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The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In National Periodicals, 1982-1990, Matthew E. Morrison Jan 2005

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In National Periodicals, 1982-1990, Matthew E. Morrison

Theses and Dissertations

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has continued to receive exposure in national periodicals. This thesis will explore that image from 1982 to 1990. During those years, the church continued to grow in membership and expand its existing programs.

National periodicals can assist in assessing the public image of the Church because they help "mould public attitudes by presenting facts and views on issues in exactly the same way at the same time throughout the entire country." In this manner, they help to form the public opinion about the Church. They also reflect existing opinions because magazine publishers …


A History Of "Especially For Youth" - 1976-1986, John Bytheway Aug 2003

A History Of "Especially For Youth" - 1976-1986, John Bytheway

Theses and Dissertations

The summer of 2002 marked the 26th anniversary of the youth camp “Especially for Youth” (EFY). Over 34,000 teenagers from across the United States, Canada and several foreign countries gathered on thirty-one different college campuses to attend one of the sixty-four sessions of the five-day program. Since the first session in 1976, Especially for Youth has enjoyed steady increases in attendance and popularity. Beginning in the early 1980s, the program's success reached the point that applicants were turned away because there was not enough space to house all those who wanted to attend.

EFY is sponsored by Brigham Young University …


The "Unidentified Pioneers": An Analysis Of Staffordshire Mormons, 1837 To 1870, Stephen G. Arrowsmith Jan 2003

The "Unidentified Pioneers": An Analysis Of Staffordshire Mormons, 1837 To 1870, Stephen G. Arrowsmith

Theses and Dissertations

The evidence presented in this thesis advocates an increased level of scholarly interest in English working-class Mormon converts. To illustrate who these people were, and what their roles were as part of Mormon story, this regional study introduces and makes available over twelve hundred Staffordshire Mormons, and asks questions of the collected statistical information. The conservative Staffordshire Mormons clearly assisted the establishment, and continuation, off a Zion in the American West. Much of the data confirms previous scholarship; however, those with “differing visions” of Mormonism (for example, the RLDS Church) attracted Staffordshire converts in larger numbers than previously suggested. The …


A Study Of The Hill Cumorah: A Significant Latter-Day Saint Landmark In Western New York, Cameron J. Packer Jan 2002

A Study Of The Hill Cumorah: A Significant Latter-Day Saint Landmark In Western New York, Cameron J. Packer

Theses and Dissertations

Early Church member W. W. Phelps wrote, "Cumorah...is well calculated to stand in this generation, as a monument of marvelous works and wonders" (Latter-day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, November 1835, 2:221). With a stately monument of the Angel Moroni cresting its summit, and a yearly pageant commemorating salient events associated with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, it is fulfilling the exact role that Phelps envisioned. However, the general population of the Church is relatively unfamiliar with the history of this significant Latter-day Saint landmark. The following thesis is an in depth study and documentation of certain historical …


The Symphony In America: Maurice Abravanel, And The Utah Symphony Orchestra: The Battle For Classical Music, Alex D. Smith Jan 2002

The Symphony In America: Maurice Abravanel, And The Utah Symphony Orchestra: The Battle For Classical Music, Alex D. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Between 1947 and 1979 the Utah Symphony Orchestra was transformed from an obscure, part-time, amateur orchestra into one of the major symphony orchestras in America. By 1947 the orchestra, which had begun as a Works Progress Administration organization, was barely hanging on. The symphony struggled to remain financially solvent, performing only a few concerts per year. Thirty-two years later the Utah Symphony Orchestra was one of the most prestigious musical ensembles in the country— receiving rave reviews from critics around the world, touring extensively, and with more than a hundred albums to its credit. The remarkable growth of the Utah …


An Annotated Bibliography Of Literary Mormon Humor, Sherlene Hall Bartholomew Jan 1998

