In 1875, Karl G. Maeser spoke of a hill in Utah Valley, one covered with “temples of learning.” Today, Brigham Young University stands on that famed hill in Provo, Utah.
Its influence has spread far and wide.
“The spiritual legacy of Karl Maeser, I think without a shadow of a doubt, can be found in what is now known as Brigham Young University,” James Perry, Area Church History Manager for the Church, said. “And his efforts and his sacrifices have reverberated and affected perhaps every country on this earth.”
But long before the university took shape in Utah, Maeser’s experience as a teacher in Germany and missionary in London helped shape the ideas he would later bring to life.
Born in Saxony, Germany in 1828, Maeser had always been deeply interested in education and religion. After becoming one of the first Germans to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he and his family left Germany to escape religious pressures and settled temporarily in the British Isles.
There, he was called to serve as a missionary among German-speaking immigrants in London.
At the time, the Church had over 30 branches across the UK, and the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was reaching many.
“It was a time of enormous religious vitality but also of enormous religious debate,” Joshua Bennett, associate professor at the University of Oxford, said. “One of the big characteristics of 19th-century English life was the growth of religious denominations and revival.”
Missionaries in the UK today still draw strength from Maeser’s example.
“There have been a lot of hardships and trials on my mission,” said Sister Frehner, a full-time missionary in Liverpool. “But being here has helped me feel closer to Jesus Christ. Sometimes I think about those early missionaries like Heber C. Kimball and Karl G. Maeser — and I feel like I’m walking in their shoes.”
While in London, Maeser developed a clearer sense of the connection between spiritual and intellectual learning, something that would become central to his educational philosophy.
“There was a lot of talk in the 19th century about truth and about light,” Perry said. “So for Elder Maeser, the relationship between secular studies and gospel learning was closely connected.”
In 1857, Maeser ended his time as a full-time missionary and sailed with his family to meet with the Saints in Zion – Salt Lake City, Utah – where prophet Brigham Young would commission him to found Brigham Young Academy.
Though Maeser’s time in England was relatively short, it had a long-lasting impact on his work. His time in London prepared him for the challenges and opportunities he would face bringing the academy to fruition.
Throughout the process, Maeser infused spiritual teachings into every aspect of the educational institution. After years of setbacks and sacrifices, Brigham Young Academy was born in 1875.
“Such a critical part of BYU’s mission is this combination of study and faith, of being intellectually enlarging and spiritually strengthening,” said Cecilia Peek, director of the BYU London Centre.
This ideal is at the heart of Maeser’s educational philosophy, and it continues to inspire students and faculty at BYU today.
“The most important thing,” she added, “is to recognize within our students that these are my fellow brothers and sisters, fellow children of God. If I don’t recognize that, I’ve missed the heart of teaching.”
Seeking learning “by study and by faith” is the central focus of BYU today, making it a unique and inspired institution.
“It … lifts me up when I do my religion classes, as well as just even in accounting, we're talking about Jesus before we learn about accounting. That's so cool,” said BYU student Ali Nearon. “And it just reminds me that, yes, even accounting can apply to the gospel, and we can be thankful to the Lord for helping us with accounting.”
BYU student Andrew Smith said he appreciates the inspired philosophy Maeser brought to BYU.
“We can read the scriptures, we can learn how to pray, while also just building a community of learning,” he reflected. “And all of that started because Maeser; he had a dream of a place where we could become disciples of Christ.”
Maeser wrote:
“The Brigham Young Academy has been a chosen instrument in the hands of the Lord God of Israel, to plant the seed for an educational system … opening to our youth the avenues to all intelligence, knowledge, and power.”
Karl G. Maeser’s life is a testament to the legacy born from a life that is guided wholly by God. 150 years later, Brigham Young University continues to inspire students to blend the spiritual with the secular as they enter to learn and go forth to serve, incorporating the Lord in every step of the way.