“The Center Place for Latter Day Saint Histor y”™
www.JWHA.info
JWHA Newsletter
The John Whitmer Historical Association • No. 81 • 3rd-4th Quarters 2007
Announcing Two Calls for Papers!
Our Traditional Fall History Conference
September 25-28, 2008
in Voree (Burlington), Wisconsin
“
1844–1859:
A Time of Transition
Our New Spring Theology, Religious and
Cultural Studies Symposium
April 11-12, 2007 in Independence, Missouri
”“
The 36th Annual History Conference of the John Whitmer
Historical Association will be held near Voree (Burlington),
Wisconsin. The program committee invites scholars, students,
researchers and enthusiasts to submit proposals for papers or
panels focussing on the critical period in the Latter Day Saint
movement that followed the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr.
As always, submissions on any subject relating to Latter Day
Saint history are welcome.
Send a brief proposal and vita to: proposals@ JWHA.info
Restoration Studies
& Sunstone Midwest
”
The first annual theology, religous and cultural studies
symposium of the John Whitmer Historical Association will be
held in Independence, Missouri this spring. The symposium will
be co-sponsored by Sunstone as “Sunstone Midwest” and by
the Community of Christ Seminary. The symposium program
committee invites you submit proposals for papers and panels
dealing with Restoration theology, religious and cultural studies.
Submit your proposals with a vita to:
proposals@RestorationStudies.org
Courtesy Community of Christ Library-Archives
Deadline for submissions is February 29, 2008
Deadline for submissions is December 17, 2007
Page The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
JWHA 2008 Presidential Message
E
very October, I find myself distracted by
the incredible scenery of the gardens outside the visitor center windows. The view
is a wonderful obsession—a beautiful blue sky, the
changing colors of the trees, and the fallen leaves
that coat the grounds surrounding Kirtland Temple.
As I hear the quiet rustling of the leaves from visitors
passing by, I find it difficult to believe that only a few
weeks ago the grounds were filled with eager scholars, history enthusiasts, and lifelong students diving
into the stories of the communal experiments among
Latter Day Saints and other American groups. What
a pleasure it was to see Kirtland Temple return to its
original purpose as a house of learning.
evolving theology and philosophy of the Latter Day
Saint movement. Recognizing that the Restoration
story is much more than ninteenth-century history,
we welcome theologians and philosophers into the
JWHA community. In years to come, this annual
symposium will not only give our organization the
opportunity to expand the scope and depth of the
Latter Day Saint story, it will be a stimulating opportunity to expand our publications to include articles
on theology. The JWHA Board is continuing to
discuss the endless opportunities in bridge building
among the history and theology communities, including a rebirth of the journal Restoration Studies.
As we continue to plan for the 2008 Spring Symposium and September conference in Voree, I would
like to challenge each member to take a personal step
towards increasing their financial investment in the
John Whitmer Historical Association. Please consider
renewing your membership as a patron or sustaining
member of JWHA. A small increase in membership
dues helps financially support John Whitmer Books,
expand the publicity and promotion of our vibrant
organization, and strengthen the sustainability of
JWHA. Besides enhancing the mission and purpose
of the John Whitmer Historical Association, your
increased membership will encourage the scholarly
exploration of a movement that continues to touch
the lives of millions throughout the world. Patron
and sustaining members insure that the pursuit of
honest and open history will progress long into the
future. Please consider joining the sustaining and
patron family—a community that is committed to
building a financial foundation for JWHA that will
continue to challenge scholars of Latter Day Saint
history, promote a broader understanding of the
Restoration story, and provide a stimulating enviRest assured the JWHA Board and members will
ronment for the discussion of Latter Day Saint hisnot grow idle between conferences. Jeanne Murtory and thought.
phey and Bill Russell have begun planning a new
annual Spring Symposium in partnership with Com—Barbara Walden
munity of Christ Seminary and Sunstone. Entitled
JWHA President
“Restoration Studies/Sunstone Midwest,” the
Kirtland, Ohio
symposium will give our members an opportunity
October 2007
to expand their interests outside of history into the
Although the attendees have long since departed
Kirtland, the intellectual thrill and excitement of the
conference has not ended. John Whitmer Historical
Association is continuing to challenge traditional interpretations of Latter Day Saint history and thought
with the release of a number of new books through
our John Whitmer Books imprint. Members of the
JWHA publication committee have worked tirelessly to produce a number of publications that are
as stimulating and diverse as our membership. Kirtland conference attendees were among the first to
explore Scattering of the Saints: Schism within Mormonism, a collection of original essays discussing the
various avenues and people of the Latter Day Saint
movement. Our John Whitmer Books publications
range from illustrated histories of the first Latter Day
Saint communities to the individual stories of Emma
Smith, Martin Harris, and various dissenters from
a shared past. I would encourage each member to
check out JohnWhitmerBooks.com to learn more
about our latest books and upcoming publications.
