Rough Draft Rolling: A Review of Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling.

Rough Draft Rolling: A Review of Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling.

            In December of 2020 I went for a long 13 Km run which led to a bone fracture caused by shin splints. While I have immensely missed the cardio routine of running. I’m again slowly returning to my pre-injury fitness level. Lesson learned is make sure you stretch before and after long runs. While I was able to do upper body in the gym as I was still weight limited. I didn’t get the workout clarity that I was used to from high intensity training. Well today I went for a measly bike ride cruising a 24km/h pace and was able to experience the super clear workout brain. While the workout clarity wasn’t long in duration it was very clear. On Twitter I asked if I should write a review on a book Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Busham.

The tweet faded away with all other tweets, and I didn’t have a very big response in the affirmative. I put off working on a review, but I have been thinking that I need to write one. I want to go over four key points of why I think this Biography on the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an absolute must read for every member. First, who is Joseph Smith , and why does he matter. Second, who is Ricard Bushman, and why is qualified to write such a biography. Third, how can one look at the past with a present tense paradigm. Forth, what is a literature review, and why is that important in a biography. Finally, my actual review of the book based off the four points.

Who is Joseph Smith?

If you haven’t heard of Joseph Smith Junior, maybe you heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Members of the church are culturally known as Mormons or Latter-day Saints but prefer to be referred to as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805, to his parents Joseph Sr. and Lucy Smith in upper state New York. His ancestors fought in the revolution, and worked a living as farmers. In Palmyra, New York, churches started springing up due to the spiritual revival with four being near Joseph’s home (Bushman, 2005, p. 36).

All the churches claimed to be the one teaching the correct doctrine of Christendom; which was confusing to the teenaged Joseph. The revivals were significant as not much else was occurring so many became involved in two subsequent revivals during 1816 and 1817. This led Joseph to begin a spiritual journey wanting to know which sect was right (Joseph Smith History 1:18). One spring morning he left out to go pray in a grove of trees. The response of his supplication was unexpected, according to his word he had a visitation by the very Elohim of the Bible along with a Jehovah or the Resurrected Jesus Christ. This is referred to as the first vision and is what led Joseph to becoming a prophet.

During the first vision as Joseph reports he was told “was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong” (Joseph Smith History 1:19). He tried confiding in several preachers, but this started a persecution which culminated in his martyrdom in June of 1844. Joseph Smith was visited by an Angel named Moroni who informed him of a set of scriptural records that he would translate by the gift and power of God. This set of scripture is known as the Book of Mormon which “tells the story of a family founding a civilization” (Bushman, 2005 p. 85). The record tells of this civilization that was led out of Jerusalem around 600 B.C.E, and lasted until their demise about 417 C.E. As I briefly have mentioned who Joseph Smith Junior was let me tell you about a historian.

Who is Richard Bushman?

            Richard Lyman Bushman is a “Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History” (Columbia University, 2021, p. 1). From 1955 to 1961 he worked on earning a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., from Harvard. Columbia University notes he has authored various publications on American History and notes his four most recognized works. In his testimony to Faithful Answers Informed Response Latter-day Saints he explained that he is a fifth-generation member of the Church (Bushman, 2021, p.1). During his first semester in graduate school Bushman was asked by colleague why he was still a member while having a higher education. “Not stopping to think, I told him I remained a Mormon because when I followed my religion, I became the kind of man I want to be” (Bushman, 2021, p. 2).

From being magna cum laude to working at six prestigious universities: Columbia, Brigham Young, Brown, Boston, and Harvard University (Bushman, 2021, p. 3). He also held positions of History Department Chair, and coordinator of History programs. As Columbia noted his four most recognized publications, he has authored 12 major books as well as various historical publication pieces in academia. In 2010 he worked as “Co-General Editor for the Joseph Smith Papers project of the History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and chairs the Board of Directors of the Mormon Scholars Foundation” (Bushman, 2021, p. 4).

While he may be biased in writing about his religion due to his faith, this hasn’t hindered him academically in his 66 years in the profession. A fellow peer Turner (2009) said in the review, said that Bushman’s latest work was brilliant. Further, Bushman’s peers “most outside the LDS faith…feel themselves standing on somewhat shaky ground when discussing Latter-day Saint teachings” (p. 181). In reading any of Bushman’s work its clear he maintains professionalism and strives for an academically sound framework in pursuit in telling a story of any subject. For those just learning about, starting, or currently are researching, a topic you learn about as well will adopt (especially those writing academically) is a Literature Review.

Literature Review.

            Whether you are trying to conduct a new physics experiment on electricity, examine the cultural influence of early Islamic expansion, study demographics as well as the psychologies of female weightlifters, etc. you will end up looking at what’s already been said on any topic. “All research projects are part of a larger conversation and a larger set of evidence” (Patten & Newhart, 2008, p. 41). The biggest benefit is learning what has already been said about a particular topic, and more importantly what hasn’t been said about said topic. For instance, I found plenty of research on triathlon training as well plenty of research on military fitness exams, but what I didn’t see what those to topics combined. That’s an indicator of further areas requiring academic exploration (Patten & Newhart, 2008, p. 41).

Typically, a literature review starts with abstracts of summaries, and this gives a clue if its worth reading. Although, as every researcher will come to know, sometimes you thought there might be a gem inside you were looking for only to find there wasn’t. Now in framing this importance to Bushman’s biography of Joseph Smith he did more then just gather a few sources. In a copy of Rough Stone Rolling you will find 102 pages dedicated to notes, and another 49 pages dedicated to citation of his sources. What I found admirable in Bushman’s literature review is he includes everything. From the favorable pro Joseph Smith evidence, too include the anti-Mormon complaints against Joseph Smith. A researcher may end up combing through hundreds of articles, books, histories, etc., to find maybe about 20 or so that make it to the final draft of the paper.

“A well-crafted literature review will show the readers the context within which the research was conducted” (Patten & Newhart, 2008, p. 43). Normally, for a research paper the literature review is meant to “summarize the existing scholarship” (Patten & Newhart, 2008, p. 49). As one will read through Bushman’s work, he really left no stone unturned as can be seen with his exhaustive reference list in the final draft. As a researcher or author, you are too trying to make a point about a particular subject. How does Bushman treat, probably one of the most controversial men of the 1800’s, in context of his biography about Joseph Smith?

Poignant Paradigm.

            In the preface Bushman points out how controversial Joseph Smith’s history is, and that getting an agreed upon consensus of his life story is unlikely. “The multiplication of scholarly studies and the discovery of new sources have only heightened the controversies surrounding his life” (Bushman, 2005, p. x). I think the success of Bushman’s paradigm is he recognizes this controversy. He easily could have left out some unfavorable sources, but that would have been unethical as a professional. Additionally, it would have been an injustice to who Joseph Smith was. By including the good, bad, and the ugly, you are better able to grasp a picture of who Joseph Smith was as a man, husband, father, and spiritual leader. “To protect their own deepest commitments, believers want to shield their prophet’s reputation” (Bushman, 2005, p. x).

In his preface Bushman (2005) explains he wants to exam how Joseph Smith “came to be in the age of railroads and the penny press. What was the logic of his visionary life?” (p. x). As one who begins a read through Bushman’s work you begin to see a vision of who Joseph Smith was. There are a vast number of theories that try to explain Joseph Smith, and how he came to be such a controversial figure. Whether it was he was skilled grifter, conman, maybe suffering from mental illnesses, money-digger, etc. most of these paradigms seem to neglect one important aspect. Joseph Smith consistently without fail always maintained that he was called of God, and that he had the revelatory gifts attributed to all ancient biblical prophets.

The man was hated by the people of his time, and he could have called it quits at any time. From physical abuse, taring and feathering, to the death of his children caused by mobs in at nights, to the distress his family suffered, and to all the pains that the early members went through, Joseph Smith had every opportunity to proclaim that he was false prophet and take off such mantle and live the remainder of his life in peace. On the very morning of his Martyrdom along with his brother Hyrum. Joseph was preaching what he felt to be the whole-restored gospel of Christ Jesus to his jailers.

As Bushman (2005) points out that every day Joseph worked to build what he called the Kingdom of God on earth a New Zion in the America’s (p. xx-xxx). What I got from Rough Stone Rolling is a greater deeper understanding of who Joseph Smith was. What I feel Bushman accomplished is telling of a poignant story about the simplest paradigm in viewing Joseph Smith. The man thought he was a prophet, so we should try to exam his world through his eyes as such. Responding to statement about being trusted with power granted to a leader with devout followers Joseph said, “I am the only man in the world whom it would be safe to trust with it. Remember, I am a prophet!”

Why Haven’t You Read Rough Stone Rolling?

While it did take me a over a year to read Rough Stone Rolling these last few months, I began to binge read the last quarter of the book. I already knew Joseph was going to die, but what I wanted to see was how Bushman struck the last chord in his telling of the American prophet’s life. My only complaint with the book is I wished I had read it earlier. My recommendation is that everyone should read through Bushman’s interpretation of Joseph Smith’s life. My view is Bushman found that all the ways to exam Josephs life the simplest was to view how Joseph did; that he was man called by God to work His ministry. The authors 60 plus years as historian with numerous accolades, and professional achievement makes Bushman’s work scholarly sound. His expertise in 1700-1800 American History is clearly defined in arguably the best biography of Joseph Smith.

References

Bushman, R.L. (2005) Joseph Smith rough stone rolling. Vintage Books.

Bushman, R.L. (2010, January). Richard Lyman Bushman. Faithful Answers Informed Response.

Columbia University. (2021). Bushman, Richard. Columbia University. https://history.columbia.edu/person/bushman-richard/

Patten, M.L, & Newhart, M. (2008). Understanding research methods (10^th ed.). Routledge.

Turner, J.G. (2009). Brigham Young University Studies, 48(3), 181-183. Retrieved May 6, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43044744