[Leonard Arrington]
Ron Walker, who was at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion in 1976, said Bill Nelson orchestrated the movement to ban Story of the Latter-day Saints. He looked for people who would write what he wanted them to write.
Gary Bennett [who had reviewed Story of the Latter-day Saints even though he was] not trained in history. Why not Ron Walker? "Because he wouldn't write what I want him to write." [[Bennett was apparently asked by Nelson if he would write a review of the book for Ezra Taft Benson. See Apr. 13, 1981.]] Elder Mark [E.] Petersen [also] sought a reviewer who was not too well-trained or read in history.
Bill Nelson orchestrated the whole business. He didn't like liberals. When Gene England learned of the Committee to Control Members [Strengthening Church Members Committee] he went to Nelson. "Why?" [Nelson had said,] ["]I want to get rid of every liberal in the Church." He Nelson persuaded Elder [Boyd K.] Packer to vote against Tom Alex[ander] as [Charles] Redd professor because of his article on "The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine." [[Alexander's article was "The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine: From Joseph Smith to Progressive Theology," published in the July-August 1980 issue of Sunstone. Twelve years later, Alexander was appointed Charles Redd Professor.]] [Neal A.] Maxwell & [Dallin H.] Oaks later talked Packer into withdrawing his objection & Tom got the post.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
120 years ago today - Dec 10, 1898 (Saturday)
The last number (No. 26, Vol. 57) of the Deseret Weekly was issued.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
160 years ago today - Dec 10, 1858
[Wilford Woodruff]
I feel to acknowledge the Hand of God in all these things. The Lord has sustained us through the war ["Utah War"] and is now Sustaining us through the Courts & is thwarting all the designs of our Enemies in all their wicked designs against the Latter Day Saints. The Lord has given President Young wisdom to out general all the United States with their Armies Judges & Courts So that they have had no power over him or this people for which I feel to praise the name of the Lord.
President Young wished the Twelve who went to Fillmore to inquire into ... into the Case of McBrides sons who Bishop Bronson was jealeous were laying plans to kill him.
We made an estimate of some of the expenses of the war of the United States against the mormons. We made including soldiers teamsters & waiters for 1858: 12,730 Men
Russel & Wardles Government freight amounted to $5,445,468
20,400 Government waggons cost of each outfit $1,500 $9,180,000.00
Paid for 3,200 teamsters 480 dollars each 1,536,000.00
Paid 4,600 soldiers $300 each 1,380.000.00
Sum total for the Above four items $17,540,468.00 [$484 million, infation adjusted]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I feel to acknowledge the Hand of God in all these things. The Lord has sustained us through the war ["Utah War"] and is now Sustaining us through the Courts & is thwarting all the designs of our Enemies in all their wicked designs against the Latter Day Saints. The Lord has given President Young wisdom to out general all the United States with their Armies Judges & Courts So that they have had no power over him or this people for which I feel to praise the name of the Lord.
President Young wished the Twelve who went to Fillmore to inquire into ... into the Case of McBrides sons who Bishop Bronson was jealeous were laying plans to kill him.
We made an estimate of some of the expenses of the war of the United States against the mormons. We made including soldiers teamsters & waiters for 1858: 12,730 Men
Russel & Wardles Government freight amounted to $5,445,468
20,400 Government waggons cost of each outfit $1,500 $9,180,000.00
Paid for 3,200 teamsters 480 dollars each 1,536,000.00
Paid 4,600 soldiers $300 each 1,380.000.00
Sum total for the Above four items $17,540,468.00 [$484 million, infation adjusted]
[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 - Dec 10, 1848
[Hosea Stout]
Also passed a law granting a bounty of one dollar each on wolf skins and for J. M. Grant to recieve them.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Also passed a law granting a bounty of one dollar each on wolf skins and for J. M. Grant to recieve them.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
170 years ago today - Dec 10, 1848
[Brigham Young]
[We need a] petition for a territorial government each year until the honest in heart had been gathered out of the nations and the armies of Israel had become very great, and then we will say 'We don't care whether you grant it [the territorial recognition] or not. Damn you, we are here and we ask no odds of you.' -- Salt Lake City
[John Pulsipher Journal, BYU; The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[We need a] petition for a territorial government each year until the honest in heart had been gathered out of the nations and the armies of Israel had become very great, and then we will say 'We don't care whether you grant it [the territorial recognition] or not. Damn you, we are here and we ask no odds of you.' -- Salt Lake City
[John Pulsipher Journal, BYU; 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 - Dec 10, 1843
[Anointed Quorum]
Sunday prayer meeting in the upper room of Joseph Smith's store; "Joseph not present," and "Brigham Young presided," apparently for the first time .
