DOCSLIB.ORG

Rewriting Eden with the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1-6 in Early America

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Rewriting Eden with the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1-6 in Early America Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 12-2019 Rewriting Eden With the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1-6 in Early America Colby Townsend Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Townsend, Colby, "Rewriting Eden With the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1-6 in Early America" (2019). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7681. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7681 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Rewriting Eden with the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1–6 in Early America By Colby Townsend A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in History Approved: ____________________________ ___________________________ Philip L. Barlow, Ph.D. Kerit Holt, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member ____________________________ ___________________________ Norman L. Jones, Ph.D. Richard S. Inouye, Ph.D. Committee Member Vice Provost for Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2019 ii Copyright © Colby Townsend 2019 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Rewriting Eden with the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1–6 in Early America by Colby Townsend, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2019 Major Professor: Dr. Philip Barlow Department: History Only a few months after the publication of the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith, Jr. edited the version of Eden found in the Book of Mormon into the text of the Bible itself. Where there was no story of Cain plotting with Satan prior to his revisionary work, after he was done working on the manuscripts of his “new translation,” the section on Cain killing Abel in Genesis was expanded to include a story about Cain plotting explicitly with Satan to become “Master Mahon,” master of the great secret that you can kill to get gain. The text of Genesis also leaves the effects of the expulsion from Eden, known more broadly as “the Fall,” unspoken, and it is unclear whether the Fall was supposed to be viewed as positive or negative. In the Book of Mormon it is argued that without the Fall Adam and Eve would not have had children and humanity in general would not be able to have joy. In Smith’s expanded text Adam and Eve both exclaim happiness with the results of the Fall because they can now have children and joy, something they would not have had if they had not eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (217 pages) iv PUBLIC ABSTRACT Rewriting Eden with the Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith and the Reception of Genesis 1–6 in Early America Colby Townsend The colonists living in the new United States after the American War for Independence were faced with the problem of forming new identities once they could no longer recognize themselves, collectively or individually, as subjects of Great Britain. After the French Revolution American politicians began to weed out the more radical political elements of the newly formed United States, particularly by painting one of the revolution’s biggest defenders, Thomas Paine, as unworthy of the attention he received during the American War for Independence, and fear ran throughout the states that an anarchic revolution like the French Revolution could bring the downfall of the nation. State, local, and regional organizations sprang up to fight Jacobinism, the legendary secret group of murderers and anarchists that fought against the French government. This distressing situation gave rise to new literature that sought to describe the “real” origins and background of Jacobinism in the War in Heaven and in Eden, and a new movement against Jacobinism was established. Fears about the organization of secret societies did not wane in the decades after the French Revolution, but worsened in the last half of the 1820s when a Freemason, William Morgan, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in connection to an exposé of Masonry he had written. Most Americans assumed that Freemasons had abducted and murdered Morgan in order to keep their oaths and rites secret. v One influential early American who was influenced by this socio-historical was Joseph Smith, Jr., the founding prophet of Mormonism. Smith interpreted the Eden narrative in light of the movement against secret societies, and literary motifs common to anti-Jacobin literature during the period provided language and interpretive strategies for understanding the Eden narrative that would influence how Smith produced his new scripture. Only a few months after the publication of the Book of Mormon Smith edited the version of Eden found there into the text of the Bible itself and made the biblical narrative conform to the version found in the Book of Mormon through his own revisions and additions. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A scholar may often feel alone in their work as they pour over manuscripts in an archive or piles of books on a desk but it would be impossible to find one who is not in constant conversation with their contemporaries as well as the important work done by others who came before them. I am indebted in all of my work to both. First, I would like to thank my thesis committee, Doctors Philip Barlow, Norm Jones, and Keri Holt, each of whom has shaped my thinking and writing in unique and significant ways. To Dr. Barlow for helping me to say what I wanted to say in a generous way toward my subject and the sources. To Dr. Jones for introducing me to the thought and society of the transatlantic world of Early Modern Europe and always being ready to laugh, and to Dr. Holt for helping me to find the sources and archives that I needed at just the right moments and the kind of constructive criticism every young scholar needs. I owe each of you more than I could ever hope to repay. Much of the work in this thesis was presented in graduate seminars and academic conferences over the last two years. I appreciate the helpful comments from Elisabeth Cropper, Raelyn Embleton, Al Roberts, Vinna Chintaram, Landon Wilkey, Katie Houser, Kate Martin, Tayce Robinson, Ben Horrocks, Dr. Susan Grayzel, Dr. James Sanders, and Dr. Christopher Conte on parts of the introduction and chapters one and two. Chapter three benefited greatly from the insights and editor’s hand of Dr. Keri Holt, as well questions and comments from attendees at the 2018 annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Denver, Colorado. Chapter four benefitted, especially during the thesis defense, to the reactions of Drs. Barlow, Jones, and Holt. An early version of this chapter was presented at the annual Joseph Smith Papers Conference at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah. I appreciate those in attendance who asked questions and provided feedback on all of my research. I also benefited from stimulating conversations with fellow graduate students vii Joanna Dobrowolska, David Tauber, Jason Fackrell, Kirtan Patel, and Dan Weller. Thank you all for a delightful first year at Utah State University. I also need to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to scholars who have always been open to discussing my work and early American religious history and have shaped my thinking. Robin Jensen, David Grua, Brian Hauglid, David Bokovoy, Ben Park, Bill Davis, Loyd Ericson, Christopher Blythe, and many others. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, time, and research with me. I am indebted to the staffs of several university libraries and archives. In particular, I enjoyed working closely with the staff of the Special Collections and Archives at the Merrill- Cazier Library at Utah State University as the graduate fellow for the 2018–2019 academic year. Being able to not only see but also engage in the inner workings of an archive has been a gift to an aspiring historian. Thank you Jennifer Duncan, Clint Pumphrey, Dan Davis, Bob Parson, Todd Welch, Rose Milovich, Devin Greener, Randy Williams, and many others for giving me a home away from home. I would also like to thank the archivists and staff at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, particularly Ashley Cataldo and Kimberly Toney. The entire staff at the archive was a pleasure to work with. I have also spent many hours studying and writing at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah and appreciate the professional and quiet work of the staff there. This thesis is dedicated to Kelsey and Jude, the two who have had to listen to me talk about the subject of this thesis the most, sometimes what probably felt like days on end. For this I will be forever grateful. Colby Townsend viii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………...iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………………vii INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………1 CHAPTER I. The European Context: Creating Heretics and Establishing Biblical Criticism Introduction………………………………………………………………..14 Eden in Europe…………………………………………………………….18 Eden in the Hebrew Bible: The Evolution of Research on the Pentateuch…26 II. Enacting Eden: Biblical Reception and the Formation of Identity in Early America, 1730–1830………………………………………………………..40 The Reception of John Milton’s Paradise Lost in Early America……………..44 Eden in the Early American Republic………………………………………48 Beginnings: The Puritans and Early Colonists……………………………....55 The Two Great Awakenings………………………………………………..58 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………73 III. An Illiterate Farm Boy?: Joseph Smith’s Use of the Bible from 1828–1830…...75 The Bible, Literacy, and Early American Education………………………...80 Analysis…………………………………………………………………….85 Conclusion………………………………………………………………...129 IV.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Moroni: Angel Or Treasure Guardian? 39
    Mark Ashurst-McGee: Moroni: Angel or Treasure Guardian? 39 Moroni: Angel or Treasure Guardian? Mark Ashurst-McGee Over the last two decades, historians have reconsidered the origins of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the context of the early American tradition of treasure hunting. Well into the nineteenth century there were European Americans hunting for buried wealth. Some believed in treasures that were protected by magic spells or guarded by preternatural beings. Joseph Smith, founding prophet of the Church, had participated in several treasure-hunting expeditions in his youth. The church that he later founded rested to a great degree on his claim that an angel named Moroni had appeared to him in 1823 and showed him the location of an ancient scriptural record akin to the Bible, which was inscribed on metal tablets that looked like gold. After four years, Moroni allowed Smith to recover these “golden plates” and translate their characters into English. It was from Smith’s published translation—the Book of Mormon—that members of the fledgling church became known as “Mormons.” For historians of Mormonism who have treated the golden plates as treasure, Moroni has become a treasure guardian. In this essay, I argue for the historical validity of the traditional understanding of Moroni as an angel. In May of 1985, a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune posed this question: “In keeping with the true spirit (no pun intended) of historical facts, should not the angel Moroni atop the Mormon Temple be replaced with a white salamander?”1 Of course, the pun was intended.
    [Show full text]
  • Automatic Writing and the Book of Mormon: an Update
    ARTICLES AND ESSAYS AUTOMATIC WRITING AND THE BOOK OF MORMON: AN UPDATE Brian C. Hales At a Church conference in 1831, Hyrum Smith invited his brother to explain how the Book of Mormon originated. Joseph declined, saying: “It was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.”1 His pat answer—which he repeated on several occasions—was simply that it came “by the gift and power of God.”2 Attributing the Book of Mormon’s origin to supernatural forces has worked well for Joseph Smith’s believers, then as well as now, but not so well for critics who seem certain natural abilities were responsible. For over 180 years, several secular theories have been advanced as explanations.3 The more popular hypotheses include plagiarism (of the Solomon Spaulding manuscript),4 collaboration (with Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, etc.),5 1. Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., Far West Record: Minutes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830–1844 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983), 23. 2. “Journal, 1835–1836,” in Journals, Volume. 1: 1832–1839, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, vol. 1 of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2008), 89; “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons 5, Mar. 1, 1842, 707. 3. See Brian C. Hales, “Naturalistic Explanations of the Origin of the Book of Mormon: A Longitudinal Study,” BYU Studies 58, no.
    [Show full text]
  • The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi
    The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi “And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father.” (1 Nephi 19:1) In the preface to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith wrote that the lost 116 pages included his translation of “the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon.” However, in Doctrine and Covenants 10:44, the Lord told Joseph that the lost pages contained “an abridgment of the account of Nephi.” Some critics have argued that these statements are contradictory and therefore somehow provide evidence that Joseph Smith was not a prophet. However, a more careful reading of the Book of Mormon demonstrates that this criticism is invalid. The description of the lost pages as “an abridgment of the account of Nephi” is clearly accurate. Nephi wrote that he made his large plates so that he could “engraven upon them the record of [his] people” (1 Nephi 19:1). The phrase account of Nephi acknowledges Nephi as the principal author and copyist of this portion of the large plates, as well as the maker of those plates. This account of Nephi was later abridged by Mormon, whose abridgment was translated by Joseph Smith; the translation was ultimately lost. At rst, the reference to “the plates of Lehi” appears to be in error. However, although he may not have personally engraved his record upon Nephi’s large plates, Lehi was in a very real sense the rst author of those plates.
    [Show full text]
  • The Secret Mormon Meetings of 1922
    University of Nevada, Reno THE SECRET MORMON MEETINGS OF 1922 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History By Shannon Caldwell Montez C. Elizabeth Raymond, Ph.D. / Thesis Advisor December 2019 Copyright by Shannon Caldwell Montez 2019 All Rights Reserved UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by SHANNON CALDWELL MONTEZ entitled The Secret Mormon Meetings of 1922 be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS C. Elizabeth Raymond, Ph.D., Advisor Cameron B. Strang, Ph.D., Committee Member Greta E. de Jong, Ph.D., Committee Member Erin E. Stiles, Ph.D., Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School December 2019 i Abstract B. H. Roberts presented information to the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January of 1922 that fundamentally challenged the entire premise of their religious beliefs. New research shows that in addition to church leadership, this information was also presented during the neXt few months to a select group of highly educated Mormon men and women outside of church hierarchy. This group represented many aspects of Mormon belief, different areas of eXpertise, and varying approaches to dealing with challenging information. Their stories create a beautiful tapestry of Mormon life in the transition years from polygamy, frontier life, and resistance to statehood, assimilation, and respectability. A study of the people involved illuminates an important, overlooked, underappreciated, and eXciting period of Mormon history.
