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Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism
After Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt was the most influential figure in early Mormon history and culture. Missionary, pamphleteer, theologian, historian, and martyr, Pratt was perennially stalked by controversy--regarded, he said, "almost as an Angel by thousands and counted an Imposter by tens of thousands."
Tracing the life of this colorful figure from his hardscrabble origins in upstate New York to his murder in 1857, Terryl Givens and Matthew Grow explore the crucial role Pratt played in the formation and expansion of early Mormonism. One of countless ministers inspired by the antebellum revival movement known as the Second Great Awakening, Pratt joined the Mormons in 1830 at the age of twenty three and five years later became a member of the newly formed Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which vaulted him to the forefront of church leadership for the rest of his life. Pratt's missionary work--reaching from Canada to England, from Chile to California--won hundreds of followers, but even more important were his voluminous writings. Through books, newspaper articles, pamphlets, poetry, fiction, and autobiography, Pratt spread the Latter-day Saint message, battled the many who reviled it, and delineated its theology in ways that still shape Mormon thought.
Drawing on letters, journals, and other rich archival sources, Givens and Grow examine not only Pratt's writings but also his complex personal life. A polygamist who married a dozen times and fathered thirty children, Pratt took immense joy in his family circle even as his devotion to Mormonism led to long absences that put heavy strains on those he loved. It was during one such absence, a mission trip to the East, that the estranged husband of his twelfth wife shot and killed him--a shocking conclusion to a life that never lacked in drama.
Tracing the life of this colorful figure from his hardscrabble origins in upstate New York to his murder in 1857, Terryl Givens and Matthew Grow explore the crucial role Pratt played in the formation and expansion of early Mormonism. One of countless ministers inspired by the antebellum revival movement known as the Second Great Awakening, Pratt joined the Mormons in 1830 at the age of twenty three and five years later became a member of the newly formed Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which vaulted him to the forefront of church leadership for the rest of his life. Pratt's missionary work--reaching from Canada to England, from Chile to California--won hundreds of followers, but even more important were his voluminous writings. Through books, newspaper articles, pamphlets, poetry, fiction, and autobiography, Pratt spread the Latter-day Saint message, battled the many who reviled it, and delineated its theology in ways that still shape Mormon thought.
Drawing on letters, journals, and other rich archival sources, Givens and Grow examine not only Pratt's writings but also his complex personal life. A polygamist who married a dozen times and fathered thirty children, Pratt took immense joy in his family circle even as his devotion to Mormonism led to long absences that put heavy strains on those he loved. It was during one such absence, a mission trip to the East, that the estranged husband of his twelfth wife shot and killed him--a shocking conclusion to a life that never lacked in drama.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2011
22 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Terryl L. Givens
39 books211 followersTerryl L. Givens was born in upstate New York, raised in the American southwest, and did his graduate work in Intellectual History (Cornell) and Comparative Literature (Ph.D. UNC Chapel Hill, 1988), working with Greek, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English languages and literatures. As Professor of Literature and Religion, and the James A. Bostwick Professor of English at the University of Richmond, he teaches courses in Romanticism, nineteenth-century cultural studies, and the Bible and Literature. He has published in literary theory, British and European Romanticism, Mormon studies, and intellectual history.
Dr. Givens has authored several books, including The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford 1997); By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (Oxford 2003); People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture (Oxford 2007); The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2009); and When Souls had Wings: Pre-Mortal Life in Western Thought (2010). Current projects include a biography of Parley P. Pratt (with Matt Grow, to be published by Oxford in 2011), a sourcebook of Mormonism in America (with Reid Neilson, to be published by Columbia in 2011), an Oxford Handbook to Mormonism (with Phil Barlow), and a two volume history of Mormon theology. He lives in Montpelier, Virginia.
Dr. Givens has authored several books, including The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford 1997); By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (Oxford 2003); People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture (Oxford 2007); The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2009); and When Souls had Wings: Pre-Mortal Life in Western Thought (2010). Current projects include a biography of Parley P. Pratt (with Matt Grow, to be published by Oxford in 2011), a sourcebook of Mormonism in America (with Reid Neilson, to be published by Columbia in 2011), an Oxford Handbook to Mormonism (with Phil Barlow), and a two volume history of Mormon theology. He lives in Montpelier, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 3, 2011
I first read Parley P. Pratt's autobiography as an LDS missionary. I marveled at the tales he related, his harrowing prison time and daring escapes, the Missouri persecutions, his missionary travels, his view of the early Mormon Church and Joseph Smith. But autobiographies often obscure as much as they reveal. The heroic, undaunted Pratt of the autobiography is nuanced considerably in this new biography written by Givens and Grow. Pratt's complexity shines through in a way autobiography makes impossible. He seems more human, and despite his flaws, quite admirable. Contemporary Mormons ought to know what a huge imprint he left on the Church--an imprint which Mormons bear to this day. Additionally, the development of Mormon practice and doctrine is laid out nicely throughout the narrative. Through the biography readers will be introduced to many elements of Mormon thought and practice which will seem unfamiliar. This is a good thing! I'm preparing a full review of the book, but in the meantime I give it a ringing endorsement here.
July 30, 2014
I had to renew this book three times in order to finish it. But it was worth the effort.
I liked the descriptions of the historical setting and Parley's life before Mormonism. I had no idea that he'd already been a missionary before he converted to Mormonism, or that such an activity as purchasing a pocket Bible and going from house to house was a common experience at the time. We certainly live in a different age now.
Parley's inner passion, persistence, and lack of tact are rather endearing. Certain scenes stand out to me:
The discussion with a Shaker congregation where Parley turned what could have been an "we agree to disagree" meeting into a shouting match and forceable expulsion from the church by shaking the dust of his coattails at them (damning them for rejecting his message).
The dinner where the wife of the Utah territorial secretary described how Pratt "marched up with four wives, and introduced them successively as Mrs. Pratts. The thing was done with such an easy, nonchalant air, that I had difficulty in keeping from laughing outright."
The scenes of so much travel, across the U.S., to Europe, and Chile, by a man homesick for his family.
The image of Pratt reading the San Francisco paper which published every editorial he submits, under a sarcastic header making fun of him and Mormonism.
His defense of polygamy sometimes made me laugh out loud. For example on page 367: "Pratt ... argued that while Christ and the New Testament apostles did not explicitly endorse polygamy out of respect for Roman law, they had not altered the marital laws of the Old Testament. By contract, Catholicism (and later, Protestantism) had banned polygamy and enshrined the 'monogamic law' with its 'attendant train of whoredoms, intrigues, seductions, wretched and lonely single life, hatred, envy, jealousy, infanticide, illegitimacy, disease and death.'"
His life was filled with more drama than most soap operas, and so was his death. I knew from the beginning of the book that he was going to be murdered, but the story of how it happened was so compelling. When he married Eleanor (his 12th wife) she hadn't been divorced from her previous husband (Don't do it, Parley!) and then they went together to try to get custody of her kids from her parents who lived in the Southern U.S. (Bad idea!).
Meanwhile McLean, Eleanor's violent and alcoholic husband, was hunting Parley down and announcing that he was going to kill him. The culture of honor at that time condoned a husband killing his wife's lover.
p387 "The extralegal tradition of violence against seducers assumed that women had no will of their own, that they were always the victims of seduction rather than active participants. In Eleanor's case, this assumption was heightened... The national press erased Eleanor's agency by emphasizing either her victiumhood or insanity."
McLean catches up with Parley eventually, stabs him three times near the heart, then leaves to get a gun and comes back and shoots him in the neck. A farmer who saw the incident from a distance gathered neighbors, and when they arrived about an hour later Parley was still alive! He told the crowd that McLean had stabbed and shot him, and asked them to record his last words (a testimony of his faith in Mormonism).
McLean publicly stated: "I killed [Pratt]. I'm not able to say how you will view the act but I look upon it as the best act of my life. And the people of West Arkansas agree with me."
They did indeed agree, for the jury ruled that Pratt "came to his death by the hand of some unknown person." McLean was never prosecuted for the murder. He also convinced a New Orleans court to issue a warrant for Eleanor's arrest on the grounds of religious insanity. She fled to Utah and I don't think she ever was able to see her kids again.
I knew that public sentiment against Mormons was hostile in the 1850s. I even felt the residue of that growing up: when I was a teenager I was nervous to tell "Non-Mormons" that I was Mormon because I expected a negative reaction. But still -- the play out after Pratt's death surprised me.
There was also an interesting wavering of opinion regarding Parley after his death from the main church leaders. Brigham Young had blessed Pratt before his mission with "power over death" and promised him that he would "return to the Saints" in "this life."
p389 "The events surrounding Pratt's death gave as least some leaders pause before integrating him into the larger Mormon martyrology narrative... Even Young later charged that Pratt's 'blood was spilt' as a punishment for his earlier disputed plural marriages... In general, though, the Saints easily integrated Pratt into the pantheon of martyrs."
