David O. McKay

David O. McKay (1873-1970)

David O. McKay was a teacher and ninth president of the Church. Photograph courtesy LDS Church Archives.

Family Background

1873. September 8: Born David Oman McKay in Huntsville, Utah. In 1901 he married Emma Ray Riggs; they had seven children.

Educator

1893. Principal of the Huntsville schools at the age of twenty.

1897. Graduated from the University of Utah and went on a mission to Scotland. At the university McKay played guard on the school's first football team, played the piano at dances, was student body president and valedictorian of his class.

1899. Taught at the Church-owned Weber Academy in Ogden, Utah.

1901. Called to the Weber Stake Sunday School Superintendency, where he introduced course outlines and preparation meetings—innovations later adopted churchwide.

General Authority

1906. Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Joseph F. Smith after the resignations of John W. Taylor and Matthias Cowley. During the next forty-five years, he served as a counselor and as superintendent of the general Sunday Schools.

Served as Church commissioner of education for ten years, then as president of the European Mission (1922-24).

He was second counselor to Presidents Heber J. Grant (1934-45) and George Albert Smith (1945-51), and became president of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1950.

Outdoorsman

A lover of the outdoors, President McKay frequently returned to his boyhood home. "The air is better at Huntsville," he often commented; "That's what keeps me young."

Ninth President of the Church

1951. April 9: Set apart as the ninth president of the Church, with Stephen L. Richards and J. Reuben Clark as counselors. Other counselors in his administration were Henry D. Moyle (1959-63), Hugh B. Brown (1961-70), and N. Eldon Tanner (1963-70). Four others were called as additional counselors to the First Presidency: Hugh B. Brown (June-October 1961), Thorpe B. Isaacson (1965-70), Joseph Fielding Smith (1965-70), and Alvin R. Dyer (1968- 70). The precedent for additional counselors in the First Presidency was set in 1843 when Joseph Smith moved Amasa Lyman into the First Presidency and reinstated Orson Pratt in the Quorum of the Twelve.

Only Brigham Young and Heber J. Grant served as president of the Church longer than his nearly nineteen years. His service of sixty-four years as a general authority is longest in the history of the Church, his thirty-six years in the First Presidency second only to the thirty-eight served by Joseph F. Smith.

At 6'1", President McKay was the tallest Church president and the first since Joseph Smith not to wear a beard. His ninety-six years overlapped the lives of every Church president preceding him except Joseph Smith. The transcontinental railroad was completed shortly after his birth; man reached the moon shortly before his death.

During his life David O. McKay journeyed more than two million miles, making him the most-traveled general authority in the history of the Church.

Church Growth

During President McKay's administration, Mormonism became recognized as an international religion rather than merely a western United States church. Asked to describe his greatest accomplishment in life when he was nearly eighty years old, he responded: "Making the church a worldwide organization."

Between 1951 and 1971 the number of missionaries grew from 2,000 to 13,000, and the number of missions doubled. His vision of missionary work was far-reaching: "It is generally understood that every member of the Church should be a missionary."

The number of stakes increased from 184 to 500 on the day of his death in 1970. Church membership in the period expanded from 1,111,000 to 2,931,000. At his death, more than half the Church members had never known another Church president.

Under his leadership, the Church completed more than 3,700 buildings, including the Swiss, Los Angeles, New Zealand, London, and Oakland temples.

Administrative Changes

The Church president became chairman of the boards of all Church businesses and full time management personnel were assigned to the presidency of each business. Supportive departments, such as legal services, building, communications, and accounting departments saw unprecedented growth.

Love and Home

Mormons remember President McKay most for his emphasis on family. In a 1964 conference he declared: "No other success can compensate for failure in the home. … I know of no other place where happiness abides more securely than in the home. It is possible to make home a bit of heaven. Indeed, I picture heaven as a continuation of the ideal home."

His "love affair" with Emma, became legendary. To David O. McKay love was a "tender flower, the roots of which are in the human heart. It thrives in the element of confidence and trust, as the rose thrives in the sunshine and morning dew. … Fidelity and constancy are to that little flower of the soul what the sun is to the rose."

Author

More than a dozen books have been compiled from his sermons, including Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, Treasures of Life, Secrets to a Happy Life, True to the Faith, Man May Know for Himself, Highlights in the Life of David O. McKay, Ancient Apostles, Gospel Ideals, Cherished Experiences, and Home Memories of President David O. McKay.

His writings reflect his love for mankind and his positive outlook: "Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every brave suffering for the right, every surrender of self to something higher than self, every loyalty to an ideal, every unselfish devotion to principle, every helpfulness to humanity, every act of self-control, every fine courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living the good for the very good's sake—that is spirituality."

Death

Despite his age, President McKay remained remarkably vigorous. On one occasion, climbing a platform to speak, he tripped on the stairs. Waving help aside, he quipped, "It's awful to grow old, but I prefer it to the alternative."

1970. Died at the age of ninety-six in Salt Lake City of congestive heart failure; buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Sources
Conference Reports, April 1964.
Hinckley, Bryant S. "David O. McKay." Improvement Era, May 1932, pp. 391-443.
McKay, David O. Home Memories of President David 0. McKay. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1956.
Nibley, Preston. The Presidents of the Church. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1971.
West, Emerson R. Profiles of the Presidents. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1973.

