Archives West Finding Aid

The James D. Wardle Papers (1812-2001) contain correspondence, essays, notes, and topical compilations relating to the religious interests of James D. Wardle (1915-1997), a Salt Lake barber. There are personal and skating materials, dating from 1917 to 1994. Gathered in boxes 1-3 are photographs of Wardle's family and ancestors, letters and cards of a personal nature, photographs of himself and fellow skaters in action, local skating newsletters, articles on skating, and his own skating newsletter called "Sketches. There is also a focus on Wardle's religious heritage, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the Community of Christ), as well as schismatics who derive from it. This material dates from 1844 to 1996. The RLDS Church has historically claimed to be the true modern representative of Joseph Smith's church. This claim derives partly from belief in the necessity that the church president should be a direct descendant from the founder. It was officially organized in 1860 with the cooperation and leadership of Joseph Smith III. Until recently, each church president has been a direct descendant of Joseph Smith Jr. Wardle established correspondence with local RLDS Church luminaries such as J. W. A. Bailey and A. M. Chase. Much of their writing and letters concern religious teaching of the RLDS Church. Wardle held many positions in the local RLDS Church's branch, and was branch president during the 1950s. He kept the outline notes from his sermons; they are housed in boxes 4-5. These boxes, as well as microfilm reels 1-2, contain important and unique information regarding the state of the RLDS district in Utah during the past century. Boxes 6-10 contain general, official RLDS publications, such as tracts and training modules. Since W. Wallace Smith's tenure as church president, a number of adaptations and alterations in belief and practice have occurred, bringing about the disgruntlement of many church members. Wardle was an active observer as well as grass-roots supporter and participant in local "restorationist" or fundamentalist protests against the changes. He corresponded with such noted RLDS activists as Richard Price. This and related correspondence, as well as RLDS "restorationist" publications, are found in boxes 11-15. Other materials relate to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and its schismatics and fundamentalists; these materials date from 1853 to 1992. Like the RLDS church, the LDS church claims to be the sole true continuation of Joseph Smith's church, basing their claim on the continuation of the quorum of 12 apostles from Smith's day. James D. Wardle collected a few tracts published by the LDS Church and newspaper clippings relating thereto, found in box 16. In 1890 the LDS Church officially banned polygamy, and his since given up many other aspects of 19th century Utah Mormon belief and practice. Since that time a number of dissidents, believing either that the Church went wrong, or that it had secretly arranged to retain polygamy, have formed numerous and variegated groups, often referred to as "Mormon Fundamentalists. As he kept his religious books in his shop and made a habit of holding provocative religious conversations with his patrons, Wardle found opportunity to meet the members of small local religious organizations. He contracted friendships with leaders and adherents of these groups, and was thus able to amass a collection of correspondence, manuscripts, and publications. This portion divides into two sections: Boxes 17-21 relate to these "fundamentalist" groups. There are materials on various Latter Day Saint Churches, and they date from 1929 to 1997. After Joseph Smith's death in 1844 many aspirants sought to replace him as Church President. Brigham Young led the largest portion of Smith's church west to Utah, positing his claim to leadership on the primacy of the quorum of 12 apostles. The RLDS church, consolidated some years later, claimed church leadership on basis of lineal descent from the founder. There yet remained many members and congregations outside these two groups who would seek leadership elsewhere. Since Joseph Smith's death and well into the present day a number of sects have and do claim, in various ways, to be the sole, true succession from Joseph Smith Jr. Such groups are represented in boxes 22-31, and include the Cutlerites, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), the Church of Christ (Hancock), the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of Christ (Zahnd), The Christian Zion Incorporated, the Church of Christ Independent-Informal, the "Bickertonites," and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). There are also materials showing Wardle's devotion to collecting topical information relating to items like the Book of Mormon, polygamy, proper succession from Joseph Smith Jr., and many others. These materials date from 1812 to 1997. His compilations are found in boxes 32-55. There are also tracts, newsletters and articles published by and about various Christian, World Religions, New Age groups, UFO groups, and other things, dating from 1776 to 2001. Organizations represented in boxes 56-64 include the Baptists, British Israelists, Buddhists, Caodaists, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutherans, the Marcap Council, Sabbatarians, the Sons of Jared, Sprititualists, Swedenborgians, and the Unitarians, as well as topics like Biorhythm and Numerology. The last boxes of the final section contain miscellaneous items not directly related to religion. A scrapbook follows, in box 65. It contains an assortment of newspaper clippings relating to Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, the local RLDS Church, and general interest items.