The analogy of Pratt to the apostle Paul is appropriate. He had a huge influence in shaping both the history and doctrine of Mormonism. His travels and proselytizing were as extensive as his writing. One of his earlier books, "A Voice of Warning" was cited by members and outsiders alike as cannon of the church, equivalent in status to The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Two last quotes:
p 260 "Pratt's activities ... demonstrates key lessons about times of transition in radical religious groups. Mainstream Mormons memory focuses on the events in Nauvoo, particularly the supernatural passing of the mantle from Smith to Young in August 1844 ... Pratt's experiences, by contrast, are an ideal lens through which to understand the messiness and contingency of the battle to succeed Smith."
His experiences are also a lens through which to understand religious passion and morality, and a unique and fascinating look at Mormon polygamy, which is such a dynamic and strange time period.
And the man himself? Whether you agree or disagree with his religious views, there's no question that he believed them to be true and gave his heart and soul to the cause. He was an amazing person.
I liked the descriptions of the historical setting and Parley's life before Mormonism. I had no idea that he'd already been a missionary before he converted to Mormonism, or that such an activity as purchasing a pocket Bible and going from house to house was a common experience at the time. We certainly live in a different age now.
Parley's inner passion, persistence, and lack of tact are rather endearing. Certain scenes stand out to me:
The discussion with a Shaker congregation where Parley turned what could have been an "we agree to disagree" meeting into a shouting match and forceable expulsion from the church by shaking the dust of his coattails at them (damning them for rejecting his message).
The dinner where the wife of the Utah territorial secretary described how Pratt "marched up with four wives, and introduced them successively as Mrs. Pratts. The thing was done with such an easy, nonchalant air, that I had difficulty in keeping from laughing outright."
The scenes of so much travel, across the U.S., to Europe, and Chile, by a man homesick for his family.
The image of Pratt reading the San Francisco paper which published every editorial he submits, under a sarcastic header making fun of him and Mormonism.
His defense of polygamy sometimes made me laugh out loud. For example on page 367: "Pratt ... argued that while Christ and the New Testament apostles did not explicitly endorse polygamy out of respect for Roman law, they had not altered the marital laws of the Old Testament. By contract, Catholicism (and later, Protestantism) had banned polygamy and enshrined the 'monogamic law' with its 'attendant train of whoredoms, intrigues, seductions, wretched and lonely single life, hatred, envy, jealousy, infanticide, illegitimacy, disease and death.'"
His life was filled with more drama than most soap operas, and so was his death. I knew from the beginning of the book that he was going to be murdered, but the story of how it happened was so compelling. When he married Eleanor (his 12th wife) she hadn't been divorced from her previous husband (Don't do it, Parley!) and then they went together to try to get custody of her kids from her parents who lived in the Southern U.S. (Bad idea!).
Meanwhile McLean, Eleanor's violent and alcoholic husband, was hunting Parley down and announcing that he was going to kill him. The culture of honor at that time condoned a husband killing his wife's lover.
p387 "The extralegal tradition of violence against seducers assumed that women had no will of their own, that they were always the victims of seduction rather than active participants. In Eleanor's case, this assumption was heightened... The national press erased Eleanor's agency by emphasizing either her victiumhood or insanity."
McLean catches up with Parley eventually, stabs him three times near the heart, then leaves to get a gun and comes back and shoots him in the neck. A farmer who saw the incident from a distance gathered neighbors, and when they arrived about an hour later Parley was still alive! He told the crowd that McLean had stabbed and shot him, and asked them to record his last words (a testimony of his faith in Mormonism).
McLean publicly stated: "I killed [Pratt]. I'm not able to say how you will view the act but I look upon it as the best act of my life. And the people of West Arkansas agree with me."
They did indeed agree, for the jury ruled that Pratt "came to his death by the hand of some unknown person." McLean was never prosecuted for the murder. He also convinced a New Orleans court to issue a warrant for Eleanor's arrest on the grounds of religious insanity. She fled to Utah and I don't think she ever was able to see her kids again.
I knew that public sentiment against Mormons was hostile in the 1850s. I even felt the residue of that growing up: when I was a teenager I was nervous to tell "Non-Mormons" that I was Mormon because I expected a negative reaction. But still -- the play out after Pratt's death surprised me.
There was also an interesting wavering of opinion regarding Parley after his death from the main church leaders. Brigham Young had blessed Pratt before his mission with "power over death" and promised him that he would "return to the Saints" in "this life."
p389 "The events surrounding Pratt's death gave as least some leaders pause before integrating him into the larger Mormon martyrology narrative... Even Young later charged that Pratt's 'blood was spilt' as a punishment for his earlier disputed plural marriages... In general, though, the Saints easily integrated Pratt into the pantheon of martyrs."
The analogy of Pratt to the apostle Paul is appropriate. He had a huge influence in shaping both the history and doctrine of Mormonism. His travels and proselytizing were as extensive as his writing. One of his earlier books, "A Voice of Warning" was cited by members and outsiders alike as cannon of the church, equivalent in status to The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Two last quotes:
p 260 "Pratt's activities ... demonstrates key lessons about times of transition in radical religious groups. Mainstream Mormons memory focuses on the events in Nauvoo, particularly the supernatural passing of the mantle from Smith to Young in August 1844 ... Pratt's experiences, by contrast, are an ideal lens through which to understand the messiness and contingency of the battle to succeed Smith."
His experiences are also a lens through which to understand religious passion and morality, and a unique and fascinating look at Mormon polygamy, which is such a dynamic and strange time period.
And the man himself? Whether you agree or disagree with his religious views, there's no question that he believed them to be true and gave his heart and soul to the cause. He was an amazing person.
November 8, 2021
Excellent biography. I know many in my faith community read his autobiography before. But a lot of things happened after he wrote it. And Givens and Grow provide great historical and cultural context for his life. It'll help you get to know the Parley P. Pratt who had a love for Native Americans, was a tireless missionary, was always out ahead when the Saints trekked West, was always poor, and created a theological system for Latter-day Saints that endured.
I haven't studied the Mountains Meadow Massacre in depth, but after reading this, I believe it was justified. If you can just kill Mormons in Arkansas with impunity, don't expect anything less than the same treatment if you come to Utah.
Interestingly, he had a dark gloomy feeling at the moment of Joseph Smith's death, even though he was miles away on a boat in Ohio, and he had a premonition before his own death.
One of the funniest episodes was his exchange with the California Chronicle. They repeatedly mocked him, calling him "Peter Parley Pratt," and "Pee Pee Pratt" because he signed his letters P. P. Pratt. But since they gave him platform, he sustained the correspondence, and they kept publishing his letters because controversy sells.
Only problem I had with this book was that I'm not into historical detail. I was about to move on to Turner's biography of Brigham Young, but I'm tired.
I haven't studied the Mountains Meadow Massacre in depth, but after reading this, I believe it was justified. If you can just kill Mormons in Arkansas with impunity, don't expect anything less than the same treatment if you come to Utah.
Interestingly, he had a dark gloomy feeling at the moment of Joseph Smith's death, even though he was miles away on a boat in Ohio, and he had a premonition before his own death.
One of the funniest episodes was his exchange with the California Chronicle. They repeatedly mocked him, calling him "Peter Parley Pratt," and "Pee Pee Pratt" because he signed his letters P. P. Pratt. But since they gave him platform, he sustained the correspondence, and they kept publishing his letters because controversy sells.
Only problem I had with this book was that I'm not into historical detail. I was about to move on to Turner's biography of Brigham Young, but I'm tired.
December 27, 2017
What does your everyday Mormon recall about one of Mormonism's most important founding figures and most colorful characters, Parley P. Pratt? Before reading this book, I couldn't recall an awful lot. I know that his name pops up in the hymnbook a few times. After a quick peek, he wrote a few well-known ones including "The Morning Breaks" and "An Angel from on High." So he dealt with hymns praising the restoration and the Book of Mormon. In they attended seminary, Mormons might recall the miraculous conversion story of Pratt, how his fateful encounter with the Book of Mormon led him to staying up all night to read it, such that he eating was a chore if he had to put the book down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB7YW...
And those who have driven Utah's highways might also be familiar with Parley's Canyon when heading towards Park City or Wyoming. Other than that, Pratt is just a mysterious name that sounds familiar, but we can't quite recall exactly what he did. Terryl Givens has done a good job here in this biography outlining the many roles that Pratt played in the early days of the Church.
