Mormon Studies Commons^™

Clark Memorandum: Spring 2022, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Byu Law School Alumni Association, J. Reuben Clark Law Society

The Clark Memorandum

• General Joseph Smith and His Candidacy for the Presidency of the United States
• Leadership Lessons from the Life of Dallin H. Oaks
• Flunking the Founding
• Seven Lessons from the Life of Rex Lee

The Saints And The State : The Mormon Troubles In Illinois, James Simeone

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

A compelling history of the 1846 Mormon expulsion from Illinois that exemplifies the limits of American democracy and religious tolerance.

When members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as Mormons) settled in Illinois in 1839, they had been persecuted for their beliefs from Ohio to Missouri. Illinoisans viewed themselves as religiously tolerant egalitarians and initially welcomed the Mormons to their state. However, non-Mormon locals who valued competitive individualism perceived the saints‘ western Illinois settlement, Nauvoo, as a theocracy with too much political power. Amid escalating tensions in 1844, anti-Mormon vigilantes assassinated church founder Joseph Smith and …

Nineteenth-Century American Religion And Politics In The West: Doctrinal Shifts In Mormonism And The Creation Of Utah, Katherine Manning

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

American religion and politics have always been closely intertwined. Though America was founded on ideals of religious pluralism and tolerance, the actual landscape of American religion often resembled the opposite of these ideas. As a religious majority, Protestants in the nineteenth-century believed in a specific American identity—one which championed the “virtuous” family and a capitalist market system. Yet, some religious organizations challenged these norms, making them the object of intense persecution. One of the most famous of these examples is the Mormons. From their “peculiar” beliefs to their separatist goals, Mormons presented the American people with a religious group which …

Speaking Of Gender, Generally: Analysis Of Gendered References And Speaking Opportunities In Lds General Conferences, Devon Tenney

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This study seeks to examine the changing role of women in LDS General Conferences. Through text analysis and an exploration of speaking opportunities at General Conference, we find that women have been discussed more frequently and provided more opportunities to speak over time.

A Diabolical Disneyland In Zion: The Mormons And The Mx, Jacob W. Olmstead

Theses and Dissertations

In September 1979 President Jimmy Carter publicly announced his decision to support the deployment of the MX missile and mobile basing scheme in Utah and Nevada. Despite local opposition and the close proximity of the proposed base to its headquarters, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) remained silent until 5 May 1981, when the First Presidency issued a statement opposing the MX plans. The purpose of this work is to narrate the history of the development of the Mormon position regarding the deployment of MX missile in the Great Basin and evaluate the response to the statement …

The Mormon Influence On The Political Geography Of The West, Michael Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

The vast colonization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, in the nineteenth century had a profund impact on the populating, culture, economy, and environment of much of the American West. This thesis examines the political geographic influence of the Mormons in the West and, more specifically, in the lands ceded by Mexico to the United States in 1848. This land comprises all or portions of the following states: California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The original organization of the Mexican Cession at the hands of Congress in 1850 was drastically influenced by …

Nephite Kingship Reconsidered, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

This paper extends and updates previous efforts to understand the political dynamic of the Book of Mormon by looking at four themes or issues that can be developed from the text itself. The first is an expansion of earlier treatments of the contradictory political ideologies of the Nephites and Lamanites, which informed relations between these two groups across their thousand-year history. The second is an exploration of the historical possibility that Nephi may never, in fact, have been anointed as king of the Nephite people, which raises in turn a possible need to reassess the character of Nephite kingship. The …

Tacit Cooperation Between Enemies: Two Case Studies, Kristina Handy

Theses and Dissertations

This research details a point of reference to understand two case studies of cooperation that developed among lower-level, or non policy-making bureaucrats during times of conflict or war. Using components of game theory, I propose that when an international conflictual relationship occurs that resembles an iterated Prisoners' Dilemma, and that meets certain conditions, tacit cooperation can emerge. Tacit cooperation consists of illicit or implied cooperation that is not sanctioned at the national policy level.

In this research I develop a framework of tacit cooperation, relying heavily upon Robert Axelrod's theory of evolutionary cooperation. With the framework in place, I then …

The Mormons In Wilhelmie Germany, 1870-1914: Making A Place For An Unwanted American Religion In A Changing German Society, Michael Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Between 1853 and 1914 the kingdom of Prussia and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, disagreed over the issue of Mormon missionaries proselyting in Prussia. In 1853 royal magistrates banished all Mormon missionaries from the kingdom for advocating emigration. A new church policy of preaching without seeking for official permission, in addition to an improved relationship between the Mormons in Utah and the United States government after the Manifesto of 1890, led to an increase in missionaries sent to Germany, including Prussia. By 1900 mormon success alarmed the Prussian Protestant clergy and a few Prussian governors …

Precinct Government In Salt Lake County, Utah 1852-1904, Steven K. Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis traces the origin, development, and decline, from 1852 to 1904, of Salt Lake County's judicial precincts. A precinct functioned as the basic subdivision of county government. Its boundaries were generally coterminous with those of local communities. It was established to allow for a degree of local control by the people.
Chapter two reveals that precinct justices experienced over time a marked decline in socio-political prominence. This is largely due to legislative statutes that decreased their jurisdictional powers. Chapter three examines the evolution of precinct boundaries. It is demonstrated that geographic distribution of individuals played a major role in …

The Role Of Brigham Young University In The Arab Development Society Dairy Project For Palestinian Orphans: A Case Study In Private Bilateral Foreign Aid, Daneil C. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine nine essential planning principles in the selecting and implementing an aid project. These nine principles will then be used to analyze BYU's involvement with the ADS dairy project. The project is presented from a historical viewpoint. An analysis is mainly given retrospectively at the end of the history of the BYU involvement phase of the project.

Elder Stephen L. Richards On Peace And War: An Examination Of Elder Richards' Views On The Causes Of War And His Prescription For Peace, Based On The Analytical Framework Contained In Kenneth N. Waltz' Man, The State And War, Gordon John Stirling

Theses and Dissertations

In Man, the State and War, Kenneth N. Waltz claims that for a peace prescription to be valid, it must be based on a proper view of the causes of war. Waltz analyzes the validity of three basic causes of war: man himself, the characteristics of the nation-state, and the international system.

I have examined the views of Elder Stephen L Richards on peace and war in the context of the Waltz framework. Elders Richards believed that the failings of men were the primary causes of war. His prescription for peace was widespread acceptance of the Gospel. He disagreed …

Radicals And Immigrants: Senator William H. King's Response To Nativism, 1917-1924, Craig D. Galli

Theses and Dissertations

When Senator William Henry King took office in 1917, Utah and the nation were apprehensive about the presence of large numbers of foreign born aliens and citizens. Utah's King joined the wartime hysteria and promoted many nativistic policies directed against the foreign born population. During the post-war Red Scare he continued his crusade, concentrating on the suppression of Bolsheviks and the Industrial Workers of the World.

But when Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924--a nativistic law designed to curtail the immigration of southern and eastern Europeans--King was the bill's only opponent from the West or South. Since anti-radicalism and …

Storm Over The Summit: A Political History Of Summit County To 1882, Rodney L. Peck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a more complete understanding of Mormon politics in territorial Utah by studying the growth and development of the political process in Summit County to 1882.

The study suggests that the county was governed by a relatively small but growing group of politically minded men, many of whom also ecclesiastical trust or who were among the pioneers of the area. The study also suggests that the Mormon teaching of unity in all things and fair representation among county offices from the county's major population centers were the governing principles of Mormon political action …

Sex, Sickness And Statehood: The Influence Of Victorian Medical Opinion On Self-Government In Utah, E. Victoria Grover-Swank

Theses and Dissertations

In the struggle for self-government which occupied the Mormon population of Utah between their entry into the Great Basin in 1847 and statehood in 1896, the issue of polygamy dominated public discussion. The non-Mormon population of the United States generally objected to the practice of polygamy, in large part because of Victorian attitudes towards sexual activity and the presumed physical and mental results of violating Victorian sexual norms. It was assumed by most Americans that polygamy, by violating those norms, caused real physical damage to the Latter-day Saints in Utah; damage that disqualified them from holding full and equal political …

Mccarthyism In Utah, Richard Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

The exaggerated anti-Communist crusade of Senator Joseph McCarthy allegedly gained the support of a majority of Americans during the early 1950's. It is historically important and interesting to question that supposition by considering the character of McCarthy's following in each state. This study shows that in Utah sympathy for the second Red Scare abounded and evidences of McCarthyism were readily apparent.

Three indicators illustrate Utah's support for the Wisconsin senator. The defeat of Elbert Thomas in 1950 dramatically epitomizes the successful use of incriminating allegations effectively employed by McCarthy. The election, or re-election, of McCarthy supporters and the defeat of …

Bryan, Populism And Utah, Herbert E. Cihak

Theses and Dissertations

William Jennings Bryan exercised great political power for thirty years in America. Through his efforts the Democratic Party power base was broadened to include Jews, Negroes businessmen, and farmers. Bryan's call for political and social reform found many supporters in the State of Utah.

It is difficult to assess what actually caused William J. Bryan to lose the 1900 Presidential election in Utah. Yet, we must put to rest the conclusion that he lost solely because silver was an unimportant issue to the Utah electorate in 1900. The powerful influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on …

The Development Of Municipal Government In The Territory Of Utah, Alvin Charles Koritz

Theses and Dissertations

In 1846 the Mormons were expelled westward from Nauvoo, Illinois. Beyond the borders of the United States, the Mormon Church absorbed the civil functions of municipal government, a pattern which continued in the Great Basin and received the sanction of state authority in 1849 under Deseret.

As the political arm of the "Kingdom of God," the Council of Fifty influenced local political development as its members simultaneously occupied elective offices in both the territorial legislature and municipal government.

During the first decade as a territory, Utah's city charters generally followed the pattern established by Nauvoo in 1840. However, in the …

A Study Of Nephite, Lamanite, And Jaredite Governmental Institutions And Policies As Portrayed In The Book Of Mormon, Donald Arthur Cazier

Theses and Dissertations

Nephite government was essentially theocratic, with both the monarchy and reign of the judges paralleling the similar institutions of the ancient Israelites. Ultimate political authority resided in the prophet. The laws were given by the Lord, and the principle of popular consent was recognized. The role of government was primarily national defense and the punishment of crime, not social reform.

Lamanite government was monarchal and despotic, with notable exceptions when the nation was converted to the gospel. The Jaredites theoretically lived under a theocratic monarchy, but intrigue, tyranny, and oppression were the rule rather than the exception.

In all three …

A Political Biography Of George Henry Dern, Robert W. Wells Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will review the political life of George H. Dern emphasizing the utah period. The last chapter will briefly describe Dern's activities after the completion of his second term as governor of Utah in 1932.

History Of The South African Mission Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1853-1970, Farrell Ray Monson

Theses and Dissertations

The history of the South African Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1853-1970) describes the progress of the Church in South Africa from its inception until the present time. Missionary proselyting activities in the land are traced, and the major historical developments of the mission are discussed.

In 1853 three missionaries began Mormon proselyting activities in the Cape Province and within six months they had baptized forty-five persons, established two branches, and organized the first conference of the Church.

Despite mob violence and opposition from the clergy, civil authorities, and the press, the Church continued to …

George Romney In 1968, From Front-Runner To Drop-Out, An Analysis Of Cause, Richard M. Eyre

Theses and Dissertations

The meteoric political decline of George Romney is unparalleled in political history and in the history of presidential campaigning. In the space of one year, the man evolved from the overwhelming presidential favorite of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike to a presidential drop out, criticized severely and even mocked by press and public alike.

There are many opinions as to why this phenomenon occurred. The press has opinions, the public has opinions, and the people closest to George Romney have opinions.

A step by step analysis of Romney's campaign casts light on these opinions and completely discredits some while validating …

The Elections Of 1900 In Utah, R. Gary Penrod

Theses and Dissertations

The 1900 elections have been little touched in historical studies of Utah. However 1900 was a year of special interest and deserves an examination. In that year a Special Election was held, all state offices were up for renewal and a Presidential Election took place.

