Comments on: What Were They Thinking??! Again??!

By: John Pratt

John Pratt — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:15:56 +0000

In 1895, there was no TV, no radio, no “www,” no movies, no home publishing, no copying machines, no “evening news,” no “60 Minutes,” and not very much photography. Typesetting was also a pain. So whatever media instruments there were were sought after for all kinds of information. Curiosity seeking had little other fulfillment than in these papers and periodicals of the time. LDS publications then were not just for the spiritual and doctrinal, but also served this purpose, for general news, “heart warming” as well “human interest” articles, as well as sensational news. All these things combined also to help the people at the time feel like they were fulfilling the commandment to be aware of “things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations” (D&C 88:79) and so forth. I also concur with one of the comments above regarding the sensitivities on some things then being different than now. But I also feel regarding the executioner . . . what a physique! Better than in the movie “Gladiator!”

By: Diane Peel

Diane Peel — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:12:04 +0000

The “physique of the executioner “and the dip of his, er, ‘loincloth/lower covering?’ were the first things I noticed.

My final thoughts were the unspoken ones I heard from the writer after his concluding sentence:

“We think the less said about it, therefore, the better for the feelings and imaginations of our little friends, ‘now that I’ve been paid for the piece above.’”

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:50:35 +0000

Unbelievable. Though I must say, as a young father, I remember buying a book of Grimm’s fairy tales off the bargain book shelf and bringing it home to read to my kids… Many of those stories are pretty horrific. I guess they had a different standard of sensitivity back then.

By: Clark

Clark — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:14:05 +0000

And in the background, the colonial regiment stands at the ready with rifles on their shoulders. In but a few years, the “civilizing Europeans” would teach the rebels how to make the process much more efficient with the Mauser, the Browning, and the Kalishnikov.

Yup, it’s a great influence (the magazine and the colonizers).

By: michelle

michelle — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:07:11 +0000

This borders on bizarre. Wowza, as Ray said, this is a doozie.

By: Rameumptom

Rameumptom — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:18:07 +0000

My wife is starting up an Activity Day Girls program in one of our local branches. I sent her the link to this blog, in case she decides to have a class on this very important information with the girls.

I’m tempted to share it in Scouts….We are, after all, encouraged to use the Church magazines in our teaching. Right?

By: kevinf

kevinf — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:47:28 +0000

I snorted diet coke out my nose at this. As I scrolled down the screen, first you have the Juvenile Instructor logo with the sweet looking young girl on the right, followed immediately by “MODE OF EXECUTION”!

The dime novels of the day had nothing on this cover. If I could get a copy of this cover, I’d have it framed, and hung in a place of honor. Perhaps we need a Keepa Lolcats captioning contest for this one!

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:45:49 +0000

Yeah, I haven’t heard anybody commenting on the physique of the executioner.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:29:26 +0000

David, I’ve noticed that all the commenters so far have been grown-up boys of 2010. Nothing has changed!

By: David Y.

David Y. — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:23:39 +0000

I like how the title on the cover makes it clear that this isn’t just some harmless ritual being depicted. It’s, ahem, “MODE OF EXECUTION.”

I should say that, if I were a boy in 1895, such a cover and title would absolutely ensure my ripping the magazine open to find out more.