Church_Presidency Brigham_Young

1 church presidency

1.1 educational endeavors
1.2 temple building
1.3 controversial teachings
1.4 conflicts
1.5 death

church presidency

young longest-serving president of lds church in history, having served 29 years.

educational endeavors

on october 16, 1875, young deeded buildings , land in provo, utah board of trustees establishing institution of learning, ostensibly part of university of deseret. young said, hope see academy established in provo ... @ children of latter-day saints can receive education unmixed pernicious atheistic influences found in many of higher schools of country. school broke off university of deseret , became brigham young academy, precursor brigham young university.

within church, young reorganized relief society women (1867), , created organizations young women (1869) , young men (1875).

temple building

young involved in temple building throughout membership in lds church , made temple building priority of church presidency. under smith s leadership, young participated in building of kirtland , nauvoo temples. 4 days after arriving in salt lake valley, young designated location salt lake temple; presided on groundbreaking on april 6, 1853. during tenure, young oversaw construction of salt lake tabernacle , announced plans build st. george (1871), manti (1875), , logan (1877) temples. provisioned building of endowment house, temporary temple began used in 1855 provide temple ordinances church members while salt lake temple under construction.

controversial teachings

though polygamy practiced young s predecessor joseph smith, practice associated young. latter day saint denominations, such community of christ, consider young father of mormon polygamy . in 1853, young made church s first official statement on subject since church had arrived in utah. young acknowledged suffering doctrine created women, stated necessity creating large families, proclaiming: first wife say, hard, have lived husband twenty years, or thirty, , have raised family of children him, , great trial me him have more women; time gave him other women bear children.

one of more controversial teachings of young adam–god doctrine. according young, taught smith adam our father , our god, , god whom have . according doctrine, adam once mortal man became resurrected , exalted. planet, adam brought eve, 1 of wives, him earth, became mortal eating fruit of garden of eden. after bearing mortal children , establishing human race, adam , eve returned heavenly thrones adam acts god of world. later, young understood have taught, adam returned earth become biological father of jesus. lds church has since repudiated adam–god doctrine.

young considered have instituted church ban against conferring priesthood on men of black african descent, had been treated equally in respect under smith s presidency. after settling in utah in 1848, young announced ban, forbade blacks participating in mormon temple rites such endowment or sealings. on many occasions, young taught blacks denied priesthood because seed of cain , stated receive priesthood after other children of adam have privilege of receiving priesthood, , of coming kingdom of god, , of being redeemed 4 quarters of earth, , have received resurrection dead, time enough remove curse cain , posterity.

in 1863, young stated: shall tell law of god in regard african race? if white man belongs chosen seed mixes blood seed of cain, penalty, under law of god, death on spot. so. these racial restrictions remained in place until 1978, when policy rescinded lds church president spencer w. kimball, , lds church subsequently disavow[ed] theories advanced in past explain ban, thereby plac[ing] origins of black priesthood denial blame squarely on brigham young.

conflicts

shortly after arrival of young s pioneers, new mormon colonies incorporated united states through mexican cession. young petitioned u.s. congress create state of deseret. compromise of 1850 instead carved out utah territory , young installed governor. governor , church president, young directed both religious , economic matters. encouraged independence , self-sufficiency. many cities , towns in utah, , in neighboring states, founded under young s direction. young s leadership style has been viewed autocratic. when federal officials received reports of widespread , systematic obstruction of federal officials in utah (most notably judges), u.s. president james buchanan decided install non-mormon governor. buchanan accepted reports of judges without further investigation, , new non-sectarian governor accompanied troops sent garrison forts in new territory. troops passed bloody kansas–missouri war without intervening in it, not open warfare , isolated sporadic incidents. when young received word federal troops headed utah replacement, called out militia ambush federal force. during defense of utah, called utah war, young held u.s. army @ bay winter taking cattle , burning supply wagons. mormon forces largely successful lot smith. young relented , agreed step down governor. later received pardon buchanan. relations between young , future governors , u.s. presidents mixed.

brigham young (seated near middle, wearing tall beaver hat) , exploring party camped @ colorado river in 1870

the degree of young s involvement in mountain meadows massacre, took place in washington county in 1857, disputed. leonard j. arrington reports young received rider @ office on day of massacre, , when learned of contemplated attack members of lds church in parowan , cedar city, sent letter directing fancher party allowed pass through territory unmolested. young s letter reportedly arrived on september 13, 1857, 2 days after massacre. governor, young had promised federal government protect immigrants passing through utah territory, on 120 men, women , children killed in incident. there no debate concerning involvement of individual mormons surrounding communities scholars. children under age of seven, cared local mormon families, survived, , murdered members of wagon train left unburied. remains of forty people later found , buried, , union army officer james henry carleton had large cross made local trees, transverse beam bearing engraving, vengeance mine, saith lord: repay , erected cairn of rocks @ site. large slab of granite put on had following words engraved: here 120 men, women , children massacred in cold blood in september, 1857. arkansas. 2 years monument stood memorial travelling spanish trail through mountain meadow. claim that, in 1861, young brought entourage mountain meadows , had cairn , cross destroyed, while exclaiming, vengeance mine , have taken little .

death

young buried on grounds of mormon pioneer memorial monument in salt lake city.

before death in salt lake city on august 29, 1877, young suffering cholera morbus , inflammation of bowels. believed died of peritonitis ruptured appendix. last words joseph! joseph! joseph! , invoking name of late joseph smith, founder of mormon faith. on september 2, 1877, young s funeral held in tabernacle estimated 12,000 15,000 people in attendance. buried on grounds of mormon pioneer memorial monument in heart of salt lake city. bronze marker placed @ grave site june 10, 1938, members of young men , young women organizations, founded.