September 30, 1890:
At ten attended a meeting the
Presidents office opposite the Gardo House of the Utah Sugar Co. I remained in
the meeting until 1.50 and then went to lunch. At 2 P.M. attended a meeting of
the Apostles in the Gardo House. There were present President Lorenzo Snow,
Franklin D. Richards, Moses Thatcher, Francis M. Lyman, Jno. Henry Smith, Heber
J. Grant, Jno. W. Taylor, and Abraham H. Cannon.
President Snow spoke of the
Manifesto that had recently been published by Prest. Woodruff and said that he
approved of it fully. Said that even had he not been able to approve of it that
he should not have opposed it as he did not feel that he would be justified in
setting up his opinions in opposition to the Presidency. He felt that in case
there was anything advanced that he was not able to see that he should remain
still until such time as he could see it. He said there would be no loss to
those who were true and faithful on account of their not being able to take
more than one wife at the Present time. He said that some of the very best of
men had passed away from this life when they were on missions who had not had
any wife named Lorenzo Barnes as one of this kind. He said that he was sure
that brother Barnes would have wives in the life to come. There was no blessing
that would be denied him.
He felt that the Manifesto would
turn the hearts of many honest hearted people to a feeling of friendship and
respect for us. While our enemies might do us more injury in the future, if
possible, than in the past he was sure good would result from the publication
of the Manifesto. I can see the good of the Manifesto clearly and am thankful
for it. He had been glad that in the days of Joseph Smith that he had been
blessed so that he could see and approve of his teachings, many of which were
of such a nature that some of the saints turned away from the truth on account
of them. When the knowledge which we have of the things of God is compared with
that of the world we feel that our knowledge is immense, but when we compare
what we know to the knowledge of God we feel that we know really nothing. Felt
that we should be careful and faithful. In case we are successful in reaching
an exaltation we would be able to save our wayward wives and children.
He referred to many cases in the
past history of the Church where laws had been suspended for a time. He said we
had not given up plural marriage and we should not and could not do so, but in
the providence of God we were for the present relieved on account of the
actions of our enemies from the entering into that relation.
FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS. Said that
those among the people who had the spirit of revelation would approve of the
Manifesto. Said that it was a very momentous affair and that he was convinced
that God was with Prest. Woodruff when he was preparing the Manifesto for
publication. Many will reject it and feel that the Church is now all wrong.
Some will say that Jno. Sharp was condemned for the very thing that the
President is now telling the saints to do. He referred to many cases where laws
had been suspended. He named among the others the suspension of the law of
baptism in cases where wives and children had received the testimony of the
gospel but their husbands and fathers were opposed to their being baptised. He
had happened into the Gardo house the day Prest. Woodruff was dictating the
Manifesto and upon asking for him was told by Prest. Cannon that he was in the
other room and was writing something very important and was not to be
disturbed. When he came out saw him and his face shone with pleasure and he
seemed very much pleased and contented. I felt by the inspirations of the
spirit to me that Prest. Woodruff had been inspired in what he had been
writing. When the Manifesto was read I felt that it was the right thing and
that it had been given at the right time. I feel that this is the work of the
Lord. It is all right if the Government shall take all of our property, real
and personal.
Felt to endorse the sentiments of
President Snow that in case we were faithful and secured an exaltation that we
would be able to bring those of our families who had been wayward back into an
exaltation.
JOHN W. TAYLOR, Said that when he
had read the Manifesto he felt “damn it”. He said that he remembered the
Revelation that Prest. Woodruff had had from the Lord which was read to us some
time ago in which He told us that He would sustain us in carrying our the law
of plural marriage. He also remembered finding among his father's papers the
word of the Lord to him in which the Lord said that plural marriage was one of
His eternal laws and that He had established it, that man had not done so and
that He would sustain and uphold his saints in carrying it out. He said that
this was given to his father in answer to prayer in which he had asked the Lord
if it would not be right under the circumstances to discontinue plural
marriages.
I know that the Lord has given
this manifesto to Prest. Woodruff and He can take it away when the time comes
or he can give it again. I feel all right now and am glad that I do.
MOSES THATCHER, Said that a day
or so before the Manifesto was given that he was in the city and that Prest.
Woodruff had said to him that he did not wish him to go away as there would be
an important meeting and he had intended to telegraph for him to come to the
city. Prest. Woodruff felt great anxiety regarding the false statements that
were being published about us by the Utah Commission and Government and he felt
that great trouble was coming unless something was done to off set their
publications. Felt that Congress would enact some law before they adjourned.
Brother Thatcher said that he
felt that the Manifesto had come by the inspiration of the Spirit to Prest.
Woodruff and that it was all right with him. He was sure that it would do us
great good as there would be thousands on thousands of upright and honest men
in this land who would now feel that we were not an unlawful and treasonable
set of people. Felt that God would hasten His work and that perhaps this very
action may be the thing that will cause us as a quorum to be separated in the
near future. He referred to the remarks of Prest. Snow when we had been
together at our other meetings wherein he said that he wanted us to be sure and
come to those meetings of the Apostles as the day may come when we will not
have the privilege of meetings of this kind. The Manifesto would make our
enemies madder than ever and they would do all in their power to bring trouble
upon us, but actions taken against us now that we had taken the position that
we had would be without excuse. It is necessary that this Nation shall be
without excuse before the Lord will deal with them. I have known for years that
our people would go to Mexico in great numbers. God will deal out to this
Nation the measure they deal out to us. The battle axe of the Lord, the
Lamanites, will have a hand in humbling this nation. He endorsed the statements
of Prest. Snow that no one would lose any of the blessings of the Lord on
account of their passing from this life before they had entered into plural
marriage or any of the other laws in case such persons were really faithful and
in their hearts intended to keep all of the laws of the Lord. He referred to
the case of Feramorz Young. Said that he had had a testimony from the Lord that
Plural marriage was true. That he was engaged to Miss Hattie Hooper and that she,
he feared, did not have faith in that doctrine and that he had recorded in his
journal that he should lay his love on the alter of Sacrifice sooner than not
fulfill this law, and yet he had died with no wife. Since his death a very nice
young lady died and she had appeared to her friends and asked that she be
sealed to Fera. Young and the matter had been attended to. Another young lady
of gentile parents who had never been in the Church but who had lived in the
world came to a gentile woman in Salt Lake City and plead with her to go to
Fera. Young’s mother and have the ordinances attended to for her and have her
sealed to Fera.
This young lady had died in the
world with no knowledge of the gospel so far as we had any way of learning. She
had come three times to the gentile woman in this city and this woman finally
went to Fera’s mother and told her of the visitation and said that she did not
believe a word in what the young woman had said to her, but she had finally
been under the necessity of promising her that she would go to Fera’s mother
and so she had done so. The ordinances were performed for her and she had been
sealed there was not the least danger than any one who was faithful would be
deprived of any single blessing that they had earned, no matter if they were
called away from this life before they had fulfilled all of the laws of the
Lord.
FRANCIS M. LYMAN, said that he
had endorsed the Manifesto fully when he first heard it. He said that it had
always been a matter of great satisfaction to him that he had never had the
least difficulty up to the present time to fully endorse all of the doctrines
that had been advanced by the President of the Church from the days of the
Prophet Joseph down to the present time and he hoped that he should never have
any doubt regarding matters which might be advanced in the future. All that had
advanced had come to him as the word of the Lord and he had found not the
slightest difficulty in accepting the same. He did not feel that we had
surrendered the least principle by the action that had been taken by Prest.
Woodruff in publishing the Manifesto . We had refused to allow marriages in the
United States and he could not see the least reason why we should not have the
benefit in case there was any of publishing this fact to the world. He referred
to his labors since our last meeting with brothers Richards, Smith, Cannon,
Taylor and Grant of our quorum and brothers Reynolds, Gates and Roberts of the
Seventies and paid each of them a tribute, testifying to the inspirations of
the Lord attending them in their labors among the people.
After the remarks of brother
Lyman our meeting adjourned to meet at ten tomorrow. We were to come together
fasting tomorrow.
I have enjoyed the meeting today
very much indeed. The brethren have been blessed in their remarks. (Heber J.
