-- Friday, Sep 9, 1898
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
At 10 a.m. all of the Apostles met in their room. Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Geo. Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, Geo. Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lurid, Mattbias F. Cowley and Abraham O. Woodruff, President Lorenzo Snow presiding. Singing. Prayer by Francis M. Lyman. Singing. Prest. Lorenzo Snow made a short talk and asked Elders Geo. Q. Cannon and J. F. Smith to make a brief statement of the financial condition of the Church, which they did.
On motion of Joseph F. Smith, Lorenzo Snow was sustained as President of the Twelve. On motion of John Henry Smith, Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were returned to their places in the Council of the Apostles, according to ordination.
[On] motion of John Henry Smith The Council of Apostles were declaired the presiding Quorum of the church.
President W. Woodruffs desk was given to his son. Geo. Q. Cannon and Jos. F. Smith retain theirs. The Desk in the Apostles room was given to Prest. Lorenzo Snow. Fifty dollars a month was [given] to each of Bro. Wilford Woodruff's Widows on my motion.
We adjourned to meet at the President's office at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Joseph F. Smith gave the Benediction.
I went up to the Lagoon with some of the Delegates to the Republican Convention.
Charles S. Zane was nominated for Supreme Judge. Alma Eldredge for Representative to Congress. (1)
-- Sep 9, 1898
A meeting of the Apostles was held at 10 o'clock this morning in the Temple; all present, including Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. These two brethren, by unanimous vote of the Council of the Twelve (now presiding over the Church in lieu of the First Presidency just dissolved) were received back as members of that body, and took their seats in the Council according to their order of ordination, with President Lorenzo Snow presiding. President Snow, by the action of the Council, was placed in charge of all Church affairs until the First Presidency should again be organized. Brothers Cannon and Smith were presented with the desks they had occupied in the President's Office, and Bro[ther]. A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff was presented with the desk that his deceased father had occupied, and they were authorized to take them away from the office. A new desk was purchased for the use of President Snow.
At the above meeting, President Snow spoke, referring solemnly to the absence of Pres[ident]. [Wilford] Woodruff, whose death had disorganized the first quorum of the Church. He suggested the possible presence with them on this occasion of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and other departed leaders, and spoke of the great responsibility which had now fallen upon the Quorum of the Twelve. He felt thankful beyond expression for the union that existed in the Council of the Apostles, and he believed, and in fact knew, that by each one laboring unselfishly for the cause of Zion, their labors would be crowned with success, and they would triumph. He exhorted the brethren to be charitable to each other, and to accept their new duties and responsibilities in all humility as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. He offered to vacate his position as President of the Twelve, and thus give place to any one else who might be the unanimous choice of the Council.
Jos[eph]. F. Smith moved, and several of the brethren seconded and it was voted heartily and unanimously that Lorenzo Snow be sustained in his position as President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles.
Geo[rge]. Q. Cannon spoke briefly but feelingly of the present happy state of love and confidence in the Council, in contrast with past embarrassments, and expressed hope and faith of an honorable and happy outcome through a continuance of the love and union alluded to by President Snow. He invoked the blessing of the Lord on the President and the Council, to enable them to safely bear off the work of God.
Brothers Cannon and Smith were requested, by vote of the Council, to furnish a report showing the condition of the Church's finances.
The Council, by unanimous action, then accepted the responsibilities of the Presidency of the Church.
Before dismissing it was voted that the widows of President Woodruff receive $50 a month, each, until further orders.
The Council then adjourned.
Twelve met in Temple at 10 a.m. 14 Apostles present. Bro[ther] Geo[rge] Q. C[annon]. & Jos[eph] F. S[mith]. received back into the Quorum. Pres[ident] Geo[rge] Q. C[annon]. & Jos[eph] F. S[mith]. to give Council statement of present resources and liabilities. God be thanked that Frank Cannon has returned from east where he was sent by presidency to borrow 1.500000 dollars One million five hundred thousand dollars. The present Presidency are not altogether certain that they want him to be the agent of the church. After dismissing talk began by Bro[ther]. H[eber]. J. Grant about my preceeding Jos[eph] F. S[mith]. in the Quorum. He thought it wrong and was surprised to see us take our seats, with me between Geo[rge]. Q. C[annon]. & Jos[eph] F. S[mith]. I said, I am willing to take any place in the quorum, never felt I was fit to be an apostle; ready to follow Bro[ther]. Joseph will do just as the Lord wants: Said that, I submitted this matter to father one day and he said, rather severely: "It is just right the way it is, and you let it alone." I never had courage to tackle the question again; still, I am of the opinion that when a man is ordained an apostle and seeks to magnify that office no new man can rank him in being set apart to fill a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. I am anxious for God through my brethren to decide this question and I y[ie]ld my views to theirs with all my heart. (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 - Journal History; Brigham Young 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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