Today in Mormon History - May 31

[TodayInMormonHistory]

On this day in Mormon History
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-- 190 years ago today - May 31, 1836 --

About this time - Lucy Mack Smith: -At the time a certain young woman, who was living at David Whitmer's uttered a prophecy, which she said was given her by looking through a black stone that she had found. This prophecy gave some altogether a new idea of things. She said the reason why one third of the church would turn away from Joseph was because that he was in transgression himself; that he would fall from his office on account of the same; that David Whitmer or Martin Harris would fill Joseph's place. The girl soon became an object of great attention among those who were disaffected. Dr. Williams became her scribe and wrote her revelations for her. Jared Carter soon imbibed the same spirit, and I was informed that he said in one of their meetings that he had power to raise Joseph Smith to the highest heavens, or sink him down to the lowest hell. They still held their secret meetings at David Whitmer's and when the young woman who was their instructress was through giving what
revelation she intended for the evening, she would jump out of her chair and dance over the floor, boasting of her power, until she was perfectly exhausted. Her proselytes would also, in the most vehement manner proclaim their purity and holiness, and the mighty power which they were going to have. They made a standing appointment for meetings to be held every Thursday in the Holy Temple the House of the Lord- (1)
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[Wilford Woodruff]
... found it [today] to be the most interesting, important & instructive day of my LIFE. For on this Glorious DAY I was ordained unto the High Priesthood and also as one of the Second Seventy & sealed up unto Eternal LIFE under the hands of my Beloved Brethren, VIZ Elder's David W Patten & Warren Parrish. My ordination was requested by the PRESIDENCY of the Church at Kirtland Ohio.

Their was glorious things Pronounced upon my head in my ordination by the spirit of Prophecy & Revelation. Some I will mention which are as follows: That although my enemies would strive to take my life & confine me in dungeons & Prisons yet God should give me power over my enemies & deliver me out of their hands & from their vaults, Prisons, & caves in the name of Jesus Christ, & that men would bow at my feet & worship me if I did not say to them do it not & that Kings would bow before me & Princes give me their hand & that I Should Baptize them into the Kingdom of God & that I should be blessed on the EARTH When my head blossomed with age & if I desired it I should remain on the Earth untill the comeing of the Savior & that God would give me the desire of my heart & that God had had his eye upon me all my life long to prepare me for this work. YEA <even when my spirit was [praying?] around the throne of God [--]> that I should travel to the nations of the Earth & the
Islands of the sea to Proclaim the word of God. When these and other blessings were Pronounced upon my head I Was filled With the Power & Spirit of God. EVEN SO LET IT BE. AMEN... (2)
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-- 180 years ago today - May 31, 1846 --
[Brigham Young]
It has been reported the past week to new comers and news has been sent back that the Twelve command the people and are going to take everything from them. I shall command when God requires it of me.

I want to know whether those that have recently arrived here will be united and work for the general good, and not desire to separate themselves. ...

Exhorted the saints to live up to all of their privileges, for the saints have to become so pure that their bodies will be changed in a moment as Jesus was, and not rest in the grave one hundred or a thousand years. (3)
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[General Young]
Brigham Young first realizes the saints are running on 'Mormon Standard Time' -- "Brethren should be as prompt and punctual with each other as do the gentiles ..." (4)
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-- 170 years ago today - May 31, 1856 --

Recently-ordained Church Patriarch John Smith writes of being scared "most to death" of public speaking. He said, "I have refused allmost every time Brother Brigham called on me to dismiss the conference." (5)
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-- 160 years ago today - May 31, 1866 (Thursday) --

The first circumcision of a Hebrew child in G.S.L. City took place. (6)
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-- 135 years ago today - May 31, 1891 --
[Heber J. Grant]
At the meeting this A.M. Brother A. M. Cannon announced that he was a Republican and made quite a political speech. I was surprised and annoyed at his remarks and felt ashamed to have them made during our services. (7)
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-- 130 years ago today - May 31, 1896 --
[Heber J. Grant]
[In Provo] The name of Bro [apostle] Moses Thatcher was omitted as a counselor to General Superintendent Woodruff. (7)
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-- 125 years ago today - May 31, 1901 --
[James E. Talmage]
[...] When I submitted manuscript for the "Articles of Faith," the book that I had prepared in response to the appointment of the First Presidency, I asked no royalty on the sales or other pecuniary return; indeed I felt honored in being able to do that little for the good of the Church. There was some hesitation on the part of the First Presidency in accepting the gift, partly owing to a request of mine that the book be sold strictly at cost, and partly because of Pres. Snow's statement that a proper payment ought to be made. The first edition of 10,500 copies has been sold, and copy for a second issue is now in the hands of the electrotypers […] Several times I have been called into conference with the publication committee and with the Presidency relative to the transfer of my copyright to the Church; this the authorities desire, and for the same the Presidency declare a payment ought to be made. The brethren have urged the matter with such kindness that I could not well do
otherwise than express acquiescence. I was asked to name a sum that would be satisfactory; this I declined to do, saying that I had offered the work as a gift. Pres. Snow replied that it had been accepted as a gift, but they desired to make a present in return. Today Pres. Snow informed me of the decision reached, and I was handed a check for Fifteen Hundred Dollars. I made the legal transfer of copyright to the work, and assigned all claims incident to the first edition. [...] (8)
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[William Henry Smart]
Went to Temple this morning[,] presenting [the] recommend which Pres[iden]t [Lorenzo] Snow gave me about 3 months ago. We had not come [to the temple] before [to receive] our second anointing as the baby was young, and because we desired to become settled in our new home. I was called to speak during the services of the temple. Dwelt principally upon the necessity of keeping awake during temple services and keeping awake in our duties. I consider this a very great honor to be called to speak in the House of the Lord. B[isho]p John R Winder annointed us and Elder [Adolph] Madsen instructed us. These are the greatest blessings that are bestowed upon man in the flesh. We were both melted in tears and I felt the patriarchal spirit of pure affection more than I have done before. The witnesses to the annointing were John R. Winder[,] [who] annointed. Adolph Madsen assisted. John Nicholson [was the] Recorder. (9)
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-- 65 years ago today - May 31, 1961 --
[First Presidency]
There has been some uncertainty in the past arise in cases where a couple have been civilly married in a State which does not require a serological [blood] test. In all cases where a couple has been legally married in any State or Country of the world, they are entitled to go to any temple of the Church if properly recommended by their bishops and stake presidents, or branch and mission presidents, and are otherwise worthy to be sealed for time and eternity, without complying with the laws of the State or Country in which the temple is located. We give full recognition to the married status of such couples created under the laws of the land in which they were civilly married. It is this legal marital status which gives us the right to perform our temple sealings without compliance with the provisions of the laws which apply to the creation of the marital status by the civil law. Therefore, if a couple are legally married in a State or Country in which no serological test is
required, they are not obligated to undergo such a test in the State or County in which the temple is located as a condition precedent to their participating in the sealing ordinances of the temple. (10)
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-- 30 years ago today - May 31, 1996 --

Apostle Dallin H. Oaks marches in procession in honoring Carolyn Tanner Irish's ordination as bishop of Utah's Episcopal diocese. Bishop Irish was an LDS member until her Protestant conversion as an adult. LDS president Gordon B. Hinckley tells general conference in October: "I know of no other organization [besides the LDS church] which affords women so many opportunities... for holding positions of leadership and responsibility," even though Mormon women cannot be ordained to ecclesiastical office. (11)
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1 - Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, pp. 242-243, Kirtland Timeline - Kirtland Safety Society, the Bank of Monroe, Temple Dedication, Consecration, and significant historical events related, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/kirtland-timeline-kirtland-safety-society-the-bank-of-monroe-temple-dedication-consecration-and-significant-historical-events-related/
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - MHBY 172-173, in Elden J. Watson, ed. Brigham Young Addresses, 1801-1877: A Chronological Compilation of Known Addresses of the Prophet Brigham Young, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Privately published, 1971)
4 - John D. Lee Journals (LDS Church Reporter, 1845-47), Leonard J. Arrington Papers, Special Collections, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan.. (A reference reading LJA 12-55-5, 10, means LJA Series 12, Box 55, Folder 5, page 10.); Archives, Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah
5 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
6 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
7 - The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015
8 - The Journals of James E. Talmage—Excerpts, Compiled by J. Trevor Antley, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dOE6pgN6OkBJIq-X73JGpCdt0p5b8_UdfTfLREz4uTg/
9 - [William Henry Smart diary, May 31, 1901, Marriott Library, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
10 - David O. McKay, J. Reuben Clark Jr., and Henry D. Moyle, circular letter, May 31, 1961, quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
11 - The Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn, [New Mormon History database (http://bit.ly/NMHdatabase)]