Brother of George Albert Smith: Charles Warren born Aug. 3, 1879 (1)
-- Sunday, Oct. 17, 1880
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Provo
Myself and wives and one child went to Provo. Was met at depot by B. Colton and taken to my mother's house. (2)
-- Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1880
[Apostle John Henry Smith [father of George Albert Smith] Diary] Salt Lake City
At the office during the forenoon. At two p.m. met in Council with the twelve. Bro. F. M. Lyman was ordained an apostle under the hands of Bro. J. Taylor, G. Q. Cannon, J. F. Smith, Wilford Woodruff, Orson Pratt, E. Snow, F. D. Richards, B[righam]. Young [Jr.] & Bro. D. H. Wells, Bro. Taylor being mouth.
I was ordained under the same hands with the addition of Bro. F. M. Lyman, Bro. Woodruff being mouth. At home during the evening.
Bro. D. H. Wells was 66 years old today and Bro. John Taylor gave him a blessing. (2)
-- 1880 October 27
[Apostle John Henry Smith [father of George Albert Smith]] Ordained an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve. (3)
-- Oct 27, 1880
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 27 Telegram say their is more hope of Br Rich to day. Brigham T Young Son of Joseph A Young died at 2 oclok this Morning with drunkenness & Morphene.
I attended Council. In our Council today we ordained Francis M Lyman (son of Areason Lyman) to the Apostleship as one of the Twelve Apostles. John Taylor was Mouth in Ordaining. We also Ordained John Henry Smith (Son of George A Smith [and father of George Albert Smith]) To the Apostleship A member of the Twelve Apostles. W Woodruff Ordained him. He was the first Apostle I Ever Ordained.
The following is the blessing sealed upon the Head of John Henry Smith:
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Ordination of John Henry Smith to the Apostleship to be one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Ordained under the hands of Presidet John Taylor, George Q. Cannon, & Joseph F Smith of the Presidency, and Wilford Woodruff who was Mouth in Ordaining also Orson Pratt, Erastus Snow, Franklin D Richards, & Brigham Young of the Quorum of the Twelve and D H Wells Counciller to the Twelve.
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Brother John Henry Smith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Authority of the Holy Priesthood And Apostleship confered upon us we lay our hands upon your head, and we ordain you an Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and as A member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And we seal upon you all the power And Authority to Administer in all the Ordinances of the House of God agreeable to this Office Even the Apostleship which is the Highest Authority Ever Confered and sealed upon the sons of men in the flesh.
And we pray God to Cloth you with the power of this Apostleship, with the power of God, That your mind may be open to Comprehend & understand your relationship to God, your relationship to your Brethren, your relationship to the Church and Kingdom of God, in relation to this world, and in relation to the responsibility which now rest upon you.
And we say unto you The Eyes of God & his Son Jesus Christ and of the Heavenly Hosts, and of Joseph Smith and the Apostles, and the Eyes of your Father who are behing the veil are upon you. And there is rejoicing in Heaven becaus you are one of the Sons of the Prophets & Apostles and have Come forth to take upon yourself the Holy Apostleship and we say unto you be humble before God and seek for the Holy spirit For you need this power to guide and direct you in this Apostleship. And inasmuch as you walk in faithfulness and humility before God and seek and obey the Council of your Brethren you will become a Mighty man in the Earth. And you shall stand in the flesh to behold the great work fullfilled and the promises of God Concerning the great last dispensation of the fulness of times.
We pray God to Cloth you with his Power, with the spirit and Power of the Holy Ghost and the Revelation of Jesus Christ which Belongs to the Apostleship which is your right to Claim which is your right to exercise, & which is your right to Enjoy. Lift up your voice as with the Sound of a trumpet long & loud as far as you have an opportunity in your day and declare the word of life & salvation unto the inhabitants of the Earth.
You are ordained unto this power. You hold the [Issu.sd?] of life & death as far as the salvation or Condemnation of the world is Concerned. You are Called to Stand in the defense of the truth and to bear your record of the Kingdom of God on the Earth and your Testimony will rise in judgment against the wicked in the day of Judgments in the day when all men will give an account of the deeds done in the body. Your words shall be a savior of life unto life to those who believe and obey, or of Death unto Death to those who reject your testimony.
Therefore we say unto you go forth in peace & the power of God to bear a record of the word of Everlasting life. And take upon you and feel in your spirit this Apostleship, and the blessings of God will attend your labors. We seal again your Evry Blessing, and evry Key and Endowment of the New and Everlasting Covenant Even the Blessing of Abraham Isaac & Jacob in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer Amen.
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The spirit of God rested upon us while we were ordaining thes two Brethren to the Apostleship. The Blessing of Br Lyman I have not Got Therefore I Cannot record it. (4)
Footnotes:
1 - Frank Ellwood Esshom, "Pioneers and prominent men of Utah" (1913)
2 - 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, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
3 - White, Jean Bickmore, Church, State, and Politics, p.xviii, A John Henry Smith Chronology, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
4 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
