Two boxes of photographs (both black & white
and color) and color slides spanning the late 1970s to the early 1990s, the period of Ed
Decker's ministry. The first box contains 212 photographs of subjects ranging from
portraits of Ed Decker to tombstones from Utah cemeteries. Box 2 contains 690 slides,
most of which were used for Decker's presentations.
Repository:
Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Photograph Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-2663 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
Languages:
Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor:
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant,
2007-2008
Biographical Note
J. Edward Decker is the founder of Ex-Mormons for Jesus (later changed to Saints Alive
In Jesus) and is probably best known for his 1980 film The God Makers.
Decker joined the Mormon Church in 1957 while attending Utah State University in Logan,
Utah. He was an active member of the Church for twenty years. Decker had a change of
heart, however, and became an evangelical Christian. Decker asked for his name to be
removed from the records of the Mormon Church. A High Council Court was held on October
21, 1976 in Bellevue, Washington which excommunicated him.
Decker organized Ex-Mormons for Jesus Evangelistic Association in 1978. In August of
1979 it issued a position statement in which the organization is described as "a
Christian non-profit corporation founded upon the call of God to witness Jesus Christ to
the Mormon people."
Ex-Mormons for Jesus has often been criticized for being merely a negative attack on
Mormonism. This negative, anti-Mormon, image results from the self described "primary
function" of the ministry to prove that there is a difference between Mormonism and
traditional Christianity. The root of the Ex-Mormons for Jesus message is that Mormons
are not Christians. They see this negative aspect of their ministry as only preparatory
for the positive message of evangelical Christianity. In order to emphasize the positive
side of the ministry, Ex-Mormons For Jesus changed its name to Saints Alive In Jesus.
Saints Alive is not a Church. They believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, and the
Trinity is centered on the divine mission of Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind.
Based upon this, the role of Saints Alive is to take the gospel to Mormons. Decker and
Saints Alive, based in Issaquah, WA, produced newsletters, tracts, films, and slide
shows on the topic of Mormonism through the late 1970s and early 1990s.
Content Description
The Ed Decker Photograph Collection is comprised of two boxes and spans the late 1970s
to the early 1990s, the period of Ed Decker's ministry "Saints Alive in Jesus." The
first box contains 212 photographs of subjects ranging from portraits of Ed Decker to
tombstones from Utah cemeteries. In most cases the photographs were removed from the Ed
Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210). Photographs taken from MSS 210 are specifically
mentioned in the register. Box 2 in this collection contains 690 slides, most of which
were used for Decker's presentations. When possible complete presentations were
maintained, otherwise slides are grouped by subject.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access : Restrictions
Open to public research.
Restrictions on Use : Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents
from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
Permission to publish material from the Ed Decker photograph collection must
be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections
Department Head.
Preferred Citation :
Ed Decker photograph collection, 1970-1992. (P0344). Utah State University. Special
Collections & Archives Department.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Arranged in numeric sequence according to Box, Folder, and Item
1:01:01-1:01:70: The black and white photographs in this folder are
from a protest by Ed Decker and others in Salt Lake City at the LDS Church
Administration Building, 1988 or 1989.
The protest took place in possibly 1988 or 1989 and was staged to voice the
group's concerns about alleged homosexual conduct on the part of then LDS Church
First Presidency member Gordon B. Hinckley. Picket signs at the protest read "Cast
off the Works of Darkness: Expose Hinckley Cover-up" and "There is None Righteous,
No not One: No!...Not Bi-Sexual Gordon B. Hinckley," as well as many similar
signs. Decker's film, "The Godmakers II" is based on the accusations that Hinckley
was involved in homosexual relationships in the past. As a result of the 1992
film, the LDS Church threatened a lawsuit for false statements made about Church
authorities.
Photos in this folder are from a letter to Ed
Decker from Grant N. Mildenhall, Sept. 8, 1986
Letter located in Boxes 72 and 73, MSS 210. Photo Captions are hand-written on
back of photos by Mildenhall.
Container(s)
Description
box
folder
1
3
Box
Folder
1
3
1:03:01: "John Givins, wife, son, 3 little girls,
Fairview, Utah Lower Cemetery. 7 in one grave at Ephraim N. Cemetery similar.
If you opened your mouth in early Utah, your whole family was gone by
Illuminati. Most of these were 'pvts' Utah Terr. Militia. 'Killed by Indians'
meant Illuminati."
1
3
1:03:02: "Close up of the Spring City, Utah schoolhouse,
1876, showing obliterated square and compass. See accomp. U. Hist. Qtrly.
copies with same symbols intact. Stars around beehive are same
(Masonic-Illuminati) as on early U.S. coins."