"B Young was called to the chair who addressed the meeting in a vary feeling manner & interesting to our minds, he reasoned clearly that we should follow our file leaders & our savior in all his law & commandments without asking any questions why they were so[--]He was followed by P. P. Pratt & others who expressed their minds freely[--]several sick were prayed for"
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45, http://amzn.to/origins-power; Wilford Woodruff's Journal. 9 Vols. Scott G. Kenney, ed. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1983-85. 2:331]
Sunday prayer meeting in the upper room of Joseph Smith's store; "Joseph not present," and "Brigham Young presided," apparently for the first time .
"B Young was called to the chair who addressed the meeting in a vary feeling manner & interesting to our minds, he reasoned clearly that we should follow our file leaders & our savior in all his law & commandments without asking any questions why they were so[--]He was followed by P. P. Pratt & others who expressed their minds freely[--]several sick were prayed for"
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45, http://amzn.to/origins-power; Wilford Woodruff's Journal. 9 Vols. Scott G. Kenney, ed. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1983-85. 2:331]
185 years ago today - Dec 10, 1833.
Joseph Smith tells the saints that they should retain their lands in Missouri and seek legal redress against their enemies. If they should not obtain it, God will avenge them with `ten thousand of his Saints' and all their adversaries would be destroyed.
[History of Church, v1, p 455]
[History of Church, v1, p 455]
40 years ago today - Dec 09, 1978
Missionary couples Rendell N. and Rachel Mabey and Edwin and Janath Cannon, the first missionaries to Ghana, arrive in that country and soon baptize eighty-nine people who have been waiting for the missionaries, some of them for many years. Within a year, more than four hundred people are baptized.
85 years ago today - Dec 9,1933
Church News article "Mormonism in The New Germany," enthusiastically emphasizes parallels "between the LDS Church and some of the ideas and policies of the National Socialists." First, Nazis have introduced "Fast Sunday." Second, "it is a very well known fact that Hitler observes a form of living which Mormons term the Word of Wisdom. Finally, due to the importance given to the racial question by Nazis and the almost necessity of proving that one's grandmother was not a Jewess, there no longer is resistance against genealogical research by German Mormons who now have received letters of encouragement complimenting them for their patriotism."
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, Appendix 5, Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996, http://amzn.to/extensions-power]
[Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power, Appendix 5, Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996, http://amzn.to/extensions-power]
65 years ago today - Dec 9, 1953
[J. Reuben Clark]
Proposed Statement of President McKay to State Legislators.
In the early 1930's the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints transferred to the State of Utah, Dixie College, Snow College, and Weber College. The deeds in each instance provided that in the event the particular college was not maintained as a Junior College by the State, it would revert to the Church.
If the Legislature now decides no longer to operate these three Colleges, the Church will again take title to them and operate them as a part of its educational system.
Drafted by Pres. Wilkinson.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
Proposed Statement of President McKay to State Legislators.
In the early 1930's the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints transferred to the State of Utah, Dixie College, Snow College, and Weber College. The deeds in each instance provided that in the event the particular college was not maintained as a Junior College by the State, it would revert to the Church.
If the Legislature now decides no longer to operate these three Colleges, the Church will again take title to them and operate them as a part of its educational system.
Drafted by Pres. Wilkinson.
[The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
130 years ago today - Dec 9, 1888
[Brigham Young Jr.]
Pres[iden]t. [Wilford] Woodruff & members of the Council decided to advise the brethren who had resigned their standing in the wards in our northern stakes [Idaho] to remain as they are until after the Court trials in the spring. The Repub[lican]s. of Idaho want an opportunity to accuse the people of perjury in leaving the church to vote. And the pubs. Will prosecute our people for conspiracy if they return to their fellowship in the Church. Three hundred & fifty dollars was voted for the relief of brethren involved in litigation in Idaho. [It was illegal in Idaho for Mormons to vote.]
