The Journal of Discourses (often abbreviated J.D.) is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the Journal were published in England by George D. Watt, the stenographer of Brigham Young. Publication began in 1854, with the approval and endorsement of the church's First Presidency, and ended in 1886. The Journal is one of the richest sources of early Latter-day Saint theology and thinking. It includes 1,438 sermons given by 55 church leaders, including most numerously Brigham Young, John Taylor, Orson Pratt, Heber C. Kimball, and George Q. Cannon.

History

The Journal was the proposal of George D. Watt, who was Brigham Young's stenographer. Watt had recorded several early sermons in Pitman shorthand, and proposed to the LDS Church that this and other material be published, with printing to be done in England where printing costs were cheaper. By far, Young has the most sermons recorded in the Journal, with 390. It was said that:

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Brigham Young secured stenographic reports of his addresses. As he traveled among the people, reporters accompanied him. All that he said was recorded. Practically all of these discourses (from December 16, 1851 to August 19, 1877) were published in the Journal of Discourses, which was widely distributed. The public utterances of few great historical figures have been so faithfully and fully preserved.

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For at least the first volume, Young personally edited his own sermons. The preface to the 8th volume, written by apostle George Q. Cannon in 1861, stated:

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The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saint will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of 'the light that shines from Zion's hill.

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Although it was privately printed, the Journal of Discourses was considered to be an official publication of the LDS Church. However, its contents were not always considered to be official statements of doctrine. The church currently states that the publication is not an official church publication. In distancing itself from the work, it has encouraged its members to focus instead on canonized scripture.

The Journal of Discourses is often relied upon by Mormon fundamentalists to justify their beliefs.

See also

  • List of Latter Day Saint periodicals

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

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  • Journal of Discourses (PDF scans): each page of all 26 volumes, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
  • Journal of Discourses Combined PDF scan of all 26 volumes by Signature Books. Browse by Volume, Author or Year.