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50 Mormon Historical Studies

RichardLloydAnderson,1988.PhotographcourtesyofBrighamYoungUniversity.

Kay and Joseph F. Darowski: A Scholar as a Witness 51

A Scholar as a Witness: A Conversation with Richard Lloyd

Anderson

Interview by Kay and Joseph F. Darowski

Introduction

RichardLloydAndersonwasborninSaltLakeCity,Utah,in1926,theson ofAgnes Ricks and Lloyd ErnestAnderson. He served as an aviationradiomaninWorldWarIIandthenservedasamissionaryintheNorthwest-ernStatesMission.Whilethere,heauthored“APlanforEffectiveMission-ary Work,” which was adopted in many missions in the Church and became known as the “Anderson plan.” Along with professional work, he has steadily continuedChurchservicewhichincludesteachingpositionsinhomewardsandleadershippositionsinstudentwardsandstakes.

HeholdsaBAinHistorywithhonorsfromBrighamYoungUniversity(1951),aJDfromHarvardLawSchool(1954),anMAinGreekfromBYU(1957),andaPhDinAncientHistoryfromUniversityofCaliforniaatBerke-ley(1962).HetaughtatBerkeleyforoneyear,butthenchosetospendhisacademiccareeratBYU,mostlyasprofessorofancientscripture,foralmostfortyyears.Hisretirementfromtheclassroomin1996couldhardlybecalled

Kay daRoWsKi ([email protected])receivedherBAinHistoryfromBrighamYoungUniversity. She has worked at the Petersburg National Battlefield in Petersburg, Virginia, andtheMuseumoftheConfederacyinRichmond,Virginia.ShecurrentlyworksfortheJosephSmithPapersProjectdirectingstudentresearchandeditingavolume.

JosEph F. daRoWsKi ([email protected])receivedhisBSfromCornellUniversity,andhisMAfromBrighamYoungUniversity.HehasalsodonegraduateworkattheCollegeofWilliamandMaryinWilliamsburg,Virginia.HeiscurrentlyavolumeeditorwiththeJosephSmithPapersProject.


leisurely.SincethenhehasworkedasaseniorresearchassociateatFARMS,aseniorresearchfellowattheJosephFieldingSmithInstituteforLatter-daySaintHistory,andaseniorrevieweditorfortheJosephSmithPapers.

Richardhascombinedacareerofacademicachievementwithaprodi-giouspublicationrecord.Hehasauthoredseveralbooksandsome150schol-arlyarticles,evenlybalanced,ashesays,betweenhistwointerestsintheNewTestamentandearlyMormonhistory.Hisworkcontinuesonamulti-volumedocumentaryhistoryofOliverCowdery,andDeseretBookhasrecentlyis-suedarevisededitionofhisclassic,Understanding Paul.

He has received many honors, including the establishment in 1998 oftheRichardL.AndersonAnnualResearchAwardbytheDepartmentofReli-giousEducationatBYU.InNovember2006hewashonoredbytheMormonHistoricSitesFoundation,whichpresentedtheJuniusF.WellsAwardtohisbrotherKarlandtheLifetimeAchievementAwardinhistorytoRichard.

While contributing significantly to the field of religious history, Richard hasleftanexampleofalifewelllivedthathastouchedmanyothers.JustinM.Collings,arecentBYUgraduateandresearchassistantfortheJosephSmithPapersproject,wroteatributetoRichardandhisindefatigableefforttotellthestoryoftheearlySaints:

Heisaneminentlybusyman,racingagainsttimetocompletemoreprojectsinhis retirement years than even prolific scholars attempt in their active careers. And yet hehasneverturnedmeaway,toldmehewastoobusy,orleftanyleafunturnedinanefforttoanswermyquestionsorsendmeintherightdirection.Hehasbeenunfailing-lykindandhelpful,andhasadepthandbreadthofknowledgethatIwouldnotthinkhumanlypossibleifIhadnevermethim....HeisagreatexemplarofeverythingBYUstandsfor—carefulandqualityscholarshipcombinedwithanabidingfaithandtestimonyoftherestoredgospel.Hisshadowonthiscampusis,inmyopinion,worthmore than a dozen state-of-the-art, high-rise office buildings.

Richardcontinuestosharetheadventuresoflifewithhisamazingwife,Dr.CarmadeJongAnderson,anotedhistoricclothingspecialist,whoholdsmanyawards inpainting,etching,andpoetry.Theyare theparentsof fourhard-workingchildrenandtengrandchildren,withtalentsinmissionarywork,athletics,art,music,anddance.

The Interview

KAY:TodayisFriday,October6,2006.I’mKayDarowski,andmyhus-bandJoeDarowskiisherealso.WeareemployeesoftheJosephSmithPapersProject,andwearewithRichardLloydAnderson,adearcolleagueofours.He has a lifetime of scholarship behind him and many more things in his


future.We’regoingtogethisthoughtstodayabouthislife.Let’sbeginatthebeginning, Richard.What can you tell me about your early childhood andyourfamily?

RICHARD:SaltLakeCitywasmybirthplace,in1926atLDSHospital.I have heard that my mother asked, “Is it a boy or a girl?” and when she was told it was a boy, she said, “Take it back!” I think she hoped to avoid some of theroughmalewaysofRexburg,Idaho,whereshehadgrownup.MymotherwasAgnesRicks,anexperiencedelementaryteacher.MyfatherwasLloydErnestAnderson,agenialandprincipledLatter-daySaintwhomadeacareerinthenewspaperbusiness.

KAY:Tellusaboutgrowingup.RICHARD:That’sagoodquestion.DoesitmeanI’mgrownup?(laugh-

ing)Ihaveafavoritebookoncounselingwithachaptercalled“Howmuchofthe child is left in you?” Physically I grew up in the Salt Lake City avenues. WeplayedtacklefootballintheopenspacesoftheSaltLakeCemetery.Mymotherwasquitecarefulbutamazinglyletmeroamoverthefoothillsnorth-east ofVirginia Street and FourthAvenue, where our home was. I’ve toldpeoplethatmyquestasaresearcherwaslaunchedbythefact that theSaltLakeCitygarbagedumpwasjusttwoblocksnorthofmyhouse.Therewerewonderfuldiscoveriesforaboythere.

My mother played the violin, and I learned to love music, but at thattimeIdidnotlovepracticingthepiano.OnedaywhenIwasaboutnine,mymotheraskedmetopractice,andIcomplained.Tryingtoshameme,shesaid,“If you really don’t want to, you don’t have to.” I said, “Do you mean that?” When she answered, “Yes,” I said, “Good,” and walked out. Next I sat on the frontstep,braggingaboutmyexploittooneofmyfriends,notnoticingthatmy father had driven up. Then I heard a very firm voice call “Richard!” When I answered, he said, “Get in here and practice!” (laughing)

My parents were both firm and indulgent with me as the first child. I had astructuredlife,agreatlife,andIlovedmyparents.Theygavemereasonableliberty.Amongmanygenerousthings,Irememberoneeventthatwasquiteexceptional. You might call me “questionable,” since I asked a lot of ques-tions.Whenoneofmyparents’ friendsvisitedwhoknewsomethingaboutvolcanoesorsomeothersubject, Iwould inquireuntil Iunderstooda littleabout his field. My father then went to a used bookstore and bought a full setoftheBook of Knowledgeformyuse.Iputashelfandchairinalightedclosetandreadconnectedarticlesinmychild’sencyclopedia.IkeptthatsetforyearsuntilIrealizedhowoutdateditwas;thenItriedtopawnitoffasapreciousobjecttomychildren.(laughing)IdiscardedthesebooksonlywhenIwasoverthirty,aftergainingmanybasicsfromthem.

KAY:Tellusaboutyourbrothersandsisters.

5� Mormon Historical Studies

RICHARD:Iwastheoldestandthebossiest.I’vereadsomeonoldestchildrenandagreewithmostofwhatI’veseen.Ihavetwosisters,onethreeyearsyounger,bornin1929.JanetmarriedMelvinPackMabey,nowretiredfromthepoliticalsciencefacultyatBYU.Shehadninechildrenandwasanexceptionalmother.(ShediedasaresultofanautoturnoverinProvoCan-yon.)Asshematured, shewaspatientwithmeandsomehowsurvivedmyteasing,achildishpracticewhichIregret.In1937mybrotherKarlwasborn;hemarriedJoyceHirschi,andtheyraisedsevenchildren.Thenin1929myyounger sister Margaret was born; she married Dale Gustaveson and theyraisedsixchildren.

IwasbothlovingandjudgmentalwithmybrotherKarl,whowaselevenyears younger. I remember finding him and shepherding him home from street football on a Sunday afternoon. His white shirt was dirty and sweaty, andwewerealmostlateforsacramentmeeting.Igavegenerousinstructionsonwatchinghiswatch,adding,“Inthefuturewemaybebishopsandstakepresi-dents,butneitherofuswillamounttoanythingunlesswecangettomeetingon time.” Later I became a counselor in a stake presidency, but he became a stakepresidentandaregionalrepresentative.ThiswasoneofmanylessonsIlearnedinmyearliercareerasaPharisee.

KAY:Didyoualwaysmakeittomeetingsontime?RICHARD:(laughing)IhearPresidentHinckleyisalwaystenminutes

early,whichIthinkisaburdenontheconscienceofmanyLatter-daySaints,includingme.

KAY:Walkusthroughyourlifeinschool.RICHARD:IwenttoSaltLakeCityelementaryschoolsuptotheageof

ten.UntilthenmyfatherwasruralcirculationmanageroftheDeseret News;nexthebecameadvertisingmanagerof theProvo Daily Herald.AfterwardhebecameadvertisingmanagerofthePocatello Tribune,andthenadvertis-ingmanageroftheOgden Standard Examiner,beforegoingintobusinessforhimself.

Following that pattern, I came to Provo at the age of ten and went tofourth grade at the old Parker School in Provo. For fifth grade, my mother transferredmetotheBYUTrainingSchool,onthelowercampus,thepresentsiteofAcademySquareandtheProvoCityLibrary.Icriedforatime,think-ingIwouldbedeprivedofminglingwithrealpeopleinwhatIperceivedasaformal,exclusiveschool.Itwasn’tthatway,butithadthatreputation.

IbeganhighschoolinProvo,andtheyearafterPearlHarborwasattacked,myfatherwenttoPocatello,Idaho,wheremyfamilyliveduntilthemiddleofmysenioryear.WethenmovedtoOgden,andIgraduatedfromOgdenHighSchool. I was able to have good Latin instruction in my junior and senioryears. Hugh Nibley said his first Latin teacher was “hell on wheels,” and my


first one fit that format. My high school education included valuable work experience.TherewasalaborshortageduringWorldWarII,andinPocatelloImanageddeliveringtheSalt Lake Tribune to about five hundred subscribers. Iwouldjoboutmuchofthedeliverybuthandlecollections.Isavednearlyathousanddollarsfromthatandfarmlabor.Thosewererewardingdays,whenmanyfamiliesneededtopulltogether.Someofmysavingspaidforamajoroperationformymother,andtherestpaidthedownpaymentforourhomeinOgden.Myfatherrepaidmeliberallybysendingmeonamission.Imain-tainedgoodgradesinhighschool,butIalsobecameaworkaholic,whichIconsideranachievement,thoughIthinkI’vebeenareasonableone.Iworkhard, but I believe in giving time to my family first and anyone who needs it. JobswereplentifulinWorldWarII.DuringmylastsummerinPocatello,Iwould report for delivering papers at five a.m., return home to get mother’s lunch box (with five times my present quota of calories), and meet the bus at sevena.m.toworkonconstructionatnearbygovernmentfacilities.ThenonSaturdayandSundayIgotupeverythreeorfourhoursforapart-timejobofdrivinganoldChevrolettrucktotherailroaddepottotransfermailbagsuptothe main post office. I had marginal leisure throughout high school, but I had agreatsenseofpersonalachievement.

KAY:AndthenyouwentintheNavy?RICHARD:Yes,aftergraduatingfromOgdenHighSchoolIvolunteered

for induction into the Navy. We took exams in high school for naval officer training.Iwasoneoftwoseniorsselected,butthenIfailedthephysicalexam.TherewasajokeinWorldWarIIaboutthearmyphysical,whichwasgivenon the second floor of one of the barracks at Ft. Douglas. Supposedly two questions were asked: first, “Did you walk up those stairs?” second, “What’s your name? You’re in the service now!” But I had a severe overbite, which disqualified me for naval officer training. Orthodonture was not stressed then, andmybottomteethtouchedthetopgumbecauseoffaultyocclusion.Afterfailingthisphysicalexam,Ifailedagainafterapplyingfornavalpilottraining.When I asked my dentist what could be done, he answered, “We can file your bottomteethasixteenthofaninch,downsotheywon’ttouchthetopgum.They’ll grow back after a while, but you can at least pass the exam.” So I had thatdone,andthenIjoinedtheNavyasanaircrewman.Itwasmyjobtobearadio man, with a battle station at a machine gun. I logged over five hundred hoursinasearchandrescueplaneinWorldWarII.

JOE:Wherewereyoustationed?RICHARD:IwasstationedmainlyintheSoutheastUnitedStates.Itook

bootcampinJacksonville,Florida,thenoperationaltrainingandcommunica-tionsschoolinMemphis,Tennessee,andreturnedtoJacksonvilleforgunneryschool.Iearnedwingsasanaviationradioman,butIwasnotadvancedasa


petty officer because as World War II closed, advancements were curtailed as aneconomicstrategy.IreceivedanAmericantheatreofwarmedalbecausewe patrolled beyond continental limits. We flew out two hundred miles and looked for submarines. We trained for all kinds of South Pacific conditions in the PBY, which saw many significant missions. One of these planes was on patrol and spotted the Japanese fleet before the Battle of Midway.

JOE:TheCatalina?RICHARD:ThePBYwasamid-modelCatalinawithoutretractableland-

inggear.Ontakeoff,oneofmyassignmentswastogototherearPlexiglasbubbles,standinwaste-deepwaterandboostthedetachablewheelstotheirflight position.

KAY:Thenthewarendedandyouwentonyourmission.RICHARD:Iwasgivenconsiderablepreparationformymissionwhile

in the service. On December 7, 1941, it was a mild, sunny day in Provo,withoutsnow.Iwalkedhomefromchurch,kickingthelatefallleaves.Iwasapproachingsixteen,andmothersaidthenewsofPearlHarborwasanarrowthrough her heart because she thought I would be in the national conflict that beganthatday.IwasintheNavyaboutayearbeforeWorldWarIIended,

RichardLloydAnderson,secondfromright,intheUSNavy,WorldWarII,1945.PhotographcourtesyofRichardLloydAnderson.


andIservedalmostanotheryearbeforedischarge.ButIwasconstantlycon-cernedaboutthemissionIintendedtoserve.Atthebeginning,realityfacedmebecauseoneofmybestfriendswasdraftedandwaskilledinthePhilip-pines. It was very possible that I wouldn’t come back.At the end of highschool,IreadthewholetheBookofMormon.Iwasaself-consciousteenageranddidn’t letmyparentsknow,but I receivedamarvelous testimony.TheteachingsinAlmaaboutjusticeandmercyintheatonementmadeadeepim-pression,andIreceivedanassuranceinprayerthatIwouldreturnalivefromthe war. That intensified my desires to be prepared for a mission. I received apatriarchalblessingfromanoldBrotherWheelright,whohadneverseenme before. He promised me that I would fill a mission with marked success. KnowingthatIwouldbesurroundedbynonmembersintheservice,IbegantoreadChurchbooksverythoroughly.IrealizedthatIwouldbeknownasaMormon,andwouldimmediatelybeonthespotfordefendingmyfaith.Inadditiontostudyingmanybooks,Itriedtodevelopaknowledgeofthescrip-tures.WhiletheNavy,Ididalow-keyinterviewwitheveryreturnedmission-arythatImet.Inmyunits,mostLatter-daySaintswerereturnedmissionaries.For instance, when I first reported for duty in the Navy in Florida, I was told to pick up cigarette butts. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I thought thereweremoreinspirationalactivities,soIjusttookmylittlecopyoftheBookofMormonandsatunderapinetreetoread.Amilitarypolicemancamebyandgruffly asked, “Sailor, what are you doing?” I looked up, expecting to take the consequences, and answered, “I’m reading the Book of Mormon.” The man brokeout in laughterbecausehewas a returnedmissionary.He thengavemethegoodadvicetoobeyorders.Inmyservicecareer,Ididconversationalinterviewswithperhapstwohundredreturnedmissionaries,andIfoundthattheyfellintoanumberofcategories.Attheextremes,someknewwhattheyweredoingandsomewastedtheirtime.Fromthosewhowereactuallyteach-ing,Igatheredwhateverinsightsthatwouldpreparemeformymissionafteramilitarydischarge. Ialsoservedastakemission inJacksonville,Florida,whilestationedthere.

KAY:ThisledintotheAndersonplan.RICHARD:Yes,theAndersonplanwastheresult,butthatnamenever

camefromme.WepublisheditintheNorthwesternStatesMissionas“APlanfor Effective Missionary Work,” but the nickname, “Anderson plan,” spread throughouttheChurch.

JOE:YouservedintheNorthwesternStatesMission?RICHARD:Yes,thatassignmentfollowedseveralunusualevents.World

War II ended in 1945, and a stream of ex-service men filled up the missions againduring1946.TheChurchwassmallerthen,andGeneralAuthoritiesstillinterviewedprospectivemissionaries.IwasinterviewedbyElderJosephF.


MerrilloftheTwelve,andwehadaveryfreeconversation.Isaid,“Icertainlywillgowherecalled—that’swhyI’mhere;butIfeelI’llbemoreeffectiveifIgotoanEnglish-speakingmission,becauseIhavedonemissionaryworkwithpeopleintheservice.IfI’msenttoanEnglish-speakingmission,I’llbereadythe first day to knock on doors and get to work.” I was called to the North-westernStates,andIbeganfollowingthepatternthatI’dlearnedfromstakemissionaries,andfromreturnedmissionariesintheservice,amongthemReedBankhead, who later taught religion here at BYU. He gave a series of firesides inJacksonville,Florida,basedontheconceptofstressingdoctrinesthatare

distinctive for Latter-day Saints. Isawthevalueofthatideaandbeganorganizing scriptures around thesebasicdoctrines.Asmymilitaryser-vicewasending,Ithoughtintenselyaboutthecomingfull-timemission.I prayed repeatedly that I wouldhaveamissionpresidentwhowouldallow me to get to work and usemyinitiative.Thatprayerwasliter-allyanswered.WhenIarrivedatthemission headquarters in Portland,Oregon, President Samuel Bring-hurstwasawayonmissionbusiness,and I was sent to the field. I didn’t even see him for three months andsoIkeptcontactbymissionreports,thoughIwasprettymuchleftaloneinBend,Oregon.Amissionarythereproposed a district song from thehymnbook,“OutintheDesertTheyWander.” I was soon entrusted with leadership,becomingaseniorelderin a month and a district presidentofmissionariesandbranchesintwo

months.IfIcalledPresidentBringhurst,hewouldrespond:“ElderAnderson,you’ve been sent there; you’ve got the authority to make the decision.” So I wasgiven latitudebeyondmyyears.PresidentBringhurstwas replacedbyJoelRichards,ahighlysuccessfulinsuranceexecutivewhowasthebrotherofElderLeGrandRichards.Hebeganhis termwithamissionconference,afterwhichIfeltimpelledtophonehimwithasimplemessage,“We’rehav-inggoodresultsinmissionaryworkinBend,Oregon,andI’dliketotellyou

Richard Lloyd Anderson as a missionaryin the Northwestern States Mission, 1946.Photograph courtesy of Richard Lloyd

Anderson.


about it.” He answered, “I want to hear about it—bring your companion and take the next bus to Portland.” Being in insurance, he knew that successful agentsorganizedtheirpresentations.Hetransferredmetoanotherdistrictandtestedourmethods,andthenadoptedthemforthemission.SoonIwroteoutthe plan, and it filled a Church-wide vacuum caused by the shrinkage of the missionaryforceinWorldWarIIandthelackofknow-howaspost-warmis-sionaries flooded back. The Anderson plan spread to perhaps sixty percent of themissionsoftheChurch.

