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Full-Text Articles in History
We Latter-Day Saints Are Methodists: The Influence Of Methodism On Early Mormon Religiosity, Christopher C. Jones
We Latter-Day Saints Are Methodists: The Influence Of Methodism On Early Mormon Religiosity, Christopher C. Jones
Theses and Dissertations
Historians have long noted Joseph Smith's early interest in Methodism. Demographic studies of early Mormon converts have demonstrated further that many of those attracted to the Mormon message on both sides of the Atlantic came from Methodist backgrounds. These two points, and the many similarities between Methodist and Mormon beliefs and practices, have led many scholars to suggest that Smith's church was influenced by the Methodists who joined the movement. This thesis explores the Methodist backgrounds of those Methodists who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830, when Joseph Smith formally organized his church(originally called …
Memoirs Of The Persecuted: Persecution, Memory, And The West As A Mormon Refuge, David W. Grua
Memoirs Of The Persecuted: Persecution, Memory, And The West As A Mormon Refuge, David W. Grua
Theses and Dissertations
The memory of past violence in Missouri and Illinois during the 1830s and 1840s shaped how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Latter-day Saints or Mormons) saw themselves, their persecutors, and the states and the nation where the violence occurred. This thesis explores the role of collective memory of violence in forming Mormon identities and images of place from 1838, when governor Lilburn W. Boggs expelled the Latter-day Saints from Missouri, to 1858, with the conclusion of the Utah War. I argue that Latter-day Saint authors during these two decades used the memory of persecution to …
Julia Hills Johnson, 1783-1853 My Soul Rejoiced, Linda J. Thayne
Julia Hills Johnson, 1783-1853 My Soul Rejoiced, Linda J. Thayne
Theses and Dissertations
Julia Hills Johnson, the 48-year-old wife of Ezekiel Johnson and mother of sixteen children, found spiritual fulfillment in the doctrines of a new religion called Mormonism. Her baptism in 1831 was a simple act that ultimately led her halfway across the American continent, and strained her marital relationship, yet filled her with a sense of spiritual contentment. Julia's commitment to her faith, her tenacity, self-determination and willingness to take risks to participate in this new religious movement sets her apart from other nineteenth-century farm women in New England and New York. Julia's religiosity was self-determined and tenacious. She chose to …
A Peculiar Place For The Peculiar Institution: Slavery And Sovereignty In Early Territorial Utah, Nathaniel R. Ricks
A Peculiar Place For The Peculiar Institution: Slavery And Sovereignty In Early Territorial Utah, Nathaniel R. Ricks
Theses and Dissertations
Between 1830 and 1844, the Mormons slightly shifted their position on African-American slavery, but maintained the middle ground on the issue overall. When Mormons began gathering to Utah in 1847, Southern converts brought their black slaves with them to the Great Basin. In 1852 the first Utah Territorial legislature passed “An Act in Relation to Service" that legalized slavery in Utah. This action was prompted primarily by the need to regulate slavery and contextualize its practice within the Mormon belief system. Ironically, had Congress known of Utah's slave population, it may have never granted Utah the power to legislate on …
Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors
Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is in three parts. The first part looks at the historical scholarship on writings opposed to Mormonism, especially those from the nineteenth century. The conclusion is that, despite hundreds of works written against Mormonism in its early years, the historical scholarship has not done justice to the writings or people involved. The vast majority of the writings and writers have not been analyzed, and those that are discussed are usually the most sensational and not representative of the genre.
The second part of this thesis is a a case study giving an example of the kind of work …
The World And Joseph Smith, Lane D. Ward
The World And Joseph Smith, Lane D. Ward
Theses and Dissertations
It is felt by some historians that Joseph Smith was a product of his environment; that his teachings were the amplifications of religious doctrines surrounding his life experience in early America.
Some writings which have been published show similarities between Joseph's "Mormonism" and contemporary religions.
It should be rememebered, however, that if Joseph Smith's call, as restorer, were all that he professed it to be (and he was not alone in that profession), there would, indeed, exist paralleling truths surrounding his "restored" gospel. For, as Joseph tells us, the gospel was preached from the beginning. If that is true, we …
A Study Of Historical Evidences Related To Lds Church As Reflected In Volumes Xiv Through Xxvi Of The Journal Of Discourses, Terry J. Aubrey
A Study Of Historical Evidences Related To Lds Church As Reflected In Volumes Xiv Through Xxvi Of The Journal Of Discourses, Terry J. Aubrey
Theses and Dissertations
The material in this study is a follow-up of a thesis done by Paul C. Richards entitled, "A Study of Evidences Related to LDS Church History as Reflected in Volumes I through XIII of the Journal of Discourse." That same basic format has been employed in treating the last thirteen volumes of the Discourses.
The Discourses contains addresses delivered by General Authorities of the LDS Church and others from 1854 to 1886. Until Richards did his thesis, no one had compiled an index of those volumes that dealt exclusively with history related to the LDS Church. This study …
For God And Country: Mormon Chaplains During World War Ii, Richard Maher
For God And Country: Mormon Chaplains During World War Ii, Richard Maher
Theses and Dissertations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is a lay church inasmuch as it has no professionally trained ministers. Because of this, the Chaplains Corps during World War II questioned whether members of the Mormon faith could serve effectively as chaplains. The answer to the effectiveness of Mormon chaplains is found in their performance as many received high praise from their superiors.
During the Second World War, the Mormon Church provided the military services with a total of 45 chaplains, and although only 45 served, they saw duty in all theaters of war and served at such major …
An Analysis Of References To The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In General Magazines Of The United States During Selected Periods Between 1847 And 1953, Herbert Newel Morris
An Analysis Of References To The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In General Magazines Of The United States During Selected Periods Between 1847 And 1953, Herbert Newel Morris
Theses and Dissertations
This study was proposed to analyze articles referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the national magazine press. A "symbol coding" form of content analysis was used, in which each pertinent word or name was categorized, counted as indulgent or deprivatory and classified as to the thematic nature of the text.