Brigham Young

Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 - August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After Joseph Smith, the founder, was killed in 1844 by a lynch mob while awaiting trial for charges of treason in Nauvoo, Illinois, Young was appointed the faith's new leader.

Young led a group from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City in what is now Utah, where he established what the Mormons call New Zion. While in Salt Lake Brigham Young started a school (Brigham Young University) and a clothing store, ZCMI (Zion Cooperative Mercantile Exchange). ZCMI was later purchased by Meyer & Frank, and in 2006 was purchased by Macy's. Prior to the sale, ZCMI was solely owned an operated by the LDS church.

Significant Dates and Events in the Lifetime of Brigham Young

Church Membership 1844: 35,000 (est.) 1877: 155,000 (est.)
1877 - Stakes: 20 Missions: 9 Temples 1
U.S. Population, 1877: 48 million (est.)
World Population, 1877: 1.3 billion (est.)
US. Presidents (1844-77): John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant

1801 Brigham Young was born in Whittingham, Windham County, Vermont, June 1.

1815 Mother died; Brigham began to earn his own way in life, eventually becoming a carpenter.

1822 Joined the Methodist Church, September.

1824 Married Miriam Works, Aurelius, New York, October 8.

1829 Moved to Mendon, New York, where his father and most of his brothers and sisters lived.

1830 Samuel H. Smith, as a missionary, left a copy of the Book of Mormon at the home of Phineas Young, brother to Brigham; Phineas read the book and then Brigham read it.

1832 Baptized into the Church by Eleazar Miller, who ordained him an elder, April 14. Brigham converted all his brothers and sisters, his father, and his wife. Brigham arrived in Kirtland with his brother Joseph and Heber C. Kimball; they met with the Prophet Joseph Smith, September.

1832-33 Served mission to Canada and later led many converts to Kirtland.

1833 Moved to Kirtland with his two daughters.

1834 Married Mary Ann Angell, February; joined in march of Zion's Camp.

1834-35 Worked on Kirtland Temple, supervising carpentry work.

1835 Ordained an apostle by Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, February 15; was a member of the original Quorum of the Twelve (age 33).

1836 Helped complete the Kirtland Temple; did missionary work in Eastern States.

1837 Fled to Missouri with Joseph Smith due to persecution.

1838 Became senior member of the Council of the Twelve, directed the Church while Joseph Smith was in prison; led exodus from Missouri.

1839-41 Served mission to Great Britain.

1840 Was sustained as President of the Council of the Twelve, April 14, at age 38.

1843 Served short mission to Eastern States.

1844 Martyrdom of Prophet Joseph Smith. Brigham spoke to the Saints on August 4 and was transfigured before them; the Saints accepted him as their leader.

1844-77 Missions were opened in Wales, California, France, Scandinavia, Italy, Switzerland, the Sandwich Islands, Australia, India, Malta, Gibraltar, Germany, Europe, South Africa, Siam, the Netherlands, the Eastern and Southern States. and Indian Territory.

The following became states: Florida, Iowa, California, Oregon, West Virginia, Nebraska, Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Nevada, Colorado.

Quotations from Brigham Young

America

To accuse us of being unfriendly to the government is to accuse us of hostility to our religion, for no item of inspiration is held more sacred with us than the Constitution under which America acts.

Apostasy

We may apostatize from the faith, and go out of the church and kingdom of God, and be lost; but this will have no effect upon the progress of the Lord's work, neither can all the powers of hell combined accomplish aught against it.

Book of Mormon

There is not another nation under heaven, in whose midst the Book of Mormon could have been brought forth. The Lord had been operating for centuries to prepare the way for the coming forth of the contents of that book from the bowels of the earth, to be published to the world, to show to the inhabitants thereof that he still lives, and that he will, in the latter days, gather his elect from the four corners of the earth.

Children

Teach your children from their youth, never to set their hearts immoderately upon any objects of this world. Bring them up in the love and fear of the Lord; study their dispositions and deal with them accordingly, never allowing yourself to correct them in the heat of passion; teach them to love you rather than to fear you, and let it be your constant care that the children that God has so kindly given you are taught the importance of the oracles of God, and the beauty of the principles of our holy religion.

Christ

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, who came in the meridian of time, performed his work, suffered the penalty and paid the debt of man's original sin by offering up himself, was resurrected from the dead, and ascended to his Father. The Lord has revealed to us a plan by which we may be saved both here and hereafter. God has done everything we could ask, and more than we could ask. The errand of Jesus to earth was to bring his brethren and sisters back into the presence of the Father; he has done his part of the work, and it remains for us to do ours. There is not one thing that the Lord could do for the salvation of the human family that he has neglected to do; and it remains for the children of men to receive the truth or reject it; all that can be accomplished for their salvation, independent of them, has been accomplished in and by the Savior.

Sources

• West, Emerson Roy. Profiles of the Presidents, Deseret Book Co: Utah (1972)