This year's Relief Society/Priesthood manual covers the teachings of
Ezra Taft Benson. In conjunction with this year's topic, I've assembled
a lengthy chronology of the life of Ezra Taft Benson - a very dynamic
and driven person who lived a fascinating life. Subscription info at
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
Growing up in a
100% LDS farming community in South Eastern Idaho, he learned to work
hard, and was immersed in the religious ideals of his family, church
and community. He proved to be a successful missionary in England
under the leadership of two apostles (Orson Whitney followed by David O
McKay). He took on leadership roles including one equivalent to that
of a Stake President & zone leader. After his mission he continued
his relationship with Flora Smith Amussen, and after she served a
mission, they married and had six children. Her goal of having twelve
children was cut short when she experienced serious health issues while
her husband was away on a second mission in Europe.
Benson
faithfully served in church callings and he was eventually called into
the Quorum of the Twelve. In his lengthy journal entry for that day,
he describes the "shock" he had the day he was called when visiting the
Heber J. Grant home. To him, that day had the "greatest significance,"
as he describes staring into his eyes while holding Heber J. Grant's
hands. He said it "seem[ed] like a dream."
When another
apostle expressed reservations about going on a mission to post-WWII
Europe to aid members of the church -- Benson (who had the largest and
youngest family of the quorum) was called to leave his family and go to
Europe. There, he and his assistant/translator spent a frenzied nine
months traveling from country to country, coordinating relief shipments
and providing encouragement to saints who had been devastated by the
war. This left him profoundly changed, as he heard horrific stories and
saw the effects of war, mistreatment and starvation. Here, he became
an avid enemy of socialism, fascism and m - after seeing the results
Hitler and Stalin's attempts to impose socialism and communism.
Early
in life, Benson was a county agricultural agent and then became
involved in various farming enterprises which gave him the experience
that lead to his invitation to be the secretary of agriculture in the
Eisenhower administration. After consulting with David O McKay, Benson
accepted the role where he worked towards a free market economy for
agricultural goods, lessening government price controlling measures.
Benson's "get big, or get out of farming" approach made him unpopular
among small farmers, who sometimes threw eggs at him. He had limited
success in his efforts and eventually the gains he had made were
overturned by a democratically controlled congress. Eisenhower
appointed Benson as the leader of the secret "Eisenhower Ten" - a group
that would run the country in the event of a national catastrophe, but
Eisenhower eventually distanced himself from Benson when trying to
help Nixon get elected. At one point, McKay privately told Eisenhower
that if Benson became enough of liability, he (McKay) would extend a
calling to Benson to take him out of Washington D.C. Benson was
considered by some to be the most controversial member of Eisenhower's
cabinet, and by others - the most influential.
After
his service in the Eisenhower administration, Benson became an
anti-communism crusader and eventually an advocate of the right-wing
John Birch society. He adopted and taught their philosophies in church
settings, seeing communism infiltrating the U.S. in many forms,
including the civil rights movement, and at BYU. Benson's defence of
free agency couched in Birch rhetoric disturbed politically
moderate-to-liberal church leaders and Latter-day Saints. First
Counselor Hugh B. Brown in particular tried to take measures to control
Benson and counter his advocacy of "Birchism." Eventually Benson was
called on another mission to Europe to try to stop what some of his
fellow apostles considered to be conspiratorial rhetoric. Joseph
Fielding Smith wrote to Idaho Congressman Harding "I am glad to report
to you that it will be some time before we hear anything from Brother
Benson, who is now on his way to Great Britain... When he returns I hope
his blood will be purified" [from political ties]. However Benson, who
saw communism becoming more infused in American life, saw his
self-appointed anti-communism crucade in religious terms -- and
continued his campaign after his mission.
When Spencer W. Kimball ascended to the Presidency,
Benson became the president of his Quorum and eventually the president
of the church. He emphasized the traditional role of women, the Book of
Mormon and more. As he entered his 90s, he became frail and suffered
from age-related mental issues, disappearing from the public sphere
during the last years of his presidency.
This
chronology traces through the very interesting and varied life of Ezra
Taft Benson. I quote from a wide variety of sources including
correspondences of First Presidency member Hugh B. Brown, and the
diaries of Ezra Taft Benson, Spencer W. Kimball, David O McKay, Joseph
Fielding Smith and other church leaders. I've relied heavily on several
excellent articles by Gary Bergera covering two of Benson's missions,
and his service as secretary of agriculture, and call as an apostle.
I've also relied heavily on an excellent article by Michael Quinn on
Benson's political conflicts.*
Also included are major
issues dealt with by the Council of Twelve and First Presidency while
Benson was in those quorums. Sometimes I've chosen to use the voice of
other quorum members to illustrate issues Benson would have also dealt
with.
Because of the length of this chronology, I've
opted to gradually disseminate entries through daily posts over the
next several months. I hope you'll consider subscribing via email, rss,
or Facebook, and spend 3 to 5 minutes each day reading a bit more of
Ezra Taft Benson's fascinating and varied life.
Subscription info at http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/, upper right-hand corner (in full web view)
* Gary James Bergera, '"This Great Thing Which Has Come to Me a
Humble, Weak Farmer Boy": Ezra Taft Benson’s 1943 Call to the
Apostleship', Mormon Historical Studies (Fall 2008, v.9); "Weak-Kneed
Republicans and Socialist Democrats": Ezra Taft Benson as U.S. Secretary
of Agriculture, 1953-61, Part 2, Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon
Thought, (Winter 2008, vol 41); '"Rising above Principle": Ezra Taft
Benson as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, 1953-61, Part 1', Dialogue: A
Journal of Mormon Thought (Fall 2008, v 41); "Weak-Kneed Republicans and
Socialist Democrats": Ezra Taft Benson as U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture, 1953-61, Part 2, Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon Thought,
(Winter 2008, vol 41); D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon
Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer
1992)