The Administration of President Joseph F. Smith
1901-1918
The Presidency Re-organized
At the regular weekly meeting of the apostles, held in the Salt Lake
Temple, October 17, 1901, the First Presidency was re-organized. Joseph
F. Smith, the senior apostle, was sustained as President of the Church,
and he selected John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund as his counselors.
Brigham Young, Jr., was chosen president of the council of the twelve
apostles. John R. Winder, the first counselor in the First Presidency,
was at the time of his appointment second counselor to Presiding
Bishop William B. Preston. Anthon H. Lund was a member of the council
of apostles. Both counselors were men of wide experience, careful and
conservative, and well fitted for this new calling. One week later
(Oct. 24) Hyrum Mack Smith, eldest son of President Joseph F. Smith,
was called to fill the vacancy in the council of the apostles.
A Special Conference
A special conference of the Church was held in the tabernacle, November
10, 1901, and the general authorities of the Church were sustained by
the vote of the people. Each quorum of the Priesthood voted separately,
and then the entire body of the Saints, according to the regular custom
when a new First Presidency is sustained.
President Joseph F. Smith
November 13, 1838, Joseph F. Smith was born at Far West, Missouri.
A few days before his birth his father Hyrum Smith and his uncle,
Joseph Smith the Prophet, and others, had been taken prisoners by
the mob-militia of Missouri on the false charge of treason, and were
under sentence to be shot. As a child Joseph F. Smith passed through
the trying scenes of Missouri and Illinois, and in 1848 (Sept. 23)
he entered the Salt Lake Valley with his mother. Although but a boy
nine years of age, he drove an ox team across the plains from the
Missouri River. In 1852 his mother, Mary Fielding Smith, died, and
two years later, May 27, 1854, he left for a mission to the Hawaiian
Islands, when but fifteen years of age. He performed active and
faithful missionary service in that land and later in Great Britain
and was ordained an apostle by President Brigham Young, July 1, 1866.
October 8, 1867, he was chosen as one of the council of the twelve,
succeeding Amasa M. Lyman. With the exception of the interim between
the administration of President Taylor and that of President Woodruff,
he served as a member of the First Presidency from October, 1880, until
the death of President Snow.
The Bureau of Information
An important step in the missionary work of the Church was the opening
of the "Bureau of Information and Church Literature," August 4,
1902, on the temple block. A small building for the entertainment of
strangers and as a storehouse for literature was erected in 1902, and
the work was placed under the direction of Benjamin Goddard, Thomas
Hull, Arnold H. Schulthess and Josiah Burrows. About seventy-five
members of the Church were called to act as guides and entertain
visitors. Literature was freely distributed and much prejudice was
removed. The first year more than one hundred and fifty thousand
persons visited the block, and eighteen or twenty years later over four
hundred thousand people, on the average, passed through the grounds
annually. In 1904 a more commodious building was erected which has been
added to from time to time until now an excellent building stands upon
the ground for the benefit and comfort of strangers.
The Reed Smoot Case
January 20, 1903, the legislature of Utah elected Reed Smoot United
States senator. He had been a candidate before, but stepped aside in
favor of another. April 8, 1900, he was called to the apostleship, and
the anti-"Mormon" element in Utah made this a pretext for entering a
protest against his being seated. As early as November 24, 1903, when
it became known that he would be a candidate, the Ministerial Alliance,
an organization of Protestant ministers of Salt Lake City, adopted
resolutions in protest of his candidacy. Their grounds were that he
was an apostle of the "Mormon" Church, and believed in polygamy. They
had been successful in eliminating B. H. Roberts from political office
in 1900, and this gave them encouragement to press the matter further
in their campaign to disfranchise all the elders of the Church, and if
successful, eventually all members of the Church. B. H. Roberts was
denied his seat on the grounds that he was a polygamist; Reed Smoot was
to be eliminated because he "believed in polygamy" and was an apostle
of the Church. It was commonly reported that if Reed Smoot could be
denied a seat in the senate, then any member of the Church who had been
through the temple could also be deprived of his franchise, and this
was the aim of these reverend gentlemen and their associates.
Protest of Citizens
January 25, 1903, nineteen citizens[1] of Salt Lake City signed and
forwarded to the senate of the United States a formal protest asking
for the expulsion of Reed Smoot from the senate.[2]
In substantiation of these charges the protestants quoted from
various sources, including many newspaper reports utterly unreliable
and false upon their very face. The Rev. John L. Leilich also made
separate affidavit stating among other falsehoods that Reed Smoot was a
polygamist. As this charge was untrue the reverend gentleman was unable
to prove his statements.
Senator Smoot Makes Reply
To all these charges Senator Smoot made full and complete denial in
an answer in the District of Columbia, January 4, 1904. March 5,
1903, he had been sworn in as a senator and his case was referred to
the committee on privileges and elections of which Julius C. Burrows
of Michigan was chairman. Mr. Robert W. Tayler, of Ohio, who gained
some prominence and notoriety in the case of B. H. Roberts, was the
attorney for the protestants. Senator Smoot was represented by A. S.
Worthington, of Washington, and Waldemar Van Cott, of Salt Lake City.
The Case Before the Senate
The case was first considered by the committee on privileges and
elections, January 16, 1904, and continued before that committee until
June 1906. The chairman, Julius C. Burrows, and other members of the
committee manifested a spirit of extreme hatred in the case. It was
apparent from the beginning that it was the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints that was on trial before the nation, not Senator Reed
Smoot. Many witnesses were called, including President Joseph F. Smith
and other leaders of the Church, who were treated with very little
consideration by the majority of the committee members. Thousands of
petitions asking for Reed Smoot's expulsion poured into the senate
from all over the United States, and the spirit of prejudice ran high.
During the two years of the investigation the Church was thoroughly
advertised before the world. The press of the country, seeking for
the sensational, grasped at every item of evidence detrimental to the
interest of the Church and magnified much of the testimony, coloring
it with additional falsehood. Nevertheless there appeared from time to
time friendly comments and articles in various quarters where men were
big and broad enough to face the prejudice of the world. It can be said
in perfect truth that the investigation, while carried on in the spirit
of extreme hatred, resulted beneficially for the Church.
The Case Decided
June 11, 1906, the committee made report to the senate. The majority
report, which was adverse to Senator Smoot, was signed by Chairman J.
C. Burrows, and supported by Senators J. P. Dolliver, Edmund W. Pettus,
Fred T. Dubois, Joseph Bailey, Lee S. Overman, and William A. Clark.
They stated that "the more deliberately and carefully the testimony
taken in the investigation is considered, the more irresistibly it
leads to the conclusion that the facts stated in the protest are true."
The minority report, signed by Senators Joseph B. Foraker, Albert J.
Beveridge, William P. Dillingham, Albert J. Hopkins and Philander C.
Knox, held to the opposite view.
The case was called up in the senate, December 13, 1906, and continued
before that body--a large number of the senators making speeches--until
February 20, 1907, when the final vote was taken. The resolution was
amended so that it required the concurrence of two thirds of the
senators present. The vote stood yeas 28, nays 42, and 20 not voting;
consequently the result of the vote was that the resolution was
rejected, and Senator Smoot retained his seat.
The "American Party"
In January 1901, Thomas Kearns, a rich mining man, was elected by the
legislature to the United States senate to fill a four-year term,
which had been vacant for two years because the previous legislature
failed to elect a senator. Mr. Kearns was very anxious to be returned
to the senate, and sought the support of President Joseph F. Smith--in
other words the support of the Church--which was not given, and he
was informed that the Church was not in politics. Having obtained
control of the Salt Lake _Tribune_ he made it his personal organ of
hate against the Church in general and President Joseph F. Smith in
particular. He and others of like character, in the autumn of 1904,
organized the "American Party." The excuse offered for this political
party was the investigation going on in the Reed Smoot case. This
anti-"Mormon" political organization endured from 1904 until 1911, and
during those years captured the machinery of Salt Lake City. A campaign
of vindictive falsehood was conducted which was a disgrace and a foul
blot on the state of Utah. During this time the _Tribune_ maliciously
cartooned, and wickedly vilified President Joseph F. Smith in its
columns in a manner that would not have been tolerated anywhere outside
of Utah. Finally, even anti-"Mormons" sickened of the condition, and
the better element of the "American Party" joined with other citizens
and put an end to the obnoxious condition.
President Smith's Attitude
The only reply President Joseph F. Smith made to these vicious and
daily attacks, was to express himself as follows:
"I feel in my heart to forgive all men in the broad sense that God
requires of me to forgive all men, and I desire to love my neighbor
as myself; and to this extent I bear no malice towards any of the
children of my Father. But there are enemies to the work of the
Lord, as there were enemies of the Son of God. There are those who
speak only evil of the Latter-day Saints. There are those--and they
abound largely in our midst--who will shut their eyes to every
virtue and to every good thing connected with this latter-day work,
and will pour out floods of falsehood and misrepresentation against
the people of God. I forgive them for this. I leave them in the
hand of the just Judge."
The Case of John W. Taylor and M. F. Cowley
While the investigation at Washington was going on, Elders John W.
Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley were requested by the senate committee
as witnesses. President Smith was asked to locate them and have them
go to Washington. In answer to his appeal they declined to go. It was
discovered that they were out of harmony with the attitude of the
Church regarding the manifesto of President Woodruff. They maintained
that the manifesto applied to the United States only. However, the
attitude of the Church was that it applied to the entire world.
Official Statement of President Smith
This led to the discovery that some plural marriages had been entered
into contrary to the announcement of President Woodruff, and also a
statement made by President Lorenzo Snow. Therefore, President Smith,
at the general conference, April 6, 1904, made the following official
statement:
"Inasmuch as there are numerous reports in circulation that
plural marriages have been entered into, contrary to the official
declaration of President Woodruff of September 24, 1890, commonly
called the manifesto, which was issued by President Woodruff,
and adopted by the Church at its general conference, October 6,
1890, which forbade any marriage violative of the law of the land,
I, Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, hereby affirm and declare that no such marriages
have been solemnized with the sanction, consent, or knowledge of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"And I hereby announce that all such marriages are prohibited, and
if any officer or member of the Church shall assume to solemnize or
enter into any such marriage, he will be deemed in transgression
against the Church, and will be liable to be dealt with according
to the rules and regulations thereof and excommunicated therefrom.
(Signed) "Joseph F. Smith." "President of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints."
This statement, on motion of Francis M. Lyman, was presented to the
conference and unanimously adopted. The agitation which followed led
to the resignation, October 28, 1905, of Elders John W. Taylor and
Matthias F. Cowley from the council of the apostles.
Dedication of the Joseph Smith Monument
Monday, December 18, 1905, President Joseph F. Smith and about
twenty-five others, including a number of the general authorities of
the Church, left Salt Lake City, for Sharon, Vermont, to dedicate a
monument on the farm where Joseph Smith the Prophet was born. This
beautiful monument, with a polished granite shaft thirty-eight and
one-half feet high--one foot for every year of the Prophet's life--had
been erected under the direction of Elder Junius F. Wells. December
23, 1905, the one hundredth anniversary of the Prophet's birth, it was
dedicated and unveiled, President Smith offering the prayer. A short
time before this event the Mack farm, on which the monument stands, had
been purchased by the Church and a cottage built on the spot where the
old home stood in which the Prophet was born. Subsequently the Church
purchased the Smith farm and Sacred Grove, in Manchester township, New
York.
President Smith Visits Europe
In the summer of 1906, President Joseph F. Smith and Presiding Bishop
Charles W. Nibley went to Europe and spent some time in each of the
missions. This was the first time a President of the Church, while
holding that office, had stood on Europe's soil. It proved to be a
great blessing to the Saints abroad and encouraged and built them up
in the faith. An incident worthy of record which occurred on that
trip was the remarkable healing of John Roothoff, a boy eleven years
of age, residing in Rotterdam. The youth was blind, but learning that
President Smith would be present he said to his mother: "If you will
take me with you to meeting and he (President Smith) will look into my
eyes, I believe they will be healed." He was permitted to accompany his
mother, and at the close of the services President Smith greeted each
individual and shook hands with them. As the mother presented her son,
President Smith raised the bandage on his eyes, and blessed him. When
he returned home the boy said: "Mamma, my eyes are well, I can't feel
any more pain. I can see now, and far, too."
The Address to the World
At the general conference of the Church in April, 1907, which was held
shortly after the settlement of the case against Senator Smoot, the
First Presidency of the Church issued an "Address to the World" which
was read to, and adopted by, the conference. It set forth clearly the
attitude of the Church respecting many matters which had been discussed
during the hearing at Washington, and was also a reply to numerous
magazine articles which appeared about that time written expressly for
the injury of the Church.
It was stated in this address, in answer to the many false accusations,
that the Church had respectfully submitted to the law enacted against
plural marriage. "If it is urged that there have been instances of the
violation of the anti-polygamy laws," the document read, "the plain
answer is that in every state and nation there are individuals who
violate law in spite of all the vigilance that can be exercised; but
it does not follow that the integrity of a community or a state is
destroyed, because of such individual transgressions. All we ask is
that the same common-sense judgment be exercised in relation to our
community that is accorded to other communities." It was also declared
that the Church stood for the "absolute separation of Church and
State; no domination of the State by the Church; no State interference
with the functions of the Church, or with the free exercise of
religion; the absolute freedom of the individual from the domination
of ecclesiastical authority in political affairs; the equality of all
churches before the law.
"The reaffirmation of this doctrine and policy, however, is predicated
upon the express understanding that politics in the States where our
people reside shall be conducted as in other parts of the Union; that
there shall be no interference by the State with the Church, nor with
the free exercise of religion. Should political parties make war upon
the Church, or menace the civil, political, or religious rights of
its members as such--against a policy of that kind, by any political
party or set of men whatsoever, we assert the inherent right of
self-preservation for the Church, and her right to call upon all her
children, and upon all who love justice, and desire the perpetuation
of religious liberty, to come to her aid, to stand with her until the
danger shall have passed. And this openly, submitting the justice of
our cause to the enlightened judgment of our fellow men, should such an
issue unhappily arise. We desire to live in peace and confidence with
our fellow citizens of all political parties and of all religions."
Changes in the Presidency
President John R. Winder, first counselor in the First Presidency, died
March 27, 1910. At the general conference in April following, Anthon H.
Lund was advanced to the position of first counselor, and John Henry
Smith was chosen as second counselor in the presidency. President
John Henry Smith died October 13, 1911, and Elder Charles W. Penrose
was chosen to succeed him, in the following December. The presiding
patriarch, John Smith, died November 6, 1911, and his grandson, Hyrum
G. Smith, was sustained in that calling at the general conference of
the Church, April 6, 1912.
The Saints in Mexico
During the year 1912, on account of civil war in Mexico and the
constant raid of banditti and guerillas, the members of the Church
residing in the Juarez Stake were robbed and persecuted and finally
forced to seek refuge in the United States. With the hope that they
would again return to their homes most of them located near the border,
but as time passed and the condition did not improve, a large number
moved away and located in other stakes, abandoning their property in
Mexico. Some who remained near the border have again returned to their
homes, and there is some prospect (1921) that they may be partially
reimbursed for their losses.
The World War
In the summer of 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of
Austria-Hungary, was murdered by a Serbian student. This event caused
strained relations to exist between Austria and Serbia. Austria, backed
by Germany, was not willing to accept the conciliatory note of the
smaller country, which did everything possible to avoid a rupture, and
declared war July 28, 1914. The action was followed by a declaration
of war by Germany against Russia on a pretext, August 1. Germany also
made an attack on France, attempting to go through Belgium, against the
wishes of that kingdom, to expedite their advancement. The invasion
of Belgium brought Great Britain into the conflict, and eventually
most of the countries of the earth were drawn into the war. Due to
Germany's ruthless submarine campaign on the high seas, the United
States was forced to declare war against that power, April 6, 1917.
Those nations which were not actually aligned with one or the other
hostile force, were caused to suffer great privation and hardship. The
great conflict continued until November 11, 1918, when an armistice was
declared, which later resulted in a treaty of peace, Germany and her
Allies, Austria-Hungary and Turkey, being required to pay enormous war
indemnity. Millions of lives were sacrificed and billions in property
destroyed during the four years of actual conflict, and at the close
the nations found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy.
During the first year (1917) the United States was in the war, 3,854
members of the Church were in the army; 616 in the navy; 196 in the
marines and over 800 in other branches of the service, including the
Red Cross and medical corps. By the early part of January, 1919, there
were 14,975 members of the Church in the service. Between six and seven
hundred lost their lives during the period of the war.
The Fulfilment of Prophecy
The world war was a further fulfilment of the prophecy on war, given
to Joseph Smith, Christmas day, 1832, wherein the revelation states
that "the days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations."
This revelation on war was partly fulfilled during the rebellion of
the Southern States, which was the beginning of the end, according to
the revelation. There are yet other things pertaining to war and the
vexation of the nations, spoken of in that prophecy, which are to be
fulfilled.
A Period of Prosperity
The administration of President Joseph F. Smith was noted chiefly for
the prosperity and advancement of the Church during the seventeen
years of his presidency. The work spread abroad in the earth as well
as in the stakes of Zion. Meeting houses and tabernacles, with all the
modern conveniences, were erected in many stakes and wards. Even in
the mission fields commodious headquarters and churches were purchased
or built in various places. The Dr. Groves Latter-day Saints Hospital,
one of the best in the country, was erected. Two large and important
structures, the Bishop's Building and the Church Office Building,
were built for the purpose of taking care of the various offices and
departments of Church work. The Church school system was advanced and
enlarged, and the very best facilities were obtained for the education
of the youth of Zion. Two temples, one at Cardston, Canada, and one
at Laie, Hawaii, were under course of erection, and the work for the
salvation of the dead received an impetus which filled the present
temples to overflowing. The Church was placed in a position to command
the respect of all honest men. Prejudice was overcome, and the great
men of our nation commenced to look upon the Latter-day Saints with
more kindly feelings.
The Passing of President Smith
In the spring of 1918, President Smith commenced to fail in health, and
during the late summer and fall he attended to most of his business
matters in his own room, spending very little time at the office. He
would generally take a short automobile ride in the afternoon, from
which he received great benefit. During the October conference (1918)
he was improved and presided at all the sessions. His opening address
was heard in all parts of the tabernacle, but was not delivered with
his usual physical vigor. After the conference he was again confined
to his room the greater part of his time. October 3, 1918, the day
before the conference convened, he received a remarkable manifestation
in which much additional light was revealed regarding the salvation
of the dead and the visit of the Savior to the world of spirits after
his crucifixion. He made reference, indirectly, to this vision in his
remarks at the conference, but it was not published until December,
having first been submitted, October 31, to the counselors in the
presidency and the apostles and patriarch and unanimously accepted by
them.
Sunday, November 17, 1918, President Smith was taken with an attack of
pleurisy which continued to grow in intensity, finally developing into
pleuro-pneumonia, and he passed away, Tuesday morning, November 19. No
public funeral could be held as the city was under quarantine because
an epidemic of influenza was over all the land. Thousands of people
lined the streets as the cortege passed and services in the cold open
air were held at the grave, where brief remarks were made by President
Heber J. Grant and Bishop Charles W. Nibley. President Anthon H. Lund
had charge of the services and President Charles W. Penrose dedicated
the grave.
Notes
1. These nineteen were: Rev. William M. Paden, Parley L. Williams,
Edward B. Critchlow, E. W. Wilson, Charles C. Goodwin, L. W. Colbath,
William A. Nelden, Rev. Clarence T. Brown, Ezra Thompson, J. J. Corum,
George R. Hancock. W. Mont Ferry, Rev. John L. Leilich, Harry C. Hill,
Clarence E. Allen, George M. Scott, S. H. Lewis, H. G. McMillan and
Rev. Abiel Leonard. L. W. Colbath later withdrew his name.
2. This protest was divided under six heads as follows:
1. The Mormon Priesthood according to the doctrine of that Church, is
vested with supreme authority in all things temporal and spiritual.
2. The first presidency and twelve apostles are supreme in the exercise
and transmission of the mandates of this authority.
3. As this body of men has not abandoned the principles and practices
of political dictation, so also it has not abandoned belief in polygamy
and polygamous cohabitation.
4. That this is the attitude of the first presidency and apostolate,
even since the suspensory manifesto of 1890, is evidenced by their
teachings since then.
5. This body of officials, of whom Senator-elect Smoot is one, also
practice or connive at and encourage the practice of polygamy and
polygamous cohabitation, and those whom they have permitted to hold
legislative office have, without protest or objection from them, sought
to pass a law nullifying enactments against polygamous cohabitation.
6. The supreme authorities in the Church, of whom Senator-elect Reed
Smoot is one, to-wit, the first presidency and twelve apostles, not
only connive at violation of, but protect and honor the violators of
the laws against polygamy and polygamous cohabitation.