The answers to the following questions will be helpful for a manuscript I'm working on
pertaining to the impossibility of the MGT or Mesoamerican Geography Theory.

Is the Joseph Smith History, at the end of the Pearl of Great Price,

1) considered an official part of the Pearl of Great Price
(or an unrelated add on), and more importantly

2) is the Joseph Smith History considered scripture,
actual official cannon of TSCC, on a par with its other standard works?
(If yes, can someone point me to, in correlated curricula or periodicals,
where it says that. All correlated references are helpful,
ideally one or more before 1970 and one or more after 1970.)

Much thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to help me!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2015 06:29PM by heretic.

It's been official, canonized, and fully binding on TBMs since 1880…


Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2, JOSEPH SMITH — HISTORY:

"The account called Joseph Smith — History, as it appears in the Pearl of Great Price, tells of the Prophet's experiences from his early years through May 1829. Franklin D. Richards, an early apostle, extracted this part of Joseph Smith's history from the much longer History of the Church printed in the times and seasons (T&S 3:726), and published the extract in 1851. In the preface of the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price, Richards expressed a hope that this collection of precious truths would increase the members' ability to defend the faith. Joseph Smith — History, the name now given to the historical extract, became canonized scripture to the members of the Church when they accepted the Pearl of Great Price by vote at the October 10, 1880, General Conference."


H. Donl Peterson and Charles D. Tate, Jr., "The Pearl of Great Price: Revelations From God," p. 237:

"During the October 1880 General Conference, President George Q. Cannon, First Counselor in the First Presidency, acting under the direction of the newly sustained president of the Church, John Taylor, presented two books to Church officers and members: a new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. President Cannon proposed that those present accept these books and their contents 'as from God, and binding upon… [the]people… and Church.' Then President Joseph F. Smith, Second Counselor in the First Presidency moved that the membership receive and accept these books as containing revelations from God to the Church. By unanimous vote, leaders and members agreed that the information contained in these two books was inspired of God (Conference Proceedings 42:724). Included in this canonized edition of the Pearl of Great Price was an account of the First Vision initially written by Joseph Smith in 1838 and prepared for publication before the Prophet left for Washington in 1839."


…unless, of course, they don't teach that any more.

And, of course, the "canonization" also included the other parts of the PoGP. Not only is the Book of Abraham "from god and binding", but also Joseph's "god inspired" (i.e. dreamed up) completely erroneous explanations of the facsimiles.

Of course, one of these days the unholy fifteen will state that the explanations were mere policy and were never intended to be considered as binding doctrine.