President George Albert Smith dies on his birthday. David O. McKay becomes president. (1)
-- Apr 04, 1951
President George Albert Smith passes away in Salt Lake City on his eighty-first birthday, after more than forty-seven years of ministry as an Apostle and Church President. (2)
-- Apr 4, 1951
In 1945, George Albert Smith became eighth president of the LDS Church, and served until his death on 4 April 1951, at the age of eighty-one. As church president, he also was president of many church-controlled corporations: Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Utah Hotel Company, Utah Home Fire Insurance Company, Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, Utah First National Bank, Zion's Savings Bank and Trust, ZCMI, and Zions Securities Corporation. He was president of the Church Board of Education, which controlled LDS educational institutions, and was also editor of the church's official magazines. He expedited welfare shipments to Latter-day Saints in Europe at the end of World War II, supervised the reconciliation of 1,200 Latter-day Saints in Mexico who had formed a schismatic group, and expanded programs to help American Indians. A person of compassion, he worked especially in the interests of the youth of the church, the troubled, the poor, and the underprivileged. (3)
[President George Albert Smith Journal] "727 p.m. Pronounced dead by Dr. LeRoy Kimball." [Nurses Notes] (4)
-- Apr 5, 1951
[David O. McKay Office Journal] April 5, 1951: President Clark conferred with me relative to statement from the Counselors regarding President Smith's passing. (5)
-- Apr 07, 1951
President funeral is held in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. (2)
-- Apr 8, 1951
[David O. McKay Office Journal] April 8, 1951: 4:30 p.m.--Special council meeting was held in the Salt Lake Temple. Presented to the Twelve the names of my counselors--Elder Stephen L. Richards as First Counselor, and Pres. J. Reuben Clark, Jr. as Second Counselor. (5)
-- Apr 9, 1951
[David O. McKay] Sustained and set apart as the ninth President of the Church, with Stephen L Richards as first counselor and J. Reuben Clark Jr. as second counselor. At this time, the Church had approximately one million members. (6)
-- Apr 09, 1951
Following the death of President George Albert Smith, David O. McKay is sustained as the ninth President of the Church, with Stephen L. Richards and J. Reuben Clark as counselors. President Clark, who had been serving as President First Counselor, took this opportunity to teach that "in the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how" (Conference Report, April 1951, 154). (2)
-- During Apr 4, 1951
In 1945, George Albert Smith became eighth president of the LDS Church, and served until his death on 4 April 1951, at the age of eighty-one. As church president, he also was president of many church-controlled corporations: Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Utah Hotel Company, Utah Home Fire Insurance Company, Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, Utah First National Bank, Zion's Savings Bank and Trust, ZCMI, and Zions Securities Corporation. He was president of the Church Board of Education, which controlled LDS educational institutions, and was also editor of the church's official magazines. He expedited welfare shipments to Latter-day Saints in Europe at the end of World War II, supervised the reconciliation of 1,200 Latter-day Saints in Mexico who had formed a schismatic group, and expanded programs to help American Indians. A person of compassion, he worked especially in the interests of the youth of the church, the troubled, the poor, and the underprivileged. (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Wikipedia, 20th Century (Mormonism), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century_(Mormonism)
2 - The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
3 - Utah History Encyclopedia: George Albert Smith, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/s/SMITH%2CGEORGE.html
4 - Journals of George Albert Smith
5 - McKay, David O., Office Journal
6 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O McKay, Salt Lake City, Utah
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
