Millennial Star

Millennial Star

The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star (usually shortened to Millennial Star) was the longest continuously published periodical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being printed in England from 1840 until 1970, when it was replaced by the Church-wide Ensign.

History

The first issue of the Millennial Star was published in Manchester, England in May 1840, with Latter Day Saint Apostle Parley P. Pratt as editor and W. R. Thomas as printer.[1] First mention of the newspaper being sold in Liverpool appeared in March 1842[2] and printing was officially moved to Liverpool with the April 1842 issue.[3] Pratt was eventually replaced as editor by Thomas Ward.[4] When Ward left England, the Star was thereafter edited or supervised by mission presidents of the church's European Mission, based in England.

When Orson Pratt was called as mission president in 1848, he also became the editor and publisher of the Millennial Star. In his first issue as editor, he also printed an address to the members and missionaries of the church.[5]

During its 130-year history, the Millennial Star varied from being monthly, semi-monthly and even weekly, and was primarily aimed at British Latter-day Saints.

Due to the Priesthood Correlation Program of the church that sought to encourage uniformity and extend control over printed materials, the Millennial Star was replaced by Ensign at the end of 1970.

Editors

Namesake

Millennial Star is also the name of an LDS-themed blog, part of the so-called Bloggernacle or community of Mormon blogs.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. See the vol. 1. no. 1, May 1840 issue.
  2. The reference is made in the printing information at the end of the number: Millennial Star, March 1842, p. 176
  3. Liverpool became the printing location mentioned in Millennial Star, April 1842, p. 192.
  4. Parley P. Pratt, "Farewell Address to Our Readers and Patrons", Millennial Star, October 1842, pp. 109-10.
  5. Orson Pratt, "President Orson Pratt's First General Epistle to the Saints throughout England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Adjacent Countries, Greeting", Millennial Star, 15 August 1848, pp. 241-47.
  6. Thomas Ward, "Address to Our Readers and Patrons", Millennial Star, November 1842, pp. 123-24.
  7. Franklin D. Richards, "Appointment of Elder F. D. Richards to the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the British Isles, and the Adjacent Countries", Millennial Star, 24 June 1854, pp. 385-86.
  8. Millennial Star blog

References

External links