On Jun 26, 11:53=A0pm, bm2...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
> On Jun 26, 11:45=A0pm, "Dan Goodman" <dsg...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> > > Now assuming that Brigham, before Smith's death, had been
sufficientl=
y
> > > converted to Smith's more tolerant early viewpoint that after the
mov=
e
> > > to the Great Salt Lake, the Mormon church continued to take a pro-
> > > abolitionist line. Also, the absolute ban on black priests that OTL
> > > lasted untill the 1970's never becomes official - there aren't many
> > > black 19th century Mormons, but there are some.
>
> > I would suggest having someone else take up the reins who's more
> > tolerant than Young -- more probable than Young's mind being changed.
>
> Trouble is that IIRC, the most likely contenders were also anti-
> polygamy - and that really massively changes the history of Mormonism.
>
> Bruce
I would say that Brigham's mind being changed is a bit more likely
than someone else being placed in charge. IIRC the main "opponents" to
Brigham were Sidney Ridgon, James Strang, and (eventually) Joseph
Smith III. The first two didn't attract a large amount of followers
and JS III attracted (again, IIRC) mostly those that had stayed behind
in Kirtland or who were very much against polygamy. This isn't going
to result in an Exodus across the plains or the settling of Utah.
Assuming, however, that Brigham's mind WAS changed, you are probably
going to have Utah win a few more friends in the Republican Party
because of the anti-slavery thing, and it's possible that some Mormon
soldiers could be used on the Northern side in the Civil War (I'm not
sure if they were OTL or not), but the polygamy issue will continue to
dominate Mormon/non-Mormon relations.
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