Second Counselor Gordon B. Hinckley dedicates temple at Freiberg (then Democratic Republic of Germany). This is only Mormon temple allowed by any Communist regime. It is also smallest LDS temple ever dedicated, with 7,840 square feet of floor space. Before this ceremony, Mormons in Communist East Germany have prepared 35,000 names for vicarious temple work. Since 1960's, apostles have reported that 80-90 percent of East German Mormons attend LDS church services, highest attendance records outside student congregations of Brigham Young University and Ricks College.
[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
60 years ago today - Jun 29, 1965
Four Mormon members of Congress and one Mormon U.S. Senator reply to First Presidency's letter of the previous week: "We know that each of you will agree that in this instance we act in conformity with the highest principles of our church in declining to be swayed by the view expressed in the communication of Jun 22nd under the signatures of the First Presidency. We hasten to assure you that we stand ready at any time to receive your views, that they will be considered and evaluated as the good faith expression of men of high purpose, but we cannot accept them as binding upon us." One congressman who had already decided to vote the way the First Presidency supported adds as an addendum to the letter, "Along with many L.D.S. members I have been sharply critical of Catholic and other religious leaders on occasions when they have advised legislators of their faiths on pending secular legislations. Many of these legislators have complained privately that such actions have a tendency to
place in doubt the basis of their official votes. I fear that publication of your Jun 22nd communication may cause such doubts among my non-Mormon constituents who disagree with my position." The First Presidency had asked them to retain anti-union "right to work" provision of Taft-Hartley Act
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
place in doubt the basis of their official votes. I fear that publication of your Jun 22nd communication may cause such doubts among my non-Mormon constituents who disagree with my position." The First Presidency had asked them to retain anti-union "right to work" provision of Taft-Hartley Act
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
65 years ago today - Jun 29, 1960
Elder Bruce R. McConkie sets apart his son, Joseph Fielding McConkie, a nineteen-year-old, for his mission. This action begins the policy of extending calls on a regular basis to nineteen-year-old men as full-time missionaries.
155 years ago today - Jun 29, 1870
[Wilford Woodruff]
I spent the time planting Corn. I found my farm on my return home looked as though it had not been visited by Grasshoppers but when I left there were so many of them on the farm it looked as though I should not save an Acre of Grain. It was a Miricle to see How well Crops looked.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I spent the time planting Corn. I found my farm on my return home looked as though it had not been visited by Grasshoppers but when I left there were so many of them on the farm it looked as though I should not save an Acre of Grain. It was a Miricle to see How well Crops looked.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
175 years ago today - Jun 29, 1850
The DESERET NEWS publishes a sermon by Brigham Young: "Ten years ago, it was called heresy for Joseph Smith to be a money digger, and receive revelations; it actually became treason; and the people killed him for it: and now I see hundreds of reverend gentlemen going to dig money. I despise a man who wont dig for gold, he is a lazy man, and intends to spunge on others. Do not think that I blame you; all I have to say is, that you have to follow in the wake of 'Old Joe Smith,' and paddle away to dig gold"
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
180 years ago today - Jun 29, 1845
President Brigham Young made remarks about Mother Smith receiving a revelation [that her son William should lead the church] - she sent to me to call and see her - she wants to see the Twelve and Bishops, she said the vision she had been misunderstood altogether - we have nothing to say about it - she did not remember what she has said - she stated that the vision related to herself and her children, and not the priesthood, and I told her she could not touch the priesthood - the statement is incorrect - she said our names were not mentioned, it was not in her heart to say it - she said she wants to correct it and I want you all to be united and build up the kingdom - I make these remarks and throw it away - don't think of it any more'
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, Leonard J. Arrington Papers, 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]
[Thomas Bullock Minutes, Leonard J. Arrington Papers, 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 - Jun 29, 1840
William W. Phelps, who had been excommunicated, writes to Joseph Smith: "BROTHER JOSEPH:-I am alive, and with the help of God I mean to live still. I am as the prodigal son, though I never doubt or disbelieve the fulness of the Gospel. . . . I have seen the folly of my way, and I tremble at the gulf I have passed. So it is, and why I know not. I prayed and God answered, but what could I do? Says I, 'I will repent and live, and ask my old brethren to forgive me, and though they chasten me to death, yet I will die with them, for their God is my God. The least place with them is enough for me, yea, it is bigger and better than all Babylon.'" Joseph restores Phelps to full fellowship and even makes him a charter member of the Council of Fifty four years later. He is excommunicated again in 1847 for "adultery" (taking three unauthorized plural wives). He is rebaptized in 1848. Phelps serves as a Nauvoo city councilman, assists in drafting the constitution of the "State of Deseret" in
1849, and works in the Utah legislature as Speaker of the House. In 1851. But he was perhaps most noted in Utah for his convincing portrayal of Satan in the endowment ceremony in the Salt Lake Endowment House on Temple Square.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
1849, and works in the Utah legislature as Speaker of the House. In 1851. But he was perhaps most noted in Utah for his convincing portrayal of Satan in the endowment ceremony in the Salt Lake Endowment House on Temple Square.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
40 years ago today - Jun 28, 1985
Harvey Tanner, head loan officer of First Interstate Bank, receives a telephone call from "an important man in the LDS church" who says he is sending over Steven Christensen and his friend Mark Hofmann to get a loan for $185,000 which the church was authorizing. When asked later by detectives, "Is that all it takes?" Tanner replies, "Well, this had been done in the past and we knew everything was okay." When pressed for the name of the "important man in the LDS church," Tanner tells detectives it was Hugh W. Pinnock of the First Quorum of Seventy. That same day Hoffman pays $165,000 towards a debt with Alvin Rust. The money authorized by Pinnock and earmarked for purchase of the "McClellen collection" in Texas never leaves Salt Lake City.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
45 years ago today - Jun 28, 1980
Sonia Johnson's appeal to President Spencer W. Kimball to overturn her Dec 5th excommunication is denied. Johnson charging that she was not invited to the high council court to defend herself and that her bishop, Jeffrey Willis, divulged testimony from the bishop's court to Beverly Campbell of McLean, Virginia, who has been traveling the country for the Church defending its position on Sonia's excommunication and the ERA.. Church officials did not give Mrs. Johnson a copy of the letter from the First Presidency denying the appeal but read parts of it to her.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
70 years ago today - Jun 28, 1955
Congress defines full-time LDS missionaries as eligible for ministerial deferments from military service.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
95 years ago today - Jun 28, 1930
[James E. Talmage]
By prearrangement I sat with the First Presidency during the afternoon, and together we examined in detail the copy I had prepared for the prospective bringing out of a book containing extracts from the Doctrine and Covenants. The purpose of this undertaking is to make the strictly doctrinal parts of the Doctrine and Covenants of easy access, and to reduce its bulk, furthermore making it suitable for distribution by missionaries and for general use by investigators. Many of the revelations received by the prophet Joseph related to personal directions in temporal activities incident to the early years of the Church, the immediate importance of which was localized as to time and place. Part of my work in the immediate future will be the carrying of this book of extracts through press.
[James E. Talmage 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]
By prearrangement I sat with the First Presidency during the afternoon, and together we examined in detail the copy I had prepared for the prospective bringing out of a book containing extracts from the Doctrine and Covenants. The purpose of this undertaking is to make the strictly doctrinal parts of the Doctrine and Covenants of easy access, and to reduce its bulk, furthermore making it suitable for distribution by missionaries and for general use by investigators. Many of the revelations received by the prophet Joseph related to personal directions in temporal activities incident to the early years of the Church, the immediate importance of which was localized as to time and place. Part of my work in the immediate future will be the carrying of this book of extracts through press.
[James E. Talmage 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 - Jun 28, 1890
Priesthood meeting in LDS community of Cardston, Canada holds a discussion on "whether or not a man can obtain eternal increase with one wife." Everyone who speaks agrees that polygamy is an essential doctrine of the Church and H. L. Hinman who brought his second wife to Cardston in the late 1880s or early 1890s, adds that he "thought a man must live with more than one woman at the same time to fulfill the law." Charles Card points out that they should "not publish these things to the world," but "they should obey all commandments of God."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
135 years ago today - Jun 28, 1890
The Presidency, after considering the condition of matters connected with plural marriage, decided that no person should, for the moment, be permitted to enter into plural marriage without the ceremony was performed in Mexico and the parties remained in that country, or at least the lady remained in that Republic.
[First Presidency Office Journal, 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]
[First Presidency Office Journal, 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]
140 years ago today - Jun 28, 1885
David Whitmer Sen. admitts that there was some thing like tithing in the church in Joseph Smiths day but that it was introduced by [Sidney] Rigdon. ... Mr D[avid]. Whitmer Sen did not handel the plates. Only seen <<saw>> them, says Martin Haris and Cowdry did so they say! Says he did see them and the angel and heard him speak. But that it was indiscribable that it was through the power of God (and was possibly in [the spirit] at least). ... D[avid]. Whitmer Severed himsh him self from the Church in 1838 Because Joseph and the body of the people had departed from the first principals and had gone into Bank=ing and land specul=ulations &c. and was making new inovations. ... }
[1.
