John A. Widtsoe
Encyclopedia
John Andreas Widtsoe was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1921 until his death. Widtsoe was also a noted author, scientist, and academician.
, Norway
. At birth his hand was attached to the side of his head but he survived the operation to fix this problem. When Widtsoe was two his family moved to the Norwegian mainland city of Namsos
. His father, also named John, died in February 1878. This left his mother Anna as a widow with two young sons to take care of: Widtsoe, who was then five, and his little brother Osborne Widtsoe. After this the family moved to Trondheim
. Here his mother was introduced to the LDS Church by a shoemaker.
In 1883, Widtsoe immigrated to the United States
with his mother and brother. They made it to Utah Territory
in mid-November. Widtsoe was baptized a member of the LDS Church the following April.
in Logan, Utah
. He then attended Harvard University
graduating with honors in 1894. He served as the head of the agricultural experiment station at Utah State Agricultural College. He married Leah Dunford, a granddaughter of Brigham Young. She held a degree in home economics and the two of them worked together in extension efforts. He taught farmers better farming skills and she taught their wives how to better utilize what they got from the farm.
In 1898, he was ordained to the office of a seventy and set apart
to do missionary work in connection with his studies in Europe
. He entered the University of Göttingen, Germany
, and after applying himself diligently to his studies he graduated from that institution, with the degrees of A. M. Ph.D.
in 1899. For part of his time in Europe, Widtsoe lived in Switzerland. The police wanted proof that he and his wife were married, and since they had neglected to bring their wedding license they got married a second time.
. While in this position he founded The Deseret Farmer with Lewis A. Merrill and J. Edward Taylor. Their goal was to have it be a popular magazine that would be read and implemented by the actual farmers.
In 1905 Widtsoe was dismissed from the agricultural college as a result of political debates about its future and President William Jasper Kerr
's feeling that Widtsoe was insufficiently supporting him.
For a short time he was a professor of agriculture at BYU, and is arguably the founding father of Brigham Young University
's college of biology and agriculture. On BYU campus the John A. Widtsoe building is the home of the College of Biology and Agriculture. Soon, however, he returned to Logan to succeed Kerr as president of Utah State University
from 1907 to 1916. He also served as the president of the University of Utah
from 1916 until his call as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1921. Widtsoe was the fifth Commissioner of Church Education from 1921 to 1924 and was the seventh commissioner from 1934 to 1936.
During his time as an apostle Widtsoe taught a religion class at the University of Southern California
.
.
even before he became an apostle. Widtsoe was associate editor of the Era from 1935 until 1952. While editor of the Era, in the words of Parrish
, Widtsoe "directed its growth from a magazine primarily for the youth to the voice of the whole Church". One of Widtsoe's employees while at the Improvement Era was Hugh Nibley
, who he convinced to become a professor at Brigham Young University
.
Widtsoe was also part of the Genealogy committee of the church, being one of the main people behind the implementation of the Temple Index Bureau.
on a journey to Great Britain
and the Scandinavian countries, during which they secured recognition and opened the way for missionaries of the church to return to these lands.
From 1926 until 1932 he served as president
of the European Mission
. While in this office, Widtsoe convinced the First Presidency
to call a separate president of the British Mission, so that the European Mission president could assume his duties as the supervisor of all the missions in Europe. While president of the European mission, Widtsoe dedicated Czechoslovakia
for the preaching of the gospel, and worked closely with Arthur Gaeth
in starting the mission there.
, who was a daughter of Brigham Young
. Widtsoe worked closely with his wife and mother-in-law in their writing of a biography of Brigham Young. It is this relationship that caused Widtsoe to complete a book on the teachings of Brigham Young. John and Leah also wrote a book entitled "The Word of Wisdom: A Modern Interpretation". This book advocates eating healthy food as part of the Word of Wisdom
, although not as a required portion that should be lived in order to get a temple recommend.
Besides the Teachings of Brigham Young, Widtsoe was also the lead compiler of Gospel doctrine: selections from the sermons and writings of Joseph F. Smith, sixth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Widtsoe also wrote A Rational Theology as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which has been cited by later LDS authors such as J. Reuben Clark
. Another book of Widtsoe's was Evidences and Reconciliations, which was actually a compilation of his Improvement Era writings, which were his answers to the questions on matters of faith he received most often. In this work Widtsoe admits that there are multiple interpretations that Latter-day Saints can hold on issues. One example is his explanation of the creation of the earth: He points out that faithful Latter-day Saints hold the six-day, six-thousand years and undefined-period interpretations of the creation. Although he gives by far the most space to the explanation of the unknown-period interpretation, he does not rigidly contest for any of these interpretations.
Widtsoe also wrote Priesthood and Church Welfare and Priesthood and Church Government, both published in 1939. His work The Message of the Doctrine and Covenants was published after his death, after having been edited by his son-in-law G. Homer Durham
. Widtsoe wrote Seven Claims of the Book of Mormon: A Collection of Evidences with Franklin S. Harris, Jr.
