165 years ago today - May 10, 1849

[Patriarchal Blessings] [Patriarchal Blessing of Joseph Toronto on May 10, 1849]

... Thou shalt be endowed with power from on high and ... shall have power to do miracles before their eyes to astonish them, to heal the sick, cause the blind to see, and all other miracles, even to raise the dead, to rebuke the winds and the waves of the sea. All these miracles are to be done when it is necessary for the safety and salvation of thy people. ... You shall live to see the winding up scene of this generation, helping to build Zion with the saints ...

[Source: Patriarchal Blessings]

170 years ago today - May 10, 1844

William Law distributes prospectus for NAUVOO EXPOSITOR newspaper. It advocates repeal of Nauvoo's charter and proposes to reveal "gross moral imperfections" in Nauvoo. Prospectus refers to Nauvoo's "SELF-CONSTITUTED MONARCH." Two days later Joseph Smith "called a meeting of the Kingdom," (Council of Fifty) during which the NAUVOO EXPOSITOR'S prospectus was a topic of discussion. Sidney Rigdon is authorized to visit Law and "negotiate terms of peace." Rigdon offers reinstatement of Law and his wife to "our standing in the Church and to all our offices, and they would publish it in the papers." Law counters with his own ultimatum: he demands that Joseph Smith publicly apologize for teaching "the doctrine of the plurality of wives." Rigdon "said he had not authority to go so far."

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com, based on Michael Quinn's Mormon Hierarchy vols 1 & 2]

175 years ago today - May 10, 1839

[Joseph Smith] When the Saints begin to move to the Iowa territory across the river from Commerce, they find that Dr. Isaac Galland, from whom they bought the land, did not have legal title to the half-breed lands. They are therefore eventually forced to move back across the river to Commerce.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

175 years ago today - 1839 10 May.

Joseph Smith moves to the village of Commerce, Illinois, which he expands and renames Nauvoo in the new city plat on 30 Aug. By the end of 1845 the city's population would swell to 12,000, second only to Chicago in the state's urban population. Another 3,000 Mormons live in the surrounding area.

[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]

175 years ago today - May 10, 1839

[Lucy Mack Smith] Joseph Jr., Emma, and their four children move into the Homestead, a two-story, four-room log cabin purchased from Hugh White about a mile south of Commerce. Joseph Sr. and Lucy live in a lean-to built on this cabin.

[Source: Anderson, Lavina Fielding, Editor, Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smith's Family Memoir, 2001, Signature Books, http://bit.ly/lucys-book]

125 years ago today - Thursday, May 9, 1889

[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City

Prest. W. Woodruff, G. Q. Cannon, J. F. Smith, L. Snow, F. D. Richards, F. M. Lyman, H. J. Grant and Myself met at the Gardo and dedicated a room for prayer and had a pleasant time.

[Source: 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]

140 years ago today - May 9, 1874

George Q. Cannon set apart Assistant Counselor to President Brigham Young. Albert Carrington set apart Counselor to President Brigham Young.

[Source: Wikipedia, Chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_the_Quorum_of_the_Twelve_Apostles_(LDS_Church)]

140 years ago today - May 9, 1874

General conference speakers promote establishment of communitarian "United Orders." Most successful and well-known is Orderville, Utah, where no one owns private property, clothing and houses are standardized, and everyone eats in common dining hall after food is prepared in communal kitchen. Orderville continues in this manner until dissolved in 1885 by instruction of Presidency and Twelve.

180 years ago today - May 9, 1834

(Zion's Camp) The Painesville Telegraph reports that Joseph has told his troops he is ready for martyrdom. The company reaches Wooster.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

180 years ago today - May 9, 1834

PAINESVILLE TELEGRAPH (Ohio) reports: "The Mormon war in Missouri is about to be renewed. Gen. Joe Smith took up his line of march from this country on Monday last, with a large party of his fanatical followers, for the seat of war. - This expedition has been a long time in active preparation. Soon after the outrages committed upon the members of the sect last Nov. in Missouri, the prophet here sent forth his general orders, which he pretended was a revelation from God, for all his able bodied men to repair to the scene of difficulty. His preachers were sent forth to all parts of the country among their proselytes, with a printed copy of the revelation in their pockets, reiterating and magnifying all the tales of woe which had befallen the church," in the "promised land." Like Peter the Hermit, in the days of the crusades, they have made every effort to stir up the holy zeal of the "warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also," to the combat. The[y] have been made to believe it was a direct command from the Supreme Being, which could not be disobeyed. For several months past they have been collecting munitions of war for the crusade. Dirks, knives, swords, pistols, guns, powder-horns, &c. &c. have been in good demand in this vicinity. Some have equipped themselves with four or five pistols. The prophet, it is said, has a sword over four feet long."

