Today in Mormon History - May 6

[Clair Barrus]

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



-- 180 years ago today - May 6, 1846 --
[Nauvoo Temple]
The Quincy Whig reported on [self-proclaimed successor to Joseph Smith] Strang's resolutions, which claimed that the Trustees had "no right to convey title to any property of the Church and caution[ed] all against buying of them."  Strang's assertions made the Trustees' work much more difficult, especially when Strang published information from the Hancock County Book of Mortgages and Deeds, attempting to show that Joseph Smith's successor was the President of the Church, who was the Trustee-in-Trust, and only he had the right to convey title to Church property.  Apparently when Strang raised the question of who held legitimate title to the temple, it clouded the issue and often prevented the temple's sale. (1)
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-- 150 years ago today - May 6, 1876 --
General Aaronic Priesthood minutes note that it has "been the custom to ordain boys to the office of deacon and allow them to retain this office till they get their endowments when they [are] ordained Elders." (2)
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-- 140 years ago today - May 6th, 1886 --
[Abraham H. Cannon]
[From the Penitentiary serving time for polygamy] "Last night proved to be a very unpleasant one for several of the brethren, the bed bugs being as ravenous as to prevent their sleeping more than a very little but it seems as though all efforts to over come the bugs are futile. They get in between the planks of which the sides of the building are formed and there remain until night induces them to commence their depradations. I, for one, have thus far escaped annoyance by them." (3)
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-- 110 years ago today - May 6, 1916 --
[First Presidency letter]
"The rumor referred to in yours of the 3rd inst., that the Church sanctions the taking off of the sleeves and collar of the temple garment and replacing them with thin, gauzy material, in order to meet the re- cent style of dress worn by ladies, is not true, and anyone resorting to such proceeding mutilates the garment, and is guilty of wrongdoing." (4)
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1 - Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple
2 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]
3 - Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4
4 - Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, and Charles W. Penrose to Stephen L. Chipman, May 6, 1916, quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship