Description

"One of the first converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Parley Parker Pratt (1807-57) would eventually become early Mormonism's most famous and widely published defender.

"Born in western New York, Pratt converted to Mormonism in late 1830 and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles five years later as one of its founding members. Strong-willed and largely self-educated, he served several missions for the young church, participated in Zion's Camp sent to rescue the Saints in Missouri from persecutors, quarreled with Mormon prophet Joseph Smith over finances and narrowly escaped excommunication, founded the Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star in England, married several plural wives in Nauvoo, Illinois, immigrated to the Great Salt Lake Valley, and filled additional overseas missions for the church.

"Best known for his fiery apologetic writings such as A Voice of Warning (1837), Key to the Science of Theology (1855), and his autobiography (published posthumously in 1874), Pratt virtually defined Mormon doctrine and theology for much of the nineteenth century. He was killed in 1857 in Arkansas by the estranged husband of a woman he had married." (From inside jacket.)

Table of Contents

Publisher's Preface
Foreword by Peter L. Crawley

1. "The Kingdom of God"
2. Mormonism Unveiled: Zion's Watchman Unmasked, and Its Editor, Mr. L. R. Sunderland , Exposed; Truth Vindicated; The Devil Mad, and Priestcraft in Danger!
3. "The Regeneration and Eternal Duration of Matter"
4. "An Address by Judge Higbee and Parley P. Pratt, Ministers of the Gospel, of the Church of Jesus Christ of 'Latter-day Saints,' to the Citizens of Washington and to the Public in General"
5. Plain Facts, Showing the Falsehood and Folly of the Rev. C. S. Bush, (a Church Minister of the Parish of Power,) Being a Reply to His Tract Against the Latter-day Saints
6. An Epistle of Demetrius, Junior, the Silversmith, To the workman of like occupation, and all others whom it may concern, --Greeting: Showing the Best Way to Preserve Our Craft, and to Put Down the Latter Day Saints
7. A Letter to the Queen of England, Touching the Signs of the Times, and the Political Destiny of the World
8. "The Fountain of Knowledge"
9. "Immortality and Eternal Life of the Material Body"
10. "Intelligence and Affection"
11. A Dialogue Between Joe. Smith & the Devil!
12. "One Hundred Years Hence. 1945"
13. An Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was in the Island of Great Britain, for the Gospel's Sake; And being in the Spirit on the 21st of November, A.D. 1846, addressed the following words of comfort to his dearly-beloved Wife and family, dwelling in tents, in the camp of Israel, at Council Bluffs, Missouri Territory, North America; where they and twenty thousand others were banished by the civilized Christians of the United States, for the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus
14. Proclamation! To the People of the Coasts and Islands of the Pacific; of Every Nation, Kindred and Tongue
15. "Mormonism!" "Plurality of Wives!" An Especial Chapter, for the Especial Edification of certain inquisitive News Editor, Etc.
16. Spiritual Communication. A Sermon Delivered by Elder P. P. Pratt, Senr, Before the Conference at Salt Lake City, April 7, 1853
17. "Keys of the Mysteries of the Godhead"
18. "Origins of the Universe"
19. "Destiny of the Universe"
20. 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 His Son, Parley P. Pratt

Index