History Corner Time for a History-Cornered Church

A. The Mormon Church's Own Original Name[s] for the Mormon Church

“The LDS Church traces its founding to April 6, 1830, when Joseph Smith and five other men formally established the Church of Christ. The Church was known by this name from 1830 to 1834. At various times the Church was also referred to as ‘The Church of Jesus Christ.’ ‘The Church of God,’ and ‘The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints.’ . . .

"The original Church within this movement, founded in April 1830 in New York by Joseph Smith, was the 'Church of Christ,' which was later named the 'Church of the Latter Day Saints.' It was renamed the 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' in 1838 (stylized as the 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' in the United Kingdom), which remained its official name until Smith's death in 1844. . . .

"The 'Church of Christ' was the original name of the Latter day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus represents the formal beginning of the Latter-day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the 'Church of the Latter Day Saints (by 1834 resolution), the Church of Jesus Christ,' the 'Church of God,' the 'Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints,' and the 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' (by an 1838 revelation).”

Sources

-"Minutes of a Conference," in “Evening and Morning Star,” vol. 2, no. 20, p. 160 (May 1832)

-“Doctrine and Covenants” 20:1

-"Chapter 2: "Establishing theFoundations of the Church" in “Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, 1996)

-Susan Easton Black, "Name of the Church," in Daniel H. Ludlow ed., “Encyclopedia of Mormonism” (Macmillan: New York, 1992) p. 1979

-Richard Lloyd Anderson, "I Have a Question: What Changes Have Been Made in the Name of the Church?," in “Ensign,” January 1979;

(The above quotes and citations come from“Name and Legal Entities,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#Name_and_legal_entities; and “Historical Names of the Church;" and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints)

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B. A "Mormon Boy's" Mormon Church

As President of the Mormon Church, my grandfather, Ezra Taft Benson, sang with golden godly gusto the Mormon Church hymn, “A Mormon Boy,” at the Mormon Church’s 1989 General Conference:

Source: http://www.ldsliving.com/Listen-Ezra-Taft-Benson-Sings-Old-Mormon-Song-in-1989-General-Conference/s/73633
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C. Mormon Church-Name Traditionalists Might Not Go Down Without a Fight

--From the "Salt Lake Tribune's" recent coverage of Mormon Inc.'s latest push for a non-Mormon name-change:

“Blogger Steve Evans, founder of By Common Consent, sees Nelson’s effort as ‘fighting for the divinely revealed name of the church in the hearts and minds of the members.’

"In a 1990 speech (a year after former Church President Ezra Taft Benson sang 'I Am a Mormon Boy' from the pulpit), Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke of the importance of using the church’s full name.

“’He views it as something sacred, which I respect,’ Evans said. ‘But the initiative won’t succeed — if success means getting everyone to stop using the terms ‘Mormon’ or “LDS Church.”’

“Evans predicts this undertaking will only ‘confuse outsiders,’ he said. ‘I don’t think it substantively alters external perspectives of the Church, but I do think it makes us look a little persnickety.’”

Source:

“LDS Church Wants Everyone to Stop Calling It the LDS Church and Drop the Word ‘Mormons'--but Some Members Doubt It Will Happen,” https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/08/16/lds-church-wants-everyone/
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I can see it now: "The Book of No-Mo Mormon"



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2018 06:47PM by steve benson.

that your real name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when, in fact, it’s Fred.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2018 01:19AM by steve benson.

They think they can legislate the common language spoken by the commoners. It's pretty ridiculous. Language is fluid, always changing, and unstoppable. It's like white nationalists boycotting Taco Bell and thinking that Mexican restaurants are going to go away.

I guess sooner or later the GAs will figure it out. But that they are all on board with this policy is pretty amusing.

Quite amazing that this is the biggest worry of old Nelson here in the "latter days".

His biggest worry should be his next checkers move in the nursing home community room.

My thoughts exactly. A prophet that prophetizes nothing.

The 'leasthood' ["priesthood leaders"] DON'T THINK [about ANYTHING important], DON'T KNOW [who they (or their semi-captivated followers) are (and are in no hurry to find out)], and DON'T CARE [what they are doing (AS LONG AS IT ISN'T "WORK")], and are more bothered by others than by themselves.

They want others to follow them but they follow noone... and have NO Words of Wisdom, insight, compassion, or usefulness.

They don't know truth or practice continuums of normal or natural pathways or healthy [anything] (stances, beliefs, practices). Christlike-whatever-

The most LOST 'leaders' "leading" those most blinded by the light. It's the dark light TMC has, and that it reflects, not
The light of God, naturally. Iow, any light it [TMC] has is borrowed or stolen [from life itself], or reflected by individuals, communities, traditions.

TMC is a fabricated "religion" that can't even follow it's own book, and is embarrassed by it to the point it eternally ponders if it should call it the Booklet of Morbidity.

IT's morbid.
Morticia

M@t

There is a "Church of Christ" in the South that doesn't share doctrine with the LDS church but has a ton of the same hangups and ex-Church of Christ have a very hard time moving on.

Just thought might be interesting if you've never met some.

The part of Northern Alabama I lived in for 5 years was heavy Church of Christ area (not to be confused with United Church of Christ, which is pretty liberal). Anyway, most non-CoC Southern Protestants consider CoC a cult, just like they do the LDS. In fact, it is one of the hundreds of American religions that sprung up during the religious fervor of JS's time and hung on in parts of the country. They also have a presence here in Memphis.

So I think it's funny that they want to be called Restored Church of Jesus Christ. In these parts they'd be confused with CoC or UCC, neither of which set well with Southern Protestants.

Ah yes, but the apologists trot D&C #whatever to show that gawd commanded what the uffishil name should be.

As Daffy Duck would say: "It is to laugh."

The first nickname was "Mormonites" which I have always favored.

. . . but, rather, about various formal names of the Mormon Church that it has been known by at various times throughout its history.

(That said, of course, ETB did like singing in Mormon General Conference about male kids in the Mormon Church being “Mormon” boys. “A Latter-day Saint boy, a Latter-day Saint boy, I am a Latter-day Saint boy“ just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Although, for the record, he didn’t actually call them “Mormon.“ He called them “Marmon.” Gotta love that southern Idaho accent).



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2018 10:21PM by steve benson.

I always enjoy and look forward to your posts, Steve.
Thanks, as always!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2018 10:20AM by steve benson.

Thet should just call themselves brighamites and be done with it.