Today in Mormon History - Oct 03

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

-- 215 years ago today - 1806. October 3 --

(Oliver Cowdery) : Born in Wells, Vermont. In 1832 he married Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, daughter of Peter Whitmer, Sr. Only one of their six children lived to adulthood. Cowdery was brother-in-law to Brigham Young's brother Phineas and to Book of Mormon Witnesses David Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. He was a third cousin to the Prophet Joseph Smith. (1)
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-- 180 years ago today - Oct 3, 1841 --

He [Joseph] explained the difference between an angel and a ministering spirit; the one a resurrected or translated body, with its spirit ministering to embodied spirits---the other a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering to disembodied spirits. Jesus Christ became a ministering spirit (while His body was lying in the sepulchre) to the spirits in prison, to fulfill an important part of His mission, without which He could not have perfected His work, or entered into His rest. After His resurrection He appeared as an angel to His disciples.

Translated bodies cannot enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent to death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions.

The angel that appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos was a translated or resurrected body (i.e. personage). Jesus Christ went in body after His resurrection, to minister to resurrected bodies. [History of the Church, 4:425, Sunday, October 3, 1841; TPJS, p. 191.] (2)
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-- 180 years ago today - Oct 3, 1841 (Sunday Morning) --
President Joseph Smith, by request of some of the Twelve, gave instructions on the doctrine of Baptism for the Dead; ... He explained a difference between an angel and a ministering spirit; the one a resurrected or translated body, with its spirit, ministering to embodied spirits—the other a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering to disembodied spirits. Jesus Christ became a ministering spirit, while his body laying in the sepulchre, to the spirits in prison; to fulfil an important part of his mission, without which he could not have perfected his work or entered into his rest After his resurrection, he appeared as an angel to his disciples &c. Translated bodies cannot enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent to death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions. The angel that appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos was a translated or resurrected body.—Jesus Christ went in body, after his resurrection, to minister to translated and resurrected bodies. There has been a chain of authority and power from Adam down to the present time. ...

The speaker then announced, "There shall be no more baptisms for the dead, until the ordinance can be attended to in the font of the Lord's House; and the church shall not hold another general conference, until they can meet in said house. For thus saith the Lord!" (3)
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-- 165 years ago today - Oct 3, 1856 --
[Wilford Woodruff]
President Heber C. Kimball rebuked Albert P. Rockwood in the presence of the Saints in the Deseret Store for his studidity & folly. Brother Kimball says as I pass by you I cannot even get your eye. You do not speak to me. You are as dry as an old Cabage leaf wilted up. You have not the spirit of God & you have tryed to ride me for years & If you do not wake up & do your duty I will ride you & that to with sharp spurs. I feel to rebuke you in the name of the Lord & Brother Woodruff you wright it that it may stand on record against him. (4)
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-- 160 years ago today - Oct 3, 1861 (Thursday) --

[Non-Mormon] John W. Dawson was appointed governor of Utah. (5)
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-- 150 years ago today - Oct 3, 1871 --

Brigham Young was indicted for adultery. He was under house arrest from January to April 1872. ( B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History 5:394 415 ). The charges were dismissed ( Quinn, Extensions p 767 ). (6)
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To day at 20 Minuts past 3 oclok this Afternoon D[aniel] H Wells was Arested By U.S. Marshal on a charge of lascivious and unlawful Cohabitation. So the [Ball?] opens against the servants of God By the wicked Judges & ring to make war upon the Mormons. (4)
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-- 140 years ago today - Oct 3, 1881 --
[Wilford Woodruff]
Oct 3, 1881 {Orson Pratt Died Oct 3 1881 at 8.40 AM Aged 70 years} I Called at the house of Orson Pratt at 8.40 and he had just breathed his last. Thus by his death we loose the last man that was organized in the first quorum of the Twelve Apostles at least who are in the Church. I think that Wm. Smith, Wm. E McLellin & John Boyanton are Still living, but all out of the Church.

Elder Orson Pratt has been in the Church the longest of any man that has Ever lived in it up to the Present time. He has traveled more miles in the ministry than any other Man. Has Crossed the Atlantic 16 times. He was a self made man. Orson Pratt had obtained through his own Exertion without the aid of teachers, more Mathimatical Philological and Astrological Knowledge Probably than any other man in this generation.

...This has been a singular Day. Soon after Orson Pratt Died, One of his wives Juliett Pratts Barn took fire & burned up with all its Contents. Milando Pratt had a large Mirror hanging in his house fall & mashed to Peaces....

