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Show PACE 8 THE THUNDFRBIRD MONDAY MAY 18, 1987 INKS X L f SUPERIOR AUTO PARTS XiS 200 WEST 200 NORTH CEDAR CITY, UTAH. , xm 586-389- 6 ur it i&VSu 'CijUAvfi'f & li.a'iv rnr.in:Ti' i WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF AUTO PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC CARS & TRUCKS Mormon leader Joseph Smith's religious beliefs were probably more influenced by early American Christian folk magic beliefs than religious revivals, an opinion held by members of that church, said Convocation speaker D. Michael Quinn Thursday. Mormonism, folk magic discussed BY ROBERT J j i EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY HARDSHELL TfiCOS (IRE on jSfiLE FOR ONLY 29? H-- n r. j Ll ju 0!M-DK- - Lm REID Mormon folk magic was the subject Thursday's Convocation address given history professor D. Michael Quinn. "We all have a tendency to assume people perceive the world as we do," at by BYU that said Quinn. According to Quinn, the first generation of Mormons saw religion and magic as a world view. To many people, the occult means evil and magic means fantasy, Quinn said. Rather, he defines occult as deliberately kept secret or hidden. Magic is the use of means, charms, or power to produce an event or it is use of rites of a supernatural source. Quinn noted only one in 10 adults even belonged to any form of organized religion in the early 1800s. Most early Americans were content to practice their own form of Christianity using the Bible and their own superstitious beliefs. In that earlier time, the settlers in Maine were involved in treasure finding. Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Mormon church, was involved in folk magic, which was a sincere belief for the early Mormons and young Smith was also involved with treasure digging as well, before forming the Mormon faith, said Quinn. Benjamin Franklin was aware of the earlier American beliefs in folk magic and treasure digging and criticized them, Quinn said. In 1729, Franklin satirized the beliefs in a newspaper. Franklin was also a bookseller and publisher, and early Americans insisted on purchasing astrological publications such as The Complete Fortune Teller. The residents in Palmyra, New York, practiced treasure digging also. A newspaper in Palmyra published an article stating that treasures did exist. "Rationalists condemned these practices, but early Americans didn't respond," Quinn commented. In 1810, the president of the Lutheran church in New York published a pamphlet saying people will prefer darkness to light in reference to early folk Christian magic. The Smiths had a history of magic beliefs. Quinn noted that Joseph Smith, Sr., owned an instrument of folk magic called a divining rod. In 1829, Oliver Cowdery, the scribe for the Book of Mormon, wrote about the divining rod on the old section eight of the Doctrine and Covenants. Later, the phrase "divining rod" was changed to the "Gift of Aaron." Quinn also noted that Smith was a seer, a person who could look into a stone and see things. Ki THE SOUTHERN UTAH STATE COLLEGE PROBAV, WAV 29 DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS AND DANCE PRESENTS THE EVENT You wont want to miss. . . A PLAY BY DAVID I 'J Wing-Din- g Shirts on sale May 25-2- 9 MAMET DIRECTED BY R. SCOTT PHILLIPS STARRING DOUGLAS H. BAKER AND PATRICK PAGE SUSC MAINSTAGE C 8 P.M. C MAY 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 1987 SEATING IS LIMITED GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS: $5 ADULTS, $4 SENIOR CITIZENS, $3 SUSC STUDENTS WITH D. NOT INCLUDED IN ANY SEASON PASSES lrtx c( to fottHirc .wioira'twor 17 l(J fcarc - .i |