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Page Announcing a New Spring Symposium
A
fter enjoying a recent JWHA Conference,
one long-time member commented how
much he had enjoyed the experience, and
how unfortunate it is that the association only comes
together once a year. This year the Board voted to
change that. Building upon our Spring Banquet
Series and our long-defunct Spring Lecture Series
(held in Lamoni in the 1980s), JWHA will initiate
an annual Spring Theology, Cultural and Religious
Studies Symposium. Entitled the “Restoration
Studies Symposium,” it will be co-sponsored by
the Community of Christ Seminary and held at the
Graceland University Independence Campus on
April 11-12, 2008. The Utah-based Sunstone Educational Foundation, which promotes theological,
religious and cultural studies of Mormonism, will
also co-sponsor the symposium as “Sunstone Midwest.” JWHA members who have never been able
to attend Sunstone’s annual August symposium in
Salt Lake City will now be able to have that experience in the Midwest.
Why hold a theology, cultural and religious studies
symposium? “Mountain Saints” have long had independent forums to explore cultural and religious
ideas. Whereas JWHA has long been the “Prairie
Saint” equivalent of the Mormon History Association (MHA), there is no Missouri-based equivalent
of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought or
Sunstone. Because our focus is history, the program
committees for our September conferences and the
editor of our Journal frequently have to turn down
proposals or articles that are more theological than
historical in nature. Unfortunately, if JWHA rejects
them, there is currently no alternate forum to send
these important ideas to.
Initially, the Restoration Studies/Sunstone Midwest
Symposium will be the same size JWHA’s September
conferences were in the old days: A plenary session
on Friday night followed by a day of sessions (some
plenary and some concurrent) on Saturday. If the
Symposium proves successful, we hope to build on
it and expand it to the size of our September conferences (i.e., Thursday evening through Sunday morning). We are also hopeful that Sunstone’s cosponsor-
A mockup for a proposed new volume of the journal, Restoration Studies.
ship will help build additional connections among
different Latter Day Saint groups, as we have done
so successfully with our September conferences.
In addition to the Symposium, we hope to create a
space to publish theological, religious and cultural
studies by reviving the journal Restoration Studies.
Originally published irregularly by the Community
of Christ Temple School, Restoration Studies has
held an incredibly important role in the development of Community of Christ thought. If JWHA
secures final approval from the church and locates an
appropriate editor, our hope is to begin to publish
Restoration Studies again as an annual, using content
created for the Symposium in the same way that the
JWHA Journal publishes content presented at our
September conferences.
Page The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
Photo courtesy of Lyle Anderson
The Kirtland Temple itself provided a moving venue for a number of the conference’s sessions. Above, Ron Romig discusses
the Community of Christ concept of community. Also on the panel (left to right) Lyman Tower Sargent, P. Warner Woodworth and Larry Foster.
Kirtland Conference Exceeds Expectations
W
e recently completed our 35th Annual Conference, which was held in and
around Kirtland Temple, at the newly
dedicated Kirtland Temple Visitor Center, and at the
nearby Community of Christ chapel. The topic of
the conference was “Communal Experiments among
Latter Day Saints and Other American Groups,” and
it was co-sponsored by the Communal Studies Association (CSA), which studies communalism among
Mormons and other groups, religious or secular.
Many JWHA members commented that they enjoyed CSA traditions including the opening night
introductions, the auction, the hospitality room and
the snacks between sessions. The total number of
registered attendees was 219, consisting of 136 who
registered through JWHA and 83 who registered
through CSA.
Highlights of the conference included a plenary address by Martha Bradley of the University of Utah
entitled “Joseph Smith, the Temple and the ImagAlthough JWHA had attempted a joint conference ined Space of Zion.” David Howlett explained
once in 1995 before with mixed results, the expe- how three separate Latter Day Saint groups—the
rience this year was an unqualified success. CSA LDS church, the Community of Christ and the
is similar in size to JWHA and the members and Restorationists—use the act of pilgrimage to Kirtpresentations of both organizations mixed well. land Temple to construct their divergent identities.
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
The presidential address was given by Alex Baugh
who outlined the final chapter of Mormon history
in 1830s Missouri—the imprisonment and escape
of apostle Parley P. Pratt and his comrades. After
the address, Baugh passed the presidential gavel
to Barbara Walden, Director of Kirtland Temple,
initiating her one-year term as JWHA president. At
the annual business meeting, Bill Shepard, Strangite Properties Trustee, was elected JWHA’s President-Elect. Bill Russell and Jeanne Murphey were
re-elected to the JWHA Board and David Howlett
was elected to fill the seat vacated by Bill Shepard.
