Previously unpublished talks by Bruce R. McConkie

[inho]

The latest leak by MormonLeaks is actually really interesting. They published 37 documents written by Bruce R. McConkie. These include undelivered talks and drafts of talks. There are several gems among these. Since these are leaked documents, and they are transcribed pdfs, it is impossible to be 100% sure about their provenance, but they seem legit to me.

I haven't read through all of them yet. So far, my favourite is a document titled THE RECEIPT OF THE REVELATION OFFERING THE PRIESTHOOD TO MEN OF ALL RACES AND COLORS, where McConkie gives very detailed account about the events surrounding the lifting of the priesthood/temple ban.

[inho]

I also like the transcript of Untitled handwritten talk. In it McConkie writes:

I shall tell you of a vision I seemed to see when I removed the seal from a sacred book
and began to study, ponder, and pray about the things I found written therein.

Then he describes the events relating to the raising Lazarus from dead, as if he had been present there himself.

[inho]

From Christ and Adam:

Evolution is not a science; it is a religion—a false and evil religion.
...
Evolution has its own church. Darwin, who how holds a position of influence in the courts of hell, is its patron saint.

From Miscellaneous Questions and Answers:

Question: In your article, “Christ and the Creation,” (Ensign, June, 1982), you speak of the “seeds planted by the creators.” To what do you refer?

Answer: When they, the creators, that is all the noble and great ones who helped Elohim, Jehovah and Michael in the creation, when they helped they literally planted seeds. This we understand from both the temple account and the Pearl of Great Price accounts of the creation.

Where did they get the seeds? From another sphere, from which they brought them. This means that the same kinds of animals and vegetables exist on all other worlds. The seeds came from some other planet, or planets. The same thing is true of horses, elephants and all animals. But this is so far beyond the saints that we don’t preach it.

It means some resurrected elephants came and had offspring. Afterwards came the fall of Adam. All this is had in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. That’s why we don’t have the sealed portions. We’re trying to be kind to all the evolutionists at the BYU, hoping that if given time and opportunity, they will repent and believe the gospel. For political reasons we don’t tell them more. It was the same with Peter and the issue of circumcision among the Jews. (MLM Journal, March 12, 1984).

Evolution is also mentioned at least in the documents Answers Grounded in Truth, All Things: Their Creation, Fall, and Redemption, and A Convert Called Peter.

[inho]

From Miscellaneous Questions and Answers:

Question: What is the meaning of the Prophet’s language in the King Follett Discourse regarding spirits and intelligence?

Answer: Footnote number 8 on page 354 of the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which was written by B. H. Roberts, is in error. Brother Roberts was one of those who propounded the idea of a pre-existence to the pre-existence. Joseph Smith’s doctrine, on the other hand, is that spirit has always existed, though spirits have not. That is, the spirit element from which the spirits of men were made has always existed, though the spirits of men have not always existed as they now do or as they did in the pre-existence. Abraham, like Joseph Smith, uses the word “intelligence” as a synonym for “spirit;” “intelligences,” then, is synonymous with “spirits.”

When we say that God is our Father, or the Father of our Spirits, we mean just that. We are his begotten spirits, Christ being the Firstborn or First Begotten. Thus, when we were born in the pre-mortal sphere as spirits, we were created out of existing element called spirit (or intelligence, to use Abraham’s phrase).

...

Question: Were spirit children born through the same process as mortal children—meaning through the union of the sexes?

Answer: It is obviously so, and I have heard President Kimball say so. (MLM Journal, Feb. 26, 1984).

[inho]

Elder Bruce R. McConkies talk in an area conference held in Mexico City in 1972 is quoted often. For example the Sunday School manual for Doctrine and Covenants have this quote:

“[The] revealed words speak of … there being congregations of the covenant people of the Lord in every nation, speaking every tongue, and among every people when the Lord comes again. …

“The place of gathering for the Mexican Saints is in Mexico; the place of gathering for the Guatemalan Saints is in Guatemala; the place of gathering for the Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; and so it goes throughout the length and breadth of the whole earth. Japan is for the Japanese; Korea is for the Koreans; Australia is for the Australians; every nation is the gathering place for its own people” (in Conference Report, Mexico and Central America Area Conference 1972, 45).

It seems that we now have the whole talk online: Conference in Mexico - A talk prepared to be delivered in Mexico in August 1972. The same quote from this document:

Please note that the revealed word speaks of the folds of the Lord; of Israel being gathered to the lands of their inheritance; of Israel being established in all their lands of promise; and of there being congregations of the covenant people of the Lord in every nation, speaking every tongue, and among every people when the Lord comes again.

...

The place of gathering for the Mexican Saints is in Mexico; the place of gathering for the Guatemalan Saints is in Guatemala; the place of gathering for the Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; and so it goes throughout the length and breadth of the whole earth. Japan is for the Japanese; Korea is for the Koreans; Australia is for the Australians; every nation is the gathering place for its own people.

[inho]

This should be of interest for members of this forum, from Devotional Service - A talk that was prepared for a December 1975 BYU devotional:

If we are taught that the dictatorial power needed to impose social programs upon us is really in the public interest, we may end up subject to the slavery of state socialism.

[inho]

from Unpublished article McConkie wrote for the Easter 1981 First Presidency Message

It is clear to all that nations the world over are arming themselves with the most awesome and destructive weapons ever devised by men. We deplore the use of nuclear weaponry with its terrible potential for the destruction of life, property, and even of civilization itself. We recognize that such weaponry exists in a number of nations and that others are devoting their wealth and means to acquire it. All history attests that armed nations become warring nations, and it was the Prince of Peace who said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” (Matt. 26:52.)

Our constant prayer is that the United States of America will spare no effort in seeking to reach an understanding with other nations that would stop a catastrophic nuclear arms race. We hope and pray that the American nation will be a beacon of righteousness to all the world and will qualify to receive the Book of Mormon promise: “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” (Ether 2:12.)

[inho]

So far, my favourite is a document titled THE RECEIPT OF THE REVELATION OFFERING THE PRIESTHOOD TO MEN OF ALL RACES AND COLORS, where McConkie gives very detailed account about the events surrounding the lifting of the priesthood/temple ban.

It is actually sad that this came out as a leaked file. If this really is written by Bruce R. MConkie, this is a very important document. I'm sure that journals like the Dialogue or Journal of Mormon History (or maybe even BYU Studies) would have liked to publish this (with the scans of the original, if it was handwritten), preferably with introduction and comments from some scholar.

[Silver]

from Unpublished article McConkie wrote for the Easter 1981 First Presidency Message

It is clear to all that nations the world over are arming themselves with the most awesome and destructive weapons ever devised by men. We deplore the use of nuclear weaponry with its terrible potential for the destruction of life, property, and even of civilization itself. We recognize that such weaponry exists in a number of nations and that others are devoting their wealth and means to acquire it. All history attests that armed nations become warring nations, and it was the Prince of Peace who said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” (Matt. 26:52.)

Our constant prayer is that the United States of America will spare no effort in seeking to reach an understanding with other nations that would stop a catastrophic nuclear arms race. We hope and pray that the American nation will be a beacon of righteousness to all the world and will qualify to receive the Book of Mormon promise: “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” (Ether 2:12.)

These are great. How can we know for certain that they are authentic?

[inho]

These are great. How can we know for certain that they are authentic?

We can't. But so far I have found nothing that would give anyone a motive to fake these. Sure, there are some controversial stuff (like the statements on evolution), but there is nothing weirder than there was in McConkie's Mormon Doctrine.

[inho]

These are great. How can we know for certain that they are authentic?

We can't. But so far I have found nothing that would give anyone a motive to fake these. Sure, there are some controversial stuff (like the statements on evolution), but there is nothing weirder than there was in McConkie's Mormon Doctrine.

With some imanigation, I can come up with a reason to fake these. They could use these as a way to build trust on MormonLeaks in preparation to some major faked leak which would shake the foundation of our faith. This kind of leak would attract believing Mormons to their site and thus make it more known. However, this is just a crazy conspiracy theory.

[Silver]

These are great. How can we know for certain that they are authentic?

We can't. But so far I have found nothing that would give anyone a motive to fake these. Sure, there are some controversial stuff (like the statements on evolution), but there is nothing weirder than there was in McConkie's Mormon Doctrine.

The art industry likes to use a term called provenance which tracks the ownership, authenticity and location of works of art. I haven't bothered to look into MormonLeaks, but do they not give a source of their material so the researcher or the curious can confirm?

[inho]

The art industry likes to use a term called provenance which tracks the ownership, authenticity and location of works of art. I haven't bothered to look into MormonLeaks, but do they not give a source of their material so the researcher or the curious can confirm?

They give absolutely no sources. Since they want to make sure that the leakers remain anonymous, they will not comment the sources in any way.

[inho]

Here is a link to a blog post written by Dennis B. Horne, who has written biography of Bruce R. McConkie. He laments that these private documents were leaked through anti-Mormons. Nevertheless, he gives some background to the documents. He points out that some of them have actually been published before or have been rewritten in some published talks. He seemed to be aware of the existence of the memo on the Priesthood Revelation.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s Leaked Papers: a Sorry and Sad but Salvageable Situation

[Silver]

Here is a link to a blog post written by Dennis B. Horne, who has written biography of Bruce R. McConkie. He laments that these private documents were leaked through anti-Mormons. Nevertheless, he gives some background to the documents. He points out that some of them have actually been published before or have been rewritten in some published talks. He seemed to be aware of the existence of the memo on the Priesthood Revelation.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s Leaked Papers: a Sorry and Sad but Salvageable Situation

Dennis Horne wouldn't happen to be related to David Horne of George Albert Smith "revelation" fame would he?

[inho]

Dennis Horne wouldn't happen to be related to David Horne of George Albert Smith "revelation" fame would he?

So that is why the name sounded familiar. I don't know if Dennis and David are related. Google didn't help either.

[inho]

Mormon Leaks has published more McConkie documents:
https://mormonleaks.io/wiki/index.php?t ... kie_Papers

[inho]

from Restitution of all things (Lecture given by Bruce R. McConkie during the 1967 CES Conference on the campus of BYU).

No, this isn’t talking about David the king. I don’t know who it is talking about, but I think I have a pretty good idea. I think it must mean that Christ is going to reign. David will rule over them and Christ is going to be the David that rules over the earth. Now, I’m not just too sure that that is the whole thing because Joseph Smith does say something about David ruling over them, David in the last days, and the issue becomes one of whether the David is Christ. But the whole tenor and teaching is that Christ is going to reign personally on the earth and be as David. David is the symbol of Christ in a way. He is the temporal ruler and Christ comes as the spiritual ruler and reigns on the throne of David. It doesn’t mean that the literal David of old is coming back. That part is clear.

[inho]

from Mortal Birth of Our Lord (Lecture given by Bruce R. McConkie during the 1967 CES Conference on the campus of BYU.)

Well, I do not know. . . (inaudible) . . . he had his agency. If he had failed on his mission he would have ended up with Lucifer, would he not? He would have been a Son of Perdition; he would have been cast out. It is theoretically true that he had his agency and he could have fallen, but if he had done that, the whole system would have stopped and some other provision would have had to have been made for a redeemer, but you see, when you get talking about that, you are way off and . . . (inaudible) . . . I agree that theoretically he could have fallen because he had his agency, and he could have refused to do it, but actually that is just so far outside the realm of what would have been, that it is highly speculative.

[inho]

from Keys of the Kingdom (Lecture given by Bruce R. McConkie during the 1967 CES Conference on the campus of BYU. )

Well, these are talked about in a lot of places, except Raphael. He is not talked about in any place except the Apocrypha. We know who Michael is. We know who Gabriel is. We do not know who Raphael is, so I will put it on the board. I do not know who he was, but he had to be either Enoch, or somebody from Enoch’s dispensation. And the reason that this is so, is just obvious. You can take every one of the Biblical dispensations and you can identify who came from that dispensation, and you can’t identify a living soul that came from Enoch’s dispensation. But we know the principle that somebody came from every one. And so, just by a pure process of elimination, you have to conclude that it was either Enoch or someone who held the keys in his dispensation.

[inho]

John the Baptist (Lecture given by Bruce R. McConkie during the 1967 CES Conference on the campus of BYU.)

“Here is the mother of the Lord. Here is the person who is going to be the mortal mother of the man that you came to be the forerunner of.” And the babe leaps in the womb. Now you think, well, how do you know that this is a witness and direct admission? The mere fact that it is recited in the scripture in this way, is that sort of an indication. This is a testimony being born by someone before he comes in to mortality and after he has left pre-existence.

Now one of the doctrinal sidelines of this, that is important to us, is the fact that it indicates when the spirit enters the body. Brigham Young’s statement, as you may know is, that the spirit enters the body at the time of quickening when the mother feels life. Well, this is before six months at least, in the case of John the Baptist, with the explanation that is in the text about Jesus speaking the night before he was born to the Book of Mormon people and saying, “On the morrow come I into the world.” That is, that statement was made by someone else in his name on this principle of divine investiture of authority. But here is the glorious beginning of the testimony of John concerning the Lord

[inho]

Jesus worketh miracles part 1

I heard it said and I think it’s written somewhere and it must be true, that David W. Patten, one of the first apostles had the gift of healing. But when he exercised this he put some limitations on it. He declined to administer to a non-member of the Church unless they first made an agreement with him that if the Lord healed them they’d join the Church. Now this is pretty sensible. This is pretty wise. If somebody comes to the Elders of Israel and says, “Give me a blessing.” there isn’t any reason on earth for the Elders of Israel to give them a blessing, unless they believe that the elders have the Priesthood. If all they’re doing is coming to the elders like they come to a Catholic priest and say, “Pray for me because you’re a man of God like Father so and so is a man of God and the Lord will bless me because you helped.” There is no reason to give him a blessing. Administration is reserved for the household of faith, meaning people who believe in the restoration.

[inho]

Calling and election made sure, part 3

Question: May I ask a final question then, is this the Second Anointing?

BRM: This is involved.

Question: If you receive the second anointing then your calling and election is made sure.

BRM: If it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. And that is where the Lord gets involved. You see if they went through the ordinance and they did it in error or unworthiness was present it wouldn’t make your calling and election sure and that’s why all these passages drill in this fact and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of Promise, in other words if the Holy Ghost ratifies what is done, that’s this matter of revelation. That’s the Lord saying to someone by revelation that it’s true. That it really happened. So you could go through the formality and it wouldn’t count. It has to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, in other words, God has to give a revelation.

[LukeAir2008]

The answer to the confusion over Adam and his identity is answered here when McConkie mentions the animals and plants being brought from another planet. McConkie says it is so far over the Saints heads that they choose not to teach it.

Yeh some of us had already worked that one out.

[e-eye2.0]

The answer to the confusion over Adam and his identity is answered here when McConkie mentions the animals and plants being brought from another planet. McConkie says it is so far over the Saints heads that they choose not to teach it.

Yeh some of us had already worked that one out.

Yeah I think so but back in the day it probably would have been a shock, and even today it probably would be to some.

I actually have enjoyed reading the different things by McConkie. I don't trust mormonleaks but I would have to say most the stuff that has been published has been more testimony building than destroying. I don't agree with what they are doing but if their goal is to expose the church and put it in a negative light I think they greatly failed.