Some unfortunate and untoward incidents following the giving of endowments to wives of Church members who have not been through the temple, and to the wives of non-members, have brought this matter again in review by the Council of the First Presidency and the Twelve. After Silly considering the whole matter the following decision has been reached: Hereafter you will not give a recommend, under any circumstances, toa wife whose husband is not a member of the Church. You may use your own good judgment and wisdom in explaining to those who apply that our experience has shown that the results of giving endowments to women whose husbands are not members of the Church have led to regrettable and unfortunate conditions, which frequently have made most difficult the lives of the women receiving their endowments. You will give recommends to wives of members of the Church who have not had their endowments only if the husband is absolutely willing that the endowment should be given to his wife. You will therefore be expected personally to interview the husband in order to assure yourself that he has no objection whatever, and, in addition, he must express his willingness and consent in writing. This written consent must be attached to the recommend itself, which must be signed by the Bishop of the ward and the President of the Stake, or, in the case of people living in the missions, by the President of the Branch and the President of the Mission. Unless these requirements are fully complied with, it will not be possible for the woman so recommended to go into the Temple.91 Prior to August 1939, there were apparently few restrictions as to who might perform civil marriages in the Church. In a circular letter to stake presidents the authority for performing civil marriages was restricted to stake presidents and bishops or their counselors if they so designated. "Authorization for marriages to be performed by 'other Elders in the Church' [was] discontinued."92 A Tragedy During the Randall administration four men at various periods served as patriarchs. They included, James R. Rawle, Daniel Heiner, Joseph Alonzo Parrish and William W. Francis. Brother Francis was ordained a patriarch 28 May 1939, by Elder Albert E. Bowen 93 He served in this calling for two years before he was accidentally killed. One of Utah's strangest shooting cases was closed last Friday night in Morgan when a coroner's jury, composed of M.J. Davis, R.H. Rich, Wm. Chadwick and W. George Brough, held that a 76 yearold father and his 33 year old son were accidentally shot to death. Testimony taken indicated that WW. Francis was killed instantly by a slug from a .22 rifle while in the chicken coop near his home in Morgan. He was shot when a rifle in the hands of his son, Carl Francis, accidently discharged when the younger man swung the weapon around to aim at a target. Not knowing that the bullet had entered the chicken coop and killed his father, he reloaded the weapon while his brother, Rulon, walked out to adjust the target. Carl leaned over and set the gun butt down on the ground. Again the weapon discharged, this time killing Carl. 141