James Henry Moyle, Diary, 28 June 1885, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah, as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: David Whitmer Interview With James Henry Moyle]
[1.
James Henry Moyle, Diary, 28 June 1885, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah, as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: David Whitmer Interview With James Henry Moyle]
150 years ago today - Jun 28, 1875 (Monday)
Bishop Culbert King baptized 85 Indians of Kanosh's band, at Kanosh, Millard Co. More than two thousand Indians had been baptized previous to this time.
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
[Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology]
165 years ago today - Jun 28, 1860
Presidents Young & Kimball returned to the office at 11 oclok. While reading the History in speaking of that point which says that Lyman Wight should be sustained in his office in the place of David W Patten [...] not to take his place Crown. President Young said this is the Case with all the Twelve. They will have their own Crown but not the Crown of an other who has died in faith & been faithful.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Jun 28, 1845
[Patriarchal Blessing of James M. Wait given by William Smith]
.... for as a Savior thou wilt be called to stand and defend the rights of thy Bretheren [Brethren] and to snatch their Spirits in the Spiritual world as brands from the burning, in the baptismal font thou shall declare it, they shall hail thee who are thus redeemed as their king and as their Savior thy days are not a few ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of James M. Wait given by William Smith]
.... for as a Savior thou wilt be called to stand and defend the rights of thy Bretheren [Brethren] and to snatch their Spirits in the Spiritual world as brands from the burning, in the baptismal font thou shall declare it, they shall hail thee who are thus redeemed as their king and as their Savior thy days are not a few ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of James M. Wait given by William Smith]
180 years ago today - Jun 28, 1845. Saturday.
[William Clayton]
"...A new revelation has come to light from Mother Smith [three visions yesterday on the 1 year anniversary of Joseph & Hyrum's death], corrected and altered by William Smith so as to suit his wishes by representing him as the legal successor of Joseph in the presidency."
[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]
"...A new revelation has come to light from Mother Smith [three visions yesterday on the 1 year anniversary of Joseph & Hyrum's death], corrected and altered by William Smith so as to suit his wishes by representing him as the legal successor of Joseph in the presidency."
[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]
180 years ago today - Saturday, June 28th, 1845
[Apostle John Taylor]
I went up with the Twelve to inspect their work, also to see the Arsenal and the font in the Temple, its foundation having just been laid. In the afternoon Brother Pack came to me informing me, that a lawyer who had lately came to town, had been making use of language, wherein he wanted to implicate Elder Young in the murder of Hodges; this lawyer Hall, had lately come to town for purposes of no good. I suppose he is a blackleg and in connection with several others in this town. I am inclined to think so from what Dr. A. Young had told me; he stated that Dr. A. B. Williams had said the same things of Brother Young, and we know him to be a blackleg, and a very wicked, bad man. Brother Pack and I went in search of Brother Young, to inform him of the situation of things, and ask counsel at his hands, but did not find him till evening.
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
I went up with the Twelve to inspect their work, also to see the Arsenal and the font in the Temple, its foundation having just been laid. In the afternoon Brother Pack came to me informing me, that a lawyer who had lately came to town, had been making use of language, wherein he wanted to implicate Elder Young in the murder of Hodges; this lawyer Hall, had lately come to town for purposes of no good. I suppose he is a blackleg and in connection with several others in this town. I am inclined to think so from what Dr. A. Young had told me; he stated that Dr. A. B. Williams had said the same things of Brother Young, and we know him to be a blackleg, and a very wicked, bad man. Brother Pack and I went in search of Brother Young, to inform him of the situation of things, and ask counsel at his hands, but did not find him till evening.
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
190 years ago today - Jun 28, 1835
[Wilford Woodruff]
Ordained elder in Mormon church in Benton County, Tennessee, by Warren Parrish
[Kenney, Scott (editor), Wilford Woodruff's Journals 1833-1898, Chronology Signature Books, Midvale, Utah, http://bit.ly/wwjournal]
Ordained elder in Mormon church in Benton County, Tennessee, by Warren Parrish
[Kenney, Scott (editor), Wilford Woodruff's Journals 1833-1898, Chronology Signature Books, Midvale, Utah, http://bit.ly/wwjournal]
195 years ago today - Jun 28, 1830
Emma Smith, Joseph and Polly Knight, and twelve others are baptized in Colesville, New York.
195 years ago today - Jun 28, 1830
During an evening meeting to confirm new members, Joseph is arrested for disorderly preaching. He is taken to trial in South Bainbridge, five miles from Colesville, where James Davidson and John Reid defend him. Josiah Stowell, his former employer, testifies in his behalf. Immediately after Joseph is acquitted in the first trial, he is arrested a second time, taken back to Colesville, and tried again. After the gathering of a mob and a good deal of alarm, he is again acquitted. Joseph writes that during the trials the Lord comforted the Saints by revealing a "precious morsel": Moses 1:1-42, "The Visions of Moses."
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
50 years ago today - Jun 27, 1975-Friday
[Leonard Arrington]
Late yesterday afternoon I went to see Earl [Olson] and Elder [Joseph] Anderson who gave me a report on Elder [Howard W.] Hunter's telephone call about the discussion in the Quorum of Twelve about the matters presented by Elder Hunter on our behalf. ... Brother Hunter also expected to bring up the matter of us doing a study of plural marriage. Brother Hunter said they had taken up so much time with the other proposals and were so unenthusiastic about them that he thought it the better part of wisdom not to bring up the matter at all of doing a study of plural marriage, so that was not presented-just as well.
In the evening Grace and I and Glennie Perry [visiting from North Carolina] went to "Saturday's Warrior" in the South High School auditorium [in Salt Lake City]. Many other persons in the Historical Department went there also. Must have been a couple of thousand persons. Anyway, a delightful performance. The music was outstanding, the dancing was splendid, and the acting and singing as well. We enjoyed it very much. It is based upon a similar theme as Added Upon. [[The 1898 novel by Nephi Anderson also dealt with Mormon theology.]] It presented the problems of free agency, pre-earth life, earth life, and post-earth life. It has some clever scenes about missionaries and missionary work and about romance and marriage and rearing a family. Very well done.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Late yesterday afternoon I went to see Earl [Olson] and Elder [Joseph] Anderson who gave me a report on Elder [Howard W.] Hunter's telephone call about the discussion in the Quorum of Twelve about the matters presented by Elder Hunter on our behalf. ... Brother Hunter also expected to bring up the matter of us doing a study of plural marriage. Brother Hunter said they had taken up so much time with the other proposals and were so unenthusiastic about them that he thought it the better part of wisdom not to bring up the matter at all of doing a study of plural marriage, so that was not presented-just as well.
In the evening Grace and I and Glennie Perry [visiting from North Carolina] went to "Saturday's Warrior" in the South High School auditorium [in Salt Lake City]. Many other persons in the Historical Department went there also. Must have been a couple of thousand persons. Anyway, a delightful performance. The music was outstanding, the dancing was splendid, and the acting and singing as well. We enjoyed it very much. It is based upon a similar theme as Added Upon. [[The 1898 novel by Nephi Anderson also dealt with Mormon theology.]] It presented the problems of free agency, pre-earth life, earth life, and post-earth life. It has some clever scenes about missionaries and missionary work and about romance and marriage and rearing a family. Very well done.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
50 years ago today - Jun 27, 1975
Announcement of end of conferences at church headquarters for church's auxiliaries. This completes Harold B. Lee's previous efforts to dismantle autonomy of church's five auxiliaries for women, teenage girls, teenage boys, children, and Sunday schools. "Priesthood correlation" eliminates century of administrative autonomy exercised by LDS women over budgetary and administrative decisions in these auxiliaries.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
50 years ago today - Jun 27, 1975
The announcement of the end of conferences at church headquarters for the church's auxiliaries. This completes Harold B. Lee's previous efforts to dismantle the autonomy of the church's five auxiliaries for women, teenage girls, teenage boys, children, and Sunday schools. "Priesthood correlation" eliminates a century of administrative autonomy exercised by LDS women over budgetary and administrative decisions in these auxiliaries.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
60 years ago today - Jun 27, 1965
Stake President O. Leslie Stone "represent[s] the Church at the convocation of Religion for World Peace" in San Francisco. He becomes a general authority in 1972.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
70 years ago today - Jun 27, 1955
First Presidency letter instructs stake presidents that Native American Indian children may be legally taken into LDS homes "in Utah only through the agency of the Relief Society." Established Jul 1954 this Indian Placement Program seeks to give educational and acculturation advantages to Native Americans by placing their elementary and secondary school-age children in homes of LDS Anglo-Americans for each school year. This began in 1947 as innovation of Golden R. Buchanan, member of Sevier Stake presidency, who took first Native American Indian (sixteen-year-old Helen John) into his home. Later, this program is taken from jurisdiction of Relief Society and given to male church leaders. At its peak in 1972, program places 4,977 Indian children in Anglo-American homes. By 1990 participation declines to 500 because of increased resentment against this well-intentioned effort to "Americanize" Native peoples.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
70 years ago today - Jun 27, 1955
A First Presidency letter instructs stake presidents that Native American Indian children may be legally taken into LDS homes "in Utah only through the agency of the Relief Society." Established in July 1954 this Indian Placement Program seeks to give educational and acculturation advantages to Native Americans by placing their elementary and secondary school age children in homes of LDS Anglo-Americans for each school year. This began in 1947 as an innovation of Golden R. Buchanan, a member of the Sevier Stake presidency, who took the first Native American Indian (sixteen-year-old Helen John) into his home. Later, this program is taken from the jurisdiction of the Relief Society and given to male church leaders. At its peak in 1972, the program places 4,977 Indian children in Anglo-American homes. By 1990 participation declines to 500 because of increased resentment against this well-intentioned effort to "Americanize" native peoples.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
80 years ago today - Jun 27, 1945
[George Albert Smith]
Too weary to accompany Genl Authorities to temple Martyrdom day.
[George Albert Smith Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
Too weary to accompany Genl Authorities to temple Martyrdom day.
[George Albert Smith Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
125 years ago today - Jun 27, 1900; Wednesday
While at Rexburg [Idaho] on June 24, 1900] Pres[ident] [George Q.] Cannon said as to the 3 presiding Quorums in the Priesthood that in the absence by disolution of the first Presidency the 12 would preside and [in] case of their disolution the 70 would preside and organize the first Presidency.
Then Pres[ident] Jos[eph] F [Smith] said in case that the first Presidency & 12 were all taken away the presiding Seventy would proceed to organize the first presidency then they would proceed to choose and organize the 12 apostles.
And in relation to the standing in the Quorum of the apostles of Joseph F Smith & Brigham Young [Jr.] that though Brigham was ordained in 1864 to the Apostleship yet he had not at that time been accepted as one of the 12 in & by the Quorum and that in 1865 Pres[ident] Joseph F was ordained and placed in the Quorum & upheld by the general conference and that Brigham was not so placed & recognized as a member of that Quorum & sustained by the general confernce until [18]66 so Joseph F would rank him as senior apostle. So this Question is decided and in this decission [sic] my beloved cousin Brigham will not stand much chance to become the president of the church as Joseph is the youngest & strongest man physically.
All right[;] it will be as the Lord wants it no doubt.
[Seymour B. Young, Diary]
Then Pres[ident] Jos[eph] F [Smith] said in case that the first Presidency & 12 were all taken away the presiding Seventy would proceed to organize the first presidency then they would proceed to choose and organize the 12 apostles.
And in relation to the standing in the Quorum of the apostles of Joseph F Smith & Brigham Young [Jr.] that though Brigham was ordained in 1864 to the Apostleship yet he had not at that time been accepted as one of the 12 in & by the Quorum and that in 1865 Pres[ident] Joseph F was ordained and placed in the Quorum & upheld by the general conference and that Brigham was not so placed & recognized as a member of that Quorum & sustained by the general confernce until [18]66 so Joseph F would rank him as senior apostle. So this Question is decided and in this decission [sic] my beloved cousin Brigham will not stand much chance to become the president of the church as Joseph is the youngest & strongest man physically.
All right[;] it will be as the Lord wants it no doubt.
[Seymour B. Young, Diary]
150 years ago today - Jun 27, 1875
Apostle Wilford Woodruff preaches that spirits "come from their eternal Father and their eternal Mother unto whom they were born in the eternal world."
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
180 years ago today - Jun 27, 1845
[Patriarchal Blessing of John H. Potter given by William Smith]
.... Dear little Brother. I confer upon you a father[']s blessing praying God my heavenly father to seal it upon thee that that thou mayest be made strong and thy little mind be strengthened and thy body healed of every infirmity that diseases may not impair the health of thy body that thou mayest grow up to become a strong man to wield the weapons of warfare in times of Zion[']s perils and dangers, that thou mayest be called mighty and great amongst men ... and if thy days are lengthened out to see a good old age thou wilt be left to wander in the wilderness as a mighty hunter ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of John H. Potter given by William Smith]
.... Dear little Brother. I confer upon you a father[']s blessing praying God my heavenly father to seal it upon thee that that thou mayest be made strong and thy little mind be strengthened and thy body healed of every infirmity that diseases may not impair the health of thy body that thou mayest grow up to become a strong man to wield the weapons of warfare in times of Zion[']s perils and dangers, that thou mayest be called mighty and great amongst men ... and if thy days are lengthened out to see a good old age thou wilt be left to wander in the wilderness as a mighty hunter ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of John H. Potter given by William Smith]
180 years ago today - Jun 27, 1845
[Patriarchal Blessing of Elizabeth Potter given by William Smith]
.... Sister Elizabeth I lay my hands upon your head to bless you and seal upon you a father[']s blessing that thou mayest be saved in the kingdom of God. and be sealed up unto eternal life ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of Elizabeth Potter given by William Smith]
.... Sister Elizabeth I lay my hands upon your head to bless you and seal upon you a father[']s blessing that thou mayest be saved in the kingdom of God. and be sealed up unto eternal life ...
[Patriarchal Blessing of Elizabeth Potter given by William Smith]
180 years ago today - Jun 27, 1845
[Patriarchal Blessing of Chester Potter given by William Smith]
.... thou shalt see a time in thy day when thy tongue shall be unloosed when thou shalt speak the true language of heaven and it be unto thee as it was of them in olden times the people shall marvel and wonder. ... many shall look upon thee as their Savior, for thou wilt do a work in thy day that shall be great, and thy father[']s house shall gather round thee, and in the kingdom of God shall it be...
[Patriarchal Blessing of Chester Potter given by William Smith]
.... thou shalt see a time in thy day when thy tongue shall be unloosed when thou shalt speak the true language of heaven and it be unto thee as it was of them in olden times the people shall marvel and wonder. ... many shall look upon thee as their Savior, for thou wilt do a work in thy day that shall be great, and thy father[']s house shall gather round thee, and in the kingdom of God shall it be...
[Patriarchal Blessing of Chester Potter given by William Smith]
180 years ago today - Friday, June 27th, 1845
[John Taylor]
This was the anniversary of the day that Brothers Joseph and Hyrum were killed and myself shot. We met together (the Quorum of the Priesthood,) to pray, several of the Twelve were present; when I returned in the evening, Mrs. Taylor showed me a copy of a vision that Mother Lucy Smith had, stating that her son William was head over the Church; the following is a copy:
Brothers and Children, I was much troubled and felt as if I had the sins of the whole world to bear, and the burthen of the Church; and I felt that there was something wrong. I called on the Lord to show me what was wrong, and if it was me. I called upon him until I slept.
I then heard a voice calling on me saying awake, awake, awake, for thy only son that thou hast living, they for his life have laid a snare. My aged servant Joseph who was the first patriarch of this Church, and my servant Hyrum who was the second patriarch, my servant Joseph who was Prophet and Seer, and my servant Samuel, William, and Don Carlos they were the first founders, fathers, and heads of this Church, raised up in these last days, and thou art the mother, and thy daughters have helped, and they are the daughters in Israel, and have helped raise up this Church.
Arise, Arise, Arise, and take thy place you know not what has been in the hearts of some; but he said thou shalt know. He told me what it was; but I shall not tell. (I saw William in a room full of armed men and he having no weapons. They would have crushed him down, if it had not been for the power of God; and many of the family would have been cut off, the Lord having softened their hearts.
Two amongst them had blacker hearts than the rest, and I know who they were, and I will tell them if they will come to me. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball know it is so, and dare not deny it.) Call upon the Twelve, let all things be set in order, and keep their hearts pure from this time henceforth, the voice saith be merciful, and then Zion shall arise and flourish as a rose. What I was told I cannot tell. Thou art the mother in Israel, and tell thy children all to walk uprightly. Thy son William he shall have power over the Churches, he is father in Israel over the patriarchs and the whole of the Church, he is the last of the lineage that is raised up in these last days. He is patriarch to regulate the affairs of the Church. He is President over all the Church, they cannot take his apostleship away from.
The Presidency of the Church belongs to William, he being the last of the heads of the Church, according to the lineage, he having inherited it from the family from before the foundation of the world. Thou art a mother in Israel. Thy spirit arose and said in eternity, that it would take a body to be a mother of [the] Prophet who should be raised up to save the last dispensation.
And, the spirit said unto me be faithful (and that I had been faithful.) And tell the Church to be faithful. And the spirit said I should live until I was satisfied with life.
Brothers and Children, I want you to take notice the burthen of the Church [rests on William.] 2nd Vision. Joseph came to me and said 'that day is coming when I shall wave the sceptre of power over my enemies. Be patient my brothers and sisters, the day is coming when you shall have eternal life and be rewarded for all your troubles.' 3rd Vision. Father came to me and I said Father have you come. And he said 'Yes.' I said tell me where you have been? And he said 'I have been all around here. I have come to you again to tell you one thing certain, which I have told you many times before. It is my prayers and the prayers of our sons that you live to take care of William and my daughters, and see that they have their rights and standing where they ought to have it. He turned to go away, and I said I will go with you. He said you must stay.
The following persons were present at the time this vision was related: William Smith, Mrs. Taylor, A. Milliken, Mrs. Milliken W.J. Salisbury, Mrs. Salisbury, David Elliott, Mrs. McLery, Robt. Campbell, Mrs. Kelly, Elias Smith, Mrs. Sherman, Joseph Cain, Bro. Stringham, Chas. Kelly, Bro. McLery,
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee (formatting added)]
This was the anniversary of the day that Brothers Joseph and Hyrum were killed and myself shot. We met together (the Quorum of the Priesthood,) to pray, several of the Twelve were present; when I returned in the evening, Mrs. Taylor showed me a copy of a vision that Mother Lucy Smith had, stating that her son William was head over the Church; the following is a copy:
Brothers and Children, I was much troubled and felt as if I had the sins of the whole world to bear, and the burthen of the Church; and I felt that there was something wrong. I called on the Lord to show me what was wrong, and if it was me. I called upon him until I slept.
I then heard a voice calling on me saying awake, awake, awake, for thy only son that thou hast living, they for his life have laid a snare. My aged servant Joseph who was the first patriarch of this Church, and my servant Hyrum who was the second patriarch, my servant Joseph who was Prophet and Seer, and my servant Samuel, William, and Don Carlos they were the first founders, fathers, and heads of this Church, raised up in these last days, and thou art the mother, and thy daughters have helped, and they are the daughters in Israel, and have helped raise up this Church.
Arise, Arise, Arise, and take thy place you know not what has been in the hearts of some; but he said thou shalt know. He told me what it was; but I shall not tell. (I saw William in a room full of armed men and he having no weapons. They would have crushed him down, if it had not been for the power of God; and many of the family would have been cut off, the Lord having softened their hearts.
Two amongst them had blacker hearts than the rest, and I know who they were, and I will tell them if they will come to me. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball know it is so, and dare not deny it.) Call upon the Twelve, let all things be set in order, and keep their hearts pure from this time henceforth, the voice saith be merciful, and then Zion shall arise and flourish as a rose. What I was told I cannot tell. Thou art the mother in Israel, and tell thy children all to walk uprightly. Thy son William he shall have power over the Churches, he is father in Israel over the patriarchs and the whole of the Church, he is the last of the lineage that is raised up in these last days. He is patriarch to regulate the affairs of the Church. He is President over all the Church, they cannot take his apostleship away from.
The Presidency of the Church belongs to William, he being the last of the heads of the Church, according to the lineage, he having inherited it from the family from before the foundation of the world. Thou art a mother in Israel. Thy spirit arose and said in eternity, that it would take a body to be a mother of [the] Prophet who should be raised up to save the last dispensation.
And, the spirit said unto me be faithful (and that I had been faithful.) And tell the Church to be faithful. And the spirit said I should live until I was satisfied with life.
Brothers and Children, I want you to take notice the burthen of the Church [rests on William.] 2nd Vision. Joseph came to me and said 'that day is coming when I shall wave the sceptre of power over my enemies. Be patient my brothers and sisters, the day is coming when you shall have eternal life and be rewarded for all your troubles.' 3rd Vision. Father came to me and I said Father have you come. And he said 'Yes.' I said tell me where you have been? And he said 'I have been all around here. I have come to you again to tell you one thing certain, which I have told you many times before. It is my prayers and the prayers of our sons that you live to take care of William and my daughters, and see that they have their rights and standing where they ought to have it. He turned to go away, and I said I will go with you. He said you must stay.
The following persons were present at the time this vision was related: William Smith, Mrs. Taylor, A. Milliken, Mrs. Milliken W.J. Salisbury, Mrs. Salisbury, David Elliott, Mrs. McLery, Robt. Campbell, Mrs. Kelly, Elias Smith, Mrs. Sherman, Joseph Cain, Bro. Stringham, Chas. Kelly, Bro. McLery,
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee (formatting added)]
180 years ago today - Jun 27, 1845
[Heber C. Kimball]
27 June the 27, 1845. Met in Council at W. Richards. One year ago Joseph and Hirum was killed in Carthage Jail. So we met in coucil to pray that God would curs[e] those that had spilt thare B[l]ood and all those /that/ percicute the Saints. O Lord I thank Thy holy name that Thou dost hear Thy servents and bring trouble on them. Even now they are dum, and cannot do business and are all thrown in to confusion, in answer to the prairs of Thy servents, as we have felt to pleede with The[e] with uplifted hands in token of our regard to The[e]. I do thank The[e] O my Father, for Thou dost hear us in all things when we are agreeed, and this blessing Thou hast granted to Thy servents this day is set a part by Thy servents to fast and pray Thou woulst bless us with peas [peace] and prosperity, and that this blessing may rest on all of They saints, Even so Amen
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
27 June the 27, 1845. Met in Council at W. Richards. One year ago Joseph and Hirum was killed in Carthage Jail. So we met in coucil to pray that God would curs[e] those that had spilt thare B[l]ood and all those /that/ percicute the Saints. O Lord I thank Thy holy name that Thou dost hear Thy servents and bring trouble on them. Even now they are dum, and cannot do business and are all thrown in to confusion, in answer to the prairs of Thy servents, as we have felt to pleede with The[e] with uplifted hands in token of our regard to The[e]. I do thank The[e] O my Father, for Thou dost hear us in all things when we are agreeed, and this blessing Thou hast granted to Thy servents this day is set a part by Thy servents to fast and pray Thou woulst bless us with peas [peace] and prosperity, and that this blessing may rest on all of They saints, Even so Amen
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
180 years ago today - 1845 27 Jun.
On the anniversary of Joseph Smith's murder, the Quorum of Twelve prays for God's vengeance on those who shed the prophet's blood. Six months later this formal prayer (sometimes called an "oath") of vengeance would become part of the endowment ceremony. This same day, Lucy Mack Smith relates three visions that revealed to her that William Smith was already church president by virtue of his patriarchal office.
[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]
[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]
185 years ago today - Jun 27, 1840. Saturday.
[William Clayton]
At night Brother Green spake in tongues. The power of Satan was powerfully manifested upon some of the Sisters. Sarah gave me a pint of porter.
[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]
At night Brother Green spake in tongues. The power of Satan was powerfully manifested upon some of the Sisters. Sarah gave me a pint of porter.
[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]
195 years ago today - June 27-28, 1830
The Prophet visits Colesville and the Knight family. On Sunday they dam up the river to baptize over a dozen people, but a mob gathers and tears the dam down, threatening persecution and harm. Early Monday morning the Saints dam up the river again and baptize thirteen people, including Emma Smith. A mob of 50 surround them and watch.
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
[Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
10 years ago today - Jun 26, 2015
Same-Sex Marriage legalized in the USA
[History of The Proclamation on the Family, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRDUS68wfgWtZqdNv67AqfYGGfHrJiZi-B6dlDhDClQOatExFZDFt73srGQoul3U4_iXiTuYIqW57gs/pubhtml]
[History of The Proclamation on the Family, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRDUS68wfgWtZqdNv67AqfYGGfHrJiZi-B6dlDhDClQOatExFZDFt73srGQoul3U4_iXiTuYIqW57gs/pubhtml]
160 years ago today - Jun 26, 1865
[Brigham Young]
You may remember it and lay it to heart, and if you wish, write it in your journals, that some of the best spirits that have ever been sent to earth are coming at the present time, comparatively speaking. Solomon said, '"He that spareth his rod hateth his son,'" but instead of using the rod, I will teach my children by example and by precept. I will teach them every opportunity I have to cherish faith, to exercise patience, to be full of long-suffering and kindness. It is not by the whip or the rod that we can make obedient children; but it is by faith and by prayer, and by setting a good example before them. This is my belief.
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 11:115-119, 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]
You may remember it and lay it to heart, and if you wish, write it in your journals, that some of the best spirits that have ever been sent to earth are coming at the present time, comparatively speaking. Solomon said, '"He that spareth his rod hateth his son,'" but instead of using the rod, I will teach my children by example and by precept. I will teach them every opportunity I have to cherish faith, to exercise patience, to be full of long-suffering and kindness. It is not by the whip or the rod that we can make obedient children; but it is by faith and by prayer, and by setting a good example before them. This is my belief.
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 11:115-119, 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]
165 years ago today - Jun 26, 1860
Brigham Young's office journal records: "In the Evening Br T. Ellerbeck came into the Office and had some conversation about grape raising, Br[other] Carrington joined in and conversed about making grape wine."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
170 years ago today - Jun 26, 1855
Indian Territory Mission established to proselytize among Cherokees and Creeks in what is now Oklahoma. Directed almost exclusively toward Native Americans, mission closes in 1877, reopens in 1883 with increasing efforts toward Anglos.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
180 years ago today - Jun 26, 1845
Clothed our selves [in temple clothes] and offerd up our praiers for the prosperity of the Saints and for destruction to our Enimes. A perfect union in corum [quorum]. Orson Pratt being Mouth. After we got threw My Wife and Sister Whitney with our little children of Promise [came in?]. We then offerd the Sings [signs]. B. Young, W. Richards Laid hands on my Litle son Brigham Willard Heber C. Kimball, and sealled the Blessing of Life and health should rest on him and the holy Preast hood rested on him from his Mothers womb. Jane Whiteny then on Mary and simelor things. Then they left the room. Then we offered the signs, and concrated [consecrated] three botels of oil, 2 for me and one fore John Smith, I being mouth. We then praid onece more B. Young being mouth. We had a good time and the Lord was with us. He shall have the glory.
