Several curious tidbits that happened on this day in Mormon History
First Presidency secretary Joseph Anderson writes that conscientious objectors can teach, partake of the sacrament, hold church offices, and receive temple recommends.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
"The Lecture," which is given in the Temple from time to time, as circumstances require, was first delivered by President [Brigham] Young in this [St. George] Temple. It was written down as he spoke it, and was subsequently revised by him. The ordinances were written [down] by Presidents Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon, under the direction of President Young[,] and, when completed, he said "Now you have before you an ensample to carry on the endowments in all the Temples, until the coming of the Son of Man."
[David H. Cannon to Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, and Charles W. Penrose, Oct. 21, 1916, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
President [George Q.] Cannon had a conversation with President [Wilford] Woodruff on the meaning and scope of the manifesto. Certain answers of Pres[iden]ts. J[oseph]. F. Smith and L[orenzo]. Snow made before the 'Master [in Chancery]' on this subject, prompted this conversation. President Cannon remarked to President Woodruff that his mind was perfectly clear that anything that needed to favor temporizing with the state of things which now confronted us, only tended to delay the deliverance we longed for. He believed that just as soon as the nation through its leading men believed that we had met the issue and succumbed to the nation's will in good faith, that just as soon a reaction would set it in our favor; that the nation required convincing proof on our part, and that wisdom suggested that it was to our own interest to satisfy the nation in this respect, and he believed it to be our duty to do this.... President Smith came in towards the close of this conversation, and remarked that Brother George Reynolds was feeling badly on account of certain answers made by President Woodruff before the 'master' regarding unlawful cohabitation, President Woodruff having stated that the manifesto covered such cases as well as polygamous marriages. Presidents Cannon and Woodruff had a conversation with Brother [George] Reynolds with regard to this matter, in which the President told him that the manifesto was just as authoritative and binding as though it had been given in the form of 'Thus saith the Lord,' and that its affecting unlawful cohabitation cases was but the logical sequence of its scope and intent regarding polygamous marriages, as the laws of the land forbid both, and that therefore, although he himself at the time did not perceive the far-reaching effect it would have, no other ground could be taken than that which he had taken and be consistent with the position the manifesto had place us in.
[First Presidency Office Journal, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
LDS Lt-Gen. Robert C. Oaks is the commander of the Allied air forces in southern Europe. He is the uncle of the recently sustained apostle Dallin H. Oaks.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
The Genesis Group is organized for the Salt Lake Valley's 200 LDS African-Americans to meet for auxiliary organizations, while attending sacrament meetings in their respective wards. Apostle Gordon B. Hinckley sets apart Ruffin Bridgeforth Jr. as president, with Darius Gray and Eugene Orr as counselors.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
Blizzard strikes Willie Company near Seventh Crossing of the Sweetwater and the Martin Company at the Upper Crossing of the Platte.
[Handcart Timeline, Will Bagley]
[Wilford Woodruff]
I felt to rejoice to spend a night with my family under a roof of my own it being the first time that I have ever injoyed such a privilege since we were married. +
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Trial of confessed murderer (and newly returned LDS missionary) Howard Egan. His lawyer Apostle George A. Smith popularizes phrase "mountain common law" and argues: "The man who seduces his neighbor‘s wife must die, and her nearest relative must kill him!" Fifteen minutes later jury finds Egan not guilty of murder. Church authorities print Smith's closing argument in Deseret News, in two pamphlets, and later in the Journal of Discourses 1:97. Egan is one of Brigham Young's enforcers.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Wilford Woodruff]
<I felt constrained by the spirit of prophecy to inform father and mother Thomas that they would stand in sin before the dead.>
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
The first installment for proposed bank stock was transacted. Sidney Rigdon paid $12.00 as an initial installment for 2000 shares of the proposed Kirtland Safety Society stock.
[Dale W. Adams; BYU Studies Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 468-470., in Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]
At a B. H. Roberts Society meeting, David Knowlton discusses his situation, identifies the issues he feels are involved, and concludes, "It is simply a bad habit for authorities to engage in generalized intimidation. . . . We intellectuals should . . . stop looking over our shoulders to see if the Brethren are going to disagree with us, call us to repentance, hassle us, limit our access to information, or challenge us. In many ways that is their job--although it is indeed ours to critique all those actions, . . . to protect ourselves and argue for what we think important. We should act with security of purpose as thoughtful people who have a necessary role to play within the Church as community. . . . Some day people will quote with reverence the ancient texts from Dialogue, Sunstone, the Journal of Mormon History, Exponent II, the Mormon Women's Forum, the B. H. Roberts Society, BYU Studies, FARMS, and the Ensign, among others."
