Liberty Jail [was], for a time, a center of instruction. The eyes of the saints were turned to it as the place whence would come encouragement, counsel—the word of the Lord. It was more temple than prison, so long as the Prophet was there. It was a place of meditation and prayer. A temple, first of all, is a place of prayer; and prayer is communion with God. It is the “infinite in man seeking the infinite in God.”... Read more

    Every time I come here, I find myself thinking about the remarkable way the history of this part of Illinois has unfolded.   Thomas Sharp and his conspirators down in Warsaw to the south, and the mob that did the deed in Carthage to the east, thought that, by murdering Joseph and Hyrum Smith, they had put an end to Mormonism.   Now, though, Thomas Sharp and his cronies are completely forgotten — except as evil footnotes in... Read more

      Just in case you missed it:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865637035/Former-Ordain-Women-leader-now-rallying-support-for-Utahs-Planned-Parenthood.html   Nobody, I expect, wants to shortchange legitimate healthcare for women.  But does that healthcare need to be funneled through Planned Parenthood?   Posted from Nauvoo, Illinois     Read more

    http://universe.byu.edu/2015/09/17/a-muslim-goes-to-church/   Posted from Nauvoo, Illinois     Read more

    Incarcerated by the Missouri militia at Independence on 4 November 1838, having escaped execution a few days earlier only because General Alexander Doniphan had refused to carry out the order, Joseph wrote to his wife Emma.  The letter concludes with a thoughts of his children and a heartfelt plea to Emma: Tell them that Father is yet alive, God grant that he may see them again Oh Emma for God sake do not forsake me nor the truth... Read more

    This book was indirectly brought to my attention by Jabra Ghneim, for which I’m grateful:   http://www.amazon.com/Refuting-ISIS-Religious-Ideological-Foundations/dp/1908224126   “Shaykh Al-Yaqoubi reaches the conclusion that this group does not represent Islam, its declaration of a caliphate is invalid, and fighting it is an obligation upon Muslims.”   The phrase “an obligation upon Muslims” comes from Islamic jurisprudence and — I’ll need to read the book to be sure — seems to come very close, at least, to declaring the... Read more

    Seriously.   http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/chimpanzees-love-horror-films-research-finds-10507260.html   Posted from Nauvoo, Illinois     Read more

    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Abraham Lincoln (assassinated just slightly more than 150 years ago)   We spent roughly three hours this morning in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield.  It’s the second time we’ve visited the museum; it wasn’t yet built, I think, the first time that we came to town.   Let me simply say that, if you have even the slightest flicker of interest... Read more

    Today’s installment of the biweekly Hamblin/Peterson Deseret News column hath appeared:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865637110/Mysteries-of-the-Mound-Builders.html   Posted from Springfield, Illinois     Read more

    For much of his lifetime, newspaper reports insinuated that Joseph Smith was duping his followers in a greed-motivated religious scam.    For a person of his remarkable abilities and undeniable charisma, however, it seems that he derived very little monetary profit from his devilish scheme, if such it was.   “Now father,” Helen Soby wrote in an 1841 letter responding to such concerns, “if you want to know about us or Joe Smith read the Book of Mormon... Read more