Posted by:
Cheryl
(
)
Date: April 03, 2021 10:34AM
BYU has documented the “One Mighty and Strong” who is in my novel, “Plural Bride to Be”, and who lived on my family’s farm with some of his wives in trailers when I was a child and teen. A BYU graduate student wrote on this subject and his work is in the restricted section of the library.
Anyone who has read my novel would recognize this crack pot “prophet.” My family worshipped this creepy guy and let him host his self-styled religious services in our living room regularly. In fact my parents named two of my brothers after him. The youngest boy is Loren, the prophet’s middle name. The brother just younger than me is Bill, the nick name for his first name, William. His full name is William Loren Goldman.
I had no idea that such a small time pervert would be listed at BYU as one of the many Mighty and Strong candidates as this guy had probably fewer than one hundred followers in his prime. He was working on collecting others but antagonized and lost some of them by starting to drink coffee and wine which my mother and some others abhorred. He also made wild claims about meeting Satan face to face and also Jesus and other departed deities. He said Satan was all sparkly red with no need for joints or bones, something like a gumby man, I think. Some of these tales were just too ridiculous even for my parents and other naive followers who fell away.
My exmo brother, Bill, at age 19 or so was the last in my family to see him. The prophet guy showed up at the door and asked for sugar for his coffee. He stood around and tried to make conversation but my unreceptive brother put him off and he left before anyone else arrived home.
One of this guy’s grown children once answered a post I wrote on RfM. It’s my understanding that he abandoned many of his wives and offspring, but I can’t be sure. My brother said he was travelling alone and was likely living in his car.
I assume few remember him with much honor or respect. Or am I unfairly attributing my own opinions to others regarding this Mighty and Strong wanna-be?
Does anyone know where this Mighty and Strong myth originated?
Did you hear of it when you were a member?
Here’s a link to a list of Ones Mighty and Strong over the centuries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Mighty_and_StrongThe footnote 12 referred to in the link above seems not to be available (restricted by BYU).
https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/MTNZ/id/31163