LDS Church Releases Journal of 19th-Century Mormon Leader George Q. Cannon

By Alison Lesley --
20 Apr 2016 --

Church Historian’s Press has released all volumes of Mormon Leader George Q. Cannon’s Journal online.

According to the director of publications for the LDS Church History Department, Matt Grow, George Quayle Cannon was the voice of the Latter-day Saints Church to the world. Cannon has been an influential figure not only in the Church but also in the government as well. He served under four successive Church presidents, Lorenzo Snow, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, and Brigham Young. The press dubbed him as the Mormon Richelieu and Mormon premier. Apart from being the Church's chief political strategist, he has also been a 5-time Territorial Delegate to the United States Congress. Abraham Lincoln and other national and world leaders regarded him as the voice and face of Mormonism.

LDS Church Releases Journal of 19th-Century Mormon Leader George Q. Cannon[/tweetthis]

The brilliance of Cannon is reflected in the fact that he kept a journal so detailed that the information will help the historians to get an in-depth look into the history of the LDS Church, as well as an insight into the political situation during that time. According to Grow, Cannon's journal has already been ranked as one of the most valuable journals in American religious history.

Cannon's 50-volume journal has around 2.5 million words. The first three volumes, covering the period from 1849 through 1854, has already been available to the public. The Church has now released the rest of the volumes, till the period of 1901. The journal is released via the Church Historian’s Press, a division of the Church History Department of the LDS Church. The free publication is available via the website of Church Historian’s Press.

Cannon's journal has special significance in the fact that the LDS Church underwent major changes during his time. The journal contains many significant events that happened in the history of the LDS Church. Cannon's commitment to the journal was such that he used to employ secretaries to help him with the writing of the journal. Many of the events recorded in the journal have been recorded immediately after they happened. For example, the interview with the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in the year 1862. In the year 1873, Cannon recorded the Latter-day Saints' political plight in his journal. He termed the politicians at that time as moral cowards who were afraid to defend the weak, especially the Mormons.

Journal of early LDS Church leader released. "George Q. Cannon was one of the best-known Latter-day Saints in the… https://t.co/CxChyZgSwP
— Kathryn Skaggs (@LDSNana) April 14, 2016

Apart from religion and politics, Cannon also covered technology, travel, and other subjects in his journal as well. A few of the topics that could be found in Cannon's journal include his travels to Europe, his relationship with his family, his meetings with politicians and Church leaders, his financial dealings, his life in prison, and his utmost devotion to the LDS Church.