GRACE UNTO THE GENTILES Anthony A. Hutchinson 6 The significance of magic in the Restoration BREAKING THE RULE--A MORAL OPTION? Susan Ryttin,7 11 Is it ever right to disobey?

~o]=l d ;i SITTING BEHIND BELVA LADAWN Susan Hafen 15 THE MISSING RIB Margaret M. Toscano 17 The forgotten place of queens and priestesses in the establishment of Zion THE UNNAMED WOMAN IN SCRIPTURE Jerrie W. Hurd 23 The standard works may allude to our Mother in Heaven. LESSONS LEARNED FROM LEHI’S CAVE William A. Johnson 27 Drawing the line between rumor and evidence MISUNDERSTANDING PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS 36 UNNAMED SOURCE ANNOUNCES VALUABLE 37 HISTORICAL DOCUMENT "GODMAKERS" SUES FOR LIBEL 38 FACTION OPPOSES BYU JERUSALEM CENTER 38 FIRST D.C. SYMPOSIUM HELD Val Holley 39 WALL STREET JOURNAL EXAMINES 41 MORMONS AND GAMBLING LDS LEGISLATORS RATED Alice Pottmyer 42 ANTI-MORMONS: THEN AND NOW Davis Bitton 44 Secret History: A Translation of Vor Tids Muhamed by John Ahmanson, trans. Gleason L. Archer PICKAXES REQUIRED Larry Conrad and Bob Mesle 46 Preface to Faith: A Philosophical Inquiry into RLDS Beliefs by Paul Edwards READERS FORUM 2 LIGHTER MINDS Kent Frogley 31 Coming of Age with Johnny Lingo

QUERIES AND COMMENTS Gary J. Bergera 32 Has the Word of Wisdom Changed Since 18337 ARTICLE DIGEST Martha Bradley 34 The Rite Stuff SHORT SUBJECTS 41 PEOPLE 43 BOOKNOTES 47 PUBLISHER/EDITOR Peggy Fletcher SUNSTONE welcomes letters from our stopped. Jesus brought us (and tried MANAGING EDITOR Scott C. Dunn readers and prints a representative to bring them) "salvation," knowl- NEWS EDITOR Cecelia S. Warner sample of opinions. All letters represent edge that we do have eternal life ASSOCIATE EDI’rOR Ron Bitton and, through all phases of that eter- FICTION EDITOR Susan Staker the altitudes of the writers and not neces- POETRY EOITOR Dennis Clark sarily those of the editors or publisher. nity, we can better ourselves by fol- 60OK REVIEW EOITOR John Sillito To b,~’ considered for publication, letters lowing two great rules: love God and ART OIRECTOR Ray Morales love our fellow man as ourselves. PRODUCTION MANAGER Connie Disney shoui’d be double-spaced and should not We can pile good on good in this PROOUCTION ASSISTANT Michael Stack exceed 300 words. Any letter may be way and become like him or pile evil TYPESETTING Brian Burke edited for reasons of space and clarity. on evil and retrogress. By our OEVELOPMENT I[]IRECTOR Michelle Macfarlane actions we show our faith in this BUSINESS MANAGER Tom Miner NOT SO AMAZING GRACE salvation. OFFICE MANAGER Rebecca Cornwall CIRCULATION Linda Turner If a cat can look at a king, maybe I These teachings and the one pro- can respectfully disagree with the claiming the uselessness ot! paying ~’,TAFF¯ Chri~;topher Allen, ]oseph H. Harris, priesthood holder, Donald P. Olsen, some priest to kill animals to show )eanne Pugsl,ny, Melissa Sillifoe in his dissertation on the grace of love of God were too threatening to Christ. By a stunning array of the hierarchy, so the Savior had to NATIONALCORRESPONOENTS Irene Bates, Bonnie quotes he seems to say that our die. His saving wisdom liw.~s on. M. Bobet, Bellamy Brown, Elizabeth Burdett, Anne Castlet~n Busath, James F. Cartwright, actions are irrelevant to our spiritual Gay Taylor John Cox, EG!rl P. Crandall, George Givens, health or progress and only belief in Redwood City, California )eanne M. Griffiths, Mike and Nancy the R.edeemer is necessary. I can take Harward, ]anna D. Haynie, Val Holley, the same books of scriptures he uses Thomas McAfee, Carrie Miles, Elbert Peck, and by judicious selection "prove" NEVER SAY GRACE )oel Peterson, Alice Portrayer, Kenf Roberts, exactly the opposite. Take any given The listing of Donald P. Olsen’s T. Eugene S~ioemaker, Bill Sims, Dolan and verse. Maybe we know to whom the article in volume 9 numbel; 2 of SUN- Sharon Pritchett, George D. Smith, Lorie speaker is addressing his remarks, STONE, "Understanding the Scope of Winder Sfromberg, Le’ Ruth Ward Tyau but do we know where and why and the Grace of Christ," said t:hat it FOREIGN CORRESPONOENTS /an Barber, Tim when and how--all those things that concerned "a little-known ,concept Behrend, Wi,!liam P. Collins, Wilfried Decoo, are so hard for a reporter to get among most Mormons." May I sug- Werner H. l-lock, Roger H. Morrison, Kay straight face to face with a situation, gest it is little known for the same Nielsen, ]am,~ F. Rea, Ed H. Zwanveld let alone 2,000 years after the fact, reason that the doctrine ot: the relying on translated and retrans- Immaculate Conception is little lated texts, arguing from the per- known among Mormons, :namely, spective of different customs and that it is not Mormon doctrine, at SUNSTONE is published by the Sunstone mindsets. As an example of a wild least in the extreme Protestant way Foundation, a non-profit corporation with no distortion of a text, take President that Mr. Olsen has framed it. official connection to The Church of Jesus Reagan’s recent quotation of Luke Christ of Latler-day Saints. Articles represent Mr. Olsen has certainly done the attitudes of the writers only and not 14:311 (an analogy) as proof of Jesus’ something original in attempting to necessarily those of the editor/publisher or edi- endorsement of the military build- interpret latter-day scripture in a torial board. up. What Reagan and Olsen lack in way compatible with Martin these inferences is common sense. To speed up editing, manuscripts for publica- Luther’s enshrinement of t:he verses tion should be submitted on floppy diskettes Five hundred years before Christ, concerning salvation by grace in formatted for the IBM PC or compatible equi- Siddhartha Gautama wanted to Paul’s letters to the Romans, the valents and written with Word Perfect, Word- Galatians and Ephesians. In fact, he star, or any other word processor which saves know the meaning of life, of pain files in ~,scl~ format. Double-spaced typewrit- and old age and death. He sat under is more an orthodox Lutheran (in ten manuscripts are also accepted and should a wild fig tree and after a time re- the sense of a theological follower of be submitted in duplicate. Submissions should Luther) than many Protesl:ants. not exceed six thousand words. For increased joiced in being able to give this readability, SUNSTONE discourages manuscripts answer: "From good must come With Luther, he appears to com- with footnoting. Manuscripts should conform good, and from evil must come evil. pletely reject the idea that men and to the Chica~o Manaal of S~. le. Unsolicited manu- This is the key to wisdom." He went women can make any choice from scripts shoulc[ be accompanied by sufficient return postage. Send all correspondence and on to teach that the soul of man day to day that affects thei.r ultimate manuscripts to SUNSTONE, 59 West 100 South, lives :forever and his spiritual pro- forgiveness of sins and entry into Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1507. gression is up to him. Siddhartha eternal life. Martin Luther took the became known as the Enlightened logical next step and denied that United States subscriptions to SUNSTONE are $27 for one year (12 issues). Outside the U.S. One---the Buddha. humans have any effective free will subscriptions are $35 for one year by surface Jesus came from those of the Judaic so far as the most important facts of mail. Airmail subscriptions in the U.S. are $27 faith who, though maintaining a their existence are concerned. for one year plus airmail postage charges. Furthermore, strict adher~nce to this Application to mail at second-class postage strong belief in God, had no belief in rates is pending at Salt Lake City, Utah. an eternal life. A person lives on system of logic: forces the Protestant POSTMASTER: Send address changes to through his children and their mem- to conclude that since good acts can- SUNSTONE, 59 West 100 South, Salt Lake City, not save us, neither can sinful acts UT 84101-1~,07. ory of his good works, if you will. Some factions of Judaism still have condemn us so long as we have at this philosophy. Such believers surely some point been saved by grace. Copyright © 1985 by the Sunstone become, at death, earth bound spirits, When I was studying mathematics Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the in college, one of the standard United State,; of America. having no idea that there is a heaven to go to. They are in a way damned-- methods for disproving a theorem

2 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 was to show that the theorem grace of Christ, why not look to the Smith’s teachings which extend por- resulted in conclusions which con- third article of faith: "We believe that tions of grace even to those who tradicted accepted and fundamental through the Atonement of Christ, knowingly reject Christ’s gospel. The axioms. Mr. Olsen’s theorem may be all mankind may be saved by obe- assignment of the unjustified to vary- consistent unto itself, but it clearly dience to the laws and ordinances of ing degrees of glory according to contradicts Mormon beliefs in free the Gospel." Or how about the sac- their works is only possible through agency, let alone Paul’s belief in the rament prayers, in which we are told grace. Were it not for the mercy of need for continual exhortation to by the Father to pray to him as we Christ, unmitigated justice would righteous conduct, and Jesus’ solemn covenant to take upon us the name condemn all to become "angels to testimony that "if ye keep my com- of Christ, and always remember the devil" (2 Ne. 9). mandments, ye shall abide in my him, and keep his commandments so we With regard to grace as the means love .... This is my commandment, may, as a consequence of holding up of obtaining salvation, Joseph Smith That ye love one another, as I have our small end of this contract, affirmed then commonly held doc- loved you .... Ye are my friends, if receive the immeasurable blessing of trines of justification and sanctifica- ye do whatsoever I command you" sanctification through the Holy tion by grace (D&C 20:30-31). The (John 15:10, 12-14). Paul in the very Ghost. fact that he could use these terms epistle to the Romans which Luther Paul wrote a beautiful little ser- without any explanation appears to idolized, said explicitly that God "will mon on the inadequacy of faith be an indication of how far we have render to every man according to his alone. "And though I have all faith, digressed, as a people, in our under- deeds; To them who by patient con- so that I could remove mountains, standing of fundamental Christian tinuance in welldoing seek for glory and have not charity, I am nothing." tenets. It may be that for first gen- and honor and immortality, eternal Charity, the pure love of Christ, is eration Mormons, the "fulness of life: But unto them that are conten- the essence of righteous works. the gospel" was needed only to com- tious, and do not obey the truth, but "And now abideth faith, hope, char- plement and add upon the gospel obey unrighteousness, indignation ity, these three; but the greatest of which they had already embraced. and wrath." (Rom. 2:5-8.) these is charity." (1 Cor. 13.) But even for nineteenth-century It has always puzzled me why so Raymond Takashi Swenson Mormons there were important dis- many Protestants assume that Omaha, Nebraska tinctions from the orthodox view. Mormons are not saved by faith in One example is the teaching that Christ. If ! point out that I have DON’T WALK ON THE GRACE grace is not irresistible. Nevertheless, made a declaration of my faith by it is also true that both the ability to the time-honored and mandatory Donald Olsen’s welcome article choose life and the results of that mode of baptism in his name, they about grace (SUNSTONE, VOK 9 no. 2) choice are extended to us only claim that my faith is somehow falls short of supporting his defensi- through grace. inadequate because I didn’t believe ble thesis that modern revelation that my acts were totally ineffectual "enlarges considerably the scope of Another significant departure in obtaining salvation. Yet in all the the grace of Christ." Perhaps from protestant orthodoxy is the Protestant religious crusades which because of his emphasis on Pauline Mormon doctrine that ordinances seek a "Decision for Christ" I do not doctrines, Olsen overlooks several are essential as a means of receiving see the ministers turning away any important developments of the con- saving grace: faith, repentance, and of the people who walk up the aisles cept which are unique to baptism for justification and further to declare their reliance on Jesus; no Mormonism. ordinances for sanctification. How- one is interviewed to determine ever, one must be careful not to For example, the teaching that lit- assume too close a relationship whether they reject the notion that tle children are saved in the celestial good works are commanded by God. between the receipt of an ordinance kingdom without baptism is based and the bestowal of the grace or spir- Richard Lloyd Anderson has done exclusively on the extension of grace itual endowment associated with it. a wonderful job of piercing through to them through the Atonement Mormon scriptures give examples of the Lutheran rigamarole built up (see D&C 29:46). Consequently, the individuals receiving forgiveness of around Paul’s epistles in his 1983 Mormon denial of infant baptism is sins and the birth of the Spirit book Understanding Paul, by a detailed founded not on children’s innate before being baptised or confirmed analysis of what Paul actually said in innocence, but rather on the doc- (see Alma 19:29). In fact, the Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians. trine that children, although "con- revealed "commandment to the Indeed, if we step back and ask our- ceived in sin" are "whole from the church regarding the manner of bap- selves, "Why did Paul write these let- foundation of the world" because tism" requires these spiritual fruits ters?" we are forced to conclude that "the Son of God hath atoned for as a prerequisite to the ordinances Paul didn’t believe in Martin Luther’s original guilt" (Moses 6:53-55). (D&C 20:37). On the other hand, theory. Paul knew that men and Mormon scriptures affirm the reality there are scriptural cases of properly women have plenty of free will, of original sin and of children’s fallen baptised individuals who after years which they can squander or harness nature, but clarify that until they of Church membership still had not especially after they have made the become accountable,/the grace of been born again. (See Alma 5:14. covenant of baptism and can, Christ shelters them from the con- Such a reversal may be the rule through sin, throw away their sequences of the Fall (Mosiah 3:16). rather than the exception for mod- chance at eternal life after a promis- Moreover, the LDS extension of ern Mormons.) This fairly loose rela- ing beginning. grace applies to all those who die tionship between ordinances and If Mr. Olsen is looking for funda- without the law (Mosiah 3:11). grace leaves open the possiblility that mental Mormon doctrine on the Perhaps more radical are Joseph many genuinely regenerated Chris-

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 3 tians exist, for a time, outside the row limits imposed by traditional bed and breakfast place Monterey, LDS church and its ordinances. It Christianity. Mature Mormon CA. Is that true?POOr Gene. I think may be that many of these are only scholarship requires a synthesis of his father hoped that if he taught at "kept from the truth" because with both the traditional and the unique the Y he might be called to be a true redemptive Mormonism so well aspects of this much neglected LDS General Authority. I think Steve concealed in the Church, "they know fundamental. Covey’s parents thought t:hat about not where to find it." Daniel H. Rector him. They didn’t realize it is the An important clarification about Tucson, Arizona Church’s asylum for thinkers, to ordinances is that they are not which they sent Leonard Arrington, meant to be a merit system for sal- CAPITALIZING ON CONSERVATISM? after they booted him out of the Church Historian’s Office. vation, despite the many efforts to I notice in Mr. Card’s little "dic- make them so through elaborate tionary," Saintspeak that he says that Anyway, how DO you justify the existence of your journal? qualifications and "worthiness SUNSTONE remains small in sub- requirements." To the contrary, in scribed members. Card calls your Joseph H. ]eppson Joseph Smith’s teachings ordinances journal "an unofficial magazine for Woodside, California reaffirm rather than diminish the Mormons" and then adds "For a good free nature of salvation, performed Mormon the three official Church NOT LIKE THE ENSIGN "in a manner that thereby the people magazines and the Reader’s Digest are I recently subscribed to the might know in what manner to look quite enough." forward to his Son for redemption" SUNSTONE thinking that like This Peo-- (Alma 13:2). For example, the sym- I received your circulated appeal pie and the Ensign, The Friend, and bolism of baptism indicates that it is for subscribers. But I can’t imagine Church News, that I would be getting Jesus’ death and resurrection that why someone would want to sub- reading materials that would be washes away our sins rather than scribe: If he wanted the Church uplifting to myself and my family. any merit of our own. This redemp- news; and views, he could subscribe I am sorry to inform you that I to the Church magazines. If he have found most of the articles in tive symbolism is consistent in all wanted something more straight- LDS ordinances, including the tem- the SUNSTONE .almost apos~ate in ple ritual, which teaches that it is forward, he could subscribe to their content and of spurious value. I only by virtue of his wounds that we D ia lc.,c, ue. am frankly quite surprised that you may enter the Lord’s presence. Do you think that the reason your would allow some of the articles into circulation "remains small" is that print since theyseem to I~ anti- Another rather poorly preserved there really aren’t enough LDS peo- Mormon in sentiment. LDS teaching on grace is the rela- ple between Dialogue and the Church tionship between the "state of grace" I have children and a wife that I mags to make it go? How do the am trying to rear in faith to the pre- and the possibility of "falling from Brethren regard your magazine? Do grace" (see D&C 20:29-34). LDS cepts in the Mormon church. I sin- they think of it as a way to reach cerely feel that: Mr. Huffman’s scriptures imply that we enter a Mor~nons that their mags can’t state of grace at the time we are jus- comments in the most recent reach? Have they ever said that? I SUNSTONE ("Readers Forum," vol. 10, tified. This state of grace is a "state notice that some of our old contribu- of righteousness" (Mosiah 27:25), or no. 1) lacked faith in the Lord and tors to Dialogue contribute to SUN- the brethren that he has set at the a condition of "retaining a remission STONE tOO, like Dick Bushman and of sins from day to day" (Mosiah helm of his church. I may be too- Leonard Arrington (who just mar- well molded into the Mormon tradi- 4:2.6). ried ~ny first cousin). When I tion that bespeaks faith in the doc- Those wiithin this state of grace addressed the Dialogue crowd as the trines established by the Prophet rely "alone upon the merits of second annual speaker at Hotel Utah Joseph Smith to tolerate the ram- Christ" (Moro. 6:4) rather than on (Arriington was the first), I blings of some of the Lord’s Saints. behavioral righteousness for salva- remember Dick Bushman, after I The Lord admonishes us to seek tion. Nevertheless, because free was finished, saying to his wife, after things of good report, that are agency is still maintained, it is essen- "Now that wasn’t so bad was it praiseworthy; we seek after these tial to "endure to the end," lest we dear?" The response: "Oh yes it things. I cannot believe that Brother fall from grace (3 Ne. 27:17, Teachings was!" (meaning that it was heretical). Huffman would attend the showing of ~!he Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 338-39). Maybe your magazine follows the of an anti-Mormon film and be seek- A final doctrinal clarification pro- times nationally. Since the 60s, the ing something "praiseworthy." vided by Joseph Smith concerning country has been getting more con- The prior issue discussed "ethics" grace is the concept that one may servative, and the hippies of yester- and the Mormon church as written "grow in grace" (D&C 50:40; 93:20), year are passe. Since Dialogue was by Mr. Courtney Campbell (vol. 9, a process of receiving, not earning founded, Church members have no. 2). He fostered the cortcept that (D&C 20:14; 45:8; 50:5). been getting more conservative tOO, the Church leadership did not seem perhaps, opening a slot for your to voice a position on morally objec- In conclusion, Donald Olsen’s arti- magazine. Do you think that’s true? cle accurately establishes the basic tionable or cultural problems. He did orthodoxy of our scriptures with I grew up with Dick Cracroft of quote President Hinckley with a respect to justification and sanctifica- the Y, and I see he contributes to statement that: should have settled tion by grace. But there is much you tOO. the question he was debating. Then more. The :revelations and teachings He.y, somebody told me Gene he went on to only quote part of of Joseph Smith expand the scope of England and his wife (Charlotte) section 58 of the Doctrine and Cove- grace far beyond the relatively nar- gave up on the Y and are running a nants wherein the Lord tells all of us

4 SUNSTONE/JULY1985 that "it is not meet that I should exactly these intelligent, critical concerns. This is a neat way of command in all things." Were the people from active, ascending roles shutting off just the sort of non- Church to take a position on in the Church. It is safe to say that denominational philosophical- issues that men thought were many have been self-excluded as a theological discussion that could important the work of the Lord result of information which be helpful. There are paths to would be slowed. And isn’t that SUNSTONE has disseminated. So the faith of which you know nothing. what the devil would want? result is, the more SUNSTONE carps Yes, intellectual-sounding ques- and snickers, the more there will tions have often destroyed faith. I have also read comments be to carp and snicker about. Your But guided intellectual endeavor under "Stretching toward the defense might be that the truth can restore faith. Humanists tell Light" (vol. 10, no. 1). Thank you must be expressed, no matter us that no such things can be done for sharing your testimony with where intelligent people are con- us. It was one of the only articles I what the immediate cost. But you found refreshing to read. have perhaps heard Truman cerned. But anyone familiar with Madsen paraphrase the essayist the history of science knows of I have decided that I cannot William Hazlitt to the effect that the bias, bigotry, and defeatism allow literature to be in my home one should not "burn down his which impeded the way of the where my little ones may read tepee" until he has a new one to founders. It is always harder to these articles and begin to ques- move into. build than to tear down. But tion the leadership of the Church Is SUNSTONE providing any new instead of despairing that "It can’t whether it’s a question of ethics or be done," the proper attitude is changes in doctrine. Their faith "tepees"? Has SUNSTONE had any- thing effective to say to the per- that expressed by Victor Hugo: could be damaged. I know that you "The difficult we do today; the would not want that. So I hereby son who has found reason to doubt that God exists? Or that impossible takes a little longer." In cancel my subscription and this case, the labor is small com- request a pro-rated refund. there is an afterlife? To my knowledge, the only answers that pared to the reward. Even in my sins "Father" has have appeared have been at witnessed to me the truthfulness merely literary or dogmatic levels Dick Hazelett of his gospel and the wisdom of and not in any kind of argument Colchester, Vermont his prophets. Who am I that I can that would pass modern skeptical withstand God and deny the examination. SUNSTONE not only SPIRITUAL MENTOR things I know to be true? I has not provided new tepees, it strongly question that faith of Each of us has his or her partic- has ignited existing tepees belong- ular list of spiritual mentors-- anyone that can question the Lord ing to others, resulting randomly or his prophets. those whose lives, together with in doubt and despair. their words, have made a signifi- Terry D. Smith Of course, these problems are cant difference for us. The lives of Las Vegas, Nevada not unique to Mormonism, or to these persons serve as beacons to SUNSTONE. For a long time, the ask- those of us who otherwise fall so BURNING DOWN THE TEPEES ing of theological questions all short in our faith and our avail- I write in response to Miss over Judeo-Christendom has ability to others; and we marvel at Fletcher’s editorial testament in exceeded the scope of the answers the mystery that produced such the January issue. As there that the learned world has offered, transcendent, other-directed beings. implied, she and the Sunstone or rather the scope of those The best thing SUNSTONE has Foundation insiders believe in God answers that have achieved notice. ever done was to call its readers’ and in the afterlife. So do I. We all The difference with SUNSTONE is attention to one who, for practi- allow, I trust, that Joseph Smith that SUNSTONE is in a unique posi- cally all who ever met him or read had important religious contribu- tion to bring to its intelligent his simple words, radiates the tions to make. But many do have readers the little-known subject of same ennobling, succoring influ- problems with just these matters. natural theology, which is the critical ence. Already in the 1950s Lowell It is safe to say that a lot of and constructive examination of Bennion had helped literally thou- doubting people have had their the naturally occurring, univer- sands of young Mormons to rec- problems intensified, or even sally available evidence for God’s oncile their faith and learning. For initiated, by what they have read existence and characteristics, this he has never received the in SUNSTONE. Surely, you are all without resort to unique historical recognition he last of all would aware of this? Surely, then, you revelations through privileged seek, yet so richly deserves. understand why some would think persons. There are modern devel- How badly the body of the you agnostic. As you are believers, opments which remain practically Church still needs the tempering I wonder what comprehension you unknown. The key names are F. R. influence of Lowell’s all too rare may have of the problems of intel- Tennant and Dean Turner. spirit and example. Speaking for ligent, critical folk who once The Church could not pursue the many whose lives he has so believed and who want to believe natural theology unless its leaders meaningfully touched, I thank again but who have been deprived, were to do so. This could hardly Peggy Fletcher for the excellent by SUNSTONE or others, of the sup- happen unless SUNSTONE, say, first interview and express our abiding ports of belief. Surely, you can see drew attention to it. But what love for this man whose life has in that the ecclesiastical inanities does SUNSTONE do instead? It now turn blessed our own. which SUNSTONE SO skillfully interdicts reviews of books that do Thomas F. Rogers exposes result from the absence of not deal with specifically Mormon Provo, Utah

JULY1985/SUNSTONE 5 UNTO THE

Weakness Made Strength in the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.

BY ANTHONY A. HUTCHINSON

EDITOR’S NOTE This essay is based upon a sacrament meeting sermon delivered in the Gaithersburg Maryland Ward, Septembel" I6, 1984. n his account of the martyrdom of JosephJoseph Smith and his associates, most were com- Smith, John Taylor related that the morningposed after 1832. Only a handful of documents before Joseph’s death, the Prophet read the date from this early time, and most of these have i following passage from the Book or Mormon been uncovered or made available for research and turned the leaf down upon it: only in the last fifteen years. As a result, the acquisition of even a few such early documents And it came to pass that I [Moroni] prayed unto the Lord can vastly increase our understanding of this that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might period. have charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Second, this was the very time that Joseph If they have not charity unto thee, thou hast been faithful; prepared for and accomplished the bringing forth wherefore thy garments are clean. And because thou hast of the Book of Mormon, a central document of seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made strong, even unto the the LDS faith, accepted by all believing Mormons sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the as "the word of God" along with the Holy Bible. mansions of my Father. And now, I. . . bid farewell unto Some see any document which presents a non- the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, traditional account of the book’s origin as a point until we shall meet bdfore the judgementlseat of Christ, scored against Mormonism; a "proof" that the where all men shall kno~that ~gog,~ents are not LDS faith is:.not true. w~th your blood (Et e,r, ~: Finally, the role of 12:36-38, as cited in ...... money-digging in the D&C 135:4-5.) Prophet’s life has long In reading this pas- been the subject of sage, perhaps Joseph, great controversy be- like Moroni in the tween his supporters Book of Mormon, was and detractors. Not fearful that in later surprisingly, a number generations "the Gen- of anti-Mormons have tiles" would mock at pointed to the occult his weaknesses (Ether practices mentioned in 12:25). Recent news the letters as evidence reports demonstrate against Joseph Smith’s that these fears were prophetic calling. not unfounded: Newly In order to evalu- published historical ate such claims, it is documents written by necessary to examine the Prophet and his more closely the con- closest associates have tents and background prompted criticisms of of these letters, both Mormonism’s founder of which are consid- and remind us of our ered by experts to be need to exhibit the ILLUSTRATION BY KELYNN Z. ALDER authentic. The so- same charity toward Joseph Smith that the Lord called "salamander letter" appears to be a mis- showed to him. sionary letter from Martin Harris to then unbap- The more noteworthy of these documents are tized W. W. Phelps written on October 23, 1830, letters penned by Martin Harris and Joseph six months after the publication of the Book of Smith which concern the coming forth of the Mormon. Among other things, the letter tells Book of Mormon as well as the Prophet’s adoles- how Joseph described the finding of the Book of cent involvement with folk magic and use of a Mormon to Harris¯ Note the difference in tone scrying stone that is, a crystal, seerstone, or between this version of the story and the tradi- (less sympathetically) "peepstone" in order to tional version, the one that Joseph wrote in 1838. search for buried treasure, usually gold from The letter reads: "I found it 4 years ago with my fabled Spanish galleons. Because the contents of stone but only just got it because of the enchant- these letters lent themselves to sensational inter- ment the old spirit come to me 3 times in the pretations, the news media picked up the story same dream & says dig up the gold but when I even before the letters were published in the take it up the next morning the spirit trans- LDS Church News. Descriptions of the documents figured himself from a white salamander in the have appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune, the Los bottom of the hole." The letter proceeds to de- Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the stridently scribe how the "old spirit" struck Joseph three anti-Mormon Salt Lake City Messenger, and others. times. (Church News, April 28, 1985, p. 6.) There are three reasons why these documents-- The puzzling references to the "old spirit" and or any documents purporting to originate prior to the "white salamander" are clearly at odds to 1832 are so important. First, of the hundreds with traditional ideas about how the book was of written records that we now possess from announced to Joseph by a three-visits-in-one-

JULY1985/SUNSTONE 7 night appearance of the angel Moroni. Neverthe- laborer digging wells and so on for a crazy old less, the story told in the letter seems to find gentleman enamoured with the idea of buried some parallels in an anti-Mormon account of the treasure. Responding to Stowell’s request for coming forth of the book in E. D. Howe’s Mormon- advice in locating a Spanish mine, Joseph recom- ism Unvailed [sic] published in 1834. There, Willard mends using a magical procedure involving a Chase, a former teenage associate of Joseph, split hazel stick to determine whether "some stated: clever spirit" is guarding the supposed site of the In the month of ]une I82 7, Joseph Smith, Sen., related to mine. If so, the young seer explains, then the me the following story: "That some years ago, a spirit had treasure must in fact still be there, and Joseph appeared to Joseph his son, in a vision, and informed him would therefore consider Stowell’s request to that in a certain place there was a record on plates of gold, help him recover the precious find. (Church News, ... he repaired to the place of deposit and demanded the May 12, 1985, p. 10.) book, which was in a stone box .... He saw in the box However strange this material may appear to something like a toad [a salamander?] which soon the rank and file of the Mormon church, it cer- The assumed the appearance of a man, and struck him on the side tainly came as no shock to any competent LDS nineteenth of his head. --Not being discouraged at trifles, he again historian. Enough fragments and shreds of in- century was net stooped down and strove to take the book, when the spirit formation appear in the secondary sources of struck him again, and knocked him three or four rods, and this period so that nothing in these letters should the twentieth hurt him prodigiously. (P. 242, emphasis added.) come as a complete surprise. Significantly, those century; in some historians who were informed on these issues In addition to the Chase account, Harris’s were not running out and burning their testi- very basic ways, mention of a salamander finds other corrob- mony cards over hazel sticks and little white the people of that orative support. Scholars analyzing the letter salamanders. Perhaps this should be a lesson to are convinced, for example, that the reference all the Saints: There are clearly blessings in fol- era lived in a to a "white salamander" is connected with the lowing the prophets’ counsel to study the scrip- very different practice of folk magic in the area in which Joseph tures and to learn our history. world from grew up. Indeed, classical treatises on the occult Unfortunately, such an observation may not describe the salamander as a reptile that sup- our own. satisfy many members. Nevertheless, I am con- posedly can endure or live in a fire or as vinced that there is r~o need for Latter-day Saints an elemental spirit whose native element was to be disturbed by this information so long as fire so hot that it could smelt ores into precious they view it in its proper perspective. A helpful metals, just as other elemental spirits--the sylphs, understanding of these issues can be acquired by nymphs, and dwarves--were said to inhabit the considering the letters’ context, the nature of air, the water, and the deep recesses of the earth. revelation, and the humanity of our prophets. Dwelling in the fire, the salamander was thought I. Context. The nineteenth century was not the to be the creator of gold and other precious twentieth century; in some very basic ways, the metals. That such superstitious and bizzare people of that era--even the Latter-day Saints-- notions should be connected with the coming lived in a very different world from our own. forth of the Book of Mormon is distressing to And what appears superstitious and outright ri- many believers in the book. diculous to one age can seem wholly reasonable The letter from the twenty-year-old Joseph to another. Before the development of germ the- Smith to Josiah Stowell, dated June 18, 1825, may ory by Pasteur in the latter part of the last cen- be more troubling to some Mormons, especially tury, for example, most Americans, including the since it is in the Prophet’s own handwriting. It best and the brightest, believed that malaria provides firsthand evidence that the young Joseph resulted from a swampy miasma and that most was indeed involved in some sort of occult other illnesses resulted from an imbalance of money-digging from perhaps 1823 to 1826 or bodily humors and temperatures. Some of the 1827. An 1873 magazine report had, of course, medical expertise of the age favored treating cer- already informed us that Joseph was tried in 1826 tain ailments with tobacco smoke enemas, which for disorderly conduct related to his money- were introduced into the body, according to a digging (Fraser’s Magazine, February 1873, pp. 229- medical catalogue of the day, "by a device of 30). This report was verified by a 1971 discovery curious construction." of the bill of costs submitted by the constable Or consider this somewhat humorous exam- who arrested Joseph. Mormons have tradition- ple: The idea that the moon is inhabited--indeed ally dismissed the accuracy of the records or inhabited by giant two-legged beavers living in asserted that this represented unjust persecu- huts and cooking, or by copper-colored pygmies tion of the young prophet. The Stowell letter, constar, tly engaged in philosphical and theologi- however, shows that the legal complaint brought cal discussions--seems ludicrous to us. But many by Peter Bridgeman was legitimately rooted in of the most educated and well-read Americans in Joseph’s business practices and superstitions. the 1830s actually believed that. They had, after The story conveyed by this letter is strangely all, read in the New York Sun that Sir John similar to yet curiously different from traditional Herschel had observed such things on the sur- notions that Joseph was simply employed as a day face of the moon by means of a gargantuan

8 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 14,806 pound telescope. All of which, it turned reduced his teachings to the capacity of every out one week later, was a hoax--but a hoax man, woman, and child, making them as plain as avidly read and believed by almost the entire a well-defined pathway" (Journal of Discourses, American intellectual and scientific community. 8:206). Not only did Joseph teach that God must (See Van Hale in SUNSTONE, September-October shape his message to the capacity of his children, 1982, pp. 12-17.) he apparently tried to emulate God in this act of To be sure, most educated Americans did not love. Perhaps his early life and visions so exem- believe in magical practices and hidden treasure. plified this principle that he acquired this unus- But many uneducated people did. Belief in trea- ual ability to make the eternal realms accessible sure that magically sank out of sight into the and relevant to our day-to-day faith. It is indeed earth "just as our shovels struck it" was not a striking case of "weakness made strength." uncommon. There are literally dozens of refer- "But," a traditional Mormon may respond ences to such occurrences in the newspapers of again, "it is Joseph himself who says it was an ’old the period. Indeed, the fact that Martin Harris spirit’ or a ’salamander’ that showed him the could trumpet forth such things in a missionary book--but later he said it was Moroni (or, in Years add letter to W. W. Phelps--not an uneducated man some accounts, Nephi). If he can’t get the story perspective and by any means--shows that in their age, these straight, why should I believe him?" In response ideas were somewhat parallel to modern interest to this, some have claimed that this letter reflects deeper meaning in health foods, astrology, flying-saucer specula- a somewhat poetical or fanciful telling of the to our memories tion, or biorhythm planning. No doubt a century story by Martin Harris and that this does not from now some of our most widely accepted necessarily indicate how Joseph was telling the of earlier expe- ideas of science and medicine may well be consi- story at the same time. The reasoning here goes riences; presum- dered totally benighted. that either (1) Joseph himself might have adjusted ably Joseph’s 2. The Nature of Revelation. An understanding of his story for the sake of the somewhat dreamy context alone, of course, does not lay to rest all and poetical Martin, or (2) Harris himself fabri- perspective also the problems raised by these documents. "So cated the reference to the mythological sala- altered and deep- what if lots of people had funny ideas in the mander out of his own supposed penchant for nineteenth century," a traditionally minded poetic and symbolical language. But here one ened as he Mormon might respond. "You’re talking about must remember the striking similarities of the matured. the Prophet Joseph Smith here, and in fact you’re salamander letter’s story to that in E. D. Howe’s talking about his description of obtaining the book. There, Willard Chase states that he heard Book of Mormon!" In this regard it is important the story of the spirit’s appearance in a form of to remember that the Lord himself told Joseph "something like a toad" not from Martin Harris, that He can give revelation to people only in a but from Joseph’s own father. This would seem form and in language that they can understand. to imply that both Joseph, Sr., and Harris had "I am the Lord, and have spoken it; these com- heard basically the same story from Joseph mandments are of me, and were given unto my Smith, Jr., and that the details did not originate in servants in their weakness, after the manner of Harris’s fertile imagination. their language, that they might come to under- But even though Joseph may have used the stand" (D&C 1:24). Similarly, Joseph said that if terms found in the Harris letter, the various ver- the Lord appeared to a little child, he would sions of the Moroni story are not difficult to "adapt himself to the language and capacity of a understand. If Spencer W. Kimball had kept a little child" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, journal through his teenage years and these ado- p. 162). If the Lord would do this for a child, lescent efforts at understanding and explaining then surely he would do the same for a man he his experience were compared with an account of had chosen to be his prophetic vessel for restor- the same experiences written today, who would ing the gospel, adapting Himself to the language be surprised to find large differences in the retell- and understanding of that man before the transi- ing? After all, years add perspective and deeper tion from superstitious bumpkin to great reli- meaning to our memories of earlier experiences; gious leader had been achieved. In short, because presumably Joseph’s perspective also altered and of his love and desire to help his children under- deepened as he matured. Although historical stand, God could and did tailor his message to the details in either account could be confirmed with limited yet growing understanding of his servant other sources, that would not help at all in Joseph Smith. understanding the ultimate meaning of the events Interestingly, Brigham Young tells us that the so narrated, particularly the ultimate meaning Prophet possessed this same trait. "The excel- they had to the person later on, or to the com- lency of the glory of the character of Brother munity of faith founded by that person. Joseph Smith," he observed, "was that he could 3. The Humanity of Prophets. Perhaps most impor- reduce heavenly things to the understanding of tant of all is our need to consider the nature of the finite. When he preached to the people-- Joseph’s calling. In 1834, apostate and excom- revealed the things of God, the plan of salvation, municated Mormon Philastus Hurlbut joined the purposes of Jehovah, the relation in which we with E. D. Howe in publishing what they thought stand to Him and all the heavenly beings--he was all the dirt on Mormon origins in their book

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 9 Mormonism Unvailed. This included lots of: material meadication and prayr I have Called to mind all the past on magic, superstition, and money-digging. In moments of my life and am left to morn and Shed tears of reply, Joseph and his associates published several sorrow for my folly in Sufering the adversary of my Soul to letters in the official publication of the Church, have so much power over me as he has had in times past but the Messenger and Advocate. There, Joseph did not God is merciful and has fo[r]given my Sins and I r[el, joice deny that in his youth he had done and said and that he Sendeth forth the Comferter unto as many as believe believed things that he now understood to be and humbleeth themselves before him (Dean C. Jessee, wrong. On the contrary, regarding his adoles- ed., The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, pp. 238-39). cence Joseph wrote: Basically Joseph here was recognizing his past During this time, as is common to most or a,!l youths, I weaknesses, saying that: he had repented, that fell into many vices and follies: but as my accusers are, and God had forgiven him, and that his own earlier have been forward to accuse me of being guilty o]~ gross and weaknesses did not impede or invalidate the outrageous violations of the peace of the community I take the work of the Lord from going forth. This does not The occasion to remark that, though, as I have said above, "as is mean that Joseph lost all of his superstitiions or common to most, or all youths, I fell into many vices and the funny ideas of a man of the nineteent~h cen- worth of a follies,"/have not, neither can it be sustained in lruth, been tury. But it does mean that Joseph recognized his religious tradi- guilty of wronging or injuring any man or society of men; youthful weaknesses and publicly confessed and and those imperfections to which I alude [sic], and for which asked forgiveness for his former unconsidered tion depends not ] have often .had occasion to lament, were a light, and too and light-minded treatment of things that he so much on the often, vain [silly] mind, exhibiting a foolish and trifling gradually more fully realized "came from God." respectability of conversation. The important point in all of this was discussed This being all, and the worst, that my accusers can during this same period by Oliver Cowdery. its history as on substantiate against my moral character, I wish ~o add, that Writing in the Messenger and Advocate, he explained its ability to it is not without a deep feeling of regret that I am ,thus called that all the biblical prophets were men like any l ediate God’s upon in answer to my own conscience, to fulfill a duty I owe other with weaknesses that on occasion gave myself, as well as to the cause of truth, in making this public sinful people a ready excuse to refuse to hear the plan and bless- confession of my former uncircumspect walk, ar~!d unchaste word of the Lord. Elder Cowdery observed that ings for us. conversation: and more particularly, as I often acted in even John the Baptist and Jesus had aspects to violation of ~!hose holy precepts which ] knew ,:ame from their characters that their enemies exaggerated God. But as the "Articles and Covenants" of t}~is Church and repeated endlessly. are plain upon this particular point, I do n,gt deem it As a student of the Bible, I heartily agree with important to proceed further. (Messenger and Advocate, Elder Cowdery’s thought. Most of the funda- December 1831, p. 40.) mentalist Protestants who love to ridicule Joseph Smith’s weaknesses and decry the obviously The "Articles and Covenants" he refers to are human side of Mormon origins seem completely whaf is now known to us as Doctrine and Cove- unaware that similar difficulties are present in nants section 20, dating from the early summer the origins of biblical scripture and the early Jew- of 1830, and the verses in quesion state this ish and Christian religions. But those of us who regarding Joseph’s youth: are forced into such awareness by an intimate After it was truly manifested unto this first ei!der [Joseph acquaintance with biblical languages, texts, and Smith, Jr.] that he had received a remission of his sins [we their historical background do not share this know from Joseph’s 1832 account of his early life that this unrealistic view. Rather, we believe that reli- "remission of sins" was the First Vision], he was entangled gious traditions must be founded by human again in the vanities of the world; but after repenting, and hearts relying upon faith and that in this ambig- humbling hfmself sincerely, through faith, God ministered uous and uncertain world all denominations unto him by an holy angel, whose countenance was as have weaknesses as well as strengths. The worth lightning, and whose garments were pure and white above of a religious tradition depends not so much on all other whiteness, and gave unto him commandments the respectability of its history as on its ability to which inspired him; and gave him power from on high, by mediate God’s plan and blessings for us and to means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of develop our own deepest values and commitments. Mormon (D&C 20:5-8). Jesus taught that it is by forgiving that we can be forgiven. In the passage of the Book of It is important to note that Joseph’s published Mormon read by Joseph before his death, Jesus remarks about his youth are not mere public also taught, "Fools mock, but they shall l~nourn, posturing in reaction to the publication of a and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they potentially damning piece of journali...~m. In his shall take no advantage of your weakness" (Ether private letters, the same sense of humble confes- 12:26). If we are tolerant of our founder’s weak-. sion and good-natured recognition of human nesses, the Lord will grant this grace to us, "the weakness is found. In an 1832 letter to his wife, Gentiles," so that we might continue to benefit Emma, Joseph wrote: from the great work of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I have visited a grove which is Just back of the ~!own almost every day where l can be Secluded from the eyes of any ANTHONY HUTCHINSON is pursuing a Ph.D. in biblical mortal and there give vent to all the feelings of my heart in studies from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

10 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 the By Susan Ryl:ting rule- o11o May, in Man’s Search for Himself, section 101 of the Doctrine and Covenants. maintains that "our particular prob- A nobleman directed his servants to plant lem inthe present day.., is twelve olive trees on a choice piece R an overwhelming tendency of land. He also directed them to toward conformity .... In such set watchmen round the trees and ~ times ethics tend more and build a tower so as to better watch for the enemy. The servants One is ’good’ to the extent that one planted the olive trees, set watch- obeys the dictates of society and men round and began to build the church .... But what really is ethi- tower. cal about obedience? If one’s goal were sim- ple obedience, one could train a dog to fulfill And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, the requirements very well." they began to say among themselves: And what need The difference, of course, between the hath my lord of this tower? And consulted for a long dog and myself is I have the ability to reason time, saying among themselves: What need hath my and think about the commands given me. ! lord of this lower, seeing this is a time of peace?Might can still choose to obey or break rules with- not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is out thinking (what Rollo May calls "simple"no need of these things. And while they were at var- obedience or disobedience). Or I can choose iance one with another they became very slothful, and to increase my reasoning skills so as to be they hearkened not unto the commandments of their more thoughtfully obedient or disobedient. lord. The question is: Can I ever iustify being Predictably the enemy came, broke down thoughtfully disobedient? And if so, when? the olive trees and destroyed their work. In some religious circles there seems to be It could be interpreted that the servants distrust of the thinking process. All kinds of first got into trouble when they began to things can happen when someone starts to question. Doesn’t disobedience naturally fol- think. Consider, for example, the parable in low7 But, there are several ways the ser-

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 11 vants might have answered the questioJ:l, "What that everyone follow the rule all the time, no matter need hath my lord of this tower?" For instance: "The how severe the individual costs. future might not always be as peaceful; therefore it is Rule deontology is another ethical theory which prudent to build the tower." Or, "If my lord wants advocates strict adherence to rules, but justif:ies them the tower built, that’s what is important, and I’ll gain in a different way. A deontologist is interested in the favor in his eyes by helping." Or again, "The olive nature of the action itself rather than the conse- trees are so valuable that any effort or cost to ensure quences. The rule deontologist tells us that a~:tions of their safety is worth it." Yet again, "It’s my lord’s a certain kind are morally wrong, while others are money, and if he wants to waste it, that’s his busi- our duty. There are no exceptions. If savin~; human ness." Or, "Regardless of any other concerns, I have lives is our duty, then one should always fight to contracted to build a tower, and that’s what I should prolong life. If lying is intrinsically wrong, then one do." There are many ways the servants could have should never lie. If a rule deontologist, the.n, were chosen to look at the situation that would have hiding innocent potential victims of a massac:re in his encouraged them to obey the nobleman’s directions. basement, and the killers asked him whether he were Rules The ultimate ruin resulted from their greed, laziness, harboring them, he would have to tell. He could and lack of foresight, not their questioning and dis- never lie, no matter how horrible the consequences. generally cussing. In fact, it is disappointing that their consult- According to these theories, breaking the rule is not save time. ing "for a long time" did not produce better a moral option. This position has some advantages. A arguments. person need only learn the rules and determine to Without need- However, there are times when questioning and obey them in order to make moral choices. Rules ing time to thinking lead us toward breaking; a rule. The con- generally save time. Without needing time ~to delib- cerns generally take one of two forms: (1) Although erate, someone can know readily what to do in a deliberate, the rule is deemed to be good, it doesn’t seem reason- particular situation; he need simply look for the someofl6 cgn able in a particular situation, or (2) there is a prob- rules. Too, judging the rightness or wrongness of know readily lem with the rule itself. someone’s action is made easier. The test is: Does it Some would argue that if you have a good rule, it fit the rule? what to do in a should be obeyed by everyone all the time. This However, the example given for rule deontology particular absolute-rule position does have some basis in tradi- may cause some discomfort. It may not have seemed tional ethical theories. For instance, rule consequen- so clear that lying, when it is done to protect the lives situation. tialists (also referred to as rule utilitarians) advocate of innocent victims, is wrong. In fact, it may be strict adherence to rules. As the name iimplies, a argued that telling the truth would be the wrong consequentialist is concerned with consequences or thing to do in that particular situation. outcomes. A rule consequentialist is particularly in- The problem with rule theories is that they seem terested in determining which set of rules will pro- to discount or ignore the complexities of life. It is easy duce the maximum good or most desirable conse- to say a rule should always be followed. But in the quences over time for everyone generally. ]In making real world we sometimes find ourselves in situations rules, the consequentialist doesn’t give special con- where two (or even more) rules or moral ob][igations sideration to his own situation or circumstances. are in conflict. Once the rules are selected, he requires constant In the situation with the innocent victims, I may adherence, even in those cases where breaking them want to tell the truth but find myself torn by another would in the specific instance promote :individual moral obligation--that of saving lives or preventing welfare. murder. If I am simply to follow the rules, which rule For example, a rule consequentialist might de- or obligation do I follow in this case? I can’t do both. termine that, during a period of national famine, the Some ethical theories attempt to address the prob- maximum good would be achieved by trying to save lem that absolute rules pose. One such theory, prima as many productive and potentially productive lives facie rule deontology, sees value in rules, but sug- as possible. Having the authority to do so, he could gests using a qualifier with rule statements. The establish a rule requiring all private citizen, s to com- phrase "ceteris paribus" precedes each rule, essentially bine their stockpiles of food with national supplies to meaning "if there are no other relevant moral con- be redistributed only to those adults who are usefully cerns." The rule regarding lying, then, would be: employed and only those children who are normal Ceteris paribus (if there are no other relevant moral and healthy. The rule consequentialist would advo- concerns), tell the truth. cate strict compliance with the rule even if he had a This theory is useful in recognizing the need for severely mentally retarded child, who would then exceptions to absolute rules, but it fails to resolve starve. fully the conflict. If two rules or obligations are mor- Of course, in the above example the rule conse- ally relevant in a particular situation, how dc, I choose quentialist could determine that the maximum good which to follow? How do I determine the right thing would be achieved by rationing the food i,n another to do? The theory seems to retreat to intuitionism at way. He could base the rules for distribution on age, a critical point. physical condition, contributions to society, ability to The open-texture ethical approach, on the other pay or whatever. (Consider how our society handles hand, attempts to answer these practical q~aestions. scarcity, such as deciding who receives liver trans- On a descriptive level it contends that we often seem to recognize the good or right thing to do in a situa- plants or hemodialysis treatments.) Or he could determine that a lottery system or first-come-first- tion, even though we may not be able to readily give served system would achieve the best results. But in an account of the rational process. This is similar to any event, once the rule is set, he would advocate our ability to recognize that something i~; a door,

