Friday, June 1, 1900

I spent some time signing bonds.

At 10 o’clock went to the Tabernacle to listen to the program that had been arranged for the celebration of President Young’s birthday. Governor Wells delivered a very fine written speech on President Young and his character. Brother David McKenzie made an address on the same subject.

At 2:30 I went out to Saltair, where there was a continuation of the exercises. Presidents Snow and Smith were also there. The Young Family Association provided dinner for the guests.

Saturday, June 2, 1900

The Salt Lake Stake conference convened to-day. I could not attend the forenoon meeting, but was present at the afternoon meeting, and made some remarks.

Sunday, June 3, 1900

I attended fast meeting at the temple. President Snow is suffering from rheumatism, and was not present. Brother Winder took charge of the meeting.

After this meeting, President Smith, Brother Brigham Young and myself hastened to take part in the funeral ceremonies of John Jaques, at the 12th Ward meeting-house. I never listened to brief addresses so eulogistic as those delivered at this funeral by the brethren, all of whom were intimately associated at one time and another with Brother Jaques, and the chief merit of the remarks was that they were true. Samuel W. Richards, A. M. Musser, Geo. Romney, Angus M. Cannon, C. W. Penrose, Joseph F. Smith, myself and Bishop Clawson spoke. The services occupied less than an hour.

I went to the Tabernacle, where the Stake conference was in session. The authorities were presented to the congregation, after which Brother Brigham Young spoke a short time, and I followed for 45 mins.

Monday, June 4, 1900

Signing of bonds most of the day at the office. Dictated my journal to Brother Arthur Winter.

Tuesday, June 5, 1900

President Smith and myself were at the office. President Snow is confined to his room by an attack of rheumatism.

I attended to various matters of business, and spent some time in signing bonds.

Wednesday, June 6, 1900

President Snow was in the office a short time only. No particular business.

Thursday, June 7, 1900

At the office to-day. President Snow confined to his bed. He has sciatica.

At 11 o’clock the weekly Council meeting was held at the temple. Besides President Smith and myself, Apostles Young, Smith, Teasdale, Grant, Lund, Clawson and Smoot were present. A good deal of business was transacted.

President Snow having requested me to bring the Twelve to his room and administer to him, we went there and attended to the ordinance, I being mouth.

An appointment had been made by the First Presidency to meet with Brother B. Y. Hampton at 2 o'clock in reference to a claim he has against the Church for money expended by him in endeavoring to expose the wickedness of our persecutors some years ago. President Snow and myself talked that matter over, and it was suggested that a committee of the Twelve take the documents in the case and examine them, and he thought in addition to the Twelve Brothers Andrew Smith and Wm. Salmon should be on the committee. I afterwards appointed Brothers John Henry Smith, Heber J. Grant and John W. Taylor as that committee.

Friday, June 8, 1900

I went to Provo this morning to attend a meeting of the Grand Central Mining Co., at which considerable business of importance was attended to.

President Snow still confined to his room.

Saturday, June 9, 1900

President Snow is suffering considerably from sciatica.

Sunday, June 10, 1900

To-day was devoted to the conference of the Mutual Improvement Associations, and I attended morning, afternoon and evening sessions. By request, I spoke a short time in the afternoon. The exercises were excellent, and I was particularly impressed with some of the young ladies’ speaking.

Monday, June 11, 1900

I was at the office to-day and attended to business.

Meeting of the Bullion, Beck & Champion Mining Co.

In the evening I attended an oratorical contest in the Assembly Hall. There were five contestants – Mark Brown, W. J. Sloan, C. H. Carlquist, Alma Taylor, T. J. Howells. I listened with great interest to their addresses. The judges awarded the prize to Walter J. Sloan; Mark Brown, second. The audience was dissatisfied with the award, the almost universal sentiment being that Mark Brown was entitled to first prize, and Alma Taylor to the second. I was impressed less with W. J. Sloan’s address than with any of the others. While I took interest in the subjects discussed and the manner in which they were handled, I have a serious objection to such contests. I think they awaken a wrong feeling and are attended with bad effects. In this case I have no doubt that a sense of wrong is felt by some of the contestants, as they think the judges did not make a just award. I might dilate on these points considerably, but it is not necessary. Another objection is that all these young men wrote out their addresses beforehand and memorized them. I am opposed to this method being adopted among us. I think the effect is a bad one. It is a fashion that I fear is growing among us, as one of the results of advanced education and the practices which prevail in colleges and universities. The primitive Elders of this Church pondered upon various principles of the Gospel and stored their minds with all the information they could get, but depended upon the Spirit of the Lord to bring that forth when called upon to speak, and their great success has been due to the earnestness and sincerity which have accompanied their remarks, and which reached the hearts of the people. I have been upwards of fifty years in public life myself, and during that period I have never prepared myself to speak upon a subject, in the sense that these young men did, excepting once, and that was to deliver a 4th of July oration forty years ago.

Tuesday, June 12, 1900

I was at the office to-day. Brother Brigham Young and myself administered to President Snow.

Wednesday, June 13, 1900

President Smith and myself at the office to-day. President Snow is feeling better.

Thursday, June 14, 1900

President Snow still unable to leave his room.

We met as usual in the temple at 11:30. We postponed our meeting half an hour because of the Scandinavian Jubilee, which some of the brethren wished to attend. There were present, President Smith and myself, and Apostles Young, Lyman, Smith, Teasdale, Grant, Lund, Cowley, Clawson and Smoot. We dressed, and had prayer, and Brother Cowley made the opening prayer and Brother John W. Taylor was mouth in the circle. We attended to considerable business.

President Smith and myself attended a meeting of the Bullion, Beck & Champion Mining Co.

I went to the Assembly Hall to attend a meeting of the Scandinavian saints, and by request I pinned the badges on a dozen saints who had been baptized during 1850 in Scandinavia. I afterwards made some remarks.

From the above mentioned meeting I went to the meeting of the Sunday School Union Board.

Friday, June 15, 1900

I attended meeting of the Sugar Co. at 10 o’clock, and at 11 o’clock a meeting of the Utah Light & Power Co.; then devoted some to my correspondence, which has accumulated. My daughter Grace took my answers in shorthand.

Dictated my journal to Brother Arthur Winter.

Saturday, June 16, 1900

I felt the effect of yesterday’s work this morning.

In the afternoon attended the Scandinavian Jubilee in the Assembly Hall, and spoke to the saints.

Sunday, June 17, 1900

The Scandinavian Conference still in session. The forenoon meeting was held in the Assembly Hall, and the services were in Scandinavian. The afternoon meeting was held in the Tabernacle. The opening prayer was in Swedish, offered by Brother Sjodahl. The opening address was delivered by Brother C. D. Fjelsted in Danish. Brother Brigham Young made an address in English. Brother Anthon H. Lund spoke in Danish. I then occupied about 20 mins. Before closing we had a few minutes’ talk from Miss Sadie America, a Jewish lady, who warmly advocated the side of our women at Washington when they went there to attend the Woman’s Convention.

My son Tracy returned from Ann Arbor to-day, where he has been studying music.

Monday, June 18, 1900

At the office. President Snow feels better this morning. President Smith is absent, attending Davis Stake Conference.

A fresh lot of bonds were brought for me to sign, and I attended to that and other business.

Tuesday, June 19, 1900

My daughter Rosannah and her husband returned from Ann Arbor, where he has been studying law. They are both in good health.

I signed some bonds, and attended to other business in the office.

Wednesday, June 20, 1900

President Snow still confined to his room.

Signed more bonds, and dictated to my daughter Grace a number of answers to letters.

Thursday, June 21, 1900

President Smith and myself at the office.

At 11 o’clock we went to the Temple, there being present beside ourselves, Apostles Young, Smith, Teasdale, Lund, Woodruff, Clawson and Smoot. Brother Clawson opened with prayer, and Brother Lund was mouth in the circle. A number of letters were read.

Meeting of Z.C.M.I. at 2 o’clock, at which I presided as Vice President.

Meeting of Sunday School Union Board at 3 o’clock.

Friday, June 22, 1900

At the office. Attended to various matters of business. Signed a large number of bonds.

After returning home I received a telephone message from President Joseph F. Smith, informing me that the conference to be held at Rexburg Sunday and Monday could not be attended by President Snow, and that he wished us to attend it, if we could do so. I replied that I would endeavor to go there.

Saturday, June 23, 1900

I was engaged signing bonds part of the day.

