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Abbreviated Table of Contents Volume 1
Chapter 1 Introduction - Difficulties In Writing Church History
Chapter 2 John S. Fullmer – Martyrdom Letters
Chapter 3 Zion And The Martyrdom
Chapter 4 Religious Differences And Persecutions
Chapter 5 The Land Of Zion – Charges And Persecution
Chapter 6 The Move To Northern Missouri
Chapter 7 Conflict In Northern Missouri
Chapter 8 Preliminary Hearing And Liberty Jail
Chapter 9 Negative Influences In Illinois From Missouri
Chapter 10 Continued Efforts To Entrap The Prophet
Chapter 11 Balance Of Political Power
Chapter 12 Whigs And Democrats Vie For Mormon Vote
Chapter 13 The Masons
Chapter 14 Jealousy And Envy Of Mormon Neighbors
Chapter 15 Town Militias And The Nauvoo Legion
Chapter 16 Power Of The Negative Press - New York And Ohio
Chapter 17 Mormonism Unvailed And The Hurlbut Affidavits
Chapter 18 And More Negative Press
Chapter 19 Mormons Blamed For Crimes
Chapter 20 Joseph Smith – Candidate for U.S. Presidency
Chapter 21 The Prophet’s Views Of The Powers And Policy Of The Government
Of The United States
Chapter 22 Political Conventions And Campaigning
Abbreviated Table of Contents Volume 2
Chapter 23 Nauvoo Apostates
Chapter 24 And More Nauvoo Apostates
Chapter 25 The Nauvoo Expositor
Chapter 26 The Destruction Of The Nauvoo Expositor And The Consequences
Chapter 27 Legal Trials And Controversies Over The Expositor
Chapter 28 Mormons Accused Of Misusing The Nauvoo Charter
Chapter 29 Anti-Mormon Meetings And Increased Hostilities
Chapter 30 Failure Of The Saints To Support The Prophet
Chapter 31 Pre-Martyrdom Carthage
Chapter 32 Pre-Martyrdom Carthage (Cont.)
Chapter 33 Conspiracy Of Political Leaders In High Places
Chapter 34 The Duplicity Of Governor Ford
Chapter 35 The Martyrdom In Carthage Jail
Chapter 36 The Martyrdom - Witnesses Outside Of The Jail
Chapter 37 Reports Of The Martyrdom By Non-Mormons
Chapter 38 Reaction Of The Saints To The Martyrdom
Chapter 39 The Funeral And Burial
Chapter 40 Press Reaction To The Martyrdom And Violence In America
Chapter 41 Continued Conflict And Pre-Trial Events
Chapter 42 Interim Between Circuit Courts
Chapter 43 The Trial Of The Murderers
Chapter 44 Conclusion Of The Trial
Chapter 45 Epilogue
Bibliography Listing
Abbreviations Listing
Preface
The basic premise of this work is that of an unequivocal acceptance that Joseph Smith is, the chosen Prophet and earthly mouthpiece for the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he laid the foundation of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times and the Millennial Kingdom of God. There are no black, or gray issues concerning his calling.
Either Joseph Smith saw God, the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ in person and conversed with them, or, he did not.
Either he received a genuine record through the direction and guidance of an angel, or, he did not.
Either he translated that record, the Book of Mormon, through the gift and power of God, or, he did not.
Either he received authentic, authoritative Priesthood keys and power to do all that was necessary to establish the Kingdom of God and Christ’s Zion on earth, or, he did not.
Either he received direct revelations from the Lord to be published in the Doctrine and Covenants and other scriptures, or, he did not.
Either he had the keys for the gathering of Israel and began that gathering with a world-wide missionary effort, or he did not.
Either he received revelations from Jesus Christ to begin establishing the Holy Order of God including the social, economic, and political program of Zion, or, he did not.
Either he was instructed by Jesus Christ to build temples wherein Priesthood power and blessings were restored and could be given to faithful Saints, including the higher ordinances of the Gospel, or, he did not.
Either there were opposing, destructive, negative powers directed against him by Satan all of his life, or, there were not.
The list could go on and on in identifying the various assignments and directions that Joseph Smith received from the Lord Jesus Christ. The setting of the following work is that there is no “either,” “or” choices to be made. With Joseph Smith there is no half-way acceptance. He was either the “Prophet and Seer of the Lord, [who] has done more save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it,” as John Taylor stated unequivocally, or, as Governor Ford wrote, “the most successful imposter in modern times.”
With the stated assurance that the Prophet Joseph Smith was continually directed by the Lord Jesus Christ, and that revelations will continue to come to His living Prophets in directing the further preparation needed to establish the Millennial kingdom, why then, was Joseph Smith at times misunderstood by the Saints, rejected by dissenters who became his bitter enemies, and by non-Mormons who so maligned, misrepresented and hated him that his life was constantly threatened and came to an early end in Carthage jail?