12 SUNSTONE/JULY1985 even though we may have a hard time detailing what Although this approach relies on individual judg- constitutes "doorness." That we can recognize a door ment, there are a couple of tests that can be applied. is amazing when we consider all the various types of For example, once a tentative conclusion has been doors we encounter and how much they differ. reached, I can evaluate the relative merit of the crite- There are front doors, sliding doors, dog doors, ria further by playing a form of variations: "What if a revolving doors, cupboard doors, attic doors, and given fact were changed? How would that affect my unattached doors that are offered for sale in hard- decision? What would it take to change my mind?" ware stores. In labeling something a door, I am prob- Another test states that decisions should be able to ably recognizing that it has some things in common withstand rational criticism. The process differs with those objects I have learned to call doors. It from intuitionism in that I should be able to explain doesn’t need to conform to an exact list of things all how I arrived at the decision and defend it. Of course, doors must have, which would be called "sufficient since I’m generally not accustomed to doing this, it conditions for doorness." Nor may I even identify might take some practice (just as it would if I were one particular thing that all doors must have that asked to justify why I just called something a door). would be a necessary condition for doorness. I recog- In the open-texture approach, a rule is not consi- Even though nize that each door has several characteristics that dered absolute. It has import in the moral argument are common to other doors, but an individual door and certainly isn’t taken lightly. But in evaluating all all rules tend to doesn’t have all of them. the criteria in a situation, the rule might be given sound the same, Similarly, when faced with a moral problem, I can lower priority weighed against other considerations recognize the right thing to do because in certain or obligations. Or the rule itself could be challenged. they don’t significant ways it is like other decisions I have Even though all rules tend to sound the same, they address issues already determined to be good or right. I don’t have don’t address issues of equal moral import. And to check the decision against a list of characteristics they differ in the degree to which they make sense of equal moral which must be present for the action to be considered overall. import. And they right (sufficient conditions) nor do I need to look for For example, in her SUNSTONE article, "Telling one certain characteristic that must always be pres- Confessions," Peggy Battin identifies differences in differ in the ent (a necessary condition). the rules or doctrines found in religious institutions. degree to which The open-texture approach suggests that what I Basic-level doctrines are general assertions regarding they make sense can and should do in any moral deliberation is care- religious practice which are usually scripturally based fully determine which facts have moral relevance in and seem basic to the meaning of the religion. The overall. the situation. These facts, then, become the criteria Christian tradition, for example, encourages prayer used in making the moral judgment and are given in religious services. The way this doctrine is imple- weight in the argument according to their relative mented, however, varies among Christian denomi- merit. nations. Thus a first-order doctrine may specify that In determining the criteria, the goal is to explore all such prayers be uttered publicly with one person the things that could possibly matter morally. There acting as voice. Or it may mandate that everyone in is no absolute number of criteria that must be pres- the group participate in chanting the prayers. Or it ent, but the issues will be similar to those I have could require silence during the prayer time with encountered in other moral deliberations. I would members of the congregation offering individual, consider the interests and rights of all parties in- simultaneous prayers. The prayers themselves might volved. I would look at the possible consequences of be written out and approved in advance or offered the action--both for myself and others. I would pay spontaneously by those praying. attention to any pertinent rules, whether basic moral Depending on the type of implementation, certain rules, societal rules, or institutional rules. I might try problems may develop requiring further clarification to determine what an exemplary person would do in or answers through second-order doctrines. LDS services, the situation. I would assess any cultural or role for example, begin and close with public prayer. One influences affecting my decision. I could draw on person acts as voice for the rest of the congregation, values found in any of the ethical theories (many of and the prayer is offered spontaneously. Because the which have not been mentioned here). prayer is not written or dictated in advance, there is a The name open-texture implies that the criteria can possibility that something unacceptbale will be said be extended indefinitely to fit the requirements of in the prayer, affecting the reverential tone of the the situation. Thus a complex issue would have a meeting. It therefore becomes important that an longer list of criteria than a simpler case and would appropriate person be chosen or allowed to act as require more rigor in defining the relevant facts. The voice for the entire congregation. For many years, possibility also remains open that the criteria could Church policy dealt with this potential problem by be expanded if something new turns up as a charac- permitting only priesthood holders to offer the teristic for evaluating the situation, or if I become prayer in sacrament meeting. more adept at identifying things that have moral Because such doctrinal policies may create moral significance. conflicts, third-order doctrines often surface essentially The challenge with this theory lies in first paying to excuse the conflict. The rule that only priesthood attention to all the important facts and second giving holders be allowed to offer the prayer excluded a them proper weight. How do I determine the relative significant number of worthy members from doing significance of potential outcomes? How do I assess so. Making such prayers one of the duties included how much weight to give a certain rule in the moral under the umbrella of the priesthood functions argument? How do I decide what matters most of all served to excuse this. However, it implied that hold- those things that matter? ing the priesthood is somehow a necessary require-

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 13 ment for offering a prayer unto God on behalf of breaking them occasionally when the situation a group of worshippers. warrants." This example comes easily to mind becuse sev- The fact of the matter is that absolute-sounding eral years ago I broke the second-order require- rules are often accompanied by absolute punish- ment that only priesthood holders say such ments or sanctions, the most severe of which can prayers. My husband had left sacrament meeting involve being fired from a job, thrown in jail, or early, apparently forgetting he had agreed to excommunicated from the Church. As part of offer the closing prayer. When it was announced my consequential analysis, I should consider that he was to give the benediction, I decided the these potentially high costs in deciding whether best thing to do was offer the prayer myself. The to violate a rule. Unfortunately, it may not be bishop told me afterwards that only priesthood possible to convince the authority that in break- bearers should offer such prayers. It was rather ing the rule I am following a moral course. Joseph embarrassing, but the amazing thing was I was Smith faced this choice many times, as have totally unaware that the rule existed (which other creative problem-solvers.. It is probably says something about my level of social Obviously I should take extreme care in decid- possible that consciousness at the time). Not aspiring to pray ing to break a rule that has moral significance. It some "simple in public, I hadn’t noticed that I was never asked may be that I want something so badly it is affect- to offer the prayer in sacrament meeting. Nor ing my rational analysis of the situation, as sug- obedience" may was I aware that others were excluded. How- gested by the intriguing title of Joseph B~ntley’s be more de struc- ever, the fact that the policy surprised me so 1984 Sunstone symposium presentation: "We Be- tive than some much could also indicate how precarious its posi- lieve Easily What We Hope for Earnestly." In decid- tion was. ing to break a rule, I should know what I arn doing. "simple disobe- The policy has been changed, and other mem- John Sanford, in his book, The Kingdom Within, dience" tllat we bers are now invited to offer such prayers. This quotes a verse found in an ancient manuscript would imme- indicates tlhat such derived policies may be (and which immediately follows the text of L~Lke 6:5: probably ~hould be) subject to closer scrutiny. "On the same day, seeing a man working on the diately label as Second- and third-order rules or doctrines may sabbath day, he [Jesus] said to h~m: ’Frien~L, if you "wrong." sound as iinviolate as other more basic, first- know what you are doing, you are blessed; but if order doctrines (particularly because of the reli- you do not, you are accursed as a breaker of the gious setting), but in fact they differ significantly. law.’" There is a difference between practical These derivative levels can be found in other behavior problems and practical moral problems. institutional rules as well, including professional In the first case a person knows what the proper codes, bureaucratic policies, and public laws. This moral behavior should be, but either decides not is an important consideration, especially since to do it or has difficulty following it. In the some morally unacceptable behavior may be second case a person would llke to do what is caused or encouraged by the many absolute- morally required but has difficulty deciding what sounding peripheral or superficial rules that sur- the action should be. The first instance requires round us. People may be unable to see all the commitment and self-control, whereas the second other morally relevant facts in a situation because requires thoughtful analysis. such rules tend to take center stage, particularly Because we can generally only observe a per- because they sound so definite. It is possible that son’s outward behavior, it is difficult to deter- the resulting "simple obedience" may be more mine what is happening when someone is break- de,;tructive, though perhaps in a more subtle ing a rule. Is the transgressor lacking i,n self- way, than some "simple disobedience" that we control and commitment? Or has the individual would immediately label as "wrong." thoughtfully analyzed the situation and deter- What is the solution? Is it simply a matter of mined that breaking the rule ~s the best moral informing people that rules can occasionally be choice? It is hard to distinguish the common rule- broken? Or should rule-makers assume a greater breaker from someone who decides to transcend moral responsibility as they set polic!ies? It is the rule because of other moral concerns--just as difficult to create a policy or rule that takes into it is hard to differentiate the person who is consideration all the morally relevant facts that thoughtfully obedient from the one who reacts could surface in later circumstances. Detailing all to the complexities of life with "simple obedience." possible exceptions could involve using so many The judgment is less difficult when applied to disclaimers that the rule would cease to be a rule. myself. I can spend time examining my motives. 1 Even then there is the possibility some considera- can review my line of reaso:ning in deciding tions would be left out. Rules, then, tend to whether to obey or break a certain rule. And sound absolute even though the rule-makers given thoughtful and careful analysis, there will themselves feel uncomfortable with the absolute be times when I’ll determine that breaking the language. Because we seem to have a need for rule is a moral option~perhaps even an rules in our society (at least as guidelines), maybe obligation. the answer lies in making a deal of sorts with rule-makers~"Look, I’ll excuse you for making SUSAN RYTTING is a correspondent mortgage administrator the rules sound so absolute if you’ll excuse my for the Merchants Mortgage Corporation in Indianapdis.

14 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985

n Mormon theology, priesthood keys are essen- though the Church commemorates the restoration tial to administer the ordinances of salvation and of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, little if to organize and superintend the Church. For this anything is ever said about the restoration of the reason, the restoration of the priesthood has priesthood "by the hand of Elijah the prophet." For long been viewed as one of the most important Joseph Smith, however, Elijah’s mission was of the events in the establishment of the Church. Yet, utmost importance to the Church, since Elijah re-

16 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 THE

the forgotten place of queens and priestesses in the establishment of Zion

BY MARGARET M. TOSCANO

stored the keys of the fulness of the priesthood. April of 1836, it was not until May 4, 1842, that Significantly, among Joseph’s first revelations Joseph began transmitting to other men the keys of from Moroni, given in 1823, appears the pronounce- this priesthood by means of the temple endowment. ment that it would be by Elijah, not John the Baptist Later, Joseph organized these newly endowed mem- or Peter, James, and John that the priesthood would bers into a group most commonly referred to as "the be revealed (D&C 2). Though Elijah appeared in quorum."

JULY1985/SUNSTONE A year later, on the evening of September 28, of God’s glory and come into union with God him- 1843, Joseph Smith "was by common consent & self and with other sanctified individuals. (See WJS, unanimous voice chosen president of the Quorum pp. 341, 350, 365-66.) & anointed & ordained to the highest order of the For Joseph, the main purpose of the keys restored priesthood (& Companionmd[itt]o" (D. Michael by John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John was Quinn,"Latter-day Saint Prayer Circles," BYU Studies, to administer the ordinances which would eventu- Fall 1978, p. 85). Perhaps the most significant aspect ally allow men and women to be endowed and of this important event is contained in the last two anointed kings and priests and queens and priest- words of this reportmwords which are added paren- esses, so that they could have direct and personal thetically: "(& Companion--d[itt]o." contact with God. For Joseph, this was the whole These words mean that Joseph’s companion, point of religion. He stated, "this is why Abraham Emma Smith, was also anointed and ordained to the blessed his posterity: He wanted to bring them into highest order of the priesthood. She had, prior to the presence of God .... Moses sought to bring the Since this date, received her endowment from Joseph, children of Israel into the presence of God, through making her the first woman to receive these ordi- the power of the Pristhood, but he could not." (See in Joseph’s nances; and she was the first woman to be admitted WJS, p. 9.) view, priest- into the quorum. Thereafter, she was in charge of Since contact with God is the essence of religion, hood is essen- administering to other select women the endow- then personal revelation is an indispensable ingre- ment ordinances which not only transmit priest- dient of the religious life. For Joseph the "spirit of tual for full sal- hood power and keys to those who receive them, but revelation" and the "priesthood" were very closely vation, it seems which are a necessary prerequisite to the bestowal linked. (See WJS, pp. 212, 230.) With the reception of upon both men and women of the fulness of the the fulness of the priesthood, a man and woman inconceivable priesthood. It was Joseph’s intent that all faithful receive the spirit, power, and calling of Elijah: that he could women were to receive what Emma received when Now for Elijah, the spirit power & calling of Elijah is that ye withhold it from she was "anointed and ordained to the highest order have power to hold the keys of the revelations ordinances, oricles women. of the priesthood" with her husband. (See Teachings of powers & endowments of the fulness of the Melchezedek Priest- the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 137, 226.) Women, then, hood & of the Kingdom of God on Earth & to receive, obtain & can and do hold the priesthood. But this fact has perform all the ordinances belonging to the Kingdom of God even been obscured and overlooked much in the same unto the sealing of the hearts of the.., fathers unto the children way that Emma’s ordination was subordinated in & the hearts of the children unto the fathers even those who are in the report just quoted. heaven. (WJS, p. 329.) In Joseph’s view, women needed the priesthood as much as the men did because the priesthood was not No person can "attain to the Joint heirship with Jesus merely a status or fraternity, but a requirement for Christ with out being administered to by one having full salvation. Unlike the modern Church, which the same power & Authority of Melchisedec." (WJS, tends to regard priesthood as a managerial system p. 245.) By receiving the keys of the fulness of the for the purpose of correlating and controlling the priesthood through the holy endowment and the worldwide Church and as a means of insuring a second anointing, a man and woman make their homogeneous and cost-effective organization, Joseph calling and election sure and may receive the visita- saw priesthood as raw spiritual power. For him it tion of God the Son and be initiated by him into the was inextricably entwined with God’s spirit that presence of God the Father. (See WJS, p. 330.) permeates the universe. Priesthood is a necessary Since in Joseph’s view, this priesthood is essential prerequisite to handling and controlling the powers for full salvation and for contact and union with of heaven. (See D&C 121:36.) God, it seems inconceivable that he could withhold it from women. And, in fact, he did not. While Joseph taught that the reception of the gift Joseph saw the offices of the priesthood in the of the Holy Ghost brings with it such spiritual gifts Church as necessary appendages to the fulness of as revelations, visions, and tongues, he also taught that the reception of the fulness of the priesthood by the priesthood (see WJS, p. 59; TPJS, p. 167), and a holy anointing brings similar but higher gifts: reve- male Church members were ordained to these offi- ces to prepare them to receive their anointings. But lations of greater knowledge and wisdom, including Joseph did not ordain women to these offices. How- the discernment of spirits, the reception of the min- ever, he did have a plan to prepare the female mem- istry of angels, the voice of Jehovah, the visitation of the Father and the Son, and, finally, the power of an bers of the Church for the fulness of the priest- hood. The organization of the Female Relief Society endless life. (See Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 42, 245, 246, of Nauvoo lay at the heart of this plan, which 253.) the Prophet unfolded in the discourses he gave to The anointing to the fulness of the priesthood is the Relief Society between March 17 and August 31, among the very last ordinances of salvation on a 1842. continuum that begins with faith in Jesus Christ and In the first of these speeches, the Prophet directed ends with the washing of the feet. The purpose of the Relief Society women to follow the pattern of these ordinances is to sanctify an individual by giv- the priesthood quorums By establishing in their ing to him or her one degree of spiritual power upon organization a presidency and other officers. When another until he or she is able to bear the full weight Emma Smith was elected president, Joseph explained

18 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 that she was to teach the "female part of the com- female one and the same, so that the male not be munity." (WJS, p. 105.) This remark constitutes an male nor the female female.., then will you enter interpolation of Doctrine and Covenants 25, which [the Kingdom]" (Nag Hammadi, p. 121). When a man actually told Emma she would be ordained "to and woman become one in God, the outer loses its expound the scriptures, and to exhort the church," identity as outer, and the inner is no longer inner not just its female members (D&C 25:7). Elsewhere, because they have merged into one eternal entity. however, Joseph expanded women’s sphere of influ- The female does not become a male, nor the male a ence by saying that, although their administrations female, but rather both become one. They both should be confined to their close acquaintances, their become a whole person, a holy person, a divine knowledge and preaching could "extend to all the being, a "Man" of Holiness. The term man is used world." (See WJS, pp. 118-19.) Joseph emphasized here in the same sense it was used in Genesis: it that Emma and women in general have the calling to embraces both the male and the female counter- learn, write, and teach by virtue of their having parts. Thus, Joseph Smith, in applying the masculine recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost. (WJS, p. 10,5.) term priests to the women of the Relief Society, was Thus, women are not simply told to stay in the home not merely making an oversight or indulging in male it and content themselves with "the things of the chauvinism; rather he was using a shorthand ex- seemed world" (D&C 25:10). pression to refer to an ancient and complex spiritual incredible In Joseph’s next speech, he advised the Relief teaching. Society to make a careful selection of its new One month later, in his speech of April 28, 1842, that Joseph members; for he saw the organization as a means to Joseph directly addressed the question of woman’s would have said prepare women for the fulness of the priesthood--a relationship to the priesthc~od by discussing the that he intended necessary step in building Zion, which was to be practice of women giving blessings. He observed patterned after the "ancient order of things." He that women have the right to administer to the sick to make Relief said: "The society should move according to the because of the ordination and authority they receive Society women ancient Priesthood, hence there should be a select by virtue of the gift of the Holy Ghost conferred by into society, separate from all the evils of the world, the laying on of hands. Joseph explained that the choice, virtuous and holy" (WJS, p. 110). The term ability to cast out devils, speak in tongues, and heal "priests." "ancient priesthood" refers to the priesthood of the the sick are given to all, "whether male or female," Ancient of Days, Adam and Eve, the priesthood who believe and are baptized (W]S, p. 115). The fact given to men and women jointly (see Moses 6:7; that God honors the administration of women by D&C 113:8; TPJS, p. 237). Hence, Joseph could tell healing the person blessed, said Joseph, shows that the Relief Society that they should "move according there is no harm in the practice. "It is no sin for any to the ancient Priesthood," because they too would body to do it that has faith, or if the sick has faith to share in it. The Relief Society was clearly to be a be heal’d by the administration" (WJS, p. 116). school to prepare women for the holy order, just as Joseph, however, did not leave the matter there. the offices and quorums of the priesthood in the He added a second justification for women laying Church were organized to prepare men for the same hands on the sick by implying that women would purpose. soon have an even greater right to administer in That the ancient order is connected with the build- spiritual gifts than that given them by virtue of the ing: of Zion is indicated by Joseph’s stated intention gift of the Holy Ghost. This greater right was to "to make of this society a kingdom of priests as in consist of the priesthood which was to be conferred Enoch’s day--as in Paul’s day" (WJS, p. 110). The upon them in the temple. But because Joseph had original version of this statement was later edited so premonitions of his death, he felt an urgency to that the word "society" was changed to "Church" to begin the work of conferring this priesthood on read: "The Lord was going to make of the Church of women before the temple was completed: "He said Jesus Christ a kingdom of Priests." This was done as he had this opportunity, he was going to instruct perhaps because it seemed incredible that Joseph the Society .... He spoke of delivering the keys to would have said that he intended to make Relief this society and to the Church--that according to his Society women into "priests." prayers God had appointed him elsewhere." (WJS, p. But I don’t believe that the original statement was 116.) The keys that Joseph spoke of in this passage in error. I think Joseph used the masculine form here are those priesthood keys, revealed in the temple, by in the same way Jesus did in the apocryphal Gospel which the heavens are opened so that spiritual of Thomas. In that text, Peter objects to the fact that power and knowledge may be received and the Jesus seems always to be in the company of Mary. source of revelations tested. Jesus answers this criticism, declaring: "I myself shall That Joseph intended women to receive the priest- lead her in order to make her male" (James N. Robinson, ed., Nag Hammadi Library, p. 130). Jesus did hood is further demonstrated by his statement not mean that he was going to change Mary’s sex found in the History of the Church: but that he was going to make her one with him, a At two o’ clock I met the members of the "Female Relief Society," fact he explained when he says: "When you make and.., gave a lecture on the Priesthood, showing how the sisters the two one, and when you make the inside like the would come in possession of the privileges blessings and gifts of the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above Priesthood, and that signs should follow them, such as healing the like the below, and when you make the male and sick, casting out devils, &c., and thai they might attain unto these

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 19 blessings by a virtuous life, and conversation, and diligence in ones who perform the ordinances of rebirth, which keeping all the commandments. (HC, 4:602.) bring an individual into the family of Christ. In In this and other discourses to the Relief Society, performing these initial ordinances men are, so to speak, like physicians who deliver the newborn babe Joseph spoke at length on the subject of: charity and into Christ’s kingdom. Once a person is in the showed its connection to the spiritual gifts and the Church, however, he or she is nurtured by men and priesthood. Joseph taught that charity as the pure women equally; for both can teach and exhort, give love of Christ was the root of purity and the begin- blessings, prophesy, and receive revelation. In short, ning of unity. If the kingdom of God was to be built, they both can enjoy all the gifts of the spirit on an it would be founded on Christ’s love. For this reason equal footing for the edification of the whole body of he warned the members of the Relief Society to Christ. avoid fault-finding and self-righteousness. Joseph When a person is ready to recieve the higher observed that charity not only brings unity of feel- ordinances in the temple, it is again the man who ing but is indispensible to achieving unity with God. Why initiates. At the outset of this dispensation, Emma This is an important temple concept. By ad- Smith received her endowment from Joseph. How- did Joseph dressing charity, Joseph was, once again, preparing ever, once she had been anointed a queen and a create for the women for the higher ordinances leading to the priestess, she too could and did introduce other fulness of the priesthood. For Joseph connected women into the mysteries of the holy endowment. women a route charity or "perfect love" with the highest order of So it appears that women can perform initiation to the fulness of the priesthood and with the doctrine of making rites under limited circumstances; for women anoint, the priesthood one’s calling and election sure. He said: "Until we wash, and convey the tokens of priesthood to other have perfect love we are liable to fall" (TPJS, p. 9). women. But, though it is the duty of the rnale priest- that was differ- Joseph was attempting to expand the view the hood holders to commence the work, it is important ent from that women had of charity and their own priesthood to observe that the last ordinances pertaining to the destiny. For though they initially thought of the fulness of the priesthod cannot be administered by charted for the Relief Society as an organization dedicated to humani- men; they must be administered by women. men? tarian service, Joseph Smith also saw it as a vehicle for building the City of God, where women could The anointing to the fulness of the priesthood is commune with Jesus face to face. He saw women divided into three parts, which do not necessarily functioning in a priestly role to save. souls, not take place in the order discussed here. The first part is an anointing administered by the head of the high merely to administer to their temporal needs: "Away priesthood, who anoints the man to be a king and with self-righteousness. The best measure or princi- priest to God and the woman to be a queen and ple to bring the poor to repentance is to administer priestess to her husband. The second part of this to their wants--the Society is not only to relieve the ordinance consists of the washing of feet,, by which poor but to save souls." (WJS, p. 124.) The "poor" to the king and priest is made clean every whit. The which Joseph referred are the "poor in ,;pirit," who third part consists of certain ordinances conferred need the "bread of life," Jesus Christ. by the wife upon the husband in which she washes But why couldn’t the women have received the and anoints various parts of his body~last of all his same preparation as the men, through the priest- feet. From the Heber C. Kimball account of this hood quorums already functioning in the Church? portion of the ceremony, the part performed by his Why did Joseph create for women a route to the wife Vilate, we learn that this ritual was a reenact- fulness of the priesthood that was different from ment of the washing and anointing of tl’te body of that charted for the men? There are no clear Jesus done by one of the Marys. Jesus, in the Gospel answers to these questions nor to the question of of John, is recorded as saying that Mary performed whether or not this difference will always exist. this ordinance "against the day of my burying" (John However, there are a few statements that may help 12:7). Heber C. Kimball connects this ceremony us to understand why women are not ordained to with death by saying that the woman does this so priesthood offices in the Church structure. that she might have claim upon her husband in the One such statement is Joseph’s remark that a resurrection. (See "Strange Events" in th~ Heber C. "woman has no right to found or .organize a Kimball Journal, Church Archives.) Although this Church--God never sent them to do :it" (TPJS, p. statement may be interpreted to mean that the 212). This is related to another statement by Joseph: woman is dependent upon the ~nan for her resurrec- "The Kingdom of God was set upon the earth in all tion, it might also be interpreted to mean that the ages from the days of Adam to the present time man must look to the woman for the ordinances whenever there was a man on earth who had which confer the power of endless life. In this view, authority to administer the ordinances of the Gospel" the woman is the vehicle through which the man (WJS, p. 155). Elsewhere we read that if there is but obtains power to come forth from the torrtb, even as one king and priest left upon the earth he could she is the vehicle by which he is brought forth from reorganize the Church (cf. TPJS, pp. 271-72). the womb. This brings to mind the myth of Osiris, In all of these statements, the commoner idea is that whose resurrection was dependent upon the effort it must be a man who commences the work of the or work of Isis in the Egyptian ceremonies, where, gospel through the administration of ,ordinances. incidentally, a woman had to be present at every Through their ecclesiastical offices, nten are the "awakening." (Hugh Nibley, The Message of the Joseph

