Historian D. Michael Quinn--in his books "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View" and "The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power"--explains the folk magic purposes of a divining rod and how this tool of the occult was regularly employed in Mormon religious (including temple) practices.
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--Purpose and Description of a Divining Rod

Quinn explains Mormonism's woo-woo world of the occult that's being talking about here:

"The word 'rod' had a more specific meaning in American folk magic: the divining rod or dowsing rod. [Georgius] Agricola's Renaissance book on the subject noted that 'a divining rod [is] shaped like a fork; but its shape makes no difference in the matter--it might be straight or of some other form.' In English editions a century later, Basilius Valentinus described the mineral rod as 'a stick or staff, of the length of half an ell, of hard wood, as of oak,' and later described the forked divining rods of pliant hazel wood.

"Vallemont's 17th-century book on the divining rod illustrated and described four types of divining rods: Y-forked, a staff with cleft top, a straight stick, and two sticks joined through a hollowed-out end. . . . In 1818 a Philadelphia bookseller advertised an 18th-century edition of Vallemont."
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--Divining Rods Were a Central Part of Early American (and Mormon) Superstitious Religious Practice

Quinn writes:

"[An 1829 letter from Joseph Smith's sibling, Jesse, to his nephew 'Hiram'] provides independent support for the neighborhood claims that Joseph Smith, Sr. in the 1820s used 'a mineral rod' made from 'witch hazel' for treasure hunting. These Palymyra reports, in turn, verify Jesse's condemnation of his brother [Joseph] for using a divining rod."

Joseph Smith certainly wasn't doing anything original when it came to relying on supernaturally-powered wooden sticks to conjure up treasure and truth.

Quinn notes that the practice of the Smiths and the Cowderys in using such rods were "examples of popular religon in early America," noting that "[m]any Americans believed in divining rods, seer stones, amulets, talisman parchments with mystical inscriptions and buried treasure guarded by enchanments.

"Such objects and practices were also part of Smith's adoloscence and early adulthood. Evidence for this comes from the family's artifacts and reminiscences and also later statements by both Mormons and non-Mormons. Many then and now refuse to accept the religious dimension of 'superstitious' beliefs and practices of folk magic."
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--Joseph Smith's Use of a "Divining Rodsman" to Help Translate the Book of Mormon

Quinn reports:

"After setbacks and delays, Smith [in 1829] . . . used a brown seer stone from his treasure-seeking days to produce an English translation of the book . . . . His scribe was Oliver Cowdery, the rodsman."
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--Mormonism's Early Top Leaders Employed, Among Other Magic Tricks, Divining Rods

Quinn provides a list of names of high Mormon leaders who followed the occult:

"[Joseph Smith's] . . . Quorum of the Twelve Apostles included astrologer John F. Boynton, rodsman Heber C. Kimball . . . , amulet-wearer [Brigham] Young and treasure-quest enthusiasts Luke S. Johnson and Orson Hyde. They [were] ordained apostles by the Book of Mormon three witnesses--rodsman Oliver Cowdery, seer stone enthusiast David Whitmer and treasure-quest participant Martin Harris."
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--Using Magic Sticks in Mormon Temples, and for Mormon Temples

Occultic witching sticks were not only used in Mormon temples for acquiring supposed divine guidance, but for deciding where Mormonism's magicians were to build their temples.

Quinn writes:

"[Smith's Apostle Heber C.] Kimball clothe[d] himself in endowment robes, [and] pray[ed] in the 'true order,' while holding a divining 'rod' and ask[ing] yes-no questions. This [was] the first verifed use of a divining rod in Mormonism since an 1829 revelation commend[ed] Cowdery's use of his 'rod of nature . . . [B]ehold, it has told you things.'"

". . . James C. Brewster publish[ed] his claim that as part of an 1836 Ohio treasure-quest, Presidng Patriarch Joseph Smith, Sr. 'anointed the mineral rods and seeing stones with consecrated oil and prayed over them in the House of the Lord in Kirtland.'

"Accordinng to Brewster's account, Joseph Sr. in 1837 was also acting in accordance with published instructions for consecrating magic instruments. Out-of-print for generations but still in wide circulation . . . , Reginald Scot's handbook for ritual magic stated: '[A]noint them with consecrated oil; and lastly, seal them with holy characters; after all which performed, an oration or prayer must follow.' Scot's book was the source for some symbols on the Smith family's magic parchments. . . .

"In 1819 a Pennsylvania German also wrote an occult handbook (published in multiple editions since 1820) which included instructions '[t]o consecrate a Divining Rod.'

"As indicated, Brewster said Patriarch Smith anointed these instruments of folk magic inside the completed temple in Kirtland."

"[After Smith's assassination, Brigham] Young select[ed] the site of the Salt Lake temple using Oliver Cowdery's divining rod."

(D. Michael Quinn, "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View" [Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1998], pp. 32-33, 265-66, see also, figures 3-6. p. 322; and Quinn, "The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power" [Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, in association with Smith Research Associates, 1994] pp. 1-2, 622-23, 637, 645, 659)
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And to think I got married in a temple whose plot site was determined by Brigham Young, based on a go-to tool of the occult.

Geezus.



Edited 15 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2012 02:52PM by steve benson.

D. Michael Quinn, "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View" Was quite an eye opener. Kind of puts it all in perspective and gives the reader the background information to make a more informed decision on Joe Smith and his religion, More of those flecks of history that are true but not useful I suppose.

. . . the following in my own well-worn copy of his book:

"Dear Steve--

"Great to meet you this morning just before the film crew arrived to interview you here! [SLC's KUTV talked to me about my public disclosures concerning my grandfather's deteriorating mental and physical health]. Look forward to more talks and association with you.

"Best wishes,

"Mike (alias D. Michael)

"7-14-93"

(Mike and I developed a good friendship and have had some very interesting chats about Mormon history and doctrine, as well as about his own experiences as a LDS member, his personal beliefs about Mormonism and his research on post-Manifesto polygamy that led to his eventual excommunication).



Edited 13 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2012 01:50PM by steve benson.

I had never heard of the occult connection until someone mentioned Quinn's book in another book I read. I immediately purchased Quinn's book and was blown away! Very thoroughly researched and documented, completely changed my entire view of the whole "restoration" JS was not doing anything original, just copying other beliefs at the time and he got a group to go along with him because they all believed it too. Spiritual eyes indeed!

Yes, Quinn's book was important to me. I read it even before I started visiting RFM. Big eye opener, for sure. Joe's magic parchment, and the Jupiter talisman, along with all the sources given, just wow...

I would love to meet D. Micheal Quinn someday and thank him for his series of books about the REAL history of TSCC.

Oaks's ultimate beef with Quinn wasn't that Quinn's scholarship was academically suspect but, rather, that Quinn didn't have the Mormon Church's theocratic permission to publish it.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2012 04:32PM by steve benson.

Some reasonable person donated this book to the Hyrum City Library. Many years ago, I checked it out and read it over and over. It was the seed I needed to open my mind a less sanitized mormon history and eventual exit from the Morg.

Lately, I have taken up an independent study of magickal and occult practices and have found ever more similarities between mormonism and magick.

Is this the anonymous bumper of 3-year old threads?

My grandfather had a diving rod. He taught all of his kids and grandkids how to use it to find water under ground.

We played with it all the time. It was a normal thing for us. Since we never had to actually drill a well for water, we assumed it was a great tool if we ever needed it.

We all moved to the city, and never needed to find water. In hind sight, I wish i'd asked for the "witching rod", or at least took a picture.

The best I can do now is write down those memories for my kids and grandkids.