    [Show full text]
  • Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU Arrington Student Writing Award Winners Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lectures 12-7-2011 Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints Alexander Fronk Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/arrington_stwriting Part of the History of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Fronk, Alexander, "Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints" (2011). Arrington Student Writing Award Winners. Paper 7. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/arrington_stwriting/7 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lectures at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Arrington Student Writing Award Winners by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints Introduction In his lecture, Dr. Francaviglia presents a fascinating framework in which to understand American history and culture, as well as Mormons specifically. Orientalism was defined for the lecture as the assimilation or imitation of that which is oriental in religious or philosophical thought, or in art. Through various mediums, including architectural examples, quotes from Mormons and their detractors, and travel literature, Dr. Francaviglia demonstrates that not only Mormons were compared to Oriental peoples and assigned Oriental traits, but they also actively attributed such traits
    [Show full text]
  • The Mormon Culture of Community and Recruitment
    The Mormon Culture of Community and Recruitment Source:http://www.allaboutmormons.com/IMG/MormonImages/mormon-scriptures/book-of-mormon-many-languages.jpg Thesis by Tofani Grava Wheaton College, Department of Anthropology Spring, 2011 1 Table of Contents Page Chapter I: Introduction 4 Chapter II: Methodology 8 1. Research Phases 8 2. My Informants and Fieldsites 11 3. Ethical Considerations 12 4. Challenges Encountered 13 Chapter III: Literature Review 15 I. Historical Framework 15 II. Theoretical Framework 17 A. Metatheoretical Framework 17 1. Theories of religion and community 17 2. Religious rituals and rites of passage 19 3. Millenarian movements 21 4. Fundamentalism 22 5. Charisma 24 B. The logic of Faith in Christianity in 21st Century America 25 1. The function of American Churches in contemporary 25 American society 28 2. Modern Techniques of membership recruitment 29 3. Religious conversion III. Analyses of Mormonism 31 A. Processes of socialization and the Mormon subculture 31 1. A Family-oriented theology 31 2. Official Mormon religious rhetoric 32 3. The prophetic figure 34 B. Mormon Conversion 35 1. Missionary work and volunteer labor force 35 2. Mormonism as millenarian 37 IV. Online Communities: Theoretical Overview 38 A. Virtual Culture 38 1. The Interaction logic of virtual communities 38 2. The Virtual Self 40 3. The Interpenetration of public and private spheres 42 4. Virtual Communities as instruments for change 43 43 2 Page B. Religion and Technology in Modern America 46 1. A New Religious Landscape 46 2. Religious representation online 49 3. Praising Technology 51 IV. Twenty-First Century Mormonism and the Internet 54 A.
    [Show full text]
  • Of the Bible, 1830-1833: Doctrinal Development During the Kirtland Era
    BYU Studies Quarterly Volume 11 Issue 4 Article 6 10-1-1971 The “New Translation” of the Bible, 1830-1833: Doctrinal Development During the Kirtland Era Robert J. Matthews Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq Recommended Citation Matthews, Robert J. (1971) "The “New Translation” of the Bible, 1830-1833: Doctrinal Development During the Kirtland Era," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 11 : Iss. 4 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol11/iss4/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in BYU Studies Quarterly by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Matthews: The “New Translation” of the Bible, 1830-1833: Doctrinal Develop the new translation of the bible 183018331830 1833 doctrinal development during the kirtland era ROBERT j MATTHEWS before one can recognize the role of the new transla- tion 1 of the bible in the development of doctrine during the kirtland era of church history it is necessary that he first have a historical perspective of the beliefs and practices of the church at various times since its organization in 1830 in addi- tion it is necessary that one know what the new translation of the bible is why the prophet joseph smith made the transla- tion when it was made and how it was made in pursuit of these items this article will attempt to look at the church in the early 1830s and
    [Show full text]
  • What the Bible Says About – Hohohoww Sundaykeepingsundaykeeping Beganbegan
    Family Bible Studies - 15 page 1 What the Bible says about – HoHoHoww SundaykeepingSundaykeeping BeganBegan SCRIPTURE READING: MATTHEW 5:17-48 Sunday is the first day of the week. Saturday is the seventh day of the week. The question in this lesson is Who changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? This is important because the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is commanded by God in the fourth command- ment of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:8-11). Did God give His sanction for the change from the seventh to the first day of the week? 1 - IF THE CHANGE IS VALID, WHO AUTHORIZED IT? Authority for the change should be found in the Bible. Since we are Bible Christians, this goes without saying that it is more authoritative with us than a dictionary is for spelling and definitions. Dictionaries change, but “the Word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). Shall we build on the early Church Fathers? These are such men as Clement, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Some of them lived in the second century and some later. Some theologians try to prove doctrine by quoting these early Church Fathers. Dr. Adam Clarke says in his commentary: “But of these [the Fathers] we may safely state, that there is not a truth in the most orthodox creed that cannot be proved by their authority, nor a heresy that has disgraced the Romish Church, that may not chal- lenge them as its authors. In points of doctrine their authority is, with me, nothing. The Word of God alone contains my creed” (Comment on Proverbs 8).
