Mormon Fundamentalism
Posted in Mormon Doctrine, Polygamy, Mormon History, All Podcasts by mormonmisc on November 12th, 2007 Mormon Fundamentalism
My guest was Brian C. Hales, author of Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism. We discussed this timely, diverse and little known topic. The question is often asked, Who are Mormon fundamentalists and what do they believe. The answer is far more complex than most would think. Hales has brought together a significant body of material to address this question. Many personalities and events have lead to the great diversity which exists among the many factions included by this broad term, “Mormon fundamentalism.” We discussed many points of interest and importance in understanding the history and beliefs of this category within the Mormon tradition.
The beginnings of the Mormon fundamentalist movement.
Is “fundamentalist” an appropriate term for the, so-called Mormon fundamentalists?
The 1890 Woodruff Manifesto
Authority issue, if one man holds the keys, as taught by Joseph Smith, who now holds those keys?
Lorin Wooley claimed that a priesthood organization exists outside of the LDS Church with superior authority.
Authorship of the Manifesto.
Interpretations of the Manifesto: was it a revelation, the result of a revelation or a trick by Wilford Woodruff to deceive the U.S. Government.
Issue of cohabitation after the 1890 Manifesto.
Problems with the claims that the keys had been passed to Lorin Wooley and others in an 1886.
Callers and Email:
Art Bulla called to declare his claim that he is the only one who can authorize plural marriages; that he is the one mighty and strong and the Lord’s anointed and those who do not accept this will be damned. He claimed that he was called to be an apostle in a stake meeting in North Carolina in 1976. He claimed that no LDS President since Wilford Woodruff has been the Lord’s anointed; that the keys were somewhere out in the wilderness from 1890 to 1978; and that he (Art) appointed someone to give him the keys and the Lord’s anointing.
Splintering among the fundamentalist groups due to divergent claims of authority.
There are many independent fundamentalists who do not belong to any of the several fundamentalist groups. They make many divergent claims.
A disciple of Art Bulla called to support him. He claimed that the LDS Church fell into apostasy in 1978, but would not confirm nor deny whether David O. McKay was a true prophet, the Lord’s anointed, holding the highest priesthood keys.
A caller asked why anyone would be interested in all of this history of polygamy.
A caller asked questions regarding the united order and law of consecration. Brian Hales’ sister, a former fundamentalist, sent an email briefly mentioning her experience and point of view.
Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS Official website: http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/ Podcast address: http://www.mormonmisc.podbean.com/ Talk Show Blog: mormonmiscellaneous.com/radioprogramblog This is the 14 October 2007 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 28th year.
To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.
If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.
Your voice will be heard around the world.
Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes
To make a comment, click on “Comment” below.
Standard Podcasts [103:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1693)
Whilst the issue of who wrote the Manifesto is less important than why the Manifesto was written and what its intention was, I think there may be some credibility to the idea that Penrose was involved in the writing of the Manifesto, for the following reasons -
The dates and locations and people involved in Thomas Rosser’s recollection are confirmed by the Millennial Star - Volume 70, page 348.
Apostle Matthias Cowley testified that Penrose told him the very same thing - “Brother Penrose told me once in the city of Mexico, that he had written the Manifesto, and it was gotten up so that it did not mean anything and President [Joseph F.] Smith had told me the same.” (Matthias F. Cowley, Minutes of the Quorum of the Twelve, 10 May 1911. Cowley’s honesty was never questioned in his disfellowshipment trial.)
Ada L. Shepherd made a statement before William J. Barette, Notary Public, Salt Lake County, 7 December 1912, which stated she had heard Charles W. Penrose say it was he who wrote the Manifesto. (A World-Wide Survey of Present Day Mormonism…, 3 July 1913. Admittedly this is not a pro-Mormon source, yet it is doubtful she knew either Cowley or Rosser.)
The Editorial for the Deseret News in which the Manifesto first appeared admitted that the Manifesto had been condensed, and only “poorly” expressed “the sentiments of the writer.” Charles W. Penrose was the editor of that newspaper. (Deseret News, 25th September 1890.)
In 1935 Joseph Musser also claimed that Penrose had taken part in writing the Manifesto, and that he had learnt this from his father, A. Milton Musser, who was assistant Church historian. (Joseph W. Musser, Truth 1:2:8, July 1935)
I believe that these points show that the idea that Penrose helped write the Manifesto (or at least claimed to) is a credible one.
will never accept POLIGAMY