Dr. Max Haenle, a German non-Mormon, who visited Utah in the late twenties and became a friend of Anthony W. Ivins, speaks to a District Conference in Dresden on "Utah, Land of the Mormons." DER STERN reportes 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," Haenle 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." [On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
Today In Mormon History-fb
Several curious tidbits that happened on this day in Mormon History
125 years ago today - May 16, 1901; Thursday
[Heber J. Grant] In chatting with the brethren of the Apostles before Pres[iden]ts [Loreonzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith joined us and telling of the cancellation of the balance of my debt endorsed by the Trustee in Trust, Brother [George] Teasdale referred to the fact of his visiting my home some three years ago, just after I had been operated upon for appendicitis and when I was so sick with pneumonia. He referred to how he was inspired of the Lord in blessing me in not only promising me health, but that I should live to pay all my financial obligations. In hearing me tell oif my present financial condition he sad, he felt to praise the Lord for His goodness to me. Brother John W. Taylor also referred to his visit to my home with Matthias F. Cowley about the same time as Brother Teasdale called and how they had administered to me and that after doing so as they went away he said to Brother Cowley that he did not feel that they had blessed me with any great power. Some days later he was impressed to come back and bless me again. He started to walk from his home in Mill Creek to the city and he met Brother Cowley in a buggy and they drove together to my house and they had great liberty in blessing me. Brother Taylor prophesying that I should live and should not only have vigor and strength of body but that I should live to be freed from all my financial obligations. I remembered this promise of Brother Taylor's very well indeed and how my whole being was thrilled by the Holy Spirit at the time of his making the promise and I felt that it was given under the inspiration of the Lord and would be fulfilled. I am very thankful to feel that today I have sufficient property to pay all my obligations and that the Lord has fulfilled this prediction. [Heber J. Grant, Diary]
130 years ago today - May 16, 1896
[J. Golden Kimball] [W]ent to General Office of the 1st Council of Seventy and there met Elder B. H. Roberts. We conversed until 8 P.M. all about his past experience, political matters and late events. Roberts manifested a good spirit and fully sustained the Brethren of the Authorities. ... He also told me that Pres[ident]. Wilford Woodruff and Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon said that it was an injustice to Apostle Moses Thatcher to convey the idea that he was suspended because he was not in harmony with the Presidency and Twelve Apostles at any time previous to the 66th Annual conference, or because of former troubles that may have existed. The cause of suspension was because he refused to sign the address, presented before the conference on the 6th of April. Although Apostle [Lorenzo] Snow, Brigham Young [Jr.], and John Henry Smith had told me differently. [J. Golden Kimball, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
175 years ago today - May 16, 1851
In speaking of the Indians He [Brigham Young] Said these Indians [near Parowan] were the descendants of the old Gadianton Robers who infested these Mountains for more than a thousand years. [Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
190 years ago today - May 16, 1836
A Mormon diarist records seeing "extraordinary lights" in the Kirtland Temple at night. Apostles Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball would later reminisce that they also saw angels passing back and forth in front of the windows of the otherwise darkened temple. [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]
85 years ago today - May 15, 1941
President Grant said he had not changed his opinion that we should call these brethren apostles and ordain them Apostles, but not make them members of the Twelve; they are to be sent out to do the same work as the Twelve do in the Stakes of Zion. [Minutes, 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 - May 15, 1896; Friday
[Heber J. Grant] Had a chat with the Presidency regarding the editorial which appeared in this morning's issue of the Herald with reference to the alleged statements of Pres[iden]t [Joseph F.] Smith at the recent High Council meeting in Logan [Utah], to the effect that a deal had been made with leading republicans of the nation to deliver to the Republican party the Territory of Utah as a Republican State. I felt that inasmuch as this statement was absolutely false, and as the Presidency and Apostles had never been a party to any such a deal, that some contradiction ought to be made of these statements. No action, however, was taken in the premises. [Heber J. Grant, Diary]
130 years ago today - May 15, 1896
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill] Finished planting potatoes east of [Logan] Temple today. [Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
135 years ago today - May 15, 1891
Case of Father Edward Bunker was then taken up. Clerk read paper from Father Bunker in which he submits his beliefs and unbeliefs to the High Council ... Coun D.H. Cannon referred to one part of the paper where it refers to Adam being the God of Jesus Christ, etc., and where Father Bunker says the Council had decided upon. Said the Council never decided upon this point at all. He then moved that the communication of Edward Bunker on what he believes and does not believe together with statement of the causes lading to the investigation which called forth his declaration also the full action of the Council in this matter be forwarded to the 1st Presidency of the Church asking their advice as to the proper course for us to take as the Presidency and High Council of the Stake. [Friday, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
150 years ago today - May 13, 1876
