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20th Century Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Ernest L. Wilkinson?

A black-and-white headshot of Ernest L. Wilkinson in 1951, the year he became BYU president.

Ernest L. Wilkinson served as BYU’s president from 1951 to 1971. The influential leader developed a complicated bond with the student body, driving unprecedented growth while also stirring controversy. His autocratic personality, political views, and aggressive enforcement of orthodoxy were responsible for both success and scandal. For example, his cultivation of a “special arrangement” with David O. McKay created friction with Church leaders, a 1966 “Spy Ring” heightened tensions with faculty, and an enhanced Honor Code sparked a paternalistic shift in his relationship with students. In this interview, editor Gary J. Bergera shares insights from Wilkinson’s diaries, recently published by Signature Books.

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Brigham Young Latter-day Saint History Theology

What Did Brigham Young Say About the Curse of Cain?

Brigham Young in a 3/4-profile, sepia 19th-century study with an embossed ‘MARK OF CAIN’ title—illustrating what Brigham Young taught about the mark of Cain.

Brigham Young said that the “mark of Cain” referred to Black skin, and taught that the descendants of Cain were cursed because the Old Testament figure murdered his brother in the book of Genesis. While initially open to Black men holding the priesthood, Young’s stance shifted in 1849, eventually hardening into firm opposition communicated through racist language. Although never presented as a “revelation,” his arguments played a key role in the creation of priesthood and temple restrictions that lasted until the 1978 revelation. In this interview, scholar W. Paul Reeve explores the history and legacy of Brigham Young’s racial teachings.

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Categories
Devotional Quotes

Words of a Prophet: Dallin H. Oaks Quotes From Every General Conference

President Dallin H. Oaks quotes from General Conference testify of Christ and inspire listeners to live holier lives.

Dallin H. Oaks has given many talks as a prophet, counselor in the First Presidency, and member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. His first address was shared in 1971, and his most recent October 2025 General Conference talk was called “The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ”—his first as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In between, he’s spoken about topics like the Family Proclamation, the U.S. Constitution, and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Similar to our article with President Christofferson quotes, this piece includes Dallin H. Oaks quotations from every general conference.

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Categories
19th Century Joseph Smith Pearl of Great Price

Why Did Joseph Smith Reject Creeds—Then Write the Articles of Faith?

An AI-generated oil painting of Joseph Smith drafting the Articles of Faith, probably not seeing them as creedal in nature.

Joseph Smith called religious creeds an “abomination.” He protested against self-appointed guardians of orthodoxy, rejoicing instead in the freedom to believe without constraints while recognizing the inherent doctrinal tension of ongoing revelation. However, the Articles of Faith have sometimes been mislabeled as a creed, leading some to wonder why the Prophet published the 13 verses eventually canonized in the Pearl of Great Price. In this interview, Terryl Givens explains that while creed-like summaries of belief are nearly impossible to avoid, the Articles of Faith omit key Latter-day Saint doctrines and were likely not seen by Joseph as a creed.

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Categories
Come Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants

Doctrine and Covenants: Joseph Smith, Theology, Polygamy, and More

A sketch of pioneer Kirtland where Joseph Smith received the majority of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.

The Doctrine and Covenants is considered part of the Latter-day Saint scriptural canon. The compilation of revelations given mainly to the Prophet Joseph Smith includes administrative guidelines, radical theology, and emotional letters. In this collection of scholarly and devotional insights, we provide context behind influential revelations such as D&C 6, D&C 76, D&C 88, D&C 89, D&C 93, D&C 121, and D&C 132.

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19th Century Latter-day Saint History

Did John Taylor’s Pocket Watch Save His Life at Carthage Jail?

Carthage Jail at sunset with ghosted overlay of John Taylor’s pocket watch, evoking martyrdom and preservation

We don’t know if John Taylor’s pocket watch helped preserve his life during the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. Taylor remembered falling out of a Carthage Jail window only to feel a force push him back inside, later determining a bullet must have hit his watch. However, modern science has been unable to precisely replicate the damage seen in the watch displayed at the Church History Museum. As part of its commitment to telling the Latter-day Saint story as accurately as possible, the Church History Department commissioned an exhaustive analysis of Taylor’s watch in 2020. In this interview, Brian Warburton shares the research findings, explaining what we do and don’t know about the watch’s role in preserving Taylor’s life.

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Categories
American West Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Martha Hughes Cannon?

Portrait of Martha Hughes Cannon, the first female state senator in the United States, Utah physician, suffragist, and advocate for women’s rights.

Martha Hughes Cannon was the first female state senator in the United States, elected in Utah shortly after women won the right to vote there. A physician, suffragist, and plural wife, she navigated political campaigns, medical practice, and family life while under intense public scrutiny. In this interview, historian Constance L. Lieber shares the challenges of condensing Cannon’s life into a brief biography, the insights gained from surviving letters and family stories, and the surprising ways Cannon’s perseverance and ingenuity shaped her extraordinary life.

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Devotional

The Bells at Temple Square: The Tabernacle Choir’s World-Class Handbell Ensemble

Members of the Bells at Temple Square performing in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, showcasing the handbell choir’s synchronized technique and musical precision.

The Bells at Temple Square is a premier handbell ensemble in Salt Lake City that performs intricate music with hundreds of handbells and handchimes as part of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Since its founding in 2005, the ensemble has inspired audiences through its musical skill and spiritual purpose, performing in semiannual concerts, at national events, and in broadcasts such as Music and the Spoken Word. In this interview, Conductor Geoff Anderson explains what the group is, recounts how he got involved, and discusses the evolving legacy of the Bells at Temple Square.

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Categories
Theology

Why Did Eerdmans Publish a Book on Latter-day Saint Theology?

A warmly lit stack of four hardcover Eerdmans theology books, including Latter-day Saint Theology among Christian Theologies, styled in rich leather tones with gold-embossed titles, symbolizing Eerdmans’ engagement with Latter-day Saint scholarship.

Eerdmans published Latter-day Saint Theology Among Christian Theologies by Grant Underwood as part of its long-standing commitment to showcase varied and responsible viewpoints that play a role in larger ongoing conversations. The book offers a structured comparison of Latter-day Saint beliefs with traditional Christian doctrines, written by a respected scholar within the Latter-day Saint faith tradition. In this interview, Editor-in-Chief James Ernest explains what it does—and doesn’t—mean when Eerdmans engages with Latter-day Saint theology.

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Categories
Devotional Theology

How Do I Receive and Recognize the Holy Ghost?

A young boy is charged to receive the Holy Ghost after being baptized by priesthood authority.

Learning to recognize the Spirit can take a lifetime to master. Latter-day Saints “receive the Holy Ghost” after baptism, but it can be a difficult charge to follow. While the Standard Works counsel seeking gifts of the Spirit, church members may feel guilty about not feeling a “burning in the bosom” or wonder whether they’ve done something to prevent the “constant companionship” of the Spirit. In this interview, Latter-day Saint scholar and teacher Robert L. Millet teaches how to receive the Holy Ghost, explains how it differs from the Light of Christ, and offers practical tips for recognizing the Spirit.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series about the Holy Ghost in Latter-day Saint theology. In Part 1, Charles Harrell discusses the Development of the Holy Ghost in Latter-day Saint Theology.

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