-- Mar 15, 1900; Thursday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office as usual. At nine o'clock a meeting of the Sugar company was held.
At 11 o'clock the regular council of the Presidency and Apostles was held in the Temple. There were present: Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, of the Presidency; Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson, of the quorum of Apostles. ...
Elder Francis M. Lyman reported his visit to the St. George [Utah] Stake conference. He said the people had suffered greatly from drouth, but the people, with but few exceptions, were feeling remarkably well. He had met with Elder James W. Crosby on the way and learned from him that on account of the drouth he would have to seek a location somewhere else on account of his cattle and sheep; and in consequence of his late unpleasant experience in the courts he found there was quite a little feeling against him, and he had come to the conclusion that it would be better for him and for the Stake for him to move away. On motion of Elder John Henry Smith Brother Crosby was released as president of the Panguitch [Utah] Stake, on the recommendation of Brother Lyman.
Elder Rudger Clawson informed the council that the sum of $600. had been set aside by the late President Wilford Woodruff in his will to erect a monument in his family grave; and it was thought by the officers of the Mutual Improvement Association that this was insufficient to erect a suitable monument, and that they had learned it would take about $2,000. Acting on this idea the
Mutual Improvement Association officers had caused to be written to the President of each association an invitation for each association to raise not less than one dollar and not more than five, to create a fund for this purpose, as the late President Woodruff was the general Superintendent of the M.I.A., and the speaker suggested that the church donate $500., or $1,000.
President Cannon inquired if President Woodruff in his will had used the word monument? and Elder A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff stated that he thought he had used the word headstone.
President Cannon remarked that this expressed more the character of President Woodruff, and he would be sorry to see a movement on the part of anyone to erect a costly monument anyway, it did not seem to him the right thing to do, and he was in favor of a modest suitable stone being erected in keeping with the character of President Woodruff, and this ought to be done. President Snow agreed with this.
President Cannon further stated that when an effort was made to erect a monument to the late Elder George Goddard, by the Sunday schools, he opposed it because it would create a precedent to be followed by others, and it would only be a question of time when this spirit of monument building would become prevalent. He was opposed to the erection of a monument to President [Brigham] Young, and was now still more opposed to the idea after witnessing the result in the shape of almost failure to meet the obligations attending it. Addressing his remarks to Elder Clawson, President Cannon said he could not favor the idea of calling upon the Mutual Improvement Associations to make collections for monument building, not even for President Woodruff, for whom he entertained the highest respect and whose memory was very dear to him.
President Snow remarked that if this thing were done for President Woodruff, then it would naturally follow that someone would start the idea to do something in the same way for himself by and by, and so the thing would go on, and neither President Woodruff nor himself cared a fig about a monument.
Elder Lyman said if monuments were built his idea was that the friends of the deceased, whoever they may be, should do it, and the public should not be called upon.
It was explained that this movement was already on among the M.I.A. and President Joseph F. Smith expressed himself to the effect that he did not believe it would be a burden to any of the members of the M.I.A., but on the other hand a pleasure.
President Snow stated that President Cannon had expressed his views exactly. He did not believe in building monuments to our leading men, not but what they were worthy of all that we could possibly do by way of perpetuating their memories, for such men were worthy of a world and will be of an eternity of worlds; but it was the example which others would certainly follow.
President Smith inquired if the communications addressed to the various associations on this subject could be recalled?
President Snow did not know, but thought it was time the public was given a rest and calls for money from the public should stop.
Elder Woodruff moved that the Church be not asked to contribute anything on account of the proposed monument in memory of his father. He said he knew the spirit of his father and his feelings in regard to the indebtedness of the Church, and he made the motion to express his father's feelings as well as his own.
Elder John Henry Smith endorsed what had been said, but he thought that where families of Church authorities were unable to erect suitable monuments in memory of their dead they should be helped to do so. But while he expressed this opinion he was not unmindful of the fact that the leading men of the Church at an early day put in writing the manner in which they wished to be buried, and it is well known that their wishes in this respect were simplicity and plainness beyond a doubt. ... (1)
-- Mar 15, 1999
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow, [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith were at the office as usual. At nine o'clock a meeting of the Sugar company was held. At 11 o'clock the regular council of the Presidency and Apostles was held in the Temple. There were present: Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, of the Presidency; Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson, of the quorum of Apostles. ... Elder Francis M. Lyman reported his visit to the St. George [Utah] Stake conference. He said the people had suffered greatly from drouth, but the people, with but few exceptions, were feeling remarkably well. He had met with Elder James W. Crosby on the way and learned from him that on account of the drouth he would have to seek a location somewhere else on account of his cattle and sheep; and in consequence of his late unpleasant experience in the courts he found there was quite a little feeling against him, and he had come to the conclusion that it would be better for him and for the Stake for him to move away. On motion of Elder John Henry Smith Brother Crosby was released as president of the Panguitch [Utah] Stake, on the recommendation of Brother Lyman. Elder Rudger Clawson informed the council that the sum of $600. had been set aside by the late President Wilford Woodruff in his will to erect a monument in his family grave; and it was thought by the officers of the Mutual Improvement Association that this was insufficient to erect a suitable monument, and that they had learned it would take about $2,000. Acting on this idea the Mutual Improvement Association officers had caused to be written to the President of each association an invitation for each association to raise not less than one dollar and not more than five, to create a fund for this purpose, as the late President Woodruff was the general Superintendent of the M.I.A., and the speaker suggested that the church donate $500., or $1,000. President Cannon inquired if President Woodruff in his will had used the word monument? and Elder A[braham]. O[wen]. Woodruff stated that he thought he had used the word headstone. President Cannon remarked that this expressed more the character of President Woodruff, and he would be sorry to see a movement on the part of anyone to erect a costly monument anyway, it did not seem to him the right thing to do, and he was in favor of a modest suitable stone being erected in keeping with the character of President Woodruff, and this ought to be done. President Snow agreed with this. President Cannon further stated that when an effort was made to erect a monument to the late Elder George Goddard, by the Sunday schools, he opposed it because it would create a precedent to be followed by others, and it would only be a question of time when this spirit of monument building would become prevalent. He was opposed to the erection of a monument to President [Brigham] Young, and was now still more opposed to the idea after witnessing the result in the shape of almost failure to meet the obligations attending it. Addressing his remarks to Elder Clawson, President Cannon said he could not favor the idea of calling upon the Mutual Improvement Associations to make collections for monument building, not even for President Woodruff, for whom he entertained the highest respect and whose memory was very dear to him. President Snow remarked that if this thing were done for President Woodruff, then it would naturally follow that someone would start the idea to do something in the same way for himself by and by, and so the thing would go on, and neither President Woodruff nor himself cared a fig about a monument. Elder Lyman said if monuments were built his idea was that the friends of the deceased, whoever they may be, should do it, and the public should not be called upon. It was explained that this movement was already on among the M.I.A. and President Joseph F. Smith expressed himself to the effect that he did not believe it would be a burden to any of the members of the M.I.A., but on the other hand a pleasure. President Snow stated that President Cannon had expressed his views exactly. He did not believe in building monuments to our leading men, not but what they were worthy of all that we could possibly do by way of perpetuating their memories, for such men were worthy of a world and will be of an eternity of worlds; but it was the example which others would certainly follow. President Smith inquired if the communications addressed to the various associations on this subject could be recalled? President Snow did not know, but thought it was time the public was given a rest and calls for money from the public should stop. Elder Woodruff moved that the Church be not asked to contribute anything on account of the proposed monument in memory of his father. He said he knew the spirit of his father and his feelings in regard to the indebtedness of the Church, and he made the motion to express his father's feelings as well as his own. Elder John Henry Smith endorsed what had been said, but he thought that where families of Church authorities were unable to erect suitable monuments in memory of their dead they should be helped to do so. But while he expressed this opinion he was not unmindful of the fact that the leading men of the Church at an early day put in writing the manner in which they wished to be buried, and it is well known that their wishes in this respect were simplicity and plainness beyond a doubt. ... Went to Temple meeting at 11 a.m. I reported progress in Colonization matters. Rudger Clawson asked it the Church would appropriate about $1,000. to assist in the erection of a monument over my Father's [i.e., Wilford Woodruff's] Grave. Pres[ident]ts [Lorenzo] Snow and [George Q.] Cannon did not favor it[;] Pres[iden]t. [Joseph F.] Smith did. After the matter was discussed it was left without action being taken. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; 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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