-- Thursday, Apr 11, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] Pres. Snow said that the brethren of the Twelve should give the matter of tithe-paying in the stakes their personal attention; there are many bishops who should be released on account of their lack of qualifications. He had no fears, he said, but that the church would be relieved of its financial embarrassment, but the land of Zion could only be sanctified to the saints by the proper observance of this law. ... I expressed the view that the most effectual way to reach the non-tithe-payers would be to take up a special and personal labor with the presidencies of stakes and bishops of wards. Apostle Reed Smoot thought that presidents of stakes and bishops of wards should refrain from going to the saints for donations to meet stake and ward expenses, but should be allowed sufficient tithing to cover the same, and with this idea in view the presiding authorities should redouble their efforts to get the people to pay their tithing in full. Some of the br
ethren did not share in this view. (1)
-- Sunday, Apr 28, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] 7 a.m. Left by train for Logan to attend the Cache Stake Conference and to assist in effecting a division of the stake, The B. Y. Monument fund indebtedness paid off; as also tabernacle debt and other obligations. The tithing of 1901 was 20% more than that of 1900. ... (1)
-- Thursday, May 2, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] ... Pres. Snow made some remarks upon the subject of tithing and among other things said: about the first physical duty a man has to perform in this church is to be baptized, and without baptism he cannot have entrance into the church. It would be foolish to teach the mysteries of the gospel to a convert, before he is instructed in regard to baptism. So with tithing, the only way we can become established upon the land of Zion and sanctify it and make it secure to ourselves, is by the payment of tithesâ€"otherwise our possession of the land is uncertain. It is a great law and should be taught to the saints. It was the sense of the council that no member of the presidency of a stake, or high councillor, or member of a bishopric can be sustained in those positions, who are not tithe-payers. (1)
-- May 02, 1901
President Lorenzo Snow instructs members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to preach tithing until all non-tithe payers are converted. (2)
-- Saturday, May 4, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] Salt Lake City. Raining, with storm during night. 7 [a.m.] Left for Brigham City to attend monthly priesthood meeting of the Box Elder Stake to lay the matter of tithing before the leading authorities of the stake. ... 11 a.m. Priesthood meeting in the 1st Ward hall, Pres. Chas. Kelly presiding. I occupied the time a[nd] dwelt upon the law of tithing and endeavored to impress upon the minds of the brethren the fact that the land of Zion could not be sanctified, except by the observance of this law. ... At the close of the meeting I met with the presidency of the stake and bishopric of the wards. I placed the responsibility of looking after the non-tithe-payers upon the bishopric and distributed blanks to them for reports. There are 239 non-tithe-payers in the Box Elder Stake, 169 of whom bear the priesthood. It will be seen, therefore, that this is a matter of importance. (1)
Footnotes:
1 - Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993
2 - The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
Mormon Tithing Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