150 years ago today - May 8, 1864

Apostle Erastus Snow writes that he "could not conscientiously, and in justice to the cause we are engaged in, refuse to Brother [Orson] Pratt [Jr.] the liberty to withdraw from the [High] Council as Brother Pratt's statements of his views, doubting as he does, the divinity of the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the consequent building up of the Church" Orson Pratt Jr. had asked to be released but Erastus Snow had been trying to talk him out of it.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com, based on Michael Quinn's Mormon Hierarchy vols 1 & 2]

170 years ago today - May 8, 1844

Joseph Smith states: "The only sin I ever committed was in exercising sympathy and covering up their [John C. Bennett and others] iniquities, on their solemn promise to reform, and of this I am ashamed, and will never do so again.

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

170 years ago today - May 8, 1844

Joseph is tried before the municipal court on Higbee's charge. He is acquitted, and Higbee pays the court costs.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

170 years ago today - May 8, 1844

Forty-two-year-old Brigham Young takes sixteen-year-old Clarissa Caroline Decker as his fourth wife. Young had already taken Clarissa's sister Lucy as his second wife two years previously.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com, based on Michael Quinn's Mormon Hierarchy vols 1 & 2]

180 years ago today - 1834 8 May.

Zion's Camp begins its armed march from Kirtland, Ohio, to Jackson County, Missouri, in obedience to a revelation of 24 Feb.: "the redemption of Zion must come by power...and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies."

[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]

5 years ago today - May 7, 2009

The Salt Lake Tribune

by Thomas Burr (excerpt)

[Obama's Momma Baptized]

"With the revelation that Obama's late mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was baptized by proxy last year in the faith's Provo temple, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it is "counter to church policy for a church member to submit names for baptism for persons to whom they are not related." ...

[Source: A chronicle of the Mormon-Jewish controversy; The LDS Agreement: A JewishGen InfoFile, http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/ldsagree.html]

140 years ago today - May 07, 1874

During general conference, President Brigham Young organizes the united order in the Salt Lake City wards. Over the course of the following months, the order is organized in dozens of towns throughout the territory.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

170 years ago today - 1844 7 May.

[Joseph Smith] William Law and associates receive the printing press on which they plan to publish the Nauvoo Expositor.

[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]

180 years ago today - May 7, 1834

"Once after returning from a mission, he [Zebedee Coltrin] met Bro. Joseph in Kirtland, who asked him if he did not wish to go with him to a conference at New Portage. The party consisted of Prests. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery and myself. Next morning at New Portage, he noticed that Joseph seemed to have a far off look in his eyes, or was looking at a distance, and presently he, Joseph, stepped between Brothers Cowdery, and Coltrin and taking them by the arm, said, "lets take a walk." They went to a place where there was some beautiful grass, and grapevines and swampbeech interlaced. President Joseph Smith then said, "Let us pray." They all three prayed in turn--Joseph, Oliver and Zebedee. Bro. Joseph then said, "now brethren we will see some visions." Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne, on a circular foundation, something like a light house, and on the throne were two aged personages, having white hair, and clothed in white garments. They were the two most beautiful and perfect specimens of mankind he ever saw. Joseph said, They are our first parents, Adam and Eve. Adam was a large broad shouldered man, and Eve as a woman, was as large in proportion."

[Source: Salt Lake School of the Prophet, Minutes, 1883, pp. 69-70; CHO CR/390/1/Box 1, Oct 11, 1883]

160 years ago today - May 6, 1854

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal quoting Brigham Young] If the Lord should open the visions of the minds of the people that have gone to Calafornia so that they could see things as they are they would as soon cut their throats as to have done it but they dont see it. ...

We are approaching very swiftly the time when Jesus will come to see if we are of one heart & mind which the Prophet Joseph said would be in this generation & will manifest himself to the Saints & take up his abode with him. This was said 2 [.] years ago & in 26 years more if we are not prepared to meet Jesus [-] angels we shall be wiped out & sent to hell. We are fast approaching the time.

... What if the people in Jackson Co. had been good & been sanctified? What would have been the situation of the people? Why, the liars & goats would have had their heads cut off....

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