Apostle Ezra Taft Benson instructs BYU students in televised address "Fourteen Fundamentals In Following the Prophets," including: "1. The Prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything. 2. The living Prophet is more vital to us than the standard works [of scripture]. 3. The living Prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet. 4. The Prophet will never lead the Church astray. 5. The Prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or to give us scripture. . . . 11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich." In the national publicity resulting from this talk some Mormon academics interpret this as Benson's way of preparing for his own presidency of the LDS church. Benson had prepared a different topic but changed abruptly when a full-page ad appeared in the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE two days previously for THE CHANGING WOR
LD OF MORMONISM by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. The ad emphasized supposed contradictions between different LDS prophets. First Presidency's spokesman publicly counters that is "simply not true" that LDS president's "word is law on all issues-including politics." Privately, church president Spencer W. Kimball is "concerned" about Elder Benson's talk and wants "to protect the Church against being misunderstood as espousing ultraconservative politics, or-in this case-espousing an unthinking 'follow the leader' mentality." However, those concerns have neither the circulation nor publicity of Benson's original talk. Next week Kimball requires Benson to explain himself and his motives to private meeting of all general authorities. (1)
-- 30 years ago - Feb 26, 1980
Steve Christensen writes to Gordon B. Hinckley asking if he would like him to donate the "Salamander Letter" to the LDS Church. Hinckley responds with a phone call saying that the Church wanted the letter. On Apr. 12 Christensen gives the letter to the Church (1)
-- 25 years ago - Feb 26, 1985
Ciudad Juarez Mexico Temple; Location: Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; Announcement: 7 May 1998; Dedication: 26 February 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley; Style: Classic modern, single-spire design (2)
-- 10 years ago - Feb 26, 2000
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html
2 - Wikipedia, List of Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#List_of_temples
-- Tour through Mormon history: http://mormon-church-history.blogspot.com
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