Comments on: Written in Stone: Some Thoughts on Mormon Grave Symbology

By: concierge

concierge — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

As for songs…I’ve always hoped to hear “Oh When the Saints, Go marching in…”

By: Floyd the Wonderdog

Floyd the Wonderdog — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The clasped hands are not unique to LDS headstones. Iâ€™ve seen several with this in Michigan.

I put this quote on my sonâ€™s headstone:

But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
- Book of Mormon, Mosiah 16:8.

This allows those pausing to read the stone to see that Mormons believe in Christ and the resurrection.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

..and spent a little time poking around some of the old cemetaries looking for striking 19th century Mormon grave stones.

The funny thing is that I think that that is pretty cool…we’re all dorks. Thanks for the info on the military issue grave stones.

By: mjpritchett

mjpritchett — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Using the Nauvoo sunstone on a grave stone would bring the sunstone full circle since its design is apparently based on the style and method of carving on New England grave stones.

By: kris

kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Nate — The Dialogue article talks about how the angel Moroni was officially chosen by the Church for use by the United States military as the official symbol of the Church. It is interesting to note, that in spite of this institutional sanction, that members are far more likely to choose a temple image — she estimates 25-30% of gravestone orders from monument companies in SLC (1985). It would be interesting to see if this has changed over the past 20 years.

By: kris

kris — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks for the note Justin. For those interested, here is a link to McAllister’s grave

http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/RelEd&CISOPTR=5681&CISORESTMP=&CISOVIEWTMP=

and one for Brigham Young’s grave:

http://jfs.saintswithouthalos.org/images/cityvsts/bygrave.htm

J. — I love that monument! Unfortunately, when I was in that part of the world, I wasted my time going here instead:

http://www.hiptravelguide.com/paris/article-27.html

By: Clark Goble

Clark Goble — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Is it just me, or is the hand coming up a little too evocative of the cliche of the zombie hand coming out of the ground in horror films? LOL

By: Nate Oman

Nate Oman — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I spent a couple of months in SLC studying for the bar right after law school, and spent a little time poking around some of the old cemetaries looking for striking 19th century Mormon grave stones. What I found interesting is that some time in the last decade or two, the U.S. Government began issuing headstones for deceased LDS servicemen with an Angle Moroni. Thus, you can get those white, Arlington-cemetary looking stones with crosses, stars of david, etc. and an Angle. I was told by one worker in the cemetary that there are actually two different versions of Moroni on government issued tombstones, one for Mormons and one for Mormon fundamentalists, but I’ve no idea if this is actually true.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Err, I didn’t mean to type “Ezra Taft Benson” twice. I intended to write “Howard W. Hunter.”

Kris, I like the angel Moroni idea.

On a related note, I’ve noticed that J.D.T. McAllister’s modern (i.e., it was obviously done in recent years using modern technology) grave marker features designs of the St. George and Manti temples to represent his service as president of both temples. Perhaps the new marker illustrates how we read and interpret the past through the lens of modern culture. I’d be interested to learn the design of McAllister’s original marker.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I remeber walking through the endless rows of white graves at Verdun. Of course, the bulk are adorned with the cross, but there were not an insignificant number with the star of David or the crecent. I wondered what I would want...probably the cross. Since seeing it in person, I have alwys liked Jules Verne's grave. I love the Catholic focus on the resureciton of the flesh. I totally dig the pointing finger, I think I will go with that.