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Pres[iden]t. [Wilford] Woodruff & members of the Council decided to advise the brethren who had resigned their standing in the wards in our northern stakes [Idaho] to remain as they are until after the Court trials in the spring. The Repub[lican]s. of Idaho want an opportunity to accuse the people of perjury in leaving the church to vote. And the pubs. Will prosecute our people for conspiracy if they return to their fellowship in the Church. Three hundred & fifty dollars was voted for the relief of brethren involved in litigation in Idaho. [It was illegal in Idaho for Mormons to vote.]
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
170 years ago today - Saturday, Dec 9, 1848
[John D. Lee, Council of Fifty]
The council of YTFIF [Fifty] again met at the House of H[eber] C. Kimballs, & took into consideration the propriety of Petition[ing] Congress for a Teritorial Government, Giving them to understand at the same time we wanted officers of our own nomination &, should they Send such men as Lilburn W. Boggs, Neal Gilliam [of] Benton County, [Austin] King, [Wiley] Williams & others, that we would send them Cross Lots to Hell, that dark & dreary Road where no traveler ever returns. Pres. B[righam] Young was nominated & voted to be the governor of Said Territory. ... The Territory should be called Desarett [Deseret] & bounded as follows: [blank]. [Ten men] … were appointed a commity to obtain the Names of all the inhabitants of the valley & all the region roundabout to [be] incorporated in the Pe[ti]tion. The subject of gathering up the catle & Hors[es] that were Scatered over the valley, exposed to the ravages of the wolves & Indian[s], was called up & voted that O[rrin] P. Rockwell, J[ohn] D. Lee & Geo[rge] D. Grant be the commity to manage or superintend the geathering of the catle; the above commity was nominated by Pres. B[righam] Y[oung] who observed, ["]If there is not fire and thunder in this commity we will try & put some in them.["] ...
[John D. Lee diary, 80-81, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
The council of YTFIF [Fifty] again met at the House of H[eber] C. Kimballs, & took into consideration the propriety of Petition[ing] Congress for a Teritorial Government, Giving them to understand at the same time we wanted officers of our own nomination &, should they Send such men as Lilburn W. Boggs, Neal Gilliam [of] Benton County, [Austin] King, [Wiley] Williams & others, that we would send them Cross Lots to Hell, that dark & dreary Road where no traveler ever returns. Pres. B[righam] Young was nominated & voted to be the governor of Said Territory. ... The Territory should be called Desarett [Deseret] & bounded as follows: [blank]. [Ten men] … were appointed a commity to obtain the Names of all the inhabitants of the valley & all the region roundabout to [be] incorporated in the Pe[ti]tion. The subject of gathering up the catle & Hors[es] that were Scatered over the valley, exposed to the ravages of the wolves & Indian[s], was called up & voted that O[rrin] P. Rockwell, J[ohn] D. Lee & Geo[rge] D. Grant be the commity to manage or superintend the geathering of the catle; the above commity was nominated by Pres. B[righam] Y[oung] who observed, ["]If there is not fire and thunder in this commity we will try & put some in them.["] ...
[John D. Lee diary, 80-81, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)]
10 years ago today - Dec 8, 2008
The inaugural volume of the much-anticipated Joseph Smith Papers, released today, brings to light a project that has been under way for many years. This landmark publishing venture begins with Joseph Smiths personal journal entries, covering the years 1832 to 1839.
[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, United Kingdom, "On This Day," https://www.lds.org.uk/show_oda.php]
[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, United Kingdom, "On This Day," https://www.lds.org.uk/show_oda.php]
165 years ago today - Dec 8, 1853
[Hosea Stout]
This fore noon I arrived at home or what more properly might be said where once was my home.
Here, not 14 months since was concentrated all my earthly happiness. Here, the confiding Louisa, the dearest object of my heart, the solace in all my troubles and my inocent prattling children, was left, in the most perfect enjoyment of earthly bliss. To them I fled as a refuge from trouble & disappointment & how often I have rejoiced that I was thus blessed with that most essential ingredient for mans comfort, a true, faithful & confiding wife, and obedient lovely children There were here then, Here then was my own ocean of affection & love[.] I left them by the command of the Lord to preach the gospel in foreign lands & returned but not to them.