At 10:25 p.m. President Smith and wife, Brother Rudger Clawson, and myself and wife took train for Rexburg, via Idaho Falls, Elders Reed Smoot and J. G. Kimball went to Idaho Falls on the same train to attend the Bingham Stake Conference.

Sunday, June 24, 1900

We were late in reaching Idaho Falls, but the train waited for us, and upon reaching Rexburg we were met by carriages and taken to the meeting of the Sunday school children, which was held in a bowery that had been constructed. After some exercises from the children, according to program, I made some remarks to them; and then it was arranged for all present to pass and shake our hands. I asked President Smith to sit beside me, which he did. We shook hands with 2270, all children except a the teachers and a few parents. As we had had no breakfast it was quite a labor.

We were entertained very hospitably by Sister Clegg, who is a widow. She is a daughter of Parmenio Jackman, who was killed with Thomas Williams at Pretty Springs many years ago.

At 2 o’clock we met with the saints, and President Smith and myself occupied the time.

We repaired to the Second Ward meeting-house, a new building which the saints desired dedicated. I made some remarks, and called upon President Smith to dedicate the house.

In the evening there was a priesthood meeting. Brother Rudger Clawson, Seymour B. Young and myself occupied the time.

Monday, June 25, 1900

The cornerstone of the Academy building had been prepared to be laid by President Snow. As he had not come, the duty devolved upon me. There was quite a gathering there at 9 o’clock this morning. The choir sang a hymn, prayer was offered by President Smith, and I then proceeded to lay the cornerstone with the help of the architect and workmen. The choir sang another hymn, and I offered the dedicatory prayer, standing upon the stone.

At the Conference meeting this morning Brother Rudger Clawson was called upon to speak, and after he got through I spoke for 59 mins., and was led to talk, among other things, concerning the priesthood and the position of the authorities as they now stand. President Smith followed on the same subject. Brother Seymour B. Young also addressed the people, and I made some more remarks, touching what he had said. Our meeting held till about half-past one. We thought this better than to have two meetings, as the train leaves Rexburg for Idaho Falls at 3:20 in the afternoon.

At Idaho Falls we were entertained by Brother Gib. Wright, who has an elegant home. We reached there at 5 in the afternoon, and had to wait for the departure of the train south till 12:25 midnight. In the meantime we held a meeting. I desired President Smith to speak, but he declined. As there was a mixed congregation he thought I had better speak. I occupied about 50 mins., and had great freedom. He followed for a short time.

Tuesday, June 26, 1900

At 12:25 we left Idaho Falls and reached Salt Lake City a few minutes after nine this morning.

I went to the office of the Utah Light & Power Co. and attended a meeting of the executive committee.

At the President’s office finished signing bonds.

I felt some fatigue to-day and went home early in the afternoon.

Wednesday, June 27, 1900

President Smith and myself at the office. It is quite pleasing to see how President Snow is recovering his health. He is on the road to complete recovery.

I dictated letters to my daughter Grace, and was gladdened by receiving letters from my sons Frank, Joseph and William and from Frank’s wife and daughter.

Thursday, June 28, 1900

At the office with President Smith. We were pained this morning to hear that President Snow had a bad night.

We held our usual meeting at the temple at 11 o’clock. Beside President Smith and myself there were present, of the Twelve, Brothers Brigham Young, F. M. Lyman, A. H. Lund, A. O. Woodruff, R. Clawson and Reed Smoot. Brother Woodruff was mouth in the opening prayer, and Brother Lyman prayed in the circle. We prayed earnestly for President Snow’s recovery.

Friday, June 29, 1900

President Snow not so well to-day. I had an interview with him, and he is very bright and clear in his mind. He is unable to perform the ceremony of the marriage of his son Le Roi and Miss Mary Ford, which is to take place at the temple at 4 o’clock to-day, and he said he would like me to act in his place. I was there at the time, and was surprised to find so small a company. Those present were Sister Snow, the bride and bridegroom, Brothers Winder and Salmon, the recorders and myself. In the evening there was a grand reception. The Beehive house was brilliantly illuminated outside. There was a canopy from the sidewalk to the house. I do not know how many invitations were issued, but I heard that 640 were sent out. There were present two or three hundred guests. I was the first to arrive with my folks, and myself and wife were the first to leave.

Saturday, June 30, 1900

I spent considerable time at the office to-day. President Smith was at Logan.