BYU Studies Quarterly

Volume 12 Issue 4 Article 1

10-1-1972

Joseph Fielding Smith: In Memoriam 1876-1972

BYU Studies

Earl E. Olson

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Recommended Citation Studies, BYU and Olson, Earl E. (1972) "Joseph Fielding Smith: In Memoriam 1876-1972," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 12 : Iss. 4 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol12/iss4/1

This Introduction is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in BYU Studies Quarterly by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Studies and Olson: Joseph Fielding Smith: In Memoriam 1876-1972 j BYU luuieludieu lefley A voice for the community of LDSLIDS scholars fsummer 1972 Brighabrighambrighamungxoungyoung university mung

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Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 1972 1 BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 12, Iss. 4 [1972], Art. 1

ERRATUM we goofed the cover picture of frederick G williams for spring 1972 issue of BYU studies is actually a picture of george W bean A photograph of a painting of frederick G williams appears on page 538

EDITORIAL BOARD

RICHARD L ANDERSON professor of history and religion brigham young university EUGENE C CAMPBELL professor of history brigham young university JOE J christensen associate commissioner church education STANFORD CAZIER president chico state college HOLLIS R JOHNSON professor of astronomy indiana university EDWARD L KIMBALL professor of law university of wisconsin NEAL E LAMBERT assistant professor of english brigham young university T EDGAR LYON research historian nauvoo restoration inc

QUINN G MC KAY professor of american enterprise mgt texas christian univ KEITH R OAKES administrator elementary secondary schools church education EARL E OLSON church archivist church historical department ERNEST L OLSON director university press brigham young university SPENCER J PALMER professor of history and religion brigham young university DOUGLAS H PARKER professor of law university of colorado

BLAINE R PORTER dean college of family living brigham young university

CHAUNCEY C RIDDLE dean graduate school brigham young university

CHARLES D TATE JR associate professor of english brigham young university

BRUCE B CLARK dean college of humanities brigham young university

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol12/iss4/1 2 Studies and Olson: Joseph Fielding Smith: In Memoriam 1876-1972

JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH

IN MEMORIAM

187619721876 1972

Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 1972 3 BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 12, Iss. 4 [1972], Art. 1

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol12/iss4/1 4 Studies and Olson: Joseph Fielding Smith: In Memoriam 1876-1972

I1 JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH prophet scholar historian author counselor and friend

EARL E OLSON

As president joseph fielding smith left the church ad- ministration building on what was to be his last day at the office he stopped to greet some of the personnel in the hist- orical department this was a typical action of this great man showing the closeness he felt to those with whom he had associated over a period of seventy years he became involved with the writing of church history and the preser- vation of church records when he started work in 1902 as a clerk in the office of the church historian he then became directly responsible for the history and the records when after an additional fifteen years he was called as the church historian in 1917 a position he filled for forty nine years until he was sustained as the tenth president of the church during his tenure as church historian many advancements were made in the historian s office involving record keep- ing records management microfilmingmicrofilming and processing and preservation of the church records one of his exceptional characteristics was that he could always be found at his desk or filling a church assignment even when he was handi- capped with his foot in a cast he was busy at his desk from early morning until late afternoon during these years he was productive in writing fifteen publications coming from his pen together with numerous pamphlets and articles poems and hymns president smith was an unassuming humble man yet he could be stern when sternness was needed he was often earl olson has worked closely with president smith in the church hist- orian s office for thirty eight years first as a clerk 1934 then as church librarian 1948 then as assistant church historian 1965 with the re- organization of the historical department of the church he was named church archivist he is also a member of the editorial board of BYU studies

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brief and direct in answering queries when he thought the inquirer should already know the answers and yet he had great empathy for those who had problems and his door was always open not only to those who worked under his direc- tion but to visitors who sought his counsel he felt great love for little children and his face would light up whenever the little ones were ushered into his room he was concerned for the members of the church and for their proper under- standing of the gospel of jesus christ many came to him for an interpretation of the scriptures and left well satisfied to those who knew him well joseph fielding smith was a warm personality he was a devoted scholar historian author and counselor in his passing we have lost a great friend and leader

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aaiceaylceayice lorfor the community of LDS scholars

volume12VOLUME 12 SUMMER 1972 NUMBER 4

joseph fielding smith in memoriam I1 187619721876 1972 earl E olson guest editors prologue truman G madsen 343 the quest for a restoration the birth of mormonism in ohio milton V backman jr 346 the kirtland diary of wilford woodruff dean C jessee 365 the kirtland temple lauritz G petersen 400 oliver cowdery s kirtland ohio sketch book leonard J arrington 410 the kirtland safety society the stock ledger book D paul sampson and the bank failure and larry T wimmer 427 the failure of the kirtland safety society scott H partridge 437 the waning of mormon kirtland davis bitton 455 A bibliography of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints in new york ohio and missouri peter crawley 465 index to volume 12 539

guest editor truman G madsen editor charles D tate jr book review editor spencer J palmer university editor ernest L olson

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the opinions and statements expressed by contributors to brigham young university studies are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints brigham young university the editor or editorial board

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY BRIGHAM YOUNG university PRESS provo utah 84601

1972 brigham young university press all rights reserved printed in the united states of america 3723 72 5mam 98899

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