THE GREGORY A. PRINCE COLLECTION AS A RESOURCE FOR GRADUATE RESEARCH

OCTOBER 14, 2023

GENERAL OVERVIEW

~11,000 volumes

4,256 pamphlets

1,613 church publications

140 periodicals, including nearly all English periodicals published by the church

240 dissertations and theses

David O. McKay diaries (40,000 pages) and related archival material (15,000 pages)

David O. McKay scrapbooks (80,000 pages) - microfilm

EVOLUTION OF GIRLS’ AND YOUNG WOMEN’S PROGRAMS

• Beehive Girls manuals (1915-present)
• Young Woman’s Journal (1899-1929)
• Other instructional manuals

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“WORD OF WISDOM”

• 215 documents (several linear feet) of American Temperance Movement documents
• American Temperance Movement began in 1826
• “Word of Wisdom” dated February 27, 1833, one day after a national day of temperance observance

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HOME MISSION REPORTS: WHAT DID CHRISTIANS IN THE 19^TH CENTURY THINK OF MORMONISM AND WHY?

• Baptist Home Mission Monthly (1878-1909)
• The Home Missionary (American Home Missionary Society, 1837-1909)
• Home Mission Monthly (Presbyterian, 1886-1924)

CULTURAL HISTORY

• Mutual Improvement Messenger – 210 issues from 1897 to 1936

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

• Helmuth Hübener and Nazi Germany (11 volumes)

POP CULTURE OF A CENTURY AGO

• “Guaranteed” radioactive water crocks
• 100% wool underwear – “The irritation is good for you”
• Hygiene movement of the early 20^th century – individual communion cups

CORRELATION

• From 1908, in the aftermath of the Reed Smoot Hearings, to the present: The tail wagging the dog?

BYU “SPEECHES OF THE YEAR” �(1951-PRESENT)

• What do they tell us over a span of more than 70 years?

LGBTQ+ WITHIN MORMONISM

• ”Affinity” newsletter
• ”Family Fellowship” newsletter
• Multiple biographies, autobiographies

UTAH LIGHTHOUSE MINISTRY

• 41 books
• Salt Lake City Messenger (1964-present)
• “I’m not an enemy of the church. I’m just trying to keep it honest.” Sandra Tanner

INHERENT RACISM IN CHURCH CURRICULA AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

HOW A SURVEY OF HYMNALS CHRONICLES CHANGING SENSITIVITIES AND MESSAGES

• “… where roamed at will the savage Indian band …”
• “… and the red untutored Indian seeketh here his rude delights.”
• “… and wash the Ethiopian white …”
• “… thy oppressors shall die; the gentiles shall bow beneath thy rod.”
• “Long shall his blood which was shed by assassins stain Illinois while the earth lauds his fame.”
• “Remember the wrongs in Missouri, forget not the fate of Nauvoo.… Shall we bear with oppression forever?  Shall we tamely submit to the foe, While the ties of our kindred they sever, And the blood of our prophets shall flow?”

EVOLUTION OF ECCLESIOLOGY

• General Handbook of Instructions (since 1898) – LDS equivalent of Roman Catholic Canon Law
• Progress of the Church (1938-43)
• The Messenger (1956-62)
• Priesthood Bulletin (1965-74)
• Church News (1933-present)

HOW HAS THE BOOK OF MORMON BEEN VIEWED AND TAUGHT OVER TIME?

“SAVING” AN ANCIENT BOOK OF MORMON

• NWAF (New World Archaeological Foundation)
• FARMS (Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies)
• Neal Maxwell Institute (Journal of Book of Mormon Studies)

“FAITH CRISIS”

• Personal Faith Crisis Survey (2011)
• Faith Crisis Survey (2012)
• LDS Personal Faith Crisis (2013)
• Faith Crisis Stories – 4 volumes (2013)

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“THE MORMONS”

• PBS Documentary, 4 hours (2007)
• “Director’s Cut” – one of only two copies
• Interview transcripts – 5 volumes

CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH

• AMCAP Journal (Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists)
• Journal of Collegium Aesculapium

EVOLUTION OF MISSIOLOGY

• Missionary handbooks, lesson plans (63 volumes)
• Elders’ Journal, Liahona, the Elder’s Journal (1903-45)

THE “BASEBALL BAPTISMS” ERA AND ITS SEQUELAE

• “Bulletins and Ideas” (1958-61) from the British Mission (only one other copy in existence, owned by the Woodbury family, not the LDS Church)
• The New Era – magazine of the British Mission (1958-62)

MORMONISM IN GREAT BRITAIN

• Millennial Star (1840-1970)

MORMON HUMOR

• Calvin Grondahl – Faith-Promoting Rumors, Freeway to Perfection, Marketing Precedes the Miracle, Sunday’s Foyer, Utah: Sex and Travel Guide, Music and the Broken Word
• Pat Bagley – Treasures of Half-Truth, Pat & Kirby Go to Hell, Sunday of the Living Dead, Wake Me Up for the Resurrection, The Mormon Kama Sutra
• J. Golden Kimball (Mormonism’s Mark Twain + Yogi Berra)
• The Sugar Beet (2002-05) – Mormonism’s response to The Onion

TRACKING THE NUMBERS

• Church Almanac (1972-2013)
• Reaching the Nations. International Church Growth Almanac (2013)

EVOLUTION OF CHURCH WELFARE

• Welfare handbooks and other publications (40 volumes)
• Church News
• Improvement Era

LOCAL HISTORY

• Eighth Ward Historical Record:

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10 Jun., 1856:

"Trial before the Bishops court June 10th 1856 of Charles King and Elmira Tufts. Charges prefered: the complainant Chas King says that Elmira Tufts owes him two dollars for setting two tires on her waggon wheels which she refuses to pay him. The court heard the evidence that was given and decided that Mrs. Tufts pay the complainant one dollar and take each other by the hand and live their religion."

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THE IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORIES