-- Apr 27, 1900; Friday
President [Lorenzo] Snow was at the office, President [Joseph F.] Smith also. President Snow authorized the surrender to Elder Heber J. Grant of an I.O.U. given by him in 1893 for $2,000. as a donation for the Salt Lake Temple. At that time special donations were called for for the purpose of completing the Temple. Elder Grant donated $3,000. for himself and family; and the year after paid $1,000 of that amount but soon after the financial panic came and he lost all the means he had and was left greatly in debt. On the 16th of March last he paid another $500. on his note and then President Snow voluntarily told Elder Grant that as his circumstances were not in the best shape he would surrender the I.O.U.
President Canute Peterson of Sanpete [Utah] wrote some little time ago to the effect that the board of trustees of the Sanpete Stake Academy intended to change the name of their school with a view of doing away with the idea that the patronage of the school is supposed to be confined to Sanpete county or Stake, and in the hope of getting leading men of other stakes interested in it. He stated that the board would like the permission of naming the school The Lorenzo Snow Academy. President Snow took the matter under advisement feeling disinclined to have his name used at all, but on the urgent request of other brethren to day had the following written to President Peterson:
In answer to yours asking President Snow's permission that your Academy be called after his name, namely "The Lorenzo Snow Academy," I am directed to say that while the President does not like to decline the honor you thus desire to confer upon him, he does not feel that he can permit his name, as suggested, to be given to it, but is willing that it be called "The Snow Academy," and thus divide the honor between his deceased friend and brother, Erastus, and himself and hopes this will meet your mind and that of your board,
Yours &c, George F. Gibbs, Sec[retar]y. (1)
-- May 3, 1900; Thursday
President [Lorenzo] Snow was in Brigham City [Utah] today, President [Georeg Q.] Cannon had not returned home from Texas and Mexico therefore President [Joseph F.] Smith was the only member of the Presidency at the office today.
At 11 o'clock President Smith, Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], F[rancis]. M. Lyman, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot were in council meeting in the Temple. ...
After the brethren reassembled a letter from Platte D. Lyman, dated Liverpool [England] 13th ult. was read conveying the information that a chapel at Bristol [England] could be purchased for one hundred and sixty pounds, and it being in every way
suitable for our purposes the elders and saints at Bristol were desirous of securing it, and they make the following proposition: That the Church advance the money for the building, and the brethren and saints pay rent for it at the rate of twenty-five pounds a year until the original cost is repaid to the Church, who will retain title, allowing the saints to occupy it rent free on payment of ground rent (five pounds a year and such necessary expenses as water rates, repairs, etc.)
On motion of Elder Heber J. Grant it became the sense of the Council that recommendation be made to President Snow that the house be purchased by the Church on the terms proposed.
Elder Anthon H. Lund now reported that a building and grounds on one of the fashionable thoroughfares in Copenhagen [Denmark] can be purchased for $11,000, but that it would take $5,000. to enlarge it and make upstair offices; a fund of $3,400. had already been subscribed towards the purchase of a meeting house in Copenhagen by local Scandinavians and that amount was now in the bank, and he suggested that the Scandinavian Mission be permitted to use its tithing for the present year, as well as what can be raised among the Scandinavians here, and with the means thus raised he believed the property could be secured and nearly paid for.
It was moved by Elder Brigham Young and seconded by Brother Lyman that the Council recommend to President Snow that the tithing of the mission be allowed for this purpose for the present year. Carried.
The Scofield [Utah] mine disaster became the subject for consideration. President Smith remarked that two or three of the Apostles ought to look after the interests and necessities of the bereaved of our people and attend the funeral services. This suggestion met the mind of the brethren and Elders Teasdale, Grant and Smoot were appointed and consented to act as a committee for this purpose. ... (1)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 25, 1900; Wednesday
-- Apr 25, 1900; Wednesday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. Dr. Seymour B. Young came to the office this morning, having just returned from Houston, Texas. He brought word that President [George Q.] Cannon and Elder John Henry Smith had gone from Houston to the city of Mexico and would be in Salt Lake City in about ten days.
Bishop [Robert C.] Knell of Pinto ward, accompanied by Elder Don Robbins, called bearing from President D[aniel]. D. McArthur and David H. Cannon, the following letter:
"Bishop Robert C. Knell of Pinto ward has come to day to consult us about the disposal of the water rights of the settlers of the town of Pinto to a mining syndicate, whose agents have sought for the option on those rights, and which option is to
mature October next. For of the owners of the water rights of the settlement, who are in possession of a majority of the stock have agreed to sell. Two of these have agreed to sell unconditionally, and the other two on the approval of the First Presidency. Bishop Knell informs us that the general feeling of the settlers is to sell, there being but two or three opposed. The aggregate amount asked by the settlers is $88,000. The sale, if consummated, will of course vacate the town so far as our people are concerned. In view of the majority being anxious to sell and in view of encouraging the investment of further capital in the iron mining industries of the region adjacent to Pinto, the presidency of the Stake do not interpose any objection to the minority of the water owners joining the majority, if the First Presidency of the Church approve, and the purchase price be satisfactory to the settlers. This letter will be handed to Bishop Knell to be submitted to you for such action as you may consider best for all concerned."
These brethren now stated that although these options were given, most of them were given subject to the approval of the Presidency; but Brother Robbins stated that bona fide options covering about one half of the water rights had been given unconditionally and that they were in his possession. They also stated that a few of the old settlers were opposed to leaving the place without permission, as they felt that a mission had been given them to settle it.
The Presidency told these brethren to call in the afternoon when they would be prepared to give them a definite answer. When the brethren called President Snow stated that he had no objection to the people selling their water rights and by doing so abandoning the settlement. The reason for this decision was that most of the settlers were anxious to sell and they had virtually expressed their opinions in giving options on the water rights, and therefore it would be best to let the settlers have their own way in the matter. (1)
-- Apr 26, 1900; Thursday
At 11 o'clock the authorities met in council meeting in the Salt Lake Temple. There were present Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Matthias F. Cowley, Rudger Clawson, Anthon H. Lund and Reed Smoot. ...
At the President's office in the afternoon, $200. was appropriated in favor of the Juab [Utah] Stake Academy, for the purpose of paying an old debt. Some time ago a similar amount was paid for the same purpose.
On December 22, 1896, the late First Presidency appropriated $5,000. to assist the people of St. Johns [Arizona] in the construction of a reservoir. They used half of this amount when a sudden feeling of discouragement came over the people and fearing that this would result in a virtual abandonment of the place the Stake Presidency did not feel justified in using the balance of that amount. Since the late visit to that place of Elders Heber J. Grant and Rudger Clawson, one half of the tithing of the Stake was appropriated to assist in the completion of the reservoir and
their Academy building; but it is found that this means could not be made available before the fall of the year, and President Snow today authorized the issuance of an order for $2,500. the balance of the appropriation of the late First Presidency, to be used for the canal and academy purposes. (1)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. Dr. Seymour B. Young came to the office this morning, having just returned from Houston, Texas. He brought word that President [George Q.] Cannon and Elder John Henry Smith had gone from Houston to the city of Mexico and would be in Salt Lake City in about ten days.
Bishop [Robert C.] Knell of Pinto ward, accompanied by Elder Don Robbins, called bearing from President D[aniel]. D. McArthur and David H. Cannon, the following letter:
"Bishop Robert C. Knell of Pinto ward has come to day to consult us about the disposal of the water rights of the settlers of the town of Pinto to a mining syndicate, whose agents have sought for the option on those rights, and which option is to
mature October next. For of the owners of the water rights of the settlement, who are in possession of a majority of the stock have agreed to sell. Two of these have agreed to sell unconditionally, and the other two on the approval of the First Presidency. Bishop Knell informs us that the general feeling of the settlers is to sell, there being but two or three opposed. The aggregate amount asked by the settlers is $88,000. The sale, if consummated, will of course vacate the town so far as our people are concerned. In view of the majority being anxious to sell and in view of encouraging the investment of further capital in the iron mining industries of the region adjacent to Pinto, the presidency of the Stake do not interpose any objection to the minority of the water owners joining the majority, if the First Presidency of the Church approve, and the purchase price be satisfactory to the settlers. This letter will be handed to Bishop Knell to be submitted to you for such action as you may consider best for all concerned."
These brethren now stated that although these options were given, most of them were given subject to the approval of the Presidency; but Brother Robbins stated that bona fide options covering about one half of the water rights had been given unconditionally and that they were in his possession. They also stated that a few of the old settlers were opposed to leaving the place without permission, as they felt that a mission had been given them to settle it.
The Presidency told these brethren to call in the afternoon when they would be prepared to give them a definite answer. When the brethren called President Snow stated that he had no objection to the people selling their water rights and by doing so abandoning the settlement. The reason for this decision was that most of the settlers were anxious to sell and they had virtually expressed their opinions in giving options on the water rights, and therefore it would be best to let the settlers have their own way in the matter. (1)
-- Apr 26, 1900; Thursday
At 11 o'clock the authorities met in council meeting in the Salt Lake Temple. There were present Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Matthias F. Cowley, Rudger Clawson, Anthon H. Lund and Reed Smoot. ...
At the President's office in the afternoon, $200. was appropriated in favor of the Juab [Utah] Stake Academy, for the purpose of paying an old debt. Some time ago a similar amount was paid for the same purpose.
On December 22, 1896, the late First Presidency appropriated $5,000. to assist the people of St. Johns [Arizona] in the construction of a reservoir. They used half of this amount when a sudden feeling of discouragement came over the people and fearing that this would result in a virtual abandonment of the place the Stake Presidency did not feel justified in using the balance of that amount. Since the late visit to that place of Elders Heber J. Grant and Rudger Clawson, one half of the tithing of the Stake was appropriated to assist in the completion of the reservoir and
their Academy building; but it is found that this means could not be made available before the fall of the year, and President Snow today authorized the issuance of an order for $2,500. the balance of the appropriation of the late First Presidency, to be used for the canal and academy purposes. (1)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 23, 1900; Monday
-- Apr 23, 1900; Monday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office in the morning. President Smith left about noon to attend the funeral of one of his
neighbors.
Brother Parkinson called and had a consultation with President Snow about the Oneida [Idaho] Stake Academy, and the sum of $2,500. was appropriated in favor of that school. (1)
-- Apr 24, 1900; Tuesday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. Bishop [William B.] Preston and President Smith, as trustees of the Brigham Young College, conferred with President Snow in regard to filling a vacancy in the trusteeship of that institution. Elder [Marriner Wood] Merrill was decided upon for that position.
This afternoon Dr. Joseph S. Richards had a long talk with the Presidency representing a claim which he alleged he had against the Church for property which the Church promised to sell to him in the days of President John Taylor. He stated that Bishop Edward Hunter promised to sell to him a piece of property adjoining the Richards homestead across the street fro the Temple block, south. This property had been turned over to the Church by Don Carlos Young as tithing and President Taylor refused to part with the property although Bishop Hunter had stated that the Church would sell. In the days of President [Wilford] Woodruff, this property was sold to the Literary and Scientific Society and in turn was sold by this society during the days of the boom to Dr. Richards who paid a high price for it. The Doctor opened a street called Richards Street, through the property hoping thereby to make considerable money by so doing, but when the reaction set in following the boom, instead of making money he lost considerable on the venture and his investment proved to be a failure. Now he calls on the Church to refund a portion of his loss because they refused to sell the property when he first received the promise from Bishop Hunter that the Church would dispose of it to him, and when he could have obtained it at a much lower figure than he was able to when he bought it from the Society. This question was presented to President Woodruff, who with President [George Q.] Cannon decided that there was nothing to arbitrate that method of reaching an agreement having been suggested by Dr. Richards. The Doctor now desires to arbitrate the matter but President Snow does not feel so disposed, although he took it under advisement. (1)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office in the morning. President Smith left about noon to attend the funeral of one of his
neighbors.
Brother Parkinson called and had a consultation with President Snow about the Oneida [Idaho] Stake Academy, and the sum of $2,500. was appropriated in favor of that school. (1)
-- Apr 24, 1900; Tuesday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. Bishop [William B.] Preston and President Smith, as trustees of the Brigham Young College, conferred with President Snow in regard to filling a vacancy in the trusteeship of that institution. Elder [Marriner Wood] Merrill was decided upon for that position.
This afternoon Dr. Joseph S. Richards had a long talk with the Presidency representing a claim which he alleged he had against the Church for property which the Church promised to sell to him in the days of President John Taylor. He stated that Bishop Edward Hunter promised to sell to him a piece of property adjoining the Richards homestead across the street fro the Temple block, south. This property had been turned over to the Church by Don Carlos Young as tithing and President Taylor refused to part with the property although Bishop Hunter had stated that the Church would sell. In the days of President [Wilford] Woodruff, this property was sold to the Literary and Scientific Society and in turn was sold by this society during the days of the boom to Dr. Richards who paid a high price for it. The Doctor opened a street called Richards Street, through the property hoping thereby to make considerable money by so doing, but when the reaction set in following the boom, instead of making money he lost considerable on the venture and his investment proved to be a failure. Now he calls on the Church to refund a portion of his loss because they refused to sell the property when he first received the promise from Bishop Hunter that the Church would dispose of it to him, and when he could have obtained it at a much lower figure than he was able to when he bought it from the Society. This question was presented to President Woodruff, who with President [George Q.] Cannon decided that there was nothing to arbitrate that method of reaching an agreement having been suggested by Dr. Richards. The Doctor now desires to arbitrate the matter but President Snow does not feel so disposed, although he took it under advisement. (1)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 17, 1999
-- Apr 17, 1999
Brigham Young Academy president Benjamin Cluff Jr. along with a company of two teachers and about twenty students leave Provo expecting to be gone for two years. Their destination is South America where they hope to locate rivers, cities, and places that would "throw light on the divine claims of the Book of Mormon." When the expedition reaches Spanish Fork they are received with a Brass Band and a Banquet in their honor. They are received with so many banquets that they don't cook their own food until eleven days into the journey. At the Mexican Border Cluff negotiates with border officials to allow passage through Mexico while the rest of the group boards with church members in Thatcher, Arizona. Cluff lingers in Mexico hoping to marry a polygamous third wife, Florence Reynolds, daughter of George Reynolds, and one of his former students. Florence had been using his last name for the previous year. While Cluff is in Colonia Diaz, he orders other expedition members to begin proselyting in Thatcher. The students discover why Cluff had prolonged his stay and became disheartened and angry. His assistant, Professor Walter Wolfe, reacts to the news of Cluff's delay by escaping to Nogales for an "extended three-day alcoholic spree." Wolfe (who had been told in a dream that he would find gold plates on the expedition and be able to translate them) later sells his mule to buy liquor. The students determine not to do any more missionary work and "took every opportunity to visit with the young ladies and to attend the weekly dances" in Thatcher. Apostle Heber J. Grant learns of the expedition's behavior while traveling in Arizona. He informs President Lorenzo Snow who sends Second Councilor Joseph F. Smith. Smith authorizes Cluff's plural marriage but instructs the group to either disband or proceed on their own as a "purely scientific" group without church endorsement. Most return to Provo but Cluff and five others press on to Columbia. A week after arriving, all but one student, Chester Van Buren, return to Utah. Van Buren remains in Colombia long enough to conduct scientific investigations. When he finally returns to Provo, his wildlife specimens become a prized collection. Cluff is censured by the Board of Trustees for "unwarranted use of authority" and is kept as Brigham Young Academy's president for only one more year. One of his last official acts is to change the name to "Brigham Young University." (1)
-- Apr 19, 1900; Thursday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. A cablegram was sent to England permitting the London Conference to purchase a lease on a house for a conference house.
At 11 o'clock the Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting in the Temple. There were present: Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith; Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ... (2)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Brigham Young Academy president Benjamin Cluff Jr. along with a company of two teachers and about twenty students leave Provo expecting to be gone for two years. Their destination is South America where they hope to locate rivers, cities, and places that would "throw light on the divine claims of the Book of Mormon." When the expedition reaches Spanish Fork they are received with a Brass Band and a Banquet in their honor. They are received with so many banquets that they don't cook their own food until eleven days into the journey. At the Mexican Border Cluff negotiates with border officials to allow passage through Mexico while the rest of the group boards with church members in Thatcher, Arizona. Cluff lingers in Mexico hoping to marry a polygamous third wife, Florence Reynolds, daughter of George Reynolds, and one of his former students. Florence had been using his last name for the previous year. While Cluff is in Colonia Diaz, he orders other expedition members to begin proselyting in Thatcher. The students discover why Cluff had prolonged his stay and became disheartened and angry. His assistant, Professor Walter Wolfe, reacts to the news of Cluff's delay by escaping to Nogales for an "extended three-day alcoholic spree." Wolfe (who had been told in a dream that he would find gold plates on the expedition and be able to translate them) later sells his mule to buy liquor. The students determine not to do any more missionary work and "took every opportunity to visit with the young ladies and to attend the weekly dances" in Thatcher. Apostle Heber J. Grant learns of the expedition's behavior while traveling in Arizona. He informs President Lorenzo Snow who sends Second Councilor Joseph F. Smith. Smith authorizes Cluff's plural marriage but instructs the group to either disband or proceed on their own as a "purely scientific" group without church endorsement. Most return to Provo but Cluff and five others press on to Columbia. A week after arriving, all but one student, Chester Van Buren, return to Utah. Van Buren remains in Colombia long enough to conduct scientific investigations. When he finally returns to Provo, his wildlife specimens become a prized collection. Cluff is censured by the Board of Trustees for "unwarranted use of authority" and is kept as Brigham Young Academy's president for only one more year. One of his last official acts is to change the name to "Brigham Young University." (1)
-- Apr 19, 1900; Thursday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office. A cablegram was sent to England permitting the London Conference to purchase a lease on a house for a conference house.
