Lorenzo Snow

Family Background

1814. April 3: Born in Mantua, Ohio, a younger brother to Eliza R. Snow, and a distant cousin to future apostle Erastus Snow.

At age 30, married Harriet Amelia Squires and Charlotte Squires on the same day in October, 1844. He also simultaneously married Hannah and Mary Ann Goddard in 1845. Later wives were Sarah Ann Prichard (1845), Eleanor Houtz (1848), Caroline Horton (1853), Mary Elizabeth Houtz (1857), Phoebe Amelia Woodruff (1859), and Sarah Minnie Jenson (1871). His wife Hannah left him shortly after their marriage in 1845, though she did not divorce him until 1852. He had forty-two children.

As a youth Lorenzo was often "hid up with his book." He was so fascinated by military tactics that his sister Eliza made him a military uniform: "My brother took as much pride [in it], if not of military pride, of self- satisfaction, as ever Napoleon."

Convert

1831. At seventeen, Lorenzo heard Joseph Smith preach in Hiram, Ohio, and concluded that he "could hardly be a false prophet." His mother and sister Leonora were baptized, but Lorenzo had no interest in Mormonism until after his first term at Oberlin College (Snow was the first Church president to attend college), when his recently-baptized sister Eliza urged him to come to Kirtland and study Hebrew under Joshua Seixas. Her real motive was to bring Lorenzo into contact with the Prophet. The strategy worked; Lorenzo was baptized in June, 1836.

Missionary

1837. Sent alone on a local mission to Ohio, the first night he knocked on eight doors before finding lodging.

When Lorenzo spoke at a public meeting three days later, a man in the audience advised, "Now Elder Snow, I am a much older man than you. You are a young man, just [p.334] starting out, I see, to be a minister. I want to give you a little counsel. If you continue to talk as loud as you talked tonight, in six months you will be taken to the cemetery." He "baptized a few, very few."

He later served missions to Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri (1838); to England, where he presented a Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria (1840); and to Italy, where he translated the Book of Mormon into Italian and opened missionary work in Switzerland (1849). In 1864 he accompanied Joseph F. Smith and Ezra T. Benson to the Sandwich Isles (Hawaii), where he nearly drowned in a boating mishap.

While in England he felt inspired to compose the famous couplet, "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become." When he presented the idea to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, the Prophet confirmed it as true.

Reformed Hunter

1838. In Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri, "I took my gun with the intention of indulging in a little amusement in hunting turkeys. … It never occurred to my mind that it was wrong—that indulging in 'what was sport to me was death to them'; that in shooting turkeys, squirrels, etc., I was taking life that I could not give; therefore I indulged in the murderous sport without the least compunction of conscience. …

"While moving slowly forward in pursuit of something to kill, my mind was arrested with the reflection on the nature of my pursuit—that of amusing myself by giving pain and death to harmless, innocent creatures that perhaps had as much right to life and enjoyment as myself. I realized that such indulgence was without any justification, and feeling condemned, I laid my gun on my shoulder, returned home, and from that time to this have felt no inclination for that murderous amusement."

Apostle

1849. February 12: Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards.

Founder of the Polysophical Society

1852. Lorenzo Snow organized the Polysophical Society at his Salt Lake home on 3rd East and South Temple: "Brother Lorenzo Snow has a select party which meets at his Hall once a week, to continue through the winter; social improvement and to cultivate a taste for literature and refinement the object. The Presidency and Twelve are honorary members, and seem to take pleasure in meeting with us. The New Alphabet [Deseret Alphabet] is there introduced under the supervision of Brother Watt, and diagrams designed to call forth the ability of Professor [Orson] Pratt."

Patron Saint of Brigham City

1853. Called to relocate with fifty families to Brigham City, Utah. There he organized the Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association—perhaps the most successful United Order in the Church. The cooperative operated a woolen mill, a blacksmith shop, sawmills, and a tannery, manufacturing shoes, hats, cheese, wagons, and tin products. 1875 production was valued at $260,000.

First Presidency

1873. April 8: Sustained as a counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency.

Prisoner

1885. November 20: Returning from a mission among Indian tribes in the Northwest, Snow was arrested for unlawful cohabitation. After a trial and unsuccessful appeals, the seventy-two-year-old leader was taken to the Utah Territorial Penitentiary on March 12, 1886.

Two Ogden physicians successfully petitioned that "in consideration of the advanced age of the bearer, Lorenzo Snow, and also of his unusually delicate condition, we the undersigned, take the liberty of stating that [p.336] we fear his health would be seriously jeopardized by depriving him of his hair and beard, as he has worn the latter 16 years on this account." He was released on February 8, 1887, having served nine months.

"The Dead Shall Rise at Thy Bidding"

1891. An 1838 patriarchal blessing pronounced by Joseph Smith, Sr., had promised, "Thou shalt have… power to rend the [veil] and see Jesus Christ …. The dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding. … Thou shalt have long life … yet not be old; age shall not come upon thee."

