Today in Mormon History - Jul 28

[TodayInMormonHistory]

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

-- 180 years ago today - Tuesday, Jul 28, 1846. --

Omaha Nation. About 9, the chief and some of the warriors of the Otoes came to the spring to see the Mormon chief. Wanted a beef. President Young shook hands with them and directed a beef to be given them and tears started in the Chief's eyes....

President Young asked Brother Martindale the cause of putting away his wife and taking another woman. Martindale said his trouble commenced from the time he began to investigate Mormonism. His wife began to oppose. She was not a believer and continued her opposition, etc., and spoke more than half an hour. President Young said however wrong Sister Martindale has been, it would not justify any man in taking another woman under color of the priesthood, and in opposition of the order the priesthood. (1)
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-- 165 years ago today - Jul 28, 1861 (Afternoon) --
[Brigham Young]
When will the Saviour make his appearance in the midst of his people? When will the vail be taken away, that we may behold the glory of God? Can any of you answer these questions? Yes, readily, when I tell you. The redemption of Zion is the first step preparatory to the two last-named events. Just as soon as the Latter-day Saints are ready and prepared to return to Independence, Jackson County, in the State of Missouri, North America, just so soon will the voice of the Lord be heard, '"Arise now, Israel, and make your way to the centre Stake of Zion.'"... If we are not very careful, the earth will be cleansed from wickedness before we are prepared to take possession of it. ... When Joseph first revealed the land where the Saints should gather, a woman in Canada asked if we thought that Jackson County would be large enough to gather all the people that would want to go to Zion. I will answer the question really as it is. Zion will extend, eventually, all over this earth. There will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be in Zion. ... Millions will come and live in Zion when the laws of Zion reign predominant over creation; ... Will there be Methodists there? Yes; and they will have the privilege to worship a God without body, parts, and passions, just as they do now, if they choose to. ... ... the fight [of the Civil War] will continue until the earth is empty. Will it be over in six months or in three years? No; it will take years and years, and will never cease until the work is accomplished. There may be seasons that the fire will appear to be extinguished, and the first you know it will break out in another portion, and all is on fire again, and it will spread and continue until the land is emptied. Will they all be killed? No. I shall see the day when thousands will seek succour at the hands of this people. If you say, '"Husband, I shall leave you, if you take another wife,'" you had better leave now when you may stand a chance of getting another husband. ... Young men, prepare yourselves; for a greater responsibility will come upon you than you have ever dreamed of. Millions [of women] will seek to you for salvation. ... (2)
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-- 55 years ago today - Jul 28, 1971 --

Wesley Walters and Fred Poffarl find Justice Neely's bill for trying the case of "Joseph Smith The Glass Looker Mar 20. 1826" in Bainbridge, New York 1826. It is among dead-storage documents in the basement of the county jail in Norwich, New York. Mormons had claimed the trial never took place. This find established that it had. (3)
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1 - Apostle Willard Richards Journal
2 - Journal of Discourses. Liverpool, England, 1853-86. 9:137-144, in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses
3 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com