At 11 o'clock the Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting in the Temple. There were present: Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith; Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ... (2)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 14, 1999
-- Apr 14, 1999
Ruling on Temple anointings-- Salt Lake City.
The "second blessings" here referred to are presumably also on occasion known as "second anointings." Since the sacred nature of Temple ordinances and ceremonies restricts their discussion outside the Temples it is pointless to make much comment on this letter. It is interesting, however, that President Snow restored a practice obtaining in the administrations of Brigham Young and John Taylor but which had been suspended during the administration of Wilford Woodruff. As supplementary material to this letter the reader might refer to the material on the "Law of Adoption" (1894) earlier in this volume where justification or explanation is made on the grounds on which these changes in rules are made by different Presidents of the L.D.S. Church.
Office of The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah, April 14th, 1900.
Prest. David H. Cannon, St. George
DEAR BROTHER:
During the lifetime of the late President Wilford Woodruff a rule was established by him not to permit a woman to be anointed to a man unless she had lived with him as a wife. This was a restriction of the rule in such cases which obtained during the lifetime of Presidents Brigham Young and John Taylor. After considering the matter we have concluded to restore the practice as expressed in the following, and which will govern in such cases in the future:
Any woman, who has been sealed to a man in life or by proxy, whether she has lived with him or not, shall have the privilege of being anointed to him inasmuch as he shall have had his second blessings.
LORENZO SNOW, GEORGE Q. CANNON, JOSEPH F. SMITH. {1890-April 14-Circular letter, Church Historian's Library,} (1)
[Temple] [Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith to David H. Cannon, Apr. 14, 1900, in MFP, 3:325-26] During the lifetime of the late President Wilford Woodruff a rule was established by him not to permit a woman to be anointed to a man unless she had lived with him as a wife. This was a restriction of the rule in such cases which obtained during the lifetime of Presidents Brigham Young and John Taylor. After considering the matter we have concluded to restore the practice as expressed in the following, and which will govern in such cases in the future: Any woman, who has been sealed to a man in life or by proxy, whether she has lived with him or not, shall have the privilege of being anointed to him inasmuch as he shall have had his second blessings [second anointing]. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
2 - Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Ruling on Temple anointings-- Salt Lake City.
The "second blessings" here referred to are presumably also on occasion known as "second anointings." Since the sacred nature of Temple ordinances and ceremonies restricts their discussion outside the Temples it is pointless to make much comment on this letter. It is interesting, however, that President Snow restored a practice obtaining in the administrations of Brigham Young and John Taylor but which had been suspended during the administration of Wilford Woodruff. As supplementary material to this letter the reader might refer to the material on the "Law of Adoption" (1894) earlier in this volume where justification or explanation is made on the grounds on which these changes in rules are made by different Presidents of the L.D.S. Church.
Office of The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah, April 14th, 1900.
Prest. David H. Cannon, St. George
DEAR BROTHER:
During the lifetime of the late President Wilford Woodruff a rule was established by him not to permit a woman to be anointed to a man unless she had lived with him as a wife. This was a restriction of the rule in such cases which obtained during the lifetime of Presidents Brigham Young and John Taylor. After considering the matter we have concluded to restore the practice as expressed in the following, and which will govern in such cases in the future:
Any woman, who has been sealed to a man in life or by proxy, whether she has lived with him or not, shall have the privilege of being anointed to him inasmuch as he shall have had his second blessings.
LORENZO SNOW, GEORGE Q. CANNON, JOSEPH F. SMITH. {1890-April 14-Circular letter, Church Historian's Library,} (1)
[Temple] [Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith to David H. Cannon, Apr. 14, 1900, in MFP, 3:325-26] During the lifetime of the late President Wilford Woodruff a rule was established by him not to permit a woman to be anointed to a man unless she had lived with him as a wife. This was a restriction of the rule in such cases which obtained during the lifetime of Presidents Brigham Young and John Taylor. After considering the matter we have concluded to restore the practice as expressed in the following, and which will govern in such cases in the future: Any woman, who has been sealed to a man in life or by proxy, whether she has lived with him or not, shall have the privilege of being anointed to him inasmuch as he shall have had his second blessings [second anointing]. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
2 - Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 12, 1900
-- Apr 12, 1900
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 a.m. Elder David H. Cannon of St. George [Utah] Temple, had a talk with the Presidency in relation to temple ordinances, and proper subjects for them. At 11 o'clock the Presidency and Apostles met in Council meeting in the Temple. There were present: President Lorenzo Snow and counselors: Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H. Lund, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ... The subject of secret societies was discussed. Several letters had been received by the brethren asking if connection with secret societies was a bar to the temples, and the secretary had been requested to hunt up all that had been said or written on this subject and report. This he had done and submitted the same, which consisted of extracts from the President's Office journal, from letters that had been written by the brethren. After these articles and letters had been read, President Snow remarked that brethren who had joined secret organizations should not be denied the Temple, if otherwise worthy; but they should be advised to gradually withdraw from them. Several of the brethren made remarks in relation to secret orders, and deprecating such things, and counseling against the young men joining secret orders. President Smith moved that the Bishops be advised to counsel their ward members against joining secret orders and if they did so after being warned they might be excluded from the Temples, and that such men should not be put in presiding positions in the wards or Stakes of Zion. Although no vote was taken the motion became the sense of the counsel. Elder Brigham Young briefly reported that the Apostles had counseled together, just before the Presidency arrived at the Temple, in relation to the non-tithe payers, and had decided that they would take up a labor in the Stakes to see what could be done to get all to pay tithes. This met with the approval of the Presidency. ... Before the brethren left the room President Smith stated that the Apostles occasionally visited a ward where a reorganization was necessary, and in such cases, he thought they would be justified in organizing such wards after a careful consultation with the Presidencies of the Stakes and High Councils, but they should not attempt to upset things without having been sent by the Presidency. This met with the approval of the brethren. Thursday [April 12, 1900] went up to the city, and was blessed by President [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith. Had a talk with President [Lorenzo] Snow. During our conversation he told me that our trip had now become a Church mission. This pleased me very much. He also said that if any of the boys did not conduct themselves properly they were to be sent home. (1)
-- Apr 12, 1999
After a discussion with the First Presidency and Twelve in which it is suggested that Mormons not be discouraged from joining Freemasonry, President Lorenzo Snow, the last surviving general authority who was also a Mason (Franklin Richards had died the previous year), authorizes a statement that church leaders were "opposed to secret societies," which makes no exception for Freemasonry. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Journal History; Benjamin Cluff Jr., Diary, April 15, 1999
2 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 a.m. Elder David H. Cannon of St. George [Utah] Temple, had a talk with the Presidency in relation to temple ordinances, and proper subjects for them. At 11 o'clock the Presidency and Apostles met in Council meeting in the Temple. There were present: President Lorenzo Snow and counselors: Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H. Lund, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ... The subject of secret societies was discussed. Several letters had been received by the brethren asking if connection with secret societies was a bar to the temples, and the secretary had been requested to hunt up all that had been said or written on this subject and report. This he had done and submitted the same, which consisted of extracts from the President's Office journal, from letters that had been written by the brethren. After these articles and letters had been read, President Snow remarked that brethren who had joined secret organizations should not be denied the Temple, if otherwise worthy; but they should be advised to gradually withdraw from them. Several of the brethren made remarks in relation to secret orders, and deprecating such things, and counseling against the young men joining secret orders. President Smith moved that the Bishops be advised to counsel their ward members against joining secret orders and if they did so after being warned they might be excluded from the Temples, and that such men should not be put in presiding positions in the wards or Stakes of Zion. Although no vote was taken the motion became the sense of the counsel. Elder Brigham Young briefly reported that the Apostles had counseled together, just before the Presidency arrived at the Temple, in relation to the non-tithe payers, and had decided that they would take up a labor in the Stakes to see what could be done to get all to pay tithes. This met with the approval of the Presidency. ... Before the brethren left the room President Smith stated that the Apostles occasionally visited a ward where a reorganization was necessary, and in such cases, he thought they would be justified in organizing such wards after a careful consultation with the Presidencies of the Stakes and High Councils, but they should not attempt to upset things without having been sent by the Presidency. This met with the approval of the brethren. Thursday [April 12, 1900] went up to the city, and was blessed by President [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith. Had a talk with President [Lorenzo] Snow. During our conversation he told me that our trip had now become a Church mission. This pleased me very much. He also said that if any of the boys did not conduct themselves properly they were to be sent home. (1)
-- Apr 12, 1999
After a discussion with the First Presidency and Twelve in which it is suggested that Mormons not be discouraged from joining Freemasonry, President Lorenzo Snow, the last surviving general authority who was also a Mason (Franklin Richards had died the previous year), authorizes a statement that church leaders were "opposed to secret societies," which makes no exception for Freemasonry. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Journal History; Benjamin Cluff Jr., Diary, April 15, 1999
2 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 9, 1999
-- Apr 9, 1999
Lorenzo Snow tells priesthood leadership meeting that second anointing "is not only intended for the aged, but also for younger men. We are afraid, however, that Presidents of Stakes do not exercise sufficient care in regard to this matter. The privilege should only be given to those who have been tried and tested, being full of integrity and not likely to fall away.- (1)
-- Apr 11, 1900; Wednesday
Elder Ben E. Rich, president of the Southern States mission called and had a long talk with Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith today. Elders John Henry Smith and Heber J. Grant were present. The commissary department of the Southern States mission was thoroughly discussed and met with the approval of the brethren. The nature of the consultation was in relation to the interests of the Southern States mission and the proper instruction for missionaries who are called to labor in that field.
President Smith, Bishop [William B.] Preston and Elder Brigham Young [Jr.], trustees of the Brigham Young College, had a long talk with President Snow in relation to the needs of that school. They represented that $1,500. a month would be needed to run the school. This matter was taken under advisement.
President Lewis W. Shurtliff, of the Weber [Utah] Stake called and informed President Snow that he was a delegate to the Trans-Mississippi Congress, but the Weber Stake conference would be held on the same day, or the same week that the congress would be hld. President Snow advised him to attend the Congress and leave the Stake in the hands of the counselors to arrange for the conference. (2)
-- Apr 12, 1900; Thursday
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 a.m. Elder David H. Cannon of St. George [Utah] Temple, had a talk with the Presidency in relation to temple ordinances, and proper subjects for them.
At 11 o'clock the Presidency and Apostles met in Council meeting in the Temple. There were present: President Lorenzo Snow and counselors: Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H.
Lund, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ...
The subject of secret societies was discussed. Several letters had been received by the brethren asking if connection with secret societies was a bar to the temples, and the secretary had been requested to hunt up all that had been said or written on this subject and report. This he had done and submitted the same, which consisted of extracts from the President's Office journal, from letters that had been written by the brethren.
After these articles and letters had been read, President Snow remarked that brethren who had joined secret organizations should not be denied the Temple, if otherwise worthy; but they should be advised to gradually withdraw from them. Several of the brethren made remarks in relation to secret orders, and deprecating such things, and counseling against the young men joining secret orders.
President Smith moved that the Bishops be advised to counsel their ward members against joining secret orders and if they did so after being warned they might be excluded from the Temples, and that such men should not be put in presiding positions in the wards or Stakes of Zion. Although no vote was taken the motion became the sense of the counsel.
Elder Brigham Young briefly reported that the Apostles had counseled together, just before the Presidency arrived at the Temple, in relation to the non-tithe payers, and had decided that they would take up a labor in the Stakes to see what could be done to get all to pay tithes. This met with the approval of the Presidency. ...
Before the brethren left the room President Smith stated that the Apostles occasionally visited a ward where a reorganization was necessary, and in such cases, he thought they would be justified in organizing such wards after a careful consultation with the Presidencies of the Stakes and High Councils, but they should not attempt to upset things without having been sent by the Presidency. This met with the approval of the brethren. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow tells priesthood leadership meeting that second anointing "is not only intended for the aged, but also for younger men. We are afraid, however, that Presidents of Stakes do not exercise sufficient care in regard to this matter. The privilege should only be given to those who have been tried and tested, being full of integrity and not likely to fall away.- (1)
-- Apr 11, 1900; Wednesday
Elder Ben E. Rich, president of the Southern States mission called and had a long talk with Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [Joseph F.] Smith today. Elders John Henry Smith and Heber J. Grant were present. The commissary department of the Southern States mission was thoroughly discussed and met with the approval of the brethren. The nature of the consultation was in relation to the interests of the Southern States mission and the proper instruction for missionaries who are called to labor in that field.
President Smith, Bishop [William B.] Preston and Elder Brigham Young [Jr.], trustees of the Brigham Young College, had a long talk with President Snow in relation to the needs of that school. They represented that $1,500. a month would be needed to run the school. This matter was taken under advisement.
President Lewis W. Shurtliff, of the Weber [Utah] Stake called and informed President Snow that he was a delegate to the Trans-Mississippi Congress, but the Weber Stake conference would be held on the same day, or the same week that the congress would be hld. President Snow advised him to attend the Congress and leave the Stake in the hands of the counselors to arrange for the conference. (2)
-- Apr 12, 1900; Thursday
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 a.m. Elder David H. Cannon of St. George [Utah] Temple, had a talk with the Presidency in relation to temple ordinances, and proper subjects for them.
At 11 o'clock the Presidency and Apostles met in Council meeting in the Temple. There were present: President Lorenzo Snow and counselors: Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Anthon H.
Lund, Rudger Clawson and Reed Smoot. ...
The subject of secret societies was discussed. Several letters had been received by the brethren asking if connection with secret societies was a bar to the temples, and the secretary had been requested to hunt up all that had been said or written on this subject and report. This he had done and submitted the same, which consisted of extracts from the President's Office journal, from letters that had been written by the brethren.
After these articles and letters had been read, President Snow remarked that brethren who had joined secret organizations should not be denied the Temple, if otherwise worthy; but they should be advised to gradually withdraw from them. Several of the brethren made remarks in relation to secret orders, and deprecating such things, and counseling against the young men joining secret orders.
President Smith moved that the Bishops be advised to counsel their ward members against joining secret orders and if they did so after being warned they might be excluded from the Temples, and that such men should not be put in presiding positions in the wards or Stakes of Zion. Although no vote was taken the motion became the sense of the counsel.
Elder Brigham Young briefly reported that the Apostles had counseled together, just before the Presidency arrived at the Temple, in relation to the non-tithe payers, and had decided that they would take up a labor in the Stakes to see what could be done to get all to pay tithes. This met with the approval of the Presidency. ...
Before the brethren left the room President Smith stated that the Apostles occasionally visited a ward where a reorganization was necessary, and in such cases, he thought they would be justified in organizing such wards after a careful consultation with the Presidencies of the Stakes and High Councils, but they should not attempt to upset things without having been sent by the Presidency. This met with the approval of the brethren. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 9, 1900; Monday
-- Apr 9, 1900; Monday
At one thirty the following brethren met at the President's office: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon, Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], F[rancis]. M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, M[atthias]. F. Cowley, A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff and Reed Smoot. Also President Edward Partridge of the Utah Stake. The object of this meeting was to ordain Elder Smoot to the Apostleship. President [Joseph F.] Smith was not present, having been detained on account of sickness. All the above named brethren excepting Brother Partridge, laid hands on Elder Smoot and ordained him to the Apostleship, President Snow being mouth.
In the afternoon $12. was appropriated in favor of Mrs. Chipman of Iosepa [Utah], who has been looking after the Hawaiian lepers at that colony. The sum of $300. was also appropriated in favor of the Whitney ward meeting house. (1)
-- Apr 9, 1999
At one thirty the following brethren met at the President's office: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon, Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], F[rancis]. M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, M[atthias]. F. Cowley, A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff and Reed Smoot. Also President Edward Partridge of the Utah Stake. The object of this meeting was to ordain Elder Smoot to the Apostleship. President [Joseph F.] Smith was not present, having been detained on account of sickness. All the above named brethren excepting Brother Partridge, laid hands on Elder Smoot and ordained him to the Apostleship, President Snow being mouth. In the afternoon $12. was appropriated in favor of Mrs. Chipman of Iosepa [Utah], who has been looking after the Hawaiian lepers at that colony. The sum of $300. was also appropriated in favor of the Whitney ward meeting house. Bro[ther]. Reed Smoot, by authority of the Holy Priesthood, we lay our hands upon your head and ordain you an Apostle in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and that you may by the power of God and the light of the Holy Ghost testify that you do know the Son of God, and testify to his having come down from the eternal worlds and died for the sins of man; and also that you may testify of the true prophet, that he is a true prophet, a prophet of the Son of God [with] authority to preach and administer the Gospel to the children of men--Joseph Smith. That you may also testify of him that you do know by the testimony of the Holy Spirit that he is a prophet of God, sent for that purpose; and that you may feel that by the Holy Ghost, and be able to accomplish all the duties that may be imposed upon you as an apostle of the Son of God; and that you may do all things by the power of revelation that shall be in and through you--in your mind continually, and do it by the light of the Spirit and by revelation, all the duties that from time to time shall be imposed upon you as an Apostle of Jesus Christ and servant of God ... Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow proclaimed against admitting persons to the Temple who are non tith[e] payers. He also advised against admitting persons, to receive 2d anointings, who are not very worthy. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Minutes; Angus M. Cannon, Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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At one thirty the following brethren met at the President's office: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon, Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], F[rancis]. M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, M[atthias]. F. Cowley, A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff and Reed Smoot. Also President Edward Partridge of the Utah Stake. The object of this meeting was to ordain Elder Smoot to the Apostleship. President [Joseph F.] Smith was not present, having been detained on account of sickness. All the above named brethren excepting Brother Partridge, laid hands on Elder Smoot and ordained him to the Apostleship, President Snow being mouth.
In the afternoon $12. was appropriated in favor of Mrs. Chipman of Iosepa [Utah], who has been looking after the Hawaiian lepers at that colony. The sum of $300. was also appropriated in favor of the Whitney ward meeting house. (1)
-- Apr 9, 1999
At one thirty the following brethren met at the President's office: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon, Elders Brigham Young [Jr.], F[rancis]. M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, M[atthias]. F. Cowley, A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff and Reed Smoot. Also President Edward Partridge of the Utah Stake. The object of this meeting was to ordain Elder Smoot to the Apostleship. President [Joseph F.] Smith was not present, having been detained on account of sickness. All the above named brethren excepting Brother Partridge, laid hands on Elder Smoot and ordained him to the Apostleship, President Snow being mouth. In the afternoon $12. was appropriated in favor of Mrs. Chipman of Iosepa [Utah], who has been looking after the Hawaiian lepers at that colony. The sum of $300. was also appropriated in favor of the Whitney ward meeting house. Bro[ther]. Reed Smoot, by authority of the Holy Priesthood, we lay our hands upon your head and ordain you an Apostle in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and that you may by the power of God and the light of the Holy Ghost testify that you do know the Son of God, and testify to his having come down from the eternal worlds and died for the sins of man; and also that you may testify of the true prophet, that he is a true prophet, a prophet of the Son of God [with] authority to preach and administer the Gospel to the children of men--Joseph Smith. That you may also testify of him that you do know by the testimony of the Holy Spirit that he is a prophet of God, sent for that purpose; and that you may feel that by the Holy Ghost, and be able to accomplish all the duties that may be imposed upon you as an apostle of the Son of God; and that you may do all things by the power of revelation that shall be in and through you--in your mind continually, and do it by the light of the Spirit and by revelation, all the duties that from time to time shall be imposed upon you as an Apostle of Jesus Christ and servant of God ... Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow proclaimed against admitting persons to the Temple who are non tith[e] payers. He also advised against admitting persons, to receive 2d anointings, who are not very worthy. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Minutes; Angus M. Cannon, Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, 1900. April 8
-- 1900. April 8
(Reed Smoot) : Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Lorenzo Snow after the death of Franklin D. Richards. (1)
-- Monday, Apr 9, 1999
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
Priesthood meeting at 10 a.m. Prayer by Reed Smoot.
Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Heber J. Grant, Francis M. Lyman, George Teasdale, and Wm. B. Preston spoke upon the law of tithing.
All of the Presidency but Joseph F. Smith and all of the Apostles but John W. Taylor met at the President's office. Reed Smoot was ordained an Apostle under the hands of his brethren, President Lorenzo Snow being mouth, Edward Partridge and Geo. F. Gibbs being present. (2)
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Snowing. 10 a.m. Meeting at the assembly hall of the general authorities of the church, the presidency of stakes, the bishopric of ward[s], and others, Pres. Snow presiding.
Pres. Snow explained that the object of the meeting was not so much to preach as to transact business. The authorities present are called to positions of high importance, and said he, "I love you, but that love will not prevent me from telling you your duty." You must not go into debt. The church is bound to get out of debt, and is bound to have a revenue of thousands and millions of dollars. For what purpose will this revenue be used? To buy up the land of Zion (Jackson County). In order to get out of debt the church, collectively and individually, will have to study and practice economy. Spoke of the improvement in the financial condition of the church. We have reduced the annual interest on the church indebtedness about $3000 a month or $36,000 a year. Spoke regarding second anointings. This blessing is not only intended for the aged, but also for younger men. We are afraid, however, that presidents of stakes do not exercise sufficient care in regard to this matter. The
privilege should only be given to those who have been tried and tested, being full of integrity and not likely to fall away. In reference to non-tithe-payers, he said we cannot receive them into our temples; and if bishops send people to the temple who have not paid tithing and we find it out, we will send them back and have the bishops reported. Said that the land of Zion could only be sanctified by the paying of tithing.
Pres. Cannon spoke in relation to the care that should be exercised by bishops in selecting men for missions to the world. Dwelt upon the subject of debt and said that presidents of stakes and bishops of wards should be careful and wise in regard to the matter of laying burdens on the people. Said the Church Chronology should be patronized.
I made remarks on the subject of record keeping and the new forms of ward records and recommend blanks; also upon the subject of "Record Day." Apostle Teasdale said a few words in relation to the book of non-tithe-payers. Apostle Lyman spoke briefly on the matter of record keeping. Bp. [William B.] Preston remarked that there were some errors in the book of non-tithe-payers, and, therefore, the list would be sent back to the bishops for revision and correction, and that proper reasons might be set forth why people did not pay tithing.
At 2 p.m. I attended a meeting of the Twelve and presidents of missions. The object of the meeting was to discuss the best methods of doing missionary work, also of meeting mission expenses. Much useful information was brought out. It was decided to hold other meetings of a similar nature in the future.
I omitted to record that on Monday, April the 9th, 1900, there was a meeting at the President's office of the Presidency and Twelve. Present: Presidents Snow and Cannon, Apostles B. Young, F. M. Lyman, J. H. Smith, Geo. Teasdale, M. W. Merrill, A. H. Lund, M. F. Cowley, A. O. Woodruff, R. Clawson, and Reed Smoot; also H. J. Grant. The Presidency and Apostles then laid their hands upon the head of Elder Reed Smoot and ordained him an apostle in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Pres. Lorenzo Snow being mouth. (3)
Endnotes:
1 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
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 - 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
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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(Reed Smoot) : Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Lorenzo Snow after the death of Franklin D. Richards. (1)
-- Monday, Apr 9, 1999
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
Priesthood meeting at 10 a.m. Prayer by Reed Smoot.
Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Heber J. Grant, Francis M. Lyman, George Teasdale, and Wm. B. Preston spoke upon the law of tithing.
All of the Presidency but Joseph F. Smith and all of the Apostles but John W. Taylor met at the President's office. Reed Smoot was ordained an Apostle under the hands of his brethren, President Lorenzo Snow being mouth, Edward Partridge and Geo. F. Gibbs being present. (2)
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Snowing. 10 a.m. Meeting at the assembly hall of the general authorities of the church, the presidency of stakes, the bishopric of ward[s], and others, Pres. Snow presiding.
Pres. Snow explained that the object of the meeting was not so much to preach as to transact business. The authorities present are called to positions of high importance, and said he, "I love you, but that love will not prevent me from telling you your duty." You must not go into debt. The church is bound to get out of debt, and is bound to have a revenue of thousands and millions of dollars. For what purpose will this revenue be used? To buy up the land of Zion (Jackson County). In order to get out of debt the church, collectively and individually, will have to study and practice economy. Spoke of the improvement in the financial condition of the church. We have reduced the annual interest on the church indebtedness about $3000 a month or $36,000 a year. Spoke regarding second anointings. This blessing is not only intended for the aged, but also for younger men. We are afraid, however, that presidents of stakes do not exercise sufficient care in regard to this matter. The
privilege should only be given to those who have been tried and tested, being full of integrity and not likely to fall away. In reference to non-tithe-payers, he said we cannot receive them into our temples; and if bishops send people to the temple who have not paid tithing and we find it out, we will send them back and have the bishops reported. Said that the land of Zion could only be sanctified by the paying of tithing.
Pres. Cannon spoke in relation to the care that should be exercised by bishops in selecting men for missions to the world. Dwelt upon the subject of debt and said that presidents of stakes and bishops of wards should be careful and wise in regard to the matter of laying burdens on the people. Said the Church Chronology should be patronized.
I made remarks on the subject of record keeping and the new forms of ward records and recommend blanks; also upon the subject of "Record Day." Apostle Teasdale said a few words in relation to the book of non-tithe-payers. Apostle Lyman spoke briefly on the matter of record keeping. Bp. [William B.] Preston remarked that there were some errors in the book of non-tithe-payers, and, therefore, the list would be sent back to the bishops for revision and correction, and that proper reasons might be set forth why people did not pay tithing.
At 2 p.m. I attended a meeting of the Twelve and presidents of missions. The object of the meeting was to discuss the best methods of doing missionary work, also of meeting mission expenses. Much useful information was brought out. It was decided to hold other meetings of a similar nature in the future.
I omitted to record that on Monday, April the 9th, 1900, there was a meeting at the President's office of the Presidency and Twelve. Present: Presidents Snow and Cannon, Apostles B. Young, F. M. Lyman, J. H. Smith, Geo. Teasdale, M. W. Merrill, A. H. Lund, M. F. Cowley, A. O. Woodruff, R. Clawson, and Reed Smoot; also H. J. Grant. The Presidency and Apostles then laid their hands upon the head of Elder Reed Smoot and ordained him an apostle in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Pres. Lorenzo Snow being mouth. (3)
Endnotes:
1 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
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 - 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
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 8, 1900; Sunday
-- Apr 8, 1900; Sunday
According to the request of President [Lorenzo] Snow the members of the Apostles quorum suggested names for the vacancy in their quorum which is to be filled at this conference today. Immediately after the forenoon session today the brethren of the quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency met in the President's office for the purpose of filling the vacancy. The meeting was short. President Snow informing the brethren that the First Presidency had considered the names suggested and had decided on Elder Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the quorum if his selection was approved by the members of the quorum. The nomination was seconded and unanimously carried. Elder Reed Smoot was then called into the room and informed of his being called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elder Franklin D. Richards, President of that quorum. After receiving the counsel of his brethren Elder Smoot manifested his willingness to magnify his calling and labor with his brethren for the best interests of the Kingdom of God. The meeting then adjourned, and at the afternoon session of conference the general authorities of the Church were unanimously sustained by the people, including Elder Smoot as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1)
-- Apr 8, 1999
According to the request of President [Lorenzo] Snow the members of the Apostles quorum suggested names for the vacancy in their quorum which is to be filled at this conference today. Immediately after the forenoon session today the brethren of the quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency met in the President's office for the purpose of filling the vacancy. The meeting was short. President Snow informing the brethren that the First Presidency had considered the names suggested and had decided on Elder Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the quorum if his selection was approved by the members of the quorum. The nomination was seconded and unanimously carried. Elder Reed Smoot was then called into the room and informed of his being called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elder Franklin D. Richards, President of that quorum. After receiving the counsel of his brethren Elder Smoot manifested his willingness to magnify his calling and labor with his brethren for the best interests of the Kingdom of God. The meeting then adjourned, and at the afternoon session of conference the general authorities of the Church were unanimously sustained by the people, including Elder Smoot as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. By reason of being senior apostle in the Quorum I act as president but there has not been the slightest acknowledgement of my presidency in any shape by the Presidency. After I had gone to bed a [Salt Lake] Tribune Reporter got into the house and wanted to interview me on this point. I would not see him and sent word subject could not be discussed. Reed Smoot from Provo [Utah] was chosen to fill vacancy in Apostles Quorum. It was a surprise. He was chosen because he was a business man. I can think of no other reason. Conference convened at 10 A.M. Singing. Reed Smoot was sustained as an Apostle to fill the vacancy caused by the death of F[ranklin]. D. Richards. Pres[ident]. Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon said: "To me Joseph Smith was a perfect man. I regarded Brigham Young in the same light." Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow told the Priesthood Meeting: "This Church must have a revenue of millions. What for? To buy up the land of Zion. It must be obtained by purchase. The time is near when each man will have all the wealth he disires. We have $36000.00 less interest to pay than we had 9 months ago." At the Priesthood Meeting Pres[ident]. Cannon said: "The Brig[ham]. Young Monument Fund has become a burden & I do not approve of it. If the people pay their tithing they do well & church authorities should not be used to collect funds for special purposes. If people desire to untie for a special purpose it is all right but unless it is a move in general interest of the Church it should not be placed upon the people." [A]ttended to the purchase of things for our South America trip. The boys were set apart in the afternoon, under the hands of Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman and [John W.] Taylor. Apostle Lyman was mouth when I was set apart. We all received good blessings. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Brigham Young Jr., Diary; J. Golden Kimball, Diary; Anthony W. Ivins, Diary, April 6, 1900; Benjamin Cluff Jr., Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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According to the request of President [Lorenzo] Snow the members of the Apostles quorum suggested names for the vacancy in their quorum which is to be filled at this conference today. Immediately after the forenoon session today the brethren of the quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency met in the President's office for the purpose of filling the vacancy. The meeting was short. President Snow informing the brethren that the First Presidency had considered the names suggested and had decided on Elder Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the quorum if his selection was approved by the members of the quorum. The nomination was seconded and unanimously carried. Elder Reed Smoot was then called into the room and informed of his being called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elder Franklin D. Richards, President of that quorum. After receiving the counsel of his brethren Elder Smoot manifested his willingness to magnify his calling and labor with his brethren for the best interests of the Kingdom of God. The meeting then adjourned, and at the afternoon session of conference the general authorities of the Church were unanimously sustained by the people, including Elder Smoot as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1)
-- Apr 8, 1999
According to the request of President [Lorenzo] Snow the members of the Apostles quorum suggested names for the vacancy in their quorum which is to be filled at this conference today. Immediately after the forenoon session today the brethren of the quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency met in the President's office for the purpose of filling the vacancy. The meeting was short. President Snow informing the brethren that the First Presidency had considered the names suggested and had decided on Elder Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the quorum if his selection was approved by the members of the quorum. The nomination was seconded and unanimously carried. Elder Reed Smoot was then called into the room and informed of his being called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elder Franklin D. Richards, President of that quorum. After receiving the counsel of his brethren Elder Smoot manifested his willingness to magnify his calling and labor with his brethren for the best interests of the Kingdom of God. The meeting then adjourned, and at the afternoon session of conference the general authorities of the Church were unanimously sustained by the people, including Elder Smoot as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. By reason of being senior apostle in the Quorum I act as president but there has not been the slightest acknowledgement of my presidency in any shape by the Presidency. After I had gone to bed a [Salt Lake] Tribune Reporter got into the house and wanted to interview me on this point. I would not see him and sent word subject could not be discussed. Reed Smoot from Provo [Utah] was chosen to fill vacancy in Apostles Quorum. It was a surprise. He was chosen because he was a business man. I can think of no other reason. Conference convened at 10 A.M. Singing. Reed Smoot was sustained as an Apostle to fill the vacancy caused by the death of F[ranklin]. D. Richards. Pres[ident]. Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon said: "To me Joseph Smith was a perfect man. I regarded Brigham Young in the same light." Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow told the Priesthood Meeting: "This Church must have a revenue of millions. What for? To buy up the land of Zion. It must be obtained by purchase. The time is near when each man will have all the wealth he disires. We have $36000.00 less interest to pay than we had 9 months ago." At the Priesthood Meeting Pres[ident]. Cannon said: "The Brig[ham]. Young Monument Fund has become a burden & I do not approve of it. If the people pay their tithing they do well & church authorities should not be used to collect funds for special purposes. If people desire to untie for a special purpose it is all right but unless it is a move in general interest of the Church it should not be placed upon the people." [A]ttended to the purchase of things for our South America trip. The boys were set apart in the afternoon, under the hands of Apostle [Francis M.] Lyman and [John W.] Taylor. Apostle Lyman was mouth when I was set apart. We all received good blessings. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Brigham Young Jr., Diary; J. Golden Kimball, Diary; Anthony W. Ivins, Diary, April 6, 1900; Benjamin Cluff Jr., Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 7, 1999
-- Apr 7, 1999
At general priesthood meeting, Lorenzo Snow presents "a book containing 10,000 names of non-Tithe payers," including that of Apostle John, W. Taylor. (1)
-- Sunday, Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
Conference convened at 10 a.m.
Rudger Clawson spoke on tithing. Joseph F. Smith followed on the same subject.
All of the Presidency and Apostles met at the President's office and agreed that Reed Smoot should fill the vacancy in the Council of the Apostles. He was invited in and told by Prest. Lorenzo Snow what had been decided upon. He said he had never dreamed of it nor had any feeling that he was fit for the place, but if the brethren felt he would do he would do his best. After Instructions by Presidents Lorenzo Snow, Geo. Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and Francis M. Lyman and myself our meeting dosed.
2 p.m. Conference.
All of the General Authoraties were sustained, Reed Smoot among the number. He spoke. (2)
-- Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Sunday. Salt Lake City. I attended Conference at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. At noon the Twelve went to the President's office and President Snow presented the name of Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the Twelve caused by the death of Franklin D. Richards. The name was unanimously approved by the Quorum of Apostles. (3)
-- Sunday, Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Snowing hard; heavy rain and snow during night. 12:30 noon. Meeting at the President's office. The First Presidency and Twelve were all present.
Pres. Snow referred to the vacancy occasioned by the death of the late Franklin D. Richards and said, we have decided on the man to fill it and hope the selection will suit you. The name of the man, he said, was Reed Smoot. We feel that he is the man the Lord wants. The nomination was seconded and approved by unanimous vote. Elder Reed Smoot was then called in from an adjoining room and was informed by Pres. Snow what had been decided upon and was invited to express himself regarding the matter. Pres. Snow said further, however, that in calling a man to be an apostle, we take into consideration the man whom the Lord wants, and who will give his heart to the work. We want a man who will be strong in the Lord and will so live that he can have the Spirit of the Lord to give him understanding and judgment in deciding matters of importance that may arise from time to time. We believe that you are such a man.
Elder Reed Smoot said he was willing to do anything the Lord required of him, but, nevertheless, he felt his unfitness for the appointment and was very weak. Pres. Snow explained how Moses was called of God to lead Israel. He felt his weakness, but God made him strong. Elder Smoot said he did not know how much help he would be to the quorum, as heretofore he had been engaged more particularly in financial matters. Pres. Snow said in reply, that he did not know either, but felt the Lord could qualify him for the labor.
Pres. Cannon remarked that, if he accepted the calling of an apostle, he would in a measure have to change his course of life, to which Elder Smoot assented, saying that he fully realized in accepting the apostleship, he would have to make it the first consideration.
Pres. Jos. F. Smith explained and dwelt upon the greatness of the apostleship and called attention to the importance of an apostle having the testimony of Jesus that he might thus become a special witness of his name in the world. An apostle should live above reproach, being strictly honest, faithful, and sincere. An apostle should be a man who will faithfully and completely sustain the authorities of the priesthood and the organizations of the church. We have a right to entertain and express our views and feelings, but we are not justified in standing out against the united decisions of the priesthood. While we may have our opinions, we must yield and obey the authority of God upon the earth.
Pres. Cannon said that in case Brother Reed Smoot is ordained an apostle, it is his privilege to see the Lord Jesus, if he so desires and shall live for it, that he may indeed become a special witness of Jesus. This privilege belongs to the apostleship. Warned him against entering into any cabal or association outside of the quorum. We should enter into the quorum or council meetings free from any previous considerations or understandings.
Apostle J. H. Smith asked Elder Smoot if he accepted Lorenzo Snow as the leader of the church and as having the right to counsel him in all things. He answered, yes, but further remarked that he was of a positive nature and when he saw and felt a thing to be right, it was hard for him to change and see it differently.
Pres. J. F. Smith remarked that the Presidency and Apostles were all constituted that way, but sometimes it became necessary to change our views. Pres. Snow said a condition like this has prevailed, namely, that there are men in the church who have stood out against the combined judgment of the First Presidency, the Twelve, the First Council of Seventies, the Patriarch, and the Presiding Bishopric. This, he said, was damnable and has in some measure grown out of the spirit of the devil in politics.
Apostle Lyman spoke briefly and said he felt that the Lord had brought Brother Smoot to his present position. His financial experience would be of benefit to the church.
Apostle Brigham Young questioned him in relation to the principle of tithing, and Elder Smoot said he was willing to be judged by his tithing record. Apostle Young further said to Brother Smoot, "Nothing must interfere with your duty as an apostle. You must be willing, humble, and obedient as a child. This was the charge given to me. I felt that everything that pertained to my power of life was subject to this calling."
Pres. Snow said, we will present you to the conference, and the church will accept you, of course. Anybody that can pass beyond the scrutiny of the Twelve, can pass into any place in the church. In conclusion Elder Smoot said that he would doubtless make many mistakes, but he hoped the brethren would be free to correct him. (4)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
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 - Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
4 - 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
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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At general priesthood meeting, Lorenzo Snow presents "a book containing 10,000 names of non-Tithe payers," including that of Apostle John, W. Taylor. (1)
-- Sunday, Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
Conference convened at 10 a.m.
Rudger Clawson spoke on tithing. Joseph F. Smith followed on the same subject.
All of the Presidency and Apostles met at the President's office and agreed that Reed Smoot should fill the vacancy in the Council of the Apostles. He was invited in and told by Prest. Lorenzo Snow what had been decided upon. He said he had never dreamed of it nor had any feeling that he was fit for the place, but if the brethren felt he would do he would do his best. After Instructions by Presidents Lorenzo Snow, Geo. Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and Francis M. Lyman and myself our meeting dosed.
2 p.m. Conference.
All of the General Authoraties were sustained, Reed Smoot among the number. He spoke. (2)
-- Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Sunday. Salt Lake City. I attended Conference at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. At noon the Twelve went to the President's office and President Snow presented the name of Reed Smoot to fill the vacancy in the Twelve caused by the death of Franklin D. Richards. The name was unanimously approved by the Quorum of Apostles. (3)
-- Sunday, Apr 8, 1999
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Snowing hard; heavy rain and snow during night. 12:30 noon. Meeting at the President's office. The First Presidency and Twelve were all present.
Pres. Snow referred to the vacancy occasioned by the death of the late Franklin D. Richards and said, we have decided on the man to fill it and hope the selection will suit you. The name of the man, he said, was Reed Smoot. We feel that he is the man the Lord wants. The nomination was seconded and approved by unanimous vote. Elder Reed Smoot was then called in from an adjoining room and was informed by Pres. Snow what had been decided upon and was invited to express himself regarding the matter. Pres. Snow said further, however, that in calling a man to be an apostle, we take into consideration the man whom the Lord wants, and who will give his heart to the work. We want a man who will be strong in the Lord and will so live that he can have the Spirit of the Lord to give him understanding and judgment in deciding matters of importance that may arise from time to time. We believe that you are such a man.
Elder Reed Smoot said he was willing to do anything the Lord required of him, but, nevertheless, he felt his unfitness for the appointment and was very weak. Pres. Snow explained how Moses was called of God to lead Israel. He felt his weakness, but God made him strong. Elder Smoot said he did not know how much help he would be to the quorum, as heretofore he had been engaged more particularly in financial matters. Pres. Snow said in reply, that he did not know either, but felt the Lord could qualify him for the labor.
Pres. Cannon remarked that, if he accepted the calling of an apostle, he would in a measure have to change his course of life, to which Elder Smoot assented, saying that he fully realized in accepting the apostleship, he would have to make it the first consideration.
Pres. Jos. F. Smith explained and dwelt upon the greatness of the apostleship and called attention to the importance of an apostle having the testimony of Jesus that he might thus become a special witness of his name in the world. An apostle should live above reproach, being strictly honest, faithful, and sincere. An apostle should be a man who will faithfully and completely sustain the authorities of the priesthood and the organizations of the church. We have a right to entertain and express our views and feelings, but we are not justified in standing out against the united decisions of the priesthood. While we may have our opinions, we must yield and obey the authority of God upon the earth.
Pres. Cannon said that in case Brother Reed Smoot is ordained an apostle, it is his privilege to see the Lord Jesus, if he so desires and shall live for it, that he may indeed become a special witness of Jesus. This privilege belongs to the apostleship. Warned him against entering into any cabal or association outside of the quorum. We should enter into the quorum or council meetings free from any previous considerations or understandings.
Apostle J. H. Smith asked Elder Smoot if he accepted Lorenzo Snow as the leader of the church and as having the right to counsel him in all things. He answered, yes, but further remarked that he was of a positive nature and when he saw and felt a thing to be right, it was hard for him to change and see it differently.
Pres. J. F. Smith remarked that the Presidency and Apostles were all constituted that way, but sometimes it became necessary to change our views. Pres. Snow said a condition like this has prevailed, namely, that there are men in the church who have stood out against the combined judgment of the First Presidency, the Twelve, the First Council of Seventies, the Patriarch, and the Presiding Bishopric. This, he said, was damnable and has in some measure grown out of the spirit of the devil in politics.
Apostle Lyman spoke briefly and said he felt that the Lord had brought Brother Smoot to his present position. His financial experience would be of benefit to the church.
Apostle Brigham Young questioned him in relation to the principle of tithing, and Elder Smoot said he was willing to be judged by his tithing record. Apostle Young further said to Brother Smoot, "Nothing must interfere with your duty as an apostle. You must be willing, humble, and obedient as a child. This was the charge given to me. I felt that everything that pertained to my power of life was subject to this calling."
Pres. Snow said, we will present you to the conference, and the church will accept you, of course. Anybody that can pass beyond the scrutiny of the Twelve, can pass into any place in the church. In conclusion Elder Smoot said that he would doubtless make many mistakes, but he hoped the brethren would be free to correct him. (4)
Endnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
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 - Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
4 - 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
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Saturday, Apr 7, 1999
-- Saturday, Apr 7, 1999
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City [general conference]
7 p.m. Priesthood meeting.
Prest. Lorenzo Snow spoke on non-tithe payers. He exhibited a book in which he said ten thousand names were recorded who claimed standing in the church but paid no tithes. (1)
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Cloudy and cool, threatening rain. 7 p.m. General priesthood meeting in the tabernacle, Pres. Lorenzo Snow presiding.
The speakers were Pres L. Snow, Bp. [William B.] Preston, and Pres. G. Q. Cannon. Topics treated. Pres. Snow. Dwelt upon the law of tithing. Referred to a large book which he exhibited to view containing the names of the non-tithe-payers of the church, amounting to 10,000 in number. Spoke very pointedly and forcibly in relation to the book and thought it showed a very serious and lamentable condition, notwithstanding the great improvement made during the past year. It was estimated, he said, that there were 30,000 non-tithe-payers in 1898. Felt that, if the authorities in the stakes had done their duty in bringing the matter to the attention of the people more fully, the showing would have been very different--perhaps there would have been not more than half the non-tithe-payers here exhibited. Said the matter of paying tithing was very important, as among other things the redemption of Zion (namely, Jackson County) would be brought about by purchase with the tithes of the people.
In order to improve and correct conditions as they exist at present, had concluded to divide up the 42 stakes of Zion among the Twelve and make them responsible to look into the matter of tithe-paying. Spoke of the greatness and importance of the calling of a bishop.
Bp. Preston made brief remarks and spoke of the neglect of teachers and priests in carrying this law to the people. Elders in Israel who fail to pay tithing are not worthy to hold the priesthood.
Pres. G. Q. Cannon thought the showing made a dreadful one. He felt that the paying of tithes as essential as the laying on of hands or in fact as any other principle of the gospel. Men who have no means should have the privilege of paying their tithing in labor--namely, by giving one day in ten. (2)
Endnotes:
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, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
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, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City [general conference]
7 p.m. Priesthood meeting.
Prest. Lorenzo Snow spoke on non-tithe payers. He exhibited a book in which he said ten thousand names were recorded who claimed standing in the church but paid no tithes. (1)
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Cloudy and cool, threatening rain. 7 p.m. General priesthood meeting in the tabernacle, Pres. Lorenzo Snow presiding.
The speakers were Pres L. Snow, Bp. [William B.] Preston, and Pres. G. Q. Cannon. Topics treated. Pres. Snow. Dwelt upon the law of tithing. Referred to a large book which he exhibited to view containing the names of the non-tithe-payers of the church, amounting to 10,000 in number. Spoke very pointedly and forcibly in relation to the book and thought it showed a very serious and lamentable condition, notwithstanding the great improvement made during the past year. It was estimated, he said, that there were 30,000 non-tithe-payers in 1898. Felt that, if the authorities in the stakes had done their duty in bringing the matter to the attention of the people more fully, the showing would have been very different--perhaps there would have been not more than half the non-tithe-payers here exhibited. Said the matter of paying tithing was very important, as among other things the redemption of Zion (namely, Jackson County) would be brought about by purchase with the tithes of the people.
In order to improve and correct conditions as they exist at present, had concluded to divide up the 42 stakes of Zion among the Twelve and make them responsible to look into the matter of tithe-paying. Spoke of the greatness and importance of the calling of a bishop.
Bp. Preston made brief remarks and spoke of the neglect of teachers and priests in carrying this law to the people. Elders in Israel who fail to pay tithing are not worthy to hold the priesthood.
Pres. G. Q. Cannon thought the showing made a dreadful one. He felt that the paying of tithes as essential as the laying on of hands or in fact as any other principle of the gospel. Men who have no means should have the privilege of paying their tithing in labor--namely, by giving one day in ten. (2)
Endnotes:
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, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
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, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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Lorenzo Snow, Apr 5, 1900; Thursday
-- Apr 5, 1900; Thursday
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 o'clock. The stockholders of Z.C.M.I. held a meeting in the office and elected a board of directors.
At 11 o'clock the First Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting at the Temple. There were present: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson.
President Snow as trustee-in-trust presented an elaborate financial report, showing receipts of the Church from all sources during the past year, also the disbursements.
On motion the report was received and approved and ordered filed.
President Snow made some remarks in relation to the report, and expressed his gratitude that the credit of the Church was so much better now than it was a year ago, because all danger had been removed of creditors making demands that could not be met. The President dwelt on the subject of tithing, and urged the
brethren to keep this subject alive in their hearts and among the Saints. He also spoke of a condition that existed in some Stakes where the brethren were feeble or because of the state of their health were not able to look after the interests of the people, and while it was unpleasant to ask such men to resign yet they should be willing to occupy other positions and let younger men who were in the vigor of youth take hold of the burdens under which they were laboring. He thought it was wise to inform those who were called to positions of this kind that they were to act as long as their services were blessings to the people. No man because of infirmity would lose his Priesthood and a man who should resign from his calling as a Bishop or President of the Stake did not step down or backwards, but held just as much Priesthood and could still be useful in the Church in some other calling.
After a few general remarks on the subject of tithing by the brethren, President Snow stated that there wqas a vacancy in the Council of Apostles caused through the death of President Franklin D. Richards, and he invited the brethren to hand in to him two names each of persons whom they thought worthy and could recommend to fill the vacancy.
Elder Merrill stated that he favored the Presidency uniting on a name and presenting it to the Council and President Snow answered that the Presidency would decide, but would like the apostles to express their individual suggestions.
President Snow then stated that there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. It was understood by the members of the Council that Elder Brigham Young was ordained an Apostle before President Cannon or President Joseph F. Smith, and there might be a question regarding the standing of these brethren in relation to seniority in the quorum, since both President George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were ordained as members of the quorum and were received into the quorum before Elder Young. Each of the brethren spoke to the question and all were agreed that the seniority should be based on the time the brethren were admitted to the quorum and not from the date of ordination, which in this particular instance took place when the quorum was full. Therefore the unanimous decision was the ranking order of these brethren was, first President George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and then Brigham Young.
The council then partook of the sacrament, Brother Young offering the prayer over the emblems. ... (1)
-- Apr 5, 1999
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 o'clock. The stockholders of Z.C.M.I. held a meeting in the office and elected a board of directors. At 11 o'clock the First Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting at the Temple. There were present: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson. President Snow as trustee-in-trust presented an elaborate financial report, showing receipts of the Church from all sources during the past year, also the disbursements. On motion the report was received and approved and ordered filed. President Snow made some remarks in relation to the report, and expressed his gratitude that the credit of the Church was so much better now than it was a year ago, because all danger had been removed of creditors making demands that could not be met. The President dwelt on the subject of tithing, and urged the brethren to keep this subject alive in their hearts and among the Saints. He also spoke of a condition that existed in some Stakes where the brethren were feeble or because of the state of their health were not able to look after the interests of the people, and while it was unpleasant to ask such men to resign yet they should be willing to occupy other positions and let younger men who were in the vigor of youth take hold of the burdens under which they were laboring. He thought it was wise to inform those who were called to positions of this kind that they were to act as long as their services were blessings to the people. No man because of infirmity would lose his Priesthood and a man who should resign from his calling as a Bishop or President of the Stake did not step down or backwards, but held just as much Priesthood and could still be useful in the Church in some other calling. After a few general remarks on the subject of tithing by the brethren, President Snow stated that there was a vacancy in the Council of Apostles caused through the death of President Franklin D. Richards, and he invited the brethren to hand in to him two names each of persons whom they thought worthy and could recommend to fill the vacancy. Elder Merrill stated that he favored the Presidency uniting on a name and presenting it to the Council and President Snow answered that the Presidency would decide, but would like the apostles to express their individual suggestions. President Snow then stated that there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. It was understood by the members of the Council that Elder Brigham Young was ordained an Apostle before President Cannon or President Joseph F. Smith, and there might be a question regarding the standing of these brethren in relation to seniority in the quorum, since both President George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were ordained as members of the quorum and were received into the quorum before Elder Young. Each of the brethren spoke to the question and all were agreed that the seniority should be based on the time the brethren were admitted to the quorum and not from the date of ordination, which in this particular instance took place when the quorum was full. Therefore the unanimous decision was the ranking order of these brethren was, first President George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and then Brigham Young. The council then partook of the sacrament, Brother Young offering the prayer over the emblems. ... ... Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow then said there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. In one sense it might be considered a delicate subject, but in another sense, which was the light in which the Council would consider it, there was no delicacy whatever about it, and that is, in regard to the man who was the proper person to preside over the quorum of the Twelve; in other words, who now is the senior member in the quorum, Bro[ther]. Brigham [Young Jr.], Pres[iden]t. Joseph F. Smith or Pres[iden]t. George Q. Cannon? It seems that Brigham was ordained an Apostle before either Bro[ther]. Cannon or Bro[ther]. Joseph but he was not received into the quorum until after both of them had been. I do not know of course how long I shall live, and should I pass away say within the next twenty four hours, who would be the President of the quorum, Pres[iden]t. Cannon, Pres[iden]t. Smith, or Bro[ther]. Brigham? If we consider that Brigham is the senior apostle, then he would be the President; of this there could be no doubt. (Bro[ther]. Young interposed, intimating that there was no question as between President Cannon and himself.) President Snow: Then in case of my death there could be no question but what Pres[iden]t. Cannon would be the next President of the Church. What we now want to understand then is, which ranks the highest, Brigham or Joseph? The question was then given to the Council. Pres[iden]t. Smith said he did not wish to be heard on the question, but asked permission to state that the Church Chronology (published by Andrew Jenson) gives the ordination of Bro[ther]. Brigham and Bro[ther]. John W. Young in 1855. The same work also states that Pres[iden]t. Cannon was chosen in 1859, but was not ordained until 1860. Pres[iden]t. Smith added, that he wished it understood by the Council that this was a matter upon which he had never before said a word. Bro[ther]. Young, in response to this, said, that he expressed himself upon this subject when it was up for consideration; that both he and Bro[ther]. Joseph differed on it, but that both had expressed themselves perfectly willing to submit to the mind of the Lord when it should be decided. This was the way he (the speaker) had expressed himself on it, and this was the way he felt now. Bro[ther]. [Francis M.] Lyman said his feeling had always been like this, whenever he had thought on the subject: That seniority of the Twelve Apostles who held the keys of the kingdom, dated fro the time they were called of God to be of the Twelve Apostles and presented to the Church, and endorsed and sustained and recognized by the church as members of the quorum of the twelve. That, he said, has been my view on this question. Hence, knowing that Brother Joseph F. Smith was in the quorum, and was received and recognized by the church and by the Lord as one of His chosen apostles, he therefore ranks from that date, and that no man who has come into the quorum since that time--neither Bro[ther]. Brigham, myself, or anyone else can rank him, and therefore he is our senior, and we his juniors. Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith said that he regarded this as a very important question from the fact that he understood there had been quite a number of men ordained apostles who had never been voted upon as such by the church. His kinsman, for instance, Joseph Smith [III], who stood at the head of the Re-organized Church, claims that he was ordained an apostle by his father. Of course his claim as such is not before this Council, neither can it be as he is an enemy to this church. The speaker said he desired greatly to be right on such a proposition as this, and therefore it did not become a question of man in his mind, it mattered not who was involved in it as it was a vital question of principle, and in this light only could it be considered. Bro[ther]. Smith aid he recognized the right of the President of the Church to ordain his sons apostles if he choose to exercise that right, and he took it for granted that the late President [Brigham] Young ordained Brigham and others of his brother apostles, and he supposed the history was correct in stating that Brigham and John W. were ordained before Pres[iden]t. Cannon; but it struck him that the action of the people on such ordinations was of supremest moment, and therefore whenever their action was taken, that would be considered the basis. On this phase of the propos
ition, the question of man was simply this: has a father--himself being an apostle--a right to ordain his son to the apostleship, and that son to preside without the action of the church, his ordination ante-dating that of the man chosen and acted upon by the church? The speaker said, to his mind there was but one view to be taken to safeguard the church and this council, and to the maintenance of their dignity in the world, such ordinations were dependent upon joint action, first, on the presentation by the First Presidency to the Council of the Apostles for their acceptance, and then to the people for their approval, and then he must be ordained in the proper way; otherwise it would open a door for questions to be sprung entirely unlooked for, and even the claim of his kinsman, Joseph, of the Re-organized Church, might not be barred from a consideration. His view therefore was that the safety of the organization of the church must be based on the action of the people, the action of the Presidency and Apostles, and the final action of ordination after having been passed upon legitimate lines. President Snow: Your view then is that Joseph is the senior of Brigham? The speaker answered yes. Bro[ther]. George Teasdale understood it was on record that Pres[iden]t. Cannon was ordained on August 26th, 1860; and he understood that Bro[ther]. Brigham was set apart as an apostle in October 1868, and that Bro[ther]. Joseph was received into the quorum October 6th, 1867. According to that, there could be no question about Joseph being the senior of Brigham. It was a question in his mind whether a man presiding over the church could ordain his sons apostles and expect the quorum to receive them as such. The twelve Apostles is an organization, and in that organization we will say a vacancy exists, and a man who might have been secretly ordained an apostle by his father, who perhaps had the right to so ordain him, comes and claims recognition of the quorum, stating that he was ordained on such and such a date. (Bro[ther]. Young interposed, stating for the information of Bro[ther]. Teasdale, that Bro[ther]. Kimball was present when he was ordained. Pres[iden]t. Smith corrected Bro[ther]. Young by saying that from a conversation he had with Pres[iden]t. Kimball, Bro[ther]. Young was mistaken on that point.) Bro[ther]. Teasdale, continuing, said that the revelations set forth the manner in which ordinations to the priesthood should be performed, that is, that before men were ordained they were presented to the body of the people, either in a ward capacity, a council of the priesthood or conference capacity. The question before the Council now in reality was no more or less than this: have I a right, as an apostle, to ordain my son, and he a right to come before this quorum to fill a vacancy in the quorum? And as to the question of seniority between Bro[ther]s. Joseph and Brigham, the record showed that Joseph was sustained by the general Conference as a member of the quorum a year or so before Bro[ther]. Brigham. President Smith asked to say a word in relation to President Brigham Young's ordaining some of his sons apostles. He said he was present in a circle meeting of the Twelve and the Presidency of the church, the date of which he was not clear on, but it might have been at the meeting when he himself was chosen an Apostle, and if not at that particular time, it was very near it. Pres[iden]t. Young informed the Twelve that he had ordained some of his sons to the apostleship, and that it was his right to bestow any blessing which he had power to bestow by virtue of his priesthood on his posterity. And he said, you brethren of the Twelve have a right to confer the same blessing on your sons. Pres[iden]t. Smith stated that he distinctly remembered President Young so expressing himself at one of the quorum meetings. Pres[iden]t. Cannon, after Pres[iden]t. Smith had taken his seat, and while retaining his own, said he was present at that meeting, and corroborated what Pres[iden]t. Smith had now stated; and he remembered too that President Young proposed at another meeting that Charles Kimball, who had just returned from a mission to England, be ordained an apostle in the same way. But Pres[iden]t. Kimball objected to doing this as he did not want Charlie to stand ahead of the older boys. Bro[ther]. [Heber J.] Grant was now invited to express himself. He said it seemed to him that seniority ranked fro the day a man became a member of this quorum. He referred to the time in the history of the quorum when it was proposed that the late Daniel H. Wells become a member of the quorum. If that proposition had carried and Bro[ther]. Wells had become a member, there was no question but what he would have come in at the foot, notwithstanding the fact that he had previously been ordained an apostle. The speaker said he could not see how Bro[ther]. Joseph could have voted for Bro[ther]. Brigham to be a member of this quorum and Bro[ther]. Brigham to be his senior in it; and besides, it may be that when Bro[ther]. Brigham was ordained or set apart as a member of the quorum that Bro[ther]. Joseph united with the other members of the quorum in the ordination or setting apart. Bro[ther]. John W. Taylor said he held the same views expressed by the brethren. Referring to President Young's ordaining some of his sons apostles, the speaker said if ordination to the apostleship is to constitute seniority in this quorum, President Young's other sons would naturally be the seniors of a great many members of this quorum. The speaker read from the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 107, 22nd verse, showing how the First Presidency became the First Presidency of the Church, and added that it was clear that their administration as First Presidency commenced from the time they were accepted and sustained by the general Conference of the church. Bro[ther]. [Marriner Wood] Merrill said he had always held the view that had been expressed here to the effect that seniority in the quorum dated from the time we became members of the quorum. He never knew which of these brethren was ordained first; but whichever came into the quorum first was the senior of the two. This he said was his view in short. Bro[ther]. [Anthon H.] Lund believed, as stated, that a man ranked from the time he was ordained or set apart in the quorum, hence Bro[ther]. Joseph ranked Bro[ther]. Brigham in the quorum. Bro[ther]. [Matthias F.] Cowley said he was entirely of the mind of the brethren on this question, that seniority should date from the time of admission into the quorum and not from the date of ordination. But he once entertained a different idea on this subject and related the following, showing how he conceived it: When a boy, he said, I was appointed to repeat the names of the Presidency and Twelve Apostles of the church in their order to the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of the 14th Ward. I discovered by reading Bro[ther]. George A. Smith's Answers to Questions that Joseph F. Smith was taken into the council before Bro[ther]. Brigham Young, and yet at general conference Elder Young's name was read before Elder Smith's. I wondered why this was, when the latter was in the quorum first. I went to President Woodruff for an explanation. He said they had followed the plan in this matter by ranking the Twelve according to date of ordination, and Bro[ther]. Young had been ordained before Bro[ther]. Smith. When Amasa Lyman left the quorum President Young, not wishing to place his own son in the vacancy as it might seem conspicuous, called Bro[ther]. Smith into the Council first. I was led to infer from this explanation that had it not been for the peculiar circumstances associated with the fall of Elder Lyman that Bro[ther]. Brigham would likely have been called into the Council before Bro[ther]. Joseph F. Smith. This fact, and the prior ordination of the former, probably led President Young to place Bro[ther]. Brigham before Bro[ther]. Joseph F. in presenting their names at conference. Bro[ther]. Cowley concluded by saying that in view of all the facts and the inconsistencies which m
ight arise from ranking by date of ordination, it was his firm conviction that they should rank from the date they become members of the quorum of Twelve Apostles. Bro[ther]. [Rudger] Clawson said that from his judgment of the case Pres[iden]t. Smith was certainly Bro[ther]. Young's senior in the quorum. Bro[ther]. [Abraham Owen] Woodruff said that he was agreed with the brethren, and he thought it would be a very dangerous precedent to recognize any different rule, as there was no telling what complicated questions might arise. President Snow asked President Cannon to express himself, and while Pres[iden]t. Cannon was turning over the pages of the Doctrine and Covenants, Pres[iden]t. Snow said: What I am going to say does not apply to Bro[ther]. Brigham; but there is just one thing that a Latter-day Saint, an elder of Israel, should never forget; it should be a bright, illuminating star before him all the time--in his heart, in his soul, and all through him--that is, he need not worry in the least as to whether he should either be a deacon or president of the church; it is sufficient for him to know that his destiny is to be like his Father, a God in eternity. He will not only be president of a church, but he may see himself president of a kingdom, president of worlds, with never-ending opportunities to enlarge his sphere of dominion. I saw this principle after being in the church but a short time; it was made as clear to me as the noon-day sun, and I expressed it in this language: As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be. This thought in the breasts of men filled with the light of the Holy Spirit tends to purify him and cleanse him from every ambitious or improper feeling. This glorious opportunity of becoming truly great belongs to every faithful elder in Israel; it is his by right divine, and he will not have to come before this or any other quorum to have his status defined. He may be a God in eternity; he may become like his Father, doing the works which his Father did before him, and he cannot be deprived of the opportunity of reaching this exalted state. Addressing himself to Bro[ther]. Young, the President said, Now, Bro[ther]. Brigham, you can see what the action of this Council is going to be. I never sought to be a Seventy or a High Priest, because this eternal principle was revealed to me long before I was ordained to the priesthood. The position which I now occupy is as nothing compared to what I expect to occupy in the future. President Cannon now arose and said that he did not know that he ought to say anything on the question before the Council, as his standing was involved to a certain extent according to the memory of some of the brethren. The question arose in his mind, How were we going to decide dates of ordination, or settle questions of dates of ordinations. Bro[ther]. Jenson, as the author of the little book entitled Church Chronology, had been referred to, but Bro[ther]. Jenson was no authority on such questions. He (Bro[ther]. Jenson) did not know when Brigham, John W., or Joseph A. were ordained unless he got it from somebody's memory as there was no public record of it. If there was a public record of such transactions we could all feel at ease. He had an impression, however, though he knew nothing about it, that Brigham and Joseph A. were ordained Apostles before he himself was. During President [John] Taylor's lifetime, Pres[iden]t. Cannon said he had several conversations with him in regard to Bro[ther]. Wells' ordination, and he asked him this question: Suppose all of the Twelve should pass away and I be left as the senior Apostle, (Pres[iden]t. Cannon here remarked that he ought to say this was prompted with only a natural desire to understand things, and of course with no other) how would I stand as compared with Bro[ther]. Wells on the question of seniority, he having been ordained an apostle before me, but was not a member of the quorum of the Twelve? President Taylor answered that his prior ordination under those circumstances would make no difference, that I would be the senior member. How would you reconcile that, with the fact that Bro[ther]. Wells laid his hands on my head in connection with ten of the Twelve and the First Presidency when I was ordained an Apostle, I asked? That makes no difference, he answered; you are in the quorum of the Twelve and accepted as a member thereof, and the quorum of the Twelve is the presiding quorum if anything happens to the Fist Presidency. Now the thought comes to my mind, Pres[iden]t. Cannon added, that there might be exceptions to this rule, even where there is an organized quorum with its members standing in their positions according to the dates of their ordination and their admission into the quorum, and still there might be exceptions. the speaker now read from the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 93, 94 and 95 of Section 124, as follows, speaking of Hyrum Smith: "That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed, that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ["]And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph, ["]That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph, and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery." Pres[iden]t. Cannon then said when this revelation was given (1841) Joseph [Smith] was recognized as the only prophet, seer and revelator in the church. The twelve had not received their endowments; but Hyrum [Smith] was chosen then to be a prophet, seer and revelator. President Young said after the death of the Prophet Joseph, that if Hyrum had lived he would have presided over this church, for Joseph had ordained him. But, said the speaker, that was a special rule, a departure from the general rule. The church was at sea as to who should be the successor of Joseph, and it was this state of things that brought forth the remark from President Young, that if Hyrum had lived--and it was Joseph's wish that he should live, and for that reason he did not want Hyrum to accompany him to Carthage--he would have been President of the church. This was a special revelation from the Lord appointing him; but there has been no departure since the death of Joseph from the rule that now prevails. Upon Joseph's death Brigham Young was the President of the Twelve Apostles and the senior Apostle, and by virtue of that position and seniority he presided. Sidney Rigdon claimed the guardianship of the church; but from the moment that Brigham spoke in public to the people they recognized where the authority rested. Sidney had to fall back because he did not belong to the organized quorum of the Twelve. The same when President Young died, John Taylor, being president of the Twelve and the senior Apostle succeeded him. So at the death of President Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, being the senior Apostle, and the president of the quorum of the twelve, succeeded to the Presidency. Uncertainty on so important a thing as ordination is sufficient to almost invalidate the ordination, when it comes to a question of president of the church especially. If John W. Young were to claim to preside over the church, the first thing I should ask for would be evidence of his ordination. He might, for instance, say he was ordained in 1855--I may say that I never heard the date of his ordination--and the question would arise immediately, How could it be decided? We can all see that to entertain such a claim would involve unspeakable difficulty. There is only one course to take (we are talking of course on principle and succession to the presidency and not individuals--for when it comes to individuals we can all say we love Bro[ther]. Joseph F. and we love Bro[ther]. Brigham, and our love for the individ
ual should not for one moment influence us in regard to the principle involved)--but there is only one course that can be taken, and taken in safety, and that is the course suggested by all the brethren who have spoken. So far as I am concerned, I would not turn my hand over to occupy any place of the kind. I have prayed the Lord to spare my life, and not remove me from the earth to give place to somebody to rank me; I would rather live to honor the priesthood I hold than to preside over the Quorum of the Twelve or the church; and I would be willing that Joseph F., Brigham, or Bro[ther]. Lyman should preside if they would only give me a chance to magnify myself as an apostle. Bro[ther]. Brigham Young then said if he were not esteemed as highly as some of his more favored brethren, he could say that everything that is in him was in this work; but he did not like to be classed with men who had hindered, and in some instances opposed the work of God. (Bro[ther]. John Henry interposed, saying that if Bro[ther]. Brigham wished it he stood ready to apologize, but assured him that in mentioning the name of his kinsman, Joseph Smith, he had no intention whatever of making any such comparison. Referring again to the subject under consideration, Bro[ther]. John Henry said: People have questioned me in regard to this matter, and I have answered them, if anything happened to President Snow I should stand by George Q. Cannon.) The speaker said that if God would only spare him and give him ability to honor and magnify his priesthood as an apostle he would gladly become the junior member and in his heart thank the Lord for so exalted a position. I welcome Bro[ther]. Joseph F., if I stand next to him,--that is, if I do--yes, I welcome him as sincerely as I do that man (pointing to President Snow). I accept the situation and I thank God for it. People have bored me on this question. I wanted it settled, and it virtually has been settled. My father and Bro[ther]. George A. Smith put me there, as I understand it, and upon one occasion when I went to my father and said to him that my position was very embarrassing, and it had caused me untold agony, father turned round and said, "It's just right, as it is, you let it alone." God levels all such things. I thank Him for President Snow; I shall thank him for the man, whoever he may be, whether President Cannon or President Smith, who shall succeed President Snow--that is, if I survive our honored president. God help me to honor my position and calling in this quorum, and I shall give Him the glory, Amen. Pres[iden]t. Snow now said there would be no change from the present state of things. President Cannon is my first counselor and President Smith my second counselor, and they will continue in that relation to me without doubt while I live and have my good senses; and of course Brigham will act as the senior member of the quorum in all meetings of his quorum when they (Presidents Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith) are not present. I do not suppose President Cannon would want to resign his position as counselor and ask the brethren to accept him as their president; I doubt very much whether the quorum would do so even if he should have that desire, and nobody thinks for a moment that he would have it. What I mean by this is, that the quorum would naturally feel that President Cannon's place is in the First Presidency where he now belongs, and that they would not want him to sacrifice his standing in the first Presidency to become their associate in the Quorum and president. And the same in reference to Bro[ther]. Joseph. I do not think he would wish to resign from the First Presidency and request a position of this kind; but as I said in the beginning, if I were to die, Pres[iden]t. Cannon and Pres[iden]t. Smith would then take their places in the quorum as you have expressed it here; and in order to settle forever this question, we will take a vote upon it: Bro[ther]. Cannon would take his place in the quorum ranking as the first man, and Joseph would take his place ranking as the second man, and Bro[ther]. Young his place, next, and so on. It may be that neither of them may live to occupy this position of president; the Lord makes some very sudden and unexpected changes. He did it in reference to Joseph the Prophet. none of us who were his associates believed for a moment that he would go and leave us under those circumstances; the same with Hyrum, his brother. But the Lord's ways are different from man's ways. We didn't expect that President Young would die when he did. He had a desire to live to go back to Jackson County, and expressed that desire to me many a time. But we desire to be found ready for any emergency, and to avoid confusion or disorder or contention should the unexpected happen. You, in expressing your feelings, have expressed my feelings; and it is perfectly clear to my mind that this question should be decided, and decided as you have indicated. I say, it is perfectly clear to my mind that this should be done, and done in this way, and I have no hesitancy whatever in regard to it. Bro[ther]. Brigham will have all the honor he wants, especially when he and I get over on the other side; it may take time to gratify all our wishes, but time will bring to us all that we could possibly desire in righteousness before the Lord. Bro[ther]. Young responded Amen to President Snow. The President then put the question, all who think it right and proper that Bro[ther]. Joseph hereafter ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham, signify by the usual sign. Vote declared unanimous. President Smith now remarked that the decision now reached was the same as that rendered by President Taylor, that is, that seniority ranked from the time that apostles became members of the quorum of the Twelve. When this subject was considered, and this decision reached, President Cannon was in Washington. The speaker said he remembered it very well because he thought at the time that the question then decided might arise again in the future. In speaking upon it, President Taylor cited the fact that President Woodruff had ranked him for many years because he was an older man; but when the question of seniority was considered and acted upon by President Young, President Taylor was put in his proper place. besides, this has been the rule of the quorum from the days of President Young. Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Erastus Snow, Charles C. Rich all ranked in the quorum in order as they became members of the quorum. At the time that this matter was acted upon another question was considered, namely, that of ordaining little children to the priesthood during a time of serious sickness when their lives were despaired of, and they should afterwards recover and grow up to manhood. Pres[iden]t. Taylor gave this decision in such cases: That while it was unnecessary under those circumstances to ordain infants to the priesthood there was no harm in it; but if they should recover and grow up to man's estate, such ordinations should not be regarded as ordinations to the priesthood, and they therefore would have to be ordained by the proper church authority. The fact that President Young informed the quorum of the Twelve that he had ordained some of his sons to the apostleship, and if they (the Apostles) felt disposed to do the same thing with their sons, it was their privilege to do so, made it perfectly clear that this was simply a gift of good will of the fathers to their sons arising from a desire to give to their sons that which they possessed themselves; but, Pres[iden]t. Smith added, he did not think such an ordination could cut any more figure with respect to this council than if such ordinations had never taken place. On one occasion Bro[ther]. Heber C. Kimball told him that President Young had informed him that he had ordained his sons, Joseph A., Brigham and Heber apostles, but nothing was said about John W. having been ordained an apostle. (Bro[ther]. Brigham here remarked that John W. was ordained, however, but not his Brother Heber at that time.) Pres[iden]t. Smith continuing, said that Bro[ther]. Kimball felt
very badly about it, as he had not been consulted; he felt that President Young ought to have had a little more confidence in him. Bro[ther]. Kimball remarked on this same occasion that it was his privilege also to ordain his sons apostles, but he expressed the view that the only right way to do in such cases was to follow the accepted rules and methods of the church. This was confidential talk. Bro[ther]. Kimball also said, Joseph, you will be one of the apostles. I remember distinctly the effect this expression had on my mind, Pres[iden]t. Smith said. I dreaded to hear it; it made me feel that I had rather he had not said it, in fact, I felt very sorry he had told me such a thing. When I was ordained an apostle by Pres[iden]t. Young Pres[iden]t. Kimball was not present, and knew nothing of the ordination, and in fact I was put under covenant not to say anything about it. One day afterwards Bro[ther]. Kimball again spoke on this subject, repeating what he had said before, that I would yet become an apostle. I felt very much humiliated to think that I could not tell Bro[ther]. Kimball that I had already been ordained to the apostleship, and I felt sorry to think that this should have been done without his knowledge. Pres[iden]t. Smith then closed by saying, I believe, Pres[iden]t. Snow, that the action of this Council on this important question is strictly right, and I sustain it with all my heart. I believe, too, that this has been made clear for all time to come, and that there will never be occasion again to question it; and that it would be understood hereafter that whenever a man becomes a member of the Council of Apostles he takes his position from the date of his ordination and acceptance in the quorum. Pres[iden]t. Snow: I do admire the spirit which this quorum possesses. When a subject is brought up for consideration which needs a revelation from the Lord to decide, we can decide it in a very few words. We see it clear in our own minds, and that is the way we should live. Pres[iden]t. Cannon expressed a wish to have the proceedings of this council passed upon by the council; and Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith thought that a copy should be furnished each of the apostles to be recorded in their own private journals. At the Council meeting held July 12th, 1900, at which meeting the above minutes were unanimously approved, it was reported by Elder Brigham Young that he had learned since the meeting of April 5th that his ordination was subsequent to that of President Cannon's; that himself and brothers were ordained apostles on the 4th of February, 1864. This he had learned from the private papers of his deceased father. It was decided, on motion of Pres[iden]t. [Joseph F.] Smith, to add this as a footnote to the report of the proceedings of the Council of April 5th. Minutes of a Meeting of the 1st Presidency and Apostles held at Salt Lake Temple August [sic; April] 1900 On the question who is the Senior Member of the Quorum of 12 apostles-- President L[orenzo] Snow presented the case Bro[ther]s B[righam] Young [Jr.] & Joseph F Smith each made a few preliminary remarks-- Bro[ther] F[rancis]. M Lyman spoke on the subject followed by Bro[thers] John Henry Smith, Geo[rge] Teasdale, Pre[sident] Jos[eph] F Smith, Pres[iden]t Geo[rge] Q Cannon--Bro[thers] Heber J Grant, John W Taylor M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill. Anthon H Lund--M[atthias]. F Cowley Rudger Clawson Abraham O[wen] Woodruff. Pres[ident] L[orenzo] Snow as follows: What I am going to say does not apply to Bro[ther]. Brigham; but there is just one thing that a Latter-day Saint, an Elder of Israel, should never forget; it should be a bright, illuminating star before him all the time--in his heart; in his soul, and all through him--that is, he need not worry in the least as to whether he should either be a deacon or president of the church, it is sufficient for him to Know that his destiny is to be like his Father, a God in eternity. He will not only be president of a church, but he may see himself president of a Kingdom, president of worlds, with never-ending opportunities to enlarge his sphere of dominion. I saw this principle after being in the church but a short time; it was made as clear to me as the noon-day sun, and I expressed it in this language: "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be." This thought in the breasts of men felled with the light of the Holy Spirit tends to purify him and cleans him from every ambitions or improper feeling. This glorious opportunity of becoming truly great belongs to every faithful elder in Israel; it is his by right divine, and he will not have to come before this or any other quorum to have his status defined. He may be a God in eternity; he may become like his Father, doing the works which his Father did before him, and he cannot be deprived of the opportunity of reaching this exalted state. Addressing himself to Bro[ther] Young, the President said. now Bro[ther]. Brigham, you can see what the action of this council is going to be. I never sought to be a Seventy or a High Priest, because this eternal principle was revealed to me long before I was ordained to the priesthood. The position which I now occupy is as nothing compared to what I expect to occupy in the future. Pres[iden]t Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon spoke Pres[ident] L[orenzo]. Snow now said there would be no change from the present state of things. President Cannon is my first Counselor and President Smith my second counselor, and they will continue in that relation to me without doubt while I live and have my good senses; and of course Brigham will act as the Senior member of the quorum in all meetings of his quorum when they (Presidents Geo[rge] Q Cannon and Joseph F Smith) are not present. I do not suppose President Cannon would want to resign his position as Counselor and ask the brethren to accept him as their president; I doubt very much whether the quorum would do so even if he should have that desire, and nobody thinks for a moment that he would have it. What I mean by this is, that the quorum would naturally feel that President Cannon's place is in the First Presidency where he now belongs, and that they would not want him to sacrifice his standing in the First Presidency to become their associate in the Quorum and president. and the same in reference to Bro[ther]. Joseph. I do not think he would wish to resign from the First Presidency and request a position of this kind; but as I said in the beginning, if I were to die, Pres[ident]. Cannon and Pres[ident]. Smith would then take their places in the quorum as you have expressed it here; and in order to settle forever this question, we will take a vote upon it: Bro[ther] Cannon would take his place in the quorum ranking as the first man, and Joseph would take his place ranking as the second man, and Bro[ther]. Young his place, next, and so on. It may be that neither of them may live to occupy this position of president; the Lord makes some very sudden and unexpected changes. He did it in reference to Joseph [Smith] the Prophet. None of us who were his associates believed for a moment that he would go and leave us under those circumstances; the same with Hyrum [Smith], his brother. But the Lord's ways are different from man's ways. We didn't expect that President [Brigham] Young would die when he did. He had a desire to live to go back to Jackson County [Missouri] and expressed that desire to me many a time. But we desire to be ready for any emergency, and to avoid confusion or disorder or contention should the unexpected happen. You, in expressing your feelings, have expressed my feelings; and it is perfectly clear to my mind that this question should be decided, and decided as you have indicated. I say, it is perfectly clear to my mind that this should be done, and done in this way, and I have no hesitancy whatever in regard to it. Bro[ther] Brigham will have all the honor he wants, especially when he and I get over on the other side; it may take time to gratify all our wishes, but time will bring to us all that we could possibly desire in righteousness before the Lord. Bro[ther] Young responde
d Amen to President Snow. The President then put the question, all who think it right and proper that Bro[ther] Joseph [F. Smith] hereafter ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham, signify by the usual sign. vote declared unanimous. Twelve met at 10 a.m. Presidency came in at 11 oclock Principal question submitted was "which takes precedence or outranks the other in the Quorum of the Twelve, Pres[ident] Jos[eph]. F. Smith or Brigham Young [Jr.].["] Bro[ther]. F[rancis]. M. Lyman spoke first and was pronounced that no ordination of an apostle would supercede the setting apart a member of the Quorum. Bro[ther] B[righam]. Y[oung]. was ordained an apostle by his father some years before Bro[ther] Jos[eph]. F. S[mith]. Bro[ther] Joseph took his place in the Quorum a year before Bro[ther]. B[righam]. Y[oung]. My opinion is that Joseph F. Smith out ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham Young. Every one of the Quroum followed and were a unit with Bro[ther] Lyman. The presidency decided that decision was right. I acknowledged that it settled the question in my mind, as Bro[ther]. Lyman added it settled the question for all time to come. I raised the question with father some years before his death in consequence of what Bro[ther]. O[rson]. Pratt said, and father used these words to me. "It is just right the way it is and you let it alone." He told me as I remember that my name was given to him by revelation with several other names and I would have been put into the quorum a year previous but Bro[ther]. Geo[rge]. A. Smith suggested that it might raise a question & comment if B[righam]. Y[oung]. Jr. was put in place of Bro[ther] A[masa] M Lyman apostatized; and if Jos[eph]. F. S[mith]. was now put in to the Quorum it could make no differ[e]nce as I B[righam]. Y[oung]. Jr was ordained an apostle and would take his place in the Quorum according to that ordination. I am satisfied and thank God that I am worthy to be an apostle of the Lord an especial witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. I attended Meeting with first Presidency and Twelve to day. Several Matters were discussed and decided. one Subject was decided after full discussion that Jos[eph] F Smith stood ahead and out ranked Brigham Young [Jr.] in the Quorum of Apost[le]s. the vote was unanimous. As there is a vacancy in the Quo[rum]. of Apostles Pres[iden]t. Lorenzo Snow reqeusted each of us to hand in the names of two men. The two names that I submitted were Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Minutes; Minutes; Brigham Young Jr., Diary; Marriner Wood Merrill, Diary; Abraham Owen Woodruff, Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 o'clock. The stockholders of Z.C.M.I. held a meeting in the office and elected a board of directors.
At 11 o'clock the First Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting at the Temple. There were present: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson.
President Snow as trustee-in-trust presented an elaborate financial report, showing receipts of the Church from all sources during the past year, also the disbursements.
On motion the report was received and approved and ordered filed.
President Snow made some remarks in relation to the report, and expressed his gratitude that the credit of the Church was so much better now than it was a year ago, because all danger had been removed of creditors making demands that could not be met. The President dwelt on the subject of tithing, and urged the
brethren to keep this subject alive in their hearts and among the Saints. He also spoke of a condition that existed in some Stakes where the brethren were feeble or because of the state of their health were not able to look after the interests of the people, and while it was unpleasant to ask such men to resign yet they should be willing to occupy other positions and let younger men who were in the vigor of youth take hold of the burdens under which they were laboring. He thought it was wise to inform those who were called to positions of this kind that they were to act as long as their services were blessings to the people. No man because of infirmity would lose his Priesthood and a man who should resign from his calling as a Bishop or President of the Stake did not step down or backwards, but held just as much Priesthood and could still be useful in the Church in some other calling.
After a few general remarks on the subject of tithing by the brethren, President Snow stated that there wqas a vacancy in the Council of Apostles caused through the death of President Franklin D. Richards, and he invited the brethren to hand in to him two names each of persons whom they thought worthy and could recommend to fill the vacancy.
Elder Merrill stated that he favored the Presidency uniting on a name and presenting it to the Council and President Snow answered that the Presidency would decide, but would like the apostles to express their individual suggestions.
President Snow then stated that there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. It was understood by the members of the Council that Elder Brigham Young was ordained an Apostle before President Cannon or President Joseph F. Smith, and there might be a question regarding the standing of these brethren in relation to seniority in the quorum, since both President George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were ordained as members of the quorum and were received into the quorum before Elder Young. Each of the brethren spoke to the question and all were agreed that the seniority should be based on the time the brethren were admitted to the quorum and not from the date of ordination, which in this particular instance took place when the quorum was full. Therefore the unanimous decision was the ranking order of these brethren was, first President George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and then Brigham Young.
The council then partook of the sacrament, Brother Young offering the prayer over the emblems. ... (1)
-- Apr 5, 1999
The Presidency were at the office in the forenoon until shortly before 11 o'clock. The stockholders of Z.C.M.I. held a meeting in the office and elected a board of directors. At 11 o'clock the First Presidency and the Apostles met in council meeting at the Temple. There were present: Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson. President Snow as trustee-in-trust presented an elaborate financial report, showing receipts of the Church from all sources during the past year, also the disbursements. On motion the report was received and approved and ordered filed. President Snow made some remarks in relation to the report, and expressed his gratitude that the credit of the Church was so much better now than it was a year ago, because all danger had been removed of creditors making demands that could not be met. The President dwelt on the subject of tithing, and urged the brethren to keep this subject alive in their hearts and among the Saints. He also spoke of a condition that existed in some Stakes where the brethren were feeble or because of the state of their health were not able to look after the interests of the people, and while it was unpleasant to ask such men to resign yet they should be willing to occupy other positions and let younger men who were in the vigor of youth take hold of the burdens under which they were laboring. He thought it was wise to inform those who were called to positions of this kind that they were to act as long as their services were blessings to the people. No man because of infirmity would lose his Priesthood and a man who should resign from his calling as a Bishop or President of the Stake did not step down or backwards, but held just as much Priesthood and could still be useful in the Church in some other calling. After a few general remarks on the subject of tithing by the brethren, President Snow stated that there was a vacancy in the Council of Apostles caused through the death of President Franklin D. Richards, and he invited the brethren to hand in to him two names each of persons whom they thought worthy and could recommend to fill the vacancy. Elder Merrill stated that he favored the Presidency uniting on a name and presenting it to the Council and President Snow answered that the Presidency would decide, but would like the apostles to express their individual suggestions. President Snow then stated that there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. It was understood by the members of the Council that Elder Brigham Young was ordained an Apostle before President Cannon or President Joseph F. Smith, and there might be a question regarding the standing of these brethren in relation to seniority in the quorum, since both President George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were ordained as members of the quorum and were received into the quorum before Elder Young. Each of the brethren spoke to the question and all were agreed that the seniority should be based on the time the brethren were admitted to the quorum and not from the date of ordination, which in this particular instance took place when the quorum was full. Therefore the unanimous decision was the ranking order of these brethren was, first President George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and then Brigham Young. The council then partook of the sacrament, Brother Young offering the prayer over the emblems. ... ... Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow then said there was another subject that ought to be settled, and perhaps the time had come when it should receive the attention of the Council. In one sense it might be considered a delicate subject, but in another sense, which was the light in which the Council would consider it, there was no delicacy whatever about it, and that is, in regard to the man who was the proper person to preside over the quorum of the Twelve; in other words, who now is the senior member in the quorum, Bro[ther]. Brigham [Young Jr.], Pres[iden]t. Joseph F. Smith or Pres[iden]t. George Q. Cannon? It seems that Brigham was ordained an Apostle before either Bro[ther]. Cannon or Bro[ther]. Joseph but he was not received into the quorum until after both of them had been. I do not know of course how long I shall live, and should I pass away say within the next twenty four hours, who would be the President of the quorum, Pres[iden]t. Cannon, Pres[iden]t. Smith, or Bro[ther]. Brigham? If we consider that Brigham is the senior apostle, then he would be the President; of this there could be no doubt. (Bro[ther]. Young interposed, intimating that there was no question as between President Cannon and himself.) President Snow: Then in case of my death there could be no question but what Pres[iden]t. Cannon would be the next President of the Church. What we now want to understand then is, which ranks the highest, Brigham or Joseph? The question was then given to the Council. Pres[iden]t. Smith said he did not wish to be heard on the question, but asked permission to state that the Church Chronology (published by Andrew Jenson) gives the ordination of Bro[ther]. Brigham and Bro[ther]. John W. Young in 1855. The same work also states that Pres[iden]t. Cannon was chosen in 1859, but was not ordained until 1860. Pres[iden]t. Smith added, that he wished it understood by the Council that this was a matter upon which he had never before said a word. Bro[ther]. Young, in response to this, said, that he expressed himself upon this subject when it was up for consideration; that both he and Bro[ther]. Joseph differed on it, but that both had expressed themselves perfectly willing to submit to the mind of the Lord when it should be decided. This was the way he (the speaker) had expressed himself on it, and this was the way he felt now. Bro[ther]. [Francis M.] Lyman said his feeling had always been like this, whenever he had thought on the subject: That seniority of the Twelve Apostles who held the keys of the kingdom, dated fro the time they were called of God to be of the Twelve Apostles and presented to the Church, and endorsed and sustained and recognized by the church as members of the quorum of the twelve. That, he said, has been my view on this question. Hence, knowing that Brother Joseph F. Smith was in the quorum, and was received and recognized by the church and by the Lord as one of His chosen apostles, he therefore ranks from that date, and that no man who has come into the quorum since that time--neither Bro[ther]. Brigham, myself, or anyone else can rank him, and therefore he is our senior, and we his juniors. Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith said that he regarded this as a very important question from the fact that he understood there had been quite a number of men ordained apostles who had never been voted upon as such by the church. His kinsman, for instance, Joseph Smith [III], who stood at the head of the Re-organized Church, claims that he was ordained an apostle by his father. Of course his claim as such is not before this Council, neither can it be as he is an enemy to this church. The speaker said he desired greatly to be right on such a proposition as this, and therefore it did not become a question of man in his mind, it mattered not who was involved in it as it was a vital question of principle, and in this light only could it be considered. Bro[ther]. Smith aid he recognized the right of the President of the Church to ordain his sons apostles if he choose to exercise that right, and he took it for granted that the late President [Brigham] Young ordained Brigham and others of his brother apostles, and he supposed the history was correct in stating that Brigham and John W. were ordained before Pres[iden]t. Cannon; but it struck him that the action of the people on such ordinations was of supremest moment, and therefore whenever their action was taken, that would be considered the basis. On this phase of the propos
ition, the question of man was simply this: has a father--himself being an apostle--a right to ordain his son to the apostleship, and that son to preside without the action of the church, his ordination ante-dating that of the man chosen and acted upon by the church? The speaker said, to his mind there was but one view to be taken to safeguard the church and this council, and to the maintenance of their dignity in the world, such ordinations were dependent upon joint action, first, on the presentation by the First Presidency to the Council of the Apostles for their acceptance, and then to the people for their approval, and then he must be ordained in the proper way; otherwise it would open a door for questions to be sprung entirely unlooked for, and even the claim of his kinsman, Joseph, of the Re-organized Church, might not be barred from a consideration. His view therefore was that the safety of the organization of the church must be based on the action of the people, the action of the Presidency and Apostles, and the final action of ordination after having been passed upon legitimate lines. President Snow: Your view then is that Joseph is the senior of Brigham? The speaker answered yes. Bro[ther]. George Teasdale understood it was on record that Pres[iden]t. Cannon was ordained on August 26th, 1860; and he understood that Bro[ther]. Brigham was set apart as an apostle in October 1868, and that Bro[ther]. Joseph was received into the quorum October 6th, 1867. According to that, there could be no question about Joseph being the senior of Brigham. It was a question in his mind whether a man presiding over the church could ordain his sons apostles and expect the quorum to receive them as such. The twelve Apostles is an organization, and in that organization we will say a vacancy exists, and a man who might have been secretly ordained an apostle by his father, who perhaps had the right to so ordain him, comes and claims recognition of the quorum, stating that he was ordained on such and such a date. (Bro[ther]. Young interposed, stating for the information of Bro[ther]. Teasdale, that Bro[ther]. Kimball was present when he was ordained. Pres[iden]t. Smith corrected Bro[ther]. Young by saying that from a conversation he had with Pres[iden]t. Kimball, Bro[ther]. Young was mistaken on that point.) Bro[ther]. Teasdale, continuing, said that the revelations set forth the manner in which ordinations to the priesthood should be performed, that is, that before men were ordained they were presented to the body of the people, either in a ward capacity, a council of the priesthood or conference capacity. The question before the Council now in reality was no more or less than this: have I a right, as an apostle, to ordain my son, and he a right to come before this quorum to fill a vacancy in the quorum? And as to the question of seniority between Bro[ther]s. Joseph and Brigham, the record showed that Joseph was sustained by the general Conference as a member of the quorum a year or so before Bro[ther]. Brigham. President Smith asked to say a word in relation to President Brigham Young's ordaining some of his sons apostles. He said he was present in a circle meeting of the Twelve and the Presidency of the church, the date of which he was not clear on, but it might have been at the meeting when he himself was chosen an Apostle, and if not at that particular time, it was very near it. Pres[iden]t. Young informed the Twelve that he had ordained some of his sons to the apostleship, and that it was his right to bestow any blessing which he had power to bestow by virtue of his priesthood on his posterity. And he said, you brethren of the Twelve have a right to confer the same blessing on your sons. Pres[iden]t. Smith stated that he distinctly remembered President Young so expressing himself at one of the quorum meetings. Pres[iden]t. Cannon, after Pres[iden]t. Smith had taken his seat, and while retaining his own, said he was present at that meeting, and corroborated what Pres[iden]t. Smith had now stated; and he remembered too that President Young proposed at another meeting that Charles Kimball, who had just returned from a mission to England, be ordained an apostle in the same way. But Pres[iden]t. Kimball objected to doing this as he did not want Charlie to stand ahead of the older boys. Bro[ther]. [Heber J.] Grant was now invited to express himself. He said it seemed to him that seniority ranked fro the day a man became a member of this quorum. He referred to the time in the history of the quorum when it was proposed that the late Daniel H. Wells become a member of the quorum. If that proposition had carried and Bro[ther]. Wells had become a member, there was no question but what he would have come in at the foot, notwithstanding the fact that he had previously been ordained an apostle. The speaker said he could not see how Bro[ther]. Joseph could have voted for Bro[ther]. Brigham to be a member of this quorum and Bro[ther]. Brigham to be his senior in it; and besides, it may be that when Bro[ther]. Brigham was ordained or set apart as a member of the quorum that Bro[ther]. Joseph united with the other members of the quorum in the ordination or setting apart. Bro[ther]. John W. Taylor said he held the same views expressed by the brethren. Referring to President Young's ordaining some of his sons apostles, the speaker said if ordination to the apostleship is to constitute seniority in this quorum, President Young's other sons would naturally be the seniors of a great many members of this quorum. The speaker read from the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 107, 22nd verse, showing how the First Presidency became the First Presidency of the Church, and added that it was clear that their administration as First Presidency commenced from the time they were accepted and sustained by the general Conference of the church. Bro[ther]. [Marriner Wood] Merrill said he had always held the view that had been expressed here to the effect that seniority in the quorum dated from the time we became members of the quorum. He never knew which of these brethren was ordained first; but whichever came into the quorum first was the senior of the two. This he said was his view in short. Bro[ther]. [Anthon H.] Lund believed, as stated, that a man ranked from the time he was ordained or set apart in the quorum, hence Bro[ther]. Joseph ranked Bro[ther]. Brigham in the quorum. Bro[ther]. [Matthias F.] Cowley said he was entirely of the mind of the brethren on this question, that seniority should date from the time of admission into the quorum and not from the date of ordination. But he once entertained a different idea on this subject and related the following, showing how he conceived it: When a boy, he said, I was appointed to repeat the names of the Presidency and Twelve Apostles of the church in their order to the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of the 14th Ward. I discovered by reading Bro[ther]. George A. Smith's Answers to Questions that Joseph F. Smith was taken into the council before Bro[ther]. Brigham Young, and yet at general conference Elder Young's name was read before Elder Smith's. I wondered why this was, when the latter was in the quorum first. I went to President Woodruff for an explanation. He said they had followed the plan in this matter by ranking the Twelve according to date of ordination, and Bro[ther]. Young had been ordained before Bro[ther]. Smith. When Amasa Lyman left the quorum President Young, not wishing to place his own son in the vacancy as it might seem conspicuous, called Bro[ther]. Smith into the Council first. I was led to infer from this explanation that had it not been for the peculiar circumstances associated with the fall of Elder Lyman that Bro[ther]. Brigham would likely have been called into the Council before Bro[ther]. Joseph F. Smith. This fact, and the prior ordination of the former, probably led President Young to place Bro[ther]. Brigham before Bro[ther]. Joseph F. in presenting their names at conference. Bro[ther]. Cowley concluded by saying that in view of all the facts and the inconsistencies which m
ight arise from ranking by date of ordination, it was his firm conviction that they should rank from the date they become members of the quorum of Twelve Apostles. Bro[ther]. [Rudger] Clawson said that from his judgment of the case Pres[iden]t. Smith was certainly Bro[ther]. Young's senior in the quorum. Bro[ther]. [Abraham Owen] Woodruff said that he was agreed with the brethren, and he thought it would be a very dangerous precedent to recognize any different rule, as there was no telling what complicated questions might arise. President Snow asked President Cannon to express himself, and while Pres[iden]t. Cannon was turning over the pages of the Doctrine and Covenants, Pres[iden]t. Snow said: What I am going to say does not apply to Bro[ther]. Brigham; but there is just one thing that a Latter-day Saint, an elder of Israel, should never forget; it should be a bright, illuminating star before him all the time--in his heart, in his soul, and all through him--that is, he need not worry in the least as to whether he should either be a deacon or president of the church; it is sufficient for him to know that his destiny is to be like his Father, a God in eternity. He will not only be president of a church, but he may see himself president of a kingdom, president of worlds, with never-ending opportunities to enlarge his sphere of dominion. I saw this principle after being in the church but a short time; it was made as clear to me as the noon-day sun, and I expressed it in this language: As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be. This thought in the breasts of men filled with the light of the Holy Spirit tends to purify him and cleanse him from every ambitious or improper feeling. This glorious opportunity of becoming truly great belongs to every faithful elder in Israel; it is his by right divine, and he will not have to come before this or any other quorum to have his status defined. He may be a God in eternity; he may become like his Father, doing the works which his Father did before him, and he cannot be deprived of the opportunity of reaching this exalted state. Addressing himself to Bro[ther]. Young, the President said, Now, Bro[ther]. Brigham, you can see what the action of this Council is going to be. I never sought to be a Seventy or a High Priest, because this eternal principle was revealed to me long before I was ordained to the priesthood. The position which I now occupy is as nothing compared to what I expect to occupy in the future. President Cannon now arose and said that he did not know that he ought to say anything on the question before the Council, as his standing was involved to a certain extent according to the memory of some of the brethren. The question arose in his mind, How were we going to decide dates of ordination, or settle questions of dates of ordinations. Bro[ther]. Jenson, as the author of the little book entitled Church Chronology, had been referred to, but Bro[ther]. Jenson was no authority on such questions. He (Bro[ther]. Jenson) did not know when Brigham, John W., or Joseph A. were ordained unless he got it from somebody's memory as there was no public record of it. If there was a public record of such transactions we could all feel at ease. He had an impression, however, though he knew nothing about it, that Brigham and Joseph A. were ordained Apostles before he himself was. During President [John] Taylor's lifetime, Pres[iden]t. Cannon said he had several conversations with him in regard to Bro[ther]. Wells' ordination, and he asked him this question: Suppose all of the Twelve should pass away and I be left as the senior Apostle, (Pres[iden]t. Cannon here remarked that he ought to say this was prompted with only a natural desire to understand things, and of course with no other) how would I stand as compared with Bro[ther]. Wells on the question of seniority, he having been ordained an apostle before me, but was not a member of the quorum of the Twelve? President Taylor answered that his prior ordination under those circumstances would make no difference, that I would be the senior member. How would you reconcile that, with the fact that Bro[ther]. Wells laid his hands on my head in connection with ten of the Twelve and the First Presidency when I was ordained an Apostle, I asked? That makes no difference, he answered; you are in the quorum of the Twelve and accepted as a member thereof, and the quorum of the Twelve is the presiding quorum if anything happens to the Fist Presidency. Now the thought comes to my mind, Pres[iden]t. Cannon added, that there might be exceptions to this rule, even where there is an organized quorum with its members standing in their positions according to the dates of their ordination and their admission into the quorum, and still there might be exceptions. the speaker now read from the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 93, 94 and 95 of Section 124, as follows, speaking of Hyrum Smith: "That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed, that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ["]And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph, ["]That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph, and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery." Pres[iden]t. Cannon then said when this revelation was given (1841) Joseph [Smith] was recognized as the only prophet, seer and revelator in the church. The twelve had not received their endowments; but Hyrum [Smith] was chosen then to be a prophet, seer and revelator. President Young said after the death of the Prophet Joseph, that if Hyrum had lived he would have presided over this church, for Joseph had ordained him. But, said the speaker, that was a special rule, a departure from the general rule. The church was at sea as to who should be the successor of Joseph, and it was this state of things that brought forth the remark from President Young, that if Hyrum had lived--and it was Joseph's wish that he should live, and for that reason he did not want Hyrum to accompany him to Carthage--he would have been President of the church. This was a special revelation from the Lord appointing him; but there has been no departure since the death of Joseph from the rule that now prevails. Upon Joseph's death Brigham Young was the President of the Twelve Apostles and the senior Apostle, and by virtue of that position and seniority he presided. Sidney Rigdon claimed the guardianship of the church; but from the moment that Brigham spoke in public to the people they recognized where the authority rested. Sidney had to fall back because he did not belong to the organized quorum of the Twelve. The same when President Young died, John Taylor, being president of the Twelve and the senior Apostle succeeded him. So at the death of President Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, being the senior Apostle, and the president of the quorum of the twelve, succeeded to the Presidency. Uncertainty on so important a thing as ordination is sufficient to almost invalidate the ordination, when it comes to a question of president of the church especially. If John W. Young were to claim to preside over the church, the first thing I should ask for would be evidence of his ordination. He might, for instance, say he was ordained in 1855--I may say that I never heard the date of his ordination--and the question would arise immediately, How could it be decided? We can all see that to entertain such a claim would involve unspeakable difficulty. There is only one course to take (we are talking of course on principle and succession to the presidency and not individuals--for when it comes to individuals we can all say we love Bro[ther]. Joseph F. and we love Bro[ther]. Brigham, and our love for the individ