Br. Brigham spoke of the folly and indecency of the present fashions; said that some of the Daughters of Zion acted like damn fools and the whores of London or Paris would be ashamed to act like they did. Said it would serve them right for some one to take a knife and slit their dresses from their navel to their knees. Urged the Mothers in Israel to teach their daughters to wash, starch, iron, bake, cook, and to make their own adornments and to teach them industry and economy, and qualify them for future usefulness in their sphere... [Diary of Charles Lowell Walker. Andrew Karl Larson, ed. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1980. 423, 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]
140 years ago today - May 13, 1886
I asked him [David Whitmer] if the table, which the angel brought, and upon which the plates lay when he viewed them was a tangible one, and he said that he did not touch it, it had the semblance of a table. He then ex=plained that he saw the plates and with his natural eyes, but he had to be prepared for it--that he and the other witnesses were overshadowed by the power of God and a halo of brightness indescribable. I then asked him if he ever handled the plates and he said that he did not at any time. I refer=red to his going down after Joseph and Em=ma to bring the plates <<and>> them to his fathers, and he said the plates were not in the wagon nor did he see them or at all during the trans=lation. <<He said Joseph and [-] Oliver and Emma told him about the plates and discribed them to him and he believed them but did not [--] at the time testified of>> He said they were in the possession of the Angel during this time. The manuscript by re=quest, said to be the origi=nal manuscript in the handwriting of Oliver [Cowdery][,] Emma and Christian Whitmer was brought out and untied being wrapped in a sheet of brown wrapping pa=per (or between a brown and buff the paper was) and being laid upon the table I examined the sheets as many as I chose also the scrap of paper containing the characters which were submitted by Martin Harris to Prof Anthon and the certificate of the clerk of the <<U.S.>> District Court of the <<Northern>> District of New York showing that Joseph had deposite=d the title of the book with him claiming to be its author[.] ... [1. Nathan Tanner, Jr., Journal, 13 May 1886, [50-61], LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Nathan Tanner, Jr., to Nathan A. Tanner, 17 February 1909, typed copy, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah. , as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: David Whitmer Interview With Nathan Tanner, Jr.]
165 years ago today - May 12, 1861
Pres[ident] Young attended the Tabernacle morning and afternoon. In the afternoon [Morning] he preached a discourse, the Spirit of revolution among the nations was preparing the way for the progress of the Gospel. -- SLC Tabernacle [Brigham Young Office Journals, quote in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
130 years ago today - May 12, 1896
[Franklin D. Richards] Met Pres[iden]ts Cannon & Smith & heard Franklin express the views of exprosecutor W. Dixon concerning the present unsettled state of public opinion about our Presidency and the "new manifesto" & church discipline. [Diary Excerpts of Franklin D. Richards, 1887-1897, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
195 years ago today - May 1831 (9 May)
[D&C 50] Section 50 ... After the departure of the Lamanite Missionaries to Missouri and before the arrival of Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio (February 1831), extreme spiritual abnormalities were manifested among new converts in the Kirtland area. ... Parley P. Pratt, an eyewitness to these events, recorded the following:. As I went forth among the different branches, some very strange spiritual operations were manifested, which were disgusting, rather than edifying. Some persons would seem to swoon away, and make unseemly gestures, and be drawn or disfigured in their countenances. Others would fall into ecstacies, and be drawn into contortions, cramps, fits, etc. Others would seem to have visions and revelations, which were not edifving, and which were not congenial to the doctrine and spirit of the gospel. In short, a false and lying spirit seemed to be creeping into the Church. To determine the nature of the spiritual workings among new converts of the Church, Elder Pratt, among others, went to Joseph Smith and asked him to inquire of the Lord concerning the matter. "After we had joined in prayer in his translating room," said Pratt, Joseph Smith "dictated in our presence" section 50. Section 50 gave instructions on the procedure of discerning "the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth." [Cook, Lyndon, Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]
215 years ago today - 1811 (after May 11)
After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: Mack, Solomon (1811), A Narraitve [sic] of the Life of Solomon Mack, Windsor [Wikipedia: Chronology of Mormonism, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_Mormonism]
105 years ago today - May 10, 1921
Apostle David O. McKay, visiting Samoa, falls "asleep, and beheld in vision something infinitely sublime. In the distance I beheld a beautiful white city. Though far ways, yet I seemed to realize that trees with luscious fruit, shrubbery with gorgeously-tinted leaves, and flowers in perfect bloom abound everywhere. The clear sky above seemed to reflect these beautiful shades of color. I then saw a great concourse of people approaching the city. Each one wore a white flowing robe, and a white headdress. Instantly my attention seemed centered upon their Leader, and though I could see only the profile of his features and his body, I recognized him at once as my Savior! The tint and radiance of his countenance were glorious to behold! There was a peace about him which seemed sublime - it was divine! The city, I understood, was his. It was the City Eternal; and the people following him were to abide there in peace and eternal happiness. But who were they? As if the Savior read my thought, he answered by pointing to a semicircle that then appeared above them, and on which were written in gold the words: 'These Are They Who Have Overcome The World - Who Have Truly Been Born Again!'"