An Annotated Bibliography Of Literary Mormon Humor, Sherlene Hall Bartholomew

Theses and Dissertations

This "Annotated Bibliography of Literary Mormon Humor" includes over five hundred sources, cross-referenced to pertinent commentary and criticism, and divided into seven sections: "Humor in Mormon Fiction," "Humor in Mormon Non-Fiction," "Mormon Criticism Assessing ‘Inside Humor,’" "Gentile Criticism of the Saints' Humor," "Gentile Humor About Mormons," "Mormon Criticism of Gentile Humor," and "Mormon Internet Humor," all made accessible to scholars by a comprehensive index of more than one thousand topics. The author has filed selected photocopied pages of alphabetized, annotated items by author, or chronologically as periodicals, into a twenty-volume Archive of Mormon Humor in Literature, housed at the Center …


Epideictic Rhetoric And The Formation Of Collective Identity: Nineteenth-Century Mormon Women In Praise Of Polygamy, Robbyn Thompson Scribner Jan 1998

Epideictic Rhetoric And The Formation Of Collective Identity: Nineteenth-Century Mormon Women In Praise Of Polygamy, Robbyn Thompson Scribner

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I will proceed as follows: my first chapter will be a general overview of epideictic rhetoric, focusing on the limitations of how it has traditionally been viewed and understood by theorists. At the end of that chapter I will establish a working definition of epideictic which extends traditional views about how epideictic can function in certain types of writings, focusing on the important role of the speaker in epideictic rhetoric and how it can work in enabling a community to create a collective identity. In the remainder of the thesis, I will analyze two texts in which …


A Mormon Cultural Study Of Musical Preference, Alden L. Weight Jan 1997

A Mormon Cultural Study Of Musical Preference, Alden L. Weight

Theses and Dissertations

Music is an important yet relatively unnoticed part of the everyday world almost all of us take for granted. Whether in the car, watching television, shopping, at work or at home, even waking up in the morning or going to sleep at night, and so forth, music surrounds us, soothes us, disturbs us, and occasionally goes so far as to persuade us. Although music plays a significant role in many areas of life, its relationship to society is especially evident in the religious sphere. Therefore, the religious sphere is an ideal place to examine what music does and what it …


Family Life Education In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The 20th Century: A Historical Review, Ray W. Stringham Jan 1992

Family Life Education In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The 20th Century: A Historical Review, Ray W. Stringham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reviewed selected educational literature in almost 350 texts published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) from General Authorities and manuals which included content curriculum in adult family life education; for the adult women's organization (Relief Society); for the men's Melchizedek Priesthood; and for parents instructing their children at home (Family Home Evening).

Topics were ranked by century, according to frequencies of occurrence (FO) in the five major publications. Topics were also summarized by each decade. Tables were provided which summarized the top 40 of 78 topics identified. Recurring Themes suggest family is the basis …


Thomas Bullock: A Man Doing His Duty, Jerald F. Simon Jan 1988

Thomas Bullock: A Man Doing His Duty, Jerald F. Simon

Theses and Dissertations

Thomas Bullock was intimately associated with leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than twenty-five years. He served twenty-one years in the Church Historian's office and also clerked in many city, county, and territorial positions, acting as scribe, clerk, and personal secretary to Joseph Smith Jr., Brigham Young, Willard Richards, and the Twelve Apostles. During this time he was privy to important events of late Nauvoo and early Utah Mormon history. His was a critical role in not only recording the history, but also in the gathering and preservation of historical documents. As a clerk …


Hiram Page: An Historical And Sociological Analysis Of An Early Mormon Prototype, Bruce G. Stewart Jan 1987

Hiram Page: An Historical And Sociological Analysis Of An Early Mormon Prototype, Bruce G. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

Recent sociological studies propose a model for understanding early Mormonism in its cultural context. Such models, while experimental, suggest commonalities between Mormonism and contemporary millennial sects. Enthusiastic beginnings, early convert response to American millennialism, the containment of charisma through institutionalization, discomfiture of Mormon millenial expectation, and the process of apostasy within the church provide the parameters of this study.

The life of Hiram Page, an early convert, is used as a foil to this end. Page is prototypal of the original band of followers who were attracted to Joseph Smith. Drawn to Joseph for spiritual comfort, Page and his associates …


A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Japan From 1948 To 1980, Terry G. Nelson Jan 1986

A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Japan From 1948 To 1980, Terry G. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan from 1948 to 1980 is a study in cross-cultural interaction. Compared to the earlier attempts of the Church in proselytizing the Japanese in the period 1901 to 1924, there are some significant contrasts. The earlier mission is seen as an attempt by a small, relatively unknown, provincial religion, in financial straits, just emerging into the twentieth century, trying to establish itself in a non-christian, fiercely nationalistic, culturally closed nation.

