The Journal of George Q. Cannon, 1855–1875

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought

Mormonism has long occupied a unique place in the consciousness of Americans. In the nineteenth century the Mormon Church was all but cast out of America: its prophet-founder ridiculed as a fraud and a charlatan, and his polygamy teachings assailed in Congress as one of the "twin relics of barbarism." Only after the manifesto disclaiming polygamy in 1890, did Americans begin to look upon their strange western neighbors in a more favorable light. Despite the stinging criticisms accompanying the subsequent election specimens of Spalding's handwriting in "Manuscript Story," a novel about the origin of the American Indians generally acknowledged to have been written in longhand around 1812. All three of the handwriting analysts-Henry Silver, William Kaye and Howard Doulder-working independently, and unaware of the Book of Mormon connection, agreed that the same writer had probably executed both works. Soon thereafter Christianity Today and Time carried expanded versions of the story. Time stressed that the researchers were "relying on the sometimes shaky science of handwriting analysis." Edward E. Plowman, however, chose to emphasize in his July 8 Christianity Today story that the Church was "slowly discovering that a crisis of truth exists in its roots." Within days after the first stories appeared, the Salt Lake Tribune learned that Silver had denounced the Los Angeles Times for misrepresenting him, stating that he would be unable to give a definite opinion until he examined the original documents. A week later, Silver withdrew from the study, first citing poor health and then subsequently accusing Walter Martin, whose Christian Research Institute was financing the study, of launching a "vendetta against the Church." The remaining two handwriting experts visited the church archives in Salt Lake City in July. In August, John Dart, Los Angeles Times religion editor, summarized the Church's first detailed response "to claims that part of the original Book of Mormon manuscript was in the handwriting of a novelist, not a scribe for church founder Joseph Smith." Dart expressed considerable uncertainty as to whether the report prepared by Dean C. Jessee, senior research historian for the Church's historical department, provided any real clarification.

2015

This volume is a monumental achievement. The eagerly awaited publication of highresolution images of the extant pages of the Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, with detailed transcripts, enables students of the Book of Mormon to explore the earliest text for themselves. The volume editors, Royal Skousen and Robin Scott Jensen, also edited the equally impressive Volume 3, parts 1 and 2, which contained the Printer's Manuscript. The bulk of Volume 5 consists of the documents and transcripts, which speak for themselves. Appendixes (226 pages) provide additional images and information. All of this is excellent. The 16-page Volume 5

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something of a novelty. Not reckoned canonical, it is part of the Broader Canon of all the writings of scripture and also those of a minor league deal, like the hymns of the churches.

BYU Studies Quarterly, 2009

S everal years ago, when I heard that the Joseph Smith Papers Project was approved for publication, I was delighted for at least two reasons. First, I considered Joseph Smith's papers to be the most valuable resource extant for researching early Latter-day Saint history. Making them available to all would enhance the accuracy of future scholarship. Second, it would be clear that the Church had nothing to hide concerning Joseph Smith. For too long, stories had circulated that the archives were closed, and the Church History Department did not allow access to important documents. The stories were partially true, though scholars who were not antagonistic to the Church could eventually obtain access to most of what they needed. With the announced publication of Joseph Smith's papers and a generally more open policy, that image was about to change. I understood, of course, that some things should still be restricted, such as private financial records, minutes of confidential General Authority meetings, and personal documents donated to the archives with specific instructions restricting their access. However, the openness with which Joseph Smith's papers would be handled was exhilarating, not just because of easy access, but also because my frequent assurances to friends-that the Church is not afraid of its own history-was now being verified. When I began working on a volume of The Joseph Smith Papers, I was impressed with the exacting demands the general editors were imposing on the editorial process. I left the project due to my heavy involvement in other projects and commitments, including a semester teaching at BYU-Hawaii. Now that the first volume of Papers is out, I am impressed with the fact that the editorial demands are even more stringent than during my brief association. My hopes and expectations for the project seem more than fulfilled.

Utah Historical Quarterly, 2017