Ezra Taft Benson and the State of Israel - Brandeis Institutional ...
Ezra Taft Benson and the State of Israel - Brandeis Institutional ... Ezra Taft Benson and the State of Israel - Brandeis Institutional ...
for their long suffering. Yet, he, like most leaders before and after him, also emphasizedhis love for the Jewish people. He observed the Jewish rejection of Jesus Christ as theMessiah, but he insisted, “I do not. . . wish to find fault with them. I have a great love forthem as a people.” 20Note again the “love for [the Jewish] people,” and the apparentconcern for their restoration within Mormon theology. This was not uncommon in otherAmerican Christian denominations, but “the great innovation of the Mormons was . . .their announcement that the return of the Jews was imminent and that this event wouldgive the signal for the gathering of the Gentiles in the American Zion.” 21That the gathering of both gentiles and Jews was and is of central importance inLatter-day Saint teachings finds ample evidence in both the history and rhetoric ofMormonism of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As noted, Joseph Smith taught itplentifully. He again stressed its importance in 1836 when he said, “One of the mostimportant points in the faith of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. . . is the gathering ofIsrael. . . That day is one, all important to all men.” 22 Yet, Smith not only spokeeloquently about the imminent gathering. He also took measures to ensure its coming tofruition. In 1841 he sent a mission to Palestine with the express intent of dedicating theland for the restoration of the Jews, a mission he had spoken of some 10 years earlier in ablessing to the very Orson Hyde who would complete that mission. In 1831, Smith toldElder Hyde in that blessing, “In due time thou shalt go up to Jerusalem, the land of thyfathers, and be a watchman unto the House of Israel; and by thy hands shall the MostHigh do a great work, which shall prepare the way and greatly facilitate the gathering of202122Glanz, Jew and Mormon, 103.Glanz, Jew and Mormon, 103.Ricks, “From Joseph to Joseph,” 97.10
that people.” 23In April, 1840, Elder Hyde was indeed commissioned by Joseph Smith totravel to Palestine to dedicate the land for the return of the Jewish people. “That theProphet Joseph Smith was moved to send an emissary on such a mission in those days,”writes one Mormon scholar, “is of itself an astounding thing and clearly indicates theplace of the Jews in the glorious work of the Restoration.” 24It also indicates theapparent importance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in helping toprepare the way for the restoration of the Jews. While, as Brigham Young pointed out,Latter-day Saints would not bring about that restoration through preaching to the Jews,their prayers and dedication missions would act as a catalyst in the long-awaitedfulfillment of prophecy.Orson Hyde did indeed travel to Palestine, and on Sunday, October 24, 1841, heclimbed the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and offered the dedicatory prayer he had beencommissioned to offer. This mission has become an event of legendary import in thehistory of Mormon perceptions regarding the gathering of Israel. Its significance isdescribed in various sources, including a 1991 article by David Galbraith (first presidentof the BYU Jerusalem Center), where he explains that the prayer consisted of three majorthemes: 1. the gathering of Judah, 2. the building up of Jerusalem, and 3. the rearing of atemple. 25It is noteworthy that Hyde's prayer focused on two main elements that wouldbecome central to Mormon, and especially Benson's, support for the State of Israel: thegathering of the Jews, and building up of Jerusalem. 26 While the Latter-day Saint sources23242526History of the Church 4:375.David B. Galbraith, D. Kelly Ogden, Andrew C. Skinner, Jerusalem: The Eternal City (Salt Lake City:Deseret Book Company), 355.David Galbraith, “Orson Hyde's 1841 Mission to the Holy Land,” Ensign, October, 1991; see alsoGalbraith, Ogden, and Skinner , Jerusalem, 355-357; Glanz, Jew and Mormon, 80; and Ricks, “FromJoseph to Joseph,” 96-99.Mormons still anticipate the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, but as to the timing and means of11
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that people.” 23In April, 1840, Elder Hyde was indeed commissioned by Joseph Smith totravel to Palestine to dedicate <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong> for <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jewish people. “That <strong>the</strong>Prophet Joseph Smith was moved to send an emissary on such a mission in those days,”writes one Mormon scholar, “is <strong>of</strong> itself an astounding thing <strong>and</strong> clearly indicates <strong>the</strong>place <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jews in <strong>the</strong> glorious work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Restoration.” 24It also indicates <strong>the</strong>apparent importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ <strong>of</strong> Latter-day Saints in helping toprepare <strong>the</strong> way for <strong>the</strong> restoration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jews. While, as Brigham Young pointed out,Latter-day Saints would not bring about that restoration through preaching to <strong>the</strong> Jews,<strong>the</strong>ir prayers <strong>and</strong> dedication missions would act as a catalyst in <strong>the</strong> long-awaitedfulfillment <strong>of</strong> prophecy.Orson Hyde did indeed travel to Palestine, <strong>and</strong> on Sunday, October 24, 1841, heclimbed <strong>the</strong> Mount <strong>of</strong> Olives in Jerusalem <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong> dedicatory prayer he had beencommissioned to <strong>of</strong>fer. This mission has become an event <strong>of</strong> legendary import in <strong>the</strong>history <strong>of</strong> Mormon perceptions regarding <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>of</strong> <strong>Israel</strong>. Its significance isdescribed in various sources, including a 1991 article by David Galbraith (first president<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> BYU Jerusalem Center), where he explains that <strong>the</strong> prayer consisted <strong>of</strong> three major<strong>the</strong>mes: 1. <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>of</strong> Judah, 2. <strong>the</strong> building up <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem, <strong>and</strong> 3. <strong>the</strong> rearing <strong>of</strong> atemple. 25It is noteworthy that Hyde's prayer focused on two main elements that wouldbecome central to Mormon, <strong>and</strong> especially <strong>Benson</strong>'s, support for <strong>the</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Israel</strong>: <strong>the</strong>ga<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jews, <strong>and</strong> building up <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem. 26 While <strong>the</strong> Latter-day Saint sources23242526History <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church 4:375.David B. Galbraith, D. Kelly Ogden, Andrew C. Skinner, Jerusalem: The Eternal City (Salt Lake City:Deseret Book Company), 355.David Galbraith, “Orson Hyde's 1841 Mission to <strong>the</strong> Holy L<strong>and</strong>,” Ensign, October, 1991; see alsoGalbraith, Ogden, <strong>and</strong> Skinner , Jerusalem, 355-357; Glanz, Jew <strong>and</strong> Mormon, 80; <strong>and</strong> Ricks, “FromJoseph to Joseph,” 96-99.Mormons still anticipate <strong>the</strong> rebuilding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Temple in Jerusalem, but as to <strong>the</strong> timing <strong>and</strong> means <strong>of</strong>11
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