Lilburn W. Boggs and the Case for Jacksonian Democracy Robert John Walker Department of Religion, BYU Masters of Religious Education Lilburn W. Boggs was lieutenant governor of Missouri from 1832 to 1836. He was governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. Political upheaval was the order of the day as Jacksonian democrats overthrew, through the power of the ballot box, the establishment of the patrician leadership in the United States. Issues of equity, slavery, religion, settlement of the West, and divisive sectionalism threatened the Union of the states. President Andrew Jackson was the representation of the common man and the enemy of the monied oligarchy that assumed the right to rule the common people. Jackson's leadership enabled a powerful change in party politics as he became the charismatic figurehead of the Jacksonian Democratic Party. Boggs was a protégé of Thomas Hart Bennett, the powerful ally of Jackson and leading senator from Missouri. Boggs, beginning as a young man, rode the coattails of Benton right into the governor's mansion in Columbia, Missouri. This thesis examines Boggs' life and political career to ascertain whether or not he was truly a Jackson man as he represented himself to be to the electorate.

The worship experience in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inextricably linked to the ward or branch. This thesis examines the development of the Latter-day Saint congregation at the church centers from 1829 to 1846: Palmyra and Fayette, New York; Harmony, Pennsylvania; Kirtland, Ohio; Independence, Liberty and Far West in Missouri; and Nauvoo, Illinois. This work not only documents the creation and development of congregations, but also gives attention to the other important elements developed during the early years that are still associated with modern Latter-day Saint wards: meeting and worship patterns, physical locations where meetings took place, and leadership of local branches and wards. More on parameters and purpose is spelled out in Chapter 1.Each of the next three chapters deals with a time period and place, tracking all four of the elements of emphasis through an era. Chapter 2 briefly discusses meetings and groups before the official organization of the Church, and then continues on to consider the developments made in the three areas considered as Church centers: Fayette and Palmyra in New York and Harmony, Pennsylvania. The bulk of Chapter 2, however, deals with Kirtland, Ohio, which was headquarters for the Church for much of the 1830s.The three counties in Missouri that held the highest concentration of Saints-Jackson, Clay and Caldwell-are the area of study for Chapter 3. Eventually driven not only from all of these counties but also the state of Missouri, the Saints moved on to Illinois, the subject of Chapter 4. Quincy, Illinois was briefly considered the Church center until the purchase of the land that became Nauvoo. The final chapter synthesizes each of the four topics: congregational organization, meeting patterns, local leadership, and meeting places. Consequently, it is a brief overview of what advancements were made across all years and places studied in each area of focus.

This thesis discusses the role that the idea of Zion has played in the first three centuries of American religion. Millenarian themes, such as building New Jerusalem, were common religious themes in seventeenth- to nineteenth-century America. Understanding the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding this vital subject will be helpful for historians, scholars, and teachers.When the Puritan colonists came to the New World in the early seventeenth century, they sought not only a land of religious liberty, but also a land of ultimate religious achievement: the establishment of Zion and/or New Jerusalem. Many of them hoped to demonstrate that an ideal theocratic society was possible and would solve the world's governmental dilemmas. They paved the way for a long-standing Zion tradition in America.During the eighteenth century, the dream for Zion faded due to the growing concern for individual salvation. The banner of revolution and independence also superseded the interest in the "ensign for the nations" (see Isaiah 11:10-12). Unfortunately, during this era Zion and New Jerusalem became the watchwords for dissident charismatic truth-seekers with small congregations. Antebellum America presented a completely new environment. As America forged westward, more and more settlers became dissatisfied with mainstream organized religions. Primitivism and restorationism made Zion and New Jerusalem an inevitable desire for many religious enthusiasts, though opinions varied on when, where, how, and by whom the "city of God" (Psalm 46:4; see also Psalm 48) could be established.Within this historical context rose The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members were intent on building the New Jerusalem on the American continent and establishing Zion throughout the earth (see Articles of Faith 1:10). It is my ardent hope that this attempt to put the Latter-day Saint concept of Zion and New Jerusalem in its early American millenarian context will be a useful resource in helping to "put all inquirers after truth in possession of the facts" (JS-H 1:1).

This study attempts to trace the efforts of the Mormon people to obtain redress from the national government for the losses of life and property which they had suffered and the hardships which they had endured while residing in the state of Missouri during the 1830's. The Mormon appeals to Congress and the President are considered and an evaluation is made of the Mormon view of the national government's responsibility for the protection of individual rights.The information for this study was obtained from the Church Historian's Office, the Brigham Young University Library, the University of Utah Library, the Utah State Historical Society, and the Salt Lake City Public Library. Although the major sources that were used were the records of the Mormon Church, particularly the Journal History of the Church and Joseph Smith's History of the Church, an effort was made to understand through studying government documents and the writings of historians of the times why the national government did not give redress to the Latter-day Saints in response to their appeals. Consideration is given to limitations which were placed on the federal government by the Constitution, by a lack of precedent for the use of national authority to enforce state law, by certain decisions of the Supreme Court, and by the attitudes of the times.

To the religiously minded, few things carry greater importance than a connection to the divine. For centuries, the literature of prophets and the work of gifted artists have served to create a liminal space where man and Maker can meet. The advent of cinema and the creation of the Internet pose unique questions for the artist seeking to lead an audience toward an encounter with God. In a modern world where discretionary time is dominated by on-demand video streaming, the value of understanding cinema and its myriad potential is particularly relevant. As a religious organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has eagerly (and to a certain extent, uniquely) embraced and used film to further its aims. This thesis will further the conversation already begun on the topic of spirituality in official LDS Church productions, particularly adding new analysis regarding the form and content of more recent institutionally produced films. How do stylistic trends in recent official film productions of the LDS Church relate to the broader academic and theological discussion regarding cinematic spirituality? After the introduction and thesis overview in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 will provide a survey of prominent works regarding cinematic spirituality. Theories that entertain how movies speak to human spirits are varied and highly subjective. Many theories about what makes a work "spiritual" grow from particular religious traditions and are informed by that theorist's beliefs about God's nature. Some theories are dependent on loosely measured criteria (editing pace, complexity of music, distance between camera and subject, etc.), while others rely almost entirely on the "feeling" a work conveys (which may or may not be determined by objectively measurable parts).Chapter 3 relates the prominent theories laid out in Chapter 2 to the cinematic efforts made by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the past two decades. Examining the form and content of these media projects will reveal trends that indicate inherent assumptions on the part of the LDS Church's media department regarding the purpose and potential of spirituality and film. Chapter 4 explores how the Church's typical approach compares and contrasts with films made by independent Latter-day Saint filmmakers. Some stylistic possibilities will be derived from the efforts of Mormon artists more generally and may have implications for how Latter-day Saint films could help spiritually engage audiences.

My paper examines the ethics of representing Mormons in serious American fiction, viewed through two primary texts, Bayard Taylor's nineteenth-century dramatic poem The Prophet and Maureen Whipple's epic novel The Giant Joshua. I also briefly examine Walter Kirn's short stories “Planetarium” and “Whole Other Bodies.” Using Werner Sollors' and Matthew Frye Jacobson's writings on ethnicity as foundational, I argue in that Mormonism constitutes an ethnicity, which designation accentuates the ethical demands of those who represent the group. I also use W.J.T. Mitchell's theories of representation as the basis of my arguments of the ethics of representing ethnicity. As ethical theorists, Emmanuel Levinas and Edward Said inform the theoretical framework of my project, and I place their theories both in opposition to and harmony with each other in terms of what it means to be truly “Other” and the responsibility of those who view, represent, project, or accept otherness as essential to being. I also borrow from Wayne C. Booth, particularly in his practical application of ethics theory. I employ Terryl Givens, Michael Austin, Bruce Jorgensen, and Gideon Burton to help bring the theory into the field of Mormon studies. In applying all these theorists to Taylor and Whipple I examine Taylor's exoticizing, “Othering” Mormons, creating an “Oriental” version of the rise of Mormonism, parallel to some of his Middle Eastern travel writing. Taylor also makes the remarkable ethical step of being the first non-Mormon to “take Mormons seriously” in literary fiction. I demonstrate how his use of classical literary forms and themes moves the ethical treatment of Mormons forward in an unprecedented way. Maureen Whipple relies on some of the sensational, romantic tropes in common use, but overall she also moves forward ethical representation of Mormons in serious literature, being the best-received of “Mormondom's Lost Generation” of literary writers. In conclusion I argue that these texts, along with the more problematic Kirn stories, help create a positive ethical climate for Mormon representation.

