Comments on: Henry Joseph James Nielson: In His Own Words, 1897

By: Eric Nielson

Eric Nielson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:18:43 +0000

I would guess that Henry will inherit what he desired.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:57:30 +0000

His words truly are touching, and the additional information in #4 adds a poignancy that is easy to miss out of context.

He was 16. We expect so little of our young men these days. It’s a shame.

By: jeans

jeans — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:02:32 +0000

It’s tempting to conclude (longingly) from something like this that life was simpler then, although I know that’s not true.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:59:42 +0000

December 23, 1889 is less than one year before the issuing of the Manifesto — church leaders at all levels were in prison or in hiding, the Edmunds-Tucker law had been in effect for more than a year, meaning that the Church had been legally dissolved; Mormons could not vote or serve on juries, regardless of whether or not they had ever practiced plural marriage; children of plural marriages could not inherit property from their fathers; the law protecting women from being forced to testify against their husbands had been removed; local control over schools (including even the choice of textbooks) had been removed and given to federal appointees — in short, life was pretty bleak for members of the church in 1889.

The special fast day was to pray for deliverance from those conditions.

By: Hunter

Hunter — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:35:37 +0000

I just checked on one of those on-line calculators, and December 23, 1889 was a Monday. A special fast day on a Monday? Hmm. I wonder what Henry Nielson is referring to.

Anyhow, a great post and I loved seeing what events he felt important to include in his short life sketch.

By: Hunter

Hunter — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:26:52 +0000

Oh. It took me a second to realize that the writer was only 16 years old when he submitted this. Wow – very impressive.

Also, wasn’t David O. McKay born and raised in Huntsville? I wonder if Henry Nielson knew him/of him/his family.

I also wondered at his description of his baptism date (presumably Dec. 23, 1889) as “a special fast day for all the Saints of God.” Other than being Joseph Smith Jr.’s birthdate, was there something special Churchwide about this date?

By: bfwebster

bfwebster — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:24:40 +0000

This would be a good place to cross-link to the recent discussion elsewhere about raising the age of male missionaries because so many of them are still 'child-like' (living at home, wearing shorts, playing video games) at age 19. Maturity and responsibility are functions of expectations more than culture. ..bruce..