Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-04-07
History Of the Church Reviewed
In Picture. Song and
Lecture.
PRESIDENT SMITH SPEAKS.
Resume Of the Work IN Mission
tIclds for the Year
1908.

very pleasant and profitable time
7.as spent by those who assembled
last evening at the Social hall On
rasponse TO invitations by the histor-
f.4I division of the Genealogical So-
...ty of Utah The gathering was in-
tended 60 bee complimentary 90 the
descendants of the Patriarch Hyrum
smith and samuel a. Smith, AN OF
whom were invited 20 be present. and
about 100 accepted the Invitations.
An old fashioned picnic was given
In which an brought their catablcs.
They were divided on 90 groups for
the supper. one table being set aside
f1r President Smith and his family.
other families officers OF Church or
Eau.zauons ana prominent members
of the church we're also present at
The supper.
Alter partaking Of refreshments.
those present assembled upsHFrs
where. after the opening prayer hy
Elder Heber j. Grant George j.. Piper
made a short speech giving the reasons
for the entertainment. which were 70
cultivate a remembrance Of those who
have gone, and TO interest the people
u genealogical work. The four-year-
Old son of George A. Smith then told
the facts OF the Organization of the
church. including the names OF the orr
iginal six members and the date Of the
organi2ation. A lecture was then
given by assistant Church Historian
J1heph J.. smith Jr, as follows:
CHURCH HISTORY.
The organization OF the Church was
effected April 6. 1880. with six meme
beers, and the first conference was held
june g 1880 The following officers
we're present; Joseph Smith, Jr.. OLE
Yer Cowdery, David Whitmer Peter
Whitmer John Whitmer and Zlba Pc
trrson-au elders. Tho total member
ship OF the Church on that date was
OF souls. A second conference was
held Sept. 26 1880. at which IA officers
We're present. OF these eight held Of
fees IN the Melchizedek priesthood and
six in the Aaronic. Tho total member
ship on that date was G.. At the fourth
Conference the first high priests were
or1ained-23 iu all Of which number
Joseph smith, Jr., was one, al-o Joseph
Smith, ST., and Hyrum Smith. Ed
ward Partridge was also ordained q
high priest and bishop OF the Church.
and chose as counselors John CoIril and
Isaac Morley. This was tho first bish-
opric I'm the Church.
Tho first presidency was organized
March Is, 1893, with Joseph smith. Jr..
Sidney Rigdon and Frederick O.. VIII
llms as the presidency. The prophet
had been sustained and ordained presi-
dent of the high priesthood at Amherst.
d.. Jan. %, 1888 Joseph smith ST..
was ordained presiding patriarch Dec.
Us. 1888. The first seventies and apos-
lies We're chosen an February, 1885. at
Kirkland, o.
There are now 1872 quorIms OF seventy
iu the Church. The priesthood OF the
Church on the 3lst day Of December
l3oS.was: MelchizedelS priesthood, A.. 100;
Aaronic priesthood 34937 There were
1883 baptisms In the year 1908, and
there are now 81 stakes Of Zion. 6Il
wards and 2l missions IN the Church.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
The FIRST foreign mission was opened
iu Great Britain In 1887, by Heber c.
kiuball, Orson Hyde, Willard RICH
ards. Joseph Fielding. John Goodson.
Isaac Russell and John Snider The
work spread to ireland, Scotland
Wales, Australia, South America and
East India from this mission. In 1912
the elders went 20 jamaica ana the
Holy Land, which was dedicated by
orsou Hyde 10 the return of the Jews
Iu l643 Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers.
Benjamin T.. Grou8rd and Knowlton +.
Hanks were set apart for a mission 10
the islands OF the Pacific. Elder Hanks
died NOV 3 OF the same year and was
buried az sea- The other brcthrc1 did
q faithful work ON the Society islands.
Elder william Howell went 20
France I'm 1873 and On 1850 John Tay-
Tor aud others continued the labor
there In 1850. Elder Erastus Snow
went to Denmark John r. Forsgreu
Toronto 20 italy and r. II b. stem
house 90 switzerland. Elder George
Q. cannon also went 10 Hawaii en- 1850
md Elder Joseph Richards was called
t1 India Don 1881 Iu 1852 missionaries
were sent to China. India, SIAM Cape
of Good Hope. PRUSSIA, Gibraltar the
West indies and Norway. Since that
Time missions have been opened in the
Netherlands aud other portions Of
Europe and in Turkey Tho land Of
Japan was dedicated by Elder Hober
j Grant On 1901 over 100000 saints
hive emigratcd t1 America from
Europe since 1870 when tho FIRST come
pony sailed from Liverpool
F1U first edition of thc Book OF Nor
mon was published 600 thc English
language at Palmyra. m 1929 since
Chat time 30 has been translated iu ~
languages and printed in rs. Il short
t.uo % win be printed Boo two more. Tho
fust edition Ono amy foreign nnruaFe
WAS published Zoo Danish Boo 1851 hy
Elder Eraatus SNOW
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