Matthew Cowley: Man of Faith
By Henry A. Smith
Synopsis: This is the biography of Matthew Cowley, well-loved apostle from 1945 until his death in 1953. Matthew Cowley was the son of Matthias F. Cowley, who served as an apostle from 1897-1905.
Strong Points: The book shared some interesting anecdotes and insights from Matthew Cowley's life, including his boyhood mischievousness; his indomitable, gregarious, fun nature; his missions to New Zealand and his love for the Polynesian people (particularly the Maori of New Zealand); his time working for senator/apostle Reed Smoot within the political arena; his great faith; his numerous miracles that he performed; his popularity as a speaker; his uplifting teachings; his noble work as a humanitarian and his service to mankind; his friendliness to all types of people - both the refined and the coarse. It gives nice insights into the life of this unique apostle.
Weak Points: I was disappointed that the book glossed over the disfellowshipment of Matthew Cowley's father, Matthias F. Cowley. It merely mentioned that circumstances at the time made it so Matthias F. Cowley was asked to resign from the Twelve. But I very much wanted insight into Matthias F. Cowley's estrangement from the Quorum of the Twelve and the suspension of his priesthood for decades (due to plural marriage issues), and how this affected Matthew. It was interesting, however, how the book emphasized the spiritual bedrock that Matthias F. Cowley was to his family.
Interesting: 3/5
Must Read: 2.8/5
Overall: 3.3/5