TODAY IN CHURCH HISTORY: 25 June

[Hemidakota]

1833 - The Prophet Joseph presented the plat of the "City of Zion" that was to be built in Jackson County, Missouri. It included large square blocks divided into large home lots. The streets were to run in the four cardinal directions--north-south and east-west. The center of town had a place for a temple complex. This plat was to become the model for cities built by the Saints at Far West, Missouri, Nauvoo, Illinois, Salt Lake City, Utah, and other LDS settlements in the Intermountain West.

1834 - The Prophet Joseph separated Zion's Camp into small groups and dispersed them among the brethren living in the vicinity. He left the Camp with David Whitmer and two other brethren for the western part of Clay County, Missouri. Word of the Cholera had spread and kept the mob from attacking the Camp. Sixty eight Saints were afflicted and fifteen died from the epidemic.

1835 - A meeting in Kirtland, Ohio, was held to raise money for the building of the Kirtland Temple. "The people were astonished" when $6,232.50 was promised and paid within the hour. (History of the Church, 2:234).

1842 - The Prophet Joseph "sat for a drawing of my profile to be placed on a lithograph of the map of the city of Nauvoo." He also mentions the work of "Messrs. Stephens and Catherwood" who have "succeeded in collecting in the interior of America a large amount of relics of the Nephites, or the ancient inhabitants of America treated of in the Book of Mormon" (History of the Church, 5:44).

1844 - With the personal guarantee of Governor Ford of protection, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and those traveling with him who had been indited, voluntarily surrendered to the constable in Carthage. At about 8 a.m. the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were again arrested and this time charged with treason against the state of Illinois based on the testimony of Augustine Spencer. At 8:30 a.m. Governor Ford called all the troops to the public square and addressed them "in a most inflammatory manner, exciting the feelings of indignation against Generals Joseph and Hyrum Smith" (History of the Church, 6:563). At 9:15 a.m., the Governor invited Joseph to walk with him through the troops. They first went to General Deming's quarters where the Governor again "pledged the faith of the state that he and his friends should be protected from violence" (History of the Church, 6:563). They then were paraded before the unruly soldiers in the square and then returned to their quarters just after 10 a.m.. Rumors were rampant that Nauvoo was to be attacked. The Governor ordered a company of men from McDonough County to march to Nauvoo to help the police keep the peace. He wrote Emma a letter explaining the situation and that the Governor "has just agreed to march his army to Nauvoo, and I shall come along with him" (History of the Church, 6:565). During the afternoon several officers of the troops in Carthage, and other gentlemen curious to see the Prophet, visited Joseph in his room. The Prophet asked if there was anything in his appearance "that indicated he was the desperate character his enemies represented him to be. . . . 'No, sir, your appearance would indicate the very contrary, General Smith; but we cannot see what is in your heart, neither can we tell what are your intentions.' To which Joseph replied, 'Very true, gentlemen, you cannot see what is in my heart . . . but I can see what is in your hearts, and will tell you what I see. I can see that you thirst for blood, and nothing but my blood will satisfy you. . . . and inasmuch as you and the people thirst for blood, I prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that you shall witness scenes of blood and sorrow to your entire satisfaction. . . . and many of you now present shall have an opportunity to face the cannon's mouth from sources you think not of" (History of the Church, 6:566). (Probably fulfilled through the Civil War) In the late afternoon, the fifteen defendants appeared before Judge Robert F. Smith--a different judge than the one who issued the writ for their arrest contrary to the original order from Governor Ford. However, the judge released all of them on bail. Most of the brethren immediately left Carthage for Nauvoo. Joseph and Hyrum stayed to talk with Governor Ford as he had promised them an interview. At 8 p.m. the Constable appeared and demanded that Joseph and Hyrum go with him to jail. They protested and demanded to see Governor Ford. Governor Ford refused to interfere, even though he knew it was an illegal procedure. A guard was gathered and the Prophet, his brother Hyrum, and several other brethren including Willard Richards and John Taylor, were escorted to Carthage Jail in safety through the mob in the streets. They were first placed in the criminal cell, but were moved and placed in the more comfortable debtor's cell. After conversation and prayer, the brethren retired to bed at 11:30 p.m.

1850 - Elder Lorenzo Snow of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his companions arrive in Genoa, Italy, opening missionary work in that land.

1869 - The first group of LDS immigrants to make the trip to Utah by railroad instead of wagons, arrives in Ogden, Utah.

1900 - President George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency, lays the cornerstone for the Spori Building at the Bannock Stake Academy, later known as Ricks College and Brigham Young University-Idaho, in Rexburg, Idaho.

1966 - The first branch in Bermuda is organized.

1976 - As a goodwill gesture by the state of Missouri to symbolically apologize for past abuse to Latter-day Saints, Missouri governor Christopher S. Bonds signs an executive order rescinding the infamous "extermination order" issued in October 1838 by then governor Lilburn W. Boggs.

1989 - The one hundredth stake in Mexico, the Tecalco Stake, is organized. Mexico becomes the first country outside the United States to have one hundred stakes.

2005 - A refurbished memorial to the early Mormon pioneers from Iceland was rededicated in Spanish Fork, Utah, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson was in attendance at the ceremony.

2007 - The Church announces that Church membership has now reached 13 million. Also, During a press conference held at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced the Church had reached a milestone in Missionary service. One million missionaries have been called to serve in this dispensation.