November 13, 2008
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:
Psalms 31:23-24
"O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Brigham Young
"I
say to this community, Be humble, be faithful to your God, true to his
Church, benevolent to the strangers that may pass through our
Territory, and kind to all people, serving the Lord with all your
might, trusting in him; but never fear the frowns of an enemy, nor be
moved by the flatteries of friends or of enemies from the path of
right. Serve your God; believe in him, and never be ashamed of him,
and sustain your character before him" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 230).
TODAY IN CHURCH HISTORY:November 13
1833 - About 4:00 a.m., The Prophet Joseph was awakened by Brother Davis knocking at his door calling on him to come out and view the "signs in the heavens." A meteor shower was taking place and it appeared "all heaven seemed enwrapped in splendid fireworks." The Prophet was filled with "great joy" at the sign that the coming of the Lord was close at hand. However, he also records, "Beautiful and terrific as was the scenery, it will not fully compare with the time when the sun shall become black like sack-cloth of hair, the moon like blood, and the stars fall to the earth" (History of the Church, 1:439-440).
1835 - The Prophet Joseph spent the evening at Sidney Rigdon's home with Mr. Messenger, a Universalist minister from Bainbridge, New York. "We preached the Gospel to him, and bore testimony of what we had seen and heard. He attempted to raise some objections, but the force of truth bore him down, and he was silent, although unbelieving" (History of the Church, 2:311).
1838 - Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, is born in Far West, Missouri, during the persecution of the Saints and while his father, Hyrum Smith, is being held in a Richmond, Missouri, jail. Also, Judge Austin A. King presided over a court of Inquiry that began on this date in Richmond, Missouri. Witnesses against the leadership of the Church were called and sworn at the point of the bayonet. Many were previously active in the Church, such as Sampson Avard and William W. Phelps. Some testified to prevent continued persecution against their families by the mob, some testified against the Prophet Joseph out of disillusionment and apostasy. The court would continue several days. (History of the Church, 3:209-210)
1843 - The Prophet Joseph received a letter from James Arlington Bennett and responds to it with a lengthy letter answering Mr. Bennett's questions. He concludes the letter with the words, "And to close, let me say in the name of Jesus Christ to you, and to presidents, emperors, kings, queens, governors, rulers, nobles, and men in authority everywhere, Do the works of righteousness, execute justice and judgement in the earth, that God may bless you and her inhabitants" (History of the Church, 6:7178).
1894 - Elder Franklin D. Richards is appointed president of the newly organized Genealogical Society of Utah.
1994 - President Howard W. Hunter speaks at the centennial of the Genealogical Society of Utah (currently known as the Church Family History Department); there he is honored for his service as president of the Society from 1964-1972.
1995 - President Gordon B. Hinckley meets with U.S. President Bill Clinton and vice president Al Gore. Afterwards, President Hinckley holds a press conference at the Harvard Club in New York City, New York.
