St. Peter Bind Them Parchment

Summary:

This is one of three magic parchments found amoung Hyrum Smith's possessions. It is called the St. Peter Bind Them Parchment. The center bottom symbol is the symbol for a demon spirit called Pah-li-Pah and what appears to be two seals of the earth. This parchment has another side that apparently has a symbol for Nal-gah; an angel of ceremonial magic. Many of the magic symbols are copied directly out of The Magus by Francis Barrett published in 1801, the New and Complete Illustration of Occult Sciences by Ebenezer Sibly in 1784, and The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot in 1584. All of the parchments likely belonged to Joseph Senior and Junior, but were inherited by Hyrum's family after his death. This parchment is in the property of a private collector and unfortunately there are no other photographs.

Why this matters:

The fact that these items were owned by the Smith family implies that they had more than a passing interest in magic.
It demonstrates that the Smith family and the people of the time had no problem mixing Christianity with magic.
The purpose of this parchment seems to be to protect from supernatural beings.

Learn More:

Amazon.com - Early Mormonism and the Magical World View
Wikipedia - Ebenezer Sibly
Utah Lighthouse Ministry - Mormonism & Magic

About Me

I'm just a regular old Mormon that went on a mission, married in the temple and started a family. Later in life I discovered troubling issues about the church which did not seem to mesh with my understanding of the restored gospel. I ultimately left the church even though I really wanted to stay. I still respect the Mormon religion and identify with the culture.

I'm not a historian, and people searching for answers should really look to smarter people than me. But I'm hoping this blog will serve as a kick off point for anyone willing to critically think about the faith. These are just a few things I've encountered in my journey. Some fun, some serious, but all fascinating!