80 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.

85 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. ...

[Source: 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]

150 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.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

170 years ago today - Oct 10, 1844

Brigham Young marries Diana Chase, aged 17

[Source: Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]

115 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. ...

[Source: 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]

125 years ago today - Oct 9, 1889

Salt Lake stake high council excommunicates elder for having local bishop perform unauthorized plural marriage for him four years earlier. Stake authorities had not authorized marriage because the young woman has " blood in her veins." First counselor says her father is "about 1/6 Nigger from his appearance."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

125 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.

[Source: Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

130 years ago today - Oct 9, 1884

Last time Council of Fifty formally convenes; its last surviving member dies in 1945.

145 years ago today - Oct 9, 1869

George A. Smith writes to his cousin, Joseph Smith III, identifying nine plural wives of Joseph Smith.

[Source: Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)]

150 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.

[Source: The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]

155 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.

[Source: 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]

155 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...

[Source: 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]

160 years ago today - Oct 9, 1854

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff] I spent the time diging potatoes Drawing corn & choreing to my tears.

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

170 years ago today - 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.”

[Source: 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]

170 years ago today - Oct 9, 1844

Brigham Young (aged 43) marriage to Rebecca Holman (1824-1849) (aged 20) first marriage

[Source: Wikipedia, List of Brigham Young's Wives, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brigham_Young%27s_wives]

110 years ago today - Oct 8, 1904

Mormon tells Senator Reed Smoot's secretary that "Apostle [Abraham O.] Woodruff told him that a certain number or worthy people had been commissioned to keep alive the principle of plural marriage." This view is basis of Mormon Fundamentalist movement which does not fully emarge until 1920's. Woodruff, who died in Jun after visiting his post-Manifesto plural wife and her first baby, is honored as polygamy martyr by these Mormons.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

155 years ago today - Oct 8, 1859

Brigham Young from the pulpit tells bishops to give Melchizedek priesthood to eighteen-year-old boys, even if they "have been sowing their wild oats for years."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

160 years ago today - Oct 8, 1854

In what Apostle Wilford Woodruff describes as "the greatest sermon that ever was delivered to the Latter Day Saints since they have been a people," Brigham Young announces from the pulpit: "I believe [sic] in Sisters marrying brothers, and brothers having their sisters for Wives. Why? because we cannot do otherwise. There are none others for me to marry but my sisters . . . .Our spirits are all brothers and sisters, and so are our bodies; and the opposite idea has resulted from the ignorant and foolish traditions of the nations of the earth." Young's secretary George D. Watt has already married his own half sister as a plural wife. Her letter to Young shows that he was initially "unfavorable" toward allowing them to marry, but this sermon reveals theological basis for Young's authorizing Watt's brother-sister marriage and the three children born of their union.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]

160 years ago today - Oct 8, 1854 (Afternoon, Conference)

[Brigham Young Sermon] Attended conference, a very interesting conference, for at this meeting President Brigham Young said thus: That Adam and Eve were the names of the first man and woman of every earth that was ever organized and that Adam and Eve were the natural Father and Mother of every spirit that comes to this planet, or that receives tabernacles on this planet, consequently we are brothers and sisters, and that Adam was God, our Eternal Father. This as Brother Heber remarked, was letting the cat out of the bag, and it came to pass, I believed every word, for I remembered saying to the Brethren at a meeting of High Priests in Nauvoo, while I was speaking to them under the influence of the spirit, I remarked thus, that our Father Adam had many wives, and that Eve was only one of them, and that she was our mother, and that she was the mother of the inhabitants of this earth, and I believe that also, but behold yea there were some that did not believe these sayings of the Prophet Brigham, even our beloved Brother Orson Pratt told me he did not believe it. He said he could prove by the scriptures it was not correct. I felt very sorry to hear Professor Orson Pratt say that. I feared lest he should apostatize, but I prayed for him that he might endure unto the end, for I knew verily it was possible that great men might fall. -- SLC Tabernacle

[Source: The Teachings of President Brigham Young, Vol. 3, 1852-1854. Fred Collier, ed. CollierÂ's Publishing, 1987. 373-374 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 - 1844 8 Oct.

Young uses two administrative techniques to circumvent the Nauvoo high council's "equal in authority" rights. First, 400 men are ordained today as seventies, which immediately transfers them from the jurisdiction of the high council into the Twelve's domain. Second, he appoints eighty-five of Nauvoo's high priests to be branch presidents outside Nauvoo, but does not require them to move. For the first time in Mormon history this puts a stake's high priests under the jurisdiction of the Twelve.

[Source: 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]