From very humble beginnings, starting with second and third generation Japanese in Hawaii, and with LDS members of …


The Lds Temple Baptismal Font: Dead Relic Or Living Symbol?, Dale Verden Boman Jan 1985

The Lds Temple Baptismal Font: Dead Relic Or Living Symbol?, Dale Verden Boman

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study, therefore, is to trace briefly the historical origins and development of the LDS temple baptismal font and to investigate the various iconographic meanings which may pertain to it and its role as a potential vital symbol in the Mormon Church.


George Q. Cannon's Views On Church And State, Lyndon W. Cook Sr. Jan 1977

George Q. Cannon's Views On Church And State, Lyndon W. Cook Sr.

Theses and Dissertations

Writers of nineteenth century Utah generally recognize George Q. Cannon's religious and political influence as second only to that of Brigham Young. Having occupied several positions of importance in the political arena as well as in the Mormon Church, Cannon is a major figure in Utah history whose life and thought merit careful examination.

This treatise is a study of George Q. Cannon's views on the institutions of church and state. After presenting a biographical sketch of Cannon's life, it examines his beliefs regarding the religious clauses in the First Amendment, and the place of revelation, positive law, and majority …


A Study Of Historical Evidences Related To Lds Church As Reflected In Volumes Xiv Through Xxvi Of The Journal Of Discourses, Terry J. Aubrey Apr 1976

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 …


The Impact Of Polygamy Upon The Life Of James Yorgason: A Nineteenth-Century Mormon Bishop, Blaine M. Yorgason Jan 1976

The Impact Of Polygamy Upon The Life Of James Yorgason: A Nineteenth-Century Mormon Bishop, Blaine M. Yorgason

Theses and Dissertations

On August 2, 1875, James Yorgason, soon to be the Bishop of the Fountain Green Utah Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, took his first plural wife. In doing so he joined a rather elite group of Mormon men who were known as polygamists. Over the next thirteen years, as he built a financial empire to support them, he took five more plural wives, making him exceptional even among the elite.
But then in 1887 the Edmunds-Tucker law was passed and "The Raid" against Mormon polygamists began, the United States entered a time of monetary crisis …


History And Functions Of The Aaronic Priesthood And The Offices Of Priest, Teacher, And Deacon In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1829 To 1844, Robert L. Marrott Jan 1976

History And Functions Of The Aaronic Priesthood And The Offices Of Priest, Teacher, And Deacon In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1829 To 1844, Robert L. Marrott

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis traces the history of the restoration and development of the Aaronic Priesthood and its offices of priest, teacher, and deacon, from 1829 to the middle 1840s in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The major areas of emphasis include the organizational structure of the Aaronic Priesthood, the responsibilities assigned to priests, teachers, and deacons, and the relationship of the functions of the Aaronic Priesthood which are first given in Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants, namely the ministering of angels, the preparatory gospel, and the offering of the sons of Levi. Also included is the …


Dance In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints 1830-1940, Karl E. Wesson Jan 1975

Dance In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints 1830-1940, Karl E. Wesson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile a history of dance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830 to 1940.
The following subproblems have been investigated:
1. What was the history of dance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
2. What was the philosophy of dance in the LDS Church?
3. What were the dance forms, music, and attire in dance within the LDS church?
4. What was the contribution of the LDS Church towards the preservation of folk dances in America?


Conceptual Patterns Of Repetition In The Doctrine And Covenants And Their Implications, Richard Cottam Shipp Jan 1975

Conceptual Patterns Of Repetition In The Doctrine And Covenants And Their Implications, Richard Cottam Shipp

Theses and Dissertations

In laying a general foundation for this study, a brief survey of language, its origin and use by man, and its basic levels of structuring, will be presented. Patterns generated through language structuring and the inherent value of structure in language to convey meaning or esthetic qualities will also be considered. Finally, basic implications of patterns incorporated into language will be presented.