Pratt was a pre-millennialist who believed in a restoration of the primitive Church before he even heard of Joseph Smith. He was part of the Campbellite movement that was popular in its time, but converted to Mormonism when he encountered the Book of Mormon.
Pratt was a missionary to the Native Americans, strongly believing that they were the descendants of the Book of Mormon Lamanites, but his glorious dreams were foiled at the hands of federal Indian agents who were antagonistic to his cause.
Pratt was a theologian who not only fleshed out many of the doctrines that Joseph Smith propounded, but likely contributed many of his own ideas to Mormon theology. His use of pamphlets spread the Mormon message, and his books "Voice of Warning" and "Key to the Science of Theology" expounded on the materialistic worldview of Mormonism that combined the earthly and the spiritual.
Pratt suffered for his religion. He was the Mormon who faced the longest incarceration for his beliefs during the Missouri crisis, and lost much property at the hands of the Missourians, and it was his words that crafted the victim narrative that imprints Mormonism to this day.
Pratt was one of the first missionaries called to Britain where he helped build up a strong base for the Church starting its own publication base, the Millennial Star. During the succession crisis, it was largely his efforts that kept the British saints loyal to the apostles.
Pratt clashed a few times with leaders of the church, first with Joseph Smith and then with Brigham Young. This was partly due to a strong personality and partly due to the lack of clear definitions of what role the Twelve were supposed to play. Pratt blamed Joseph for his financial losses when the Mormon bank went under, but he quickly repented and was back in Joseph's good graces. He clashed with Brigham multiple times regarding the authority of the Twelve as Brigham was cementing his role as president of the Church. One of the key issues at stake was who had the authority to perform plural marriages.
In the course of his lifetime, Pratt has twelve plural wives. His first wife, Thankful, died early on. His second wife, Ann Frost, was originally very close to him, but became alienated as Pratt took on more wives while polygamy was still a closely guarded secret. Another wife, Mary, left him in Utah when she didn't have a clear role in the family. The rest of his wives stayed true to him and never left Mormonism.
Pratt was also an explorer as the saints were settling in Utah. He built the road that would eventually become I-80 up today's Parley's Canyon. He led an expedition town to current-day Saint George to survey the land for potential settlements.
Pratt served as mission president in the Pacific, opening missionary work in California, the Hawaiian islands, and Australia, with a brief stint in Chile that ended in failure due to poor planning. Chile had no religious freedom (Catholicism was the only religion that was allowed), and he still hadn't mastered Spanish.
Pratt met his untimely death after marrying a new convert, Eleanor McLean. Eleanor was estranged from her husband, Hector, who was an alcoholic, and didn't support his wife's conversion to Mormonism. The relationship wasn't healthy, and Eleanor left her husband to be with the saints in Utah where Pratt married her. On a mission back East, Hector hunted Pratt down and eventually killed him in Arkansas. Mormons saw Pratt as a martyr, while the rest of America ate the scandal up in a day was America was condemning Mormonism as anti-American and immoral.
Terryl does a very fair job at this portrait of a complex man in an evolving religious landscape. It isn't clear-cut, and many Mormons may find the portrayal to be unfair to Pratt in some respects, and Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as well. I am glad that Terryl is able to confront it honestly, and lets the audience evaluate the character of Pratt for themselves. I see Pratt as a man who was firmly committed to his beliefs. He didn't deviate from them and he wanted to live them to their fullest implications. He may have had a proclivity for confrontation, but that is where he thrived. Brother Pratt was a good man who helped hold the Church together in a difficult time of transition.
Quotes
Just as Paul clashed with Peter, Pratt dissented at times from both Smith and Young, making clear that his commitment to Mormonism rested not on devotion to a charismatic leader but spiritual and intellectual assent to the religion’s doctrines.
Many of Smith’s converts and close associates fell under a spell that supporters and detractors alike strove to explain, invoking words like “magnetic” and “mesmerizing.” But Pratt had been converted by the Book of Mormon, not prophetic charisma. He later described Smith with unambiguous regard (“the gifts, wisdom and devotion of a Daniel were united with the boldness, courage, temperance, perseverance and generosity of a Cyrus”),104 but his relationship with Smith never evolved into the unalloyed adoration of Brigham Young or the fanatical attachment of Porter Rockwell. Pratt’s esteem for Smith was a function of his respect for the office he held and the role he filled in the latter-day restoration.
If Campbell’s followers had in many cases found the Mormon message amenable to their version of the gospel, the ones who were not drawn in by that message could be especially resentful of Mormons, whom they considered religious plagiarists and poachers.
For My Part I never can rest untill My Eyes have seen my Redeemer until I have gazed like Nephi upon the gloryes of the Celestial world until I Can Come into full communion and familiar Converse with the angels of glory and the Spirits of just men made Perfect through the Blood of Christ and I testify to All Both Small and great, Both Male and female that if they stop short of the full Enjoyment of these things They Stop Short of the Blessings freely offered to Every Creature in the Gospel.
Pratt reasonably expected that Smith would take back the property in satisfaction of the note. Smith, however, had sold the note to the bank for either cash or as collateral for another transaction and left Pratt to answer to the bank. Pratt thus offered to return the lots to Rigdon, as an officer of the bank, but “he wanted my house and home also.” Reeling from this unexpected demand and the specter of financial ruin, Pratt felt betrayed by both Rigdon and Smith, the men who had served as his spiritual fathers.
Three contexts—Baconianism, millennialism, and antebellum America’s oratorical culture—informed the intellectual universe that Pratt inhabited, and shed light on his rationalistic outlook, theology, and language. These contexts not only conditioned Pratt’s mental world; through him and his contemporaries, they also formed the content and tone of early Mormon thinking about the meaning of restoration and Joseph Smith’s role in it.
Premillennialists like Pratt saw their primary missionary responsibility as preaching the gospel and thereby saving the righteous few from apocalypse, not paving the way to social renewal and earthly bliss.
his writings reinforced a Mormon collective identity forged in persecution and indelibly shaped Latter-day Saint memory. Throughout the nineteenth century, and in some ways until the present, Mormon memory of their victimhood at the hands of fellow Americans has created an oppositional identity between the Saints and the larger culture.
On one typical Sunday, Pratt sermonized on “the authenticity of the Book of mormon and the origin of the American Indians.”20 The phrasing affirms the peculiar role the Book of Mormon played in his—and most Mormon—minds. Few clerics would preach on “the authenticity of the Bible,” but rather on some message taken from it. The Book of Mormon, by contrast, was important because—if authentic—it was an emblem of larger events unfolding outside it.
If Smith instigated Mormonism’s essential beliefs, Pratt organized, elaborated, and defended them in a manner that gave them the enduring life and complexion they have in the church to this day. Pratt was, in this sense, the first theologian of Mormonism.
For Pratt, God’s perfect compliance with eternal law both constitutes his own supreme power and indicates that path whereby humans can become his full heirs and genuine “partakers of the divine nature.”38 These eternal laws or “principles” thus become empowering and liberating rather than confining.
The genesis of all these ideas found in Pratt’s pamphlet is hard to trace. Smith did not always publicly preach the doctrines of the kingdom as fast as he received or formulated them. Pratt enjoyed Smith’s intimate association at a number of periods in his life, including their initial confinement together in Missouri, shortly before Pratt wrote this treatise of speculative theology. On such occasions, Smith may have shared ideas that he would only later promulgate to a mass audience. He first conceived of plural marriage, for example, in the early 1830s but only slowly divulged the doctrine to an inner circle that expanded over time. Other doctrines he seems to have withheld out of frustration with the Saints’ incapacity for novel ideas. He complained that “I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the saints prepared to recieve the things of God, but we freequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God will fly to peaces like glass as soon as any thing Comes that is Contrary to their traditions. They cannot stand the fire at all.”
Joseph Smith had boasted that “the Latter-day Saints have no creed, but are ready to believe all true principles that exist.”52 Accordingly, he exercised little control over the marketplace of Mormon ideas; now, as versions of the gospel were proliferating and a succession crisis had yet to play out fully, it became more imperative than ever to manage Mormonism’s message.
Pratt often displayed an Old Testament sternness of character, an affinity for the God of justice more than the God of mercy, which erupted in conflicts with enemies of the faith and in frustration with colleagues in the faith.
Pratt was clearly a man like Luther, born to strife. As an administrator, he sank into gloomy despondency. Placed in the middle of the fray, he returned to life, to spiritual and intellectual vigor. Fractiousness within the ranks disheartened him. Opposition from without enlivened him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB7YW...
And those who have driven Utah's highways might also be familiar with Parley's Canyon when heading towards Park City or Wyoming. Other than that, Pratt is just a mysterious name that sounds familiar, but we can't quite recall exactly what he did. Terryl Givens has done a good job here in this biography outlining the many roles that Pratt played in the early days of the Church.