Widtsoe wrote Joseph Smith: Seeker After Truth Prophet of God. It was published in 1951, and later reprinted by Bookcraft
in 1957. It begins with an account of the first vision and goes all the way to Joseph Smith
's martyrdom at Carthage
. Another work by Widtsoe on Joseph Smith was Joseph Smith as a Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy published by the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in 1908. In 1944, his essay "The Divine Mission of Joseph Smith" was included in Handbook of the Restoration published by Zion's Printing and Publishing Company in Independence, Missouri
.
Widtsoe wrote two autobiographies. The first In the Gospel Net largely focused on his mother's conversion to the church. The second In a sunlit Land told the story of his later life, and also included explanations of his educational philosophy.
Another book by Widtsoe was Dry-Farming: A System of Agriculture for Countries Under a Low Rainfall (New York: MacMillan Company, 1920). He also served as a co-author of Dodge's Geography of Utah.
.
of uremia
; he also had prostate
cancer for a number of years before his death. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
.
Adam S. Bennion
was called to the Quorum of the Twelve after Widtsoe's death.
Early life
Widtsoe was born on the island of Frøya in Sør-TrøndelagSør-Trøndelag
- References :...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. At birth his hand was attached to the side of his head but he survived the operation to fix this problem. When Widtsoe was two his family moved to the Norwegian mainland city of Namsos
Namsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
. His father, also named John, died in February 1878. This left his mother Anna as a widow with two young sons to take care of: Widtsoe, who was then five, and his little brother Osborne Widtsoe. After this the family moved to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. Here his mother was introduced to the LDS Church by a shoemaker.
In 1883, Widtsoe immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his mother and brother. They made it to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
in mid-November. Widtsoe was baptized a member of the LDS Church the following April.
Education
Widtsoe graduated from Brigham Young CollegeBrigham Young College
Brigham Young College was a college and high school in Logan, Utah. It was founded by Brigham Young on 6 August 1877, 23 days before he died. He deeded several acres of land to a board of trustees for the development of a college. This was just two years after he founded Brigham Young Academy in...
in Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
. He then attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
graduating with honors in 1894. He served as the head of the agricultural experiment station at Utah State Agricultural College. He married Leah Dunford, a granddaughter of Brigham Young. She held a degree in home economics and the two of them worked together in extension efforts. He taught farmers better farming skills and she taught their wives how to better utilize what they got from the farm.
In 1898, he was ordained to the office of a seventy and set apart
Setting apart
Setting apart is an ordinance or ritual in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whereby a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church....
to do missionary work in connection with his studies in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He entered the University of Göttingen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and after applying himself diligently to his studies he graduated from that institution, with the degrees of A. M. Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1899. For part of his time in Europe, Widtsoe lived in Switzerland. The police wanted proof that he and his wife were married, and since they had neglected to bring their wedding license they got married a second time.
Academic career
In August 1900 Widtsoe became the director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at what is now Utah State UniversityUtah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
. While in this position he founded The Deseret Farmer with Lewis A. Merrill and J. Edward Taylor. Their goal was to have it be a popular magazine that would be read and implemented by the actual farmers.
In 1905 Widtsoe was dismissed from the agricultural college as a result of political debates about its future and President William Jasper Kerr
William Jasper Kerr
William Jasper Kerr served as the president of Oregon State University for 25 years, 1907–1932. In 1932 he became the first chancellor of the Oregon State System of Higher Education, serving until 1935. He also served as the president of Brigham Young College from 1894–1900 and of Utah State...
's feeling that Widtsoe was insufficiently supporting him.
For a short time he was a professor of agriculture at BYU, and is arguably the founding father of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
's college of biology and agriculture. On BYU campus the John A. Widtsoe building is the home of the College of Biology and Agriculture. Soon, however, he returned to Logan to succeed Kerr as president of Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
from 1907 to 1916. He also served as the president of the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
from 1916 until his call as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1921. Widtsoe was the fifth Commissioner of Church Education from 1921 to 1924 and was the seventh commissioner from 1934 to 1936.
During his time as an apostle Widtsoe taught a religion class at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
Federal government work
For two years in the 1920s Widtsoe lived in Washington, D. C. where he supervised the reorganization of the Federal Bureau of ReclamationUnited States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
.
Service in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Widtsoe was closely associated with the Improvement EraImprovement Era
The Improvement Era was an official magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1897 and 1970....
even before he became an apostle. Widtsoe was associate editor of the Era from 1935 until 1952. While editor of the Era, in the words of Parrish
Alan K. Parrish
Alan K. Parrish is a professor of religious education at Brigham Young University who has written books and articles related to American education and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , most notably a biography of John A. Widtsoe.Parrish was born and raised in Logan, Utah...
, Widtsoe "directed its growth from a magazine primarily for the youth to the voice of the whole Church". One of Widtsoe's employees while at the Improvement Era was Hugh Nibley
Hugh Nibley
Hugh Winder Nibley was an American author, Mormon apologist, and professor at Brigham Young University...
, who he convinced to become a professor at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
Widtsoe was also part of the Genealogy committee of the church, being one of the main people behind the implementation of the Temple Index Bureau.
Missions to Europe
In 1923 Widtsoe accompanied Reed SmootReed Smoot
Reed Owen Smoot was a native-born Utahn who was first elected to the United States Senate from Utah in 1903, and served as a Senator until 1933...
on a journey to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the Scandinavian countries, during which they secured recognition and opened the way for missionaries of the church to return to these lands.
From 1926 until 1932 he served as president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the European Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. While in this office, Widtsoe convinced the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
to call a separate president of the British Mission, so that the European Mission president could assume his duties as the supervisor of all the missions in Europe. While president of the European mission, Widtsoe dedicated Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
for the preaching of the gospel, and worked closely with Arthur Gaeth
Arthur Gaeth
Arthur Gaeth was the first president of a mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Czechoslovakia starting in 1929. He was serving as a Mormon missionary in Germany when he was called to open the mission in Czechoslovakia...
in starting the mission there.
Marriage and writings
Widtsoe married Leah Dunford, a daughter of Susa Young GatesSusa Young Gates
300px|thumb|Susa Young Gates, portrait bustSusa Young Gates was a writer, periodical editor, and women's rights advocate in Utah....
, who was a daughter of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
. Widtsoe worked closely with his wife and mother-in-law in their writing of a biography of Brigham Young. It is this relationship that caused Widtsoe to complete a book on the teachings of Brigham Young. John and Leah also wrote a book entitled "The Word of Wisdom: A Modern Interpretation". This book advocates eating healthy food as part of the Word of Wisdom
Word of Wisdom
The "Word of Wisdom" is the common name of a section of the Doctrine and Covenants, a book considered by many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement to consist of revelations from God...
, although not as a required portion that should be lived in order to get a temple recommend.
Besides the Teachings of Brigham Young, Widtsoe was also the lead compiler of Gospel doctrine: selections from the sermons and writings of Joseph F. Smith, sixth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Widtsoe also wrote A Rational Theology as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which has been cited by later LDS authors such as J. Reuben Clark
J. Reuben Clark
Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. was an American attorney, civil servant, and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Born in Grantsville, Utah Territory, Clark was a prominent attorney in the Department of State, and Under Secretary of State for US president Calvin Coolidge...
. Another book of Widtsoe's was Evidences and Reconciliations, which was actually a compilation of his Improvement Era writings, which were his answers to the questions on matters of faith he received most often. In this work Widtsoe admits that there are multiple interpretations that Latter-day Saints can hold on issues. One example is his explanation of the creation of the earth: He points out that faithful Latter-day Saints hold the six-day, six-thousand years and undefined-period interpretations of the creation. Although he gives by far the most space to the explanation of the unknown-period interpretation, he does not rigidly contest for any of these interpretations.
Widtsoe also wrote Priesthood and Church Welfare and Priesthood and Church Government, both published in 1939. His work The Message of the Doctrine and Covenants was published after his death, after having been edited by his son-in-law G. Homer Durham
G. Homer Durham
George Homer Durham was an American academic administrator and was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1977 until his death.-Early Life:...
. Widtsoe wrote Seven Claims of the Book of Mormon: A Collection of Evidences with Franklin S. Harris, Jr.
Widtsoe wrote Joseph Smith: Seeker After Truth Prophet of God. It was published in 1951, and later reprinted by Bookcraft
Bookcraft
Bookcraft was a major publisher of books and products for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-History:In 1940, LDS Church President Heber J. Grant asked the church's Improvement Era magazine to compile his sermons into a book called Gospel Standards. Compiler G...
in 1957. It begins with an account of the first vision and goes all the way to Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
's martyrdom at Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
. Another work by Widtsoe on Joseph Smith was Joseph Smith as a Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy published by the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in 1908. In 1944, his essay "The Divine Mission of Joseph Smith" was included in Handbook of the Restoration published by Zion's Printing and Publishing Company in Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
.
Widtsoe wrote two autobiographies. The first In the Gospel Net largely focused on his mother's conversion to the church. The second In a sunlit Land told the story of his later life, and also included explanations of his educational philosophy.
Another book by Widtsoe was Dry-Farming: A System of Agriculture for Countries Under a Low Rainfall (New York: MacMillan Company, 1920). He also served as a co-author of Dodge's Geography of Utah.
Hymns
He wrote numerous works, including a hymn "How Long, O Lord Most Holy and True" which appears as hymn #126 in the current LDS hymnalHymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official hymn book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
.
Death
Widtsoe died in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
of uremia
Uremia
Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....
; he also had prostate
Prostate
The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....
cancer for a number of years before his death. He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
.
Adam S. Bennion
Adam S. Bennion
Adam Samuel Bennion was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born in Taylorsville, Utah Territory, Bennion received degrees from the University of Utah, Columbia University and the University of California. He also studied at the University of Chicago...
was called to the Quorum of the Twelve after Widtsoe's death.