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
190 years ago today - Jun 26, 1835
At Joseph's request, the Painesville Telegraph publishes court testimony regarding an altercation between Joseph Smith and his brother-in-law Calvin Stoddard. Calvin says Joseph has apologized for striking him on the forehead with the flat of his hand. The apology has been accepted and Joseph is acquitted. [This occurs when Joseph & Calvin were water witching together.]
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
195 years ago today - 1830 26 Jun.
Residents of Colesville, one of the three Mormon congregations in New York state, disrupt an intended baptismal ceremony and intimidate church members. This is the first mob action against Mormons.
[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]
[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]
50 years ago today - Jun 25, 1975-Wednesday
[Leonard Arrington]
.... Before Maureen [Ursenbach] agreed to marry Dale [Beecher], she discussed privately with me the possibility that this might affect her employment with us. She mentioned specifically that their marriage might result in her becoming pregnant and she understood that the Personnel Department would force her off the payroll after she had a baby. I told her that while I thought she should marry Dale if she loved him and without any regard to the future consequences with respect to her professional work, her capabilities were very much needed by the Historical Department and if she should become pregnant, I would do my best to make it possible for her to remain a member of our staff. She did, of course, decide to marry and she did become pregnant.
We were inclined to let the Personnel Committee make the first move to terminate her services, but in preparing the lessons for the Relief Society, she had a number of contacts with Roger Merrill of the Personnel Department. In May, noticing her obvious pregnancy, he told her that the Personnel Department would have to terminate her services upon the birth of her baby unless a special exception was made by the Personnel Committee. He suggested a number of rationalizations which might induce the Personnel Committee to make an exception.
After Maureen came to me with this report, I wrote a letter to Elder Joseph Anderson regarding an exception. Brother Anderson said that it was a matter which should be taken to our advisors. In our regular meeting with the advisors, I explained the matter orally. Brother [Delbert L.] Stapley, who is a member of the Personnel Committee, suggested that I write a letter to the Personnel Committee asking that an exception be made. I did so. ... I also suggested that Maureen herself might write a letter which could be sent along with my letter to the Personnel Committee. Dale decided he should also like to write a letter as husband and prospective father, which he did. ...
Elder Stapley later reported that the Personnel Committee had decided to make an exception in the case of Sister Beecher and that no action would be taken to terminate her services. ... Elder Stapley later phoned me to tell me that Brother Williams had decided to ask the Legal Department of the Church to render an opinion as to whether making this exception would set a precedent which would force the Church to retain without termination all women employees who gave birth to children.
We have learned through private sources that this matter was taken to the Legal Department. The Legal Department felt that the Church would be in clear violation if it fired a woman simply because she had a baby and that the Legal Department recommended the Personnel Committee take this into consideration not only in this instance but in other instances which arise.
... Our private sources suggest that the Church may find it desirable to alter its policy to conform with the Civil Rights Act of 1972. In any case, it looks hopeful that we will be able to retain Maureen as a member of our staff, but if so, we shall probably be counseled to keep this quiet.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
.... Before Maureen [Ursenbach] agreed to marry Dale [Beecher], she discussed privately with me the possibility that this might affect her employment with us. She mentioned specifically that their marriage might result in her becoming pregnant and she understood that the Personnel Department would force her off the payroll after she had a baby. I told her that while I thought she should marry Dale if she loved him and without any regard to the future consequences with respect to her professional work, her capabilities were very much needed by the Historical Department and if she should become pregnant, I would do my best to make it possible for her to remain a member of our staff. She did, of course, decide to marry and she did become pregnant.
We were inclined to let the Personnel Committee make the first move to terminate her services, but in preparing the lessons for the Relief Society, she had a number of contacts with Roger Merrill of the Personnel Department. In May, noticing her obvious pregnancy, he told her that the Personnel Department would have to terminate her services upon the birth of her baby unless a special exception was made by the Personnel Committee. He suggested a number of rationalizations which might induce the Personnel Committee to make an exception.
After Maureen came to me with this report, I wrote a letter to Elder Joseph Anderson regarding an exception. Brother Anderson said that it was a matter which should be taken to our advisors. In our regular meeting with the advisors, I explained the matter orally. Brother [Delbert L.] Stapley, who is a member of the Personnel Committee, suggested that I write a letter to the Personnel Committee asking that an exception be made. I did so. ... I also suggested that Maureen herself might write a letter which could be sent along with my letter to the Personnel Committee. Dale decided he should also like to write a letter as husband and prospective father, which he did. ...
Elder Stapley later reported that the Personnel Committee had decided to make an exception in the case of Sister Beecher and that no action would be taken to terminate her services. ... Elder Stapley later phoned me to tell me that Brother Williams had decided to ask the Legal Department of the Church to render an opinion as to whether making this exception would set a precedent which would force the Church to retain without termination all women employees who gave birth to children.
We have learned through private sources that this matter was taken to the Legal Department. The Legal Department felt that the Church would be in clear violation if it fired a woman simply because she had a baby and that the Legal Department recommended the Personnel Committee take this into consideration not only in this instance but in other instances which arise.
... Our private sources suggest that the Church may find it desirable to alter its policy to conform with the Civil Rights Act of 1972. In any case, it looks hopeful that we will be able to retain Maureen as a member of our staff, but if so, we shall probably be counseled to keep this quiet.
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
60 years ago today - Jun 25, 1965
NEW YORK TIMES reports First Presidency's letters to LDS members of Congress to retain anti-union "right to work" provision of Taft-Hartley Act.
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
60 years ago today - Jun 25, 1965
The New York Times reports the First Presidency's letters to LDS members of Congress to retain the anti-union "right to work" provision of the Taft-Hartley Act.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
90 years ago today - Jun 25, 1935
[David O. McKay]
.... No officers or members of the Church are showing proper reverence for the Sabbath day when they attend picture shows on Sunday, and most certainly that Bishop was recreant to his leadership and to his calling as a Bishop when he announced in meeting that he would begin sacrament meeting promptly at 7:30 and dismiss at 8:30 so that his members could go to the picture show if they desired to do so, and confessed to the members of his Ward that he and his wife had so attended. ...
[David O. McKay, Letter to Jesse W. Richins, 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]
.... No officers or members of the Church are showing proper reverence for the Sabbath day when they attend picture shows on Sunday, and most certainly that Bishop was recreant to his leadership and to his calling as a Bishop when he announced in meeting that he would begin sacrament meeting promptly at 7:30 and dismiss at 8:30 so that his members could go to the picture show if they desired to do so, and confessed to the members of his Ward that he and his wife had so attended. ...
[David O. McKay, Letter to Jesse W. Richins, 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 - Jun 25, 1890
Letter from Daniel H. Wells to Joseph F. Smith mentioning Ester Dutcher's sealing to Joseph Smith while they were both alive.
[Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)]
[Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)]
160 years ago today - Jun 25, 1865
In the Afternoon President Young spoke & reproved the Merchants & said they would go to hell if they did not repent & use their surplus means for building up the kingdom of God for they had got it out of the Saints.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
160 years ago today - Jun 25, 1865
[Brigham Young]
We are now located in the midst of these mountains, and are here because we were obliged to go somewhere. We were under the necessity of leaving our homes, and had to go somewhere. Before we left Nauvoo, three Members of Congress told us that if we would leave the United States, we should never be troubled by them again. We did leave the United States, and now Congressmen say, if you will renounce polygamy you shall be admitted unto the Union as an independent State and live with us. We shall live any way, and increase, and spread, and prosper, and we shall know the most and be the best-looking people there is on the earth. As for polygamy, or any other doctrine the Lord has revealed, it is not for me to change, alter, or renounce it; my business is to obey when the Lord commands, and this is the duty of all mankind. ...
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 11:111-115, 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]
We are now located in the midst of these mountains, and are here because we were obliged to go somewhere. We were under the necessity of leaving our homes, and had to go somewhere. Before we left Nauvoo, three Members of Congress told us that if we would leave the United States, we should never be troubled by them again. We did leave the United States, and now Congressmen say, if you will renounce polygamy you shall be admitted unto the Union as an independent State and live with us. We shall live any way, and increase, and spread, and prosper, and we shall know the most and be the best-looking people there is on the earth. As for polygamy, or any other doctrine the Lord has revealed, it is not for me to change, alter, or renounce it; my business is to obey when the Lord commands, and this is the duty of all mankind. ...
[Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 11:111-115, 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 - Jun 25, 1845
[Heber C. Kimball]
.... Nine present. Offerd up the Signs. and praid that the Lord would bless Demmen and deliver him from his enimes, that our Enimes might be cursed. At six we went to the Masonick Hall, met with the Poliece. Wm. Wright present, said he was fraid of his life. The Poliece all present, the Bishops and menny others. Wm. [Smith] recieved a rebuke from B. Young.
