John L. Smith papers, 1980-2008

This collection consists of the papers of John L. Smith, a Baptist minister who studied and wrote about Mormonism. The papers include personal correspondence and biographical materials, as well as research and articles on Mormonism and other religious topics. These papers are useful to anyone researching the ministry of John L. Smith and anti-Mormon theology.

The collection is organized into ten boxes, and separated into sections: correspondence and writings, articles about Mormonism and other religious topics, materials relating to Sidney Rigdon and early Mormonism, Legal sized files, and other audiovisual and non-textual materials.

The first box contains Smith's writings, which include stories from his life and ministry, as well as handwritten personal notes, and correspondence.

The second, third, fourth and fifth boxes contain articles concerning Mormonism and the origin of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, letters and articles from non-Mormons telling about their past membership in the Latter-Day Saint Church, and other largely Mormon themed materials. Box five in particular, deals specifically with Sydney Ridgon, who John L. Smith believed was responsible for writing much of the Book of Mormon. The last box contains a T-shirt which belonged to John L. Smith and features an image of Joseph Smith with the words, "No False Prophets". The folders are placed in alphabetical order according to author or title (if no author is known). Some of the materials originally housed in binders have been removed and placed in archival boxes. The organization of the binders were retained, though materials from a single binder may have been dispursed among several folders. The processor added the folder descriptions, using some of Smith's original labeling, when possible. Boxes seven through ten were added later, and were likely donated by Ed Decker in 2010.