Newell Bringhurst became Nominations Committee Chair. Jean Addams, David August, Eric
Rogers and Jason Smith were elected to serve on
the committee.
Page published by Greg Kofford Books. Jan Shipps was
presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award,
which is presented to scholars who have devoted
their lives to the study of Latter Day Saint history.
Only four scholars have previously been presented
this honor by the association: Leonard Arrington,
Richard Howard, Alma Blair and Paul Edwards.
Having received a standing ovation, Shipps told the
audience that she considered the award “the most
important honor I have ever received.”
The best article award also went to David Howlett
for “‘The Making of a Steward’: Zion, Ecclesiastical Power, and RLDS Bodies, 1923-31,” which
appeared in last year’s Journal of Mormon History,
Vol. 32, No. 2. The JWHA Smith-Pettit Foundation Best Book Award was given to Brian Hales
for Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism: The Generations after the Manifesto, which is
The conference concluded with a special hymn
festival in the lower court of Kirtland Temple itself.
Arranged and conducted by Richard Clothier, the
festival celebrated the hymns of communal groups
including the Shakers, the Hutterites, the Amana
Society, the Amish, the Harmonists, the Ephrata
Cloister, the Moravians and the Latter Day Saints.
At the conclusion, those assembled sang “The Spirit
of God Like a Fire Is Burning,” resulting in an outpouring of emotions and energy that left many in
the congregation in joyful tears. Debra Marsh, a
graduate student at the University of Utah, commented that the festival had been one of the most
moving spiritual experiences of her life.
Jan Shipps was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award
by Bill Russell. JWHA has only previously bestowed this
honor on four other individuals.
Immediately after receiving the presidential gavel, Barb
Walden presented a plaque of appreciation to outgoing
JWHA President Alex Baugh.
Page The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
Why I Enjoyed the Kirtland Conference
By David King Landrith
David King Landrith is a new member who attended
JWHA’s annual conference for the first time last
month. His assessment, reprinted here, was first posted
on the popular blog MormonMentality.org.
A
ttending the John Whitmer Historical Association 2007 Annual Conference was
an amazing experience. It was held in and
around the Kirtland Temple, and working in the
shadow of that building for two days gave me a new
appreciation for the beautiful and elegant presence
of the Kirtland Temple.
I’ve now been to two Mormon History Association
(MHA) conferences and one JWHA conference.
Though MHA has exceptional conferences, I like
the JWHA conference better. I’ll continue to attend
both so far as my schedule allows, but if I have to
choose between them, I’ll choose the JWHA. I’ve
decided to divide my roundup into two sections:
reasons why I like the JWHA conference in general,
and specific highlights of this 2007 conference in
Kirtland.
Why I Liked the JWHA Conference
·There is a hospitality suite each evening where
conference-goers can get together and socialize.
This made the conference much more enjoyable,
and thanks to the presence of the Communal
Studies Association (which is a non-Mormon
group), there was beer and wine there. I don’t
drink, but I am always more comfortable in
environments where people are drinking. Spirits
were high, and it gave participants an opportunity to relax and just enjoy being there. I hope
they have the same setup next year (alcohol
included), even though the Communal Studies
Association won’t be there.
·The breaks between sessions are longer (30
minutes). This meant that between-meeting
socializing (which often give rise to impromptu
mini-sessions) were easy to participate in and
less hurried.
·The paper presentation sessions are longer (90
minutes). This allows more time for questions
from the audience. The Q&A sessions that followed the presentation of papers were usually
just as informative as the papers themselves.
·The time allotted to each presenter to read their
paper is somewhat longer (25 minutes). This
length seems about right to me, because it allows a good deal of depth while not taxing the
audience.
·There are no responders to papers. At first, I
thought this was odd. But by the end of the
conference, I decided that this was a wise choice.
At other conferences I’ve attended, the best responses were the ones that kept to five or seven
minutes, and too many of the responders ended
up writing their own paper on the topic and eating up all the Q&A time.
·There are fewer concurrent sessions, but there
are just as many Mormon history heavyweights
in attendance. This means that one is quite likely
to see several major scholars in any given session,
and their contributions to the Q&A portion of
the session add substantially to its overall quality. For example, in the session on the Carthage
mob, Ron Esplin was in the audience and
fielded questions about alleged conspiracies
surrounding Joseph’s martyrdom, and in the
session on Charles Anthon, Dan Vogel was in
the audience and described historical evidence
that the current “Caractors manuscript” in the
Community of Christ archives is (a) genuine,
and (b) incomplete. Ron Romig was also in
that audience, and was able to clarify that since
the Hoffman affair, the Community of Christ
has refrained from calling the “Caractors manuscript” by the name “the Anthon transcript.”
