The Welcome Table–Reprise

By Margaret Young

I won’t give his real name. Apparently, he is a remarkable man, a supremely talented jazz musician who has played with Duke Ellington’s orchestra. He joined the Church before the priesthood revelation in 1978 and so, as an African American, he understood that he would not have the same privileges as white Mormons. The Era magazine (precursor to the Ensign) did a story about him, which inspired at least one other Black musician to stay in the Church during some difficult times.

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Guest Post: Mormons, Indian Displacement, and Useable Pasts

Jared Farmer is the author of On Zion’s Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape (Book Cover), a cultural and environmental history of Mount Timpanogos and Utah Lake. The book is an outgrowth of his dissertation at Stanford University, where he studied under the preeminent historian of the American West, Richard White. Jared’s work is a fascinating example of cutting-edge approaches to place, memory, religion, and nature. His first book, Glen Canyon Dammed: Inventing Lake Powell and the Canyon Country, examined the controversial transformation of Glen Canyon of the Colorado River into the reservoir Lake Powell. Jared has agreed to provide us with some tidbits from On Zion’s Mount.

Dear readers of The Juvenile Instructor,

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The Making of Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons, Part 1

Margaret Young has graciously agreed to provide us a multi-part commentary on the making of the film, Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons. She needs little introduction, as she has blogged at various sites, including Times and Seasons, Mormon Mentality, and By Common Consent. She is, in a word, prolific.

Journal: Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons
Margaret Young
Next showing (and the only screening currently scheduled in Utah):
Saturday March 8th at 11:00 a.m.
Egyptian Theater, Ogden
Part of the Foursite Film Festival (www.foursitefilmfest.com ).

David Grua suggested I detail the miraculous way this documentary came to be. This particular post will sim

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Contrasting Attitudes: Keeping things in context

Guest post by BHodges.

Heber C. Kimball
June 29, 1856

Because leaders and speakers didn’t give prepared sermons or refer to notes in most cases, the discourses contain unique insight into their feelings and emotions. A good example of the differing nature of the discourses is found by contrasting a few from Heber C. Kimball.

In February of 1855 Heber recounted some experiences connected with being driven from Nauvoo, and included some fiery rhetoric:

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“Think, bretheren, think!” But not too much

Guest post by BHodges.

Discourse by Brigham Young
March 16, 1856
JD 3:247-249

On March 14, 1856 Brigham Young addressed a group of Saints at the Social Hall where he told the congregation “think, brethren, think, but do not think so far that you cannot think back again.” Two days later he resumed the thought in his address at the Tabernacle, urging his listeners to develop balance:

In the eastern country there was a man who used to go crazy, at times, and then come to his senses again. One of his neighbors asked him what made him go crazy; he replied, “I get to thinking, and thinking, until finally I think so far that I am not always able to think back again.”

Can you think too much for the spirit which is put in the tabernacle?

You can, and this is a subject which I wish the brethren instructed upon, and the people to understand. The spirit is the intelligent part of man, and is intimately connected with the tabernacle. Let this intelligent part labor to excess, and it will eventually overcome the tabernacle, the equilibrium will be destroyed, and the whole organization deranged. Many people have deranged themselves by thinking too much.

Brigham was encouraging moderation in all things, including study and critical thinking.

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Becoming Saints before gods

Guest post by BHodges.

Discourse by Heber C. Kimball
June 29, 1856
JD 4:1-7

Much criticism of Joseph Smith and the LDS Church in general stems from the doctrine regarding the eternal potential of mankind. The Church believes that men and women are the “offspring” of Heavenly Parents (see Acts 17:28-29) composed of the same eternal substance (see D&C 93:33-35), and as such, have divine possibilities. However, there are many names for and many interpretations of the doctrine in and out of the Church. Describing the various schools of thought on the subject is not the purpose of this post, however.

In this discourse, President Heber C. Kimball tangentially referred to deification; not as a glorious declaration that we can become gods, or godlike, but to remind his listeners not to put the cart before the horse. We ought to consider becoming true Saints before focusing too much on being gods:

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Strange Ramblings or Spiritual Repository?

Guest post by BHodges.

“I wish to give you one text to preach upon: ‘From this time henceforth do not fret thy gizzard'”
(Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:1).

Colloquialisms such as this kindled my interest in the Journal of Discourses, sparking a personal project to document the most interesting parts of the 26-volume work on my blog. I appreciate JI allowing me to share some of my findings here. For my introductory post, I’ll describe the purpose of my blog.

Few members of the Church of Jesus Christ have time (or perhaps even the interest) to read all 1,438 sermons given between 1854 and 1886. Additionally, I believe the JD has suffered in reputation due to some speculative ideas expressed by some early Church leaders; many of which are often quoted by critics of the Church as bona fide Mormon doctrine. The JD is largely a product of its time; a Utah Territory, a struggling and growing Church torn between exclusion and assimilation; where politics, religion, agricultural advice, homespun parables and ethics were all mixed together.

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Eliza, Adam, and the Heavenly Mother

Admin: This post is authored by occasional guest blogger and friend to JI, Bored in Vernal.

Eliza R. Snow holds a unique position in Mormon history.  She never had children or a husband of her “own,” though she was married to the first two LDS Prophets.  Eliza became extremely influential in the early Church for a variety of reasons.  Her situation with less family responsibility gave her free time to pursue her interests.  Her calling as General Relief Society President saw her travelling among the Saints and gave her an authoritative position.   Her proximity to Church leadership put her in firsthand touch with Church doctrine as it was developed.   Finally, her considerable talent in writing gave her a voice among men and women alike.

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N. Eldon Tanner on the “Blessing, Ordaining, and Setting Apart” of Spencer W. Kimball

By Jeffrey G. Cannon 

At an 11 a.m. press conference in the Church Office Building, Bruce Olsen, press secretary to the First Presidency, announced a reorganization of the First Presidency took place the previous day, Sunday, 3 February 2008. This marks the fifteenth such reorganization of the First Presidency in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A previous reorganization was described by N. Eldon Tanner, then a counselor in the First Presidency, which occurred following t

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The Writings of Nature’s Fair Queens

Admin: This post is authored by occasional guest blogger and friend to JI, Bored in Vernal.

I’ve enjoyed reading the Women’s Exponent since it became available online. I’m amazed at how political and liberated many of the articles are. Their interest in the world beyond their valley surprised me. It is fascinating to read the historical information:

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