    [Show full text]
  • Perspectives on the Restored Gospel
    Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel Volume 13 Number 3 Article 14 9-2012 Full Issue Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re BYU ScholarsArchive Citation "Full Issue." Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel 13, no. 3 (2012). https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re/vol13/iss3/14 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. TH E R EL i vol. 13 no. 3 · 2012 G iou S A Century of Seminary E D u Sacred Learning cat o Breathing Life into a Dead Class R perspectives oN THE rest oRED GoSPEL InsIde ThIs Issue: • P erspect How to Survive in Enemy Territory President Boyd K. Packer i ves A Century of Seminary o N Casey Paul Griffiths THE Sacred Learning R est Elder Kevin J Worthen o RED Teaching the Four Gospels: Five Considerations Gaye Strathearn Go SPEL Jesus Christ and the Feast of Tabernacles Ryan S. Gardner RELIGIOUS STUDIES CENTER • BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY The Savior’s Teachings on Discipleship during His Final Trek to Jerusalem Casey W. Olson Paul and James on Faith and Works Mark D. Ellison Belief in a Promise: The Power of Faith Jeffrey W. Carter Religious Educator Articles Related to the New Testament Terry F. Calton Breathing Life into a Dead Class Lloyd D. Newell Covenants, Sacraments, and Vows: The Active Pathway to Mercy Peter B.
    [Show full text]
  • Articles of the Church of Christ” in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants
    An Examination of the 829 “Articles of the Church of Christ” in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants Scott H. Faulring he 829 “Articles of the Church of Christ” is a little-known anteced- Tent to section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This article explores Joseph Smith’s and Oliver Cowdery’s involvement in bringing forth these two documents that were important in laying the foundation for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Section 20 was originally labeled the “Articles and Covenants.” It was the first revelation canonized by the restored Church and the most lengthy revelation given before the first priesthood conference was held in June 830. Scriptural commentators in recent years have described the inspired set of instructions in section 20 as “a constitution for the restored church.”1 In many respects, the Articles and Covenants was the Church’s earliest General Handbook of Instructions. Although Latter-day Saints typically associate the Articles and Covenants with the organization of the Church on April 6, 830, this regulatory document had roots in earlier events: in the earliest latter-day revelations, in statements on Church ordinances and organization from the Book of Mormon, and in the preliminary set of Articles written by Oliver Cowdery in the last half of 829. This article will review those early revelations to show how the organi- zation of the Church was prophetically foreshadowed and instituted. It will then identify certain prescriptions in the Book of Mormon that influenced the steps taken and pronouncements issued as the Church was organized on April 6, 830.
    [Show full text]
  • How Important Was It to Moroni That
    KnoWhy #356 August 23, 2017 Book of Mormon Stillife via Book of Mormon Central How Important Was It to Moroni that We Pray about the Book of Mormon? “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” Moroni 10:4–5 space to write “but few things” at the end of his father’s Context and Content record (Mormon 8:1–5). He exhorts those who do not After his father’s death, Moroni wandered alone for believe in Christ to not deny the revelations and mir- sixteen years (385–401 AD) before beginning to finish acles of God (Mormon 9:1–20). He declares that God Mormon’s record (Mormon 8:6). By the time the final has given a promise “unto all” that those who believe in statements of Moroni 10 were written, Moroni had been 1 Christ can ask the Father about these things, or about wandering for thirty-six years (385–421 AD). During anything, and “it shall be granted him” (Mormon 9:21). this time, we may suppose, Moroni had the opportunity to learn to hear the voice of the Spirit and develop his Perhaps because he lived longer than he expected, Mo- relationship with God.
    [Show full text]
  • Mormon Classification Schedules
    Mormon Classification Schedules Harold B. Lee Library Provo, Utah Revised 2019 Devised by Naoma Rich and Chad Flake From the work of Robert Divett Enlarged and edited by the Committee on Mormon Classification of the Utah Library Association, 1959 Modified for use with the Library of Congress Classification Schedules at Brigham Young University, 1977 Revised, reformatted, and with a new index by Dale Swensen, 1997 Updated by Dale Swensen, 2009 Updated by Kayla Willey, 2013 Updated by Kayla Willey, 2019 First published 1959 Second edition 1962 Revised and reformatted with new index 1997 Updated 2009 Updated 2013 Updated 2019 CONTENTS Preface ............................................................................................................................................. v Synopsis ........................................................................................................................................ vii Outline ........................................................................................................................................... ix BX8600 (Mormon Church) ..............................................................................................................1 Index to BX8600+ ..........................................................................................................................31 Index to Mormon Sects ..................................................................................................................38 Appendix 1: BYU Policy on classification of biography,
    [Show full text]