The special election was necessary because B. H. Roberts had been denied his seat in the United States Congress. Roberts was excluded because he was a polygamist. The Roberts case threatened to revive gentile versus Mormon antipathies in Utah. However, the most puzzling aspect of the 1900 elections is connected with the presidential vote. In …

Constitutional Rights And The Mormon Appeals For National Redress Of The Missouri Grievances, Lynn D. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to trace the efforts of the Mormon people to obtain redress from the national government for the losses of life and property which they had suffered and the hardships which they had endured while residing in the state of Missouri during the 1830's. The Mormon appeals to Congress and the President are considered and an evaluation is made of the Mormon view of the national government's responsibility for the protection of individual rights.

The information for this study was obtained from the Church Historian's Office, the Brigham Young University Library, the University of Utah Library, the Utah …

An Analysis Of The 1964 Idaho Second Congressional District Election Campaign, Dean Maurice Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

After having been elected to Congress from Idaho's Second Congressional District in 1960 by a record vote, and re-elected in 1962, Democrat Ralph Harding was defeated in 1964 by Republican George Hansen in the face of a national Democratic landslide. The objective of this thesis was to analyze the Harding-Hanson contest and attempt to identify the factors which produced the Hansen victory. The methodology employed in this analysis included library research, a comprehensive survey of newspapers serving the Second District which covered the congressional race, correspondence and interviews with candidates, campaign managers and other involved individuals and groups, a grass-roots …

A Study Of The Political Involvements In The Career Of Joseph Smith, Edward G. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

It is the purpose of this study to examine the political elements and issues in the United States from the latter part of 1838 to June 27, 1844, to determine their relationship to the death of Joseph Smith. This study includes an analysis of national, state and local issues and sentiment during that time, as they have a bearing upon the subject.
The primary period of study is the Illinois era of Latter-day Saint history which includes the events that transpired from the winter of 1838-39 to June 27, 1844. A less intensive study includes events after June 1844, to …

George Romney And The Michigan Gubernatorial Compaign - 1962, Richard C. Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

Politics in Michigan had been on a low plane for a number of years. The troubles were many and their roots could be found deep in the structure of the state's government.

In April of 1959, the sagging governmental structure gave way to the extent that the state was unable to meet its payroll. The result was the much publicized "Payless Pay Day" which attracted national and international interest.

Seeing that their elected officials were seemingly powerless to correct even the basic flaws in Michigan's government, many of the state's leading business and industrial leaders decided to apply their considerable …

A Study Of Forces And Events Leading To The Repeal Of Prohibition And The Adoption Of A Liquor Control System, George Harmon Skyles

Theses and Dissertations

During the Nineteenth Century, a reform agitation known as the prohibition movement began to gather momentum in the United States. Led chiefly by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and pushed also by the Prohibition Party, this movement grew only slowly until a general spirit of reform began to sweep the country at the end of the century. With the W.C.T.U. and the American Anti-Saloon League leading the fight during the Progressive Era, the tide of public opinion finally took form in the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, an amendment which forbade "the manufacture, sale or transportation …

Some Political Concepts Of J. Reuben Clark, Jr, F. Melvin Hammond

Theses and Dissertations

The political views of J. Reuben Clark, Jr. have been of interest to the membership of the Mormon Church since the year 1933, when Clark was appointed second counselor to Heber. J. Grant, then President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This interest was generated In part by the various political positions of importance which Clark held since 1906, and by the numerous politically-oriented speeches which he gave from time to time throughout the Church and the nation.

According to Clark, the nature of man's relationship to the state was determined by a pre-earth existence. Clark believed …

The 1912 Presidential Election In Utah, C. Austin Wahlquist

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine why, in the light of local conditions and problems, Utah chose to support President Taft. Why Did Utah prefer the conservative policies of this nationally unpopular figure, while the rest of the nation favored the progressivism of Wilson or the progressivism of Roosevelt? What were the national issues which affected Utah? Who exercised political control in the state? What was the party alignment? How important was newspaper opinion? To what extent was personal friendship for Taft, on the part of local Republican leaders, a factor? Did a recent outbreak of Mormon-non-Mormon friction …