-- May 28, 1896
[Apostle Heber J. Grant Diary] [Council meeting] Pres[iden]t Jos[eph] F. Smith gave us an account of his recent visit to Logan, where he attended the conference of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. He stated that Bro[ther] Moses Thatcher was in Logan, but did not attend the meeting. Stated that an officers' meeting was held at which the question as to whether or not the name of Bro[ther] Moses Thatcher should be sustained at the Conference as one of the counselors to General Superintendent Woodruff was very extensively discussed. Some of the brethren feeling that the name should be presented and others that it should not be. It was finally decided not to present Bro[ther] Thatcher's name to the conference. Bro[ther] Smith explained that Bro[ther] Thatcher was talking with his friends in Logan, and carrying the impression that he was absolutely right in the position which he had taken, and was endeavoring, from all he could learn, to create a sympathy in his favor and a feeling of opposition against his brethren of the presidency and Apostles. He related of having heard of the conversation wherein a prominent man in talking of Bullion Beck and Champion matters, and the differences which had existed between Bro[ther]s Cannon and Thatcher, that this man had said that George Q. Cannon had tried to take advantage of widows and orphans, and that Bro[ther] Thatcher had opposed this and had endeavored to protect the interests of widows and orphans in this property. This prominent brother said that the best thing that could happen would be for George Q. Cannon to go out and die. President Smith felt that to allow any such outrageous falsehoods as this to be circulated among the people even in a private way was causing a very serious state of affairs, and he expressed it as his opinion that if Bro[ther] Moses Thatcher's health was sufficiently robust, that he could visit Logan and attend to business and other matters there that he was sufficiently strong physically for the quorum of the Apostles to hold a meeting with him and insist upon his harmonizing himself with his brethren, or that he should be disfellowshipped from the quorum. Prest. Wilford Woodruff said that the time had arrived when he felt it was his duty to insist upon action in this matter. Whenever anything or any individual has ever stood in the way if the advancement of the work of God, that thing or that man must be removed out of the way. He called upon Pres[iden]t Snow and his quorum to rise up and take action in the case of Bro[ther] Thatcher, and stated that it was the duty of the Apostles to take action. With Bro[ther] Moses Thatcher in his present state of mind the devil has a very strong advocate in him, and he should not be permitted to hold his present position unless he repents. God is not withholding his judgments from coming upon the nations of the earth. He is not staying his hand. Those angels, to whom I referred at Brigham City, who were to go forth and visit the judgements of God upon the nations, are at work. It is time something was done in the case of Bro[ther] Thatcher, and the sooner we commence and the better for all Isreal. Cannot allow the work of the Lord to stop for Moses Thatcher or any other man. Lorenzo Snow expressed himself as being in perfect accord with the sentiments uttered by Prest. Woodruff. Felt that Bro[ther] Thatcher was not worthy to stand as an Apostle. Referred to the troubles in the days of Kirtland, and of the quarrel in the Kirtland Temple, where a Brother Parrish rose up and cursed Bro[ther] Smith, the father of the Prophet. Referred to the fact that so many of the leading officials fell at this time that it seemed as though the Church of God would be destroyed, but the Lord had sustained the brethren in disfellowshipping those who were not faithful, and he testified that the Lord would sustain us at all times in doing our duty. In case we take action against Bro[ther] Moses a great howl will go up over the matter, and we will be bitterly accused for lack of charity, etc. But he felt that this should not deter us from doing our duty in the premises. (1)
-- Thursday, May 28, 1896
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
Prest. W. Woodruff, Geo. Q. Cannon, Jos. F. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, Heber J. Grant, Abraham H. Cannon, G. F. Gibbs & I met in Council.
Jos. F. Smith favored trying Moses Thatcher at once. Wilford Woodruff favored trying Moses Thatcher at once. Wilford Woodruff said it was our duty to see that Bro. Thatcher had a hearing just as soon as possible and that he be dealt with so as to prevent him from doing harm. Lorenzo Snow, Geo. Q. Gannon, F. D. Richards & B. Young favored actions just as soon as Moses health would permit. I felt we could not hurry matters. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Diary of Heber J. Grant, 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
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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