1
3
1:03:03: "Schoolhouse Spring City, Utah, w/ date block
1876, w/ beehive an. "Liberty & Virtue." Square and compass of
Illuminati now ground off. See accomp. photo of bldg. w/ them intact, prob.
taken about 1940."
1:03:04: "Lewis Lund, 18, Fountain Green, Utah, 'killed
by Indians' 1867. All such stories false. Were they 'rebellious' youths? Note
gov't monument in front: 'Pvt. Utah Terr. Militia.'"
1
3
1:03:05: "Springville, Utah. Hattie and Charles Harmer, 6
& 4 yrs old, b. 1882 & 1884 but BOTH d. Mar 30, 1889. What
happened to so many of these cases? Were they caught playing
doctor?"
1
3
1:03:06: "1843-1866. Jonathan Edmiston, Sringville, Utah.
KB'I' 'Indians' or 'Illuminati.'"
1
3
1:03:07: "Rare cross w/ beehive. Ephraim, Ut. North
Cemetery."
1:03:08: "SLC. note cross. Pioneers were not Joseph Smith
Mormons."
1
3
1:03:09: "Daniel Wells Jr. SLC 1849-1926. Note IHS
& cross. Is this an abbreviation of 'Illuminati' ____
Society?"
1
3
1:03:10: "SLC Cem. J.G. Brown & fam. 1787-1866
one of 'Christian' evidences of pioneers."
1
3
1:03:11: "Typical handclasp found on dozens of monuments
in most Utah cemeteries. Masonic-Illuminati origin."
1
3
1:03:12: "All seeing eye and clasped hands of Illuminati
(Masonic) on doors e. & w. of SL temple
1
3
1:03:13: "Levan, Utah, Church or tabernacle, 1904.
'Holiness to the Lord' not reserved just for temples."
1
3
1:03:14: "Gunnison, Utah. no info. known."
1
3
1:03:15: "Manti, Utah, tabernacle AD 1879."
1
3
1:03:16: "Manti, Utah, tabernacle w/ all seeing eye,
clasped hands and 'holiness to the Lord.' 'Glory to God' below rays of
eye."
1
3
1:03:17: "First Presb. Church. Manti, Utah 1881. Two
other similar prot. churches in Manti torn down."
1
3
1:03:18: "Peter Monson home, side view, Spring City,
Utah, 1883. Note pentagram of Illuminati on date block."
1
3
1:03:19: "Front view Peter Monson home Spring City, Utah,
top floor is ballroom. 1883."
1
3
1:03:20: "Orson Hyde home Spring City, Utah. Is up for
sale. Five or six of his wives buried here; 1 Mt. Pleasant, 1 SLC, that I know
of."
1
3
1:03:21: "Spring City, Utah, Church or tabernacle, AD
1902. Note New England influence."
1
3
1:03:22: "John Wimmer, Fairview, Utah, Lower Cemetery.
See Peter, father, at Springville. No 'Whitmers' seem to exist. These men seem
to be just too much of a coincidence not to be the models for the Whitmers.
Mar. 1, 1808-Apr. 22, 1876 from Penn. as were Whitmers also brother
Jacob."
1:03:24: "'President' Orson Hyde family plot, Spring
City, Utah. Hyde's monument the tall white on right; four and poss. five wives
here, one Mt. Pleasant, one SLC that I know of."
1
3
1:03:25: "'Apostle' Hyde erect. by Church 1939, Spring
City, Utah."
1
3
1:03:26: "West Spring City, Utah, Cem. Orson Hyde appears
to have been 'president' of the Church in Britain prior to arrival of Orson
Spencer Jan. 1847. See Mill. Star that date sent you prior. The high no. of his
wives, approx. 7 known, perhaps more, would tend to confirm, but not
conclusively."
1
3
1:03:27: [no caption]
1
3
1:03:28: "Dr. King Robinson, Fort Douglas Cemetery. Note
all-seeing eye on very top of stone. You will need mag. glass."
1
3
1:03:29: "The Hyrum Smith monument with Pres. Jos. F.
Smith's grave to the east with his wife Julina Lambson (the two flat stones)
and one wife to the right (Edna Lambson) and three to the left, going away,
Mary Taylor Schwartz, Alice Ann Kimball and Sarah Ellen Richards, his cousin.
Missing wife? Levira Clark."
1
3
1:03:30: [no caption]
1
3
1:03:31: "Springville, Utah, Presbyterian Church of 1892.
See encl. data sheet. Shows Mormon settlement of Utah erroneous."
1
3
1:03:32: "Springville, Utah, Presbyterian Church of 1892.
See encl. data sheet."
