-- Thursday, May 9, 1901
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
At 10:30 p.m. some of the apostles met. At 11 a.m. Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith met with Brigham Young, Myself, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor and Anthon H. Lund. Prayer by Joseph F. Smith. Heber J. Grant was Mouth at the Altar. Joseph F. Smith and Brigham Young's allowance was fixed at five thousand per annum. H. J. Grant's was raised some. I was blest and set apart for my mission under the hands of all present. President Lorenzo Snow being Mouth, he gave me a good blessing. He gave me a good many promises. (1)
-- May 9, 1901 (Thursday)
At a meeting of the Deseret Sunday School Union Pres. Lorenzo Snow was chosen general superintendent of Sunday schools (to succeed the late George Q. Cannon), with George Reynolds as first and Joseph M. Tanner as second assistant superintendent. (2)
-- Friday, May 10, 1901
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
The Directors of the Theatre met. Heber M. Wells resigned and Lorenzo Snow was elected a Director and President. H. J. Grant having resigned as President, was made Vice President. I drew from Jas. Jack five hundred dollars for expense money. I paid Noal Asper & Co. Cash $300.00 for work on building house. (1)
-- May 13, 1901
Call for YMMIA missionaries-- This "Call for Missionaries" was not for foreign missionaries but for a special type of local missionary to work at home in the interests of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations.
This signed by only two members of the First Presidency. President George Q. Cannon, first counselor had died April 12, 1901 at Monterey, California and President Snow did not choose a new counselor until October, 1901.
A CALL FOR MISSIONARIES
The following letter, dated, Salt Lake City, May 13, 1901, has been sent to the stake superintendents of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations:
DEAR BROTHER:
For some years, the general board of Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations has conducted a system of mutual improvement missionary work among the young men. Excellent results have followed this labor. Last year, the general missionary work was abandoned, and an attempt was made to conduct a system of local missionary work. This year the general board has decided to return to the original method and call a number of elders to labor in the stakes of Zion. You are therefore requested to send to the missionary committee, at once, the names of two men from your stake who are suitable for this work. We desire you to exercise the greatest care in the selection of these names, for the reason that they will be required to work with the stake superintendents and ward officers; in other words, with the leaders of Mutual Improvement Associations in various stakes and wards.
We want men of intelligence and experience in the gospel, zealous in the work of the Lord, but wise and prudent; congenial, and capable of making friends; able to express their ideas with a reasonable degree of clearness, and to impart the instructions they receive from the general board. Of course, they must be men of good standing, upright, moral and exemplary in their lives; but is not sufficient that a man possesses these qualifications alone; he must have in addition, the ability to perform this special missionary work. Send us men of good address, and of influence, who will have weight with the presidents of stakes and bishops of wards; in a word, representative young men. Before forwarding any names to us, get them endorsed by the bishop of their ward, and the president of the stake.
These brethren should be in a position to devote at least five months to this mission, beginning September 15. They will be required to come to Salt Lake City and meet with representatives of the general board, and receive instructions before commencing their labors.
In making selections you should not choose any stake or ward superintendents of Sabbath schools.
The following brethren have been appointed by the general board to act as the missionary committee: J. Golden Kimball, Joseph W. McMurrin, B. F. Grant and Thomas Hull. The names of those you select should be sent without delay to them, addressed to Thomas Hull, 214 Templeton building, Salt Lake City.
Praying that the Lord will guide you in this matter and bless you in all your labors, we are your brethren,
LORENZO SNOW, JOSEPH F. SMITH {1901-May 13-Improvement Era 4:632-633 (June, 1901).} (3)
Endnotes:
1 - 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
2 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
3 - 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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