--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Anderson, Edward H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 22 number: 3 published: 1919-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Anderson, Edward H., “Reorganization of the First Presidency—President Heber J. Grant,” *Improvement Era* 22, no. 3 (January 1919): 187–189." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2203unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2203unse start_page: 187 end_page: 189 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2203unse publication_year: 1919 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Reorganization of the First Presidency—President Heber J. Grant IMPROVEMENT ERA Vol. XXII JANUARY, 1919 No. 3 Reorganization of the First Presidency Following the death of President Joseph F. Smith, on No- vember 19, and his burial in the City Cemetery, November 22, 1918, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was disorganized and the Council of Twelve Apostles became the presiding quorum of the Church. Since the death of President Wilford Woodruff, it has been custom- ary to reorganize the First Presidency at the earliest date con- sistent following its disorganization. After the deaths of Joseph Smith the prophet, and Pres- idents Brigham Young and John Taylor, considerable time elapsed before the First Presidency was again organized. Be- fore President Woodruff's death, he expressed a desire that thereafter this condition should change, and hence, the First Presidency has since been reorganized without delay. In conformity with that custom, a special meeting of the Council of Twelve Apostles convened in the Temple, Salt Lake City, Saturday morning, nine o'clock, November 23, 1918, for the purpose of reorganizing under the inspiration of the Lord, the presiding quorum of High Priests of the Church. There were present Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Rudger Clawson, George Albert Smith, Charles W. Penrose, Orson F. Whitney, David O. McKay, Anthony W. Ivins, Joseph F. Smith, Jr., James E. Talmage, Stephen L. Richards, and Richard R. Lyman, also the Presiding Patriarch, Hyrum G. Smith. Elder Heber J. Grant, president of the Council of the Twelve since Nov. 23, 1916, was unanimously sustained presi- dent of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was blessed and set apart for that position by President Anthon H. Lund. President Grant then chose President Anthon H. Lund to be the first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Charles W. Penrose to be the second counselor. They were both set apart for their positions by President Grant. 188 IMPROVEMENT ERA President Anthon H. Lund, senior member of the Council of the Twelve, was sustained as president of that Council, and was set apart by President Charles W. Penrose. Elder Rudger Clawson was sustained as acting president of the Council of the Twelve, and was set apart by Elder Orson F. Whitney. President Grant was also sustained as Trustee-in-Trust for the body of religious worshipers known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Heber Jeddy Grant, Who was thus chosen to the exalted position of President of the Church, is the son of Jedediah Morgan Grant and Rachel Ridge- way Ivins. He was born on the 22nd day of November, 1856, in the Thirteenth ward, on the lot where the Z. C. M. I. is now located, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His father in his day was one of the most enthusiastic and most zealous workers in the Church; and his mother was one of the bright and noble heroines of Zion. President Grant is the only son of his mother, but has a number of brothers and sisters who bear his father's name. He is the thirty-third apostle chosen in the Church, its seventh president, and the first man born in Utah who was chosen a member of the Twelve; also the first native son who has oc- cupied the position of President of the Church. It is a strange coincidence that President Francis M. Lyman, whom he suc- ceeded as President of the Twelve, and President Joseph F. Smith, whom he succeeds as President of the Church, were both buried on his birthday anniversary, the former in 1916, and the latter in 1918. He was chosen to succeed the former on November 23, 1916, and the latter, November 23, 1918, the day following his natal day, his sixtieth and sixty-second anniver- saries respectively. President Grant's first act in his new position will be hailed with great satisfaction by all the members of the Church — it was the choice of his counselors — the wise, the true, the tried and experienced leaders, Presidents Anthon H. Lund and Charles W. Penrose, men of unbounded integrity and stability of character, so well known that their names need only be men- tioned to receive immediate and unanimous approbation. With President Grant's force and determination, and with such men as his advisers, his administration will be noted for continued growth and development, not only in spiritual affairs, but also in temporal matters. Energy, perseverance and per- sistence are characteristic of his whole life, in whatever he undertakes. REORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST PRESIDENCY 189 He is pre-eminently a business man, but there is not a man in all the Church who has more regard for its spiritual welfare than Heber J. Grant. His admiration for and obedience to his brethren who have occupied the position he now holds have dominated his whole career. He believes implicitly in the in- spiration of the Lord which has guided them in all their affairs. He is liberal to a fault, helpful, sympathetic, with heart and ears attuned to every righteous need and cause. As a business man, he not only promptly fulfils his promises and keeps his appoint- ments, but aims to give value received for all he obtains; and as an employer treats all who work for him with liberality, respect and consideration. His successful services on financial missions for the Church are well known. His energy, determination, and his belief in work as a winning virtue, are inspirations to all who come to know him. These characteristics are prominent in all the mis- sions he has filled — secular and religious. Among the latter is one to Japan, and one to Great Britain and Europe, in both of which he presided over the missions. When he sets out to win, he is determined to obtain the goal, taking genuine pleasure in laboring to accomplish results. How he received his testimony as an apostle of Jesus Christ, was given in his stirring talk at the last October conference, and printed in the December Era. It is so in all his efforts. When he once sets out to do a work, there is no relaxation until it is finished. He has implicit faith in the divinity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith founded more on the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, answer to prayer, and the goodness of God to him, to the Church, its leaders and members, than from any extended doc- trinal study, or technical knowledge of its theology or phi- losophy. What was said of him by the writer in a biographical sketch seventeen years ago, is even more characteristic of him today, for he has grown with the years in every noble quality named: "Apostle Grant is tall, erect in figure, with prominent features which indicate energy and push. His desire to aid others ha9 given him a dis- position to feel for his fellows, and there is not a man in Zion with a more loving, helping heart than has Heber Jeddy Grant. One of his traits, which is worthy of emulation, is his determination to overcome obstacles and defects that stand in his way to the perfection of his character. When he discovers a fault in himself, he endeavors by persistent and continued effort, such as only few are capable of, to overcome. And thus his life is growing better as the years increase, and will continue until his ideal of perfection, which enlarges with his deeper knowledge, shall be reached. He has gained the love, respect and confidence of his frinds and business associates; and the authorities of the Church impose in him the fullest trust. He is an active worker in the cause of God, and has learned to feel the keenest delight in his labors among the Saints. He loves the youth of Israel, and in his sermons frequently addresses his earnest remarks to