Facts about President Lorenzo Snow, 5th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
How blessed we are to be led by inspired prophets in these latter-days. Though we mourn the passing of one of our beloved leaders, our sorrow is tempered by the assurance that we will be guided by yet another of the Lord’s chosen leaders. It is reassuring to know that our leaders are men of sound judgment, great spiritual insight, and that they have presided in the leading councils of our church for many years. Such has definitely been the case with Presidents Hinckley, Monson, Nelson, and Oaks. We love and sustain these great leaders, having watched their remarkable service to the church, to its members, and to the Lord for many years.
Following are some interesting facts and insights into the leadership and experience of President Lorenzo Snow, as presented by Trent Toone.
In 1835, at age 21, Lorenzo Snow was traveling to college in Oberlin, Ohio, when he met David W. Patten, a recently ordained apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As they traveled together and discussed religion, Brother Snow had a spiritual experience that led him to join the Church. He later became the Church’s 5th president. He was born on April 3, 1814, in Mantua, Ohio. In his early years, he aspired to be a military commander. After leaving college and going to Kirtland, Ohio, he joined the Church in June 1836, later serving missions in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, England, Italy, Switzerland, and Malta. Later in his life, he also shared the gospel with American Indians in the northwest United Sates and Wyoming. He was also appointed to travel to Ohio and supervise a campaign to elect Joseph Smith as President of the United States. After serving as a captain over pioneer companies traveling to the Salt Lake Valley, Elder Snow was ordained an apostle by Heber C. Kimball at the age of 34 in 1849. In 1853, Brigham Young called Elder Snow to lead a group of families to establish a settlement in northern Utah that became Brigham City. Sustained as President of the Church on September 13, 1898, President Snow is perhaps best known for a revelation he received on the law of tithing while visiting St. George, Utah, in 1899. He continued to share the revelation while traveling through communities back to Salt Lake City. Members responded as tithes and offering poured in, stabilizing Church finances. Four days after speaking in general conference, President Snow died of pneumonia on October 1o, 1901, at the age of 87. He was buried in Brigham City.
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