[James E. Talmage]
Forty-nine years old today. Had interview with the First Presidency, and was appointed by them to special work viz. the preparation of the manuscript for a booklet on temples and temple work. A few days ago, specifically on the 11th inst. the Salt Lake Tribune announced under sensational headlines that pictures of the interior of the temple in this city had been secured by men who had surreptitiously gained entrance to the building and that the parties having the pictures so obtained were then in New York negotiating for the sale of same to theatres or 'moving-picture' houses for public exhibition. It was further stated that a first offer had been made to the Church officials, and that $100,000 would be considered a fair basis of sale. The 'Deseret News' on the evening of the 16th confirmed the main facts of the report and published the seven pictures reserved by the President of the Church from the/conspirators and would-be blackmailers. The pictures are bromide enlargements of poor negatives, evidently made in haste, showing some of the temple rooms during the summer cleaning period. The authorities have since announced that pictures of the temple interior will be made, and that copies of same may be obtained by reputable publishers and other reliable parties, and further that it is the intention of the Presidency to publish a book on the subject of temples and temple work embodying such pictures.
[Source: James E. Talmage, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
120 years ago today - Sep 21, 1896
[Franklin D. Richards]
B[isho]p. W[illiam]. B. Preston called with [Apostle] M[oses]. Thatcher Jr. & informed us that Apostle M. Thatcher has now spent 27 out of 60 days in treatment by an expert in the Keely cure necessary to overcome the Morphine habit & asked that brother M[oses]. T[hatcher]. may be permitted to continue undisturbed in his treatment until the 60 days expire; which was most cordially granted. Pres[iden]t. L[orenzo] Snow, concurred.
[Source: Franklin D. Richards 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]
B[isho]p. W[illiam]. B. Preston called with [Apostle] M[oses]. Thatcher Jr. & informed us that Apostle M. Thatcher has now spent 27 out of 60 days in treatment by an expert in the Keely cure necessary to overcome the Morphine habit & asked that brother M[oses]. T[hatcher]. may be permitted to continue undisturbed in his treatment until the 60 days expire; which was most cordially granted. Pres[iden]t. L[orenzo] Snow, concurred.
[Source: Franklin D. Richards 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]
125 years ago today - Monday, Sep 21, 1891
[Wilford Woodruff to John Henry Smith]
Elder John Henry Smith
One of the Twelve Apostles
Dear Brother,
The condition of many of the saints in Arizona in Connection with their marriages has been brought to the attention of the First Presidency. We understand that there are many couples in that Territory who are prevented by poverty and other circumstances from going to the Temple to have their sealing and that many of the children are being born out of the Covenant [to parents who have not been sealed for time and eternity] because of this.
... we have decided to authorize you, as one of the Apostles, to dedicate rooms which are now used for prayer according to the holy order [of the temple ceremonies], and in those rooms solemnize marriages such as are properly recommended, and which are of the class referred to, that is, marriages of those who are unable through poverty or some other various impediment, to go to the Temple of the Lord to be sealed for time and for eternity.... I remain your brother
Wilford Woodruff
Form of Marriage
Brother, you take Sister —- by the right hand and receive her unto yourself to be your lawfull wedded wife, for time and for all eternity. With the Covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites and ordinances appertaining to this holy order of matrimony in the new and everlasting Covenant [of eternal marriage]. This you do in the presence of God, angels and these witnesses, of your own free will and choice. Do you? Yes! [Repeated for woman.]
By virtue of the holy Priesthood and Authority invested in me, I pronounce you legally and lawfully husband and wife, for time and all eternity.
I seal upon you the blessings of the holy resurrection with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection clothed with glory, immortality and eternal lives. And I seal upon you the blessings of Kingdoms, thrones, principalities, powers dominions and exaltations with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And I say unto you, be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth that you may have joy and rejoicing in your posterity in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
All these blessings, together with all appertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, I seal upon your heads, through your faithfullness by virtue of the holy priesthood and in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
Kiss each other...
[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]
Elder John Henry Smith
One of the Twelve Apostles
Dear Brother,
The condition of many of the saints in Arizona in Connection with their marriages has been brought to the attention of the First Presidency. We understand that there are many couples in that Territory who are prevented by poverty and other circumstances from going to the Temple to have their sealing and that many of the children are being born out of the Covenant [to parents who have not been sealed for time and eternity] because of this.
... we have decided to authorize you, as one of the Apostles, to dedicate rooms which are now used for prayer according to the holy order [of the temple ceremonies], and in those rooms solemnize marriages such as are properly recommended, and which are of the class referred to, that is, marriages of those who are unable through poverty or some other various impediment, to go to the Temple of the Lord to be sealed for time and for eternity.... I remain your brother
Wilford Woodruff
Form of Marriage
Brother, you take Sister —- by the right hand and receive her unto yourself to be your lawfull wedded wife, for time and for all eternity. With the Covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites and ordinances appertaining to this holy order of matrimony in the new and everlasting Covenant [of eternal marriage]. This you do in the presence of God, angels and these witnesses, of your own free will and choice. Do you? Yes! [Repeated for woman.]
By virtue of the holy Priesthood and Authority invested in me, I pronounce you legally and lawfully husband and wife, for time and all eternity.
I seal upon you the blessings of the holy resurrection with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection clothed with glory, immortality and eternal lives. And I seal upon you the blessings of Kingdoms, thrones, principalities, powers dominions and exaltations with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And I say unto you, be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth that you may have joy and rejoicing in your posterity in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
All these blessings, together with all appertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, I seal upon your heads, through your faithfullness by virtue of the holy priesthood and in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.
Kiss each other...
[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]
155 years ago today - Sep 21, 1861
Brigham Young's "destroying angel" William A. "Wild Bill" Hickman falls down and accidentally shoots himself in the liver when his gun discharges. He lives for twenty-two more years and omits this incident from his memoirs that are written before his execution.
160 years ago today - Sep 21, 1856
This is the reason why the doctrine of plurality of wives was revealed, that the noble spirits who are waiting for tabernacles might be brought forth
[Source: Journal of Discourses, 4:56, quoted at WikiQuotes: Brigham Young, http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Brigham_Young]
[Source: Journal of Discourses, 4:56, quoted at WikiQuotes: Brigham Young, http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Brigham_Young]
160 years ago today - Sep 21, 1856
[Jedediah M. Grant]
"I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood.
We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye. . . . I would ask how many covenant breakers there are in this city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a great many; and if they are covenant breakers we need a place designated, where we can shed their blood. . . .
We have been trying long enough with this people, and I go in for letting the sword of the Almighty be unsheathed, not only in word, but in deed. . . .Brethren and sisters, we want you to repent and forsake your sins. And you who have committed sins that cannot be forgiven through baptism, let your blood be shed, and let the smoke ascend, that the incense thereof may come up before God as an atonement for your sins, and that the sinners in Zion may be afraid. "
..."Some have received the Priesthood and a knowledge of the things of God, and still they dishonor the cause of truth, commit adultery, and every other abomination beneath the heavens, and then meet you here or in the street, and deny it.
These are the abominable characters that we have in our midst, and they will seek unto wizards that peep, and to star-gazers and soothsayers, because they have no faith in the holy Priesthood, and then when they meet us, they want to be called Saints.
The same characters will get drunk and wallow in the mire and filth, and yet they call themselves Saints, and seem to glory in their conduct, and they pride themselves in their greatness and in their abominations.
They are the old hardened sinners, and are almost—if not altogether—past improvement, and are full of hell, and my prayer is that God's indignation may rest upon them from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet.
I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood.
We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye.
You may think that I am not teaching you Bible doctrine, but what says the apostle Paul? I would ask how many covenant breakers there are in this city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a great many; and if they are covenant breakers we need a place designated, where we can shed their blood. "
[Source: Jedediah M. Grant, Deseret News, vol. 6, p. 235, reprinted in the Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 49-51, quoted at Mormon Bookshelf: http://mormonbookshelf.com/wiki/Blood_Atonement]
"I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood.
We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye. . . . I would ask how many covenant breakers there are in this city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a great many; and if they are covenant breakers we need a place designated, where we can shed their blood. . . .
We have been trying long enough with this people, and I go in for letting the sword of the Almighty be unsheathed, not only in word, but in deed. . . .Brethren and sisters, we want you to repent and forsake your sins. And you who have committed sins that cannot be forgiven through baptism, let your blood be shed, and let the smoke ascend, that the incense thereof may come up before God as an atonement for your sins, and that the sinners in Zion may be afraid. "
..."Some have received the Priesthood and a knowledge of the things of God, and still they dishonor the cause of truth, commit adultery, and every other abomination beneath the heavens, and then meet you here or in the street, and deny it.
These are the abominable characters that we have in our midst, and they will seek unto wizards that peep, and to star-gazers and soothsayers, because they have no faith in the holy Priesthood, and then when they meet us, they want to be called Saints.
The same characters will get drunk and wallow in the mire and filth, and yet they call themselves Saints, and seem to glory in their conduct, and they pride themselves in their greatness and in their abominations.
They are the old hardened sinners, and are almost—if not altogether—past improvement, and are full of hell, and my prayer is that God's indignation may rest upon them from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet.
I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood.
We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye.
You may think that I am not teaching you Bible doctrine, but what says the apostle Paul? I would ask how many covenant breakers there are in this city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a great many; and if they are covenant breakers we need a place designated, where we can shed their blood. "
[Source: Jedediah M. Grant, Deseret News, vol. 6, p. 235, reprinted in the Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 49-51, quoted at Mormon Bookshelf: http://mormonbookshelf.com/wiki/Blood_Atonement]
160 years ago today - Sep 21, 1856
Brigham Young, the second President of the Church, made these statements in a sermon:
"There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world.
I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doctrine, but it is to save them, not to destroy them. . . .
And furthermore, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their blood, that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering to appease the wrath that is kindled against them, and that the law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins.
It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit. As it was in ancient days, so it is in our day; and though the principles are taught publicly from this stand, still the people do not understand them; yet the law is precisely the same. There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, of a calf, or of turtle doves, cannot remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man. That is the reason why men talk to you as they do from this stand; they understand the doctrine and throw out a few words about it. You have been taught that doctrine, but you do not understand it.
[Source: Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 53-54; also published in the Deseret News, 1856, p. 235 Utah Digital Newspapers page 3, column 3, quoted at Mormon Bookshelf: http://mormonbookshelf.com/wiki/Blood_Atonement]
"There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world.
I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doctrine, but it is to save them, not to destroy them. . . .
And furthermore, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their blood, that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering to appease the wrath that is kindled against them, and that the law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins.
It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit. As it was in ancient days, so it is in our day; and though the principles are taught publicly from this stand, still the people do not understand them; yet the law is precisely the same. There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, of a calf, or of turtle doves, cannot remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man. That is the reason why men talk to you as they do from this stand; they understand the doctrine and throw out a few words about it. You have been taught that doctrine, but you do not understand it.
[Source: Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 53-54; also published in the Deseret News, 1856, p. 235 Utah Digital Newspapers page 3, column 3, quoted at Mormon Bookshelf: http://mormonbookshelf.com/wiki/Blood_Atonement]
165 years ago today - Sep 21, 1851
[Hosea Stout]
I learned to day that Howard Egan, who has returned forom the gold mines lately, and upon learning that his wife had been seduced or in other word had had a child willingly by James M. Monroe during his absence. Said Monroe had also gone to the States for goods for Reese and was now on his return here, whereupon Egan went and met him near Cach Cave and after talking the matter over sometime Egan drew a pistol and shot him dead which makes the second man who has been deliberately shot dead for the same offence in less than one year in the Territory.
What will be the end of this last affair I do not now know.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
I learned to day that Howard Egan, who has returned forom the gold mines lately, and upon learning that his wife had been seduced or in other word had had a child willingly by James M. Monroe during his absence. Said Monroe had also gone to the States for goods for Reese and was now on his return here, whereupon Egan went and met him near Cach Cave and after talking the matter over sometime Egan drew a pistol and shot him dead which makes the second man who has been deliberately shot dead for the same offence in less than one year in the Territory.
What will be the end of this last affair I do not now know.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
175 years ago today - Sept the 21st 1841
[High Council Minutes]
President Austin Cowles stated that as the High Council was unpleasantly situated in relation to its being inthraled with debts &c. which had devolved upon it in a time when it was under the necessity of transacting temporal buisness, for the Churchk...
[Source: Minutes of the High Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Nauvoo Illinois: Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, http://amzn.to/uXAcJh%20]
President Austin Cowles stated that as the High Council was unpleasantly situated in relation to its being inthraled with debts &c. which had devolved upon it in a time when it was under the necessity of transacting temporal buisness, for the Churchk...
[Source: Minutes of the High Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Nauvoo Illinois: Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, http://amzn.to/uXAcJh%20]
15 years ago today - Sep 20, 2001
President Hinckley was among 26 religious leaders who met at the White House in Washington, D.C., with U.S. President George W. Bush regarding the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001.
[Source: Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
[Source: Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html]
80 years ago today - Sep 20, 1936
President Heber J. Grant dedicates the Winter Quarters Cemetery Monument in Florence, Nebraska, with the Tragedy of Winter Quarters statue by Avard T. Fairbanks as the central sculpture. The monument honors the Saints who perished there during the winter of 1846–47.
95 years ago today - Sep 20, 1921
Apostle Reed Smoot receives a letter from the president of Fox Films, agreeing to stop exhibiting the movie 'Riders of the Purple Sage,' after the First Presidency condemned the film on 24 Aug. The studio estimates its loss at $300,000 for withdrawing this and 'The Rainbow Trail,' which LDS leaders also regard as anti-Mormon. The studio re-edits 'Riders,' which Apostle Smoot reviews and approves on 15 Feb. 1925.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
120 years ago today - Sep 20, 1896
Seventy's president J. Golden Kimball preaches: "There are 500 girls who are public prostitutes in Salt Lake City. Some of these are daughters of Latter-day Saints."
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
120 years ago today - Sunday, Sep 20, 1896
[John Henry Smith]
Nephi
With others I went and administered to a Bro. Wright who is possessed of an evil spirit. We failed to cast him out.
[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]
Nephi
With others I went and administered to a Bro. Wright who is possessed of an evil spirit. We failed to cast him out.
[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]
135 years ago today - Tuesday, Sep 20, 1881
[John Henry Smith]
Today Bro. Lyman and myself made inquiry of several of the Twelve as to the position in which G. Q,. Cannon and J. F. Smith would be placed in the event of the death of President Taylor. Bros L. Snow and F. D. Richards were of the opinion they would be in the position of J. W. Young and D. H. Wells, councillors to the Twelve [but not members of the quorum]. The latter however modified his opinion. Bro. Woodruff, G. Q. Cannon, J. F. Smith, F. Lyman and myself were of the opinion that they would take their places in the Quorum of the Twelve, they standing in a different position from Bro. Young & Wells who were never members of that quorum.
I gave it as my opinion that all men who may be councillors to the President in the event of his death fall back to their Quorum from which they were chosen.
