185 years ago today - Jan 19, 1840

[Wilford Woodruff]

I also met a large congregation at the same place in the Evening & preached the gospel unto them. I had the spirit of God & they gave good attention. One Sister said she saw by vision or Revelation Jesus pleading with the Father to spare England one year more that the reapers might gather the grain for the harvest was fully ripe. 2 offered themselves for baptism. We confirmed one & lade hands upon 20 persons that were Sick or afflicted & they were most universally healed.

The Saints in England have great Confidence in God & his Servents & their is so many apply for the laying on of hands that we need as much faith as St. Paul had that at the touch of our garments or hankerchefs that they might be healed.

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

110 years ago today - Jan 19, 1915

[Francis M. Lyman to Franklin S. Bramwell]

.... I regret very deeply your feelings in regard to your release from the Presidency of Union [Oregon] Stake. ... We made no charges against you nor were any made before as excuse for the change of Presidency. ... I am sorry that numbers of the people are leaving Union Stake because of the injustice I did you there. What I did was what I was sent by the Council to do by their unanimous vote. If I did any work in a cruel manner, then I am censurable and will gladly make any amends I can. ... You may feel perfectly safe so far as I am concerned for I never thought wrong of you, much less to do you any wrong. If injury has been done you in your removal it is by the Council and not by Brother Lyman. ...

[Francis M. Lyman, Letter to Franklin S. Bramwell, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]

115 years ago today - Jan 19, 1910

[Anthony W. Ivins]

I met Bro[ther]. Romney (Junius) and later Miles A. Romney. At 2 P.M. I met with the High Council. After preliminary exercises I presented the case of Miles A. Romney who on the _______ of ____ 1909 had gone to the Manti Temple, where he was married to Emily Burrell, he already having a large family in Mexico. The High Council was well represented, there being present a full representation besides the bishopricks of Dublan & Juarez. The case of Bro[ther]. Romney was considered, he being present. He admitted that he had been to Manti [Utah], had gone to the Temple, and had married Emily Burrell as charged. He plead in extenuation that he had been married 3 years ago & had been advised to live separate from the woman until the matter blew over & then to go to thee temple. After discussion the presidency of the Stake & I retired and after consideration recommended that Bro[ther]. Romney be disfellowshipped. The council voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation.

[Anthony W. Ivins Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]

130 years ago today - Jan 19, 1895

[Francis M. Lyman]

Showed to Bro[ther]s Jos[eph] F. Smith and [apostle] John Henry Smith an editorial in the Millard County Blade taking bro[ther] John Henry to task for calling Herald man a liar through the Tribune.

[Excerpts of Apostle Francis M. Lyman Diaries, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

130 years ago today - Jan 19, 1895

[Benjamin Tolman]

I am satisfied that there is or was a feeling to down me as the apostles were told by some one presumeably officers high in the stake that I had worked against them & on one ocassion took a party (one of the boys that was cut from the Church) to administer to the sick. all the foundation there was for this report was that we went to administer to Sussannah [Hunsaker] and Peter [Hunsaker] was liveing in the same house but not in the same room and was present when we first knelt down and prayed, and he Peter asked god to heal his sister with out anyone asking him to commence or stop. I wish to say now that I have all along tried to serve God and keep his commandments, and wish all the time to honor gods servants but I have been made to feel my cut and it has been almost to[o] much at times ...

[Benjamin Tolman 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]

135 years ago today - Jan 19, 1890

[Heber J. Grant]

On my way home met H B Clawson. He said that he had learned that there was an effort being made to trap some of the leading brethren [unlawful cohabitation with a plural wife]. Said that Mulloy and Paul had had men on my tracks and that they claimed that they could put me in the "Pen" as soon as they got some one besides Parsons for Marshall.

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

165 years ago today - Jan 19, 1860

Thursday Jan 19 1860. To night Jos Rodes was killed by Jacen Luce. He was attempting to force himself into a house where Hickman was confined of his wound as above stated, and his enterance being disputed he turned on Luce and stabbed eleven times and died instantly.

[Diaries of Hosea Stout]

185 years ago today - Jan 19, 1840. Sunday.

[William Clayton]

Brother Turley spoke this A.M. I spoke a little after. The wicked spirit seemed to disturb David Crooks. ... Elizabeth Mills manifested a bad spirit. I talked to her and she appears better. Brother Woodruff preached at night. Full house. He spoke plain. Good effect []. Distributed timely warnings and prayed [with] many sick. ... There has been several dreams in the church concerning my wife during the last 10 days. First I dreamt I was in the middle of a garden full of ripe fruit and after bringing some home was going out again and my wife run up a hill before me and vanished out of my sight. Another night I dreamed that I was at Hodsons, Penwortham, amongst ripe gooseberrys as above. I felt like a single or unmarried person. Sister Dewsnup dreamed that she saw me at Hardmans with one child in great trouble and the child was crying for bread. I asked her to get it something to eat. While I went somewhere Sarah Crooks dreamed that one of the American brethren was talking and joking
me about having a second wife and Sarah joked &c. She thought I had then a second wife. [Crooks would later reject a proposal from Clayton] Sister C. [] says today she dreamed that I was [stopped] in the greatest trouble. My wife was either dead or near to dying and I had one child with me. Sister Jones dreamed same as Sister Dewsnup.

[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]

195 years ago today - Jan 19, 1830

Lemuel Durfee, Jr., enters a plea before Justice Nathan Pierce for judgement against Joseph Smith, Sr., and Abraham Fish for $39.92, both of whom sign a consent for the judge to enter judgement against them.

[Vogel, Dan, Early Mormon Documents, Appendix B: Chronology, 1771-1831, http://amzn.to/T5nY8w]

110 years ago today - Jan 19, 1915

[Francis M. Lyman to Franklin S. Bramwell]

.... I regret very deeply your feelings in regard to your release from the Presidency of Union [Oregon] Stake. ... We made no charges against you nor were any made before as excuse for the change of Presidency. ... I am sorry that numbers of the people are leaving Union Stake because of the injustice I did you there. What I did was what I was sent by the Council to do by their unanimous vote. If I did any work in a cruel manner, then I am censurable and will gladly make any amends I can. ... You may feel perfectly safe so far as I am concerned for I never thought wrong of you, much less to do you any wrong. If injury has been done you in your removal it is by the Council and not by Brother Lyman. ...

[Francis M. Lyman, Letter to Franklin S. Bramwell, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]

115 years ago today - Jan 19, 1910

[Anthony W. Ivins]

I met Bro[ther]. Romney (Junius) and later Miles A. Romney. At 2 P.M. I met with the High Council. After preliminary exercises I presented the case of Miles A. Romney who on the _______ of ____ 1909 had gone to the Manti Temple, where he was married to Emily Burrell, he already having a large family in Mexico. The High Council was well represented, there being present a full representation besides the bishopricks of Dublan & Juarez. The case of Bro[ther]. Romney was considered, he being present. He admitted that he had been to Manti [Utah], had gone to the Temple, and had married Emily Burrell as charged. He plead in extenuation that he had been married 3 years ago & had been advised to live separate from the woman until the matter blew over & then to go to thee temple. After discussion the presidency of the Stake & I retired and after consideration recommended that Bro[ther]. Romney be disfellowshipped. The council voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation.

[Anthony W. Ivins Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]

130 years ago today - Jan 19, 1895

[Francis M. Lyman]

Showed to Bro[ther]s Jos[eph] F. Smith and [apostle] John Henry Smith an editorial in the Millard County Blade taking bro[ther] John Henry to task for calling Herald man a liar through the Tribune.

[Excerpts of Apostle Francis M. Lyman Diaries, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

130 years ago today - Jan 19, 1895

[Benjamin Tolman]

I am satisfied that there is or was a feeling to down me as the apostles were told by some one presumeably officers high in the stake that I had worked against them & on one ocassion took a party (one of the boys that was cut from the Church) to administer to the sick. all the foundation there was for this report was that we went to administer to Sussannah [Hunsaker] and Peter [Hunsaker] was liveing in the same house but not in the same room and was present when we first knelt down and prayed, and he Peter asked god to heal his sister with out anyone asking him to commence or stop. I wish to say now that I have all along tried to serve God and keep his commandments, and wish all the time to honor gods servants but I have been made to feel my cut and it has been almost to[o] much at times ...

[Benjamin Tolman 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]

135 years ago today - Jan 19, 1890

[Heber J. Grant]

On my way home met H B Clawson. He said that he had learned that there was an effort being made to trap some of the leading brethren [unlawful cohabitation with a plural wife]. Said that Mulloy and Paul had had men on my tracks and that they claimed that they could put me in the "Pen" as soon as they got some one besides Parsons for Marshall.

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

165 years ago today - Jan 19, 1860

Thursday Jan 19 1860. To night Jos Rodes was killed by Jacen Luce. He was attempting to force himself into a house where Hickman was confined of his wound as above stated, and his enterance being disputed he turned on Luce and stabbed eleven times and died instantly.

[Diaries of Hosea Stout]

185 years ago today - Jan 19, 1840. Sunday.

