Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
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Mormon Studies Review

Angela Bell

Keywords

Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Mormon history, primary documents, joseph smith papers

Abstract

The most recent volume of The Joseph Smith Papers, Volume 6 is a contribution long-awaited by students of Mormon history, members of faith traditions, and scholars of American religion. The collection chronicles the tumultuous time in Mormon history from Joseph Smith Jr., and Sidney Rigdon’s removal from Kirtland, Ohio, in early 1838 through the establishment and early settlement of Nauvoo, Illinois, during the spring and summer of 1839. In the tradition of the first f ive volumes of documents, this work compiles all known documents written, dictated, and received by the prophet from February 1838 to August 1839 and provides a comprehensive window into the world of nineteenth-century Mormonism and antebellum America. Compiled and edited by leading scholars of the Mormon experience in Missouri and Illinois, Volume 6 includes historical context to the troubled period and each historical document contained therein. As such, it is more than a collection of documents. Instead, it is a valuable tool for understanding the time period, each document, and how historians attempt to reconstruct the past with available sources and those that are no longer extant in their original form. With meticulous consideration, the editors viewed multiple versions of sources when available to determine the most accurate and coherent account of Smith’s words and intentions. When inconsistencies exist, that information is presented through notes and clearly marked textual insertions in order to provide readers with the most complete information and text. The result is an exhaustive collection of primary documents that are readily accessible for those who want to read, research, or peruse the contents.

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