135 years ago today - May 9, 1891
President Benjamin Harrison visits Salt Lake City and meets with Members of the First Presidency and others. Mormons make a concerted effort to demonstrate "progress" from their anti-federal-government, polygamous past. [On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
190 years ago today - May 9, 1836
John Taylor and wife, Lenora, baptized near Toronto, Canada. [Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://lds.net/forums/topic/10668-church-chronology-from-1800-2000-part-1/]
120 years ago today - May 10, 1906
Apostle and U.S. Senator Reed Smoot writes to President Joseph F. Smith: "[Senator Beverage] said that he had just been reading your testimony in relation to the marriage of Abram H. Cannon; he did not understand how you, a member of the First Presidency of the Church, could go on a trip with A. H. Cannon and be introduced to a young lady as his wife and have them occupy the position of husband and wife toward each other, it being six years after the issuance of the Manifesto . . . and not complain of one of the Apostles so acting, and of no action being taken by the Church, unless the Church approved of new marriages or at least allowed them."
115 years ago today - May 10, 1911
Former apostle Matthias F. Cowley is tried by the Council of Twelve Apostles. He is charged with performing post-manifesto plural marriages of questionable sanction. Cowley states: "[Late] President [George Q.] Cannon told me to do these things or I would never have done it." Cowley also states that when he asked Church President Lorenzo Snow for permission, Snow "simply told me that he would not interfere with Brother Woodruff's and Cannon's work [of authorizing plural marriages]." Cowley also makes the statement: " I am not dishonest and not a liar and have always been true to the work and to the brethren. I have always been true and faithful myself. We have always been taught that when the brethren were in a tight place that it would not be amiss to lie to help them out. One of the Presidency of the Church made the statement some years ago when I was in the presidency of one of the stakes of Zion in Idaho that he would lie like hell to help his brethren." The next day the President of the Twelve, Francis M. Lyman, writes their decision: "This day by unanimous vote of the Council of the Twelve Apostles it was decided that Matthias F. Cowley, for insubordination to the government and discipline of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be and he is hereby deprived of the right and authority to exercise any of the functions of the Priesthood."
140 years ago today - May 11th, 1886
[General Authority Abraham H. Cannon] "There have been two windows left out of the west end of the Salt Lake Temple through an error of the architect which will most likely necessitate the taking down of the wall for 20 ft. Order was given yesterday to stop laying stone now until a decision was reached about this matter. It is a most egregious error." [Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
180 years ago today - May 11, 1846
[Lucy Mac Statement] Mrs. Lucy Smith's Testimony. "Nauvoo, May 11, 1846. "My Dear Son-For so I must call you; as the church has passed through much affection, and it pains my heart that it should suffer more. The Twelve (Brighamites) have abused my son William, and trampled upon my children, and have also treated me with contempt. Now mark it, these men are not right. God has not sent them to lead this kingdom. I am satisfied that Joseph appointed James J. Strang. It is verily so. Now, Brother Reuben, I exhort you for the love you have for the truth, to hear my voice, and warn the saints concerning these things, and your reward shall be doubled in the heavenly world. This from your mother, Lucy Smith, "Mother in Israel." "This is to certify that we, the undersigned. members of the Smith family, fully accord with the sentiments expressed above. "W.J. Salisbury, "Catherine Salisbury, "Arthur Milliken, "Lucy Milliken.' [Lucy Mac Smith Statement]
115 years ago today - May 11, 1911
The Twelve vote as a compromise to deprive Matthias F. Cowley of his right to exercise his priesthood but not to disfellowship him. This resolves a two-day deadlock in which seven apostles want to give him no punishment, wheras quorum president Francis M. Lyman and two others want to disfellowship Cowley for performing plural marriage up to his 1905 resignation. Cowley regards this as a second punishment (double jeopardy) he has received for the same acts, which he insists he did by authorization of the First Presidency. [The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
140 years ago today - May 10, 1886
Court sentences Frank J. Cannon to three months' imprisonment and $150 fine for instructing his 16-year-old brother Hugh J. Cannon to physically attack Prosecuting Attorney Dickson following the arrest of their father, George Q. Cannon. Frank becomes the U.S. Senator from Utah 1896-98). Fined $35 dollars in 1886, Hugh grows up to become a general board member (1896-1931), mission president (1901-1904), and stake president (1904-1925). [The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
190 years ago today - May 9, 1836
[John Taylor] Baptized by Parley P. Pratt. [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, Salt Lake City, Utah]