Today in Mormon History - Jul 21

[h...@mail2.bigplanet.com]

On this day in Mormon History
http://TodayInMormonHistory.com/

-- 180 years ago today - Jul 21, 1842 --

Wilford Woodruff writes: "There was a Counsel of the Twelve held for four days with Elder Orson Pratt to labour with him to get him to recall his sayings against Joseph & The Twelve but he persisted in his wicked course & would not recall any of his sayings which were made in public against Joseph & others sayings which were unjust & untrue. The Twelve then rejected him as a member of their quorum & he was cut off from the Church."
----------------------

-- 175 years ago today - Jul 21, 1847 --
[Three days before the pioneer company enters Salt Lake Valley]
Erastus Snow was with the vanguard company of Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young. On 21 July 1847 Snow and Orson Pratt, alternately riding a single horse and walking, followed the Donner Party trail over Little Mountain and down Emigration Canyon, and they were the first of the Mormon pioneers to enter Salt Lake Valley.

[Snow writes in his journal: "From the view we had of the valley from the top of the mountain, we supposed it to be only an arm of prairie extending up from the Utah valley, but on ascending this butte we involuntarily, both at the same instant, uttered a shout of joy at finding it to be the very place of our destination, and beheld the broad bosom of the Salt Lake spreading itself before us."] (1)
----------------------

-- 155 years ago today - Jul 21, 1867 --

Apostle George Q. Cannon preaches: "But God, our Heavenly Father, reserved this-the land of promise-for the especial purpose of building up his kingdom in the latter days. As the 'Book of Mormon' informs us, it has been hid from the eyes of the generations of men for this purpose. If it had not been thus hidden the nations of the earth would have overrun the land until there would have been no foothold found for the establishment of the kingdom of God upon it. But the Lord concealed it, from the days of the flood, from the eyes of men, excepting those whom he led hither; as we are informed by the 'Book of Mormon' that no nation after the flood, knew anything about this land; although I believe it, is said in the Norwegian Antiquarian researches, that this land was visited by the Icelanders in the eleventh century. But there is nothing authentic in this. But be that as it may, this land was kept secret until Columbus was moved upon by the Spirit of God, to go forth and penetrate the western ocean."
----------------------

[Wilford Woodruff]
Jesse N Smith Spoke in the Morning 30 Minuts & Henry W Lawrence 15 minuts. He had Just returned from the States. Visited Nauvoo & Emma Smith. Said there was not a vistage of the [Nauvoo] Temple left. The foundation of the temple had been taken up & the whole Block was Covered with a grape vine yard. He said the whole town looked like desolation. (2)
----------------------

-- 135 years ago today - Jul 21, 1887 --

Apostle Franklin D. Richards: "God, the Father came down in his tabernacle of flesh and bone and had association with Mary, and made her pregnant with Jesus." (3)
----------------------

-- 135 years ago today - Jul 21, 1887 • Thursday --
[George Q. Cannon]
When President Taylor received the manifestations that prompted him and myself to take the course we did in purchasing a two-thirds share of the Bullion, Beck and Champion Mining Co., we were under the necessity of borrowing $25,000./ of the Trustee-in-Trust. This was done with the knowledge of the Twelve, it having been submitted to them by President Taylor. For this sum we gave our joint note, drawing eight per cent interest, and President Taylor drew a mortgage on his mill at Ogden to cover the note and also secured it by a portion of the Stock which we had consecrated. In view of the precarious condition of President Taylor’s health, I was exceedingly anxious to have this note taken up. I wanted it settled, if possible, in some way before his death, that it might not be mixed with his private affairs and put in the hands of his executors. ... (4)
----------------------

-- 125 years ago today - Jul 21, 1897 --

Wilford Woodruff writes: "Madam Mountford called at the house this evening and gave me a sample of her massage treatment." Woodruff had corresponded with "Madame Lydia Mamreoff Von Finkelstein Mountford," an international lecturer and world traveler, and was rumored to have taken her as a plural wife. During his last years she is constantly mentioned in his diary. She was sealed to him by proxy in 1920.
----------------------

-- 75 years ago today - Jul 21, 1947 --

Time Magazine features President George Albert Smith on its cover. (3)
----------------------

-- 30 years ago today - Jul 21, 1992 --

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services presents a plaque to the Relief Society general president Elaine Low Jack in honor of the Society's service for older women. (3)
----------------------


1 - Utah History Encyclopedia: Erastus Snow, http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]
4 - The Journal of George Q. Cannon, Church Historian's Press, https://churchhistorianspress.org/george-q-cannon