Footnotes
Pratt, Autobiography, 49.
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
Campbell wrote, “A restoration of the ancient order of things is all that is necessary to the happiness and usefulness of christians. . . . [T]he thing proposed, is to bring the christianity and the church of the present day up to the standard of the New Testament.” (Alexander Campbell, “A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things, No. I,” Christian Baptist, 7 Feb. 1825, 49; see also Rollmann, “Early Baptist Career of Sidney Rigdon,” 48–49.)
Christian Baptist. Bethany, VA. 1823–1830.
Rollmann, Hans. “The Early Baptist Career of Sidney Rigdon in Warren, Ohio.” BYU Studies 21, no. 1 (Winter 1981): 37–50.
Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, 67–70, 158.
Hayden, Amos Sutton. Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio; with Biographical Sketches of the Principal Agents in Their Religious Movement. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875.
See Harrell, Quest for a Christian America, chap. 1; and Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve.
Harrell, David Edwin, Jr. Quest for Christian America: The Disciples of Christ and American Society to 1866. Nashville, TN: Disciples of Christ Historical Society, 1966.
Hayden, Amos Sutton. Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio; with Biographical Sketches of the Principal Agents in Their Religious Movement. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875.
See Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, 298–299; and De Pillis, “Development of Mormon Communitarianism,” 58–64; see also Acts 2:44; 4:32–35.
Hayden, Amos Sutton. Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio; with Biographical Sketches of the Principal Agents in Their Religious Movement. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875.
De Pillis, Mario S. “The Development of Mormon Communitarianism, 1826–1846.” PhD diss., Yale University, 1960.
“Caswall’s Prophet of the Nineteenth Century,” LDS Millennial Star, Apr. 1843, 3:197.
Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.
The editor of the Painesville, Ohio, Telegraph, Eber D. Howe, later wrote, “Near the residence of Rigdon, in Kirtland, there had been, for some time previous, a few families belonging to his congregation, who had formed themselves into a common stock society, and had become considerably fanatical, and were daily looking for some wonderful event to take place in the world. Their minds had become fully prepared to embrace Mormonism, or any other mysterious ism that should first present itself. Seventeen in number of these persons, readily believed the whole story of [Oliver] Cowdery, about the finding of the golden plates and the spectacles. They were all re-immersed, in one night, by Cowdery.” (Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 103, italics in original.)
Howe, Eber D. Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, from Its Rise to the Present Time. With Sketches of the Characters of Its Propagators, and a Full Detail of the Manner in Which the Famous Golden Bible Was Brought before the World. To Which Are Added, Inquiries into the Probability That the Historical Part of the Said Bible Was Written by One Solomon Spalding, More Than Twenty Years Ago, and by Him Intended to Have Been Published as a Romance. Painesville, OH: By the author, 1834.
The reference here to “brother Sidney Rigdon” without any introduction or explanation suggests that the letter’s recipients were familiar with Rigdon. Pratt may have previously spoken of his religious mentor to JS and the New York members prior to departing on the mission, or Cowdery may have mentioned Rigdon in an earlier letter.
Phebe Brooks Rigdon. According to JS’s history, “Although he [Sidney Rigdon] felt great confidence in the Lord yet he felt it a trial of some magnitude when he [illegible] his determination to his beloved companion, who had before shared in his poverty and who had cheerfully struggled through it without murmuring or repining. He informed her what the consequences would undoubtedly be respecting their worldly circumstances if they obeyed the gospel and then said ‘My Dear you have once followed me into poverty, are you again willing to do the same’ she answered [‘]I have weighed the matter, I have contemplated on the circumstances in which we may be placed, I have counted the cost, and I am perfectly satisfied to follow you. yea, it is my desire to do the will of God, come life or come death.[’] Accordingly they (Mr Rigdon & wife) were both baptized into the church of Jesus Christ.” (JS History, vol. A-1, 75.)
That is, copies of the Book of Mormon. Regarding the widespread interest in the Mormon message, Parley P. Pratt later recalled, “The interest and excitement now became general in Kirtland, and in all the region round about. The people thronged us night and day, insomuch that we had no time for rest or retirement.” By the time the missionaries departed Kirtland they “had baptized one hundred and twenty-seven souls.” (Pratt, Autobiography, 50; see also Anderson, “Impact of the First Preaching in Ohio,” 477–488.)
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
Anderson, Richard Lloyd. “The Impact of the First Preaching in Ohio.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 474–496.