-- Wednesday, Dec 31, 1902
[Apostle John Henry Smith] This has been a fairly prosperous year for me. Myself and family have paid Tithing on over five thousand dollars, paid $520.00 tithing. I have sent my boys who are on missions about $500.00. I have paid $1,200.00 in taxes. I gave my son Chase $350.00. My Daughter Sarah $200.00 to go to California. I have sent to Jesse W. Smith $24.00. I have given to the poor in various forms $250.00. I paid $150.00 for my wife Sarah trip to St. Paul Minnesota. I have had from the church as expense money $730.00, of this Susa Y. Gates had $200.00, Ben E. Rich $125.00. $150.00 was paid as expenses to Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, $50.00 to the Irrigation Congress. My Expenses to Washington, Boston and the East $205.00 consisting of RR and sleeper fare and Hotel Bills. $75.00 Expenses of various trip to Colorado and Idaho. (1)
-- Thursday, Feb 5, 1903
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] The clerk read a letter from Elder Jno. W. Taylor written from Cuidad Juarez, in which he informed the council that he was about to visit the city of Mexico with Pres. A. W. Ivins to attend conference there. A letter was read from Bp. Jas. England of Union Ward, Union Stake. He asked the privilege to appropriate the tithing in his ward of 1902 for meeting house now in course of erection. It was decided not to use the tithing in that way, but rather upon application to make an appropriation from the funds of the church. The clerk was instructed to write Bp. England to that effect. ... Elder Jno. H. Smith said that a week ago Sunday he spent with his dying boy, and during the week attended an irrigation meeting at Provo. Last Sunday attended the Oneida Stake Conference. Pat. Jno. Smith and Elder Merrill were present. The weather was cold. Meetings fine. Pres. [George C.] Parkinson has matters well in hand. Tithing for 1902, $31,000. ... Elder Cowley
reported the Woodruff Stake Conference at Evanston. Meetings were good but poorly attended except on Sunday. The stake presidency of the Y.M.M.I.A. was reorganized with Chas. Kingston as president. The tithing in 1902 fallen off $481. The stake a little behind the times in the spirit of things. (2)
-- Thursday, Feb 12, 1903
[Apostle Rudger Clawson] Elder Woodruff reported that a very choice body of land of some 22,000 acres could be secured in the Payette Valley, Idaho, at a low figure but to make it valuable and productive it would be necessary to build a canal costing about $150,000. With such a canal this land would furnish ideal homes for the Latter-day Saints, and the future tithing derived therefrom would pay good interest on the investment. The council was not prepared to act upon the matter, but instructed Elder Woodruff, with Hyrum M. Smith associated, to investigate further into the proposition and report. ... Elder Cowley reported the Wasatch Stake Conference and in addition to what Pres. Smart had written felt to say that all the bishoprics and stake presidencies were heard from. The tithing had increased $4000 in past two years; the fast offerings 98%, and there were 60 young people from Wasatch attending the Brigham Young Academy. (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990
2 - 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
Mormon Tithing Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
