There are links related to specific topics contained in each of the sections as they're presented. This page contains summary websites that provide overall information related to Mormonism.
Some of the sections are specifically targeted to the devout LDS audience whereas others are for the critic. Some sections have a mixture of the two. We have tried to clarify the target audience.
Members examining truth statements of the LDS Church often have a hard time finding "safe" sources. They fear that anything that does not paint the Church or its teachings in a positive light must be "anti"-Mormon. Sometimes even material found on lds.org won't be looked at or believed by some devout members if it is not what a member has believed all their life.
Here we list as many historical sources as possible (digital versions). These sources are safe and do not have "anti"-Mormon information on the page.
In general, scanned images of original documents are the most reliable as there is less chance of errors in the material, yet it is painstaking to find specific text, and sometimes you must skim/read through a lot of information. Sources listed as text format have been converted from the original document into text and are much easier to search through and find specific information. There is the possibility of error in these documents, so it's best to verify by also looking up the scanned copy when it's available (the sources listed have been very reliable when we have verified for accuracy).
The Joseph Smith Papers - The Church has begun to publish online the earliest handwritten documents, diaries, letterbooks, revelations, etc.
1830 Book of Mormon (the 1830 edition did not have chapter breaks or verses)
1833 Book of Commandments - forerunner to the Doctrine & Covenants
History of the Church - 7 Volumes, often called Documentary History of the Church (DHC)
The Evening and Morning Star - published by the Church in Independence, Missouri, from June 1832 to July 1833, and Kirtland, Ohio, from December 1833 to September 1834
Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate - published in Kirtland, Ohio from October 1834 to September 1837
Elders' Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - published in Kirtland, Ohio 1837 and Far West, Missouri 1838
Times and Seasons - published from November 1839 to February 1846
Millennial Star - the full name is The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star - published in England from 1840 until 1970
Journal of Discourses - published in England from 1854 to 1886 - and endorsed by the First Presidency of the Church of the time in Vol. 1
Improvement Era - published from 1897 to 1970
Better Information - A website that finds original sources and arranges them topically and gives no commentary.
Early History - 1805-1844 - Text copies of important documents arranged by year (makes it a bit harder to find specific documents unless you know the year). The source is cited at the bottom of each document.
Book of Abraham Project - various historical sources of interest (from the home page you can find things about The Book of Abraham, but the sources below do not have anything to do with that book)
Old Newspapers - from Uncle Dale's Readings in Early Mormon History - organized geographically - text only
Search the above sites using the Google search bar below. The Archive.org sources are not included in this search. Some early newspapers took an negative approach to the early LDS Church, so some of the returned results may have those articles included - don't be surprised.
Dale R. Broadhurst Sites - most of the material there links to original sources that have been transcribed into text format. The site contains several extremely hard to find sources, so it's worth it to look around. The reason this site is below the others is because there are three links at the bottom of that page which are more personal/speculative. Additionally, there are links to many early "anti"-Mormon books and accounts on sub-pages. It is all part of the historical record, so keep that in mind when visiting.
Mormon VIP lounge
Mormon Studies Podcast
Exmo Underground
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MormonThink – Presenting a range of perspectives and viewpoints concerning LDS history, privileging those they believe are the most accurate, consistent and empirically valid.
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