[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]
Today Bro. Lyman and myself made inquiry of several of the Twelve as to the position in which G. Q,. Cannon and J. F. Smith would be placed in the event of the death of President Taylor. Bros L. Snow and F. D. Richards were of the opinion they would be in the position of J. W. Young and D. H. Wells, councillors to the Twelve [but not members of the quorum]. The latter however modified his opinion. Bro. Woodruff, G. Q. Cannon, J. F. Smith, F. Lyman and myself were of the opinion that they would take their places in the Quorum of the Twelve, they standing in a different position from Bro. Young & Wells who were never members of that quorum.
I gave it as my opinion that all men who may be councillors to the President in the event of his death fall back to their Quorum from which they were chosen.
[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 - Sep 20, 1876
In John D. Lee's second trial he is convicted of murder for his part in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The jury deliberates for 3 hours and 45 minutes. Unlike at his first trial where no faithful LDS testified for the prosecution, many now testified against Lee including Daniel H. Wells (second counselor to Brigham Young), and massacre participants Nephi Johnson (Lieutenant in Nauvoo Legion who lead killing of women and children), Jacob Hamblin (president of Southern Indian Mission). Johnson and Hamblin perjure themselves and put all blame on Lee. Judge Jacob S. Boremon allowed the all-Mormon jury to be informed that Wells's presence indicated that the LDS church supported the prosecution. Juror Andrew Correy quoted the Book of Mormon to justify his guilty vote: "Some one had to be sacrificed, so at last I gave in-.Better for one man to die than for a whole nation to dwindle in unbelief." But he says of his guilty vote that finally made it unanimous, "I felt miserable, just as though the devil had some power over me."
170 years ago today - Sep 20, 1846
[Brigham Young]
When I see the suffering that this people are enduring from the conduct of professed Christians I feel more like fighting & swearing than preaching. ... if any man wants to go & join the mob I hope He will get marked so as to stay marked untill the resurrection.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
When I see the suffering that this people are enduring from the conduct of professed Christians I feel more like fighting & swearing than preaching. ... if any man wants to go & join the mob I hope He will get marked so as to stay marked untill the resurrection.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
80 years ago today - 80 years ago - Sep 19, 1936
[Joseph F. Smith]
"I know that God is a being with body, parts, and passions and that his Son is in his own likeness, and that man is created in the image of God. The Son, Jesus Christ, grew and developed into manhood the same as you or I, as likewise did God, his father grow and develop to the Supreme Being that he now is. Man was born of woman; Christ the Savior, was born of woman; and God, the Father, was born of woman. Adam, our earthly parent, was also born of woman into this world, the same as Jesus and you and I."
[Source: Deseret Evening News, December 27, 1919, Section 3, p. 7, Remarks by Pres. Joseph F. Smith, quoted in Quotations Dealing with the Relationship of Our First Earthly Parents to Our Heavenly Parents (1830-1978)]
"I know that God is a being with body, parts, and passions and that his Son is in his own likeness, and that man is created in the image of God. The Son, Jesus Christ, grew and developed into manhood the same as you or I, as likewise did God, his father grow and develop to the Supreme Being that he now is. Man was born of woman; Christ the Savior, was born of woman; and God, the Father, was born of woman. Adam, our earthly parent, was also born of woman into this world, the same as Jesus and you and I."
[Source: Deseret Evening News, December 27, 1919, Section 3, p. 7, Remarks by Pres. Joseph F. Smith, quoted in Quotations Dealing with the Relationship of Our First Earthly Parents to Our Heavenly Parents (1830-1978)]
120 years ago today - 120 years ago - Sep 19, 1896
[Marriner W. Merrill]
Terrific wind last night blew ... all the tin from the Temple roof, damage not less than $600.00 to the Temple. I went to Lewiston, back to Richmond, and on to Logan. Found 67 large trees blown down on Temple Block and the tin off the roof.
[Source: Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Terrific wind last night blew ... all the tin from the Temple roof, damage not less than $600.00 to the Temple. I went to Lewiston, back to Richmond, and on to Logan. Found 67 large trees blown down on Temple Block and the tin off the roof.
[Source: Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
130 years ago today - 130 years ago - Sep 19, 1886
[Patriarchal Blessing of Margaret Rigby RosKelley by John L. Smith]
... thou shalt ... see Zion redeemed and peace established in all her borders, thy Joy shall be full, thousands shall be fed at thy table and many will hail thee mother, and bear thy name in honorable rememberence [remembrance] to the latest generation, thy sons and thy daughters mighty and numerous, thy words, words of wisdom to all thou dost associate with in the absence of thy companion thy Guardian Angel will shisper [whisper] to thee of his prosperity and tell thee which way to turn. ... Thou shalt behold thy Saviour decend [desend] in the clouds of heaven in great glory and rejoice with him in company with thy kindred ...
[Source: Patriarchal Blessings]
... thou shalt ... see Zion redeemed and peace established in all her borders, thy Joy shall be full, thousands shall be fed at thy table and many will hail thee mother, and bear thy name in honorable rememberence [remembrance] to the latest generation, thy sons and thy daughters mighty and numerous, thy words, words of wisdom to all thou dost associate with in the absence of thy companion thy Guardian Angel will shisper [whisper] to thee of his prosperity and tell thee which way to turn. ... Thou shalt behold thy Saviour decend [desend] in the clouds of heaven in great glory and rejoice with him in company with thy kindred ...
[Source: Patriarchal Blessings]
170 years ago today - 170 years ago - Sep 19, 1846
[Hosea Stout]
President Young sent me for Br G. W. Langley and after Council he informed us that it was reported that 12 dragoon United States horses had been seen taken on an island on the other side of the river and there kept by 3 men. The horses were fully equiped and it was supposed to be for the purpose of kidnapping some of the Twelve[.] The report seemed to be correct and created considerable excitement and agreed well with the report which Sarpee made to J. M. Grant that the United States Marshall was coming here with writs for the Twelve &cnow from this report we had reason to believe that they designed to catch some out and thus run them off on those horses.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
President Young sent me for Br G. W. Langley and after Council he informed us that it was reported that 12 dragoon United States horses had been seen taken on an island on the other side of the river and there kept by 3 men. The horses were fully equiped and it was supposed to be for the purpose of kidnapping some of the Twelve[.] The report seemed to be correct and created considerable excitement and agreed well with the report which Sarpee made to J. M. Grant that the United States Marshall was coming here with writs for the Twelve &cnow from this report we had reason to believe that they designed to catch some out and thus run them off on those horses.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
205 years ago today - 205 years ago - 1811. September 19
(Orson Pratt) : Born in Hartford, New York. Orson attended a few classes in bookkeeping, mathematics, geography, grammar, and surveying, but was basically self-educated.
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
205 years ago today - 1811. September 19
(Orson Pratt) : Born in Hartford, New York. Orson attended a few classes in bookkeeping, mathematics, geography, grammar, and surveying, but was basically self-educated.
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
40 years ago today - Sep 18, 1976
Former BYU president Wilkinson gave the invocation before Benson spoke at this dedicatory service of the Freemen Institute on 18 September 1976. ... Skousen, Wilkinson, and Benson had been allied as advocates of the Birch Society for more than a decade. Now, for the first time, all three participated at an ultra-conservative political meeting also attended by the secretary to the LDS church president. The evident news black-out of this meeting in all the regular newspapers of Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah, apparently resulted from the fact that newspaper reporters were excluded from this dedicatory service of the Freemen Institute. Even the Mormon-Birch Utah Independent reported only Benson's attendance at the dedicatory service.
D. Arthur Haycock, President Kimball's secretary, specifically linked the Birch Society with this ceremony at the Freemen Institute in September 1976. After Wilkinson gave the prayer at the Freemen dedication, Haycock confided to him on this day that "nearly all of them believed in the concepts of the John Birch Society." That may have been an overstatement, but more importantly it showed that the Birch Society and Benson in particular had a partisan friend in the First Presidency's office. Haycock had been private secretary to Benson as Secretary of Agriculture and was a confidant and significant influence on President Kimball.
[Source: Wilkinson diary, 18 Sept. 1976. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
D. Arthur Haycock, President Kimball's secretary, specifically linked the Birch Society with this ceremony at the Freemen Institute in September 1976. After Wilkinson gave the prayer at the Freemen dedication, Haycock confided to him on this day that "nearly all of them believed in the concepts of the John Birch Society." That may have been an overstatement, but more importantly it showed that the Birch Society and Benson in particular had a partisan friend in the First Presidency's office. Haycock had been private secretary to Benson as Secretary of Agriculture and was a confidant and significant influence on President Kimball.
[Source: Wilkinson diary, 18 Sept. 1976. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
115 years ago today - Sep 18, 1901
[David H. Cannon]
Pres[iden]t Brigham Young left St. George on 16 April 1877 for Salt Lake City and on the 17[th] [of ] April Pres[iden]t Young blessed me and set me apart to do sealings adoptions, 2nd Anointings[,] and all work in this holy Temple. This was done in Bellevieu [Bellevue, Nebraska] at the house of Brother Jacob Gates. I rejoice in this work and hope the time is not far distant when the temple will be filled with saints laboring for their dead. Be attentive and calm; see and hear what is done and said. Keep a record of what you do.
[Source: David H. Cannon, Temple Minute Book, St. George, Sept. 18, 1901, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
Pres[iden]t Brigham Young left St. George on 16 April 1877 for Salt Lake City and on the 17[th] [of ] April Pres[iden]t Young blessed me and set me apart to do sealings adoptions, 2nd Anointings[,] and all work in this holy Temple. This was done in Bellevieu [Bellevue, Nebraska] at the house of Brother Jacob Gates. I rejoice in this work and hope the time is not far distant when the temple will be filled with saints laboring for their dead. Be attentive and calm; see and hear what is done and said. Keep a record of what you do.
[Source: David H. Cannon, Temple Minute Book, St. George, Sept. 18, 1901, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
120 years ago today - Sep 18, 1896
Dr. James E. Talmage waited on the First Presidency today, and spoke of the series of theological lectures which he had delivered some time ago in the Assembly Hall, and stated that they were discontinued for fear that his position as President of the State University might be considered by non-mormons incompatible with active duties as an Elder in the Church. Many persons had recently expressed a desire that he should reopen his theological class, and he was perfectly willing to do so irrespective of what might be said on the subject by outside parties. The matter was discussed, and the subject postponed for the present until Conference with the Stake Presidency could be had. Pres[iden]t. Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon expressed the fear that advantage might be taken of Brother Talmage's position if he recommended this work, and efforts would be made looking at his removal from the University. The matter was laid over for the present.
[Source: Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[Source: Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
135 years ago today - Sep 18, 1881 (Sunday)
Apostle Orson Pratt delivered his last public discourse, in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City.
[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
170 years ago today - Sep 18, 1846
When the mob occupied the [Nauvoo] Temple, some of them ran to the tower, where they beat a drum, rang the bell, and shouted for joy. One preacher yelled, "Peace! Peace! Peace! To the inhabitants of the earth, now the Mormons are driven!"
[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]
[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]
170 years ago today - Sep 18, 1846
Enoch Lovejoy Lewis (black man Walker Lewis's first born) and Mary Matilda Webster, a white woman, were married in Cambridge, both of them LDS.
[Source: 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]
[Source: 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]
50 years ago today - 50 years ago - circa Sep 17, 1966
Stephen Hays Russell ... reported the BYU spy-ring's findings to Ezra Taft Benson.
[Source: Quinn interview on 16 December 1992 with a person (name withheld by request) who was a highly placed official at LDS church headquarters in 1966. While I was asking about other matters involving Ezra Taft Benson, this source brought up the BYU espionage and volunteered Stephen Russell's name as the person who forwarded the "spy ring's findings" to Benson. This forwarding of the spy ring information to Benson was also implied in Hankin interview, 17 Sept. 1966, pp. 6-7, and Sisson statement, 17 Sept. 1966, folder 10, Hillam Papers, and box 34, Buerger Papers. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
[Source: Quinn interview on 16 December 1992 with a person (name withheld by request) who was a highly placed official at LDS church headquarters in 1966. While I was asking about other matters involving Ezra Taft Benson, this source brought up the BYU espionage and volunteered Stephen Russell's name as the person who forwarded the "spy ring's findings" to Benson. This forwarding of the spy ring information to Benson was also implied in Hankin interview, 17 Sept. 1966, pp. 6-7, and Sisson statement, 17 Sept. 1966, folder 10, Hillam Papers, and box 34, Buerger Papers. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.]
120 years ago today - 120 years ago - Sep 17, 1896
[Anthon H. Lund]
"... went to the Temple. Senator Cannon and Governor Wells went with us. The question about what course [?] the Apostles should take was up and it was decided that we should keep out of politics IW ass urpis[?] sedt ah ear Broc aimous ayt hath ea asa gainsth iss oust al tungt [tingt ?] hec on vent iona ts S [or T?] Louisa ndt hens ayt hath ec o[?]nsid credt hathec ouldn oth avet aken ac onsis tentc oursina noth erw ay. Hed ecla wedh imgelfa Republic an andh esaidt hath ew anteda llw taht I ogot hes amew ay Ac om, mitt een as ap point edt ovisitm es est hat chera nd giveh in thewlt ima turn a foung now uos um. /Det v ar f ore [one?]. slaaeta tvia postlernes buldes kkeg aacn datt nle amP alitik [sic?]. John Henry vars kkeg 'odtt lilfredsm ad dike da hauh erg jortf oram staltsimger till at hjolps hansp Arti. Jos[eph] F. er en Guld [Gold?] man og Geo[rge] Q. C. er for Salv." [or Serlv] [nb. division shows where]
[nb. It is only the latter part of this entry that is written in Danish as shown. The first part makes no seeming sense until it becomes apparent that it is written in English with the syllables broken up non-phonetically and certainly non- grammatically. On card #2 I have interpreted the entry following this apparent device, while a Scandinavian expert in archives has helped me interpret the last portion which, as with the English words, continues to be broken up]
[The interpretation of the entry as transliterated above]
"I was surprised to hear bro[ther] cannon say that he was against his sons bolting the convention at St. Louis and then say that he considered that he could not have taken a consistent course in another way. He declared himself a Republican and he said that he wanted all Utah to go the same way. A committee was appointed to visit Moses Thatcher and give him the ultimatum of our quorum."[At this point the Danish begins; again, the words are separated and the whole very difficult to read. The following is an approximate translation] "It was suggested that we the Apostles should not take part in the talk about politics. John Henry was not well pleased with this because he is inclined [or feels disposed] to help his party, Joseph F, is a gold [en?] [if I am reading it right, the word is "Guld,"or gold] and George Q. C. is for self."
[That same day, Apostle John Henry Smith turned down an invitation to be nominated for congress]
[Source: Diary of Apostle Anthon H. Lund, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
"... went to the Temple. Senator Cannon and Governor Wells went with us. The question about what course [?] the Apostles should take was up and it was decided that we should keep out of politics IW ass urpis[?] sedt ah ear Broc aimous ayt hath ea asa gainsth iss oust al tungt [tingt ?] hec on vent iona ts S [or T?] Louisa ndt hens ayt hath ec o[?]nsid credt hathec ouldn oth avet aken ac onsis tentc oursina noth erw ay. Hed ecla wedh imgelfa Republic an andh esaidt hath ew anteda llw taht I ogot hes amew ay Ac om, mitt een as ap point edt ovisitm es est hat chera nd giveh in thewlt ima turn a foung now uos um. /Det v ar f ore [one?]. slaaeta tvia postlernes buldes kkeg aacn datt nle amP alitik [sic?]. John Henry vars kkeg 'odtt lilfredsm ad dike da hauh erg jortf oram staltsimger till at hjolps hansp Arti. Jos[eph] F. er en Guld [Gold?] man og Geo[rge] Q. C. er for Salv." [or Serlv] [nb. division shows where]
[nb. It is only the latter part of this entry that is written in Danish as shown. The first part makes no seeming sense until it becomes apparent that it is written in English with the syllables broken up non-phonetically and certainly non- grammatically. On card #2 I have interpreted the entry following this apparent device, while a Scandinavian expert in archives has helped me interpret the last portion which, as with the English words, continues to be broken up]
[The interpretation of the entry as transliterated above]
"I was surprised to hear bro[ther] cannon say that he was against his sons bolting the convention at St. Louis and then say that he considered that he could not have taken a consistent course in another way. He declared himself a Republican and he said that he wanted all Utah to go the same way. A committee was appointed to visit Moses Thatcher and give him the ultimatum of our quorum."[At this point the Danish begins; again, the words are separated and the whole very difficult to read. The following is an approximate translation] "It was suggested that we the Apostles should not take part in the talk about politics. John Henry was not well pleased with this because he is inclined [or feels disposed] to help his party, Joseph F, is a gold [en?] [if I am reading it right, the word is "Guld,"or gold] and George Q. C. is for self."
[That same day, Apostle John Henry Smith turned down an invitation to be nominated for congress]
[Source: Diary of Apostle Anthon H. Lund, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
140 years ago today - Sep 17, 1876
[Wilford Woodruff]
17 Sunday I met with my [Prayer] Circle at Noon & attended [meeting] in the Tabernacle. G Q Cannon spoke 65 Minuts followed By President Brigham Young who spoke in power 40 Minuts. Said there was but two roads one to Exhaltation & glory and the other to Condemnation & final destruction untill the wicked would finally be desolved back into their Native Element & they be known no more forever. The Twelve met for Prayer.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
17 Sunday I met with my [Prayer] Circle at Noon & attended [meeting] in the Tabernacle. G Q Cannon spoke 65 Minuts followed By President Brigham Young who spoke in power 40 Minuts. Said there was but two roads one to Exhaltation & glory and the other to Condemnation & final destruction untill the wicked would finally be desolved back into their Native Element & they be known no more forever. The Twelve met for Prayer.
[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 - Sep 17, 1846
The anti-Mormon mobs occupied Nauvoo and began the forcible removal of the remaining Mormons from the city. The Trustees gave the keys to the Temple to Henry I. Young, chairman of the Quincy Committee; he promptly opened the building to the mob, who began desecrating the Temple. The Trustees' actions were clearly done under duress.
[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]
[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]
170 years ago today - Sep 17, 1846
Mobs drive remaining Mormons from Illinois, despite a treaty after a week of artillery bombardment in the so-called Battle of Nauvoo.
45 years ago today - Sep 16, 1971
President [Joseph Fielding] Smith faints during a First Presidency meeting, and goes to a temple council meeting "over the protests of the Brethren." During a Thursday meeting on 21 Oct. he becomes ill and has "to be helped from the council room."
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
90 years ago today - Sep 16, 1926
[Heber J. Grant]
At 9:00 A.M. Brother C. N. Jenson, State Superintendent of Schools, called and referred to the efforts that are being made by Dr. Beattie and others to place Gentile nurses in our schools all over the state and thought something should be done to head this off, as eighty to ninety percent of the rural population is Mormons and it is all wrong that the public health department should be trying to get non-Mormon nurses into our school system. The question of whether the officials of the Church should take any interest in the matter was worthy of consideration, but we came to no decision as to what would be wise in the premises.
[Source: The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
At 9:00 A.M. Brother C. N. Jenson, State Superintendent of Schools, called and referred to the efforts that are being made by Dr. Beattie and others to place Gentile nurses in our schools all over the state and thought something should be done to head this off, as eighty to ninety percent of the rural population is Mormons and it is all wrong that the public health department should be trying to get non-Mormon nurses into our school system. The question of whether the officials of the Church should take any interest in the matter was worthy of consideration, but we came to no decision as to what would be wise in the premises.
[Source: The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
105 years ago today - Sep 16, 1911
A public report concerning a man who attempt to extort $100,000 from the church president to prevent the publication of covertly obtained interior photographs of the Salt Lake temple. Two days later the First Presidency commissions James E. Talmage to write 'The House of the Lord.' Published a year later its photographs omit the tobacco spittoons from the Council Room of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, but include the Holy of Holies (photograph deleted from later editions). The ordinance of second anointing is performed for couples in the Holy of Holies.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
115 years ago today - Sep 16, 1901
President Angus M. Cannon called at the office to see President Snow in relation to holding memorial services for President William McKinley who was assassinated. The services to be held in the Tabernacle on Thursday, agreeable with Governor [Heber M.] Wells' proclamation. It was decided to hold such services, also to ask the various stake presidents to do likewise. An announcement to this effect was placed in the Deseret News.
[Source: Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[Source: Journal History, 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 - Sep 16, 1846 (Wednesday)
The enemy was driven back from Nauvoo the fourth time. Through the negotiations of one hundred citizens of Quincy, a treaty was completed, by which the Saints should be allowed to move away in peace.
[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Source: Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
Today in Mormon History: Catching up
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TodayinMormonHistory has been offline due to technical difficulties for the past few days. Below are the items that should have gone out. Apologies sending multiple days in a single post.
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-- 165 years ago - Sep 9, 1851
Brigham Young has conference covenant to accept and obey Word of Wisdom as commandment and to accept excommunication for non-payment of tithing. Church leaders do not consistentiy enforce either practice until 20th century. (1)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 9, 1891
[Brigham Young Jr.] I dreamed last night that I was called home to assist in choosing a president of the Church. Pres[ident]. [Wilford] Woodruff found the burden too heavy at his advanced age. It is possible but not very probable, that this should transpire. (2)
-- 85 years ago - Sep 9, 1931
Apostle (and trained scientist) John A. Widsoe writes from England that he thinks James E. Talmadge's speech "The Earth and Man" should be published by the Church as it is. The speech accepts geologist's determination of the age of the earth and that fossils are remnants of life that lived and died before Adam. A group of three apostles, including Joseph Fielding Smith, is adamantly against publication of the speech. After two months of meetings (one lasting seven hours) the speech is published and later issued as a pamphlet.
-- 70 years ago - Sep 9, 1946
[J. Reuben Clark] Mark Peterson called about the Dream Mine situation; they have information that a Joseph Geertsten, of McKay Ward, in High Council of Wells Stake, is active in this. He wanted to tell Pres. Clark about it before proceeding. Pres. Clark suggested that they get as much information as they can before proceeding. They might then get in touch with the Securities Commission about their selling the stock. The Dream Miners have weekly meetings on Thursday and the News representative is attending them. The source of information was a woman whose brother-in-law is a dream miner and has been going to the meetings with Geersten. At the meetings they learned the mine was to produce on August 27th, but it didn't happen, and the word is now that they expect it to come through any time. (3)
-- 15 years ago - Sep 9, 2001
Comedian, writer, and actor Steve (wild and crazy guy) Martin remarks at a Toronto Film Festival press conference concerning rumors that he is a Mormon: "I'm not a Mormon. That rumor dates back to Father of the Bride," explained Martin. "In one scene the shirt I was wearing was thin enough that you could see the undershirt. Apparently it looked like the garment some Mormon men wear under their clothes." Among Mormons rumors have circulated that Martin had been seen on the Tonight Show wearing a CTR ring, that he had been "secretly baptized," and that he had taught a class at BYU Education Week.
-- 200 years ago - Sep 10, 1816
An early "killing" frost comes to Norwich, Vermont which cuts down those few crops that survived earlier snows that fell in Jul and Aug. The Joseph Smith Sr. family, facing the third year of crop failure, decides to move to New York.
-- 170 years ago - Sep 10, 1846 (Thursday)
The few remaining Saints at Nauvoo, of whom only about one hundred and twenty-five were able to bear arms, were attacked by an armed mob, about eighteen hundred strong, who with five pieces of artillery bombarded the city for several days. The brethren organized for self-defense and stopped the mobbers about two miles from the city. (4)
-- 165 years ago - Sep 10, 1851 (Conference)
[Brigham Young] General Doniphan said in St. Louis, that, '"if he had one thousand Mormon Boys, the same as the Mormon Battalion, he could do more good that all the United States soldiers that were there:'" I say, if he had been a Mormon he would have been charged with treason, although the government is good, and the Constitution is as good as could be framed.
He then exhorted the Presiding Bishop to settle with the First Presidency and all the Bishops, and require their tithing, the one-tenth of all their real estate, of the value of their farms and possessions, and all they have got, and then see that the Bishops settle with every man, and that he pays his tithing or we will disfellowship him from the Church. I will sell every particle of my property if a man can be found who will pay the cash and I will put it all into the hands of Bishop Hunter, and I will begin anew, and in five years God will so bless me that I shall be richer than any man in this community.
He then called on the First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, High Priests, Seventies, and every person to know if they were willing to do as he told them, when all hands were immediately raised. He lifted his hands on high and will all the powers of the Holy Priesthood vested in him, he blessed the Saints in the name of the Lord God of Israel, when all the people cried, Amen. -- Salt Lake City (5)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 10, 1891
U.S. president Benjamin Harrison grants a pardon to fellow Republican and second counselor Joseph F. Smith for outstanding warrants for his arrest on polygamy. (1)
-- 120 years ago - Sep 10, 1896
President Cannon related some of the experiences of the brethren on their visit to California. He feared that the Elders were wasting valuable time in their efforts to reclaim members of the Church who had separated from the body of the Church, and had lost the spirit of the Gospel. ... Elder John Henry Smith suggested that the results of the labors of the missionaries now in the field should be known that it might be considered whether the results justified the expenditure of so much money and labor during the present time of stringency. President Cannon suggested that in the absence of President Lorenzo Snow, Elder F[ranklin]. D. Richards confer with the rest of the Apostles with a view of ascertaining what Brother Smith had suggested. (6)
-- 90 years ago - Sep 10, 1926
Heber J. Grant and his wife August act as proxies for the vicarious endowment of Warren G. Harding and his wife and for their proxy sealing. Although Apostle Wilford Woodruff was a proxy for the baptism of deceased U.S. presidents in 1877, Grant is apparently the first church president to act as a proxy for a deceased U.S. president. On 29 Sept. Grant and Apostle Reed Smoot are also proxies for the vicarious endowments of Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. (1)
-- 190 years ago - Sep 11, 1826
Anti-Masonic martyer William Morgan is released from jail in Canandaigua, 12 miles from the Smith farm. Joseph Smith would be jailed there for debt in late 1830. (7)
-- 185 years ago - Sep 11, 1831
Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith received Doctrine & Covenants 64, a revelation containing the Lord's law of forgiveness and the warning, -"he that is tithed shall not be burned.-", (8)
D&C 64] "... I the Lord willeth to retain a strong hold in the Land of Kirtland for the space of five years in the which I will not overthrow the wicked that thereby I may save some & after that day I the Lord will not hold any guilty that shall go with open hearts up to the Land of Zion ..." (9)
-- 180 years ago - Sep 11, 1836
Predicted date of the redemption of Zion. Five years earlier (see previous entry) a revelation specified that for five years the Lord would "not overthrow the wicked." The first attempt to reclaim Jackson County (Zion) occurred when Zions Camp marched to retake Zion in the spring/early summer of 1834. That August he began plans again to take back Zion through a military effort, affirming the date set in D&C 64, "Use every effort to prevail on the churches to gather to those regions and situate themselves to be in readiness to move into Jackson Co. in two years from the Eleventh of September next which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion. ... Let not this be noised abroad let every heart beat in silence and every mouth be shut." (10)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 11, 1846
President Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles formally select the site for Winter Quarters (later Florence, Nebraska), the main winter encampment of the Saints. This is the first city in Nebraska.
-- 160 years ago - Sep 11, 1856 (Thursday)
Apostle Parley P. Pratt, accompanied by other Elders, left G.S.L. City on a mission to the States, from which he never returned. (4)
-- 145 years ago - Sep 11, 1871
Counselor Daniel H. Wells tells the Grantsville School of the Prophets that "a great many of our young men [are] abusing themselves by the habit of self-pollution: or self-abuse, or as the Bible terms it Onanism," which he regards as "one great cause why so many of our young men were not married, and it was a great sin, and would lead to insanity and a premature grave." Polygamy is the likelier cause for the prevalence of bachelorhood in nineteenth-century Utah. First, every national census lists more males than females in the Mormon population. Second, 20-40 percent of Mormon men marry polygamously which demographically requires bachelorhood in Utah's majority population of males. (1)
-- 15 years ago - Sep 11, 2001
[Mormon Tabernacle Choir] A regularly scheduled choir concert becomes a September 11 memorial service. (11)
-- 190 years ago - Sep 12, 1826
William Morgan is abducted by Masons in Batavia, New York and is never seen again. Morgan had written a book exposing the rituals of Freemasonry, ILLUSTRATIONS OF MASONRY which is published two months later. Morgan's abduction and murder spark the Anti-Masonic movement and party. Reviewers of the first edition of the Book of Mormon notice parallels between the Masons and the Book's Gadianton robbers. Exact phrases and "grips" in Morgan's book later become part of the LDS endowment ceremony and Morgan's widow, Lucinda, later becomes a plural wife of Joseph Smith.
-- 185 years ago - Sep 12, 1831
Joseph Jr. and family move into the John Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio (about thirty miles southeast of Kirtland), where he and Sidney Rigdon work on translating the Bible. (12)
-- 175 years ago - Sep 12, 1841
[Wilford Woodruff] In the evening we sung a few Hymns & as soon as we closed Mr Roberts broke out in a tremendious noise which he called tongues. I reproved him before the whole company for his folly & impoliteness. His conversation had been such that the passengers would form an idea that he was in part a representative of the Latter Day Saints. I wished to change that Idea in the minds of the company for it was fals. He was not a member of the Church. (13)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 12, 1846
I met in council in the evening with the 12 & H Council & we had a good time. B Young Addressed us for a time in the power of God. He spoke of the Camp being infested with some unruly young men & they had been whipped for wicked conduct ["night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's new teenage brides] & they had made threats and others had sustained them in it. He said evil must be put down in the camp. Our council held untill 11 oclock. (13)
"Some boys have been whipped in camp, and it is right. I did not know of it till after it was done. [Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff had ordered the punishment on Sept 8]. If we allow young men to come in here and set up their own plans, three years will not roll round before we will have cutting of throats here." (14)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 12, 1846. Saturday.
[William Clayton] President Young brought me $8 in money, one half dollar bogus ... (15)
-- 105 years ago - Tuesday, Sep 12, 1911
[John Henry Smith] We received a letter saying Photos had been taken of the Interior of the Temple. (16)
-- 50 years ago - Sep 12, 1966
Covert surveillance by BYU-Birch student in the form of either correspondence, classroom questioning, or private meetings to extract "pro-Communist" views from their professors. (17)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 13, 1846
Orson Pratt preaches: "the sectarian world say that about six thousand years ago God made all things out of nothing. When it can be demonstrated that light is thirty thousand years in coming from the fixed stars to earth, consequently that light was in existence at least twenty-four thousand years before this earth."
[Brigham Young:] But the time has come when we must have law and order in our midst. There has been some feelings of late in the camp because some unruly boys [enagaging in "night ramblings" with two of Wilford Woodruff's new teenage wives] have been floged by the Marshall for there wickedness. But if this Camp is not willing to let law & order reign here & put a stop to such wickedness I wish you to let me know it & I will go away from you. For those that wish to sustain crime & corruption let them return & strike hands with the mob & carry out there principles & be dammed. But if you want to do right say so. This people have been driven here for there desires to do righteousness. And this wickedness shall be put a stop to that has been manifest in the camp by certain young people of late. Yes it will be stoped if God come out & smites it by Judgment.
The Marshall did not whip them hard enough. If He had they would not have spit out there revenge but it would have been whiped out of them. If I am drove to the necessity of whipping a person in such A case they will not spit out revenge afterwards for I will whip it out of them.
Shall we any longer sustain in our midst men that will carry out the principles [spiritual wifery] of John C Bennet and other corrupt scoundrils? No I will sware by the Eternal God of Heaven such Conduct shall be stoped & shall not be permitted in this camp. For if they continue it I will tell the Marshall what the law is & they shall be taken Care of in a manner that they will not whine. And I will whip any man that will sustain it. For those that will sustain it shall be whiped. And I prophecy in the name of God such a man whether old or young shall be bowed down with sorrow & morning even more than this people have.
Then stop before you further go & not sport upon the brink of sorrow & morning. This people have the Law of Liberty & the gospel & the more the light & liberty & greater the privileges the stricter the Law. We are going into the wilderness & shall we suffer such things? No. I swear by the Eternal God such things shall not be while Brigham lives.
Br Kimball gave a good shot when He said no man [would] run into his waggon & swore he would shot the Marshall if he come after him except he was guilty of crime. No man is afraid except he is guilty. No man need be afraid that does right. I defy the world to say I have taken any roans right. But after we have been driven into the wilderness we are still followed by men who sware they will steal what they have in our midst. I sware they shall not have it in our midst.
Some young Elders that never preached a sermon in their lives are afraid that I shall have more blessings than they, or more wives or sumthing or other. But let them go & preach the world over as I have done in poverty and distress with Blood in my Shoes & spent years & years at it & left my wife & Children who have also suffered much. Let them do as we have done & they will not be jealous of me about blessings. If the Lord should give me a thousand women is it any mans business? No. Let such go and spend as much time as I have And there will be many clinging on to there skirts to be saved.
The majority of the men of the gentile world will be damned and the women wish to be saved by going with good men. And a woman that has the spirit of God will go with a good man who has been faithful & spent much of his time in saveing mankind and has the priesthood. Such men if they continue faithful will be saved in eternal Glory & those that are with him. I am determined that my affections shall be with God. I will not allow them to be placed on things that perish. When plagues & diseases get hold of our bodies we become loathsome & beauty fades away but our affections should be placed upon things that are Noble exhalted lasting & glorious. I love an exhalted mind for it is eternal & cannot fade. I want all my affections to be subject to God and glory & eternal life. May God bless you. Amen. (13)
-- 165 years ago - Saturday, Sep 13, 1851
David Fullmer of the Com[mittee] [Council of Fifty] to visit Gen[era]l [Uriah] Brown said he saw B[rown]. Told him our wish that he should remain-his family should be brought on-his services [to create a "liquid fire" weapon] were wanted here-and we would do by him as we do by each other... (18)
-- 160 years ago - Sep 13, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff] Br Kimball said he wanted to know a certain thing so he inquired by the <President Young and> HCK. <Both had that gift.> [Angeled brackets are in shorthand, used to disguise sensitive information. The gift may be divining rods.] (13)
Under the direction of President Brigham Young, President Jedediah M. Grant of the First Presidency institutes the "Mormon Reformation" at a conference in Kaysville. The purpose of the reformation was to remind the Saints of their blessings and to call them to repentance for being lax in keeping the commandments.
-- 130 years ago - Sep 13, 1886
[Wilford Woodruff] I was taken with a vary strange turn. I turned almost Blind & speechless & lost my Memory. It Came on & went off gradually. It lasted about 30 Minutes. I dont know whether it was paralises or not. I soon recovered. (13)
-- 115 years ago - Sep 13, 1901; Friday
A delegation of business men ... accompanied by Bishop William B. Preston, called and recommended to President [Lorenzo] Snow that they be authorized to [execute certain business activities.] After some talk President Snow consented that this be done. These brethren are interested in drawing as much business as possible to the north end of Main Street as against the efforts made by the Gentiles to pull to the South. (19)
-- 105 years ago - Wednesday, Sep 13, 1911
[John Henry Smith] Mr. Stewart of the law Firm of Stewart & Co. called with a letter from the same fellow who had written us in regard to [unauthorized] Pictures of the Interior of the Temple.
We also received six copies of various rooms in that building. The men who took the Pictures were Gottleib Unthick and Bozzard, Germans by birth. It is said they Claim to have been working at this for five years taking Flash light Pictures and copying records. (16)
-- 70 years ago - Sep 13, 1946
[J. Reuben Clark] Mark Petersen called about the Dream Mine. Their reporter had been at the meeting last night, which was an indignation meeting and Koyle [who had a series of dreams and revelations regarding buried Nephite gold] gave what appointed to a speech in criticism of the General Authorities. Some of the people mentioned the editorials and said they did not want to have trouble between themselves and the Church and Koyle gave them to understand if there was any choice to be made they were to choose him. Bro. Petersen wondered if they should not act, and Pres. Clark cautioned him not to be in too much of a hurry. ... They again announced that Bro. Talmage had come back from the dead and appeared to Koyle and apologized to him for what he had done, and also a Pres. Page of the Stake, who had bought stock and then repudiated it. ... (3)
-- 185 years ago - Sep 14, 1831
[The Freedom Censor, Fredonia NY] "He has all necessary implements for finding and securing the fleeting treasure; the mineral rod, hazel sticks, crow-bars and bibles." ... "He has no doubt of it, provided he can vanquish the spirits that continually guard it, and break the charm that constantly surrounds it." (20)
-- 180 years ago - Sep 14, 1836
Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery begin to purchase large amounts of property in Geauga County, Ohio, to sell to immigrants settling in the area. (21)
-- 140 years ago - Sep 14, 1876
The second trial of John Lee opens in Beaver, Utah [regarding Mountain Meadows Massacre]. Numerous Mormons testify against Lee, but the testimony does not implicate other Mormons. Lee asks that no witnesses testify in his behalf. (22)
-- 130 years ago - Sep 14, 1886
By the appointment of the First Presidency, Charles O. Card begins a mission to the Northwest Territories (now Albert Province), Canada, to find refuge for poliygamous Mormons to escape arrest. This is the origin of the Mormon settlements centering in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, where settlers arrive on 1 June 1887. (1)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 14, 1891
Talmage meets with the First Presidency and is appointed to write a work on theology, which apparently culminated years later as The Articles of Faith . In his journal Talmage writes the following:
It is the intention of the brethren to cause to be published a class work in Theology for use in the Church schools and religion classes generally. The need for such a work has long been felt among the teachers of the Latter-day Saints [...]
Several preliminaries have to be arranged before the work is begun; but the First Presidency have expressed to me their intention of appointing me to do the labor. I find myself very busy already, but I have never yet found it necessary to decline any labor appointed to me by the Holy Priesthood; and in the performance of duties so entailed, as my day, so has my strength ever been. [MSS 229, Journal] (23)
-- 90 years ago - Sep 14, 1926
[Heber J. Grant] George F. Richards, Nicholas G. Smith and Wyley Sessions called, and President Nibley and I discussed with them at length the Sampson and Daniels case. These people have colored blood in their veins and yet are very anxious and insist upon being permitted to do temple work. We assured the brethren that we could not change the rule that had always been maintained from the days of the Prophet Joseph until the present time, that temple ordinances could not be performed for people who had any Negro blood in their veins. (24)
-- 45 years ago - Sep 14, 1971
The Apollo 15 astronauts present to President Joseph Fielding Smith a Utah state flag that has traveled with them to the moon. [Smith had earlier declared that man could not leave the sphere of the earth and travel to the moon.] (1)
-- 25 years ago - Sep 14, 1991.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that David Knowlton, a social anthropologist at BYU, was called in by his stake president "less than a week" after his presentation in Sunstone in Salt Lake City about why leftist terrorists in Latin America target the church. He protests the "intimidation" in writing to his academic officers with copies to President Ezra Taft Benson. Rex Lee, president of BYU, comments, "This is just not a BYU matter."
Ca. 22 September 1991. The long-awaited Encyclopedia of Mormonism appears. Such periodicals as Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Sunstone, and Exponent II, though separately indexed, are discussed only in an article entitled "Societies and Organizations" (3:1387-90). (25)
Endnotes:
1 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]
2 - Brigham Young Jr. 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
3 - The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015
4 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
5 - The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star, also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970, 14:35-36, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses
6 - Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015
7 - Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source
8 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu
9 - Book of Commandments and Revelations (Revelation Book 1) http://bit.ly/manuscript-revelations
10 - Joseph Smith to Lyman Wight, Edward Partridge, John Corrill, Isaac Morley, and others, August 16, 1834, Joseph Smith Letter Book 1, 85, Church History Library; also in History of the Church, 2:145
11 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=036eb2987ff92110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRDvgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
12 - 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
13 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
14 - Elden J. Watson, ed. Brigham Young Addresses, 1801-1877: A Chronological Compilation of Known Addresses of the Prophet Brigham Young, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Privately published, 1971)
15 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://bit.ly/WilliamClayton
16 - 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
17 - Morrell, Bernhard, Hillam, Wimmer, Midgley, and Wirthlin, "Events Related To the Covert Surveillance of Faculty Members," 5; Richard D. Poll to Ray C. Hillam, 12 Sept. 1966, folder 10, Hillam Papers, also box 34, Buerger Papers. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.
18 - Selected Minutes of the Council of Fifty, Quinn Papers, Beinecke Library, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)
19 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
20 - "Money Digging," The Freedom Censor, (Fredonia, NY), 14 September 1831, as quoted in A Topical Guide of Treasure-Seeking Rituals From the American Northeast during the 18th and 19th Centuries, Compiled by Joseph T. Antley (2010)
21 - Mark Lyman Staker, Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations: A Selective Chronology of Significant Events in Ohio's LDS History
22 - Linder, Douglas, The Mountain Meadows Massacre Trials, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTRIALS/mountainmeadows/leechrono.html
23 - Chronology of the Life and Work of James E. Talmage, J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJsHY83JZL_n6CjWq11y1trT_CVXMMXAx2uYOWAwn0c/edit#heading=h.2zfdaoa
24 - The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015
25 - Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1
TodayinMormonHistory has been offline due to technical difficulties for the past few days. Below are the items that should have gone out. Apologies sending multiple days in a single post.
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-- 165 years ago - Sep 9, 1851
Brigham Young has conference covenant to accept and obey Word of Wisdom as commandment and to accept excommunication for non-payment of tithing. Church leaders do not consistentiy enforce either practice until 20th century. (1)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 9, 1891
[Brigham Young Jr.] I dreamed last night that I was called home to assist in choosing a president of the Church. Pres[ident]. [Wilford] Woodruff found the burden too heavy at his advanced age. It is possible but not very probable, that this should transpire. (2)
-- 85 years ago - Sep 9, 1931
Apostle (and trained scientist) John A. Widsoe writes from England that he thinks James E. Talmadge's speech "The Earth and Man" should be published by the Church as it is. The speech accepts geologist's determination of the age of the earth and that fossils are remnants of life that lived and died before Adam. A group of three apostles, including Joseph Fielding Smith, is adamantly against publication of the speech. After two months of meetings (one lasting seven hours) the speech is published and later issued as a pamphlet.
-- 70 years ago - Sep 9, 1946
[J. Reuben Clark] Mark Peterson called about the Dream Mine situation; they have information that a Joseph Geertsten, of McKay Ward, in High Council of Wells Stake, is active in this. He wanted to tell Pres. Clark about it before proceeding. Pres. Clark suggested that they get as much information as they can before proceeding. They might then get in touch with the Securities Commission about their selling the stock. The Dream Miners have weekly meetings on Thursday and the News representative is attending them. The source of information was a woman whose brother-in-law is a dream miner and has been going to the meetings with Geersten. At the meetings they learned the mine was to produce on August 27th, but it didn't happen, and the word is now that they expect it to come through any time. (3)
-- 15 years ago - Sep 9, 2001
Comedian, writer, and actor Steve (wild and crazy guy) Martin remarks at a Toronto Film Festival press conference concerning rumors that he is a Mormon: "I'm not a Mormon. That rumor dates back to Father of the Bride," explained Martin. "In one scene the shirt I was wearing was thin enough that you could see the undershirt. Apparently it looked like the garment some Mormon men wear under their clothes." Among Mormons rumors have circulated that Martin had been seen on the Tonight Show wearing a CTR ring, that he had been "secretly baptized," and that he had taught a class at BYU Education Week.
-- 200 years ago - Sep 10, 1816
An early "killing" frost comes to Norwich, Vermont which cuts down those few crops that survived earlier snows that fell in Jul and Aug. The Joseph Smith Sr. family, facing the third year of crop failure, decides to move to New York.
-- 170 years ago - Sep 10, 1846 (Thursday)
The few remaining Saints at Nauvoo, of whom only about one hundred and twenty-five were able to bear arms, were attacked by an armed mob, about eighteen hundred strong, who with five pieces of artillery bombarded the city for several days. The brethren organized for self-defense and stopped the mobbers about two miles from the city. (4)
-- 165 years ago - Sep 10, 1851 (Conference)
[Brigham Young] General Doniphan said in St. Louis, that, '"if he had one thousand Mormon Boys, the same as the Mormon Battalion, he could do more good that all the United States soldiers that were there:'" I say, if he had been a Mormon he would have been charged with treason, although the government is good, and the Constitution is as good as could be framed.
He then exhorted the Presiding Bishop to settle with the First Presidency and all the Bishops, and require their tithing, the one-tenth of all their real estate, of the value of their farms and possessions, and all they have got, and then see that the Bishops settle with every man, and that he pays his tithing or we will disfellowship him from the Church. I will sell every particle of my property if a man can be found who will pay the cash and I will put it all into the hands of Bishop Hunter, and I will begin anew, and in five years God will so bless me that I shall be richer than any man in this community.
He then called on the First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, High Priests, Seventies, and every person to know if they were willing to do as he told them, when all hands were immediately raised. He lifted his hands on high and will all the powers of the Holy Priesthood vested in him, he blessed the Saints in the name of the Lord God of Israel, when all the people cried, Amen. -- Salt Lake City (5)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 10, 1891
U.S. president Benjamin Harrison grants a pardon to fellow Republican and second counselor Joseph F. Smith for outstanding warrants for his arrest on polygamy. (1)
-- 120 years ago - Sep 10, 1896
President Cannon related some of the experiences of the brethren on their visit to California. He feared that the Elders were wasting valuable time in their efforts to reclaim members of the Church who had separated from the body of the Church, and had lost the spirit of the Gospel. ... Elder John Henry Smith suggested that the results of the labors of the missionaries now in the field should be known that it might be considered whether the results justified the expenditure of so much money and labor during the present time of stringency. President Cannon suggested that in the absence of President Lorenzo Snow, Elder F[ranklin]. D. Richards confer with the rest of the Apostles with a view of ascertaining what Brother Smith had suggested. (6)
-- 90 years ago - Sep 10, 1926
Heber J. Grant and his wife August act as proxies for the vicarious endowment of Warren G. Harding and his wife and for their proxy sealing. Although Apostle Wilford Woodruff was a proxy for the baptism of deceased U.S. presidents in 1877, Grant is apparently the first church president to act as a proxy for a deceased U.S. president. On 29 Sept. Grant and Apostle Reed Smoot are also proxies for the vicarious endowments of Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. (1)
-- 190 years ago - Sep 11, 1826
Anti-Masonic martyer William Morgan is released from jail in Canandaigua, 12 miles from the Smith farm. Joseph Smith would be jailed there for debt in late 1830. (7)
-- 185 years ago - Sep 11, 1831
Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith received Doctrine & Covenants 64, a revelation containing the Lord's law of forgiveness and the warning, -"he that is tithed shall not be burned.-", (8)
D&C 64] "... I the Lord willeth to retain a strong hold in the Land of Kirtland for the space of five years in the which I will not overthrow the wicked that thereby I may save some & after that day I the Lord will not hold any guilty that shall go with open hearts up to the Land of Zion ..." (9)
-- 180 years ago - Sep 11, 1836
Predicted date of the redemption of Zion. Five years earlier (see previous entry) a revelation specified that for five years the Lord would "not overthrow the wicked." The first attempt to reclaim Jackson County (Zion) occurred when Zions Camp marched to retake Zion in the spring/early summer of 1834. That August he began plans again to take back Zion through a military effort, affirming the date set in D&C 64, "Use every effort to prevail on the churches to gather to those regions and situate themselves to be in readiness to move into Jackson Co. in two years from the Eleventh of September next which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion. ... Let not this be noised abroad let every heart beat in silence and every mouth be shut." (10)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 11, 1846
President Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles formally select the site for Winter Quarters (later Florence, Nebraska), the main winter encampment of the Saints. This is the first city in Nebraska.
-- 160 years ago - Sep 11, 1856 (Thursday)
Apostle Parley P. Pratt, accompanied by other Elders, left G.S.L. City on a mission to the States, from which he never returned. (4)
-- 145 years ago - Sep 11, 1871
Counselor Daniel H. Wells tells the Grantsville School of the Prophets that "a great many of our young men [are] abusing themselves by the habit of self-pollution: or self-abuse, or as the Bible terms it Onanism," which he regards as "one great cause why so many of our young men were not married, and it was a great sin, and would lead to insanity and a premature grave." Polygamy is the likelier cause for the prevalence of bachelorhood in nineteenth-century Utah. First, every national census lists more males than females in the Mormon population. Second, 20-40 percent of Mormon men marry polygamously which demographically requires bachelorhood in Utah's majority population of males. (1)
-- 15 years ago - Sep 11, 2001
[Mormon Tabernacle Choir] A regularly scheduled choir concert becomes a September 11 memorial service. (11)
-- 190 years ago - Sep 12, 1826
William Morgan is abducted by Masons in Batavia, New York and is never seen again. Morgan had written a book exposing the rituals of Freemasonry, ILLUSTRATIONS OF MASONRY which is published two months later. Morgan's abduction and murder spark the Anti-Masonic movement and party. Reviewers of the first edition of the Book of Mormon notice parallels between the Masons and the Book's Gadianton robbers. Exact phrases and "grips" in Morgan's book later become part of the LDS endowment ceremony and Morgan's widow, Lucinda, later becomes a plural wife of Joseph Smith.
-- 185 years ago - Sep 12, 1831
Joseph Jr. and family move into the John Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio (about thirty miles southeast of Kirtland), where he and Sidney Rigdon work on translating the Bible. (12)
-- 175 years ago - Sep 12, 1841
[Wilford Woodruff] In the evening we sung a few Hymns & as soon as we closed Mr Roberts broke out in a tremendious noise which he called tongues. I reproved him before the whole company for his folly & impoliteness. His conversation had been such that the passengers would form an idea that he was in part a representative of the Latter Day Saints. I wished to change that Idea in the minds of the company for it was fals. He was not a member of the Church. (13)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 12, 1846
I met in council in the evening with the 12 & H Council & we had a good time. B Young Addressed us for a time in the power of God. He spoke of the Camp being infested with some unruly young men & they had been whipped for wicked conduct ["night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's new teenage brides] & they had made threats and others had sustained them in it. He said evil must be put down in the camp. Our council held untill 11 oclock. (13)
"Some boys have been whipped in camp, and it is right. I did not know of it till after it was done. [Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff had ordered the punishment on Sept 8]. If we allow young men to come in here and set up their own plans, three years will not roll round before we will have cutting of throats here." (14)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 12, 1846. Saturday.
[William Clayton] President Young brought me $8 in money, one half dollar bogus ... (15)
-- 105 years ago - Tuesday, Sep 12, 1911
[John Henry Smith] We received a letter saying Photos had been taken of the Interior of the Temple. (16)
-- 50 years ago - Sep 12, 1966
Covert surveillance by BYU-Birch student in the form of either correspondence, classroom questioning, or private meetings to extract "pro-Communist" views from their professors. (17)
-- 170 years ago - Sep 13, 1846
Orson Pratt preaches: "the sectarian world say that about six thousand years ago God made all things out of nothing. When it can be demonstrated that light is thirty thousand years in coming from the fixed stars to earth, consequently that light was in existence at least twenty-four thousand years before this earth."
[Brigham Young:] But the time has come when we must have law and order in our midst. There has been some feelings of late in the camp because some unruly boys [enagaging in "night ramblings" with two of Wilford Woodruff's new teenage wives] have been floged by the Marshall for there wickedness. But if this Camp is not willing to let law & order reign here & put a stop to such wickedness I wish you to let me know it & I will go away from you. For those that wish to sustain crime & corruption let them return & strike hands with the mob & carry out there principles & be dammed. But if you want to do right say so. This people have been driven here for there desires to do righteousness. And this wickedness shall be put a stop to that has been manifest in the camp by certain young people of late. Yes it will be stoped if God come out & smites it by Judgment.
The Marshall did not whip them hard enough. If He had they would not have spit out there revenge but it would have been whiped out of them. If I am drove to the necessity of whipping a person in such A case they will not spit out revenge afterwards for I will whip it out of them.
Shall we any longer sustain in our midst men that will carry out the principles [spiritual wifery] of John C Bennet and other corrupt scoundrils? No I will sware by the Eternal God of Heaven such Conduct shall be stoped & shall not be permitted in this camp. For if they continue it I will tell the Marshall what the law is & they shall be taken Care of in a manner that they will not whine. And I will whip any man that will sustain it. For those that will sustain it shall be whiped. And I prophecy in the name of God such a man whether old or young shall be bowed down with sorrow & morning even more than this people have.
Then stop before you further go & not sport upon the brink of sorrow & morning. This people have the Law of Liberty & the gospel & the more the light & liberty & greater the privileges the stricter the Law. We are going into the wilderness & shall we suffer such things? No. I swear by the Eternal God such things shall not be while Brigham lives.
Br Kimball gave a good shot when He said no man [would] run into his waggon & swore he would shot the Marshall if he come after him except he was guilty of crime. No man is afraid except he is guilty. No man need be afraid that does right. I defy the world to say I have taken any roans right. But after we have been driven into the wilderness we are still followed by men who sware they will steal what they have in our midst. I sware they shall not have it in our midst.
Some young Elders that never preached a sermon in their lives are afraid that I shall have more blessings than they, or more wives or sumthing or other. But let them go & preach the world over as I have done in poverty and distress with Blood in my Shoes & spent years & years at it & left my wife & Children who have also suffered much. Let them do as we have done & they will not be jealous of me about blessings. If the Lord should give me a thousand women is it any mans business? No. Let such go and spend as much time as I have And there will be many clinging on to there skirts to be saved.
The majority of the men of the gentile world will be damned and the women wish to be saved by going with good men. And a woman that has the spirit of God will go with a good man who has been faithful & spent much of his time in saveing mankind and has the priesthood. Such men if they continue faithful will be saved in eternal Glory & those that are with him. I am determined that my affections shall be with God. I will not allow them to be placed on things that perish. When plagues & diseases get hold of our bodies we become loathsome & beauty fades away but our affections should be placed upon things that are Noble exhalted lasting & glorious. I love an exhalted mind for it is eternal & cannot fade. I want all my affections to be subject to God and glory & eternal life. May God bless you. Amen. (13)
-- 165 years ago - Saturday, Sep 13, 1851
David Fullmer of the Com[mittee] [Council of Fifty] to visit Gen[era]l [Uriah] Brown said he saw B[rown]. Told him our wish that he should remain-his family should be brought on-his services [to create a "liquid fire" weapon] were wanted here-and we would do by him as we do by each other... (18)
-- 160 years ago - Sep 13, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff] Br Kimball said he wanted to know a certain thing so he inquired by the <President Young and> HCK. <Both had that gift.> [Angeled brackets are in shorthand, used to disguise sensitive information. The gift may be divining rods.] (13)
Under the direction of President Brigham Young, President Jedediah M. Grant of the First Presidency institutes the "Mormon Reformation" at a conference in Kaysville. The purpose of the reformation was to remind the Saints of their blessings and to call them to repentance for being lax in keeping the commandments.
-- 130 years ago - Sep 13, 1886
[Wilford Woodruff] I was taken with a vary strange turn. I turned almost Blind & speechless & lost my Memory. It Came on & went off gradually. It lasted about 30 Minutes. I dont know whether it was paralises or not. I soon recovered. (13)
-- 115 years ago - Sep 13, 1901; Friday
A delegation of business men ... accompanied by Bishop William B. Preston, called and recommended to President [Lorenzo] Snow that they be authorized to [execute certain business activities.] After some talk President Snow consented that this be done. These brethren are interested in drawing as much business as possible to the north end of Main Street as against the efforts made by the Gentiles to pull to the South. (19)
-- 105 years ago - Wednesday, Sep 13, 1911
[John Henry Smith] Mr. Stewart of the law Firm of Stewart & Co. called with a letter from the same fellow who had written us in regard to [unauthorized] Pictures of the Interior of the Temple.
We also received six copies of various rooms in that building. The men who took the Pictures were Gottleib Unthick and Bozzard, Germans by birth. It is said they Claim to have been working at this for five years taking Flash light Pictures and copying records. (16)
-- 70 years ago - Sep 13, 1946
[J. Reuben Clark] Mark Petersen called about the Dream Mine. Their reporter had been at the meeting last night, which was an indignation meeting and Koyle [who had a series of dreams and revelations regarding buried Nephite gold] gave what appointed to a speech in criticism of the General Authorities. Some of the people mentioned the editorials and said they did not want to have trouble between themselves and the Church and Koyle gave them to understand if there was any choice to be made they were to choose him. Bro. Petersen wondered if they should not act, and Pres. Clark cautioned him not to be in too much of a hurry. ... They again announced that Bro. Talmage had come back from the dead and appeared to Koyle and apologized to him for what he had done, and also a Pres. Page of the Stake, who had bought stock and then repudiated it. ... (3)
-- 185 years ago - Sep 14, 1831
[The Freedom Censor, Fredonia NY] "He has all necessary implements for finding and securing the fleeting treasure; the mineral rod, hazel sticks, crow-bars and bibles." ... "He has no doubt of it, provided he can vanquish the spirits that continually guard it, and break the charm that constantly surrounds it." (20)
-- 180 years ago - Sep 14, 1836
Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery begin to purchase large amounts of property in Geauga County, Ohio, to sell to immigrants settling in the area. (21)
-- 140 years ago - Sep 14, 1876
The second trial of John Lee opens in Beaver, Utah [regarding Mountain Meadows Massacre]. Numerous Mormons testify against Lee, but the testimony does not implicate other Mormons. Lee asks that no witnesses testify in his behalf. (22)
-- 130 years ago - Sep 14, 1886
By the appointment of the First Presidency, Charles O. Card begins a mission to the Northwest Territories (now Albert Province), Canada, to find refuge for poliygamous Mormons to escape arrest. This is the origin of the Mormon settlements centering in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, where settlers arrive on 1 June 1887. (1)
-- 125 years ago - Sep 14, 1891
Talmage meets with the First Presidency and is appointed to write a work on theology, which apparently culminated years later as The Articles of Faith . In his journal Talmage writes the following:
It is the intention of the brethren to cause to be published a class work in Theology for use in the Church schools and religion classes generally. The need for such a work has long been felt among the teachers of the Latter-day Saints [...]
Several preliminaries have to be arranged before the work is begun; but the First Presidency have expressed to me their intention of appointing me to do the labor. I find myself very busy already, but I have never yet found it necessary to decline any labor appointed to me by the Holy Priesthood; and in the performance of duties so entailed, as my day, so has my strength ever been. [MSS 229, Journal] (23)
-- 90 years ago - Sep 14, 1926
[Heber J. Grant] George F. Richards, Nicholas G. Smith and Wyley Sessions called, and President Nibley and I discussed with them at length the Sampson and Daniels case. These people have colored blood in their veins and yet are very anxious and insist upon being permitted to do temple work. We assured the brethren that we could not change the rule that had always been maintained from the days of the Prophet Joseph until the present time, that temple ordinances could not be performed for people who had any Negro blood in their veins. (24)
-- 45 years ago - Sep 14, 1971
The Apollo 15 astronauts present to President Joseph Fielding Smith a Utah state flag that has traveled with them to the moon. [Smith had earlier declared that man could not leave the sphere of the earth and travel to the moon.] (1)
-- 25 years ago - Sep 14, 1991.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that David Knowlton, a social anthropologist at BYU, was called in by his stake president "less than a week" after his presentation in Sunstone in Salt Lake City about why leftist terrorists in Latin America target the church. He protests the "intimidation" in writing to his academic officers with copies to President Ezra Taft Benson. Rex Lee, president of BYU, comments, "This is just not a BYU matter."
