The Journal of Discourses (often abbreviated J.D.) is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first editions of the Journal were published in England by George D. Watt, the stenographer of Brigham Young. Publication began in 1854, with the endorsement of the church's First Presidency,^[1] and ended in 1886. The Journal is one of the richest sources of early Mormon theology and thinking. It includes 1,438 sermons given by 55 church leaders, including most numerously Brigham Young, John Taylor, Orson Pratt, Heber C. Kimball, and George Q. Cannon. The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... In Mormonism, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy of several Latter Day Saint denominations. ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most-recognized architectural symbol of Mormonism For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... John Taylor (November 1, 1808 – July 25, 1887) was the third President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. ... Orson Pratt Orson Pratt (September 19, 1811 – October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. ... Heber C. Kimball Heber Chase Kimball (June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868) (commonly known as Heber C. Kimball) was a leader in the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... George Quayle Cannon (January 11, 1827–April 21, 1901) was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ...

George D. Watt recorded the first four volumes of sermons himself, and he continued to contribute through volume twelve, but at least eleven other stenographers were involved. Brigham Young has by far the most sermons recorded in the Journal, with 390. It was said that: See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ...

Brigham Young secured stenographic reports of his addresses. As he traveled among the people, reporters accompanied him. All that he said was recorded. Practically all of these discourses (from December 16, 1851 to August 19, 1877) were published in the Journal of Discourses, which was widely distributed. The public utterances of few great historical figures have been so faithfully and fully preserved.^[2]

Though never accepted as Mormon canon, the Journal was highly esteemed in its day. The preface to the 8th volume, written by apostle George Q. Cannon, stated, "The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saint will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of 'the light that shines from Zion's hill.'" Several other prefaces contain similar statements. The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most-recognized architectural symbol of Mormonism For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). ... The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... George Quayle Cannon (January 11, 1827–April 21, 1901) was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ...

Today, however, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has distanced itself from the Journal and many of its teachings. Many of the doctrines expounded on in the Journal, such as blood atonement, the Adam-God theory, plural marriage, and the exclusionary Negro doctrine, have been disavowed by the modern church. The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... In Mormonism, blood atonement is a controversial doctrine taught by some early Latter-day Saint leaders, and expanded by Brigham Young, that within a theocracy, there are certain sins such as murder which require that murderers have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to... The Adam-God theory (also called the Adam-God doctrine) is based upon comments, never fully explained, by Brigham Young, the second prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Like many predominantly white Christian churches, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) has held controversial positions on the issue of race, and the LDS Church had a general policy of racial exclusion from their priesthood from 1849 to 1978, long after most...

Notes

1. ^ Journal of Discourses, preface to volume one
2. ^ John A. Widtsoe, Discourses of Brigham Young (1925), Deseret Book Company, 1954 edition: ISBN 0-87747-066-9

John Andreas Widtsoe (1872 - 1952) was born in Daloe, Island of Froyen, Norway. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ...

External links

• The Journal of Discourses online - The complete (HTML format) text
• Journal of Discourses photocopied images (PDF format) online at BYU
• Encyclopedia of Mormonism entry - What the Encyclopedia of Mormonisms entry on this topic