125 years ago today - Jan 4, 1898; Tuesday

President Lorenzo Snow[:] ... There are two things required of us as apostles, a perfect union among ourselves, and a perfect union with the First Presidency. ... He referred to the advanced age of Pres[iden]t. Wilford Woodruff, and the fact that his first counselor Bro[ther]. Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon was doing some things that we could not approve of. This makes no difference as it is our duty to sustain him. The loss of $100,000 more or less is as nothing in comparision with our failing to sustain the First Presidency. Disunion in our midst would be [a] sweet morsel for our enemies. ... The Lord does not always select religious men to do His work, but he selects men of strong will and determination. ...

... Did not feel that it was right for men like Frank J. Cannon to be selected to represent the church. Felt it was an outrage that Frank was used as he was and also that the Church's official paper should be edited by John Q. Cannon. ...

John Henry Smith ... I feel that there is one man in the presidency and he is not the man at the lead [i.e., George Q. Cannon] who is at present dominating the affairs of the church. If left to himself the question is would President Woodruff have consented to have borrowed a million and a half for the Ogden Power Plant. Would he of his own accord have borrowed the money with which to build Saltair, and would he have spent several hundred thousand dollars in a mine in Nevada. We all know that he would not have done these things. I fear that the great burdens which are now on Pres[iden]t. Cannon are such that he has become desperate and he is plunging, so to speak. ...

Brigham Young [Jr.] ... Felt outraged in his feelings to have a drunkard [i.e., Frank J. Cannon] representing the Church as its agent in the east. I believe that it is the duty of the twelve apostles to ask the Presidency to correct these mistakes. Pres[iden]t. Woodruff in his feeble condition and advanced age is depending entirely on Pres[iden]t. Cannon to direct in all of these matters. ... Never in my life have I felt to pray more earnestly for the Presidency of the Church than I do today. ...

[Heber J. Grant:] ... I well remember the time we had at the death of Pres[iden]t. [John] Taylor and the part I took in the troubles with Pres[iden]t. Cannon, and with all my heart I hope and pray that I may not be guilty of accusing my brother again as I did at that time ... and that there will be no danger of my geting into the dark as there was when we had so much trouble after the death of Pres[iden]t. Taylor.

[Heber J. Grant, Diary]

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