[William Clayton]

Brother Turley spoke this A.M. I spoke a little after. The wicked spirit seemed to disturb David Crooks. ... Elizabeth Mills manifested a bad spirit. I talked to her and she appears better. Brother Woodruff preached at night. Full house. He spoke plain. Good effect []. Distributed timely warnings and prayed [with] many sick. ... There has been several dreams in the church concerning my wife during the last 10 days. First I dreamt I was in the middle of a garden full of ripe fruit and after bringing some home was going out again and my wife run up a hill before me and vanished out of my sight. Another night I dreamed that I was at Hodsons, Penwortham, amongst ripe gooseberrys as above. I felt like a single or unmarried person. Sister Dewsnup dreamed that she saw me at Hardmans with one child in great trouble and the child was crying for bread. I asked her to get it something to eat. While I went somewhere Sarah Crooks dreamed that one of the American brethren was talking and joking
me about having a second wife and Sarah joked &c. She thought I had then a second wife. [Crooks would later reject a proposal from Clayton] Sister C. [] says today she dreamed that I was [stopped] in the greatest trouble. My wife was either dead or near to dying and I had one child with me. Sister Jones dreamed same as Sister Dewsnup.

[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]

185 years ago today - Jan 19, 1840

[Wilford Woodruff]

I also met a large congregation at the same place in the Evening & preached the gospel unto them. I had the spirit of God & they gave good attention. One Sister said she saw by vision or Revelation Jesus pleading with the Father to spare England one year more that the reapers might gather the grain for the harvest was fully ripe. 2 offered themselves for baptism. We confirmed one & lade hands upon 20 persons that were Sick or afflicted & they were most universally healed.

The Saints in England have great Confidence in God & his Servents & their is so many apply for the laying on of hands that we need as much faith as St. Paul had that at the touch of our garments or hankerchefs that they might be healed.

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

195 years ago today - Jan 19, 1830

Lemuel Durfee, Jr., enters a plea before Justice Nathan Pierce for judgement against Joseph Smith, Sr., and Abraham Fish for $39.92, both of whom sign a consent for the judge to enter judgement against them.

[Vogel, Dan, Early Mormon Documents, Appendix B: Chronology, 1771-1831, http://amzn.to/T5nY8w]

55 years ago today - Jan 18, 1970

David O. McKay's dies at age 96, the oldest age to which any LDS president has lived, but not the oldest general authority. His is the longest service as a general authority, sixty-three years and nine months. Heber J. Grant and Joseph Fielding Smith have the next longest tenures of sixty-two years and a few months as general authorities.

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

55 years ago today - Jan 18, 1970

David O. McKay's death at age 96 years 4 months and 10 days, oldest age to which any LDS president has lived, but not oldest general authority. His is longest service as general authority, sixty-three years and nine months. Heber J. Grant and Joseph Fielding Smith have next longest tenures of sixty-two years and a few months as general authorities.

60 years ago today - Jan 18, 1965

Mormon Tabernacle choir sings at inauguration of U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson, first of several such inaugural invitations by U.S. presidents.

90 years ago today - Jan 18, 1935

[Heber J. Grant]

.... The rites and ceremonies performed in the temples are sacred, not secret, and are not open to the public[,] no more than are those which are performed in the Masonic temples. There is no place in the temple that a faithful, worthy Latter-day Saint cannot go, nor is any ordinance administered therein that a worthy Latter-day Saint cannot receive.

[Heber J. Grant to Dorothy C. Alexander, Jan. 18, 1935 as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]

90 years ago today - Jan 18, 1935

Quorum of Twelve Members Released from Auxiliary Organization Positions

[Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]

125 years ago today - Thursday, Jan 18, 1900

Meeting of the brethren at the temple. ... A motion to close the temples and discontinue stake conferences for the present on account of smallpox was carried. It was also decided to discontinue prayer circles in the temple. Benediction by Apostle F. M. Lyman.

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

160 years ago today - Jan 18, 1865

Orson Pratt and William W. Ritter arrived in Austria. They were soon banished.

[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]

180 years ago today - Jan 18, 1845

[Brigham Young]

Men were rolling and hollering and bawling and thumping, but [they] had no effect on me. I wanted to know the truth that I might not be fooled. -- Nauvoo, Illinois

[Brigham Young Collection, Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]

185 years ago today - Jan 18, 1840. Saturday.

[William Clayton]

Went to see Sister Lea and found her quite insensible. Brother Woodruff prayed and rebuked the fowl spirits. We anointed her head and gave her some oil inwardly. I then prayed and rebuked the pain. After washing her forehead with rum she appeared better and we left her.

[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]

185 years ago today - Jan 18, 1840

[Wilford Woodruff]

We found the Sister possessed of the Devel & a burning fever on the brain. She was rageing & trying to tare herself although in the hands of three or four men. We lade hands upon her & commanded the devil to Depart, & the fever to Stand rebuked in the name of Jesus Christ & it was done though not without a great Struggle & we left her ca[lm?] in her mind & principly delivered of her pain.

