B.H. Roberts: A Tribute To His Mother

As I was searching through the Internet for buried treasure I found the LDS Author Kerry Shirts on YouTube under the name of The Backyard Professor. Among the gems he has to offer, by way of video presentation, he frequently produces videos that are book reviews called Shirtale Reviews.

One I was particularly interested in was a review of a book that merited a five star rating from him. The book was by B.H. Roberts called, Mormon Doctrine of Deity.

After watching the review I retired to my book collection to see if I owned a copy. Unfortunately I did not, but found instead some of B.H. Roberts’ other books that have piqued my interest. Among the books I found I had one titled, Defender of the Faith, The B.H. Roberts Story by Truman G. Madsen. I decided I might as well learn a little more about B.H. Roberts before starting to study his words, so that book is where I started.

This book is filled with inspirational stories and profound doctrinal commentary. I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to share a small snippet that filled my heart. It is a tribute that he wrote in a letter to his mother and follows:

“‘Touch me not’- gently, lovingly, nor harshly. And thus to a woman was it fist given to carry the glad message fashioned first by the angels’ tongues- ‘He is risen!’ Also the message that the Christ’s Father is man’s Father; that the Christ’s God is man’s God; and that as consequence of this, all men are brethren.

...the sum of the law and Gospel, all else commentary. This was where she had last seen him whom she loved- here she must begin her search for Him- and she will search for Him, for it is woman’s nature to hope- O glorious inconsistency! Against hope itself. And she was rewarded for her love that made her linger, though it was by an empty sepulchre; for soon angels said to her, ‘Why seeketh ye the living among the dead?’

...Even the glory of being ‘last at the cross, and earliest at the tomb’ is eclipsed by the honor of being herald of this. Cherish thou this honor. Claim it in all its Christ-given splendor; for it is fitting that thou unto whom it is first given to know human earthlife perennial, should be made herald of life immortal, and its relations...

...Next to her holy office of wifehood and motherhood, the most exalted honor Deity ever conferred on woman was that of making her his first messenger of the resurrection....

I am taught by these high things to honor thee, and here uncovered and holily I reverence pay thee.”

I can’t wait to read more of B.H. Roberts stirring words.