Samuel Alonzo Dodge and Dr. Steven Harper, Church History and Doctrine
The ways in which Mormon historians approach history has changed greatly over time. For years the historical discussion of Mormonism‟s early periods tended to one of two camps, critics who sought to defame Joseph Smith and discredit the religious movement he launched, or Mormon supporters whose efforts to exonerate the Prophet often resulted in excessive glossing of the blemishes found in the Church‟s origins. However, towards the middle of the twentieth century the historical method began to change the way in historians approached the past. Rather than disregard the work done by opposing scholarship, both groups began using the works from differing scholars as catalysts to propel their own historical work forward. This had profound implications in the realm of Mormon history as critics and supporters began to weigh their own theories against opposing evidence and try to ascertain the truth.
My ORCA project was an examination of this historical development through a study of the historiography of Joseph Smith‟s First Vision. In 1967 Presbyterian minister and historian Wesley Walters published an article “New Light on Mormon Origins from the Palmyra Revival,” which challenged Joseph‟s story in a particularly professional way as he left the tired “attacks on Joseph‟s character and the credibility of his followers” and instead used the historical record itself as a tool to discredit Joseph claims as a prophet. Walter‟s argument was simple: thorough research of western New York‟s historical record had uncovered “a number of difficulties” which seriously undermined the reliability of Joseph‟s claims.
The maturing of the historical discipline required Mormon historians to acknowledge the evidences which Walters uncovered. As a result, Truman G. Madsen, then director of The Institute of Mormon Studies at Brigham Young University recruited various historians “selected for their scholarly competence” and began a massive research effort to respond to the stir which Walters created. Among these historians were James Allen, Richard Anderson, Milton Backman, Richard Bushman, Dean Jessee, and Larry Porter. These scholars hunted libraries, archives, court records, journals, church documents, and later published several seminal articles which not only refuted Walters‟ claims but thoroughly enriched the Mormon historical profession.
The ORCA project began when I conducted interviews with each of these scholars which were later included in a film documentary. The purpose of the documentary was to capture the words of the people who participated in these important developments in Mormon historiography. These interviews will be preserved so later historians will have access to the thoughts of these scholars. The final documentary is approaching completion and will be aired on BYU television in the near future.
As the documentary progressed the project grew beyond its original scope. Not only would the interviews be used for a film documentary but they also served as the starting point for a research paper which I presented at the 2010 Mormon History Association annual conference. James Allen himself offered his critique of the paper which was incredibly helpful. My composition will also serve as an introductory piece to an anthology which will contain the most influential articles written by the different scholars on the First Vision. The anthology will be published by BYU later this year.
From the initial interviews to the paper presentation and publication the entire experience has proved invaluable in my development in the historical field. Not only did I become deeply familiar with an important and engaging topic in Mormon history but my skills as a historian have been greatly developed. Under Dr. Harpers tutelage my abilities to analyze, think critically, research, and write have greatly improved. In short, my whole approach to history has matured as I pursued this project. I am very grateful not only to Dr. Harper and his patient mentoring but also to all the donors and staff that make the ORCA research programs possible. Their selfless contributions will pay great dividends not only in my life but hopefully in the lives of others who I will influence.
References
- Davis Bitton and Leonard J. Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988), xii.; D. Michael Quinn, “Joseph Smith‟s Experience of a Methodist „Camp Meeting‟ in 1820,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought Dialogue Paperless: E-paper, no. 3 (December 2006): 1.
- Richard L. Bushman, “The First Vision Revived,” Dialogue 4, no. 1 (Spring 1969): 90.; W. P. Walters, “New Light on Mormon Origins from the Palmyra Revival,” Dialogue 4, no. 1 (Spring 1969); 61, 73.
- Bushman, “First Vision Revived,” 82.
- Truman G. Madsen Papers, Madsen letter to First Presidency, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, April 17th 1968.