NEW YORK, N.Y. — New York City boasts a history that is deeply entwined with the development of the Church.
To capture this illustrious, though sometimes forgotten, history, the New York New York Stake history committee researched the history of the Church in New York City and wrote a book entitled, City Saints: Mormons in the New York Metropolis.
"New York City probably has the longest continuous involvement with the Church of any city in the world," said Richard Bushman, chairman of the stake history committee and a retired professor of history from Columbia College. Utah cities and towns are latecomers in comparison, he continued, pointing out that the Church has had a connection with this "gargantuan, splendid and even terrifying place" as long ago as 1828.
City Saints starts and ends with two relatively well-known events: Martin Harris' visit in 1828 to Professor Charles Anthon at Kings College (now Columbia University), and the dedication of the New York Manhattan Temple last June 13.
Many members, however, will find themselves far less familiar with other stories in the book.
Few will probably know, for example, that in October 1832, Joseph Smith made a trip to New York City to purchase goods for Newel K. Whitney's store. He wrote to his wife, Emma, "this day I have been walking through the most splendid part of the city of New York. The buildings are truly great and wonderful, to the astonishing of every beholder . . . I am determined to lift up my voice in this city."
When the Prophet returned in June 1837 to meet with several elders who were preparing to serve missions in England, he mailed a tract about the Church to ministers in the city.
Parley P. Pratt, as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, lived in Manhattan several times between 1837 and 1856. He initiated the first concentrated missionary efforts, published several books, articles and a collection of poetry and oversaw the immigration of members.
Among these immigrants were the first saints to travel west. About 250 men, women and children left New York in 1846, bound for San Francisco on the ship Brooklyn. The voyage was 20,000 miles and took five months and 27 days. Most settled in California.
Those members who stayed in New York City planted the seeds for generations of faithful members, despite trials like the Great Depression and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Through interviews with many current and past members of the stake, City Saints portrays the efforts of New York members to cope with these ordeals.
"We wanted to record the lives of Latter-day Saints in New York to answer the question, 'What does it mean to be a city saint?' " Brother Bushman said. "Every one of these stories helps us understand how Mormons have made a place for themselves in this world capital of finance, arts and migration."
The growth of the Church in the city is evident to members and nonmembers. The Wall Street Journal reported that Church membership in the New York metropolitan area increased 31 percent in the past 10 years, compared to a 25 percent increase in membership nationally.
Members can see the growth of the stake in the narrowing of its boundaries since its creation. The New York Stake, organized in 1934, was the first stake formed east of Colorado after Church headquarters had moved to Utah. At that time, the stake included most of New York, Long Island and parts of New Jersey, an area that now has 14 stakes and districts.
Members commemorated the 70th anniversary of the stake Nov. 13, 2004, with a party. Five of the six living stake presidents spoke, including Mike Young, president of the University of Utah.
Scott Tiffany, an award-winning LDS documentarian, created a film for the occasion, and the musical group Ephraim's Harp, directed by Lisa Despain, performed historical songs. But the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the new book.
New York stake President Brent J. Belnap asked the stake history committee to create City Saints in 1997. Many stake members volunteered to help, including Brother Tiffany, editor; and Amber Blakeslee, designer. The book is now available for purchase at LDS bookstores or at www.mormonpavilion.com.
"We hope this book will provoke all LDS New Yorkers to write their stories and send them to the committee," Brother Bushman said. "They will add to the growing stake archive and perhaps find their way into a later edition of the history. They all deserve to be here."
