Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith' wrote a private letter to an Idaho Congressman, hoping that sending ETB into European Mission exile would purify his blood.

First, this background involving First Presidency member Hugh B. Brown:

"U.S. under-secretary of state W. Averill Harriman asked Hugh B. Brown how long Ezra Taft Benson would be on his European mission. Pres. Brown reportedly replied: 'If I had my way, he'd never come back!' (Brown statement to Harriman and Richard D. Poll in Salt Lake City, 25 Oct. 1963, quoted in Poll's letter to D. Michael Quinn, 13 Aug. 1992)"
_____


Then, the above-mentioned letter from Joseph Fielding Smith:

"Joseph Fielding Smith identified Benson's European mission as intentional exile. The Quorum of Twelve's president wrote to Congressman Ralph R. Harding (Idaho) on 30 October: 'I think it is time that Brother Benson forgot all about politics and settled down to his duties as a member of the Council of the Twelve.' JFS also said, 'He (Benson) is going to take a mission to Europe in the near future and by the time he returns I hope he will get all of the political notions out of his system.' (Smith to Harding, 30 Oct. 1963, photocopy in folder 2, box 4, King Papers, and in folder 22, box 5, Buerger Papers)"
_____


And this, as part of the anti-ETB backlash, from an LDS Institute director:

"One of the directors of an LDS institute of religion wrote: 'May a dumb spirit possess Bro. E.T.B.' (George T. Boyd, associate director of the LDS institute of religion in Los Angeles to 'Dick' [Richard D. Poll], undated but written ca. 18 Oct. 1961 and answered 24 Oct)"
_____


Then, this, again noted by J.F. Smith:

"Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: 'I am glad to report to you that it will be some time before we hear anything from Brother Benson, who is now on his way to Great Britain where I suppose he will be, at least for the next two years. When he returns I hope his blood will be purified.' (Wilkinson diary, 14 Dec. 1963; Joseph Fielding Smith to Congressman Ralph Harding, 23 Dec 1963)"

(source for the above: "The Snubbing of Ezra Taft Benson," at: greaterthings.com)
_____


Finally, a temple meeting walkout of General Authorities from a presentation being given by ETB:

"Between July 1972 and Dec 1973:

"While Harold B. Lee was in the [First] [P]residency, he evidently even gave an embarrassing rebuke to Apostle Benson during a meeting of General Authorities in the Salt Lake Temple.

"As reported by Henry D. Taylor, an Assistant to the Twelve, individual apostles were delivering formal presentations on various subjects to the assistants. Benson’s assigned topic was the church’s youth program, but he began presenting charts and quotes to show Communist influence in America and the need to teach anti-Communism to Mormon youth.

"Lee walked out while Benson was speaking, soon followed by the other apostles. Taylor and the other Assistants to the Twelve were the only ones who remained seated during Benson’s presentation."

("Ezra Taft Benson Chronology During the Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee and Spencer W. Kimball Administrations," by Clair Barrus, at "World Without End," 9 May 2015)

**********


My grandfather told me on more than one occasion that the Mormon Church’s Quorum of the 12 Apostles was “the most unified body in the world.”

Interesting. That doesn’t seem to have been the case when it came to its internal divisions over Ezra Taft Benson.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2018 02:54PM by steve benson.

Thanks for that, Steve.

It's abundantly clear that even the conservative mormon leadership thought ETB had gone a bit over-the-top with the anti-commie stuff. As your data shows.

But then...he still became church president. Not because he was best for the job, but because of "seniority." Not because of "inspiration," but because of dates.

So much for inspired church leadership, huh? :)

or errors



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2018 02:28PM by steve benson.

I appreciate your posts steve. I am continually amazed at how much behind the scenes crap TSCC keeps from its members.

when telling me stuff behind closed doors, or In their Church offices, or in their houses, or in their apartments.

At least they’re consistently inconsistent.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2018 02:35PM by steve benson.

My TBM mom used to say that she would leave the church if ETB ever became prophet.

Of course, once he outlived Kimball she got in line and sustained him, acting like she had always supported him.

Funny how that works.

Many TBMs said it strengthened their testimonies when ETB became (comparatively) restrained when he became “prophet.” They believed that the mantle of the calling transformed him.

I just think he got too old to be so radical.

It wasn't a "mantle." It was a muzzle.

It must have been heart-wrenching for you to have to put up with this insanity from your grandfather. You have shared some pleasant memories of your time with him, but it still must have been a disappointment growing up in that situation.

The hard part for me is the way his opinions have become integral to the Mormon canon. Most Mormons I knew back in the sixties were 100& convinced that the Civil Rights movement was a fake cover for the communist takeover of the United States. The Mormon church has never denounced that notion.