August 20th

Aug 20, 1842 - Three apostles excommunicate Orson Pratt and ordain his replacement, Amasa Lyman, in the Quorum of the Twelve. Pratt is excommunicated for his anger against Joseph Smith who, Pratt found out from his wife, had propositioned Pratt's wife, Sarah, while Pratt was absent on a mission. Joseph, in maintaining his innocence, calls Sarah Pratt "a whore from her mother's breast."

Aug 20, 1843 - William Clayton records aspects of the polygamous dating scene in Nauvoo: "M[argaret] came up stairs to me …P.M. I went to Sister Booths and had some conversation about S[ara]h A[nn] at Sister B's request. I have evidence that S[arah] A[nn] is true to me and desire to receive her. I also had talk with M[ary] Aspen who is in trouble. P[arley] P. P[ratt] has through his wife made proposals to her but she is dissatisfied. Sister P[ratt] is obstinate. When P[arley] went away Sister P. cautioned A. against me and said the Twelve would have more glory than me &c. I tried to comfort her and told her what her privilege was."

Aug 20, 1859 - NEW YORK DAILY TRBUNE publishes Horace Greeley's recent interview with Brigham Young: "H.G. What is the position of your church with respect to slavery? B.Y. We consider it of divine institution, and not to be abolished until the curse pronounced on Ham shall have been removed from his descendants."

Aug 20, 1862 - DESERET NEWS reports first counselor Heber C. Kimball's sermon: "Do not fret yourselves; if any man has done a wrong deed, do not undertake to kill him without knowing whether he has done right or wrong; wait till you have ascertained the facts in the case." No sermon requires Mormons to seek permission to blood-atone.

Aug 20, 1871 - Apostle Orson Pratt preaches: "Some may inquire, 'Do you think the sun is a glorified world?' Yes, in one sense. It is not yet fully glorified, redeemed, clothed with celestial power, and crowned with the presence of the Father in all the fullness and beauty of a celestial mansion, because it is still subject to change more or less. If it were fully glorified; if it had passed through its temporal existence and had been redeemed, glorified, and made celestial, and had become the eternal abiding place of celestial and glorified beings, it would be far more glorious than our eyes could behold, the eyes of mortality could not endure the light thereof."
Pratt also preaches: "Much might be said in this connection with regard to the doctrine of plurality of wives. There is a difference between the male and the female so far as posterity is concerned. The female is so capacitated that she can only be the mother of a very limited number of children. Is man thus capacitated? . . .Were not many of the ancient prophets and inspired men capable of raising twenty, forty, fifty, or a hundred children, while the females could only raise a very limited number on an average. . . . Would a monogamist have power to fill a world with spirits sooner than a polygamist? Which would accomplish the peopling of a world quickest, provided that we admit this eternal increase, and the eternal relationship of husband and wife—after the resurrection as well as in this world?"

Aug 20, 1876 - Apostle Orson Pratt preaches: "There are many promises which God has made to his servants in these latter times, and in connection with these promises he has given many commandments which we are required to observe and keep. One of these commandments, given to his missionary servants in the year 1832, reads as follows: 'Verily I say unto you, let no man that goes forth to preach my Gospel, from this hour, take purse or scrip.'"

Aug 20, 1972 - Joel F. Lebaron is murdered in Mexico by order of his brother Ervil. This is first fatality involving polygamy since 1886 and first killing of Mormon schismatic leader since 1862. However, it is unfortunately only first of dozen or more murders involving Ervil Lebarons's violent group, The Church of the Lamb of God.

Aug 20, 1988 - CHURCH NEWS article about Aledir Paganelli Barbour, PhD. in geology, university professor, and stake president in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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