Michael Quinn, presenting in the same meeting, explains that general authorities have "typically attacked the messenger" who brings "unauthorized exposure of Mormonism's checkered past. . . . These attacks have usually been harsher when the messenger was a participant in the uncomfortable truths she or he revealed about Mormonism." Tactics include "excommunication," the label of "apostate," and "character assassination." He cites both nineteenth- and twentieth-century examples.
[Anderson, Lavina Fielding, "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology," Dialogue, Vol.26, No.1]
Martin Company burns baggage at Deer Creek.
[Handcart Timeline, Will Bagley]
Attended Court to day. The trial of Howard Egan for the murder of James Monroe came up. Seth M. Blair was prosecuting attorney on the part of the U. S. and W. W. Phelps and G. A. Smith attornies on the part of Egan. ...
From the Evidence it appears that while Egan was gone to the mines, Monroe seduced his wife by whom she had a bastard child. Monroe had gone to the East for goods when Egan returned, who upon learning the facts in the case, went to meet Monroe who was on his return to this place with a train of goods for Sirs Reese and near Bear River.
Egan met him some ten miles this side and camly saluting each other both appearantly friendly went some 100 yards from the carrall and appeared to talk peaceably some time when Egan drew a pistol and shot him in the face on the right side of the nose just below the eye. Monroe fell dead on the spot when Egan mounted his horse, rode to the company. told his name, made a short speech, said what he did he done in the name of the Lord.that Monroe had seduced his wife, ruined his family, and destroyed his peace on earth for ever and that they would find him in this place and then blessed them and hoped that they would have a safe journey to the city and rode off informing those he overtook on the road what he had done. This is in short the evidence of the case.after which Blair made his first plea and was followed by Phelps who used the Bible History, Homer, Virgil besides a large pile of law books & precidents to show that Egan was justified in his act when the court adjourned till tomorrow at ten a. m.
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]
"10,000 concerned citizens" attend the "Rally for Decency" supported by the LDS church in its anti-pornography drive. By assignment from headquarters to local congregations, Mormons are picketing Salt Lake City's X-rated movie houses which soon close.
[The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]]
[Drew Pearson, Washington Post] “David O. McKay, president of the Church and now 93 years old, once championed the principle of free discussion, of letting Mormons have and listen to sharply divergent views. He still stands by that principle in theory. But the Deseret News, the Church-owned newspaper which circulates throughout Utah, shies away from publishing views not approved by the Church elders. Chief reason for the new Mormon trend toward political and philosophical isolation is probably the influx of outsiders into Utah, plus the steady drumbeat of John Birch Propaganda from Ezra Taft Benson.”
[Drew Pearson, “Mormons Reverse Clock,” Washington Post as referenced in Gregory A. Prince and Wm. Robert Write, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press (2005)]
[Drew Pearson, Washington Post] "David O. McKay, president of the Church and now 93 years old, once championed the principle of free discussion, of letting Mormons have and listen to sharply divergent views. He still stands by that principle in theory. But the Deseret News, the Church-owned newspaper which circulates throughout Utah, shies away from publishing views not approved by the Church elders. Chief reason for the new Mormon trend toward political and philosophical isolation is probably the influx of outsiders into Utah, plus the steady drumbeat of John Birch Propaganda from Ezra Taft Benson."
[Drew Pearson, "Mormons Reverse Clock," Washington Post as referenced in Gregory A. Prince and Wm. Robert Write, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press (2005)]
Met in Temple Bro[ther] M. Thatcher came, presidency had sent to door keeper Bro[ther] Salmon not admit him hence he was bard out. He said to S. after all the thousands I have paid to erect this building can't enter, and several other things. Met at eleven Presidency more than an hour late. Then a document was formulated for news stating M. Thatcher was suspended & to not exercise any functions of priesthood. ... The feeling in relation to Bro[ther] Moses transgression is unanimous with Pres. & 12. How could he be admitted to Temple and to other things in church where they do not fellowship him and rightly too.
[Diary of Apostle Brigham Young Jr., http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
Without the Quincy Lodge's recomendation, Grand Master Jonas issues a dispensation authorizing the organization of a lodge in Nauvoo (perhaps to obtain Mormon votes)
[Homer, Michael, 'Similarity of Priesthood in Masonry':The Relationship Between Freemasonry and Mormonism, Dialogue, Vol. 27, No. 3]
Joseph Smith purchased a safe -- probably intended for bank use.
[Dale W. Adams; BYU Studies Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 468-470, referenced in Broadhurst, Dale R., Mormon Chronology, http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm]