LDS Site of the Week – OXFORD, England

Posted by on Feb 23, 2011 in Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour, Uncategorized |

Oxford is the site where many of the Bible Translators studied, and did actual work of translation.  One significant Bible translator and martyr, William Tyndale, was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford (now part of Hertford College, Oxford).  Tyndale was admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts at Oxford University in 1512, the same year he became a subdeacon. He was made Master of Arts in July 1515, three months after he had been ordained into the priesthood. The MA degree allowed him to start studying theology, but the official course did not include the study of scripture. This horrified Tyndale, and he organized private groups for teaching and discussing the scriptures. In celebration of the 400th anniversary of the publication of King James Bible, the Bodleian Library of Oxford is holding an amazing exhibition honoring the various individuals who contributed to its translation. Highlights of the Oxford Bible Exhibition include: the sixteenth-century Bibles used in the making of the KJB ( such as the ‘Great’ Bible (1539), the Bishops’ Bible (1568), the Geneva Bible (1576) and Douai-Rheims (1582)); an Old English manuscript with verse renderings of Genesis and Exodus; surviving leaves from Tyndale’s translation of the Pentateuch or five books of Moses (1530); a velvet bound Bishops’ Bible that belonged to Queen Elizabeth I (1568); a 1602 Bishops’ Bible annotated by some of the translators of the King James Bible; a copy of the 1611 King James Bible owned by James’ son Prince Henry; contemporary copies of the working notes of John Boys, one of the Cambridge translators; reference works from the libraries of John Rainolds and Henry Savile used for the translation, and more. A Martyrs’ Memorial is also located in Oxford and commemorates the 16th-century “Oxford Martyrs”. The actual site of the execution is close by in Broad Street, located just outside the location of the old city walls. The site is marked by a cross sunk in the road. For more information about other amazing Bible Translator sites, visit our England & Wale’s 400th Bible Commemoration Tour...

Read More

Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History Feb 22-28

Posted by on Feb 23, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

February 22, 1811 (Friday) – Ezra T. Benson, the great-grandfather of President Ezra Taft Benson, was born in Mendon, Worcester Co., Mass. February 22, 1836 (Monday) – The sisters at Kirtland met in the Lord’s House to commence their work of making the veil for that building. February 27, 1833 (Wednesday) – The revelation known as the “Word of Wisdom,” was given through Joseph Smith, jun., at Kirtland. (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 89.) February 23, 1839 (Saturday) – About this time Sidney Rigdon was released from prison in Liberty jail, Mo., on bail. February 26, 1849 (Monday)– The first Welsh Saints leave to join Zion in the United States. Feb 22, 1861 (Friday) – Apostle Orson Pratt submits to the Mathematical Monthly (Cambridge, Massachusetts) a series of problems concerning mathematical laws relating to the origin of the solar system. The paper ceased its publication due to the pending war and Pratt never heard back about his manuscript. Taken from Andrew Jenson’s:  Church...

Read More

LDS Church Site of Week – PRESTON, England

Posted by on Feb 18, 2011 in British Isles - England and Wales Trips, Site of the Week - LDS Church History Tour |

Preston was the place that the church was officially established on British soil in 1837 & where this year (2011) a huge 400th Bible Anniversary Celebration is to take place which includes a 400-voice choir! Elder Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde went on the first England Mission and served from JULY 1837- APRIL 1838.  When they arrived in Preston it was election day.  Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, had ordered a general election for members of Parliament.  As they exited the coach they saw a flag flying that had on it the following motto: ‘TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.’  They decided to take make this the theme of their mission. On July 30, 1837 (Sunday), in the River Ribble, nine souls were initiated into the kingdom of God.  They were the first fruits of the Gospel in a foreign land. Starting out with only 9 members, Preston caught on fire and the gospel continued to spread, igniting city after city.  The Preston Ward holds the honor of being the oldest continuously functioning LDS Church unit in the world. In 1840, all the Apostles where called to serve as a quorum on a second mission to England.  During that time, they held several council meetings in Preston of which they set apart Willard Richards as an Apostle, agreed to choose and ordain a patriarch (Peter Melling, a native of Preston), made important decisions regarding Church publications, and discussed in some detail the all-important subject of emigration. For more information visit our England Tour Page. Learn about the 400th Anniversary Bible Translation...

Read More

Glimpse of the Past – LDS Church History Feb 1-21

Posted by on Feb 18, 2011 in Glimpse of the Past - LDS Church History |

February 1828 – Martin Harris visited Joseph Smith, jun., at Harmony, Pa., and took some of the characters, which had been transcribed, and the translation of them, to New York City, where he showed them to Professor Charles Anthon and Doctor Mitchell February 2, 1833 (Saturday) – Joseph Smith, jun., completed the translation of the New Testament. February 7, 1843 (Tuesday) – Apostle Parley P. Pratt arrived at Nauvoo from his mission to England. February 14, 1835 (Saturday) – At a special meeting held in Kirtland twelve Apostles were chosen by the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon according to revelation (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 18:37), namely: Thos. B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Wm. E. McLellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke S. Johnson, Wm. Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton and Lyman E. Johnson. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were ordained and blessed the same day. February 16, 1832 (Thursday) – The revelation known as the “Vision” was given at Hiram, in which the beautiful doctrine of the three glories was explained. (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 76.) February 17, 1834 (Monday) – The first High Council of the Church was organized at Kirtland. Taken from Andrew Jenson’s:  Church...

Read More