KAY:Youservedfortwo-and-a-halfyears?RICHARD:Itwastypicalthentoservetwo-and-a-halfyearsifyouwere

onaforeignmission.AnEnglish-speakingmissionwasusuallytwoyears.IaskedPresidentJoelRichardsforanextensionandgotit.Withyouthfulself-centeredness,Ididn’taskmyfather,buthewasgenerousenoughtopayforit.As I look back over the mission, it fulfilled the blessing given when set apart byajuniorapostle,SpencerW.Kimball.AsIfeltapowerfulspiritualassur-ance, he promised me that I would be a “peacemaker in the branches,” and he charged me “to learn a new word daily.” During my last year, I was a coun-selorinthemissionpresidencyandtraveledconstantlytodifferentbranchestoworkwiththemissionariesstationedthere.IalsobelievethatexpandingmyEnglishskillswaspersonalcounseltoonewhowouldbecomeateacherandwriter.

KAY:Didyoubegincollegerightafteryourmission?RICHARD:TechnicallyIbegancollegewithaneveningclassatJackson-

villeJuniorCollege,usingmyonenightoflibertyeachweek.Aspeechclassfurnishedamemorableexperience thatgavemean insight into the logicalsideofmymind.WewereassignedtomemorizeaspeechfromaShakespeareplay,andreciteitwithmeaningfulphrasing.Ilostcomposurebeforethelargeclass,mostofwhomweremyseniors.SoIploddedthroughthespeechwith-outusingmanyofShakespeare’swords,andwasgivenahumiliatingpublicevaluation.AsIwalkedoutofthesession,aNavylieutenantcommanderinthe class said, “That was a remarkable performance.” I responded with some commentabouttheteacheralreadymakingthatpoint.Hereplied,“No,really,Isattherelookingatthetext.Youdidnotmissanideaintheentirespeech,butyoutotallyusedalternativewords.Conceptuallyyouhadthewholethingorganized in your mind, but it came out in an unfamiliar form.”

KAY:AndafteryourmissionyouenrolledatWeberState?RICHARD:When Iwas released, I traveledhomebybus.About4:30

p.m.IarrivedattheOgdenTrailwaysstation,whichwasablockbelowWash-ingtonBoulevard,aboutthreeblocksfromtheoldWeberCollegecampus.Iwalkedthatdistancewithmybags,registered,andwasinclassateightthenextmorning,followingupwithtwoquartersatWeberCollege.Thatspring

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IwenttoProvotodiscussmyoptionswithHughNibley,whohadrecentlycometoBYUtrailingacademiccloudsofglory.Hisknowledgewasphenom-enalandhisrecallimmediate.Isaidtohim,“IcouldstayatWeberCollegeanother year, but I want to learn Greek. What should I do?” With his rugged self-assurance,Nibleyadvised,“YoucanlearnGreekonyourown;justcomedown here when you’ve developed a reading knowledge.” The Ogden option wastutoringwithmyhighschoolLatinteacher,whomIadmiredverymuch.She was a no-nonsense person and had a master’s degree in classics fromBerkeley.StayinginOgdenwouldincludeadebatescholarshipatWeberCol-legewhiletakingbasicrequiredcourses.SoNibley’sanswerwastostayinOgden,liveathome,andthentransfertoBYU.

Ontheotherhand,SidneyB.Sperry,headoftheDivisionofReligionatBYU,reacteddifferentlywhenheheardofmysituation.Sohewrote,offer-ingateachingassistantshipandrequestingthatIcometoProvotoconferwithhimandHughNibley.AtthesametimeBrotherSperrytoldNibleytotellme,“Youmustcomehere;don’tstayatWeberCollege.BYUhasabetteraca-demic program for your needs.” So Hugh took a 180 degree turn, writing that college debating “went out with the raccoon coat and the bulldog.” Brother Nibleybecamemyclosest friendon thefaculty. Isoonsawthathehadnopatience with aimless visiting. I learned to walk into his office, ask specific questions,andleavepromptlyafterhisanswers.Heprivatelyremarkedthatthereweretwopeoplethatheneverworriedaboutcominginandtalkingtohim,meaningmeandanotherpersonwhowasmyfriend.Thiswasbecausewegottothepointanddidn’twastehistime.Mymissionincreasedmyinter-estinhistory,whichbecamemycollegemajor.FormetheMormonconceptof the gospel restoration easily fits into the recent centuries that are ages of discoveryandexpansionofknowledge.InformedLatter-daySaintsexpecttodealwithlawsofcauseandeffecteverywhere,whichisalsotheconcernofhistoryinabroadhumanperspective.MycollegeminorwasLatin,partlyforthe efficiency of being able to test out of some classes and make up time. But IstartedseriousGreekstudythatultimatelyledtoamaster’sdegreeinancientGreek.WhenIwasamissionaryinBend,Oregon,anamateurscholarchal-lengedsomemissionaryinterpretationsbasedonEnglishreadings,raisingtheobviousquestionof theoriginal terms.This resulted in a lifetime studyoffirst-century Greek, and I give the Church high marks for doctrinal accuracy, asexplainedindetailbymyrecentlyrevisededitionofUnderstanding Paul.IcompletedaBAintwo-and-a-halfyearsandmarriedandgraduatedinthespringof1951.MylastclasswasacorrespondencecoursebecauseIwasonaself-acceleratedprogram.

KAY:TellusaboutmeetingCarma.

Kay and Joseph F. Darowski: A Scholar as a Witness �1

RICHARD:IbecamesomewhatacquaintedwithCarmabeforeaformalmeeting.Withmyacademictunnelvision,Ididnotattendperformanceas-semblies,whereCarmaappearedwiththeschool’smoderndanceclub.ButwewerebothinHughNibley’sclassinNearEasternHistoryaboutthefallof1949,sometimeslingeringforabriefafter-classquestionsession.HerfatherwasGerritdeJong,deanoftheCollegeofFineArts,andsheusuallywalkedbriskly fromHughNibley’s class to avoidbeing late for her father’s classinphonetics.Withoutknowingthatsituation,Iwalkedafterheracoupleoftimesbutcouldn’tcatchupinacasualway.Butherinquiringspiritgavemeanunexpectedchance.Intheoldsystemofregistrationbypullingclasscards,CarmawassittingatthetableoftheCollegeofFineArts.Iwalkedbysome-what preoccupied with finalizing registration, and I heard my name called out inacommandingtone.Thishadmilitaryechoes,andIwassomewhatamused.AsIturnedaroundandsawCarma,shedidn’tknowthatIwasacougarinthetree,waitingtoknowherbetter.AsIapproachedhertableshesaid,“I’vebeenhearingaboutyourmissionaryplanandwanttolearnmorebecauseIdon’tagree with some concepts.” I replied, “How about Friday night at 7:00 p.m.?” Impatientatbeingsidetracked,sheretorted,“I’mnotaskingyouforadate,Ijust want to talk,” but I responded, “I’m asking you for a date.” So that was thebeginning.Itwasaninspiredcourtshipandmarriage,withalltheupsanddownsthatcourtshipandmarriagebring.We’vehadagreatadventure—atnopointcouldeitheroneofussayitwasdull.

KAY:Howlongafterthisconversationdidyoumarry?RICHARD:Aboutayearafterward.Fromtheoutsetwebothfeltthatwe

were on the right path. Then I began to overanalyze, partly because my finan-cial resources were limited to the monthly allowance of the GI bill. I finished collegethenextspring,andweweremarriedonMay22,1951.ThatsummerI worked as a laborer for a construction firm replacing the brick linings of theblastfurnacesattheGenevasteelplant.IhadbeenadmittedtoHarvardLawSchoolthatfall.Carmabroughtherfather’sweddinggift,aqualitypor-table sewingmachine, andweboarded the trainatOgdenwithdestinationofCambridge,Massachusetts,athree-and-a-half-daytrip.IwanttoaddthatCarmaisanamazingperson.Aswebecameacquainted,sheassuredmethatshecouldmendour clothing.Amongmanyother skills, she’s aprize-win-ningwatercolorist,publishedpoet,andaccomplishedseamstress,aswellasasought-after expert in costume history, and we’ve had a fulfilling intellectual companionship. Carma says, “I am deep into all the arts.” I was looking for someonewithnotonlybeautybutbrains,andIfoundapersonwithboth.It’sbeenawonderfulmarriage.

In first-year law school, Carma was hired as a “shopper” by Filene’s, thenBoston’swell-knowndepartmentstore.Shereceivedcashandformsto


fill out, and she’d shop in a particular department or take the bus to one of thebranches.Afterward,shewasasalesclerkintheyoungwomen’sdepart-ment.(Afterthisessentialcontributiontomyeducation,IlatersupportedheringainingaPhDincostumehistoryatBYU.)IalsohadaHarvard tuitionscholarshipthatPresidentWilkinsonhelpedmeget.