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
.... Nine present. Offerd up the Signs. and praid that the Lord would bless Demmen and deliver him from his enimes, that our Enimes might be cursed. At six we went to the Masonick Hall, met with the Poliece. Wm. Wright present, said he was fraid of his life. The Poliece all present, the Bishops and menny others. Wm. [Smith] recieved a rebuke from B. Young.
[Kimball, Stanley B. ed, On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball]
180 years ago today - Wednesday, June 25th, 1845
Letter: William Smith to President Brigham Young:
President Young:'-- I feel that my life is in danger, news has come to me that certain men are forming a conspiracy to put me out of the way in this city. I am not safe in the hands of the Police that will insult me to my face and draw their canes over my head. I claim protection from your hands ... some have turned against me, because I had the audacity to get married. I also took upon me to advise the Hodges [murdered two days earlier] to leave Nauvoo and never return ... I volunteered my council to Bro. Tuft who appeared to be taking an active part in getting rid of these men'--Tuft said he did not care a damn for what I said and further insulted me; he had his council from others and should follow it &c. &c., charging me falsely, I would not bear it, took him by the collar; he drew his cane. I do not believe it is your council to Police to run over me. Since this time this man Tufts is surrounded by groups of men threatening me, and I am not safe Bro. Young, and
something must be done. I will not risk my life in the hands of such men, they must either give me satisfaction or quit the Police, for to be murdered in cold blood in my bed, cut to pieces .... The deacons that pass my house nightly say in the streets that it is in more harm to raise a cane over an apostle's head and beat him for a crime &c. &c., men came to me last evening and said Bro. Smith your life is in danger, take care of yourself ... '
Our mind [the Twelve] was that the Policeman was doing his duty, and Bro. Wm. Smith was in the wrong; and his life was not in jeopardy. ... we appointed a meeting of the Twelve and the Police in the Masonic Hall in the evening and that things might be overruled by the spirit of the Lord, we appointed a meeting of the Quorum of the Priesthood at which however few but the Twelve were present; we there prayed for William that God would overrule every evil principle; that his violent spirit might be curbed by the spirit of God... He was invited by President Brigham Young to speak and make a statement of his feelings.
'He arose and made some explanations in regard to the course he had taken to counsel the Police, to let a Prisoner who was in their custody go, who was one of the brothers of the Hodges condemned for murder, [and who we had every reason to believe was implicated in the same thing.] He furthermore stated he had some altercation with Brother Tufts, one of the Police, who he had heretofore considered as a good brother, and did now; that a scuffle had ensued, wherein he attempted to strike Tufts ... for if the people here did not want him, he would go away ... that he was one of the last remnants of the Smith family to whom the priesthood had come; and that if he went away, he would take along with him, his sister, his mother, and the last remains of the family; and that where he and they went, there the priesthood, authority, and the Church would be; he made many other remarks of an unpleasant nature.'
'Elder Young arose and said ... that he did not receive his priesthood from William Smith but from his brother, and he understood the power of that priesthood; neither is this Church indebted to William Smith for the priesthood; ... As William Smith says that if he goes away from here and takes his Father's family along, the priesthood and authority would go. I say it will not go the priesthood and authority is in the church and cannot be taken from it without transgression. ... William Smith had no right to counsel those men to let the Hodges go...
We could live in peace here before William Smith came; and since he came there has been the devil to pay; he has been throwing out hints all the time, that the presidency belonged to him, producing discord. I have reason to believe, and before we get through with this matter, think I can prove, that he told General Deming that I was the instigator of that murder (Hodges) I will not stand such things...
Brother William arose and seemed to be humbled ... 'Brother Brigham had misunderstood him; he did not mean that he would take the priesthood away with him; but that he would take his family away; and that he had not said, that he had a right to the presidency;'-- but that he always said that Brother Brigham was the head of the church; and that he did not wish any of the Police to be dismissed, he only wished to know if he would be safe.' Brother Brigham said, if that was all that was wanted it could be soon done.
He did not wish to harrow up any person's feelings; and this investigation would not be necessary. He called upon the Police to know if they would stand by brother William, and support him. They all answered, 'yes'. He then called upon Brother William to know if he would support the Police.
He answered, 'yes.'
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
President Young:'-- I feel that my life is in danger, news has come to me that certain men are forming a conspiracy to put me out of the way in this city. I am not safe in the hands of the Police that will insult me to my face and draw their canes over my head. I claim protection from your hands ... some have turned against me, because I had the audacity to get married. I also took upon me to advise the Hodges [murdered two days earlier] to leave Nauvoo and never return ... I volunteered my council to Bro. Tuft who appeared to be taking an active part in getting rid of these men'--Tuft said he did not care a damn for what I said and further insulted me; he had his council from others and should follow it &c. &c., charging me falsely, I would not bear it, took him by the collar; he drew his cane. I do not believe it is your council to Police to run over me. Since this time this man Tufts is surrounded by groups of men threatening me, and I am not safe Bro. Young, and
something must be done. I will not risk my life in the hands of such men, they must either give me satisfaction or quit the Police, for to be murdered in cold blood in my bed, cut to pieces .... The deacons that pass my house nightly say in the streets that it is in more harm to raise a cane over an apostle's head and beat him for a crime &c. &c., men came to me last evening and said Bro. Smith your life is in danger, take care of yourself ... '
Our mind [the Twelve] was that the Policeman was doing his duty, and Bro. Wm. Smith was in the wrong; and his life was not in jeopardy. ... we appointed a meeting of the Twelve and the Police in the Masonic Hall in the evening and that things might be overruled by the spirit of the Lord, we appointed a meeting of the Quorum of the Priesthood at which however few but the Twelve were present; we there prayed for William that God would overrule every evil principle; that his violent spirit might be curbed by the spirit of God... He was invited by President Brigham Young to speak and make a statement of his feelings.
'He arose and made some explanations in regard to the course he had taken to counsel the Police, to let a Prisoner who was in their custody go, who was one of the brothers of the Hodges condemned for murder, [and who we had every reason to believe was implicated in the same thing.] He furthermore stated he had some altercation with Brother Tufts, one of the Police, who he had heretofore considered as a good brother, and did now; that a scuffle had ensued, wherein he attempted to strike Tufts ... for if the people here did not want him, he would go away ... that he was one of the last remnants of the Smith family to whom the priesthood had come; and that if he went away, he would take along with him, his sister, his mother, and the last remains of the family; and that where he and they went, there the priesthood, authority, and the Church would be; he made many other remarks of an unpleasant nature.'
'Elder Young arose and said ... that he did not receive his priesthood from William Smith but from his brother, and he understood the power of that priesthood; neither is this Church indebted to William Smith for the priesthood; ... As William Smith says that if he goes away from here and takes his Father's family along, the priesthood and authority would go. I say it will not go the priesthood and authority is in the church and cannot be taken from it without transgression. ... William Smith had no right to counsel those men to let the Hodges go...
We could live in peace here before William Smith came; and since he came there has been the devil to pay; he has been throwing out hints all the time, that the presidency belonged to him, producing discord. I have reason to believe, and before we get through with this matter, think I can prove, that he told General Deming that I was the instigator of that murder (Hodges) I will not stand such things...
Brother William arose and seemed to be humbled ... 'Brother Brigham had misunderstood him; he did not mean that he would take the priesthood away with him; but that he would take his family away; and that he had not said, that he had a right to the presidency;'-- but that he always said that Brother Brigham was the head of the church; and that he did not wish any of the Police to be dismissed, he only wished to know if he would be safe.' Brother Brigham said, if that was all that was wanted it could be soon done.
He did not wish to harrow up any person's feelings; and this investigation would not be necessary. He called upon the Police to know if they would stand by brother William, and support him. They all answered, 'yes'. He then called upon Brother William to know if he would support the Police.
He answered, 'yes.'
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
190 years ago today - Jun 25, 1835
$6,232.50 is subscribed for House of the Lord in Kirtland. Joseph, $500; Oliver, $750; W. W. Phelps, $500; John Whitmer, $500; and Frederick G. Williams, $500; all paid within an hour.
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
[Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]
50 years ago today - Jun 24, 1975-Tuesday
[Leonard Arrington]
Yesterday Marv Wallin, principal owner of Bookcraft and of Publishers Press, invited Davis [Bitton] and I to tour his plants and have dinner. ...
... We also spent a little time with George Bickerstaff, who is the editor of the Bookcraft Publishers. Our impression is that he is pretty orthodox and a conservative churchman and wants to be sure that everything he publishes is "safe." I have the same impression of Marv Wallin, who doesn't want to take any chances, but I have the impression that his son will be a little more liberal.
Marv has published the majority of the works by Mark E. Petersen, Sterling Sill, and certain other General Authorities. Marv says that originally the idea of Bookcraft was conceived by Brother [John] Orton and that Brother [John A.] Widtsoe and Richard L. Evans were to be co-owners, but before they ever published any books, he thinks Brother Widtsoe and Evans withdrew their money so there would not be a conflict of interest, and so essentially the owner and principal beneficiary is Brother Orton. Brother Widtsoe, Homer Durham, and Brother Evans channeled a great deal of business to Bookcraft.