History Of Four Mormon Landmarks In Western New York: The Joseph Smith Farm, Hill Cumorah, The Martin Harris Farm, And The Peter Whitmer, Sr., Farm, Rand H. Packer Jan 1975

History Of Four Mormon Landmarks In Western New York: The Joseph Smith Farm, Hill Cumorah, The Martin Harris Farm, And The Peter Whitmer, Sr., Farm, Rand H. Packer

Theses and Dissertations

As the church returned to Western New York in the early 1900s there was much prejudice against Mormonism. The twenty-four year mission of the Willard Bean family was instrumental in establishing a friendly atmosphere in the Palmyra, New York area and in regaining four historic land marks to the ownership of the Church.

It is still uncertain if the present Joseph Smith Sr., home was completed enough for the family to live in by the time the Angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith. Since 1881 the Sacred Grove was considered the woods where Joseph Smith had his First Vision. The term …


The Settlement And Development Of Wayne County, Utah, To 1900, Aldus Devon Chappell Jan 1975

The Settlement And Development Of Wayne County, Utah, To 1900, Aldus Devon Chappell

Theses and Dissertations

Although John C. Fremont had traveled through Wayne County, Utah, in the winter of 1853-54, it was not until 1874 that the first herd of cattle was introduced to Rabbit Valley. Reports soon circulated that here was a new land, conducive to the raising of livestock, and in 1876 about a dozen families entered the valley and began settlement. Families that moved into this area came from various places. Each settler came to make a new life, and came independently of the others. In 1895 the population was nearly 2,000, and by 1970 it had dropped to 1,486.

The Church …


Stephen Markham: Man Of Valour, Mervin Leroy Gifford Jan 1975

Stephen Markham: Man Of Valour, Mervin Leroy Gifford

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a biography of the life and activities of Stephen Markham, between the years of 1837 to 1878. During the Nauvoo period, Markham served as a bodyguard of Joseph Smith and held several commissioned offices in the Nauvoo Legion. He played an important role during the exodus of the Saints to the Great Basin, commanding a group responsible for providing food, lodging, and protection during the trek to the Rockies. While living in the Great Basin, he supervised the settlement of Palmyra, (located near the present site of Spanish Fork, Utah), served as a Bishop of a ward, …


Mormonism And War: An Interpretative Analysis Of Selected Mormon Thought Regarding Seven American Wars, R. Jeffrey Stott Jan 1974

Mormonism And War: An Interpretative Analysis Of Selected Mormon Thought Regarding Seven American Wars, R. Jeffrey Stott

Theses and Dissertations

America has been involved in seven major wars, but Mormonism's involvement in these wars has evaded scholarly attention. This has been unfortunate because, for the most part, individual Mormon leaders have taken very definite stands in relation to these struggles, and accompanying these stands have been very definite goals for the outcome of these wars. This, in turn, has prompted many of these LDS leaders to view the wars from a religious perspective.

This transcending religiosity combined the classical Christian wartime positions of the "just" and "righteous" war into one category. The third position however, pacifism, was also utilized during …


Kelsey, Texas: The Founding And Development Of A Latter-Day Saint Gathering Place In Texas, James Clyde Vandygriff Jan 1974

Kelsey, Texas: The Founding And Development Of A Latter-Day Saint Gathering Place In Texas, James Clyde Vandygriff

Theses and Dissertations

Kelsey, Texas, was a flourishing Latter-day Saint colony for more than a quarter of a century, beginning at a time when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was encouraging its converts to stay in the mission field. Kelsey was an attempt by the Church to provide Latter-day Saints from the southern states a safe haven from persecution which existed in the South, while leaving them in a geographic area in which they could be comfortable.
The growth and success for many years of the Kelsey Academy was the result of an interesting partnership, not always tranquil, between the …


Some Demographic Aspects Of One Hundred Early Mormon Converts, 1830-1837, Laurence Milton Yorgason Jan 1974

Some Demographic Aspects Of One Hundred Early Mormon Converts, 1830-1837, Laurence Milton Yorgason

