Due to my studies into, and articles against, Christadelphian theology and history, I have been interested in 19th-century diabolism and anti-diabolism. Today, I read the following MA thesis on early LDS diabolism which I found fascinating. To whet your appetite, here is the epilogue. The source is:
Steven R.
Hepworth, “’He Behold the Prince
of Darkness’: Joseph Smith and Diabolism in Early Mormonism 1815-1831” (MA
Thesis; Utah State University, 2021), 124-26
Epilogue
Joseph Smith’s diabolism, present from the beginning of his religious
narrative, took root and firmly entrenched itself in his religious discourse.
This thesis has focused on Satan's role in Smith’s early thought through 1830,
but he did not leave Satan behind as the Church grew and his theology matured.
Throughout the nineteenth century, his followers attempted to build Zion, first
in Missouri, then Illinois, and finally in the territory of Utah. Smith
continued to expand his theology on Satan, his fall in a pre-earth state, and
his influence and power on earth. A third translation project produced a
narrative about the biblical figure Abraham, which contains an extended
narrative of the devil and his beginnings. Smith’s religious system culminated
in a temple ceremony that first appeared in Nauvoo and contained a drama
reenacting the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Satan is
present in the drama and personally tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
Satan is cursed, cast out, and represented as the author of many of earth’s
religions. The ceremony depicted a physical Satan and demonstrated to its
participants how to detect the devil and cast him out. Joseph Smith continued
to insert Satan into sacred histories, expose his methods and power to his
followers, and teach them to cast him out.
Satan and beliefs about him in Latter-day Saint thought continue to
play an essential part of the religion. Though some, as one scholar has
written, believe that “diabolism cooled in Latter-day Saint thought after the
nineteenth century,” the ideas and beliefs taught by Joseph Smith and contained
in his translation projects continue to influence members of the religion
today. On New Year’s Day in 1877, Joseph Smith’s successor Brigham Young spoke
at the dedication of the St. George, Utah temple baptistry. Young concluded his
remarks by stating, “I am not half-satisfied, and I never expect to be
satisfied until the devil is whipped and driven from off the face of the
earth.” He believed it was his duty to combat Satan. Church leaders, speaking
during the Church’s semiannual general conference, have discoursed on the
figure of the devil throughout the twentieth century. From 1900-1930 speakers
mentioned Satan seven hundred and thirty-seven times. Two thousand two hundred
thirty-five references were made to him in the second half of the twentieth
century. In April of 1971, Apostle Marion G. Romney spoke on Satan. He entitled
his sermon “Satan – The Great Deceiver.” Three years later, ElRay L.
Christiansen preached on “Power Over Satan.” During the fall 1987 conference,
Apostle James E. Faust spoke on “The Great Imitator.” Dallin H. Oaks, counselor
in the Church’s highest governing body, the First Presidency, gave a talk in
2004 entitled “Be Not Deceived” to the youth of the Church. He warned that “
Satan’s methods of deception are enticing: music, movies and other media, and
the glitter of a good time. When Satan’s lies succeed in deceiving us, we
become vulnerable to his power.” He then outlined the ways Satan tries to
deceive. Apostle M. Russell Ballard spoke on the same topic in his 2010 sermon
“O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One.”
Diabolism was employed most recently by the current prophet of the
Church Russell M. Nelson to frame the importance of using the Church's correct
name. After reviewing why he felt it urgent that members and non-members of the
faith employ the full, correct name of the Church Nelson stated, “When it comes
to nicknames of the Church . . . the most important thing in those names is the
absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church
is a major victory for Satan.” Nelson, like Smith, believed he was revealing to
the Church a hidden tactic by the devil previously unknown. Using the official
name of the Church became a way for members to counter Satan. Satan in the
twenty-first century is still seen as attacking the Church, and leaders of the
faith continue to see it as their prophetic duty to reveal Satan to the Church
and fight against his influence. Diabolism continues to play a large and
important role in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
