The Name of Jesus Christ, Part 4: A Tale of Two Carpenters

The worst fear that I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution, and be true. But my greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth; and yet they have to be tried with riches. 

—Quoted in Brigham Young: The Man and His Work

Preston Nibley, [1936], 128

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At first it may seem this post is about Brigham Young.

But it’s not.

Rather, I intend to use Brigham Young’s life as an illustration of an important principle regarding the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I’ll present some facts from President Young’s life that I hope we’ll find instructive.

Before I do so, I’ll reiterate my eternal gratitude for Brigham Young’s success at holding a large body of the church together after Joseph Smith’s death, relocating the Saints to the Great Basin, contributing to the growth of the church, keeping the scriptures in publication, and providing the foundation from which I became aware of the restoration of the gospel. Whatever his failings, they are between him and God. I offer only gratitude for Brigham Young’s life and accomplishments.

And, so with that foundation, let’s look at a brief sketch of Brigham Young’s life. Remember, this outline is in no way complete; we’re merely hitting the highlights.

Beginnings

Brigham was born June 1, 1801, in Whitingham, Vermont, the ninth of eleven children. His mother died when he was young, and Brigham apprenticed to a cabinet maker at age sixteen. After seven years of apprenticeship, he struck out on his own, got married, and built a carpenter shop and mill.

Brigham worked for 16 years as a carpenter and cabinetmaker at a time when the trade didn’t make much money, necessitating daily struggle to provide for his family. Brigham was no exception in the profession, and he spent many years quite poor, earning a subsistence living by his daily work.

His fortunes didn’t improve when he joined the church in 1832. A zealous and devoted convert, Brigham attended every meeting he could, often to the detriment of his labors. He traveled and served missions, leaving his family destitute. His devotion, faith and sacrifice are notable. His economic success is not.

Rise to Power 

Brigham Young was called as one of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835 and became president of the quorum in 1840, while on a mission in England.

Joseph Smith, and his appointed successor Hyrum Smith, both died June 27, 1844, leaving the LDS church without a president. Various men laid claim to lead the church, culminating in the August 8, 1844 vote in which Brigham prevailed—securing the right of the Quorum of the Twelve to lead the church in the absence of a First Presidency.

As president of the quorum, Brigham consolidated power, subordinating the Seventy, the Nauvoo High Council, and most of the high priests under the authority of the twelve. He presided over the exodus from Nauvoo, famously leading the saints to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. He then returned to Winter Quarters, Iowa that same year, encountering other companies of traveling saints on his way.

During these travels, he became increasingly alarmed that other apostles felt at liberty to alter Brigham’s instructions as the need arose, so that by the time Brigham arrived in Winter Quarters, he was determined to further consolidate power so his word could never be challenged.

After strenuous campaigning, and over the objections of some of the twelve, Brigham held a vote and got himself elected president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Winter Quarters in December 1847. His original intent that the twelve be caretakers of the church morphed into an absolute consolidation of power under himself.

Power Unlimited

Brigham Young became not only church president, but also territorial governor before Utah was a territory. Known for his fiery, autocratic rule as governor, Brigham Young consolidated control of both church and state into one man with absolute authority over both. When Utah did become a U.S. territory, Brigham’s appointment to a 4-year term as governor became official.

Though the term was prescribed as 4 years, Brigham insisted he would never relinquish the office of governor unless God commanded it. His refusal to step down resulted in his holding the office for seven years, until the President of the United States actually sent the U. S. Army to Utah to put down the “Mormon Rebellion,” pry Brigham Young from office, and install his successor.