·The crowd seems to represent a better mix of
ages.
·The papers seem to be more candid in general.
Even some of the very good papers presented
at the MHA occasionally contain some residual
trace of apologetics when they discuss the more
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
controversial areas of history. I saw none of this
at the JWHA.
·Beverages and snacks are available in a common
area throughout the entire conference.
·Sharing the enthusiasm for our heritage with
members of non-LDS Latter Day Saint denominations increased my appreciation for its richness. There were apostles from three Restoration churches in attendance. My understanding
is that this is not unusual.
Not all of these are a big deal by themselves, but all
of them together combined to give the conference
a very engaging and friendly feeling.
Highlights of the 2007 Conference
In no particular order, these were the things I especially enjoyed about this year’s conference:
·Getting a private, in-depth tour of the Kirtland
Temple by Lachlan Mackay along with Jason
Smith, Tom Kimball, Steven Shields, and David Howlett. This totally blew me away. I left
with a much deeper recognition of the Kirtland
Temple as a sacred space.
·Mark Staker’s pre-conference tour of the Kirtland, Hiram, and Painesville historic areas. Mark
is the foremost expert on the Kirtland era.
·Staying up until 2:00am talking with Dan and
Margie Vogel and Brent Metcalfe. Dan has a
seemingly boundless knowledge of all things
relating to Mormon history, and Brent has one
of the most vigorous and energetic minds I’ve
encountered (in this respect, he reminds me of
Dennis Potter).
·Sitting next to Tom Kimball during the opening banquet and shooting the breeze with him
at the hospitality suite at night and in the book
room between sessions. Tom has an exhaustive
knowledge of Mormon studies literature and is
an all-round great guy.
·Meeting Robin Jensen, a bright and engaging
scholar involved with the Joseph Smith Papers
project, and Craig Foster, a researcher with
the LDS Family History Center. We discussed
Mormon studies authors, church history, blogging, and life at the church archives — which,
by the way, is quite a bit different than what one
might expect from reading about Dale Morgan’s
Page attempts to get documents out of it; it’s both
more professional and more open.
·Talking with Newell Bringhurst at the hospitality suite and around the conference. Wherever
Newell goes, he’s among the friendliest people
there. Plus, I share his passion for Fawn Brodie.
·Seeing John Hamer and Mike Karpowicz.
They proved to be great hosts in addition to
being great organizers. In spite of the fact that
running such an amazing conference kept them
unimaginably busy, they always seemed to have
a moment to talk or just to say hello.
·David Howlett’s outstanding paper at the Friday
night banquet, entitled “Pilgrimage to Kirtland
Temple: Cooperation and Contestation among
Latter Day Saint Denominations.” David is an
up-and-coming Community of Christ scholar,
and his paper was both profound and informative. It was interesting to realize that Kirtland
Temple is among the few contested pilgrimage
sites in North America.
·The session on polygamy was awesome. Among
the panelists were Brian Hales and Joseph Lyman Jessop. Brian’s recent book, Mormon Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism: The Generations after the Manifesto won the top book
award at the conference. Joseph is the grandson
of the Owen Allred who led the Allred fundamentalist Mormon group.
What’s next?
Next year’s JWHA conference will be held September 25-28, 2008 in Voree, Wisconsin (near Burlington), the site of the headquarters of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). Also,
the president-elect of the JWHA, Bill Shepard, is
one of five high priests in the Strangite church. He’s
a really great guy, and I was fascinated to learn from
him about James J. Strang’s Christology, which is
quite remarkable. I’m not an expert on Restorationist Christology, but it struck me as different from
the other Restoration Christologies that I’m familiar
with, and yet it retained a definite late-Nauvoo Restorationist flavor. If you can, you should set aside the
time to attend next year’s conference. You’ll have a
blast, and you’ll come away educated and edified.
Page The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
Excitement Builds for Voree Conference
N
ext year will be the first time JWHA has held
its conference at Voree (which is located
in present-day Burlington, Wisconsin). A
Latter Day Saint stake was established at Voree in
1844 by James J. Strang, prophet of the Great Lakes
Mormons. The town became a Mormon gathering
place and was headquarters of Strang’s organization
until he relocated to Beaver Island in 1850. Sites at
Voree include the “Hill of Promise,” where four witnesses uncovered a set of brass plates which Strang
translated, reporting them to be the record of “Rajah Manchou of Vorito.” Strang also dedicated the
ground for the construction of a temple (see plan
below). After being mortally wounded on Beaver
Island in 1856, Strang returned to Voree where he
died. He is now buried in nearby Burlington.
rience that followed the martyrdom of Joseph Smith,
Jr. JWHA’s President-Elect and Program Committee Chair is Bill Shepard, Wingfield Watson Trustee
of Strangite historic properties in Burlington. He
and his committee invite you to submit proposals
for papers, panels or whole sessions, along with accompanying vitas to proposals@JWHA.info.
