50 years ago today - Sep 28, 1976

A First Presidency letter advises Mormons throughout the U.S. to obtain immunization against the swine flu.

[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]

130 years ago today - Sep 28, 1896

[Marriner W. Merrill]

I had one hour's interview with the First Presidency on the subject of Temple affairs and Edlefsen's complaint to them about me in placing him to recording work, and also his complaint about me embezzling the Temple funds some years ago, which did not come to my ears until recently, and which I wanted investigated. They turned the matter over to the Twelve to have the whole matter investigated.

[Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

135 years ago today - Monday, Sep 28, 1891

[John Henry Smith]

Mesa

There is some drunken tramp here who claims he has papers for my arest.

[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]

35 years ago today - Sep 27, 1991.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, speaking at the FARMS annual banquet, tells his listeners, "Joseph [Smith] will go on being vindicated in the essential things associated with his prophetic mission. Many of you here, both now and in the future, will be part of that on-rolling vindication through your own articulation. There is no place in the Kingdom for unanchored brilliance. Fortunately, those of you I know are both committed and contributive. In any case, ready or not, you serve as mentors and models for the rising generation of Latter-day Saint scholars and students. Let them learn, among other things, submissiveness from the eloquence of your example. God bless you!"

[Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]

50 years ago today - Sep 27, 1976

President Spencer W. Kimball dedicates the first buildings of the new Language Training Mission (LTM), later known as the Missionary Training Center (MTC), in Provo, Utah.

60 years ago today - Sep 27, 1966

[David O. McKay]

After considering all the facts presented regarding the desire of a couple who have been sealed in the Temple to have sealed to them two children with Negroid blood, I indicated that I could see no objection to the sealing being done.

[David O. McKay diary in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

45 years ago today - Sep 26, 1981

The Church published new editions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. The Doctrine and Covenants added two news Sections (137 and 138) which had previously been part of the Pearl of Great Price. The book had improved indexing, cross-referencing, and other study aids.

[Correlation Timeline, Compiled by Lisle Brown]

85 years ago today - Sep 26, 1941

First Presidency letter in favor of right to work without joining labor union.

145 years ago today - Sep 26, 1881

Heber J. Grant expresses his disappointment about his racehorse being disqualified from the upcoming race in Salt Lake City: "I had counted considerable, however, on Hyrum's winning the race and the horse becoming enough of a public favorite that I could sell him for a nice round sum." Heber becomes an apostle in 1882, and horse racing remains legal in Utah until 1913.

[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]

130 years ago today - Sep 25, 1896

[Franklin D. Richards]

Heard sisters Zina [Diantha Huntington Smith Young] Jane [S. Richards] & Bathsheba [W. Smith] interview Pres[iden]t GQC [George Q. Cannon] use Assembly Hall next Sat & evening for RS conference & in politics select "the best men."

[Diary Excerpts of Franklin D. Richards, 1887-1897, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

185 years ago today - Sep 25, 1841

[Wilford Woodruff]

25 A vary rough morning. All sea sick. We stoped at Manitou Island. Cooked dinner on land & lay by the wharf untill sun set 4 oclok & started on the journey untill 12 oclock at night when a (tre-mendious storm & wind arose) which made the lake as rough as it could be by the force of wind & such a seenery as quickly followed I never before witnessed in all my travels either by sea or land on water or earth. The captain of the Chesepeak, with other officers, hands & passengers mostly expected to go to the bottom to have Judged from outward appearances. I should think here was twenty Chances of being lost to one of being saved. Yet I did not once expect during the whole seenery to be lost for I expected & felt that the Lord would Save us from a watery grave by some means.

We were about 40 miles from land at about 12 o-clock at night when I was awoke from a Sound sweet sleep in my birth by the cry of some one saying we shall all be lost. The first thought that entered my mind was I make No calculations on being lost. I however leaped out of my birth onto my feet & went on to the upper deck. I immediately saw we were in eminant danger of being wrecked. The wind blew almost a Huricane & the waves were running over her bow in a dreadful manner. The boat was rather heavy loaded.

Their was about 300 passengers on board with a large quantity of luggage & Jack Asses. Some geese & piggs were standing on the bow of the boat. Next to them was 40 cords of wood piled up. This with other loading kept the bow down in such a manner that it was judged their was 50 tons of water on her bow deck at a time. At one time the bow run under water & some thought she would never right.

One wave that broke over set the Asses afloat broke the petetion between them & the steerage cabin & washed two of the Asses down. Threw [them] into the births among men woman & Children. It killed one of the Asses in the fall. The Asses & water together drove all the steerage passengers out of their Cabin on deck.

About this time while the boat was labouring hard against wind & water she broke one of her wheel chains. I then herd the cry all is lost. But about 30 of us passengers caught hold of the two detatched ends of the chain & held them together untill they were mended with ropes.

The bote lay partly upon her side. It tore up the floor & broke down the births in the steerage state rooms oposite of us & we expected evry moment ours would share the same fate. In one instance the waves broke over the upper deck. It took four men to manage the wheel. They tried to turn the boat three times but could not untill day light when it was accomplished & returned to the manitau Island at about 3 o-clock being about 24 hours in the gale.

They again took on 40 cords of wood as they had flung 20 cords overboard in the storm to lighten the bow of the boat. Orders were given to that effect.

We remained at the Manitau Island untill next morning. I felt thankful to God to once more get my foot on land. I felt that the Lord herd our prayrs & deliverd us. Their was praying, crying, singing & swaring at the same time in the mids of the storm. It was a trying time to all.

[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 - Sep 25, 1841

[Nauvoo Temple]

About two hundred individuals gathered as Joseph Smith supervised the placement of items in a cavity in the southeast cornerstone before it was sealed.. A sister wrote that the cavity "was cut out a square about a foot around and about as deep lined with zinc." The Prophet placed in it "a Bible, a Book of Mormon, hymn book, and other Church works along with silver money that had been coined in that year." Another brother stated that when the bible was presented " it was thought necessary that it should be complete-- containing the Apocrypha." When a suitable Bible could not be located nearby, Reynolds Cahoon raced home, cut out the Apocrypha from his large family Bible and brought the sheets back, making the book complete. This brother also mentioned that the Prophet approved the placement of certain books, periodicals, and coins. When someone offered a paper with a poem on, he had it read allowed, "See saw, Margery Daw, Sold her bed and laid in the straw." The Prophet rejected the it, "so the poor poem was left out in the cold."

[Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]

135 years ago today - Sep 24, 1891

[Brigham Young Jr.]

Pres[iden]t Woodruff said before I left, "we must do something to save our Temples." Some one may ask Can't God save them? I answer yes, & you might even now be redeemed had the people obeyed the counsel our leaders were inspired to give them in the past. I will do whatever my leaders counsel, but, the base thought of taking clemency from U.S.A. that has destroyed the prophets and has thrust us out to perish, pains me more than I can tell. Don't think it hurts me more than it does Joseph F. to surrender [he has just received word of Joseph F. Smith s pardon by President Harrison] and I thank God he is free to go before the people. The First Presidency should be there before all men, and the Twelve follow. Spare me Father; but thy will be done not mine.

[Diary of Apostle Brigham Young Jr., http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

155 years ago today - Sep 24, 1871

Presidt Young spoke 58 Minuts. He said a Man may Embrace the Law of Celestial Marriage in his heart & not take the Second wife & be justified before the Lord.

[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 - Sep 24, 1856

Due to report that Stephen A. Douglas has called Utah's Mormons "an ulcer on the body politic," Deseret News publishes Joseph Smith's 1843 prophecy: "Judge [Douglas], you will aspire to the Presidency of the United States," with his warning of failure if he turns against Mormons. Douglas is defeated for presidency in 1860; dies next year.

[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]

60 years ago today - Sep 23, 1966

A First Presidency letter, "effective immediately," ending "missionary farewells" in LDS meetings. The letter asks local officers "that you counsel families against holding receptions for departing missionaries." Without a single reference to war, this letter responds to the disparity of holding joyous farewells for young missionaries, while also conducting funerals for young men who are drafted to serve in Vietnam without opportunity to serve a mission.

[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]

80 years ago today - Sep 23, 1946

[J. Reuben Clark]

Told Henry Smith about a woman representing herself to be a granddaughter of Pres. Clark getting a watch worth $300 from a Mr. Jensen at Boyd Park Jewelers under false pretenses. Suggested they carry a story in the News warning the people of this type of thing, without using Pres. Clark's name. There were other instances, Mrs. Adam Bennion's name being used to charge things. ...

Mr. H. Scott Johnston called again (he telephoned a few weeks ago to try to see Pres. Clark) and wanted an appointment. He is trying to set up an organization to fight Communism....

Told Helen Barton, that Pres. Clark said he did not say at Ensign Stake Confl that we would be at war with Russia within the year, that he does not make set date predictions.

[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]

125 years ago today - Monday, Sep 23, 1901

[Rudger Clawson]

I read Sec. 24, D.&C., and made remarks on the great importance of listening to the voice of the priesthood and giving heed thereto, otherwise the Lord would send a cursing instead of a blessing. ...

Pres. Jno. W. Hess made concluding remarks and spoke in great power. He blessed me by the power of the priesthood and said that the spirit of the apostleship rested upon me. He prophesied that I should become a mighty man in Israel. Testified that I was called by the Lord to the apostleship and that the spirit of it would rest upon me greatly and abundantly. Said that I should live long upon the earth. Thus ended a very interesting and profitable conference, and one from which it was hoped much good fruit would be borne.

[Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]

140 years ago today - Sep 22, 1886

[John D. T. McAllister]

Said, some time ago, on account of an expected raid by our enemies, the Temple was closed and the records taken away, and transcripts of work done could not be given. He could not lay his hands on them, but they are in a safe keeping. [He] felt the time would soon arrive when we can have access to the records again and accomodate the Saints. Said the word is now given, that those who come into this Temple must keep the Word of Wisdom. Wines, liquors &c are good in sickness and should be kept in the house for medicine but not [as] beverages; they are forbidden.

[Temple Minute Book, St. George, Sept. 22, 1886, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

165 years ago today - Sep 22, 1861 (Afternoon)

Brother Brigham said it was the word of the Lord to us to wean ourselves from the world and strive with all our might to become one with Christ as He is one with the Father. Touched on the absurdity of following after the Gentiles and their fashions. Said the Lord would just as soon bless us in an old tow frock as arrayed in silks and purple. It was not the outside he looked at but the heart of a person. Said that he looked upon good common sense as the greatest blessing as an individual could have. Gave us some God like exhortations pertaining to our duties. -- Salt Lake City

[Diary of Charles Lowell Walker. Andrew Karl Larson, ed. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1980. 199, 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]

175 years ago today - Sep 22, 1851 (Monday)

The first legislature of Utah Territory convened in G.S.L. City and organized by electing Heber C. Kimball president of the Council, and Wm. W. Phelps speaker of the House.

[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]