Interesting 1972 Ensign article by A Dyer regarding the newly formed Church History Department and their plans for the future. Too bad Peterson, Packer and Benson didn't allow this to continue.
Once collected, the records of the Mormon past are arranged, classified, and indexed to make them available to members of the Church and others interested in LDS history
In 1976 Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the council of the twelve warned of the tendency to humanize church leaders. Such an approach minimized God's ruling hand and undermined "our prophetic history."
After it was shut down Leonard Arrington lamented
"Our great experiment in church-sponsored history has proved to be, if not a failure, at least not an unqualified success."
One has to wonder how much better today's chapel Mormons would be prepared to defend their history had Arrington been allowed to continue guiding the Church History Department.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
In 1976 Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the council of the twelve warned of the tendency to humanize church leaders. Such an approach minimized God's ruling hand and undermined "our prophetic history."
What the? Were they apes, not human?
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
The Lord has stated, “Behold, there shall be a record kept among you. …” (D&C 21:1.) To keep that record in its entirety, accurately and securely, is the mission of the Historical Department.
In the meantime another words of the Lord proved themselves to be more important and acute...
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
harmony wrote:What the? Were they apes, not human?
No, it simply means that it was disrespectful to regard the Brethren as mere mortals, when THEY had slipped their earthly bounds and ascended into the clouds.
harmony wrote:What the? Were they apes, not human?
No, it simply means that it was disrespectful to regard the Brethren as mere mortals, when THEY had slipped their earthly bounds and ascended into the clouds.
And yet, we are repeatedly told not to expect too much from the Leaders because they are only human after all!
“We look to not only the spiritual but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.” Keith McMullin - Counsellor in Presiding Bishopric
"One, two, three...let's go shopping!" Thomas S Monson - Prophet, Seer, Revelator
Fence Sitter wrote:Interesting 1972 Ensign article by A Dyer regarding the newly formed Church History Department and their plans for the future. Too bad Peterson, Packer and Benson didn't allow this to continue.
Once collected, the records of the Mormon past are arranged, classified, and indexed to make them available to members of the Church and others interested in LDS history
In 1976 Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the council of the twelve warned of the tendency to humanize church leaders. Such an approach minimized God's ruling hand and undermined "our prophetic history."
After it was shut down Leonard Arrington lamented
"Our great experiment in church-sponsored history has proved to be, if not a failure, at least not an unqualified success."
One has to wonder how much better today's chapel Mormons would be prepared to defend their history had Arrington been allowed to continue guiding the Church History Department.
Amazing that the CHD still won't let anyone see or touch the Kirtland Egyptian Papers--except for a racist/misogynist like William Schryver who they can count on to "lie for the Lord".
"I do not want you to think that I am very righteous, for I am not." Joseph Smith (History of the Church 5:401)