Please leave a comment if you read this article. It has had MANY page views but no comments and I am wondering if real people are reading it. Please let me know if this is being read by actual people. Also, an update is forthcoming. I have been conducting more research in Church archives and will report on it soon.
While I often strive to produce scholarship that is purely academic without any religious undertones, as I am currently doing with my work analyzing the tension between libertarians and Abraham Lincoln, I am at my core a full fledged, dedicated, and committed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such, my thoughts, motivations, and actions are driven by my faith. Although I often produce work which does not overtly state or indicate my religious beliefs, those beliefs nonetheless influence my work--both in the approach I take in my research as I try to be honest, open, and fair, as well as in the final result that hopefully presents my conclusions and views with respect, dignity, and objectivity.
During my time researching Abraham Lincoln these past few months, I have taken some time to engage in a religious study of the man even though that research will not be utilized in my final academic paper. Over the course of my studies, I have focused on the words of living prophets and any time they have referenced Lincoln. During my life alone, there have been nearly 200 references to Abraham Lincoln by Church leaders and in Church publications. Despite an enormous amount of references, I have only found positive things concerning Abraham Lincoln's life, accomplishments, and mission. Of particular interest were any references from Ezra Taft Benson, the most politically astute prophet of our dispensation. In addition to President Benson, three other prophets have spoken out substantially concerning political and Constitutional issues. Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, and David O. McKay were also very vocal in their support of our Constitution and Republican form of government. As such, they all had some very pointed things to say concerning Abraham Lincoln as well.
Before addressing the references made by President Benson, however, I will briefly present some of the teachings from other Latter-day prophets in regard to our nation's 16th president. Beginning with President McKay, he expressed a sentiment that is reiterated by other prophets in grouping Lincoln with the inspired and elite class of men who were the Founders of this nation. Expressing this sentiment, McKay stated "We should be grateful for our Founding Fathers, for Washington and Lincoln, and for our boys and other great men who have fought and died for our freedom" (Source: Man May Know for Himself 387-88). President McKay was not the first prophet to speak of Lincoln in such glowing terms.
George Albert Smith, McKay's predecessor, declared that Abraham Lincoln "gave his life because of his desire for the perpetuation of the liberty that was guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States." This single statement seems a direct contradiction to the views many Latter-day Saints subscribe to which have been perpetuated by modern libertarian thinkers who advocate that Lincoln was a tyrant who ignored the Constitution. President Smith further described Lincoln's dedication to the Constitution by stating that "when the duty was placed upon him to battle for the liberties of mankind, he dedicated his life to this purpose, and in due time, our Father in heaven accepted his offering, and his name is emblazoned upon the pages of history as a great and noble man who dared to do right, and his praises will be sung and his virtues extolled throughout all time" (emphasis added, "Lincoln and This Land," 77). Despite serving as a prophet for only a brief time, George Albert Smith was an ardent patriot and vocal supporter of the Constitution. For a collection of his many teachings in regards to the inspired document, our need to defend it, and the attacks it will face, see http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/latter-day-prophets-and-united-states-constitution/8-george-albert-smith. Unfortunately, President Smith would seem to differ in sentiment with several modern Latter-day Saints in his assessment that praises would be sung to Lincoln and his "virtues extolled throughout all time." There are many today who subscribe to the revisionist interpretations of Lincoln's legacy and character, interpretations put forth by progressives, libertarians, and liberals alike.
It is not surprising that Lincoln was regarded so highly and referenced so frequently during the administrations of those two prophets, as well as Heber J. Grant. These three men served as President of the Church for more than half of the entire 20th century--a century where agency, freedom, and liberty came under attack like no other time in history. From 1918 to 1970, when Presidents Grant, Smith, and McKay led the Church, the world endured two World Wars, the rise of fascist, socialist, and communist governments, the aggression of those governments in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and a destruction of freedom and liberty for millions upon millions of civilians throughout the world. Even at home, in the land of promise and the divinely inspired country of America, we were warned about the intrusion of these pervasive influences that could erode our liberties enshrined in our country's founding documents. President Grant declared FDR's policies as nothing more than "neo-socialism" and lamented the Saints support of the U.S. President despite his efforts to warn them of extremist tendencies. President Grant had himself been a Democrat until the rise of FDR, at which point he was driven from the party.
During his time as President, as he saw the greatest and most rapid rise of these elements opposed to individual liberty and agency--even within his own government and country--President Grant offered one of the most direct defenses of Abraham Lincoln which, again, stands in direct opposition to the rapidly rising discontent in the modern world concerning our 16th President. In the words of President Grant:
"Every Latter-day Saint believes that Abraham Lincoln was raised up and inspired of God, and that he reached the Presidency of the United States under the favor of our Heavenly Father. . . ...We honor the man that God honors. We honor Abraham Lincoln because we believe absolutely that God honored him and raised him up to be the instrument in His hands of saving the Constitution and the Union" (”Lincoln and Law” 73, 127).Again, there cannot be any doubt from this statement that Abraham Lincoln was not a tyrant bent on the destruction of rights while turning his back on the Constitution (Ironically, Lincoln's suspension of habeus corpus, which is the clarion piece of evidence used by libertarians in proving Lincoln's disdain for the Constitution and his tyrannical nature, is a right itself granted by the Constitution in time of war or crisis. Although there can be debate about his performing this action that is given to congress, not the President, by the Constitution, is beside the point--in essence, this is an administrative debate, not one of the destruction of rights. Whether done by Congress or the President, there is nonetheless granted by the Constitution itself the ability to suspend habeus corpus. Ironically, the delegates at the Constitutional Convention themselves couldn't agree on whether this right should remain with the Congress or President, and only settled when they didn't care to debate it any further).
These three men all spoke out clearly, consistently, and repeatedly about the Constitution's prominence and the threats it would face. These three men also all spoke out in defense of Abraham Lincoln as a man raised up by God to defend that Constitution and save the United States of America. Following the period of time when these three men served, which ended with President McKay's death in 1970, Abraham Lincoln has continued to feature prominently in the teachings and remarks of the leaders of the Church. There have been 56 references to Abraham Lincoln in General Conference alone since 1971. During that same span, he has been referenced 173 times in Church magazines and 6 times in official Church manuals. Of these 235 references, none are critical of the man, his mission, or accomplishments. Perhaps the most glowing reference to Lincoln during this time was an address given during General Conference in October 1976. Elder Mark E. Peterson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and, like President Benson, one of the most politically astute Church leaders of our time, devoted an entire sermon to the inspired life of Abraham Lincoln. Entitled "The Savor of Men," Elder Peterson's talk opened with a succinct summation of what he would address. His purpose was declared immediately as he opened with the words,
"I would like to talk with you about Abraham Lincoln, man of God. President Lincoln was one of the great men of all time, and the reason for his greatness was his willingness to acknowledge and obey the Lord. He believed in God; he lived near to God; he prayed most earnestly and knew for a fact that he was guided by divine inspiration in his important work."
Although Elder Peterson was learned in the history of our nation and in political matters, he was simply a student of the man who is arguably the most politically astute, aware, and inspired man to ever serve in the leadership of the Church--Ezra Taft Benson. President Benson was given a blessing early in his Church service by David O. McKay, who was then serving as President of the Church. This blessing bestowed upon Ezra Taft Benson the ability to be perceptive of threats to the Constitution and a deep commitment to the founding principles of the United States of America, principles enshrined by our Founders, principles of individual liberty and agency. Throughout President Benson's vociferous writings of warning to members of the Church, he never spoke critically of Abraham Lincoln nor held him up as an example of one who weakened the Constitution. On the contrary, President Benson positively referenced Abraham Lincoln in such landmark speeches as "The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner", "Righteousness Exalteth a Nation," and "Americans are Destroying America."
In the first of these addresses, "The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner," President Benson spoke in his capacity as Prophet while addressing the students of BYU in a devotional on 16 September 1986. President Benson's entire address was dedicated to the Constitution, and he outlined several principles clarifying its divine origins, the threats it will face in our day, and our responsibility to defend and uphold its principles. Perhaps in the most glancing blow to libertarians who vilify Lincoln as one who deplored rather than defended the Constitution, President Benson stated the exact opposite. In his remarks, President Benson actually enlisted Lincoln as a member of his team comprised of those who defend and support the Constitution. In his second point of his address, President Benson implored us to "learn the Constitution and abide by its precepts." He even asks us, as Latter-day Saints, if we "are aware of its principles? Could we defend it? Can we recognize when a law is unconstitutionally sound?" He then clarifies that "The Church will not tell us how to do this, but we are admonished to do it." And who does he immediately quote, immediately after asking these questions, in order to help us know how to do this--how to defend the Constitution--Abraham Lincoln. President Benson then quoted the following words of Lincoln, "Let [the Constitution] be taught in schools, in seminaries,
and in colleges; let it be written in primers, spelling-books, and in
almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative
halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become
the political religion of the nation."
"I recalled the terrible winter at Valley Forge and Washington on his knees in the snow, praying for divine aid. I thought of the words of Abraham Lincoln during another time of crisis as he said humbly: 'I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.' Washington acknowledged God’s direction and stated, 'Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. . . . Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.' (Farewell address.) Lincoln knew that God rules in the affairs of men and nations. He solemnly declared: “God rules this world. It is the duty of nations as well as men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow . . . and to recognize the sublime truth that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord” (p. 399).
In the last defense of Abraham Lincoln that I will offer from President Benson, the topic of America being destroyed by Americans is the topic which Ezra Taft Benson was discussing. These remarks come from a General Conference address he delivered in April 1968 when he was serving as an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve. It seems that, of all places to implicate Lincoln as an anti-Founder who did more to destroy their work rather than support it, this would be the talk where that would happen. Elder Benson was not speaking of foreign influences, but rather of the cancer that would grow from within. Yet he still enlists Lincoln as a supporter of his argument rather than an example of that which he was warning us from. The following are excerpts from that talk:
"If American freedom is lost, if America is destroyed, if our blood-bought freedom is surrendered, it will be because of Americans. What’s more, it will probably not be only the work of subversive and criminal Americans. The Benedict Arnolds will not be the only ones to forfeit our freedom.President Benson again clarifies that there have been and will continue to be dire and immediate threats to our Constitution, but he also clarifies that none was posed by our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. On the contrary, it is clear from President Benson's writings that Abraham Lincoln was a man who not only relied on the Lord, but on whom the Lord relied as well. He was a man of God, who did right according to the times and circumstances in which he lived. These sentiments have been reiterated by dozens of other Church leaders and prophets over the past 100 years. Abraham Lincoln lived during the greatest crisis this nation has ever faced. He led this nation at a time when no one could who didn't fully and wholeheartedly rely on the divine arm of Providence. It is no surprise that heated debate continues to surround his legacy today, as it does for anyone who stands up for what is right, proclaims what is unpopular, and acts in harmony with a divine will that is right despite what worldly opinion may claim.
'At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected?' asked Abraham Lincoln, and he answered, 'If it ever reaches us, it must spring up among us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher; as a nation of freemen, we must live through all time or die by suicide.' (Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1837.)If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers–normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free – Americans who have been lulled away into a false security."
And so I close as I began, with the words of President David O. McKay concerning this great land of liberty and the role Lincoln played in preserving it:
"To live in a land in which each individual has the right to life and liberty is a glorious privilege. If any man in this country prefers a government ruled by a dictator, he should go where the dictator rules; but here in the United States of America the people believe in a government as Abraham Lincoln declared, 'of the people, by the people, and for the people'"(General Conference, April 1940, CR p. 118).**UPDATE** After writing my first draft of “Latter-day Lincoln,” I discovered an online archive of all General Conference addresses since 1851, thus enabling me to search for Lincoln references prior to the year 1971. Not surprisingly, I discovered that Abraham Lincoln has been the most referenced, discussed, and quoted individual in General Conference who was not, during their lifetime, a member of the Church. There have been 490 references to or quotations from Abraham Lincoln in General Conference since 1860. Lincoln has been referenced more than any other Founding Father, including George Washington. In fact, if you combine ALL references to Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, you actually arrive at the total number of references to one man--Abraham Lincoln. On 6 occasions, Washington and Lincoln are mentioned as a pair, a pair which on all occasions was heralded as an example of righteousness and faithful devotion to the Almighty. (See end of article for exact reference numbers of various phrases and individuals)
Of the contemporary references to Lincoln during the 1860s, none are critical, though all are passing references and offer little either way in terms of commentary on the man himself. For the next several decades, Lincoln references are few and far between. In the 1920s, however, Lincoln references skyrocketed and he remained very much a part of General Conference through the 1970s. While I cannot prove this definitively, I would postulate that there is some connection between this dramatic spike in Lincoln references and the rise of Progressivism during the same time period, a period during which Lincoln’s legacy was being hijacked by Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and other Progressive leaders. This was also a period where the Constitution came under attack more than any other time in history save the Civil War, and a period of time during which dictators and tyrants around the world rose to positions of power on a scale never before seen in the history of the world. Freedoms were being destroyed for millions of God’s children throughout the world, and philosophies directly opposed to those of the Gospel were being promulgated on a large scale; philosophies such as socialism, communism, and fascism. During the decades where those philosophies were strongest and freedom was under the most vehement attacks, Lincoln references in General Conference were greater than any other time in history. I do not feel that this was a coincidence, and I do not feel that a man NOT called and raised up of God would be referred to so frequently by men who are also called and raised up by God. Lincoln was not a member during his lifetime, though the Church felt so strongly about his righteousness before the Lord that they performed all his vicarious ordinances on the 100th anniversary of his birth, and sealed him to his wife as well as to the sweetheart of his youth, Anne Rutledge, who died young and forced Lincoln into a long period of despondency.
