The Contributor was an independent publication established by Junius F. Wells, also the founder of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA), and was meant to "to represent the Mutual Improvement Associations [both YMMIA and YLMIA], and to furnish a publication of peculiar interest to their members and to the mature youth of our people." Under the editorship of Wells and later editor, Abraham H. Cannon, the magazine ran from between 1879 to 1896. One of its purposes was to encourage and foster the development of literary talents among the young men and young women in the Church. As summarized in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, the Contributor "contained articles on such subjects as travel, philosophy, history, biography, and gospel topics. There were also letters from the General Authorities, conference reports, lesson outlines for the youth weekly meetings, hymns, fiction, and a little poetry."

The items listed below are not the complete publication run of the Contributor, but the issues with articles which are relevant to the mission of Scripture Central.