The Joseph Smith Papers

[RockyBalboa]

If there's already been a thread about this in the 2 months I was away I apologize.

I just picked The Joseph Smith Papers Vol I.....holy crap 50 smackers right there....but I'm hoping it'll be a worthwhile investment.

Have any of you read this yet or gotten into it and if so what do you think so far?

[Commando]

is it the book re: the legal docs by John Welch?

[UtahDan]

I know a bunch of people here have it. I ordered it from Amazon and I never got it, they eventually canceled my order because it wasn't available. At this point I will probably wait and buy it used. I would be curious to know who else has read it too.

[RockyBalboa]

I know a bunch of people here have it. I ordered it from Amazon and I never got it, they eventually canceled my order because it wasn't available. At this point I will probably wait and buy it used. I would be curious to know who else has read it too.

There were a ton of copies at The Deseret Book in the Ft. Union area...I'm sure they'd be happy to ship you a copy.

[Solon]

There were a ton of copies at The Deseret Book in the Ft. Union area...I'm sure they'd be happy to ship you a copy.

I think they're already on their third printing. 50 bucks is about the going rate, even for slightly used (nobody has old, worn-out used copies yet).:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=2008&sortby=2&tn=joseph+smith+papers&x=0&y=0

It's on my summer list, but source-books, collected papers, etc. are harder for me to read than a novel or monograph. I suspect it'll end up being a good reference book.

The fact that the book has sold so amazingly well speaks well, IMO, of general LDS interest in historical matters. The writers of "Our Heritage" should take note.

[All-American]

The fact that the book has sold so amazingly well speaks well, IMO, of general LDS interest in historical matters. The writers of "Our Heritage" should take note.

He actually died in January last year . . .

[TripletDaddy]

It's on my summer list, but source-books, collected papers, etc. are harder for me to read than a novel or monograph. I suspect it'll end up being a good reference book.

I picked it up for Christmas. It is as you say....a great reference book. I refer to often for my EQ lessons, as it contains some interesting journal entries. Many of the journal entries are completely uninteresting (as one would expect in any journal), with pedestrian references to the day's banalities ("went to so-and-so's howse and said hello!").

It has some maps. It has some interesting descriptions of Joseph's journal process, his scribes, etc.

It is not the kind of book you are going to curl up and read from cover to cover on a snowy day.

I spent the bulk of my time trying to be able to read the scribe's penmanship on the scan of the journal page, then reading the text of the entry on the subsequent pages, then going back to the scan of the actual journal page to then see what the heck was being said.

There is definitely a lot of info in it, but it certainly is not what I would call a "reader."

I think many that rushed out to purchase it thought it was going to be a book of wonderful stories and anecdotes about the Prophet, maybe more along the Truman Madsen approach. Make no mistake, this is an academic book, a research tool.

[UtahDan]

I think they're already on their third printing. 50 bucks is about the going rate, even for slightly used (nobody has old, worn-out used copies yet).:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=2008&sortby=2&tn=joseph+smith+papers&x=0&y=0

It's on my summer list, but source-books, collected papers, etc. are harder for me to read than a novel or monograph. I suspect it'll end up being a good reference book.

The fact that the book has sold so amazingly well speaks well, IMO, of general LDS interest in historical matters. The writers of "Our Heritage" should take note.

The real fruits of this will come when all the volumes are out and scholars begin to interpret these source documents in ways no one could before because they didn't have all this raw data available. I think that is 10-15 years away but I can hardly wait. I've got a feeling that I won't be able to put the volume on his legal proceedings down.

[Solon]

He actually died in January last year . . .

Did Hinckley write it? It's unattributed in print. Or did he ghost-write it with John Feinstein?

[Moliere]

http://beta.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/nauvoo-relief-society-minute-book

Incredibly fascinating. This is basically the early journal of the Relief Society. I've only read the first 20 pages or so but it seems to document exactly how the first official meeting was held. I thought I'd check this out since I was on a feminism high after Sunday. Here's my favorite part so far:

Mov’d by Counsellor Cleveland, and secon’d by Counsellor Whitney, that this Society be called The Nauvoo Female Relief Society.

Elder Taylor offered an amendment, that it be called The Nauvoo Female Benevolent Society which would give a more definite and extended idea of the Institution— that Relief be struck out and Benevolent inserted.

The motion was seconded by Counsellor Cleveland and unanimously carried, on the amendment by Elder Taylor.

The Prest. then suggested that she would like an argument with Elder Taylor on the words Relief and Benevolence.

Oh yeah, Emma throwing the smack down on Elder Taylor. Thankfully she took up this cause because if not the initials for the RS today would be the BS.

Prest. Emma Smith remark’d— we are going to do something extraordinary— when a boat is stuck on the rapids with a multitude of Mormons on board we shall consider that a loud call for relief— we expect extraordinary occasions and pressing calls—

Elder Taylor arose and said— I shall have to concede the point— your arguments are so potent I cannot stand before them— I shall have to give way—

Prest. J. S. said I also shall have to concede the point, all I shall have to give to the poor, I shall give to this Society—

Counsellor Whitney mov’d, that this Society be call’d The Nauvoo Female Relief Society— second. by Counsellor Cleveland—

Also, remember the term Elect Lady from D&C 25?

3Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

I remember discussing this term and people commenting that elect means she was righteous or foreordained to this calling. Maybe so , but Joseph says the following:

Motioned by Sister Whitney and seconded by Sister Packard that Mrs. Emma Smith be chosen President— passed unanimously—

The 2d Epistle of John, 1st verse, was then read to show that respect was then had to the same thing; and that why she was called an Elect lady is because, elected to preside.

She is "elect" because she was nominated and elected by the RS body. Interesting how different this process functions compared to what we do today.