Peoples Temple Collection; Box 16, Virtual item 6, Q454-A, PT administrative service includes punishments and praises
Creator
- Jones, Jim (Jones, James Warren) (Person)
- Peoples Temple (Organization)
Summary Note
In this tape, Jim Jones alternately leads and referees a lengthy session that both offers praises and admonishes misdeeds – sometimes including the punishments themselves to the miscreants – of his Temple followers. While recorded in the Redwood Valley Temple, this tape is much more of an administrative meeting than a religious service. Nevertheless, the sanctuary is apparently packed with people. The tape’s date is unknown, and few specific clues are available: Jones speaks of the Promised Land and of Guyanese dollars, which suggests that it was 1974 or later; and Grace Stoen is still a member of the church, which dates it before July 4, 1976. The tape opens with Jones mediating a disagreement between Judy Merriam and Mary Wotherspoon, who worked in the same rest home in Ukiah and who lived communally in this same home. But the dispute is less important than Jones’ probe into Judy’s stated wish to have children (which, upon further consideration, she argues herself out of wanting), her continuing problems with her weight, and her paranoia. 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
Subject
- Jones, Jim, 1931-1978 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections & University Archives Repository