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One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four ...
You may not have known it, but Latter-day Saints have had a long love affair with the common potato. Church members planted potatoes on July 24, 1847, and later they helped establish the famous Idaho potato. Dutch Saints rescued German Saints with potatoes in the wake of World War II.
By Davis Bitton
How Important is History
For practically all of the questions that seem to trouble people, or that are used in an effort to dislodge members from their faith, satisfactory answers are available. The sincere truth-seeker is not forced to accept the sensational allegations of enemies as the final word.
By Davis Bitton
Beating Up on the Mormons
Elder James E. Talmage was allowed to speak for five minutes to the conference of clerical leaders who were castigating members of the LDS Church. He was allowed to do so as a courtesy — not a right — for as a non-Christian he had no such right.
By Davis Bitton
Marriage, Atheism, and Fast Drivers
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
By Davis Bitton
Reading the Prophets in Context
Historians who compile the words of the prophets have a rough time deciding which quotes should be used and which quotes shouldn't. Their decisions affect generations of Saints who will read only the quotes that have been selected by the compilers.
By Davis Bitton
"Go Ye into All the World”
We can be grateful for those missionary diaries that open up to later readers the fallible yet dedicated persons who wrote them, and the often difficult people and circumstances they met.
By Davis Bitton
How Much Do Travelers Know?
You wouldn't know it from listening to some of them, but historians have lots of reasons for humility.
By Davis Bitton
What to Do if You Forget Your Name
The proprietor entered the room and said, “I've forgotten your name. What is it?” Unfortunately, McRae had also forgotten his false name.
By Davis Bitton
A Visit to Palmyra (1835)
The depth and beauty of the restored gospel will never be understood by flippant reporters who are sure they already know "everything" about it.
By Davis Bitton
Charley's Blessings
“I thank God for the experiences in life I would have avoided if I had had the choice.”
By Davis Bitton
The Secret Ballot Comes To Utah (1878)
Those who deplored Mormon domination at the polls were not satisfied with mechanical changes in the voting procedures. They wanted different election results.
By Davis Bitton
An Ordinary Saint
The Life and Contributions of Joseph Henry Dean
Joseph Henry Dean lived an ordinary life as a foot soldier of the Restoration, but his story is an inspiring one.
by Davis Bitton
Unselfish Usefulness: The Power of Women in the Kingdom
It has been said that the “secret weapon” of Mormonism is the individual testimony of its members. But it can equally be said, I think, that the underlying strength, an “invisible” cadre in each ward and stake throughout the church, is its awesome women.
by Davis Bitton
Without Contracted Feelings
"When purveyors of hate seem to fill the news–people who, if they could, would exterminate Christians just because they are Christians, Jews just because they are Jews, Mormons just because they are Mormons, Americans just because they are Americans, and so on–I find it calming to think about some sterling individuals who have crossed my path."
By Davis Bitton
The Liberal Shall Be Blessed (If We Know What Liberal Means)
When Joseph Smith praised those who were "liberal," he wasn't talking politics.
By Davis Bitton
"I Don't Have a Testimony of the History of the Church"
What can one of our most noted historians possibly mean when he makes a statement like that?
By Davis Bitton
The Mormon Point of View: A Short-Lived Periodical
More than one hundred years ago, in 1904, a new periodical appeared. It was called The Mormon Point of View . Its editor was N. L. Nelson, a BYU English professor. After only four issues the periodical fizzled and died. It is an instructive study of the frustrations and hazards of such projects.
By Davis Bitton
Rooti-ti-toot for Senator Smoot
In 1904, the seating of apostle Reed Smoot in the U.S. Senate caused quite an uproar.
By Davis Bitton
Teeming with Lies
Among the “primary sources” historians use are newspapers. How reliable are they? What are the cautions that should be exercised when quoting them?
By Davis Bitton
Who Said It?
Here's a guessing game with a hook.
By Davis Bitton
For Want of a Message
Has God already sent the message, yet we have not heard?
By Davis Bitton
Remembrance of Things Past
Do you have any objects in your garage or attic or inside your home that have sentimental value? History is made of such bits and scraps from the past.
By Davis Bitton
The Blues of the News — In Perspective
Yes, we live in perilous times. But that condition is not new to the human race nor an excuse to despair.
By Davis Bitton
What's Your Name?
One young Latter-day Saint, born in 1836, was given the name of his well-known father, which carried with it heavy burdens and great blessings.
By
Davis Bitton
How Dark Were the Dark Ages?
Ah yes — those famous Dark Ages. Were they really so dark and miserable?
By
Davis Bitton
Utopia? Count Me Out!
Ah, Utopia — the perfect world. Do you really want to live there?
By Davis Bitton
Those
Crafty Mormons — Beware of Their Eyes!
Your cousin, your sibling, or your child has
joined the Mormons. You are horrified. How do you explain this to
your friends?
By
Davis Bitton
Welcome
to Church, Brother Niccolo
Is it possible that the infamous Machiavelli
and the Mormons have something in common?
By Davis
Bitton
Consecrated
Talents
It was said of him that "when a call came
to him from his Church, he conceived it as a call from God and in
that spirit of faith, he undertook his duties.”
By
Davis Bitton
George
Q. Cannon and the Book of Mormon
George Q. Cannon was one of the most intelligent
and cultivated men of his generation. And he loved the Book
of Mormon.
By Davis Bitton
Testimony — Secret Weapon
The power of a child's pure and simple testimony brings a man to God and changes his life forever.
By Davis Bitton
Hallelujah!
Only a man like George Careless could pull off a complete performance of the Messiah in the western frontier of Salt Lake City in 1875.
By Davis Bitton
A
Little-Known Periodical
Looking for another great source of additional
spiritual nourishment? You can't go wrong with BYU Studies.
By Davis Bitton
Technology
and the Historian
In terms of tools for the historian, we've
come a long way, baby!
By Davis
Bitton
OUTRAGEOUS!
George Francis Train was flamboyant
and eccentric by any standards. He was a man of great accomplishments
and loved high adventure. Yet, in his own words he described himself
as, "always the Mormon's friend."
By Davis Bitton
Down
to the Sea in Ships
Few of us today
know first-hand the excitement and danger of being at the mercy
of the sea. Bitton gives us a glimpse into the hardships suffered
by those in ancient as well as modern times who made the journey
to be on the "good ship Zion."
By Davis Bitton
A
Youth of Zion in 1895
No movies, no television, no computers,
no iPods! What on earth, modern teenagers might ask, could they
ever find to do for fun? Thanks to the diary of an 1895 teenager, we
can travel back to see what daily life was like for teens of an
era past. Ice skating, bicycle riding, surprise parties, gathering
in private homes for popcorn and singing and games — they seemed
to enjoy it all. Maybe not so different, after all.
By Davis Bitton
Zion's
Rowdies
Even in the early days of the Church,
not all of Zion's youth were examples of sober behavior and righteous
demeanor. There are things we can learn from them, and from their
modern-day equivalents.
By Davis Bitton
Plagues
and Rumors of Plagues
If it isn't one disease, it's another.
Epidemics and other disasters have a way of bringing out the best
and the worst in men.
By Davis
Bitton
I
Remember Tom Cheney
A seminary teacher can live in the memory of
his students long after the students have grown up and produced
seminary students of their own.
By
Davis Bitton
Tracy
Y. Cannon: A Latter-day Saint Musician
From the time he
was a boy, Tracy Y. Cannon (1879-1961) identified himself as a musician.
"I am a musician because I just had to be one," was his explanation.
By Davis Bitton
Ten
Memorable Conferences
One might glean the impression that
general conferences of the Church have followed like clockwork from
1830 to the present, with the same themes repeated year in and year
out. The fact is that
every conference has unique features. Some conferences stand out
as unusual.
By Davis Bitton
"I
Denounce Them as Barbarians" — A Million Mexican Mormons Marching
The year was 1947. One hundred years
since the Pioneers entered the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, it
was a centennial year. President of the Church was George Albert
Smith. During that year a milestone was reached — Church membership
reached the impressive total of one million.
By Davis Bitton
One
Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four ...
You may not have known it, but Latter-day
Saints have had a long love affair with the common potato. Church
members planted potatoes on July 24, 1847, and later they helped
establish the famous Idaho potato. Dutch Saints rescued German Saints
with potatoes in the wake of World War II.
By
Davis Bitton
An Indefatigable
Dane Pursues the Past
The importance of keeping a record
of historical events in the Church is mentioned several times in
the early revelations. That this was accomplished, however imperfectly,
is due in large measure to the single-minded determination of individuals
whose names are no longer remembered by most people. We need more
of them.
By
Davis Bitton
Oh,
You Boys, You Boys!
Latter-day Saints have long been known as dancers.
Even a hundred years ago, some forms of dancing were considered
scandalous. Are today's trends only something that will be looked
upon as tame fifty years from now, or is it possible for Latter-day
Saints to cross the line?
By Davis Bitton
The Great
Pest Hunt
Back in 1849, community leaders in
the Salt Lake Valley organized a community pest hunt. Certain animals,
identified as "noxious vermin," posed a threat. The more
of these that could be eliminated, they thought, the more food would
be available for the struggling humans. Do we have a latter-day
pestilential equivalent?
By Davis Bitton
Apostles
and Prophets Go To The Saints
The assignment [several years ago]
of Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Jeffrey R. Holland to be area presidents
in the Philippines and Chile, respectively, provokes some historical
reflection.
By Davis Bitton
Friends
are Better than Enemies
From its beginning in 1830, as we all know, the restored Church
of Jesus Christ has had enemies and persecutors. But we have also
had friends. Rather than dividing people into two groups, Church
members (good) and enemies (bad), is it not more realistic to recognize
a spectrum?
By Davis Bitton
Are
Mormons like Muslims?
For those describing Mormonism, the
most common and persistent comparison from 1830 to the present has
been the comparison to Islam. As observers wrote about the new religion,
Joseph Smith was repeatedly said to be like Muhammad.
By Davis Bitton
I Love
History — I Just Don't Like to Read
If you want a basic grasp of church history
without having to wade through a hundred books on the subject, here
is a shorter list that will give you the background you need.
By
Davis Bitton
Help!
It's 1880 and Zion is Going to the Dogs
Salt Lake was in big trouble in the
1880s —
with problems as desperate as innapprotiate
pruning of the trees.
By
Davis Bitton
Two
Views of Palestine in 1897: What a Difference
a Century Makes
See the Palestine of a century ago
through the eyes of Madame Mountford and Andrew Jenson.
By Davis Bitton
Dam
Washed Out Again
Those in the midst of severe trials
are not helped by the jaunty optimism of those who have somehow
escaped the same pain. Clinical pathologies with their biochemical
component aside, what is our discouragement threshold? What does
it take to immobilize us? How much of an obstacle throws us into
anxiety and depression, making us want to give up?
By Davis Bitton
Brother
Brigham on the Silver Screen
Meridian reviews the impact of the
landmark movie Brigham Young, Frontiersman.
By Davis Bitton
Brother
Van Winkle Returns
What, in a religion,
is essential and what is non-essential? What might change and what
may not, or should not, change? The question has been around for
a long time.
By Davis Bitton
This
is the Place, but What If...
When it became obvious that the Latter-day
Saints would have to remove themselves from Illinois, several different
places were proposed as the new place of gathering.
By Davis Bitton
Interviewing
the Living and the Dead
Oral histories
can help you speak to your ancestors long after you have left your
earthly existence.
By Davis Bitton
Animal
Heroes
We pay tribute
to the Church's pioneer ancestors. But along side these human ancestors
were animals. They sacrificed dearly, next to their human companions,
to further the gospel cause.
By
Davis Bitton
Coiling
Up Inside Oneself
It is helpful
to remind ourselves how universal selfishness is. Every human being
is born that way. Feed me, change me, comfort me. Other human beings
exist for me. Me, me, me. The me-me-me of the self-centered personality
is not hard to find. Sometimes we have only to look in the mirror.
By Davis Bitton
Those
Pernicious Novels
Too often we consider our history
in isolation, as if it were sealed off from the larger currents.
But history must be taken within the context of its time. Perhaps
we can take the counsel from long-dead Church leaders and apply
it to similar situations in modern life.
By Davis Bitton
Why
Latter-day Saints Must Be Versatile: The Renaissance Man —
and Woman — Lives on
"I can preach sermons, but don't
ask me to do anything else" —
such a rigid, narrow self-definition was unthinkable in the early
days of the Church. In the pioneer period, people (both men and
women) were more versatile than people today.
By Davis Bitton
Beguiled
from Steadfastness
When
Orson Spencer left England in 1848, he wrote some words of advice
to the Saints that still apply today when some matters are troubling.
by Davis Bitton
Destroying
Angels
The pioneer days of Utah were marked
with plagues of locusts that ate everything green, from the leaves
on the trees to green clothing or paint.
By Davis Bitton
Wilford
Woodruff's Annual Self-Evaluation
Wilford Woodruff had an interesting
way of looking back over the previous year and summarizing his activities.
Before looking at this end-of-year exercise, let us peek in for
a moment at a day in 1837.
By Davis Bitton
Happy
in a Cave
Duty! Is this word in our vocabulary
anymore? But we readily find adherence to duty in the lives of the
Latter-day Saints, from the beginning to the present. One might
even say that the key to understanding Mormon history is the powerful
sense of duty in the lives of the Saints.
By Davis Bitton
What
If...
M. Vernon Coombs, mission president
in Tonga, thought he saw his valiant efforts going down the tube.
It was 1924, and the Church authorities in Salt Lake City had decided
to close the mission. What, if anything, could he do?
By Davis Bitton
How Important is History?
For practically all of the questions
that seem to trouble people, or that are used in an effort to dislodge
members from their faith, satisfactory answers are available. The
sincere truth-seeker is not forced to accept the sensational allegations
of enemies as the final word.
by
Davis Bitton
We
Will Remember Our Friend, Davis Bitton
Meridian columnist, former assistant
Church historian, and great and good man, Davis Bitton, died this
past weekend. Today we honor him by remembering his voice.
By Maurine and Scot Proctor
Beating
Up on the Mormons
Elder James E. Talmage was
allowed to speak for five minutes to the conference of clerical
leaders who were castigating members of the LDS Church. He was allowed
to do so as a courtesy — not a right — for as a non-Christian
he had no such right.
By Davis Bitton
Marriage,
Atheism and Fast Drivers
The more things change, the more they
remain the same.
By Davis Bitton
A
Voice from Christmas Past
Although it may be fashionable for
critics of the Church to proclaim that Mormons only affiliated themselves
with Christ recently, the evidence shows that Latter-day Saints
have worshiped the risen Christ from the beginning.
By Davis Bitton
Reading
the Prophets in Context
Historians who compile the words of the prophets
have a rough time deciding which quotes should be used and which
quotes shouldn't. Their decisions affect generations of Saints who
will read only the quotes that have been selected by the compilers.
By Davis Bitton
“Go Ye into All the World”
The response to Christianity in Polynesia,
Asia, and Africa varied enormously. Tahiti proved to be a fertile
field. On the other hand, New Zealand natives were hostile to the
religion and threatened to kill meddling Europeans.
By Davis Bitton
How Much Do Travelers
Know?
When travelers came to Utah in the
nineteenth century, they wrote letters. Some of them wrote articles
for newspapers and even books, describing the exotic land of the
Mormons.
By Davis Bitton
What
to Do if You Forget Your Name
The proprietor entered the room and said,
“I’ve forgotten your name. What is it?” Unfortunately,
McRae had also forgotten his false name.
By
Davis Bitton
Monuments of Publishing
The average
high school or college student may not consider The Joseph Smith
Papers light reading, but future scholars will base their work on
them. Church Historian Marlin K. Jensen calls it "the most
important Church history project of this generation."
By Davis Bitton
When
Historians Gather
The Mormon History Association's recent annual
meeting in Vermont was a feast.
By Davis Bitton
A
Small Masterpiece
You, you, you
-- the second person pronoun appears throughout the book. Quickly
one accepts this small volume as an intimate personal guide.
By
Davis Bitton
A
Visit to Palmyra (1835)
The depth and beauty of
the restored gospel will never be understood by flippant reporters
who are sure they already know "everything" about it.
By
Davis Bitton
Festschrifts
and Mormon History
I want to alert those interested in
Mormons and their history to some articles they may easily miss.
By
Davis Bitton
What
Do Hymns Tell Us?
The little book was published at Kirtland,
Ohio, in 1835. How much can we learn from this single primary source
about the 'little flock' of Latter-day Saints in that year?
By
Davis Bitton
Charley’s
Blessings
“I
thank God for the experiences in life I would have avoided if I
had had the choice.”
By Davis Bitton
The Secret Ballot Comes To Utah (1878)
Those who deplored Mormon domination
at the polls were not satisfied with mechanical changes in the voting
procedures. They wanted different election results.
By Davis Bitton
An
Ordinary Saint
The
Life and Contributions of Joseph Henry Dean
Joseph Henry Dean lived an ordinary
life as a foot soldier of the Restoration, but his story is an inspiring
one.
by Davis Bitton
Unselfish
Usefulness: The Power of Women in the Kingdom
It has been said that the “secret
weapon” of Mormonism is the individual testimony of its members.
But it can equally be said, I think, that the underlying strength,
an “invisible” cadre in each ward and stake throughout
the church, is its awesome women.
by Davis Bitton
Without
Contracted Feelings
"When purveyors of hate seem
to fill the news–people who, if they could, would exterminate Christians
just because they are Christians, Jews just because they are Jews,
Mormons just because they are Mormons, Americans just because they
are Americans, and so on–I find it calming to think about some sterling
individuals who have crossed my path."
by Davis Bitton
The
Liberal Shall Be Blessed
(It
We Know What Liberal Means)
When Joseph Smith praised those who were "liberal," he
wasn't talking politics.
by Davis Bitton
I Don't Have a Testimony
of the History of the Church”
What can one of our most noted historians possibly mean when he makes a statement like that?
by Davis Bitton
The Mormon Point of View:
A Short-Lived Periodical
One hundred years ago, in 1904, a new periodical
appeared. It was called The Mormon Point of View. Its editor was
N. L. Nelson, a BYU English professor. After only four issues the
periodical fizzled and died. It is an instructive study of the frustrations
and hazards of such projects.
by
Davis Bitton
Rooti-ti-toot for Senator Smoot
In 1904, the seating of apostle
Reed Smoot in the U.S. Senate caused quite an uproar.
by Davis Bitton
Teeming with Lies
One of the “primary sources”
historians use are newspapers. How reliable are they? What are the
cautions that should be exercised when quoting them?
by Davis Bitton
Who Said It?
Here's a guessing game with a hook.
by Davis Bitton
For
Want of a Message
Has God already sent the message,
yet we have not heard?
by
Davis Bitton
Remembrance
of Things Past
Do you have any objects in your garage
or attic or inside your home that have sentimental value? History
is made of such bits and scraps from the past.
by
Davis Bitton
The
Blues of the News. . . . In Perspective
Yes, we live in perilous times, but that condition
is not new to the human race nor an excuse to despair.
by
Davis Bitton
What's Your Name?
One young Latter-day Saint, born in
1836, was given the name of his well-know father, which carried
with it heavy burdens and great blessings.
by Davis Bitton
How Dark Were the Dark Ages?
Ah yes, those infamous Dark Ages.
We know all about them. Or do we?
by Davis
Bitton
Utopia?
Count Me Out!
Ah, Utopia - the perfect world. Do
you really want to live there?
by Davis Bitton
Those
Crafty Mormons - Beware of Their Eyes!
Your cousin, your sibling, or your
child has joined the Mormons. You are horrified. How do you explain
this to your friends?
by Davis Bitton
Welcome
to Church, Brother Niccolo
Is it possible that the infamous Machiavelli
and the Mormons have something in common?
by Davis Bitton
Consecrated
Talents
It was said of him that "when a call came
to him from his Church, he conceived it as a call from God and in
that spirit of faith, he undertook his duties.”
by Davis Bitton
George
Q. Cannon and the Book of Mormon
George
Q. Cannon was one of the most intelligent and cultivated men of
his generation. And he loved the Book of Mormon.
by Davis Bitton
Testimony
- Secret Weapon
The power of a child's pure and simple
testimony brings a man to God and changes
his life forever.
by Davis Bitton
Hallelujah!
Only a man like George Careless could
pull of a complete performance of the Messiah in the western frontier
of Salt Lake City in 1875.
by Davis Bitton
A Little-Known Periodical
Looking
for another great source of additional spiritual nourishment? You
can't go wrong with BYU Studies.
by Davis Bitton
Technology
and the Historian
In terms of tools for the historian
- we've come a long way baby!
by Davis Bitton
Join
in the Jubilee
Celebrating our past is a happy part
of Church history. Some significant milestones are coming up.
by
Davis Bitton
Where
Have All The Letters Gone?
With
our high-speed technology, letters are disappearing and being replaced
by quick, forgettable messages. That is not only a loss for each
person, but particularly for the historian who finds in them a rich
resource for understanding the past.
by Davis Bitton
My
Private Texas and Lyman Wight's
Is
it possible to be too loyal to a prophet? Lyman Wight was as 'true
as the sun' to Joseph Smith, yet upon Joseph's death his loyalty
turned to another star.
by
Davis Bitton
Spotting an Anti-Mormon
Book
Bitton
gives us a heads-up on some key elements of anti-Mormon literature
and those who write it.
by
Davis Bitton
OUTRAGEOUS!