That first year was idyllic, but instead of studying law totally, I read the full sevenvolumesof theHistory of the Church.This illustrateshowLDSHistoryhasbeenanactivelifetimeinterest,muchmorethanahobby.Asimi-lar active interest has been early Christian history. At Harvard I unofficially auditedGreekandLatinclasses.AndinmythirdyearatCambridgeIobtainedthe approval of my dean to go to the “yard,” the central university court, and takeGreekHistoryforcredit.SoIwasabletokeepinterestsaliveinMormon

Richard Lloyd Anderson at the time of his graduation fromHarvardLawSchool,1954.PhotographcourtesyofRichardLloyd

Anderson.


history,GreekandLatintoolsforChristianhistory,alongwiththestudyoflaw.Perhapsnotwisely, I politely turneddownan invitation to join a lawfraternity.IfeltIdidn’thavetimeforthatbecauseIwasmultitaskingontheaboveareas,plusmarriageandchurchwork.

I finished law school and passed the bar exam. Yet it’s only been until now thatIcouldconcentrateonJosephSmithandhisperiod.Nobodyhasgivenmethe date of my transfer into the next world, but I have some anxiety to finish a numberofprojectsontheProphet,hisfamily,andthewitnessesoftheBookofMormon.

KAY:Whendidyourchildrenbeginarriving?RICHARD: Our genetic child was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts,

at theendof thesecondyearof lawschool.HughNibley,ona leavefromBYUatthattime,wasstayingatourhouseforthreeweeks,andCarmawouldmakehimaboiledeggandasandwichtotaketocampusforhislunch.OntheearlymorningofRoselle’sbirth,CarmaandIdrovetothenearbyMt.AuburnHospital,whereourred-hairedgirlarrivedonamisty,luminescentspringaf-ternoon.Thegynecologist,pressuredbysimultaneousdeliveries,exiledmetothewaitingroom,whereIcrammedformyConstitutionalLawexamination.InaweekIwenttothestudentdeanandborrowedmoneytosendmotherandbaby to her family in Utah, saying I would not pass finals with a little one cry-ingatallhoursinasmallapartment.TearsblurredmyeyesasIwatchedtheirplanerecedeintothehorizonatBoston’sLoganAirport.

Weworkedwithadoptionagenciesforourthreeotherchildren,andeachhas an inspirational story. Nathan came during my PhD work at Berkeley,California,andhisbirthmotherrequestedthathebeplacedwithaMormonfamily.Gerritwasbornamonth late,perfect timing, sincewehad just re-turnedfromalongresearchtriptotheEasternStates.AndChandelle’splace-mentwasatanimpasse,whenanLDSsocialworkerpickedupanapplication,reviewedmywife’s request forabrunettegirl fromanartisticmother,andannounced, “This is Carma Anderson’s baby.” We have ten grandchildren.

KAY:Afterlawschool,didyoupracticelaw?RICHARD:IpracticedlawinthesenseofpickingthethingsthatIwant-

edtodo.Idrewuplegalpapersanddidsomefamilylaw,mainlyadoptions.Ididoneofourownadoptions,puttingCarmaonthewitnessstandandaskingifsheintendedtobeagoodmother.ForsometimeshefeltIhadthrowndoubtonherperformance,thoughIthoughtitwasaquestionthejudgewouldbeinterestedin.Wehaveeducatedeachother,andIhavetoldreligionclassesthatmarriagehastaughtmemorethananyPhDevercould,andCarmahasbeenmymentor.

One year I indexed the Utah session laws, but finally realized that do-ing law things was different from practicing law, and that was not profitable

�� Mormon Historical Studies

withoutgoingtocourt,whichwasblockedbymyteachingschedule.FromthenIhavepaidinactivefees,thoughIcouldstillpracticeifthereweretime.I gradually learned to scale down other interests. For some years I taughtregular classes in the history department, the first half of world civilization, andRomanandGreekhistory.Inmid-careerIsetthoseasidebecauseoftimeandspecialization.But to theendofmy teachingcareer, Icouldn’tchoosebetweenfullconcentrationonNewTestamentandearlyChristianhistoryontheonehand,andearlyMormonhistoryontheother.Theyhaveremarkableparallels.

KAY:IhaveinmynotesthatyoumovedtoCedarCityforayear.RICHARD:Afterlawschool,IwasadmittedtoHarvardforanancient

historyPhD.ItutoredthefollowingsummerinLatinandGreek,andsoughtto raise private money for graduate school that fall. I finally called William E. Berrett,whowastheChurchEducationalSystemheadatthattime,andhere-sponded:“We’vegotaCedarCitypositionopenforyou.Youcanbetherefora year and then come to BYU the following year.” That year was a broaden-ingexperience,learningthequalityofasouthernUtahheritage.ItaughtoneclassintheinstituteandasociologyclassattheCollegeofSouthernUtah.Idevelopedstrongfriendshipswithmyseminaryprincipal,RodneyTurner,andwiththeinstitutedirector,PaulFelt.LaterthethreeofuswerecolleaguesonthereligionfacultyatBYU.

KAY:AndthenyoucamebacktoBYUtoteach?RICHARD:IwashiredtoteachatBYUinthefallof1955,andIstayed

threeyears.DuringthattimeIdidamaster’sdegreeinclassicsandpreparedtoleavefortheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,whereIearnedadoctoratein 1961. My major field was Greek and Roman history, with minor fields in medievalhistoryandChristianchurchhistorytotheRenaissance.

KAY:WhatdoyourememberaboutyourexperiencesatBerkeley?RICHARD:TheBerkeleyexperienceenrichedmymindandlife,replac-

ingtheclassroomdialoguesinlawschoolwithpersonaladvisementandmen-toring.TheBerkeleyhistoryfacultyhadjustcompletedastudywhichshowedthat it generally took about seven years of graduate work for a doctorate.The professors were shocked and created a modified schedule on an English model,whichwouldfocusonexamsratherthanclasswork.Iwasabletodoseminars,requiredpapers,andschedulewrittenareaexamsassoonasIfeltprepared. Thus I finished the PhD in three years. I had highly competent pro-fessorsandagoodrelationshipwithallofthem,includingWilliamSinnigen,specialistinRomanadministration,whowasmymajoradviser.

JOE:Didyoudoadissertation?RICHARD:Yes,butexplainingitwouldforcethisinterviewintoover-

time.(laughing)Itwasontwohistorians,onefromtheearlyRomanEmpire


andanotherfromthelateempire,contrastingandexplainingtheirdegreeofloyalty to the superstate in two different periods. The first historian, Velleius Paterculus,wasaloyalistandhasbeensomewhatrehabilitatedsinceIwrote.He was contemporaneous with Jesus, and the study brought me into the first centuryRomanworld,whichwastheworldofPaul.ThesecondhistorianwasAmmianusMarcellinus,asortofbrilliantdissenterlikeTacitus.Hisrationaleof the unstable late empire society has significant parallels to the explanations ofMormonandMoroniaboutthesametimeperiod.

JOE:Andinwhatlanguagewasitpublished?RICHARD:OfcourseitwaspublishedinEnglish.(laughing)Ididlearn

classicallanguages,LatinandGreek,onareadingbasis,andIlearnedFrench

Richard Lloyd Anderson biking on campus at University ofCalifornia,Berkeley,1959.PhotographcourtesyofRichardLloyd

Anderson.

�� Mormon Historical Studies

and German on that level also. I later upgraded to conversational GermanwhenCarmaandItaughtintheBYUSemesterAbroadprograminSalzburg,Austria.

BacktoBerkeley,Imovedfromdoctoralstudiestothepositionoflec-turer there in classical and medieval rhetoric.This sounds like an obscuresubject,buttheDepartmentofSpeechdealtwithformandcontent,basicallydealingwithintellectualhistory.WhileIwasagraduatestudentthere,HughNibleycametoBerkeleyforayeartoteachthesesubjects,buthereturnedto

RichardLloydandCarmade JongAnderson family, 1969.BackL-R:Roselle15,Richard.FrontL-R:Nathan9,Gerrit6,Carma,Chandelle3.


BYU.ThedepartmentwasimpressedwithHugh,andIrodeinonhiscoat-tails.AfterayearIwasofferedatenure-trackposition,butIstronglyfeltIshouldreturntoBYU.

KAY: What was the religion department like when you came back toBYUintheearly1960s?

