The Administration of President Lorenzo Snow
1898-1901
The Presidency Re-organized
Eleven days after the death of President Wilford Woodruff the apostles
met in council and re-organized the First Presidency. Lorenzo Snow,
then in his 85th year, was sustained as President of the Church, and
selected the same counselors who had served with President Woodruff.
The reason for this immediate action in reorganizing the First
Presidency was a statement by President Woodruff, shortly before his
death, that "it was not the will of the Lord that in the future there
should be a lengthy period elapsed between the death of the president
and the re-organization of the First Presidency." At the October
conference (1898) the usual procedure was followed in presenting the
new officers of the presidency, and all the authorities of the Church
were unanimously sustained. Elder Rudger Clawson, president of the Box
Elder Stake, was called to the apostleship and was ordained, October 10.
President Lorenzo Snow
President Lorenzo Snow was born April 30, 1814, in Mantua, Portage
County, Ohio. In June, 1836, he was baptized by John F. Boynton, and
the following winter was ordained an elder. He immediately entered the
ministry and was laboring in Kentucky when the Saints were expelled
from Missouri. In the early forties he labored in Great Britain, his
fields being Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London. After
the departure of most of the apostles from that mission he acted as
assistant to Elder Parley P. Pratt, who presided over the British
Mission. He returned to America in 1843 and made his home at Nauvoo.
In 1849 he was called to the apostleship, and took a mission to Italy,
where he introduced the work, but met with little success. During the
anti-polygamy crusade he was sentenced by Judge Orlando W. Powers,
under the "segregation" ruling, to serve three terms of imprisonment
of six months each, making a period of eighteen months, and to pay
three fines of three hundred dollars each. The supreme court of Utah
confirmed the sentence and an appeal was taken to the court of last
resort. After he had served eleven months of his imprisonment the
supreme court of the United States reversed the ruling made in his
case, denying the right of the Utah judges to inflict punishment by
"segregation," and he was released from confinement. This ruling also
released others who had been illegally sentenced by the judges of the
Utah courts. President Snow was sustained as the president of the
Twelve Apostles when the First Presidency was re-organized in 1889, and
was also called to preside in the Salt Lake Temple when that building
was opened for work (1893), which position he retained until his death.
The Roberts Case
At the general election held November 8, 1898, Brigham H. Roberts
(Democrat) and a member of the presiding council of the seventies, was
elected as Utah's representative in Congress, and Robert N. Baskin was
elected to the Utah supreme court. During the campaign much was said
by the enemies of Mr. Roberts, because he had a plural family, and the
agitation became nationwide. It had been understood when Utah became
a state that there should be no more plural marriages, and the Utah
constitution contained a provision as follows:
"That perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured
and that no inhabitant of said state shall ever be molested in
person or property on account of his or her mode of religious
worship; provided, That polygamous or plural marriages are forever
prohibited."
However it was not understood that those who had entered into
that relation should be barred from political rights. President
Grover Cleveland, in September, 1894, by proclamation, restored all
political and civil rights to those who had been disfranchised by the
anti-polygamy legislation. Similar action had previously been taken
by President Benjamin Harrison. John Henry Smith, president of the
constitutional convention, was a polygamist, and Brigham H. Roberts
also served in that body without any question of opposition, and helped
to frame the constitution which prohibited plural marriage in the state.
Opposition of the Ministers
The opposition against Congressman Roberts was led by the Ministerial
Alliance of Salt Lake City, Attorney A. T. Schroeder, and the Salt
Lake _Tribune_, which at that time was the organ of the Republican
party. Mr. Charles C. Goodwin, editor of the _Tribune_, had served
with B. H. Roberts in the constitutional convention without a thought
of opposition. It appeared now that the old question was to be revived
through religious and political hate, and that the harmony which had
prevailed was to come to an end. The Ministerial Alliance met December
6, 1898, and prepared an address, which was signed by twenty-four
"ministers of the Gospel," "most earnestly" calling upon the people
of the United States to join them in a protest against the seating of
Congressman-elect Roberts of Utah. They declared that the "Mormon"
Church, in the election of Congressman Roberts, had broken its pledge
with the government.
Statement of President Snow
In a telegram to the New York _World_, December 29, 1898, President
Snow stated, officially and emphatically, in answer to the many false
reports, that plural marriages had ceased with the issuance of the
manifesto by President Woodruff, and that the Church had nothing to
do with the nomination and election of B. H. Roberts, that matter
being entirely a secular and political affair. The record of the
election showed that B. H. Roberts received greater support from the
non-"Mormons" than he did from the "Mormon" people.
Declaration of Senator Rawlins
In answer to the false accusations, Senator Joseph L. Rawlins
(non-"Mormon") stated:
"That polygamists should be disqualified to vote or to hold
office was no part of the compact between the state of Utah and
the United States. In territorial elections polygamists were so
disqualified. But Congress purposely and knowingly wiped away all
such disqualifications as to the very first election to be held
under the enabling act, namely, the election of delegates to the
Constitutional Convention."
Congressman Roberts Excluded
When B. H. Roberts was called to the bar of the house to be sworn in,
Mr. Robert W. Tayler of Ohio arose and moved that the question of the
right of the representative from Utah be referred to a committee of
nine members of the house, and until such committee made report, the
said B. H. Roberts should not be sworn in, or permitted to occupy
a seat. The motion was carried, and after an investigation of six
weeks, seven of the members of the committee reported in favor of his
exclusion which should be determined by a majority vote; the other two
members of the committee favored admission of the Utah member, and then
expulsion afterwards. In the meantime many petitions from all parts
of the United States poured into Congress asking for his expulsion.
January 25, 1900, the matter came to a vote and bigotry prevailed.
Congressman-elect Roberts was excluded by a vote of 244 to 50 and
36 not voting. A number of those who voted for the majority report
confessed that they voted against their consciences and in favor of
public clamor that their own political lives might be saved. Having
been given a chance to make a defense, B. H. Roberts spoke, making
a vigorous and telling protest against the bigoted action proposed
against him.
The Issue of Church Bonds
Due to the financial difficulties in which the Church was placed
because of continued prosecution and persecution, it became necessary
for some action to be taken. It was decided that bonds be issued,
and this was done in the sum of one million dollars. The bonds were
taken up by the people at home and local interests, and by this aid
the Church was able to meet its many obligations and was saved from
financial embarrassment.
The Law of Tithing
The administration of President Lorenzo Snow was noted particularly
for the teaching of the law of tithing, and the great reform among the
members of the Church in relation to that principle. This reform was
inaugurated in the spring of 1899, while the presidency were visiting
the various settlements of the Church in southern Utah. On the return
journey from St. George the law of tithing was made the special theme.
This topic was continued in the sessions of the Mutual Improvement
conference held the latter part of May, and it became the watchword, or
slogan, of the various stakes. A resolution was unanimously adopted in
the Mutual conference, as follows:
"_Resolved_: That we accept the doctrine of tithing, as now
presented by President Snow, as the present word and will of the
Lord unto us, and we do accept it with all our hearts; we will
ourselves observe it, and we will do all in our power to get the
Latter-day Saints to do likewise."
After a few remarks by Elder Francis M. Lyman in relation to the
resolution, President Snow remarked: "Brethren, the God of our fathers
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you. Every man who is here, who has made
this promise, will be saved in the Celestial Kingdom. God bless you.
Amen."
The Solemn Fast Day
Following the Mutual conference, a solemn assembly of all the general
authorities and the officers of the various stakes, was held in the
Salt Lake Temple, Sunday, July 2, 1899. The day was also observed as
a general fast day according to the custom of the Church.[1] The law
of tithing was discussed among other important topics, and here also
a resolution was adopted by the assembled brethren, six hundred and
twenty-three officers of the Church being present, that they would
covenant with the Lord to observe this sacred law of tithing, and teach
the Saints to do the same. From that time forth the paying of tithes
and offerings on the part of the members was observed with increased
interest, although there still are many who do not faithfully observe
this law.
Celebration of Mission Jubilees
The fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the Gospel into
Scandinavia was celebrated with fitting ceremonies, Thursday, June 14,
1900, in the assembly hall, Salt Lake City. Elder Anthon H. Lund, of
the council of the apostles, presided. The festivities continued until
the 17th of June.
A similar celebration was held in December, 1900, at Honolulu, Hawaii,
in commemoration of the opening of the mission in the Hawaiian Islands.
President George Q. Cannon, one of the first missionaries to the land,
was present as the guest of honor. The Saints from the various islands
assembled and engaged in a time of feasting and refreshing and were
instructed by President Cannon and many others.
The Scofield Disaster
A sad occurrence which cast a cloud of gloom over Utah, was the
explosion in Mine number 4, at Winter Quarters, near Scofield, Carbon
County, May 1, 1900. About two hundred miners were killed, many of whom
were members of the Church. Elders George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, and
Reed Smoot, of the council of the twelve attended the services which
were held at Scofield, Sunday, May 6, 1900. Governor Heber M. Wells
appealed to the public for aid for the bereaved families and the people
of the state responded nobly.
The Japanese Mission
An event of great interest which occurred near the close of the
ministry of President Snow, was the opening of a mission in Japan. In
keeping with the commandment to preach the Gospel in all the world,
President Snow was led to send missionaries to the little brown people
of the far East. Elder Heber J. Grant, of the council of the apostles,
was chosen February 14, 1901, to open that mission. Later Elders Horace
S. Ensign, Louis A. Kelsch and Alma O. Taylor, were called to assist
in that labor. These brethren departed for Japan, July 24, 1901, and
arrived in Yokohama, August 12. The work of teaching the natives was
slow because of the many centuries of pagan teaching and the difficulty
the elders had in learning the language. After the return of the
other brethren, Elder Taylor remained in that land as president of
the mission for nine years. Work is still being conducted among the
Japanese.
Death of President Snow
When the October conference was held in 1901, President Snow was ill
and unable to attend the opening sessions. Sunday afternoon, the
third and closing day (Oct. 6), he was present and, though somewhat
feeble, made extended remarks. At the close of his address the general
authorities were sustained. Joseph F. Smith was presented as first
counselor in the Presidency--President George Q. Cannon having died
April 12, 1901, in California--and Rudger Clawson was presented as
second counselor. These brethren, however, were not set apart to these
positions, for President Snow returned from the conference and was
confined to his room in the Bee Hive House, where, four days later
(Oct. 10), he died. Funeral services were held in the tabernacle on the
13th, after which the body was taken by special train to Brigham City,
President Snow's former home, and there interred, in the presence of
the general authorities of the Church and a vast concourse of people.
Notes
1. One day each month is set apart by the Church as a fast day. Before
the administration of President Wilford Woodruff the first Thursday
in each month was set apart for this purpose. December 6, 1896, a
change in the day was made and the first Sunday of each month has been
observed as a general fast day for the members of the Church since that
time.