Category: Documents and Speeches
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Q&A: John Taylor’s 1886 Revelation on Polygamy
On September 27, 1886, John Taylor received a revelation on the permanence of the doctrine of plural marriage. In 1933 the First Presidency denied its existence and called the “purported text” for it a “pretended revelation.” The LDS Church finally conceded its existence on June 14, 2025.
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New York Times 1912 Exposé of the Book of Abraham
The New York Times produced this 1912 exposé based on the three facsimiles included with the Pearl of Great Price within the Book of Abraham.
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1972 Family Home Evening Journal
Here is the entire page of the “Mommy + Daddy = You” graphic.
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Joseph Smith’s Testimony Against the Dissenters in Nauvoo
The following was a message given by Joseph Smith on Sunday, May 26, 1844. As the title states, Smith used this occasion to respond to those he perceived were persecuting him. Ironically, Smith’s brother Hyrum, two days prior, cautioned Smith “against speaking so freely about my enemies, &c., in such a manner as to make…
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For what Purpose by Alvin R. Dyer
Talk given: March 18, 1961 Oslo, Norway Missionary Conference The following is a talk given by President Alvin R. Dyer at the missionary conference in Oslo, Norway, March 18, 1961. It is recommended that each missionary should read this message several times in order to get a better understanding of the purpose of the restored…
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Our Relationship with the Lord, by Bruce McConkie
Speech given by Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie on March 2, 1982 at BYU. I shall speak of our relationship with the Lord and of the true fellowship all Saints should have with the Father. I shall set forth what we must believe relative to the Father and the Son in order to gain eternal…
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“Mormonites.” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate (Utica, New York) 2, no. 15 (9 April 1831): 120.
The following is an article titled “Mormonites,” which was written by A.W. Benton and printed in the Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate (Utica, New York), vol. 2, no. 15 (9 April 1831): 120. MORMONITES. Messrs. Editors—In the sixth number of your paper I saw a notice of a sect of people called Mormonites; and thinking…
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Facing the Judgment (John Widtsoe)
The following is an excerpt from pp. 80-89 of Understandable Religion (circa 1944), by John Widtsoe, Mormon apostle and popular church educator. In it he teaches that getting what we earn is “a universal principle, valid from economics to religion, on earth or in heaven… The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in…
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"Jesus Christ, Literal Son of God," by Joseph F. Smith
James R. Clark in Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 4, p. 327, wrote: 1914-December 20-The Box Elder News, January 28, 1915. Copy furnished by Thomas Truitt, Salt Lake City, Utah. This sermon and doctrinal discourse on the literalness of the Sonship of Jesus Christ is…
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Instructions to the Saints, January 29, 1860 (Rebuke of Orson Pratt)
From James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 2:, p. 214-223: 1860-January 29-MS 22:595-600 (September 22, 1860) These Instructions to the Saints of January 29, 1860, the Message of August 23, 1865 (which appears a little later…
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Brigham’s Young 1852 Speech on Slavery
Introduction The following is a speech given by LDS President Brigham Young to the Joint Session of the Legislature in Salt Lake City, on Thursday, February 5, 1852. The following was found under Brigham Young addresses, Ms d 1234, Box 48, folder 3, dated Feb. 5, 1852, located in the LDS Church Historical Department, Salt…
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Fourth of July (1838) Oration by Sidney Rigdon
Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri Friends and Fellow Citizens; By your request, I am called upon to address you this day, under circumstances novel to myself and I presume as much so to the most of you; for however frequently we may have met with our fellow-citizens, in times past, in the places of our…
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Ezra Taft Benson’s “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”
“The Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet” was a devotional talk that was given by Mormon Apostle Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) on Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University. Benson became Mormonism’s 13th President on November 10, 1985 after the death of Spencer W. Kimball. When Benson gave this speech LDS Church was membership…
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1835 D&C 101
ON MARRIAGE.
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An Account of the Mountain Meadows Massacre as Described by John D. Lee
The testimony of Lee given to his attorney, William W. Bishop that describes the events leading to, and during, the Mountain Meadows massacre of 1857.
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Documents and Speech Index
Related to Joseph Smith and Brigham YoungPainesville Telegraph – Friday, December 21, 1832 “The Crisis”1835 D&C 101Sidney Rigdon’s 4th of July OrationJoseph Smith’s Sermon on the P
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“Joseph’s name should be had…”
When Mormon Times, reported on the 2009 BYU Campus Education Week some months ago, it told of a soon-to-be-available collection of online documents titled “19th Century Publications on the Book of Mormon.” When it becomes available, this set of documents will be part of BYU’s digital collections, a really helpful resource of original source documents…
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Our Father Adam, by Charles Penrose
The following was published first in the September 1902 Improvement Era and Millennial Star (11 December 1902). It represents an attempt by proponents of Mormonism to obfuscate Brigham Young’s Adam-God teaching.
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The Attempt to Sell the Book of Mormon Copyright
Text of Revelation (link) A Revelation given to Joseph Oliver [Cowdery] Hyram [Hiram Page] Josiah [Stowell] & Joseph Knight given at Manchester Ontario C[ounty] New York Behold I the Lord am God I Created the Heavens & the Earth & all things that in them is wherefore they are mine & I sway my scepter over all…
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Latter-day Saints—Where Did You Get Your Authority?
By Hal Hougey A. The Jews Asked Jesus and the Apostles This Question – Matt. 21:23-27; Acts 4:7-12 Jesus and the Apostles did not need, nor did they produce, credentials from the priesthood to show their authority. So neither will we. LDS have the same misconception that the Jews had: that authority passes from one…