Our last paper on the development of the Mormon healing liturgy to 1847 set the foundation for much of the rest of our work. It includes the various rituals that Mormons have used for healing throughout its existence and, most importantly for our next manuscript, contextualizes and narrates the beginning of female ritual healing in Mormonism. Our next paper will continue that history to the end of the practice in the mid-twentieth century. We have loads of previously unpublished source materials and are excited to get cracking.

The way Kris and I typically do things is to gather our source material in a “source file.” These files include the text of the reference organized chronologically. Each reference is numbered and includes full bibliographic citation. We read over these source files separately and then together (which is where a lot of great ideas come to fruition) and then we sketch an outline and divvy up writing duties.

I just finished updating our source file on female ritual healing (it is a monster). Instead of printing it out and having it spirally bound, I thought I would just upload it to a print-on-demand service and have it hard bound (it didn’t cost too much more than having it done at Kinko’s). The only 8.5×11 hardback that the service I used offers is what is called “casewrap binding.” This is frequently the binding of textbooks and is full color. So, quick in dirty, I wallowed in my Mormon history geekery. I could have done a better job if I had spent more time on it, but I wanted to get that thing ordered.

We still have at least one more trip to the archives before we finish this manuscript. And we have a long list of materials that we will be begging for at the Church History Department.

Those that thought the history of Mormon healing was already written are in for some surprises.

Jedediah S. Rogers, ed., In the President’s Office: The Diaries of L. John Nuttall 1879-1892 (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 2007), 511 pages, clothbound.

For some time now, Signature Books has published important (to Mormon History) diaries. These transcripts are deftly annotated and hand bound in limited runs. The last two installments in their series were the diaries of Anthon Lund and John Nuttall.

Anthon Lund was a monogamist apostle and then member of the First Presidency from 1901 to 1921. He was born in Denmark, but journalized in English. He was the Manti and Salt Lake Temple Presidents and served as the Church Historian. He was involved in one of the most critical periods of Mormon development and as such his Diaries are a treasure for the researcher. These documents were donated to the Church by the Lund family with the express instruction that they be available to the public. Thomas Alexander was one of the chief historians who wielded his journal in the scholastics of history.

John Nuttall was involved in church governance in southern Utah but because of his bureaucratic skills was brought into be the secretary to the President of the Church (Young, Taylor and Woodruff). Nutall was involved with the Saint George Temple and was privy to a wonderful perspective within the presiding quorums. Nuttal struggled with his health, and being a polygamist, spent time hiding from the Feds. The source materials, as well as a complete typescript are available at the BYU Archives.

Both of these gentlemen left massive diaries. The editors consequently had to scour over the original documents and basically decide what of the text would be most important to include in a single volume edition. Such projects are inherently prone to criticism and I found in my research the need to consult the primary documents themselves, as entries that I knew to be extant and not included were impactful on my theses. This makes me nervous that there are other things that due to my proximity to the archives I am missing. This is without question frustrating, and made more so as the volumes do not indicate when they skip entries or paragraphs. However, outside of a complete work, a la the Woodruff Journals for which Signature will forever be acknowledged, such are the trappings of publication (my dream is that the nascent Church Historian’s Press will bury me with finely edited and complete works of primary sources).

The editors have both successfully produced exemplary volumes. The annotations are helpful and reference cogent accounts and details that enhance the readers experience. One cannot understate the value of these documents. Their expanded availability is without question a boon to Mormon History. Nuttall’s diaries are, however, short shrifted as the Signature volume only includes entries during his life in the President’s office. The remainder of his life was full and held wonderful insights into the nineteenth and early twentieth century church.

The books themselves are beautiful. The typesetting renders the text a joy to read, and when compared to recent offerings from Kofford are contrasted even more illustrious. I understand the market to which Signature renders these products; however, I do wonder if the high end market is truly the only fit for such products.

The publisher summarizes as follows:

After the 1872 publication of Exposé of Polygamy, Fanny Stenhouse became a celebrity in the cultural wars between Mormons and much of America. An English convert to Mormonism, she had grown disillusioned with the Mormon Church and with polygamy, which her husband practiced before associating with a circle of dissident Utah intellectuals and merchants. Stenhouse’s critique of plural marriage, Brigham Young, and Mormonism was also a sympathetic look at Utah’s people and honest recounting of her life. Before long, she created a new edition, titled Tell It All, which ensured her notoriety in Utah and popularity elsewhere but turned her thoughtful memoir into a more polemical, true exposé. Since 1874, it has stayed in print, in multiple, varying editions. The original book, meanwhile, is less known, though more readable. Tracing the literary history of Stenhouse’s important piece of Americana, Linda DeSimone rescues an important autobiographical and historical record from the baggage notoriety brought to it.

