The Refiner's Fire: Historical Highlights of Missouri

by Alvin R. Dyer

To members of the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints the state of Missouri is not only a place of tragic history, but also one with a glorious future. Here, according to the revelations from the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smit, many great events will transpire in the culmination of God's work in the latter days of man's earth-life existence.

To know of this area's history and to visit the places of prophetic historical renown in Jackson, Clay, Caldwell, and Daviess counties in Missouri is to experience a feeling and a sense of the nearness of these mighty events of the future.

Genres: History

344 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Brent McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up in 1982, while living about 15 miles away, to get a feel of the history this area is so famous for. While it begins as a bit of a travelogue that provides the superficial facts of the area, there is still much to be gleaned from the book. Nothing earth shaking.

[Lisa Reising · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw, poignant, unforgetable history for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although written more than 50 years ago now (in a style different than today's historians) I appreciated the primary sources used, and the peek into 1960s-70s viewpoints as well.

[David Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW - The Refiner’s Fire, Historical Highlights of Missouri by Alvin R. Dyer (1980)

The Refiner’s Fire detailed and emotionally charged historical account of the early Latter-day Saints’ experience in Missouri during the 1830s. Dyer vividly illustrates not just the facts, but the intense persecution and spiritual testing that defined this period of early Church history. This book is not merely a historical timeline—it is a witness to suffering, resilience, and faith under fire.

Dyer traces the rising tensions between Mormon settlers and Missourians, highlighting the political, economic, and religious fears that led to violent confrontations. The book covers critical events such as the expulsion from Jackson County, the siege of Far West, the Haun’s Mill massacre, and the imprisonment of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. Dyer does not shy away from describing the horrors experienced by the Saints, nor from attributing these events to broader religious and political currents in American society at the time. A key strength of the book is its empathetic narrative tone. Dyer views the suffering of the Saints through a spiritual lens. He writes not just to inform, but to uplift and bear testimony of the enduring strength of faith.

One particularly moving section recounts the aftermath of the Haun’s Mill massacre, in which 17 Latter-day Saints, including children, were killed. Dyer quotes survivor Amanda Smith, who discovered her 10-year-old son Sardius had been executed after the initial shooting:

“I rushed to the scene and there, oh horrible to relate, lay my boy. He was not yet dead, though he was shot through the head, and his brains were oozing out. I put my hand on his forehead, and felt a slight flutter of life. I pleaded with the Lord and prayed mightily. But I knew I must submit to His will.”

Moments like this show how these trials forged a faithful people. In recounting the imprisonment of the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, Dyer includes this passage of deep reflection and hope:
“The stone walls of Liberty Jail became a sanctuary of revelation. The words spoken there pierced through the cold and the darkness. ‘Thy adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.’ It was in suffering that the Prophet’s vision expanded.”

The Refiner’s Fire is not a neutral academic history. It is a devotional work aimed at members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who wish to understand their spiritual heritage through the lens of suffering, endurance, and divine purpose. Some readers may find Dyer’s tone overtly faith-based, but for his intended audience, this is a feature, not a flaw.

This book is a powerful tribute to the early Saints' sacrifice and a reminder of the cost of faith. The history is raw, the testimonies are unflinching, and the spiritual message is clear: out of the refiner’s fire came a people purified by faith. I wonder if the “Saints” of today who now seem so comfortable “in the world”, endure such trials.

[Kristopher Swinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn in evaluating this one. It's a bit of a rambler, with an unhealthy amount of traveloguing, also prone--as I've noticed with his books--to some interesting doctrinal assertions that are occasionally understood with a fuller perspective today (though I appreciated his take on 141-142 and 297-298). The care with which one must treat his statements is only partially mitigated by his later position in the First Presidency. His literary style is also verbose in all the wrong places. (Who actually says, "At this revered place there hovers a spiritual fragrance" (302)?)

Yet in its favor, this book sticks doggedly with its task and utilizes many less-accessible sources that are still intriguing this many decades later. I never knew that a great-grandson of Lilburn W. Boggs joined the Church (227-228), or that Hiram Page's deplorable seerstone appears to have been handed down to Jacob Whitmer's granddaughter (256-258). But these are tangential; his usage of materials from the Church Historian's Office and so on also support the primary narrative.

I like this observation near the very end:

I recall upon a recent occasion, when the President [McKay:] and I were discussing our visit to Jackson County, Missouri, in June of 1966, I said to him, "You know, President, there are some who feel that our work is over in Jackson County and that we shall not return there." His answer was, "All that I can say about that is that they do not understand the revelations." (321)

I'm of the mindset referenced in his preface with regard to groups of Saints discussing the future of Jackson County, "those who choose to say nothing," since I find so little of the discussion profitable.

[Cheri Battrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after moving to Missouri in 1996. It is written by Alvin R. Dyer who was an Assistant to the Quorum of Twelve in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The book chronicles the history, loss of, re-acquisition of, and futurity of the Missouri Church History sites. Although it is now out of print, you can sometimes find previously-owned copies. I recommend the later editions that have a white cover with a gold map of Missouri rather than the very limited first edition which has a burgundy cover. There is probably 3x more information in the later editions.

Reading this book helped me to understand where I was living because many of these sites were near my new home in Hamilton, Missouri. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in LDS Church History, and particularly to those who have relocated to Missouri or who plan to.

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the 1960s this book is part history, part tour guide, and part antiquarian document. There are much better (and more recent) historical writings on the church in 1830s Missouri. Many of the historical sites are now owned by the church and preserved. Dyer’s involvement led to much of the latter.

[Ernie Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read if you can get your hands on it. It was published in 1968 when Elder Dyer was an apostle but not a member of the quorum of the 12. It's hard to find the book now without paying an arm and a leg for it. The subtitle of my copy says "Historical Highlights of Missouri."

[Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Mormon Garden of Eden in Missouri! Mitt Romney is the least weird thing about it!