The Mormon Apocrypha

Elder Melvin J. Ballard has been a recurring character on this blog, so I wanted one of 2026's first general conference talks to be from him. In this one, he talks about the importance of the church. Elder Melvin J. Ballard Of the Qurom of the Twelve Apostles I desire, my brethren and sisters, to read two short extracts from a revelation of the Lord, given one hundred years ago to the Church. The first is from the eighty-sixth section: " Therefore, thus saith the Lord unto you, with whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers — " For ye are lawful heirs, according to the flesh, and have been hid from the world with Christ in God — " Therefore your life and the priesthood have remained, and must needs remain through you and your lineage until the restoration of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the world began. " Therefore, blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles, and through ...

Next year, in 2027, the Salt Lake Temple will be opened to the public for the first time in over seven years. To celebrate this occasion in advance, I want to share a sermon from the eleventh volume of the Journal of Discourses. Delivered by Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, it goes over the building of the Salt Lake Temple. I want your attention. I do not know how long it will be prudent to continue our meeting, but we would like to say a great deal more to the people. I will talk to you a little with regard to building the Temple. When br. Heber asks you to come and join us in drawing rock, you turn round and say, “I have paid my tithing; what more do you want? Do you want any donations or extra help? What do you do with the tithing?” This is in the minds of the people, and it is something that I think about, too, but I confess to you that, although I am Trustee-in-Trust and have the management of all this, I know but little about what is done with the tithing. Br. Hunter is Bishop, a...

As tomorrow is the spring equinox, I wanted to share a poem by Orson F. Whitney about the beauty of Spring. Monody . Gone from my heart is the sunlight of gladness,  Y Gone from my soul is the music of yore;  For mine eyes are oft dim with the warm dews of sadness,  And I sigh for the presence of one gone before. In the springtime, and spring of her life was she taken,  When the pitying tears of young April were shed O'er the slumbering germlets of May, to awaken  The sentinel flowers to vigil the dead. And the loveliest blossom that e'er fell from Eden,  The fairest, most fragrant in purity's wreath, When the spring-heralds welcomed the life-giving season,  Was slain by the frosts of the winter of death. Ah! many to spare were our hearts better willing.  Than the soul in whose beauty all others were blest But "death loves a bright mark," and ever is filling  His graves with the spirits of those we love best. Their spirits? Not so; tis but cl...

 In 1895, the LDS Church released a manifesto saying that General Authorities must require approval from the First Presidency before they could seek office. This was done in a possess to keep the church politically neutral. Not everyone agreed with the manifesto. Moses Thatcher did not agree with the document and was released from the Qurom of the Twelve the following year. B.H. Roberts too did not agree but signed it under the threat of losing his position. TO THE SAINTS: To the officers and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in General Conference assembled. DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Every Latter-day Saint will recognize the value of union, not only in action but in matters of faith and discipline. As to the rights and authority of the Priesthood of the Son of God, it is of the highest importance that there should be no difference of opinion among the officers and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Feeling the necessity of a corre...

The Book of the Law of the Lord is too long to reproduce the entire book, so I will leave off this journey by posting the second chapter.   Chapter 2 The True God   1a The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob is our God; this is His name forever, and this is His memorial unto all generations.   1b He created the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them are the workmanship of His hands.   1c He created man in his own image, that he might have dominion over the earth, and over the beasts of the field, and over the fowls of the air, and over the fishes of the sea.   2a ¶ Man, being in the likeness of God's person, they all recognize him as their Lord, and fear Him as a God.   2b And notwithstanding his degeneracy, he has retained so much of the divine likeness; that beasts, birds, and fishes, fear him, and his power is over them as a mighty one.   2c It is diminished as he has departed from the like...

James Strang   James Jesse Strang was born on March 21, 1813, in New York. He was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 25, 1844. Later that year, Joseph Smith was murdered. There was a succession crisis discussing who was going to be the next prophet of the church. During that crisis, Strang claimed to have a letter from Joseph Smith saying he was to become the next prophet. He also found some small plates in Voree, Wisconsin and claimed to have translated them. He was also said to have translated a portion of the brass plates, publishing this translation as the book of the law of the Lord in 1851. Thousands of Saints followed Strang. They were first located in Voree, Wisconsin, but later moved to Beaver Island, Michigan. On Beaver Island, he was coronated as king of the church. He was also elected to the government of Michigan in 1852 and 1854.  In 1856, some disaffected members of Strang's church shot him, killing him. Soon after, all th...