Why Was P. P. Pratt Called The Archer Of Paradise?

[Uncle Dale]

Around the time The Twelve set off on their mission to England, the newspaper in Nauvoo

bestowed upon each of them a peculiar title -- Brigham Young was then called "the Lion of the Lord,"

Parley P. Pratt was identified as the "Archer of Paradise," etc. etc.

Pratt's honorary title was practically the same as that of Emperor Montezuma I, of Mexico --

whose surname can be translated as "Archer of Paradise" or "Archer of Heaven."

During the 1860s (after Pratt's death) the "Union Vidette" newspaper of Salt Lake City revealed that

the chiefs in the secret Danite association were called "archers," and that the top leader was called

the "Grand Archer," or Heavenly Archer, or some such exalted title.

Any explanations?

UD

[LifeOnaPlate]

Because W.W. Phelps knew P.P. Pratt was a big fan of the Palmyra Montezuma's, a pioneer league baseball team.

[Uncle Dale]

Because W.W. Phelps knew P.P. Pratt was a big fan of the Palmyra Montezuma's,

a pioneer league baseball team.

Wasn't their last season in 1828?

UD

[USU78]

Wasn't their last season in 1828?

I can see why you'd think that, Unk. '28 was the last season that Mike Fink played catcher for the Montys. Once they traded him to the Mantua Mauraders of the Ohio League, the team went downhill fast. They last played during the strike-shortened '31 season. Whole lotta good players ended up in that Ohio League.

[LifeOnaPlate]

Wasn't their last season in 1828?UD

Technically no; that's the year they moved to Rochester. Same franchise, though.

I can see why you'd think that, Unk. '28 was the last season that Mike Fink played catcher for the Montys. Once they traded him to the Mantua Mauraders of the Ohio League, the team went downhill fast. They last played during the strike-shortened '31 season. Whole lotta good players ended up in that Ohio League.

The trade pretty much alienated the whole fan base, hence the move.

[ebeddoulos]

My g-g-g-g-g-g-grandmother George Tynes aka Georgia Tyndale played catcher for the Monties. She had to disguise herself as a man, of course. Fortunately, she had a genetic anomally which provided her with a most remarkable handlebar. I understand she was a pretty good shortstp.

[BCSpace]

Any explanations?

This may be of interest....

Curiously, W. W. Phelps coined this same phrase, "Archer of Paradise," to describe Parley P. Pratt, one of the first twelve apostles of the LDS Church. He coined titles for all the apostles immediately after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith: "I know the Twelve, and they know me. Their names are Brigham Young, the lion of the Lord; Heber C. Kimball, the herald of grace; Parley P. Pratt, the archer of paradise; Orson Hyde, the olive branch of Israel; Willard Richards, the keeper of the rolls; John Taylor, the champion of right; William Smith, the patriarchal Jacob staff; Wilford Woodruff, the banner of the gospel; George A. Smith, the entablature of truth; Orson Pratt, the gauge of philosophy; John E. Page, the sun dial; and Lyman Wight, the wild ram of the mountain." (Times & Seasons, 25 Dec 1844, 5:761). Several of these names fit the constellations well. "Herald of Grace" fits Enoch, who was the messenger, and who invented the graceful music of the harp. The "patriarchal staff" fits Moses and the Herdsman, and the "wild ram" matches the Ram in Peter's constellations. Something rings true about these titles, and Brigham Young was often referred to as the Lion of the Lord. There is biography of Parley P. Pratt entitled The Archer of Paradise by Reva Stanley (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1937).

From the footnotes of Constellations Testify of Seven Angels by John P. Pratt

[Uncle Dale]

I can see why you'd think that, Unk. '28 was the last season that Mike Fink played catcher for the Montys.

...

You've got that bass-ackwards, Horatio.

Rock Porterwell went one for two in the last inning of that ending '28 game, with an unexpected homerun;

and with Smythe Hiram adding the final homerun.

Casey was at the bat for the Manchester Moonshiners, but got traded off to Mudville after a

disappointing showing against the Monties in '28.

At least that's the way its set down in the Palmyra League stats section of Biff Tannen's 1829 "Sports Almanac."

UD

[Uncle Dale]

This may be of interest....

William Smith, patriarchal Jacob staff...

The double entendre is palpable in that one, eh?

UD

[Sargon]

Around the time The Twelve set off on their mission to England, the newspaper in Nauvoo

bestowed upon each of them a peculiar title -- Brigham Young was then called "the Lion of the Lord,"

Parley P. Pratt was identified as the "Archer of Paradise," etc. etc.

Pratt's honorary title was practically the same as that of Emperor Montezuma I, of Mexico --

whose surname can be translated as "Archer of Paradise" or "Archer of Heaven."

During the 1860s (after Pratt's death) the "Union Vidette" newspaper of Salt Lake City revealed that

the chiefs in the secret Danite association were called "archers," and that the top leader was called

the "Grand Archer," or Heavenly Archer, or some such exalted title.

Any explanations?

UD

The logical, and only, conclusion that could possibly be formed is that Pratt had access to ancient MesoAmerican information, a fact which hitherto has been undetected. The logical, and only, corollary is that Joseph Smith did as well, and thus the true origins of the Book of Mormon have finally been uncovered.

Sargon

(who knew, it was right before our eyes all this time!)

[BCSpace]

The double entendre is palpable in that one, eh?

Quite.

It seems you already have the list in your "Old Articles".

[Sargon]

Curiously, W. W. Phelps coined this same phrase, "Archer of Paradise," to describe Parley P. Pratt, one of the first twelve apostles of the LDS Church. He coined titles for all the apostles immediately after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith: "I know the Twelve, and they know me. Their names are Brigham Young, the lion of the Lord; Heber C. Kimball, the herald of grace; Parley P. Pratt, the archer of paradise; Orson Hyde, the olive branch of Israel; Willard Richards, the keeper of the rolls; John Taylor, the champion of right; William Smith, the patriarchal Jacob staff; Wilford Woodruff, the banner of the gospel; George A. Smith, the entablature of truth; Orson Pratt, the gauge of philosophy; John E. Page, the sun dial; and Lyman Wight, the wild ram of the mountain." (Times & Seasons, 25 Dec 1844, 5:761). Several of these names fit the constellations well. "Herald of Grace" fits Enoch, who was the messenger, and who invented the graceful music of the harp. The "patriarchal staff" fits Moses and the Herdsman, and the "wild ram" matches the Ram in Peter's constellations. Something rings true about these titles, and Brigham Young was often referred to as the Lion of the Lord. There is biography of Parley P. Pratt entitled The Archer of Paradise by Reva Stanley (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1937).

Thomas Monson, storyteller of the Lord; Henry B. Eyering, teacher of truth; Deiter Uchtdorf, captain of the skies; Boyd Packer, woodcarver of death; L. Tom Perry, protector of the throne; Russell Nelson, defender of the heart of Zion; ......

I can imagine how sweet it would be if they included these titles under their names and callings during General Conference.

[Uncle Dale]

The logical, and only, conclusion that could possibly be formed is that Pratt had

access to ancient MesoAmerican information...

More likely it was his Royal Arch Masonic connections.

The celestial arch of the vault of heaven spans the distance and connects the pillars of jacin and boaz,

at the entrance to the Temple.

What year was PPP elevated to the dignity of RAM?

Uncle "no -- not the wild ram of the mountain" Dale

[BCSpace]

I can imagine how sweet it would be if they included these titles under their names and callings during General Conference.

Yes. We already have that tradition here though we often presumptuously entitle ourselves. For example....

BCSpace - Right Divider of LDS Systematic Theology

[Mike Reed]

More likely it was his Royal Arch Masonic connections.

The celestial arch of the vault of heaven spans the distance and connects the pillars of jacin and boaz,

at the entrance to the Temple.

That would be my guess. Nice observation.

[Uncle Dale]

Yes. We already have that tradition here though we often presumptuously entitle ourselves. For example....

BCSpace - Right Divider of LDS Systematic Theology

Uncle Dale -- Legislator of the Legitimate Latter Day Lore

[Mike Reed]

More likely it was his Royal Arch Masonic connections.

The celestial arch of the vault of heaven spans the distance and connects the pillars of jacin and boaz,

at the entrance to the Temple.

What year was PPP elevated to the dignity of RAM?

Uncle "no -- not the wild ram of the mountain" Dale

Historian Mark C. Carnes, commenting about the phrase "arch of heaven", states the following about Royal Arch Freemasonry: "Members gathered around the altar, prayed, divided into groups of three, took hold of each other's wrists and lifted them three times. The procedure was called 'raising the living arch.' While doing this, they whispered the 'Grand Omnific Royal Arch Word,' the ineffable name of God." (Secret Ritual and Manhood in Victorian America, 43.)

[Uncle Dale]

Historian Mark C. Carnes, commenting about the phrase "arch of heaven", states the following about Royal Arch Freemasonry: "Members gathered around the altar, prayed, divided into groups of three, took hold of each other's wrists and lifted them three times. The procedure was called 'raising the living arch.' While doing this, they whispered the 'Grand Omnific Royal Arch Word,' the ineffable name of God." (Secret Ritual and Manhood in Victorian America, 43.)

Ah! Parley!, we hardly knew ye...

UD

[Mike Reed]

Ah! Parley!, we hardly knew ye...

UD

I was reading this book a couple days ago, and wrote in the margins a reminder for me to search my LDS sources for the phrase "arch of heaven". And then I saw this thread. Thanks for the help, Unk!

[Uncle Dale]

I was reading this book a couple days ago, and wrote in the margins a reminder

for me to search my LDS sources for the phrase "arch of heaven". And then

I saw this thread. Thanks for the help, Unk!

Parley was in a prayer circle at Nauvoo -- you might check the journals of

other participants in his group for some mention of the phrase (though the

early saints rarely included much of that stuff in their written records).

UD

[kamenraider]

From appendix B of Roughing It by Mark Twain:

Wherefore, according to Mrs. C. V. Waite's entertaining book, "The Mormon Prophet," it transpired that--

"A 'revelation' from Brigham Young, as Great Grand Archee or God, was dispatched to President J. C. Haight, Bishop Higbee and J. D. Lee (adopted son of Brigham), commanding them to raise all the forces they could muster and trust, follow those cursed Gentiles (so read the revelation), attack them disguised as Indians, and with the arrows of the Almighty make a clean sweep of them, and leave none to tell the tale; and if they needed any assistance they were commanded to hire the Indians as their allies, promising them a share of the booty. They were to be neither slothful nor negligent in their duty, and to be punctual in sending the teams back to him before winter set in, for this was the mandate of Almighty God."

From footnote 90 on pg. 637 of Bancroft's History of Utah:

The Mormon Prophet and his Harem: or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, his Numerous Wives and Children, by Mrs G. V. Waite. Cambridge, 1866. Apart from the opening chapter, which contains the early life of Brigham, the first half of this work is devoted to the political history of Utah. Its main interest centres, however, in the information given in the latter portion, as to the family and social relations of the Mormon leader. There is the inevitable chapter on polygamy, written, the authoress remarks, as dispassionately as the writer's utter abhorrence of the system will permit. There is also a chapter where the mysteries of the endowment house are described in the form of a burlesque, and others where Brigham is set forth as prophet, seer, revelator, and grand archee. The volume is compact and well written; but though many of the facts may have been gathered, as is claimed, from original sources, they contain little that is not well known at the present day.

From the article on Brigham Young on pg. 795 of The American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge:

In addition to his office of president of the church, Young was grand archee of the order of Danites, a secret organization within the church, which was one of the chief sources of his absolute power...

I have no idea where the "grand archee" thing came from -- must've been an invention of anti's or apostates.

edit: I also found this at http://famousamericans.net/brighamyoung/:

Besides his office of president of the church, Young was grand archer of the order of Danites, a secret organization within the church, which was one of the chief sources of his absolute power, and whose members, it is claimed, committed many murders and other outrages by his orders.

[Uncle Dale]

....

I have no idea where the "grand archee" thing came from

...

It came from Great Salt Lake City, in 1865:

http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/UT/utahmsc1.htm#100665

To this very day we do not have any detailed information as to the post-1838 inner workings

of the Danite order -- what their internal communications or jargon may have been.

Arch?

Archer?

Archee?

Probably the only way we'll ever know for certain, is if the LDS Archives one day compiles a bibliography

of unpublished documents relating directly to this topic.

I suspect that the 1865 reports were largely garbled -- but perhaps that was the intent at the time --

(not to release to the public any "actionable" information).

At any rate, I would not dismiss the archer/archee/arch phraseology, out-of-hand, as having no relation

to as-of-yet-undisclosed 19th century "Mormon" practices/terminology.

UD