-- Thursday, Apr 5, 1999
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Clear and cool. 11 a.m. Meeting of the brethren in the temple. Present: the First Presidency, Apostles B. Young, F. M. Lyman, J. H. Smith, Geo. Teasdale, H. J. Grant, J. W. Taylor, M. W. Merrill, A. H. Lund, M. F. Cowley, A. O. Woodruff, R. Clawson, and G. F. Gibbs, clerk. It would be proper to state that the Twelve had been in session since 10 a.m. in continuation of their quarterly conference. I was not present, however.
By request of Pres. Snow I submitted my report with reference to the financial condition of the church, which involved a great many figures and entries, but the grand totals were as follows:
Receipts
Tithing on hand Feb. 1st, 1899
538,130.66
Cash on hand Feb. 1st, 1899
43,278.16
Tithing rec[eive]d for year 1899
1,138,362.64
Rec[eive]d from all other sources
680,862.09
[Total]
2,400,633.55
Disbursements
Total amount disbursed for all purposes
1,814,181.90
[Total]
586,451.65
Tithing on hand Feb. 1st, 1900
479,839.44
Cash on hand Feb. 1st, 1900
106,612.21
[Total]
586,451.65
Revenues of the Church
Tithing received for 1899
1,138,362.64
Received from dividends, rents, and
32,561.35
other sources
87,584.67
[Total]
$1,258,508.66
Expenses of the Church
The expense of conducting the affairs of the church for the year 1899
639,083.10
Excess of revenue over and above expenses
$619,425.56
Pres. Cannon, B. Young, and others remarked that it was the most comprehensive report concerning the financial condition of the church they had ever heard read. It was moved and carried that the report be approved and filed.
Pres. Snow made some remarks upon the subject of tithing, showing the necessity of keeping the people stirred up. Was gratified with the improved financial condition of the church. Felt that the brethren of the apostles should take an increased active interest in the administration of the affairs of in [sic] the stakes of Zion. Men should be sought after who are fully devoted to the work of God, and steps should be taken that the saints may not suffer for lack of proper attention. A general discussion of how best to bring the principle of tithing before the people in the stakes was indulged in.
Pres. Cannon referred to the Cache Stake and said that its record for tithing paid in 1899 was very poor. Apostle Merrill said in reply that it was due, he thought, to the fact that the crops in 1899 were much smaller than in 1898.
Apostle F. M. Lyman made brief remarks and said that he was pleased with the improved financial condition of the church. Felt that Pres. Snow would not only live to see the church out [of] debt, but to see it flourish.
Pres. Snow said that it would be necessary to fill the vacancy of the quorum made by the death of the late Franklin D. Richards and requested the brethren to hand in two names each for consideration. Apostle Merrill said, speaking for himself personally, that he would prefer to leave the matter with the First Presidency and that he fully believed the Lord would inspire Pres. Snow to make the proper selection. Pres. Snow said that he thought so, too, after the names had been handed in.
A very important question was now brought to the attention of the council by President Snow, and that was as to which ranked highest in the quorum--Pres. Jos. F. Smith, or Apostle Brigham Young. The difficulty of deciding the question arose from the fact that Brigham Young was ordained an apostle first but that Jos. F. Smith was received into the quorum and sustained as one of the Twelve first. It was decided by unanimous vote that a man's seniority dated from the time he was received into the quorum, and not necessarily from the time of his ordination, and that, therefore, Jos. F. Smith ranked higher than Brigham Young. It was decided that this action and all that was said upon the question should be furnished by the clerk to each member of the quorum. The full particulars will, therefore, appear later in my journal.
The tables were spread and the brethren partook of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. A spirit of perfect peace and union prevailed and it was a very enjoyable affair. Apostle B. Young was mouth in blessing the bread and wine. At the conclusion Apostle J. H. Smith offered the benediction.
By invitation of Apostle Grant, the Presidency, the Twelve, and Presiding Bishopric and their wives spent a few hours at his house in social converse, taking refreshments at 5 p.m. While together the brethren and sisters were addressed by Pres[idents] Snow, Cannon, Smith, and Apostles Lyman and Merrill; also Apostle Grant. We had a very pleasant and instructive time.
In the evening I had the pleasure of listening to a lecture delivered by Bp. O. F. Whitney, under the auspices of the Historical Society of Utah, on the life and character of the late Pres. Franklin D. Richards. It was interesting and instructive. (1)
-- Apr 5, 1900; Thursday
As there is a vacancy in the Quo[rum]. of Apostles Pres[iden]t. Lorenzo Snow reqeusted each of us to hand in the names of two men. The two names that I submitted were Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - 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
2 - 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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