Perhaps unkown to the editors, the 1872 edition was digitized in 2006 (both the first printing and the second) by Google Books (see my previous write-up on the impact of Google Books in Mormon Studies). These are not only searchable through Google, but as they are in the public domain, one can download a PDF of the entire book for personal use.

As I previously stated, this series has been an unqualified success. My favored volumes include the diaries of Helen Mar Whiney, Patty Bartlett Session, Louisa Barnes Pratt and others. The Pratt volume is available in previous form: it was included in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers’ publications which are digitally available from ancestry.com. But Ellsworth’s edition is faithful to the holograph, which highlights the frequently abusive editorial procedure of the DUP, and includes valuable annotation (though not up to the standard of Compton’s edition). While I am happy to see any publications highlighting women’s history in Mormon Studies, I find USU Press’s choice for this year’s series edition rather disappointing. I don’t really see what added value is had by its publication.

My vote for future volumes: the Mary Ann Freeze and the Ruth May Fox diaries.

This sounded to me like a sea-change in church policy towards the internet, or at least a drastic clarification. For some time, there has seemed to me to be a consolidation and control of web presence, with the standardization of ward pages, and the status of unofficial pages and blogs devoted to the church seemed to be a bit ambiguous. I think this makes it clear that while there are some things that should be avoided (He mentioned that debates about doctrine–I would separate this from discussions that seek to understand doctrine and its application, though that’s me–and airing our doubts don’t do much to build the kingdom, and cautioned against being defensive or belligerent.), the brethren recognize the “real” status of virtual space.

I know that I have often had the opportunity to answer questions on this blog, and I hope to be a bit more active in contributing to whatever good is done in the blogosphere for the kingdom.

To start that off, I want to know. Does anyone have stories to tell about how the kingdom has been served in cyberspace? Have your blogs, websites, social networking spaces, second lives, etc. been effective tools for missionary work or simply explaining our beliefs where they had been otherwise misunderstood?

An article on Ballard’s talk and a transcript can be found here: It was recorded, and I assume it will soon be available in video.

The Purchase
Unless you want to join the Barnes & Noble club you have to pay pretty close to the cover price. On the two books I wanted, Amazon would have saved me over $10. I went to pay, but you can only use one gift certificate on line at a time. I had to save my cart and then call Barnes & Noble to finish my order over the phone. Verdict: lame.

The Reception
I received a box with two books and a few air packing pouches. The box did not appear damaged; the books however were in horrible shape. The dust jacked from the Kofford volume was sliced (perhaps by a box cutter) and quite damaged. The edges of the jacket were also quite scuffed and creased. The USU Press volume had a large ink smudge on the dust jacket, which was also quite beaten up. I’m not in the habit of paying a premium for damaged books.

The Reaction
The instructions for returns in the box indicated that I would have to pay for the books’ return shipment. Um, no thank you. So I called. Unfortunately, “return horribly damaged books” was not on the automated menu. I hit # a couple times in hopes that I could speak to someone. It worked. Even though there was no hint that Barnes and Noble would be helpful, they actually were. The assistant had two new books shipped to my house and she said she would send a return label for the damaged goods. Not bad.

Follow up
I received the books in order. They weren’t what I would described as pristine. For example, the dust Jacket to the Kofford volume was notched, but I was too fed up to complain further. The envelope with the return postage came with a letter of instructions, but no actual postage. I called again (utilizing the repeated # technique) and had them send me out the postage again. This time, it actually did arrive.

Conclusion
I know I should support independent Mormon booksellers. Amazon is just so dang useful…and cheep…and I don’t live anywhere near the independents. I still order from them on occasion. Unless I get more gift cards, however, and in spite of their nice phone-workers, Barnes & Noble will definitely not get my return business.

The first thing you realize when you heft The Utah Years is that they are massive. Sure, the volume isn’t bound in cloth (though my copy has held up pretty well) and the paper isn’t the whitest in the world; but for less than $30, it is an absolute bargain.

Without question, The Utah Years is a highly significant volume. Charles Ora Card was very much involved in the doings of Cache Valley. As well as working with several civic organizations, he was the superintendant of construction for the Logan Tabernacle and Logan Temple. During much of these diaries, Card also acted as a presidency member then President of the Cache Stake.

The bulk of the entries start in 1877 after the cornerstone of the Temple was laid. Card was a regular diarist and transcribed the outlines of his business and civic affairs. Most importantly, Card recorded the content of the various Church meetings he attended…and they are legion. As they travel across the territory, one sees the content of meeting after meeting of the stake officers and General Authorities. Quite a number of patterns arise in the frank proceedings. The diaries are consequently an invaluable resource for understanding the dynamics of the age. While not introspective, there are moments of deep poignancy (e.g., when a Bishop of 17 years is released and forgiven by the body of saints for struggling with whiskey).

Among the various topics outlined (hardly exhaustive) are the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, the role of women in the Church, education, debt, priesthood structure (e.g., the transition of the Aaronic priesthood to boys and the function of the Seventy), temple building and city building. This volume is an important source for all of these research topics, and before its printing was rarely consulted.

I have always remembered Kenneth Godfrey’s review of George D. Smith’s An Intimate Chronicle (Journal of Mormon History 18 [Fall 1992]: 222-227). Godfrey pointed to what he considered deficiencies in the text and wrote:

The standard for Mormon diary editors for me is Juanita Brooks’s exhaustive footnoting in the Hosea Stout diaries, which includes background, additional documentation on the diarist’s life, and full explanations of associates, activities, mission, geography, and cultural milieu. I must admit, however, that few editors could satisfy me completely.

He further added, when considering accuracy of typescripts:

Only through close scrutiny of the originals can a documentary editor produce a manuscript with some confidence that it is error free. Dean C. Jesse, an editor of legendary meticulousness, told me that he reads his typescript at least five times against the original manuscript before it is published.

I think it is fair to judge his work by the same standard. From the perspective of annotation, I found The Utah Years rather lacking. Like Brooks, Godfrey and Godfrey do an excellent job with identifying individuals and including brief background sketches. I was, however, left significantly wanting in the rest of the annotation. The editors like to cite encyclopedias (e.g., the Encyclopedia of Mormonism and Deseret Book’s [2000] Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History). There is a tremendous body of Mormon Studies that was simply not engaged. Moreover, significant events were never cross referenced to other significant diaries or primary sources of the age.

Though the editors do not explicitly state how many times they checked their transcript against the original, it is obvious that they have spent a tremendous amount of time in their travail. They admit to having checked the text “several times” and the editors include descriptions of every holograph transcribed, including the miscellanea that appears in margins and on the covers.

The last entry of the volume is incongruous with the rest of the diaries, but it is exhilarating. In true western fashion, the Marshals appear while Card takes his breakfast to arrest him for cohabitation. Card reaches for his pistol, but chooses to give up and ride with them to jail. When the opportunity arises on the moving train, Card leaps and appropriates a half-broken horse with which he absconds. He rides, then swims and then hides in the willows while the train curls away.

Recommendation Level: Very High. I’m not sure how large the printing was, but Amazon no longer carries it. As The Canadian Years is not to be found on the used market, I recommend picking up a copy while you can.

I had understood that the Women’s Exponent would be up first, but they appear to only have the first four years available. The YMJ is a wonderful resource in 19th and early 20th century Mormonism. You’ll see things like Oliver Huntington describing moon-quakers to the symposium on “the perfect woman.”

In a quick mining expedition last night, I found seven references relating to my research that I hadn’t previously had. Three cheers for Susan Fales and her team at the BYU Library!

For the first time in my life last week, I walked with my father where fifty years ago he served as a missionary. He learned Hawaiian and was adopted by a family who had been in the church for generations. There were still people who called him by his Hawaiian name, Kamaka. The experience was a gift and while snorkeling and beaches were thrilling, it is the Church sites and conversations that persist (however, reaching for wild strawberry guavas on the road to Hana was also not too shabby).

Like the Gadfield Elm Chapel, the Pulehu Chapel (image above) is the heart of Mormonism. It is a monument to the Pioneers we don’t frequently celebrate. Thousands of Hawaiians joined the Church, participated in communal experiments, and endured to the end, but we rarely see their images or sing their songs.

The Chapel is a one room building. By the entrance lies a panel, which upon opening allows access to a rope to ring the tower bell. Vintage sacrament vessels are on display. The grounds are immaculate and next door is a small cottage for the local proselyting missionaries to stay in (I stayed in some pretty sweet apartments in France, but nothing like this! Bananas growing on your back patio?).

As a bonus, a picture of the Chapel in Hana. I can’t express how grateful I am that they didn’t sink a standard building here:

The weather was still heavy and like for rain There was quite a number of Indians came to camp to day some we fed They were all friendly

Little Hosea was all this time on the decline and the laying on of hands seemed to do but little or no good but to day we concluded to call in all the men & women who had had their endowment and have the ordinance performed according to the Holy order & with the signs of the Priesthood Accordingly we did so in my tent Br Spencer taking the lead which seemed to do some good for the child was better afterwards & we felt incouraged that he thus seemed to appear to be under the influence of the ordinances of the Priesthood and we now had hope again that he would yet be delivered from from the power of the destroyer. But our hopes were destined to be of short duration for in the evening there came one of the hardest rains that had been this summer.

The water came in torrents & the wind blew hard. In a few minutes our tent was down & the water ran through the waggon covers and thus every thing we had was wet almost before we knew it. The beds were also wet and Hosea was soon discovered by his mother to be lying in water so fast did it come in on the bed. He was immediately taken worse and thus our last hopes for him vanished

The rain continued an hour or so and before dark the Nodaway was out of its banks notwithstanding it is a stream That is very deep being about twenty feet banks. The bridge across it is about 8 or nine feet below the surface of the level ground and it was thought by us before this rise that the water would never come up to the bridge. At dark the bottom was like one continued sea and some of the tents and waggons standing in the water.

[1846 June 27] …Clear and warm. My child was still worse The water falling very slowly…My child seemed strangely affected to night after laying hands on him we found him to [be] troubled with evil spirits who I knew now were determined on his destruction He would show all signs of wrath to wards me & his mother and appearantly try to talk. His looks were demoniac accopanied by the most frightful gestures I ever saw in a child. His strength was greater than in the days of his health.

[pg. 171] At times I felt almost to cowl at his fierce ghastly & horrid look and even felt to withdraw from the painful scene for truly the powers of darkness now prevailed here. We were shut up in the waggon with nothing to behold or contemplate but this devoted child thus writhing under the power of the destroyer It was now late in the night & he getting worse when we came to the conclusion to lay hands on him again that the powers of darkness might be rebuked if he could not be raised up. Thus alone my wife & me over our only and dearest son struggled in sorrow and affliction with this last determination that we would not yield with the portion of the Priesthood which we had to the evil spirits After laying hands on him and rebuking the evil spirits he took a Different course He ceased to manifest a desire to talk & his ghastly and frightful gestures and with a set and determined eye gazed at me as if concious of what had been done

We thus beheld him a long time until finally he became easy and went to sleep Late at night we went to sleep also leaving a burning candle in the waggon.

Sunday June the 28th 1846. I awoke very early this morning and immediately discovered my child to be dying. He seemed perfectly easy and now had given up to the struggle of death and lay breathing out his life sweetly. The evil spirits had entirely left him and he now had his natural, easy, pleasant, calm and usual appearance but death was in his countenance and his Little spirit now in the enjoyment of its own body only seemed loth to give it up as almost every one seemed involuntary to observe who was present. He gradually and slowly declined untill forty minutes after seven when its spirit took its leave of its body without any appearant pain but seemed to go to sleep.

Thus died my only son and one too on whom I had placed my own name and was truly the dearest object of my heart. Gone too in the midst of affliction sorrow & disappointment In the wild solitary wilderness. Surrounded by every discouraging circumstance that is calculated to make man unhappy and disconsolate. Without the necessarys of life, Without even our daily bread and no prospects for the future. There in this wild land to lay him where the silence of his peaceful grave would only be broken by the savage yells of the natives seemed to come in bold relief before us. Discouraged, desolate & such frequent disappointments as had lately been my lot and no reason to expect any thing better in future could now only occupy my mind & the mind of my wife the bereaved mother We had now only one child a daughter left & that was born on the road & what was its fate was it to be laid by the way side also & we left uterly destitute & disconsolate I have often heard people tell of loosing the darling object of their heart.

I have often heard of people mourning as for the loss of an only son But never untill now did I fully feel and realize the keen & heart rending force of their words. I have once lost a companion for life and left without a bosom friend Left alone to lock sorrow and disappointment up in my own breast. Left to smile in the midst of the merry & happy but to smile only to hide and disguise the effects of an overflowing heart of woe. But not then did I feel the loss or mourn as for an only son. This last loss. This loss of my only son. This my hopes for comfort in my old age. This the darling object of my heart gone seemed to cap the climax of all my former misfortunes and seemed more than all else to leave me uterly hopeless. But I shall ceace to indulge in my feelings any longer

Suffice it to say that every attention and kindness was now proffered to me that I needed on the occasion. There was a good coffin made for him. After which we all moved on and buried him on a hill in the prairie about one mile from the Nodaway where there was the grave of an infant of Br John Smith and then pursued our journey leaving the two lovely innocents to slumber in peace in this solitary wild untill we should awake them in the morn of the resurrection We traveled four miles and encamped on a ridge in sight of one of the Pottawattamy villages. In the evening some of the brethren went to the next creek or river (Juanita Brooks, ed., On the Mormon Frontier: The Diaries of Hosea Stout, 2 vols. (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1964) 1:170-171.)