Today in Mormon History - Jul 14

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

-- 180 years ago today - Jul 14, 1842 --

In a public speech, Joseph Smith calls Orson Pratt's wife, Sarah, -A whore from her mother's breast- (The Sangamo Journal. July 29, 1842). This entry is from an anti-mormon newspaper, and is the only source of this statement, however one must question whether all sources are lies simply because they are not in favor of mormonism. On the same day:

Sarah had accused Smith of proposing plural marriage to her while her husband, Orson, was away on a mission

Orson Pratt writes a -suicide' note: -I am a ruined man! My future prospects are blasted! The testimony upon both sides seems to be equal: The one in direct contradiction to the other . . .-

Regardless of whether he said the exact words -Whore- and -Mother's breast-, it is clear that Joseph pushed in a way that lead Orson to be very distraught over the situation of his wife claiming that Joseph had proposed to her, and refusing to accept that it was Bennett who had, instead. (1)
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-- 155 years ago today - Jul 14, 1867 (Afternoon) --
[Brigham Young]
Speaking of the reported gold mines out east, and the statements that he had sent men there, he said that he had sent no one, although he had consented for some to go who wanted to go; but he had the same to say now that he said when people were going west to dig gold; those who remained at home and helped to build up the Kingdom of God would grow rich faster than those who went to hunt for gold. The only thing that he could counsel men to do is to build up the Kingdom of God. He said to the bishops, presidents, and elders generally, that if it is their privilege to swear a little, lie a little, drink a little, chew tobacco, and drink tea and coffee, they have a privilege which he never enjoyed. No person has a license to sin. -- SLC Bowery (2)
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-- 135 years ago today - Jul 14, 1887 --

L. John Nuttall writes: " Pres[iden]t. Taylor spent a poor night. He does not seem much different this morning, only weaker. Dr. Anderson spoke last evening of administering hyperdermic injections of Digitalis, which he said would only give him temporary relief in the action of the heart. The Sisters Taylor and Pres[iden]t. Cannon did not favor this, as the President had so opposed anything of the kind being done for him while he was able to speak for himself. The doctor this morning after examining the President, said he might live a week or ten days or he might drop off today or at any time."
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-- 75 years ago today - Jul 14, 1947 --
[David O. McKay]
[Part of interview with Mr. Bell of Time magazine:] c. Did the end of polygamy come as a result of divine revelation, or as a manifesto to President Woodruff.

I answered: President Woodruff stated that it came as a revelation; that he prayed, and then he issued the Manifesto.

d. I understand that the Welfare Program started in 1936, and that it came as a revelation to President Heber J. Grant.

I answered: It was not a revelation; it is just a program of the Church. (3)
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-- 50 years ago today - Jul 14, 1972 --

Jean Miles Westwood is elected as national chair of the Democratic Party, the first Mormon and first woman to head a major political party in the United States. (4)
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-- 35 years ago today - Jul 14, 1987 --

William Law, Counselor to Joseph Smith and publisher of the NAUVOO EXPOSITOR (the newspaper that exposed Joseph's polygamy and whose distruction led to Joseph's arrest and assassination at Carthage Jail) is rebaptized by proxy into the LDS church. His priesthood is restored by proxy on Oct 15.
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1 - Joseph Smith, Orson and Sarah Pratt- A timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/joseph-smith-orson-and-sarah-pratt-a-timeline/
2 - Deseret News. Also Deseret Evening News, Deseret News Weekly, Deseret News Semi- Weekly, and Deseret News Extra, Salt Lake City; 1850-current. 16:225, 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 - David O. McKay Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010
4 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database ( http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase )]