Another topic that might be interesting is William Warfield’s experiences with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir when he was the baritone soloist in the Choir’s recording of Handel’s Messiah. Did they put him up in the Hotel Utah? Did they give him a tour of Temple Square? What were his impressions of the Mormons?

To hear him in another venue, go to Youtube and do a search for; “Warfield Ole Man River”. allegedly when he auditioned for the role he sang, “Ole Man River” and left Sam Goldwyn in tears. He immediately got the part.

I like the idea, too, of taking up such broad categories through stories about individuals or other similarly “local” focus. Though I would always argue that such things should eventually be read withing larger contexts, I think that there is a legitimate need for the “small narrative.” Especially those stories that often haven’t been told (like the stories of those who actively resisted violence).

Also, as a second choice, I forget often that Brigham Young and other Church leaders defended the right of the Church to dictate in temporal, economic, and political as well as spiritual affairs, and the tensions that this caused. For example, I get the impression that the Godbeites, in many ways, would not have been viewed as apostates in today’s church. I’m sure there are other examples, that is just the one that springs to mind.

some tender writings of one woman concerning her sister wives, and also a short memoir of a naive young woman

In any case, I don’t plan on offering theoretical explanations or doctrinal essays or general apologetics. I’d refer readers to FAIR or other such sites for that. My expectation is to carry on in the established style of Keepa, telling stories about individual lives or individual events, with snapshots of the past through short documents or images that reflect the way matters (like those TOClark suggests)stood at a given moment in time.

I personally find violence tedious and polygamy over-sensationalized. (Or perhaps the other way around.) : )

I’d love to see posts exploring the how and why of changes: political orientation is one that’s already been mentioned. So is polygamy. But there’s a host of other issues that would be fertile ground for exploration:
* the transision from Isolationism to ecumenicalism
* Using bishops to resolve civil matters
* The evolving position on birth control
What happens when apostles disagree (O.Pratt v. B. Young; or J.F. Smith v. B.H. Roberts, or even J.E. Faust and D.H., Oaks)
* The myriad changes of mission rules etc.

I realize much of this has been covered on other blogs in the bloggernacle, but those discussions are missing the historical context the commenters and host of this blog can provide.