Monthly Archives: January 2016

Book of Mormon fiction: “Cities of the Sun”

Elizabeth Rachel Cannon’s The Cities of the Suna collection of short stories “founded on historical incidents in the Book of Mormon,” has just been released on Project Gutenberg. It represents an early attempt at Book of Mormon fiction, along the lines of B. H. Roberts’ earlier Corianton. It’s of interest both as early Mormon fiction and as a time capsule of how the Book of Mormon was then understood–for example, odd references to Lamanite or Nephite “phalanxes” are common. A romantic element is added to most of the stories, which include those of Captain Moroni, Ammon, and Alma/Abinadi. The e-book is based on the 1911 enlarged second edition, and includes the original illustrations. Weighing in at 147 pages, it’s an easy read.

 

Thanks to Allie Bowen and Mariah Averett for their work on this book!

Joseph Fielding Smith New Release Double Feature

That’s right, two new releases: Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage, and Origin of the “Reorganized” Church and the Question of SuccessionBoth are pamphlets by a young Joseph Fielding Smith related to controversies with the Reorganized Church.

The first (what a title–maybe that’s why it gets so many downloads…) was a pamphlet coming in at just under 100 pages, in which there is given:

Correspondence between ELDER JOSEPH F. SMITH, (JR.,) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and MR. RICHARD C. EVANS, second counselor (1905) in the Presidency of the “Reorganized” Church. A conclusive refutation of the false charges persistently made by ministers of the “Reorganized” Church against the Latter-day Saints and their belief. Also a supplement containing a number of affidavits and other matters bearing on the subjects.

The second pamphlet, of a little more than 100 pages, was prompted by “Reorganite” missionary efforts in Utah. It discusses succession and the Reorganized Church as follows:

Part one of this book contains the discourse delivered in Ogden on the “Origin of the ‘Reorganized’ Church;” part two contains the discourse on the “Succession in the Presidency,” and part three deals with the most prominent differences existing between the Church and the “Reorganization,” wherein they accuse us of departing from the doctrines of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This matter in part three is added by request of a number of parties who have had to meet the sophistry of the Reorganite missionaries.

We may post some more discussion of  these later, but I’ve held their release up far too long already. Both were proofread and produced by Tyler Garrett, one of our BYU interns. Our thanks to him!