Louisa was no more, the scource of my happiness was beneath the cold sod while the very geniuse of desolation & loneliness seemed to brood over the scenes of by gone happiness.
What did I find? Even my brother had removed into the country & not the first vistage of former associations moved on the desolate place.
A family of English saints, total stranger to me resided here and could give no account of neither family or friends.
I gazed upon the sad wreck of all my hopes in silence while my heart sank within me & those around could not refrain from mingling their tears with mine for a few moments when we all hastily with drew from a place so full of sad reccollections as my HOME.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
This fore noon I arrived at home or what more properly might be said where once was my home.
Here, not 14 months since was concentrated all my earthly happiness. Here, the confiding Louisa, the dearest object of my heart, the solace in all my troubles and my inocent prattling children, was left, in the most perfect enjoyment of earthly bliss. To them I fled as a refuge from trouble & disappointment & how often I have rejoiced that I was thus blessed with that most essential ingredient for mans comfort, a true, faithful & confiding wife, and obedient lovely children There were here then, Here then was my own ocean of affection & love[.] I left them by the command of the Lord to preach the gospel in foreign lands & returned but not to them.
Louisa was no more, the scource of my happiness was beneath the cold sod while the very geniuse of desolation & loneliness seemed to brood over the scenes of by gone happiness.
What did I find? Even my brother had removed into the country & not the first vistage of former associations moved on the desolate place.
A family of English saints, total stranger to me resided here and could give no account of neither family or friends.
I gazed upon the sad wreck of all my hopes in silence while my heart sank within me & those around could not refrain from mingling their tears with mine for a few moments when we all hastily with drew from a place so full of sad reccollections as my HOME.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
75 years ago today - Dec 8, 1943
[George Albert Smith]
[Excommunicated apostle] Richard [R. Lyman] applied for [re-]Baptism.
[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]
[Excommunicated apostle] Richard [R. Lyman] applied for [re-]Baptism.
[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 - Dec 8, 1888
Bro[ther] Parkinson reported the condition of things in the Oneida [Idaho] Stake ... prospective nonpayment of tithings by the brethren, who felt it to be necessary to withdraw from the church [so they could vote] & they believing they can now pay their tithes for fear of the results &c they needed some assistance. 200 allowed. The Idaho political situation was discussed. The feeling being that those who were out of the church should remain so. Pres[ident] Woodruff seemed quite clear that it would be better for no one to return to the church until after the cases in courts came up & were disposed of In cases of aged brethren returning thought it would be done privately.
[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]
185 years ago today - Dec 8, 1833
I, William Stafford, having been called upon to give a true statement of my knowledge, concerning the character and conduct of the family of Smiths, known to the world as the founders of the Mormon sect, do say, that I first became acquainted with Joseph, Sen., and his family in the year 1820. They lived, at that time, in Palmyra, about one mile and a half from my residence. A great part of their time was devoted to digging for money: especially in the night time, when they said the money could be most easily obtained. I have heard them tell marvellous tales, respecting the discoveries they had made in their peculiar occupation of money digging. They would say, for instance, that in such a place, in such a hill, on a certain man's farm, there were deposited keys, barrels and hogsheads of coined silver and gold -- bars of gold, golden images, brass kettles filled with gold and silver -- gold candlesticks, swords, &c. &c. They would say, also, that nearly all the hills in this part of New York, were thrown up by human hands, and in them were large caves, which Joseph, Jr., could see, by placing a stone of singular appearance in his hat, in such a manner as to exclude all light; at which time they pretended he could see all things within and under the earth, -- that he could see within the above mentioned caves, large gold bars and silver plates -- that he could also discover the spirits in whose charge these treasures were, clothed in ancient dress. At certain times, these treasures could be obtained very easily; at others, the obtaining of them was difficult. The facility of approaching them, depended in a great measure on the state of the moon. New moon and good Friday, I believe, were regarded as the most favorable times for obtaining these treasures. These tales I regarded as visionary. However, being prompted by curiosity, I at length accepted of their invitations, to join them in their nocturnal excursions. I will now relate a few incidents attending these excursions.
