TODAY IN CHURCH HISTORY: 26 September

[Hemidakota]

1830 - The Prophet Joseph Smith conducted the second conference of the Church held at the Peter Whitmer Sr. home in Fayette, New York. Joseph records that harmony prevailed at the conference as they discussed Brother Page's seer stone, which he and all those present renounced, partook of the Sacrament, and attended to Church ordinances and business. The conference lasted three days, "during which time we had much of the power of God manifested amongst us; the Holy Ghost came upon us, and filled us with joy unspeakable; and peace, and faith, and hope, and charity abounded in our midst" (History of the Church, 1:115).

1835 - The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles return to Kirtland, Ohio, from its first organized mission, having preached the gospel in the eastern United States for nearly five months.

1838 - A committee of brethren met with a committee of the mob in Daviess County and agreed to purchase the property of anyone who wanted to leave the county because of the presence of the Church there. The Prophet approved the agreement to help with the peace in the area and several brethren were sent out to different branches of the Church to raise the money necessary to purchase the property. (History of the Church, 3:84-85) Also, the Kirtland Camp held a meeting in the morning, after hearing of the mob situation around Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman, to decide whether it would be wise to continue on. The seriousness of the situation was evident on the faces of those at the meeting. Some proposed to stay where they were or disband, others desired to continue on. A gentleman came into the camp by the name of Samuel Bend, of Pike County, Missouri, who told them the mob was being disbanding and encouraged them to continue on to Far West. The camp traveled sixteen miles on this date.

1856 - The first two handcart companies arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah, amidst great celebration. They were the Ellsworth and McArthur companies.

1955 - The Church College of Hawaii, now Brigham Young University-Hawaii, commenced its first day of classes with 153 students and 20 faculty/administrators in war surplus buildings moved to the Laie site. Dr. Reuben D. Law becomes the first president of CCH.

1963 - United States President John F. Kennedy speaks in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, while visiting the state. He is assassinated two months later.

1981 - The Church releases the new version of the triple combination that includes extensive cross-references and an index.

1992 - The First Presidency authorizes the use of humanitarian relief funds for the aid of drought victims in Somalia and other African nations and later sends one million pounds of food in the first shipment.

1999 - American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith, is premiered on Utah Public Broadcasting Stations. Church member Lee Groberg produced the documentary which is narrated by Gregory Peck. It later premieres nationally on PBS stations on November 26th.

2006 - Some 500 pioneer re-enactors, and close to a hundred handcarts made their way from This is the Place State Park about three miles to the LDS Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first handcarts arriving in the Salt Lake Valley.