1
3
1:03:33: "William Cornwall Patten 1799-1883. Payson Utah
Cemetery. Plaque states 'this is the original headstone from the gravesite in
the Bloomington Idaho Cemetery. This stone and its replacement in Idaho were
installed in the summer of 1984.' This man was undoubtedly the model for the
false apostle to Joseph Smith, David Patten, killed supposedly in
Missouri."
1
3
1:03:34: "Chas. Campbell at Heber, Utah, Cemetery, Abram
Hatch in background. Thomas was supposedly author of poem on front page of
Expositor, his only works. It was actually the work of Orson Pratt, Born 1825.
The Expositor was written in Utah as part of Jos. Sm. fiction."
1
3
1:03:35: "West Jordan, Utah, meetinghouse."
1
3
1:03:36: "Plaque West Jordan, Utah, meetinghouse. See
encl. datasheet."
1
3
1:03:37: "Early Utah meetinghouse West Jordan, Utah. See
data sheet enclosed. This was built prior to invention of Jos. Smith Mormon
religion in Utah."
1
3
1:03:38: "Alexander Campbell, Heber, Utah Cemetery. See
'Campbellite' religion in Autobiography of P.P. Pratt (written by Orson Pratt)
(Abram Hatch in background) b. 1847. Alexander was son of Thos. Campbell buried
nearby. Proves all fiction invented in Utah."
1
3
1:03:39: "Johnson Branch Bryan Young, b. 1833. Mona Utah
Cemetery. Wife Permelia Babcock Young, b. 1801. Brigham was married to her
sister. There is little information as to who Branch was or relation to
B.Y."
1
3
1:03:40: "Mary Fielding and sister. Would you drive
several thousand miles by wagon w/o a husband? Do you think she did? SW corner
of Salt Lake Cemetery."
1
3
1:03:41: [no caption]
1
3
1:03:42: "Samuel Smith's son."
1
3
1:03:43: [no caption]
1
3
1:03:44: "Smith-Young-McKay side 2- Salt Lake Cem. It is
my belief that the John Young here is related to John Young, Brigham's
polygamous father."
1
3
1:03:45: "Smith-Young-McKay side 1- Salt Lake Cem. It is
my belief that the John Young here is related to John Young, Brigham's
polygamous father."
1
3
1:03:46: "SLC Main Cem. Monument of Dr. Levi Richards,
near grave of Lorenzo Dow Young, note that Persis Goodall is wife of Levi
rather than Young. Anna Larson (8-23-1843--5-8-1925) was Young's wife and is
buried near him. 1850 census shows Young born in 1814 rather than 1807 as is on
his monument and all other records. 1814 matches her b.d. letter."
1
3
1:03:47: "Mary Adeline Beaman, next to Erastus Snow,
supposed wife of Joseph B. Noble. See Joseph P. Noble in booklet by Wesley
Walters. Joseph Smith's Bainbridge Trials. Jos. B. Noble supposedly died in
Idaho per PPMU. Is this the 'Adeline' of the Expositor story? Also see
Marquardt booklet 'Strange Marriages of Sarah Ann Whitney.'"
1
3
1:03:48: "Grave of Dr. King Robinson at Fort Douglas Utah
Cemetery Oct. 1984. Note all-seeing eye at top of stone. Robinsons constituted
a great number of early Utahns, many settling Amer. Fork. It is my belief that
the doctor was just another early Mormon, but made to appear an outsider. His
death in about 1866 tells me that Mormonism as we know it was not yet full
bloom."
1
3
1:03:49: [no caption]
1
3
1:03:50: "An improved copy. Hyde's first wife, married
Marinda Nancy Johnson 1834, Mt. Pleasant, Utah. Other wives Spring City,
Marinda SLC-she left him."
1
3
1:03:51: "Alexander Joseph Smith, Beaver, Utah. Shows
Campbellite origin & later connection of church. One of two
markers--other states Alex. Joseph."
1
3
1:03:52: "An interesting marker at Beaver, Utah. The
clasped hands (sign of the Covenant, as near as I can tell). Note small
equal-sided cross on top of crowns. The lite one is on he woman's crown
(compare w halo of Saturn worship rings) represents direct descendent of Adam
or Saturn. See Jos. Smith crowned king. See eq. sided cross on crowns of all
world monarchs. Note early birth date. The church was in existence. Joseph was
called to add the 'prophets' touch."
1
3
1:03:53: "Beaver, Utah. This is the man who gave his
twins Julia & Joseph to Joseph and Emma to raise when his wife died.
Note early birth date. He married other wives but they had a high mortality
rate due to the ninny being always away on missions. The boy twin died and
Julia stayed with Emma after Joseph's death. This man's son prominent in the
town, has huge marker, new monument in rear also to John Sr."
1
3
1:03:54: "Issac Brunel, b. 1829. Manti Cemetery. They
were here. The entire church leadership already Mason. They did endowments
anyplace they wanted."
1
3
1:03:55: "Peter Ludvigson, KBI 4-10-1863. Manti. Typical
Blood Atonement Stone--Usually these people, men, women and children, went in
multiples."
1
3
1:03:56: "John Eager 1823-1864. Manti Utah Cemetery.
Identifies LDS with Church of First Born. The Nauvoo endowment seems to have
been the ritual to bind people to that group--it is a Masonic ritual. Masons
worship Lucifer. Lucifer is the first born."
1
3
1:03:57: "Salt Lake Main Cemetery. How do we account for
this?"
1:03:60: "Cedar City. Sample. Note swede, clasped hands,
early birth date. LDS weren't supposed to have sent missionaries to even
England till 1837."
1
3
1:03:61: "Old co-op store of United Order. Beaver, Utah.
Whole state living it 1874."
1
3
1:03:62: "Stars, St. George (Patron St. of the Knights)
Tabernacle. The term 'house of the Lord' is a take off of the pagan Canaanite
and Israelite use of the stone pillars which housed the presence of El, Yaweh
and Baal 'Massebof.' A public works project, per tour guide
1
3
1:03:63: "West wall of St. George tabernacle. The guide
never objected to pictures, didn't know meaning of any of it."
1
3
1:03:64: "Mt. Pleasant. Mehitable Bennett Seely
1779-1861. Shows early age of many of these pioneers as compared to Jos. Smith,
apostle Hyde, Sidney Rigdon also older."
1
3
1:03:64a: "N. Ephraim Cem. 'Holy Bible,' clasped hands,
Christians. d. about 1880."
1
3
1:03:65: "Mass Murder in Mormondom. 1st frost in Utah
usually around Sept. 10th. N. Ephraim Cem. They would have us believe the
longer they were here, the worse the Indians got. 17 years after arrival
Utah."
1
3
1:03:66: "Typical 'Woodman of the World' burial. Beaver,
Utah. One ency. lists this frat. as Masonic."
1
3
1:03:67: "Tombstone of the poor Bp. of Beaver John Riggs
Murdoch, polygamist."
1
3
1:03:68: "Beaver."
1
3
1:03:69: "Issaac Morley, Manti. (My relative), early
United Order at Kirkland, born 1786."
1
3
1:03:70: "Manti. KBI 10-1-1853. Thomas Clark.
Murder."
1
3
1:03:71: "Manti Cem. early murder, KBI."
1
3
1:03:72: "John Eager, Manti. Church of First Born
verse."
1
3
1:03:73: "Manti, Mason."
1
3
1:03:74: "Beaver, Utah. Four wives, 3 died, he was always
away on a 'mission.' When 1st wife Julia Clapp died, he assigned 3 children to
Bp. Edward Partridge and boy and girl twins to Joseph and Emma Smith. Boy
Joseph died; girl Julia remained w/ Emma. rec'd '2nd anointing' June 7, 1867,
d. 1871."
Photos found with Gretchen Hedberg's letter to Ed
Decker, dated , March 30, 1987.
Letter located in Box 58 MSS 210.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1
13
Box
Folder
1
13
1:13:01: Gretchen Hedberg-Maiden name Schmidt and
Stitch-Reg. name Cantor. Stitches heritage can be traced back to the mid
1800s-On back from that it was to the Barb-A horse of ancient origin-He is my
"Bible Horse." If you look real close at picture-Stitch has zebra
stripes
1
13
1:13:02: "Stitch's mother was a wild horse out of New
Mexico-When Stitch was born he was cut at 2 mo.-clear across chest. The mare
was being sent to killers because the people could not handle her-The colt
Stitch was doomed to die.-I stood right there and said I'll take
him-Name-Stitch because he was sewn up-Cantor is Spanish of word Stitch. As I
looked at your pictures I related-As you look at my pictures-you will see where
I come from."
1:14:01-1:14:16: The photos in this folder are of the J.R. Hayes
trucking company in Issaquah, WA. Ed Decker and many of his neighbors filed a
lawsuit against the trucking company for not complying with zoning regulations.
Files from the lawsuit are located in Box 21 Fd 4 and Fd 5 of the Decker
Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
2:02:01-2:02:73: Slide show of the Mormon temple ceremony, "The
Hidden Things of Darkness."
The slide show is missing a few slides near the end. The typed script for this
presentation is located in Box 32 Fd 21 and Box 38 Fd 7 of the Decker Manuscript
Collection (MSS 210).
A New York Times article from 1912, images of the three standard works, an early
advertisement for the Book of Mormon, an image of the Mark Hoffman "Anthon
Manuscript" forgery, and "Tests of a Cult."