Grant, Journal, September 30, 1890, in The Diaries of Heber J. Grant,
1880-1845 Abridged, comp. D. Michael Quinn [Digital Edition; Salt Lake
City, 2015])
October 1, 1890:
This morning I wrote a letter to
Augusta. I also wrote up my journal for Monday and most of that for yesterday.
I did not have time to write all the items before it was time for me to attend
the meeting of the Apostles viz. 10 A.M.
JOHN HENRY SMITH, said that the
Manifesto had disturbed his feelings very much, but he had felt that he had
better say nothing about it until he was with his brethren. He had many times
felt that in case we as a people had taken the heroic stand and maintained all
of the principles of our faith that our troubles would have been over by this
time. He had often wondered if we as a people were worthy of the principle of
plural marraig and when he had looked at the actions of men living in the
practice of this principle he did not much wonder that the Lord had for the
present restrained us in its practice. The Governor of our territory had
already suggested that we must now put away all of our wives other than the
first one. He said that the only thing that would restrain him from living with
all of his wives would be that he was in the Pen. and could not do so, that is
such would be his course unless there was a change in his present make up. He
confessed that he was somewhat at sea regarding the Manifesto as he had had no
impressions on the subject. He desired to aid in the preaching of the gospel
and in building up the kingdom. He had been absolutely happy in this room some
months ago when Prest. Woodruff read to us a revelation from the Lord telling
us that plural marriage was a principle that He had revealed and that he would
sustain us in obeying His law. He regretted that he did not have the same happy
and contented feeling regarding the Manifesto. My fears are that the Manifesto
will do us as a people more harm than good. He was willing to sustain the prest.
in issuing the Manifesto although he was a little at sea as to the wisdom of
its having been issued.
HEBER J. GRANT, said that he felt
easy and happy over the Manifesto and felt that it was the right thing at the
right time and that there was not the least reason why such a document should
not be issued as we had already come to the decision that we as the leaders of
the people should not allow any more persons to be married in the United
States, and that in case a person wished a second or third wife that he must go
out of the United States and get her and that after he had been married that he
should not bring her in to this country. Prest. Woodruff had simply told the
world what we had been doing and if there were any advantages to secure by the
publication of the Manifesto I feel that we should have them.
Had no idea that the publication
of the Manifesto would in the least relieve us from persecution in the future,
but felt as some of the brethren had expressed themselves yesterday that it
might be the very thing that would bring greater trouble on us and might be the
cause of separating our Quorum so that we would not have the privilege of
meeting as we are now doing.
Some say that in case this action
had been taken years ago that the Nation would have allowed those then in
plural marriage to continue to live with their wives and raise families, but in
case that had been done the question was how could the words of the Prophet
Joseph been fulfilled where in he had said that our rights and liberties should
be taken from us and that the Constitution of our country should be trampled
on. Things come around in their proper time and season.
Brother Jno. W. Taylor was asked
to speak, but said that as he had expressed his opinion yesterday that he had
nothing more that he cared to say.
ANTHON H. LUND, said that he felt
all right about the Manifesto. He had come to meet Prest. Cannon soon after it
had been issued and had heard from him the way in which the matter had
impressed the mind of our President. He gave an account of a celebration that
had been held at Ephraim on the 15th. ult. It had been held in honor of the
40th anniversary of the organization of the First Branch of the Church in
Scandinavia.
They had had a very remarkable
time. There were present the First Woman baptized, the First Elder ordained and
the first of several other things. He had enjoyed the celebration very much
indeed, but did not wish his brethren of the Apostles to feel that those of the
saints who had come to this land from Scandinavia were any dearer to him than
any of the other saints. He loved the people of the Lord without regard to what
land they had come from. There had been representatives from nearly every Stake
in the Church where there were any of the Scandinavians living.
ABRAHAM H. CANNON, said that the
Manifesto had not in the lest disturbed him, as he had recognized in the
publication simply the announcement to the world of what we were already doing.
