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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 32 Page: 606 (~1871)

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606 About this time the question of compiling a church history was agitated and some preparatory steps taken to accomplish the desired result. On February 1, President Smith wrote on this subject as follows:-

"There has been inquiry, in the church and out of it, by friends and by enemies of the cause, for an authentic history of the church. Whether it is not within the design of the divine Ruler that it should be written for general reading, or that the members of the church have lacked the ability and character for the work, are subjects for study. There is a want of this history-a very serious want; and it has long been felt. The church under Brigham Young has continued from time to time to publish in the Millennial Star, extracts from the history begun in the Times and Seasons, but nothing like a complete history has yet been issued by it for the general reader.

"A number of works have been published, ostensibly with a view to give the public an idea of the rise and progress of the church at large; but, from any that have ever come under our notice, none but very crude notions respecting the real origination of the work, its true character and its destiny, could be gathered. These works have been written, as a general thing, by those antagonistic to the work, those who desired to retard its progress, or overthrow it altogether. Those who have not written with the intention of damaging the church, have written for the purpose of selling their writings to make money.

"From those opposed to the church we cannot expect an impartial and unbiased relation of the principal events transpiring during the rise of the church; but we can expect much that is untrue to be stated, and actual occurrences to be warped in their telling, and the motives of prominent actors in those scenes to be sadly impugned and distorted.

"From those deeply interested in the work of the last days, while we should expect the truth to be told in what is written, we must not forget that many who write, relate only what may present that work in a favorable light,

(page 606)

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