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Show ophy of Mormonism is altogether misleading" (Juvenile Instructor, 1911, p. 209]). The First Presi dency in 1860, and the First Presi dency and Quorum of the Twelve in 1865 (Desmf News 25 July 1860; 23 August 1865) emphatically denounced Apostle Orson Pratt's views on this and other subjects but declined to establish any Church view for exactly what 'method the Creator had employed. In 1909 (Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, p. 75f) the First Presidency published a lengthy treatise entitled "The Origin of Man," argued that man's spirit derives from divine parentage, but paid little attention to the origin of man's body. When Adam began his sojourn on this earth, he took upon himself "an appropriate body." They suggested that the body had not derived via the evo lutionary methods common to secular science of the day but gave clues at an as to how it did orig inate. Curious LDS readers inquired for more specific infor mation and were answeredin the priesthood instruction's pages of the Era (April 1910, p. 570) that the Lord had not revealed his methods. But readers were given three possibilities to consider: divinely directed evolution, trans plantation from another sphere, or no "born here in mortality, as other mortals have been." None of these, one notes, agrees with the creationists. the Church possesses as yet no example, Anthony W. Ivins, Confer precise revealed information as to Report, Oct. 1925, pp. 50-51; John A Widtsoe, Rational Theology, p. 51; David O. McKay, BYU ence how man's body was produced by God. In 1931 they ruled against continued discussion of the topic, silencing a running debate on the matter as follows: "Our mission is to bear the message of the re stored gospel to the people of the world. Leave Geology, Biology, Archaeology and Anthropology, no one of which has to do with the salvation of the souls of mankind, to scientific research, while we magnify our calling in the realm of the Church." (5 April 1931, com munique to the other General Authorities). More recently, Pres ident Kimball has echoed such sentiments: "We don't know exactly how their [man's and woman's] coming into this world happened, and when we're able to understand it the Lord will tell us" (Ensign, March 1976, p. 72). speech, 10 Oct. 1952, pp. 6-7) have argued that what is important is not the details of the process of creation, but the identity of the creator (the divine father) and the reasons for creation (the mortal experience and eventual exaltation of humans). And these, it seems, are indeed the critical theological Mormons issues. would have to reject their entire philoso phical frame work to become creationists. But a final words remains. LOS spokesmen have agreed, over whelmingly, on two basic points: that Adam and Eve were historical people and that their bodies were produced by some sort of biologi cal procreation. This latter idea is thoroughly repugnant to modern creationists and serves to under score my final point: that beyond generalities, Mormonism and modern creation are completely To some, the non-position of the Church on this matter may seem surprising or even bother some. In truth, it is a prime exam ple of theological honesty. Crea tionists argue that the issue is critical (For example, John Rendle Short of Australia, Man-Ape or Image: the Christian's Dilemma, p. 38: At least seven doctrines of fun damental importance to the whole human race, but especially to Christians, are directly founded on the fact that Eve was created out of Adam.") But LOS prophets (for incompatible on issues relating to the origin of man. For Mormons it seems clear: believing in creation does not make one a creationist. Indeed Mormons would have to reject their entire philosophical framework to become such. This conclusion becomes even more vivid when one examines concepts of the nature of God, of physical law, and of ex nihilo creation. /I DUANE E. JEFFERY ;5 Q5socialr proiessor of zoology at Brigham Young Univrrsity. Space forbids further extensive documentation. A myriad of cita tions could be produced to demon strate the theological richness that has characterized the views expressed on this subject by our apostolic and presidential brethren. To some Adam was a resurrected and exalted being; to others such views were unaccept able. To some Adam was a trans lated being from this or some other planet. For some he was transplanted from another sphere in some form other than transla tion, but these views were emphatically rejected by yet other prominent brethren. Some have felt that evolutionary science pro vides a possible answer quite in harmony with the gospel; others have asserted that such ideas are nonsense at best and satanic at Worst. But through it all the First Ancestrvs GUIDE TO RESEARCH Case Studies in American Genealogy By}obni Cern)' & Arlene Eakk Before You Search Public Records • Understanding the Basics-names, relationships, time, and place. Research Preliminaries ... DYES! Send me copies of AnrtSlry's Gllidt 10 R,starrh @510.95 each plus S.50 and postage handling. My payment ef s..__ is enclosed. __ "Genl'alogy Yellow Pages"-the reference shelf. 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