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Peoples Temple Collection; Box 17, Virtual Item 31, Q612a-Los Angeles Sermon (End of Q612)

 Digital Record
Identifier: ms-0183_17.31

Dates

  • Digitized: 1974

Creator

Summary Note

Side A of the tape is a continuation of JIMMY JONES' sermon attacking the Bible and fundamental Christianity and JONES' statement that they (inferring the Christians or those in authority) were attempting to start a race war to kill off the poor and black people. JONES said he had come to "save you" (inferring black persons in general), "not from sin, but from the sinners, the honkies that have sinned against you." The tape also contained a KGO radio interview of People's Temple Spokesman MICHAEL J. PROKES wherein he said he was, responding to an earlier broadcast of a statement by Reverend LESTER KINSOVING [sic] attacking JIM JONES and the People's Temple Disciples of Christ, at Ukiah, California. PROKES denied that KINSOVING had been recently seized by the Church when KINSOVING reportedly visited the church. He said that KINSOVING was in fact allowed in to take notes inside the church and he said that a member of the church who was an assistant district attorney (location not indicated) had not interrogated KINSOVING "in any sense of the word". PROKES also denied that KINSOVING's photographer had been "grabbed" on the occasion of KINSOVING's visit to the church and PROKES said that if KINSOVING had felt "so threatened" why had KINSOVING returned alone to the church for a further visit one week later. PROKES admitted two Peoples' Temple members had "in open view worn firearms" and served as security guards on two Sundays only, after acts of violence had taken place against the church. PROKES further denied that either of the security guards had met KINSOVING. PROKES cited several past incidents of violence against the church and he said the church had "reasons to be concerned about security." Full summary of the recording available at Alternative Considerations of Jonestown website, along with the tape transcript.

Rights Statement Note

The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine.  Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Physical Description Note

Original audio cassette tape recording digitized and made available as .mp3 audio file.

Publisher Note

Publisher: The Jonestown Institute

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections & University Archives Repository

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