Pratt was a pre-millennialist who believed in a restoration of the primitive Church before he even heard of Joseph Smith. He was part of the Campbellite movement that was popular in its time, but converted to Mormonism when he encountered the Book of Mormon.
Pratt was a missionary to the Native Americans, strongly believing that they were the descendants of the Book of Mormon Lamanites, but his glorious dreams were foiled at the hands of federal Indian agents who were antagonistic to his cause.
Pratt was a theologian who not only fleshed out many of the doctrines that Joseph Smith propounded, but likely contributed many of his own ideas to Mormon theology. His use of pamphlets spread the Mormon message, and his books "Voice of Warning" and "Key to the Science of Theology" expounded on the materialistic worldview of Mormonism that combined the earthly and the spiritual.
Pratt suffered for his religion. He was the Mormon who faced the longest incarceration for his beliefs during the Missouri crisis, and lost much property at the hands of the Missourians, and it was his words that crafted the victim narrative that imprints Mormonism to this day.
Pratt was one of the first missionaries called to Britain where he helped build up a strong base for the Church starting its own publication base, the Millennial Star. During the succession crisis, it was largely his efforts that kept the British saints loyal to the apostles.
Pratt clashed a few times with leaders of the church, first with Joseph Smith and then with Brigham Young. This was partly due to a strong personality and partly due to the lack of clear definitions of what role the Twelve were supposed to play. Pratt blamed Joseph for his financial losses when the Mormon bank went under, but he quickly repented and was back in Joseph's good graces. He clashed with Brigham multiple times regarding the authority of the Twelve as Brigham was cementing his role as president of the Church. One of the key issues at stake was who had the authority to perform plural marriages.
In the course of his lifetime, Pratt has twelve plural wives. His first wife, Thankful, died early on. His second wife, Ann Frost, was originally very close to him, but became alienated as Pratt took on more wives while polygamy was still a closely guarded secret. Another wife, Mary, left him in Utah when she didn't have a clear role in the family. The rest of his wives stayed true to him and never left Mormonism.
Pratt was also an explorer as the saints were settling in Utah. He built the road that would eventually become I-80 up today's Parley's Canyon. He led an expedition town to current-day Saint George to survey the land for potential settlements.
Pratt served as mission president in the Pacific, opening missionary work in California, the Hawaiian islands, and Australia, with a brief stint in Chile that ended in failure due to poor planning. Chile had no religious freedom (Catholicism was the only religion that was allowed), and he still hadn't mastered Spanish.
Pratt met his untimely death after marrying a new convert, Eleanor McLean. Eleanor was estranged from her husband, Hector, who was an alcoholic, and didn't support his wife's conversion to Mormonism. The relationship wasn't healthy, and Eleanor left her husband to be with the saints in Utah where Pratt married her. On a mission back East, Hector hunted Pratt down and eventually killed him in Arkansas. Mormons saw Pratt as a martyr, while the rest of America ate the scandal up in a day was America was condemning Mormonism as anti-American and immoral.
Terryl does a very fair job at this portrait of a complex man in an evolving religious landscape. It isn't clear-cut, and many Mormons may find the portrayal to be unfair to Pratt in some respects, and Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as well. I am glad that Terryl is able to confront it honestly, and lets the audience evaluate the character of Pratt for themselves. I see Pratt as a man who was firmly committed to his beliefs. He didn't deviate from them and he wanted to live them to their fullest implications. He may have had a proclivity for confrontation, but that is where he thrived. Brother Pratt was a good man who helped hold the Church together in a difficult time of transition.
Quotes
Just as Paul clashed with Peter, Pratt dissented at times from both Smith and Young, making clear that his commitment to Mormonism rested not on devotion to a charismatic leader but spiritual and intellectual assent to the religion’s doctrines.
Many of Smith’s converts and close associates fell under a spell that supporters and detractors alike strove to explain, invoking words like “magnetic” and “mesmerizing.” But Pratt had been converted by the Book of Mormon, not prophetic charisma. He later described Smith with unambiguous regard (“the gifts, wisdom and devotion of a Daniel were united with the boldness, courage, temperance, perseverance and generosity of a Cyrus”),104 but his relationship with Smith never evolved into the unalloyed adoration of Brigham Young or the fanatical attachment of Porter Rockwell. Pratt’s esteem for Smith was a function of his respect for the office he held and the role he filled in the latter-day restoration.
If Campbell’s followers had in many cases found the Mormon message amenable to their version of the gospel, the ones who were not drawn in by that message could be especially resentful of Mormons, whom they considered religious plagiarists and poachers.
For My Part I never can rest untill My Eyes have seen my Redeemer until I have gazed like Nephi upon the gloryes of the Celestial world until I Can Come into full communion and familiar Converse with the angels of glory and the Spirits of just men made Perfect through the Blood of Christ and I testify to All Both Small and great, Both Male and female that if they stop short of the full Enjoyment of these things They Stop Short of the Blessings freely offered to Every Creature in the Gospel.
Pratt reasonably expected that Smith would take back the property in satisfaction of the note. Smith, however, had sold the note to the bank for either cash or as collateral for another transaction and left Pratt to answer to the bank. Pratt thus offered to return the lots to Rigdon, as an officer of the bank, but “he wanted my house and home also.” Reeling from this unexpected demand and the specter of financial ruin, Pratt felt betrayed by both Rigdon and Smith, the men who had served as his spiritual fathers.
Three contexts—Baconianism, millennialism, and antebellum America’s oratorical culture—informed the intellectual universe that Pratt inhabited, and shed light on his rationalistic outlook, theology, and language. These contexts not only conditioned Pratt’s mental world; through him and his contemporaries, they also formed the content and tone of early Mormon thinking about the meaning of restoration and Joseph Smith’s role in it.
Premillennialists like Pratt saw their primary missionary responsibility as preaching the gospel and thereby saving the righteous few from apocalypse, not paving the way to social renewal and earthly bliss.
his writings reinforced a Mormon collective identity forged in persecution and indelibly shaped Latter-day Saint memory. Throughout the nineteenth century, and in some ways until the present, Mormon memory of their victimhood at the hands of fellow Americans has created an oppositional identity between the Saints and the larger culture.
On one typical Sunday, Pratt sermonized on “the authenticity of the Book of mormon and the origin of the American Indians.”20 The phrasing affirms the peculiar role the Book of Mormon played in his—and most Mormon—minds. Few clerics would preach on “the authenticity of the Bible,” but rather on some message taken from it. The Book of Mormon, by contrast, was important because—if authentic—it was an emblem of larger events unfolding outside it.
If Smith instigated Mormonism’s essential beliefs, Pratt organized, elaborated, and defended them in a manner that gave them the enduring life and complexion they have in the church to this day. Pratt was, in this sense, the first theologian of Mormonism.
For Pratt, God’s perfect compliance with eternal law both constitutes his own supreme power and indicates that path whereby humans can become his full heirs and genuine “partakers of the divine nature.”38 These eternal laws or “principles” thus become empowering and liberating rather than confining.
The genesis of all these ideas found in Pratt’s pamphlet is hard to trace. Smith did not always publicly preach the doctrines of the kingdom as fast as he received or formulated them. Pratt enjoyed Smith’s intimate association at a number of periods in his life, including their initial confinement together in Missouri, shortly before Pratt wrote this treatise of speculative theology. On such occasions, Smith may have shared ideas that he would only later promulgate to a mass audience. He first conceived of plural marriage, for example, in the early 1830s but only slowly divulged the doctrine to an inner circle that expanded over time. Other doctrines he seems to have withheld out of frustration with the Saints’ incapacity for novel ideas. He complained that “I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the saints prepared to recieve the things of God, but we freequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God will fly to peaces like glass as soon as any thing Comes that is Contrary to their traditions. They cannot stand the fire at all.”
Joseph Smith had boasted that “the Latter-day Saints have no creed, but are ready to believe all true principles that exist.”52 Accordingly, he exercised little control over the marketplace of Mormon ideas; now, as versions of the gospel were proliferating and a succession crisis had yet to play out fully, it became more imperative than ever to manage Mormonism’s message.
Pratt often displayed an Old Testament sternness of character, an affinity for the God of justice more than the God of mercy, which erupted in conflicts with enemies of the faith and in frustration with colleagues in the faith.
Pratt was clearly a man like Luther, born to strife. As an administrator, he sank into gloomy despondency. Placed in the middle of the fray, he returned to life, to spiritual and intellectual vigor. Fractiousness within the ranks disheartened him. Opposition from without enlivened him.