As governor, Brigham was the de-facto king of the “kingdom,” using gospel loyalty to exert absolute dictatorial control over the legislature—a fact he freely admitted:

I am accused by our honorable judges who have left this Territory last fall of entering into the Legislative Hall and there dictating them. That is an objection that will be raised and will be presented to President Fillmore; that I entered into the Halls of Legislature and there dictate them. I do dictate and I never expect to see the day while I am Governor amongst this people that I don’t do it, and I want it published abroad for it is what I believe in, and it is what you believe in. ...I want these Gentlemen to realize, to be fully sensible of, is simply this; that when they meet here in a legislative capacity, not to forget that they are Elders in Israel, Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, that they are Saints of the Most High God, and I hope and pray that a feeling to the contrary of this may never arise in the bosom of anyone of these men. (Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Vol. 1, p. 476-7)

During his tenure as governor, Brigham Young introduced the controversial teaching of blood atonement, paving the way for, among other atrocities, the Mountain Meadows Massacre. To put it succinctly, Brigham taught that it was not only allowed, but actually required, to kill those who committed certain sins. He instituted a program of “Home Teaching” to remind the membership, by inquisitorial questions, that their conduct was being watched by the church and that unfaithfulness to the kingdom could result in dire consequences.

Brigham Young’s power extended even to control over life and death—a fact he used to intimidate his enemies. In a church conference, while complaining of a non-Mormon federal judge appointed in Utah, he said, “It is true, as it is said in the Report of these officers, if I had crooked my little finger, he would have been used up, but I did not bend it.” He went on to caution “apostates, or men who never have made any profession of religion, had better be careful how they come here, lest I should bend my little finger.” He made it clear he could have his enemies dispatched with the smallest of gestures.

Unlike the Book of Mormon prophets, Brigham refused to step down from his church office, and kept it until death, thus setting the president-for-life pattern that persists in the LDS church to this day—resulting in very elderly men bearing the heavy burdens of church government in their declining years.

Money

Brigham Young accumulated fabulous wealth during his tenure as church president. His extensive holdings included many houses, lands, factories, mining, farming, manufacturing, railroad, banking, and retail interests. His wealth allowed him to establish a private school for his children and the Lion House for his wives, and live like a king with servants, body guards, and assistants.

According to historian Leonard J. Arrington:

Brigham Young and other church authorities, when need required it, drew on the tithing resources of the church, and at a later date repaid part or all of the obligation in money, property, or services. No interest seems to have been paid for the use of these funds.... This ability to draw, almost at will, on church as well as his own funds, was a great advantage to Brigham Young and was certainly one of the reasons for his worldly success. (The Settlement of the Brigham Young Estate, 1877-1879, Reprinted from the Pacific Historical Review, vol. 21, no. 1, Feb. 1952, p.7-8)

Brigham didn’t have any problem with taking or borrowing tithing funds for personal uses. This created considerable difficulty after his death, as the church and Brigham’s many heirs tried to sort out who owned what. Though Brigham attempted at times to repay his debts to the tithing office by simply writing out a bill for “services rendered,” it was finally determined after his death that he owed the church over a million dollars, with the rest of his estate being divided among his heirs. Not satisfied, some of the heirs sued the church and gained additional concessions.

The best estimates place the value of Young’s estate at the time of his death around $1.6 million. Depending on the method used to calculate the value of the estate today, it comes in between $34 million and $3.2 billion in 2014 dollars. Regardless of how it’s calculated, it’s safe to say Brigham Young died an extremely wealthy man.

Sex 

Brigham Young took his first plural wife in 1842, when he was 41 years old. She was 20.

When he was 42, he married 3 more women, including a 19- and 15-year-old.

When he was 43, he added 15 more wives, 3 of whom were teenagers. That’s an average of more than one marriage per month, though the average is misleading. In actuality he married 2 in one day, then a week later married on 3 consecutive days, with the rest sprinkled throughout the year (including another double-header.)

When he was 44, Brigham Young added 21 more wives, 2 of whom were teenagers. Taken on the average, that would be nearly 2 new wives per month. But again, averages don’t tell the story. In actuality, he married 20 women during a single one-month period, with the record being 5 weddings for Brigham in a single day—February 3, 1846—which, I would imagine, complicated the wedding night considerably. Being that their ages were 55, 42, 41, 36, and 18, I suppose we can only speculate who the lucky girl was.

When he was 45, he married only one additional wife. She was 16.

In his 60’s, Brigham Young married 5 more wives, 3 of whom were in their early 20’s.

All told, Brigham Young had 55 wives, 9 of whom were teenagers on their wedding day, and 20 of whom were in their 20’s. Twenty-nine of the 55 wives were young enough to be his daughters or grand daughters when they married him. He didn’t earn the moniker, “Breed’em Young” for nothing.

In fairness, not all of Brigham’s marriages were conjugal, though it’s nearly impossible to determine with certainty which were and which were not. As far as historical records can determine, Brigham had 56-59 children by sixteen women, though it’s impossible to know for sure. According to the New York Times: “It is doubtful if Young knew, when he died, how many children he had, or where they all lived.” Nor could he account for all his wives, as he was divorced from ten.

The Carpenter’s Plight

Courtesy of Bare Record of Truth Blog

Brigham Young, carpenter and cabinetmaker, reached a pinnacle few man have surmounted in the history of the world. He conquered the trifecta of the natural man—with unlimited access to power, money and sex, virtually unchallenged by any foe but death.

Though despots, rulers, kings and popes have ever lusted for such circumstances as Brigham enjoyed, few have matched the magnitude of his attainments.

Men have amassed fortunes, no doubt. The lust for wealth is the most easily indulged.

Men have amassed power, even over life and death. But such power has generally come at the expense of security, with ambitious underlings seeking to overthrow the ruler. Those who maintain power through murder generally lose power in the same way.

And men have amassed harems, though seldom has such sexual promiscuity been socially acceptable and religiously encouraged as a sign of holiness. Few men can brag from the pulpit about their sexual virility with younger women as a point of religious approval.

No, Brigham’s achievement is almost without equal in the history of the world. He held membership in a very exclusive club indeed.

How Did He Get There?

And so we come to the most troubling question: How did the penniless, no-account cabinetmaker ascend and conquer the peak of all worldly lusts? What changed the trajectory of Brigham Young’s life from daily struggle, hard labor, and poverty, to wealth, power, luxury and indulgence?

Unfortunately, you and I know the answer.

Identity theft.

Brigham borrowed someone else’s name, and by doing so, gained obedience, money, power, and women. By convincing others of his unique standing and authority, as Christ’s true and only authorized representative, he could demand practically anything, upon threat of eternal damnation. Brigham held the keys, you see. You would be wise to submit to him.

“Nice soul you got there. It would be a real shame if something happened to it…” You get the drift.

The pinnacle of religious control always involves claims of keys. Here’s the Papal seal of the Roman Catholic Church. Note the crossed keys, representing the Pope’s keys of the kingdom, and godlike ability to offer salvation or inflict damnation. Do you also notice the gold and silver, the silk and scarlet, the fine-twined linen? 

And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots. (2 Nephi 13:7)

It seems the keys of the kingdom also fit the locks of the treasury, the brothel, and the halls of power. 

It is said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I don’t blame Brigham. Really, I don’t. I would have done much worse than he did. Again, the point is not to bash Brigham Young, but rather to evaluate the effects of claiming Christ’s name as a means of controlling others. Christ never intended His name to be used as a means of control. Said he,

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge...D&C 121:41-42)

When you can convince others that you speak for the Lord, that you cannot lead them astray, and that they must obey you or be damned, there’s truly no limit to what you can gain—all in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Other Carpenter

The title of this piece refers to two carpenters. One is Brigham Young, who ascended from humble beginnings to conquer the world. The other is the carpenter whose name Brigham borrowed.

Also from humble beginnings, this second carpenter descended below all things to conquer sin and death. He died penniless, nearly friendless, and seemingly powerless. Yet, He was the mightiest of all. He lived what he taught.


But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

—Matthew 23:11-12

PS: Literally, moments after I finished this post, I received an email ad for the following book by the wife of the current president of the Quorum of the Twelve. Given the discussion of keys in this post, and the prosperity gospel in the last post, this book may be very pertinent to the discussion. This author is the same person who taught "prosperity tithing" in January. 

So I went to Deseret Book’s website to check the book out. In an extremely ironic combination of topic and computer algorithm, the following illustration appeared directly below the book.

Almost 3 days later, it's still there. Someone needs to alert the good folks at Deseret Book.

Update 14 April, 2016: Nineteen days later, and the Jesus statue is still on sale at Deseret Book, with its head still covered by a sale medallion. Seriously, people?