George Albert Smith dedicates temple at Idaho Falls, Idaho. (1)
[President George Albert Smith Journal] dedicates Idaho Falls Temple, Sept 23, 1945 (2)
-- Sep 23, 1945
Idaho Falls Idaho Temple; Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho, US; Announcement: 3 March 1937; Dedication: 23 September 1945 by George Albert Smith; Style: Modern, center spire - designed by John Fetzer, Sr. (3)
-- Sep 27, 1945
Night driving is hazardous, caution urged-- Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah.
All Church members cautioned to avoid "night driving which is always hazardous" and to drive defensively, especially in traveling to the coming October Conference. (4)
-- Sep 28, 1945
Solemn Assembly to sustain President George Albert Smith-- Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah.
(Instructions for admission to the Solemn Assembly at the coming October Conference for the sustaining of Elder George Albert Smith as President of the Church.) {1945-September 28-Original circular letter, L.D.S.} (4)
-- During 1945 September
The First Presidency began calling mission presidents for areas vacated during the war. This process continued through 1946. The sending of missionaries soon followed the appointment of mission presidents. By the end of 1946, 3,000 missionaries were in the field. (5)
-- Oct 2, 1945
First Presidency decides to pay expenses of LDS conscientious objectors detained in camps by U.S. government during World War II. (1)
-- Oct 5, 1945-7
The first general, unrestricted conference of the Church in four years was held in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. (During World War II, general conferences were limited to general, stake, and ward priesthood leaders.) (5)
-- Oct 11, 1945
Matthew Cowley is ordained an Apostle, replacing George Albert Smith, who had been called to the First Presidency. (6)
-- Oct 29, 1945
Apostates, unauthorized persons or dissentient members not allowed to instruct in official Church gatherings and classes-- Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah.
This warning against the dangers within the Church of allowing unauthorized persons, including dissentient members, apostates and excommunicants, to instruct members of the Church in official Church meetings takes on added significance when read in connection with a conference address of Elder Mark E. Petersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as it appears in the Conference Report. October, 1945, pp. 88-92.
October 29, 1945
To Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics:
Dear Brethren:
It has come to our notice that dissentient members of the Church, as well as apostates and excommunicants, come into the wards of the Church and by dissembling and ofttimes by actual misrepresentation as to their real status and beliefs, work themselves into the good graces of the ward members, the officers of ward organizations, and of priesthood quorums, and even of the bishopric. These persons having so deceived the people, are sometimes called into active service in the ward as officers or teachers or both. Having secured this recognition, they immediately set about to spread their false doctrines which, because of the positions to which they have been called, are given consideration and credence by unsuspecting and partially informed adults but particularly by the youth who are sometimes thereby led astray. These people are the tools of the father of lies. They are wolves in sheep's clothing.
To destroy as far as possible the power of these emissaries for evil, we desire that presidents of stakes and bishops of wards, use no person in any Church activity whatever, whose membership is not formally recorded in the ward in which the person is to be used, or in some ward of the stake in which such person is to work. It is in effect from this date.
Furthermore, these same persons are known sometimes to visit classes in Sunday Schools, in Mutual Improvement Associations, and even in priesthood quorum meetings. Presiding officers of the auxiliary organizations and of priesthood quorums, will, if alert, readily detect these persons. They should immediately report them to the bishop, who will thereupon investigate their standing and membership, with a view to curtailing as to such individuals the privileges of class membership.
We should like presidents of stakes and bishoprics to regard the foregoing requests as mandatory and immediately effective.
Faithfully yours, GEO. ALBERT SMITH, J. REUBEN CLARK, JR., DAVID O. MCKAY, First Presidency. {1945-October 29-Original circular letter, L.D.S.} (4)
Footnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - Journals of George Albert Smith
3 - Wikipedia, List of Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#List_of_temples
4 - Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
5 - Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html
6 - The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