Ca. 22 September 1991. The long-awaited Encyclopedia of Mormonism appears. Such periodicals as Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Sunstone, and Exponent II, though separately indexed, are discussed only in an article entitled "Societies and Organizations" (3:1387-90). (25)
Endnotes:
1 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]
2 - Brigham Young Jr. 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
3 - The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015
4 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
5 - The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star, also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970, 14:35-36, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses
6 - Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015
7 - Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source
8 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu
9 - Book of Commandments and Revelations (Revelation Book 1) http://bit.ly/manuscript-revelations
10 - Joseph Smith to Lyman Wight, Edward Partridge, John Corrill, Isaac Morley, and others, August 16, 1834, Joseph Smith Letter Book 1, 85, Church History Library; also in History of the Church, 2:145
11 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=036eb2987ff92110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRDvgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
12 - 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
13 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
14 - Elden J. Watson, ed. Brigham Young Addresses, 1801-1877: A Chronological Compilation of Known Addresses of the Prophet Brigham Young, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Privately published, 1971)
15 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://bit.ly/WilliamClayton
16 - 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
17 - Morrell, Bernhard, Hillam, Wimmer, Midgley, and Wirthlin, "Events Related To the Covert Surveillance of Faculty Members," 5; Richard D. Poll to Ray C. Hillam, 12 Sept. 1966, folder 10, Hillam Papers, also box 34, Buerger Papers. From D. Michael Quinn, Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992), also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3.
18 - Selected Minutes of the Council of Fifty, Quinn Papers, Beinecke Library, as quoted in Jedediah S. Rogers (editor), The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History, Signature Books (2014)
19 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
20 - "Money Digging," The Freedom Censor, (Fredonia, NY), 14 September 1831, as quoted in A Topical Guide of Treasure-Seeking Rituals From the American Northeast during the 18th and 19th Centuries, Compiled by Joseph T. Antley (2010)
21 - Mark Lyman Staker, Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations: A Selective Chronology of Significant Events in Ohio's LDS History
22 - Linder, Douglas, The Mountain Meadows Massacre Trials, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTRIALS/mountainmeadows/leechrono.html
23 - Chronology of the Life and Work of James E. Talmage, J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJsHY83JZL_n6CjWq11y1trT_CVXMMXAx2uYOWAwn0c/edit#heading=h.2zfdaoa
24 - The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015
25 - Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1
15 years ago today - 15 years ago - Sep 15, 2001
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs in a nationally broadcast church service on the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for September 11 victims.
[Source: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=036eb2987ff92110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRDvgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD]
[Source: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Newsroom, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=036eb2987ff92110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRDvgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD]
50 years ago today - 50 years ago - Sep 15, 1966
BYU Political Science professor Ray Hillam is charged, by BYU president Ernest L. Wilkinson, with being pro-communist and disloyal to BYU at a formal hearing. These charges come from information gathered by the student spies and by others. Prior to a second hearing, Hillam and his colleague, Louis Midgley, contact one of the student spies, Ronald Hankin, who is willing to expose the "administration-organized spy ring." Hankin's public exposure leads to a major scandal at the University.
95 years ago today - 95 years ago - Sep 15, 1921
[George F. Richards]
Attended regular weekly council meeting in temple. At this meeting J Leo Fairbanks, the artist showed to the Presidency, the Twelve & Patriarch present, sketches of new designs of painting for the newly plastered walls of the World room of the Salt Lake Temple but the brethren decided to vote to have the former painting of walls reproduced as nearly as possible from photographs and sketches taken before the plaster was removed.
[Source: George F. Richards 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]
Attended regular weekly council meeting in temple. At this meeting J Leo Fairbanks, the artist showed to the Presidency, the Twelve & Patriarch present, sketches of new designs of painting for the newly plastered walls of the World room of the Salt Lake Temple but the brethren decided to vote to have the former painting of walls reproduced as nearly as possible from photographs and sketches taken before the plaster was removed.
[Source: George F. Richards 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]
185 years ago today - 185 years ago - Sep 15, 1831
[Hyrum Smith]
Administers to William McLellin, who is instantly healed.
[Source: Jeffrey S. O'Driscoll, Hyrum Smith: A Life of Integrity, A Brief Chronology of the Life of Hyrum Smith: 1800-1844]
Administers to William McLellin, who is instantly healed.
[Source: Jeffrey S. O'Driscoll, Hyrum Smith: A Life of Integrity, A Brief Chronology of the Life of Hyrum Smith: 1800-1844]
65 years ago today - Sep 8, 1951
Colleen K. Hutchins is named Miss America. Other Mormon winners of national and international pageants are May Louise Flodin (Miss Sweden and Miss World, 1955), Lavina Christensen Fugal (American Mother, 1955), Charlotte Sheffield (Miss USA, 1957), Linda Bement (Miss USA and Miss Universe, 1960), Shirley Fong (Miss Chinatown USA, 19630, Marie Moua (Miss Tahiti, 1965), Dianna Lynn Batts (Miss USA, 1965), Alice Welti Buehner (Mrs. America, 1965), Lorena Chipman Fletcher (American Mother, 1965), Joan Peterson Fisher (Mrs. America, 1968), Nora Begay (Miss Indian America, 1971), Janene Forsyth (Miss American Teenager, 1971), Susan Merrill (Miss Rodeo America, 1971), Shirley Franklin Casper (National Young Mother, 1971), Marilyn Jones Maw (U.S. Navy Wife, 1972), Connie Della Lucia (Miss Rodeo America, 1974), Phyllis Brown Marriott (National Mother, 1974), Kimberly Ann Jensen (Miss National Teenager, 1975), Sandy Blackwell (Miss Cheerleader USA, 1975), Serri Magnusson Zirker (National Young Mother, 1975), Kellie Thomson (Miss National Teenager, 1976), Kristine Rayola Harvey (Miss Indian America, 1976), Ann King (Miss United Teenager of America, 1977), Helen Ng Puay Ngoh (Miss Singapore, 1977), Susan Wright Brown (National Young Mother, 1979), Fances Davis Burtenshaw (National Mother, 1979), Vicki Lee (Miss New Zealand, 1980), Gina Durbano (Miss Drill team USA, 1982), LaDawn Andersen Jacob (National Young Mother, 1982), Tiffani Baker (Miss Teenage America, 1984), Jill Thurgood (Miss National Rodeo Queen, 1984), Sharlene Wells (Miss America, 1984), Lezlie Noel Porter (National Young Mother, 1984), Deborah Davis Wolfe (Mrs. America, 1984), Christy Fichtner (Miss USA, 1986), Bobette Kay Wildcat (Miss Indian America, 1988), Corinne Cader (Premier Princess of Mauritius, 1988), Nadine Thomas Matis (National Mother, 1990), Deedra Lybbert (Miss Rodeo Canada, 1991), Wendy Goodrich McKenna (National Mother of Young Children, 1991), Sandra Earnest (Mrs. USA, 1992), Michelle Kay White (National Mother of Young Children, 1993), Roberta Henry Lawler (National Mother of Young Children, 1995), Esther Wright (American Honey Queen, 1995), Carolyn Merrill Shumway (National Mother, 1996), Lisa Vail Phillips (National Mother of Young Children, 1996). (likely more since) On the male side, LDS Larry Scott wins the Mr. America bodybuilding title (1963), Mr. Universe (1964), and Mr. Olympia (1965,1966). David W. Checketts, owner of the New York Knicks, is the National Father (1994).
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
75 years ago today - Sep 8, 1941
[J. Reuben Clark]
Vetterli'Repeated what I said to Commissioner McConkie and Mayor Jenkins and told him he must decide how best to handle prostitute question: that my concern was that streets should be safe for our womanfolk.
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
Vetterli'Repeated what I said to Commissioner McConkie and Mayor Jenkins and told him he must decide how best to handle prostitute question: that my concern was that streets should be safe for our womanfolk.
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
115 years ago today - Sep 8, 1901
... members of the Twelve held an informal meeting at which the matter of handling the plural marriage cases in the Church was discussed i.e. how best to get at them and make Pres[ident]. Jos[eph]. F. Smith's declaration effective. I suggested that if Pres[ident]. Smith would in general Conference reiterate his declaration of 1904 and instruct the Church courts to enforce the rule it would have a beneficial effect within and without the Church.
[Source: George F. Richards, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
[Source: George F. Richards, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
130 years ago today - Sep 8, 1886
Isaac C. Haight dies in Arizona, fully reinstated in the church sixteen years after his excommunication for ordering the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
135 years ago today - Sep 08, 1881
David O. McKay is baptized in Spring Creek near Huntsville, Utah; he is the first future President of the Church to be baptized on his eighth birthday.
140 years ago today - Sep 08, 1876
Amanda Inez Knight (Allen), later one of the first single women missionaries called by the Church, is born in Payson, Utah.
160 years ago today - Sep 8, 1856
[Brigham Young]
Br. Dimmock [Huntington] also stated the Indians occasionally had what they called a whore dance, which was lewd and wrong. President said he should drive away the boys that congregated, round the Indians, and whip the Indians that they might desist from these dances and practices. -- Salt Lake City
[Source: Brigham Young Office Journals, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
Br. Dimmock [Huntington] also stated the Indians occasionally had what they called a whore dance, which was lewd and wrong. President said he should drive away the boys that congregated, round the Indians, and whip the Indians that they might desist from these dances and practices. -- Salt Lake City
[Source: Brigham Young Office Journals, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
165 years ago today - Sep 8, 1851
B[righam] Young said I will put the motion. Will the Sisters + vote to quit using tea & coffee? The Brethren have voted not to use tobaco.
I will speak of the Bishops. I spoke of them yesterday, & reproved them sharply. Some wanted me to offer an apology to them. I will not. I will see them in Hell before I will do it. If this people do not do Better than the Bishops have they will [go to hell] And if you do not do better than you have done you will go to Hell.......
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I will speak of the Bishops. I spoke of them yesterday, & reproved them sharply. Some wanted me to offer an apology to them. I will not. I will see them in Hell before I will do it. If this people do not do Better than the Bishops have they will [go to hell] And if you do not do better than you have done you will go to Hell.......
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
165 years ago today - Sep 8, 1851 (Afternoon, Conference)
President Young said, there would be traveling Bishops, to visit the Bishops in their respective wards, to see that they do their duty, and if they do not do it, they will be removed out of their place and others put in; when Nathaniel H. Felt, was nominated as one of the traveling Presiding Bishops, under Bishop Edward Hunter'"Carried. -- Salt Lake City
[Source: The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. Also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970. 14:34-35, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[Source: The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star. Also Millennial Star Supplement, Manchester- Liverpool, England, 1840-1970. 14:34-35, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
40 years ago today - Sep 7, 1976
At a BYU devotional address President Spencer W. Kimball preaches: "We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally . . . . and above all, the same religious background, without question." This is quoted in the Jun 17, 1978 issue of CHURCH NEWS in an article "Interracial Marriage Discouraged." This is the same issue which announces the lifting of the priesthood ban on Blacks.
100 years ago today - Sep 7, 1916
Corporation of the Presiding Bishop organized.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
125 years ago today - Monday, Sep 7, 1891
[John Henry Smith]
Salt Lake City
It is announced from Cape May that Jos. F. Smith is amnestied by the President [of the United States].
[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]
Salt Lake City
It is announced from Cape May that Jos. F. Smith is amnestied by the President [of the United States].
[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]
135 years ago today - Sep 7, 1881
a game of chess by telephone was played between Salt Lake and Ogden on Sunday. Salt Lake won. This is probably the first instance of telephonic chess on record.
[Source: History to Go, Statehood, http://historytogo.utah.gov/timeline/statehood.html]
[Source: History to Go, Statehood, http://historytogo.utah.gov/timeline/statehood.html]
170 years ago today - Sep 7, 1846
[Hosea Stout]
Monday September 7th 1846. Went to see President Young after breakfast and reported what [had] been done which he said was all right and perfectly satisfactory on his part but said for me to use utmost care to keep down any undue excitement from those who did not understand the Laws & ordinances of this kingdom [regarding whipping three boys for "night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's new teenage brides.]
I then went with the Marshall over to Hebers camp as we had understood that there was many who were hard against us over there. So we went & got G. W. Langley & W. J. Earl and went round the camp saluting every one friendly that we met & passed off and in an hour or so it was reported that we were after some four or five more to whip and so great was the excitement that some even went in their waggons & was prepared to shoot in case we came
By this means we, as we anticipated, learned who their accomplices in crime were. For of course no one was scared who was not guilty or aiding & abetting those who were and in fact some were in this way detected whom I little would have supposed to be any way engaged in such things. I still kept on the look out all day with some of the police to see that all was going right and saw A. Lyman, W. Richards, W. Woodruff in the mein time and reported to them how matters were going. Brown & Barnum [two of the punished boys] was acting very friendly and said they were going to do better.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
Monday September 7th 1846. Went to see President Young after breakfast and reported what [had] been done which he said was all right and perfectly satisfactory on his part but said for me to use utmost care to keep down any undue excitement from those who did not understand the Laws & ordinances of this kingdom [regarding whipping three boys for "night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's new teenage brides.]
I then went with the Marshall over to Hebers camp as we had understood that there was many who were hard against us over there. So we went & got G. W. Langley & W. J. Earl and went round the camp saluting every one friendly that we met & passed off and in an hour or so it was reported that we were after some four or five more to whip and so great was the excitement that some even went in their waggons & was prepared to shoot in case we came
By this means we, as we anticipated, learned who their accomplices in crime were. For of course no one was scared who was not guilty or aiding & abetting those who were and in fact some were in this way detected whom I little would have supposed to be any way engaged in such things. I still kept on the look out all day with some of the police to see that all was going right and saw A. Lyman, W. Richards, W. Woodruff in the mein time and reported to them how matters were going. Brown & Barnum [two of the punished boys] was acting very friendly and said they were going to do better.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
40 years ago today - 6 September 1976
[Leonard J. Arrington]
"It was in the early 1950s, when graduate research at BYU built up, that Brother Lund put the clamps on research by insisting that each library user clear his notes with him before he could have them. Most scholars worked out various devices for clearing this hurdle: keeping carbon copies of notes; carrying out notes in inside pockets, in their stockings and soles of their shoes, etc. Brother Lund's system was an obstacle, an irritant, but did not impede or prevent honest and comprehensive research."
[Source: Leonard J Arrington Reminiscences, 6 September 1976. USU, Arrington Collection, Series 10]
"It was in the early 1950s, when graduate research at BYU built up, that Brother Lund put the clamps on research by insisting that each library user clear his notes with him before he could have them. Most scholars worked out various devices for clearing this hurdle: keeping carbon copies of notes; carrying out notes in inside pockets, in their stockings and soles of their shoes, etc. Brother Lund's system was an obstacle, an irritant, but did not impede or prevent honest and comprehensive research."
