The Prophet, 2 issues
Newspaper. 1:1 (Dec 4, 1976), 6 pp, and 2:1 (Mar 1, 1977), 10 pp.
This periodical only made it two issues into its existence. While the editor was not named, anyone familiar with the scene in Provo in the 70s would have connected the address--327 N 200 W--to its quirky proprietor. Ernest D. Strack--known as "Grandpa Ernie" though he was only 37 at his untimely death in 1990--ran a store known variously as "Grandpa's Bookstore," "American Opinion Bookstore" (in ads) or (as in this case) just "The Book Store." Located near the BYU campus, he was well-known for having photocopied materials from the "Mormon Underground" (something that would be very much germane to the Andrew Ehat-Tanners lawsuit over the William Clayton diary excerpts).
These two issues deal with the concept of an "Indian Messiah" and an alleged 1890 visitation at Walker Lake, Nevada. Strack looked to the Book of Mormon and writings of Milton Hunter to tie these concepts and events to Mormon theology. Strack, a convert to Mormonism, soon came into the fundamentalist orbit and married Angela Kunz, granddaughter of important early fundamentalists Rhea Allred and Morris Kunz. Condition: Very good. Item #40392
Price: $20.00