-- Mar 1966
[T]he Birch magazine sent a letter to all Utah subscribers that its upcoming cover photograph of McKay was intended "to favorably impress your Mormon friends." (1)
-- 2 March 1966
[The First Presidency] learned that the Birch Society's March Bulletin encouraged Birch members to write "Personal and Confidential" letters to President McKay and to his two new counselors, Joseph Fielding Smith and Thorpe B. Isaacson. (2)
-- 3 March 1966
The entire First Presidency decided that "Elder Benson to be told not to mention Birch Society." (3)
Apostle Benson notified the Twelve's president that President McKay had approved the apostle's acceptance of all invitations to speak at testimonials for the Birch Society's president, Robert Welch. "I feel no compunction to make the Church popular with liberals, socialists, or communists. I do feel responsible to tell the truth," Benson wrote. Of the fact that Mormons were joining the Birch Society and Birchers were becoming Mormons, he added: "and those who love the truth will embrace it without compromise and that is exactly what is happening." (4)
-- 8 Mar 1966
J. Reese Hunter, chair of the [Birch Society - Robert] Welch dinner meeting, mailed a "Dear Brethren" letter to stake presidents and bishops inviting them to attend "with your counselors and wives." (5)
-- March 8, 1966
Elders Peterson and Lee read to McKay the minutes of the First Presidency meeting of February 18, in which he had unambiguously ordered Petersen to stop the printing of his picture on the magazine. Without mentioning Benson by name, McKay replied, "They have resorted to everything they could to get me associated with that." Tanner said, "One reason we thought we should come this morning is if you thought it should be stopped we ought to get word to them immediately." McKay replied, "You get them by telephone. Tell them I do not want anything to do with it, that I do not want my name associated with John Birch." Tanner then showed McKay the issue of American Opinion with Benson's picture on the front cover and said, "That is the way they would want to put your picture, and even if they have it printed they could put a new cover on without any trouble." McKay replied, "I do not want my picture on it. Stop it!"
At McKay's direction, his son Lawrence then phoned the editorial office of American Opinion and required that they stop the publication of McKay's picture "no matter what the cost." (6)
-- circa 14 Mar 1966
Some ... circulated a proposal which urged anti-Birch Mormons to petition the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve's president for the "removal of Benson from the Quorum of the Twelve." According to this "OPERATION CHECKMATE" handout, Benson's transgressions were "flagrant insubordination," "pulpit misuse," and "demeaning the President of the Church by callously taking advantage of his advanced years." ... [T]he First Presidency defined the situation as "a crisis." (7)
-- Mar 15, 1966
In special meeting President David O. McKay, second counselor N. Eldon Tanner, and apostles Joseph Fielding Smith and Mark E. Petersen agree to counter Apostle Ezra Taft Benson's preaching of "John Birchism at stake conferences" and his efforts to align LDS church with John Birch Society during upcoming conference. As result CHURCH NEWS publishes Petersen's unsigned editorial on Mar. 26 that LDS church has "nothing to do with Birchers. . . .avoid extremes and extremists." Apostle Harold B. Lee's conference talk also attacks Birch Society and indicates that unnamed Benson is not in "harmony" with his quorum.
-- 15 Mar 1966
Second counselor N. Eldon Tanner, the Twelve's president Joseph Fielding Smith, and Apostle Mark E. Petersen held an emergency meeting with David O. McKay at his home in Huntsville, Utah. Tanner read the [8 Mar] Hunter letter and observed that "KSL, at the request of the John Birch Society, was rebroadcasting the address given recently by Brother Benson in the Assembly Hall, in which address he gave strong endorsement to the John Birch Society." The church president said that it was necessary to issue a statement disassociating the church from these activities. Then "President McKay suggested that Elder Benson might not be assigned to stake conferences if he referred to the John Birch Society. The President then said that Elder Benson should be instructed not to discuss the Birch Society in any meeting, and that he should not advocate this group." First counselor Hugh B. Brown was not present at this meeting to express his views or direct its outcome. (8)
Endnotes:
1 - Philip K. Langan to "All Friends of American Opinion in Utah," Mar. 1966, quoted in Anderson, "Church and Birch In Utah," 27-28 -- as referenced in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
2 - The John Birch Society Bulletin (Mar. 1966): 22-24; "CROSS REFERENCE SHEET," 2 Mar. 1966, in "Hugh B. Brown's File on the John Birch Society." From D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
3 - "Copy of First Presidency minutes digest 3-3-66," in "Hugh B. Brown's File on the John Birch Society." From D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) also in Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
4 - Ezra Taft Benson to Joseph Fielding Smith, 3 Mar. 1966, MS 4940, LDS archives -- as referenced in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
5 - J. Reese Hunter to "Dear Brethren," 8 Mar. 1966, LDS archives, photocopy in Williams Papers; Utah Forum For the American Idea, "Program," 11 Feb. 1966, Williams Papers. These are referenced in in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
6 - David O. McKay diary; Gregory A. Prince and Wm. Robert Write, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press (2005)
7 - "OPERATION CHECKMATE," original typed document, Williams Papers, also photocopy inscribed, "J D Williams, March 14,1966," folder 2, box 124, Robert H. Hinckley Papers, Western Americana, Marriott Library. Although undated, this document was drafted after the J. Reese Hunter letter of 8 Mar. 1966 (which "OPERATION CHECKMATE" referred to) and before the First Presidency statement of 17 March, which was the kind of official statement recommended by "OPERATION CHECKMATE," 4 -- as referenced in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
8 - Campbell and Poll, Hugh B. Brown, 259; minutes of meeting on 15 Mar. 1966 with David O. McKay, N. Eldon Tanner, Joseph Fielding Smith, and Mark E. Petersen in Huntsville, Utah. These are referenced in in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
LDS History Chronology: Ezra Taft Benson
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Ezra Taft Benson
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