RICHARD:Atthatpoint,ReligiousEducationwasacollege,withDavidYarnasthedean.Davidisthetotalgentlemanandistotallygracious.HecarriedthebestofhissouthernAtlanta,Georgiaculturewithhim,plusagoodmindandaColumbiadoctorate.IlovedworkingwithDeanYarn,andI’vegreatlyrespectedallmydeanssincethattime.Theirearlierworklaidthefoundationsfortoday’sfacultyinReligiousEducation,whichisstronginlearningandalsostrong in faith, as suggested by the revelations to the first theological school intheChurch(D&C88:118).AndthepublishingtrajectorycontinuesinthequalityoutputoftheReligiousStudiesCenter,withparalleldevelopmentsofFARMS,andnowtheMaxwellInstitute.Therearemanywaystoclassifythecross-currentsinreligiousstudy:liberalismv.conservatism;humanismv.or-thodoxy;evolvingreligionv.revealedreligion.Inperspective,thesemayonlybehumanbattlegrounds,withmanyhalf-truthsattheextremes.Intheearly1960s, religious education at BYU reflected earlier trends and methodologies learnedbyfacultymembers fromgraduatework in theMidwest,East,andabroad.Asanundergraduate,IheardPresidentKimballgiveadevotionaltalkon “A Style of Our Own,” pleading for clothing consistent with gospel values. Sincetheearly1960s,ReligiousEducationhasstronglymovedinto“ASchol-arship of Our Own.” By this I do not mean religious oversimplification of a subject, what Nibley could parody as “Mathematics for Mormons.” Instead, IseedecadesofBYUscholarstakingourscripturesseriouslyassourcesthatilluminate religious understanding and fit into what is known of their time periods. I also see a lessened tendency to define scholarship superficially as “what the scholars say.” A true scholar knows what his peers say, but relies on firsthand sources in his field. Thus some views of faculty members in the early1960sareoutdated,becausetheyreliedonlyonthescholarlyopinionsand did not dig deeply themselves. I also reflect on what I was like on return-ingtoBYUintheearly1960s.SoonafterreturningtoBYU,IcompletedtheBerkeleyPhD,butItriedtoavoidpridethatmightbepackagedwithit.Whileavoiding the artificial trappings of academia, I probably had an unhealthy zeal forknowledge.Justas it took time tobecomeaconsiderateparent, it tooktimetobecomeanencouragingteacher.Igraduallydevelopedskillinperceiv-ingproblemsandempathizingwithpeople.Theseearlyteachingyearsalsobroughtimprovementinempathyinmarriage.Ihadacademicskills,butstillneededtodevelopmanypeopleskills.


KAY:You’vehadaninterestingcareerblendinganinterestinearlyChris-tianitywith earlyMormonism.Howdidyouwork thatoutwhilepursuingscholarshipinbothareas?

RICHARD:The logicalconnection is studying theoriginsof twopro-phetic religions, which we understand as anciently revealed and modernlyrestored.I’vealwaysbeenpuzzledthatadedicatedChristiancouldseeMor-monismasanaberration,becauseIseethesamehistoricalstrengthsinancientChristianityanditsrestoration,whichismisleadinglycalledMormonism.Inbothcasesfaith is required tobelieve theprophetsofGod, theforerunnersandwitnessesofbothdispensations.Inbothcasesthecallwentoutthatnewprophets were sent, an evident parallel between early Christianity and therestorationofChrist’sChurch.ThestrengthofapostolicwitnessesofancientChristianityledmetoprobethedocumentscreatedbythewitnessesof theBookofMormonandthosewhoreportedcontactwiththem.Myearlyworkin published sources revealed ragged copying, textual variants in printingswitnesses’statementsorreportsofinterviewingaBookofMormonwitness.Iwastrainedinlaw,history,andclassicstogettotheearliestorbesttext.InMormonhistory,earliestcopiesweremainlybutnotexclusivelyinSaltLakeCity,soseriousworkincludedcheckingoriginaldocumentsthere.Instudyingearly Christianity, equivalent work involved finding photographs or published editionsofscripturesorChristianpersonalitieswithintheshadowsoftheNewTestament.OfcoursetheseChristianrecordsareinMediterranean,butI’vehadastrictcommitmenttolearneverythingpossibleontheoriginsofearlyChristianity,concentratingonthelivesofChristandPaul,aswellasmodernChristianity,concentratingonthelifeofJosephSmithandBookofMormonwitnesses,includingOliverCowdery,whowithJosephisapriesthoodresto-rationwitness.It’smypassionforsourcesthatreallycommittedmetolinkingtheearlychurchandtherestoration.

KAY:ThelasttimeIsawanumber,youhadpublishedabout150articlesandseveralbooks,andbasicallyyou’reevenlydividedbetweenpublishingscholarshipontheancientchurchandthemodernchurch.Didyousay,“Thisyear I’m going to focus on this one, and next year I’ll focus on the other one?” Didyouleapfrogfromonetotheother,ordidyoufollowthemes?

RICHARD:IthinkIprayedeverydaythatIwouldworkonsomethingpleasing to theLord. I’mnotsure thathewantedmetowriteeveryarticlethat I’vewritten. I’vehadsometurneddown,but I’vehadmanyaccepted.Articlesaregenerallymotivatedbytheinterestsoftheauthorandtheneedinthe field. But I’ve mainly worked with the idea of need, looking for any major gapsthatneededtobestudiedintheearlyChristianandMormonfoundations.I’msortofadetectiveatheart.Iliketosolveproblems.I’vecometofocuson relevance, asking “Is this topic worth writing about?” For instance, in my


earlycareerIsubmittedanarticleabouthumorasevidentinearlyLatter-daySainthistory.Whenitwasturneddown,Ifelttheeditorsweresnobbish.Yeton reflection the piece deserved rejection because it didn’t pass the test of relevance—it was fluff, mainly created for entertainment. Early I realized my maincontributionswouldbeseriousarticlesonthebeginnings—reconstruct-ing the livesandexperiencesofChristandhisapostles, includingbuildingsignificant knowledge of the life and experience Joseph Smith.

JOE:With the range of work that you’ve done, and the mass of whatyou’ve been able to accomplish, are there things that you feel particularlygoodabout?Whereyou’verecognizedaneedorgap,orwereverysatisfyingtoworkon,orstandoutforyoupersonally,oryou’vebeengratefulthatyougottoworkon?

RICHARD: For me a significant topic is ready to be shared when the evidenceadequatelyprovesthepointofthearticle,whenitestablishessolidknowledgethatisnotlikelytoberevised.Oneofmymostimportantandpro-ductivesubjectsismyworkonthetestimoniesofthewitnessesoftheBookof Mormon. My files contain well over 160 statements of or reported contacts withtheThreeWitnesses,andoverthreedozenlikesourcesfromtheEight

L-R:RichardLloydAnderson,HughW.Nibley,andChaunceyC.Riddle.Thephotoappearedonthefrontcoverof thebookTo the Glory of God: Mormon Essays on Great Issues (Salt Lake City:

DeseretBook,1972).


Witnesses.Isummarizedthisextensivematerialinasmallbookthatisstillinprint,Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses.Therearevariousdegreesofaccuracyanddetailinreportingwhatthesewitnessessaid,butthereisanoverallconsistencyandinsistenceoftheThreeWitnessesthattheybeheldtheplatesandanangel,andheardthevoiceofGoddeclarethetranslationcorrect.LikewisethereisaninsistenceoftheEightWitnessesthattheirtestimonyaswrittenwas strictly true, that theyhadhandled and examinedheavymetalplatesthathadtheappearanceofanancientrecord.

Makingasourcecollectionofallthismaterialisnotenough—ithastobeanalyzed.Besidesmysmallbook,I’vewrittenmanyarticlesinvolvingcorre-lations,andhopetodomuchmore.Inmysmallbook,Ipublishedacompos-iteinterviewwithDavidWhitmer,reconstructedfromthevariousquestionsandanswersintheDavidWhitmerinterviews.Itisremarkabletohavesuchdetailsforamajorreligiousevent.InasenseI’vebeenanarchaeologistofthevisionsof JosephSmithand theBookofMormonwitnesses—locatingobscureaccountsandallowingthefounderstotellabouttheircorporaterev-elations.Myexperienceisthattheydoitverywell,giventhefactthateveryinterviewisapartialrecordofwhatwassaid.Thevisionaccountsofthewit-nessesintegrateinimportantways.Criticshavecreatedfalsecontradictionsfromafewatypicalreports,insistingoninterpretationscountertothemanyotherwellreportedstatementsfromtheBookofMormonwitnesses.WhenfairhistorianslettheBookofMormonwitnessesexplainthemselves,theydosoinharmonywiththeirstatementsprintedintheBookofMormon.

IusedyearsoftimeandenergyontheBookofMormonwitnessesbe-causeIfeltJosephSmith’slifewasthepopulartopic,andIwouldnotcom-peteinthatarena.WithmoreexperienceIfeltthattheneedtochecksourceswasasgreatinhislifeasinthelivesoftheBookofMormonwitnesses.Atrivial example is the name of the respected schoolteacher who taught theProphetbasiclettersinRoyalton,Vermont.CurrentbiographiescallhimDea-conJonathanRinney,orFinney,buttheprimarysource(hisgranddaughter)givesthecorrectanswer,Kinney.Thisconnectswithmyansweronespeciallysignificant writings. About 1970, plans were nearly completed for a leave to study Semitic languages in Chicago, when I cancelled in favor of finishing Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage,whichwasrevisedandrepublishedin2003.Bushmanlisteditasoneoffourbookshereliedonincreatinghispilotbiography,Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism.Brodiehadpre-viously portrayed Joseph Smith’s New England grandfathers as “irreligious,” but thefactswerefarotherwise.Inanotherarticle,IcarriedthisstudyintoearlyNewYork,showinghowstandardlanguagewasusedinthecreationofneighborhood affidavits portraying the Palmyra-Manchester Smiths as lazy and interested only in money digging. The former label is flatly incorrect,


whilethelatterismisleading.Inhermanuscript,theProphet’smothersaidtheoverriding passion of the family in these years was “the welfare of our souls.” MyworkontheearlyreligiouslifeoftheProphetshows,andIhopeaddi-tionswillalsoshow,thatJosephSmith’snarrativescontainhisaccuratereli-gioushistory,andtheaccuratereligioushistoryofhisfamily.Thesearticlesarenotwell-knownnow,butthosepublishedbefore2000arelistedinDavidWhittaker’s “Topical Bibliography,” in Stephen Ricks, Donald W. Parry, and AndrewH.Hedges,The Disciple as Witness: Essays . . . in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson(Provo,Utah:FoundationforAncientResearchandMormonStudies,BrighamYoungUniversity,2000),541-545.

JOE:AnythingthatyoufeelparticularlygoodaboutfromyourworkontheNewTestamentorearlychurch?