A few of the interesting references to Lincoln follow. The first mention that Lincoln was a man of God, raised up by God, and acted in harmony with God’s will, was made by apostle Hyrum W. Smith in 1905. In 1930, apostle Richard Lyman talked about the current trend to disregard the Constitution and actually addressed people who also ridiculed Lincoln. Elder Lyman believed that to attack the Constitution was equal to attacking Lincoln, and pined about why he felt both were under attack by progressives and other emerging political ideologies. Shortly after Elder Lyman’s remarks, in 1934, J. Reuben Clark spoke as a member of the First Presidency. In his remarks, President Clark elaborated on the character of Abraham Lincoln and expressed his belief that the only person alive at that time who possessed so noble and honest a character was Heber J. Grant, who was then serving as President of the Church. It would be Heber J. Grant himself who, only 6 years later, would write: "Every Latter-day Saint believes that Abraham Lincoln was raised up and inspired of God, and that he reached the Presidency of the United States under the favor of our Heavenly Father. . . ...We honor the man that God honors. We honor Abraham Lincoln because we believe absolutely that God honored him and raised him up to be the instrument in His hands of saving the Constitution and the Union” (Improvement Era, February 1940).
In regards to the quote from President Grant, I wanted to see the actual source. I have read it many times, and while I did not doubt the cited reference, I wanted to see the original statement for myself. The Church provided me with a copy of the article President Grant wrote for the “Improvement Era” in February 1940. The article, titled “Lincoln and Law,” was not penned as an opinion or editorial by President Grant, but was written as a declaration by the prophet with his title attached as President of the Church. The majority of the article is actually quoted scripture, taken primarily from Doctrine and Covenants. The article was actually written much as a “First Presidency Message” would be in our modern day “Ensign.” It was an official statement from the President of the Church, presented to the entire body of the Church via an established channel of communication to all members of the Church.
I have also encountered several articles written by Latter-day Saints who, just like me, have endeavored to present a LDS perspective on Abraham Lincoln. Sadly, I have read some that demonize and vilify our 16th President. The most vehement oddly ignore the words of Church leaders and are littered with quotations from ultra-libertarian scholars and other historians who have sought to vilify Lincoln. If they wish to bring religion into the debate about Lincoln, than they need to do just that--bring religion into it. You cannot claim to present a LDS perspective on Abraham Lincoln and ignore the massive amount of teachings from several Church leaders which directly and succinctly discuss Lincoln. Further, one author included some remarks from Brigham Young’s diaries and personal writings that were critical of Lincoln and attempted to elevate Brigham’s private ruminations to the status of revealed truth, an exercise of futility, to be sure. Additionally, Brigham’s opinion of Lincoln actually changed and it became one of mutual respect. This LDS author’s article is also, sadly, filled with outright lies. Perhaps the most apparent is his claim that Lincoln intentionally appointed anti-Mormon governors to the Utah territory. The truth of Lincoln’s appointments, is the polar opposite of that claim. Lincoln actually removed an anti-Mormon territorial governor, at the request of the Mormons themselves, and replaced him with a governor of more respect and one who shared Lincoln’s view towards Mormons to simply “leave them alone” and let them be.
There will be more updates to this article, I am sure, and I will post them as they are written. Please leave a comment if you read this so that I am aware of whether this is being read by real people are being viewed by automated programs. Also, see below for the list of General Conference references and the specific number of times each phrase in quotations has been mentioned in General Conference since 1851.
General Conference References:
“Lincoln” - 512 (22 were non-Abraham Lincoln references; 490 were referencing Abraham Lincoln the man)
“President Lincoln” - 30
“President Washington” - 2
“Abraham Lincoln” - 230
“George Washington” - 133
“Benjamin Franklin” - 62
“Thomas Jefferson” - 43
“John Adams” - 23
“Founding Fathers” - 85
“Washington and Lincoln” - 6