George
Francis Train was flamboyant and eccentric by any standards. He
was a man of great accomplishments and loved high adventure. Yet,
in his own words he described himself as, "always the Mormon's
friend."
by
Davis Bitton
Down
To The Sea In Ships
Few of us today know first hand the
excitement and danger of being at the mercy of the sea. Bitton gives
us a glimpse into the hardships suffered by those in ancient as
well as modern times who made the journey to be on the 'good ship
Zion'.
by
Davis Bitton
Live More Than One Life! Read Biographies
Davis Bitton throws caution
to the wind and recommends a list of biographies for the
serious student of Mormon history.
by Davis Bitton
A
YOUTH OF
ZION IN 1895
No
movies, no television, no computers, no Gameboys! What
on earth, modern teenagers
might ask, could they ever find to do for fun?
Thanks to the diary of an 1895 teenager, Chauncy, we can travel
back to see what daily life was like for teens of an era past.
Ice skating, bicycle riding, surprise parties, gathering in private
homes for popcorn and singing and games–they seemed to
enjoy it all. Maybe not so different, after all.
by Davis
Bitton
Zion's
Rowdies
I?m afraid
it is not true that all Latter-day Saints of the pioneer era were
models of piety and proper deportment.
by Davis Bitton
Plagues
and Rumors of Plagues
Future historians will
probably take note of the SARS scare of 2003. Still relatively confined
in the late spring, "severe acute respiratory syndrome"
has already had disastrous impact on tourism and the general economy
in China, Hong Kong, and Toronto.
by Davis Bitton
Meet Me at the Fair
? 1903
I
am not the only one to think that 2003 may well be a pivotal year
in world history. But one hundred years ago, people considered 1903
an exciting time to be alive.
by Davis Bitton
I
Remember Tom Cheney
He’s
been dead for ten years now. Born in 1901, he lived through almost
all of the twentieth century. I think he qualifies as being part
of history. What I am sure of is that Thomas E. Cheney is part of
my history.
by Davis Bitton
Tracy
T. Cannon: A Latter-day Saint Musician
From
the time he was a boy, Tracy Y. Cannon (1879-1961) identified himself
as a musician. "I am a musician because I just had to be one,"
by Davis Bitton
Ten
Memorable Conferences
One
might glean the impression that general conferences of the Church
have followed like clockwork from 1830 to the present, with the
same themes repeated year in and year out. Understandable as these
superficial impressions might be, the fact is that every conference
has unique features. Some conferences stand out as unusual. I offer
a few examples.
by Davis Bitton
"I
Denounce Them as Barbarians": A Million Mexican Mormons Marching
The
year was 1947. One hundred years since the Pioneers entered the
Valley of the Great Salt Lake, it was a centennial year. President
of the Church was George Albert Smith. During that year a milestone
was reached– Church membership reached the impressive total
of one million.
by
Davis Bitton
One
Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four...
Latter-day
Saints planted potatoes on July 24, 1847, helped establish the famous
Idaho potato, and Dutch Saints rescued German Saints with potatoes
in the wake of World War II.
by Davis Bitton
An
Indefatigable Dane Pursures the Past
The
importance of keeping a record of historical events in the Church
is mentioned several times in the early revelations. That this was
accomplished, however imperfectly, is due in large measure to the
single-minded determination of individuals whose names are no longer
remembered by most people. Such an one was Andrew Jenson.
by Davis
Bitton
Oh,
You Boys, You Boys!
Latter-day
Saints have long been known as dancers. We could be serious, but
we could also kick up our heels and have fun. Come explore the history
of dancing among the Saints.
We
Awakened and Lo! Another Year Has Commenced
Come
review the thoughts and feelings of our church ancestors on the
new year
by
Davis Bitton
The
Great Pest Hunt
In
January 1849, the community leaders organized a community pest hunt.
