-- Sep 5, 1899
The First Presidency were at the office. Brother Franklin S. Richards called and presented the claim of a wife of Brother William H. Folsom against the estate of Sister Farr, deceased, who left her homestead property to the Church. Sister Folsom was an adopted daughter of Sister Farr, who is said to have stated to her executors, John Henry Smith and John Groesbeck, that she felt she had done enough for her, and she wished the Church to have the benefit of the property in question. Brother Folsom, who is in straitened circumstances, now joins his wife in asking the Church to turn over the property to her. It was decided that the Church relinquish its claim to this property, without expense to the Church, and Brother Richards was instructed to so inform the executors of the estate.
Brother Richard W. Young called and met Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. He laid before them a matter upon which he desired their advice. Before leaving Manila, General [Elwell S.] Otis had appointed him a member of the Supreme Court there, and he had come home on furlough, with the privilege of remaining in Utah, or returning to the Philippines to continue in his present position, which brought him a salary of $5,000.00 a year. He remarked to the Presidency that if left to his own discretion he should consider it a sacrifice to return to Manila, for the reason that his family needed his presence at home, and he could not think of taking his family with him, on account of the expense it would incur. He said that he now came for the purpose of submitting the question, and would carry out whatever advice might be given him. After some deliberation the Presidency seemed to feel that it would be a proper thing for Brother Young to continue in the service of the Government. They would not, however, advise him against his will. President Snow counselled him to make it a matter of prayer, and whatever he decided to do afterwards would be agreeable and satisfactory to the brethren. With this understanding, the interview ended.
Attended to business in my office and having called at Presidents office I was told by Pres[ident]. Jos[eph]. F. Smith of a scandal about M. B. Shipp, that had come to his ears that he thought I ought to investigate before he was permitted to obtain his second anointings. It was that he had taken liberty of pinching the knee and persisting in making himself free with her and even asked her to make an appointment to meet him. (1)
-- Sep 7, 1899; Thursday
Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith were at the office, and proceeded thence to meet with the Apostles in the Temple.
Salt Lake Temple 11 A.M. The First Presidency and the Apostles met in regular council. Present: Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, Brigham Young [Jr.], John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson.
A letter from Elder Matthias F. Cowley, dated at Chicago [Illinois] on the 30th ult., and giving an account of his labors in visiting the conferences in the Northern States, was read to the council. The writer remarked that it was very noticeable that the converts made in that mission were unusually intelligent and substantial, more so, perhaps, than those made in any other part, and he suggested, therefore, that a more experienced class of Elders be sent to labor in the Northern States mission.
After the reading of this letter, Brother Brigham Young reported an incident that recently occurred while he was in Durango [Colorado]. There our young missionaries preached out of doors, and their influence was good among the non-Mormons, who regarded them as "all right," the idea conveyed being that they were more acceptable than our older missionaries. These young Elders had learned that to preach Joseph Smith as the Prophet of this dispensation was not acceptable to the people, and they therefore refrained from so doing. Brother Young thought our young men should be cautioned on these matters, as he feared a line was being drawn between the older and the younger generations.
Brother Lund remarked, the subject being still under discussion, that during his presidency over the European Mission, the Elders in Great Britain were instructed to begin with the preaching of the first principles of the Gospel, and wind up with
bearing testimony to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. To begin their remarks with such a testimony meant, as a rule, the loss of their congregations. ...
[Heber J. Grant] brought up the subject of the vicious assaults made upon him recently by the Salt Lake Tribune, and wanted to know if there would be any objection to his denying in a public way these falsehoods and misrepresentations.
President Smith suggested to Brother Grant that instead of writing a letter of denial, that he permit himself to be interviewed, and make his denial in that way. ...
Salt Company meetings were held at the office this afternoon, the main purpose being to consider the buying up of the shore of the lake, with a view to controlling the salt trade. In order to do this the capital stock of the company would have to be increased, which would affect the Church to the amount of about $100,000. The matter was talked over by the First Presidency with Brother N[ephi]. W. Clayton, President Snow did not like to lose control of the company, but at the same time could not see how the Church could do anything in the matter. It was finally agreed to invite some of the wealthy men of the Church to take an interest in the company, thus retaining the control, as against the non-Mormon stock-holders. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Journal History; Angus M. Cannon, Diary
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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