Good theology forces detours that divert us from our stated goals and prompt us to visit places and include people that would otherwise be left aside.  The measure of this strength is charity.  Theological detours are worth only as much charity as they are able to show.  They are worth only as many waylaid lives and lost objects as they are able to embrace...Charity is a willingness to have our lives made difficult by people we did not have to help, objects we did not have to save, thoughts we did not have to think.

-Adam S. Miller, Rube Goldberg Machines: Essays on Mormon Theology (pgs. xiv-xv)

Although we see evidence that God's love and power have frequently broken in upon the ordinary course of human affairs, our caution in declaring this is reinforced by our justifiable disapproval of chroniclers who take the easy way out and use divine miracles as a short-circuit of a causal explanation that is obviously, or a least defensibly, naturalistic. We must not use history as a storehouse from which deceptively simple moral lessons may be drawn at random.


-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 237)

[Wendell] Ashton said a manuscript could pass muster with the [correlation] committee and still not be well written or stimulating or instructive or thought-provoking or accomplish any of hte goals set up the the auxiliaries for their manuals.  In short, something could pass the Correlation Committee and still be dull; in fact, if it was dull it usually passed with speed and high praise.  I had observed the same thing.


-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 163)

Obviously there would be differences of opinion among the general authorities on questions of administration and policy...From my point of view, that inspired men and women might maneuver to have their influence felt illustrated how human agents interact in their efforts to do god's work.  Not every statement or act of church leaders is inspired, since they disagree among themselves.  Not every conclusion is right, since they occasionally backtrack.  that the Lord is in charge does not mean that he inspires or approves everything done in the church.  That he is in charge does mean that our leaders will get a lot more right than wrong.  In the meantime, a follower like me, trying to do a job under conflicting instructions or pressures, was like a mouse crossing the floor where elephants are dancing.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 144)

After one dispute [with Edwin Wooley], [Brigham]Young remarked caustically: "Well, I suppose now you are going to go off and apostatize."
"No I won't," retorted Wooley.  "If this were your church I might, but it's jus as much mine as it is yours."

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 135)

Half our troubles arise from the anticipation of evils that never take place, and the dangers that never reach us.

Brigham Young (letter to Clara Young, Jan. 24, 1876)

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 118)

"Every human being will find that his happiness very greatly depends upon the work he does, and the doing of it well.  Whoever wastes his life in idleness, either because he need not work in order to live, or because he will not live to work, will be a wretched creature, and at the close of a listless existence, will regret the loss of precious gifts and the neglect of great opportunities."

Brigham Young (letter to Willard Young, Nov. 11, 1875)

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 118)

In 1936 Spencer [Kimball] was elected district governor of Rotary, and the district voted to pay his travel expenses to the international convention in Nice, France.  The kimballs used some of their savings to pay Camilla's way...Each vonvention meal in Nice features goblets of wine from the principal departments of France.  Spencer routinely passed these up--after all, he was a stake president.  But Camilla had never tasted wine, was curious and dared to try a sip. this even was mentioned in a draft of Spencer W. Kimball: Twelfth President of the Church.  when she read the manuscript Camilla said that although she had no objection to being considered a drinker Spencer appeared more self-righteous than was the case.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 108)

I learned from a friend among the general authorities that I had been approved as president of the Italian mission when it was opened in 1967, but just prior to my call an article written by J.D. Williams that was regarded as critical of Ezra Taft Benson had appeared in Dialogue.   Because of my connection with Dialogue, my name was withdrawn.  Although I had nothing to do with the approval of the article, I lost this opportunity of preaching the gospel in italy in Italian.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 89)

[Howard W. Hunter] said that he felt the church was mature enough that our history would be honest.  our faith should not overpower our collective memories and documented experiences.  he did not believe in suppressing information, hiding documents, or concealing or withholding minutes for "screening."  He thought we should publish the documents of our history.  Why should we withhold things that are a part of our history?  He thought it in our best interest to encourage scholars--to help and cooperate with them in doing honest research.  Nevertheless, Hunter counseled me to keep in mind that church members reverenced leaders and their policies.  To investigate too closely the private lives of leaders and the circumstances that led to their decisions might remove some of hte aura that sanctified church policies and procedures.  If hte daylight of historical research should shine too brightly upon the prophets and their policies, he cautioned, it might devitalize the charisma that dedicated leadership inspires.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 84)

The problem is that facts never speak for themselves.  Chronicles and testimonies and stories mean different things to different people.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 64)

There is danger in being open-minded to error; there is also a danger in being so zealous in protecting the Saints from new views that free inquiry is stifled.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 64)

The church's history may not have been unblemished, but it has survived and flouished because its members understand that any "error" is a minor brush stroke in a very large painting.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 64)

Scholars need not relinquish their faith to be intellectually respectable, nor relinquish their intelligence to be faithful.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 62)

Many of the brethren chew tobacco, and I have advised them to be modest about it.  Do not take out a whole plug of tobacco in meeting before the eyes of the congregation, and cut off a long slice and put it in your mouth, to the annoyance of everybody around.  Do not glory in this disgraceful practice.  I you must use tobacco, put a small portion in your mouth when no person sees you, and be careful that no one sees you chew it.  I do not charge you with sin.  you have the "Word of Wisdom."  Read it.  Some say, "Oh, as I do in private, so I do in public, and I am not ashamed of it."  it is, at least, disgraceful....Some men will go into a clean and beautifully-furnished parlour with tobacco in their mouths, and feel, "I ask no odds."  I would advise such men to be more modest, and not spit upon the carpets and furniture, but step to the door, and be careful not to let any person see you spit; or, what is better, omit chewing until you have an opportunity to do so without offending....We request all addicted to this practice, to omit it while in their houses [the tabernacle].  Elders of Israel, if you must chew tobacco, omit it while in meeting, and when you leave, you can take a double portion, if you wish to.

-Brigham Young (sermon, Mar. 10, 1861 in Journal of Discourses 8:361-362; sermon of May 5th, 1870, Deseret News Weekly, May 11, 1870)

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 58)

A good friend related an experience with McKay at a reception.  In a moment of courage, the hostess served rum cake.  All the guests hesitated, watching to see what McKay would do.  he smacked his lips and began to eat.  One guest gushed, "But President McKay, don't you know that is rum cake?"  McKay smiled and reminded the guest that the Word of Wisdom forbade drinking alcohol, not eating it.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 42)

A rational foundation may not always lead to belief, but it helped me feel confident that I was on the right path. In my experience, the buildup of intellectuality is consistent with the strenghtening of fiath and indeed helps produce a deeper, more enduring testimony.  Philosophy, I found, provided a climate in which belief could flourish, and my attachment to Mormonism was reinforced.
-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 25)

"My Mormon upbringing...taught me that while the life of the mind was exciting and virtuous, ti also involved responsibilities--there were limits.  Building on the example of my mentors, I came to believe that we ought to make and advance knowledge by research and writing; we ought to transmit knowledge and skills by teaching and lecturing; and we ought to help others lead ethical, fulfilling lives by talks, counseling, and good example.  As we devote ourselves heart and soul to solving particular intellectual and social problems, we must also keep our sights open to the large (not always answerable) questions of human and divine meaning and purpose.  We must be lucid and humane, honest and helpful, devoted to our scholarly callings and loyal to our faith and community. We must cultivate both social skills and spiritual virtues--humility, faith, courage, and good will.  Humility would dispose us to learn from others, faith in the gospel to retain our moorings, courage to open our beliefs to critical examination and change, and good will to be fair and just in considering the people and practices that come before us--these virtues were taught by the scriptures, by Joseph smith, by modern revelation, and by the great philosophers; they would help us in our spiritual quest for exaltation.  Above all, we ought to eschew the rootless life not tied to divine instruction, healthy tradition, and robust piety."

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 23-24)

"Once when I was taking the elevator at the south entrance to the Church Administration Building to the third floor, Joseph Fielding Smith entered.  he chuckled and asked me if I knew that King David was constipated.  I was shocked but mumbled that I had no idea. He explained that in the Book of Kings it says that King David sat on his throne for forty years and was not moved."

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 16)

Humor and forthrightness helped early Latter-day Saints disponse of contradictions, conflicts, and frustrations in a socially healthy manner.  There was, for them, no conflict between piety and moderate levity, reverence and straightforward candidness.  The documents of church history are replete with missionary stories, occasional pranks, and the betowal of nicknames as a means of deflating pretension, hypocrisy, vanity, and excessive pride.  They also contain celebrations of the goodness of God, the complexity of the world he created and the sublimity of the life he gives.  The early Saints' sense of balance between candid humor and reverence did not undermine their faith, but instead gave them a strong sense of group identity and illustrated the strengths of their movement.  Devotion to their cause allowed such balance.  More generally, it helped them develop the evolving self-respect that one would expect of a community of God's chose people.

-Leonard J. Arrington, Adventures of a Church Historian (pg. 8)

"It is great to be great, but it's greater to be human."

-Will Rogers

Adventures of a Church Historian, Leonard J. Arrington (pg. 7)

I clearly saw and understood, by the spirit of revelation manifested in me, that if I was to harbor a thought in my heart that Joseph could be wron in anything, I would begin to lose confidence in him, and that feeling would grow...until at last I would have the same lack of confidence in hes being hte mouthpiece for the Almighty.  Though I admitted in my feelings and knew all the time that Jospeh was a human being and subject to err, still it was none of my business to look after his faults...He was called of God; God dictated [to] him, and if He had a mind to leave him to himself and let him commit an error, that was no business of mine....Though he had his weaknesses he was all that any people coul drequire a true prophet to be.

-Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses 4:297)

Adventures of a Church Historian, Leonard J. Arrington (pg. 4)

I saw Joseph Smith the Prophet do things which I did not approve of; and yet...I thanked God that He would put upon a man who had these imperfections the power and authority which He placed upon him...for I knew I myself had weakness and I thought there was a chance for me.  These same weaknesses...I knew were in Heber C. Kimball, but my knowing this did not impair them in my estimation.  I thanked God I saw these imperfections.

-Lorenzo Snow (as quoted in the diary of George Q. Cannon, Jan. 7, 1898, Archives Division, Historical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)

Adventures of a Church Historian, Leonard J. Arrington (pg. 4)