August 27, 2012
Fascinating as much for the insights on early Mormon history as for the information about Pratt himself. Though he is frequently mentioned in Sunday School and other Church settings, he is rarely quoted, at least by name, even though it was his ideas almost as much as Joseph Smith's that form the foundation of the Mormon view of God and the nature of eternal life. I didn't know how influential his speculations were on the Prophet's thought and preaching. Of course, Joseph didn't often write down his revelations and speculations, preferring instead to discuss them in conferences and "schools" with his brethren or in small groups or one-on-one conversations, so it's equally likely that Parley just took ideas he heard from Joseph and ran with them.
This biography does not shy away from the more controversial and less flattering aspects of Parley's life and character and I think the authors may even go a bit too far in balancing the heroic image he and others presented of him with the "objective facts", for instance in his frequent debt problems, his confrontational and sometimes trouble-making personality, and his clashes with other members and leaders of the Church. We are so used to correlated policies and doctrine and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles presenting a united front and urging unity within the Church that we forget that the early Church was a rag-tag conglomeration of people and beliefs, often contradictory. It's a miracle it held together! This may or may not be evidence to some readers of its divine origin and approval. Overall, I think this is a good biography for those who wish to know more about Brother Parley and about the development of some of the doctrines and ideas Mormons hold dear today.
This biography does not shy away from the more controversial and less flattering aspects of Parley's life and character and I think the authors may even go a bit too far in balancing the heroic image he and others presented of him with the "objective facts", for instance in his frequent debt problems, his confrontational and sometimes trouble-making personality, and his clashes with other members and leaders of the Church. We are so used to correlated policies and doctrine and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles presenting a united front and urging unity within the Church that we forget that the early Church was a rag-tag conglomeration of people and beliefs, often contradictory. It's a miracle it held together! This may or may not be evidence to some readers of its divine origin and approval. Overall, I think this is a good biography for those who wish to know more about Brother Parley and about the development of some of the doctrines and ideas Mormons hold dear today.
December 11, 2025
Maintains an impressive level of readability throughout. Very thorough. Pleasantly unbiased, yet lets the beautiful and inspiring parts of Pratt’s life shine through naturally.
I picked up this book mainly to learn more about Utah polygamy. There were a lot of really interesting firsthand accounts in here that show a very different story than the way polygamy is portrayed today—that is, these accounts showed how plural marriage was difficult yet seemed to be net positive for a lot of Latter Day Saints.
I picked up this book mainly to learn more about Utah polygamy. There were a lot of really interesting firsthand accounts in here that show a very different story than the way polygamy is portrayed today—that is, these accounts showed how plural marriage was difficult yet seemed to be net positive for a lot of Latter Day Saints.
November 1, 2022
Great read! This autobiography of Parley P. Pratt was well written and well researched, and I was spending as much time in the footnotes as the text! I was intrigued with Church history embedded in American history and as it impacted the life of one of the Latter-day Saint Church’s premier figures. Givens and Grow gave us not only a biography of Parley but also an historical and cultural history of his times. As hinted at in the title—Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism—they authors shared an insightful contrast between the Apostle Paul in the early Christian church and Apostle Parley in the same position for the restored Church in the nineteenth century. They both were prolific writers and did much to formalize and explain doctrine. Like Paul’s letters preserved in the New Testament, Parley wrote numerous pamphlets and newspapers articles, plus an autobiography and two doctrinal books that were as influential as the Book of Mormon to the early Mormon members. Paul and Parley both spent their lives after being converted to the gospel traveling and proselyting. They both suffered for their beliefs and were killed because of them. Interesting comparisons!
While we don’t know as much about Paul’s character or family life, Givens and Grow were able to find much more about Parley’s. His interactions with his twelve wives gives great insight into how polygamous life worked. And his letters to them shows how much he loved and valued each of them and family life—although he didn’t get much time with family given his constant missionary travels. And they were almost always poor. Once Parley seemed to be on the verge of financial stability when he was building a road in 1849 into Salt Lake City through what is now named after him: Parley’s Canyon. Just as he was starting to make money on it he was called to oversee all the missionary work for all of the areas touching the Pacific (!). He sold his interests in the road to raise money to go on his mission. The other time he was almost out of debt was when he owned a store in Nauvoo but that was lost when the Latter-day Saints were forced out of the state.
I quite admire Parley but am not so sure I would have enjoyed his company. He seemed very intense and overzealous. He was a hard worker, always thinking and always moving. He seemed perhaps too judgmental, more stern than merciful. He was independent minded and strong-willed, although willing to take correction. He was a charismatic preacher, often lambasting enemies of the Church and the gospel, but making many converts. Not much humor but a great sarcastic wit in his writing. He had a “deep-seated preference for confrontation to evasion.” I liked the authors’ description: “Pratt was clearly a man born to strife. As an administrator, he sank into gloomy despondency. Placed in the middle of the fray, he returned to life, to spiritual and intellectual vigor. Fractiousness within the ranks disheartened him. Opposition from without enlivened him.” It’s amazing how much he accomplished in his 50 years of life. He was a “missionary, hymnist, explorer, politician, theologian, satirist, editor, and historian—but his acute sense of history left him convinced that his definitive role was that of apostle in ‘the most interesting [dispensation] that ever was.’”
While we don’t know as much about Paul’s character or family life, Givens and Grow were able to find much more about Parley’s. His interactions with his twelve wives gives great insight into how polygamous life worked. And his letters to them shows how much he loved and valued each of them and family life—although he didn’t get much time with family given his constant missionary travels. And they were almost always poor. Once Parley seemed to be on the verge of financial stability when he was building a road in 1849 into Salt Lake City through what is now named after him: Parley’s Canyon. Just as he was starting to make money on it he was called to oversee all the missionary work for all of the areas touching the Pacific (!). He sold his interests in the road to raise money to go on his mission. The other time he was almost out of debt was when he owned a store in Nauvoo but that was lost when the Latter-day Saints were forced out of the state.
I quite admire Parley but am not so sure I would have enjoyed his company. He seemed very intense and overzealous. He was a hard worker, always thinking and always moving. He seemed perhaps too judgmental, more stern than merciful. He was independent minded and strong-willed, although willing to take correction. He was a charismatic preacher, often lambasting enemies of the Church and the gospel, but making many converts. Not much humor but a great sarcastic wit in his writing. He had a “deep-seated preference for confrontation to evasion.” I liked the authors’ description: “Pratt was clearly a man born to strife. As an administrator, he sank into gloomy despondency. Placed in the middle of the fray, he returned to life, to spiritual and intellectual vigor. Fractiousness within the ranks disheartened him. Opposition from without enlivened him.” It’s amazing how much he accomplished in his 50 years of life. He was a “missionary, hymnist, explorer, politician, theologian, satirist, editor, and historian—but his acute sense of history left him convinced that his definitive role was that of apostle in ‘the most interesting [dispensation] that ever was.’”
May 20, 2019
Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) was a Mormon leader whose writings became the most significant early exposition of the Latter Day Saint faith. Named a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835, Pratt was part of the Quorum’s successful British mission of 1839-1841. He not only wrote the first published defense of Mormon polygamy, he himself married twelve wives and begat thirty children. (Pratt’s living descendants are estimated at 30-50,000; Oxford University Press could probably recoup publication costs simply by selling a copy of the biography to 5% of them.)
Givens & Grow here follow a path blazed by Richard Bushman in Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (2005). Their biography, like Bushman’s, is a thorough, scholarly study—not a hagiography—despite the fact that the authors are LDS apologists. Givens & Grow frankly admit that Pratt was often “dour and humorless,” (396) that his “antisocial bent was likely more a function of his ineptness than his theology” (237), that he lied about helping draft a constitution for the proposed state of Deseret (276), and that he could be remarkably insensitive in his relationships with his wives. (One, whom he maneuvered into sharing his bed while in prison, later divorced him despite remaining a Mormon.) Givens & Grow even admit that Pratt may have “propounded his highly unorthodox notions to Smith, who later embraced them and confirmed them” (172), rather than the other way around.
Nevertheless, the notion that Pratt was the St. Paul of Mormonism is arguable. Beyond a few of his hymns, Pratt’s works are little known among modern Saints. Though “his imprint pervades the theological spectrum” of Mormonism, the contemporary Church downplays the novel doctrines in which Pratt gloried, such as the corporeality of God and the participation of mankind “in the ongoing work of eternal creation” through eternal polygamy (212). Unlike modern LDS leaders, Pratt regularly demonstrated penchant for confrontation rather than evasion.
Non-Mormons should also appreciate that although Givens & Grow are scholars, they are Mormon scholars; sometimes they attempt to spin a sow’s ear into a silk purse. For example, the authors suggest that Pratt presented “a garbled version” of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, confusing it with later visits of the angel Moroni, because Smith had been reluctant to “incorporate it in the founding narratives of Mormonism”(88). Skeptics would argue in response that Pratt got the canonical story wrong in 1834 because Smith hadn’t invented it yet.
This careful study of Pratt will probably remain the standard biography for the indefinite future. Its prose is craftsman-like if unexciting, the exposition logical if overly detailed.
Givens & Grow here follow a path blazed by Richard Bushman in Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (2005). Their biography, like Bushman’s, is a thorough, scholarly study—not a hagiography—despite the fact that the authors are LDS apologists. Givens & Grow frankly admit that Pratt was often “dour and humorless,” (396) that his “antisocial bent was likely more a function of his ineptness than his theology” (237), that he lied about helping draft a constitution for the proposed state of Deseret (276), and that he could be remarkably insensitive in his relationships with his wives. (One, whom he maneuvered into sharing his bed while in prison, later divorced him despite remaining a Mormon.) Givens & Grow even admit that Pratt may have “propounded his highly unorthodox notions to Smith, who later embraced them and confirmed them” (172), rather than the other way around.
Nevertheless, the notion that Pratt was the St. Paul of Mormonism is arguable. Beyond a few of his hymns, Pratt’s works are little known among modern Saints. Though “his imprint pervades the theological spectrum” of Mormonism, the contemporary Church downplays the novel doctrines in which Pratt gloried, such as the corporeality of God and the participation of mankind “in the ongoing work of eternal creation” through eternal polygamy (212). Unlike modern LDS leaders, Pratt regularly demonstrated penchant for confrontation rather than evasion.
Non-Mormons should also appreciate that although Givens & Grow are scholars, they are Mormon scholars; sometimes they attempt to spin a sow’s ear into a silk purse. For example, the authors suggest that Pratt presented “a garbled version” of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, confusing it with later visits of the angel Moroni, because Smith had been reluctant to “incorporate it in the founding narratives of Mormonism”(88). Skeptics would argue in response that Pratt got the canonical story wrong in 1834 because Smith hadn’t invented it yet.
This careful study of Pratt will probably remain the standard biography for the indefinite future. Its prose is craftsman-like if unexciting, the exposition logical if overly detailed.
June 7, 2017
Part of the charm of this book is its unassuming nature. Givens and Grow are sympathetic to PPP but also excellent scholars and researchers that describe their material as it is as best as they can. As authors they do not try to outshine PPP but to reflect and reveal him.
This book is an excellent companion to PPP's autobiography, and in fact seems written assuming that you have read it. Givens and Grow scarcely mention many incidents from the autobiography and seem to purposefully emphasize different aspects of PPP's character and life. Having read the autobiography a few years ago, I appreciate this. However, as I have previously complained about biographies before, sometimes I felt like there isn't enough of PPP's own voice and colorful personality in this book. This keeps it from being quite as comprehensive as I would like it to be.
My criticism is a little unfair though because of the many strengths of this book. Givens and Grow do so much so well, make it look easy and don't call a lot attention to their method. They neatly and clearly present the life of a man whose experience encapsulates so much of the Mormon experience of the 19th century. He was a zealous convert, missionary and pamphleteer under Joseph Smith and an explorer, colonizer and pioneer under Brigham Young. They also explicate in detail PPP's contributions to Mormon theology, history and culture in an accessible manner. By the end of the book I got a sense of the amazing scope of PPP's life. As the epilogue lists, "Pratt was a missionary, hymnist, explorer, politician, theologian, satirist, editor, and historian." His experiences and abilities were wide ranging and awe-inspiring and are presented well here.
I am confident that I will return again and again to this book for years to come. Good thing that I bought it.
This book is an excellent companion to PPP's autobiography, and in fact seems written assuming that you have read it. Givens and Grow scarcely mention many incidents from the autobiography and seem to purposefully emphasize different aspects of PPP's character and life. Having read the autobiography a few years ago, I appreciate this. However, as I have previously complained about biographies before, sometimes I felt like there isn't enough of PPP's own voice and colorful personality in this book. This keeps it from being quite as comprehensive as I would like it to be.
My criticism is a little unfair though because of the many strengths of this book. Givens and Grow do so much so well, make it look easy and don't call a lot attention to their method. They neatly and clearly present the life of a man whose experience encapsulates so much of the Mormon experience of the 19th century. He was a zealous convert, missionary and pamphleteer under Joseph Smith and an explorer, colonizer and pioneer under Brigham Young. They also explicate in detail PPP's contributions to Mormon theology, history and culture in an accessible manner. By the end of the book I got a sense of the amazing scope of PPP's life. As the epilogue lists, "Pratt was a missionary, hymnist, explorer, politician, theologian, satirist, editor, and historian." His experiences and abilities were wide ranging and awe-inspiring and are presented well here.
I am confident that I will return again and again to this book for years to come. Good thing that I bought it.
August 18, 2019
This was a fascinating examination of a colorful, flawed, and endearing early leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As an early and important theological and intellectual influence, he was a giant and this account covers that influence well. It also provides a view of polygamy that was troubling and insightful. The book argues for the political and cultural significance of his murder that I had not previously appreciated.
May 30, 2024
An interesting biography about an interesting man. I have read Parley P. Pratt's Autobiography before so I was somewhat familiar with the major outline of his life before reading this biography, but I learned a lot of new things and enjoyed this book.
November 19, 2023
4-1/2 stars. Excellent research and writing by Givens and Grow.
August 19, 2025
This is a fascinating book about a fascinating man. What a life. This book should be read by all members of the church so they can more fully appreciate what the early Saints went through.
October 24, 2016
You begin to understand the powerful man he truly was.
March 5, 2014
So many names from early Church history are familiar, heard over and over again as characters in a handful of stories in Sunday School class: Oliver Cowdrey, Edward Partridge, Eliza R. Snow, Thomas B. Marsh. It's not very often that we get a three-dimensional picture of the complex people they truly were, real, living breathing individuals with strengths and weaknesses, nobility and foibles, virtues and vices. With Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism, Givens and Grow have painted a detailed and intriguing portrait of one of the more fascinating early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Parley P. Pratt was a strong personality, a loyal friend, a loving family man, a "missionary without subtlety", a preacher with a "bold, blunt, outspoken style that led to frequent controversies", and an intellectual with a brilliant mind for theology. He served as "Mormonism's leading voice to the world" from the late 1830s to the mid-1840s. His prolific writings "systematized and popularized" Joseph Smith's teachings and he held the Prophet in high esteem with "respect for the office he held and the role he filled in the latter-day restoration", but Pratt was dedicated wholeheartedly to the religion, not just the man. "Just as Paul clashed with Peter, Pratt dissented at times from both Smith and [Brigham] Young, making clear that his commitment to Mormonism rested not on devotion to a charismatic leader but spiritual and intellectual assent to the religion's doctrines."
Givens and Grow's biography draws heavily from Pratt's own autobiography, but also from many private letters, journals, articles and other papers that flesh out his more personal opinions and feelings as well as his family life. They note that while his autobiography, similar to other contemporary autobiographies, leaves out information about his family, his letters "demonstrate great concern and longing for his family when absent, suggesting the abiding tension in Pratt's life between a religion that exalted family life...and yet required his continual absence from it for short preaching tours and long missionary journeys." His love for and attachment to his increasingly large family (he eventually had twelve wives and thirty children) is evident through his touching correspondence with them.
The Book of Mormon was key to Pratt's conversion and faith. One of Givens's earlier books, By the Hand of Mormon , explores how many early Saints focused less on the content of the Book of Mormon and more on its origin story. Pratt was an exception. "Whereas many Mormons of his generation used the Book of Mormon primarily as a sign of a divinely sanctioned restoration (a point with which Pratt wholeheartedly agreed), Pratt was one of the few who seriously probed the book's content and often preached from its pages." His description of his conversion is well known and, I think, quite moving:
In the Book of Mormon, Pratt found "an appeal to his intellect, a spiritual confirmation of what he considered the restored gospel's reasonableness...From then on, Pratt's life would be dedicated to articulating the reasonableness, even the rational inevitability, of the book's appearance and message."
To read the rest of this review, visit Build Enough Bookshelves
Parley P. Pratt was a strong personality, a loyal friend, a loving family man, a "missionary without subtlety", a preacher with a "bold, blunt, outspoken style that led to frequent controversies", and an intellectual with a brilliant mind for theology. He served as "Mormonism's leading voice to the world" from the late 1830s to the mid-1840s. His prolific writings "systematized and popularized" Joseph Smith's teachings and he held the Prophet in high esteem with "respect for the office he held and the role he filled in the latter-day restoration", but Pratt was dedicated wholeheartedly to the religion, not just the man. "Just as Paul clashed with Peter, Pratt dissented at times from both Smith and [Brigham] Young, making clear that his commitment to Mormonism rested not on devotion to a charismatic leader but spiritual and intellectual assent to the religion's doctrines."