Theses and Dissertations

Questions regarding the conditions of the origin of Mormonism have been asked repeatedly since Joseph Smith first made his claims public regarding his religious experiences. The same questions have been asked by both proponents and opponents of Smith's story: "How did Mormonism begin?", "Who was Joseph Smith?", "What was Joseph Smith?", "What did he do?" If it could be shown that Joseph Smith was an honest, upright, and sincere person, then the religion he produced was more likely to be reliable and truthful. If it could be shown that Joseph Smith was a fraud and a deceiver, then presumably, the …


The Economic Development Of Moab, Utah, Gary W. Booher Jan 1973

The Economic Development Of Moab, Utah, Gary W. Booher

Theses and Dissertations

Moab, located in southeastern Utah, began as an agricultural village, in accordance with the economy of early Utah. However, Moab's growth was limited by a restricted physical site. The purpose of this study is to trace the development of the economic functions of Moab in relation to its resource base. Despite the physical limitations of the area, agriculture remained the chief economic activity up to the mid-twentieth century. Periodic booms in speculative mining were only temporary and not significant to the permant economy of the community.

However, in the 1950s, a spectacular uranium boom brought unprecedented growth to the town. …


A Study To Determine Reasons Why Lds Students Were Not Enrolled In Lds Seminary In The Southern Alberta Seminary District During 1970-71, Robert Owen Mcclung Jan 1972

A Study To Determine Reasons Why Lds Students Were Not Enrolled In Lds Seminary In The Southern Alberta Seminary District During 1970-71, Robert Owen Mcclung

Theses and Dissertations

Religious education in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as given by the seminaries is to help youth achieve a meaningful testimony that God lives, Jesus is the Christ, and Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. The purpose of this study was to determine why some youth were not taking advantage of this training by enrolling in seminary.
It was determined that the teachers were a negligible reason for lack of enrollment. Rather, the reasons stemmed more from a lack of awareness of the nature of the seminary program by some priesthood leaders, by the youth and …


A Comparative Study Of The Book Of Mormon Secret Combinations And The American Mafia Organization, Ray G. Morley Jan 1972

A Comparative Study Of The Book Of Mormon Secret Combinations And The American Mafia Organization, Ray G. Morley

Theses and Dissertations

The Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses, sacred scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have woven into their pages a brief history of secret combinations on the "American" continent. Secret combinations have caused the destruction of three previous civilizations that have existed on this continent.

The prophet Moroni warned the Latter-day American inhabitants that "This secret combination... shall be among you..." (Ether 8:24).

The evidence summarized in this study leads one to the conclusion that the American Mafia Organization (Cosa Nostra) is the same organization warned against in sacred scripture.


The Song Of The Righteous: An Historical And Literary Analysis Of The Latter-Day Saint Hymnal, Ruth Alene Thomson Symons Jan 1971

The Song Of The Righteous: An Historical And Literary Analysis Of The Latter-Day Saint Hymnal, Ruth Alene Thomson Symons

Theses and Dissertations

The hymnal of the Latter-day Saints first proposed only shortly after the organization of the Church and published continually every few years between 1835 and 1871, is a remarkably accurate indicator of the changing fortunes and beliefs of the early Saints. The first hymnal, gathered by Emma Smith, uncompromisingly sets forth the basic Mormon belief in man's free agency, his innate perfectability, and his kinship to his Heavenly Father. Later editions reflect the missionary concerns of the church (1840), the tremendous persecution the saints are subjected to (1841), the Church difficulties after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith (1849), the call …


An Analysis Of The Role Of Temples In The Establishment Of Zion, C. Max Caldwell Jan 1971

An Analysis Of The Role Of Temples In The Establishment Of Zion, C. Max Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

The establishment of Zion has been a goal of interest to every dispensation. The building of temples and participation in temple ordinances has likewise been a practice of many generations throughout history. In the present dispensation, Joseph Smith declared the need to construct temples in connection with the building of a Latter-day Zion.

The purpose of this study has been to discover a correlation between temple activity and the development of the Church membership in their preparation for the establishment of Zion. It has been concluded that the temples do perform a very significant role in the development of the …