Category Archives: Mormon History

Mormon Church Posts Essays on Joseph Smith’s Polygamy

It’s all over the news. The Mormon Church has finally “admitted” long-buried facts about Joseph Smith’s polygamy. The new Church essays were actually posted at lds.org sometime around October 22nd (2014), but for some reason the news only hit the … Continue reading

Posted in Early Mormonism, Family, Joseph Smith, LDS Church, Mormon History, Nauvoo, Polygamy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Early Mormon Marriages: Tangled Webs to Sort Out in the Eternities

Many people are aware of Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy. A subset of those people are also aware that some of Joseph’s plural wives were married to other men at the same time they were married to Joseph. Many of … Continue reading

Posted in Brigham Young, Early Mormonism, Joseph Smith, Mormon History, Polygamy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

A Remarkable Prophecy About Joseph Smith?

In Joseph Smith’s official History (found canonized in the Mormon book of scripture Pearl of Great Price), the Prophet relates a prophecy delivered to him by the angel Moroni: “He called me by name, and said unto me that he … Continue reading

Posted in D&C and Pearl of Great Price, Early Mormonism, Joseph Smith, Mormon History | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Joseph Smith wasn’t arrogant or boastful?

In a Deseret News article titled “Defending the Faith: Joseph Smith wasn’t arrogant or boastful” (9/4/14), Mormon BYU Professor Daniel Peterson addressed a common criticism used against Joseph Smith: “Some critics like to use a quotation attributed to Joseph Smith … Continue reading

Posted in Joseph Smith, Mormon History, Nauvoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Dedication of Louie B. Felt

In December of 1866, three months after they first met, 26-year-old Joseph H. Felt and 16-year-old Sarah Louisa (Louie) Bouton were married in Salt Lake City. Louie became the first Primary general president in the Mormon Church, serving in that … Continue reading

Posted in Early Mormonism, LDS Church, Mormon History, Polygamy | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Ballad of the Mountain Meadows Massacre

On September 11th, 1857 a Mormon mob attacked and murdered 120 men, women and children who were passing through Utah Territory as they traveled from Arkansas to California on their way to a better life. Known as the Mountain Meadows … Continue reading

Posted in Brigham Young, Early Mormonism, Mormon History, Mormon Leaders | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Joseph Smith and Luke 10:22

The official History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka History of the Church or HOC) reproduces Joseph Smith’s journal where he stated: “This winter [1832-33] was spent in translating the Scriptures…I completed the translation and review … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Early Mormonism, God the Father, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Mormon History, Mormon Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , | 21 Comments

“It is the voice of a god, not of a man”

How early Mormon leader Joseph Fielding and other Mormons responded to the King Follett discourse (April 7, 1844): “I never felt more delighted with his discourse than at this time. They said at his oration, it is the voice of … Continue reading

Posted in Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse, Mormon History | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Testing Joseph Smith’s Integrity

Brigham Young University professor Daniel Peterson recently wrote an article for the Deseret News presenting evidence for the exemplary personal character of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith. In “Defending the Faith: 2 legal tests of Joseph Smith’s integrity” Dr. Peterson discusses … Continue reading

Posted in Early Mormonism, Mormon History, Nauvoo, Polygamy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

The Book of Abraham: A Mormon Conundrum

In early July (2014) the Mormon Church released a Gospel Topics essay on the translation and historicity of its controversial book of scripture known as the Book of Abraham. The essay has done nothing to quiet the controversy. At issue … Continue reading

Posted in Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith, LDS Church, Mormon History, Pearl of Great Price | Tagged , , , , , , , | 22 Comments