Today in Mormon History - Oct 26

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

-- 190 years ago today - Oct 26, 1831 --

Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are instructed on selecting the Twelve "that they would be ordained & sent forth from the Land of Zion." (1)
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-- 165 years ago today - Oct 26, 1856 --

President Kimball ... Called for all the Horse teams in the City & Country to go into the Mountains & pick up the companies who were coming with hand Carts & bring them into the City. 115 Teams were raised in a few moments. All were to be prepared to start in the morning. They were to take grain to feed them with. This is a great exp[ense] to this Territory to send out so many teams to bring in the companies in consequence of their starting so late. This was in Consequence of some who were in Authority not obeying Council but rather blocked up the way....

The subject came up concerning the Emigration starting so late [IE Willie and Martin handcart companies] that it had Cost this Territory more than it would to have bought oxen & brought them through for we have had to send some 250 teams out to meet the Emigration & send some 20 Tons of flour & many thousands of Dollars worth of Shoes & clothing.

President Young asked why they were so late. Brother Richards said that Elder Taylor wanted to Controll the Emigration & means & would not take hold & assist in the work without it. President Young said Brother Taylor was a good man in many things but he was not fit to handle means no more than a Child. I am going to inform all Churches people & agents next season who do not take my Council that they shall be suspended from the Church. Elder Taylor said that they could not be forwarded short of £12 $58 which would not do at all. President Young said you had your positive instructions what to do but John Taylor stood in your way & you did not do as you were told & thee people were sent so late that it has cost us many thousands of Dollars to get them in. Now what did you think of such things? ... (2)
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-- 135 years ago today - Oct 26, 1886 --
An "Epistle to Saints scattered abroad" was written to the October General Conference, signed by John Taylor and George Q. Cannon who were in hiding together. Joseph F. Smith, the other counselor, was "on a mission" elsewhere and did not sign the Epistle. (3)
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-- 130 years ago today - Oct 26, 1891 --
[Brigham Young Jr.]
[After writing an answer to a question on polygamy recounting his advice that the subject be avoided as much as possible, but to stand by the revelation.] The Lord had said cease & we stopped its practice for we have always obeyed the laws of the land, but when the laws of the land are made to specially abrogate the Commands of God, it takes the word of the Lord, as in this case, to render congressional action effective. God will deprive those wicked men of every vestige of family indeed of every private and national virtue for their hypocrisy towards His saints. (4)
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-- 125 years ago today - Oct 26, 1896 --
[Anthon H. Lund]
"I went to the city and met with the Presidency who were all well. They felt concerned about the political outlook and Bro[ther] Woodruff told me that the time had come for the fulfilment of prophecy that the nation would call upon us to save them I was appointed a mission to go and see the Sevier and Panguitch stake and work with the leading I men for at vi kom faiae Pres[iden]t Geo[rge] Q. [Cannon] for vor neote Senator." [nb. "to get Pres[ident] Geo[rge] Q. elected for senator."] (5)
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-- 110 years ago today - Oct 26, 1911 --

The first stake mission is organized when sixty-one seventies in the Granite Stake in Salt Lake City, Utah, are called to serve.
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-- 35 years ago today - Oct 26, 1986-Sunday --
[Leonard Arrington]
My Experiences as Church Historian

1. Biggest disappointment. Not being consulted on historical matters. Blame that on Elder [Mark E.] Petersen, who was always suspicious of educated people, especially historians.

2. Greatest satisfaction. The way Elder [Alvin R.] Dyer worked to support us and help us. But then he has a stroke. Elder [Harold B.] Lee's and Elder [Spencer W.] Kimball's love.

3. Another disappointment. Elder [G. Homer] Durham, who was determined to put us down.

4. Moments of pleasure and happiness: Getting Davis [Bitton] and Jim Allen approved as assistant historians. Revelation on blacks [in 1978]. Change in rules permitting Maureen [Beecher] to continue working despite having her baby. Coming out of Dean Jessee's book, Brigham Young's Letters to His Sons. Article in Ensign with correct [nineteenth-century] spelling; article in Ensign mentioning polygamy.

5. Most embarrassing experience. Organization of Friends of Church History, and the subsequent suspension and discontinuance.

6. An aspect. Many people came in to tell me stories that had never been recorded. I put them in my diary. Still there.

7. Most satisfying. During 15 years we had published 15 books, 300 articles and papers. Vignettes in Church News. Articles in Ensign. Articles in professional journals. Encyclopedias. Started the 16-volume history of the church. Biographies-real biographies: J. Reuben Clark, Brigham Young, Edwin D. Woolley, shorter: Eliza Snow, Emmeline B. Wells, Susa Young Gates, Sister Saints.

Helping younger scholars. Mike Quinn, Gene Sessions, Jill Derr, Linda Newell, and Val Avery. Helping non-Mormon scholars. We gave the Dept a kind of warmth. (6)
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1 - Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
4 - Diary of Apostle Brigham Young Jr., http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
5 - Diary of Apostle Anthon H. Lund, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
6 - Confessions of a Mormon historian : the diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971-1997, Gary James Bergera, editor, Signature Books, 2018