RICHARD:Christisthecenterofourreligionandofcoursethecenterof the NewTestament. Since you personalized the question, I have to saythatteachingChrist’slifeduringmorethanfortyyearshaschangedmylifegreatly.Wegenerallyassumeweare living theSavior’sprinciplesbecause

RichardLloydandCarmadeJongAndersonvisitingPiazzaSanMarcowhilebothwereteaching for BYU’s semester abroad program, Salzburg, Austria, 1972. Photograph

courtesyofRichardLloydAnderson.


theyaresofamiliarinChurchdiscourse.ButcollegeclassdiscussionforcedmetothinkdeeperaboutmanyofChrist’steachings.Forinstance,wethinkwearelivingtheGoldenRule(Matt.7:12)whenwegiveanotherwhatwewouldliketoreceive.Butthatformulaleavesoutanimportantelement,i.e.,what are the unique needs of another? In fact, Jesus constantly challengesustocareforotherstothepointofperceivingtheirspecialsituations,whichmaybequitedifferentfromourown.SotheGoldenRuleisnotnecessarilyusedwhenwegivewhatwewouldliketoreceive.Itisonlylivedwhenwegivewhatwewouldreceive,if we were the other person.Likeotherauthors,someofmybestworkisfoundinobscureplaces,andimportantcommentaryontheGospelsisfoundinmyGuide to the Life of Christ,stilldistributedbyFARMS.Ancientsources,geography,andlanguageshelpestablishtimesandplaces in Jesus’s life, but the most significant part of it is learned in the labora-toryoflife.

Continuing significant New Testament contributions, my Understanding Paulwaswritten from longexperience in theclassroomandpreparing forit.OnesatisfyingfeatureofthatbookisclarifyingGreekvocabularybehindmany King James terms that once reflected Paul’s Greek but have shifted meaninginthelastfourcenturies.Finally,IgreatlyvaluePaulasastrongpil-larupholdingthehistoricalaccuracyoftheGospels.MostLatter-daySaintsdonotquestiontheauthenticityoftheserecordsofJesus’slifeandministry.However, themostvisibleBible scholars see theGospels ashistorical ret-rojections,madefromenhancedstoriesthattheearlychurchproducedafteritturnedtheJesusofhistoryintotheChristoffaith.ButPaul’slettersshowthattheChristoffaithwasthegospelcenterfortheearliestChristians.Forinstance,1CorinthiansisaPaulineletterseldomchallenged,anditcontainstheearliestformofaChristianGospel,givingaccountsof theLastSupper(1Cor.11:23-27)andtestimoniesofJesus’sresurrection(1Cor.15:1-7).InbothcasesPaulinsiststhatheisrepeatingwhathereceived,obviouslyfromapostlesandfamily,includingPeterandtheLord’sbrotherJames,whoknewJesus from the outset of his ministry. It is difficult to date the Gospels, but 1 CorinthianswascomposedveryclosetoA.D.56,whenthegenerationthatknewJesushadnotfaded.ThusPaul’slettershistoricalmarktheearlyandun-changingChristianstory.Whetherornotthisisaminorityview,1Corinthiansemerges as a virtual Gospel while firsthand witnesses of Christ’s teaching and resurrectionstilllived,asexplainedinmyupdatedarticleappearinginFrankF.JuddJr.,andGayeStrathearn,Sperry Symposium Classics(SaltLakeCity:DeseretBook,2006).

ThestudyofPauliscomparableinobjectivitytostudyingRomanhistory.NewTestamentscholarsaretoooftenashamedoftheirsourcesassomehowpoisonedbycontainingChristiancommitment.Butmanyhistoricalsources


comefromegotisticalindividualsorthosepassionatelycommittedtocauses.LikeworkonPaul,abiographyofCiceroorCaesarwillheavilydependontheirwritings,eventhoughtheycontainconsciousandunconsciousegotism.Historiansdealingwiththemacknowledgesuchovertones,buttheirwritingsareneverthelesshistoricalrecords,aswiththecaseofPaul.

PaulandJosephSmitharevirtualmirrorimagesintermsoftheirvisionsand revelations, a point which I partially developed in a BYU devotional.However,aseasonedlawyerintheEast,nowdeceased,wasoffendedattheresultingarticle.IthinkhisproblemwasimagingJosephasafrontierwoods-manandPaulasasophisticated,educatedperson.Thereisintellectualcom-fortinfeelingthatPaulwastrainedandcanbetrusted.Butparallelsremaininpersonalityandpatternsofrevelation.PaulandJosephexperiencedseveralvisionsoftheLordandangelsofremarkablesimilarity,andbothmenwerefearlessandsufferedgreatlyforthetruthoftheirtestimonies.

KAY:I’mgoingtoaskaboutyourresearchonearlyMormonChurchhis-torywithyourbrotherKarl.Howhaveyouinteractedthroughtheyears?

RICHARD:BothKarlandIshowedourdistinctpersonalitiesearly, inmy case pestering my parents with questions while advancing from child-hood.Karlhasawarm,humanside,shownbyhispracticaljokesinhisteens.Karlwentintobusinessandmodeledafterourfather,whowasaquietgeniusat selling.Anybodyobservinghisapproacheswas impressedwithhisabil-itytorelatetohisclients,movingfromjovialconversationtopresentinghisproductandtheevidenceforitsvalue.Icanpresentevidence—Igotthatfrommyfather,butKarlgotthat,plusmyfather’sabilitytorelatetopeopleoutofgenuineconcernforthem.AfteranMBAfromtheUniversityofUtah,Karlwenteast,andhisworkassignmentstookhimtoseveralstrategiclocationsforChurchhistory,includingupperIllinois,NewYork’sFingerLakes,andthensustainedresidenceeastofCleveland,nearKirtland.

Karl had built up good benefits in a major corporation in Detroit when he feltspirituallydirectedtoventureintoasoftwarecompanybasedinCleve-land. After a year there, he was called as a stake president; after five years hewascalledasregionalrepresentative;servingeightyears,afterwhichhehasservedinareaandmissioncallingsthatenabledhimtocontinuetostudychurchhistoryandMormonsitesinthatregion.Thushebecameawell-in-formedguidetoJoseph Smith’s Kirtland,oneofhisbooktitles.Somedecadesago,siteacquisitionwasnotencouragedbecauseoftheinitialpriceandalsothecostoftimeandmoneyinupkeep.YetKirtlandwasanundevelopedtrea-sure. Karl well earned the title “Mr. Kirtland” because he’s never lost the dream of redevelopment through years of encouragement and discourage-ment.IfeelthathewasplacedintheareabytheprovidenceoftheLord.Youaskedaboutourcooperation.IvisitedClevelandonanoccasionalvacationor


researchtrip.ButKarlwasalwayswillingtodoaninterviewforme,locateadocument,orcheckonimportantlibraryholdingsinthearea.ThenhebegantoaskmetocheckouttheKirtlandsourcesthatwereavailableinProvoandSaltLakeCity.WhenIknewhisinterests,IwouldoftendoublecopyasourceandputoneinthemailtoKarl.Thissmallinvestmentinmybrotherhasre-warded me richly, for I have heard him explain the significance of Kirtland severaltimesonsite.KarlhasagiftofweldingtheKirtlandrevelationstothedetailedhistoryofKirtland.IregardhimasaskilledandinspiredhistorianoftheKirtlandstory.Weareindebtedtoeachother,thoughbothofushavebeenindependentlyledoftheLord.Inourresearch,bothofushavetriedtoadapt Christ’s injunction to the Twelve: “freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt.10:11).

JOE:Youarelegendaryintermsoftheeffortyouputforth,andparticu-larlyasarevieweditoryourcontributiontotheJosephSmithPapersProjectisenormous.AlexSmith,aneditorofthevolumecalledJournals2,sentyou123double-spacedpagesoftextandannotationtoreview.Hesaysyou’vegivenhimbackeightysingle-spacedpagesofresponse.Youhavesavedtheminsomanyplacesbyhelpingthemseeabettersourceorsteeringthemawayfromatrackthatwaseithergoingtobeadeadendorleadthemastray.Alexsays

Karl R. Anderson (left), and Richard L. Anderson (right), on a filming tour for the Joseph SmithPapersproject,Kirtland,Ohio,October2006.PhotographcourtesyofRichardLloyd

Anderson.


yourmaterialisabsolutelyessential,andwhenwe’redonewiththesevolumesthatyou’verespondedtoweshouldpublishyournotesasacommentaryonthepapers.

RICHARD:(laughing)I’mgratefulforthegenerousevaluationsmadebyyouandAlex.Yetifhistoriansgetanyrespect,theyshouldbeveryhumble.Likethecourts,we’realwayssubjecttonewdevelopmentsthatmightchangeanswersdetailsormodifyopinions.Therewillbeappendicesandadditionstoanyone’swork.

JOE:Let’s talkabout theJosephSmithPapersProject,which takesupmuchofyourtimecurrently.Whatdoyouseeasitscontributions?

RICHARD:Onethingtheprojectmaynotdoistoproduceashort,one-volume summaryof the lifeof JosephSmith. (laughing)Youare closer tothe center than I, but the current figure envisions about two dozen volumes. Asyouknowfromstaffmeetings,theprojectaimstofurnishasetofreason-ablycomprehensivesourcesontheProphet’slifethatwillmatchthedetailofsimilar collections of greatAmerican leaders, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln,etc. So the completed project should give superficial writers on Joseph Smith aguiltyconscience,knowingthattheyhaveopposedhimorexplainedhimwithafractionofinformationthatwillbeonthelibraryshelvesintheJosephSmithPapers.TheconscientiousbiographerorhistorianwillnowhavetodealwithawidesweepofmaterialsthatsupporttheProphet’sdivinemissionandhow well he fulfilled it. So the project leaders realistically picture a new era ofJosephSmithhistory.

