Home.

All well

Beautiful day.

I spent some time in my office.

Reported to Pres. Penrose in my office my findings in Montpelier. Visited Pres. Lunds’ home and saw Pres Lund who was under the influence of opiates. He is suffering from the effects of bowell hemorrages and is in a precarious condition. Attended to some business down town. Spent the evening at home with my family.

Home.

All well

This day at 10:30 A.M. President Anthon H. Lund passed away quietly. I called on [page break] the family and assisted in arranging the time for the funeral services to be held Sunday the 6th at 2 P.M. in the meeting Large tabernacle.

I made out my income tax report and mailed it to the Collector of Internal Revenue S.L.C.

Attended Y.M.M. Bd. meeting and my Circle meeting.

This is a gloomy day for the L.D. Saints. Pres. Grant is in California. I spent the evening at home. Geo & Edith, LeGrand & Ina called on us

Home.

All well

George took his car and drove Nerva & her children to the Ry. Station to get 7:40 train for Incom, Ida. I went to the station and saw them off. Then I went to my office.

Attended weekly Council meeting from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Then I went to my office. Attended a committee meeting to arrange for the funeral of Pres. Lund &c.

Orin & Nina & Dorothy spent the evening with us.

Inaugural day.

I got a position for Charles Murray with the Presiding Bishops’ office. Attended to business pertaining to approaching funeral of Pres. Lund. Pres. Clawson, Elder Whitney & I are a committee appointed make arrangements. [page break]

Mother & I went to the matinee at Salt Lake Theater, “Way Down East.” It was excellent. I am to leave on 11:50 train tonight for Idaho Stake, Bancroft.

Later, I have learned that I could not return from Bancroft tomorrow night hence have decided not to go up there as I should be at the funeral Sunday.

Mother went to the Pantages in the evening and saw “The Devil”.

I was at my office in the forenoon and until after 2 P.M.

Made some small purchases and went home. Worked at my desk. I took 5 P.M. train to Ogden to meet my son-in-law Hugh J. Cannon & Sarah. I took their boy George with me. We missed the folks in Ogden and they returned on 6:30 train and we on 7:30 train (Bamberger Ry) My Son George met us at station and took us down to Sarahs. From there we went to George’s home and administered to Franklin. Mother was with us.

Home.

All well.

I met the other members of the Twelve at offices building at 9:15 A.M. From there we went in body to President Lunds’ home and viewed the corpse. From there we went to the temple and held a brief session of fast meeting adjourning out of respect for Pres. [page break] Lund who was also President of the temple. Mother, Georgina & Joel & I went to the tabernacle where the body lay in state and viewed same a beautiful corpse. The stamp of death was not there. He looked as if he might be in natural sleep. Attended funeral services in the large tabernacle at 2 P.M. The house was filled and isles and doorways full of people standing and many people could not gain admittance who came to attend.

There were nine speakers and the services were very impressive. The speakers were as follows Presidents Grant & Penrose, Elders O. F. Whitney, J E Talmage & Jos F. Smith, Bp. Nibley, B H Roberts, Nephi L. Morris & John A Widtsoe. Pres. Clawson dedicated the grave. Pres Lewis Anderson of So. Sanpete Stake offered the invocation & Bp. Tingey of 17th ward the benediction. The weather was pleasant. The streets were lined on both sides many the deep and for several blocks. A wonderful demonstration. In the evening I attended 27th Ward conference.

Mamie and Clarence, Orin & Nina, LeGrand & Ina and George called before the evening meeting. We are all well.

I went to my office as usual before 8:30 A.M.

At 9:30 I went with Charles [page break] Tindale Murray to the Bps Building and introduced him to the Presiding Bishopric and recommended him for a position as accountant. He was taken on and it is to be hoped that he will give satisfaction and be satisfied.

I phoned President Heber J. Grant telling him that I was at my office and not very busy and would be glad if I could do something to lighten his load. I told him that I had offered to assist Elder Talmage and had filled appointments for him to attend conference so that he would not be so long away from his office.

Have offered to assist Joseph Fielding Smith at the temple and have done some sealing at his invitation. Pres. Grant thanked me & said he was in a meeting at the time. I told him I did not desire to put my nose into other’s business but that I could usually be found in my office when not attending meeting

I attended a committee meeting in my office with Elders Ivins, Lyman & Willard Young for two or three hours duration. Investigating committee.

