Episode 110: Stanford Carmack on Early Modern English and the Book of Mormon
Friday, October 9, 2026
Eliza R. Snow (October 20, 1874): The Return to Jackson County to Build the Temple (cf. D&C 84) Being Contingent
On October 20, 1874, Eliza R. Snow stated that:
I have always felt myself in the United Order,
and I expect the sisters will have more time to improve their minds, and it
will help us the sooner to go back to Jackson County and build a temple where the
glory of God will rest upon it. (Eliza R. Snow, “I Would Have Walked to
the Ends of the Earth,” Salt Lake City Nineteenth Ward Relief Society, Nineteenth
Ward Hall, Salt Lake City, October 20, 1874, in Rise Up and Speak: Selected
Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, ed. Jennifer Reederm, Sharlyn D. Howcroft,
Elizabeth A. Kuehn, and Jessica M. Nelson [Salt Lake City: The Church Historian’s
Press, 2026], 158)
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Eliza R. Snow (October 20, 1874) on Temptation and Christ's Peccable Nature
We have had some very good
instructions this afternoon, and the question is, How can we live up to them
and live so as to have the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit? It is not
to be obtained except in the way God has appointed. We are frail and subject
to many trials and temptations—it is no sin to be tempted, but the sin is
yielding to temptation. Had Jesus yielded when Satan tempted Him, He would have
lost the smiles of His Father. We should be always on our guard. Paul says,
“Pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks,” and if we do this, we
shall not have time to brood over our troubles, and the little vexations and
cares of life would not be noticed. Gratitude is sweet to our fellow beings,
but it is elevating and ennobling in the sight of our Father in Heaven. (Eliza
R. Snow, “I Would Have Walked to the Ends of the Earth,” Salt Lake City
Nineteenth Ward Relief Society, Nineteenth Ward Hall, Salt Lake City, October
20, 1874, in Rise Up and Speak: Selected Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, ed.
Jennifer Reederm, Sharlyn D. Howcroft, Elizabeth A. Kuehn, and Jessica M.
Nelson [Salt Lake City: The Church Historian’s Press, 2026], 156)
Here, Eliza (correctly) notes that temptation, in and of itself, is not sinful (contrary to Calvinism and other theologies); further, she also (correctly) rejects the impeccability of Christ.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Heber J. Grant (Journal Entry for September 8, 1887)
Moses Thatcher, Jos. F. Smith,
John Hy. Smith each favored calling men, instead of allowing them to come or
go, when we desire to establish settlements.
Moses thought that fully one
million of dollars had been wasted by our people in wandering up and down the
country aimlessly.
If we feel that we should
establish settlements in Canada and Mexico, the brethren felt that our only way
to do so successfully will be to call men and not ask them to volunteer. Under
Brigham Young’s administration men were called and had no idea of leaving a
place unless they were released.
Franklin D. Richards, regretted
very much that he had not felt to endorse the policy of allowing men to go or
not when a call was made to help one of our settlement. He did not think the
gospel could ever be preached or the Church built up upon any such a principle
and in his inmost soul he had no faith that we could ever build up Zion on the
volunteer principle. When men are called on a mission or to locate in any place
they feel by the Spirit within them that they were working where the Lord
desired them to do so. He related the failure of attempts to get needed help in
Arizona and San Juan on account of the people feeling that they were at perfect
liberty to go or not. Brother Franklin’s remarks were very spirited indeed and
while he was talking I felt that his remarks were dictated by the good spirit.
Erastus Snow felt that the Twelve
should report names of men and that then we should send them with the backing
and support of the Priesthood. He felt that Bro. Franklin had struck a keynote
which most of the Twelve have experienced during the administration of Prest.
Taylor and that his policy of only using volunteers had discouraged the labors
of our quorum.
In the days of Brigham Young some
men had felt that they were sent on missions because of some private spite. The
feeling existed that brother Young had not counseled as much with the Council
of the Apostles as with those persons with whom he was surrounded.
Prest. Taylor desiring to correct
this evil had gone to an extreme on the other hand that had made the efforts of
the brethren in attempts to strengthen up our settlements, a failure.
A motion was carried that Pres
Card be informed to continue his labors in Canada, and that additional help
will be sent to him. ... (Heber J. Grant, Journal, September 8, 1887, in The
Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1845 Abridged, comp. D. Michael Quinn
[Digital Edition; Salt Lake City, 2015])
Theodoret of Cyrus (393-457) on Baptismal Regeneration and Paul's Epistles
1 Cor 15:15-17:
We are found to be giving
false witness to God as well, because we testified of God that he raised
Christ, whereas he did not raise him (v. 15): we are liable on the score of
calumny for presuming to claim God raised Christ, whereas he did not raise him.
Then in turn he reverses the same ideas, intent on strengthening faith in the
resurrection with further arguments, saying, After all, if the dead are not raised,
neither has Christ been raised. But if Christ had not been raised, your faith
is futile; you are still in your sins (vv. 16-17): baptism is a type of
the Lord’s death, but the type has no force if it does not involve the
forgiveness of sins; so the burden of sins is still to be carried. He
included this in view of the statement, Christ died for our sins, in keeping
with the scriptures. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of
St. Paul, 2 vols. [Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 1:226)
Eph 2:8-9:
By grace, in fact, you are
saved through faith (v. 8): the grace of God regaled us with these good
things; we had only faith to offer, but divine grace worked with it. He went on
in this vein: This is no doing of yours; it is the gift of God, not from
works lest anyone boast (vv. 8-9): we have not believed of our own
volition; rather, we made our approach when called, and when we did he did not
require of us purity of life—instead, he accepted faith alone and granted us
forgiveness of sins. In other words, we are of his making, created in Christ
Jesus for good works for which God prepared us so that we should walk in him (v.
10). He used created there of the regeneration: he called us (he is
saying) out of ins ineffable goodness; we responded, and by coming to faith we
attained salvation. Before baptism, however, he did not require of us the
practice of virtue, whereas after baptism he urges us to cling to it as well. This,
in fact, is what he means by for good works so that we should walk in him.
(Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, 2 vols. [Brookline,
Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 2:39; on “faith alone” in the patristics,
see this
post)
The translator Robert Charles Hill offered this note:
In these vv. 8-10, where Paul is
stressing the gratuity of the divine call, Theodoret is prepared to concede it,
achieving his usual Antiochene balance by seeing faith as a personal response
to the call in the first place, and then a virtuous life in consequence of
reception of baptism and its forgiveness of sins. (Ibid., 1:59-60 n. 4)
Col 2:11-13:
In him also you were
circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hand, by putting off the body
of the sins of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ (v. 11). In
other words, since under pressure they embraced the way of life of the Law, he
brings out once again the difference in circumcision: it is not of the flesh
(he is saying). But of the spirit, not done by human hand but divine, not a
removal of a fragment of flesh but freedom from all corruption. IT is not the
Law that is responsible for this but Christ the Lord, the giver of the Law; he
says, note, in him also you were circumcised, and again, through the
circumcision of Christ. By putting off the body of the sins of the flesh
he referred to saving baptism: in it we put off the soiled garment of sin.
In the life to come, on the other hand, the body, rendered incorruptible and
immortal can no longer be affected by the stain of sin. Now, to the fact that
this refers to baptism the sequel also testifies. Buried with him in baptism
(v. 12). Since he called saving baptism a type of death (implying this in buried),
he gives the good news of resurrection: in whom you were also raised.
And since we still have a mortal nature, he went on, through faith in the
power of God, who raised him from the dead: believing is the power of God
we await the resurrection, having the resurrection of Christ the Lord as a
pledge.
And you, dead as you were in
your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive with him,
forgiving you all your trespasses (v. 13): sin destroyed us all, imposing
on us the sentence of death. But the God of all made us sharers in the life of
Christ the Lord, and bestowed on us forgiveness of sins. By uncircumcision
of the flesh he referred to wickedness, explaining that whereas
uncircumcision of the body causes no harm to those in that condition, uncircumcision
of the body causes no harm to those in that condition, uncircumcision of the
soul harms both body and soul. From this he shows that bodily circumcision is of
no benefit to the circumcised; on the other hand, it is removal of wickedness
that brings about true salvation. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters
of St. Paul, 2 vols. [Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 2:93-94)
2 Tim 2:11-13:
Having thus brought out the
reward for the hardships, he went on, The saying is trustworthy (v. 11),
that is, true, indubitable, free of falsehood. If we died with him, we shall
also live with him; if we endured with him, we shall also reign with him (vv.
11-12). The phrase, we died with him, he applied not only to those taken
up for burial but also to the baptized: those who sincerely believe and give
evidence of a life in keeping with their faith will share life with the Lord. If
we deny him, he will also deny us. The Lord himself said as much in the
sacred Gospels, “Whoever denies me before human beings I myself shall deny
before my Father, who is in heaven.” Then he explains that the one denying him
will not harm him but will bring harm on himself. If we are unfaithful, he
remains unfaithful: he cannot deny himself (v. 13): those with faith do not
render him God, nor do those without faith remove the divine nature from him;
rather, whether we believe or not he is God. So it is we the believers who reap
the benefit. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul,
2 vols. [Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 2:241)
The translator, Robert Charles Hill, offered the following comment
on the above:
The bishop, we have seen, is
always ready to recall the baptismal ritual in connection with death and
rising. (Ibid., 2:250 n. 4)
Titus 3:4-7:
But when the goodness and lovingkindness
of God our Savior, appeared be saved us, not through works of righteousness we
had done but in his mercy through the washing of regeneration and through
renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out richly on us through Jesus
Christ our Savior that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in
hope of eternal life (vv. 4-7). Exercising lovingkindness, he is saying,
the Lord freed us from our former vices through the Only-begotten, according
us forgiveness of our sins through saving baptism, creating us anew and
renewing us, regaling us with the gift of the Spirit, and showing us the way of
righteousness. To those traveling by this way he promised the kingdom of
heaven. And since this way is not visible (hope which is seen, remember, is not
hope), he was obliged to add, The saying is sure (v. 8), that is, true:
let no one be in any doubt. I want you to harp on this so that those who
believe in God may be sure to devote themselves to good works: for those
devoid of good works faith is not sufficient for salvation. These things are
good and of benefit to everyone: believing in God and living according to
the laws. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, 2
vols. [Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 2:257, emphasis in
bold added)
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Theodoret of Cyrus (393-457) on the Epistle of Philemon and Slavery
Phlm 1:21:
I have written to you in the knowledge
that you will do even more than I ask (v. 21): I know your obedience of
soul—hence my writing, trusting that you will provide more than I asked. (Theodoret
of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, 2 vols. [Brookline,
Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001], 2:264)
The translator, Robert Charles Hill, offered this note:
A modern commentator, like
Fitzmyer wonders if Paul is asking for the emancipation of the slave. Perhaps
Theodoret in his time would prefer not to entertain the possibility of what “more”
could involve (cf. his comment on v. 25). (Ibid., 2:265 n. 9)
Phlm 1:25:
The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with your spirit. Amen (v. 25). It behooves those who vouchsafed
the divine teaching to follow these laws, and thus to teach the servants to
give service to their masters, so that in every way Christ the Lord may be
celebrated, to whom with the Father and the all-holy Spirit belong glory and
magnificence, now and forever, for ages and ages. Amen. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary
on the Letters of St. Paul, 2 vols. [Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox
Press, 2001], 2:264-65)
Monday, October 5, 2026
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