Mormon history

A Patriarch at Conference, 1932

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This announcement of a conference to be held in Manchester in the spring of 1932 records something that none of the non-members invited to the conference could have appreciated.

Patriarchs operate within stakes, and in England in 1932 there were no stakes. Never had been, and there would not be a stake until one was organized in Manchester in 1960. (Two patriarchs, Peter Melling and John Albertson, had been appointed in 1840, but none had been called since.p.)

Generations of English Saints had lived without patriarchal blessings. European Mission President James E. Talmage had asked for a patriarch in the mid-1920s, but Heber J. Grant was reluctant to call or send one to a mission. The next European Mission President, John A. Widtsoe, renewed the petition for a patriarch, and finally President Grant sent James H. Wallis, of Vernal, Utah (who had been born in England), was called to serve a mission in England for the express purpose of giving patriarchal blessings. He served from 1931 to 1933, averaging two blessings per day for every day of his mission.

Latter-day Saints in and around Manchester must have looked forward to this conference with greater than usual anticipation, having been interviewed by their branch presidents and then by President Douglas, their mission president, as their first opportunity to receive their blessings.

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MLA: Parshall, Ardis E. "A Patriarch at Conference, 1932." Keepapitchin.org, 08 Jul 2016, https://keepapitchinin.org/2016/07/08/a-patriarch-at-conference-1932/.

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4 thoughts on “A Patriarch at Conference, 1932”

  1. Fascinating — I remember hearing about the Patriarch to the Church, back when that position existed, traveling to give blessing, but had no idea there was ever such a thing as a patriarch for a mission. Interesting, too, that he is billed as Bishop Wallis.

  2. This is cool.

    I thought I was aware of perhaps a third patriarch ordained in England, but I bet that autocorrect made Albiston into Albertson. Patriarchal blessing with some groceries?

  3. I like the line under the photo: “A temple of God in the British Empire.” That sounds so much more, um, imperial, than “Canada.”

    Not that I’ve got anything against Canada. I can’t, since my wife and children are all citizens of that great nation.

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