Out of Palmyra: A Convert Looks at the Prophetic Calling of Joseph Smith By George W. Givens Palmyra Street Publishers (Lynchburg, Virginia), 2000. Paperback: 135 pages. ISBN: 0-9660020-9-1 Suggested retail price: $9.95 (US)
Reviewed by: Jeff Needle

I will begin by expressing some surprise at the content of this slim volume, given the main title. I had assumed this was to be a brief history of Joseph Smith after leaving Palmyra. Instead, as the subtitle indicates, it is a peculiar attempt at Mormon apologetic by a sincere convert to the Church.

His methodology is made clear in his introduction:

If he [Joseph Smith] were not a prophet, well-established patterns of known fraudulent behavior would have been evident in the restoration of the church organized by Joseph and his followers. The evidence is overwhelming that almost every act performed by Joseph in the Restoration runs counter to what should be anticipated in the acts of an impostor. So if fraud had been his intention, what would he have done differently? (viii-ix)

My immediate reaction to these statements:

1. I was not aware that there were "well-established patterns of known fraudulent behavior". Certainly we've all read accounts of religious charlatans and noticed certain similarities, but they are few and far between. If there are studies as to their behavior patters, I haven't read any. I was interested in how Givens had determined these "well-established patterns."

2. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, that there indeed exists a corpus of such knowledge, it seemed to me that one would have to adopt a highly subjective view of religious behavior in order to determine which behaviors, although common to the charlatans, were incidental to their falsehood and not definitive.

Givens then lists twelve patterns that he finds missing in the ministry of Joseph Smith. His chapter titles oddly omit the pronoun "He" at the start. I report them here exactly as he gives them in his Table of Contents:

1. Would have established the church by revelation only
2. Would have had fewer witnesses
3. Would have indulged his associates
4. Would have been accused by apostates of fraud -- not of having "fallen"
5. Would have tried to profit financially
6. Would have devised doctrines more appealing to the masses
7. Would have discouraged learning
8. Would have avoided exhibiting original Book of Mormon inscriptions
9. Would have created less refutable theology
10. Would have received revelations in secret
11. Would have acted as a prophet
12. Would have shown greater concern for self-preservation

It should be clear at this point that his criteria are indeed highly subjective. And some seem to beg comment. For example, his final point concerning "self-preservation," a critic might ask, "If he was so unconcerned with his own well-being, why was he assassinated while trying to escape the mob? Why didn't he just stand there and accept his death?" Critics often cite Joan of Arc, Wycliffe, and others, as counter-examples. To be sure, I'm not calling into question either Joseph's calling or his courage. But how does any work of apologetic benefit by setting up a straw man that just begs contradiction?

A more serious problem occurs throughout the book as Givens attempts to offer examples of those who have demonstrated such false patters, but then he backs away from naming them as frauds, which is, after all, the theme of his book. A few examples, if I may.

In support of his first point, establishing the church by revelation only, he cites Mohammed and Mother Ann Lee of the Shakers as examples of those who founded their religions on the basis of revelation only. But:

All of this is not to suggest that other major faiths, founded on the basis of revelation only or predominantly, were fraudulent, but that revelation alone was an entirely sufficient basis for founding some of the world's most successful religions. (8)

Later, in enlarging on his fifth point, of profiting financially, he makes the following observation about Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science:

Mary Baker Eddy, on the other hand, founder of the First Church of Christ Scientist [sic], used the royalties from her book, Science and Health, published in 1875, to become a wealthy woman. This is not a criticism of Mrs. Eddy, but merely an observation of a legitimate practice of religious leaders. (57)

Perhaps you can see my problem. Givens has constructed a list of "well-established patters of known fraudulent behavior." He offers real-life examples of those who exhibit such behavior, and then backs away, making clear he does not consider the person a fraud.

With all due respect to the efforts of this sincere man, one must question the legitimacy of choosing the tests of legitimacy based on the a priori assumption of Joseph's prophethood. It appears this is what he has done. Again, I don't quarrel with his convictions, only with his methods.

James Baldwin, the late writer and poet, wrote in his autobiographical "The Fire Next Time" of his growing up the son of a Baptist minister, the only black student in a predominantly white, Jewish elementary school. His father would send him to school with hell-fire and brimstone tracts to give to the little Jewish children, who regularly glanced at them and tossed them in the trash, not a bit affected by the message. Later in life he reflected on this phenomenon, and realized that the only ones who were convinced by any of those tracts were those who already believed in what they said.

I don't expect his arguments will convince anyone who doesn't already believe that Joseph was a true prophet. Of course, it might have been somewhat easier to buy his arguments if he didn't keep backing away from them, as documented above.

I admire his zeal, and hope he continues to search and grow in the faith. But this book, it seems to me, does little to advance the cause of Mormonism and the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith.