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Show TheSalt Lake Tribune UTAH Sunday, October 28, 2001 Historian for his role in the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre, have al- this is a controlissue.” Peterson, chairman of the Matthew Godfrey went page by @ From previous page ready been published. The autobiography of ‘Bathsheba Arrington Memorial Lecture Board at USU and a longtime catalog it. Smith, a wife ofGeorge A.Smith friendof the late historian, has “I don’t think there's anything that controversial in it,” early feminist, was pre read manyof the documents in said Godfrey, now an adjunct testricted acces to documents and uncerempniously “released” him from his position as church histgrian. He, along with many of his staff, was packed off to Brigham Young University in Provo,a safe distance from the documents. Neither bowed norbitter, Arrington continued his furi- pared for Hubert H. Bancroft’s ous researchard writing to the did notlike conflict much,said phy of Joseph Smith. I don't his daughter, Susan Arrington Ross Peterson, who orinterpretation.” USU. Stan Larson, head of the records to researchers only fu- division at the Closing off Madsenof Hyde Park. “Instead of Dad sitting up there watchingall this with a historical els conspiracytheories,he said. “The more you fight openness, the more people will think you are hiding something.” As a USU graduate student, grin or a frown, he is more likely off interviewing Brigham Young, Emma Smith or Bishop Edwin D. Woolley,” said Madsen, executor of Arrington’strust. There may be somematerial church headquarters, he did transcribe documents and take notes at a rate of about 20 to 25 single-spaced pages a day overthe entire 16 years. His research notes are now at the — Yale University Library. church’s archival materials. Church officials gave USU a six-page list of items they want returned, which includes letters ifrom LDS présidents, correspondence amongearly lead- ers and minutesof Relief Soci- Any Smoking Guns? Beside the ownership issue, many scholars and historians speculate the collection contains a smoking gun that might emthe church, said Stan Albrecht, USU’s provost and Arrington’s colleague. “But , ety meetings. State archivist Jeffrey Johnson questions why the chi wants someof the items onitsilist. For example, the diaries of John er: Lee, who was executed and was given to Arrington by © for private matters.” Arrington entrusted his legacy to his family, colleagues and, especially, to USU, where he taughtfor 26 years. He chose that school over LDS Churchowned BYU because he believed USU would allow more access to his treasured documents, said Ann Buttars, director of USU’s special collections. And the schoolsaysit is do- Lavina Fielding Anderson, a writer whom the LDS Church excommunicated because of her history of its battle with intellectuals. Anderson was among hundreds of scholars and students ing its best to protect that openness, despite legal and political pressures. Arrington inspired and men- tored over the years, imbuing them with loyalty to evenhanded history. “To him the truth was the truth,” Buttars said, “and he believed that in the end, truth would prevail.” made arrangements : ANew High Services to have a Efficient System Installed New furnaceinstalled in your ¢ Great Pricing home and finance iton —_« Convenient yourgasbill. oe TAY tocopying because it was expensive and cumbersome. But of the lish, and yet he also had respect with Questar Enersy spread copying of material now 1980, which they say entitles wants fidelity to Arrington’s legacy is perhaps exemplified by a cream-colored tapestry in a reading room constructed to auecee the collection. It quotes Roman Catholic Pope John XXIII: “The: best apology for the church is the impartial history of its life” Air Comfort the leaderin home comfort has wide- deemed sensitive was allowed. One of those who took advantage of that access was historian Michael Quinn, who did research in the LDS Archives from 1971to 1986. Quinn, now at the University of Southern California, did not do a lot of pho- financial The archives remained open that should be returned to the church, she said, but it is “a very small portion of a very, very large collection. My father would not knowingly have donated materials to USU that he didn’t havethe right to donate.” He was a man of “absolute integrity,” she said. “He wrote honesthistory. But, he also had discretion. He knew what was appropriate to write and pub- ORYAlas Neel ea at Helps Hom SEL bk Theyjust can't photocopyit.” During Arrington's era at document Arréngton signed in (7% , think people base their testi- monies onhistorieal research teaches American history at no stranger to controversy, he the church archives and there is no stamponit, people can use them and makecopies. But ifit is stamped, they can readit, make notes or transcribe it. discussions and personal confessions of individual members. Copies of the Romney transcripts ate among the documents LDS lawyers want back. They have produced a copy of a copies Meadows Massacre, or Fawn Brodie’s controversial biogra- questions. “Tf we have copies of stuff at of Brigham Young’sletters and minutes, of meetings of the Council ofTwelve Apostles from 1877 to 1949, Council minutes are particularly sensitive because they contain decisions about all at the National Archives, Li: brary of Congress and presi- forgeries, Juanita Brooks’ rev- University of Utah’s Marriott Library,said the U. has developed a standing rule to deal with sticky ownership transcribed were many volumes to lations about the Mountain manuscript helped; support with royalties them Mostarchives, suchasthose of Idaho. “Certainly nothing thataffected myfaith.” Clearly, nothing Arrington read or studied diminished his belief in the LDS Church; he remained a faithful Mormon. And although Arrington was to pay for copies of documents, from their publications. Among the works Romney joperations, University and the University items would do real damage to the church,” he said. “The church has survived a lot of controversies that came about because of Mark Hofmann’s dential libraries, allow patrons What's the Big Deal? While church “T can't see where anyof the who worked in the LDS Church archives from 1969 to 1984. The churchis taking a particularly “legalistic” approach, rather than using standardar- said employed by the church, Arrington hired Edyth Romney, a secretary in the department, to transcribe many of the materials. After she retired, Arrington paid her salary from the Mormon History Trust Fund); which he and_ others professorofhistory at Gonzaga History of Utah, said Johnson, chival rules, he said. end ofhis life| He was confident, he said offen, that honest historians would have thelast word. the disputed collection. page through the collection to Cooler Covers oe Bring us your cooler measurements, This means you can havea reliable Lennex furnace and a warm comfortable homethis winter when it's very cold outside. BuyDirect From the Manufacturer! (Clip this ad, and get an additional 10% off) With your good credit you ‘on most custom orders! choose your patriotic colors & design, oi, and we'll dotherest! TO] Gh} AWNING & CANVAS » South State in Midy TeRin Tot CTU UM iLL ea mae Ts com fire Se can have a new Lennox furnace installed by Air Comfort now and pay for it on yourgas bill. What a deal! \) You're Invited to o1 ur FORTIER Tia @ tyres to Join FREE! 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