Elder R. R. Lyman and I administered to Sister Stephenson of Holder who was going to be operated upon for gallstones and tumor, In the evening Alice & I by invitation went to the home of Stephen L. Richards when a party was given in honor of Joel Smith son [page break] of Willard Smith, son of my sister Alice who is going to England on a mission. I gave him a V to help him on his way.

Attended to correspondence at my office, had consultations &c.

Attended meeting of investigation committee. Assisted in setting apart a company of 38 missionaries.

Set apart Sisters Erickson & Sister Sheets numbers of the Gen. Board of Primary

This is the 39th anniversary of my wedding day. I am happy to be the husband of a good wife, the father of fifteen children and the grandfather of 28 children. I am proud of and thankful for my family and the blessing of the Lord to them as unto me directly.

This day by appointment of President Grant I went to Logan and attended the funeral services of a married daughter of Pres. Serge F. Baliff who is now in Europe presiding over the Swiss & German mission. Her married name is Reece. <Hazel Reece> The services were held in the Logan tabernacle and the Speakers were in order as follows; Pres. Oliver H. Budge, Pres. Hendrickson of the B.Y. College, Pres. Everton of the Cache Stake Presidency, H. H. Rolapp & myself.

Returning I arrived in Salt Lake at 7:40 P.M. and with George & [page break] LeGrand & their wives, Alice and I went to the Pantages.

While in Logan I went with Pres. Jos. Cardon to the home of Elder Grunder whose body was lying in state ready for burial. Elder Grunder died from gas fumes while in an [out?] house in Ohio where he was laboring as a missionary two months out. He left a bride of one week when he went away.

<Important>¹

I attended a meeting in the temple as usual from 10 A.M. to about 3 P.M. At this meeting President Charles W. Penrose was chosen to be First Counselor to President Heber J. Grant and Anthony W Ivins was chosen to be Second Counselor or rather their names were suggested by Pres Grant and sustained by unanimous vote of the Council. Pres. Rudger Clawson was sustained as President of the Council of the Twelve. These were all set apart by President Grant assisted by the other members of the Twelve present excepting Elder S. G. Richards who having tonsilitis was excused. All the Twelve except Elders Smoot & Geo Albert Smith were present. Each spoke expressing their feelings of indorsement. The Presidency retired for a few moments and on their return presented my name for President of the Salt Lake Temple and I was sustained unanimously. The time of setting apart was de[page break]ferred until my assistants are selected. Pres. Grant stated that I could select my own assistants stating that Joseph Fielding Smith and Bro Albert Davis were the assistants to President Lund.

I know of no special labor that could be added to my present duties in the Church that I would appreciate and enjoy so much as that of Presiding over the temple & temple work & workers and engaging in the work myself.

I regard therefore this appointment as a very great added honor which with the help of the Lord, the assistance of my counselors and the Presidency over me I hope to magnify satisfactorily to the Lord & all concerned.

I spent the evening at home with my family, Nina & Orin & baby took supper with us.

By appointment I met Elder Joseph Fielding Smith at my office at 8:30 and together we went to the temple and attended the temple meeting. Elder Smith presided and I was by him introduced as the new president of the temple after which I spoke briefly and offered the closing prayr. Bro. Smith & I inspected the rooms of the temple and considered the temple work.

I attended a committee meeting of what has been known as the Book of Mormon committee to whom [page break] has been delegated the labor of revising the Doctrine & Covenants which I may now properly style the Doctrine & Covenants Committe. Later we went before the Presidency with certain recommendations. Meeting continued, to appear at 3:00 before the Presidency again. I received instructions from Pres. Grant and indorsed by President Penrose, (Pres. Ivins absent) that all temple marriages should be solemnized by the apostles where possible. He also suggested that a change in certain positions or persons would be very acceptable if it could be accomplished. President Grant also suggested that a new roll of people to attend temple fast meetings should be made and that I should make a formal recommendation to the Presidency that those meetings be discontinued for a season. Later to make a new roll. Alice, George, Edith & I went to the Empress in the evening.

Home.

All well.

Fine day.

I went to my office in the morning. Elder Talmage called and we spent some time in conversation upon the proposed work of revising the Book of Doctrine & Covenants. I went to the temple and cleaned out the desk, had conversation with Morris Young on temple matters. He has been an employee there for 28 yrs, he says.

I left the temple about 3 P.M. and Mother & I went with George & family [page break] by auto. We called on Sadie France Robinson Hindman. I spent the evening at home.