According to Brigham City's young Ella Jensen, "On Sunday the first of March, 1891, I was taken severely ill with the scarlet fever, and suffered very much for a week. … I then bade my dear ones good-bye, and my spirit left my body. … I heard Apostle Lorenzo Snow administer to me, telling me that I must come back, as I had some work to do on the earth yet. I was loath to leave the heavenly place, but told my friends that I must leave them. … But for a long time afterwards I had a great desire to go back to the place of heavenly rest, where I dwelt so short a time."

Witness of Christ

1898. September 2: Lorenzo Snow, who had been president of the Quorum of the Twelve for nine years and president of the Salt Lake Temple for five, was informed of the death of President Wilford Woodruff. He immediately went to the Salt Lake Temple, donned his robes, and began a long session of prayer in the Holy of Holies.

A granddaughter later related his account: "It was right here that the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me at the time of the death of President Woodruff. He instructed me to go right ahead and reorganize the First Presidency of the Church at once and not wait as had been done after the death of the previous presidents, and that I was to succeed President Woodruff…. He stood right here, about three feet above the floor. It looked as though he stood on a plate of solid gold. … I want you to remember that this is the testimony of your grandfather, that he told you with his own lips that he actually saw the Savior, here in the temple, and talked with him face to face."

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


	Lorenzo Snow (1814-1901)

				Lorenzo Snow was a witness of Christ and fifth president of the Church. Photograph courtesy LDS Church Archives.


	Family Background 1814. April 3: Born in Mantua, Ohio, a younger brother to Eliza R. Snow, and a distant cousin to future apostle Erastus Snow. At age 30, married Harriet Amelia Squires and Charlotte Squires on the same day in October, 1844. He also simultaneously married Hannah and Mary Ann Goddard in 1845. Later wives were Sarah Ann Prichard (1845), Eleanor Houtz (1848), Caroline Horton (1853), Mary Elizabeth Houtz (1857), Phoebe Amelia Woodruff (1859), and Sarah Minnie Jenson (1871). His wife Hannah left him shortly after their marriage in 1845, though she did not divorce him until 1852. He had forty-two children. As a youth Lorenzo was often "hid up with his book." He was so fascinated by military tactics that his sister Eliza made him a military uniform: "My brother took as much pride [in it], if not of military pride, of self- satisfaction, as ever Napoleon." Convert 1831. At seventeen, Lorenzo heard Joseph Smith preach in Hiram, Ohio, and concluded that he "could hardly be a false prophet." His mother and sister Leonora were baptized, but Lorenzo had no interest in Mormonism until after his first term at Oberlin College (Snow was the first Church president to attend college), when his recently-baptized sister Eliza urged him to come to Kirtland and study Hebrew under Joshua Seixas. Her real motive was to bring Lorenzo into contact with the Prophet. The strategy worked; Lorenzo was baptized in June, 1836. Missionary 1837. Sent alone on a local mission to Ohio, the first night he knocked on eight doors before finding lodging. When Lorenzo spoke at a public meeting three days later, a man in the audience advised, "Now Elder Snow, I am a much older man than you. You are a young man, just [p.334] starting out, I see, to be a minister. I want to give you a little counsel. If you continue to talk as loud as you talked tonight, in six months you will be taken to the cemetery." He "baptized a few, very few." He later served missions to Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri (1838); to England, where he presented a Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria (1840); and to Italy, where he translated the Book of Mormon into Italian and opened missionary work in Switzerland (1849). In 1864 he accompanied Joseph F. Smith and Ezra T. Benson to the Sandwich Isles (Hawaii), where he nearly drowned in a boating mishap. While in England he felt inspired to compose the famous couplet, "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become." When he presented the idea to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, the Prophet confirmed it as true. Reformed Hunter 1838. In Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri, "I took my gun with the intention of indulging in a little amusement in hunting turkeys. … It never occurred to my mind that it was wrong—that indulging in 'what was sport to me was death to them'; that in shooting turkeys, squirrels, etc., I was taking life that I could not give; therefore I indulged in the murderous sport without the least compunction of conscience. … "While moving slowly forward in pursuit of something to kill, my mind was arrested with the reflection on the nature of my pursuit—that of amusing myself by giving pain and death to harmless, innocent creatures that perhaps had as much right to life and enjoyment as myself. I realized that such indulgence was without any justification, and feeling condemned, I laid my gun on my shoulder, returned home, and from that time to this have felt no inclination for that murderous amusement." Apostle 1849. February 12: Called to the Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards. Founder of the Polysophical Society 1852. Lorenzo Snow organized the Polysophical Society at his Salt Lake home on 3rd East and South Temple: "Brother Lorenzo Snow has a select party which meets at his Hall once a week, to continue through the winter; social improvement and to cultivate a taste for literature and refinement the object. The Presidency and Twelve are honorary members, and seem to take pleasure in meeting with us. The New Alphabet [Deseret Alphabet] is there introduced under the supervision of Brother Watt, and diagrams designed to call forth the ability of Professor [Orson] Pratt." Patron Saint of Brigham City 1853. Called to relocate with fifty families to Brigham City, Utah. There he organized the Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association—perhaps the most successful United Order in the Church. The cooperative operated a woolen mill, a blacksmith shop, sawmills, and a tannery, manufacturing shoes, hats, cheese, wagons, and tin products. 1875 production was valued at $260,000. First Presidency 1873. April 8: Sustained as a counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency. Prisoner 1885. November 20: Returning from a mission among Indian tribes in the Northwest, Snow was arrested for unlawful cohabitation. After a trial and unsuccessful appeals, the seventy-two-year-old leader was taken to the Utah Territorial Penitentiary on March 12, 1886. Two Ogden physicians successfully petitioned that "in consideration of the advanced age of the bearer, Lorenzo Snow, and also of his unusually delicate condition, we the undersigned, take the liberty of stating that [p.336] we fear his health would be seriously jeopardized by depriving him of his hair and beard, as he has worn the latter 16 years on this account." He was released on February 8, 1887, having served nine months. "The Dead Shall Rise at Thy Bidding" 1891. An 1838 patriarchal blessing pronounced by Joseph Smith, Sr., had promised, "Thou shalt have… power to rend the [veil] and see Jesus Christ …. The dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding. … Thou shalt have long life … yet not be old; age shall not come upon thee." According to Brigham City's young Ella Jensen, "On Sunday the first of March, 1891, I was taken severely ill with the scarlet fever, and suffered very much for a week. … I then bade my dear ones good-bye, and my spirit left my body. … I heard Apostle Lorenzo Snow administer to me, telling me that I must come back, as I had some work to do on the earth yet. I was loath to leave the heavenly place, but told my friends that I must leave them. … But for a long time afterwards I had a great desire to go back to the place of heavenly rest, where I dwelt so short a time." Witness of Christ 1898. September 2: Lorenzo Snow, who had been president of the Quorum of the Twelve for nine years and president of the Salt Lake Temple for five, was informed of the death of President Wilford Woodruff. He immediately went to the Salt Lake Temple, donned his robes, and began a long session of prayer in the Holy of Holies. A granddaughter later related his account: "It was right here that the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me at the time of the death of President Woodruff. He instructed me to go right ahead and reorganize the First Presidency of the Church at once and not wait as had been done after the death of the previous presidents, and that I was to succeed President Woodruff…. He stood right here, about three feet above the floor. It looked as though he stood on a plate of solid gold. … I want you to remember that this is the testimony of your grandfather, that he told you with his own lips that he actually saw the Savior, here in the temple, and talked with him face to face."


