-- Nov 17, 1899; Friday
President Lorenzo Snow was at the office. The sum of $320 was appropriated to pay for assessment work on the Church onyx claims for the present year. Since his last report, in which Brothers Joseph A. Silver and Arnold Giaque had subsequently joined, Brother [William] Armstrong had reported that there was one claim, regarded by him as the best of all, owned by one of the Cedarstrom boys. He saw no reason why this claim should not go with the others that were to be patented by the Church, the rest being abandoned. This was the first information received at the President's office that the Cedarstroms owned any claim separate and apart from those in which the Church was interested. (1)
-- Nov 18, 1899; Saturday
President Lorenzo Snow was at the office, where he met with Brother Brigham Young [Jr.] and his son-in-law, Charles Kraft, Brother Heber J. Grant and Bishop John R. Winder, in relation to the business of the Cedar City [Utah] coal mines. The interview resulted in the Church offering to sell its coal lands at Cedar to Brother Young and his proposed company for $150,000, to draw interest at six per cent until paid.
President Uriah T. Jones, of Parowan [Utah] Stake, who was also present at this interview, offered to sell his coal lands to the same parties for $25,000. It now remains for Brother Young and Company to dispose of their bonds and make the purchase; the offer on the part of President Snow for the Church to be regarded in the light of an option.
After Brother Young and Mr. Draft had left the office, Brother Jones offered to sell to the Church his coal lands for $15,000, payment to be made in three installments, the first in six months, the second in twelve months, and the third in eighteen months from the present time. (1)
-- Sunday, Nov 19, 1899
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Brigham City
Prest. Lorenzo Snow, A. H. Lund, Abraham O. Woodruff, Frank Y. Taylor and myself went to Brigham City to attend the Quarterly Conference. President L. Snow shook hands with 1,065 Sunday school children. (2)
-- Monday, Nov 20, 1899
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Brigham City. Clear and cool. 10 a.m. Forenoon session of the 2nd day's quarterly conference of the Box Elder Stake, myself presiding. Present on the stand: Pres. Lorenzo Snow, Apostles J. H. Smith, A. H. Lund, Elder Frank Y. Taylor of Salt Lake, Counselors Chas. Kelly and Wm. L. Watkins, Thos. E. Williams, Young Mens' missionary from Arizona, and others. I called the meeting to order.
The speakers were myself, Coun. Wm. L. Watkins, and A. H. Lund. Topics treated. R. C[lawson]. In view of the reorganization of the stake presidency, I spoke of my labors in the Box Elder Stake and said that the past 12 years had been the happiest period of my life. Referred to the high council, the bishopric of the wards, and stake presidencies as a body of brethren and sisters who were united in all their labors and were, therefore, accomplishing a good work. Said the stake presidency had been united as one man from the first.
W. L. W[atkins]. Bore a strong testimony concerning the work of the Lord.
A. H. L[und]. The perfect law of the Lord. The life of Abraham. Obedience. Spoke in complimentary terms of the beauty and convenience of our tabernacle.
It would be proper here to remark, that before the opening of the morning meeting Apostle J. H. Smith and myself had a talk with Pres. Snow in relation to the reorganization of the stake presidency, and decided on Elder Chas. Kelly for president and Lucius A. Snow and Oleen N. Stohl for counselors, providing they were acceptable to Brother Kelly as counselors (which they were). We also united upon the following brethren for bishops to fill certain vacancies; Michael Schow, Mantua; Thos. Yates, North Ward; Lorenzo Stohl, 3rd Ward, Brigham City; and Brigham Wright to succeed Bp. Jens Hansen, who desired to be released on account of the infirmities of age.
Meeting of the above-named brethren at Pres. Snow's home after the morning session of the conference. Pres. Snow stated the object of the meeting and asked the brethren, each one, if they were willing to accept the appointments. Each expressed his willingness to do so and would endeavor to magnify the same.