20 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, pp. 148-51.) structing the members in the details of the prayer circle, but for the purpose of addressing in prayer Thus, in God’s plan men and women possess bal- problems affecting the whole Church. anced responsibilities. For while males are intended Though prayer meetings may not seem as impor- to :initiate, females are intended to complete and tant as administrative meetings to members of the bring to fruition. This interdependence is perhaps best symbolized in the creation of a new human modern Church, Joseph instilled in the minds of his being: in the creative process, the woman is as vital followers the idea that the true order of prayer was the most effective means of bringing about change. as the man; both contribute life. The old cliche that men have the priesthood and women have mother- Joseph did not have a managerial view, he had a sacral one. He believed (as perhaps did St. Thomas hood is clearly inappropriate; it makes no sense. More) that a kingdom could be governed by prayer. Women have motherhood, and men have father- hood. Men have priesthood, and women have priest- For this reason, prayer was not just another private hood too. Motherhood and fatherhood have to do devotional; it was an act of spiritual administration, a with creating physical life, with creating sons and way to call upon God to bring about needed changes Though there daughters; priesthood has to do with spiritual and needed action. (See HC, 5:45-46.) Brigham are some ordi- motherhood and fatherhood, which concerns spirit- Young, for example, claimed that it was by the true ual begetting, nurturing, and birth; it has to do with order of prayer that he kept the Church together nances woman creating sons and daughters unto God. and the mobs at bay after the martyrdom (as cited in cannot perform, James B. Allen, Journal of Mormon History, 1979, note Women, then, also have a priestly calling, a life- on p. 48). And on one occasion in Nauvoo, Newel K. there are others giving calling, similar to the man’s but not identical Whitney and Dr. John M. Bernhisel thought the that she may per- to it. Though there are some ordinances she cannot quorum should meet together to pray that the perform there are others that she may perform; and weather might be changed so that sickness would form; and there there is at least one ordinance which she alone can not be spread among the Saints. (Quinn, "Prayer is at least one perform. It is clear, however, that the male and Circles," p. 104.) It is therefore consistent to view the which she alone female, in their priestly function, must act in union holy order not merely as a prayer body but also as an to realize the fulness of gospel blessings. adminstrative body of the Church. can perform. Without a proper apportionment of the spiritual Joseph instructed the quorum that since they had contributions of both the male and female, there can the keys to test revelations, they were to test the be no birth, no enduring rebirth, no inner life, no revelations of anyone claiming to have received one continuing contact with God, no significant revela- for the Church. At the trial of Sidney Rigdon in tion, no balanced manifestation of the spiritual gifts, August of 1844, two different members of the quo- no mature counsel no triumph over Satan, no equal- rum used this argument to show that Sidney ity in which all things are held in common. In short, Rigdon’s revelations were false (Times and Seasons, there can be no city and kingdom of God. It is into 5:664). This evidence suggests that the quorum had the seamlesss cup of balanced and spiritually regen- real, if not supreme, priesthood authority in the erated sexual union that God has promised to pour Church, for this group, which William Marks re- the fulness of his priesthood, which is the power of ferred to as the "first quorum," could pass upon the God. validity of revelations to the Church. This same In light of the fact that women have an important view was emphasized by Heber C. Kimball, who and coequal priestly function, it should not be sur- indicated that although Sidney Rigdon had held a prising to learn that Joseph Smith allowed womenvery high Church office, he did not have as much some role in the governance of the Church in the authority as others who held the fulness of the months just prior to his martyrdom. In September priesthood and participated in the "council pertain- of 1843, Joseph not only gave the women the ing to the High Priesthood" (T&S, 5:663). endowment and the fulness of the priesthood, but This view of the quorum is further substantiated he also included them in the quorum of the anointed, by the fact that Joseph Smith, at least on one occa- or the holy order. Although it has been argued that sion, conducted an important piece of Church busi- this quorum never functioned as a priesthood quo- ness in a meeting of the"first quorum." On October rum in the Church and that it was simply the 1, 1843, in a quorum meeting, he anointed William antecedent to an endowment congregation in today’s Law and Amasa Lyman as counselors in the First temple practice (Quinn, "Prayer Circles," p. 89), Presidency of the Church (Andrew F. Ehat, "Joseph there is evidence to the contrary. Smith’s Introduction of Temple Ordinances and the If Joseph thought of the holy order merely as an 1844 Succession Question," BYU master’s thesis, p. endowment group why did he not treat it as an 119.) ephemeral body? Why did he meet with them regu- From the time the quorum was first organized larly? Why did he continue to instruct them? Why until his death, Joseph relied more and more on it was he chosen as president of the holy order if the to test out his doctrinal innovations and to disclose quorum itself had no special significance? Why didhis most imporant decisions (Ehat, "Temple Ordi- he allow this quorum to partake of the sacrament nances," p. 41). This focus corresponds with Joseph’s and engage in other activities beyond instruction in views on the importance of priesthood power for the the temple endowment? The quorum conducted full redemption of the individual and of society at prayer circles, not merely for the purpose of in- large.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 21 However, Joseph’s vision of priesthood faded priesthood as a means of seizing power in the admin- quickly after his death. And as it faded!., so did the istrative structure, then we have missed the point of importance of the quorum, the place of women in it, Joseph’s vision and are striving for the wrong objec- and the role of women as priestesses in Zion. Ironi- tive. We are fighting the wrong battle--tl’te battle of cally, though the Quorum of Apostles succeeded to the sexes, which is a struggle for power in this Joseph’s place because of their anointing to the ful- world, for the whip handle, for the number-one ness of the priesthood (see Ehat, "Temple Ordi- spot, for the management of the corporal.~ion. nances," passim), once they assumed leadership, But the priesthood does not bring with it the right they shifted the preeminent authority away from to this kind of coercive power. This is "unrighteous the quorum of the anointed. An apostolic dispensa- dominion." True power--the power of the holy tion quickly replaced the "dispensation of the fulness priesthood--is the power of God, the power of life, of the priesthood," a phrase used by Joseph Smith to the power of divine love, the power that restores, the Relief Society (see HC, 5:140). Whether Brigham unites, harmonizes, and balances extremes. The ful- Under Young did this consciously because he believed that ness of the priesthood is the power of eternal life, Brigham Young, the time for Zion was not yet, or whether he did it endless life, and endless lives. This is the power we because necessity simply dictated this. course of are enjoined to seek. It does not come by male or the anointed action is not clear. It is apparent, however, that it female chauvinism or by militancy. It comes by wait- quorum and the was under the administration of Brigham Young ing upon the Lord. that the anointed quorum and the .concept of concept of woman’s role in the priesthood simultaneously Ultimately, I suppose, my position on women’s received quick death blows. place in the priesthood, the Church, and the king- voman’s role in dom of God is not that of a political or social activist the priesthood Following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the but that of a mystic. For though I beliew.~ that the received quick quorum met less frequently. As more and more Church will never be organized properly until Church members were endowed, the quorum ceased women are acknowledged as joint holders of the death its separate meetings altogether. With its discontinu-- holy priesthood and are brought into the leading blows. ance, women were no longer included in prayer councils of the Church, I feel even more strongly circles, except at that point in the endowment cere- that to demand these things will only make matters mony when instruction on prayer circle..:.; is given. worse and lead to greater disarray. Women’s role in Joseph’s system was further cur- So what is my answer to the problem? Charity. tailed in 1844 when Brigham Young suspended the Joseph Smith spoke prophetically when he told the Relief Society organization. When the Prophet’s Relief Society in every speech he ever gave to them successor reorganized the society on a churchwide that it was essential for them to have charity--not basis in 1867, the focus of the organization was that brand of charity that manifests itself as petty much more temporal than spiritual. demonstrations of humanitarian service., but the Thus, while Joseph’s attitude toward the role of real thing: the pure and sacrificial love of Christ, that women as queens and priestesses and his view of the is not puffed up, that seeks not its own, that loves function and place of the anointed quorum were the truth, and that endures all things. expansiw: and tended to widen wome~’s spiritual And what will happen if the women of the horizon, those leaders coming after him were quick Church endure patiently the deprivation of their to delimit women’s sphere of action in the Church priesthood rights in charity? In Joseph’s words, "God with clear, bright lines. As a result of these and other shall say to them, come up higher" (WJS, p. 116). It is changes, Mormons today appear to have abandoned God, finally, who must bring this about. It is with the quest for Elijah’s order of the priesthood with His hands that Zion will be built. It is not in our which they might establish Zion and talk with God. hands anymore. "Man cannot steady the ark," said When a male friend of mine heard the title of this Joseph Smith, "my arm cannot do it~God must paper, he asked caustically, "What about the forgot- steady it" (WJS, p. 121). And when at last these ten place of kings and priests?" His startling com- blessing come, they shall come gloria solius Dei--by ment pointed out a little-noticed truth: We live in a the glory of God alone. day when spiritual powers are on the wane among both sexes. Who today really cares about spiritual gifts? Who cares today about the estab]tishment of Zion? Instead of struggling for the right to exercise spiritual gifts and priestly powers like our nineteenth- century counterparts, we women in the Church today seek only administrative power. And that is precisely the problem. In order for women to take their rightful places as queens and priestesses, the Church must first accept the pri- macy of spiritual power over temporal power, the primacy of the unseen over the seen, the primacy of MARGARET M. TOSCANO holds a master’s deg;,ee in classics the sacral over the secular. If we wornen simply and is a part-time Latin and Greek instructor at Brigham Young demand ordination to the ecclesiastical offices of the University.

22 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 The Standard Works and Our Mother in Heaven

By Jerrie W. Hurd

re there no scriptural references to our Nevertheless, the scriptures do reverberate Mother in Heaven? The doctrine of a with similar truths. A Mother in Heaven is never Mother in Heaven, as a separate entity named--not even once, but hints of her exis- A from God our father, was restored more tence, especially of her role in the creation, can be than a century ago and has been repeat- gleaned from the sacred texts with interesting edly affirmed in latter days; President Kimball results. has spoken more and at greater length about her In Proverbs, Wisdom is presented as a female than any other prophet in modern times. Yet deity, not just grammatically, but literally as the with all that affirmation, few facts beyond an goddess who is the companion to God the Father. assurance of her existence have emerged, and In the eighth chapter of Proverbs, she appears as critics of the doctrine have charged that the a teacher, and after describing herself and the scriptures offer no basis for such belief. marvelous gifts she can bestow, she asserts that To date the best explication of our Mother in she was at God’s side when he formed the world Heaven continues to be the poem written by and that she took part in his work "as one Eliza R. Snow. The actual date of the poem is brought up with him," or as some translators unknown, but it would seem to have been render the phrase, "as a master worker." Verses penned before October 1845. It has since been 22-31 show Wisdom as an active person, distinct set to music and has become familiar to members from God, his consort taking delight and rejoic- of the modern Church as the hymn "O My ing with him, his coeval having been "set up from Father." The portion of the poem that concerns everlasting, from the beginning." There is even a our Mother in Heaven reads: suggestion of marital joys. In the heavens are parents single? Other verses in Proverbs state that Wisdom is No; the thought makes reason staret. a tree of life and is to be highly esteemed because Truth is reason, truth eternal creation could not have been accomplished with- Tells me I’ve a mother there. out her (Prov. 3:18-19). The psalmist talks of When I leave this frail existence, giving praise "to him that by wisdom made the When I lay this mortal by, heavens" (Ps. 136:5), and in the Book of Mormon, Father, Mother, may I meet you God and Wisdom are linked in extolling the mar- In your royal courts on high? velous works of the Lord (Mosiah 8:20). Jesus Then, at length, when I’ve completed also speaks of the divine woman Wisdom. Once All you sent me forth fo do, when he was accused of being impious, he an- With your mutual approbation swered, "The Son of Man is come eating and Let me come and dwell with you. drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man,

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 23 and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners[ But wisdom is justified of all her chil- dren." (Luke 7:34-35.) Of course, "Wisdom" is not always identified in womanly terms. Wisdom can mean light and understanding and knowledge, especially knowl- edge from God. But when wisdom is described in scripture with feminine pronouns, the refer- ences are unique and distinctive enough to merit special notice. The creation accounts found in Genesis 1:26- 27 and Abraham 4:27 describe a plurality of gods creating men and women in their images. Genesis Some says: "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness .... So God created man distinctly in his own image, in the image of God created he feminine pas- him; male and female created he them." From this, we might infer that female spirits were sages have sur- created in the image of their Heavenly Mother. vived transla- The Hebrew word for "God" takes three tion, describing forms: "el, which is masculine; ’eloah, which is fem- "God" as a inine; and "elohim, which is plural. All three forms are found in the Bible, but the translators of the woman and a King James Version rendered all three forms mother. simply as "god"--rarely as "gods" and even more rarely as "goddess." Still, some distinctly femi- nine passages have survived translation, describ- ing "God" as a woman and a mother. In Isaiah God calls Israel saying: "Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb" (Isa. 46:3). Likewise, the scriptural term "bowels" (as when God says "my bowels are troubled") would be better translated "womb" as that is the more accurate rendering of the Hebrew rechem. Thus the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah, particularly verses 15-22, is an extended metaphor of a woman’s womb enclos- ing and protecting her child, Ephraim; the female organ nourishing, sustaining, and redeeming him. The scriptures also imply that a female deity may have responsibility for the functioning and fertility of the earth. In both Moses 5:36-37 and Genesis 4:11-12, Cain is cursed "from the earth which had opened her mouth to receive [his] brother’s blood," and she would no longer yield commandment asherim were frequently erected her strength to him. In Moses 7:48, Enoch heard a beside altars and worshipped as shrines of the voice from the bowels of the earth crying "Wo, Goddess. Ezekiel spoke harshly of idolators in wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am the temple at Jerusalem passing around the weary, because of the wickedness of my children." sacred branch of a tree and warned that "the If our Mother in Heaven is associated with the sprigs of foreign gods" would bring a harvest of tree of life, as suggested in Proverbs, and has a grief and desperate sorrow. These were the de- responsibility for the functioning and fertility of spised pillars and poles which the Israelites were the earth, as suggested in other scriptures, this continually warned by their prophets to destroy. may explain the numerous scriptural condemna- The hundreds of years it took to suppress such tions for the worship of asherim, which may practices may also account for the near complete represent a perversion of these truths. Erecting loss of information concerning the true goddess, asherah or asherim was strictly forbidden: "Thou our Mother in Heaven. shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near Joseph Smith restored the idea of a Heavenly unto the altar of the LORD thy god, which thou Mother to an America that had experienced an in- shalt make thee" (Deut. 16:21). Despite that terest in a female deity. Ann Le-~ of the Shaking

24 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 teous couples will have the gift of "a fulness and a continuation of the seed forever and ever. Then shall they be gods, because they have no end" (D&C 132:19-20). Thus Joseph Smith not only revealed the existence of a heavenly mother, but also the full potential of her righteous daughters. Although the scriptural basis for the doctrine of a Mother in Heaven is slim, it would seem to substantiate modern prophets who have been consistent in affirming her existence. In 1909 the First Presidency of the Church issued a state- ment entitled "The Origin of Man," in which it was proclaimed that "all men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and One Mother." Some fifty years later, Joseph Fielding Smith responded to a question about our Mother of the more in Heaven: "The fact that there is no reference to radical notions a mother in heaven either in the Bible, Book of which Christian Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants is not suf- ficient proof that no such thing as a mother did theologians are exist there" (Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:142). currently explor- And speaking to a general conference in 1978, ing is the idea Spencer W. Kimball asked, "Knowing how pro- foundly our mortal mothers have shaped us of a female here, do we suppose her [our Mother in Heaven’s] deity. influences on us as individuals to be less?" This statement suggests a continued involvement of our Mother in Heaven with her children. One of the more radical notions which Chris- tian theologians are currently exploring is the idea of a female deity. But Joseph Smith restored the doctrine of a Mother in Heaven to the men and women of Christ’s modern church more than a century ago. This is a blessing. For while other Christian scholars search for evidence of her existence in the scriptures and find scant support, Mormons can interpret those same pas- sages with confidence, knowing they are the offspring of divine parents--a father and a mother. As the hymn says, "truth is reason." Although the scriptures do not elaborate, they do offer enough evidence to make reasoning about our Mother in Heaven worthwhile and highly interesting. A NOTE ON REFERENCES Scriptures which discuss the divine woman Wisdom include: Ps. 136:5; Prov. 1:20-33; 3:13-19; 4:5-9, 11-13; 8; 9:1-6; Matt. Quakers had proclaimed herself the reincarna- 11:18-19; Luke 7:35; 11:49; Mosiah 8:20. tion of Jesus in female form, to which Joseph Among the scriptures relating to our Mother Earth are: Smith responded "the Son of Man cometh not in Gen. 4:11-12; Lev. 18:25; Num. 16:30, 32; 26:10; Deut. 11:6, the form of a woman" (D&C 49). About the same 17; 32:22; Job 9:6; Ps. 67:6; 69:15; Isa. 13:13; 26:21; 61:11; time, Mary Baker Eddy of the Christian Scien- Haggai 1:10; Mark 4:28; Mosiah 2:26; D&C 84:101; Moses 5:36-37; 7:48. tists was teaching her followers to pray to a com- In addition to the scriptures, the following sources were bined androgynous Father-Mother God. The helpful in preparing this text: Linda Wilcox, "The Mormon doctrine Joseph Smith related was of a distinct Concept of a Mother in Heaven" and Grethe B. Peterson, being, a glorified goddess married to a glorified "The Mormon Concept of a Mother in Heaven: A Personal Response," S~;NSTONE 5 (September-October 1980); Joseph god who is the literal mother of our spirits. Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. (Salt Lake Moreover, the Prophet’s idea of a mother deity City: Deseret Book, 1960), vol. 3; and Leonard Swidler, Bibli- became the core of his teachings on the nature of cal Affirmations of Women (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, man and God. The eternity of the marriage cove- 1979). nant, he revealed, gives husbands and wives claim on each other and their children in the ]ERRIE W. HURD, an English instructor at Clark College and celestial kingdom. The doctrine holds that righ- free-lance writer, has published in a variety of periodicals.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 25

LESSONS LEARNED FROM

By William A. Johnson or a number of years, rumors have circu- admit, because of the hope that many members lated in Mormon congregations about a of the Church share that the cave might contain spectacular archaeological find known as scientific evidence of the truthfulness of the F "Lehi’s Cave." I first heard this story in Book of Mormon but also with the skepticism of 1972 from a highly respected sister in a scholar and a nagging suspicion that the Lord Chevy Chase Ward, Maryland. She reported the simply did not operate this way. discovery of a cave in Israel containing an inscrip- In 1976, while on a lecture circuit in the Middle tion with the name Nephi, a find which had re- East, I took time out to meet with Joseph Ginat in inforced her testimony in the Book of Mormon. Tel Aviv to discuss what exactly was found in the Another member of the ward corroborated this cave. Ginat was then an anthropologist teaching s;ister’s statement but added that the cave also Arab studies at Haifa University and working for contained quotations from 1 Nephi, designs for the Israeli government as an advisor on Arab ships, and a map indicating the route that would affairs. Like many Israelis, he is an archaeologist be taken by Lehi and his family to the sea. This only by avocation. Ginat had previously spent brother also declared that an Israeli archaeologist two years living in Salt Lake City, where among named Dr. Joseph Ginat had worked on the cave other things, he was a visiting instructor at the and had established beyond doubt that the cave University of Utah working on his doctorate in was, in fact, a place of refuge for Lehi and his anthropology. While in Salt Lake City, he brought family prior to departing to the New World. Lehi’s Cave to the attention of Church officials. Since then, I have heard other members echo He also published an article about the cave. these claims in sacrament meetings, Sunday Lehi’s Cave was uncovered in 1961 by a bull- School, and priesthood classes, or assert that it dozer building a military road near what was was the hiding place for Nephi and his brothers then the border between Jordan and Israel. The in their efforts to obtain the brass records from cave was found on the eastern slope of a hill Laban. named Khirbet Beit Lei about 22 miles south- After repeated exposure to these stories, I southwest of Jerusalem. Inside the cave were decided to investigate for myself, partly, I must eight skeletons. On the walls of the antechamber

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 27 to the cave were several incomplete and crudely written inscriptions in ancient Hebrew as well as roughtly drawn pictographs of three human fig- ures, two vessels, and several geometric shapes. Observers have described these carvings with such words as "graffiti," "scratchings," and "doodling." The first scholar to study the cave was Joseph Naveh, an archaeologist with Hebrew University been the citation of lost prophecy. in Jerusalem. It was Naveh who directed the Ginat stated that the Cross article has now excavation of the cave for the Israeli govern- become the accepted interpretation of Lehi’s ment’s Department of Antiquities. Naveh specu- Cave. According to Ginat, it is also generally lated that the find was a burial cave for a family agreed that the cave was a place of refuge for a of Levite singers, although he also suggested prophet fleeing Jerusalem at the time of its de- BYU that someone may have used the cave as a tem- struction. Cross, however, was more restrained. Professor porary place of refuge. He proposed dating the Although he suggested that the inscriptions LaMar Berrett carving on the cave wall to the reign of Hezekiah were written by a"refugee fleeing the Chaldeans who became King of Judah in 715 B.c., more than who conquered Judah and destroyed the holy city reported in an a century before Lehi and his family might have in 587 B.c.," he concludes his article by saying, unpublished dwelt in the area. Naveh also attempted to trans- "Perhaps such speculations are built on too article that there late the inscriptions on the walls of the antecham- flimsy a foundation of facts; at all events, we ber. He interpreted the three major inscriptions, shall suppress the temptation to suggest that the is no conclusive which he classified by letters A through C, as oracle and the petitions may have been the work evidence that follows: of a prophet or his amanuensis fleeing Jerusalem" the cave was a (Near Eastern Archaeology in the Twentieth Century, p. A. "’Yahveh (is) the God of the whole earth; the mauntains 304). refuge for Lehi of Judah belong to him, to the God of Jerusalem.’" Lehi’s Cave has been studied by several or members of B. "’The (Mount of} Moriah Thou hast favored, the dwel- Mormon scholars, the most notable among them his family. ling of Yah, Yahveh.’" being Professor LaMar Berrett of Brigham Young C. "(Ya)hveh deliver {us)?" University. After many years of examining the Naveh was careful to point out that, because the evidence, as well as several trips to the cave, inscriptions were crude and incomplete, he had Professor Berrett reported in an unpublished reservations about the correctness of his transla- article that there is no conclusive evidence that tion. He did not attempt to interpret the various the cave was a place of refuge for Lehi or pictographs on the walls of the antechamber members of his family. What evidence has been other than identifying the three human figures unearthed, Berrett believes, is largely circum- as a man holding a lyre, a man raising the palms stantial or irrelevant. Berrett questions the dat- of his hands as though in prayer, and a figure ing of some of the cave’s graffiti by both Naveh with headgear. He named the find "Jerusalem and Cross, suggesting the possibility that it could Cave." have been carved on the wall at a later time.. In In 1970, Dr. Frank Moore Cross, Jr., a profes- any event, Berrett concludes, "the dating prob- sor of Hebrew at Harvard University, published lem is still not solved" ("The So-called Lehi a chapter of a book disputing Naveh’s findings. Cave," p. 4). Cross thought that the inscriptions dated from Berrett also argues that the inscriptions, seem- around 600 B.C. He based this belief on several ingly the strongest archaeological evidence sup- characteristics of the script used in the cave that porting the Lehi’s Cave legend, are "incomplete are found in Hebrew writing no earlier than the and blurred" and, because of this, their correct sixth century B.c. Cross also disagreed with translation is still not final. He notes that such Naveh’s suggestion that the cave was used only inscriptions are not unique to this particular cave for burials. Instead, he suggested that it had also at Khirbet Beit Lei. Rather, pleas for salvation, been used as a place of refuge or protection for a redemption, and delivery from one’s enemies are person or persons fleeing the destruction of relatively common. Carvings of human figures Jerusalem in 587 B.c. Cross based this suppo.~i- similar to those found in Lehi’s Cave have also tion on a substantially different translation of been found in other caves near Khirbet Belt Lei. two of the three major inscriptions on the wall. Besides the three figures, the antechamber According to Cross, the three inscriptions should read: A. "’I am Yahweh thy God; I will accept the cities of Judah and will redeem Jerusalem." B. "A bsolve (us} 0 merciful God? Absolve (us) 0 Yahweh!" C. "’Deliver {us) 0 Lord." Cross suggested that inscription A may have

28 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 finding the name Lehi in this region that bears no relationship to the prophet Lehi and his family. One question that immediately comes to mind is how a place called Lehi around 1100 a.c. could be named for a prophet called Lehi who lived around 600 B.c. According to Ginat, by ancient Hebrew tradition, great people, especially great prophets, often took their names from their pla- wall also contained pictographs of two sailing ces of origin. Therefore, the fact that Lehi might vessels. As Naveh noted, this is something of an bear the name of his place of origin is not un- anomaly since the cave is quite distant from the usual. But if this is so, why was the prophet Lehi sea and its inhabitants probably did not have too not named Jerusalem since, according to the much connection with seafaring and fishing. Book of Mormon, that is where he came from? Some Mormons have cited this as evidence that Even if the suppositions surrounding Lehi’s Cave Contrary the cave was, in fact, a dwelling place for Lehi and are correct, Khirbet Beit Lei was, at most, only a his family prior to their departure for the sea. temporary place of refuge. to rumor, the Berrett notes, however, that representations of Of course it is possible that this place of refuge name "Nephi" ships are found in other burial caves in the region was at or near Lehi’s ancestral home. However, and that "crudely drawn ships have been funer- this explanation overlooks the fact that Lehi was was not inscribed ary symbols throughout the centuries." Also, a descendant of Manasseh whose ancestral tribal on the wall of Lehi and his family spent eight years in the wil- area was north of Judah and Jerusalem in Samaria the cave or its derness near the Red Sea before Nephi was and adjoining the territory east of the Jordan instructed by the Lord to "construct a ship, after River. Khirbeit Lei, on the other hand, is in Judah antechamber. the manner which I shall show thee" (1 Ne. 17:8). south-southwest of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Why, then, has In other words, the scriptures cast doubt upon Berrett notes that some members of the other this cave come the suggestion that the carvings were designs for tribes of Israel, including Manasseh, resettled in the ships to be built for the journey to the New Judah. In particular, it is reported in 2 Chronicles to be known World. that "strangers out of Ephraim and Manasseh" as Lehi’s It is also important to note that, contrary to were brought to Jerusalem under the reign of rumor, the name Nephi was not inscribed on the Asa, a king of Judah who ruled around 900 B.C. (2 Cave? wall of the cave or its antechamber. Nor were Chr. 15:8-20). One can only speculate whether any passages from the Book of Mormon. Why, the three hundred years between the reign of then, then has this cave come to be known as Asa and the life of Lehi were sufficient for Lehi to Lehi’s Cave? claim Khirbet Belt Lei as his ancestral home. One One reason is that the location of the cave in also wonders what intervening events would Hebrew, Khirbet Belt Lei, according to Ginat, trans- lead Lehi or his ancestors to move from Jerusalem lates into English as the "ruin of the House of to Khirbet Belt Lei and then back to Jerusalem if, Lei." Ginat notes that, while, the word "Lei" in fact, they were among the descendants of means "cheek" in both Arabic and Hebrew, it is Manasseh brought to Jerusalem by Asa. also a variant of the proper name Lehi. Another piece of evidence cited by Ginat in Berrett, while not disputing Ginat’s transla- support of Mormon speculation is that the cave tion, points out that the word lehi also means lies in Lehi’s southward path of travel as indi- "jawbone" in Hebrew. There is a reference to a cated in the Book of Mormon. Indeed, Ginat place named Lehi in the Old Testament (Judg. reports that Lehi’s Cave is on what was then the 15:9-17). This place was situated near the border main road from Jerusalem to what is now the between Judah and the land of the Philistines in port of Aqaba. Berrett points out, however, that the general vicinity of the cave. It was here that a more direct and less dangerous route to the Red Samson was betrayed by the Judeans to the Sea would be south or southeast of Jerusalem. Philistines. It was here, also, that Samson killed a Berrett also cites a revelation given in the Kirtland thousand men with the jawbone of an ass. As a Temple in which Frederick G. Williams learned result, according to the Bible, the spot where this that Lehi traveled south-southeast from feat was performed was called "Ramath-lehi,’" Jerusalem. meaning "heights of lehi," "lifting up of the jaw- Ginat cites two other place-names that lend bone," or "casting away of the jawbone." There support to LDS beliefs. Two miles from the cave is, in other words, a solely biblical reason for are ancient ruins that bear the name Alam. This, according to Ginat, is the masculine version of the Hebrew feminine name, Alma. Right word; wrong gender. Nearby is a small wadi or dry river bed named Abu-Laban which, according to Ginat, translates into English as "Father of Laban." Berrett notes, however, that the word laban means white and possibly refers to the white, chalky soil of the wadi. This last explanation,

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 29 Berrett implies, is more plausible than to suggest the cave and had marveled at the inscriptions and a connection to the Laban of the Book of Mormon. pictographs on the cave wall. This, he said, had Ginat has also talked to a Bedouin who directed reconfirmed his belief that ours was the only him to a nearby oak tree on a hill surrounded by a true church. After class, I confronted him about wall. This place was called Khirbet Belt Lei, what he had said, pointing out, among other according to the Bedouin, because an ancient things, that he could not have seen the carvings prophet named Lei lived there. Subsequently, in the cave because, shortly after being discov- LaMar Berrett recorded the same Bedouin’s ered, they were removed to a museum in account and found his story to be only’ partially ]erusalem and much of the cave was destroyed. consistent with that given by Joseph Ginat. He He corrected himself. He had, in fact, seen them also found an old man in another village. who told at the museum, Yad Vashem. Yad Vashem, I essentially the same story as the Bedouin. noted, is a memorial to the victims of the Nazi Nevertheless, Berrett, skeptical about the spe- Holocaust located on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Lehi’s cial significance attached to the cave, concludes: The pictographs and inscriptions are, in fact, Cave is a Wouldn’t it have been more logical for Nephi tc~ have used housed in the National Museum in Jerusalem one of the hundreds of natural caves for shelter, tather than which contains many of that nation’s antiquities. good example a burial cave full of skeletons? Why were the bones of the I am concerned at the tendency of many of how folklore eight people in the ’Jerusalem Cave’ found undisturbed, if members as well as some nonmember:; of the Church to substitute archaeological evidence for can gradually people hid in the cave for any length of time?... . Would they become ’tainted,’ as they sat among the dead men’s bones? faith and personal revelation through the Holy develop and These, and many other questions, make any connection Spirit, the only meaningful and enduring basis come to be between this burial cave and the Book of Morr,~.!on highly for one’s testimony. If God wanted mankind to unlikely. (So-called Lehi’s Cave," p. 7.) have scientific proof of: the truthfulness of the accepted as Book of Mormon, why then are the golden plates truth by well- Whether o:r not Lehi stayed in a cave in Khirbet not now housed in the Smithsonian Institution meaning mem- Belt Lei is arguable. What is not arguable, how- in Washington, D.C. for everyone to see and ever, is that many of the claims made about translate? bers of the Lehi’s Cave have been exaggerated fat" beyond There is also an unfortunate tendency among Church. the truth. Moreover, despite substantia:l investi- those who have talked about Lehi’s Cave to gation by several scholars, false claims about the embellish the truth. With some, I suspect, the cave continue and are being embellished over reason may be a misguided zeal to prove to all time. Lehi’s Cave is a good example of how folk- doubters, once and for all, that Joseph Smith was lore can develop and come to be accepted as truth indeed a prophet of God. For a people long ridi- by well-meaning members of the Church. culed for their peculiar beliefs., this would giw,~ For example, just after returning fron~t Israel in sweet satisfaction. With others, the reason may 1976, I taught a lesson in a priesthood class about be an unwholesome desire for signs. Like Thomas, the facts and myths surrounding Lehli’s Cave. they must doubt until they have tangible proof After the lesson, I was stopped by the father of that what they have been told :is true. Arid, with one of the members of the ward who was visiting some, unfortunately, the reason may be more his son. The man was ashen-faced. "Is every- self-indulgent. Several who have perpetuated thing you have said true?" he asked. "To the best the legend of Lehi’s Cave, I suspect, have profited of my knowledge, it is," I responded. This; brother from it by arranging trips to the cave site. Others; went on to explain that as first: counselor in an have derived ego gratification from the legend by Idaho stake’s presidency he had given ~ number gaining both notoriety and access to high offi- of talks about Lehi’s Cave, relating, among other cials of the Church. things, the story that Nephi’s name was found on Many years ago, one friend in the Church, the cave’s wall. Like several others, he identified after grudgingly admitting to me that some of Cleon Skousen as the source of this particular the claims about Lehi’s Cave have been exagger- claim. This man had also been telling his listeners ated, argued nevertheless that the story of Lehi’s that Joseph Ginat had embraced Morrnon doc- Cave is still an effective missionary tool. To the trine and, were it not for the fact that h,:~ was the contrary, stretching the truth diminishes the "number two man" in the Israeli government and credibility of the Church and its members. Mis- would suffer politically, would be baptized into representation and distortion of the truth could,. the Church. I informed him that the number two over the long run, drive potential converts, as man in the Israeli government at that time was well as established members, from the Church.. Yigael Allon, Israel’s deputy prime minister, and And, when it comes to matter,~ of salvation and that Ginat was considerably further d.own the exaltation, it is the long run that counts. Israeli government’s pecking order and much WILLIAM A. JOHNSON holds a Ph.D. in econo:~nics from further away from conversion to the Church Harvard University and is president of the ]ofree Corporation, a than he supposed. consultin~ firm specializing in the oil and gas industry. "Fhanks go Several years ago, a former bishop in my pres- to Professor LaMar Berrett of Brigham Young Univer,.;ity and to ent ward bore his testimony in a Gospel Doctrine C. Ross Anderson of Salt Lake City, without whose help this paper class about how, while in Israel, he had visited would not have been written.

30 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 smug sense of satisfaction, that the Lingos’ marriage, like so many, hadn’t been all beer and skittles. COMING OF AGE WITH It seems Johnny’s Conch Shell Comb business went "el foldo" with the invention of plastic, and he fell on hard times. On the other hand, J, OHNNY I INGO Johnny’s unheard-of purchase price of eight cows did indeed do much to Kent Frogley boost Mahana’s sagging self-image. O this day, one of my most I saw that cold cash was the name In fact she spent the better part of vivid childhood memories is of the game. Thus there appeared each day displaying herself in front the morning I spent staring next to my mission-fund bank a of the mirror. Through Johnny’s Growing T slack-jawed as the lush large doll, borrowed from my efforts she finally had the courage greenery and rich culture of sister--my repository for future to do what she had always up in an af- ~ Polynesia came to life upon happiness. I cut a hole in the top of dreamed: Mahana began singing in fluent house- the cinder block wall of my Sunday her head, and into her hollow body clubs around the island. She started School class. The film was Johnny I dropped my pennies, quarters, and small, but was soon the featured hold (we were Lingo, the story of a young Poly- crumpled singles, content that I was performer at the King Kamehameha nesian girl, poor in self-esteem and securing my future. If I invested room in the Kona Hilton. Spotted the first on our consigned to south seas spinster- wisely, I calculated by the time I by a producer, Mahana made a block to have a hood until a suitor, seeing some was ready to marry I’d have enough music video of "Pearly Shells," hidden spark in the girl’s spirit, money for a first-rate girl as well as which became a cult hit on MTV. Cuisinart), I astounds everyone by offering the a honeymoon in Aruba. Not wanting his wife performing knew that my never-before-heard-of purchase In addition, I was determined that on any medium banned at BYU, price of eight cows. It was a terrific when ! grew up, I would spare no Johnny gave her an ultimatum: mother must film. I was moved by the story. I expense when it came to purchas- "Give up the singing, the road life, represent a thought the characters finely ing a wife. Not only would this be- and the MTV, or I’m taking my drawn, the script understated yet stow upon her an immeasurable cows back." Mahana told Johnny to small fortune in powerful. I laughed. I cried. It sense of self-worth, but considering "ride the wild surf," and the next hamburger. became a part of me. appreciation, I knew that if I had to thing you know she was doing the The film’s several flaws only jettison the relationship five to ten Today Show, commenting on repres- vaguely disturbed me at my then years later, my spouse would return sive male attitudes and the sad state tender age. Now, however, I recog- at least double the investment. of Polynesian music while plugging nize that the whole premise of the Thus she would be not only a help- her new book, Johnny Dearest: The movie was hard to swallow. mate with great self-esteem, but a Dark Side of an Eight-cow Wife. Johnny Mahana was not ugly. This was valuable inflation guard as well. returned to his home and tried to c][ear from the moment she ap- My family began to come under reclaim the eight cows. But alas, peared on screen. Maybe ! knew a cold appraisal. I wondered how Johnny’s father-in-law, Moki, used babe when I saw one. However, I much Dad paid for my Morn. Grow- them to start a ribs joint, and all preferred to believe that I too, like ing up in an affluent household (we eight cows had long since been Johnny, recognized the nascent were the first on our block to have smothered in barbecue sauce. beauty of the misjudged heroine. In a Cuisinart), and judging from her Picking up the pieces of her shat- fact my fantasies of junior high beauty, I knew that my mother tered dream, Mahana has since (which I hoped to be attending must represent a small fortune in moved to the mainland, set up an soon) were populated by exotic hamburger. Though I’d never been apartment in Studio City, and today women just like her. I decided the told, I assumed that some portion of pursues a bright future. Johnny, men in the isles of Johnny Lingo the herd on my grandfather’s ranch intrepid to the end, has acquired had been staring at the sun too was, so to speak, my mother on the another herd. When last seen, he much. The additional possibility of hoof. Moreover, the worth of my was cruising singles bars in Maul. widespread substance abuse sug- three sisters changed dramatically My own dating years, on the gested itself when ! saw the wives in my eyes. I looked upon them as a other hand, did not prove any the other men had purchased for cache of bovine trading stamps just brighter than Johnny’s doomed four or even five cows. I couldn’t a few years short of paying off. marriage. I discovered that the understand how they commanded As I grew older, however, certain women I squired to various proms such a sum. Despite of their questions started to plague me. ! of my youth did not enthusiastically brightly colored sarongs, these cor- began to suspect that marriage share in my dream. When I brought pulent "beauties" left me unmoved. wasn’t the barrel of coconuts I had up my hope that their fathers I felt vaguely that there was some been led to believe. This caused me might someday exchange them for subtext I was missing, given the to wonder about the Lingos and a small group of cattle, the conver- fact that the four- and five-cow how they were doing. What about sation began to lag. I soon find wives looked like cows themselves. Mahana herself? Did this one-shot myself driving my date home the Nevertheless, this Sunday School dose of confidence really transform sudden victim of any one of a num- cinema verite had a powerful effect on her life as I’d always thought? And ber of ailments I discovered females my rather amorphous views regard- what about the cows? Being well could instantly develop. ing women and marriage. I began to connected, I began checking around This pattern continued into my look on the future with a flinty eye. and found out, not without a rather early twenties. Upon completing

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 31 college I moved to Manhattan. I cation among the police, a dark- The beginning of this shift in planned on making a fresh start, but haired art-history student living on emphasis is evident in the follow- things haven’t worked out. As I 109th street, a freight elevator, and ing First Presidency letter written write this, I am under psychiatric eight polled herefords. When the less than seven years after the obervation at Bellevue Hospital. It police came, I tried to explain, but to preceding one: seems there was a rather ugly alter- no aw~il. They hadn’t seen the movie. The rule of the Church on this question is that all who enter the temple should be observers of the Word of Wisdom. And the rule of the Church is that all of its members should receive the revei’ation called the Word of Wisdom, and be guided by it in their lives. HAS THE WORD OF Yet tolerance toward older Church members was still stressed: Where elderly people may be found to be more or less lacking in their observance of WISDOM CHANGED the Word of Wisdom, and the q.~estion of their worthiness to be recommended to the temple comes before your consideration, it is in order for [the bishop], and t,he Stake SINCE 1833? Presidency to consider together all such Gary J. Bergera cases, deciding each on its own merits, and showing appropriate leniency to elderly S with many of the 369, 378; 6:616). The use of people, as there car,’ be no rigid rule for Church’s teachings, the tobacco was apparently also toler- each and every cast’. (First Presidency Word of Wisdom as it reads ated and continued well into the to William A. Seegmiller, 26 January A today in section 89 of the 1870s and 1880s (see "Joseph 1909, Church A~:chives.) Doctrine and Covenants Smith as an Administrator," mas- ~ has undergone several In fact, the Twelve themselves ter’s thesis, BYU, 1969, p. 161; continued to use wine in their shifts in emphasis and interpreta- Brigham Young, unpub, sermon, 7 Thursday temple meetings as late tion since it was first revealed to October 1862, Church Archives; as 1906 (John Henry Smith Joseph Smith in 1833. Prompted in Gene Sessions, Mormon Democrat, Journal, 5 July 1.906, U of U). part by early nineteenth-century pp. 57-.61). Questions concerning observance temperance and health move- Indicative of this attitude is the of the Word of Wisdom did not ments, the Word of Wisdom following letter from the First begin to surface in temple recom- initially counseled against the Presidency sent in 1902: mend interviews until around excessive use of liquor and 1911, and did not appear in temple tobacco. Although there were sev- Very oht men in whom the tobacco habit recommend books until the early eral sporadic attempts to enforce may have become part of their nature, and 1920s. its prohibitions to the letter, in who m~y regard it as a great hardship to 1841 the leading Church authori- be requ;ired to abstain from its use in The term "hot drinks" men- order to receive your recommendation to tioned elsewhere in the Word of ties "concluded that it was wisdom Wisdom was said to refer specifi- to deal with all such matters the temple, should at least be willing to according to the wisdom which curtail ~hemselves as much as they possi- cally to tea and coffee, but an bly can, and promise to cleanse themselves exact definition has proved prob- God gave; that a forced abstinence lematic. By the mid 1940s, some was not making us free, but should from thr tobacco odor and not to use it at [put us] under bondage with a all the days they do work in the temple. Church authorities had evidently (First Presidency to John W. Hess, decided that decaffeinated coffee yoke upon our necks" (Wilford did not violate the Word of Woodruff Journal, 7 November 31 October 1902, Church Archives.) 1841; History of the Church, 2:35). While many other Church lead- Wisdom’s proscriptions against ers took steps to enforce the Word "hot drinks." Si:milar interpreta- Early Church members seem to of Wisdom during the nineteenth tions, especially as they affect have associated references found century, no Church president admittance to temples, have been in the Word of Wisdom to "strong tried to make adherence to it a test reiterated since. drink" with distilled spiritsm of fellowship (see Journal of The same leniency applied to whiskey, rum, brandy, and gin-- Discourses, 7:337; 8:361; 9:35). It decaffeinated coffee, however, has and "mild drink" with fermented was not until the administration not been extended to "Coca Cola drinks. Thus counsel regarding of President Joseph F. Smith that and all other cola drinks," which the use of barley for "mild drinks" strict adherence to the Word of Elder John Widtsoe labeled as appears to have been an endorse- Wisdotn began to be expected of "dangerous." He wrote, "Very few ment of beer and ale, both of members as it is today. Its evolu- of our people drink de-caffeinated which are mild drinks made of bar- tion as. a binding principle and test coffee, but many of them are ley. Certainly the example of some of obedience resulted primarily addicted to the cola drinks" (letter, early Church leaders gives cre- from the drives for Prohibition 17 September 1945). One of the dence to such a view (see HC, 2:26, during the late 1910s and 1920s. most recent and repeated injunc-

32 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 tions against the use of cola drinks of caffeine per 12 ounces. drinks. As interpreted today, the is that found in the Priesthood 4. Anacin, Cope, Vanquish, Word of Wisdom permits the use Bulletin, 8 February 1972, which Excedrin, and No-Doz, all of of meat and decaffeinated drinks, sidestepped the issue by simply which contain over 30 milligrams but strictly forbids the use of advising "against the use of any of caffeine per tablet. tobacco, regular coffee, black tea, drink containing harmful habit- 5. Cocoa, with anywhere from 6 various caffeinated soft drinks, forming drugs under circumstan- to 142 milligrams of caffeine per hard alcohol, wine, and other fer- ces that would result in acquiring cup. mented drinks. Interestingly, the habit." That none of the above have recent scientific findings indicate If interpreted as prohibiting the been explicitly forbidden indicates that some foods and beverages use of all drinks or substances that Church leaders have exer- currently prohibited (particularly containing caffeine (the chief cised some discretion both in alcohol) may have some health drawback of coffee and cola interpreting the Word of Wisdom benefits (Science News, 10 drinks), the Word of Wisdom and in determining which portions November 1979). If so, then per- would forbid: to emphasize. As originally inter- haps the time has come to reeval- 1. Brewed coffee, which contains preted, the Word of Wisdom uate the original interpretations of 100 to 150 milligrams of caffeine apparently counseled against the the Word of Wisdom. per cup. excessive use of tobacco, except 2. Tea, which contains 60 to 75 for medicinal purposes; the eating milligrams of cafeine per cup. of meat, except in winter or "times "Queries and Comments" welcomes sug- 3. Coco Cola, Mountain Dew, Tab, of famine"; coffee and tea; distilled gestions for topics from readers. Send your Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper, all of which spirits; but allowed the moderate ideas to Gary Bergera, "Queries and contain more than 30 milligrams use of wine and other fermented Comments" editor, in care of SUNSTONE.

