October 11th

Oct 11, 1825 - The WAYNE SENTINEL, published in Palmyra New York, prints an article stating: "Those who are conversant with the public and private economy of the Indians, are strongly of [the] opinion that they are the lineal descendants of the Israelites, and my own researches go far to confirm me in the same belief." The article lists a number of reasons for this belief: "The Indians worship one Supreme Being as the fountain of life, and the author of all creation. Like the Israelites of old, they are divided into tribes. . . . their language and dialect are evidently of Hebrew origin. They compute time after the manner of the Israelites. . . . They have their prophets, High Priests, and their sanctum sanctorum. . . . They have their towns and cities of refuge. . . . If the tribes could be brought together, could be made sensible of their origin, could be civilized, and restored to their long lost brethren, what joy to our people, what glory to our God, how clearly have the prophecies been fulfilled, how certain our dispersion, how miraculous our preservation, how providential our deliverance."

Oct 11, 1832 - Mormon Missionary Orson Hyde, after visiting a group he calls "Cochranites" describes them in his journal as having a "Wonderful lustful spirit, because they believe in a 'plurality of wives' which they call spiritual wives, knowing them not after the flesh but after the spirit, but by the appearance they know one another after the flesh."

Oct 11, 1849 - Henry Bigler writes in his diary, "It fills me with sorrow to think of leaving, for I am attached to this place and this people, for they are my brothers and sisters and my friends, and it was with considerable struggle with my feelings that I consented to go." Bigler has been called by Brigham Young to fulfill a mission to California and mine for gold.

Oct 11, 1862 - Brigham Young writes his son Brigham Jr.: "It is now going on two years and a half since I have used a particle of tobacco. . ."

Oct 11, 1866 - During Dr. J. King Robinson's lawsuit against Salt Lake City, mob of twenty to thirty men destroy his "bowling-saloon" in city. Police chief Andrew Burt and two policemen are identified as members of mob, and Robinson tells Mayor Daniel H. Wells on Oct 20 that he will sue city for damages. He is ejected from mayor's office.
Emma Smith Bidemon, widow of Joseph Smith, writes to her son Joseph Smith III, "I know very well that if your Father had been a little acquainted with the laws of our country he might have avoided a great deal of trouble."

Oct 11, 1882 - First Presidency and apostles vote privately that John T. Caine be candidate for Utah's delegate to Congress. Three hours later Council of Fifty convenes, discusses who should be delegate, and also nominates Caine. This is clearest example of hierarchy directing meetings of the Fifty to arrive at pre-determined decisions.

Oct 11, 1886 - John W. Woolley marries his first plural wife just before President Taylor leaves his home. She is mother of future Seventy's president B. H. Roberts.

Oct 11, 1893 - Apostle Francis M. Lyman writes in his diary: "I taught Sister Mary Ann Price Hyde that is was not a sin but a virtue for a man to live with and have children by his plural wife. There was nothing wrong about it only in being caught by the law. A man should be brave enough to run some chances."

Oct 11, 1972 - First Presidency letter authorizes young men to be ordained to office of elder at age eighteen, no longer limiting elder's office to age for missionaries.

Oct 11, 1974 - CHRISTIANITY TODAY article: "Why Your Neighbor Joined the Mormon Church." Although the article denounces Mormonism as a "concept Christians must reject," it does concede that the Church's tremendous growth resulted from "people seeing in it the very points of appeal that the Word of God says a church should have!"

Oct 11, 1993 - Steve Benson goes public concerning a conversation he had earlier with Apostle Dallin Oaks concerning Apostle Boyd K. Packer contacting Paul Toscano's stake president, Kerry Heinz, concerning Toscano's disciplinary council. Oaks had publicly stated that "if Elder Packer is having any conversation with" President Heinz, "it is contrary to what I know about Elder Packer and how he operates." Benson states that Oaks had previously told him that Packer had contacted Heinz and that, "You can't stage manage a grizzly bear," adding that "it was a mistake for Packer to meet with Heinz and a mistake for Heinz to ask for the meeting."

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