This regular Cornucopia column features incidents from and glimpses into the life and ministry of Elder James E. Talmage as compiled by James P. Harris, who is currently working on a full-length biography of this fascinating Mormon apostle. The column title is adopted from the statement inscribed on Elder Talmage’s tombstone: “Within the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is room and place for every truth thus far learned by man or yet to be made known.”
Elder James E. Talmage passed away on 27 July 1933. In addition to chronicling his thoughts and activities as a Mormon apostle, his journals describe important events of the day, such as the sinking of the Titanic and almost daily reports concerning the unfolding events of World War I. Because he passed away before the full onset of World War II, his journals have only a few brief entries related to it, though he did seem to take notice of some events that would eventually prove to be important precursors to that war. One of the most prescient entries of this sort is what he wrote on Wednesday, 10 May 1933, about trends he was noticing in Germany.
Conditions in Germany are greatly disturbed and widely disturbing. Under the dictatorship of Adolph Hitler an edict of repression directed against the Jews appears to have been ruthlessly carried into effect. Anti-Semitic activities have been characteristic of the Hitler regime, and many eminent Jews have been ousted from positions of honor and trust, and their places in the learned professions made almost if not entirely unbearable. Jewish judges and barristers have been excluded from court practice and Jewish professors and instructors have been removed from the faculties of universities. Einstein, the world-famed physicist and mathematician, whose latest visit to the United States dates but a few months back, has taken up his residence in Holland, being virtually barred from his native country, Germany. Now comes word that night before last great bonfires were made of books by Jewish writers and many other volumes by foreigners. Unlike the destruction of the great Alexandrian library and that of Mayan literature by fanatical Spanish priests, this wanton and barbarous burning of books in Germany cannot destroy these records of knowledge, as, thanks to the printing press, copies of all the important works are to be found in other countries. If the regrettable act is expressive of the German mind and spirit—which is to be greatly doubted—it is an evidence of decline suggestive of an impending fall of the German nation.
Talmage passed away before he could see the true excesses of the Third Reich—the War itself, concentration camps, and the horrific and inhuman crimes we now refer to as the Holocaust. Given his careful watch of the world stage, the question can rightfully be asked: If Talmage had lived longer, would this apostle and keen observer of his times have used his various platforms within Mormonism to raise awareness of Nazi atrocities, possibly influencing Latter-day Saints to take a more pro-active stance against such evils? We will never know.
We do know, however, that if we are to answer the Savior’s call for us to be peacemakers, we as Latter-day Saint leaders and individual members must follow Elder Talmage’s example and pay close attention, as D&C 88—the section Joseph Smith called “The Olive Leaf”—says, to “things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms” (v. 79).