I went to the Coop & got materials to lay out Br Orson Pratt. The Bill was $18.50 and I got order for the family amounting to $234.40. Total $252.90. (4)
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-- 130 years ago today - Oct 3, 1891 --

Apostle Heber J. Grant writes in his journal: "Lorenzo Snow Testified of the great work that the brethren would do and that they would live to see the Saviour come to the earth. Said the Son of God would visit the brethren and converse with them before in he came to the earth in Glory."
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-- 120 years ago today - Thursday, Oct 3, 1901 --

... At this point the tables were spread for the sacrament, Apostle Young being mouth in offering the blessing. While at the table Pres. Snow made some allusions to the Prophet Joseph Smith and said that he did many things which tried the faith of the people, and some apostatized. He thought it likely that such might be the case in our day. Referred to the Elks Carnival and the part his daughter, Mabel, had taken as queen. This action on his part might try the faith of some of the people, perhaps some of the apostles, but it was right and would accomplish good. He felt assured of this.

After the Presidency had withdrawn, the minutes of the meeting were read and adopted. The brethren of the Twelve were unanimous in the opinion that the people in the south [Arizona] would not be satisfied with an endowment house, but would want a temple, though modest in appearance and cost. The thought was expressed that a temple sufficient to meet their wants would cost but little more than an endowment house. Apostle Young was delegated to bring this matter to the attention of the Presidency. Adjourned to Jan. 7th, 1902. (7)
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-- 95 years ago today - Oct 3, 1926 --

Statement on plural marriage: "Notwithstanding frequent verbal and printed instructions issued by President Joseph F. Smith and counselors to the effect that the solemnization of plural marriages was prohibited by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and these instructions having been reiterated time and time again by myself as President, cases occasionally arise where certain individuals are teaching that it is legitimate to enter into plural marriage, and that such marriages can be performed by certain members of the Church claiming to have authority to do so.

"The revelations of the Lord inform us most plainly that there is but one man on earth at a time who holds the keys of this sealing power; namely, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As President of the Church, I once again solemnly declare that no man living has the authority to solemnize a plural marriage; and I hereby announce that it is the bounden duty of every Latter-day Saint, male and female, who knows of any such pretended marriage being performed, to inform the proper officers of the Church, in order that the Church's honor may be maintained and that such individuals may be dealt with according to the rules and regulations of the Church and excommunicated therefrom." HEBER J. GRANT. (8)
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Counselor Anthony W. Ivins tells conference that the measurements of the Great Pyramid of Giza foretell the LDS church in 1830, start of the "Great War" in 1914, and the war's end in 1918. (9)
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-- 75 years ago today - Oct 3, 1946 --

President George Albert Smith writes in his journal that it had been decided "Joseph F. Smith Patriarch unable to carry on," and the Patriarch to the Church was released, "a sad happening." Joseph F. Smith II, Patriarch to the Church was discovered to have been engaging in homosexual behaviors. That same day David O. McKay reads a letter from Joseph F. Smith II in which he claims to be in poor health and that he is willing to be released. He is released and moves to Hawaii where he is not allowed to hold any church position. No disciplinary hearing is ever held.
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-- 65 years ago today - Oct 3, 1956 --

The new Relief Society Building in Salt Lake City was dedicated. (10)
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[Mark E. Petersen]
"Petting is indecent and sinful, and the person who attempts to pet with you is himself both indecent and sinful and is likewise lustful… Is that what you want? Will you not remember that in the category of crime, God says sex sin is next to murder?" (11)
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-- 40 years ago today - Oct 3, 1981 --

Network of 500 satellite dishes announced for stake centers outside of Utah. The receivers are installed in about a year and half. (12)
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1 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Paper, "Concepts Quotations Dealing With the Origin, Identity Position of Adam Eve"
3 - Times and Seasons -15 October 1841: 577-78
4 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
5 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
6 - Tungate, Mel, Mormon Polygamy, http://www.tungate.com/polygamy.htm
7 - Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson
8 - 1926-October 3-Conference Reports, October, 1926, p. 12, in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)
9 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]
10 - Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html
11 - General Conference, 3 October 1956, in History of Mormons and Masturbation, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/history-of-mormons-and-masturbation/ -- summarized from http://www.mormonstudies.net/pdf/mormon_masturbation.pdf/
12 - Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984