JULY1985/SUNSTONE 33 used the prayer circle in 1833 at the School of the Proph¢,ts held in Kirtland, Ohio. However, it was THE RITE STUFF not until 1842, when Joseph Smith Martha Bradley gave instructions about the "holy order of the priesthood" that prayer circles became part of the’ sacred rites associated with the Buerger, David John. "’The Ful- fulness of the priesthood. In the endowment. hess of the Priesthood’: The second section the wife symboli- Variously called the "anointed Second Anointing in Latter-day cally prepared her husband for quorum," the "Holy Order of the Saint Theology and Practice," death and resurrection thus estab- Priesthood," and the "Holy The Dialo,~ue 16 (Spring 1983):10-46. lishing her claim on him for the Order," after 1 September 1843 little-known resurrection. prayer circles also included wives The little-known second anoint- No further second anointings of previously endowed men. second anoint- ing was considered by members of were recorded until 1866--a gap Although prayer circles were ing was consid- the early Church the "capstone" of of twenty years--when they were initially restricted in merabership, the endowment, through which regularly administered in Utah after 11845 participation was open ered by members one received the fulness of the temples by temple presidents. to all who passed through the of the early priesthood. Also called the "other Church leaders encouraged more endowment. endowment," the "second endow- strir~gent regulation of those Special prayer circles in the Church the ment," the "second blessing," or receiving the blessing and directed early Church were often held out- "capstone" of "higher blessings," the second stake leaders to reserve it for side the temple and included men anointing was first administered members with "unquestionable from different quorums of the the endowment. to Joseph and Emma Smith on 28 and unshaken integrity." priesthood. These groups were September 1843 in the presence of established by the authority of the a council of the brethren. Under President Heber J. Grant and by recommendation of the First Presidency and were organ- The significance of the revela- Council of the Twelve the number ized by a member of the Quorum tion of temple rituals can best be of s0:,cond endowments performed of the Twelve. Prospective understood, according to David was dramatically reduced. The offi- members were welcomed by lohn Buerger, in relationship to cial policy of the Church was that recommendation of the president the evolving concept of salvation. the second endowment was a con- and current members of the circ]le. In one new teaching the high ditional ordinance or a special Members were released because of priest holding sealing power was poor attendance or some change in bles_~ing. But the theological ques- their standing in the Church. given the heightened responsibil- tion of whether or not a faithful ity of being able to perform member must receive the second After 1846 women were excluded earthly ordinances that were rati- anointing to receive exaltation in from these "special" prayer circles, fied in heaven. This principle was the highest degree is still although some continued to meet basic to the revelations of May unresolved. together without official sanction. 1842 about the order of the priest- In 1929 prayer circles outside of hood concerning temple washings, the temple were discontinued altogether. anointings, endowments, and Quinn, D. Michael. "Latter-day commutation of keys. The next Saint Prayer Circles." BYU Prayer circles exhibited the true logical step was the second Studies 16 (Fall 1978): 79-105. order of prayer as well as other endowment--the "higher important functions. They were ordinance"--which was necessary The Latter-day Saint use of the one means fo~ the administration to confirm the promised "kingly prayer circle symbolizes the sacred of the anointing and endowment powers." The second endowment relationship between God and ceremonies, for consecrating promised the sealing power of mar~ and binds the participants sacred oil to be used in blessings, Elijah, the power to hold the keys together in an exclusive union. and as a vehicle for testimony to revelations, ordinances, and The prayer circle, whether per- bearing and discussion of doctrir~e endowments, and the promise that formed in the temple or (in the among the most faithful. the recipient would obtain and past) at some other location, requires participants to dress in perform all ordinances, "even unto Bush, Lester E., Jr. "Excommuni- the sealings of the hearts of the the special temple clothing, to gather together in a circle, and to cation and Church Courts: A fathers unto the children and Note from the Ge~eral t4andbook of the hearts of the children unto the offer a prayer which is accompa- Instructions." Dialo~fue 14 (Summer fathers even those who are in nied by certain signs of the 19811): 74-98. heaven." priesthood. Although the second endow- The LDS prayer circle is not Most churclhes have some form ment was modified after Joseph without its historical antecedents. of judicial system. The tktreat of Smith’s death in 1844, almost 600 D. Michael Quinn points to exam- excommunication has always second anointings were performed ples in the early Christian church functioned as the means to expel in the Nauvoo Temple. When a and :in the nineteenth century in unwanted members from the couple went through the first sec- Am~_~rican Protestant revivals and ranks of a church. Policy guide- tion of the ritual they received the freemasonry. The Mormons first lines to excommunication proce-

34 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 dures in the Church of Jesus procedure is in many ways the Erickson, Ephraim E. "Priesthood Christ of Latter-day Saints are same. A written summons is deliv- and Philosophy." SUNSTONE 4 fo~md in the General Handbook of ered to the accused by two holders (July-August): 9-12. Instructions. Excommunicable of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Faust, James E. "Patriarchal Bless- offenses have never been limited The bishop and his two counselors sit as a court to hear the pleadings ings." The New Era 12 to murder, adultery, and lying, but (November 1982): 4-7. have included many less clearly of the accused. The bishop can defined sins such as apostasy and function as accuser, prosecuting Hartley, William G. "The Priest- general dissension. attorney, witness, and judge, exer- hood Reorganization of 1877: Although D&C 42 touches upon cising broad discretionary author- Brigham Young’s Last Achieve- the subject, very little has been ity. Resulting punishments from ment." BYU Studies 20 (Fall both bishop’s and high council specified about the purpose of courts are listed as disfellowship 1979): 3-36. Church courts. It is obvious that Church or the most serious and long last- ~"Ordained and Acting the action functions as Teachers in the Lesser Priest- punishment--privileges are with- ing charge--excommunication. courts do not drawn, and the standing of the Although the LDS church court hood, 1851-1883." BYU Studies function to guar- individual in the Church is mirrors the civil courts of English 16 (Spring 1976): 170-80. reduced. Excommunication also common law, they are very differ- ~"The Seventies in the antee that the serves as an act of purification and ent in a basic and important way. 1880s: Revelations and Re- rights and lib- reflects the attempt to purge the Church courts do not function to organizing." Dialogue 16 (Spring erties of the Church of its tainted members. guarantee that the rights and lib- 1983): 62-89. Another less clearly articulated erties of the individual member individual purpose is the ideal that it allows are protected. They are a coercive Irving, Gordon. "The Law of the individual to repent more attempt to change unacceptable Adoption: One Phase of the member are fully. behaviors. Development of the Mormon protected. The list of indictable Concept of Salvation, 1830- transgressions--most of which are 1900." BYU Studies 14 (Spring 1974): 291-314. inappropriate behaviors--has BIBLIOGRAPHY grown substantially and has been Nibley, Hugh. "The Early Chris- refined in terms of definition and tian Prayer Circle." BYU Studies procedure. Included are moral Brown, Lisle G. "The Sacred problems such as adultery, polyg- Departments for Temple Work 19 (Fall 1978): 41-78. amy, and child and wife abuse; in Nauvoo: The Assembly Richards, Franklin D. "The Tem- deliberate disobedience to Church Room and the Council ple of the Lord: The Importance regulations, or apostasy; as well as Chamber." BYU Studies 19 of Temples, Ancient and Mod- conviction of a crime in a civil (Winter 1979): 361-74. ern." Utah Genealogical and Histor- action. Moreover, the number of Bush, Alfred L. "A Quorum ical Magazine 11 (Oct. 1920): excommunications has increased Called Out of the Kingdom." 146-49. dramatically from 1 in 6400 members in 1913 to 1 in 640 Princeton University Library Quinn, D. Michael. "Latter-day members in 1970. Chronicle 42 (Autumn 1980): Saint Prayer Circles." BYU 5-59. Studies 19 (Fall 1978): Procedural guidelines have 79-105. varied very little from the instruc- Bush, Alfred E., Jr. "Excommuni- tions set forth in D&C 102. There cation and Church Courts: A __ "The Evolution of the are basically two different types of Note From the General Handbook Presiding Quorums of the LDS courts--the high council court and of Instructions.’" Dialogue 14 Church." Journal of Mormon His- the bishop’s court. (Summer 1981): 74-98. tory 1 (1974): 280-98. The high council court is care- Doxey, Roy W. "Accepted of the ~"The Council of Fifty and fully described in the scriptures. Lord: the Doctrine of Making Its Members, 1844-1954." BYU The council, after having assessed Your Calling and Election Studies 20 (Winter 1980): the difficulty of the case, is divided Sure." Ensign 6 (July 1976): 163-97. into two halves. One side repre- 50-53. sents the accusations, and the other __"The Practice of Rebap- sits to ensure that justice is served Ehat, Andrew F. "’It Seems Like tism at Nauvoo." BYU Studies 18 (though not necessarily in an Heaven Began on Earth’: Joseph (Winter 1978): 226-32. adversary position.) The accused Smith and the Constitution of may be present and may speak in the Kingdom of God." BYU Shields, Steven L. "The Succes- his own behalf. The ultimate Studies 20 (Spring 1980): sion of the Keys of the Priest- authority of judgment rests with 253-80. hood." Restoration 1 (July 1982): the stake president, who asks the ~"’They Might Have 11-14. high council to vote in support of Known That He Was Not a his decision. Widtsoe, John A. "Fundamentals Fallen Prophet’--The Nauvoo of Temple Doctrine." Utah The instructions for the more Journal of Joseph Fielding." Genealogical and Historical Maga- informal bishop’s court are in the BYU Studies 19 (Winter 1979): zine 13 (July 1922): Gem’ral Handbool~ of Instructions. The 133-66. 129.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 35 Information and Suggestions for Patriarchs, and Patriarchs in Israel. These footnotes in the new edition now refer to a secondary Misunderstanding source, which happens to be "Statements in Church Publications about Patriarchal Blessings" by Patriarchal Blessings Clayton Brough, written in 1983. The settlement, according to By Cecella Warner Brough, is "very satisfactory." He believes the incident sets a prece- "Who is allowed to write about Use doctrine was passed, permit- dent for future authors. "The LDS church doctrine?" That is the ting authors to quote, within limits, sources are no longer dried up," question the authors and publisher from copyrighted materials. says Brough. "An author doesn’t of Understanding Patriarchal The Church, however, insisted have to ask for permission any- Blessings have asked themselves. Brough’s "judgement of fair use more." Now, not just General The LDS best seller is a compilation was incorrect." They said, "no Authorities, but "members of the of addresses, essays, and official copyright notice is required on Church can publish works about Church guidelines and statements Church materials with a ’limited Church doctrine." concerning patriarchal blessings distribution.’" Understanding Patriarchal and is the first publicati- to col- Brough did quote portions of Blessings is now for sale at lect such information. A[ hors three official Church handbooks Deseret Bookstores, and copies of Clayton Brough and Thomas published exclusively for Church "Observations of Copyright Law 6rassley give no commentary or patriarchs. But, says Brough, the and the Role of the Church Copy- interpretation. Nor are there any handbooks were not "limited" in right Office" are available from quotations from actual blessings distribution, as literally thousands Horizon Publishers. because, says Brough, they wanted have been distributed nationwide. to avoid aggravating an already Moreover, the books were not touchy subject. For example, a copyrighted as required by law, and book on patriarchal blessings by his was fair usage of the materials. John Lund was never released by In the meantime, Deseret Book, Nobel Press in Logan, Utah the most prolific publisher of because Church General Authorities Mormon literature, decided not to thought it too sensitive a topic. carry Understanding Patriarchal Brough and 6rassley spent some Blessings until the dispute was six years researching and rewriting settled. drafts of the book which was pub- In March, according to Brough, lished in 1984 by Horizon. Brough all parties concerned met and pre- says he was "shocked" when about sented their arguments. Brough a month later, he received a and Horizon Publishers produced a request from the LDS church Copy- document titled, "Observations of rights and Permission Office to Copyright Law and the Role of the withdraw the book and discontinue Church Copyright Office." "It sales because of alleged copyright brought the Church up to date," violations. "We thought we’d done says Brough, and it "provided an our homework," explains Brough. opportunity to substantiate our "After prayer, fasting, and claim that the book was not in vio- research, we felt good about the lation and the charges should be book doctrinally and profession- dropped." ally." Brough maintains every quote from Church publications is A compromise was reached as a also found in a secondary source result of the meeting; Brough would such as a 6eneral Conference talk change the footnotes on some or other public speech. Conference seven pages from references to the Reports were not copyrighted until official Church publications titled, the mid-1970s. By 1976, the Fair Handbook for Stake Patriarchs,

36 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 every report or rumor of docu- ments in the First Presidency’s Unnamed Source vault," Mr. Cahill told the Salt Lake Tribune. "1 have no idea if the history is there, nor do I intend Announces Valuable to ask. I can’t have my life ordered about by rumors. Where does it end?" Historical Document The impact of all this is uncer- tain. The source told the Los Angeles Times he doubted that While Church members are still protect his Church standing) says the information in the Cowdery his- assimilating the information in the that he has seen the Cowdery his- tory would cause the Church lead- recently disclosed letters from tory in the First Presidency’s vault. ers to rewrite the official account of the revelation of the golden Martin Harris and Joseph Smith, According to this source, whom new reports suggest that there is plates. "There is a propensity to the Times calls "highly reliable," keep things the way they are," he more to come. According to articles the Cowdery history is a small published in the Salt Lake said. "Dutiful Mormons would say volume between one-half and that after Alvin died, the angel Tribune and Los Angeles Times, three-quarters of an inch thick with the First Presidency’s vault con- came to Joseph and told him what a leather spine and marbled card- to do." Historian Ron Walker said, tains a contemporary account in board covers. The pages, he said, which the golden plates were first "If we found out that Alvin is are lined. In Cowdery’s account the involved, it would not be surpris- revealed not to Joseph but to his golden plates are revealed by a brother Alvin. ing. There is evidence that Smith salamander who appears three family members were up on Hill The account is supposedly con- times, once to Alvin and twice to Cumorah digging before 1823." tained in a history of the Church Joseph Smith. written by Oliver Cowdery, whom "1 don’t remember the exact In her book Mormonism: The Josel)h Smith designated as the Story of a New Religious Tradi- Church’s first historian. Apparently wording, but it said that Alvin located the buried gold with his tion, historian Jan Shipps suggests referring to this document, Joseph that the plates were sought not by Fielding Smith once wrote: seer stone. I remember clearly that it was not a private venture. Alvin Joseph alone but by his family. ’"lhe earliest records of the Church had other people with him, includ- Shipps reached this conclusion are in the handwriting of Oliver after studying the history of the Cowdery. He acted as scribe and ing Joseph Smith." The Tribune early Church by Lucy Mack Smith, recorder, generally, in the first con- report claims that the history reads which was later revised by Church ferences of the Church." Cowdery’s in part, "A taunting Salamander appeares to Alvin and prevents him leaders. records, wrote Smith, "are and his companions from digging "That the prophet was Joseph invaluable." up the gold plates." The source was almost coincidental; it might Most historians would agree. A said that he came forward with his have been Alvin or Hyrum just as contemporary account by Cowdery report because the Cowdery history well, for the book is concerned with of the restoration of the gospel supports the evidence of Smith’s presenting the credentials, both would throw new/.ighth on the ori- religious and secular, of the fam- gins of the Chu~c However, involvement with magic found in the Martin Harris letter and the ily," wrote Shipps. In the unrevised Cowdery’s record has been remark- 1825 Joseph Smith letter. version of Lucy Mack Smith’s his- ably elusive. Although President tory, she continued, "constant ref- Smith wrote in the 1920s that "we Church spokesman Jerry Cahill erence is made to the plates having have on file in the Historian’s Office had little to say by way of clarifica- been in the possession of the the records written in the handwrit- tion. "1 presume [it is] in the pos- Smiths, rather than to Joseph’s ing of Oliver Cowdery," the Church session of the First Presidency," he having had them." has never formally stated that they said, because the history was not possess the document. No in the historical department Any final answer to the question researcher has ever studied it, nor archives. Cahill said he would not will have to wait on a study of the is any copy of its text known to ask whether the Cowdery history is complete Cowdery history, as well exist. Now, an individual (who has kept in the First Presidency’s vault. as a clear statement on its remained anonymous in order to "1 don’t intend to respond to whereabouts.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 37 accuracy of The Godmakers and onto the question of the legitimacy "Godmakers"Sues of Mormon theology. In I~;alifornia, Van Nuys Stake Mission President Robert Starling has writt,en to min- for Libel isters in the area and urged them not to run the movie. However, the /n the two years since its release, tory and untrue, and recognize it Church’s First: Presidency, has made the film The Godmakers has pro- for what it truly represents--a no statement on the matter. voked strong reactions from challenge to the religious liberty of For all the controversy the film Mormons, non-Mormons, and anti- all." has generated, no one has yet Mormons alike. While some see it By and large, the LDS church has threatened the film’s producers as a timely expos~ of the dangers had little to say about the movie. with either legal or punitive action of Mormonism, most people regard When it was shown last January to prevent them from showing their it as inflammatory and inaccurate. over WCFC, a Christian UHF station product. In an interview, Robert Now, in a move that is likely to broadcasting over channel 38 in the Starling (named as one of the gain further notoriety for their film, Chicago area, the station invited defendants by Cult Conspiracy Film its producers filed a twenty-five- the North Shore First Ward to send Associates in their lawsuit) says he million-dollar suit against a wide a Mormon representative to believes the suit was filed primarily array of groups and individuals for respond. Stake president Willard to generate publicity. He ~]lso notes criticizing their movie. Barton sent Craig Carpenter and the suit focuses on the economic The suit was filed last February Ron Peterson to defend the Church harm allegedly done to CCFA by in Los Angeles Superior Court by in a ninety-minute panel discussion the defendants. By presenting their Cult Conspiracy Film Associates. It following the movie. The debate suit in these terms, he says, the names as defendants the LDS was at best inconclusive. Ed film-makers simply demonstrate church, the National Conference of Decker and [)ave Hunter, the co- they have "turned religious perse- Christians and Jews, the B’nai authors of the book The God- cution into a business." B’rith Anti-Defamation League, and makers quickly shifted the discus- A date for the hearing has not various individuals. The plaintiffs sion away from the question of the been set. allege that criticism of The God- makers by these groups was in- accurate and hurt their business by Faction Opposes B YU discouraging rentals and distribution. The Godmakers has received Jerusalem Center harsh criticism from a variety of quarters. Although the film has With construction permit in hand since activities of any kind." Moreover, been shown by some religious 1977, Mormon church-owned Brigham Galbraith notes, in BYU’s eighteen-year groups, particularly fundamentalist Young University broke ground last presence in Israel, only two or three Protestant ministers, the National January for the new, multi-million dol- families were baptized into the L[)S Conference of Christians and Jews lar student complex in Jerusalem. church--and those cases began in the has urged clergy not to show it on Within weeks, however, Orthodox Jews United States. Also, two teenagers grounds that the movie’s portrayal began protesting: "The Mormons are joined the Church though not as a of Mormonism is misleading, and here 1Io convert us!" result of proselyting. They later that its attitude conflicts with As many as 30,000 people at one time returned to Judaism, 6albraith reports. American values of ecumenicalism have participated in the mass pray-ins, Says BYU spokesman Paul Richards, and mutual respect. marclhes, L[)S Church Office Building "Not one Jew has been conw,~rted as a In a statement released from picket lines and Western Wall vigils. result of the activities of our center. We Recently a biblical technique was ap- are not there to do missionary work. I their Phoenix office, the NCCJ said: plied as protesters stomped around the don’t know what else we can to to con- "The film does not, in our opinion, vince them. They refuse to believe us." fairly portray the Mormon Church, center "Jericho-style" in an effort to bring down the walls. So far, the pro- The opposition is spearheaded by Mormon history, or Mormon belief. tests have not stymied construction. It makes extensive use of ’half- Yad L’Achim, or "Hand to Brothers," truth,’ faulty generalizations, All the while, L[)S church leaders and an ultra-Orthodox organization dedi- BYU officials maintain they gained cated to combating Christian mission.. erroneous interpretations, and sen- support and approval to construct the ary efforts in Israel. ¥ad L’Achim leader sationalism. It is not reflective of center from the Foreign Ministry, the Moshe Poruch outlined several reasons the genuine spirit of the Mormon Education Ministry, and the Ministry of for protesting the Mormon presence in a faith." the Interior under the Begin govern- letter to the editor of the Jerusalem In an equally strong statement ment. Further, the Jews have the verbal Post, "Why have they published a from B’nai B’rith, regional director and written guarantee that the Mormons secret ’Missionary Training Manual for Rhonda Abrams said: "Had a simi- will abstain from proselytizing. The Use in the Jewish Proselyting Pro- lar movie been made with either center is "a legitimate extension of gramme’? Why have they prepared Judaism or Catholicism as its BYU," wrote the center’s resident direc- their ’bible’ (The Book of Mormon) in target, it would immediately be tor, [)avid Galbraith to the Jerusalem Hebrew? Why do they publish pamphlets denounced for the scurrilous piece Post. "We clearly distinguish between by and for Jews advocating Jewish con- that it is. I ~ncerely hope that peo- academic endeavors and missionary version and distorting Judaism? Why ple of all faiths will similarly repu- work. The student regulations of the do [they] hold religious services on diate The Godmakers as defama- Jerusalem Center prohibit proselyting Saturday, rather than on Sunday (their

38 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 normal practice in every other country)?" why do these ultra-Orthodox Jews feel Mormons believe conversion is a The Mormon church makes no secret so threatened? Yoseph Goell, in his matter of free agency. LDS doctrine of its missionary zeal, though history article in the June 7 Jerusalem Post, specifies every nation, kindred, tongue shows past efforts to proselyte Jews explains, "On the Jewish side, it is cer- and people will hear and have a chance have been quite unsuccessful. tainly not only a question of the loss of to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. In New York’s Jewish community was one third of the Jewish people in the the twentieth century this has meant targeted in the 1920s and 30s to no Holocaust. Judaism’s contact with prospective missionary work among avail. In the 1950s, LDS Apostle LeGrand Christianity... has always involved Blacks, Communists, and Jews. Richards hesitantly approved the experi- determined Christian attempts to com- In the nineteenth century, however, mental Jewish Missions, which in- pel Jews to convert. This basic Chris- Mormon affinity for and interest in volved at least six cities in the western tian approach was stepped up after the Jews did not translate into proselyting United States. The program was short Crusades 900 years ago, and reached activity. Orson Hyde was sent by Joseph lived. Today, "Jewish Culture" classes its height during the Spanish Inquisi- Smith to the Holy Land in 1841--not to are taught weekly at the Missionary tion .... In the nineteenth century convert but to "converse with the priests, Training Center in Provo, Utah. The pro- hundreds of thousands of European rulers, and elders of the Jews and ob- gram acquaints missionaries with Jew- Jews converted to... Christianity as a tain from them all the information pos- ish society, beliefs, and terminology. condition for making it in a Europe sible" regarding the the literal gathering At least five missions have included slowly opening up to Jewish emancipa- of the ten tribes in Jerusalem, which Israel. The last "active" one, the Near tion. This memory has remained deeply Mormons would supervise. Joseph Smith East Mission, (formed from the Palestine- embedded in the collective Jewish thus recognized the important role the Syria Mission), was dissolved in 1951. psyche. While it is chiefly the ultra- Jews were to play in the Second Com- The Holy Land is now part of the Inter- Orthodox who are paranoid about mis- ing. An 1842 Times and Seasons edi- national Mission. sionaries, it would be fair to say all torial praised the House of Israel as ,Admittedly, pamphlets, lesson manu- Jews are extremely sensitive on the unique and distinctive and decried mis- als and Hebrew copies of the Book of subject and do not accept the question sionary efforts to convert Jews. Mormon have been published. But the of conversion as merely a matter of Does this mean the Mormon church Church maintains the now-defunct individual freedom of choice." is coming full circle? Perhaps Jewish manuals were used only in the U.S. The In fact, laws in Israel prohibit mis- discomfort with the Mormon presence Hebrew Book of Mormon is also out of sionary activity in cases where "unfair" in Israel would be pacified were the print. methods are used. Jewish law forbids Church to clarify and reaffirm its nine- Considering these grounded efforts, conversion for "material reward." teenth century position.

literature and scripture, Davis ana- lyzed three different approaches to First D. C. discovering the meaning of a piece of writing: examining the author’s opinion, examining the text itself, Symposium Held or examining the opinions of the text’s audience. By Val Holley Following her presentation, The first-ever Washington, D.C., where." Addressing a crowd of Anthony Hutchinson looked at Sunstone Symposium convened on over 600, Dr. Nibley chose not to "Prophecy, Fulfillment, and Faith" Friday, May 17, just as the pillars discuss the coming forth of Mormon and challenged the view that of early Mormon history were scriptures saying, "We don’t study prophecy consists of a television- rocked by an academic earthquake. Joseph Smith; he’s dead. We study like look into future events. Only days earlier, Church head- what he gave us." It is "no matter Hutchinson, a Ph.D. candidate in quarters had released letters by how, where, or why we got [the biblical studies at Catholic Univer- Martin Harris and Joseph Smith scriptures produced by Joseph sity, disputed traditional under- which demonstrate the Prophet’s Smith], but what they tell us." From standings of prophetic events in involvement with folk magic and there he proceeded to compare fac- the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the money-digging as a young man simile number two in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. "1 do not (see SUNSTON~., June 1985, p. 36). Abraham with other extant say that God cannot reveal the These documents prompted a hypocephali. future to his prophets, only that number of related comments by Saturday’s sessions began with there is no indication that he has symposium speakers and even a plenary address by former ever done so," Hutchinson generated entrepreneurial oppor- Church Historian Leonard explained. "Don’t confuse me with tunity: Bruce Furr, proprietor of the Arrington entitled, "A Portrait of Korihor." new enterprise, "Salamander Brigham Young," which was In another session, Richard Sales," offered for sale tie tacks, warmly received by the audience. Sherlock discussed the role of "The stick pins, and pendant charms in After that, symposium attenders Book of Mormon as the Word of the form of small salamanders, were forced to choose among God." Noting problems in verifying available in sterling silver or numerous concurrent sessions the book’s historical claims, fourteen-carat white gold. One such session featured a dis- Sherlock recommended Mormons The conference opened with cussion of "What the Author Had in develop a theology of scripture that Hugh Nibley’s keynote speech Mind: Text vs. Context in Modern views the Book of Mormon as the entitled, "Looking into a Hypo- Scripture" by Kira Pratt Davis. word of God without respect to its cephalus: Connections Every- Drawing on examples from both historical content. In the response,