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

45 years ago today - Jan 17, 1980-Thursday

[Leonard Arrington]

Yesterday during my day home I listened to the morning rebroadcast of the Donahue show which had been done originally on December 23 [1979]. Following that one-hour show, with Sonia Johnson as the sole guest, was the Church's half-hour response in which Beverly Campbell of Virginia LDS Citizens Against ERA responded to questions put by a reporter.

There were several false impressions conveyed by Sonia Johnson and Donahue in the show; first of all, Donahue said that they had invited the Church to make a response-and the Church had refused to do so. This was wrong on two counts; actually they invited [Relief Society president] Barbara Smith to be on the program and Barbara Smith already had appointments which she could not break, and she was not able to appear, and so she asked that Beverly Campbell represent her. But Sonia absolutely refused to appear on the program with Beverly Campbell. So it proved to be a one-woman show with no Church response. The local [Salt Lake City] Channel 4 station, however, offered the Church "in accordance with the fairness doctrine" to present a response, and that is how the Beverly Campbell interview came to be made.

Sonia herself also made a big point of the judge in Idaho who will rule on the validity of extending the ERA deadline. She said that he was a Regional Representative"equivalent of an archbishop"-being prejudiced on this matter against ERA because of his Church commitments. Actually, the judge was released from his Regional Representative position the previous October and so was not that "very high Church official" which Sonia insisted he was. Of course Sonia might have had no way of knowing this, but she might have done her homework and checked with the judge himself on it.

I was not favorably impressed with Sonia and her presentation. Her statements critical of the Church were pretty strong, and she seemed to be playing to the audience, most of whom were obviously militant feminists, and applauded her frequently. Sonia seemed to be enjoying holding the Church and its officials up to ridicule. ...

Beverly Campbell talked very fast and said a great deal in the half hour she had. What she said seemed to be both reasonable and accurate, and also honest and forthright. ..

[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]

85 years ago today - Jan 17, 1940

[President Heber J. Grant]

Brother Olsen, who is connected with the Segolite Company, called and I went to lunch with him. He called again later in the afternoon and said that Parker Robison had quit patronizing him, also Z.C.M.I. and the Utah Hotel, and that all of his Gentile friends stay with him and say that he has the finest product. He also says that the L.D.S. Hospital is discontinuing (sic) its use, but several other people also testify that they have never found anything so good. He is very much disappointed.

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

180 years ago today - Jan 17, 1845 (Friday)

The ship Palmyra sailed from Liverpool, England, with a company of Saints, under the direction of Amos Fielding, bound for Nauvoo.

[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

200 years ago today - January 17, 1825

[Windsor Journal]

Money digging.-- We are sorry to observe even in this enlightened age, so prevalent a disposition to credit the accounts of the Marvellous. Even the frightful stories of money being hid under the surface of the earth, and enchanted by the Devil or Robert Kidd, are received by many of our respectable fellow citizens as truths. We had hoped that such a shameful undertaking would never have been acted over our country, till the following event occurred, not not long ago in out vicinity.

A respectable gentleman in Tunbridge, was informed by means of a dream, that a chest of money was buried on a small island in Ayer's brook, at Randolph. No sooner was he in possession of this valuable information, than he started off to enrich himself with the treasure. After having been directed by the mineral rod where to search for the money, he excavated the earth about 15 feet square to the depth of 7 or 8; and all the while it was necessary to keep his pumps working to keep out the water. Presently he and his laborers came



Pat upon a chest of gold,

And heard it chink with pleasure,

Then all prepared, just taking hold,

To raise the shining treasure.



One of the company drove an old [file] through the rotten lid of the chest, and perceiving it to be nearly empty, exclaimed with an oath, "There's not ten dollars a piece." No sooner were the words out of his mouth, than the chest moved off through the mud, and has not been seen or heard of since.

Such is the story as related by himself. -- Whether he actually saw the chest, or whether it was the vision of a disturbed brain, we shall leave the public to determine.

[Windsor, Vermont, Friday, January 17, 1825]

25 years ago today - Jan 16, 2000

President Gordon B. Hinckley releases a statement that is read in every Latter-Day Saint congregation in California that urges members to "redouble their efforts" to pass Prop. 22 a law stating "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." Prop 22 passed.

[Timeline of Mormon Thinking About Homosexuality, http://rationalfaiths.com/timeline-of-mormon-thinking-about-homosexuality/]

105 years ago today - Jan 16, 1920

The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution goes into effect, prohibiting the manufacture, production, and sale of alcohol. President Heber J. Grant, a fervent supporter of the amendment, believes it is divinely mandated because it outlaws items forbidden by the Word of Wisdom.

