Peoples Temple Collection; Box 27, Virtual item 14, Q1016- Los Angeles sermon

Digital Record

Identifier: ms-0183_27.14

Staff Only

Digital Object (mixed_materials)

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Dates

Digitized: 1972

Creator

Jones, Jim (Jones, James Warren) (Person)
Peoples Temple (Organization)

Summary Note

This sermon by Jim Jones, recorded in Los Angeles in 1972, includes passionate oratory and audience participation, a worship of Christianity, of socialism and of self, and evocation of familiar themes of churches that care more about their preachers -- with their Cadillacs and their fancy clothes -- than they do about the people. It also shows how well Jones knew his Bible. Early in the tape, a man cries from the congregation that, "Jim Jones has come to bring socialism to the United States of America." Jones says that that's beautiful, but cautions his followers to always call it Christian socialism. "You'll need to preface these things with OThe Lord hath declared,'" he says. That way, he adds, "You take them stage by stage." If people witness and learn, he says, they'll be able to reach people that he can't. Full summary of the recording available at Alternative Considerations of Jonestown website, along with the tape transcript.

Rights Statement Note

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