The blazeap federal authorities have arrested a man in the theft of a rare firstedition copy of the book of mormon from a suburban phoenix bookstore. Jun 12, 2012 the owner of rare and out of print books and art in mesa reported the book stolen on may 28 and said it wasnt insured. New website offers free, easy access to book of mormon. For owner helen spencer schlie, 88, who says she was once mitt romneys sunday school teacher the accused was a business partner and one of her closest friends, who chatted with her by phone for hours each week and helped her publish a book of her poetry. One of the last living world war i widows, sister schlie became the topic of a national media storm when her copy of an original, 1830 book of mormon was stolen and again when it was recovered nine months later. One of the rarest of the rare mormon antiquarian books on ebay. Helen schlie says the 182yearold book was stolen from her arizona store. On memorial day, two mormon missionaries stopped by rare and out of print books and art in mesa, arizona, to have their picture taken with a first edition of the book of mormon. At 91, helen schlie closes one chapter and begins yet another. Heres an abc news report highlighting the original theft. A lover of words helen schlie passes on love for learning. Matt york ap the firstedition book of mormon brought faithful from around the country to a book store in mesa. For years, mormon missionaries would come to helen schlies bookstore to have their pictures taken with a firstedition copy of the book of. She inbited me over to see her books and when she offered to let me hold her rare cioy of the book of mormon, i avout passed out.
For years, mormon missionaries would come to helen schlie s bookstore to have their pictures taken with a firstedition copy of the book of mormon. First edition book of mormon stolen east idaho news. Retired bookstore owner helen schlie can see a higher purpose in selling her 1830 firstedition book of mormon one page at a time. Jun 28, 2014 helen plans to continue to pursue her dreams, including an ice cream business that would provide funds for prospective missionaries, a line of jewelry she has designed and another book of poetry. Rare first edition of the book of mormon, and the man who allegedly. Last may, a firstedition book of mormon was stolen from helen schlie, an 89yearold bookstore owner from mesa, ariz.
Matt york ap the firstedition book of mormon brought faithful from around the country to a book store in. For decades, parents would bring their newborn babies to helen schlies bookstore so theirinfants could touch a first edition copy of the book of mormon. The last time schlie and her assistant, ken hankins, saw the book was at 7 p. A firstedition copy of the book of mormon that draws hundreds of missionaries to an arizona bookstore has gone missing. Aug 23, 2005 phoenix ap retired bookstore owner helen schlie can see a higher purpose in selling her 1830 firstedition book of mormon one page at a time.
A lover of words helen schlie passes on love for learning and. The rare first edition of the book of mormon stolen from an antiquarian bookstore in suburban phoenix, arizona see the earlier. Arizona woman selling first edition book of mormon one page. Retired bookstore owner helen schlie displays her 1830 firstedition book of mormon and a selection of framed individual pages at her home aug. For decades, parents would bring their newborn babies to helen schlie s bookstore so their infants could touch a first edition copy of the book of mormon. Helen schlie, the owner of the bookstore, called fox tuesday night to share the good news. Rare book of mormon taken from unpopular little old lady. Helen schlie, the 88yearold bookstore owner of rare and. Rare book of mormon taken from unpopular little old lady not.
An 1830 firstedition book of mormon owned by retired bookstore owner helen schlie. Matt yorkap photo logo for the website book of mormon central. Missionaries from around the world were also drawn to the mesa, ariz. Rare book of mormon missing from arizona store fox news. Helen schlie, owner of rare and out of print book and art in mesa, holds a rare page out of the first edition of the book of mormon. Schlie s copy of the book of the mormon was found by police in washington, d.
During that time, they came into an original copy of the book of mormon that they let bookstore patrons hold and read from. May 31, 2012 helen schlie, an 88 year old mormon convert who operates a bookstore in mesa, had owned the book for 45 years. The helen spencer schlie gallery in mesa will close on wednesday. First edition book of mormon stolen from arizona store jacket copy. Helens love for words was evident to the endin the hundreds of books that lined her shelves, the moving and insightful poetry she wrote and often quoted and in her sharing the scriptures she loved, including passing out more than 300 copies of the book of mormon. The firstedition book of mormon brought faithful from around the country to a book store in mesa, ariz. Book of mormon sold page by page us news life nbc news. Helen schlie, an 88 year old mormon convert who operates a bookstore in mesa, had owned the book for 45 years. For years, mormon missionaries would come to helen schlies bookstore near the mesa arizona temple to have their pictures taken with a firstedition copy of the book of mormon. Ap a firstedition copy of the book of mormon that draws hundreds of missionaries to a mesa bookstore is missing.
