Special Priesthood Meeting. 10 A.M. After opening exercise Prest. Jno. [Jon] R. Winder said: In public meetings, blessing children, blessing the bread, giving our notices or announcing hymns or preaching brethren should speak loud and so that everyone can hear. Read from remarks of Prest. [Joseph F.] Smith’s April Conference 1904 regarding plural marriages. Also instruction presented by F[rancis] M. Lyman.
It is said that the above was done simply for effect and was not intended to be enforced. That there Is an inner circle where these things are better understood. There is no inner circle. The presidency & Apostles are united to a man on the question and maintain the declarations made above & expect it to be enforced. There is no inner circle and this policy is sapping the faith of young people in the Church and we want every office present to see that the policy of the Church is maintained. I am speaking or myself! (Prest. Smith[:] [“]You are speaking for all of us.”)
Prest. [Anthon H.] Lund. Many people say that Reed Smoot is responsible for present conditions & call him the father of the American Party. It is not true. All people in the Church should attend sacrament meetings. Recommends should contain genealogical data where possible.
F[rancis] M. Lyman. Expected to have spoken on the subject referred to by Pres. Winder. We hope there will be no misunderstanding in the future. The 12 are united with the prest. & will maintain his position. Refer questions to Prest. Smith if you are in doubt.
Be sure that missionaries are reformed and clean before they are sent to us. Do not send men who are in any way afflicted.
Prest. Smith. While Prest. Winder made himself clear I desire to make his remarks clearer. This whispering which has been so prevalent and which has brought some of our brethren into trouble is wrong. Every sensible man ought to know that when we make public assertions that we meant it, and when men come around whispering that there are other counsels, that there is an inner circle deserve all they have received, and some of them have not received what they merited. The talk about Reed Smoot being the cause of this trouble is ridiculous nonsense.
Sustain those who sustain you. Get out of debt. Do not seek pleasure to excess. Temples are sacred places and no one who is not in good standing should be recommended to them.
Every young man in Israel should marry and no go whoring after the world. Very important. Officials not be called by official titles. (Anthony W. Ivins, Journal, October 8, 1906, in Cowboy Apostle: The Diaries of Anthony W. Ivins, 1875-1932, ed. Elizabeth Oberdick Anderson [Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2013], 370-71)
