Introduction to the Comparative Charts

“Introduction to Comparative Charts,” in The Lectures on Faith in Historical Perspective, ed. Larry E. Dahl and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University), 107.

The following charts show the textual changes in the Lectures on Faith since they were first published in 1835. Chart 1 shows changes between the 1835 edition and this 1990 edited version. Chart 2 lists the progressive changes between the 1835 edition and three other major editions that followed it (1876, 1891, 1985). The P column gives paragraph numbers and the year columns show changes in the respective editions.

In compiling these charts, we found that some changes among the editions were so recurrent and consistent that it was not in the interest of space to list them with each occurrence. Such changes include: spelling of names and titles such as Arphaxad and Methuselah (spelled Arphaxed and Methuseleh or Methusaleh in the 1835 edition), Savior (spelled Saviour in 1876 and 1985), Former-day and Latter-day (both originally spelled as two words with no hyphen); and spelling modernization such as agreeable (from agreeably in 1835), center (spelled centre in 1876), fulness (spelled fullness in 1891 and 1985), and long-suffering (which was two words in 1835 but hyphenated thereafter). Some of these spelling changes do not apply to Bible quotations. Differences in punctuation, capitalization, and referencing format are not recorded here, unless other significant textual changes accompany them.

The headings to the Lectures have been altered over the years, but those alterations are not listed in these charts. Please see Dahl’s “Authorship and History” (above) for a discussion of the various headings to the Lectures on Faith.

Paragraphs in the Question and Answer sections of past editions were not numbered; this edition assigns a number to each question, and assumes the same numbering for past editions regardless of their format.

Note

These comparative charts were prepared by Rebecca Ann Harrison and Scott W. Gardner, editorial assistants in the Religious Studies Center Publications office at Brigham Young University.