Marv said it was an enormous advantage to have a competitive firm to Deseret Book to keep them on their toes. They had been very sloppy and inconsiderate during the period they had a "monopoly" on the Church trade. Bookcraft has achieved [success], Marv says, because of its energetic merchandising and their taking pains to work closely with the General Authorities. He said that a large proportion of their books are his idea. He conceives the idea of the book and helps the General Authority get it done.
... Davis and I got the impression that he has never worked with scholars, does not understand them, and has no desire to build a reputation in the scholarly field-that can be left up to the university presses. ... He does not want to publish anything either by way of topic or by way of lines and paragraphs in any book that would in any way be offensive to any General Authorities or that would cast a shadow on the firm which would cause any General Authority to have second thoughts about publishing through him. Thus if we were to publish a book through him, he would go carefully through it and would insist upon removing anything which might be questionable.
... He invited us to refer to him manuscripts and also to submit any of ours. On the basis of his remarks, however, I do not think he would publish any of our pieces the way our authors would like to see them appear. We discovered he had seen the Orson Pratt manuscript and it was "99 percent acceptable" but there were some controversial inclusions which they would not run and which the author insisted should be included, so they will not run that item. Eugene England reported today on his fellowship. He will do a series of essays for LDS young people on intellectual heroes such as Joseph Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, B. H. Roberts, Hugh B. Brown and possibly others. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
Yesterday Marv Wallin, principal owner of Bookcraft and of Publishers Press, invited Davis [Bitton] and I to tour his plants and have dinner. ...
... We also spent a little time with George Bickerstaff, who is the editor of the Bookcraft Publishers. Our impression is that he is pretty orthodox and a conservative churchman and wants to be sure that everything he publishes is "safe." I have the same impression of Marv Wallin, who doesn't want to take any chances, but I have the impression that his son will be a little more liberal.
Marv has published the majority of the works by Mark E. Petersen, Sterling Sill, and certain other General Authorities. Marv says that originally the idea of Bookcraft was conceived by Brother [John] Orton and that Brother [John A.] Widtsoe and Richard L. Evans were to be co-owners, but before they ever published any books, he thinks Brother Widtsoe and Evans withdrew their money so there would not be a conflict of interest, and so essentially the owner and principal beneficiary is Brother Orton. Brother Widtsoe, Homer Durham, and Brother Evans channeled a great deal of business to Bookcraft.
Marv said it was an enormous advantage to have a competitive firm to Deseret Book to keep them on their toes. They had been very sloppy and inconsiderate during the period they had a "monopoly" on the Church trade. Bookcraft has achieved [success], Marv says, because of its energetic merchandising and their taking pains to work closely with the General Authorities. He said that a large proportion of their books are his idea. He conceives the idea of the book and helps the General Authority get it done.
... Davis and I got the impression that he has never worked with scholars, does not understand them, and has no desire to build a reputation in the scholarly field-that can be left up to the university presses. ... He does not want to publish anything either by way of topic or by way of lines and paragraphs in any book that would in any way be offensive to any General Authorities or that would cast a shadow on the firm which would cause any General Authority to have second thoughts about publishing through him. Thus if we were to publish a book through him, he would go carefully through it and would insist upon removing anything which might be questionable.
... He invited us to refer to him manuscripts and also to submit any of ours. On the basis of his remarks, however, I do not think he would publish any of our pieces the way our authors would like to see them appear. We discovered he had seen the Orson Pratt manuscript and it was "99 percent acceptable" but there were some controversial inclusions which they would not run and which the author insisted should be included, so they will not run that item. Eugene England reported today on his fellowship. He will do a series of essays for LDS young people on intellectual heroes such as Joseph Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, B. H. Roberts, Hugh B. Brown and possibly others. ...
[Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018]
60 years ago today - Jun 24, 1965
A John Birch student-spy complained to Ernest Wilkinson in 1965 about Poll's negative reviews of Cleon Skousen's "Naked Communist" and of "None Dare Call It Treason."
[Poll to Wilkinson, 24 June 1965, defending himself against the complaints by Bryce. 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.]
[Poll to Wilkinson, 24 June 1965, defending himself against the complaints by Bryce. 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.]
110 years ago today - Jun 24, 1915
James E. Talmage reads the final installments of Jesus the Christ to the Brethren, followed by the regular council meeting of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve.
In his journal Talmage writes the following:
This was the eighteenth sitting of the Council to hear the reading of the manuscript. Printing is now in progress on the book.
[MSS 229, Box 5, Folder 2, Journal 18; 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]
In his journal Talmage writes the following:
This was the eighteenth sitting of the Council to hear the reading of the manuscript. Printing is now in progress on the book.
[MSS 229, Box 5, Folder 2, Journal 18; 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]
120 years ago today - Jun 24, 1905; Saturday
[Apostle John W. Taylor speaking:] I want to tell that I have not broken any law. The [Wilford Woodruff] manifesto was issued to pacify the U.S. Government and for no other purpose. But thank God the U.S. have no jurisdiction outside of their boundary lines. I have taken my families away from them so that I will break no law of any kind.
[Taylor (Canada) Stake Record of High Council and General Priesthood Meetings, excerpts in Quinn Papers, original in LDS Archives]
[Taylor (Canada) Stake Record of High Council and General Priesthood Meetings, excerpts in Quinn Papers, original in LDS Archives]
130 years ago today - Jun 24, 1895
[Franklin D. Richards]
The 2 & 3 Nos [numbers] of Men & Women appeared today. The Editor criticises B. H. Roberts, for his course in Con[stitutional]. Convention & for declining to debate with Miss Annie Shaw. I never argue with Women.
[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]
The 2 & 3 Nos [numbers] of Men & Women appeared today. The Editor criticises B. H. Roberts, for his course in Con[stitutional]. Convention & for declining to debate with Miss Annie Shaw. I never argue with Women.
[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]
135 years ago today - Jun 24, 1890
[Wilford Woodruff]
I had an interview with Melissa Miller & Mrs C. E. Ells. Mrs Miller Professed to be a prophetess and wanted to Deliver Revelations to the Church.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
I had an interview with Melissa Miller & Mrs C. E. Ells. Mrs Miller Professed to be a prophetess and wanted to Deliver Revelations to the Church.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Tuesday, June 24th, 1845
[John Taylor]
There are two parties existing at this time in the country, termed Jack-Mormons or men favorable to us, knowing the justice of our cause; and Anti-Mormons or men who oppose us and desire our expulsion. Appearances at this time indicate that they will quarrel among themselves, and cease to molest us.
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
There are two parties existing at this time in the country, termed Jack-Mormons or men favorable to us, knowing the justice of our cause; and Anti-Mormons or men who oppose us and desire our expulsion. Appearances at this time indicate that they will quarrel among themselves, and cease to molest us.
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
180 years ago today - Jun 24, 1845. Tuesday.
....Wm. Smith has given bail for another brother of the Hodges who was in custody for robbing, and also beat Brother [Elbridge] Tufts shamefully yesterday for a matter of small consequence. Wm. Smith is railing against the movements of the Twelve and says he has authority here to do as he has a mind to and the people shall know it. It appears he is determined to cause us trouble.
[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]
[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]
190 years ago today - Jun 24, 1835
[Patriarchal Blessing, proxy blessing of wife, & ordination of Cyrus Smalling given by Joseph Smith, Sr. & First Presidency]
[Name erased] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon thee to bless thee, with the blessings of a father, as thou hast no father to bless thee ...Thou shalt have all the desires of thy heart which are in righteousness; yea, even to stand to see the winding up scene of this generation. ... even prisons shall not hold thee, except it be for a short season to the glory of God. ... And I seal thee up unto eternal life in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; even so. Amen.
Brother [name erased] thy wife is not present, therefore I lay my hands upon thy head, and I seal upon thee blessings for her, and thou shalt tell her of it that she may rejoice; for the blessings of a father are her's in common with thee: and this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; even so. Amen.
... Ordination of Cyrus Smalling to the Apostleship of the First Quorum of the Seventy
on June 30, 1835
[name erased] ordination blessing which he received under the hands of presidents Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, in Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio. June 30, 1835 when he was set apart by prophecy to the apostleship of the first Seventy, in the place of Ezra Thayer, who had left the church and the apostleship.
... Thou shalt stand before bishops, archbishops and lord bishops, and even the pope himself. Thou shalt push together thy thousands: thou shalt proclaim to Catholics, to Presbyterians and all other sects and denominations, and teach bishops, archbishops and popes. Thou shalt be changed in the twinkling of an eye ...
[Patriarchal Blessing Book 1:24-25, quoted in Early Patriarchal Blessings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith Sr. (Author), H. Michael Marquardt (Editor), http://amzn.to/rCBHVe]
[Name erased] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon thee to bless thee, with the blessings of a father, as thou hast no father to bless thee ...Thou shalt have all the desires of thy heart which are in righteousness; yea, even to stand to see the winding up scene of this generation. ... even prisons shall not hold thee, except it be for a short season to the glory of God. ... And I seal thee up unto eternal life in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; even so. Amen.
