William Shepardis a past president ofthe John Whitmer Historical Associationand has published inDialogue: A Journalof Mormon Though"t, theJohn WhitmerHistorical Association Journal," andtheJournal of Mormon History." An elderin the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints (Strangite), he is active inthe Burlington, Wisconsin, branch thatwas founded by James Strang in 1844.Shepard is a retired school teacher, holds a master s degree in history, and isa former sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. H. Michael Marquardt is an independentresearcher and writer, the author ofThe Book of Abraham Revisited, InventingMormonism: Tradition and the HistoricalRecord, The Joseph Smith Revelations: Text and Commentary," and compiler ofEarly Patriarchal Blessings of the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.""