[Diary of John Henry Smith (apostle and father of George Albert Smith)] Salt Lake City
All of the First Presidency, Francis M. Lyman, Myself, George Teasdale, Matthias F. Cowley, Rudger Clawson, Hyrum M., George A. & John Smith and Secretary George F. Gibbs met.
The annual statement of the Church was read by Rudger Clawson
The Live Assetts are $2,819,728.80
" Silent " "
673,485.40
$3,493,214.20
Total
This does cover the Tabernacle and grounds and other church edifices. (1)
-- February 4, 1904; Thursday
The meeting of First Presidency and Apostles was held in the Temple. ...
Brother George Albert Smith visited Brother M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill last Sunday. He found him very weak, unable to stand on his feet with safety, on account of his knees giving way. He was able however to drive to Logan [Utah] two days a week to attend to temple business, and he believed the drive had a tendency to do him good. He very much appreciated the visit of Brother George Albert, and desired to be kindly remembered to the brethren. ... (2)
-- February 18, 1904; Thursday
The meeting of the First Presidency and Apostles was held in the temple.
A notice prepared by Brother George Albert Smith under the direction of President Francis M. Lyman for publication in the [Deseret] News was read and passed upon by the Council. This notice calls for a meeting to be composed of the priesthood of the wards comprising the new southwest stake of this city to be held in the Assembly Hall on Tuesday evening next, and a general meeting of all the members of those wards to be held in the tabernacle Friday night.... (2)
-- February 22, 1904
[George Albert Smith] On February 22, 1904, he was elected Chaplain in the local organization of the Sons of the American Revolution. (3)
-- Apr 5, 1904
[Apostle George Albert Smith Journal] "At Presidents Office in Council at 4 P.M. where the reaffirmation of the manifesto was discussed." (4)
-- April 13, 1904
[George Albert Smith] On April 13, 1904, he was called as Superintendent of the Church YMMIA organization. (3)
-- April 14, 1904
[Apostle George Albert Smith Journal] "Met with Council. Assigned to Utah Stake Conference. J.W. Taylor's finances were discussed and President Lyman was instructed to write him." (4)
-- Thursday, Jun 2, 1904
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Raining part of the day. 10 a.m. Meeting at the temple. ... The brethren clothed and sang, "How Great the Joy, the Promised Day." Elder Geo. A. Smith opened, and Prest. Lyman was mouth at the altar. The minutes of May 26th were read and approved....
Elder S. B. Young wrote, recommending the improvement of the Lion House by raising it one story. The suggestion was not approved. ...
Conference appointments: Bear Lake, Elder Smoot; Tooele, F. M. Lyman; Panguitch and Kanab, Elder Clawson. The brethren voted to sustain Chas. P. Margetts, Alfred C. Thorne, and Lorentius Dahlquist as the bishopric of the 7th Ward, and Elders Clawson and George [Albert] Smith were appointed to effect the reorganization of the 7th Ward bishopric this evening.
Reports
Pres. Winder attended fast meeting at the temple and the Granite Stake Conference in the afternoon and evening of Sunday. Elders Smoot and Geo. A. Smith attended the Box Elder Stake Conference. Meetings well attended. Lesser priesthood in somewhat disorganized condition. On Monday Decoration Day was observed by the people going to the cemetery en masse to decorate the graves. Meeting in the afternoon in the tabernacle.
Elder Clawson called attention to a question that had been submitted to him regarding the standing of certain persons in the church, namely, "What action should be taken in reference to a man who claimed he had been ordained to the priesthood but had no record of his ordination, and perhaps had even forgotten the name of the party who ordained him?" The answer was that each case must be determined on its merits. Benediction by Elder Jno. H. Smith. (5)
-- Sep 26, 1904
[Member of the Quorm of Twelve] The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve decide to withdraw the authority that "President Woodruff and President Snow, each in his time, authorized some of the Apostles, and perhaps others to perform sealings for time and eternity" in places other than the temples. This leads to President Joseph F. Smith's so-called "Second Manifesto." (6)
Footnotes:
1 - White, Jean Bickmore, 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
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
3 - LDSIndex.com
4 - Journals of George Albert Smith
5 - 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, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson
6 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
