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FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
(→Question: Is the Journal of Discourses a "standard work" of the Church?) |
(→Question: Is the Journal of Discourses a "standard work" of the Church?) |
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Critics are often fond of pointing out that George Q. Cannon described the ''Journal of Discourses'' as a "standard work": | Critics are often fond of pointing out that George Q. Cannon described the ''Journal of Discourses'' as a "standard work": | ||
− | + | <blockquote>The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saints will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of 'the light that shines from Zion's hill.'<ref>George Q. Cannon, introduction to 8th volume of ''Journal of Discourses''.</ref> | |
+ | </blockquote> | ||
Critics use this paragraph to argue that the ''Journal of Discourses'' was once an official, binding publication upon members of the Church. This is a good example of the [[Logical_fallacies#Equivocation|fallacy of equivocation]]—the argument relies on the fact that modern members of the Church do not use the term "standard work" in the same way that 19th century members did. | Critics use this paragraph to argue that the ''Journal of Discourses'' was once an official, binding publication upon members of the Church. This is a good example of the [[Logical_fallacies#Equivocation|fallacy of equivocation]]—the argument relies on the fact that modern members of the Church do not use the term "standard work" in the same way that 19th century members did. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===A "standard work," at that time, was a book often used or a typical reference work=== | ||
Joseph Smith, for example, said a Church hymnbook would "be a standard work."<ref>{{TPJS1|start=164}}</ref> A "standard work," then, was a book often used or a typical reference work. It did ''not'' mean that the work was canonized scripture—which is how modern Church members use the term. The ''Journal of Discourses'' was—and is—extremely valuable. It was not, however, without error. It was not without the opinion of leading brethren. And, it was not a work which defined doctrine that was elsewhere undefined or undescribed in LDS scripture. | Joseph Smith, for example, said a Church hymnbook would "be a standard work."<ref>{{TPJS1|start=164}}</ref> A "standard work," then, was a book often used or a typical reference work. It did ''not'' mean that the work was canonized scripture—which is how modern Church members use the term. The ''Journal of Discourses'' was—and is—extremely valuable. It was not, however, without error. It was not without the opinion of leading brethren. And, it was not a work which defined doctrine that was elsewhere undefined or undescribed in LDS scripture. |
Critics are often fond of pointing out that George Q. Cannon described the Journal of Discourses as a "standard work":
The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saints will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of 'the light that shines from Zion's hill.'[1]
Critics use this paragraph to argue that the Journal of Discourses was once an official, binding publication upon members of the Church. This is a good example of the fallacy of equivocation—the argument relies on the fact that modern members of the Church do not use the term "standard work" in the same way that 19th century members did.
Joseph Smith, for example, said a Church hymnbook would "be a standard work."[2] A "standard work," then, was a book often used or a typical reference work. It did not mean that the work was canonized scripture—which is how modern Church members use the term. The Journal of Discourses was—and is—extremely valuable. It was not, however, without error. It was not without the opinion of leading brethren. And, it was not a work which defined doctrine that was elsewhere undefined or undescribed in LDS scripture.
This use is clear in a variety of Church publications in the 1800s:
Notes
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