Jun 14, 2012 on memorial day, two mormon missionaries stopped by rare and out of print books and art in mesa, arizona, to have their picture taken with a first edition of the book of mormon that was kept there. Arizona woman says firstedition copy of book of mormon. Arizona woman says firstedition copy of book of mormon stolen. Federal agents have recovered in virginia a rare firstedition of the book of mormon, believed to have been stolen from a downtown mesa, ariz. Retired bookstore owner helen schlie displays her 1830 firstedition book of mormon and a selection of framed individual pages at her home.
Jun 02, 2012 the 588page book missing since monday is one of only 5,000 copies ever printed, said its owner, bookstore owner and proprietor helen schlie. But when store owner helen schlie looked in the fireproof box where she. The rare first edition of the book of mormon stolen from an antiquarian bookstore in suburban phoenix, arizona see the earlier mobylives report has been recovered after having apparently been taken by a trusted friend of the store owner, according to a washington post report capping a case that spotlighted the market for mormonia memorabilia about mormonism that has been. May 31, 2012 an 1830 firstedition book of mormon and a selection of framed individual pages owned by retired bookstore owner helen schlie are displayed at her home friday, aug. Helen schlie, owner of the shop, discovered the theft when two young mormon missionaries from asia, came to the shop on monday to have their pictures taken with the book. Bookstore owner helen schlie was heartbroken in may when she discovered a trusted friend had stolen her original book of mormon and sold a few pages to a. First edition book of mormon stolen from arizona store. The bookstore houses thousands of old and rare books including the. Woman spreading mormon word, page by page history news. Later, when the church indicated they didnt want it, helen sold individual pages from the book, encased in museumquality glass.
Schlie said she discovered the theft when two young women, mormon missionaries from asia, stopped by about 1 p. Jan 17, 20 helen schlie holds her firstedition copy of the book of mormon and one of the framed pages from the book in her bookstore in mesa, ariz. Helen plans to continue to pursue her dreams, including an ice cream business that would provide funds for prospective missionaries, a line of jewelry she has designed and another book of poetry. Schlie converted to mormonism when she was a grandmother living in michigan and said she once filled in as a substitute teacher for the sunday school class of 15yearold mitt romney. A rare, firstedition copy of the book of mormon stolen from a suburban phoenix bookstore was recovered on tuesday in the washington, d. It had last been placed in a fireproof box and left in an unlocked filing cabinet the friday evening before the busy holiday weekend. Hebrew book of mormon general discussions mormon dialogue. Until this week, helen schlieowner of mesa, arizona, bookstore rare and out of print books and artowned one of the 5,000. Helen schlie holds her 1830 firstedition book of mormon and a selection of framed individual pages at her home in gold canyon, ariz.
According to mormons, the sacred book was written on gold plates and lost until an angel revealed the plates to joseph smith, who translated it and created just 5,000 copies in 1830. Helen schlie, the woman whose 1830 book of mormon was stolen in mesa, az, had a copy when i visited her bookstore. Book of mormon selling by the page the seattle times. Helen schlie says its known throughout mesas mormon community that her store had an original copy. Store owner helen schlie says the last time she saw the book was when she put it in a fireproof box friday night. Stolen firstedition book of mormon returned to arizona woman.
Arizona central reports that helen schlie, an 88 year old mormon convert who operates a bookstore in mesa, had owned the book for 45 years. Aug 23, 2005 helen schlie holds her 1830 firstedition book of mormon and a selection of framed individual pages at her home in gold canyon, ariz. Schlie, 88, owned an lds bookstore for 20 years and later opened an old and rare bookstore in august 2010 where she kept the 1830 copy of the book of mormon. Matt york ap the firstedition book of mormon brought faithful from around the country to a book. Rare first edition book of mormon missing from mesa shop. Some missionaries would cry as they touched the rare book, one of 5,000 printed in 1830 after joseph smith found the gold plates that he translated into the book of mormon, which members of the. Jun 01, 2012 an 1830 firstedition book of mormon owned by retired bookstore owner helen schlie. She particularly wants to continue making available pages from the 1830 book of mormon, now framed with cherry wood from the farm where the prophet. She is an accomplished jeweler and makes optic fiber lds jewelry containing hidden book of mormon messages in every language in which the book is written. Jun 15, 2012 bookshop owner helen schlie, who is 88, would tell visitors that they were sharing dna with joseph smith when they touched her first edition of his book. Ask any collector or purveyor of mormon antiquarian books if they have one. Until this week, helen schlie owner of mesa, arizona, bookstore. Troubling questions in stolen book of mormon case booktryst.