Much more of Voree remains than Far West or
Adam-ondi-Ahman, Missouri, and yet few of our
members have actually visited the site. In addition
to the temple quarry, three stone homes from the
Mormon era remain intact, including Strang’s. The
area includes a pioneer Mormon cemetery, a traditional Strangite church as well as the newer church
which houses the last active Strangite Mormon congregation.
The topic of the Voree Conference will be “18441859: A Time of Transition.” We will be exploring
the incredible diversity of the Latter Day Saint expe-
Plan of the Voree Temple, printed by James Strang in the
Gospel Herald, Vol. 2, No. 31 (October 21, 1847):135.
A JWHA “Aero-Tour” of Beaver Island...
I
f there is sufficient interest, JWHA plans to
offer a post-conference tour of Beaver Island.
Immediately after the Sunday devotional in
Voree, members would board chartered airplanes
and fly from Burlington, Wisconsin, to the remote
island made famous as James Strang’s Kingdom.
Having viewed the island by air, the group will next
see all the sites close up. Bill Cashman, President
of the Beaver Island Historical Society will lead a
4-hour bus tour of the island, visiting the site of the
Tabernacle, Font Lake, farmsteads established in the
Mormon era, the 1858 lighthouse and more. The
tour will conclude at the Mormon Print House in St.
James, built in 1850. The group will stay overnight,
flying back to Burlington early Monday morning.
The “Aero-Tour” will be an add-on which may only
include 10-20 people. Executive Director Mike
Karpowicz is getting competing bids for chartering
planes, but he cautions interested members that it
will not be cheap. Details will follow and interested
members will need to put down a deposit in advance
in order to reserve a set on the plane. That said,
this is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
tour the this important but remote Mormon history
location with the experts.
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Page JWHA Board Creates Naming Committee
I
n response to the proposal to change the association’s name, the Board appointed Jeanne
Murphey (recent Chair of the Bylaws Committee) to chair a Naming Committee. The naming committee has been charged with conducting
a survey of the membership and with gathering the
input of professionals. (For example, the association
has identified a goal of expanding circulation of the
JWHA Journal into many, many more libraries. Do
librarians view a name change as positive, in better
defining our identity, or as negative, in making the
Journal harder to locate on the shelf.)
The Naming Committee will evaluate our current
brand identity and consider the pluses and minuses
of different potential alternate terms and names and
will author a full report of its findings. Jeanne told
the membership at the JWHA Business Meeting in
September that she expected the conversations and
explorations to take up to two years. At the end
of that period, the Committee would present a recommendation to the Board which would bring the
recommendation to the membership at a Businness
Meeting for action.
The Project to Digitize the JWHA Journal
I
n the past few years our sister associations
have digitized The Journal of Mormon History
and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.
The electronic formats of the complete run of both
journals have been offered for sale on DVD-ROM,
creating an incredibly useful tool to scholars.
We hope to complete the same process for the John
Whitmer Historical Association Journal by next year’s
conference. If possible, we would also like to include
the complete contents of Courage: A Journal of History, Thought and Action, and Restoration Studies on
the same DVD-ROM—allowing new scholars to access the important essays all three journals contain.
Because of the print-on-demand process JWHA has
developed for John Whitmer Books, the production
of electronic files for all of these journals will have an
additional benefit: we will be able to begin offering
new runs of volumes that have gone out-of-print.
Volumes 1-4 of the JWHA Journal are already out
of print and the first run of Volumes 5-6 will soon
be gone. When the electronic files are made, John
Whitmer Books will be able to reprint these first six
journals, most in likely in two books (Vols. 1-3 and
Vols. 4-6). The reprints will allow us to sell complete
sets of the Journal again.
Our hope is to offer these complete sets to additional libraries in order to allow the ideas and articles
contained in them to be much more broadly disseminated.
The most recent two issues of the JWHA Journal were
produced using the print-on-demand process developed for
John Whitmer Books. This saved the association the cost of
printing additional copies and then the cost of warehousing
additional copies. In addition, new copies—identical to the
first print run—can be printed at will.
Page 10
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
John Whitmer Books Update
T
he purpose of JWHA is to promote the
study of the history of the Latter Day
Saint movement. The association has
traditionally encouraged research through its annual conference and the publication of the JWHA
Journal. The association had also published three
monographs prior to 2005. In that year, the board
voted to publish its fourth monograph as a book by
creating a “John Whitmer Books” imprint.
Although the quality of the first book was excellent—Matthew Bolton’s Apostle of the Poor has
received a great deal of praise—at the moment of its
publication, the association had not yet developed
any of the apparatus of publishing company. It has
taken us two years to catch up with our ambitions,
but we can now proudly report progress on the John
Whitmer Books imprint. Earlier this year, the board
approved funding for new titles: the startup cost for
each is paid for as a loan from the JWHA Endowment Fund, which will be repaid with proceeds from
the sale of the books. We are excited to announce
that three new titles have already been printed and
are available for purchase. The manuscripts of three
more are completed and they will be available by the
end of the year.
Our first two books have already covered costs and
are making profits. Our next major task will be to
improve our distribution system so that books get
into the hands of as many readers as possible.
Do you have a manuscript you would like to see us
publish? Billie Young and the Publications Committee invite you to submit your proposals. Email
Billie at bgwy@msn.com.
NEWELL G. BRINGHURST and JOHN C. HAMER, EDITORS
Scattering of the Saints
Schism within Mormonism
This fascinating volume contains sixteen original essays on different expressions of the Latter Day Saint movement that have
emerged since Joseph Smith organized his church in 1830.
Included are groups which trace their path through Sidney
Rigdon, James J. Strang, Alpheus Cutler or Granville Hedrick.
Also included are historic (no longer extant) branches of the
movement that were led by David Whitmer, William Smith and
Amasa Lyman. Finally, Scattering of the Saints outlines the history of fundamentalist Mormonism and recent schisms within
the Reorganized Latter Day Saint tradition. The volume includes a preface by STEVEN L. SHIELDS and an afterword by
ROGER D. LAUNIUS.
347 pages
35 original maps and charts
$24.95 paperback
NEWELL G. BRINGHURST is emeritus professor of history at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, CA. He is the author or editor of numerous
books, including: Saints, Slaves and Blacks, Excavating Mormon Pasts: The
New Historiography of the Last Half Century, and Reconsidering No Man
Knows My History. Newell is a past president of the Mormon History Association and JWHA.
JOHN C. HAMER is executive director of JWHA and author of Northeast
of Eden: An Atlas of Missouri’s Mormon County.
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Page 11
RON ROMIG, EDITOR
Emma’s Nauvoo
Emma Smith lived in Nauvoo, Illinois for nearly forty years. This
unique documentary history allows the reader to experience the
life of Emma and her family after her husband’s martyrdom—as
viewed through the eyes of her neighbors and associates. In the
years following the Saints’ exodus, Mormonism’s “Elect Lady”
earned the universal love and respect of her new “Gentile”
neighbors.
Emma’s Nauvoo is a rich compilation of contemporary letters,
interviews and newspaper accounts that narrate the many roles
Emma assumed. Not only was she mother of an American religious tradition, she was mother to four boys and an adopted
daughter. She became wife of a second husband, Major Lewis
Bidamon, from 1847 to 1879. She was the proprietor of the
Nauvoo Mansion boarding house and a charitable member of
the Nauvoo community.
RON ROMIG is Archivist for Community of Christ. Ron has devoted a lifetime of study to the rich documents underpinning the history of the Latter
Day Saint movement. Ron is a past president of JWHA. He has published
many articles in the Journal of Mormon History, the JWHA Journal, Mormon
Historic Studies, Restoration Studies and other academic journals.
89 pages
$9.95 paperback
RON ROMIG, EDITOR
Martin Harris’s Kirtland
Kirtland, Ohio, was the first major gathering place in early Mormonism and it is home to the first Mormon temple. Although
most of the Latter Day Saints left in 1837, a small congregation
remained, including none other than Martin Harris.
Martin Harris was one of the first converts to Mormonism. He
acted as one of Joseph Smith’s scribes during the translation of
the Book of Mormon and mortgaged his own farm to pay for
the book’s publication. His testimony as one of the THREE WITNESSES has been printed in every edition of the book.
This documentary history follows the life of Martin Harris and
explores the history of the temple and the Saints who remained
in Kirtland through contemporary letters, journals, interviews
and newspaper accounts.
108 pages
$9.95 paperback
Page 12
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
BARBARA WALDEN and LACHLAN MACKAY
House of the Lord
The Story of Kirtland Temple
A National Historic Landmark, Kirtland Temple is the first temple
built by the early Latter Day Saints and the only one completed in
the life of Mormon founder Joseph Smith. In this richly illustrated
guide, the story of the temple is told by two of the people who
know it best.
The early Saints made deep sacrifices to build this beautiful structure, only to be forced to abandon it a few years later. Today Kirtland Temple receives tens of thousands of visitors each year—both
the faithful and the curious. House of the Lord is a full-color guide
to the temple, including the photography of VAL BRINKERHOFF as
well as diagrams and maps by JOHN C. HAMER.
50 FULL COLOR pages
$9.95 paperback
Forthcoming
BARBARA WALDEN is the Director of Kirtland Temple and 2007-08 President of the John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA).
LACHLAN MACKAY is Director of Historic Sites for the Community of Christ,
which owns and operates Kirtland Temple.
WILLIAM D. RUSSELL, EDITOR
Homosexual Saints
The Community of Christ Experience
Members of Community of Christ (formerly the RLDS church)
have polarized opinions concerning the status of their fellow members who are homosexual. The two major issues are priesthood
ordination (in a predominantly lay church) and whether the church
will perform same-sex weddings or blessings.
Homosexual Saints explores these issues with twenty-four narratives that explain the experience of gay and lesbian members of
Community of Christ, as well as the experiences of their family
members and supporters.
The volume includes a detailed history of the status of homosexuals in the church since 1954 and a preface by celebrated Mormon
historian D. MICHAEL QUINN.
230 pages
$19.95 paperback
Forthcoming
WILLIAM D. RUSSELL is professor emeritus of history, Graceland University.
Russell is a long-time social activist, advocating civil rights for all. He was a cofounder of the John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA) and of Courage:
A Journal of History, Thought and Action. Russell is the author of numerous
scholarly articles and a forthcoming book on the history of recent schisms in the
Reorganized Latter Day Saint community.
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Page 13
W.B. “PAT” SPILLMAN, EDITOR
Let Contention Cease
The Dynamics of Dissent in the Reorganized Latter Day Saint Tradition
The radical transformation of the conservative, parochial Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints into the progressive, international Community of Christ was not unaccompanied
by dissent and conflict. In their groundbreaking 1991 collection of
articles, Let Contention Cease, W.B. “Pat” Spillman and Roger D.
Launius explored and explained the dynamics of dissent within the
RLDS church.
Nearly twenty years later, the work remains the standard reference
book on the topic. Now Spillman has returned to the subject in
order to publish an updated edition of Let Contention Cease.
W.B. “PAT” SPILLMAN is an adjunct professor of history and economics at
Graceland University and the editor of the John Whitmer Historical Association
Journal. He has published numerous articles in that journal and others including
Dialogue, The Journal of Mormon History, Restoration Studies and Courage.
208 pages
$19.95 paperback
Forthcoming
MATTHEW BOLTON
Apostle of the Poor
The Life and Work of Missionary and Humanitarian Charles D.
Neff
From humble beginnings as a Midwestern American farmboy,
Charles D. Neff went on to participate in the fundamental transformation of the Community of Christ—from a small provincial sect
centered in the Midwestern plains to a worldwide church spanning
over 50 nations. Neff’s missionary work in Japan, South Korea, the
Philippines, India, Nigeria, Liberia, and Kenya challenged him to
rethink the church’s theology—opening it to the voices of other
cultures—and confronted him with the horrific realities of massive
poverty. In response, he dedicated his life to bringing relief, release
and dignity to the world’s poor.
This acclaimed biography records Neff’s story in vivid detail, shedding new light on this important chapter in RLDS history.
MATTHEW BOLTON is a PhD candidate in government at the London School
of Economics and Political Science. Matthew grew up in very multicultural surroundings that instilled in him a fascination with the world and its peoples, which
has guided his life and work ever since. Matthew has worked on five continents
for several international humanitarian agencies, including Outreach International
(which Charles Neff founded).
189 pages
$14.95 paperback
Page 14
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
JWHA Membership Renewal Form
If a notice to renew your membership appears above your name and mailing
address of this newsletter (see page 16), please take this opportunity to renew
your membership in the John Whitmer Historical Association and also your
membership in the Mormon History Association.
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone
E-Mail
Spouse
(List if your spouse is registering for a Spouse Membership)
Membership Levels
JWHA’s Bylaws provide for Sustaining, Patron and
Lifetime Memberships for members who wish to
make an additional tax-deductable contribution to
the association.
Regular Membership — Full Membership in the
organization with a subscription to the quarterly
newsletter and annual journal and full voting rights at
the annual meeting.
Spouse Membership — Same as above except that
the spouse shares the subscriptions.
Student Membership — Full Membership is offered
at a reduced rate to encourage students to join the
association.
Sustaining Membership — Sustaining Members are
full members who provide an extra donation to help
sustain the association’s important initiatives and
programs.
Patron Membership — Patron Members are helping
JWHA with its long-term goals of growth and
increased professionalism.
Lifetime Membership — Through a one-time-only
generous donation, a Lifetime Member’s name is
permanently updated on JWHA’s membership rolls.
JWHA thanks you for supporting the association
through the gift of an upgraded membership!
JWHA Membership
New Member:
Renewing Member:
Regular Membership
Spouse of Member
Student Membership
Sustaining Membership
Patron Membership
Lifetime Membership
Please add postage for
Foreign Membership
$30.00
+10.00
17.50
75.00
200.00
1,000.00
+10.00
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
MHA Membership
New Member:
Renewing Member:
Regular Membership
Spouse of Member
Student Membership
Institutional Membership
Sustaining Membership
Patron Membership
Donor Membership
Please add postage for
Foreign Membership
$45.00
+10.00
20.00
55.00
125.00
250.00
500.00
+10.00
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
JWHA Subtotal
MHA Subtotal
Less $5.00 for combined
JWHA & MHA membership
$
$
Membership Total
$
Total amount enclosed
$
– $5.00
Make checks payable to JWHA and send them to:
�
John Whitmer Historical Association
1710 South Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4781
Newsletter No. 81
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Page 15
John Whitmer Books Order Form
John Whitmer Books
Check each box to indicate the books you would like to order and total the cost:
The following titles are currently on
hand, allow two weeks for shipping.
Apostle of the Poor ($18)
Emma’s Nauvoo ($13)
Martin Harris’s Kirtland ($13)
Scattering of the Saints ($28)
PRE-ORDER from these titles and we will ship
them to you the moment they are printed.
Homosexual Saints ($23)
House of the Lord ($13)
Illustrated History of Nauvoo ($23)
Let Contention Cease ($23)
Books Subtotal: $
JWHA Journal
Check each box to indicate the Journals you would like to order and total the cost. (Listed costs include shipping.)
Vol. 4 ($15)
Vol. 5 ($15)
Vol. 6 ($15)
Vol. 7 ($10)
Vol. 8 ($10)
Vol. 9 ($10)
Vol. 10 ($10)
Vol. 11 ($10)
Vol. 12 ($10)
Vol. 13 ($10)
Vol. 14 ($10)
Vol. 15 ($10)
Vol. 16 ($10)
Vol. 17 ($10)
Vol. 18 ($10)
Vol. 19 ($10)
Vol. 20 ($10)
Vol. 21 ($15)
Vol. 22 ($15)
Vol. 23 ($15)
Nauvoo ($20)
Vol. 24 ($20)
Vol. 25 ($20)
Vol. 26 ($25)
Vol. 27 ($25)
Journal Subtotal: $
JWHA Lecture Audio Cassettes
Check each box to indicate the audio cassettes you would like to order and total the cost:
#2: Grant McMurray, “History and Mission in
Tension: A View from Both Sides.” ($8)
#3: Richard Howard, “The Quest for Traces of a
‘Peace Gene’ in Restoration History.” ($8)
#4: Barbara Bernauer, “Gathering the Remnants:
Establishing the RLDS Church in Southwest
Iowa.” ($8)
#5: Lavina Fielding Anderson, “Mormonism’s First
Mother — Lucy Mack Smith.” ($8)
#8: Paul Edwards, “Beating Plowshares into Swords:
The Community of Christ and War.” ($8)
#9: Alma Blair, “The Faithful Historian: Odysseys of
Mind and Spirit.” ($8)
#11: Phillip Barlow, “Transformation in Context:
Mormonism, the Community of Christ, and
Religion in America.” ($8)
#12: Robert Flanders, “Nauvoo on My Mind.” ($8)
#13: Robert Remini, “A Non-Mormon’s Interpretation
of Joseph Smith.” ($8)
#15: Michael Quinn, “To Whom Shall We Go?:
Historical Patterns of Restoration Believers With
Serious Doubts.” ($8)
#16: Biloine Young, “Religion’s Shifting Sand and
Mormonism’s Unsteady Footing.” ($8)
#17: Thomas Murphy, “Sin, Skin, and Seed: Mistakes of
Men in the Book of Mormon.” ($8)
Cassette Subtotal: $
Total Enclosed: $
Make checks payable to JWHA and send them to:
�
John Whitmer Historical Association
1710 South Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4781
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone
E-Mail
Page 16
The John Whitmer Historical Association
Newsletter No. 81
Thankyou Volunteers!
O
ur recent conference’s success was entirely
due to the efforts of volunteers, from the
JWHA and CSA Program and Local Arrangements Committees to the executive directors
of both associations.
JWHA would like to thank Leandro Palacios who
took time out from his trip to North America to volunteer by staffing our Registration Table and digitally recording all of our sessions. (We hope to make
the recordings available for download at JWHA.info
later this year.)
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the
tireless efforts of the Kirtland Temple historic site
team.
Staffing the Registration Tables: CSA’s Executive Director
Kathy Fernandez and JWHA Volunteer Leandro Palacios
from Rosario, Argentina.
John Whitmer Historical Association
c/o John Hamer
1710 South Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4781
www.JWHA.info
Mark your 2008 calendars for our April 11-12 Symposium and our Sept. 25-29 Conference