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 3g Brent Rushforth, former assistant whether these scientific discoveries professional violinist, had been on general counsel in the Department are "God’s way of telling those who tour with the Cleveland Orchestra. of Defense, explained that he "per- haw; ears to hear" that this is how The tour’s program had become sonallv could accept it as an alle- creation occurred. routine and boring to the orches- gory, or inspired story, given with Or=e of the last concurrent ses- tra members, but in the middle of inspiration of the Lord--just like sion,,.~; of the day featured Linda a concert in a hot high school Job." But if the Book of Mormon is King Newell, coauthor of the recent gymnasium in New Zealand, a an allegory, that causes two prob- Emrna Smith biography, Mormon sudden transformation came over lems. First, said Rushforth, Enigma and coeditor of Dialogue: the musicians; the music became Mormons would have to give up A Journal of Mormon Thought. charged with profound spiritual what they have been taught since Entitled "Women’s Reaction to feeling and many wept w~hile they Primary, i.e., that Joseph Smith Early Mormon Polygamy," Newell’s played. To Shipps, Joseph Smith’s translated the Book of Mormon paper challenged traditonal myths experiences were similarly trans- from plates of gold. Second, and that have been put forth to justify formed: The salamander incident, more importantly, the central epi- this institution. One such myth for example, was transformed into sode of the Book of Mormon is the aver,..~ that polygamy was imple- a burning bush-like encounter, and appearance of the resurrected mented to complete the latter-day Martin Harris’s presentation of Christ on the American continent. "restoration of all things." Newell Egyptian characters and their Rushforth noted that certain parts listed several Old Testament translation to Professor ,~,nthon of the book "do fine on their own, practices--ceremonial obser- was transformed into a fulfillment out of their historical connection" vances, modes of dress, dietary of the prophecy in Isaiah and cited as examples Lehi’s dis- proscriptions--that were not re- 29:11-12. course on opposition, King stored. Another myth, according to In any religious organization, Benjamin’s address, and doctrinal Newell, explains that polygamy Shipps said, there is a time lag sermons in Alma. But, he continued, was necessary to raise up a righ- "if the ’Christ in America’ episode between the appearance of new teous seed for the kingdom of God historical discoveries and accep- has no connection with historical on earth. Yet data show that there fact, we’ve got problems because tance or canonization thereof. She were more children born per said it is very important to realize the Book of Mormon is put forward woman in one-wife Mormon fami- as a second witness of Christ." that the letters were printed in the lies than in polygamous Mormon Church News, and thus The plenary luncheon session families, said Newell. A third myth acknowledged by Churcl~, hier- featured a panel of speakers asserts that there were not enough archy. The First Presidency state- pondering the "Pillars of [Their] men to go around. However, Newell ment that the Smith letter "does Faith." Meg Munk, author of the said, census records for Nauvoo, not appear unusual in the context first paper, was ill with cancer and Illinois and territorial Utah show of the times" indicates a "slight could not attend. Munk’s paper, that tlhere were equal numbers of shift" in Church position, said read by one of her friends, reflected men ,.~lnd women. Shipps, because previously the on the inevitability of death inter- Explaining her motivations for Church held that only apostates rupting her role as a mother. The prese, nting the paper, Newell said, tell "money-digger stories" about second speaker, Glen Clark, dis- "People kept asking me how I felt Joseph Smith, but now it accepts cussed the recently released letters about polygamy, after I published that treasure-lhunting was that link Joseph Smith with super- the nonjudgmental, scholarly book ordinary. natural salamanders and analyzed [on Emma Smith]. So I wrote it Shipps concluded by saying, the symbolism of serpents and dowry." She said she felt that those "To President Hinckley’s state- lizards in the Old Testament. He who entered into polygamous mar- ment that the letters have ’nothing said that in his opinion the sala- riages did so with great faith under to do with the authenticity of the mander was Joseph Smith’s sym- almost impossible circumstances Church,’ I say amen," because the bolic representation of the Angel and should be revered. "But--and Church is "an established institu.- Moroni. Robert Fletcher followed I’m SlI~eaking as a faithful tion" wherein "God is revealed to with a discussion of what it means Mormon--I find very little in the the individual members.’" to be both a Mormon and a system [of polygamy] that would scientist. Recent historical and scientific: come from a just and loving God." discoveries have indeed shown In an afternoon session, Keith Sp,,~aking at the closing banquet that some traditionally held views Norman asked, "Can Mormon session, historian Jan Shipps dis- of Mormon history and doctrine Cosmology Survive the Big Bang?" cussed "Joseph Smith and Magic." are, as Shipps averred, "not the He noted that Mormonism has She ~;aid sensitive historians could way it was," and the symposium always denied the traditional reas~;ure devout Mormons that provided a forum for Mormons Christian ex nihilo doctrine, which magical and occult practices were who wanted to share the revised assumes that God created the uni- not disreputable but fell within "the foundations of their faith. Whether verse from nothing, holding instead pale of early western New York the revisions stemmed from close that matter has always existed and expe~,ience." Shipps said the key to scrutiny of theoretical physics, cannot be created. Norman her own understanding of Joseph modern scripture, and the transla- observed that recent discoveries in Smith’s experiences with folk tion process, Mormon pollygamy, theoretical physics make it increas- magic is their relationship to or occult practices in early ingly plausible that the universe alchemy, the medieval science Mormon history, the consensus began as an incomprehensibly of transforming base metals into was that Mormonism can stand on immense burst of energy, or "big gold. As an illustration, she the fruits of its bang." He concluded by asking related how her son, a principles.

40 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 Wiley’s article says. Less influential Church members are warned not to accept jobs in Wall Street Journal casinos as dealers or cocktail wait- resses at the risk of losing their temple recommends. This policy is Examines Mormons designed to protect members from direct contact with the gambling-- to keep them from "touching the and Gambling dice," as the Mormon mayor of North Las Vegas, James Seastrand, How can a person survive in a casinos or had casino executives put it. town dominated by gambling with- and businesses as their clients. But the same restrictions that out getting involved in the Mormon politicians have played prevent rank-and-file Church industry? major roles in protecting and members from taking jobs in close ]he answer, according to promoting the gambling industry. proximity with the action on the authors Bob Gottlieb and Peter And several Mormons are top casino floor do not seem to apply Wiley, is: You can’t. executives within the casinos to executives, accountants, and themselves." In a Wall Street Journal article others who might own or partici- titled "Just Don’t Touch the Dice: Some have become so inter- pate in the management of the The Mormons of Vegas," Gottlieb twined with the gambling industry same establishments. and Wiley, coauthors of America’s that they have found it difficult to "Like other conservative reli- Saints: The Rise of Mormon avoid some of the shadier aspects gious groups, the Mormon Church Power, outline how the West’s of the business, Gottlieb and Wiley is wedded, almost doctrinally, to mr}st famous sin city and its gam- contend. entrepreneurialism. In Las Vegas, bling activities have presented the Richard Bunker, a Mormon gambling is the ultimate form of Mormon church with a complex bishop, provides a case in point: enterprise," the article concludes. problem: how to be in the world but While Bunker was chairman of the "When the temple gets built in not of the world, as Mormons Gaming Control Board, he delivered the Land of Money, the synthesis of might describe the dilemma. a sizable 1984 campaign contribu- religion and entrepreneurialism will "Thousands of Mormons work tion from a casino to his fellow be complete. And in this case, inside and outside the casinos Mormon and close friend and ally church members, at least the ernployed by and servicing the James Gibson. Gibson happened to better-employed ones, have gamblers," the article says. "Since, be supporting a certain tax plan decided to be both of the world and in the Mormon belief structure, favored by the casino, Gottlieb and in the world." success in this world--particularly entrepreneurial success--is part of the progression to the Celestial Kingdom, church leaders are Apparently all is not well in Zion. The policy change, or revelation, among the most enterprising Las That’s according to some two has been canonized in the Doctrine Wsgans." hundred members of the Reorgan- and Covenants as section 156. The tight-knit group of Mormons ized Church of Jesus Christ of According to Sharon Knapp of who play a key role in running a Latter Day Saints who marched in the RLDS Public Relations Commis- town known as the gambling Independence, Missouri, on April 5 sion, the protesters do not repre- mecca of the world include state in opposition to the ordination of sent the majority of the church Senate Majority Leader James women to the priesthood. Gibson, his protege Robert membership, and the reaction to B~roadbent who currently serves in The demonstration was organized the priesthood revelation has been the Reagan Administration as by Concerned Mothers of Latter generally positive. Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Day Israel. Says spokeswoman for Says Knapp, "This new step by the mayor of North Las Vegas, four the group, Francis Baker, "We wish the church represents one of the o1: the seven Las Vegas City com- to demonstrate our belief in, and important ways the church is try- missioners, the former mayor pro support for traditional scriptural ing to respond to the divine call to tern, and the current head of the patterns of ordination and priest- be in the forefront of those Convention and Visitors’ Authority. hood structure, and to demonstrate organizations and movements against the anti-Christian doctrine which are recognizing the worth "The ties between these Mormon and dictatorial controls and guide- and equality of persons." leaders and the gamblers are sub- lines now being forced upon us. stantial," the article says. "Mormon "We want the restored church figures have played crucial roles in with the beautiful and distinctive the Gaming Control Board and doctrines returned to its former A long with the Gideon Bible, Gaming Commission, the pivotal state." copies of the Book of Mormon are regulatory agencies that have long Women were given the priest- being placed in hotels in Michigan had a cozy relationship with the hood in April of last year after and Florida. in~dustry. approval from church delegates. Two members of the Reorganized "Mormon lawyers and accoun- The church will actually begin the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter tants have either worked for the ordinations in November of 1985. Day Saints, who represent the

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 41 Valley Property Management Com- reducing monthly telephone rates Hawkins’s 1986 reelection pany have organized and financed for churches by up to fifty percent campaign. the project. Brace K. Case and Rod- since 1969. ney W. Sabourin have furnished LDS Democrats generally Mountain Bell in Denver decided received moderate scores. If any- some 700 rooms in four hotels with the subsidy was unfair to the rest thing, the voting records of the missionary copies of the Book of of their ratepayers and approached twelve indicate that Mormon legis.- Mormon. the Utah Public Service Commis- lators are conservative to moder- "This is one of the few items we sion 1:o request the change in the ate, do not always follow Church don’t mind the guests taking," says rate stru ctu re. leaders (see sidebar), are more Case. The new policy affects only reli- diverse outside of Utah, and are lis- gious meetinghouses and not tening to "their folks back home." administrative offices, which have The ratings of each group are As of July 1, 1985, religious organ- always paid full business rates. shown in the accompanying chart. izations in Utah will no longer When asked how this will affect The ten selected rating groups are:: receive a discount on their tele- LDS church budgets, spokesman phone bills. Jerry Cahill explained the money Americans for Constitutional Utah is one of the last states to will come out of each ward’s Action. ACA is concerned about budget for their own meetinghouse. the movement of American society’ change the policy which has been toward socialism. The group focuses primarily on economic, foreign, and defense issues. It favors the MX missile and a bal- anced budget and opposes busing and the nuclear freeze. Americans for Democratic LDS Legislators Action. ADA backs legislation to reduce economic inequality, pro- motes international human rights, Rated and wants to curtail defense spend- ing. It supports the Voting F{ights By Alice AIIred Pottmyer Act extension and the nuclear freeze. It opposes the balanced At the end of each session of Richard Stallings narrowly budget amendment, the MX, and Congress, a number of lobbying defeated George Hansen in Idaho’s cuts to the food stamp program. groups in Washington, D.C., publish Second District. The scores from voting records for each of the 530 the various groups are from the American Association of legislators and rate them according University Women. AAUW is a 98th Congress and thus include national organization that favors a to their stands on issues of interest Marriott and George Hansen. nuclear freeze and equal opportun- to the group. In both the 98th Mormons generally have a repu- Congress and the current 99th Con- ity in education. AAUW oposes the tation for being conservative MX and tuition tax credits. gress, twelve members listed an Republicans. However, Udall, affiliation with the Church of Jesus American Secruity Council. Heftel., Reid, and Stallings are ASC feels that American security is Christ of Latter-day Saints, as Democrats. The rating organiza- recorded by Americans United for preserved by developing and main- tions considered the five from Utah taining large weapons systems to Separation of Church and State. conservative, but in the 98th Con- SUNSTONE has gathered the vote achieve strategic military superior- gress, George Hansen of Idaho was ity. It favors the MX, neutron wea- ratings for these Mormon represen- clearly the most conservative. Lib- tatives from ten different lobbying pon development, and aid to El eral groups gave him zeros, and Salvador and Chile. It opposes the groups representing a wide range conservative groups 100. His score of interests. of 82 from the National Taxpayers nuclear freeze. The Mormon members of the 98th Union was the second highest Chamber of Commerce. C of C Congress (1983-84) were Sen. Jake House score in the 98th Congress is a voice for organized business. It from that group. supports balancing the budget and Garn (R-UT), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R- easing sanctions against hiring UT), Paula Hawkins (R-FL), George Sen. Hawkins is considered a illegal aliens. It opposes a public Hansen (R-ID), James Hansen (R- conse~rvative, but her stand on the service jobs program. UT), Cecil Heftel (D-HI), Dan issues, reflects the views of her Marriott (R-UT), Howard Nielson (R- constiituents. In May she was one Christian Voice. CV looks at UT), Ronald Packard (R-CA), Harry of four Republican senators to vote which issues have moral signifi- Reid (D-NV), Norman Shumway, (R- against the President’s budget. The cance to the family. It opposes school busing, the Legal Services CA), and Morris Udall (D-AZ). Senate version of the budget was Corporation, and abortion. It favors The number of Mormons has heavy on defense, but called for a remained the same for the past two one-year cost-of-living (COLA) school prayer, capital punishment freeze on Social Security, which for certain crimes, and religious congressional sessions, but there equal access. are two new Mormons in the 99th was not a popular thing in Florida Congress. With the November 1984 with its large retired population. League of Conservation election, former Utah Lt. Governor President Reagan did not hold Voters. LCV lobbies for legislation David Monson replaced Dan much of a grudge. On Memorial and executive action favoring the Marriott, who did not seek reelec- Day wreekend he went to Florida environment. They are for the tion, and Ricks College professor and attended a fund raiser for Superfund, a larger EPA bu~;Iget,

42 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 and the Clean Air Act. They are NTU fights big government by try- against federal subsidies for tem- ing to curb government spending THE CHURCH AND porary nuclear waste storage and and by promoting a balanced LEGISLATORS federal coal lease sales. budget. In the last few years, leaders National Women’s Political The Committee for a Sane of the Mormon church have Caucus. NWPC supports the Civil Nuclear Policy. SANE works for spoken out against two major Rights Restoration Act, federal peace and nuclear disarmament political issues--the ERA and child care support, aid to divorced and is currently working actively the MX missile. military spouses, and other issues for peace in Central America. It The ERA last came before the of concern to women and children. opposes the MX missile, chemical U.S. House of Representatives in weapons, and military buildup in 1983. Seven of the nine House National Taxpayers Union. general. members who listed an LDS affil- iation voted against it: G. Hansen, J. Hansen, Marriott, Nielson, Packard, Reid, and Shumway. Udall and Heftel were both ERA Senators cosponsors and voted for it. The Jake Garn (R-UT) 100 0 40 100 95 100 5 9 5O 0 amendment fell six votes short Orrin Hatch (R-UT) 100 10 9 100 83 92 11 9 45 0 of the two-thirds majority it Paula Hawkins (R-FL) 70 25 20 90 74 92 61 36 35 0 needed to pass. Representatives In the March 1985 MX missile George Hansen (R-ID) 100 0 0 100 100 IO0 0 0 82 0 funding vote in the Senate, all three LDS Senators, Garn, Hatch, James Hansen (R-UT) 100 0 11 100 81 100 21 0 69 0 and Hawkins voted for funding. Cecil Heftel (D-HI) 33 42 75 29 45 30 58 67 32 53 Dan Marriott (R-UT) 85 5 27 100 82 100 12 22 47 0 In the House, six LDS legislators Howard Nielson (R-UT) 100 0 18 100 81 100 17 11 71 0 voted for MX funding: Hansen, Ronald Packard (R-CA) 95 0 27 100 75 100 15 11 54 0 Monson, Packard, Reid, Harry Reid (D-NM) 14 75 73 40 38 25 .82 78 19 38 Shumway, and Nielson. Stallings, Heftel, and Udall took the Norman Shumway (R-CA) 100 0 10 100 81 100 16 0 73 0 Church’s position on the MX. Morris Udall (D-AZ) 10 85 89 11 40 0 84 100 20 69

Ricks College President Bruce C. presidential assistant to Dallin Hafen has been named dean of Oaks. He has continued his teach- Brigham Young University’s ing and research activities at BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School. Hafen on a part-time basis. At present ...... leaves the Idaho-based, LDS Hafen serves as a member of the church-owned college after six Commission of Colleges of the years as president. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges and is president of Independent Colleges and Universi- ties. He is also an Associate for the Center on Religion and Society, a conservative group which exam- ines the sociological role of religion as seen by leaders in the religious community. In 1982, he was a con- sultant to recently resigned Secre- tary of Education T. H. Bell in Washington, D.C. Hafen, his wife Marie, and their - seven children plan to move to REX E. LEE Provo in August as Hafen will Since his resignation as solicitor assume his post as dean this general effective June 1, 1985, Lee September. has joined the Washington, D.C., office of the Chicago-based law firm, Sidley and Austin. BRUCE C. HAFEN Lee was appointed dean of the Former U.S. solicitor general Rex E. Clark law school when it was Under Hafen’s administration, Lee has accepted an endowed pro- student enrollment at the school founded in 1972. From May 1975 to reached over 6,000 making Ricks fessorship at Brigham Young Uni- January 1977 his tenure was inter- the nation’s largest private two- versity to begin this fall. He will rupted when he served as assistant year college. teach a one-week class at the J. attorney general, head of the Civil Reuben Clark law school then will Division in the U.S. Department of Hafen helped establish the Clark return periodically throughout the Justice. In 1981, he left BYU to law school at BYU while he was a academic year 1985-86. become the nation’s highest-

JULY 1985 / SUNSTONE 43 ranking advocate. He and his staff Conservatives, on the other hand, merchant, and finally a homeopa- of twenty-three lawyers repres- accused Lee of being too liberal on thic doctor--until his death in 1891. ented the federal government in the such Republican platform issues as In Omaha he filed a lawsuit Supreme Court. abortion and voluntary school against Brigham Young, asking Lee was criticized often during prayer. that he be reimbursed for $900 his four years as solicitor general. Lee and his family will reside in worth of personal belongings Liberals argued that Lee was turn- the Washington, D.C., area for at which had been stored in Devil’s ing the Supreme Court to the right. least another year. Gate during the overland crossing and an additional $300 on the claim that he had been "employed" as captain and interpreter from Liverpool to Salt Lake City. Even- tually, in 1864, the case was settled out of court by a one-thousand dol- Anti-Mormons: Then lar payment. It was also in Omaha in 1876 that he published "Mohammed of Our Time," proba- and Now bly intending the book (could it even have been solicited?) to influ- SECRET HISTORY: A TRANSLATION OF VOR TIDS MUHAMEDence opinion against Brigham Young during the John D. Lee trial JOHN AHMANSON. then taking place. TRANS. GLEASON L. ARCHER MOODY PRESS, 1984, 179 PP. Chapters five through twelve of Ahmanson’s book thus contain Reviewed by Davis Bitton nothing but secondhand reports. Although Ahmanson was in the et it be said immediately that became a journeyman bookbinder Mormon church only seven years, Secret History: A Transla- in Sweden; he moved to he continued to accumulate all the information available in the periodi- L tion of Vor Tids Muhamed Copenhagen, where he joined a promises much more than it deliv- Baptist congregation. In the present cal press and in anti-Mormon ers. Originally published in Danish book, although some of the names books like John Hyde’s and T. B. H. in 1876, this book is not, as the are garbled or slightly misspelled, Stenhouse’s. Ahmanson includes in dust jacket proclaims, "an eye- he gives a seemingly factual his own book sections about witness account of the rise of account of the first Mormon mis- polygamy, endowments, Danites, Mormonism." Nor is it in any mean- sionaries coming to Denmark in the Morrisites, and of course the ingful sense a "secret" or an 1850, the impression they made, Mountain Meadows Massacre--a "invaluable" history. Then why and the exportation of the message laundry list of the standard anti- review such a book? To answer to Norway. About such matters he, Mormon fare of the 1860s and that question and thus understand as a convert who served as a mis- 1870s. Considered among the what is really significant about this sionary in both Denmark and numerous travel narratives and publication it is necessary to con- Norway, was indeed an descriptions of brief visits to sider the book from three different eyewitness. Territorial Utah which have sur- points of view. First, what does the Ahmanson’s brief account of the vived, Ahmanson’s is near the bot- book tell the student of history Willie handcart company and the tom in terms of precise observation about Mormonism in the nineteenth deaths occasioned by the unusu- and insight. century? Second, what does it ally early winter is also firsthand. But if the book fails to present a reveal about its author? And A brief description of Salt Lake City reliable, firsthand treatment of finally, what does its publication in in 1856 follows, but strangely with Mormonism, it does provide the 1980s say about those who a couple of paragraphs on the instructive insight into its author. promoted and financed the present Tabernacle, which What he was, obviously, was an undertaking? Ahmanson could not have seen but enthusiastic convert--the impres- To answer the first question we which by the time he published his sion of the trial in Norway is of a must immediately distinguish book he had heard about. In fact fire-and-brimstone Baptist lay between those matters about which his entire chapter on "The preacher who brought that style John August Ahmanson was in fact Mormons in Utah" is a mixture of into his Mormonism--who became an eyewitness and those about fact and editorial comment. It is disillusioned and left the fold. Like which he was decidedly not. We highly important, therefore, to note many others who felt impelled to learn some information about that the author stayed in Utah for denounce their former faith, Ahmanson from a court trial which only four months. He did not go Ahmanson was faced with a occurred when he was preaching through the Endowment House, for dilemma. How could he explain the Mormonism in Norway. (See Gerald example, but relied on hearsay. He fact that he had been taken in by M. Haslam, Clash of Cultures: headed east in April 1857, "ready to Mormonism in the first place? And The Norwegian Experience with begin a new life again, with a sin- how should he describe his former Mormonism, 1842-1920 [Bern, cere desire to see once more the fellow-believers? As stupid dupes? Switzerland: Peter Lang, 1984].) He charming, fertile islands of As rank sensualists? This would was apparently an illegitimate Denmark." He made it only as far not sound very convincing. Rather child born in Sweden in 1827; he as Omaha where he settled in 1859 Ahmanson followed what has served as an apprentice and and lived--as a grocer, a hardware become the standard form of anti-

44 SUNSTONE/JULY1985 Mormon autobiography, past and This professor decided to crowd its university class in historical present: sincere faith, good people, translation into his busy schedule. methodology and had turned in outwardly Christian teachings on This he did "at the behest of" the what he gives here, the result the one hand; secret, evil ceremo- Fieldstead Institute, which had would be an unequivocal failing nies, sinister conspiracies, and received a microfilm copy of the grade. With the exception of immoral, wicked leaders on the book as part of the papers of the mentioning Juanita Brooks on the other. The writer presents himself Ahmanson family, "with a directive Mountain Meadows Massacre and as having been taken in by the to have the book translated into J. LeRoy Anderson on the good people, their obvious sincer- English for the purpose of scholarly Morrisites, most footnotes simply ity, even the plausibility of the study." So the Institute "retained cite the work of the Tanners. What Mormon message. But then he the services" of the professor. I can always be safely assumed is finds out the truth, forthwith leaves think this might mean he got paid that any footnote citation or the fold, and now, motivated by to do the job, although it is not comment will be negative. When nothing short of humanitarian con- clear just who did the initiating. Ahmanson writes of polygamy that cern for others, writes an expose. Now Gleason L. Archer is a divorces "naturally belong to the John August Ahmanson was not professor and a scholar. Of what? order of the day in Utah," Vlachos the first or the last to go through Of biblical studies. He has gratuitously remarks at the bottom this highly predictable sequence. published an introductory textbook of the page that "Utah divorce I wish I knew more about about the Old Testament and rates have been above the national Allmanson. Obviously he was worked as an associate editor of average in recent years." intelligent. He labored diligently as the significant Theological Essentially this book is a repeat, one of the first missionaries in Wordbook of the Old presented in a shiny new format, of Scandinavia. He seems to have Testament. "After I had got deeply the anti-Mormon litany of the been effective enough as a leader into Mr. Ahmanson’s narrative," he Brigham Young era. during the transoceanic voyage writes, "1 realized that l was Since I cannot assume my own and as one of the "captains" in the looking at the most effective and attitude is known to everyone, let ill-fated Willie handcart company. devastating expose of Mormonism me make it clear that I do not rule What was it about Utah that most that I had ever seen." Query: How out any of these problems as in- disappointed him and led him to many had he seen? appropriate for investigation. I do depart? From what he says, it was Archer is not so obtuse as to not fault this present book for wealth in the possession of miss the fact that "much of it may mentioning them but rather for Brigham Young combined with the be classed as hearsay evidence," treating them polemically and in shocking doctrines heard in the but, he assures us, "the early date my view dishonestly. If that is true ]abernacle--about blood of its publication serves to enhance of Ahmanson’s writing in the atonement, polygamy (though he its credibility and trustworthiness nineteenth century, it is true a had learned of polygamy while he in a very significant way." He does fortiori of those who have now was a missionary but "of course it not hide his intention. If the work published this book for a purpose did not come into practical use in had only been available sooner, "it that is anything but scholarly. Denmark"), the duty of absolute would unquestionably have Archer, having better things to do obedience, Adam-God--that were dissuaded multitudes of families with his time, has not been party to simply too much. Was there also ¯.. from being taken in by this this activity in the past; he seems disillusionment at not receiving dangerous counterfeit of the just recently to have got religion of sufficient attention? Did he face historic Christian faith." Even now the anti-Mormon variety. But the harsh economic prospects like so it may do much to warn others on the team--Vlachos, many others in the difficult winter prospective converts and even Martin, Waiters, the Tanners--are of 1856-57: We do not know. He "those who have been reared in well-known, as is of course the says he would have gone on to that religion." Moody Press, publisher of the California early in the year but All this is pretty blatant. Its one- Tanners and other anti-Mormon "because of the fearsome threats" sidedness might be recognized by polemical material. against apostates and heathens almost anvone. So to give evidence This book is doubtlessly now decided instead to return to the of fairness, Archer enlisted the being sold in "Christian" East with the large companies cooperation of the following bookstores across the country and "organized for mutual security." "experts" on Mormonism: Chris along with other tracts at showings Vor Tids Muhamed then is as Alex Vlachos, the Rev. Wesley P. of The Godmakers. Its main diisappointing as an autobiography Waiters, Dr. Walter Martin, and significance is as one further of an apostate as it is as history of Jerald and Sandra Tanner. Vlachos, manifestation of current anti- Mormonism in the nineteenth we are told, "Utilized the excellent Mormonism, whose unofficial century. Other books in the genre resources available in the library of motto is "the end justifies the are simply more detailed, more Brigham Young University for means." colorful, more interesting, and even research into both the accuracies more reliable. Instead Ahmanson’s and the inaccuracies of the book is most significant for what it allegations made by Ahmanson." tells us about the anti-Mormonism Quite a feat! The results of of the 1980s. It seems that a Vlachos’s scholarship are student named William Welty sent conveyed in one set of footnotes, a photocopy of the 1876 Danish those marked by Arabic numerals. DA VlS BITTON is professor of book to his professor, Gleason L. If he had been assigned to supply history at the University of Utah Archer, at Trinity Evangelical up-to-date documentation for and coauthor of the book, The Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. footnotes of this type in any Mormon Experience.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 4,5 have been like. See, for example, Pickaxes Required pages 30, 38, 46, 49, 60, 70, 81. And even in places where he is not very clear, where mental picka;(es are PREFACE TO FAITH: required, there are some treasures A PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY INTO RLDS BELIEFS buried, waiting for those willing to PA UL ED WA RDS. do some of the author’s work for SlGNA TURE BOOKS, 1984, 107 PP. him. The concluding chapter, "Com- Reviewed by Larry Conrad and Bob Mesle mentary on Joseph Smith,"’ has an, reface to Faith is a gold excellent beginning and enid, and a form fit the fact" style of very good middle. Edwards says pmine; there is plenty of trea- obscurantism. here some things which really need sure there, but the vein twists There are a number of small saying about our private and com- and turns and seldom comes to the problems with the book, of which munal self-deceptions, and he says surface. Pickaxes and hard work only a~ few can be mentioned. When them well. Again, this shows what: will be required to mine it. It is a dealing with inconsistent state- the book could have been like had masterpiece of neither clarity nor ments on complex issues, it is he put his mind to the task of wit. The lack of clarity and the imperative to let the reader see clarity. twisting and turning are hardly this. Yet even a careful reader is The middle section of the con- surprising. Dr. Edwards is trying to likely to be confused by Edwards’ cluding chapter is also good; it is identify and analyze the common contradictory conclusions concern- just devoted to a philosophical metaphysical beliefs of a group of ing the church’s position. issue crucial to Edwards but sure people who (a) don’t have a com- Compare, for example, his state- to seem unimportant to most read-. mon perspective; (b) would be ments about the necessity of ers. This, however, is the case with happy to sell you all of their meta- human existence on pages 14 and the entire book., and the disparity physical beliefs if they only knew 40. Alamo, he misquotes and perhaps between what Edwards is able to what they were; and (c) neither misunderstands at a couple of see as important and what he recognize nor much care about the places the report of the RLDS Basic shows to be important is perhaps presence of massive contradictions Beliefi~ Committee, Exploring the the central problem of the text. within those beliefs. How can you Faith, published in 1970. On page Paul Edwards is uniquely qualified be clear about that? 22 he rnisquotes page 14 of that to undertake the important task The barriers to clarity go deeper. text, ~sing the word "revelations" this book addresses, but h~ fails to It often seems that Edwards has a where it is of great theological sig- write in a manp.~er which will help passion for making the form fit the nificance that the committee chose the less qualified reader (almost content. Is life inconsistent, con- to use the singular. The problem everyone) see what he is saying or tradictory, confusing? Then let does not seem to be merely typo- why it matters. Nominalisn~ and descriptions of it reflect those graphical. And even if the error is realism, particulars and u~iversals, facts. Such a style has the addi- merely a slip in his own notes, existence and essence, and espe- tional advantages of disguising the Edwards should have been alert cially idealism are categories author’s own position and of en- enough to the importance of this which say nothing to most people. abling him to use images and jokes difference to double check. Ironi- Yet they might have cast bright, which are so "inside" that only cally it seems that he may also new light on both the LDS and very close friends have much hope have f.ailed to note changes in his RLDS traditions~ (and also on the of catching them. Occasionally, this own father’s position (F. H. author) if Edwards had only com- can make for a brilliantly witty Edwards) on creation ex nihilo. mitted himself wholeheartedly to article which can also illuminate But then little or no attention is that task. Unfortunately, perhaps., the darkness by showing it to be given Ihere to the work of RLDS he could not illuminate the tradi- dark. theologians writing since 1970. tions or issues without disclosing Then why the lack of wit here? Finally, page 8 is poor. himself. And though we see more The answer may be that Edwards Despite these problems the gold of Paul Edwards here than in most has written about something which is worth mining. The book reflects places, he is still largely hidden. is really important to him. Perhaps the author’s profound understand- Suggestions: Read the opening he cannot bear to treat it with his ing of both the LDS and RLDS tradi- and closing pages of chapter 7, usual disdain, even though the sub- tions ~.=~nd the philosophical issues then finish the chapter. Read the ject matter often deserves it. discussed. It is true, after all, that "clear" parts listed above. Then Further, it is something so close to people do have views of reality tackle chapters 4 and 5. If ~all goes his heart that he cannot be clear (metaphysical perpectives) whether well, start at the beginning. If you about it without being clear about they know it or not. And those are willing to diig for the gold, you himself. The result is an uncomfor- views--however unconscious, con- may find a rich mine of insights table compromise between his fused, and contradictory--do affect into the philosophical and religious desire to help people understand their other beliefs and their behav- legacy of Joseph Smith. something he cares about and his ior. Those perspectives need to be desire to avoid revealing his pri- made explicit so that we can evalu- LARRY CONRAD is pursuing a vate thoughts too clearly. The ten- ate them. Edwards does this, and master’s degree in theology at sion seems to weaken his usual gift at times he even succeeds in bring- Vanderbilt University. for barbed images (though there ing the gold to the surface, writing BOB MESLE is an associal’e pro- are a few) without moving him to with a striking clarity which makes fessor of philosophy and religion at entirely abandon his "make the us realize what the book could Graceland College.

46 SUNSTONE / JULY 1985 ALEXANDER SCHREINER Other vignettes presented de- foundly different course in Ameri- REMINISCES scribe his days as a theater organist can politics was charted. In the at Grauman’s Theatre in Hollywood case of this particular legislation, B Y ALEXANDER SCHREINER (where he must have developed years of "presidential timidity and PUBLISHER’S PRESS, 1984 many of his trademark techniques) congressional indifference" were $9.95, 177 PP. and encounters with such personal- shaken by dramatic events of civil ities as John McCormack, Edwin disobedience, by public outrage, By’ James Welch Lemare, Werner von Braun, Rus- and by editorial demands; hence Throughout this century the sian Soyuz cosmonauts, and presi- "the president and the congress name Alexander Schreiner has dents of the United States. He gives were forced to deal with the been synonymous with the organ-- his comments on music pedagogy national disgrace of racial specifically, the Mormon Taberna- with a list of recommended basic discrimination." keyboard literature. Several of his cle organ in Salt Lake City. One of articles from The Diapason and Twenty years ago, ~,mericans the last of a certain kind of organ- not only observed the drama of the ist:s, Schreiner studied in Paris in Clavier are reprinted, along with a unfolding events in Washington but the 20s, played theater organ, and discography of his recordings and joined in smaller debates within appeared on literally thousands of a list of his publications. their homes. I remember well my radio broadcasts. Today’s organ- The photos in the book with grandfather, whose racial views ists may well covet the profes- Schreiner’s own captions are very were vastly different from mine, sional experiences related in this entertaining and provide a story ~;~ saying, "Change is coming, but it book. I personally have had the themselves. Reprints of letters from will take the passing of old atti- privelege of knowing and studying dignitaries, honorary degrees, tudes like mine to bring it width Schreiner, and I am grateful to press reviews, a concert itinerary about." those members of his family who for one year (1944), and sample helped him prepare this book for programs all point to Schreiner’s Drawing upon their Washington publication. Although these chap- professional success. expertise (he is a former con- ters represent only a fraction of gressman and she a journalist) to Schreiner’s experiences, they are In addition there are loving trib- produce a detailed study which nevertheless informative, entertain- utes to his wife Margaret, proud should be of interest to scholars ing, and inspiring. It is also inter- mentions of his children and and general readers alike, the esting to observe which subjects grandchildren, and detailed Whalens trace the legislative his- from his memoirs he chose to have accounts of Church-related expe- tory of the bill from its introduction published. riences. In site of his worldly to the signing by President honors, it is apparent that he con- Johnson. At that point, surrounded The book is dedicated to siders his family and Church his by civil rights leaders and legisla- Schreiner’s fellow organists of The greatest treasures. One realizes tive sponsors, LBJ basked in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- upon reading this short but fasci- glory that neither Barry Goldwater day Saints. After relating the story nating history that Schreiner is a nor the war in Vietnam, which of his family’s conversion to the rare individual who has been suc- seemed then so far away, could yet Church in Germany in 1903, he cessful both in his personal and tarnish. expresses his deep convictions and professional life, leaving a rich commitment to the Church for legacy to his family and Church But the main engineers of the bill which he has rendered a lifetime of and great music for more listeners were Everett Dirksen, an "old service. The music world has long throughout the world than perhaps guard" Republican Senator from recognized Schreiner’s skill as an any other organist in history. Illinois whose behind-the-scenes organist and composer but may not maneuverings assured cloture, and appreciate the fact that without his Hubert H. Humphrey, the ebullient family’s conversion and immigra- and loquacious Minnesotan whose tion to the United States, Schreiner day-to-day guidance of the bill might never have become an organ- undoubtedly led to his nomination ist at all. for Vice President. Utah’s Ted THE LONGEST DEBATE Moss, who along with Wallace F. Short chapters relate his earliest Bennett voted for the bill, mar- experiences as a student, his BY CHARLES AND BARBARA veled "at the way he handled the acquaintance with the Salt Lake bill’s opponents .... he was astute Tabernacle organists, his studies WHA L EN SEVEN LOCKS PRESS, 1985, in the parliamentary process... with Widor and Vierne in 1925-26 as $16.95, 289 PP. and knew what he needed and a young man, his work as a Mor- could count noses." mon missionary in Southern Cali- By John Sillito fornia; his appointment as Univer- The struggle for civil rights and sity Organist at UCLA (where he As Charles and Barbara Whalen racial equality did not end with the was chosen over several other "aca- observe, prior to the 1960s the passage of this bill but is going on demic" organists in spite of his not rules of Congress often prevented still. In many ways, however, the having an advanced degree), his sub- the passage of important legisla- Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a firm sequent appointment to the Taberna- tion for social change. The passage foundation for future generations cle post, travels with the Choir, and of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to build upon. And the story of its descriptions of the various Taberna- represents one of those rare passage is one that needs contin- cle organs over the years. watershed moments when a pro- ual retelling.

JULY 1985/SUNSTONE 47 COUGAR TALES ing humorous, frustrating, and someone carried official ~vord from embarrassing experiences. One of the referees that the extra point B Y PA UL JA MES these occurred in Fort Collins in was not good and the gan~e had RANDALL BOOK CO., 1984, 1974.. With five seconds remaining ended in a tie. $7.95, 180 PP. in the football game, BYU held a six Brad and Lee Warnick relate point lead at 33-27 and owned the some less known but highly impor- ball, first and ten on their own tant milestones in BYU sports. For GREATEST MOMENTS IN BYU twenty. CSU recovered a fumble on old timers, perhaps the most nos-. SPORTS the next play, scored a touchdown talgic is BYU’s first modern era BY BRAD ROCK AND LEE on tile last play of the game, (post-1920) football victory over WARNICK recei, ved an unsportsmanlike Utah in 1942. ]hey give an interest- BOOKCRAFT, 1984, $7.95, 184 penalty after the touchdown, and ing account of BYU’s first NCAA PP. so had to attempt the extra point championship,, won by the 1981 from the eighteen yard line instead golf team. The book contains chap- By Jim Cartwright of the three. They missed the PAT. ters on the two NIT championships Though the referee signaled the in 1951 and 1966 and on the foot- These two books capitalize on kick wide, he also had to signal the ball victory over Texas A & M. Of BYU’s surprising football season, end of the game by holding the course, Rock and Warnicl~: retell the though much if not all of the writ- football in both hands above his recent famous victories as well: the ing of both books occurred before head. The football, however, was in NCAA basketball victories over BYU’s rise to the national the stands, so he came out toward Princeton, UCLA, and Notre Dame championship. the middle of the field and raised in 1982 and the Miracle Bowl. Paul James’s book is unified in both hands above his head, which Like James’s book, the Rock- style and point of view. James the scorekeeper interpreted as Warnick book is a general book, shares experiences with various meaning the kick was good, giving entertaining reading for a Cougar players and coaches he has CSU .l~, one-point victory. He devotee. However their book does worked with during the twenty changed the scoreboard accord- not have James’s consistency of years he has broadcast BYU bas- ingly. Later the scoreboard was style. Moreover, the Rock-Warnick ketball and football games. He changed back to reflect a tie, then book is not a carefull researched details the humorous experiences still later back to 34-33 for CSU. history. In referring to the fact that he has had with the practical jok- James’s frustration came from not BYU had a football team before the ers on various BYU teams, espe- know ing who won the game even 1920s, for example, Rock and War- cially Steve Trumbo and Reed though he was announcing it. Peo- nick indicate only that the team Noble and shares experiences por- ple from the wire services and the existed near the turn of the cen- traying more serious character netwcl, rks were telephoning him, tury; they have not provided specif- traits as well. asking who had won, but he didn’t ics, apparently, because they ha\,e James also gives insight into the know. It took about fifteen minutes not searched the question broadcasting profession, highlight-. after the end of the game before thoroughly.

CLASSIFIED ADS are 35¢ a word, paid in advance, with SALT LAKE SCHOOL OF THE PROPHETS MINUTE BOOK. 80 STILL SINGLE? No new faces? Cold shoulders but no a ten-word minimum. For a schedule of regular ad pages, illustrated. $5.00 postpaid. GRAFFAM warm hearts? Try adw,=rtising yourself in SUNSTONE rates and further information, write to Sunstone GRAPHICS, P.O. Box 2234, Palm Desert, CA 92261. PERSONALS! Rate is 35¢ per word paid in advance, magazine, 59 West 100 South, Salt Lake City, UT PRIVATE COLLECTION-- 19th Century Mormon Prints, with a ten-word min,imum Call (801) 355-5926 or 84101, or call (801) 355-5926. Books and Post Cards as well as large standard send your ad to Stunstone, 59 West 100 South, Salt Mormcn library--for sale. Call Robert Christian (215) Lake City, UT 84101. MORMON MISCELLANEOUS REPRINTS now avail- able. 1. "Spaulding Manuscript Theory Then and 349-8059, or write, 406 S. 43rd St., Philadelphia, PA To respond to an ad, ,’~end your letter to SUNSTONE Now" by Lester Bush; 2. "The Writing of Joseph 19104. BOX... (fill in the box number), 59 West 100 South, Smith’s History" by Dean Jessee; 3. "The Early SKETCIIING WITH A TECHNICAL PEN by Merle H. Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Your letter will be for- Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision" by Dean Graffam 32 pages of pen and ink illustrations with warded to the lucky advertiser in question. Jessee; 4. "How to Study the Bible" by J. R. notes on technique. $5.00 postpaid. GRAFFAM Dummeiow; 5. "The Translators to the Reader" by GRAPHICS, P.O. Box 2234, Palm Desert, CA 92261. translators of the KJV. To order, send $1.50 each plus EXTENSIVE MORMON LIBRARY--Standard, fundamen- LOS PROFESSIONAL MAN, 49, 6’4", 240 Ib,’;., B.A., M.A., 50¢ postage to Mormon Miscellaneous, 8865 South talist, and anti-Mormon collection. Five-page index. inveterate reader with eclectic interest,,~ seeks a tall, 1300 East, Sandy, UT 84092. attractive, sensitive, affectionate, (jood-figured P.O. Be;( 187, Montrose, CA 91020. )rofessional female 30-40. Someone who craves MORMON MISCELLANEOUS NOTECARDS, an expanding THE PL,AYS OF RUTH AND NATHAN HALE. Available for meaningful dialogue and communication, as I do. collection of notes, comments, and references to immediate performance. Encore Performance Pub- Prefer never married, but will respond to all. Please cover the entire history of Mormondom, standard lishing P.O. Box 692 Orem, UT 84057. send photo, phone, will return. (Southe,’n California works, noncanonical writings, gleanings from early area,) Reply to Box S..031. Christian writers and recent biblical scholars. Series LDSF: MORMON SCIENCE FICTION, $4.95; Animals and wilt include contributions from the files of many the Gospel, $200 Scott Smith, 2455 Calle Roble, Mormon scholars and researchers on topics of his- Thousand Oaks, CA 91360. MALE, 45, divorced, Ph.D. Mostly normal, sometimes crazy, but always caring Looking for an open and tory, doctrine, polemics, statistics, current events, "SELECTED MANIFESTATIONS"--AII Temple Dedicatory Mormon, non-Mormon, anti-Mormon--in short, all honest, independent, professional wor~an who has subjects from any source (both published and un- Prayers and nearly All Church Revelations not in the almost worked through the guilt maze. Willing to D&C in ONE BOOK!! Call (415) 339-9674 or send SASE: give lots of space. Smothering not wanted. I get to d,o published) in any way related to Mormonism. Note- Sister Fleay, c/o 4770 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, CA cards will be published in sets of 100 4x6 cards at half of the cooking and you most of the driving. $6.00 per set. 800-1200 notecards will be published 94602. Southern Utah camping, fishing in Idaho and no per year. First two sets now available. To order, send COMMLINITY SERVICES COUNCIL. Our effort is to help )olyester part of any deal. (Salt Lake, Provo, $6.00 to Mormon Miscellaneous, 1433 East 9175 low ino)me, elderly, & handicapped people live inde- Ogden area.) Reply to Box S-011. South, Sandy, UT 84092. pendently. Retired craftsmen-painters, plumbers, carpenters, etc.--or anyone else interested. A mod- THE JOHN TAYLOR PAPERS. Volume I. The Apostle; est wage is negotiable. Caii Lowell Bennion or Ted his vows of celiba;y for the righl Spi ua yJ Volume II, The President. Each $11.95, plus $1 ship- Keefer at 486-2136.212 West 1300 So., SLC, UT 84115. Maturated Maiden. I .am a former Green Beret wh~ ping. The inside story of a half century of war has found peace in Prayer, Scholarship, and the Love between the Saints and the outside world. The last USEO/RARE LDS BOOKS for sale. FREE UPDATED LIST. of Truth. Resume, Polygraph, & Photo L pon request. pioneer tells it like it was. Samuel W. Taylor, 1954 We bu!l & sell. The Book Connection, Box 1, Provo, (Southern California area.) Reply to Bo): S-046. Stockbridge Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061. Utah 8,~,603.

48 SUNSTONE/JULY 1985 Recorded "Live" 1985 Sunstone May 18, 1985 Theological Symposium Reston, Virginia $6.00 Per Cassette

__85319-010 PLENARY SESSION: A PORTRAIT OF __.85319-230 CHALLENGES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BRIGHAM YOUNG CHURCH __85319-020 MORMON HISTORY AND TRUTH: A __.85319-240 MORAL REASONING IN MORMON PERSONAL RESPONSE TO THE LIFE OF LITERATURE AND DID ADAM AND EVE SIN? EMMA HALE SMITH __85319-250 THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT __.85319-040 FUNDAMENTALISTS AND MORMONS IN __.85319-260 PSEUDO-POLYANDRY: POLYGYNY’S THE MIDEAST PARADOXICAL COMPANION AND __85319-080 THE MORAL AND RELIGIOUS DEVELOP- WOMEN’S REACTION TO EARLY MENT OF MOHANDAS K. GHANDt MORMON POLYGAMY 1842-44 __85319-090 THE GREAT AND MARVELOUS WORK __85319-270 THE INTEGRITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL YET TO COME FORTH AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHURCH __85319-100 MORMON ISM IN THE TWENTY-FI RST AND PRIESTHOOD LEADERSHIP VS. CENTURY: ORTHODOX, CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN AND LIBERAL TRENDS THECHURCH __.85319-110 ESPIONAGE AND THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN __85319-280 MORMONISM: A NEW/OLD RELIGIOUS ETHIC IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY TRADITION __.85319-120 PILLARS OF MY FAITH __85319-399 COMPLETE SET 1985 STS CASSETTES -- __.85319-130 THE ROLE OF ROLE MODELS FOR LDS $132.00 (Includes 1 FREE Cassette and 2 WOMEN FREE storage albums!) __.85319-140 MORMONISM, SCIENCE, AND NATURAL THEOLOGY ACCESSORIES __.85319-150 WEALTH AND CONSECRATION: CAN A RICH MAN GETTO HEAVEN? __ AIIsop Cassette Deck Cleaner ($7.50) __.85319-160 THE RLDS AND THE TEMPLE __ Panasonic RQ Cassette Recorder Player ($89.95) __.85319-170 THE RESPONSE OF BYU STUDENTS TO MILITARY SERVICE AND THE DILEMMAS __ Custom 12-Cassette Storage Album ($6.00) OF WAR AND IS THERE AN LDS DOCTRINE ON WAR AND PEACE Total Individual Cassettes at $6.00 each = $__ ___85319-180 LOOKING AT MORMON BUILDINGS ARE Total 12-Cassette Specials at $66.00 each = $__ WE GETTING WHAT WE’RE PAYING FOR? __ Other: = $__ ___85319-190 TOWARD A MORMON CUISINE (please specify item and price) ___85319-200 THE MORMON MISSION: A RITE OF PASSAGE Maryland residents add 5% state and sales tax = $.__ ___85319-220 THE THREE NEPHITE STORIES- WHERE Postage & Handling = $3.00 DID THEY GO? GRAND TOTAL = $.__ Handsome Purchase any 11 cassettes and 12-Cassette Package receive a 12th cassette and ONLY $66.00! Custom Storage Album free!

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