Givens and Grow's biography draws heavily from Pratt's own autobiography, but also from many private letters, journals, articles and other papers that flesh out his more personal opinions and feelings as well as his family life. They note that while his autobiography, similar to other contemporary autobiographies, leaves out information about his family, his letters "demonstrate great concern and longing for his family when absent, suggesting the abiding tension in Pratt's life between a religion that exalted family life...and yet required his continual absence from it for short preaching tours and long missionary journeys." His love for and attachment to his increasingly large family (he eventually had twelve wives and thirty children) is evident through his touching correspondence with them.
The Book of Mormon was key to Pratt's conversion and faith. One of Givens's earlier books, By the Hand of Mormon , explores how many early Saints focused less on the content of the Book of Mormon and more on its origin story. Pratt was an exception. "Whereas many Mormons of his generation used the Book of Mormon primarily as a sign of a divinely sanctioned restoration (a point with which Pratt wholeheartedly agreed), Pratt was one of the few who seriously probed the book's content and often preached from its pages." His description of his conversion is well known and, I think, quite moving:
[I] opened [the Book of Mormon] with eagerness, and read its title page. I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated. After this I commenced its contents by course. I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.
In the Book of Mormon, Pratt found "an appeal to his intellect, a spiritual confirmation of what he considered the restored gospel's reasonableness...From then on, Pratt's life would be dedicated to articulating the reasonableness, even the rational inevitability, of the book's appearance and message."
To read the rest of this review, visit Build Enough Bookshelves
December 16, 2011
I read Parley Parker Pratt's autobiography about 30 years ago and loved every exciting page of it! In this biography, Givens and Grow fill in some of the spaces that the subject skipped in his autobiography or that occurred after it was written, including a good mix of the less flattering details along with the impressive array of sacred and supernal experiences of a dynamic and most interesting life.
The evenness of the authors, revealing the human side of a spiritual man, adds to the credibility of their thorough review of a life cut short by murder, yet astoundingly full of missionary zeal, preaching, religious and apologetic writing and church leadership. It is a wonder there was enough time for Pratt to marry 12 wives and father 30 children.
Through a chronological discourse on diverse and world-wide church experiences, the authors back up with personal life facts their claim that Pratt played a significant and instrumental role in the development and preservation of doctrines and principles that formed a new religion in 19th century America that continues to flourish and fill the earth today. This is perhaps the newest and most interesting bit of information for me -- Pratt's impact and lasting influence. It causes me to want to retrieve my copy of his Key to the Science of Theology from the book shelf and finally read it to appreciate what Pratt accomplished in this seminal work, first published in 1855. Its staying power is evident, when one considers that my copy is the 10th edition printed in 1948. Other than canonized scripture, it is highly unusual for a personal publication to continue its influence in a world-wide religion for a 100 years or so. (I can think of only two others.) Just one example of Pratt's contributions.
For those interested in early-LDS history, this is a must read. But, it is not for the squeamish -- for all the uncomfortable view of the normally invisible "under-belly" is revealed and there are some ugly warts!
The evenness of the authors, revealing the human side of a spiritual man, adds to the credibility of their thorough review of a life cut short by murder, yet astoundingly full of missionary zeal, preaching, religious and apologetic writing and church leadership. It is a wonder there was enough time for Pratt to marry 12 wives and father 30 children.
Through a chronological discourse on diverse and world-wide church experiences, the authors back up with personal life facts their claim that Pratt played a significant and instrumental role in the development and preservation of doctrines and principles that formed a new religion in 19th century America that continues to flourish and fill the earth today. This is perhaps the newest and most interesting bit of information for me -- Pratt's impact and lasting influence. It causes me to want to retrieve my copy of his Key to the Science of Theology from the book shelf and finally read it to appreciate what Pratt accomplished in this seminal work, first published in 1855. Its staying power is evident, when one considers that my copy is the 10th edition printed in 1948. Other than canonized scripture, it is highly unusual for a personal publication to continue its influence in a world-wide religion for a 100 years or so. (I can think of only two others.) Just one example of Pratt's contributions.
For those interested in early-LDS history, this is a must read. But, it is not for the squeamish -- for all the uncomfortable view of the normally invisible "under-belly" is revealed and there are some ugly warts!
June 16, 2012
As I think about why I didn't enjoy this book more, I realize the 3-star rating is more about me than about the strengths and weaknesses of the biography. It's not that I wanted white-washed history, because generally I appreciate the more objective scholarly approach that this Oxford University Press publication provides. It really comes down to this: I didn't like the Parley P. Pratt presented in Givens' work, and I am uncomfortable with not liking apostles!
I can appreciate his wide-ranging missionary efforts. I recognize the incredible contribution he made to systematizing Mormon doctrine (though I thought he was awfully presumptuous in his expansion of revealed ideas). I'm bothered by the fact that Brigham Young censured Pratt for unauthorized polygamous marriages and for disobeying council on the trek West. I found myself annoyed by his debtor's lifestyle; even before he joined the church and devoted his time to missionary service he was continually in debt. And as a modern woman, how could I not be turned off when he writes in a group letter to all his wives that one of them "has improved much in Education and in Spirit," and then says of another "O Could I get my mouth as near her lips as I did in a dream, I would immediately snatch one good Long hearty kiss." I'm sure Parley was a good and worthy man, and in the early days of the church with its spiritual, doctrinal, and cultural immaturity was about the best there was to choose from for leadership. I just have no desire to ever bump into him in the spirit world!
I can appreciate his wide-ranging missionary efforts. I recognize the incredible contribution he made to systematizing Mormon doctrine (though I thought he was awfully presumptuous in his expansion of revealed ideas). I'm bothered by the fact that Brigham Young censured Pratt for unauthorized polygamous marriages and for disobeying council on the trek West. I found myself annoyed by his debtor's lifestyle; even before he joined the church and devoted his time to missionary service he was continually in debt. And as a modern woman, how could I not be turned off when he writes in a group letter to all his wives that one of them "has improved much in Education and in Spirit," and then says of another "O Could I get my mouth as near her lips as I did in a dream, I would immediately snatch one good Long hearty kiss." I'm sure Parley was a good and worthy man, and in the early days of the church with its spiritual, doctrinal, and cultural immaturity was about the best there was to choose from for leadership. I just have no desire to ever bump into him in the spirit world!
May 5, 2013
This book is a very detailed account of one of the most influential members of the early Mormon church. While I have heard his name my whole life, I had no idea of all he accomplished. He traveled widely to extend the reach of the church: all over the United States, as well as Europe and South America where he learned to speak Spanish. He was a prolific writer having written many pamphlets, several books, and un-numbered newspaper articles. A powerful speaker and debater, he often spoke to very large crowds in large venues. He was fired by his love of the restored gospel and he felt privileged to be living at a time when he could play a significant part in it.
He was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he was there throughout all the early persecution and prejudice against the Latter-day Saints. Driven from Missouri to Illinois and then to Utah, he experienced it all. He was unjustly jailed on several occasions and his life ended when he was murdered. He justifiably is considered a martyr to the cause.
It was really interesting to read about church history from another perspective than what we generally hear in Sunday School class. An excellent biography.
He was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he was there throughout all the early persecution and prejudice against the Latter-day Saints. Driven from Missouri to Illinois and then to Utah, he experienced it all. He was unjustly jailed on several occasions and his life ended when he was murdered. He justifiably is considered a martyr to the cause.
It was really interesting to read about church history from another perspective than what we generally hear in Sunday School class. An excellent biography.
January 26, 2013
Terryl Givens' biography does for Parley P. Pratt what Richard Bushman did for Joseph Smith in "Rough Stone Rolling." He provides a frank, respectful, and detailed picture of a fascinating man. He doesn't shy away from warts, and from the quirks (many of which are a function of the times). Someone whose roots in the LDS faith are somewhat shallow might be disturbed by some of this. Personally, I find it inspiring and faith-promoting to see that modern-day apostles and prophets are not superhuman. Despite their flaws and idiosyncrasies, the Lord uses them to achieve astonishing feats that bless the world. This is definitely the case with this book. I understand Parley's limitations, but I love him more than I did before I read the book.
If you have read Parley's autobiography, it is most DEFINITELY worthwhile to read this biography as well. As Givens points out, no biography is really objective, and Parley chose his stories carefully to convey a particular image for posterity. Givens' probing biography provided a far more three-dimensional representation of Parley.
Ultimately, this was a truly amazing man. I find myself repeatedly surprised at how central he was to the unfolding of doctrines and to the early church's message to the world. Highly recommend!