125 years ago today - Jan 16, 1900; Tuesday

Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office as usual.

Elder John Henry Smith and Bishop Hiram B. Clawson were in the office and stated that they would leave for Washington [D.C.] tomorrow (Wednesday, 17th) for the purpose of imparting to some of the leading men of the nation, chiefly of the Republican party, information in regard to conditions in Utah with a view of preventing any move being made looking to a constitutional amendment on the subject of polygamy. Also to endeavor to influence Congress to create a new circuit court, the circuit to consist of the intermountain states. ...

[First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes]

130 years ago today - Jan 16, 1895

[Heber J. Grant]

Spent the evening at Emily's. I will be a happy man when the time comes that I can live with her as a husband and not have to simply call and spend a few hours, and never stop over night at her home.

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

180 years ago today - Jan 16, 1845

Brigham Young (aged 43) marriage to Mary Pierce (1821-1847) (aged 25) first marriage

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

180 years ago today - Jan 16, 1845

Brigham Young (aged 43) marriage to Margaret Pierce (1823-1907) (aged 22) widow of Morris Whitesides sealed to Morris Whitesides for eternity and Young for time; 1 child

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

195 years ago today - Jan 16, 1830

[Joseph Smith, Sr., and Martin Harris, Agreement Regarding Sale of Book of Mormon]

I hereby agree that Martin Harris shall have an equal privilege with me & my friends of selling the Book of Mormon of the Edition now printing by Egbert B Grandin until enough of them shall be sold to pay for the printing of the same or until such times as the said Grandin shall be paid for the printing the aforesaid Books or copies[.]

{...The wording of the agreement indicates that as of 16 January 1830 Harris anticipated that the sale of the books would fully pay off his $3,000 mortgage to Grandin, and that the surplus would go to Joseph Sr. and friends. However, the lack of sales would eventually force Harris to sell about 151 acres of land to Thomas Lakey.}

[Joseph Smith, Sr., and Martin Harris, Agreement Regarding Sale of Book of Mormon, 16 January 1830, Simon Gratz Collection, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: Joseph Smith, Sr., And Martin Harris Agreement]

65 years ago today - Thu Jan 14, 1960

[David O. McKay]

Was engaged in the meeting of the First Presidency. Among matters discussed at this meeting were the following: Elder Mark E. Petersen's proposed editorial on books by General Authorities. A draft of a proposed editorial for the Improvement Era, prepared by Elder Mark E. Petersen, on the subject of selecting good books, and upon the approval of the publication of books by the First Presidency, was read. After consideration it was decided that the general statement, without the reference to "Mormon Doctrine" and "Ancient America and the Book of Mormon," which should be handled separately, would be a suitable editorial on the subject of selecting good books. Further action on the matter of publishing a statement relating to the approval of books by the First Presidency was deferred awaiting consideration of the subject by me with President Joseph Fielding Smith.

[McKay, David O., Office Journal]

80 years ago today - Jan 14, 1945

[Spencer W. Kimball]

[Int St. George, Utah:] Coming home we heard some interesting stories as also going down. Bro. Kirkham of his being called by his good old friend Emmeline B. Wells to her room where she lived at the Hotel Utah. 'Oscar, go get Heber to come to administer to me.' Pres. Grant was occupied and could not come but sent J. Golden Kimball back with Oscar to take care of the ordinance. As they entered the room she said: 'Well, is that the best you could do?' with some disgust. J. Golden walked up to the bed and some what showing in his voice that he was irate. 'Do you want a blessing from the Lord?' 'Yes. Of course I do!' she said. 'Well, shut up,' he said 'or I won't give it to you.'

[Spencer W. Kimball 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]

105 years ago today - Jan. 14, Fri. [1920]

[James E. Talmage]

In addition to other committee work I attended an afternoon session of the Book of Mormon committee, at which preliminary arrangements were made for hearing some of the proponents of different views on Book of Mormon geography. Many varied and conflicting views concerning the location of Book of Mormon lands have been advocated amongst our people; and not a few maps have been put out. With all precautions taken to make plain the fact that these maps have been intended as suggestive presentations only, we find some people accepting one map and others another as authoritative. The matter was brought before the council through the receipt of a communication from Elder Joel Ricks of Logan, who several years ago published a map, of which over 6000 have been disposed of. Brother Ricks and several other good brethren have voiced a sort of complaint that they have had no opportunity to present their views, with the fullness they desire, before the Church authorities. The entire matter was
referred to the Book of Mormon committee; and today appointments were made for the beginning of the series of hearings.

[James E. Talmage Journal, Transcription reproduced by Trevor Antley, Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University]

125 years ago today - Sunday, Jan 14, 1900

[Joseph F. Smith]

"The judgments of God upon the nations. The hand of the Lord as seen in the Spanish-American war and the English-Boer war."

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

140 years ago today - Jan 14, 1885

[Wilford Woodruff]

We are living in Perilous times. No man who obeys the Patriarchal Law of Marriage is safe. I am informed that officers are after me. I spent the day in the 17 ward. ... I Called at my house in the Evening with G Teasdale & got some things and spent the night in the 17 ward.

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

140 years ago today - Jan 14, 1885

[Interview of David Whitmer]

1 [Q]--Do you know that the plates seen with the Angel (on the table) were real metal, did you touch them? Ans We did not touch nor handle the plates. 2 Q--Was the table literal wood? or was the whole a vision such as often occurs in dreams &c? Ans--The table had the appearence of literal wood as shown in the vision, in the glory of God. 3 Q--Did you see the Urim and Thummim, what was it? Ans--I saw the "Interpreters" in the holy [vision] [.] They looked like whitish stones p[ut in the] rim of a bow, looked like spectacles only much larger. ... [p. 1] ... 9. Q. Who was the Angel that showed the plates to you and Cowdery, and have these plates been seen since? Ans--I do not know as no name was given. I have never seen the plates since. ... [p. 1, back] ... 13. Q.--Were you present when Joseph Smith received the revelation commanding him and Oliver Cowdery to ordain each other to the Melchisedek Priesthood, if so, where was it and how? Ans--No I was not--neither did I ever hear
of such a thing as an angel ordaining them until I got into Ohio about the year 1834--or later. 14. Q. Can you tell why that Joseph and Oliver were ordained to the lesser Priesthood by the hand of an Angel but in receiving the Higher they ordained each other? Ans--I moved Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to my fathers house in Fayette[,] Seneca County[,] New York, from Harmony, Penn. in the year 1829, on our way I conversed freely with them [p. 2] upon this great work they were bringing about, and Oliver stated to me in Josephs presence that they had baptized each other seeking by that to fulfill the command--And after our arrival at fathers sometime in June 1829. Joseph ordained Oliver Cowdery to be an Elder, and Oliver ordained Joseph to be an Elder in the Church of Christ. <<and during that year Joseph both baptized and ordained me an elder in the church of Christ.>> Also, during this year the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished, And we preached preached,
baptized and ordained some as Elders, And upon the Sixth day of April 1830, six Elders together with some fifty or sixty (as near as I recollect) of the members met together to effect an organization. I never heard that an Angel had ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic priesthood until the year 1834[,] 5. or 6--in Ohio. my information from Joseph and Oliver upon this matter being as I have stated, and that they were commanded so to do by revealment through Joseph. I do not believe that John the Baptist ever ordained Joseph and Oliver as stated and believed by some. I regard that as an error, a misconception. [p. 2, back] ... 19. [Q] Were the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated in Joseph Smiths possession while translating and seen and handled by several different persons, if not, where were they? Ans--I do not know. 20. Q. Did Joseph use his "peep stone" to finish up the translation? if so why? Ans--He used a stone called a "Seers stone," the "Interpreters"
having been taken away from him because of transgression. 21. Q. Had you seen the plates at anytime before the Angel showed them to you? Ans--No. [p. 3, back] ... 25. Q. Were you present during any of the time of translation, if so, state how it was done. Ans--The "Interpreters" were taken from Joseph after he allowed Martin Harris to carry away the 116 pages of Ms [manuscript]--of the Book of Mormon as a punishment, but he was allowed to go on and translate by the use of a "Seers stone" which he had, and which he placed in a hat into which he buried his face, stating to me and others that the original Character[s] appeared upon parchment and under it the translation in english, which [enabled him] to read it readily. While Brother Whitmer was too feeble to write much, being unable to write the answers to the foregoing 25 questions in person--Yet it was with his consent and in his presence that I wrote them and corrected them, as they appear here. Jan. 21--1885.



[s] Z H. Gurley

["Copy--Questions asked of David Whitmer at his home in Richmond[,] Ray County[,] Mo--Jan 14--1885. relating to Book of Mormon, and the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of L.D.S. by Elder Z[enas] H. Gurley," Zenas Gurley Collection, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: David Whitmer Interview With Zenas H. Gurley]

165 years ago today - Jan 14, 1860

[Brigham Young]

The Pres. said no doubt they have applied to Joseph Smith, son of the Prophet, to take his place as his right and Joseph will answer them as he did on a further occasion to a like request that if the Lord wanted him no doubt he would reveal himself as he did to [his] father (the Prophet). -- Salt Lake City

[Brigham Young Office Journals, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.; Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.; New Mormon Studies CD-ROM as quoted in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]

180 years ago today - Jan 14, 1845

[Patriarchal Blessing of Jesse N. Smith]

.... I pray my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus to preserve thy life and health, even unto the coming of the Saviour ... Angels shall be thy constant companions and thou shalt often converse with them; they shall defend thee from all dangers, heal thy sickness and beat back the power of the destroyer. ... And if thou wilt seek after knowledge, and be sober-minded, thou shalt be like Mormon of old, and shalt be a mighty man in the ministry and a mighty warrior. Thou shalt handle the sword of Laban with such power as to put ten thousand of thine enemies to flight with the help of thy brother. Thy name shall be terrible among thine enemies. ... Thou shalt live to see Israel gathered from the four corners of the earth, to see all the enemies of the Lord swept from off the face of the earth, and cleansed from wickedness, and the Saviour stand upon it; and thou shalt stand in His presence. ...

[Typescript, Michael Marquardt papers]

90 years ago today - Jan 13, 1935

[President Heber J. Grant]

Brother [John] Nicholson felt so outraged on account of being in the penitentiary, althought (sic) a poor man, he decided to mortgage his home and pay the fine rather than spend thirty days there. He remarked he would rather be shot than to go back to the penitentiary. Brother Francis M. Lyman rather enjoyed his rest in the penitentiary. He took it as a big joke. Over his cell was a sign: 'Teeth extracted with pleasure and pain.'

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

135 years ago today - Jan 13, 1890 (Monday)

Idaho's admission as a State and the test oath were argued in the U.S. Senate Committee on Territories. The argument was continued the following day, when "Mormons" were heard.

John W. Stewart, of Vermont, introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to disfranchise all "Mormons."

[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]

155 years ago today - Jan 13, 1870

Between January and March 1870, thousands of Latter-day Saint women assembled in mass "indignation" meetings to protest federal legislation that proposed to deny U.S. citizenship to anyone practicing plural marriage. On January 13, 1870, between five and six thousand Latter-day Saint women congregated in the Salt Lake City tabernacle. Apparently, no men were present except for reporters. Speaking from the pulpit in the "old" tabernacle, women affirmed that they had become plural wives by their own choice and articulated their vehement objections to the antipolygamy legislation pending in Congress. They declared their rights and appealed for the rights of their husbands, fathers, and brothers.

Public defense of plural marriage by women was potentially the most persuasive form of public relations available to the Saints because it answered the key objection: that plural marriage oppressed women. Latter-day Saints first officially acknowledged their practice of plural marriage in 1852, more than a decade after the first plural marriages were contracted in Nauvoo under the direction of Joseph Smith. After that public announcement, Latter-day Saint women began to defend plural marriage publicly as well as privately. ...

Women in Salt Lake City first held a protest meeting on January 6, 1870, to organize against the Cullom Bill. The bill declared marriage in Utah Territory to be a "civil contract" and modified the territory's judicial structure in order to prosecute, fine, and imprison any man cohabiting "with more than one woman as husband and wife." The Cullom Bill did not become law, though some of its provisions were incorporated into subsequent federal legislation: the 1874 Poland Act, the 1882 Edmunds Act, and the 1887 Edmunds-Tucker Act. ...

[3.13 Minutes of "Great Indignation Meeting," January 13, 1870, as quoted in Matthew J. Grow, Jill Derr, Carol Madsen, and Kate Holbrook, editors, The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women's History, The Church Historian's Press, 2016, https://churchhistorianspress.org/the-first-fifty-years-of-relief-society/]

155 years ago today - Jan 13, 1870

General mass meeting of the ladies of Salt Lake City, to protest against the passage of the Cullom bill.

[Richards, Franklin Dewey and Little, James A., Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel, Church Chronology, Ch.66, p.306, http://www.amazon.com/Compendium-Doctrines-Gospel-ebook/dp/B002LTY4Z0?ie=UTF8tag=mormonchronic-20link_code=btlcamp=213689creative=392969]

170 years ago today - Jan 13, 1855

[Utah labor unions]

On 13 January 1855 a formalized Typographical Association of Deseret was organized, consisting only of Mormon typographers, who were associated with the church-owned Deseret News. Phineas Young, a brother of Brigham Young, and a local church leader in his own right, was its first president. Involved with the association over the next few years were a number of other church leaders including some apostles and a future church president, Wilford Woodruff.

[Utah History Encyclopedia: Labor in Utah, http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/]

185 years ago today - (Mon) Jan 13, 1840

About this time Smith reportedly informed Pratt about the principle of polygamy. [Benjamin] Winchester later recalled that Smith was engaged in an illicit affair with a female member, while staying in Philadelphia.

[Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]

190 years ago today - Jan 13, 1835

[Wilford Woodruff]

Leaves Missouri for his first full-time mission, preaching the gospel in Arkansas and Tennessee.

[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, Utah]

195 years ago today - Jan 13, 1830

In Abner Cole's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi from the Book of Mormon.

[Wikipedia: Chronology of Mormonism, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_Mormonism]

195 years ago today - 1830 Jan 13

Palmyra Reflector defiantly continues printing 1 Nephi before the Book of Mormon is published.

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]

75 years ago today - Jan 12, 1950

[George Albert Smith] left SLC to stay at Laguna Beach "to rest my nerves" and returned on Feb 27, 1950 - worked on Church matters while there

[Journals of George Albert Smith]

130 years ago today - Saturday, Jan 12, 1895

[John Henry Smith]

H. J. Grant is inclined to believe that he and his brother B. F. Grant has made a rich find of gold in San Louis Valley, Colo.

[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]

130 years ago today - Jan 12, 1895

Benjamin Johnson states that Joseph "put off" polgyamy and waited until an "angel with a drawn sword" came to him.

[Benjamin F. Johnson, My Life's Review, Mesa, Arizona: 21^st Century Printing, 1992, reprint, 95-96; see also Zina Huntington quoted in "Joseph, the Prophet, His Life and Mission as Viewed by Intimate Acquaintances," Salt Lake Herald Church and Farm Supplement, January 12, 1895, 212 as quoted at Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]

130 years ago today - Jan 12, 1895

Benjamin Johnson states that Joseph "put off" polgyamy and waited until an "angel with a drawn sword" came to him.

[Benjamin F. Johnson, My Life's Review, Mesa, Arizona: 21^st Century Printing, 1992, reprint, 95-96; see also Zina Huntington quoted in "Joseph, the Prophet, His Life and Mission as Viewed by Intimate Acquaintances," Salt Lake Herald Church and Farm Supplement, January 12, 1895, 212 as quoted at Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]

140 years ago today - Jan 12, 1885

[Martha Pane Thomas]

"... the Millerites were preparing a place for the Savior to come and meet with them, on a certain day [March 10, 1844], in that month in Illinois. They were making great preparations by cleaning a certain piece of ground and spreading carpets, etc. Brother Joseph was speaking on the "Resurrection" and the "Second Coming of the Son of God." "You can go and tell Brother Miller he won't come on that day nor the next, nor the next year. In the name of Jesus Christ I prophesy he won't come in forty years." In a [that] moment I desired to live forty years more, and he has not come; I am just as anxious to live to see the next saying of the Prophet fulfilled concerning his coming, as I was the first. He was enquiring of the Lord concerning his second coming; the answer was, "If you live to be (I think it was eighty) years old you will see the face of the Son of God." I am in my seventy-eighth year. I want to live to see that saying fulfilled. But it matters not. If I am faithful I will
see him when he does come. Another saying of the Prophet, which I heard for myself, for I write nothing only what I can testify to."

[Autobiography of Martha Pane Jones Thomas, Lehi, Utah County, January 12, 188, as quoted in The Last Days and December 1890 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ, y George D. Speer Sr., privately circulated]

160 years ago today - January 12, 1865

[Heber C. Kimball Revelations]

[probably originally in memorandum book] In the evening of January 12, 1865 I was told by the Lord that I should not be removed from their places. That Daniel H. Wells, Albert Carrington, Jos. A. Young and others were among that number. In the name of the Lord I predict that this will come true.

["H. C. Kimball Memorandum" book, On the Potters Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball, Stanley B. Kimball, editor, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

180 years ago today - Jan 12, 1845. Sunday.

[William Clayton]

At the Council Hall. Elder H. C. Kimball preached. He used many figures to illustrate his ideas amongst the rest when speaking of the unwillingness of the saints to abide the laws of exaltation. He said that the church was like a swarm of Bees, who when they want to increase the king and queen go and seek a new location and when they have found it they come back to the hive and persuade the young folks out but as soon as they begin to fly the old women and young women run with their old tin Kettles and pans and cow Bells, ti[n]kling to drown the voice of the king and throw them into a confusion and prevent their enlargement. Just so with the saints when any seem disposed to enlarge their kingdom and godhead the old women and young women run with their old kettles and pans and cow Bells to drown the sound of the leaders and throw the saints into confusion and keep them shut up in their old traditions. After he got through, O[rson] Pratt added an idea on the extent and magnitude of
the planetary system and the beautiful adaptation to the enlargement of the saints. It was a very interesting meeting.

...Evening met with the first quorum at Parleys. Joseph Young and his wife were annointed with the second ordinance. D[iantha, his new 16-year-old bride] was at my house when I got home and tarried with us all night.

[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]