This thesis answers the question of how a vision recorded in Joseph Smith's journal found its home in the Doctrine and Covenants and become recognized as canonized scripture. The April 3, 1836, journal entry became known as Section 110. Section 110 serves as a foundation for the current practices and doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, involving temple building and temple ordinances. Thus it is important to understand the history of this Section from journal entry to canonization because it is an example of recovering revelation. This thesis also explores contributing factors that could have led to the rediscovery of the 1836 vision. While Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were in the Kirtland Temple with veils drawn around them at the Melchizedek Priesthood pulpits on April 3, 1836, they both saw Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah. Jesus Christ accepted the newly built temple and Moses, Elias, and Elijah committed keys to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The vision was recorded, but as of yet, there is no evidence that the vision was publicly taught by Joseph Smith nor by Oliver Cowdery. This thesis follows the pattern established by Section 110 and the reclamation of the revelation and looks at how this section paved the way for other revelations and visions to move from handwritten pages to doctrinal levels of canonization, such as Sections 137 and 138. Joseph Smith had the vision recorded in his journal by Warren Cowdery, who served as a scribe to him. Joseph Smith also had the journal entry written in the Manuscript History of the Church. Although Joseph Smith did not publically declare that the 1836 vision had occurred to him and Oliver Cowdery, he still taught about the visitors in the vision and of their importance. After Joseph Smith's death, the leaders of the Church had his history printed in Church owned newspapers. The first time the vision was published in print was on November 6, 1852, in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Deseret News. Outside influences of the late 1850s through the 1860s put pressure on the Church. Some of these potentially destructive influences were the Utah War, Civil War, transcontinental railroad, Spiritualism movement, and the lack of understanding of the foundational doctrines of the Church by the rising generation that had been a part of the Church from its beginnings with Joseph Smith as its Prophet. This thesis explores these potentially destructive forces on the Church and its doctrine, and looks at how the leadership of the Church responded to them and how their response influenced the canonization of the 1836 vision. Under the direction of Brigham Young, Orson Pratt oversaw the publication of the new 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. This new edition contained twenty-six new sections, including Section 110. After the death of Brigham Young in 1877, John Taylor sat at the head of the Church as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. While Orson Pratt was in England, preparing to print a new edition of the Book of Mormon on electrotype plates, he asked John Taylor about printing the Doctrine and Covenants with the electrotype plates as well. John Taylor agreed on condition that Orson Pratt add cross references and explanatory notes, as he had done with the Book of Mormon. Using the 1876 edition, Orson Pratt made the requested additions and the new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants was printed in 1880 and canonized on October 10, 1880, in a General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where all present voted unanimously to accept the 1880 edition as canonized scripture.

The colonists living in the new United States after the American War for Independence were faced with the problem of forming new identities once they could no longer recognize themselves, collectively or individually, as subjects of Great Britain. After the French Revolution American politicians began to weed out the more radical political elements of the newly formed United States, particularly by painting one of the revolution’s biggest defenders, Thomas Paine, as unworthy of the attention he received during the American War for Independence, and fear ran throughout the states that an anarchic revolution like the French Revolution could bring the downfall of the nation. State, local, and regional organizations sprang up to fight Jacobinism, the legendary secret group of murderers and anarchists that fought against the French government. This distressing situation gave rise to new literature that sought to describe the “real” origins and background of Jacobinism in the War in Heaven and in Eden, and a new movement against Jacobinism was established. Fears about the organization of secret societies did not wane in the decades after the French Revolution, but worsened in the last half of the 1820s when a Freemason, William Morgan, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in connection to an exposé of Masonry he had written. Most Americans assumed that Freemasons had abducted and murdered Morgan in order to keep their oaths and rites secret. One influential early American who was influenced by this socio-historical was Joseph Smith, Jr., the founding prophet of Mormonism. Smith interpreted the Eden narrative in light of the movement against secret societies, and literary motifs common to anti-Jacobin literature during the period provided language and interpretive strategies for understanding the Eden narrative that would influence how Smith produced his new scripture. Only a few months after the publication of the Book of Mormon Smith edited the version of Eden found there into the text of the Bible itself and made the biblical narrative conform to the version found in the Book of Mormon through his own revisions and additions.