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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
I Know Not, John Hilton Iii
I Know Not, John Hilton Iii
Faculty Publications
Do you think that the weapons buildup we are seeing in some countries will lead to Armageddon?" It was a priesthood session of stake conference, and the presiding General Authority had opened the meeting to questions. He looked at the person who had asked the question and simply responded, “I don’t know. Next question.” Throughout the meeting, the General Authority was asked many questions, several of which did not have answers that could be found in the scriptures or teachings of living prophets. To each of these questions, he answered, “I don’t know.” One of the major temptations gospel teachers …
Making Friends Down Under: The Beginnings Of Lds Missionary Work On Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia, 1961, Fred E. Woods
Making Friends Down Under: The Beginnings Of Lds Missionary Work On Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia, 1961, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
The year 2011 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the beginnings of LDS missionary work on Thursday Island. On this jubilee occasion, it is fitting to ask how the message of Mormonism came to this tiny Australian isle and how American Mormon missionaries adapted to a region far removed from their culture and homeland. Using journal entries, letters, and interviews from the first three full-time elders to preach on the island, it is possible to sketch a portrait of what these young men experienced.
The Circumference Of The Apostleship, Richard Bennett
The Circumference Of The Apostleship, Richard Bennett
Faculty Publications
In Robert Bolt's classic drama A Man for All Seasons, the ever-principled and incomparable Thomas More, England's stout defender of the Holy Catholic faith, responded with unflinching conviction when pressed by the Duke of Norfolk about the reasonability and historicity of the Roman Catholic claim to priesthood legitimacy. "The Apostolic Succession of the Pope is--Why, it's a theory yes; you can't see it; can't touch it; it's a theory. But what matters to me is not whether it's true or not but that I believe it to be true, or rather not that I believe it, but that I believe …
Making Friends In Missouri: Telling The Steamboat Saluda Story And Its Aftermath, Fred E. Woods
Making Friends In Missouri: Telling The Steamboat Saluda Story And Its Aftermath, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
The infamous "Extermination Order" issued October 27, 1838, by Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs caused thousands of Latter-day Saints to flee the state and seek refuge in Illinois. Throughout the harsh winter of 1838-39, many Latter-day Saint families traveled to Missouri's eastern border (some 150 miles) in carts and wagons and on foot. While most crossed the Mississippi River by ferry at Quincy, some voyaged by riverboats from Richmond, Missouri, to the Quincy region in Illinois.
Wilford Woodruff And The Rise Of Temple Consciousness Among The Latter-Day Saints, 1877-84, Richard E. Bennett
Wilford Woodruff And The Rise Of Temple Consciousness Among The Latter-Day Saints, 1877-84, Richard E. Bennett
Faculty Publications
Historical evidence demonstrates that during the time Wilford Woodruff served as president of the St. George Temple, 1877-84, a profound change of attitude and a new understanding toward temple work developed among the Latter-day Saints. These years--highlighted as they were with completion of the St. George Temple; the introduction of endowments for the dead; the canonization of section 110 in the Doctrine & Covenants; and the construction of the Salt Lake, Manti, and Logan Temples--were critical to the formation of a new and rising temple consciousness and a growing sense of uniqueness among a people then undergoing a good deal …
We Know No North, No South, No East, No West: Mormon Interpretations Of The Civil War, 1861-1865, Richard Bennett
We Know No North, No South, No East, No West: Mormon Interpretations Of The Civil War, 1861-1865, Richard Bennett
Faculty Publications
While peace reigns in Utah, civil war, with all its horrors, prevails among those who earnestly desired to see the soil of these valleys crimsoned with the blood of the Saints, and, if we are mistaken in the signs of the times, before the conflict between the North and South shall have ended, all they unitedly desired to see meted out to the Mormons, will be poured out without measure upon those who have initiated the war of extermination, and are now carrying it on with all the energy they severally possess. So read the lead editorial in the Salt …
Of Printers, Prophets, And Politicians: William Lyon Mackenzie, Mormonism, And Early Printing In Upper Canada, Richard Bennett, Daniel H. Olsen
Of Printers, Prophets, And Politicians: William Lyon Mackenzie, Mormonism, And Early Printing In Upper Canada, Richard Bennett, Daniel H. Olsen
Faculty Publications
Well-known in both Canadian and Latter-day Saint history is the arrival of Charles Ora Card and his faithful band of followers in southern Alberta in 1887. Less explored is the much earlier venture into Upper Canada (Ontario) of such prominent Mormon leaders as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, and scores of others during the 1830s in their concerted attempts to promulgate their new faith on Canadian soil. Their success in converting hundreds of people, many of whom were British- and American-born Methodists or members of other nonconformist faiths, prompted Mormon leaders to send missionaries …
A World In Darkness -- Early Latter-Day Saint Understanding Of The Apostasy, 1830-1834, Richard Bennett, Amber J. Seidel
A World In Darkness -- Early Latter-Day Saint Understanding Of The Apostasy, 1830-1834, Richard Bennett, Amber J. Seidel
Faculty Publications
Our first purpose will be to show that Joseph Smith's sense of an apostasy from the true Christian faith was ratified in the first vision; furthermore, that this understanding changed and developed during the early years of his prophetic training. Our second objective will be to examine how the doctrine of the apostasy was understood and taught by both leaders and missionaries within the first four years of the organization of the Church of Christ in 1830. Although this is a subjective rather than a quantitative study, we have concluded, after an extensive review of many of the contemporary sources, …
The "Tabernacle Post Office" Petition For The Saints Of Kanesville, Iowa, Fred E. Woods, Maurine Carr Ward
The "Tabernacle Post Office" Petition For The Saints Of Kanesville, Iowa, Fred E. Woods, Maurine Carr Ward
Faculty Publications
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Thus spoke wise King Solomon a millennium before the birth of Christ. As America labored to give birth to a new nation, the United States Post Office Department was born when the Second Continental Congress met in 1775 at Philadelphia and agreed to appoint Benjamin Franklin as the country's first postmaster general. During the nineteenth century, America continued to grow in population as children were born and as immigrants crossed the Atlantic to the land of promise. This growth not only caused America to lengthen …
That Every Man Might Speak In The Name Of God The Lord: A Study Of Official Declaration 2, Richard Bennett
That Every Man Might Speak In The Name Of God The Lord: A Study Of Official Declaration 2, Richard Bennett
Faculty Publications
Official Declaration 2, tucked away quietly at the very tail end of the Doctrine and Covenants, is in many ways a fitting conclusion to the preface of the Doctrine and Covenants recorded 147 years before. In section 1 the Lord reveals much about the Restoration and about the divine pulley of the First Vision in particular. The term pulley emphasizes the two-way nature of the First Vision, for although Joseph prayed to know heaven's will, God "called upon" his servant to initiate the Restoration. Although much has been said about the boy prophet's request, surely God's intent counts for just …
From Liverpool To Keokuk: The Mormon Maritime Migration Experience Of 1853, Fred E. Woods
From Liverpool To Keokuk: The Mormon Maritime Migration Experience Of 1853, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
In January, Fifty-three, we left our English home, Determined for the Gospel's sake, to Zion's land to come. Our family was very small, its members numbered three, Yet strong in faith of Israel's God, and full of hope were we. 'Twas not to us an easy task to bid old friends adieu, To take a long farewell of those who always had been true, To leave for aye, the cozy home we made but just before, And take a last fond look of things we should behold no more; The wind blew keen, as out we went into the cold …
The 1853 Mormon Migration Through Keokuk, Fred E. Woods, Douglas Atterberg
The 1853 Mormon Migration Through Keokuk, Fred E. Woods, Douglas Atterberg
Faculty Publications
In May 1853, William W. Belknap, who would later serve as a major general in the Civil War and as secretary of war to President Grant, wrote to his sister, Clara, about the Mormon emigrants who were outfitting in Keokuk, Iowa, that spring and summer: "Yesterday was Sunday and I wish you had been here to go up to the Mormon Camp with me. They had preaching at three stands in three languages--English, German, and Danish. They sing --especially the Danes--very sincerely and are perfectly enthusiastic. It is a strange, strange mystery and if you were here you'd be astonished. …
The Forgotten Voice Of The Oneida Stake Academy, Fred E. Woods
The Forgotten Voice Of The Oneida Stake Academy, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
The Physiography class invited me to their Comet Party. We all got up at 3 o'clock a.m. and went to the academy building and there watched Halley's comet and indulged in outdoor games, wrote H. Oswald Christensen, a devoted faculty member of the Oneida Stake Academy in Preston, Idaho. His voice, along with those of many other Academy faculty members and students, must not be forgotten.
The Cemetery Record Of William D. Huntington, Nauvoo Sexton, Fred E. Woods
The Cemetery Record Of William D. Huntington, Nauvoo Sexton, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
When John Butler first visited Commerce (later known as Nauvoo) he recalled, "I asked Brother Joseph what kind of a place it was. He said it was a low, marshy, wet, damp and nasty place, but that if we went to work and improved it, it would become more healthy and the Lord would bless it for our sakes." The Prophet Joseph Smith also stated, "the name of our city (Nauvoo) is of Hebrew origin, and signifies a beautiful situation, or place, carrying with it, also, the idea of rest; and is truly descriptive of the most delightful situation... This …
How Long, Oh Lord, How Long? James E. Talmage And The Great War, Richard Bennett
How Long, Oh Lord, How Long? James E. Talmage And The Great War, Richard Bennett
Faculty Publications
What is it that is happening? A war greater in area and scale and more fearful in carnage, than any that has ever been since life on the round world began. Five months--no more--have passed since the first gun was fired, and already the list of men who were strong, healthy, capable, keen, five short months ago, and who are now stark in death, outnumbers anything of its kind in human history. And to reckon up the load of sheer blank sorrow in innumerable homes, and the actual but incidental war sufferings, short of death, or possibly worse than death, …
Two Sides Of A River: Mormon Transmigration Through Quincy, Illinois, And Hannibal, Missouri, Fred E. Woods
Two Sides Of A River: Mormon Transmigration Through Quincy, Illinois, And Hannibal, Missouri, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
The infamous extermination order issued 27 October 1838 by Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs caused thousands of Latter-day Saints to flee the state and seek refuge in Illinois across the Mississippi River. Illinois, established in 1817, had high hopes for its future, but just two decades later it was smitten, like the rest of America, with the economic depression of 1837. In such a needy condition, the people Illinois welcomed the Mormon migrants for three central reasons. Financially motivated, the state viewed the Latter-day Saint influx as an opportunity to raise its population to boost the economy through the collection …
And I Saw The Hosts Of The Dead, Both Small And Great: Joseph F. Smith, World War I, And His Visions Of The Dead, Richard Bennett
And I Saw The Hosts Of The Dead, Both Small And Great: Joseph F. Smith, World War I, And His Visions Of The Dead, Richard Bennett
Faculty Publications
As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great (D&C 138:11).
More Precious Than Gold: The Journey To And Through Zion In 1849-50, Fred E. Woods
More Precious Than Gold: The Journey To And Through Zion In 1849-50, Fred E. Woods
Faculty Publications
The California gold rush, the first international gold rush in history, turned the world upside down, reaching its zenith in the years 1849-50. As a result of the rush during these two climactic years, the population swelled our nation's Pacific coast, entitling California to receive statehood in the fall of 1850. During these catalytic years, Latter-day Saints were journeying to the American West for a different kind of treasure. They gathered from afar to their Mormon mecca nestled in the Salt Lake Valley to fulfill their dreams of establishing Zion. Yet the California gold rush had a significant impact on …
Some Reflections At Winter Quarters, Richard E. Bennett
Some Reflections At Winter Quarters, Richard E. Bennett
Faculty Publications
On this Memorial Day weekend, it is altogether fitting and appropriate that we gather today at this sacred place to remember the lives of our progenitors everywhere. From Gettysburg to Hiroshima, from Arlington to Flanders Field, and from the city cemetery to the family plot, we honor our dead ancestors and friends long since stilled. Whether they died on the battle fields of war or perished in the labor of giving birth, we honor them. Whether on the trail to a new life in Oregon or a new chance in Ukraine, they all were the lifeline to our present bright …
On The Cross-Cultural Attitudes And Experiences Of Recently Returned Lds Missionaries, Timothy B. Smith, Richard N. Roberts, Burton Kerr
On The Cross-Cultural Attitudes And Experiences Of Recently Returned Lds Missionaries, Timothy B. Smith, Richard N. Roberts, Burton Kerr
Faculty Publications
To examine the effect of the mission experience upon attitudes towards members of different cultures, 273 recently returned LDS missionaries and 493 LDS college students who had not yet served missions were administered measures of racial attitudes. Subsequently, the highest and lowest fifth of missionaries who had served in non-English speaking nations were interviewed. Results indicated that the missionaries did differ from the non-missionary sample in their racial attitudes and that several key qualitative pre-mission and mission experiences distinguished between the two groups interviewed. Prejudice, with its attendant train of evil, is giving way before the force of truth, whose …
Eastward To Eden: The Nauvoo Rescue Missions, Richard E. Bennett
Eastward To Eden: The Nauvoo Rescue Missions, Richard E. Bennett
Faculty Publications
I have felt sensibly there was a good deal of suffering among the saints in Nauvoo, as there has been amongst us, but the Lord God who has fed us all the day long, has his care still over us and when the saints are chastened enough, it will cease. I have ever believed the Lord would suffer a general massacre of this people by a mob. If ten thousand men were to come against us, and no other way was open for our deliverance, the earth would swallow them up (Journal History, 27 Sept. 1846). These were the words …
Cousin Laman In The Wilderness: The Beginnings Of Brigham Young's Indian Policy, Richard E. Bennett
Cousin Laman In The Wilderness: The Beginnings Of Brigham Young's Indian Policy, Richard E. Bennett
Faculty Publications
Historians of the American West have observed that compared with most other mid-19th century American overlanders, whether Oregon-bound farmers or California Agronauts, the Mormons enjoyed a relatively more amicable, more peaceful relationship with the American Indian. Furthermore several contend with cause that Brigham Young was the principal architect of peace with the Ute, Shoshoni, Navaho, Hopi, and other tribes in the deserts and valleys of "Deseret," the Mormon Zion in the Great Basin Kingdom. Leonard Arrington, Davis Bitton, James Allen, and other modern writers have argued that Young pursued a conciliatory (if not self protective and condescending) policy toward the …