On 12/15 in New Mormon History...
0 views
Skip to first unread message
New Mormon History
Dec 15, 2025, 7:28:51 AMDec 15
to newmormo...@gmail.com
Historic events in New Mormon History on 12/15
1851: Baron von Gerolt, Prussia’s minister to United States, checks out Book of Mormon from Library of Congress. He returns it 16 Feb. 1852. This Berlin diplomat is first representative of foreign government to show interest in Mormon scripture. Brigham Young reports to April 1852 conference that this ambassador requests copies of all LDS publications on behalf of Prussian monarch who “wished to investigate our doctrine.”
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1858: in reply to man's request for divorce, "Pres. Young said that when a man married a wife he took her for better or worse, and had no right to ill use her, and if she shit in bed and laid in it until noon; he must bare it, until he gets power over her to learn her better." Young readily grants divorce to unhappy plural wives but requires husband to pay him $10 fee. Young issues 1,600 certificates of divorce for unhappy polygamous marriages. Civil divorces for monogamous marriages are even more common in pioneer Utah where courts require only statement of incompatibility.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1892: The First Presidency informs the apostles that "our success in the Church suits was in a great measure due to the fact that we have a partner of Justice Field of the Supreme Court of the United States in our employ, who is to receive a percentage of the money if the suits go in our favor, and the property is returned to us." Aside from Justice Field (1863-97), U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Blatchford (1882-93) has also been bribed by the church's intermediaries, even though he is an inconsistent ally.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1914: George J. Taylor dies "at his home," according to the Deseret News, but actually in the Utah Insane Asylum, according to its records. The oldest son of LDS president John Taylor, George was also a member of the theocratic Council of Fifty. He is the first prominent Utah Mormon to die in a mental asylum (he has been a patient since February).
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1960: At a temple meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, first counselor Henry D. Moyle reports on the "baseball baptism program," which began targeting pre-adolescent and adolescent boys during the summer of 1959. Moyle reports that this is occurring "not only in England but all over the Continent." Missions choose their preferred recreational approach for teenage converts. For example, it is basketball in the Northwestern States Mission and beach parties in the Gulf States Mission.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1969: A First Presidency letter giving stake presidents the authority to set apart full-time missionaries. Previously only general authorities did this. Also a separate First Presidency letter begins: "In view of confusion that has arisen, it was decided at a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to restate the position of the Church with regard to the Negro both in society and in the Church." This comes amid newspaper reports of first counselor Hugh B. Brown's statements about an imminent change in the church's policy toward blacks and the priesthood. Apostle Harold B. Lee reversed the Twelve's amenability to such a change and drafts this reaffirmation of the policy. Brown reluctantly signs it after he adds an edorsement of civil rights for African-Americans. It is published on 10 Jan. 1970. In response, Roy Wilkins of the NAACP writes a guest editorial for the Los Angeles Times on 26 Jan, which concludes: "The Mormon walls on race will come tumbling down," a prophecy fulfilled in eight years.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1973: A First Presidency statement, in response to the Middle East oil embargo, urges energy conservation and authorizes local wards and branches to hold all auxiliary meetings on a single day of the week.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1979: The First Presidency authorizes the two-piece design in the temple undergarment for all endowed persons.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1988: After more than a year of confinement to a wheelchair, the Twelve's president Howard W. Hunter walks into the council room of the Salt Lake temple. Apostles stand and clap their hands, which is apparently the first occasion of applause in the temple council room.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
To see the whole database in chronological order, Click here. Note that I'm not done entering all the information. While most of these facts come from Quinn's book, I'm seeking the primary sources for each, but this will take a long time.
1851: Baron von Gerolt, Prussia’s minister to United States, checks out Book of Mormon from Library of Congress. He returns it 16 Feb. 1852. This Berlin diplomat is first representative of foreign government to show interest in Mormon scripture. Brigham Young reports to April 1852 conference that this ambassador requests copies of all LDS publications on behalf of Prussian monarch who “wished to investigate our doctrine.”
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1858: in reply to man's request for divorce, "Pres. Young said that when a man married a wife he took her for better or worse, and had no right to ill use her, and if she shit in bed and laid in it until noon; he must bare it, until he gets power over her to learn her better." Young readily grants divorce to unhappy plural wives but requires husband to pay him $10 fee. Young issues 1,600 certificates of divorce for unhappy polygamous marriages. Civil divorces for monogamous marriages are even more common in pioneer Utah where courts require only statement of incompatibility.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1892: The First Presidency informs the apostles that "our success in the Church suits was in a great measure due to the fact that we have a partner of Justice Field of the Supreme Court of the United States in our employ, who is to receive a percentage of the money if the suits go in our favor, and the property is returned to us." Aside from Justice Field (1863-97), U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Blatchford (1882-93) has also been bribed by the church's intermediaries, even though he is an inconsistent ally.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1914: George J. Taylor dies "at his home," according to the Deseret News, but actually in the Utah Insane Asylum, according to its records. The oldest son of LDS president John Taylor, George was also a member of the theocratic Council of Fifty. He is the first prominent Utah Mormon to die in a mental asylum (he has been a patient since February).
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1960: At a temple meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, first counselor Henry D. Moyle reports on the "baseball baptism program," which began targeting pre-adolescent and adolescent boys during the summer of 1959. Moyle reports that this is occurring "not only in England but all over the Continent." Missions choose their preferred recreational approach for teenage converts. For example, it is basketball in the Northwestern States Mission and beach parties in the Gulf States Mission.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1969: A First Presidency letter giving stake presidents the authority to set apart full-time missionaries. Previously only general authorities did this. Also a separate First Presidency letter begins: "In view of confusion that has arisen, it was decided at a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to restate the position of the Church with regard to the Negro both in society and in the Church." This comes amid newspaper reports of first counselor Hugh B. Brown's statements about an imminent change in the church's policy toward blacks and the priesthood. Apostle Harold B. Lee reversed the Twelve's amenability to such a change and drafts this reaffirmation of the policy. Brown reluctantly signs it after he adds an edorsement of civil rights for African-Americans. It is published on 10 Jan. 1970. In response, Roy Wilkins of the NAACP writes a guest editorial for the Los Angeles Times on 26 Jan, which concludes: "The Mormon walls on race will come tumbling down," a prophecy fulfilled in eight years.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1973: A First Presidency statement, in response to the Middle East oil embargo, urges energy conservation and authorizes local wards and branches to hold all auxiliary meetings on a single day of the week.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1979: The First Presidency authorizes the two-piece design in the temple undergarment for all endowed persons.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
1988: After more than a year of confinement to a wheelchair, the Twelve's president Howard W. Hunter walks into the council room of the Salt Lake temple. Apostles stand and clap their hands, which is apparently the first occasion of applause in the temple council room.
Source: See The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn
To see the whole database in chronological order, Click here. Note that I'm not done entering all the information. While most of these facts come from Quinn's book, I'm seeking the primary sources for each, but this will take a long time.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages