Announcing Two Calls for Papers!

Transcription

1 The Center Place for Latter Day Saint Histor y 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 : 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

2 Page The John Whitmer Historical Association JWHA 2008 Presidential Message Every 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. 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. Rest assured the JWHA Board and members will not grow idle between conferences. Jeanne Murphey and Bill Russell have begun planning a new annual Spring Symposium in partnership with Community of Christ Seminary and Sunstone. Entitled Restoration Studies/Sunstone Midwest, the symposium will give our members an opportunity to expand their interests outside of history into the 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 environment for the discussion of Latter Day Saint history and thought. Barbara Walden JWHA President Kirtland, Ohio October 2007

3 The John Whitmer Historical Association Page Announcing a New Spring Symposium After 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, 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.

4 Page The John Whitmer Historical Association 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 We 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. Although JWHA had attempted a joint conference once in 1995 before with mixed results, the experience this year was an unqualified success. CSA is similar in size to JWHA and the members and presentations of both organizations mixed well. 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 Imagined Space of Zion. David Howlett explained how three separate Latter Day Saint groups the LDS church, the Community of Christ and the Restorationists use the act of pilgrimage to Kirtland Temple to construct their divergent identities.

5 The John Whitmer Historical Association Page 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. The best article award also went to David Howlett for The Making of a Steward : Zion, Ecclesiastical Power, and RLDS Bodies, , 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 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 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.

6 Page The John Whitmer Historical Association 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

7 The John Whitmer Historical Association Page 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 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.

8 Page 8 The John Whitmer Historical Association Excitement Builds for Voree Conference Next 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 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. 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 : A Time of Transition. We will be exploring the incredible diversity of the Latter Day Saint expe- 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. 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... If 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 The group will stay overnight, flying back to Burlington early Monday morning. The Aero-Tour will be an add-on which may only include 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.

9 The John Whitmer Historical Association Page JWHA Board Creates Naming Committee In 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 Project to Digitize the JWHA Journal In 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 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 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.

10 Page 10 The John Whitmer Historical Association John Whitmer Books Update The 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 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. 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 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 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.

11 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 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 WIT- NESSES 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

12 Page 12 The John Whitmer Historical Association 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 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 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.

13 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 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 paperback

14 Page 14 The John Whitmer Historical Association 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 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: Regular Membership Spouse of Member Student Membership Sustaining Membership Patron Membership Lifetime Membership Please add postage for Foreign Membership MHA Membership New Member: Regular Membership Spouse of Member Student Membership Institutional Membership Sustaining Membership Patron Membership Donor Membership Please add postage for Foreign Membership JWHA Subtotal MHA Subtotal Less 5.00 for combined JWHA & MHA membership Membership Total Total amount enclosed Renewing Member: , Renewing Member: Make checks payable to JWHA and send them to: John Whitmer Historical Association 1710 South Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI

15 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) Journal Subtotal: 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) 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) Nauvoo (20) Vol. 24 (20) Vol. 25 (20) Vol. 26 (25) Vol. 27 (25) #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 Name Address City, State, Zip Phone

16 Page 16 The John Whitmer Historical Association Thankyou Volunteers! Our 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. Mark your 2008 calendars for our April Symposium and our Sept Conference John Whitmer Historical Association c/o John Hamer 1710 South Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI