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Appendix I
Letters
Daddy received a lot of calls and letters from people who love President Benson, who are concerned about our freedom, and wanted to know what they should do. Below is a copy of a letter he sent to one such person, five months before he (Daddy) died on July 16, 1992.
I am in receipt of your recent letter regarding my book, The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil and I do hope I can help you solve the problems you face. Since as you say in your letter, you already believed the things written in the book before you read it, the philosophy expressed therein did not cause a turmoil in your own mind. However as I understand it, by voicing those beliefs, you have encountered some opposition from others.
It probably will not surprise you to learn that the difficulties you are experiencing are quite common among politically conservative Church members. Perhaps some of the discourses delivered by our prophets will help explain why.
In the April, 1966 general conference of the Church, President David O. McKay who was then the prophet, issued a statement entitled: A Statement Concerning the Position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Communism. [Compiler note: See Appendix III] You probably are quite familiar with that pronouncement. At the time it was issued, I was teaching at the Brigham Young University and discovered to my consternation that the statement caused considerable contention among those I associated with.
In the October, 1967 General Conference, President McKay, seeming to sense the discord, delivered another address entitled, A Plea for Unity. In that talk he again condemned communism and charged that those subscribing to its philosophy were causing contention both in this nation and others. He asked that members who were unable to solve their problems on a local level, to appeal to the brethren in Salt Lake who would give the needed help.
President McKay waited another eighteen months and then in the April, 1969 General Conference, he repeated some of the things he had said against communism three years earlier, but suggested that those fighting communism should not do so in such a way as to cause contention. It is my suggestion to you that you obtain these three addresses by President McKay, study them carefully and prayerfully, and then follow his advice.
You apparently have become aware that it is virtually impossible to discuss either communism, socialism or welfare statism in Church meetings without causing contention. For this reason we do not now hear much from the pulpit on these subjects as was formerly the case. This does not mean however that we should not study and take a stand on these matters as President McKay advised in 1966 when he said:
We therefore commend and encourage every person and every group who is sincerely seeking to study Constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us. (David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1966, p. 109)
We should still follow that advice, provided we do so without causing discord. As you are doubtless aware, our living prophet has perhaps been more vigorously outspoken on these matters than anyone and he has never indicated that he has changed his mind. On the other hand he has continued to admonish us to read the Book of Mormon and beware of secret combinations. No prophet has ever advised that we ignore the warnings of Moroni expressed to us Gentiles in Ether 8, nor can this be done without rejecting the Book of Mormon.
The prophecies of Nephi contained in 2 Ne. 27 through 2 Ne. 31:1 seem to explain what is now happening in the Church. Since these chapters are explanations of Isaiah’s writings which the Lord has admonished us to search diligently, (3 Ne. 23:1, 2) they should be very meaningful to us today.
But even though we can no longer publicly discuss what President McKay has called the greatest satanical threat to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God’s work among men which exists on the face of the earth, we can educate ourselves, our families, and our close friends.…and I hope that the Lord will continue to bless you as you try to follow the prophets and stand up for that which they stand for. (Daddy’s letter to a member, 2/20/1992)
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
47 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE STREET SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84150
EZRA TAFT BENSON July 28, 1976
Dear Verlan,
I acknowledge with appreciation your letter of July 24 regarding the two pieces of legislation which you and your associates are supporting. I am very pleased to note that you feel that what you are proposing is supported strongly by the Book of Mormon. I am a great believer in the Book of Mormon and feel strongly that it was written for our day and time. I have said to many people that a person will come to be better informed regarding what's happening in the world today by reading the Book of Mormon than all the magazines and newspapers combined. My great concern is whether we have time enough through the legislative route and the great lack of support for sound principles to get the job done, because of the rate at which the subversive program is closing in on us.
I have just listened to two tapes of the Alan Stang Report. I don't know if you've heard of these, Verlan. This is a new service of the JBS and I understand some 150 stations are carrying the program now. It runs 5 minutes per day for five days of the week, all of which are on one cassette tape. The program is sponsored and purchased by business firms. KSL is running it on time purchased and the service purchased by Larson Ford and I understand it plays every day at 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may want to write to Alan Stang, Belmont, Mass., 02178 and ask them to send you a sample copy or their promotion tape. It may be you could get it on a Provo station or it may be that a group of you could join together and get it for your own personal use. I believe Reid Bankhead and some of the others might join with you, including Cleon Skousen, with whom I discussed the matter in the hope that he might find use for it. They are sending a copy to me weekly complimentary. It's really news behind the news and is a job well done and most timely.
With warm regards.
Sincerely,
H. Verlan Andersen
1155 East 930 North
Provo, Utah 84601
Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
—D&C 121:34
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