Inpastyears, the costof assembling JosephSmithmaterialswashighintimeandtravelandduplicationexpenses.Nowthousandsofsourceswillmigrate from the archives into a published version, assembled, dated, me-ticulouslycopiedandannotatedbyateamofexperts.AndtheJosephSmithPaperswillincludeallknownmajordocuments,whetherinChurchArchivesor gathered from major collections elsewhere. The coming efficiency of using thefullJosephSmithrecordisenormous.PaulsaidthathewasnotashamedofthegospelofChrist,andtheLatter-daySaintChurchisinvestingcapitaland labor in declaring it is not ashamedof the full historyof its foundingProphet.Asyouknow,theproject’smajorpatron,LarryH.Miller,istouchedbythisrelevanceofhistorytothemissionoftheChurch,repeatedlyquotingWilliam W. Phelps: “Millions shall know Brother Joseph again.”

KAY:Andyou’vebeeninvolvedforseveralyearswiththeOliverCowderyProject.Whatcanyoutellusaboutthat?

RICHARD: Inmy lifelongworkon theBookofMormonwitnesses, Igathered everything I could find about Oliver Cowdery and classified and categorized it in files. As already mentioned, Mormon sources are mainly at LDS Archives, but many are not. Significant manuscript collections are at the


CommunityofChristArchives,UniversityofUtah,HuntingtonLibrary,Chi-cagoHistoricalSociety,YaleUniversity,andmanymore.AboutthirtyyearsafterIstartedcollecting,ScottFaulringvisitedmanyplacesandgathereddoc-uments I had not seen, some classified after my visits. As we compared notes, Isaid,“Scott,weneedtocollaboratesothatwecanputtogetherwhatyou’vegot and what I’ve got.” So that’s how our partnership started. Scott has elec-tronicallyformattedabout1,200documentsthatarefrom,by,oraboutOliverCowdery.Theresultwillbefourvolumes,tobepublishedunderthedirectionofJackWelch,editorofBrigham Young University Studies.Wehopethesevolumeswilldo the same thing forOliverCowdery that the JosephSmithPaperswill do for JosephSmith, amongother things, encouragepeople togotothesourcesthatJosephSmithandOliverCowderyproduced,thenfeeltheintelligenceandintegrityofthesemen,andatthesametimeobservethesolidity of the historical record of the revelations and sacrifices that brought forthnewrevelation,restoredauthority,andresultedintherestorationoftheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints.

JOE:WiththeCowderyPapers,whatparametersdidyousetforyourselfinhowhaveyouapproachedtheannotation?Wouldyouinterpretorwouldyoujusttrytoexpandonwhatwasinthedocumentandperhapsmaybeex-plaincontext?Somewouldsayyourjobwouldbetoprovidetheresourceorserviceofjustcreatingagoodtranscriptionandlettingthedocumentspeakforitself.Otherswouldsayyouhaveanobligationtosharewhateverknowledgeyouhaveaboutanindividualandthecircumstanceofadocument.Howdoyoubalancethosetensionsinworkingwithdocuments?

RICHARD:IsupposeScottandIhavebeensobusyworkingontheproj-ectandproducingtheannotationsthatwehaven’thadtimetotalkaboutourphilosophyofdoing it. (laughing)Togiveamorecarefulanswer,wehavegatheredandformattedaboutninetypercentofourdocuments,andI’veas-sumed responsibility for most head notes and footnotes, which are mostlydonethrough1837.Wegiveageneralintroductionforeachdocument,plac-ingitincontext,withinterpretivedetailsplacedinfootnotes,whicharegener-allyfewbutincreasewithcomplexdocuments,especiallytwothatScottstud-iedindepth,asOliverCowdery’s1829revelationonpriesthoodandthemorecomprehensiverevelationofJosephSmith(Section20),givennearChurchorganization.Scottmaywanttodomoreifthetragedyofhisstrokelastyearcanbereversed.

Inwritingaheadnote,somedocumentstakeminimalcomment,butoth-erscanbemisunderstoodwithoutacontext.SoItendtofollowyoursecondoption:“tosharewhateverknowledgeyouhaveaboutanindividualandthecircumstance of a document.” In particular, we have a string of sources show-ingOliverCowdery’sangerwithJosephSmithinthewinterof1837-1838,


culminatinginhisleavingtheChurchthatspring.Theyrequirereconstructingbackground—someinsightinto1835polygamyinKirtlandandtheimpactofthe 1837 depression that devastated Church finances and left both Joseph and OliverheavilyindebtedforwholesalepurchasesforChurchstores,compli-catedbyholdoverdebtsinconstructingthetemplethatwasdedicatedin1836.These difficult events are to some extent reflected in the tone and content of Oliver’s1838letters.

JOE:JulianBoyd,thelong-timeeditoroftheThomasJeffersonPapers,begantobecriticizedforbeingsoenthralledwithJeffersonthathedefendedanything Jeffersondid.You’veworkedwithPaul andOliverCowderyandJosephSmithasintimatelyastherecordallows.Howdoyouremainascholarandkeepfrombeingcaughtupinbecomingacheerleaderorchampionforthem?

RICHARD:Everyhistorianandeveryreaderhasthischallenge.Wede-velopstereotypes,oftenrepeatingstandardlabelsforpastpersonalities.Butonecanalsobebiasedagainstone’s subject.ThereareMormonhistorianswhoseemtothinkthatnegativismisabadgeofobjectivity,butmuckrakingdoesnotbelonginresponsiblebiography.Therearetwoprocessesinwritingasignificant life of a major figure—gathering data comprehensively and evalu-atingeventsfairly.Inthelatterprocess,thecommonsayingisrelevant,thatyoucanjudgewithoutbeingjudgmental.Herehostilitytowardthesubjectiseverybitasdistortingasscreeningouteverythingnegative.InaSusanEastonBlack collection, Expressions of Faith, I wrote an essay called “ChristianEthics in Joseph Smith Biography.” It stresses that Joseph Smith biographers shouldnot to rush to a negative conclusionbecause of an atypical source,whenabroaderreadingofotherdocumentsonthesubjectwillshowthatJo-sephSmithwasamanofaltruismanddistinctsocialresponsibility.Onwhatyoucallcheerleading, since law school I have reflected on how the histo-rian resembles the ideal of the lawyer as “advocate.” For the legal profession, thattermhasconnotationsakintothedifferencebetweenastatesmanandapolitician.Mylawprofessorsperiodicallycommentedonalawyer’sdoubleduty—tohisclientandalsotothecourts.Irecentlyhappenedontomycopyof the “Attorney’s Oath,” administered in court and handed individually to mycontingentofnewattorneysin1955.Eachneophytepledgedtorepresenthis or her clients but not to “mislead the judge or jury by any artifice or false statement of fact or law.” Conceptually, the historian can admire the subject butretainaprofessionalcommitmenttothetruth.JosephSmithdidnotaskhisbiographerstomanufactureapapersaint.ThomasBullock’sdetailednotescontainthissentenceoftheProphetneartheendofthediscourseof12May1844:“InevertoldyouIwasperfect;butthereisnoerrorintherevelationswhich I have taught.” I have industriously gathered and filed the positive and


thenegativeforthelivesofJosephSmithandhisearlyassociatesinfoundingRestoredChurch.InhisprefacetotheDiscourses of Brigham Young,Widtsoewas impressed thathugeamountsofsurvivingspeechnotescouldproducesuchlittlematerialtodiscreditBrigham’scharacter.IcansaysimilarthingsaboutJosephandOliver,whilerecognizing,asbothmensaidofthemselves,thattheyhadhumanweaknesses.

JOE:Let’spursuethenotionofhowyoucanrecognizeyourownbiasesandleaningsbutatthesametimebefairtoyoursubject.

RICHARD:Theanswerbeginswithasinceredeterminationto“tellthetruth and the whole truth,” an ethical duty of every historian. “Fair to your subject” should be interpreted as the historian’s primary goal to understand his subject rather than defend the subject in a polemical sense. Of coursemany biographers correct false statements about their subject, a correctivedefense. In 1838, however, Joseph Smith reported that the angel informedhimthatslanderandcontroversywouldsurroundhisname(JS-H1:33).WewouldexpectJosephSmith’sstrikingclaimstocontinuetoproducereactivebiographywithvariousdegreesoffairnessorlackofit.Nevertheless,hisbesthistoriesshouldletJosephSmithtellhisownstory.ThisislargelypossiblebecausetheProphetleftmajoraccountsofhisreligiousexperiencesand,ashe said, employed scribes to recordhisdailyNauvooactivities.Moreover,his lettersportraypersonaleventsandhis feelingsabout them,andall thisis supplementedby journals thatnotemanypartsof theProphet’sNauvoodiscourses, documenting his teachings and inner religious convictions. Ingeneral,qualityhistoryisshownbytheauthor’scarefulattentiontoqualitysources.SomaximizingJosephSmith’sinterpretationofhismissionwouldbethebiographicalequivalentof thenewsorganizationslogan“Wereport;you decide.”With today’s accessible avenues of publication, however, it is morerealistictoeducatediscerningreadersthantoavoidbias-proofwriters.ThisisillustratedinvarioustypesofJosephSmithhistoryinrecentdecades,wherethefollowingnamesrepresentcategoriesofbooks.RichardBushmanpositionshimselfasasympatheticbelieverandisathisbestwhenheallowsJoseph Smith explain Mormon beginnings. Michael Quinn identifies himself similarlybutactuallywritesrevisionistbiographywithatleastthesequestion-able methods: (1) assuming that the Prophet falsified his history in order to back-datepriesthoodevents; (2)exaggeratingMormonmilitarismandpro-grammedviolenceintheJosephSmithera;(3)over-generalizingbyclaimingthat young Joseph Smith believed all parts of a “magic world view” because itexistedinhiscultureorisfoundinhisvicinities.ButsuchculturaltypinggoesagainsttheJosephSmithsourcesthatshowhewasadissenter,acreative,individualisticreligiousreformer,whogaveGodcreditforguidinghiscareer.Finally,JosephSmithbiographyisalsoproducedbyamateurandprofession-


alpsychologistswhoradicallyreworkJosephSmith’searlyhistory.InDanVogel’spre-1831biographyofJosephSmith,theprefaceexpressesdisbeliefindivinerevelation,andthefollowingsixhundredpagessprinklethedustofmythandself-deceptionovertheProphet’searlyvisionsandproductionoftheBookofMormon.Whichoftheabovebiographicalapproachesismoreobjec-tive?IbelievethattheProphetdeservesintelligent,awareinterpreters,whowillneitherglossoverhisweaknessesnorlightlytreathissubstantialclaimsofdivinecallinganddirection.

JOE:Eventhoughyousaidyousetitaside,hasyourbackgroundinlawplayed into scholarship you’ve pursued, how you’ve exercised judgmentin presenting documents and interpretations, and also in the understandingsomeonelikeOliverCowderywhotookupthelawhimself?Whatrolehasyoureducationplayedinyourlife?

RICHARD:Inmycollegeyears,thesayingcirculated,“Thelawisagoodbackground for anything.” Of course that is true, though life sets practical lim-itsonformaleducation.Asyousuggest,lawbackgroundhassharpenedmyabilitytodoqualityhistoryinatleasttwoways.Firstisinusinglegalrecords,whicharevaluabletoolsforbiography.Forinstance,landrecordsoftenlocateindividuals,andinheritancerecordsgivecluestofamilyrelationships.More-over, case notes and files, including records of collections and appeals, are importanttrackingdevicesinthelifeofOliverCowdery,showingthathewasrightinsayinghehadstruggledtogainagoodbusinessandagoodreputationasanattorney.Asyouknow,theJosephSmithPapersProjecthasalegalteam,showingthattheProphet’scourtinvolvementsareimportantinunderstandinghislife.Second,legaltraininghastrainedmeinbetterreadingofdocuments,identifyingcontext,relevance,andlogicalconnections.Americanlawschoolsemphasizethecasemethod,meaningthatabeginninglawstudentreceivesathree-yearsentencetoreadstatutesandcases,followedbyareprieveforgoodbehavior.Most lawclassespackagea coupleofhundreddecisions in eachcasebookthatisrequiredreadingforagivenlegalarea.Thesecasesarenotessays on the law, but specific explanations of why a judge made a particular decision. This means that the student has a goal of surfing verbiage for a few mainpoints:What are the legal issues in this case?What statuteorwhichcasesresolvedthequestion?Finally,whatwastheactualdecisionorholdingofthecourt?Everythingbeyondthesequestionsisbasicallyjudicialopinion,what lawyers call “dicta,” relevant but non-binding comments. These may be usefulaspointsofreasoningforadecision,butonlythedecisionhastheforceoflaw.Thusalawyeristrainedtoassemblerelevantcasesandaskwhatissuesthey settle, similar to the historian collecting relevant documents and thenaskingwhatnewinformationtheyofferforreconstructinghistoricalevents.Thusmylawschooldeanenvisionedthisprocessofsortingoutusefuldata


when he approved a class in Greek history in the “yard,” but said of Greek that “it was not a thinking class.” He was partly right.

KAY:Let’sjusttalkaboutyourfutureplans.Iaskedyouaboutthistheotherday,andyousaidit’sjusttostayalive.(laughing)Wheredoyouhopeyourfuturetakesyou?

RICHARD:Presentdutieseasilysidetrackfutureplans.RightnowIammeeting deadlines on the Joseph Smith project but have future leeway to fin-ish theDocumentary History of Oliver Cowdery,whichwe’vealreadydis-cussed.AnacademicvicepresidentonceaskedmewhenIwouldleaveoffwritingarticles andconcentrateonbooks. I still plan to reviseearlydraftsofanarticleaboutthecomingofPeter,James,andJohnpriortotheorgani-zationof theChurch.According to theProphet, John theBaptistpromisedthathigherpriesthoodwouldcomeunderthedirectionofthethreeapostles,stating that this authority would be required for confirmation, meaning the layingonofhandsforthegiftoftheHolyGhost(JS-H1:70-72).TomethismeansthatJosephSmithsaidthatthehigherpriesthoodhadtocomebeforechurch organization, for Joseph’s history plainly says that the first confirma-tionsintotheChurchweregiventhatday.Movingtoprojectedbooks,Dear Joseph-Dear Emmahasahighpriority.LeonardArringtondidnotwantmetochangethattitle,whichwillprobablyremain.Aboutsixtypercenthasbeenin fairly finished manuscript for decades. Though the narrative is built around thecouple’sletters,Iplanafullbiographyoftheirmarriage.

At an unknown point, I will be given definitive retirement. In editing this interview I think of the recent death of my admired history colleague andfriendDavisBitton.HeearnedhisdoctoratefromPrinceton,andhiswritingswerecrispandprofessionallydone.Hewrotehisownobituary,closingwithastatement of faith: “And I know in whom I have trusted.” Believing historians arenonethelesshistorians.Manyofthemhavetheadvantageofinsightintothe transcendentevents thatare retold in theirwritings. I recallanarrowerperspectiveoflifeuntilmarriage,whenCarmabegantoshareanewworldofcoloranddesignthatIhadlargelyignoredbeforethat.Anidealhistorianshouldviewallaspectsofreality,includingdocumentedreligiousexperiencefrom first-hand descriptions. My religious experiences of course influence my judgmentthatsucheventsmaybereal.YetasahistorianIamnotfreetoalterthewrittenrecord,orinBiblicallanguage,toaddortakeawayfromrecordedhistory. On my retirement from teaching, a local reporter asked whether Iwas an apologist I simply answered “yes.” But no doubt I was at fault in not defining what I meant. “Apology” in Greek is an answer, literally a “speaking back,” often translated “defence.” Some of my writing is in this form, answer-ingcriticismsmadewithoutfullknowledgeofthefacts,oransweringfalseaccusations.YetinnocasehaveIknowinglymisstatedorwithheldthetruth


beforethesupremejudgeorthehumanjury.DavisBittonremindedusthatmoreisatstakethanearthlyreputation.JesustoldtheTwelvethattheywouldbe accountable inheaven forobscuring their religiousknowledgeonearth(Matt.10:32-33).IncommonwithWorldWarIIbuffs,Iscanscoresofdocu-mentsthatpermitaconsistentreconstructionoftheattackonPearlHarbor,theBattleofMidway,orswarmingontothebeachesonD-Day.IncommonwithrespectedLatter-daySainthistorians,IstudyscoresofdocumentsthatpermitaconsistentreconstructionofthevisionsoftheThreeWitnesses,theexami-nationoftheplatesbytheEightWitnesses,ortherestorationsofpriesthoodstoJosephSmithandOliverCowdery.Onalldaysofjudgment,Ihopetoberecognizedbothasacarefulhistorianandathinkingbeliever,onewhoactedhonestlyinbothroles.TomyknowledgeIhaveavoidedfanaticism,forIhavetriedtoseparatecharlatansandself-deceivedpeoplefromthosewithgenu-ine religiousexperience. IhopeIhavewrittenandwillwriteaboutJosephSmith accurately, but not todisguise strongconvictions thatMormonism’sfoundingvisionsoccurredandthatyoungJosephSmithconfrontedtheFatherandtheSoninthegrove.Inthenameofobjectivity,somehistoriansdissectJoseph’smultipleaccountsofthattheophany,claimingthatdifferencesshowthatJosephSmithinventednewdetailswithnewtellings.Ontheotherhand,Irealizethatallshortaccountsofimportantpersonaleventsarenecessarilyfragmentary.Myweddingday isahumorousexample.Sometimes I’ve re-peatedwonderfulhighlightswithoutthecounterpointofhowCarmawaslatebecauseofthehour’straveltimefromProvototheSaltLakeTemple,howmysister-in-lawleftthecelestialroom,nauseatedfromwaitinghoursbecauseofamisunderstandinginschedulingaGeneralAuthority,andhowInegligentlyleft expensive, pre-paid flowers at the Hotel Utah floral shop. I may write longerversionsofthatday,whichcouldprovetosomethatIlaterinventeddetailstoenhancethestory.Butinthiscase,later-toldparticularsareactuallyresidualmemories.

IwillnotapplyadifferentstandardtoJosephSmith’srecollectionsoftheFirstVision.Inmyjudgment,eachtellingcalledupdifferentsub-events inrelivinganoverwhelmingexperience,thefullstoryofwhichcouldhardlyberecorded.JosephsaidasmuchattheendofhisafternoondiscourseonApril7,1844,written inThomasBullock’s tightnotes:“Nomanknowsmyhis-tory.Icannotdoit.Ishallneverundertakeit.IfIhadnotexperiencedwhatIhave I should not have known it myself.” I agree with my respected colleague MiltonV.BackmanJr.,whoincarefulstudiesshowshoweachtimeJosephnarratedtheFirstVision,hestressedspecialdetailsrelevanttohisaudienceand purpose in narration on that occasion. My confidence that Joseph Smith wasatrueandtruthfulprophetcomesinpartfromtestinghimbymanyknownmethodsofdiscoveringtruth,whetherfromBiblicalprecedent,historicaldoc-


umentation,ortheevidentiaryanalogiesofthecurrentcourtroom.Josephisacrediblewitness,fullysupportedinhistestimonyofcorerestorationeventsbyothercrediblewitnesses.

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