D&C 47 – How to read Church History

John Whitmer is called to write the history of the Church in this section.  Over the course of his record keeping, we know that he wrote 85 pages of history.

What does the world say a good historian is?  A good historian is objective, unbiased.  According to verse 4, a good historian writes by the Holy Ghost.  “wherefore, it shall be given him, inasmuch as he is faithful, by the Comforter, to write these things…”  That is what makes a good historian.  John is told he is to write history by the Spirit of the Lord.  The same could be said of the books we seek out to learn Church history as well.  I have seen members of the Church seek out books which do not invite the Spirit and then wonder why they are troubled and feel as if their testimony of the truth becomes shaken.  How we view history as well as our current situation has a great affect on our spirit and our testimony.