Brother [name erased] thy wife is not present, therefore I lay my hands upon thy head, and I seal upon thee blessings for her, and thou shalt tell her of it that she may rejoice; for the blessings of a father are her's in common with thee: and this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; even so. Amen.
... Ordination of Cyrus Smalling to the Apostleship of the First Quorum of the Seventy
on June 30, 1835
[name erased] ordination blessing which he received under the hands of presidents Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, in Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio. June 30, 1835 when he was set apart by prophecy to the apostleship of the first Seventy, in the place of Ezra Thayer, who had left the church and the apostleship.
... Thou shalt stand before bishops, archbishops and lord bishops, and even the pope himself. Thou shalt push together thy thousands: thou shalt proclaim to Catholics, to Presbyterians and all other sects and denominations, and teach bishops, archbishops and popes. Thou shalt be changed in the twinkling of an eye ...
[Patriarchal Blessing Book 1:24-25, quoted in Early Patriarchal Blessings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith Sr. (Author), H. Michael Marquardt (Editor), http://amzn.to/rCBHVe]
70 years ago today - Jun 23, 1955
CHURCH NEWS article, "Church-Approved Formal Evening Gowns Designed: Relief Society Sewing Center."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
70 years ago today - Jun 23, 1955
A Church News article, "Church-Approved Formal Evening Gowns Designed: Relief Society Sewing Center."
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]]
125 years ago today - Jun 23, 1900; Saturday
Went to town saw Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow who is much better but still a very sick man. We all pray for him constantly, God spare him to establish the U[nited]. O[rder]. among the Saints; who are they? The spirit will search them out as it did the Twelve apostles; and there will be no mistake. All ready the world feels a lonesome place to me & I look forward to that glorious reunion of the broken ties of love which have come to me in my short life.
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary]
[Brigham Young Jr., Diary]
140 years ago today - Jun 23, 1885
Apostle John Henry Smith writes in his journal: " I had a long talk with my Sister Mary A. Wimmer. She told me that her husband Peter Wireruer had been cut off from the Church but had been rebaptised but that his Priesthood had not been restored. I told her if she would leave him, I would make an effort to aid her to care for her family. She told me she did not think she could do it."
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
[On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]
155 years ago today - Jun 23, 1870
Presidt Young spoke 44 Minuts. ... The Blessings of Life & health is in keeping the word of wisdom. Tea Coffee whiskey & tobacco prepares the system for all deseases that Come along. Those who say they Cannot keep the word of wisdom it shows they Cannot. Those who say they Can such Can keep the word of wisdom. The word of wisdom if Carried out would add to the lives of the rising generation 20 to 30 years. How glorious it would be to talk with an intelligent Man 100 years old. I say to my family & to my sisters if they would give up their tea & Coffee, they would be much better off...
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
180 years ago today - Monday, June 23rd, 1845
[John Taylor]
William Smith has been ordained Patriarch to the Church; but he is not the only Patriarch, but would act as a senior Patriarch, holding the keys of that priesthood; and his labors would be more especially connected with the Church in Zion; and he would take the lead, priority, or presidency of the Patriarchal office in this place; and in this capacity if there should be a council of Patriarchs, he as a matter of course would preside by night of office. ...
Every father, after he has received his patriarchal blessing, is a Patriarch to his own family; and has the right to confer patriarchal blessings upon his family; which blessings will be just as legal as those conferred by any Patriarch of the Church; in fact it is his right...
A Patriarch to the Church is appointed to bless those who are orphans, or have no father in the Church to bless them. ...
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
William Smith has been ordained Patriarch to the Church; but he is not the only Patriarch, but would act as a senior Patriarch, holding the keys of that priesthood; and his labors would be more especially connected with the Church in Zion; and he would take the lead, priority, or presidency of the Patriarchal office in this place; and in this capacity if there should be a council of Patriarchs, he as a matter of course would preside by night of office. ...
Every father, after he has received his patriarchal blessing, is a Patriarch to his own family; and has the right to confer patriarchal blessings upon his family; which blessings will be just as legal as those conferred by any Patriarch of the Church; in fact it is his right...
A Patriarch to the Church is appointed to bless those who are orphans, or have no father in the Church to bless them. ...
['The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee]
180 years ago today - 1845 23 Jun.
Irvine Hodge is stabbed to death in front of Young's house, presumably by Nauvoo police officers Hosea Stout, Elbridge Tufts, and Allen J. Stout.
[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]
[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 - Jun 23, 1845
Patriarchal Blessing of Elizabeth Rowe given by William Smith ... yet the Angel of God that is appointed in charge, will stand by thee in all the times of thy trouble, and distress, and he shall prove unto thee as the voice of Joseph, and as a mighty deliverer shall he come and thou shalt exclaim lo and behold my deliverer has come, and one who is mighty to save and his voice shall be as the voice of mighty thunders, and many waters, thou shalt see and hear many things that are not told thee in this blessing neither can they be uttered or given to the world ...
[Patriarchal Blessings]
[Patriarchal Blessings]
180 years ago today - Jun 23, 1845
Patriarchal Blessing -- Confirmation of Patriarchal Blessing conferred by Joseph Smith Sr. of Ebenezer Landers given by William Smith on June 23, 1845
Confirmation of blessing conferred by father Smith on the head of Ebenezer Landers son of Ebenezer & Betsy born in Pittsburgh County of Frontinack Upper Canada 29th September 1816
Dear Brother this is only a confirmation of the blessing thou hast received from under the hands of my father who was the first Patriarch in the church of God in these last days. this blessing shall be unto thee a source of comfort and a fountain of life for thou art of the blood of Ephraim and thy blood is sprinkled among many nations and with the sons of Abraham thou shalt be gathered and saved in the kingdom of God and thou shalt realize in time and in eternity the fulfilment of this blessing upon thine head and of all that has been spoken before concerning thee in the name of Jesus Christ Even so Amen
[Patriarchal Blessings]
Confirmation of blessing conferred by father Smith on the head of Ebenezer Landers son of Ebenezer & Betsy born in Pittsburgh County of Frontinack Upper Canada 29th September 1816
Dear Brother this is only a confirmation of the blessing thou hast received from under the hands of my father who was the first Patriarch in the church of God in these last days. this blessing shall be unto thee a source of comfort and a fountain of life for thou art of the blood of Ephraim and thy blood is sprinkled among many nations and with the sons of Abraham thou shalt be gathered and saved in the kingdom of God and thou shalt realize in time and in eternity the fulfilment of this blessing upon thine head and of all that has been spoken before concerning thee in the name of Jesus Christ Even so Amen
[Patriarchal Blessings]
180 years ago today - Jun 23, 1845
Patriarchal Blessing of Abigail Abbott given by William Smith ... of thy posterity shall spring a mighty people the glory and power of the Holy Priesthood in them shall be made known, and like Paul they shall speak in the temple of the Ephesians and the great men of the earth shall hail them as mighty Spirits it is not known unto thee at this time the way and manner this blessing shall be fulfilled, ere all this shall be done one of thy posterity named after the name of his father, and after the name of his Great Grandfather, who was a descendant from the tribe of Judah, and of the household of David, shall be a mighty warrior, and be led on to avenge the blood of Prophets and Patriarchs, he shall lead a mighty people from the wilderness and one mighty among them who shall be also a mighty warrior by the name of Nishcosh, he shall be a descendant of one of the name of Nimrod, who was also a descendant of that Nimrod, who was a mighty hunter in days of old, by way of the Jaredites
upon this continent, who founded a city and called it the city of Gnoalum, this city now lying in ruins the wreck of which only appears as the last descriptive monument of a people that has fallen, and the remnants of whom have become barbarous, wild and uncultivated ...
Given by William Smith Patriarch to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints at Nauvoo City of Joseph 23d June 1845
[Marquardt Papers]
upon this continent, who founded a city and called it the city of Gnoalum, this city now lying in ruins the wreck of which only appears as the last descriptive monument of a people that has fallen, and the remnants of whom have become barbarous, wild and uncultivated ...
Given by William Smith Patriarch to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints at Nauvoo City of Joseph 23d June 1845
[Marquardt Papers]
180 years ago today - 1845 Jun 23
John Taylor writes an editorial which is published shortly thereafter in the Times and Seasons bearing the date 1 June designating William as Patriarch to the Church rather than Patriarch over the Church
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ttN3vOzf2UcVhruCrvDf9pF27T0o0PP0Xj1X98tKBc/edit?fbclid=IwAR3HXLgL-X-M_c5LT2W-_F7AYqsqqaQ0yIhfNuyeFsX85irSPuEO6_Q993A]
195 years ago today - June 23-25, 1830
The proceedings of the 'Antimasonic State Convention of Vermont, Montpelier, 1830' reports of "a secret combination of great extent and influence ... is such a secret combination compatible with the genius and spirit of our constitution ? ... [One delegate asks,] Does not the blood of a murdered citizen call to each of you from the ground against the monster which deprived that citizen of his life?" (Moses 5:31, 35)
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
[Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
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