ual should not for one moment influence us in regard to the principle involved)--but there is only one course that can be taken, and taken in safety, and that is the course suggested by all the brethren who have spoken. So far as I am concerned, I would not turn my hand over to occupy any place of the kind. I have prayed the Lord to spare my life, and not remove me from the earth to give place to somebody to rank me; I would rather live to honor the priesthood I hold than to preside over the Quorum of the Twelve or the church; and I would be willing that Joseph F., Brigham, or Bro[ther]. Lyman should preside if they would only give me a chance to magnify myself as an apostle. Bro[ther]. Brigham Young then said if he were not esteemed as highly as some of his more favored brethren, he could say that everything that is in him was in this work; but he did not like to be classed with men who had hindered, and in some instances opposed the work of God. (Bro[ther]. John Henry interposed, saying that if Bro[ther]. Brigham wished it he stood ready to apologize, but assured him that in mentioning the name of his kinsman, Joseph Smith, he had no intention whatever of making any such comparison. Referring again to the subject under consideration, Bro[ther]. John Henry said: People have questioned me in regard to this matter, and I have answered them, if anything happened to President Snow I should stand by George Q. Cannon.) The speaker said that if God would only spare him and give him ability to honor and magnify his priesthood as an apostle he would gladly become the junior member and in his heart thank the Lord for so exalted a position. I welcome Bro[ther]. Joseph F., if I stand next to him,--that is, if I do--yes, I welcome him as sincerely as I do that man (pointing to President Snow). I accept the situation and I thank God for it. People have bored me on this question. I wanted it settled, and it virtually has been settled. My father and Bro[ther]. George A. Smith put me there, as I understand it, and upon one occasion when I went to my father and said to him that my position was very embarrassing, and it had caused me untold agony, father turned round and said, "It's just right, as it is, you let it alone." God levels all such things. I thank Him for President Snow; I shall thank him for the man, whoever he may be, whether President Cannon or President Smith, who shall succeed President Snow--that is, if I survive our honored president. God help me to honor my position and calling in this quorum, and I shall give Him the glory, Amen. Pres[iden]t. Snow now said there would be no change from the present state of things. President Cannon is my first counselor and President Smith my second counselor, and they will continue in that relation to me without doubt while I live and have my good senses; and of course Brigham will act as the senior member of the quorum in all meetings of his quorum when they (Presidents Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith) are not present. I do not suppose President Cannon would want to resign his position as counselor and ask the brethren to accept him as their president; I doubt very much whether the quorum would do so even if he should have that desire, and nobody thinks for a moment that he would have it. What I mean by this is, that the quorum would naturally feel that President Cannon's place is in the First Presidency where he now belongs, and that they would not want him to sacrifice his standing in the first Presidency to become their associate in the Quorum and president. And the same in reference to Bro[ther]. Joseph. I do not think he would wish to resign from the First Presidency and request a position of this kind; but as I said in the beginning, if I were to die, Pres[iden]t. Cannon and Pres[iden]t. Smith would then take their places in the quorum as you have expressed it here; and in order to settle forever this question, we will take a vote upon it: Bro[ther]. Cannon would take his place in the quorum ranking as the first man, and Joseph would take his place ranking as the second man, and Bro[ther]. Young his place, next, and so on. It may be that neither of them may live to occupy this position of president; the Lord makes some very sudden and unexpected changes. He did it in reference to Joseph the Prophet. none of us who were his associates believed for a moment that he would go and leave us under those circumstances; the same with Hyrum, his brother. But the Lord's ways are different from man's ways. We didn't expect that President Young would die when he did. He had a desire to live to go back to Jackson County, and expressed that desire to me many a time. But we desire to be found ready for any emergency, and to avoid confusion or disorder or contention should the unexpected happen. You, in expressing your feelings, have expressed my feelings; and it is perfectly clear to my mind that this question should be decided, and decided as you have indicated. I say, it is perfectly clear to my mind that this should be done, and done in this way, and I have no hesitancy whatever in regard to it. Bro[ther]. Brigham will have all the honor he wants, especially when he and I get over on the other side; it may take time to gratify all our wishes, but time will bring to us all that we could possibly desire in righteousness before the Lord. Bro[ther]. Young responded Amen to President Snow. The President then put the question, all who think it right and proper that Bro[ther]. Joseph hereafter ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham, signify by the usual sign. Vote declared unanimous. President Smith now remarked that the decision now reached was the same as that rendered by President Taylor, that is, that seniority ranked from the time that apostles became members of the quorum of the Twelve. When this subject was considered, and this decision reached, President Cannon was in Washington. The speaker said he remembered it very well because he thought at the time that the question then decided might arise again in the future. In speaking upon it, President Taylor cited the fact that President Woodruff had ranked him for many years because he was an older man; but when the question of seniority was considered and acted upon by President Young, President Taylor was put in his proper place. besides, this has been the rule of the quorum from the days of President Young. Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Erastus Snow, Charles C. Rich all ranked in the quorum in order as they became members of the quorum. At the time that this matter was acted upon another question was considered, namely, that of ordaining little children to the priesthood during a time of serious sickness when their lives were despaired of, and they should afterwards recover and grow up to manhood. Pres[iden]t. Taylor gave this decision in such cases: That while it was unnecessary under those circumstances to ordain infants to the priesthood there was no harm in it; but if they should recover and grow up to man's estate, such ordinations should not be regarded as ordinations to the priesthood, and they therefore would have to be ordained by the proper church authority. The fact that President Young informed the quorum of the Twelve that he had ordained some of his sons to the apostleship, and if they (the Apostles) felt disposed to do the same thing with their sons, it was their privilege to do so, made it perfectly clear that this was simply a gift of good will of the fathers to their sons arising from a desire to give to their sons that which they possessed themselves; but, Pres[iden]t. Smith added, he did not think such an ordination could cut any more figure with respect to this council than if such ordinations had never taken place. On one occasion Bro[ther]. Heber C. Kimball told him that President Young had informed him that he had ordained his sons, Joseph A., Brigham and Heber apostles, but nothing was said about John W. having been ordained an apostle. (Bro[ther]. Brigham here remarked that John W. was ordained, however, but not his Brother Heber at that time.) Pres[iden]t. Smith continuing, said that Bro[ther]. Kimball felt
very badly about it, as he had not been consulted; he felt that President Young ought to have had a little more confidence in him. Bro[ther]. Kimball remarked on this same occasion that it was his privilege also to ordain his sons apostles, but he expressed the view that the only right way to do in such cases was to follow the accepted rules and methods of the church. This was confidential talk. Bro[ther]. Kimball also said, Joseph, you will be one of the apostles. I remember distinctly the effect this expression had on my mind, Pres[iden]t. Smith said. I dreaded to hear it; it made me feel that I had rather he had not said it, in fact, I felt very sorry he had told me such a thing. When I was ordained an apostle by Pres[iden]t. Young Pres[iden]t. Kimball was not present, and knew nothing of the ordination, and in fact I was put under covenant not to say anything about it. One day afterwards Bro[ther]. Kimball again spoke on this subject, repeating what he had said before, that I would yet become an apostle. I felt very much humiliated to think that I could not tell Bro[ther]. Kimball that I had already been ordained to the apostleship, and I felt sorry to think that this should have been done without his knowledge. Pres[iden]t. Smith then closed by saying, I believe, Pres[iden]t. Snow, that the action of this Council on this important question is strictly right, and I sustain it with all my heart. I believe, too, that this has been made clear for all time to come, and that there will never be occasion again to question it; and that it would be understood hereafter that whenever a man becomes a member of the Council of Apostles he takes his position from the date of his ordination and acceptance in the quorum. Pres[iden]t. Snow: I do admire the spirit which this quorum possesses. When a subject is brought up for consideration which needs a revelation from the Lord to decide, we can decide it in a very few words. We see it clear in our own minds, and that is the way we should live. Pres[iden]t. Cannon expressed a wish to have the proceedings of this council passed upon by the council; and Bro[ther]. John Henry Smith thought that a copy should be furnished each of the apostles to be recorded in their own private journals. At the Council meeting held July 12th, 1900, at which meeting the above minutes were unanimously approved, it was reported by Elder Brigham Young that he had learned since the meeting of April 5th that his ordination was subsequent to that of President Cannon's; that himself and brothers were ordained apostles on the 4th of February, 1864. This he had learned from the private papers of his deceased father. It was decided, on motion of Pres[iden]t. [Joseph F.] Smith, to add this as a footnote to the report of the proceedings of the Council of April 5th. Minutes of a Meeting of the 1st Presidency and Apostles held at Salt Lake Temple August [sic; April] 1900 On the question who is the Senior Member of the Quorum of 12 apostles-- President L[orenzo] Snow presented the case Bro[ther]s B[righam] Young [Jr.] & Joseph F Smith each made a few preliminary remarks-- Bro[ther] F[rancis]. M Lyman spoke on the subject followed by Bro[thers] John Henry Smith, Geo[rge] Teasdale, Pre[sident] Jos[eph] F Smith, Pres[iden]t Geo[rge] Q Cannon--Bro[thers] Heber J Grant, John W Taylor M[arriner]. W[ood]. Merrill. Anthon H Lund--M[atthias]. F Cowley Rudger Clawson Abraham O[wen] Woodruff. Pres[ident] L[orenzo] Snow as follows: What I am going to say does not apply to Bro[ther]. Brigham; but there is just one thing that a Latter-day Saint, an Elder of Israel, should never forget; it should be a bright, illuminating star before him all the time--in his heart; in his soul, and all through him--that is, he need not worry in the least as to whether he should either be a deacon or president of the church, it is sufficient for him to Know that his destiny is to be like his Father, a God in eternity. He will not only be president of a church, but he may see himself president of a Kingdom, president of worlds, with never-ending opportunities to enlarge his sphere of dominion. I saw this principle after being in the church but a short time; it was made as clear to me as the noon-day sun, and I expressed it in this language: "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be." This thought in the breasts of men felled with the light of the Holy Spirit tends to purify him and cleans him from every ambitions or improper feeling. This glorious opportunity of becoming truly great belongs to every faithful elder in Israel; it is his by right divine, and he will not have to come before this or any other quorum to have his status defined. He may be a God in eternity; he may become like his Father, doing the works which his Father did before him, and he cannot be deprived of the opportunity of reaching this exalted state. Addressing himself to Bro[ther] Young, the President said. now Bro[ther]. Brigham, you can see what the action of this council is going to be. I never sought to be a Seventy or a High Priest, because this eternal principle was revealed to me long before I was ordained to the priesthood. The position which I now occupy is as nothing compared to what I expect to occupy in the future. Pres[iden]t Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon spoke Pres[ident] L[orenzo]. Snow now said there would be no change from the present state of things. President Cannon is my first Counselor and President Smith my second counselor, and they will continue in that relation to me without doubt while I live and have my good senses; and of course Brigham will act as the Senior member of the quorum in all meetings of his quorum when they (Presidents Geo[rge] Q Cannon and Joseph F Smith) are not present. I do not suppose President Cannon would want to resign his position as Counselor and ask the brethren to accept him as their president; I doubt very much whether the quorum would do so even if he should have that desire, and nobody thinks for a moment that he would have it. What I mean by this is, that the quorum would naturally feel that President Cannon's place is in the First Presidency where he now belongs, and that they would not want him to sacrifice his standing in the First Presidency to become their associate in the Quorum and president. and the same in reference to Bro[ther]. Joseph. I do not think he would wish to resign from the First Presidency and request a position of this kind; but as I said in the beginning, if I were to die, Pres[ident]. Cannon and Pres[ident]. Smith would then take their places in the quorum as you have expressed it here; and in order to settle forever this question, we will take a vote upon it: Bro[ther] Cannon would take his place in the quorum ranking as the first man, and Joseph would take his place ranking as the second man, and Bro[ther]. Young his place, next, and so on. It may be that neither of them may live to occupy this position of president; the Lord makes some very sudden and unexpected changes. He did it in reference to Joseph [Smith] the Prophet. None of us who were his associates believed for a moment that he would go and leave us under those circumstances; the same with Hyrum [Smith], his brother. But the Lord's ways are different from man's ways. We didn't expect that President [Brigham] Young would die when he did. He had a desire to live to go back to Jackson County [Missouri] and expressed that desire to me many a time. But we desire to be ready for any emergency, and to avoid confusion or disorder or contention should the unexpected happen. You, in expressing your feelings, have expressed my feelings; and it is perfectly clear to my mind that this question should be decided, and decided as you have indicated. I say, it is perfectly clear to my mind that this should be done, and done in this way, and I have no hesitancy whatever in regard to it. Bro[ther] Brigham will have all the honor he wants, especially when he and I get over on the other side; it may take time to gratify all our wishes, but time will bring to us all that we could possibly desire in righteousness before the Lord. Bro[ther] Young responde
d Amen to President Snow. The President then put the question, all who think it right and proper that Bro[ther] Joseph [F. Smith] hereafter ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham, signify by the usual sign. vote declared unanimous. Twelve met at 10 a.m. Presidency came in at 11 oclock Principal question submitted was "which takes precedence or outranks the other in the Quorum of the Twelve, Pres[ident] Jos[eph]. F. Smith or Brigham Young [Jr.].["] Bro[ther]. F[rancis]. M. Lyman spoke first and was pronounced that no ordination of an apostle would supercede the setting apart a member of the Quorum. Bro[ther] B[righam]. Y[oung]. was ordained an apostle by his father some years before Bro[ther] Jos[eph]. F. S[mith]. Bro[ther] Joseph took his place in the Quorum a year before Bro[ther]. B[righam]. Y[oung]. My opinion is that Joseph F. Smith out ranks Bro[ther]. Brigham Young. Every one of the Quroum followed and were a unit with Bro[ther] Lyman. The presidency decided that decision was right. I acknowledged that it settled the question in my mind, as Bro[ther]. Lyman added it settled the question for all time to come. I raised the question with father some years before his death in consequence of what Bro[ther]. O[rson]. Pratt said, and father used these words to me. "It is just right the way it is and you let it alone." He told me as I remember that my name was given to him by revelation with several other names and I would have been put into the quorum a year previous but Bro[ther]. Geo[rge]. A. Smith suggested that it might raise a question & comment if B[righam]. Y[oung]. Jr. was put in place of Bro[ther] A[masa] M Lyman apostatized; and if Jos[eph]. F. S[mith]. was now put in to the Quorum it could make no differ[e]nce as I B[righam]. Y[oung]. Jr was ordained an apostle and would take his place in the Quorum according to that ordination. I am satisfied and thank God that I am worthy to be an apostle of the Lord an especial witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. I attended Meeting with first Presidency and Twelve to day. Several Matters were discussed and decided. one Subject was decided after full discussion that Jos[eph] F Smith stood ahead and out ranked Brigham Young [Jr.] in the Quorum of Apost[le]s. the vote was unanimous. As there is a vacancy in the Quo[rum]. of Apostles Pres[iden]t. Lorenzo Snow reqeusted each of us to hand in the names of two men. The two names that I submitted were Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Minutes; Minutes; Brigham Young Jr., Diary; Marriner Wood Merrill, Diary; Abraham Owen Woodruff, Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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