-- May 14, 1901
[Temple] [Lorenzo Snow to William H. Smart, May 14, 1901] In my opinion the man who pays but twenty five percent of his tithing and has been in the habit of using tobacco and getting drunk, but who is trying to quit these bad habits, and has partially succeeded, should be encouraged to continue in well doing until he is fully worthy to go to the temple before he should be recommended. (1)
-- May 26, 1901
President Lorenzo Snow gives Apostle Heber J. Grant permission to take a plural wife. However 1 1/2 months later he tells the Council of Twelve Apostles as a whole not to take more wives so Grant drops the matter. (2)
-- Sunday, Jun 2, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Cloudy and cool. 10 a.m. Sixth general conference of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Associations, Pres. Lorenzo Snow presiding. The meeting was held in the tabernacle.
Address, Pres. L. Snow. Topics treated. L. S[now]. Grand opportunities for good furnished by the M[utual] I[mprovement] Associations to the young people. The youth of Zion privileged through faithfulness to live to a great age. Evil of selfishness. Responsibility of motherhood. The glory attendant upon the exaltation of man and woman cannot be expressed [in] mortal language. (3)
-- Jun 6, 1901
Missionary training courses in Church schools-- Salt Lake City.
President's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 6, 1901.
DEAR BROTHER:
Owing to some confusion that has existed in the past in relation to recommending young men to take the missionary course of study in our church schools, it is thought necessary, in order to establish a uniformity respecting this matter, to address you this communication.
First. It is decided by the First Presidency that the missionary classes in the church schools already designated to give much course of instruction shall continue during the coming year; and that a reasonable number of young men be recommended to President Snow by the bishops and presidents of stakes to take this course. It is suggested that greater care be taken in selecting young men than in the past. Only men who are mentally and physically sound should be recommended; for such are the hardships incident to missionary labors that only men of good health and strong physical constitutions can endure them, and it is therefore unwise to recommend those who do not possess those physical qualifications. Equal, if not even greater, care should be exercised with reference to the moral and spiritual standing of those recommended for the missionary course. Instructed by past experience, we urge that you who are charged with the duty of recommending these students make stricter inquiry into their moral and spiritual standing. Where young men have sinned and heartily repented and forsaken the evil, they may be favorably considered for the missionary course; but certainly men who are unrepentant of past sinful conduct, or who are otherwise unworthy of the fellowship of the Saints, should not be called to the work of crying repentance to others. We do not wish to be justly subject to the reproach that we send our missionaries to the world to reform them. Let the work of reform be done at home. So far as it is possible also, young men should be selected for recommendation who have given some evidence of the working of the Spirit of the Lord in their own souls, as manifested in their interest in their quorum and other meetings, or by a desire to perform missionary labor. This active interest, or the presence of the desire referred to, is evidence that the Spirit of the Lord is working with such men, preparing them for future usefulness in His Kingdom, and they should be soughtfor and recommended for this missionary course. You should assure yourself by private personal enquiry of each person whom you suggested, that he is thoroughly worthy of your recommendation.
Due regard should be paid to the ability of those recommended for the missionary course to meet the necessary expenses connected with it. No one's name should be suggested who is not personally able to bear this expense, or whose parents or friends are not willing to meet it.
It should be understood by the Presidents of Stakes and Bishops that they go no further in this matter than to recommend the names of young men for the missionary course. In every case after the names recommended have been considered, they will be called by the President of the Church; and the President's letter calling a young man to take the course should be presented by him at the college or academy to which he goes, as his credentials of admittance. The persons called should be instructed that they are not at liberty to leave the school to which they are sent at their own pleasure; they can only be honorably released by the authority which called them. We emphasize this point because much confusion has obtained in these classes in the past by reason of so many thinking they were at liberty to leave the school at their pleasure, a confusion we desire to avoid in the future.
The missionary course is intended to be preliminary to a mission, but it does not necessarily follow that a call to a mission will come in each case immediately after the course is finished; generally speaking, however, it should be understood that a mission will soon follow attendance upon the course of instruction.
Young men attending the regular course of study at our church schools should not be recommended for the missionary course, as the regular college course is calculated to fit them for missionary work. Returned missionaries should not be recommended for reasons that are obvious.
Praying that the blessing of the Lord will be with you in this as in all your labors, we are,
Your brethren, First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. {1901-June 6-Circular letter, Church Historian's Library,} (4)
Endnotes:
1 - Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
2 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
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
4 - Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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