Gospel Scholarship. The Dividing Line.

A rehash of an old post. Worth thinking about perhaps.

Preaching in 18th century New England tended to fall out in two ways. Here’s one example:

Joseph F. Smith and Archibald Forbes: Critique and Praise.

Joseph F. Smith was a unique personality for a number of reasons. The object of Smith family envy/hope he rose to church leadership early in life. Largely self-educated, he took much of his religious learning from textual sources. Perhaps this hints at the reasons for his response to a visiting lecturer. And the contrasting response from fellow counselor, George Q. Cannon:

“Learn How to Live and How to Die”

This is a reboot from way back—In honor of my friend, Quentin Bates—Godspeed old boy

Much of Joseph Smith’s preaching about death was meant to compel his listeners to faith. Over the years of my own life I have seen death. Even if you don’t experience death as it was in the early 19th century, if you live long enough, you will see it impact your life.

I have buried a son, a brother, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and unrelated friends. Looking at death as inevitable has become a routine matter. But what is it for us survivors? It is first and foremost, loss. Whatever theology one subscribes to, or to no theology at all, this is the universal fact. The dead don’t come back. You don’t find him or her sleeping in their bed the next morning after the funeral.

They are gone.