidents and bishops) there are probably more women than men, so that all told women would probably make up at least 30% of the total audience. And of course the TV audience would probably include more women listeners than men. So why not have a couple of women speakers?
I had a chance to talk this afternoon with Michael Quinn about the patriarch's position. Mike says that a crucial date is in 1932 upon the death of [patriarch] Hyrum G. Smith. The General Authorities were not united on whether to have a presiding patriarch-one who presided over the other patriarchs-and who was an active General Authority, or whether they ought to have only a patriarch to the Church. A group of apostles appointed to study the matter recommended to President [Heber J.] Grant that they appoint Eldred G. Smith in the [Joseph Smith's uncle] John Smith line, and that he be appointed patriarch to the Church. He was a young person, only 25 years old, and for that reason they did not believe they ought to make him a presiding patriarch, and he shouldn't visit conferences, speak, set apart people, attend meetings of the Quorum of Twelve and First Presidency in the temple, etc.
President Grant had not been especially impressed with the John Smith family and he thought Eldred Smith was too young and inexperienced. And he had a strong preference for the presiding-patriarch type. With a strong difference of opinion between Pres. Grant and the committee of the Twelve, they simply let it go for ten years.
In 1942 they finally reached a decision to appoint a person from the [President] Joseph F. Smith family, not the John Smith family; namely, [patriarch] Joseph F. Smith, the professor of speech at the University of Utah. They made him a presiding patriarch in the sense that he not only gave blessings but visited quarterly conferences in stakes, set persons apart, attended meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency in the temple, and voted in those meetings. Then there was the trouble that occurred under Joseph F. Smith and he finally resigned.
After that, in 1946, they sustained Eldred G. Smith. He immediately did something that infuriated some of the brethren of the Twelve, namely in his first talk in conference after being sustained, he made a half-humorous, half-bitter remark that he had thought first of reading the talk he had written back in 1932 when he thought he was going to be sustained and wasn't. They sustained him only as patriarch to the Church, not as presiding patriarch as Joseph F. Smith and most predecessors had been. He was not invited to meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency, nor to stake conferences, nor allowed to sustain stake officers. After he had been in for several years, members of the Quorum of the Twelve recommended that he be invited to their meetings and he was, for a brief period. Then he was told not to attend any more. For a brief period they also invited him to attend stake conferences and then after a period he was told that they didn't need him to do
that any longer. At one point a committee of the Twelve was appointed to look over his patriarchal blessings to see if he had been saying things he shouldn't be saying. Apparently they did things that were very demeaningthey warned him on his grammar, telling him he should not say "each and every one," for example. Mike has no idea why they should have released him now rather than say last year or next year. He is 72 years old. Mike knows the family quite well and thus it is obvious they would never sustain [E.] Gary [Smith] after his having been divorced. Mike says he understands that Gary was the victim or the injured party in the divorce, but thinks they would never sustain as patriarch to the Church or presiding patriarch a person who has been divorced. Mike suggests that they may go some time before they get a new person in that position-and Mike does think they will eventually appoint someone. It is too strongly based on revelation and scripture and historical tradition. He
thinks that this opens up a very real question as to whether the person should be sustained as a presiding patriarch or as a patriarch to the Church, whether the person ought to come through the Joseph Smith line or the Joseph F. Smith line, or perhaps through the family of Joseph Smith, Sr.through one of his brothers: the Silas Smith line, the John Smith line, and so on. And whether the person must bear the surname of Smith or whether he might have another name, having come down through one of the daughters. [[The office has remained vacant since Eldred Smith's release.]] Mike says that Eldred has been very open in expressing his own bitterness. To many General Authorities, he has an abrasive personality which has been irritating to them and to ordinary members of the Church as well. This is perhaps one reason why they've had investigation committees. When they were presenting to the General Authorities the two new revelations which were sustained a couple of years ago to be put
in the Pearl of Great Price-the revelations of Joseph Smith and Joseph F. Smith-Eldred was sitting next to Sterling Sill, who leaned over and whispered to Eldred a question: "Why don't they put it in the D&C instead of in the Pearl of Great Price?" Eldred replied, "That's something you'll have to ask them; they don't trust me." So Sterling Sill asked President Kimball the question, and he replied he didn't know, and asked Bruce McConkie to explain. Eldred thought that was a dangerous thing for the First Presidency to yield to Bruce on matters of doctrine and scripture like that. [[In 1976 two visions of heaven by Joseph Smith and Joseph F. Smith were added to the Pearl of Great Price, then moved three years later to the Doctrine and Covenants as sections 137 and 138, along with the 1978 statement on race, which was called Official Declaration 2, following the 1890 Manifesto ending polygamy, renamed as Official Declaration 1.]]
I suppose I should have added that there was one jarring note in conference-the talk of Elder Benson, which was to a large extent a political talk. I was told this morning that even Wallace Bennett, who is a loyal Churchman in every respect and a conservative Republican-even he thought the talk was inappropriate. I am told that he was really angry, furious. I also understand that many European and Latin American people found it hard to take. Latinos have always complained above all of the Monroe Doctrine, and Brother Benson placing the color of the gospel on the Monroe Doctrine did not sit well with them.
John Cox, DTA in Birmingham, England, says he has materials on the histories of Ghana and Nigeria, which are within his district. In fact, he had the entire continent of Africa in his district, presumably because English is their official language, and they have had a heritage of British rule.
John says that there are about 3000 baptized members of the Church in those countries, and they are continuing to process and baptize at the rate of about 100 or 200 per month. He thinks membership will run up to 10,000 within 2 or three years. The woman who was the leader of the self-organized branch of the Church in Nigeria and Ghana, Mrs. [Rebecca] Mould, [[Rebecca Mould founded a Mormon-like congregation prior to 1978. When mis- sionaries arrived, she submitted to baptism and male authority, but later left the church. See Russell Stevenson, "The Prophetess: Rebecca Mould and the Origins of Mormonism in Ghana," June 24, 2013, Juvenile Instructor blog, www.juvenileinstructor.org.]] a black woman, called herself a prophetess. She has now switched her allegiance to our Church and is now the president of the Relief Society in the Sekondi Branch in Nigeria. She donated land to the Church and also built a chapel, a rather makeshift affair, in which the branch meets.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
50 years ago today - Oct 8, 1974-Tuesday
[Leonard Arrington]
[Ninety-three-year-old] J. Winter Smith ... said that it is family tradition and lore that when the Smith family were going to Far West [Missouri] in 1837, they came across a massacre in which a family of white emigrants were massacred by a group of Indians. All persons had been killed, or they thought had been killed. Then one of the Smiths-he thought perhaps [Joseph's brother] William Smithheard a groaning in a bush nearby. It turned out to be a girl of perhaps ten years of age who had somehow miraculously survived the Indian attack. She was taken in by Mother Smith, presumably Lucy Mack Smith. She had been hit on the head with a tomahawk two or three times which impaired her memory, her speech, and her rationality. Mother Smith nursed her back to health. Because she was backward, not bright, and did not look presentable, she was kept in the background.
She had a crucifix around her neck when they found her. Joseph Smith and family simply called her the "Madonna." They never found out her name, and she was not able to tell them her name. At any rate, the Smiths raised her.
When she was older, according to family tradition, she was married as a plural wife to Joseph Smith and she gave birth to a child by Joseph Smith before his death.
After Joseph Smith's assassination, there were terrible times in Nauvoo and Hancock County [Illinois] as Mormons were burned out, killed and otherwise cruelly treated. During this period a mob killed the Madonna, beheaded her, and set her head on a fencepost as a warning to other Mormons. Her child was adopted by Mormons and was later taken to Utah. Some friendly person, out of regard for her, took her mother's head from the fencepost-the flesh had long since disappeared apparently-and gave her the skull. She kept the skull as a secret and sacred remembrance.
This girl, according to family tradition, later married one of the Youngs, so that her husband was a Young and her father was Joseph Smith. One of her children by one of the Young boys was Mary, who married a Jensen. She must have been a midwife or M.D. because she was always called Dr. Mary. She died approximately nine years ago.
