Today in Mormon History - Jun 17

[TodayInMormonHistory]

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

-- 190 years ago today - Jun 17, 1836 --

Patriarch Joseph Smith Senior gives blessings to Amos B. Fuller: "Thy years shall be many for thou shalt stand on the Earth and proclaim the Gospel to the Nations of the Gentiles, and the seed of Abraham, as long as the earth shall stand." And to Betsy Smith: " Thy children and thy children's children shall be saved and reign with thee in the kingdom of father and thou shall see the fourth generation and thou shall not see death but shall be grave thou must see tribulation but thou shalt have power to prevail over all thy enemies and shall see thy the Holy One of Israel while yet in the flesh"
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-- 190 years ago today - 1836: 17 June --

Patriarchal blessing of Esther Smith Fuller given by Joseph Smith, Sen. ... "I seal the blessing of God on thy children: ... while young shall be in the Spirit and Prophesy, they shall be among the prophets and prophetesses. ..." (1)
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-- 170 years ago today - Jun 17, 1856 --

The new Republican Party Platform brought polygamy into the national political debate regarding slavery. It argued that since the Constitution gives Congress sovereign power over the territories it was "right and imperative" that Congress prohibit both slavery and polygamy in the territories. This created a dilemma the Democrats. Virtually all were offended at Mormon polygamy. The Republican Platform put the Democrats in the awkward position of explaining why a territory could become a slave state by the determination of the people, but could not self-determine the legality of polygamy. (2)
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-- 145 years ago today - Jun 17, 1881 --
[James E. Talmage]
"[...] if I would give way to selfish feelings I would today almost register a vow that I would not serve in the B. Y. Academy again unless I were well paid. […] Then again I think and realize that the training I am receiving in teaching these higher branches benefits me as much, if not more than regular attendance at school would. Have been enabled to save nothing in the way of money during the year." (3)
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-- 135 years ago today - June 17, 1891 --
[James E. Talmage]
Talmage attends the Annual Meeting of the Microscopical Society of London. To his surprise, Talmage is called upon to address the assembly. In his biography John R. Talmage summarizes the event:

[Talmage Story, ch. 11] [Talmage] expected merely to be recognized as a new member, but found himself called upon to address the gathering. He did so, discussing "the scientific wealth yet unmined in the land of my home," with special emphasis on the Great Salt Lake. Professor Talmage's microscopic slides of the artemis fertilis (brine shrimp) and oolitic (spherical) sand were viewed with interest as were the live shrimp which had escaped the greedy gulping of the customs official. The horned lizards had their moment in the limelight, and later found a permanent home in the zoological gardens of Regent's Park and the South Kensington Natural History Museum, a branch of the British Museum. In his room that night after the Society's meeting was over, James reviewed in his mind the impressive event, and returned thanks to the Lord for the privilege he had been accorded in attending, "I regard the occurrences of this night as very significant," [Talmage] wrote in his journal,
"not because I have gained recognition in so august a society, but because a representative of the Latter-day Saint Church-one of the despised 'Mormons'-has been so received." (4)
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-- 130 years ago today - Jun 17, 1896 --

With approval from President Wilford Woodruff, Second Counselor Joseph F. Smith seals Lillian Hamlin by proxy to the deceased David H. Cannon. During the ceremony, in the Salt Lake Temple, Smith marries her to the proxy Apostle Abraham H. Cannon as a plural wife for time. The next day, the Smiths and Cannons leave Salt Lake City for California. Later Joseph F. Smith is accused of having performed the post-manifesto marriage off the coast of California which he (truthfully) denies.
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-- 125 years ago today - Jun 17, 1901 --

A contingent headed by Apostle John Henry Smith and future apostle Anthony W. Ivins meets in Mexico City with Mexican President Porfirio Diaz. Ivins clasps his hand and says, in Spanish, "Mr. President I greatly appreciate this opportunity of grasping the hand of the Chief Magistrate of the Government which gave an asylum and protection to my people when they were in trouble."
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-- 120 years ago today - Jun 17, 1906 --
[Anthony W. Ivins]
"Sunday 2 P. M. Jos, C. Bently. Present authorities. Bro. H. Pratt made short remarks. Said an effort was being made to eliminate from the Doctrine & Covenants the revelation of marriage." (5)
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-- 120 years ago today - Jun 17, 1906; Sunday --
[George F. Richards]
"Talked with Bro[ther]. C[harles]. R. McBride after meeting about a matter of a private nature about which I had a dream some time ago. Left it with him." (6)
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-- 30 years ago today - Jun 17, 1996 --

Time magazine publishes its list of the twenty-five most influential Americans. Among those noted is Steven R. Covey (a former BYU professor, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and founder of the Covey Leadership Center).
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1 - typescript, private collection, in Selected LDS Patriarchal Blessings, New Mormon Studies CD ROM, Signature Book, 2009, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Hale, Van, Mormon Miscellaneous, Utah War Chronology, http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/utahwar/id2.html
3 - The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/
4 - Chronology of the Life and Work of James E. Talmage, J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJsHY83JZL_n6CjWq11y1trT_CVXMMXAx2uYOWAwn0c/edit#heading=h.2zfdaoa
5 - Diary Excerpts of Anthony W. Ivins, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
6 - George F. Richards, Diary