Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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''A Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I'' is a six-volume history published in 1930 and written by
B.H. Roberts Brigham Henry Roberts (March 13, 1857 – September 27, 1933) was a historian, politician, and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He edited the seven-volume ''History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
, a general authority and Assistant Church Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It should not be confused with the seven-volume ''
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints #REDIRECT History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints #REDIRECT History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints {{R from other capitalisation ...
{{R from other capitalisation ...
'' (nicknamed ''Documentary History of the Church''), which was also produced by Roberts in the early 20th-century but as an editor and which focused on the history of Joseph Smith.


Background

After the ''American Historical Magazine'', owned by the American Historical Society, published articles on the
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. The theory first appeared in print in the book ''Mormonism Unvaile ...
, B. H. Roberts, Assistant Church Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), asked the magazine to allow him to publish a rebuttal. After his four-part response, the editor was so pleased that he invited Roberts to next write a detailed history of the LDS Church. The magazine was willing to change its frequency and format to accommodate the size of this task. From July 1909 to July 1915 Roberts wrote "The History of the Mormon Church" in forty-two-page installments for each issue of the magazine (by that time renamed ''Americana'' and sometimes called ''Americana Illustrated''). After the final article appeared, the First Presidency wanted to publish the work in six volumes, but this was dropped due to the cost, despite Roberts' willingness. He even considered condensing the material into a single volume after Joseph Fielding Smith's one-volume ''Essentials in Church History'' was authorized for publication. In 1928 apostle
George Albert Smith George Albert Smith Sr. (April 4, 1870 – April 4, 1951) was an American religious leader who served as the eighth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Early life Born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territor ...
asked Roberts to revisit and update his work for publication in commemoration of the church's 1930 centennial. For this reference work used by members of the church, a separate index volume was published in 1959 by the Brigham Young University Library.


Reception

''Comprehensive History'' has been called "Roberts's most important historical labor" and "his magnum opus." It is seen as the "high-water mark" of historical studies before the academics of the
New Mormon History New Mormon history refers to a style of reporting the history of Mormonism by both Mormon and non-Mormon scholars which departs from earlier more polemical or faith-based styles of history. Rather than presenting material selectively to either pro ...
and was "far superior to any history of Mormonism which had yet appeared." It was the first to publish some major portions of recent history and to chronicle so wide a period of the Mormon past in one work. It referenced copious primary and secondary sources and sought to reject historical myths, "the untruth, the spectacular, the bizarre" that was "based on worthless testimony". The work has been criticized for manifesting a strong Mormon bias and using
Romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...
, "rhapsodic prose that sometimes overshoots the mark", but as late as 2001 was nevertheless considered "unsurpassed for its detail and for its comprehensive treatment" as a synthesis of Latter-day Saint history.


Volumes summary

*Volume I : Joseph Smith's early history until the church's experience in Missouri *Volume II :Settlement in Illinois up unto the exodus from Illinois *Volume III :The pioneer trek up until federal intervention in Salt Lake City *Volume IV :Various events in Utah Territory in the 1850s *Volume V *Volume VI :Events leading up to the
Manifesto A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...
, Utah statehood, and other events to 1930


See also

*'' Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia'', a biographical dictionary of the LDS Church from 1830 to 1930


Notes


References

*. *{{Cite book, last=Walker, first=Ronald W., url=https://archive.org/details/mormonhistory0000walk, title=Mormon History, last2=Whittaker, first2=David J., last3=Allen, first3=James B., publisher= University of Illinois Press, year=2001, isbn=0252026195, location=Urbana, language=English, author-link=Ronald W. Walker, author-link3=James B. Allen (historian), via= Internet Archive 1930 non-fiction books The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints texts History books about the Latter Day Saint movement History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Works by B. H. Roberts Deseret Book books 1930 in Christianity