J. Winter Smith was very friendly with her over many years. He says that her father-in-law, he thinks, a retired Army colonel, who is now in his 90s, has a little mysterious trunk in which a lot of letters and relics have been placed (or perhaps he was the husband of Dr. Mary and after her death inherited the trunk which was Mary's). At any rate, in his possession is a mysterious trunk in which this skeleton of her mother is placed. J. Winter says he has seen the skeleton. It was shown to him by Dr. Mary. The small head suggests that her mother was young when killed. (If she were ten in 1837 that would make her eighteen in 1845 or nineteen in 1846.) There are also supposed to be letters and diaries in that little trunk. J. Winter says if he outlives the old man, who is 98, he is to get the trunk with all of the things in it. These contain many Smith things apparently. If J. Winter does not get these, we don't know where they will go. The old colonel is apparently strongly
anti-Mormon according to J. Winter. Two lady missionaries happened onto his home tracting, and when he found out they were Mormon missionaries he went to the house to get his gun and yelled threats to them. They ran off screaming. J. Winter says that he has letters to his father, Samuel H. B. Smith from Jesse N. Smith, from John L. Smith, George A. Smith, and Joseph Smith III. He said he would try to hunt for these and make these available to us. I strongly urged him to do so.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
[Ninety-three-year-old] J. Winter Smith ... said that it is family tradition and lore that when the Smith family were going to Far West [Missouri] in 1837, they came across a massacre in which a family of white emigrants were massacred by a group of Indians. All persons had been killed, or they thought had been killed. Then one of the Smiths-he thought perhaps [Joseph's brother] William Smithheard a groaning in a bush nearby. It turned out to be a girl of perhaps ten years of age who had somehow miraculously survived the Indian attack. She was taken in by Mother Smith, presumably Lucy Mack Smith. She had been hit on the head with a tomahawk two or three times which impaired her memory, her speech, and her rationality. Mother Smith nursed her back to health. Because she was backward, not bright, and did not look presentable, she was kept in the background.
She had a crucifix around her neck when they found her. Joseph Smith and family simply called her the "Madonna." They never found out her name, and she was not able to tell them her name. At any rate, the Smiths raised her.
When she was older, according to family tradition, she was married as a plural wife to Joseph Smith and she gave birth to a child by Joseph Smith before his death.
After Joseph Smith's assassination, there were terrible times in Nauvoo and Hancock County [Illinois] as Mormons were burned out, killed and otherwise cruelly treated. During this period a mob killed the Madonna, beheaded her, and set her head on a fencepost as a warning to other Mormons. Her child was adopted by Mormons and was later taken to Utah. Some friendly person, out of regard for her, took her mother's head from the fencepost-the flesh had long since disappeared apparently-and gave her the skull. She kept the skull as a secret and sacred remembrance.
This girl, according to family tradition, later married one of the Youngs, so that her husband was a Young and her father was Joseph Smith. One of her children by one of the Young boys was Mary, who married a Jensen. She must have been a midwife or M.D. because she was always called Dr. Mary. She died approximately nine years ago.
J. Winter Smith was very friendly with her over many years. He says that her father-in-law, he thinks, a retired Army colonel, who is now in his 90s, has a little mysterious trunk in which a lot of letters and relics have been placed (or perhaps he was the husband of Dr. Mary and after her death inherited the trunk which was Mary's). At any rate, in his possession is a mysterious trunk in which this skeleton of her mother is placed. J. Winter says he has seen the skeleton. It was shown to him by Dr. Mary. The small head suggests that her mother was young when killed. (If she were ten in 1837 that would make her eighteen in 1845 or nineteen in 1846.) There are also supposed to be letters and diaries in that little trunk. J. Winter says if he outlives the old man, who is 98, he is to get the trunk with all of the things in it. These contain many Smith things apparently. If J. Winter does not get these, we don't know where they will go. The old colonel is apparently strongly
anti-Mormon according to J. Winter. Two lady missionaries happened onto his home tracting, and when he found out they were Mormon missionaries he went to the house to get his gun and yelled threats to them. They ran off screaming. J. Winter says that he has letters to his father, Samuel H. B. Smith from Jesse N. Smith, from John L. Smith, George A. Smith, and Joseph Smith III. He said he would try to hunt for these and make these available to us. I strongly urged him to do so.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
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