Bp. [Abraham] Zundel of Willard, who came in with the brethren, was asked to remain after the others were excused. Pres. Snow explained to Bp. Zundel that it was deemed advisable to make a change in the bishopric of the Willard Ward and felt that it would be for the best good of all concerned—for himself and for the people—if he would resign. He [Lorenzo Snow] said that affairs in Willard were not satisfactory. He did not wish to go into details, unless Bp. Zundel desired it. Had no desire to find fault, but would be content in the statement that he, Bp. Zundel, probably lacked some of those qualifications that were indispensable to a successful bishop.
Bp. Zundel seemed to feel that he was entitled to know the exact cause for asking his resignation. Pres. Snow, thereupon, called upon me to make a statement. I complied by saying that the Willard Ward was not up to the standard of the other wards of the stake; that the tithing was not properly looked after; that, speaking of tithing, the presidency of the stake a year or two ago called Bp. Zundel and counselors together and stated clearly and strongly that the tithing was not properly cared for and demanded stricter attention to this matter, but no improvement had since been made; that the Willard Ward, the largest in the stake, paid less tithing than the Brigham City 4th Ward—a ward of widows and orphans; that Willard was always slack in meeting the apportionments made by the Presidency of the church and the presidency of the stake (which Bp. Zundel now admitted); that aside from the matters herein specified, many complaints concerning the bishop's neglect had come to the
presidency of the stake from the people of the ward; that Bp. Zundel's counselors had threatened to resign because of the unsatisfactory condition of affairs. Brother Chas. Kelly endorsed my statement as being correct.
Bp. Zundel said he was willing to do anything Pres. Snow desired and, if his resignation was wanted, it would be forthcoming, but he was now taken by surprise and, therefore, asked a few days for consideration. Granted.
2 p.m. Continuation of conference. Meeting called to order by myself. Pres. Lorenzo Snow was the speaker of the afternoon. Topics treated. Spoke of the contemplated reorganization of the stake presidency and some of the bishopric[s] and said that it is a difficult matter to find men that are qualified and adapted for the positions to be filled.
The purpose of our coming into the world, he said, was to labor for the salvation of souls. All the inhabitants of the earth are our brethren and sisters, and we should labor in their interests. Spoke of the path to exaltation and glory, which, he said, is made plain to the Latter-day Saints. Referred to the judgments that are being poured out upon the nations of the earth. Said he was not alarmed at these things. Our business is to serve the Lord. All things we are called upon to suffer and pass through are intended for our good. Alluded to the driving of the saints from the States and showed how the saints had been blessed in it by coming to the mountains and building up a great church and a great commonwealth. Spoke of the Manifesto and said the saints were enabled to receive it because of their experience. "Don't worry about the future. Do right today, and we will be sufficient for tomorrow." "Some people are worrying about an amendment to the Constitution. This
should not be. Every persecution, every driving, has only advanced the saints. Do right today; don't worry about tomorrow."
I suppose you are anxious now, he said, to know who shall be president of the stake. Don't worry about it; you shall know in good time. Said the brethren called will be set apart to these positions. How long will they act? Forever, no, perhaps not. It depends on circumstances. They may be called to other positions; they may be released, possibly, for lack of qualification as the future may develop. Spoke of one of the presiding bishops of the church, who was successful in a small way, but when he came to be Presiding Bishop and had to deal with large concerns, he measurably failed. Referred to the case of a leading man in one of the southern stakes, who was called to preside over a stake because of certain qualifications the brethren thought they discovered in him, but after awhile there was trouble. He failed to visit among the people, to get acquainted with them. For this and other reasons he was asked to resign and it was right to do so.
A bishop of a ward should be interested in every man and woman in the ward. Some bishops want to do all the talking. They are not made bishops for that purpose. When he talks, he should be brief and to the point. He is a common judge in Israel. He should feel as great an interest in his ward as in his own family. Amen. (3)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
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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