-- Thursday, Sep 26, 1901
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] 11 a.m. Meeting at the temple. Present: Presidents Lorenzo Snow and Jos. F. Smith, and Apostles Brigham Young, Jno. H. Smith, Jno. W. Taylor, Anthon H. Lund, Abraham O. Woodruff, Rudger Clawson, Reed Smoot, and G. F. Gibbs, clerk. Apostle Reed Smoot was mouth in prayer, and Apostle Woodruff in the circle. Song, "Lord, We Come before Thee Now."
The clerk read a letter from Apostle Lyman, giving an interesting and spirited account of his recent visit to the Swiss, German, and Scandinavian Missions. The clerk also read a letter from Geo. Cluff relative to planting a colony of our people in Guatemala, South [Central] America, which letter was read at former meeting of the brethren, Pres. Snow being absent. Action deferred.
President Snow explained why he had allowed his daughter, Mabel, to act as queen of the Elks Carnival. The general idea was that we might, as a people, get influence with a large organization of influential men in the nation--and yet, he said, he did not feel to give them aid, or encouragement, or endorsement further than this. Spoke of Joseph, the prophet, and others of the brethren joining the Freemasons in order to obtain influence in furtherance of the purposes of the Lord.
Apostle Clawson reported his recent attendance at the St. George Stake Conference. Said that Elder Geo. F. Whitehead was sustained and set apart as 2nd counselor to Pres. Ed. H. Snow. Brother Clawson recommended the division of the St. George Stake as being almost imperative, owing to the long distances between wards. Thought that St. George Stake proper should be confined to Washington County--3000 souls, and the Nevada wards, to Nevada--1500 souls. Action deferred for the present, although the brethren conceded that the division should be made. Apostle Lund reported that he had ordained Elder J. Nielsen, bishop of Hyrum 3rd Ward.
Pres. Jos. F. Smith moved that Amos Wright of Bear Lake be appointed to a mission among the Shoshone Indians to visit and preach to them. Carried. He also reported the organization of the Teton Stake with Don Carlos Driggs as president, and J. D. Killpack and Geo. S. Young as counselors. Apostle Jno. H. Smith assisted him. Besides the meetings held in the Teton Basin where the organization took place, they held meetings also in Jackson Hole. Pres. Smith moved that Bingham, Teton, and Fremont Stakes be set apart to constitute a church school district. Carried. The same action was made to apply to the Emery and Carbon Stakes when organized, and also to the Utah, Alpine, and Nebo Stakes.
Apostle Taylor reported his attendance at the Parowan Stake Conference and said among other things that the Parowan Ward was spiritually dead. This was apparent, he said, when the bishop informed him that he had been unable to get a teacher to act in that responsible position for the past six years. It was moved and carried that with the first visit of an apostle to Parowan the bishopric be reorganized.
Stake President E. H. Snow recommended by letter the following brethren for the positions named: Wm. Abbott, bishop of Mesquite, and Jno. M. Bunker, bishop of Preston, Nevada. Carried.
Apostle Clawson reported that some little difficulty had arisen in the Davis Stake, growing out of a ruling made by the late Geo. Q. Cannon, genl. supt. Sunday Schools, that in the removal or death of a ward superintendent of Sabbath Schools, the said superintendency was not disorganized but the assistants continued in office. Upon motion of Pres. Smith this ruling was reversed and it was decided that a superintendency of a Sunday School should be governed by the rule that is had in other presidencies in the church.
Song, "Glory to God on High." Benediction by Apostle Jno. H. Smith. (1)
-- Sep 26, 1901; Thursday
President [Lorenzo] Snow presiding.
After the usual opening exercises President Snow spoke as follows: I want to say, here's the Apostles and the Seventies; their business is to warn the nations of the earth and prepare the world for the coming of the Savior. They have been engaged in this more or less, but now we find ourselves in a compact gathered condition, the Church is divided into Stakes, and we come together from time to time in a council meeting to consider the interests of the cause generally and make appointments for brethren to visit
the stakes when holding their conferences. It looks to me that our minds ought to extend somewhat, and we should get out of our beaten track, and a little change be made. For instance, we have started in this direction by sending Brother Heber J. Grant over to Japan, but this is only a start. Things seem to be going on favorable with him; and whether he will accomplish much or not, it matters little in one sense; it is for the Apostles to show to the Lord that they are his witnesses to all the nations, and that they are doing the best they can. ...
President Joseph F. Smith remarked that the late President Franklin D. Richards and himself had acted as the missionary committee, and that since the death of Brother Richards he had been acting alone. As Brother Lund was located in the Historian's office, where he could be seen nearly always, President Smith moved that Brother [Anthon H.] Lund act with him on that committee. Carried. ... (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 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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