This study is an attempt to (1) minimize the lack of rhetorical scholarship in Mormon studies, and (2) add to the historical study of rhetoric in nineteenth-century America. Since the Mormon Church's establishment in 1830, sermons have been a vital part of the Church's development into a worldwide institution. From the simple testimonial to the more complex doctrinal explication, early Mormon leaders used the art of preaching to spread their message of God and His glories. But rarely have historians or critics focused on the rhetoric—the persuasive techniques—of these sermons. This, perhaps, stems from early Mormonism's general aversion to the rhetorical textbook, or the theory of rhetoric and rhetorical practice. But the practice of rhetoric was (and continues to be) vital for the Church. And while the majority of early Mormon speeches concerned scriptural or doctrinal appeals, leaders such as Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young were often forced by internal and external difficulties to give persecution sermons: speeches that fused both sacred and secular motifs to transcend the simple testimony of faith, repentance, and baptism. By analyzing these persecution speeches we can better understand how leaders such as Joseph Smith would use the art of persuasive communication in responding to tragic circumstances, in supporting the Saints, or in reaffirming the Church's position as a separate and peculiar people. This study, then, reviews the general rhetorical framework of early Mormon oratory, the educational backgrounds of the persecution genre's most influential speakers, the major speeches that comprise this tradition with analyses of the technical aspects that ornament the speeches, the various responses of those that heard or read them, and the prevalence and implications of persecution rhetoric today. Thus, the purpose of this study is to understand one section of Mormon history from an oratorical point of view, recognizing the value of seeing a religion through the eyes of its speakers and its communicative practices, a recognition that should be important to critics of early Mormon history and thought.

This paper will be confined to the northern portion of the range though it might be noted that the topographical descriptions of the Bingham district apply in a general way to the southern district also. The northern Oquirrhs contain a number of sizeable canyons running either east or west from a central ridge seven thousand to eight thousand feet in altitude. Bingham Canyon, one of the largest of these, is located on the eastern slope of the range and drains into Salt Lake Valley.

This study conducted an audience analysis investigating welfare attitudes for Welfare Services, a division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The data and results of this study were used by Welfare Services to prepare and present its message to its Mormon and non-Mormon audience. The sample population consisted of 170 respondents (130 Mormons and 40 non-Mormons). The study examined three areas: (1) Where people go when in need of assistance; (2) Rights and obligations associated with assistance; (3) Attitudinal perspectives of welfare and assistance.The findings of this study indicate that when in need, most people will first go to their families. Most people feel they have every right to ask and receive assistance from government agencies. Mormons report a right to receive help from their church; most non-Mormons do not feel a right to receive help from their respective churches. Most people report a willingness to repay assistance no matter who the assistance is received from. Welfare is viewed by most as a necessary evil. A major problem in receiving assistance is loss of self-esteem by welfare recipients.

This study was undertaken for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of L.D.S. Seminary-oriented home night program. The home night program consisted of an experimental group of students holding weekly home nights with their parents, following discussion of gospel principles in Seminary during the school hours. A control group was established which supplemented its program writing weekly summaries instead of directing a home night.

The purpose of this study was to write a history of the Price, Utah Sun-Advocate and its predecessors, the six early newspapers which evolved into the present Sun-Advocate, with primary emphasis on the personalities involved, the physical changes and the editorial comment. Major economic, political, and social changes were noted as they occurred in the chronological history.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the predictive power of items regarding career appraisal in correctly classifying the status of burnout among Church Education System educators with six to ten years of service. Also, the factors considered most effective as deterrents to burnout were determined.It was found that those who (1) did not feel they were progressing in their careers and (2) would change careers if possible were most likely to report burnout. Feeling needed in one's assignment and being recognized and appreciated for one's accomplishments, besides having a happy marriage, enjoying life, and living Gospel principles, were some of the factors ranked as most significant in deterring burnout.

Because it seemed likely that teachers of adolescent Latter-day Saint boys and girls might benefit from an up-to-date view about what their students are personally concered, a need was felt for this particular kind of survey. A review of the related literature indicated a dearth of material in this area, particularly in connection with Latter-day Saint youth.

Since the days of Adam the Lord has called upon the priesthood to watch over the families: To see that fathers are doing their duty as patriarchs over their families, and to assist and encourage the fathers in this responsibility. Thus thwarting the efforts of Satan to lead the children of men astray. The principle has always been for the priesthood to watch over the families. But the process of how this is done has changed from time to time according to the needs of the people. This treatise covers the history of these changes in documentary form.In the days of Adam and the early fathers watching over the families was done by the oldest patriarch; in Moses' day it was done by the Levites. Prophets were also called to watch over the people. Christ directed his Apostles to ordain priests and teachers to watch over the Church in his day. When the Church was reorganized the Lord gave a revelation through Joseph Smith which restored the commandment to watch over the families by the priesthood. The process has experienced a succession of changes over the years until we have what we call home teaching today.

This study has two main purposes. First, to develop from theory hypotheses concerning the association between attendance of L.D.S., male household heads at church related activities and certain specific variables; and to test these hypotheses. The second purpose was to test certain other variables, (not related to theory) for association with church attendance of L.D.S., male household heads.The chi-square test was used to determine whether or not the variables were significantly associated and the coefficient of contingency test to determine to what extent they were related. The .05 level of probability was chosen as the criterion for significance. A sample was obtained upon which the findings were based. It consisted of 378 male, L.D.S. household heads whose wives were also members of the L.D.S. Church. It was taken from three distinct random samples of people living in towns and open country areas of Juab and Sanpete Counties in central Utah. The respondents were personally interviewed during April and May of 1958 by six persons especially trained for this purpose.The findings of this study tended to support all of the hypotheses and to lend weight to the propositions from which they were derived.The propositions derived from the findings of other studies and supported in this study were:1. Household heads will have rates of attendance that are generally similar to the rates of attendance at church related activities of other members of the family.2. Those with high attendance at L.D.S. church related activities will more likely conform to certain emphasized standards, principles, and suggestions of the church and will more likely have leadership responsibilities than will those with lower attendance at church related activities.The hypotheses derived from the above propositions and supported in this study are:High attendance of of household heads at church related activities will be positively associated with:1. High attendance of wives at church related activities.2. Number of church related organizations to which they belong.3. Number of church related organizations to which wives belong.4. Usual family attendance at church.5. Regular holding of family prayers.6. Regular holding of family night.7. Frequency of religious discussions between husbands and wives.8. High amount of agreement between husbands and wives about religion.A total of seven of the thirty-one additional variables tested showed significant and positive association with church attendance. These were:1. Family participation in shopping trips.2. Husbands often helping wives with work.3. Frequency of discussion with wives about recreation.4. Frequency of discussion with wives about politics.5. Grades of formal education completed. (By husbands)6. Present house more comfortable than last.7. Number of magazine subscriptions.Amount of agreement or disagreement between husbands and wives on specific items, was found to have no significant association with church attendance.A total of seven variables in the study were found to have corrected coefficient of contingency scores of .40 or above. These were:1. Family usually attended church together.2. Husband belonged to three or more church related organizations.3. Wife belonged to three or more church related organizations.4. Wife attended church related activities 60 percent or over of the time.5. Combined "yes" responses concerning family participation averaged 60 percent or over.6. Husband and wife often discussed religion.7. Family prayers were held regularly.The above variables combined and plotted to form a church attendance pedictability index. Although the predictability of three or less variables was not very reliable, when all seven variables were accounted for, the predictability was 95.2 percent.

The home of the Provo Times and Enquirer was a typical Mormon town founded on the east shore of Utah Lake in 1849. While some Gentiles (non-Mormons) had moved into the area by 1873 when the first newspaper appeared, the community was still dominated and controlled by members of the Latter-day Saint Church, which was the cause of some tension.Even though after twenty-four years of settlement Provo had well-established farms, businesses, and the beginnings of industry, it did not have a newspaper, although publications had been founded earlier in several other cities of the territory. In the winter of 1872-73 John C. Graham, a prominent Salt Lake City actor and journalist, saw newspaper possibilities in Provo and laid the foundations for the establishment of the Provo Daily Times. Graham was not able to participate in the actual founding because of a Church mission call to England. He did interest others, however, and the first issue appeared August 1, 1873, with four owner-editors listed: R. T. McEwan, R. G. Sleater, O. F. Lyons, and J. T. McEwan.In April of 1874 the paper was changed to a tri-weekly, and in August of the same year a joint stock company was formed in an attempt to ease financial strain. Due to lack of patronage and after a controversy with the City Council over a charge of police negligence, the Times ceased publication in December of 1875.Two former editors of the Times, Robert Sleater and Joseph McEwan, founded the semi-weekly Utah County Enquirer with the first issue appearing July 4, 1876. McEwan dropped out in June, 1877, and Sleater, unable to make a living from the paper, soon sold it to the recently returned John C. Graham.The new editor assumed ownership of the County Enquirer September 5, 1877, and shortly after changed the name to the Territorial Enquirer. The paper prospered under Graham for ten years; then in order to enlarge facilities it was incorporated in November of 1887 and soon renamed the Utah Enquirer. In December, 1889, a Daily Enquirer appeared, with the Utah Enquirer continuing as a weekly country edition. The Enquirers lived until shortly after Graham's death in 1906, when the plant was sold and the name changed.