The owner of rare and out of print books and art in mesa reported the book stolen on may 28 and said it wasnt insured. The sale of these items will also go toward funding the missionary venture. A rare, firstedition of the book of mormon that was helping to provide funds for missionary work before going missing last month will soon resume its own mission following the. Owner of original book of mormon loses mesa bookstore but not. Schlie said she believes it will be more of a missionary tool.
Arizona woman selling mormon scripture religion news blog. Stolen firstedition book of mormon returned to arizona. Firstedition book of mormon stolen in mesa, arizona huffpost. Schlies copy lacks fifty leaves 100 pages and as such is near. New website offers free, easy access to book of mormon research. Firstedition book of mormon goes missing from ariz.
Helen schlie, an arizona bookstore owner, was shocked when her firstedition book of mormon was stolen from her last may. Jun 01, 2012 for decades, parents would bring their newborn babies to helen schlies bookstore so their infants could touch a first edition copy of the book of mormon. Jun 01, 2012 according to mormons, the sacred book was written on gold plates and lost until an angel revealed the plates to joseph smith, who translated it and created just 5,000 copies in 1830. Aug 23, 2005 woman sells book of mormon by the page 0 gold canyon, ariz. Owner of original book of mormon loses mesa bookstore but. She says its wellknown throughout the nearby mormon community that the store had an original copy. The book of mormon is a foundational, holy text of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
Helen schlie, 88, owner of rare and out of print books and art. When the story of the theft of a first edition of the book of mormon broke this. Stolen first edition book of mormon recovered and suspect. Firstedition book of mormon stolen in mesa, arizona. Of warning directly from the library of helen spencer schlie. May 31, 2012 a firstedition copy of the book of mormon that draws hundreds of missionaries to a mesa bookstore is missing. After months of investigation, police recovered all of the loose pages that were sold in addition to the book, returning it to schlie on jan. A new lds website is entering the internet fray with the goal of providing free access to book of mormon research. Bookstore owner helen schlie was heartbroken in may when she discovered a trusted friend had stolen her original book of mormon and sold a few pages to a rare book dealer in texas.
Man accused of stealing rare book of mormon knew owner. A rare first edition copy of the book of mormon has been recovered. May 31, 2012 for years, mormon missionaries would come to helen schlie s bookstore to have their pictures taken with a firstedition copy of the book of mormon. Police say the store owner knows linford and he allegedly was in the store at the time of the theft. Owner of original book of mormon loses mesa bookstore but not her. Helen spencer schlie was evicted from her crowded central mesa bookstore, old and rare books and art, but she plans to continue sharing her historical book whenever possible, including at. Alleged thief busted in arizona book of mormon disappearance.
She bought the valuable text from a man who sold his family heirloom in desperate need for money, reports arizona central. She particularly wants to continue making available pages from the 1830 book of mormon, now framed with cherry wood from the farm where the prophet joseph smith was raised. The book of mormon was published in 1830 by church. The 588page book missing since monday is one of only 5,000 copies ever printed, said its owner, bookstore owner and proprietor helen schlie. Helen spencer schlie began selling her growing collection of mormon books and art nearly 50 years ago, but now is faced with closing her lds books and art store in mesa and clearing out all her. Rare copy of book of mormon reported stolen from arizona. Helen schlie s firstedition book of mormon and some framed pages are seen at her home in mesa, arizona in 2005. Woman sells book of mormon by the page 0 gold canyon, ariz. Helen schlie says she has owned the book for 45 years.
Helen schlie said the book was on display for 35 years in a nowclosed latter day saints bookstore in mesa, ariz. Friday, when they placed it in a fireproof box and set that in an unlocked filing cabinet. Helen spencer schlie has one daughter, four grandchildren, and twelve greatgrandchildren. The 588page book missing since monday is one of only 5,000 copies ever printed, said its owner. Bookshop owner helen schlie, who is 88, would tell visitors that they were sharing dna with joseph smith when they touched her first edition of his book. Jun, 2012 the owner of rare and out of print books and art in mesa reported the book stolen on may 28 and said it wasnt insured.
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