He could not help admiring Daniel who would supplicate the Lord even in the
face of the law which said that he would have to suffer in case he did so, but
at the same time he had felt that it required as much of the heroic in the
nature of man to make a statement similar to the Manifesto as to suffer. He
felt that many who had not gone to the Pen. had suffered as much and in some
cases more than those who had. Many men would really prefer to go to the Pen.
than to be running around on the Underground but on account of the suffering
that would come to their wives in case they were to come into court they had
kept away. He felt that the Lord had suggested to Prest. Woodruff to publish
the Manifesto and that was sufficient for him. He felt that those who would not
be on hand to sustain the Manifesto were those who had not been on hand to do
their duties in the Church in the past. The faithful saints would sustain the
Manifesto. Felt that the Lord would not ask us to do that that would not be for
our best good. When I hear the remarks of the brethren regarding the troubles
that may come on us as a quorum and on the saints my only fear is that I may
not have sufficient strength to stand. I feel to give my approval to the
Manifesto issued.
MOSES THATCHER, asked the
question if it would be wisdom on our part to fly in the face of the law and
answered, no. He related a conversation between Prest. Budge and brother Jno.
Nicholson in which brother N. had said that he felt that we should come out as
a people and stand up for the principles of our faith and take the
consequences. Prest. Budge took the position that he thought that it was the
better course for him under the circumstances to visit his folks without any
one knowing that he did so. He said that the reason he did not go openly was
that he was afraid to do so. He asked brother Nicholson why he did not visit
his folks openly and was answered that he did not dare to for fear of a second
term in the Pen. Brother Budge told him that if his position was the right one
that he should stand up for Plural marriage and take the second term, that if
it was the right thing to do for the people it was the right thing for him as
an individual. This practical application had the effect of modifying the
opinions of Brother N. to quite an extent. Moses felt that in the past that
State lines had given us some relief, but that they would fade away and that it
wold be necessary for us to go to Mexico and Central America in great numbers
and that there we would form alliances with the battle axe of the Lord and that
they would aid us in eventually sustaining and upholding the Constitution of
this country. We must be the ones according to the predictions of the Prophet
Joseph to rescue the Constitution when it hang as it were by a thread. Those
men who have kept all of the commandments of the Lord will be the ones who will
go to Mexico and as they have been faithful they will be the proper persons to
accomplish the mighty work that I believe is to be done in that section of the
country. The principle of plural marriage is as sacred to me today as it ever
was, and I do not feel that we have abrogated any principle of our faith on
account of the publication of the Manifesto.
LORENZO SNOW said that he had
been much pleased with the remarks of the brethren. He thought that each and
every case should stand on its own merits. It would be wise in some cases for
men to take their wives out of the country where they could have more children
and in other cases it would be the part of wisdom for them not to do so but to
remain here and give care to the education of those that they now had. ...
The question was asked of Prest.
Snow by me as to how the Son of God was begotten and he answered that he was
begotten just the same as you and I were or as our sons are. All of the
brethren who said anything endorsed this doctrine. ...
The matter of those having negro
blood in their veins not being able to get the Priesthood unless it was a very
limited proportion was chatted on. Prest. Snow remarked that the killing by
Cain of Abel was more than a simple murder, as Cain was aware of the fact that
the spirits who would have come to this world through the lineage of Abel would
be deprived of that privilege on account of his act. Abel was a prince of
Spirits and Cain the same and the spirits that Cain was Prince over agreed to
take on themselves the sin that he had committed and to come on this earth with
colored skins. There would be no redemption for them and they could not secure
the Priesthood until all of those spirits that had been deprived of coming
through Abel had been given tabernacles. This statement of the condition of the
negro had been made to him by Prest. Young about the time he was made an
Apostle. He was thankful that there was no statement that the Negro should
never have the Priesthood and that there would never be a day of redemption for
him. He referred to the troubles that we often have to pass through and said
there was one thing that we should be thankful for and that was that no matter what
we had to pass through that there would always be a man at the head of the
Church that would have the keys and who could and would give us the light as he
would get the mind of the Lord. (Heber J. Grant, Journal, October 1, 1890, in The
Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1845 Abridged, comp. D. Michael Quinn
[Digital Edition; Salt Lake City, 2015])
