Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering

by Cheryl L. Bruno and John S. Dinger

Now available paperback and ebook.

• “With exhaustive research and admirable attention to historical nuance, Bruno and Dinger show William Marks’s crucial role in Joseph Smith’s inner circle of leaders.” — David J. Howlett
• “A well-researched and engaging biography of William Marks, . . . one that every person in the Restoration Movement should read.” — Joe Geisner
• “Cheryl Bruno and John Dinger bring Marks to vivid life. . . . Gracefully written and painstakingly documented, . . . it is also an emotionally involving and moving book.” — Todd M. Compton

  
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Book Description:

Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering delves deep into the life of William Marks, a devoted follower of Joseph Smith and a key figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Marks's journey from a descendant of Puritan settlers to a fervent convert to Mormonism is a fascinating exploration of faith, community, and the quest for spiritual truth. As Marks navigates the tumultuous landscape of early Mormonism, readers are taken on a gripping journey through pivotal moments such as the banking crisis in Kirtland, the expulsion of Saints from Missouri, and the clandestine practice of plural marriage. However, Marks's story goes beyond mere historical events; it is a testament to the enduring struggle to define one's place within a religious tradition while attempting to balance devotion to the faith, interpersonal relationships, and personal integrity.

After the death of Joseph Smith, Marks found himself at the center of a power struggle among various groups claiming succession. His interactions with Brigham Young, James Strang, and others illuminate the diverse interpretations of Mormon doctrine and the differing visions of what Zion should be. From his involvement in defining moments in Mormonism to his break with Young and eventual ordination to the First Presidency of the Reorganized Church, Marks's life encapsulates the challenges and complexities of early Latter Day Saint history. Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, Come Up Hither to Zion sheds light on the intricate tapestry of beliefs and practices that shaped Marks's spiritual journey and offers a compelling exploration of the Mormon concept of gathering as both a physical and philosophical endeavor.

Comprehensive Table of Contents:

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Praise for Come Up Hither to Zion:

“With exhaustive research and admirable attention to historical nuance, Bruno and Dinger show William Marks’s crucial role in Joseph Smith’s inner circle of leaders, as a businessman, an ecclesiastical judge, a city alderman, the Nauvoo stake high council president, and a loyal dissenter to the practice of polygamy. Through Marks’s biography, Bruno and Dinger also chart the paths of otherwise Mormonisms that did not plant themselves in the Salt Lake valley, but continued to grow on the verdant Midwest plains, long after other Latter Day Saints had left. In doing so, they give Marks the biography he has long deserved.” — David J. Howlett, author, Kirtland Temple: The Biography of a Shared Mormon Sacred Space

“Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering is a well-researched and engaging biography of William Marks, a relatively unknown but crucial supporting Saint in the earlier decades of the Restoration. Often a heartbeat from the ‘throne,’ so to speak, Marks was a stabilizing presence and close confidante of Joseph Smith and his various successors. However, even with this closeness to multiple Restoration leaders, he has been marginally written about in Restoration Studies. Cheryl L. Bruno and John S. Dinger have corrected this lack of recognition by bringing together records and their expertise to give the reader a fulfilling biography, one that every person in the Restoration Movement should read.” — Joe Geisner, editor, Writing Mormon History: Historians and Their Books

“William Marks was possibly the highest-ranking Mormon at the time of Joseph Smith’s death, yet he has been somewhat forgotten by modern Latter-day Saints. Cheryl Bruno and John Dinger bring him to vivid life in a great revisionist biography. Reviled by the “Utah” Saints after Smith’s death, Marks is shown in Bruno and Dinger’s biography as a loyal follower of Smith, and in fact, more a follower than a charismatic leader throughout his life. This book, gracefully written and painstakingly documented, is a continuously fascinating portrait of Marks. It is also an emotionally involving and moving book, as Marks experienced depths of rejection after Smith’s death, but then finally became an important leader in the Reorganized Church.” — Todd M. Compton, author, A Frontier Life: Jacob Hamblin, Explorer and Indian Missionary

About the Authors:

Cheryl L. Bruno has lived in fourteen of the United States and now resides in the magnificent Monterey Bay area of California. She is an independent researcher in Mormon studies and co-author of Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration (Greg Kofford Books, 2022), and the editor of Secret Covenants: New Insights on Early Mormon Polygamy (Signature Books, 2024). Her wide interests have led her to publish scholarly articles, personal essays, poetry, and even a deck of Mormon-themed tarot cards. Cheryl has raised eight children and reigns over twenty grandchildren. She is currently employed as Lifestyle Director in the Senior Living industry.

John S. Dinger is a graduate of the S. J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. In addition to a juris doctorate, he holds degrees in political science and history from the University of Utah. He has published in the Journal of Mormon History, John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, Idaho Law Review, and Utah Law Review. His book, The Nauvoo High Council and City Council Minutes, won the Best Documentary Book Award from the Mormon History Association and the Best Book Award from the John Whitmer Historical Association. He is an attorney in Boise, Idaho.

More Information:

324 pages
ISBN: 978-1-58958-802-8

Press sheet.