I had an appointment to attend the North Weber Stake Conference in Ogden tabernacle and Elder M. J. Ballard had the appointment to attend the annual conference of the Weber Stake Priesthood so he decided to take his car and invited Mother & me to accompany him & wife. We left home at 8:15 A.M. and arrived at Ogden at 9:45. I attended & spoke at both sessions of the conference. The tabernacle was well filled & people standing all through the services. I spoke upon the subjects of missionary work with outsides, service, and Mormonism vs. religions of the world. The Lord blessed me with his Spirit. It stormed all the way home but we were closed in and comfortable. We arrived home at 6:25 P.M. and found Hyrum Lee & his daughter Lucy. They left soon after for Tooele. I retired early.

I went to my office before 8:30

Later I went to the temple where I had conversations with several of the workers who came to my office room to talk to me. Elder Jos. Fielding Smith and Albert W. Davis went [page break] with me to the President’s office and we were set apart to preside over the Salt Lake Temple. President Heber J. Grant set me apart; President Chas. W. Penrose set Bro. Smith apart and Pres A. W. Ivins set Bro. Davis apart. Sister Bertha took the blessings in shorthand.

I met with the Presidency and architects later and considered plans for the proposed Arizona temple to be built at Mesa.

Hugh J. Cannon expecting to leave on a continuation of his mission in a few days, we are having a gathering of members of the family at our home in his honor this evening.

I presided at the temple for the first time. After meeting I had my assistants together and we had before us Sister Edna L. Smith, Alvin Smith, and others & talked to them in regard to being kind and helpful to others & seeing that others do likewise. People coming to the temple for the first time regard it as heaven on earth, The holyiest place & the workers as the best of men & women, angels symbolized. Do not disappoint them. I talked with a number of workers to know how they stand on the plural marriage question. The temple must be clean of mischief makers.

I went home and to bed ill with sore throat but I perspired freely during the night and had a rash on my throat & neck and received other treatment and I think I am going soon to be all right.

Received letter of instructions from Presidency [page break] concerning the affairs of the temple.

I still have sore throat and cold.

President Grant was the speaker at the temple and paid compliment to me. He then spoke 30 minutes on the subject of recent plural marriages and the encouraging of same. Any who know anything about what is going on should report to the President of the temple &c.

President Grant said to me in the temple that he thanked the Lord that I not only have the Kind & genial disposition but the will of my own to do what I am convinced is right to do.

Sister Edna L. Smith related a dream she had some time ago in which President Smith appeared to her in the Celestial Room and told her the temple must be dusted. Three times he told her with increasing emphasis. She said it did not refer to ordinary dust but that there were things in the temple that were not right. She said Pres. Lund near would have righted them. She says she knew that I was to preside now.

We are making some discoveries, and we are dusting the temple.

Yesterday I had to ask a brother to remain away from the temple until he gets his family affairs settled. To-day I had a conversation with another brother on plural marriage charge. He did not deny having per[page break]formed such marriages recently (Israel Barlow) To-day I issued a letter <each> of inquiry to J. W. Tate & wife of Tooele to know how they feel about accepting a call to labor in the temple.

After consulting with my assistants, I instructed Bro Christensen to admit to the temple the number the temple seating capacity will allow and where there is room, let those who desire it go through twice the same day.

Attended and presided at the morning meeting of the temple after which Bro. Joseph Fielding & I by appointment met a young Sister worker in my office named [first and last names redacted] who confessed to us that she had been married to [first and last names redacted] last July as a plural wife by Patriarch Israel Toleman <Barlow> of Bountiful and that unbeknown to her in October another girl [first name redacted] [blank] was married to him by Israel Barlow and that she believes he has four or five or more in same condition. Sister [last name redacted] says she was told by the Patriarch Barlow to [“]go ahead and the Lord bless you.” This was told to-day in the Council meeting and President Grant instructed me to have her baptized and let her go on in the temple work but Burt must be dealt with.

At our council meeting to-day Bro John A. Widstoe was nominated, sustained & ordained an Apostle & [page break] set apart as one of the Council of Twelve. Bro Jos. Fielding Smith was nominated & sustained to be the Church Historian & Recorder. Junius F. Wells was sustained to be one of the Church Recorders. I attended to the marriages and sealed some children to parents. Answered questions &c. Junius F. Wells was suggested as assistant Church Historian.

Mother & I spent the evening at my daughter Sarahs & had supper there. Elder D. O. McKay & some of Hugh’s family folks were present.

I spent the day at the temple

I attended to all the marrying of the living. A Brother Alma Hansen was told by me that he could not come to the temple any more until he had put himself in harmony with the First Presidency and the presidency of the temple on the marriage question. He thinks the practice of plural marriage should continue.

I interviewed Bro. Bautista, a Mex. in my room. He admitted his association with those who are trying to perpetuate the practice of plural marriage but claimed to be innocent of having tried to influence people in its favor. Had further interview with a Sister [first and last names redacted] and she gave me more detailed information as to activities of others in plural marriage propoganda. A busy day at the temple. [page break]

I went before the Presidency and received a check of $500. which amount had been appropriated about 3 months ago to assist Hugh J. Cannon in liquidating his indebtedness especially with the poor farmers who had furnished milk for his dairy. The check was turned over to me and I was made responsible to see that it was applied as the Presidency intended it. I went down to Hugh’s home and spent a couple of hours with him arranging the distribution. I went home, bathed and retired to bed before dark being ill with cold and sore throat

I stayed in all day and nursed my sore throat & cold and at night soaked my feet, had hot fermentation on throat & chest and other treatments.

I finished up my business with Hugh J. Cannon in making distribution of the $500. appropriated by the Church to the most needy of his creditors. I spent a short time at my office and the remainder of the day in the temple.

Spent the evening at home.

I spent the day at the temple, a busy day investigating cases. I had to deny [first and last names redacted] admission to the temple and asked Sis. [page break] [first and last names redacted] to remain away from the temple until the case of [first name, middle initial, and last name redacted] with which she is identified is settled and see what her attitude is to be. [first and last names redacted] denies charges made against him. It was after 6 o’clock when I left the temple.

I went to my office before 8 in the morning and from there to the 10 A.M. meeting. After meeting answered questions and questioned parties as to their attitude towards the practice of plural marriage.

Attended to the marrying of couples. Blessed Sister Lynch for a trip East on genealogical research. Wrote letters for Sister Gulbransen to Muirs’ of Bountiful and Sister Geo. Blackner, Lyman Wyo. about Sister Gulbransen’s children adopted by them. She desires to have them sealed to her & her present husband.

With other members of the family I visited Hugh J. Cannon & family in the evening

I presided at the temple meeting at 9 A.M. as usual. I attended to the marrying of the living in the different companies. Attended Regular Council meeting of the Twelve and Presidency from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M.

At 5 P.M. my sons George & LeGrand & their wives came to the temple by appointment and with the assistance of Bro. Chas. G. Shill as [page break] a witness we sealed 19 couples of our dead and two children to their parents. I wrote a letter of condolence to Sister Clyde A Hammond of Moab.

I spent the day at the temple as usual and a busy day it was. [12 words redacted relating to a temple ordinance]. Alice & I went to the Salt Lake Theatre & saw the Page[a]nt of the Pilgrim Fathers rendered by students of the L.D.S.U. Our boy Oliver had a part. The whole was well rendered & the costumes were appropriate.

I spent the day at the temple as usual. Attended to business with Lawrence Christensen & others. Phoned to two City Bishops about members from their wards who are reported to have come to the temple as tobacco users. I asked the Bps. to try and clean them up before they come here again.

In the evening Charles Tin. Murray asked me for my daughter Ednas’ hand in marriage which I granted being thoroughly convinced that it is her choice and that it was the only thing I could consistently do. Mother, Ray & I went with Orin & Nina to the Pantages later in the evening.

My cold is still on & thriving [page break]

I was in my office 67 East S. M. from 8 to 10 A.M. Attended to business at the Bank and Z.C.M.I. & before going to the temple.

I interviewed the Presidency and answered a letter for them and in their pressure a question by Bp. Tingey of 17th ward. Attended to duties of my office at the temple. Retired early.

I am still nursing a cold.

Attended temple meeting at 9 A.M. after which I went into a meeting of the Twelve in the temple which lasted until 6:30 P.M. excepting a few moments recess while we partook of food provided in the temple. Pres. Ivins spent about two hours with us. I retired early in the evening.

My cold better.

I went to my office at 7 A.M. thence to the temple. Attended to regular duties at the temple and was for several hours in my room with my assistants, Bro. Christensen & the Presiding Patriarch considering forms of ordinances & decisions to present to the First Presidency for their approval.

President Ivins & Bro J. F. Smith and I interviewed Areto Bautista on his attitude towards the practice of plural marriage. &c. attended circle.

My son George & I went to the S.L. Theatre and saw a championship wrestling [page break] match between Mike Yokel & Ira Dern. The latter secured two falls and the championship and a purse of $1000.

I spent the day in the temple. Weekly council meeting from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Attended to the marrying and to other important work. Retired to bed early.