The Mormon puzzle, and how to solve it

The author traces the origins and growth of a nineteenth-century religious movement, recounting early visionary claims, publication of sacred texts, and migrations that shaped its institutional development. He examines tensions with surrounding communities, episodes of conflict and legal dispute, and the expansion of missionary work. The analysis evaluates doctrines and social practices that provoked public controversy, surveys partisan accounts from both supporters and critics, and offers comparisons with other religious systems. The book concludes by proposing pragmatic, nonviolent measures intended to resolve the civic and moral problems the author identifies.