It was not kindness-to-wild-animals time but a struggle for existence,
and certain animals identified as "noxious vermin," posed
a threat. The more of these that could be eliminated, they thought,
the more food would be available for the struggling humans.
by Davis Bitton
Apostles
and Prophets Go To The Saints
The
recent assignment of Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Jeffrey R. Holland
to be area presidents in the Philippines and Chile, respectively,
provokes some historical reflection.
by
Davis Bitton
Friends
Are Better Than Enemies
Are
we not engaged in a kind of missionary work, or at least doing something
of great value, whenever we nudge someone along the spectrum from
negative or indifferent to positive feelings towards the Saints?
by
Davis Bitton
Are
Mormons like Muslims?
The
Inevitability and Hazards of Comparison
by
Davis Bitton
I
Love History - I Just Don't Like to Read
For
those who enjoy reading or wish to learn more about their past than
superficial ritualism allows, what should you read?
by
Davis Bitton
Help!
It's 1880 and Zion is Going to the Dogs
In
the Salt Lake City of 1880 there was prosperity, but there were
also problems.
by
Davis Bitton
Two
Views of Palestine in 1897: What a Difference a Century Makes
See
the Palestine of a century ago through the eyes of Madame Mountford
and Andrew Jenson.
by Davis Bitton
Dam
Washed Out Again
Read
the inspring tale of Mormon pioneers in the valley of the Little
Colorado.
by
Davis Bitton
Brother
Brigham on the Silver Screen
Meridian
reviews the impact of the landmark movie Brigham Young, Frontiersman.
by Davis Bitton
Brother
Van Winkle Returns
What,
in a religion, is essential and what is non-essential? What might
change and what may not, or should not, change? The question has
been around for a long time.
by Davis Bitton
This
is the Place, But What If...
When
it became obvious that the Latter-day Saints would have to remove
themselves from Illinois, several different places were proposed
as the new place of gathering.
by Davis Bitton
Interviewing
the Living and the Dead
Oral histories can help the dead speak
from the grave to the living.
by
Davis Bitton
Animal
Heroes
We pay tribute
to our pioneer ancestors. To cross the ocean and plains, to settle
in the inhospitable environment of the Great Basin, they endured
much. Alongside
these human ancestors were animals. I wonder if we have ever adequately
appreciated how important a role the pioneers' animals played.
by
Davis Bitton
A
Missionary, Teacher, Scholar, Saint
Back
in the 1970s, it was my privilege to participate in the beginnings
of an oral history program for the Historical Department of the
Church. One of those I interviewed was the well-known teacher and
scholar T. Edgar Lyon.
by Davis Bitton
Coiling
Up Inside Oneself
It
was June 1847. The wagon trains were moving west. Without experiencing
it, the rest of us cannot fully appreciate what the pioneers were
going through. The daily grind of arising, preparing some kind of
breakfast, packing tents and cookware into wagons, harnessing draft
animals, jostling with others for a place in the line, and getting
on the trail.
by Davis Bitton
Those
Pernicious Novels
George
Q. Cannon strongly discouraged the reading of novels: "Works of
fiction have been sent forth like an overflowing flood, and the
public taste has become so vitiated thereby that everything virtuous,
truthful or heavenly is unpalatable, and is rejected with disgust."
What are we to make of this statement?
by
Davis Bitton
Why
Latter-day Saints Must Be Versatile: The Renaissance Man—and
Woman—Lives on
"I
can preach sermons, but don't ask me to do anything else"-such a
rigid, narrow self-definition was unthinkable. The need for versatility
was particularly pronounced during the pioneer period.
by
Davis Bitton
Beguiled
from Steadfastness
"Beloved
Saints, suffer a little exhortation before I leave you. Keep the
fellowship of the faithful, lest being alone you are beguiled from
your steadfastness in Christ, and are cast out with the fearful
and unbelieving."
by Davis Bitton
Destroying
Angels
A
recurring threat to the survival of the Latter-day Saints who settled
in the Great Basin was insects.
by Davis Bitton
Wilford
Woodruff's Annual Self-Evaluation
Wilford
Woodruff had an interesting way of looking back over the previous
year and summarizing his activities. Before looking at this end-of-year
exercise, let us peek in for a moment at a day in 1837.
by
Davis Bitton
Happy
in a Cave
John
Pulsipher had a tough assignment. Along with other young men, he
was called to serve as a missionary among the Shoshone Indians in
Wyoming.
by Davis Bitton
What
If...
M. Vernon Coombs,
mission president in Tonga, thought he saw his valiant efforts going
down the tube. It was 1924, and the Church authorities in Salt Lake
City had decided to close the mission. What, if anything, could
he do?
by
Davis Bitton |
