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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.
Register completed by Matthew Stiffler, May 2003.
Folder 1.
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. 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.
Folder 2.
1:02:01 and 1:02:02. Photos of Ed Decker in Mormon temple garments while speaking in Chile. Photos correspond to material in Box 6 Fd 1 of the Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
1:02:03. Negative of Ed Decker in Mormon temple garments.
Folder 3.
Photos in this folder are from a letter to Ed Decker from Grant N. Mildenhall, Sept. 8, 1986, located in Boxes
72 and 73, MSS 210. Photo Captions are hand-written on back of photos by Mildenhall.
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."
1:03:02. "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."
1:03:03. "Schoolhouse Spring City, Utah, w/ date block 1876, w/ beehive and "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.'"
1:03:05. "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?"
1:03:06. "1843-1866. Jonathan Edmiston, Sringville, Utah. KB'I' 'Indians' or 'Illuminati.'"
1:03:07. "Rare cross w/ beehive. Ephraim, Ut. North Cemetery."
1:03:08. "SLC. note cross. Pioneers were not Joseph Smith Mormons."
1:03:09. "Daniel Wells Jr. SLC 1849-1926. Note IHS & cross. Is this an abbreviation of 'Illuminati' ____ Society?"
1:03:10. "SLC Cem. J.G. Brown & fam. 1787-1866 one of 'Christian' evidences of pioneers."
1:03:11. "Typical handclasp found on dozens of monuments in most Utah cemeteries. Masonic-Illuminati origin."
1:03:12. "All seeing eye and clasped hands of Illuminati (Masonic) on doors e. & w. of SL temple.
1:03:13. "Levan, Utah, Church or tabernacle, 1904. 'Holiness to the Lord' not reserved just for temples."
1:03:14. "Gunnison, Utah. no info. known."
1:03:15. "Manti, Utah, tabernacle AD 1879."
1:03:16. "Manti, Utah, tabernacle w/ all seeing eye, clasped hands and 'holiness to the Lord.' 'Glory to God' below rays of eye."
1:03:17. "First Presb. Church. Manti, Utah 1881. Two other similar prot. churches in Manti torn down."
1:03:18. "Peter Monson home, side view, Spring City, Utah, 1883. Note pentagram of Illuminati on date block."
1:03:19. "Front view Peter Monson home Spring City, Utah, top floor is ballroom. 1883."
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."
1:03:21. "Spring City, Utah, Church or tabernacle, AD 1902. Note New England influence."
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."
1:03:23. "Peter Wimmer, Springville, Utah, Cemetery. 'Whitmer?'"
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."
1:03:25. "'Apostle' Hyde erect. by Church 1939, Spring City, Utah."
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."
1:03:27. [no caption]
1:03:28. "Dr. King Robinson, Fort Douglas Cemetery. Note all-seeing eye on very top of stone. You will need mag. glass."
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."
1:03:30. [no caption]
1:03:31. "Springville, Utah, Presbyterian Church of 1892. See encl. data sheet. Shows Mormon settlement of Utah erroneous."
1:03:32. "Springville, Utah, Presbyterian Church of 1892. See encl. data sheet."
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."
1:03:34. "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."
1:03:35. "West Jordan, Utah, meetinghouse."
1:03:36. "Plaque West Jordan, Utah, meetinghouse. See encl. datasheet."
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."
1:03:38. "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."
1:03:39. "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."
1:03:40. "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."
1:03:41. [no caption]
1:03:42. "Samuel Smith's son."
1:03:43. [no caption]
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."
1:03:45. "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."
1:03:46. "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."
1:03:47. "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.'"
1:03:48. "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."
1:03:49. [no caption]
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."
1:03:51. "Alexander Joseph Smith, Beaver, Utah. Shows Campbellite origin & later connection of church. One of two markers--other states Alex. Joseph."
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."
1:03:53. "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."
1:03:54. "Issac Brunel, b. 1829. Manti Cemetery. They were here. The entire church leadership already Mason. They did endowments anyplace they wanted."
1:03:55. "Peter Ludvigson, KBI 4-10-1863. Manti. Typical Blood Atonement Stone--Usually these people, men, women and children, went in multiples."
1:03:56. "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."
1:03:57. "Salt Lake Main Cemetery. How do we account for this?"
1:03:58. "Salt Lake Main Cem."
1:03:59. "(North) Ephraim, Utah Cemetery. Blood atoned."
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."
1:03:61. "Old co-op store of United Order. Beaver, Utah. Whole state living it 1874."
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.
1:03:63. "West wall of St. George tabernacle. The guide never objected to pictures, didn't know meaning of any of it."
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."
1:03:64a. "N. Ephraim Cem. 'Holy Bible,' clasped hands, Christians. d. about 1880."
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."
1:03:66. "Typical 'Woodman of the World' burial. Beaver, Utah. One ency. lists this frat. as Masonic."
1:03:67. "Tombstone of the poor Bp. of Beaver John Riggs Murdoch, polygamist."
1:03:68. "Beaver."
1:03:69. "Issaac Morley, Manti. (My relative), early United Order at Kirkland, born 1786."
1:03:70. "Manti. KBI 10-1-1853. Thomas Clark. Murder."
1:03:71. "Manti Cem. early murder, KBI."
1:03:72. "John Eager, Manti. Church of First Born verse."
1:03:73. "Manti, Mason."
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."
1:03:75. "Parowan, 'Holy Bible.'"
1:03:76. "Cedar City, 'Christian.'"
Folder 4.
1:04:01. 1-6-87. Photo of Torrance Calif. Stake. 22605 Kent Ave., Torr.
1:04:02. 1-6-87. Torrance North Stake, Redondo Beach. Note: Catholic Church opposite side of street. (sign of cross).
1:04:03. 1-6-87. Torrance North Stake. 715 Knob Hill Ave. Redondo Beach, CA. Note: Catholic Church sign of cross other side of LDS Church across street.
1:04:04-1:04:07. 1-6-87. Artesia Blvd, Gardena Stake House under construction.
Folder 5.
1:05:01. Headshot of Ed Decker (black and white).
1:05:02. Headshot of Ed Decker (black and white).
1:05:03-1:05:07. Pictures of Ed Decker leaning against fencepost (black and white).
1:05:08. Picture of Ed Decker in studio (black and white).
1:05:09. Unknown location (black and white).
1:05:10-1:05:15. Headshots of Ed Decker (black and white).
1:05:16-1:05:20. Various color picture of Ed Decker.
1:05:21-1:05:22. Small color headshots of Ed Decker. Developed 4-15-87.
1:05:23. Negative of Decker headshots.
Folder 6.
The 8x10 photos in this folder were taken in Tonga.
1:06:01. Bulldozing of LDS Church.
1:06:02. LDS Church at Kolonga Village, Tongatapu, before demolition.
1:06:03. Moving of church seats from LDS Church at Kolonga Village before demolishing.
1:06:04. Bulldozing of LDS Church at Kolonga Village.
Folder 7.
1:07:01. Erin Kathleen (Kathy) Jones. Age 18 yrs. (College Freshman at God's Bible School, 1810 Young St., Cinn. OH 45210). Sent to Ed Decker from Roberta and Mack Jones on Oct. 13, 1980. Removed from Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
Folder 8.
1:08:01. Paul Cook at Manti temple. Removed from Decker Manuscript Collection Box 49 (MSS 210).
1:08:02. Paul Cook at Mayan ruins in Chichen Itza, Mexico. Removed from Decker Manuscript Collection Box 49 (MSS 210).
1:08:03. Christmas Card to Ed Decker from Paul Cook. 1986. Removed from Decker Manuscript Collection Box 49 (MSS 210).
Folder 9.
1:09:01-1:09:07. Construction of the RLDS Temple in Independence, MO.
Folder 10.
1:10:01. Picture of Saints Alive building.
Folder 11.
1:11:01. Negative of Vern and Mickie Cavin.
Folder 12.
1:12:01. Photo sent to Decker from Elaine Quinn.
Folder 13.
Photos in this folder found with Gretchen Hedberg's letter to Ed Decker, dated March 30, 1987. Letter located in Box 58 MSS 210.
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.
1:13:02. "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."
Folder 14.
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).
Box 2.
Folder 1.
2:01:01-2:01:114. Complete slide show of "Archaeology and The Book of Mormon." The typed script for this slide show is located in Box 4 Fd 3 of the Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
Folder 2.
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).
Folder 3.
2:03:01-2:03:50. Part of the slide show "Mormons, Temples, and Masons," of which an audio version can be found in Box 157 of the Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
Folder 4.
2:04:01-2:04:74. Slides originally marked "Book of Mormon Archaeology." These slides mostly correspond to a hand-written script located in Box 32 Fd 21 of the Decker Manuscript Collection (MSS 210).
Folder 5.
2:05:01-2:05:100. Slides originally marked "New Archaeology of the Book of Mormon." Some of these are duplicates of slides in Folders 1 and 4.
Folder 6.
2:06:01-2:06:13. Extra and miscellaneous archaeology slides.
Folder 7.
2:07:01-2:07:05. Slides concerning "The Book of Abraham."
Folder 8.
2:08:01-2:08:30. Slides of various passages from the Mormon doctrinal works "Journal of Discourse" and "Doctrines of Salvation."
Folder 9.
2:09:01-2:09:04. Slides originally marked "False Prophecy."
Folder 10.
2:10:01-2:10:14. Slides of passages from Mormon scripture and the Bible concerning "burnings."
Folder 11.
2:11:01-2:11:13. Slides of passages from "The Ensign" and from a letter to Ed Decker sent by Norman Peale of the Foundation for Christian Living.
Folder 12.
2:12:01-2:12:19. Slides on the subject of The Freemen Institute.
Folder 13.
2:13:01-2:13:17. Slides of passages from "Journal of Discourses" concerning "blood atonement."
Folder 14.
2:14:01-2:14:12. Slides of passages from the Book of Kings in the Bible.
Folder 15.
2:15:01-2:15:12. Images about the Mormon Church. 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."
Folder 16.
2:16:01-2:16:28. Slides concerning Joseph Smith: his visions, translations, and murder.
Folder 17.
2:17:01-2:17:18. Slides about Jesus from Mormon doctrine and writings.
Folder 18.
2:18:01-2:18:25. Slides about God/Godhead from Mormon doctrine and writings.
Folder 19.
2:19:01-2:19:17. Slides of passages from Bruce McConkie's work "Mormon Doctrine."
Folder 20.
2:20:01-2:20:09. Slides of passages from "The Documentary History of the Church," written by Joseph Smith.
Folder 21.
2:21:01-2:21:07. Slides of passages from "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith."
Folder 22.
2:22:01-2:22:17. Slides of passages from the Bible.
Folder 23.
2:23:01-2:23:20. Slides of passages from works of Mormon thought and scripture.
Folder 24.
2:24:01-2:24:18. Title slides from Decker's slide presentations.
Folder 25.
2:25:01. Slide showing Ed Decker and others gathered outside on a lawn.