If you have read Parley's autobiography, it is most DEFINITELY worthwhile to read this biography as well. As Givens points out, no biography is really objective, and Parley chose his stories carefully to convey a particular image for posterity. Givens' probing biography provided a far more three-dimensional representation of Parley.
Ultimately, this was a truly amazing man. I find myself repeatedly surprised at how central he was to the unfolding of doctrines and to the early church's message to the world. Highly recommend!
October 7, 2011
A marvelously written book. I wondered how much of this would be in PPP's Autobiography. There was some usage of the Autobiography (which is to be expected and required). However, there was a great deal of new information. The authors also did a great job of incorporating PPP's writings into the narrative and gave context to them in relation to his life. The biography of Brother Parley is a worthy companion to the Autobiography. It was clear to me that there is a genuine affection that the authors have for their subject. On the one hand, they did not seek to only share the perspective of PPP that you get from his Autobiography. On the other hand, they are willing to share the other side and what his contemporaries felt, wrote, and said about him. A very honest book. A book written with admiration. I felt it was in the same vein as John Adams by McCullough. I highly recommend reading this book.
August 20, 2013
Really good, but long and very detailed. Has a lot of information about the inside view of the growth of the Church, at least the areas that Elder Pratt influenced or was a part of. Doesn't sugarcoat anything. Pretty amazing how much members of the Church contributed to the growth of the Church even when they had almost nothing.
Finally finished this. I didn't find it spiritually enlightening or uplifting (I don't think it was meant to be), but there was a lot of good -- and bad -- detailed history. Helps me understand some early Church events better, especially some of those that we've heard over and over as one liners without understanding everything else going on, like the financial background of some of the Church's early debts. Hadn't realized many of the early apostle-missionaries earned money by selling tracts and pamphlets -- PPPratt was a prolific writer, as was his brother Orson. Hardships were neverending. Not sure I would have been one of the valiant ones.
Finally finished this. I didn't find it spiritually enlightening or uplifting (I don't think it was meant to be), but there was a lot of good -- and bad -- detailed history. Helps me understand some early Church events better, especially some of those that we've heard over and over as one liners without understanding everything else going on, like the financial background of some of the Church's early debts. Hadn't realized many of the early apostle-missionaries earned money by selling tracts and pamphlets -- PPPratt was a prolific writer, as was his brother Orson. Hardships were neverending. Not sure I would have been one of the valiant ones.
June 5, 2013
This was an honest on thorough biography on "The Apostle Paul of Mormonism," Parley P. Pratt. Pratt, I learned, was devoted to his religion like few people ever are. His constant missionary service left him and his family nearly destitute for most of his life, but that was of little consequence to him. He was happiest when he was expounding on Mormon theology and the benefits of living its principles, including plural marriage. In addition to his many travels, Pratt wrote constantly about Joseph Smith's doctrines and took great pride in public debates about the theology. The book was a bit of a slog when it came to contextualizing his many pamphlets and tracts with the writings of his contemporaries. So slow was it at times that I took a six-month break just to find the energy to continue. It was worth the effort continue reading it, though. Pratt was an interesting man and this is a good book.
August 11, 2016
This was an excellent biography. The writing was impeccable--clear and conscientious about the subject matter. The subject matter was--hard. P.P. Pratt was such a mixture of characters all combined to make up an intensity of person that you rarely read about in terms of 19th century history. I found him essential to Mormonism as well as enthralled and uncomfortable about the account of his life. The last half was especially difficult in terms of a family life fraught with poverty, anguish, and awkwardness. My feelings about polygamy made it an uncomfortable read in terms of what happened to his family. A big bonus to these authors who did not sugar coat any of this portion of his life for I wouldn't say that his polygamous relationships were positive examples of Mormon polygamy at the time (if such a positive example ever existed).
I am overall glad to have read this account and would suggest it as a reading for anyone who is interested in Mormon history.
I am overall glad to have read this account and would suggest it as a reading for anyone who is interested in Mormon history.
August 24, 2014
I read Pratt's autobiography right before reading this book. I've always known he had a flare for the dramatic and a penchant for embellishment, I just didn't realize to what degree he had pushed those proclivities.
Givens and Grow bring a much needed "Rough Stone Rolling" biographical lens to a character who helped shape much of Mormon culture as we know it today (i.e., biblical literalness, millennial/zionistic fervor, missionary zeal and the 13 Articles of Faith etc.).
All autobiographies conceal as much as they reveal, which is why this work is so important. It provides the more rational reader with enough intellectual breathing room to appreciate Pratt as a real person as opposed to just a white-washed historical figure. By the end of the book I found myself wondering if the more authentic and nuanced Pratt couldn't also be the more impressive one.
Givens and Grow bring a much needed "Rough Stone Rolling" biographical lens to a character who helped shape much of Mormon culture as we know it today (i.e., biblical literalness, millennial/zionistic fervor, missionary zeal and the 13 Articles of Faith etc.).
All autobiographies conceal as much as they reveal, which is why this work is so important. It provides the more rational reader with enough intellectual breathing room to appreciate Pratt as a real person as opposed to just a white-washed historical figure. By the end of the book I found myself wondering if the more authentic and nuanced Pratt couldn't also be the more impressive one.
January 22, 2012
Parley Pratt is one of the most interesting characters in LDS Church history. All I knew (as well as most members of my church) is what I have read in Parley's autobiographic.Thanks to Givens, I have gained much insight into not only Parley Pratt, but also in the formation of the church.
I have a growing interest in the history of the church. The claims of history are essential in coming to believe in the church. There are many miraculous aspects to our history.Beginning with the First Vision right up to the revelation on "all worthy members can hold the Priesthood" our claims must be open to inspection.
I found the writing style of this book more complicated than need be.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in LDS History and development of doctrine.
I have a growing interest in the history of the church. The claims of history are essential in coming to believe in the church. There are many miraculous aspects to our history.Beginning with the First Vision right up to the revelation on "all worthy members can hold the Priesthood" our claims must be open to inspection.
I found the writing style of this book more complicated than need be.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in LDS History and development of doctrine.
July 9, 2013
A pivotal addition to the ongoing renaissance in historical Mormon studies. Givens and Grow bring astute analysis to Pratt's life and work.
I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in it perplexed by early Mormon history. The more perspectives I read, the better I comprehend the context and necessity of nineteenth century Mormonism. Reading about Elder Pratt was a special experience and a good counter to the equally masterful but stylistically different new Brigham Young bio.
I hope this ushers in a flowering of interest and additional work about other Mormons who were not presidents of the church. Cowdery? Strang? Rigdon? Harris? Williams...even Faucet? And what about Eliza Snow, Mary Fielding and the many fascinating women in Mormon history? I'm looking at you historians.
I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in it perplexed by early Mormon history. The more perspectives I read, the better I comprehend the context and necessity of nineteenth century Mormonism. Reading about Elder Pratt was a special experience and a good counter to the equally masterful but stylistically different new Brigham Young bio.
I hope this ushers in a flowering of interest and additional work about other Mormons who were not presidents of the church. Cowdery? Strang? Rigdon? Harris? Williams...even Faucet? And what about Eliza Snow, Mary Fielding and the many fascinating women in Mormon history? I'm looking at you historians.
January 20, 2016
An an early LDS apostle, Pratt was the one who reasoned out and explained a logical theology based on Joseph Smith's revelations. As an almost constant missionary away from home, Pratt had a tough but rewarding life, though without much in the way of material comforts. He was a polygamist with 30 children. Throughout, he was devoted to his family but also to the Church. The authors do a good job of getting the reader to see Pratt's life and Mormonism in the context of those times. His autobiography somehow escaped me; I'll be reading that.
October 29, 2012
This very detailed biography is a great way to learn unvarnished church history. I read Pratt's autobiography years ago, but this expands upon that quite a bit. I got a much better sense of the inner conflict between his desire for time with his growing family and his desire to spread the good news of the Restoration. I gained a better appreciation for his sheer brilliance and huge contribution to Mormon thought.
March 14, 2012
I enjoyed reading the book and appreciated the perspective of a scholar and time to understand this interesting man better. PPP did much for the beginnings of the Church and it is nicely chronicled and given context in this book. I marvel at what early saints were called on to do and see enduring to the end a theme of many of their lives. Well footnoted, and a clear writing style, made this biography a very worthwhile read.
September 27, 2015
A very thorough and readable biography of one of the most important leaders in the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It illuminates areas of church history that were blind spots for me: post-martyrdom succession controversies in the eastern United States, early church missionary efforts in California, and the church's portrayal in popular media outside of Utah soon after settling the Salt Lake Valley. This book is certainly worth reader.
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