[Source: Leonard J Arrington Reminiscences, 6 September 1976. USU, Arrington Collection, Series 10]
50 years ago today - Sep 6, 1966
Deseret Management Corporation becomes the holding company for the church's income producing enterprises. "There was criticism from members of the Twelve," second counselor N. Eldon Tanner later comments, "because they couldn't see why the First Presidency would hand that [power] over to the Deseret Management Corporation."
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
70 years ago today - Sep 6, 1946
[George Albert Smith]
Harrold Bennett drove me to see [presiding] Patriarch Jos F. Smith [who had engaged in homosexual activities. This is not apostle Joseph F. Smith]. A pitiable case.
[Source: George Albert Smith, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
Harrold Bennett drove me to see [presiding] Patriarch Jos F. Smith [who had engaged in homosexual activities. This is not apostle Joseph F. Smith]. A pitiable case.
[Source: George Albert Smith, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
75 years ago today - Sep 6, 1941
[Heber J. Grant]
Richard L. Evans called and I read to him the article that I am preparing for the Era, telling of the prophecy of John W. Taylor, and my being blessed to make $46,000 in four months.
[Source: The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
Richard L. Evans called and I read to him the article that I am preparing for the Era, telling of the prophecy of John W. Taylor, and my being blessed to make $46,000 in four months.
[Source: The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
120 years ago today - Sep 6, 1896
Patriarchal Blessing of Richard R. Lyman by John Brown ... Thou shalt have power over the elements; at thy rebuke the winds and waves shall be stilled. ... Thou shalt assist in building the Temple at the center stake of Zion upon the consecrated spot dedicated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Thou shalt witness the return of the lost tribes who will come to Zion and receive their blessings under hands of the sons of Ephraim. ...
[Source: Patriarchal Blessings]
[Source: Patriarchal Blessings]
160 years ago today - Sep 6, 1856
Heber C. Kimball - "Brigham Young will become President of the United States."
[Source: Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 219, referenced in Instutite for Religious Research]
[Source: Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 219, referenced in Instutite for Religious Research]
170 years ago today - Sep 6, 1846
[Hosea Stout]
This morning a number of the Police and the Marshall went over into Heber camp and took Peletiah Brown another one of the young men who had been with young Barnum [who had been engaging in "night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's two new teenage brides] and took him into the woods and give him 18 stripes which brought blood in two places. He also protested that he was innocent. He was considerably excited when we came but after reasoning with him a short time he consented to go and in fact he & Barnum both acted manly after we took them[.] He requested go alone with me and let the others follow for he was ashamed to be taken off in a croud before the people
He took his whipping tolerable well but all the time protested he was innocent. When the Marshall had given him near what he was to have he loudly exclaimed "O Br Eldridge if you will only stop Ill never touch another girl again while hells afloat." He finished this sentence at the top of his voice. When we were through we all came homewe had now but one more case to attend to and that was A. J. Clothier or as he was more known by Jack Clothier. When I came home I was very unwell and the long walk had tired me down and I staid at home untill in the evening when George W. Langley and some more brought Jack Clothier here. He said that when he took Jack his mother and all the family railed on them and called them mobbers and every evil thing against them that they could think of and finally sent for Father Cutler to have him interfere but when he came he said he had nothing to do with it and advised him to go. His mother followed him here railing all the time which made no small stir among the people who did not know what to think of it.
We took him out of camp and gave him 23 stripes putting on five for his mean conduct while in our hands. We then gave him a long lecture on the law in the matter before us as we did the others. He did not act honorably as did the others but manifested a mean low, and grovelling spirit all the time
We then sent him home & after having a long conversation among ourselves about what was wisdom for us to do in future & the course to pursue in order to meet the excitement we came home It was now in the night.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
This morning a number of the Police and the Marshall went over into Heber camp and took Peletiah Brown another one of the young men who had been with young Barnum [who had been engaging in "night ramblings" with Wilford Woodruff's two new teenage brides] and took him into the woods and give him 18 stripes which brought blood in two places. He also protested that he was innocent. He was considerably excited when we came but after reasoning with him a short time he consented to go and in fact he & Barnum both acted manly after we took them[.] He requested go alone with me and let the others follow for he was ashamed to be taken off in a croud before the people
He took his whipping tolerable well but all the time protested he was innocent. When the Marshall had given him near what he was to have he loudly exclaimed "O Br Eldridge if you will only stop Ill never touch another girl again while hells afloat." He finished this sentence at the top of his voice. When we were through we all came homewe had now but one more case to attend to and that was A. J. Clothier or as he was more known by Jack Clothier. When I came home I was very unwell and the long walk had tired me down and I staid at home untill in the evening when George W. Langley and some more brought Jack Clothier here. He said that when he took Jack his mother and all the family railed on them and called them mobbers and every evil thing against them that they could think of and finally sent for Father Cutler to have him interfere but when he came he said he had nothing to do with it and advised him to go. His mother followed him here railing all the time which made no small stir among the people who did not know what to think of it.
We took him out of camp and gave him 23 stripes putting on five for his mean conduct while in our hands. We then gave him a long lecture on the law in the matter before us as we did the others. He did not act honorably as did the others but manifested a mean low, and grovelling spirit all the time
We then sent him home & after having a long conversation among ourselves about what was wisdom for us to do in future & the course to pursue in order to meet the excitement we came home It was now in the night.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
185 years ago today - Sep 6, 1831
In the Ravenna Courier, Symonds Ryder publishes the first printed attack on Mormonism by a former member.
[Source: Mark Lyman Staker, Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations: A Selective Chronology of Significant Events in Ohio's LDS History]
[Source: Mark Lyman Staker, Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations: A Selective Chronology of Significant Events in Ohio's LDS History]
35 years ago today - Sep 5, 1981
William Appleman Williams, writing in THE NATION, Calls the LDS First Presidency's statement on the MX missile system a "truly radical action," which has "received far less attention than it deserves. He encourages radicals committed to social change to learn from the Mormons. Williams asserts "the left has created nothing to compare with the concentrated force of the Mormon opposition to the MX and to the American acceleration of the arms race." Williams, who teaches history at Oregon State University and is president of the Organization of American Historians, acknowledges that "the Mormons display a very, shrewd understanding of the kind of national power that can grow out of organizing a relatively small number of people in a specific region."
75 years ago today - Sep 5, 1941
[J. Reuben Clark]
Told Bro McKay about Pres Grant's and my insistence that U-I [sugar company] borrow some of its funds from us, say $1,000,000.
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
Told Bro McKay about Pres Grant's and my insistence that U-I [sugar company] borrow some of its funds from us, say $1,000,000.
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
130 years ago today - Sep 5, 1886
[Abraham H. Cannon]
Uncle Angus [M. Cannon]. . . said he felt [his son] John Q. ought to get up before the public congregation in the Big Tabernacle this afternoon and confess his sin and Uncle Angus should then propose and put it to vote that he be cut off from the Church. ... I therefore carried the latter's advice to John and he manfully agreed to follow it.... I reached meeting just in time to hear Uncle Angus put the motion to vote that John be cut off. It was unanimously sustained. Uncle Angus immediately left the meeting to again go in hiding. The affair created a great sensation because no idea was had by any, except two or three, of John's guilt and the fact that Uncle Angus came out of his hiding to put the matter before the people that it might be a warning made a profound impression. ... I drove to the farm after meeting and heard Father tell the folks what had occurred. He began in this way: "John Q. Cannon has committed adultery and was today cut off the Church." The sadness of the scene which followed beggars description. All wept and felt their spirits wounded. I went over for John Q. in the evening and after giving solicitation, he went over and met Father and the folks. He seemed to feel very penitent and humble, and will, I hope, try to live his religion hereafter. The blow has been a terrible one to us all as we all placed so much faith in John Q. He said he suffered a thousand deaths in telling Annie, Louie, and Sister Wells this afternoon of his fall from the Church.
[Source: Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
Uncle Angus [M. Cannon]. . . said he felt [his son] John Q. ought to get up before the public congregation in the Big Tabernacle this afternoon and confess his sin and Uncle Angus should then propose and put it to vote that he be cut off from the Church. ... I therefore carried the latter's advice to John and he manfully agreed to follow it.... I reached meeting just in time to hear Uncle Angus put the motion to vote that John be cut off. It was unanimously sustained. Uncle Angus immediately left the meeting to again go in hiding. The affair created a great sensation because no idea was had by any, except two or three, of John's guilt and the fact that Uncle Angus came out of his hiding to put the matter before the people that it might be a warning made a profound impression. ... I drove to the farm after meeting and heard Father tell the folks what had occurred. He began in this way: "John Q. Cannon has committed adultery and was today cut off the Church." The sadness of the scene which followed beggars description. All wept and felt their spirits wounded. I went over for John Q. in the evening and after giving solicitation, he went over and met Father and the folks. He seemed to feel very penitent and humble, and will, I hope, try to live his religion hereafter. The blow has been a terrible one to us all as we all placed so much faith in John Q. He said he suffered a thousand deaths in telling Annie, Louie, and Sister Wells this afternoon of his fall from the Church.
[Source: Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
170 years ago today - Sep 5, 1846
[Hosea Stout]
I was busy in making preperation to execute the order of the President and Br Woodruff and to that end I saw and collected together Levi Stewart, S. A. Dunn, M. D. Hambleton[.] John Lytle[.] S. H. Earl and H. S. Eldridge the Marshalland we went to the timber towards the meeting ground where one of these men was chopping wood. For I had managed to have him sent there on purpose
When we came he suspected our business and was uncommonly excited[.] He began to plead and wanted to see Br Woodruff or Brigham and tried every way to get to come into camp but it was all in vain. He had seen Woodruff & did not make satisfaction [for "night ramblings" with Woodruff's two new teenage wives] nor could he as Woodruff told him this side of hell for he told him that nothing short of fire & brimstone could cleanse them so when we came two of us having guns he never thought of anything else but to be killed forth with. This was what excited him so much[.] At length I told in a few words that we must execute our orders whereupon Br Stewart took out a rope which when he saw it he begged not to be tied saying that he would submit to whatever we put on him without being tied so we did not tie him but all started off to a proper place[.] He was weeping & begging all the time. At length he exclaimed that he did not want to be taken off and killed this way. I then first discovered what he expected so I told him that he was not to be killed. He then expected we were going to put the next worst punishment [casteration] on him so then I told him that we were only going to give him a severe whipping which seemed to allay his excitement although he protested to be innocent all the time. We took him to a good place and the Marshall gave him 18 hard lashes which striped him well but did not bring the blood after which we taught him the principles of the law and the just punishment for such crimes and what he need to expect if ever we had to visit him again now since we had declared to him the law of God. His name was Daniel Barnum son of Job V. Barnum who was a good old man and subject to the law & the order of the kingdom of God and deprecated the conduct of his son but could not control him
We then came home about Eleven oclock and in the afternoon went to the woods again to get proper switches for the next who were to be punished and then returned again and went to council at Rockwoods but there was not much done[.] I forgot to mention in the proper place that all those who were with me were of the "Old Police" but the Marshall and it was his duty to execute the law in this place for he was the only executive officer yet appointed here.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
I was busy in making preperation to execute the order of the President and Br Woodruff and to that end I saw and collected together Levi Stewart, S. A. Dunn, M. D. Hambleton[.] John Lytle[.] S. H. Earl and H. S. Eldridge the Marshalland we went to the timber towards the meeting ground where one of these men was chopping wood. For I had managed to have him sent there on purpose
When we came he suspected our business and was uncommonly excited[.] He began to plead and wanted to see Br Woodruff or Brigham and tried every way to get to come into camp but it was all in vain. He had seen Woodruff & did not make satisfaction [for "night ramblings" with Woodruff's two new teenage wives] nor could he as Woodruff told him this side of hell for he told him that nothing short of fire & brimstone could cleanse them so when we came two of us having guns he never thought of anything else but to be killed forth with. This was what excited him so much[.] At length I told in a few words that we must execute our orders whereupon Br Stewart took out a rope which when he saw it he begged not to be tied saying that he would submit to whatever we put on him without being tied so we did not tie him but all started off to a proper place[.] He was weeping & begging all the time. At length he exclaimed that he did not want to be taken off and killed this way. I then first discovered what he expected so I told him that he was not to be killed. He then expected we were going to put the next worst punishment [casteration] on him so then I told him that we were only going to give him a severe whipping which seemed to allay his excitement although he protested to be innocent all the time. We took him to a good place and the Marshall gave him 18 hard lashes which striped him well but did not bring the blood after which we taught him the principles of the law and the just punishment for such crimes and what he need to expect if ever we had to visit him again now since we had declared to him the law of God. His name was Daniel Barnum son of Job V. Barnum who was a good old man and subject to the law & the order of the kingdom of God and deprecated the conduct of his son but could not control him
We then came home about Eleven oclock and in the afternoon went to the woods again to get proper switches for the next who were to be punished and then returned again and went to council at Rockwoods but there was not much done[.] I forgot to mention in the proper place that all those who were with me were of the "Old Police" but the Marshall and it was his duty to execute the law in this place for he was the only executive officer yet appointed here.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
170 years ago today - Sep 5, 1846
At Wilford Woodruff's request, two young men, Daniel Barnham and Palatire Brown, are whipped with 18 and 23 lashes for "larking" with his teenage brides who he divorced two weeks earlier because of "night ramblings." The young men's families refuse to continue to Utah. A week later Heber C Kimball "spoke upon the fuss made by some persons about those boys being whipped. Some went and hid themselves saying that they would shoot anybody who should undertake to whip them, which he regarded as a pretty sure sign of their guilt. The whipping has been done by order of the council and he would support his brethren in the course they had taken." Brigham Young "spoke very severely upon the course taken by some in undertaking to stir up strife in the camp because some boys had been whipped. . . . He thought the marshall [Hosea Stout] had not whipped them severe enough or they would hold their tongues." Woodruff writes of his two former wives: "Sarah Brown & Caroline Barton who had led them into evil, needed Punishment as well as the young men."
175 years ago today - Sep 5, 1841
[Joseph Smith]
I preached to a large congregation at the Stand, on the Science and practice of Medicine, desiring to persuade the Saints to trust in God when sick, and not in an arm of flesh, and live by faith and not by medicine, or poison, and when they were sick, and had called for the Elders to pray for them, and they were not healed, to use herbs and mild food.
[Source: Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record: Journal, ca. 1841-43 'The Book of the Law of the Lord', http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
I preached to a large congregation at the Stand, on the Science and practice of Medicine, desiring to persuade the Saints to trust in God when sick, and not in an arm of flesh, and live by faith and not by medicine, or poison, and when they were sick, and had called for the Elders to pray for them, and they were not healed, to use herbs and mild food.
[Source: Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record: Journal, ca. 1841-43 'The Book of the Law of the Lord', http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
70 years ago today - Sep 4, 1946
[J. Reuben Clark]
John Wallace came in ... expressed great concern over the entry into this area of the Bank of America, who seem to be hand in glove with the Eccles banking interests. ... Mr. Wallace also states that the Eccles group are still acquiring interests in banks in Utah and adjacent areas. He suggests that for the protection of all (he seems to feel very strongly about this) that a strong local group of banks should be formed. He did not specifically say consolidation but quite evidently he has that in mind and that the Church banks and Walkers should come together in one banking institution. ...
I told him that I thought there was much to what he said; that the matter deserved careful consideration; ... that I was fearful for the future, particularly vis-a-vis the communists, who I thought would attempt to take over, if certain developments came, ... that the Church was engaged in industrial and financial enterprises merely to stableize and promote the welfare of the people; that the sole concern of the Church was the leading of our people to live righteously and the spreading of the Gospel among non-members, everything we did had to have this in mind and must have a bearing directly or indirectly thereon; that within a year after the Church was first organized the United Order was set up and that from then until now the Church had been in a great measure concerned with the temporal welfare of its people; that it was not in business merely to make money, but as I had above stated, to stabilize this situation and develop the people financially ...
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
John Wallace came in ... expressed great concern over the entry into this area of the Bank of America, who seem to be hand in glove with the Eccles banking interests. ... Mr. Wallace also states that the Eccles group are still acquiring interests in banks in Utah and adjacent areas. He suggests that for the protection of all (he seems to feel very strongly about this) that a strong local group of banks should be formed. He did not specifically say consolidation but quite evidently he has that in mind and that the Church banks and Walkers should come together in one banking institution. ...
I told him that I thought there was much to what he said; that the matter deserved careful consideration; ... that I was fearful for the future, particularly vis-a-vis the communists, who I thought would attempt to take over, if certain developments came, ... that the Church was engaged in industrial and financial enterprises merely to stableize and promote the welfare of the people; that the sole concern of the Church was the leading of our people to live righteously and the spreading of the Gospel among non-members, everything we did had to have this in mind and must have a bearing directly or indirectly thereon; that within a year after the Church was first organized the United Order was set up and that from then until now the Church had been in a great measure concerned with the temporal welfare of its people; that it was not in business merely to make money, but as I had above stated, to stabilize this situation and develop the people financially ...
[Source: The Diaries of J. Reuben Clark, 1933-1961, Abridged, Digital Edition, Salt Lake City, Utah 2015]
160 years ago today - Sep 4, 1856
[James Henry Martineau]
Had an excellent meeting (fast) to day. Sister Zilpha Smith, wife of Geo. A. Smith spoke powerfully in tongues. I had to some extent the gift of interpretation for which I have long prayed.
[Source: An Uncommon Common Pioneer: The Journals of James Henry Martineau 1828-1918, edited by Donald G. Godfrey XXX Rebecca S. Martineau-McCarty]
Had an excellent meeting (fast) to day. Sister Zilpha Smith, wife of Geo. A. Smith spoke powerfully in tongues. I had to some extent the gift of interpretation for which I have long prayed.
[Source: An Uncommon Common Pioneer: The Journals of James Henry Martineau 1828-1918, edited by Donald G. Godfrey XXX Rebecca S. Martineau-McCarty]
170 years ago today - Sep 4, 1846
[Hosea Stout]
I saw Br Wilford Woodruff who informed me of the conduct of some young men towards some young women [Woodruff's two new teenage brides]. President Young had also previously given me charge to keep a sharp look out for them and that they had undertakin to get hold of them and some one informed them what was up.
Elder Woodruff said that they and the girls had been out for fifteen nights in succession untill after two oclock and that it was his wish & the wish of the President that I should take the matter in hand and see that they had a just punishment by whipping them and for me to take my own course and use my own judgement in executing the same[.] I told him that I would see to it[.] This was I believe the first step taken since we were in the wilderness to enforce obedience to the Law of God or to punish a transgressor for a breach of the same. The crimes of these men were adultery or having carnal communication with the girls which was well known to many and the legal punishment was death
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
I saw Br Wilford Woodruff who informed me of the conduct of some young men towards some young women [Woodruff's two new teenage brides]. President Young had also previously given me charge to keep a sharp look out for them and that they had undertakin to get hold of them and some one informed them what was up.
Elder Woodruff said that they and the girls had been out for fifteen nights in succession untill after two oclock and that it was his wish & the wish of the President that I should take the matter in hand and see that they had a just punishment by whipping them and for me to take my own course and use my own judgement in executing the same[.] I told him that I would see to it[.] This was I believe the first step taken since we were in the wilderness to enforce obedience to the Law of God or to punish a transgressor for a breach of the same. The crimes of these men were adultery or having carnal communication with the girls which was well known to many and the legal punishment was death
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
175 years ago today - Sep 4, 1841
Apostle Orson Pratt is the first general authority to receive an honorary college degree (M.A. from the University of the City of Nauvoo).
[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]
[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 - Sep 4, 1836
[Wilford Woodruff]
Elder Grooves & Boydstun heal'd by the laying on of hands.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Elder Grooves & Boydstun heal'd by the laying on of hands.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
85 years ago today - Sep 3, 1931
[George F. Richards]
In the evening I performed the ordinance of sealing Maud May Babcock to President Brigham Young, Willard Young acting for his father. I also administered Seconds [second anointing] to her.
[Source: George F. Richards diary, Sept. 3, 1931, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
In the evening I performed the ordinance of sealing Maud May Babcock to President Brigham Young, Willard Young acting for his father. I also administered Seconds [second anointing] to her.
[Source: George F. Richards diary, Sept. 3, 1931, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
120 years ago today - Thursday, Sep 3, 1896
[John Henry Smith]
I went through the Temple today and was endowed for my Uncle David Lord Libbey and had his wife Caroline sealed to him, Hannah M. Smith acting for her. I had Jane Topham sealed to me, Hannah Topham Clark acting for Jane. I went up to Ogden and attended the meeting of the extreme silverite Wing of the Republican party. Some good talk was made and some unwise things said.
[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]
I went through the Temple today and was endowed for my Uncle David Lord Libbey and had his wife Caroline sealed to him, Hannah M. Smith acting for her. I had Jane Topham sealed to me, Hannah Topham Clark acting for Jane. I went up to Ogden and attended the meeting of the extreme silverite Wing of the Republican party. Some good talk was made and some unwise things said.
[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]
160 years ago today - Sep 3, 1856
Letter from First Presidency with precautions about a recent small pox outbreak.
[Source: 1856-September 3-DN 6:205 (September 3, 1856), in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
[Source: 1856-September 3-DN 6:205 (September 3, 1856), in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
180 years ago today - early Sep 1836
Joseph Smith returned to Kirtland from his unsuccessful treasure hunt in Salem, Mass.
[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]
[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]
180 years ago today - early Sep 1836
Joseph Smith commanded Levi Hancock to take Fanny Alger [with whom Smith had a relationship, possibly a marriage] to Missouri.
[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]
[Source: Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]
20 years ago today - Sep 2, 1996
Gordon B. Hinckley receives the American Legion's "Good Guy Award."
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
175 years ago today - Sep 2, 1841
[Brigham Young]
"On my return from England I found my family living in a small unfinished log cabin, situated on a low, wet lot, so swampy that when the first attempt was made to plow it the oxen mired; but after the city was drained it became a very valuable garden spot."
"Although I had to spend the principal part of my time, at the call of Brother Joseph, in the service of the Church, the portion of time left me I spent in draining, fencing and cultivating my lot, building a temporary shed for my cow, chinking and otherwise finishing my house; and as the ground was too damp to admit of a cellar underground, I built one with two brick walls about four or six inches apart, arched over with brick. Frost never penetrated it, although in summer articles would mildew in it."
[Source: Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
"On my return from England I found my family living in a small unfinished log cabin, situated on a low, wet lot, so swampy that when the first attempt was made to plow it the oxen mired; but after the city was drained it became a very valuable garden spot."
"Although I had to spend the principal part of my time, at the call of Brother Joseph, in the service of the Church, the portion of time left me I spent in draining, fencing and cultivating my lot, building a temporary shed for my cow, chinking and otherwise finishing my house; and as the ground was too damp to admit of a cellar underground, I built one with two brick walls about four or six inches apart, arched over with brick. Frost never penetrated it, although in summer articles would mildew in it."
[Source: Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).]
20 years ago today - Sep 1, 1996
(Fall) 'Brigham Young University Studies' publishes a study by two sociologists who analyze 1,384 questionnaires submitted by LDS "householders," including the discovery that LDS men are more likely to think they are going to heaven ("celestial kingdom") than women think of themselves. Men are less likely to attend church or pray privately than women.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
35 years ago today - Sep 1, 1981
(September) Branch presidents at the Missionary Training Center receive a 21-point handout to help "both male and female" missionaries avoid masturbation. Point 19: "In very severe cases it may be necessary to tie a hand to the bed frame with a tie in order that the habit of masturbating in a semi-sleep condition can be broken. This can also be accomplished by wearing several layers of clothing which would be difficult to remove while half asleep." In a May 1995 article about masturbation, the national magazine 'Details' publishes seventeen of these recommendations and identifies Apostle Mark E. Petersen as the suthor of 'Steps in Overcoming Masturbation: A Guide To Self-Control.' In 1996, a spokesman at LDS headquarters denies that Elder Petersen authored this document and denies it was ever officially distributed.
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
40 years ago today - Sep 1, 1976
In response to the increasing "personal problems of church members . . . in number and seriousness," together with the absence of "revealed truth about human behavior" among professionals "to combat these problems," BYU President Dallin Oaks proposes to the Board of Trustees that "an Institute for Studies in Values and Human Behavior be established at BYU to sponsor and conduct research that would assist in preventing and changing [deviant] behaviors which lead people away from eternal life." The trustees approve Oaks's proposal and back the appointment of BYU psychologist Allen Bergin as its director. Noting that "too many LDS behavioral scientists do not harmonize their professional concepts with their religious stands," Bergin explained that his "first project [would] be to state as clearly as possible to the behavioral scientists . . . that Jesus Christ teaches in principles of behavior. He later adds, "What we can do is receive inspiration in our research and then seek reviews by the authorities [of the church] for their interpretations, disapproval, or whatever, if doctrinal questions are raised by it." Institute member Victor Brown, Jr. writes to BYU officials, "Our basic theme is that truth lies with the scriptures and prophets, not with secular data or debate."
80 years ago today - Sep 1, 1936
German mazazine DER STERN reports on a lecture by Dr. Max Haenle from Tubingen, a non-Mormon who visited Utah in the late twenties and became a friend of Anthony W. Ivins, First Counselor to Heber J. Grant. The article says that Haenle made "comparisons ... throughout the whole lecture between the Mormon state founded 86 years ago by Brigham Young in Utah and Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. . . . In its political productivity, its organization forms, and its unswerving successes in the various areas of governmental, social, and communal life," he proclaimed, "Utah bears a really striking similarity to our Germany of today. Here as well as there, the unshakable faith in and willingness to die for their Fuhrer [respective leaders] is the foundation and prerequisite for all further development."
110 years ago today - Sep 1, 1906
J. Reuben Clark is the first Mormon appointed to federal government service (U.S. State Department's assistant solicitor). He serves as the department's solicitor from 1910 to 1911. No Mormon serves in an equivalent legal position until Rex E. Lee's appointment as U.S. Solicitor General (1981-85).
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Source: The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
110 years ago today - Sep 1, 1906
[Heber J. Grant to Anthony W. Ivins]
"Bro[ther]s. [John W.] Taylor and [Matthias F.] Cowley have got just what they were entitled to [diciplined, including being dropped from the quorum of twelve for promoting polygamy], and did not get it as soon as they should. They presumed to be a law unto themselves. There are many things that I can tell you that will throw light on the situation. The young man [i.e., Henry S. Tanner] in the Y.M.M.I.A. will go to hell all right if he does not repent of the position he now occupies. Bro[ther]. [Francis M.] Lyman or no man that has ever lived will be able to influence Pres[ident]. [Joseph F.] Smith to accept his'the man's policy. Jos[eph]. F. Smith is the strongest man that has stood at the head of the Church since the Prophet Joseph Smith. Bro[ther]. Lyman is not in the same class when it comes to real force of character. You or no man that lives need have the least anxiety of Pres[ident]. Smith allowing Bro[ther] Lyman to dominate the President. I see from your letter that you are not at all worried in that direction. Your position is the only correct one and that is to see that every presiding man in your Stake sustains the present policy of the Church or gets out of office. There is not the least safety in any other position. I supposed the bone that you were going to pick with me was what some good friend said to you as to what I had told him, but you dropped the picking, and so did I and am now more than willing to let it wait until we meet."
[Source: Heber J. Grant, Letter to Anthony W. Ivins, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
"Bro[ther]s. [John W.] Taylor and [Matthias F.] Cowley have got just what they were entitled to [diciplined, including being dropped from the quorum of twelve for promoting polygamy], and did not get it as soon as they should. They presumed to be a law unto themselves. There are many things that I can tell you that will throw light on the situation. The young man [i.e., Henry S. Tanner] in the Y.M.M.I.A. will go to hell all right if he does not repent of the position he now occupies. Bro[ther]. [Francis M.] Lyman or no man that has ever lived will be able to influence Pres[ident]. [Joseph F.] Smith to accept his'the man's policy. Jos[eph]. F. Smith is the strongest man that has stood at the head of the Church since the Prophet Joseph Smith. Bro[ther]. Lyman is not in the same class when it comes to real force of character. You or no man that lives need have the least anxiety of Pres[ident]. Smith allowing Bro[ther] Lyman to dominate the President. I see from your letter that you are not at all worried in that direction. Your position is the only correct one and that is to see that every presiding man in your Stake sustains the present policy of the Church or gets out of office. There is not the least safety in any other position. I supposed the bone that you were going to pick with me was what some good friend said to you as to what I had told him, but you dropped the picking, and so did I and am now more than willing to let it wait until we meet."
[Source: Heber J. Grant, Letter to Anthony W. Ivins, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
155 years ago today - Sep 1, 1861 (Evening)
Prest. Young announced the fact that in Joseph's posterity the keys of the Priesthood should rest and that upon young David the blessing should descend. -- Salt Lake City
[Source: Historians Office Journal, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
[Source: Historians Office Journal, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
165 years ago today - 1851. September 1
Sam Brannan: Newly arrived Pacific Mission President Parley P. Pratt excommunicated Brannan [leader of California saints] for "a general course of unchristianlike conduct, neglect of duty, and for combining with lawless assemblies to commit murder and other crimes—the "Committee of Vigilance" lynching.
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Source: Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
175 years ago today - Sep 1, 1841
[Wilford Woodruff]
The New York Sun of to day contains a most singular Phenonimen ever recorded in the last days. A shower of flesh & Blood, A pillar of smooke, & a shower of manney.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The New York Sun of to day contains a most singular Phenonimen ever recorded in the last days. A shower of flesh & Blood, A pillar of smooke, & a shower of manney.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
10 years ago today - Aug 31, 2006
President George W. Bush visited the First Presidency [presided over by President Hinckley]
[Source: LDS Newsroom, Time line of Significant Events as President, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/time-line-of-significant-events-as-president]
[Source: LDS Newsroom, Time line of Significant Events as President, http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/time-line-of-significant-events-as-president]
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