Joseph Smith, Sen., came to me one night, and told me, that Joseph Jr. had been looking in his glass, and had seen, not many rods from his house, two or three kegs of gold and silver, some feet under the surface of the earth: and that none others but the elder Joseph and myself could get them. I accordingly consented to go, and early in the evening repaired to the place of deposit. Joseph, Sen. first made a circle, twelve or fourteen feet in diameter. This circle, said he, contains the treasure. He then stuck in the ground a row of witch hazel sticks, around the said circle, for the purpose of keeping off the evil spirits. Within this circle he made another, of about eight or ten feet in diameter. He walked around three times on the periphery of this last circle, muttering to himself something which I could not understand. He next stuck a steel rod in the centre of the circles, and then enjoined profound silence upon us, lest we should arouse the evil spirit who had the charge of these treasures. After we had dug a trench about five feet in depth around the rod, the old man by signs and motions, asked leave of absence, and went to the house to inquire of young Joseph the cause of our disappointment. He soon returned and said, that Joseph had remained all this time in the house, looking in his stone and watching the motions of the evil spirit--that he saw the spirit come up to the ring and as soon as it beheld the cone which we had formed around the rod, it caused the money to sink. We then went into the house, and the old man observed, that we had made a mistake in the commencemnt of the operation; if it had not been for that, said he, we should have got the money.
At another time, they devised a scheme, by which they might satiate their hunger, with the mutton of one of my sheep. They had seen in my flock of sheep, a large, fat, black weather. Old Joseph and one of the boys came to me one day, and said that Joseph Jr. had discovered some very remarkable and valuable treasures, which could be procured only in one way. That way, was as follows: -- That a black sheep should be taken on to the ground where the treasures were concealed -- that after cutting its throat, it should be led around a circle while bleeding. This being done, the wrath of the evil spirit would be appeased: the treasures could then be obtained, and my share of them was to be four fold. To gratify my curiosity, I let them have a large fat sheep. They afterwards informed me, that the sheep was killed pursuant to commandment; but as there was some mistake in the process, it did not have the desired effect. This, I believe, is the only time they ever made money-digging a profitable business. They, however, had around them constantly a worthless gang, whose employment it was to dig money nights, and who, day times, had more to do with mutton than money.
When they found that the people of this vicinity would no longer put any faith in their schemes for digging money, they then pretended to find a gold bible, of which, they said, the book of Mormon was only an introduction. This latter book was at length fitted for the press. No means were taken by any individual to suppress its publication: No one apprehended any danger from a book, originating with individuals who had neither influence, honesty or honor. The two Josephs and Hiram, promised to show me the plates, after the book of Mormon was translated. But, afterwards, they pretended to have received an express commandment, forbidding them to show the plates. Respecting the manner of receiving and translating the book of Mormon, their statements were always discordant. The elder Joseph would say that he had seen the plates, and that he knew them to be gold; at other times he would say that they looked like gold; and other times he would say he had not seen the plates at all. I have thus briefly stated a few of the facts, in relation to the conduct and character of this family of Smiths; probably sufficient has been stated without my going into detail.
WILLIAM STAFFORD.
State of New York, Wayne County, ss:
I certify, that on this 9th day of December, 1833, personally appeared before me, William Stafford, to me known, and made oath to the truth of the above statement, and signed the same.
TH. P. BALDWIN,
Judge of Wane County Court.
[William Stafford affidavit, 8 December 1833]
Joseph Smith, Sen., came to me one night, and told me, that Joseph Jr. had been looking in his glass, and had seen, not many rods from his house, two or three kegs of gold and silver, some feet under the surface of the earth: and that none others but the elder Joseph and myself could get them. I accordingly consented to go, and early in the evening repaired to the place of deposit. Joseph, Sen. first made a circle, twelve or fourteen feet in diameter. This circle, said he, contains the treasure. He then stuck in the ground a row of witch hazel sticks, around the said circle, for the purpose of keeping off the evil spirits. Within this circle he made another, of about eight or ten feet in diameter. He walked around three times on the periphery of this last circle, muttering to himself something which I could not understand. He next stuck a steel rod in the centre of the circles, and then enjoined profound silence upon us, lest we should arouse the evil spirit who had the charge of these treasures. After we had dug a trench about five feet in depth around the rod, the old man by signs and motions, asked leave of absence, and went to the house to inquire of young Joseph the cause of our disappointment. He soon returned and said, that Joseph had remained all this time in the house, looking in his stone and watching the motions of the evil spirit--that he saw the spirit come up to the ring and as soon as it beheld the cone which we had formed around the rod, it caused the money to sink. We then went into the house, and the old man observed, that we had made a mistake in the commencemnt of the operation; if it had not been for that, said he, we should have got the money.
At another time, they devised a scheme, by which they might satiate their hunger, with the mutton of one of my sheep. They had seen in my flock of sheep, a large, fat, black weather. Old Joseph and one of the boys came to me one day, and said that Joseph Jr. had discovered some very remarkable and valuable treasures, which could be procured only in one way. That way, was as follows: -- That a black sheep should be taken on to the ground where the treasures were concealed -- that after cutting its throat, it should be led around a circle while bleeding. This being done, the wrath of the evil spirit would be appeased: the treasures could then be obtained, and my share of them was to be four fold. To gratify my curiosity, I let them have a large fat sheep. They afterwards informed me, that the sheep was killed pursuant to commandment; but as there was some mistake in the process, it did not have the desired effect. This, I believe, is the only time they ever made money-digging a profitable business. They, however, had around them constantly a worthless gang, whose employment it was to dig money nights, and who, day times, had more to do with mutton than money.
When they found that the people of this vicinity would no longer put any faith in their schemes for digging money, they then pretended to find a gold bible, of which, they said, the book of Mormon was only an introduction. This latter book was at length fitted for the press. No means were taken by any individual to suppress its publication: No one apprehended any danger from a book, originating with individuals who had neither influence, honesty or honor. The two Josephs and Hiram, promised to show me the plates, after the book of Mormon was translated. But, afterwards, they pretended to have received an express commandment, forbidding them to show the plates. Respecting the manner of receiving and translating the book of Mormon, their statements were always discordant. The elder Joseph would say that he had seen the plates, and that he knew them to be gold; at other times he would say that they looked like gold; and other times he would say he had not seen the plates at all. I have thus briefly stated a few of the facts, in relation to the conduct and character of this family of Smiths; probably sufficient has been stated without my going into detail.
WILLIAM STAFFORD.
State of New York, Wayne County, ss:
I certify, that on this 9th day of December, 1833, personally appeared before me, William Stafford, to me known, and made oath to the truth of the above statement, and signed the same.
TH. P. BALDWIN,
Judge of Wane County Court.
[William Stafford affidavit, 8 December 1833]
175 years ago today - Dec 8, 1843
The Nauvoo City council passes a law stating that any officer bringing a writ against Joseph Smith based on a Missouri charge will be subject to life imprisonment, "which convict or convicts can only be pardoned by the Governor, with the consent of the Mayor of said city." (Joseph Smith himself is, of course, the mayor.) The Nauvoo Legion is also ordered to be ready to protect the rights of Nauvoo citizens. Affidavits are drawn up in protest of the recent kidnappings
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
50 years ago today - Dec 7, 1968
[Phone call, Ezra Taft Benson to First Presidency secretary Clare Middlemiss] "Clare, President McKay has told me on various occasions that there are two things he regretted in his presidency: (1) the untimely decision, which was later changed, to move the college at Rexburg to Idaho Falls; and (2) the issuing of the statement in the public press against the John Birch Society. Now, in order to alleviate that feeling about the John Birch Society, I wonder, since they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight at a meeting and banquet in Indianapolis, Indiana, if President McKay would send a telegram similar to the following: "John Birch Society, c/o Mr. Robert Welch, Stauffer Inn, Indianapolis, Indiana—Congratulations upon reaching ten years of courageous and effective service in defense of our freedom and acquainting the American people with the insidious dangers of the atheistic communistic conspiracy. Best wishes for future success in the fight to preserve our God-given liberties." McKay was in a meeting, and counselor Alvin R. Dyer vetoed the request.
["Note by C.M. (Clare Middlemiss)", David O. McKay diary as referenced in Gregory A. Prince and Wm. Robert Write, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press (2005)]
["Note by C.M. (Clare Middlemiss)", David O. McKay diary as referenced in Gregory A. Prince and Wm. Robert Write, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press (2005)]
65 years ago today - Dec 07, 1953
The West German government grants the Church Koerperschaft des Oeffenlichen Rechts (Corporation under Public Law), giving it equal rights with the established churches in Germany. This is the first time in German history that a foreign church has been so honored.
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