	Fifth President of the Church 1898. At the age of eighty-four, Lorenzo Snow became the fifth president of the Church, with George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith as counselors. President Snow's administration broadened the work of the general authorities. He felt that the brethren were spending too much time on local matters, and advised them "by the appointment of the Almighty … to look after the interests of the world." President Snow is perhaps best known for his success in relieving the Church's heavy indebtedness. His 1899 retrenchment stopped borrowing for investments, consolidated debts in a million-dollar bond issue, sold controlling interest in many operations, and launched a major reemphasis on tithing. Though he did not live to see the Church debt-free, he was responsible for the financial undertakings which ultimately restored Church solvency. A South Carolina visitor, Reverend Prentis, described President Snow in 1898: "I had expected to find intellect, intellectuality, benevolence, dignity, composure and strength depicted upon the face of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; but when I was introduced to President Lorenzo Snow for a second I was startled to see the holiest face but one I had ever been privileged to look upon. His face was a poem of peace, his presence a benediction of peace. In the tranquil depths of his eyes were the 'home of silent prayer' and the abode of spiritual strength." Death 1901. October 10: Last Church president to know Joseph Smith personally, Lorenzo Snow died of pneumonia at age eighty-seven in the Beehive House in Salt Lake City. Buried in the Brigham City Cemetery. Sources Arrington, Leonard J. Great Basin Kingdom. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1958. Barrett, Ivan J. Heroines of the Church. Provo: Brigham Young University Extension Publications Division of Continuing Education, 1966. Deseret News, 15 December 1899, 20 July 1901. Improvement Era, June 1919. Jenson, Andrew. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson Historical Company, 1901-1936. Romney, Thomas C. The Life of Lorenzo Snow. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1955. Salt Lake City, Utah. LDS Church Archives. Lorenzo Snow Diary. Smith, Eliza R. Snow. Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Company, 1884. Snow, LeRoi C. "An Experience of My Father's." Improvement Era, September 1933. Young Woman's Journal, 4:164-165.