	A Book of Mormons Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker Copyright 1982, Signature Books Salt Lake City, Utah Contents


	Family Background 1873. September 8: Born David Oman McKay in Huntsville, Utah. In 1901 he married Emma Ray Riggs; they had seven children. Educator 1893. Principal of the Huntsville schools at the age of twenty. 1897. Graduated from the University of Utah and went on a mission to Scotland. At the university McKay played guard on the school's first football team, played the piano at dances, was student body president and valedictorian of his class. 1899. Taught at the Church-owned Weber Academy in Ogden, Utah. 1901. Called to the Weber Stake Sunday School Superintendency, where he introduced course outlines and preparation meetings—innovations later adopted churchwide. General Authority 1906. Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Joseph F. Smith after the resignations of John W. Taylor and Matthias Cowley. During the next forty-five years, he served as a counselor and as superintendent of the general Sunday Schools. Served as Church commissioner of education for ten years, then as president of the European Mission (1922-24). He was second counselor to Presidents Heber J. Grant (1934-45) and George Albert Smith (1945-51), and became president of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1950. Outdoorsman A lover of the outdoors, President McKay frequently returned to his boyhood home. "The air is better at Huntsville," he often commented; "That's what keeps me young." Ninth President of the Church 1951. April 9: Set apart as the ninth president of the Church, with Stephen L. Richards and J. Reuben Clark as counselors. Other counselors in his administration were Henry D. Moyle (1959-63), Hugh B. Brown (1961-70), and N. Eldon Tanner (1963-70). Four others were called as additional counselors to the First Presidency: Hugh B. Brown (June-October 1961), Thorpe B. Isaacson (1965-70), Joseph Fielding Smith (1965-70), and Alvin R. Dyer (1968- 70). The precedent for additional counselors in the First Presidency was set in 1843 when Joseph Smith moved Amasa Lyman into the First Presidency and reinstated Orson Pratt in the Quorum of the Twelve. Only Brigham Young and Heber J. Grant served as president of the Church longer than his nearly nineteen years. His service of sixty-four years as a general authority is longest in the history of the Church, his thirty-six years in the First Presidency second only to the thirty-eight served by Joseph F. Smith. At 6'1", President McKay was the tallest Church president and the first since Joseph Smith not to wear a beard. His ninety-six years overlapped the lives of every Church president preceding him except Joseph Smith. The transcontinental railroad was completed shortly after his birth; man reached the moon shortly before his death. During his life David O. McKay journeyed more than two million miles, making him the most-traveled general authority in the history of the Church. Church Growth During President McKay's administration, Mormonism became recognized as an international religion rather than merely a western United States church. Asked to describe his greatest accomplishment in life when he was nearly eighty years old, he responded: "Making the church a worldwide organization." Between 1951 and 1971 the number of missionaries grew from 2,000 to 13,000, and the number of missions doubled. His vision of missionary work was far-reaching: "It is generally understood that every member of the Church should be a missionary." The number of stakes increased from 184 to 500 on the day of his death in 1970. Church membership in the period expanded from 1,111,000 to 2,931,000. At his death, more than half the Church members had never known another Church president. Under his leadership, the Church completed more than 3,700 buildings, including the Swiss, Los Angeles, New Zealand, London, and Oakland temples. Administrative Changes The Church president became chairman of the boards of all Church businesses and full time management personnel were assigned to the presidency of each business. Supportive departments, such as legal services, building, communications, and accounting departments saw unprecedented growth. Love and Home Mormons remember President McKay most for his emphasis on family. In a 1964 conference he declared: "No other success can compensate for failure in the home. … I know of no other place where happiness abides more securely than in the home. It is possible to make home a bit of heaven. Indeed, I picture heaven as a continuation of the ideal home." His "love affair" with Emma, became legendary. To David O. McKay love was a "tender flower, the roots of which are in the human heart. It thrives in the element of confidence and trust, as the rose thrives in the sunshine and morning dew. … Fidelity and constancy are to that little flower of the soul what the sun is to the rose." Author More than a dozen books have been compiled from his sermons, including Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, Treasures of Life, Secrets to a Happy Life, True to the Faith, Man May Know for Himself, Highlights in the Life of David O. McKay, Ancient Apostles, Gospel Ideals, Cherished Experiences, and Home Memories of President David O. McKay. His writings reflect his love for mankind and his positive outlook: "Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every brave suffering for the right, every surrender of self to something higher than self, every loyalty to an ideal, every unselfish devotion to principle, every helpfulness to humanity, every act of self-control, every fine courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living the good for the very good's sake—that is spirituality." Death Despite his age, President McKay remained remarkably vigorous. On one occasion, climbing a platform to speak, he tripped on the stairs. Waving help aside, he quipped, "It's awful to grow old, but I prefer it to the alternative." 1970. Died at the age of ninety-six in Salt Lake City of congestive heart failure; buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Sources Conference Reports, April 1964. Hinckley, Bryant S. "David O. McKay." Improvement Era, May 1932, pp. 391-443. McKay, David O. Home Memories of President David 0. McKay. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1956. Nibley, Preston. The Presidents of the Church. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1971. West, Emerson R. Profiles of the Presidents. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1973.