I went to the Crandall Printing Museum this week. It is on center street here in Provo. I've heard about it over and over again while I've attended BYU. I always wanted to go, and I finally went. Take a look at the website:
http://crandallmuseum.org/
In this museum they have three printing presses. They have a working replica of the Gutenberg press, Benjamin Franklin’s press, and a press that E.B. Grandin used to print the Book of Mormon.
We first watched a demonstration of Gutenberg’s press. Beginning with a demonstration on how he made his movable type. The museum explained that Gutenberg was a metallurgist. This is how he knew what metals to mix so that he could get a good metal combination to make his movable type. They printed a page from the Vulgate bible. I am a Latin student, not a very happy one after my test today, and it was interesting to see a replica of the Vulgate Bible. I’ve also taken a calligraphy class, and I understand what amount of work it takes to produce a illuminated bible. Printers makes my life so easy.
Next we moved to the Benjamin Franklin Room where the replica of Franklin’s press was located. There was also a replica of Franklin himself, one of the curators dressed up. They discussed the power that printing had in the colonies. Franklin was able to print some 500,000 copies of Paine's "Common Sense." When he did this, there were only two million colonists living in America. That means one out of every four colonists living in America had a copy of "Common Sense." I don’t know of any kind of literature today that would represent that type of dissemination. The Museum argued that without the press the American Revolution would have never occurred, saying that the printed word unified the colonists. After learning one in four Americans had a “Common Sense” I believe them.
Lastly, we saw a replica press that printed the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith went to the E.B. Grandin Print Shop which, as I learned, was the most modern printing press avaliable in the 1820's. For Joseph Smith to have such a modern press so close is remarkable. The museum showed us the entire process of printing the Book of Mormon-- from pressing the sheets, to hanging them, to stitching the binding together. The museum noted that E.B. Grandin, the printer, printed 5,000 books in seven months. This, I guess, was extremely fast for that time period because the printers reset a new page of the Book of Mormon every two minutes. It was incredible that they printed that many books that fast.
I was thinking how lucky I am to have books. Every day I read the newspaper, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I read things on the internet, about Roman history, about American history. I even am reading Livy. I read ALL the time. We take books and printed material for granted. But are we grateful for the chance to read?
My wife is a High School Teacher. When she began to teach, she was surprised that the reading comprehension of her students. She would say many basic words like synopsis and summary, and they did not know the meanings of these words. Howeever, when we learn to read it changes everything. We gain power because we control what we learn. We gain power because we can spread ideas, concepts, and principles. Without the ability to read and write, we wanderer through life.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Patty Bartlett Sessions
Patty Batlett Sessions joined the LDS Church in 1834. At that time she was living in Maine. After she had joined the Mormon Church, she moved to Missouri with her husband, David Sessions, and family (Wikipedia Patty Barlett Sessions). I am named after this David Sessions. They were forced from their home in Missouri, moved to Nauvoo, and then to Salt Lake City, Utah. Her son, Parrigrine Sessions, settled Bountiful, Utah where his residence still exists at 500 South and Main Street. Patty Sessions was given a journal by her daughter in which she recorded 20 years of daily life (Wikipedia). Patty delivered 248 babies during her lifetime and lived until she was 97 (Wikipedia).
If it was not for this grandmother, I would not be in Utah today. She joined the church and gathered with the saints. The early saints were commanded to move to Ohio (sec 37 of d&c). They came from all over the United States and Europe. This revelation has directly influence in my life because it is the reason that I live in Utah. Had the early LDS saints not gathered to Ohio and to Missouri, they wouldn't have been forced to Nauvoo and later to Salt Lake City. This gathering supported the saints in building the LDS Church. I'm sure if Patty and David had decided to stay in Maine, they would not have remained faithful to the LDS Church.
Today, this gathering still has effect in my life. Not only has it affect my ancestors and thereby affecting me, but also it has helped me to understand that I need to "gather" every Sunday to my ward and help support those who are living today. I'm grateful for the fellowship of the Latter-Day Saints and the help that it has given me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Emma Smith: A Modern Woman
The Lord directed section 25 of the Doctrine of Covenants to Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith. Considering the historical context of this revelation, Emma was truly a modern woman. In a time when women did not even have the right to vote, the Lord gave this revelation to a woman. This revelation shows that God is not a respecter of persons. He considers man and woman equally.
In the first verse of this section, the Lord calls Emma Smith his daughter. The Lord considered her equal because He had called Joseph Smith His son. He didn’t call her the wife of My son Joseph. He didn’t call her wife of the prophet. He called her His daughter. What love God has for us since we are his children. We as LDS Church members believe that we are literal children of God, created in His image. This means that our bodies were patterned after His. I believe all people would act differently if they truly believed that they were a literal son or daughter of God. This knowledge changes how I act and behave when I am alone and with others. This is not only evidence that woman are equal to men but that we are all children of our Father in Heaven.
The Lord asked Emma Smith to be a scribe. Women in the 19th century did little but cook, clean, and care for children. I’m sure it was a shock to Emma Smith for the Lord to command her to be a scribe for her husband. Women at that time simply didn’t do that. In my opinion, this is evidence that the Lord has tailored a specific earth experience for each of his children here on the earth. However, the Lord leaves it to us, to decide how we will live. Emma had a specific role to fulfill and it was more than housework.
Verse 7 also provides more evidence that Emma was truly a modern woman. The Lord says, “thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.” These words must have blasted Emma away. Not only was she to be a scribe, but she was to “expound scriptures” and “exhort the Church” and it would be “given” her “by the spirit” and not by Joseph. These powerful words show that Emma, a 19th century woman, was equal in the Lords sight. It also instructs us that women should be equal in our sight too.
I’m grateful for the women in my life, especially Carly whom I married this past July. I strive to treat her everyday with the equality that the Lord expects. I want her to know that she is a daughter of God. He knows her and her situation here on Earth. I hope she can find her role as a woman in the 21st century. She is smart and very capable in whatever she does. I hope she can find what roles the Lord would like her to play. She is the love of my life and I want her to be happy. I love living life with her. I love her!
In the first verse of this section, the Lord calls Emma Smith his daughter. The Lord considered her equal because He had called Joseph Smith His son. He didn’t call her the wife of My son Joseph. He didn’t call her wife of the prophet. He called her His daughter. What love God has for us since we are his children. We as LDS Church members believe that we are literal children of God, created in His image. This means that our bodies were patterned after His. I believe all people would act differently if they truly believed that they were a literal son or daughter of God. This knowledge changes how I act and behave when I am alone and with others. This is not only evidence that woman are equal to men but that we are all children of our Father in Heaven.
The Lord asked Emma Smith to be a scribe. Women in the 19th century did little but cook, clean, and care for children. I’m sure it was a shock to Emma Smith for the Lord to command her to be a scribe for her husband. Women at that time simply didn’t do that. In my opinion, this is evidence that the Lord has tailored a specific earth experience for each of his children here on the earth. However, the Lord leaves it to us, to decide how we will live. Emma had a specific role to fulfill and it was more than housework.
Verse 7 also provides more evidence that Emma was truly a modern woman. The Lord says, “thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.” These words must have blasted Emma away. Not only was she to be a scribe, but she was to “expound scriptures” and “exhort the Church” and it would be “given” her “by the spirit” and not by Joseph. These powerful words show that Emma, a 19th century woman, was equal in the Lords sight. It also instructs us that women should be equal in our sight too.
I’m grateful for the women in my life, especially Carly whom I married this past July. I strive to treat her everyday with the equality that the Lord expects. I want her to know that she is a daughter of God. He knows her and her situation here on Earth. I hope she can find her role as a woman in the 21st century. She is smart and very capable in whatever she does. I hope she can find what roles the Lord would like her to play. She is the love of my life and I want her to be happy. I love living life with her. I love her!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Articles and Covenants of the Church: D&C 20
Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a powerhouse revelation. This section is significant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it tells a short history of the church, it gives a short summary of what the Church believes, and it gives instructions on how to govern the church. It is important because it gives a short summary of the church for anyone who would want to join it.
The first verses of Doctrine and Covenants section 20 gives a short history of the Church to that point in time. God relates to that he appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820, that the Angel Moroni appeared in 1823, and that Joseph Smith had received the Book of Mormon in order to translate it. These three events are important because they formed Joseph Smith’s knowledge of what he was supposed to do. It allowed him to understand that he was going to restore the Church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone by reading section 20, can understand what Joseph Smith experienced and realize that he was a prophet of God.
Besides containing a short history of the Church, section 20 also contains the basic doctrines of the Church. In verses 21-24 it explains how Christ, the Son of God, came to earth was crucified and resurrected. In verse 25, God explains that all need to be baptized. This forms the basis of the Church of Jesus Christ. That all men need to believe on his name and be baptized in his name. Section 20 laid explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who wonder what we believe.
Lastly, section 20 explains how such ordinances of the Gospel should be administered. It explains how to bless the sacrament and how to baptize. We believe, just as Jesus taught by his example, that all men must be baptized by immersion. God, through section 20, gives us directions on how to perform such a baptism.
These three reasons are why section 20 is important to us, Latter-Day Saints. It helps us understand where we have come from, what we believe, and what we are to do. The section creates a path, which helps anyone, member or not, determine where they are in relation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is therefore, not surprising that God commanded the early missionaries of the Church to take this section with them so that others might be able to read and understand their own position in accordance to the Church of Jesus Christ. It is a powerhouse revelation that has governed the Church since its revelation.
The first verses of Doctrine and Covenants section 20 gives a short history of the Church to that point in time. God relates to that he appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820, that the Angel Moroni appeared in 1823, and that Joseph Smith had received the Book of Mormon in order to translate it. These three events are important because they formed Joseph Smith’s knowledge of what he was supposed to do. It allowed him to understand that he was going to restore the Church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone by reading section 20, can understand what Joseph Smith experienced and realize that he was a prophet of God.
Besides containing a short history of the Church, section 20 also contains the basic doctrines of the Church. In verses 21-24 it explains how Christ, the Son of God, came to earth was crucified and resurrected. In verse 25, God explains that all need to be baptized. This forms the basis of the Church of Jesus Christ. That all men need to believe on his name and be baptized in his name. Section 20 laid explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who wonder what we believe.
Lastly, section 20 explains how such ordinances of the Gospel should be administered. It explains how to bless the sacrament and how to baptize. We believe, just as Jesus taught by his example, that all men must be baptized by immersion. God, through section 20, gives us directions on how to perform such a baptism.
These three reasons are why section 20 is important to us, Latter-Day Saints. It helps us understand where we have come from, what we believe, and what we are to do. The section creates a path, which helps anyone, member or not, determine where they are in relation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is therefore, not surprising that God commanded the early missionaries of the Church to take this section with them so that others might be able to read and understand their own position in accordance to the Church of Jesus Christ. It is a powerhouse revelation that has governed the Church since its revelation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
